Sandbagging Myself

Posted on July 29, 2016 by drosvally

This post is a cautionary tale. A tale whose moral is simple: always look carefully at your equipment BEFORE you hit the trails.

As I’ve previously mentioned, my coach has me doing sandbag hill repeats on Thursdays. I’m supposed to grab a 35 lb sandbag, throw it over my shoulders, and run up and down a nearby trail that basically consists of a mondo uphill for about 45 minutes. Honestly, this is one of my favorite workouts of the week. It gets me outside, the trail is really pretty and

As you can tell by this picture (taken post workout), I was none too pleased about the whole sandbag thing….

has a lot of nature (chipmunks! Squirrels! Even the occasional snake!), and the duration of the workout is just about perfect. 45 minutes is long enough to feel like I’m going to die without feeling like it’s going to be interminable. It probably helps that this workout spikes my heart rate like (seriously) nothing else; so I burn a WHOLE BUNCH of calories which means I get to eat everything that’s not nailed down when I get home. It’s pretty much a win for all involved.

So I’ve been at my current box for about a year now. Some equipment, like the barbells, we use pretty much daily. Other stuff, like the sandbags, we almost never touch. As a result, there’s still plenty to learn about this equipment. Like, as I learned yesterday (the hard way), the sandbags come in DIFFERENT WEIGHTS! They all look exactly the same, but we have 35, 45, and even 50 pound sand bags that live in the same pile and are nearly identical.

On Thursdays, I swing by the gym to pick up my sandbag, throw it in my trunk, then drive out to my trail. Yesterday, I was having a hard time getting the sandbag off the ground (you’re supposed to clean it and throw it over your head so it lands on your shoulders). I was thinking that I was just having an off morning. You know how some mornings the bar just feels heavy because you’re tired/caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet/you’re sore from yesterday/whatever? I mean, as far as I knew there was no reason for this to be any more difficult than usual. So I sucked it up and told myself I was being silly. It was just a sandbag. Like any other sandbag. Like any other sandbag that I always trained with on Thursdays.

Threw the thing in my car, got to my trail, set up all my music and sunscreen and hydration belt, and went to pick up the sandbag to head out to the trail. That’s when I saw it. The label; sticking out of the side of the bag. Taunting me because I had been too stupid not to check it before I left the box. The darn thing was 50 pounds! Not 35 pounds; 50! No wonder it had been so difficult to clean!

I momentarily thought about swinging back to the box to get a bag of the correct weight, but the morning was already dragging on, it was hot (and not getting any cooler), and I had appointments scheduled for the afternoon. I really had to get my workout started. So I sucked it up. I sucked it up, picked it up, and the gods be damned if I didn’t kill that workout (slowly and with fewer repeats than usual because 15 pounds is apparently ridiculously heavy if you’re doing hill repeats).

I guess you can say I had my “Spartan up” moment for the week. I definitely felt like a total badass when I was done. I can’t say that it was a pleasant experience, or one that I will voluntarily repeat, but as my coach said when I reported back to him what had happened “well now you know you can do the workout with a 50 pound bag….”. Yup. I totally can. But I will definitely be back to my 35 pounder next week.

Any fun plans for the weekend?

Going Wireless

Posted on July 27, 2016 by drosvally

Have I yet gushed about one of the most important items in my running kit? My wireless Bluetooth headphones!

Okay, bear with me here. I know you’re all like “but I have wired headphones and they work just fine!” I was in that camp too for SO long. I was a cheap headphoner because I would always loose them, or they would break on me, or I would be out running in the rain and get rained on and they would get wet, or something. In April of 2015, I finally caved. I needed a new set of headphones, and for about $8 more than I would spend on yet another wired set, I could have these babies. I figured it was worth a shot to see if I liked them.

Let me tell you, folks; they have seriously changed my life. At the time I converted to

Here they are actually on my ears at the Twin Lights Half Marathon; 2015

wireless I was just a runner. I didn’t take up Crossfit or the affiliated crazy training antics until a couple months after this pivotal moment in my fitness history. These days, wireless headphones are a must-have for me since I could never wrangle sandbags, sleds, or the assortment of weights and equipment that my current workouts require while still being worried about my cables snagging or pulling loose. At that time though, that simpler time, I was just a runner.

But even then I noticed a difference immediately. Now I could put my phone basically anywhere I wanted on my person (in my pocket, in my magnet pouch thing, in my camelbak) and not worry about how to run my headset wire. I could run without that annoying thump thump thump of the headset cable on my arm or chest or wherever the cable was running. Maybe most importantly, my phone became much easier to access; I could reach and grab it without having to navigate my way through a messy or annoying cable. Win on all sides.

