Training Log Archive: bbrooke

Walking and slow-jogging all around the park and high school, marking the Score-O course. I had to scratch one control due to a big crowd on the track / soccer field, and then one control on my list didn't seem to actually exist on the map (#61 -- I think due to Purple Pen's setting to omit codes that can be read upside-down?). I was worried about having enough controls to be a challenge for everybody, but the finish times were a few minutes slower than in 2014 -- so I guess I had enough.

I finished marking the course in time to get set up for registration -- whew!

A beautiful sunny day with just a bit of wind.

Graham approaching the finish in 1st place -- photo to illustrate the nice weather & scenery. :-)

- 1.25 hours of registration & start finish timing.

- Two hours of annual meeting.

I have lots of vacation days I have to use up by the end of the year, so I took today off to do prep work for tomorrow's RMOC annual meeting & Score-O.

- Email follow-ups.

- Checked in w/ Adam Feerst (RunUphill Racing) about ads in local running magazines.

- Checked in w/ Jason Poole & DVOA guy about replicating DVOA wallet card.

- Created box lunch list & tally for Kathleen; forwarded meeting room details / reservation.

- Created a year-over-year start count table for recent local meets.

- Started PPT document with my own slides / charts / summaries and added in stuff I've received from other people.

Still LOTS left to do -- mainly the map updates, course, and clue sheet. Then printing everything.

I need to figure out how to do both strength training and speed work (same day? successive days?)... For today, my legs were sore but not so bad that it affected my workout; I have a feeling my legs will be REALLY sore tomorrow.

- Ran one mile to warm up.

- 5-4-3-2-1 minutes of fast effort (mile pace) with 1-2 minutes of walking recovery after each set.

- Ran one mile to cool down.

I was doing this workout as laps around the arboretum, and a dog-walker started asking me questions during one of my in-between walking breaks. Do I run a lot, do I watch what I eat, how did I get to the weight I'm at, etc. The last question got me, b/c the actual answer relates to getting dumped unexpectedly after ~14 years and losing 20 pounds in six weeks from being extremely upset / distraught and not having any appetite.

I'm already on edge from expecting to see Troy at the meet tomorrow (with Bimbo Barbie?), and I couldn't help but start to cry (for the eight millionth time) when I tried to answer her question about losing weight. (This woman was a total stranger, BTW, and I felt really stupid for crying but I couldn't keep it in...)

She insisted I give her my name & number so she could introduce me to her friend's 40-something son. I'm not really ready for that, but I appreciated the sentiment -- along with her repeated assurances that Troy is not worth my time or my tears and must be a loser. ;-) That part made me laugh, at least... She also had a fluffy, sweet, one-year-old German Shepherd who was very nice to pet.

C • I uss. do strength on the s... 2

- Map updates and course printing. (Learning OOM and PurplePen along th way...)

- Created start list, contact list & punch cards.

- Databse queries to get volunteer summaries for Kathleen; created tables for PPT.

- Finalized PPT.

- Printed & assembled stuff for tomorrow.

- Drove to / from *** to print everything.

Strength Training for Runners class.

10 laps on the indoor track -- easy pace.

Prep work for annual meeting.

I couldn't get to Runners Roost in time to start with the group, so I started the loop from home, assuming they would catch me (or vice versa). But we never found each other... I stopped at Roost just after mile 3 to get a doughnut and hang out for a bit (turned out I was ahead of the group), and then I continued back uphill to get home. Easy run for 4.25, walked the rest.

Strength Training for Runners class at the Rec Center -- first class of the Fall session.

Three rounds of: 45 seconds activity / 15 seconds rest at 12 different stations (push-ups, planks, squats, mountain-climbers, core stuff, etc.).

Ran one mile on the indoor track (9:40), and then walked another half mile.

- Published Kathleen's minutes from last year's RMOC annual meeting. (I didn't attend the meeting last year because I was feeling very overwhelmed and I didn't want to be pestered about unfinished projects...) THANK YOU, Kathleen!

- Updated the RMOC web site's Joomla CMS -- something it routinely prompts me to do without any issues, but this time it broke the site. ARGH! I figured out how to fix it fairly quickly by updating the style template. Whew -- I really don't have time to deal with a web site meltdown this week... :-\

- Composed RMOC email updates w/ photos & links.

- Checked in with CSOL coaches about 2018 dates; checked in with Leif about his offer to do remote outreach / PR efforts to school groups.

- Checked in w/ RMOC board & Kathleen about volunteer recognition.

- Checked in w/ Kris & Doug about NAOC vs. RMOC event dates.

- Created RMOC-themed PPT template for meeting and shared with other presenters.

- Other email follow-ups.

- Downloaded & installed OOM and Purple Pen.

Yes, I got one of each at the dinner party last night...but they were tiny. Very delicious!

Event: Beware the Bear Trail Races
 

"Beware the Bear" trail race at Bear Creek Lake Park -- part 1 of 2 (5 K).

PERFECT weather -- sunny and 60 degrees (and just a little bit windy).

The course had three big hills which all felt manageable. My stomach started acting up in the second mile -- ugh (beer trolley and food trucks last night for a friend's birthday was probably not the best pre-race regimen...). I was watching constantly for strategically-placed bushes, in case it became an emergency. Made it to the finish and then made a beeline for the bathroom. :-\

* #2 out of 5 F40-49 (#1 was five minutes ahead of me -- but she didn't do the 2nd race)
* #8 out of 24 Female
* #20 out of 40 Overall

"Beware the Bear" trail race -- part 2 of 2 (14.25 K)

Weather still perfect. :-) I switched to short sleeves and actually would have preferred a tank top.

This course consisted of two loops. I've never done a race with that format, and I'm not sure if I like it. On one hand, I finished the first loop thinking "ugh, now I have to do that all over again". On the other hand, at least I knew what was coming and I could tell myself "only four more hills", "only three more hills", etc.

Very fun -- with surprising results (it was not a huge race...):

* #1 out of 4 F40-49
* #11 out of 23 Female
* #32 out of 51 overall

There were only 11 of us who did both races (I thought it would be much more than that...); I was #2 out of 6 females, #6 out of 11 overall.

I'm heading to some friends' catered anniversary dinner this evening, and the menu sounds amazing (e.g. dessert includes salted butterscoth brulee, red velvet cheesecake bar, and a fresh fruit tart -- I get one of each, right?). I'm glad I can indulge knowing that I have "earned" the extra calories for today. ;-)