Silly Girl Running

Wordless Wednesday - Bringing sexy back

2012-02-15T05:57:00.003-08:00

As from last night: In addition to the darn sexy night retainer, I'm now also sporting this super hot night splint for my freaking toe. Yeah, baby...guess who's bringing sexy back.

Yep...freakishly long toes...I know.

Love Yourself

2012-02-14T05:41:00.006-08:00

'I love you'.

Three simple words, easy like that. And yet it seems fairly impossible for most people to say these words. And mean them. Surprisingly enough the 'I love you's spam your inbox / mail box / text messages one day every year. Oh yeah, it's Valentine's day.

All of a sudden everyone around you finds the need to buy fluffy teddy bears holding cheezy harts. Pink running shoes: yes. Running skirt covered in hearts: yes. But keep the bear. Although those do make a great dog toy...

It's not that I don't like Valentine's day. Au contraire, I think expressing your love is a great thing. And should be applauded. It's just that Valentine's day is so...in your face. I mean, come on...how many pink ponies can a girl handle? And why just one day. Say 'I love you' as often as you can. As long as you mean it. Example: I've just told my secretary that I love here. For saving my chaotic ass. And I meant it. See, that's how easy it is. ;)

Okay, so that's the first point I'm trying to make: cut the fluffy bear crap and say 'I love you' as often as you can. As long as you mean it.

Second point. As hard as it is to tell others that you love them, it's even harder to love yourself. Funny, huh? Especially since there's a heck of a lot to love about yourself. Right? Why is it so difficult to credit ourselves for having feet that will take us places? A sense of humor that can make us laugh out loud? The ability to tell the difference between right and wrong and the stubborness to stick with what we stand for? Hands to pull ourselves up when we're down? A butt that doesn't look half bad in a running skirt? The ability to smile over a street covered in fresh snow? So, why is it so hard? It shouldn't be.

So, this Valentine's day, promise me this:

1. Find a mirror.

2. Stand in front of it.

3. Take a good long look at yourself.

4. Say 'I love you'. And mean it.

And if Cupid is looking for me...tell him I'm on the dreadmill doing a hill work out...and to go easy on the arrows. ;)

Rest in Peace Miss Houston

2012-02-12T03:38:00.000-08:00

Rest in Peace, Miss Houston. Hope you've now found the peace you were looking for. Your songs took me through many last miles. You will be missed.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T07:01:00.001-08:00

Freezing temps? Problem solved Silly Girl Running style!

Foto Friday

2012-02-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

Guess what I'll be doing in the next couple of hours? I love this white stuff! :)

Three Things 'I needed a good laugh' Thursday

2012-02-02T08:00:00.001-08:00

And I'm willing to share it with you guys. ;)

1.

2.

Seriously?

3.

What does your schedule say on February 11th?

2012-01-31T05:18:00.000-08:00

Beth (Shut Up and Run) is organizing a virtual run for her cousin Sherry on February 11th. So, please mark your calendars and let - in Beth's words - the earth move. :) You can read all about the virtual run on Beth's blog here, and on the FB-page she's created for it here. This is what Beth wrote about Sherry and the virtual run on her blog (I borrowed this from her blog):

"On January 7, 2012, my cousin Sherry, age 43, left her house in the small town of Sidney, Montana at 6:30 a.m. for an early morning run. She didn’t always run in the morning because as a teacher, it was often difficult to fit in runs before she headed to Sidney High School to teach math. January 7 was a Saturday, however, and Sherry had a bit more time to spare. After her run she planned to meet her sister, Rhonda, and head out to their parent’s ranch a few miles outside of town. Her husband, Gary, had gone for a walk at 5:30 a.m. and when he returned home he could tell that Sherry had already left for her run because of the toothpaste splatters in the sink and a light that was on in the kitchen.

Sherry often ran within the town limits and January 7 was no exception. When Sherry did not come home later that morning, however, her husband began to worry. He called the police and a search ensued. By 3:00 p.m. hundreds of volunteers were searching for Sherry and only one clue had been found, Sherry’s right Brook’s running shoe.

My aunt called to tell me that “something bad had happened in Montana.” As the details unfolded, a weight sat in the pit of my stomach. I hoped for the best, but feared the worst. Please find her. Please bring her home.

For several days there was no sign of Sherry. On the seventh day, a tip was received on the FBI’s tip line that led to the arrest of two men, one in North Dakota and one in South Dakota. One of the men confessed to killing Sherry. She had been abducted at 6:40 a.m., only about a mile from her house.

Sherry’s body has not yet been found.

Sherry’s traumatic and heinous death has shocked, angered and saddened her small community. On a much larger scale, it has also rocked the running world from coast to coast and abroad. How could something so random, violent and senseless happen to someone so giving, someone loved by so many?

We have so many emotions. As mothers, runners, and teachers, we fear it could have been us. Our hearts break for her students, her family, her community. We feel things we don’t know how to express and we cry for someone who we have never met. We hope she did not suffer and we hope that she found peace in her final moments. The human connection often feels deepest during tragedy. These past three weeks this connection has been alive, pulsing and powerful. The goodness has poured out of each and every one of you, demonstrating that good overpowers evil.

Many of you have told me that you have dedicated your runs and races to Sherry. I have talked about wanting to do a planned virtual run in her honor. Her family has given me their blessing and Races 2 Remember has so generously donated their time to creating a running bib for Sherry.

The virtual run will be on Saturday, February 11.

......
GO. Run as far and as long as you want. Walk, hike, cycle, rollerblade if you don’t want to or can’t run.
Please share this on your blogs, Facebooks and Twitters
Keep it simple. Just run with Sherry on your minds and hearts."

You can print out the running BIB through the FB-page or through Beth's blog.

So, what are you doing on February 11th?

Abnormalities

2012-01-30T07:01:00.000-08:00

Life has its own 'funny' ways of pushing you in 'your' direction. Its own ways of telling you that this might be the moment to take a left or right and to stop going into the direction you were going into up till that point. Its own ways of telling you that you are the one leading this life. Its own ways of telling you that it's about time to stop doing what others expect you to do. Its own ways of telling you that it's okay to act Heart over Mind sometimes.

Last Friday I had one of these moments. One of these moments where it just hits you. 'Something needs to change, and I'm no longer putting 'change' on hold'. And as much as that thought scared the sh*t out of me, it's comforting at the same time.

It comes down to one simple thought: I want, need, love to spend more time outside, doing what I love. A bit of time away from that desk. Even 10% or 20% more would be food for the soul. I feel that I am too young to ditch my love for the outdoors and sports. Too young to trade that for spending all of my time behind a desk. Even when people around you expect you to spend all of your time behind that desk. And tell you that not doing so would be 'an abnormality'.

I want the desk and the outdoors. Is that that awful, weird, bad? I don't think it is. Apparently some people do and don't think I should spend a couple more hours a week doing what I love. And that's when it hit me. Something needs to change. Life is too short to let others decide what's right for you. To let others tell you how to live your life. And that thought alone scares the sh*t out of me. Oh, I've already mentioned that, huh? ;) So, to find some 'peace' I did what every reasonable 28 year old would do: read Dr. Seuss. And drink Mojitos.

And guess what, Dr. Seuss was a wise guy. ;)

So, for now, I'm working on that 'Direction' thing. :) Oh, and Dr. Seuss is right about another thing: being You is kinda cool. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. :) Unless you're Khadaffi, Saddam, Osama, etcetera, in which case being 'YOU' isn't that cool. Just wanted to point that out...

Mountain lover? Trail lover? Watch this!

2012-01-24T06:44:00.000-08:00

Inspirational. And look at those views! :) Okay, I'll stop babbling now. Just watch this video. :)

Things I Love - Firedaughter Clothing

2012-01-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Firedaughter Clothing?

1. No. No? Where have you been hiding for the last couple of months?

2. Yes. Great, in that case you know how great these shirts are. :)

The Firedaughter tanks, shirts, sweat shirts, hoodies, etcetera are (i) too freaking cute, (ii) way cheaper than other running shirts, and (iii) great quality!

Seriously: 20 sweaty treadmill miles (32K), some crazy sweat, and no soaking wet tank. Not wet. At all. Get it? Halle-freakin-lujah.

So, if you are a total sweatfest like moi - go check out the Firedaughter Clothing website here. Come on, do yourself a favor and check. out. Firedaughter. Clothing. :)

Foto Friday

2012-01-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

Fingers crossed on this one.

Now, first things first, let's talk outfits. ;) Ha!

Wordless Wednesday - What's on my playlist

2012-01-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to the LMFAO song over and over again (I know...I'm a douche) - great song to work out on. Minor thingie is that I sing along. Long run and all - I sing along. Outside and at the gym. There are kids at the gym. And let's be honest - the LMFAO version isn't the most kid-friendly one. I might have to consider downloading Elmo's version and jamming it on my playlist...

Yay or Nay: Hitting the red carpet in your VFFs

2012-01-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

Shailene Woodley hit the red carpet (Golden Globes) wearing...VFFs. And nope, she did not show up in her running gear. She wore a pretty dress, and paired it with her VFFs. How cool is that?

Photo courtesy: The Huffington Post

Check out the Huffington Post article on it here.

So, Yay or Nay? My opinion: I think she looks cute and the VFFs do not mismatch the dress. But that's just me. Feel free to disagree! :)

Don't let the bad guys win

2012-01-16T05:09:00.000-08:00

As many of you, I learned the sad news about Beth's cousin Sherry last Friday. Devastating. I'm wishing and sending Sherry's loved ones strength and love in these most difficult of times.

The news made me sad. Deeply.

The news also made me angry. Angry that there are bad guys out there that claim to have the right to take a person's life. A person's freedom. And actually believe they can get away with that.

I learned the news the day before Paula and I had scheduled a road trip to the Belgian Ardennes. Holland is flat, and we really really wanted to run some hills. Wanted to slide down some muddy down hills. Wanted to splash through some streams. We'd planned an early morning road trip - to a remote area of the Ardennes. And yes, the night before I did find myself thinking 'What if something happens to us? What if there's some sort of weirdo hiding in the bushes? It's just the two of us out there. We'd be an easy target.'.

We went anyway. Looked out for ourselves. We tried (well...luckily for me Paula has some navigating skills...) to stick with marked hiking routes to run on. And we did run into some hikers, so there were people out there. I texted home when we arrived at the Ardennes and headed out for the run. And texted when we'd returned to the car. We finished the run covered in muddy muddy and with huge goofy smiles stuck on our faces. Those are our trails. We'd claimed our right to run through those bushes dressed in a skirt and laughing our butts off. We didn't let the bad guys win. We went out there anyway. Sherry, this one's for you.

I'd also like to quote my running buddy Wendy on this one: "... I refuse to allow fear to hold me back from doing what I enjoy.". She's right.

Look out for yourself. And don't let the bad guys stop you.

* To end this post on a more light-hearted note - Freddy Mercury said it right - 'Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball'.

Three Things Thursday

2012-01-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

1. Heartbreaking: I dedicated a post to Sherry Arnold earlier this week. She is still missing. Could you please show Beth from Shut Up and Run your support and like the Help find Sherry Arnold Facebook page?

2. Beans: Sport beans? Not for this girl. I've been playing around with my food intake on long runs, and am giving the regular Jelly Belly Beans a shot instead of the Sport Beans. Combined with energy gel, sandwiches and energy bars, they seem to do the trick and I have one tasty fueling plan. :) Are you a Sport Beans fan?

3. RelaxReflect: Safety first, huh? ;) Even if this means you look like a total goofball. I'm testing some RelaxReflect tights at the moment, and so far, I'm a happy camper. These are comfy and make you a heck of a lot easier to spot than in plain black tights. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy Runner's World

Please help out Shut up and Run!

2012-01-10T05:36:00.000-08:00

Scrolling through Facebook last Sunday the news of a missing runner caught my eye. Turns out, it's Beth's (Shut Up and Run) cousin Sherry Arnold.

Sherry went out on her morning run last Saturday 6:30 AM in the town of Sidney, Montana (USA), but hasn't returned yet. The news makes me sick to the stomach. You can read more about Sherry here, and this the link to the Facebook-page dedicated to Sherry Arnold: here. Please help Beth out and 'like' the page. And spread the word!

Do you remember the day I placed 3rd in my AG?

2012-01-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

Yeah...me neither. Since I missed the actual 'ceremony'. Heck yeah...

Rewind. Last Saturday. Running buddy John and moi met up to run a fun 25K race (Florijn Winterloop, Woudenberg, the Netherlands) together. I did a 5K hill work out as a warm/up and John had 24K on deck for the next day, so...we were going to LSD the heck out of this baby. Oh yeah, how slow can you go, baby. Of course, the excitement got to me and we ended up running the course at marathon pace-ish (for me, that is...John is super speedy).

It was fun running together, but the course ended up being kind of boring. There's only so many farm land a girl can handle on a 25K run. Then again, the volunteers were amazing - very well organized!

Finished the run in 2:11:49. Fun long run. Oh, and this is what we looked like at the finish line. I sure messed up those pics, huh?