Now that I’ve been running with the headset for a year, I can give you a pretty good idea about wear and tear. I’ve run through all seasons with this thing and it’s held up like a champ. I’ve run in rain, snow, sleet, wind, and everything in between. This headset comes with a variety of ear pads that you can mix and match to custom fit your ear and, once you find the right fit, it stays put. I have never had an issue with the headphones coming loose or jostling free. The only thing I have noticed is that they do require a tiny bit of Tetris if you want to wear them with sunglasses (which I pretty much always do). Nothing insurmountable, but definitely a little extra something to think about when donning your kit.

They hold up great against moisture and sweat. I am not a dainty runner girl; I exude much salt water when I’m working out. Despite having to sometimes wring out my hair, these little champs haven’t show any sign of being remotely bothered by my sweaty self.

They keep a charge for a good long while. I’ve done four or five hour stints with them and been fine; if I’m running a series of shorter runs I’ll usually be good for about four workouts. You can tell when they’re about to go on you because the “reception” between headphones and phone will start to fade; it will become harder and harder to establish the Bluetooth connection. About twenty minutes before full battery-induced shutdown, you’ll get an audio low battery warning. To avoid this, I just charge it up whenever I get home (unless I’ve seriously only done about a mile or two).

The only real sign of wear they’re currently showing is a bit of peeling on the top layer of plastic; but as I’ve said they’ve had some serious hard use for over a year. For the $20 I spent on them, I’ll take some cosmetic defects and count myself lucky.

As an added bonus: these headphones seem to confuse the heck out of casual

Beat the Blerch finish line; September 2015

observers. When I’m not using them (but about to and/or have just), I wear them wrapped around my neck. I’ve gotten everything from “did you get a neck tattoo!?” to “what’s that weird nineteenth-century hairstyle you’re sporting?” I call them my Rorschach test; I always find it amusing what creative minds will make of them.

So what do you think they look like?

Narragansett Bay Half Marathon Recap

Posted on July 25, 2016 by drosvally

On Saturday, my honey and I ran the Narragansett Bay Half Marathon in East Providence, Rhode Island. Let me start by saying this: marathon training is tough; but it is FAR easier to motivate for a long run when there’s water support, a pre-planned route you don’t have to think about, a bunch of other runners there with you, a tee shirt, finisher medal, and ice cream at the finish line. Technically, I was programmed for 10 miles this weekend (pull back week; my training plan runs in cycles like this), but I decided it would be WAY easier on my sanity to get the half in and take it easy. So I did.

Obligatory start line selfie!

The race was well organized; packet pickup was a breeze and there were plenty of bathrooms (every runner knows this is key for a good long run; pre-race bathroom lines can get nuts at these things). I only realized when we arrived that there would not be free beer at the finish line, but there would be free ice cream…. So I guess that worked out okay. This is particularly true because it was a 7 AM start. As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m a very slow runner… realistically I was going to be in the 2:45 range for a finish in the kind of heat we were dealing with (this was about my finish time on the nose). As much as I love beer, drinking it before 10 AM on a Sunday is not really my idea of a good time. Ice cream was far preferable.

The start was on time (YAY!) and the first few miles were pretty hilly. It was not a closed course, but it was well executed; we always had a nice wide shoulder for running and there was an ample police/volunteer presence to ensure runner safety. The only kind of off-putting thing was the amount of road kill; at least one significant piece per mile for the first 4 miles. Ew. I was grateful that I was paying enough attention to where I put my feet that this didn’t wind up being a trip hazard.

There were 11 water stations along the way which was really good because we needed it! It was hot and muggy, and though a breeze did eventually kick up that wasn’t entirely sufficient to keep us cool. Gatorade and ample fuel (gels, chomps, and honey stinger waffles) was offered along the course. A+ on aid stations!

For the first several miles we were running through residential areas which was really nice because East Providence has some extremely cute houses. It was a sleepy Sunday

View of the bay from along the course

morning, so we didn’t see much by way of spectators (though those who were there were out in full force; always a nice thing to see en route). A couple of the members of the community, knowing their yard would be on the race course, even left their sprinkler on facing the street so we could cool off on our way through. That was so kind of them and we definitely appreciated it. Thank you, masked strangers; whomever you are.

There were at least three bands along the race route (I kind of lost count because… like I said… it was HOT). Live music is really cool to run to and can pump you up when you’re in danger of hitting that dreaded wall, so I was super happy to see them out there. Thank you for the music, bands of East Providence!

At about mile 7 the course diverted onto a nearby bike path, which was really nice because it had shade, was flat, and had basically all the amenities of a closed course. Bikers came by now and again, but they were very polite and always signaled (some even cheered!). The course took us past the local fire station and the firemen were out on the driveway giving high fives to runners and shouting encouragement; there are few things in life quite as awesome as being told you’re awesome by a fireman.

Triumphant at the finish!

While the course is kind of an out and back, it doesn’t loop back on the same roads it uses to go out so there was plenty of fresh scenery as your ran. On the whole, the course was challenging without being impossible and had some spectacular views. There was a race photographer at the finish line, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing my official race pics.

This was a great little race. It was small, local, cheap (only $50 if you pay attention and register with the early early registration), had ample race support, and an impressive finish line spread. The course was safe and lovely with some beautiful views of the harbor. Despite the early start, I would run it again if I can finagle a night in Providence the evening before. In terms of summer half marathons, you really can’t get much better than this one.

A Tale of Hills and Sandbags

Posted on July 22, 2016 by drosvally

Mount Desert Island is a hilly marathon. And when I say “hilly,” I mean quad-killing, think I’m gonna die hilly. Check out this monster:

mdi_marathon_course_map_profile

In order to train for hills like this, my coach has me doing a number of things. One of them is sandbag hill repeats. The exercise is Neanderthal in its simplicity: grab large sandbag, place on shoulders, run up and down steep hill for about 45 minutes. The principle is that this will strengthen my legs far more effectively than normal person hill repeats (since my legs now have to accommodate the weight of the sandbag; in my case 35 extra pounds).

While this exercise is incredibly difficult to do (seriously, according to my Fitbit I burn more calories doing this than almost any other activity…. It’s because my heart rate spikes in the first sixty seconds or so and never really comes back down until I’m done), it’s also something I’m really enjoying for a variety of reasons. Reason one: I get to go run a hill on an awesome, shady path through some Endor-style woods. Seriously. My first time out there, I couldn’t help but think of this the entire time:

I remember wondering, as a kid, what kind of sadist Yoda was. I think I have sufficiently answered that question in my adulthood. Luckily my coach only makes me carry a sandbag and not piggyback him (my coach is a six-foot-something man built entirely of muscle; in my head I refer to him as “Gaston”).

Reason number two: there is something really viscerally thrilling about hauling this sandbag around in the outside world. It seriously makes me feel like the baddest M-Fer in the world. The added bonus is that the trail I use is a pretty popular one around here for runners (especially those of us doing hill repeats because… well… it’s a giant hill; about half a mile up an insane incline which is a pretty great split if you’re actively trying to run hills for your workout). I pass other runners frequently on the path. Every time I do, I get looks from them. The looks vary in purport; from the pitying “oh my gosh who the heck did you make angry to deserve this treatment?” to “oh my gosh, you’re the baddest M-Fer in the world!” Sometimes, other runners even cheer me on or say admiring things about me. Let me tell you how AWESOME that makes me feel as a girl who, up until her adulthood, was not “athletic” by any sense of the world and was always picked last for any sports team. It also reinforces to me how seriously awesome the global running community is; where else would you tell a perfect stranger how awesome they are simply because they’re doing something similar to your task but with an added degree of difficulty?

Reason number three: the view at the top is absolutely spectacular. I’m not sure I’ve managed to capture it in its glory, but I’ve tried on each occasion that I’ve been out there. Check this out:

What’s your training schedule look like?

Weekend Running Recap

Posted on July 18, 2016 by drosvally

Weekend running recap!

It’s been hot hot HOT here in New England. I have to be honest, I’ve already asked myself over and over again why it was that I chose a fall marathon rather than a spring marathon. My coaches tell me that fall marathons are easier (since running in the heat is so difficult, the adjustment to fall temperatures from summer temperatures makes your run way awesomer…. As opposed to a spring race during which you basically cross your fingers and hope against hope that you get a nice day and then, thanks to Murphy, wind up running a marathon in 75 degree muggy weather). I’m not really sure that the word “easy” can be applied to marathons at all.

Speaking of training, I suppose I should mention that I’m not on a conventional marathon training plan. Since I do Crossfit several times a week, I’m getting the leg muscle development and cardio recovery threshold work from those workouts. The result? I only run one long run every week (with a little recovery the day after). Oh, don’t worry, I spend the rest of my time doing other equally horrifying things to get in shape for this marathon; nobody really escapes the torment. I’m simply varying my training so that I don’t just run all the time. And before you ask yes, I am doing this under the oversight of a few very experienced coaches; some of whom are marathoners themselves. They know what they’re doing and I trust them entirely.

It’s not actually true if Garmin doesn’t record it….

This weekend, I had my first 17 scheduled. My first 17…. Ever. As in the longest I have ever run in one clip. It was slated to be a sweltering 92 degrees at the height of the heat on Saturday, so like any self-respecting runner I woke up at the absolute crack of dawn (literally… it was dark outside when I got up) so that I could start and, hopefully, finish before it got too hot.