Photo courtesy Wim de Bruijne

I ran out of the pink K-tape. Note to self: get new pink K-tape!

After the race, I chatted a bit with other runners and then hopped into the car on my way home. Might have stopped to get french fries. Just might have. ;) Threw my pack (with my phone in it) in the back of the car. 20 minutes later, my phone was ringing. Didn't bother crawling all the way to the back of the car to get it. Turns out, it was John - trying to tell me that I'd placed 3rd in my AG. What the bleep - I've never placed in my AG. I'm too freaking slow. Apparently there was an award ceremony going on. And they were looking for me. That's me...always late for the party. Luckily, John was sweet enough to get my prize, medal and bottle of wine for me.

Oh, and in case you were wondering whether or not 'slowpoke' has managed to turn into 'not so slow-poke' - no worries, there weren't a lot of girls in my AG. ;)

So, what's your story of the weekend?

Three Things Thursday

2012-01-05T05:57:00.000-08:00

1. Oh Ryan: Okay, Ryan Hall rocks. Enough said. And Ryan Reynolds is pretty easy on the eye. Uh-huh. ;) So...you'd say that putting those two together would be a great thing. Well, think again. Am I the only girl out there that doesn't think this commercial is funny?

2. Text WIND OFF to 1234: Not sure what the weather is like in the rest of the world, but it sure is windy, and unseasonably warm in the Netherlands. And when I say windy, I mean WINDY. I guess headwinds make a great interval work out, right? Right? And since I'm already whining and b*tching about this - it's too freaking warm to wear a windstopper jacket. And too windy not to wear one. Okay, done complaining. Thanks for listening. ;)

3. Runner porn: SALOMON WILL HAVE THEIR S-LAB RUNNING PACK IN A 12 LITER VERSION THIS SPRING. Can you tell I'm excited? Hiding it well, huh? ;)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Lululemon or LuluDemon?

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

A blog buddy forwarded me this article on Lululemon in the Huffington Post (it's from a couple of months ago): here.

Short excerpt from the article:

"It took only a year for Lululemon to step into an even larger controversy. In 2006, the firm rolled out a line of "Vita-Sea" apparel bags that it claimed were made with seaweed fiber, and had health and medicinal effects for consumers, including stress reduction, through the release of amino acids and vitamins into the skin's natural moisture. But skeptics, including the New York Times, decided to sponsor lab tests, which revealed that Lululemon wasn't just misleading consumers: it was lying. There was no seaweed of any kind in the bags the newspaper tested. There was no difference, in fact, between the Lululemon bags and other bags made of cotton - except that Lululemon's, of course, were a lot more expensive."

I don't own a single piece of Lululemon clothing - it's pretty hard to get your hands on Lululemon in the Netherlands, so I'm unbiased on this subject. Really curious to hear what your thoughts are on this subject. Please do share!

Tuesday Tidbit: check out active.com!

2012-01-03T01:17:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! I'm featured in this article on active.com:

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Women-on-the-Run.htm?cmp=17-7-1825

It's the same article as the one in Women's Running Magazine. For those of you that didn't get their hands on a copy of Women's Running Magazine, go check it out. :) No pressure. ;)

Here's to life!

2012-01-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

Funny how a single year can change the way you feel about your life. Yet, that's exactly what 2011 did for me.

I kicked off 2011 setting one A-goal for the year: the Swiss Alpine Marathon K78 (50-miler). Little did I know that even just working and training towards this race would give me a heck load of breath-taking moments. 'Blessed' would be an understatement. Plus, I learned a thing or two about myself while training for this race.

While I was training for the SAM I ran several marathons. Training marathons that made me love running marathons even more. Smiling at mile 25 / 40K of the Amsterdam Marathon - priceless. :)

I did back-2-back weekends. I did a couple of 30-milers (50 K's) on Sunday's. And a lot of 20+-milers. I ran through Holland's unseasonably hot Spring and wet Summer. I ran hills. I ran mountains. I spent some serious hours on trails. I even found a new love: cycling. And spent hours on my road bike to add extra hours of training to my schedule.

The out-of-this-world support running buddies and especially my mom gave me during this journey...is more than I could have ever wished for. Blessed. :)

I spent most of my non-working hours 'outside'. Training for the SAM made me appreciate nature in a way I didn't think I could. Who knew the sight of a squirrel hopping through the woods (instead of the sight of the Hermes Birkin Bag) could make me smile? ;)

The 'This is so cool! Can I do this again?' moment I had at mile 45 of the SAM was an amazing gift. I was out there, in high alpine terrain, covered in mud, in this freezing cold, and I was having a blast. That's pretty special to me. :) After all, I'm just a girl in a skirt...a girl that knows squat about running. :) Then again, winging it is kind of fun!

It has been a good year.

2011...you've been good to me. Sure...not all of it has been fun, but it's the fun and breath-taking moments that I decide to take with me. Fingers crossed that the beast I call '2012' can live up to your legacy. ;)

So, how about this? Let's have some fun kicking that beast in the balls Silly Girl Running style?:)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T08:28:00.000-08:00

Things I might consider wearing for a future race.

Photo courtesy B-skinz

Thoughts?

Three Things Thursday

2011-12-22T04:55:00.000-08:00

1. B-U-S-Y: It's the season to get busy. This is the time of year that things get kind of crazy at the firm. More work load = less time to blog. Sorry about that. :) Not that you're missing out on anything interesting with less posts on this blog. ;)

2. Effing knee: As I've already mentioned in Monday's post, I have some knee issues (PF) since I've spend 2 hours working through case files a week ago...on my knees. Do not try that one at home. The horror! My PT laughed at me and told me spending hours on your knees is a pretty stupid thing to do. Yeah, thanks. I know that...now! So...uphill speed walking on the treadmill (great mountain marathon work out...boy, does it get your heart rate up!) and cycling it is. Road running = angry knee at the moment, so I'm sticking with the dreadmill for the time being. Fingers crossed on this one.

3. 2012 vs 2011: I've told myself that it's okay to start planning 2012 races, even when the Knee is bothering me right now. And boy, it's fun to plan! Fun runs, city marathons, the Swiss Alps, and a dream race I don't even dare talking or thinking about. Are you already planning your 2012 races? Any tips on races I should try to work into my schedule? :)

Peee-ace bunny Galore - How to mess up race photos with your pants down

2011-12-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

The Ugly

Last Wednesday I spent 2 hours working on a case...on the floor....on my knees. I was working my way through a heck load of case files and somehow figured that the floor was a much better place to do so than my desk would ever be.

Boy, I could not have been more wrong. Apparently my knees are NOT made for spending 2 solid hours in the same 'on your knees' position. Ouch. A couple of hours after finishing working on the case files, I went out for a 7 1/2 mile / 12K run, and 'bam'...ouch...hello PF knee pain! At least I know what caused it. Then again...knowing that, doesn't cure it.

The knee felt a-okay on Friday, but - doing the wise thing - I opted on taking it slow on last Saturday's planned Half Marathon (Linschotenloop, Linschoten, the Netherlands). Making a nice marathon pace tempo run out of it. That worked out fine, and the knee felt okay till the 16K / 10 mile mark. After that it started bugging me again, but I could still run on it - relatively painfree too. It must have been the adrenaline, because after finishing the knee got angry. Angrier and angrier. Took a rest day yesterday, K-taped the thing and plan on cycling my way through the next couple of days. My PT is working on it and will check if I can try running on it again this weekend. Will this kill ultra plans for next year? Oh yeah, I've already convinced myself that that's the case. Hmmmpppffff...

The Fugly

I paced running buddy Gert to his new half PR on said half marathon. Without him knowing I was doing so. He must have hated me for the last couple of miles of this half. Plus, 10 miles in I had to pee. Big time. Jumped into the bushes, used Gert for stabilization (oh yeah, I'm classy like that) and spent a couple of minutes rearranging skirt/underwear/tights. Tangled up mess! Oh yeah, Gert was ready to kill me when we crossed that finish line after 1:48:56. Without the pee-thing, that would have made a great marathon pace tempo run. Then again, considering the whole slowpokie thing...this will propably never be my actual marathon pace. Uh-huh. ;)

Oooh, and I messed up his race pics. And mine. Yet again.

I actually look like a somewhat normal person in this one. Half of the other runners laughed at my outfit, though. Dutchies aren't ready for running skirts...

18K in, I was going for the happy girl look. Uh-huh...'Goofy's little sister' would be more accurate...

Full Moon or 'What I do on weekends'

2011-12-12T05:12:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday Night. Full moon. A fun group of runners. 'Santa's little Helpers' picked as a theme for this theme run.

That's moi on the right. On the left, yep, that's a guy. In a dress.

A full moon trail run = A heck of a lot of fun.

Courtesy of Fred & Marianne

The 13K Lordie ran on Saturday, combined with the 24K he ran yesterday (Sunday) made one tired doggio. :) He snuck his way on my side of the bed while I was in the shower...

Doodling outside the lines - Zalando webshop review

2011-12-07T05:19:00.000-08:00

This post might just be interesting for readers from the Netherlands/Europe, but does have something in it for all of you out there! :)

We all know the 'established' running gear webshops out there: Runningwarehouse.com, Rei.com, Lululemon, etcetera. For the Dutch readers this would be: Hardloopaanbiedingen.nl, Hardloopcentrum.nl, Run2Day.nl, and so on.

A webshop that doesn't have 'buy your running gear here!' written all over it (yet!) is Zalando. That's why I was extra excited when they contacted me and asked me to review their webshop and the brands they sell.

So, since I'm an official IceQueen (okay okay...bring on the jokes...), I ordered a warm baselayer for winter: the Columbia Heavyweight Baselayer - half zip.

This thing puts the T in Thermo. Warm and toasty.
The webshop

The Zalando webshop is easy to browse around in. When you're a trail oriented / mountain running oriented runner, make sure you also search under the brands tab. The Columbia, Patagonia, TNF and Salomon running gear won't show up when you click on the 'running gear' tab. So, if you'd like running gear from those brands, just search by brand. Worked for me!

The gear

Unlike most online running gear shops, Zalando doesn't stop at the usual brands (i.e. Asics, Nike, Adidas, Saucony, etcetera). They also sell Columbia, Patagonia, The North Face and Salomon gear. And that's pretty unique. I'm a fan - I love those brands! I think it's a huge plus that Zalando thinks outside the box on this one.

Ordering

Easy peasy. Just add the stuff you like to your cart, and fast forward to check-out.

Payment

Also easy peasy. They take Ideal payment and credit cards.

Delivery

Took a bit longer than stated. The shirt I'd ordered was in stock, but it took over a week to be delivered. Also, the track & trace option was a bit of a hassle.

All in all, I'm very pleased with the Zalando webshop and the number of brands they sell. Be sure to check out their website and shop around a bit! You won't be disappointed!

About the 40-miler that wasn't

2011-12-05T06:57:00.001-08:00

The Plan: To run a 40-miler in Belgium on November 27th. Hilly race. Extra fun, while Paula would be there with me. Oh boy, I was looking forward to this race!!!

Training: I ran several marathons in preparation for this 40 mile baby. Did lots of hillwork.

How it turned out to be: Well...The day before the race, the flu kicked in. Not just a cold, nope...the big old flu. And it kicked in big time. Result: I spent a week in bed (hence, the not blogging for a week). High fever. And obviously did not run that 40-miler. And felt awful about that. Am still feeling kind of awful about it.

So, here's what the brain says: wise call. The flu isn't a mild case of the sniffles. You should not race while trying to beat the flu. It would have been a truly stupid thing to do tip toe the start line. And yes, it doesn't matter that it was a 'I really want to do this one' race. The flu = no racing.

But here's what the heart says: This was a 'I really want to do this one' race! You're such a weak pussy for not sucking it up and tip toeing that start line! And spending a week in bed - you have lost all of your fitness!

Yep, the funny way my mind works...

Did you ever miss an A-race due to flu/injury/etc? Are you a 'mind' or 'heart' person on racing while dealing with flu/injury/etc?

The Flu Blues

2011-12-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Spending a week in bed with the flu (not just a cold...nope, GP diagnosed it as the flu...woohooo...) doesn't do anything for you mileage. Enough said.

Any tips on battling this effing flu asap?

Swiss Alpine K78 revisited

2011-11-26T03:06:00.000-08:00

What running a 50-miler in the Swiss Alps does to this girl:

Taken about an hour after finishing.

What running a 50-miler in the Swiss Alps also does to this girl:

The day after. :) And yes, that's a Snuggie.

Thank YOU!

2011-11-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is not the one day this year that I feel thankful. I'm fortunate enought to experience these 'I'm so thankful for...' moments almost every single day. With 365 days in a year, that's a heck of a lot to be thankful for. And even those moments that score high on the 'Yeugh'-scale, there's usually a little blessing attached...hidden somewhere - in a hard to find place.

As for this year...let's face it...I did have some rocky lows. Not going to lie about that. But the highs (till this very day of this year - not making up the scores yet)...the highs...are more than I could have wished for. More that I dreamed of. It gave me a lot to be thankful for. And I do realize that ... every single day. Putting them in writing - today - makes me realize even more, that there are a couple of true gems in this list. :)

1. My mom:

I could not have wished for a better mom. The support and love that she has shown in this crazy running journey I've been on this year, is out of this world. She knew that I would make it through those Swiss Alps in that 50 miler, while I only started to believe I could when I crossed the finish line. I can't think of a way to put down in words how grateful I am for her love and support.

2. (Running) buddies:

The number of (running) buddies I've met through the last couple of months, while doing something that I love, is huge. Yay on new friends! Double Yay on friends that get your passion. And won't tell you to slow down or get a life. ;)

3. My bod:

Knock on wood, but so far this year...it has been cooperating. And that is something to be thankful for.

4. Doggios!:

They make those intervals and long runs so much more fun! :) Heck, they make life more fun! :)

5. Jelly Beans:

After years of searching for the little bastards, I am now reunited with my beloved licorice Jelly Beans. ;) Hey, don't shoot me for trying to lighten up this post. ;)

6. New Marathon (and half) PR:

No BQ and still slow, but that 3:42 in the Full Marathon IS a PR. A PR I'm still freaking excited about at this very moment. A PR I couldn't even have dreamed of a year ago. Let this slowpoke have this, okay? ;)

7. Toenails that actually grow back:

The ones that had left the building, are now back for more action. Hello, shiny nail polish!

Reasons why I run - reason # 39

2011-11-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

Reason # 39:

Catching a breathtaking foggy sunrise with a running buddy. :)

Three Questions Thursday

2011-11-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

1. Naughty?: I was recently contacted by quite a large company that asked me to post about their products...but after me asking me which product they wanted me to review and in which time span, they told me they would send me some info, and I could write my review based on that. Yep, that's correct...I wouldn't review the actual product, but would just be writing a review based on their info. How could I possibly write a decent review without having the actual product in my hands? How weird is that. Especially since I'm talking about a well-known company here. Any thoughts on this?

2. Telecom: I've been home for several days now, but am still receiving text messages that seem to be sent to me while I was still in NYC. Uhm...roaming services? Did any of you ever have this problem?

3. Hello, here I am: On tonight's run I spotted way too many runners that worship the 'dark lord'. Exactly...no reflective gear. No blinkies. No light on them at all. Hello! Dangerous! Still don't get it. Also...I noticed that most runners were running on the right side of the cycling path. Which side of the road do you pick on late night/evening or early morning runs? Left or right?

This IS the time and the place

2011-11-16T05:05:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday night. We'd just returned from our trip to New York and I was having dinner with my Mom and a friend of hers. Chatting about the trip and how much fun we'd had. My mom's friend had recently lost her husband, so we talked about her husband's funeral. Out of the blue my mom's friend said: 'Oh right, I forgot to tell you. While you were in NY, S died'. (S being a classmate from elementary school - she lived in the same city I live in, so I ran into her several times after elementary school - last time must have been a couple of years ago).

'Shocked' doesn't even begin to describe how I felt at that moment. I wasn't close to her, just ran into her occasionally. While running errands or walking around town. But still...I remember her as an incredibly nice. A sweet girl. Close to her mom and baby brother. Had graduated Law School. Seemed to be enjoying life. A cancer survivor. Saddest part about this: she died while celebrating her 'I'm clear!' moment with dinner. Just like that.

This is one of those moments that's on my 'Things I don't get'-list. I can't even begin to describe how so so sorry I feel for her mom's and brother's loss. I wish them all the strength and support they need in the process of learning how to live with this loss.

This IS the time and the place

This is also one of those moments that made me realize that you have to live this life as fully as you can...every single day. I've said and heard 'This is nor the time, nor the place' or 'Maybe next week/month/year' too many times. This IS the time. AND the place. I've also heard 'There will always be another marathon/ultra.' way too often in the last couple of months. And yes, I do hope there will always be another marathon/ultra. But the sad news of S's passing made me realize that I should take every race in as 'THE marathon' or 'THE ultra'. Treasure any moment I'm out there running.

The same goes for wishlist races. These races where training/money/emergencies within your family aren't really an issue, I should no longer postpone. Neither should any of you. Who cares what the rest of the world might think of it. Collect memories. Precious memories.

If you want it, come and get it. And girl, do I want it!

And so...I puked - New York New York

2011-11-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

This New York City Marathon thingie...let's call this my 'lessons learned about marathoning' marathon.

The Plan

Plan was to run this marathon at an easy long run pace, since I wanted to really take in the crowds and have a planned 65K ultra (trails, hilly...love it!) planned on November 27th. The New York City Marathon would make a great training run for that one. Plus, I ran a 3:42 marathon at the Amsterdam Marathon just 3 weeks before the NYC Marathon, which is superfast for this slowpoke (don't expect anything like it again anytime soon ;)! Slowpokie is back in town! ;)). I was still riding high on that one. Anything around 4 hours would be okay for a long run pace marathon.

Reality

Plus...running the NYC marathon at an easy pace was the only way to go, since:

a. I was in the middle of the Kidney Stone bonanza. A kidney stone and the pain that comes with it, won't do much for your fitness. Enough said.

b. I'd sprained my ankle 2 weeks before the marathon. Badly sprained it. Still hurts, still can't wear heels. And it's still slightly swollen. Running a marathon on it might have something to do with that. Just might. ;)

c. Stomach bug. Oh yeah. Caught that one just 2 days before the marathon. Spent the night pre marathon in the bathroom and ended up feeling sweaty and nauseous from mile 12 on. And I puked...but more about that later. ;)

Bonus

Barbora was in town to run her first marathon! Totally talked her into letting me pace her for a bit. :) She did great! Read her full report here! It's fun, promise! :)

The Start

Since Barbora and I were both running for Team Hole in the Wall, we had the same bus to the start. Chatted the ride over to Staten Island away. Would have been great to have a bathroom on that bus, though....

The Team Hole in the Wall tent at the Charity village was amazing: no lines to use the bathroom!!! Woohooo!!! :) And a warm place to hang out before the start. Time flies when you're having fun, and before we knew it, it was time to head over to the corrals. We talked the crew into letting Barbora into my corral (I had the 'higher' BIB), so we could start together. :) It wasn't too long till 'New York New York' was playing and it was time to head to the start line. Woohooo!!! :)

At the start line! :) Stole this pic from Barbora's blog. ;)

The race

Crossed the start line, and it was on! Time to enjoy the heck out of this marathon. The crowds in Brooklyn were amazing!!! Same goes for the crowds in Queens. Right before entering Queens not only my ankle started to play up (as in...trying to get twice its original size: ouch!!!), but my tummy was no longer cooperating. I can only hope Barbora missed the smelly part of it. ;) Passed the Half Way mark in an easy 1:59. :) And yep, Barbora, you can easily run a sub-4 marathon with a 1:59 half split. ;)

By the time we were heading for Manhattan (First Avenue), I was truly feeling sick and swallowing down little vomit burps. Nothing to freak Barbora out with (it was her first marathon, I didn't want to scar her for life ;)), so I kept chatting away. ;) She didn't even strangle me for continuing to tell her to take the 'downhill' sections to recover. :) Meanwhile, all I could think was 'where the ef is the next bathroom!'. Our splits were nice and even, and on sub-4 pace. :)

Taken at mile 18-ish. I look way better than I felt (that is...'ready to throw up'). And yep, I also stole this one from Barbora's blog.

And this one. ;) Check out the cool Team Hole in the Wall tattoo on our quads. Uh-huh...badasstinistas for life! And yes...I know...short skirt...get over it. ;)

By mile 20 my ankle was killing me. Two miles later (mile 22) I told Barbora to go and kick those last 4 miles' butt. I'd checked the splits on Mr Garmin at mile 21 and knew we were running at a comfortable sub-4 (not a 10 minute - sub-4, but still a sub-4) pace. With the extra endorphines of 5th Avenue and the even splits we'd ran, I knew she would fly through those last 4 miles. However, my ankle did not feel good (from mile 5 on), and with the planned ultra in just 3 weeks, that freaked me out...big time! I was in pain...and limping. Plus, at that point I was truly feeling sick because of the stomach bug. Cramps and I felt nauseous. Truly nauseous. And that didn't really help the legs to keep going. Add to that the toll I'd paid for the kidney stone thingie, and I was pretty much feeling blah. Two miles later (mile 24) I forced my way through the crowds to throw up. And throw up. And throw up. In Central Park. Classy. But, you know, that's just how I roll. ;)

Made it to the finish line in 4:10:43. Three weeks after running a 3:42. Oh yeah....slowpokie is back.

Then again, I was going for a marathon at long run pace, and this is long run pace. ;)So what the heck am I complaining about. Let me blame the kidney stone/ankle sprain/stomach bug, okay? ;)

Oh, and when crossing that finish line...I looked like sh#t.

I'm too cheap to buy the full Brightroom package - $350 - no effing way!

On a more positive note: despite of still feeling nauseous the next day (bloody tummy bug), I did not experience any muscle issues (despite of the ankle...duh). Fresh legs - woohoo! :)

Still alive!

2011-11-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying my vacay in New York City! :) Managed to finish the marathon despite of the bloody kidney stone and the ankle sprain. Paced the lovely Barbora in her first marathon! Let's just say it was a great training run for this month's planned 65K trail race! :) Boy, do I love long distance running!

Start spreading the news...

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

Guess where I hope to be tomorrow (if KLM cooperates...that is...)? Guess. Guess. :)

Hint: planned marathon. ;)

Why I've been MIA

2011-10-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

1. I'm battling a kidney stone. I've had 21 of those before this one (hereditary thing). It hurts. It hurts like @^@^@&@&. I'm scheduled for treatment tomorrow PM.

2. Last Saturday on my trail run with the dogs, the dogs saw a bunny. The bunny was minding his business and hoppy like...well, a bunny does. The dogs figured he/she would make a fun snack. They dragged me through the woods. Result: ouchie ouch ankle sprain. Swelling. Skipped Sunday's, Tuesday's and Yesterday's run and cut today's run short. With a marathon in 10 days, timing is perfect. Uhm...nope. Can you say: personal worst?

3. I'm battling a kidney stone. Enough said.

Once that kidney stone is go-one, I'll be my happy preppy self again. I hope. 'Cause there's still this ankle thing. I'd like the doggios for that one. But, seriously...have you seen these guys: hard to stay angry with those guys. :)

Zensah Leg Sleeve Giveaway!

2011-10-25T01:34:00.000-07:00

My awesome blog buddy Barbora is raising money for Team Hole in the Wall and Running the New York City Marathon for Team Hole in the Wall! :) So cool! Since Barbora is nursing a calf injury and I have a sucky sprained ankle, we plan on limping out that marathon together. ;) I'll be sure to bring my camera for that one! Ha! :)

To raise money, Barbora is now hosting a Zensah Leg Sleeve Giveaway on her blog here. Go check it out!

I interrupt this Foto Friday for...

2011-10-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

...this month's Women's Running Magazine (US edition):

Photo courtesy: Larissa

Thing is...they didn't send me a copy. Larissa was sweet enough to send me a phone pic of hers, but I would love to have my own copy. Could I bribe one of you into sending me a copy by mail? And yes, I will pay for both the magazine and shipping. ;)

I interrupt this Three Things Thursday for...

2011-10-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

...this month's Runner's World (Dutch edition):

Some of you asked for a translation, so - here you go (now you wish you hadn't asked for that, right :)):

"The running skirt and Christel Jaarsma are a match made in heaven. The running skirt has been her go-to gear ever since she picked up running. 'Shorts can be boring'. She still gets some stares and looks at races. 'But it's not as bad as it used to be'. The running skirt seems to be way more accepted in the ultra running community that Jaarsma focusses on. Not that weird, considering the fact that a skirt is chafe-friendly. In colder temps Jaarsma pairs her skirt with capri tights. Plus, she stays warm wearing thermo shirts and jackets. Arm sleeves are a piece of gear she wears on all her runs. 'They are comfy, have UPF in them and will keep me warm when it's colder.' Functionality and durability are key for Jaarsma. Preferably paired with fun colors and prints. Jaarsma has to wear a lot of gray and black in her day-job. 'All the colors in my running gear bring out 'me' during my runs.' She still has a pair of bright blue tights on her wish list. She mainly shops for running gear online."

Best thing: runningbuddy and fellow Badasstinista Paula is also in it!

Race photos 101 - How to work the 'tongue' pose

2011-10-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

A short 'how to' on a more advanced race photo pose: the 'Tongue'.

Think 'Heidi Klum', then think 'Drag Queen', then think 'Kiss cover band'...and....strike a pose!
Really no need to fake this one. There are only so many Gu gels a girl can eat....

Think 'Nanananana!' at mile 25...and...Strike a pose!
(All photos above: photo courtesy Bjorn Paree)

Another great way to mess up race photos: cry in the last meters of the race... And do a double chin thing at the same time...

And if that doesn't mess up your race photos, you could always try the 'throw a death stare at the photographer while showing a great example of bad running form'...

Fun run never felt so good - Amsterdam Marathon 2011 race recap

2011-10-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

With the planned 65K on November 27th, I went into this marathon looking for a fun run. Going for a fun run, a training run. The old 'here goes nothing, might as well mess up some race pics' state of mind. :)

The race? Amsterdam Marathon 2011, October 16th 2011. :)

The start

At the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium. Great location for a start, if you'd ask me. ;) It was chilly out (at 9:30 AM), and sunny. Sunny sunny. :) I liked it! Ditched my throw away jacket, and was fine heading out in a short sleeve with Moeben arm sleeves. And a running skirt. Duh. ;)

Woke up with GI issues. Not what you'd hope for on race day, but - really - nothing I could do about it. It did make my legs feel 'tired' earlier on in the race. Earlier than they'd normally feel tired. The crampy feeling wasn't that comfy, but well, I just had to be careful on the 'farting' thing (too much info, I know - but, come on, who doesn't fart and burp during a long run/marathon...). ;)

The race

Scenic course through Amsterdam and along the Amstel river. Loved the Amstel river part! And, bonus, the Amsterdam marathon course is a flat course. :) I'd take mountains over asphalt any day, but hey, a girl can't have it all. ;)

The on-course support

I feel humbled. And blessed. Seriously...the on-course support was amazing. The aid stations looked okay, but I never had to use them. Why? I'll tell you why. :)

Ronald (and his gang: Sylvia, Marco, Jolanda- you know who you are!)

This guy was there for the runners at the 11K and 30K mark. I'd asked him to hand me my GU brew at 11K and at 30K. And he did - Brilliantly! Cheered me on in a way I've not seen/heard before. And gave me that much needed hug at 30K. :) Ronald, thanks to your 'aid station' I did not hit the wall - at all. :)

Bjorn (and his camera)

The bet was on! Bjorn was convinced that he could take a non-sucky race photo of moi...after the 22 mile / 35K mark. Ha! That, I did not believe! But, guess what...he did manage to take a heck load of photos I actually look okay in. And gave me the pep talk I needed after 22 miles / 35K. Bjorn, you made 35K-39K a heck of a lot easier (well...don't get me wrong, those miles weren't easy...at that point I was counting down the miles...)! And I believe I still owe you a hug for that (I did say that, right? ;))...

Mom (and the doggios - and her rather special driving style...)

I could not wish for a better mom, and I should tell her that more often. You were there, and violated at least 10 traffic laws while doing so. :) I'm pretty sure that no other mom would do that for her long distance crazy kid. :) 'I love you' doesn't even begin to describe how blessed I feel.

Paula (and her flat tire)

Last but not least. Last but not least. Without me asking, Paula was there. Being injured at the moment, and not able to run because of that, she grabbed her road bike and cycled to Amsterdam. To cycle along the course. Where and when she would be cheering for me was a huge surprise every single time she spotted me along the course. And with that, she did not give me any chance to even get close to hitting the wall. Every single time she managed to make me smile. Texted me where she was waiting for me after the finish - just seconds after I'd crossed the finish line. And let me cry for minutes. Didn't even tell me to harden the f up. :) Paula, I know it's you I owe that 3:42 finish and 8 minute PR to, don't you? :) I owe this girl BIG TIME!

I feel blessed and humbled. This support meant the world to me!

Enough with the sobby stuff, how about the race!

For now, I'll let the photos do the talking! (photo courtesy of Bjorn Paree)
24.5K in - I'm doing my Heidi Klum gone bad pose. ;)

Still 24.5K in. :)

35.5K in. The ugly. ;)

I'd like to think that I look 'focussed' instead of 'ready to jump into that river'...
37K in.
Crossing the Amstel river at 37-ish K.
I think I spotted Paula here! :)
40-ishK in - the Vondelpark. :)

Says it all, doesn't it? ;)
The stats:
5K 26:57 (26:57)
10K 52:46 (25:49)
15K 1:18:50 (26:04)
20K 1:45:16 (26:26)
21.1K 1:51:04
25K 2:11:28 (26:12)
30K 2:37:41 (26:13)
35K 3:04:02 (26:21)
40K 3:30:49 (26:47)
42.2K 3:42:27 - an 8:05 minute PR. :)

Foto Friday - (Taper) Madness?

2011-10-14T13:18:00.001-07:00

Memorizing the marathon course. Did you read yesterday's post on the 'here goes nothing, let's make a fun run out of this' thing? If so, you know the memorizing thing makes no sense at all. I'm a certified weirdo...

Valium, please? - the 'Why am I freaking out over this marathon?' post

2011-10-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

This Sunday. Another marathon - that's the plan. With a 65K planned on November 27th (oh boy, I really really hope that one works out! :) Fun! :)), I planned on making a training run out of this marathon. Go with the flow. Taking it easy. Enjoying the run.

That is...until the Twitter gang (they mean the world to me) started to predict finishing times. Based on the recent half marathon I ran in Koeln, Germany (2 weeks ago). On a hot day...a really hot day. Blah! Finishing times that are way out of my league. And that's when I started to freak out.

'Training run' turned into 'Boy, they'll think I suck when I don't finish in a kick ass fast time'. Freak out in...3, 2, 1. But, let's face it...I had a great new marathon PR at the Edinburgh Marathon last May. I finished my first 50-miler and had a blast. New 10 mile PR last September and new Half Marathon PR this month. I've had some great races this year. So, why jinx it? Exactly... After the Swiss Alpine Ultra on July 31th, I just kept base mileage up, but didn't really pay attention to speedwork. I just ran. Wanted to enjoy those runs. And I did. That 65K is what I'm focussing on.

So, - despite of the 'freak out' part - I'll go into this marathon as a training run. A fun run. A 'here goes nothing' run. :)

And I'm fine with that. :)

Wordless Wednesday - That little voice inside

2011-10-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Just when I was this close to freaking out - and I mean 'freaking out' - over this Sunday's planned marathon, I read this article in this month's O magazine. What's holding you back?

About that hair

2011-10-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

The plus side of chopping of that waist long hair I was sporting:

1. Locks of love will make a rock star wig out of it. No doubt about that.

2. Less weight on the head.

3. Every single muscle in my neck area loves me right now. Uh-huh.

4. I no longer strangle myself in my sleep. (True story...)

5. Less. Shampoo.

However, there's also an 'okay this takes some getting used to' side:

1. I keep making the 'flipping your hair over your coat' move. But at the moment...my hair isn't long enough to 'flip'...

2. I keep using too much shampoo.

3. Brushing my hair... The strokes are a heck of a lot shorter. And it feels weird.

4. What the heck do I do with my hair for work outs? I used to rock the Lara plaid...but, obviously, that no longer does the trick. So, this weekend I experienced the joy of pony tails and sweat dripping off said pony tails. Yup. Luckily Paula came up with this brilliant idea - I did get some stares, though...

Race photos 101 - How to blind the photographer

2011-10-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday. Bosmarathon Soest, the Netherlands. Paced a running buddy, Gert, for the first 21K. Fun! :)

Apparently this outfit was considered too much... Neeehh! Check out the cool retro print on that runningskirts.com skirt! :)

Ha! Let me pace you and I'll even mess up your race photos! Skills, baby...bad ass skills. :)

And yet again, I manage to look like I'm doing the bunny hop. Yup...

Weight loss

2011-10-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

There you go, Locks of Love!

Makes me wonder, though: less weight = more speed, right? ;)

Here's to the crazy ones

2011-10-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

Without my Ipod, those long runs would be less fun. Thanks, Steve.

Wordless Wednesday - True

2011-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

Race photos 101 - How to add a 'subtle touch'

2011-10-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well...this edition of 'Race Photos 101' has any chance of being a classic...

Race photos from last Sunday's Köln Half Marathon are up. Warning: these photos point out why the world should thank me for not pursuing a career in modelling...

500 meters in. I look like I'm 'in the zone', but...on the upside...am still fully dressed... How to get this look? Think 'grumpy' thoughts right after the start line (and boy, was I feeling grumpy...too effing crowded!).

19K later (20K-ish mark) I've ditched my tank top. I may of may not have traumatized some kids. Check out the 'boy am I hot' face... And me twisting my ankle on those effing cobble stones! At least...for once...I'm not heel striking in the race photos.

Okay, now we're talking. I seem to be doing some sort of skipping move. Great way to entertain the photographer. Works even better when singing 'I feel pretty' at the same time. Even when it's obvious that you're feeling nowhere near pretty...

Race photos 101 - advice no 2431: Find a fellow runner in a colorful outfit. Stick with the guy to color clash that all black girl's photo, then chick the guy. Oh yeah.

Make an 'Ooooohhhh!' face when crossing the finish line. Finish line pic fail guaranteed!

Uhm...the girl in that pic...she doesn't even look like me...I hope! This photo might just haunt me for the rest of my life... Then again...that photographer is a huge a-hole for even posting this: hello, have some mercy!

The Half that was - Koln Half Marathon recap

2011-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

I loved the Koln Half Marathon (Koln, Germany) last year. Very well organized. Nice course. Only a 2 1/2 hour drive from where I live. And a great city to spend the weekend.

So...why not do it again this year? :)

I registered for the half a couple of months ago. October. Fall. Cooler temps. Perfect conditions to run a comfy Half. Well...about those temps... Being me, I'd been checking the weather forecast everyday in the last couple of weeks. And the weather looked great...for a city trip. Not for racing. Hmmmppppffff... Weather forecast said: hot hot hot and sunny. Hmmmpppffff...

Okay...the plan is to run a marathon in a couple of weeks, so this could be a great marathon pace tempo run, right? Okay, at least I had a plan. For once. ;)

Arrived in Koln late Friday night. Spent Saturday hitting the expo and walking around town. Sightseeing. Eating 'Flammkuchen' (local food: yumm!!!). And Saturday was already a sunny and hot day. But...according to the weather forecast, temps would be even higher on Sunday... Woo-hoo... In case you didn't know yet...I do NOT do well in heat. Not at all...

Race day

Sunday AM. The race had a 8:30-ish AM start, but it was already too hot to wear a long sleeve / arm sleeves. Well...at least I could spend the rest of the afternoon drinking beer...in the sun. ;) Check! :)

The Plan:

Okay: Finish in 1:54 - marathon pace tempo run.

Great: Finish in 1:52:29 or faster - new PR (the 'old' PR was from a year ago)

Woo-hoo!: Finish in 1:49:59 or faster.

Dream - never gonna happen: Finish in 1:45.

8:35 AM: Off we go! And boy...is it crowded. Too crowded!!! Way too crowded! I could NOT hold a steady pace. The whole 'slower runners on the right, those trying to pass on the left' concept doesn't seem to work here. Bummer...

I spent the next 13.1 miles / 21.1K watching my step. And other runners. No way I can settle into a comfy pace here - way too crowded. You seriously needed to be careful not to bump into another runner.

The aid stations had everything a runner could wish for (even Coca Cola), but were a mess. Empty cups all over the place. What didn't help is that the crew was 'blowing' the cups to the side of the road. Impossible thing with all these runners. However, it was pretty easy to forget about that mess. How? Well...there were so many people out...cheering us on. A-ma-zing! :) Thanks, Koln!!! :) And...it made time fly! :)

Oh...before I forget to mention....the heat. Boy...it was hot! Too hot! Wanted to ditch my tank top within the first mile, but managed to keep it on till the half way mark. That's when I stopped caring about what others might think, and took of the tank top. Hello, red polkadot sports bra! Koln residents, your welcome. ;) Oh yeah, I'm classy like that. ;)

I basically stopped looking at my watch after the 5K mark. I was too frustrated by the pace, which was sucky because of weaving through the crowds. I just start to run at a 'this feels like a tempo run' pace. Boy...it's hot. And boy, am I glad when I see the Koln Dom at the 19K mark. Just another 2K to go. In this effing heat (I feel so sorry for those poor marathon runners that have a 11:30 start...). We take a right, over some cobble stones (ouchieouch...ankle killers!), head for a bridge, turn left after that bridge...and after that...straight ahead till the finish line. BEEEEEER! :)

I crossed the finish line after 1:44:50. Happy with that. :) Really happy with that, considering that effing heat. :) Immediately after crossing the finish line, a guy came up to me and asked if I was running in a red polkadot sports bra for a reason. Ha! Well...at least I color coordinated it with my red plaid running skirt. ;)

Needless to say that I feel another 'How to mess up race photos' post coming up... ;)

Foto Friday

2011-09-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Courtesy I <3 to Run.

That said...this weekend's Half will have a no. 1 limitation set for moi...the weather. Too freaking hot. Here goes nothing!

Three Things Thursday - Happy Things Edition

2011-09-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

1. Runner's high: Fall weather (well...it's still way too hot, but the days are already getting shorter...). An early morning trail run. Me and the dogs were the only ones out there. Seeing the world wake up. Enough said. :)

2. The Plan: Happy things: receiving an email from a blog buddy that says: 'Would you like to run the Trans Rockies Run together?'. Uhm, heck yeah!!!!!!!! :) Receiving that email is a true gift! :)

3. Gear: They now make my favorite Salomon compression tights in...Blue! Bright blue! Woo-Hoo! :) Curious? Check out this link for some extra info on the Salomon Exo tights! :)

Wordless Wednesday - About this Fall weather

2011-09-28T13:14:00.001-07:00

Hmmm...I can pretty much forget about any PR plans for the planned Half this weekend...that temp is in Celsius. Too hot to race in for this girl. Bye bye PR Half, hello Marathon Pace slog...

Why Haile is still my hero

2011-09-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

[Warning: I'm a huge Haile fan...huge! I basically stalk the guy...so...if you're not a fan...you might not want to read this post. ;)]

Let's be honest here. Last Sunday, Haile Gebrselassie didn't have the best of days. Not even close.

Berlin Marathon 2011. Fast course. World record course. 2:03:59 course. The 2011 Berlin Marathon was Haile's fifth Berlin Marathon. He'd never crossed that Berlin finish line anything but first. This was number 5. Lucky number 5.

Well, not so much...

Berlin had some perfect marathon weather last Sunday. At least, for the elite runners, who'd finish before the heat would kick in. Sunny.

Even watching the Berlin Marathon on tv, you could feel the 'buzz'. The excitement. The 'this could be WR day'. The Race Director had even hired six (yes, six!) pacers to pace Haile and Makau to a 62 minute half. Taking into account the probability of a negative split, this would mean a new WR. Makau had told the press he was there as a student. To learn from Haile. Oh yeah, everything was set for Haile to work his magic one more time!

We all know what happened next. The lead pack crossed the half way mark with some seconds to spare. 'New Marathon WR' was buzzing through the Berlin streets.

And then the 27K mark came. Haile stepped off the course. Out of the blue. He seemed to have GI / breathing issues. 'Okay, this is NYC 2010 all over again. Effing Ef!'. Then the small-boned Ethiopian did the unimaginable. He stepped back on the course again. After 1 or 2 minutes (it felt like a couple of hours to me...). At that point he must have known that any hopes on winning the race and/or setting a new WR were out the window. But still...he continued. And that's one of the reasons why this guy is still my hero. A true athlete. A man that's doing this because he loves the distance (and - let's be honest here - because he's good at it...and makes a living out of it... ;)).

In the meantime, Makau was cruising his way to a 2:03:38 marathon. A new WR. But Makau jumping his way to the finish line isn't the 'Berlin 2011' image I'll remember. The image that I will remember is the one of Haile clearly struggling at the 35K mark...with one of the pacers next to him. The pacers that were hired to work their magic till the 30-ish K mark. The pacer that decided to stick with Haile. To say that Haile has earned some respect among his 'fellow runners' would be an understatement.

That image is what symbolizes the magic of Haile to me. And yes, I am convinced that he will fight his way to London 2012. And I'll cheer him on while he's working that Haile magic. :)

Foto Friday - Pretty shoes

2011-09-23T11:46:00.001-07:00

Pretty, huh? :)

Three Things Thursday - the 'Fail' edition

2011-09-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

1. Major fail: Still beyond angry about the whole IAAF thing I wrote about yesterday. One more reason to cheer Paula on in Berlin this weekend! Check out yesterday's post on the IAAF mess here. Fail!

2. Stupid fail: I'm easing myself into this minimalist running thing. 3 days a week in minimalist-ish shoes, 1 day a week in light-weight trail running shoes, and 1 or 2 days a week in the more 'old-fashioned' kind of running shoes. I find the minimalist style more comfortable, so I skipped the other options this week. Result: angry calves. Fail!

3. Food fail: Eating chili beans, corn and chili cheese wrapped in a burrito for dinner...pre run. Enough said. Fail!

What's your 'FAIL!' of the week?

Wordless Wednesday - Are they out of their freaking minds?!

2011-09-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

What the heck is going on in the heads of those IAAF guys/chicks? This is beyond me. Check out the full article here for some background info!

Race photos 101 - How (not) to rock the 'wet look'

2011-09-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Photos taken at last Sunday's 10 miler (Dam tot Damloop). How to work that silly face and mess up race photos in the rain. A short 'how to' guide:

Throw a heel strike in there once in a while. Just because you can.

Whenever the weather forecast says 'a heck of a lot of rain' on race day, wear white. Pair it with a bright colored sports bra. Be prepared for weird looks, though.

Do not close your mouth. This will make you look like a true intellectual.

Practice on looking like you're doing the bunny hop. Just ask your local kiddy day care for course dates.

Apparently it's all in my head - The 'race pace' post

2011-09-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

Confession: I used to be (no longer 'am') a strong believer that I could not run faster than 12K/hour (8 minute miles) on distances longer than 8K. This was something I truly did believe. Breaking 50 minutes at a 10K was something that seemed impossible to me. Then again, I hardly do any speedwork. With this ultra thing, I'm trying to focus on mileage instead of speed. So...how could I expect to ever break 50 minutes in a 10K?

Do you have an 'I can't run faster than that' pace?

I am actually trying to make a point here. Promise. ;)

I'd registered for the charity team of Hulphond Nederland at yesterday's Dam tot Damloop 10 miles in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Imagine 40K runners on one course. And the slower runners blocking the road instead of staying on the right side of the road (duh...common race etiquette!). But...on the plus side: the on-course support is amazing! :)

So, there I was: yesterday morning. At the start line of the Dam tot Damloop 10 miler. Goal?

Okay-ish: sub 1-30 - long run pace.

Okay: sub 1:26 - marathon pace.

Woohoo good: 1:23:20 or faster - new PR.

Absofreakinglutely amazing - not going to happen: 1:20.

The course was crowded. The weather was...interesting (rain rain rain like you've never seen it before! Seriously, believe me on this one...I'm Dutch...I know rain!). Due to the rain I couldn't really look at my watch: it was raining to a point where I figured my Garmin would be dead if I didn't cover it with my arm sleeves. I looked at my watch when I passed the 10K-mark, and at the finish line. Tried to hold a 'this feels comfortable, but not like I'm pushing it - do not feel the need to puke' pace.

Finish time: 1:18:06.

What the bleep!

Apparently that 'can't run faster than' pace really is in my head. Well, at least yesterday it was. But I'm not complaining. ;)

(And yes, I do realize that I'm nowhere near speedy and still slow, but I'm happy with this finish time. Little old slowpoke me. :))

Freaky Friday - New Runningskirts Fall/Winter line

2011-09-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

The new Runningskirts.com Fall/Winter line is on their website!!!!!!!!!!

That's all. :)

Three Tiny Things Thursday

2011-09-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

1. No Golden Showers?: The registration cards for the NYC Marathon are up on your NYRR profile-page. Last year I had the Green start, which means your on the lower deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. I'd heard stories about Golden Showers, so was kind of worried about that, but it turned out there weren't any. Plus, it was actually quite peacefulon the lower deck. However...all these classic photos of the NYC marathon start are made on the upper deck, so...I would have liked to be up there. But guess what? This year my registration card says orange start...meaning: upper deck. :) Yay! :)

2. Work: I've not had the best week ever. That's all.

3. No!: Just got home from my Thursday evening run. Was out there at 7:15 PM, and in again at 8:23 PM, and it was already dark out! What the bleep! It feels weird running in shorts and wearing a blinking light at the same time. Any day now it will be too cold to run in shorts...Yeugh! ;)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

This song kept coming up on my playlist during the Swiss Alpine ultra. Funny how the 'right' song can come up at the right moment. :) Just listen to it...the lyrics say it all. :) Power song to add to your long run/marathon/ultra playlist! :)

Fastinista Schmastinista

2011-09-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Fas.ti.nis.ta woman who likes to look stylish when she runs.

Ahhh....that would make me a fastinista, right? Well...maybe in the US it would, but the Dutch idea of a Fastinista seems to be slightly different.

Recently a fellow runner explained to me what the Dutch idea of a fastinista is. Then another one gave me the exact same criteria. As did the next one, etcetera. It comes down to this:

- woman who likes to look stylish when she runs...and:

- has at least two kids;

- runs 15 miles a week...at most;

- sticks to ladies only races;

- won't race any distance longer than 10K;

- sticks to road running;

- likes her make-up to be perfect throughout the race;

- won't even think of running up and down a mountain.

Okay...I guess I won't have to make you guess about my answer on this one. There was some swearing involved. Alright...a lot of swearing. These guys/girls are obviously morrons. Plus, I don't really care whether or not I qualify as a fastinista under these 'Dutch criteria'. But still...it made me wonder...

Bad.ass.ti.nis.ta woman who likes to look stylish when she runs - preferably up and down a mountain, while kicking ass. Picks trail running over road running any day of the week. Does not mind getting dirty. She does not mind at all.

So..there you have it: I'm a self-proclaimed Badasstinista. Boohaa! And in case you were wondering...this is what a badasstinista looks like. :)

Tutu much? Neaaaaaaahhh...
Dumdadumdum...try not to feel the freezing temps...

Wendy managed to qualify for the NYC Marathon without even trying to do so. Qualified. Yep. :)

Slowpoke!

Janina is a finisher of the Trans Alpine Run, as is Ricarda. Did I mention yet that Ricarda did the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc 100+-miler as a warm/up for the Trans Alpine Run? :)

This IronLady is speedy...you'd better believe it. ;)

Now if only I could get Ron to work with me on some kick-ass shirts for our 'movement'. ;)

Photo courtesy of Punk Rock Racing

Everything for charity

2011-09-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

And when I say 'everything', I mean 'everything'. :)

Lordie and I, and mom and Diddy, were in a charity race last Saturday. The girls that had organized the race were raising money for 'Hulphond Nederland' (partner of Assistance Dogs International). So, since both Lordie and Diddy are service dogs (well, Lordie didn't pass the exam and is technically a pet ;)), but Diddy 'works' as my mom's seizure alert dog), we were running with Lordie and Diddy. Fun! Money raised: over 8,200 Euro! Amazing! :)

So, where's the 'everything for charity' part? Well...here it is:

Yep, that's a tutu. :) Lordie is rocking that pink bow!

This was a fun run (5K) for charity. I did not plan on racing, and ended up pausing quite a few times, because Lordie was thirsty. It was a hot and humid day and way too hot for Lordie to be running...

Lordie, 1K in, right before he decided he was entitled a drink...every 800 meters...

Home stretch. It was way too hot for Lordie. Had to stop numerous times to let Lordie drink some water, made me slow down a lot (I wasn't racing to begin with), but still came in 5th overall in 25-ish minutes. Go figure. ;)

Service dogs at the finish line. :) The white one is still a puppy. ;)

So, I guess we could say the tutu wasn't so bad after all (no chafing!). I might just wear it again for another charity race. ;)

Foto Friday - I'm classy like that...

2011-09-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

How to get your body temp down post run in awful heat and 1000% humidity - Silly Girl Running style. Yep, the garden hose. I'm classy like that...

Three Things Thursday

2011-09-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

1. Life gets in the way: sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Busy days at work, lots to do at home = no time to blog. Well...there's time to post a photo and name it a 'wordless' post, but how many of those could you handle? ;)

2. Rain:

Dear weather gods,

Could you please stop this endless rain? It's early September and I'm already wearing a rain jacket. Not cool. That's all.

Sincerely,

Silly Girl Running

3. Great customer service: Once in a while you find a company with great customer service. Well, not just great...amazing customer service. One of these companies is Gear for Girls. They shipped me a different item than I'd ordered. After I'd emailed them about it they did not only ship me the correct item in a split second, but also added an extra tee as a bonus. A-ma-zing!

How to mess up race photos 101 - how to work the 'Shoot Me' pose

2011-09-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

How to make sure to look nothing like a serious runner in race photos. A short 'how to' guide:

At the start line:

Creating this look is actually quite easy. Just make sure to make your stretching routine as random as possible.

Never ever face the camera face forward. Stick your ass into it.

Stare like you mean it.

At the finish line:

Eyes closed + bunny teeth = guaranteed goofy look.

Signature pose. Easy like that. ;)

Hi, my name is Silly Girl, and I'm an addict

2011-09-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yep, I might have a problem...

August Recap/Stats

2011-09-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

September already? Don't even try to get me started on this one... ;)

Miles / Km planned / ran: 130 miles / 208 km planned 155.9 miles / 249.4 km ran - easy month post Swiss Alpine ultra. :)

Rest days planned / taken: 14/10

Highest mileage / km week: 22/8 - 28/8 : 52 miles / 83 km

Long runs planned / ran: 3 / 3

Pace / speed work outs planned / ran: 6 / 6 - easy on the legs

Cross training work outs planned / done: 8 / 7

Donuts burned: 150-ish...

Current shame-inducing guilty pleasure: Ben & Jerry's Coconut and Chocolate ice cream. :)

Current obsession: Cleaning out my running gear closet.

Current drink: Still fennel tea, water and diet coke. And Gatorade. Bo-ring.

Current song: William (is that how you spell it?) - I like to move it

Current need: No lottery for the www.ultratrailmb CCC race. Enough said...

Current triumph: Still riding high on that 'finished my first ultra' wave. ;)

Current bane of my existence: Every itch of pain in the legs makes me have a 'SF' freak-out! :(

Current blessings: Being able to run today. Yep, I still consider it a gift. :)

Current excitement: Fall! :)

Three Things Thursday

2011-09-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

1. I like me some deals: The website Gear for Girls has some amazing deals and discounts on Salomon, The North Face and Patagonia running gear (and ski / winter gear), shoes and packs at the moment. If you're looking for some high quality running gear for Fall/Winter (or Summer!) make sure to check it out! :)

2. Fallalalalala: On tonight's run - hit the trails with the dogs again - I could smell 'the last days of Summer'. Love when it smells like 'still warm, but yet already some crisp air'. Who needs Chanel no 5? ;) That's all. ;)

3. On a more serious note: I got a retweet on Twitter today about a blog post from a fellow blogger/runner and that blog post was pretty obvious on her being suicidal. Actually, while reading her blog, she had been having suicidal thoughts for quite some time now. I was shocked. Honestly, instantly this 'I have to do something' feeling came over me. But it's a blog, and you don't know the person, so there's really not a lot you can do. Except for leaving a comment. How would you handle this?

Wordless Wednesday - Tutu much?

2011-08-31T07:35:00.001-07:00

Wearing this for a charity race: Yes or No?

And yes, it has to be pink!

Tuesday Tidbits - The 'Meh' post

2011-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Let the 'meh'ing begin. ;) (And yes, I do know there a so many things out there worse than the ones below! ;))

1. Realizing that the new model of your favorite trail running shoes (Salomon Speedcross) is wider than the old model. Too wide for your feet. And now your Googling your butt off to find every single pair of the old model in your size, and stocking up on those. Meh.

2. Getting all excited about a race you really really hope to do next year (UTMB's CCC distance). Then reading that the race has a lottery. One where most runners won't get in. And with your luck in lotteries...well...let's just say you'll have to look for a Plan B race. Nothing you can do about it, but still...Meh.

3. Power black-outs. When you're trying to finish a document for a client. Meh.

4. Friends complaining about your training regime ('I find it strange that you have time to train, but don't have time to go clubbing.') And then making you feel guilty about it. Meh.

5. Your favorite running skirt looking ready to retire. Meh. (Then again...this does imply that you have a reason to look for a new one. ;)).

6. Headaches/migraines. Meh.

7. Water dripping from your bathroom ceiling. Meh.

8. Fall weather in August. Meh. (although the colder weather is so much nicer to run in! :))

What's your 'Meh' moment of the day? Spill it all out! :)

About that BQ

2011-08-29T12:45:00.001-07:00

[Warning: this post might make at least half of my readers stop following this blog...]

When I picked up running about 20 months ago, I kept reading all these reports on BQing and even trying and training to BQ. All these race reports on the Boston marathon. To me it seemed - at that time - that getting that BQ and running Boston would be something to train hard for. Something every runner wanted. The Holy Grail of running. That Boston marathon turned itself into my dream race. At least...in my head it did. The wish to BQ even earned itself a spot on my 5 Year Plan list (check out the tab at the top of this page for the complete list). Trying to get that BQ, and maybe even working my way to that BQ (if I'd ever find a way to ramp up the speed...), would make me a 'serious and dedicated runner'. Well, at least that's what my twisted mind made me believe.

Oh, the ignorance.

After 28 years I knew that little about nutty little me. Apparently.

I love the mountains. I've always loved the mountains. How could I honestly believe that running on asphalt, and on flat courses would be the most fun kind of running for me?

After the Swiss Alpine ultra (well, actually already before that...while training for it) it started to dawn on me that training hard to get that BQ had become less important to me than continuing to train running up- and downhills, and ultra distances. Way less important. Huh? Actually, I could very well state that I no longer care whether or not I get that BQ (might be for the best...since I'm slowwwwww ;)). And running Boston: when and if given the chance to do so (some day) I'd love too, but if I was given the choice between running Boston and - for example - running Western States... No brainer. WS - no doubt in my mind.

Being given the chance to run those trails, hills, dirt, mountains is a true gift. To me it is.

So, there you have it. That BQ just lost its spot on my 5 Year Plan list. Well...it's still there...written in pencil. Hard to read. Because, uh-huh, if I ever manage to get a BQ - by accident...obviously - it would be fun, wouldn't it? ;) I'll find another dream race to fill that spot. I guess there's another 'Boston' out there for me. No worries. ;)

Any thoughts on Boston? Your dream race?

Friday Favorites - Oh, the joy of all the new Fall/Winter running gear!

2011-08-26T03:40:00.000-07:00

Here comes trouble! Most of the companies selling running gear are getting their Fall/Winter 11/12 gear out there for us 'addicts' to drool over. A quick selection of my favorites (so far ;)):

Nike

1. Love the fun print on this long sleeve!

For sale here. Retails at $70.

2. Not too sure about the 'flattering' shape of these babies (part of me knows that even Leann Rimes will look like a hippo in these capris), but I kind of like them for not being the usual all black!

For sale here. Retails at $55.

Brooks

1. 'Run Happy'...need I say more?

For sale here. Retails at $32. $25.95 at www.runningwarehouse.com.

2. It's pink. And will keep my ears from freezing off. Sounds like a solid investment.

For sale here. Retails at $24. $19.95 at www. runningwarehouse.com.

Saucony

1. Their ViziPro tights are amazing! They provide that much needed bit of extra safety on early morning and evening runs!

For sale here. Retails at $65. $51.95 at www.runningwarehouse.com.

Salomon

1. If you only plan on buying one item of running gear this Fall, make sure it's this one. This jacket is worth the money. Trust me!

For sale here. Retails at $100. $74.88 at www.runningwarehouse.com.

Runningskirts

The new Runningskirts line (Fall/Winter '11/'12) is scheduled to be available in September. Check their Facebook page for a sneak peek of the new line. The new prints are adorable!

To all the European skirthusiasts: you can also order through their Dutch agent: http://www.hiphardlopen.nl/!

Three Things Thursday - the 'New York New York' edition

2011-08-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

1. New York City Marathon: A little over two months left till:

Fundraising (check my fundraising button on the sidebar!) is still on track (well, actually I've reached my fundraising goal, but am still fundraising). A little over $ 6,000 raised: that's two kids going to camp! Still trying to trick anyone around me into donating a bit more, though! Those Hole in the Wall Camps are such a great cause!

2. The wild side: Speaking of New York. Any native New Yorkers or frequent visitors that have any tips on national parks to visit in upstate New York? Mountains, preferably... ;)

3. Come fly with me: The issues with my mom's service dog traveling with her to NY are still not 100% settled (I wrote about this a couple of months ago). And the airline keeps getting ruder. Why is it so hard to take a disabled passenger with her service dog on the plane and seat her properly? Extra frustrating, since this mess implies that we're still not 100% sure that NY is actually going to happen. And, nope, swimming there is not an option... I really really really do hope that this can be settled!

Wacky Wednesday - Would you rather...

2011-08-24T07:30:00.001-07:00

...run a 'BQ ready training and course' marathon wearing:

1. A runner wedding dress? As demonstrated in this video. The catch, you'll have to wear 'wedding shoes' with it.

2. A camel suit, but - here's the catch - the person in the suit with you has tummy issues (the smelly kind):

3. Nothing but whipped cream.

Remember, you really want that BQ!

Stick it to 'em

2011-08-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy: I <3 to run.

'You've got to be realistic here: you're just not 'designed' for this type of races.'

'You're nuts. What point are you trying to make?'

'You? Seriously? No. Sorry. Not in a million years.'

'What are you running from? You might want to see a shrink about this...'

'It's just ridiculous. You're out of your mind, and I do not mean that in a good way.'

'There is no way that this can end well. Such a ridiculous way of life.'

Just a compilation of the sh%t I've been trying to ignore lately. And yes, I know I'm not the only runner/triathlete that has been dealing with nasty remarks like the ones mentioned above. Sad, if you'd ask me. Plus, I can handle some trash talking. No problemo. But, guys, enough is enough! You get to a point where it's no longer considered funny to catapult anything running/working out.

Apparently, doing what you love doing, and minding your own business while doing so, makes some people around you want to...well...blurt out their thoughts on the sad little person that they believe you are. Both behind your back, and in your face. Did I mention the 'minding my own business while doing so' part? It's not like I hop around all day and every day, humming that I love running, and that I loved my first ultra, and that I loved those marathons I did this Spring. Nope, I don't even bring the whole 'running' thing up in conversation. And nope, I do not wear running gear to work, dinner, etcetera. Okay, there are some 'compression sock tan lines' (it's a word), but that's it. There's no 'I {heart} running and non-runners suck' tattoo on my forehead. At least, last time I checked there wasn't. Maybe I should get one... ;) But still...what is it with human beings that makes them feel the need to throw their opinion all over you, like a huge pile of 'I drank to much beer and ate garlic' vomit (see, I didn't say sh^t this time. :)).

The thought that springs to mind - every single bleeping time that someone is talking sh^t about my running and/or running in general - is: why?

Having a strong opinion on a certain subject, well...I understand that. What I seriously do not understand is why you'd feel the need to make anyone deliberately feel bad about themselves...based on something that they love doing. Especially a 'harmless' thing called running. And yes, I do understand a 'you and your stupid running' remark if and when a person would hop around yelling 'running is so cool and non-runners suck' all day. Then again...if this would be post race / post PR, it would qualify as perfectly normal behavior. In my opinion... Any other remark, I do not get.

What ever happened to living your own life? And letting others do the same? Did I not get that memo?

But - for the haters - , once and for all.

1. Not 'designed' for long distance running? Thanks for your concern, but my quads will do just fine.

2. What point I'm trying to make? None. By the way, how's your cholesterol been lately?

3. Not in a million years? Luckily neither of us would be around to see what happens in a million years.

4. What I'm running from? Well...if you'd ask me: nothing. You sort of make me want to run from you, though.

5. Ridiculous? Schmadiculous. I'm not even going to answer this one.

6. There is no way this can end well? Well, since you're apparently blessed with some psychic powers...how about that BQ? Ever going to happen?

Stick it to 'em. Hard. ;)

Friday Favorites - quickie version

2011-08-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

1. Cupcakes. Can't seem to get them out of my head. And the cake shop is just a 10 minute walk from my 'crib'. I'm in trouble...

2. A fresh pair of running shoes in the mail. :)

3. Getting a haircut, asking the hair dresser to only cut off 1/2 inch / 1 cm, and - oh yeah - getting exactly that! Yep, I'm that girl that freaks out over getting a haircut...and worries that they might cut off a truck load of hair (and yes, with my crazy hair, it is actually possible to cut off a truck load...).

4. Ordering in. Sushi, to be more precise. And pairing that with a Mojito.

5. It's Friday. Need I say more? :)

Three Things Thursday

2011-08-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

1. That's a big fat lie!: Lying about race times. Hmmmm... I'd say: why? Who are you fooling? Who cares what your finishing time is? Tracy has a quite interesting blog post on this subject: here. Read it. Seriously... I'm in awe!

*note to self: if I ever do need to hire a PI...I'm hiring Tracy...no matter what! That girl has some serious PI skills!

2. Marathon training: Funny how marathon training can drag you into that 'following the plan' zone, that leads you through everyday life. It sure does kick you off that 'A race done' cloud. Back to marathon training it is. I'm postponing the Yasso's till next week (I feel it might be too much on my body at this point - since it's been only 2 1/2 weeks since the Swiss Alpine ultramarathon. Better safe than sorry? Yep, sounds plausible.). Been considering swapping a couple of Yasso work outs for longer intervals. Just to spice things up. (Ha! Did I really just write that? ;))

What kind of interval work outs do you do during marathon training?

3. About that 50-miler: Just checked the Eco-Trail de Paris (50-miler/80K) website, and apparently this race has only 4 (maybe even less) aid stations on the whole 50+ miles, 2 of them being 22 miles apart... I need a larger pack. I really need a larger backpack. Why? I drink a lot. A lot lot. Thanks sucky chronic kidney thingie I was born with.

Any recommendations on a trail running pack that isn't too bulky, but carries 2L water minimum and the mandatory gear? I'm a huge fan of the Salomon S-lab pack, but that one seems too small for this particular race. And the Nathan packs are okay for shorter runs and hikes, but on longer runs...ouch...blisters on my back (no kidding...).

The mind is a funny thing... - the 'Post-race blues' follow-up

2011-08-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

...that, or I'm out of my freaking mind. Then again, I did seem to find the cure to the post-race blues along the way.

I've just registered for another 50-miler. Another one of those 'seems fun, let's click 'register'' kind of moments. The way my mind works... Did not receive the confirmation email, though, after I'd already paid for the entry (not even after stalking the race director and their FB-page about it...). The race? Well...

Eco-trail de Paris (as in Paris, France, in case you were wondering...) And yes, the whole 'the finishline is at the Eiffel Tower' thing, might have something to do with me registering for it...

And guess what? I could not be more excited about this! :) I'd already registered for a 50K on my birthday (February). The London Ultra in the UK. :) And yes, you're all invited. Just make sure to bring cupcakes. And lots of them. ;)

Plus, two upcoming marathons (planned) this Fall (Amsterdam and NYC, if and when everything goes according to plan...). And some Spring marathons I hope on registering for (Paris, Edinburgh (Scotland)). Swiss Alpine ultramarathon next summer? I sure hope so! The Courmayeur Champex Chamonix ultra? Dare I hope so? Would be a dream coming true. :)

Seems to be fighting off the post-race blues pretty well. ;)

Could this really be the cure for the post-race blues? Could it? :)

Post-race blues - Been there?

2011-08-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

This Swiss Alpine ultramarathon two weeks ago was my A-race for this year. The one race that I really really wanted to do this year. The race that degraded every other race, marathon or not, to a 'training run. The race that made the Amsterdam Marathon this October and the NYC Marathon this November 'something fun to in the last few weeks of the year'. The race that made me drive everyone around me crazy. I could not stop talking about it.

And now it's mid-August. Two weeks have passed since the race. And the race, this experience, was everything I'd hoped it to be... and more.

So, here I am. A-race for the year - done. Some marathons to look forward to in the Fall. Plan on running those for fun. No PR attempts...nuh-oh. But still...I feel 'blah'. Post-race blues? I guess so. I've never had this before (that is, in the 18 months that I've been into running now). Last Saturday the blues had reached a point where I couldn't take myself out into the rain to run a lousy 6-miler (10K). Seriously. A 6-miler. Then again, I did a 13.5 miler (21.5K) the next day and loved every minute of it.

But still...I miss the pre Swiss Alpine ultramarathon excitement. The A-race jitters. A cure? I couldn't find one... No kidding, I googled it. ;)

Have you ever experienced a serious case of the post-race blues? Any cure for this one?

Zensah Running Bra Review

2011-08-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

When Zensah contacted me about a review on their running bra, I was thrilled to do so. Plus, I really wanted to like the running bra. Well...

Sorry...I'm not posting semi-nude pics of myself on this blog. ;) Bummer, I know. ;) Trust me, you're not missing out on anything. Ha!

Material

Moisture wicking. Oh yeah. It does dry speedy speedy, which is a point for Zensah to me! :) After a hot and humid 6-miler, the bra was all sweaty wet, but didn't get heavy.

Fit

The running bra is seamless, which - as stated by Zensah - equals no chaffing. However...I have chaffing issues no matter what (seriously, I'm a freak of nature), so I did have some chaffing issues on said 6-miler. But...this was easily solved on a next run after applying some Asics no chafe gel.

Support

This is where it went wrong. I do NOT have a lot going on under the hood (too much information...I know...). Zensah sent me a size S/M after I emailed them my dress and bra size, but the fit wasn't tight enough to keep the girls from bouncing. Too loose. I've read great reviews by other bloggers that all say the support is great. That's why I guess it must have been the sizing that was wrong. So...running bra wise this bra is a no-go for me. Luckily this bra comes in fun colors and dries superfast...it makes a perfect running top to wear over a running bra! And that's what I've been using it for. I've been wearing it as a top for longer runs and it's comfy. And looks cute: received lots of compliments on this one! Plus, for $35.99 it isn't too expensive for a great running top.

Colors

This running bra comes in 10 fun colors! Oh yeah, bye bye boring black and nude colored running bras! :)

Verdict

I wouldn't wear this top as a running bra. Maybe if it came in a smaller size, that was tight enough to keep everything in place. As a running top it works perfectly! Plus, the bra comes in fun colors!

And even more Swiss Alpine Marathon ultra photos!

2011-08-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

...and yes, I know I'm risking boring you to death here... Sorry about that. ;)

Post race, Wendy and moi stuffing myself with a protein bar...yum...

Post race. Sitting down seemed like a stupid call, but surprise surprise...I was able to get up...by myself. ;) And nope, Lordie isn't aiming for my protein bar...he's just staring at me. He'd literally been waiting for me since I'd left the house in the morning. Love. That. Dog. :)

Yep, I'm a freaking giant. I know. Get over it. Plus, check that rat's nest going on on my head... It took half a bottle of conditioner to untangle that mess. (Note to self: get haircut...).

Mom and moi. And Diddy. :) Mom did the 10K with her service dog Diddy (seizure alert dog). Why she's holding me? Well...I tried standing in one place for the photo...on that hill...but kept falling backwards...Oh yeah...

Three Things Thursday

2011-08-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

1. No rest for the obsessed: 65 days and 17 hours till the next marathon I hope on running (Amsterdam Marathon), and 86 days and 17 hours till the New York City Marathon (that I plan on running for Team Hole in the Wall: this is the link to my fundraising page! :)). Silly me for thinking that I could take it easy on the long runs for a little while...and on the weekly mileage.

Le sigh...can't I just have a couple of 30-35 mile weeks to get some rest? It doesn't help that other NYCM runners I know of all have been training for this thing for months now, and make me feel like a lazy ass for not really feeling heading out for a 20-miler this weekend. I'm a whimp, but I think my body needs another weekend of not too long runs to recover properly (if possible yet) from the 50-miler 12 days ago. I'm a whimp...I know...

Any thoughts on this one? Might help me from going crazy...just might. No guarantees here. ;)

2. Swiss Alpine Marathon: I'm still on the 'wow' cloud because of this race. My first ultramarathon. Just thinking about it makes me smile. My co-workers must think I'm a total nut by now. Then again, they probably already did. ;) My report is up, and you can check it out (please do, but promise not to watch the finish line video....seriously...I made a total fool out of myself on that one...) here: Swiss Alpine Marathon race recap.

3. Blogger: And yet again: what's up with Blogger? My entire side-bar won't show when loading this blog. Huh? Tried to alter things on the lay-out page, but everything seems to be alright there. Their 'Help' section wasn't very helpful... Hmmm....Wordpress is starting to sound more appealing by the day...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T05:10:00.001-07:00

Silly me for thinking that running an ultramarathon would be exhausting. Apparently spectating tops that!

Swiss Alpine Marathon 2011 - K78 race report

2011-08-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

How to write a race report on a race that made you realize that this (ultrarunning, mountain races) is what you love to do? A race that got you into a Zen-like state of mind for the full 79.1 kilometers. A race that made you smile, laugh out loud like a weird bag lady and teary-eyed all at the same time.

A race report couldn't - not in a million years - do this race justice. Yes, this race is this special to me. I'll still try to give you some of this 'this is freaking amazing' feeling I had the privilege of experiencing during this race. I feel blessed. :)

This race? The S wiss Alpine Marathon K78. My aha-moment. Enough said. I'm hooked.

Where to start? Well...let's just pick the start line for that one. :)

Start

July 30th, 7 AM. Early. Had my gear ready the night before, so all I had left to do on race morning was: shower (a cold shower that is...apparently our boiler doesn't heat the water before 7 AM...oh joy), eat (I actually managed to eat a sandwich and not throw up because of the nerves), get dressed (easy peasy) and throw the old K-tape on. :)

At 6:15 AM Fred (good friend of my mom - came over to Switzerland to help out with the race and the dogs - all three of them. ;)) walked me to the start. Hit the portapotties (funny how you get used to the smell of those things...) and ran into Wendy and Bettina right after that. Yay! :) They were also in the K78 (79.1 km race), and their presence sure did help to calm my nerves at the start line. Chatted the time away at the start line.

7 AM: The Pirates of the Carribean soundtrack and Conguest of Paradise were blasting through the speakers. A helicopter made some serious noise. It was time to go. What the **** did I get myelf into?

And...there we go! Off to kick this trail's butt! No way it's going to kick ours. ;)

The course profile: that's 79.1K and a 2370 meters/7776 ft elevation gain - at least, that's what the Swiss Alpine website says...more on this later...

Davos - Mühle (start - 11K / start - 6.9 miles)
Wendy was sweet enough to stick with me for those first kms/miles. My mom and Fred were cheering us on at the 5K mark. Waved! Chatted the time away. The course took us through Davos for a first loop and then took us to the Lengmatta, heading for the Mühle and Spina.
Ran into Ricarda at the Lengmatta (love that the course takes you through this part of the Davos region!). Ricarda and I had already chatted a bit on Facebook before the race, but I loved meeting her in person! She's not only a superfast and talented runner, but has a great personality on top of that. And looks great in her racing gear! :)

Near the Mühle (11K mark) we ran into Janina. I'd never met Janina before, but she is so much fun to be around!

Wendy, moi, Janina - behind the camera: Ricarda. :) Can you tell we were enjoying ourselves? ;)

Mühle - Monstein (11K - 16.6K / 6.9 - 10.4 miles)

After the Mühle we headed for Monstein. First there was a short climb to Spina. Wendy - there is some sort of mountain goat blood running through her veins ;) - ran up that hill. Moi, not so much. Slogged up there, just like most of the runners. Tried to take it easy here. After all, there were another 68K waiting for me. :)

It wasn't too long till I reached Spina (and their cow bells! :)). Grabbed some water and ran into Janina again. We were running at the same pace, so ended up sticking together and chatting those miles to Monstein away. Monstein is such a lovely village. The views are amazing!

Janina and I running through Monstein. :) Salomon should send us free stuff for all the free publicity we are giving them. ;)

Monstein - Filisur (16.6K - 30.1K / 10.4 - 18.8 miles)

Downhill! Woohoo! :) Just when I tried to talk Janina into trying a running skirt and some arm sleeves, my phone rang. Mom, worried if I'd made the cut-off time for Monstein. At that point I had no idea where the heck I was. Monstein? Did we pass Monstein yet? Luckily Janina could reassure me on thise one. Pfieuwww..... And, look who's there: Ricarda! Yay! Now there's three colorful dressed runners running together!

After those lovely downhills we crossed the rail road and continued our way along this railroad. Loved that the passengers on the train were cheering us on! :) Apparently, Ricarda and her camera were just behind me...

On our way to the Zügenschlucht. Thanks, Ricarda, for photographing my butt. Several times. ;)

The course took us to the Zügenschlucht. How could I - coming to Davos every winter and summer vacay for 28 years now (plus, I even lived in Davos when I worked for the skischool there) - not have known about the Zügenschlucht? The scenery is absolutely breathtaking out there! Reminded me of parts of Yellowstone National Park.

Ricarda and I in the Zügenschlucht.

Janina and I running through the Zügenschlucht.

At the 23K-ish mark we left the Zügenschlucht. Some stairs led us to a trail that took us through a forest near Wiesen. The smell of the pine trees... Loved. It. :) We left the forest at Wiesen, ran through the aid station there (these aid stations are so well organized!) and over the Wiesner Viadukt (25.5K mark). Since I hadn't pressed start on the Garmin (the 410 only has a 6-hour battery capacity, so pressing start would have been useless for this ultra), I had no idea whatsoever about my splits here.

Wiesner Viadukt at 25.5 K.

After the Wiesner Viadukt there was another hill to climb. Yay! :) Boy, do I love those trails! Then again, those uphills (15% incline) do slow you down...

Ricarda had started the race with an awful head/chest cold and it was getting worse on that uphill. I felt so sorry for her! She never - not one minute - complained about it: can you believe that? :)

The trail led us through another lovely forest. And, to another downhill, where Ricarda tricked a fellow runner into taking this photo! :)

Ricarda, moi, Janina. Were we in a race, or working on our modelling skills? What I'm trying to do with my legs/feet (besides showing off how huge my feet are) is beyond me...

Apparently Ricarda loves downhills at least as much as I do, so we continued that downhill together and headed for Filisur (30.1K mark - 18.8 miles). Reached Filisur after 3:13:06 hours. Not too bad considering my plan to start slow and considering the uphills. Not to mention all these photos we'd paused for... ;)

Ricarda and moi in Filisur - 30.1 K mark (18.8 miles).

Another photo taken at the Filisur mark. Yep, looking goofy as usual...

At that point, Ricarda's chest cold had gotten too bad to stay in the race. She made the wise decision to quit and wait for Bettina to keep her company till Bergün (the 40K mark). After all she has a little something called the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc coming up in just a few weeks (yep, she is that amazing!). Didn't keep me from feeling sorry for her, though! Plus, I loved spending time with her in the first 30K of the race. She (and Wendy and Janina) were such great company and sure made those miles fly by!

Filisur - Bergün (30.1K - 40.3K / 18.8 - 25.2 miles)

All by myself... :( Well, not for long. Ran into Wendy again just after leaving Filisur (Ring ring - phone again! Mom: 'You're still running!'. Sweet! :))! Chatted with Wendy a bit and then continued my way...into the woods to find a place to pee-pee. I've mastered the skills of 'superfast behind a log peeing' in the last couple of months (yep, I will send the Guinness Book of World Records an email about this), so I was in and out within minutes. Left my log and immediately ran into Janina again. All by myself? Nope, not so much. :)

The race directors had changed this year's course, so instead of staying on the road (without any uphills) we were shuffed into another forest (yay! :)) and up a hill/mountain/torture tool. Yep, nothing like a nice 15% incline uphill thingie in the middle of a race. :) Ran into a Dutch guy named Cor halfway up that climb and chatted the climb away. It wasn't too long till we saw Bergün in the distance. Woohoo! :) That 15% incline climb did slow me down, but then again...it had slowed down all of us out there. And the trails out there were gorgeous! The views...amazing!

Up next was another downhill that got is to Bergün. I knew Fred and Bram (he also came over to help out with the dogs during race day) and my dog Lordie would be waiting for me in Bergün, so I definitely had something to look forward to! :)

Bergün - 40.3K - 4:41:19 hours - can you tell those climbs had slowed me down? ;) I still felt great, though!

Just before leaving Bergün I spotted Fred, Bram and Lordie! Yay! :) Took 10 minutes there to eat a sandwich (peanutbutter and cheese - yum!), change into a dry shirt and to change my Asics for trail running shoes. Hugged Lordie, thanked the guys, grabbed a bottle of Coca Cola from Fred and started the slog up the hill that would take me to Chants.

Bergün - Keschhütte (40.3K - 52.9K / 25.2 - 33 miles)

Boy, that was the best Coca Cola ever. :)

Spotted Cor again on the way to Chants and we ran side by side for a couple of miles. Grabbed a sponge at one of the aid stations to get rid off some of the salty mess on my face. Yep, I'm disgusting like that. ;)

Wait! Is that a bright green top in front of me? Yay! Wendy again! :) She'd passed me in Bergün while I was changing shoes and I'd figured that I wouldn't see her again till the finish line. But, there she was! :) Not too long after that I reached Chants. This was where the serious uphills/high alpine trails were waiting for us. Woohoo! :) 810 meters elevation gain over 5.7 km. That's pretty steep. At least, for me it is. :) I was surprised to find that, even with 47K already 'in' my legs, I felt great on this climb, while - on last year's K42 (2010) - I felt awful. I guess all this 15% incline treadmill torture did pay off. :) Wendy passed me on the way up: she is incredible on those uphills! :)

Uhm, rain? Seriously? No worries, I'm Dutch, I can handle a bit of rain. More rain? Wind? What the bleep! By the time I got to the Keschhütte (was I glad to see the Keschhütte at 2,632 meters / 8,635 ft and after 7:26:13 hours!), I was soaking wet. And cold! Boy, was I glad that they were handing out ponchos up there! Grabbed one, and a coca cola and figured I might as well get this thing over with (I saw many runners spending going into the Keschhütte to get warmed up a bit). And off I was on my way to the Sertig Pass.

Keschhütte. Soaking. Wet.

What is that guy behind me doing? Seriously...

Keschhütte - Sertig (52.9K - 65.4K / 33 - 40.9 miles)

Muddy, muddy, muddy. My shoes and legs were covered in mud. Hehehe, loved it. :) At one point I tried to get my shoe out of the mud and almost lost it. Quick reminder to relace them. ;) This part of the course was rainy, cold and on high alpine trails. Slippery, rocky, steep. Focus! Loved running / speed walking through the streams and little lakes up there. :)

The group of runners (all wearing the orange ponchos) heading up the Sertig Pass (2,739 meters / 8,986 ft) seemed endless. Steep and muddy climb, but loved every minute of it. Loved that you could hear the marmots whistling! :)

Sertig Pass. Enough said. Boy, am I rocking that poncho. :)

At the Sertig Pass I knew the steep climbing part of the race was over, but little did I know what was up next.

Uhm, sorry?

Yep, that's just a pile of rocks. Slippery and muddy rocks. Watch your step! Took it slow: goal was to get down to Sertig village without any bumps or scratches. I literally saw too many runners falling here (bloody head wounds, open knees, you name it). I was fortunate to get down there without a scratch! :)

After the steep downhill, there was a little less steep downhill. Yay on running instead of speed walking again! :) I knew Fred, Bram and Lordie were waiting for me again - down that mountain in Sertig village. Kicked it into gear to hug Lordie! Not too long till I spotted Bram's red jacket. Took 5 minutes here to eat a sandwich, ditch the poncho and hug Lordie. Just 14K left. I couldn't believe I was still moving forward, and still feeling great. I still hadn't hit the wall. :)

Sertig - Davos (65.4K - 79.1K / 40.9 - 49.4 miles)

Home stretch! :) I loved this part of the route. Through a forest again. Beautiful scenery, amazing views, the chance to chat with fellow runners. Loved it!

There were so many people out there cheering us on. The support in Clavadel was great. It's amazing that all those spectating were out there just for us! Means the world when you're in that race! :)

All at once, the 75K sign. 75K and I was still running? :) I was having a blast! Just 4K left and I could hear the speakers at the finish line already!

With 1K to go the course led us out of the forest and to the stadium where the finish line was. Spotted Mom and her service dog (they did the K10 race of the Swiss Alpine Marathon) in the last meters, and with 200 meters to go I ran into the stadium. Even writing this makes me teary-eyed all over again. :)

I can't describe the feeling of finishing this race. Happy and sad at the same time. Happy to have been given the chance to participate and have such a great race (I literally felt great from start to finish), sad because it was over. The photos and the video below say it all:

Goofy face.

Goofy face times two.

Finish line video - try not to pay attention to the 'crying my eye balls out part' - I was glad Bram was there to give me some emotional support. ;) I'm glad his girlfriend was fine with him keeping me from making an even bigger fool out of myself. ;)

Finish time: 11:25:24

110/229 women (210 actually made it to the finish line)

And there I am. Writing this report and crying my eye balls out again. It's been such an amazing experience. Just getting the chance to do this, is incredible. I seriously feel blessed.

Huge thanks to the race directors for setting up such a great course and support team. The aid stations were amazing. The same goes for the people volunteering.

As for the change to this year's course (Sertig route): all the runners I chatted with about the race mentioned that their Garmins gave a distance way over 79.1K. Not just a couple of 100 meters, but several kilometers. Plus, the elevation gain must have been at least 2,600 meters / 8,530 ft. According to those Garmins and by checking a simple hiking map. Might be worth figuring this out for next year? ;)

Oh, and if this body lets me, and nothing else gets in the way, I'll see you next year Swiss Alpine Marathon K78, I'll see you next year. :)

I'm ba-ack!

2011-08-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

A day later than planned. Due to car trouble. Serious car trouble. The car trouble that shuts the car down in the middle of the bleeping highway. The car trouble that forces you to spend the night in a middle-of-nowhere German town while you're waiting for a rental car.

Well...at least I'm home now. :)

Just a quick note!

2011-08-05T23:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say hi and 'I'm still alive'. Internet access has been a #^@^@& up here in the Swiss Alps, so putting up the race report and posting updates on this blog will take a bit longer than expected. Plan on going home to the Netherlands tomorrow, so everything should be posted soon!

This internet access thingie also implies that I haven't been able to follow up on all your blogs, so please share any 'you shouldn't miss this' info with me! :)

Swiss Alpine Marathon K78 - Done!

2011-08-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

Still in Switzerland. Will put up a full report as soon as possible!

Loved EVERY minute of this race! :) 11 hours and 25 minutes. 79.1K (about 50 miles). 2,600 meters elevation gain (8,530 feet). Loved. It! I'm addicted.:)

Mountains = sore quads

2011-07-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Well, internet access isn't the best ever up here, but will let me post a quick 'hello!'.

Instructed the house sitter, and left for Davos last Saturday. Arrived Saturday evening. Those mountains never fail to take my breath away. It's absolutely gorgeous up here. The trails are amazing. Weather...isn't so amazing. ;) But, hey, that's all in the game. Four more sleeps till the Swiss Alpine Marathon. Taper madness.

I'm starting to feel the 'every single participant trained harder for this thing than I did' taper nerves. Oh yeah, I'm in 'that state' already. ;)

Will try to post some photos later this week!

Foto Friday

2011-07-22T05:34:00.001-07:00

Enough said. :)

Three Things Thursday - the 'Travel' edition

2011-07-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

Quickie quickie 'need to start packing' version.

1. Pack your bag, hun: Plan is to leave for Switzerland in less than 36 hours. Yet, I still need to start packing. Busy day at work doesn't really help. I just know that I'll forget something. Feel free to leave a list of things I shouldn't forget in the comment section. Will try to update the blog as often as possible.

2. Zen: I'm surprised to find that I still have to begin freaking out over the Swiss Alpine Marathon. I'm in some sort of serene state of mind that is unlike me on all different levels. Weird...

3. Lesson learned: Do NOT eat Indonesion food right before you should head out for a 5 mile taper run. Ergo, rescheduled run for tomorrow...

Peace of mind

2011-07-20T13:34:00.001-07:00

31 miles last Sunday, and 61 miles for the week, and that's a wrap. Only runs left in this training cycle are shorter and taper runs.

Number of days left till the Swiss Alpine Marathon (if everything goes according to plan): 9.

Which distance I plan on participating in? Still have my hopes set on the 50 miler, but will let my legs decide in race week. If they say 'go for the marathon instead of the 50 miler', I'll listen. I think. ;)

Shirts just got back from the printer and I must say they look great. And thanks to this lovely lady I'm now all set on the extra gear to change into.

I haven't started packing yet, though, so there's a bit of stressing out on that part. Snow kicked in on the high alpine trails, so I should probably bring some winter gear. ;)

Desk at work is still filled with case files that need to be looked into. I'm working on it. And stressing out over it. Hey, well.

Training wise: there really isn't anything I can do now to get some extra mountain skills or long run skills. I'll have to work with what's in the bag. Looking back at my training in the last couple of months doesn't really work for me. Somehow makes me doubt every run and my ability to finish a race.

Realizing that this is what I'll have to work with, somehow gives me some Zen-like feeling. Peace of mind.

9 days. 6 more training runs. Those beautiful mountains to look forward to.

Fingers crossed. Just in case. (You'll never know what might happen in those 9 days.)

What (not) to wear...

2011-07-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

...when planning on hitting the mountains to do a bit of this:

Swiss Alpine Marathon

And yes, by the looks of it, there WILL be snow on the high alpine part of it. Oh yeah. :)

A. This Moeben Running Dress I reviewed: here.

B. This skirt and tank combo: here.

Don't worry: I plan on pairing either of those with a windbreaker/waterproof jacket. :)

Start voting! :)

Manic Monday - Epic fail

2011-07-18T08:14:00.001-07:00

Multitasking. Trying to get some work done while dogsitting for my mom. Epic fail. This little 3 1/2 months old monster-to-be seems to have a weird fetish for my roommate's feet...

Let me formally introduce you to...

2011-07-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

...Lordie and Diddy. Running buddies extraordinaire. A long due formal introduction. It's about time! Here we go!

Lordie

Come on, let's go already, woman!

Nickname: Bunnychaser.

Favorite distance: 25K+.

Day job: sidekick to Silly Girl Running. Keeps him busy 24/7.

Favorite running gear: Zero DC blue/orange harness.

Favorite recovery food: Dried beef.

Favorite recovery drink: water.

Quote:

"10 miles? That's my warm up."

"I have Greyhounds for breakfast."

"Running is better than chasing cats."

"Poodles do it better."

Diddy

I'm going that way. You'd better follow...

Nickname: Birdchaser.

Favorite distance: Anything up to a Half Marathon. Loves the sprint.
Day job: service dog (seizure alert dog to my mom).
Favorite running gear: Zero DC blue/orange harness. And Musher's secret paw cream.
Favorite recovery food: Pedigree brand Schmackos.
Favorite recovery drink: water. Well...you can't really give him a protein shake, can you?
Quote:

"Ha! That's what you call fast?"
"Eat my farts."
"I'm with stupid." (Yep, he's referring to me...)

"Service dog by day. Superhero by night."

Lordie doing what he loves to do. Drag me across the trails.

Who's your #1 running buddy?

Three Things Thursday

2011-07-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

1. Pre-workout food: Note to self (and to the rest of you): peas do not qualify as great pre-workout food. Cramps. And everything that goes with the cramps. Enough said.

2. Shoes: On top of my beloved Newton Lady Isaac's leaving me for shoe heaven, and not finding a single retailer that still has a pair in my size left, my long distance pair (Asics GT-2160's) are walking towards the light. Or, at least, I'm afraid they are. I did find a new pair online, but now the retailer won't respond to emails when they'll ship. What the bleep! I plan on leaving for Switzerland in just a couple of weeks and I do not want to conquer those mountains barefoot! Freaking out in...3, 2, 1...

3. Potter Bonanza: The New Harry Potter is in theaters NOW. Yep, I'm a nerd. And a geek. And a weirdo. But apparently I'm not the only one: the Redhead is with me on this one. Well, at least the love of her life is. ;) Oh yeah, I'm off for a night of fun at the movie theater this weekend. :)