That didn’t really happen. Yes, I started running in a temperature that was the high end of sustainable, but it quickly got muggy and I am very slow. Additionally, I made the brilliant mistake of forgetting my electrolytes. As a result, I had to alter my planned route to stop at a nearby Walgreens in order to pick up something that wasn’t water to get my body hydrating properly. You know that you’re in serious trouble when water stops making you feel better and, no matter how much you drink, you’re still thirsty. You also know you’re in serious trouble when Gatoraid actually tastes good (yuck). I thank all applicable cosmic forces that the Walgreens was equipped with a pinpad card swipe thingy so that the poor cashier didn’t have to touch my debit card (which, by the way, lives in the sweatiest pocket of my shorts when I run…. Sweatiest of course because it’s the closest to my body because who would run with their debit card and ID in a pocket that wasn’t close to their body? Isn’t that how you get mugged and robbed!?).

After my electrolyte stop I felt much better for a bit, but as it got later and later and hotter and hotter, I became slower and slower. As I’ve previously espoused, I’m already a slow runner so I can only imagine that it looked like I was doing some kind of slow-motion movie crawl to my finish line. Honestly, I couldn’t care less; I was so close to finishing the training run. The distance, I knew, would get easier the next time; all I had to do was keep going.

So I did. And that’s that. When I got home, I nearly did the unthinkable (drink a pint of pickle juice). I then remembered that I had a tube of Nuun tablets I had been meaning to try (free from my gym because apparently whomever originally purchased them hadn’t realized that they were the caffeinated kind). Let me tell you: it takes a special kind of dehydrated to make the Kona Cola Nuun tablets taste like something you want in your mouth. Apparently, I was just that special kind of dehydrated because it was AMAZING. Like… heralds of seraphim sang down from the heavens kind of amazing. I was pretty sure that some cosmic television showed me slow motion running through a field of daisies towards this Nuun drink.

My poor fiancé, on my recommendation, threw a tablet in his water bottle later that day and it was only then that we discovered the truth. Long story short: stay away from Kona Cola Nuun tablets…. Unless you’ve run 17 miles through the heat and you’ve got salt literally flaking off your face from the sweat. Then it will taste like ambrosia.

Sunday I did a 20-minute recovery run (also in the heat) that really helped loosen things

Foam rolling is the BEST! ....what, too much?

Foam rolling (or, as pictured, lacrosse ball massage) is the BEST! ….what, too much?

up. I also spent about 45 minutes foam rolling every inch of my legs and hips just to get those tissues good and unstuck. As a result, I woke up today feeling perky enough to get to leg day at the box. While I can’t say I set any PRs this morning, it did feel good to get the proper recovery in.

Alright, folks; what did you do this weekend?

Also: Have you ever drank a pint of pickle juice?

Also also: What’s your favorite Nuun flavor? I’m thinking of grabbing a tube or two of something not Kona Cola….

I am Runner; Hear me Roar

Posted on July 12, 2016 by drosvally

Like most people, I find it difficult to admit to being intimidated by something. Many of the jobs and tasks I perform require fearlessness; so I’ve grown used to executing courageously and allowing my doubts to get expresses in unseen little corners. But I believe it’s a good exercise to face the things that scare us; even if that monster is the fear itself. So here goes: for a long time, I was afraid to call myself a “runner” or an “athlete” and even more afraid to document the experience of being one. Why? Because I didn’t think that I was a “real” enough runner to qualify.

All of the running bloggers I follow seem to be written by incredibly talented athletes; people who are running BQ times, 7 minute miles over long distances, or are semi-professionally (if not professionally) involved in the sport. They are all witty and human people (which is part of what makes following their blogs so much fun), but I had trouble connecting to them as an athlete because they were so far beyond me. My Personal Record on a half marathon course is 2:28 (that averages out to about an 11.5 minute mile). Granted, this was a hilly course, but I can’t say that I run much faster during training. My PR for a 5K is 30 ish minutes (about a 10 minutes mile). This is not fast. During my long marathon training runs, I often run 13 or 14 minute miles. It is summer in New England (which will slow you down), and I do run hills, but by any “reasonable” standards

Finishing my first half; This is a great picture that captures how awesome that felt!

this is still incredibly slow.

So it’s been difficult to consider that the feats I’ve accomplished; not technically “unusual” in any capacity with the half marathon distance becoming an incredibly popular distance and running as a sport growing in popularity (btw: http://www.runningusa.org/statistics has some amazing statistics about racing and running in the USA); would make me a member of this “exclusive” runner’s club. It wasn’t until I had finished my fourth half marathon with no plans of stopping that I even began to feel comfortable referring to myself as a “runner” or an “endurance athlete” in conversation.

2015: the year of my first (second, third, and fourth) half marathon

I can’t really say what changed. It might have been the literal writing on the wall as I looked at my ever-growing assemblage of finisher’s medals. I think it was also connected to the thought that someone who had completed multiple distance events would even hesitate to call themselves an “athlete.” It was definitely intertwined with the way I looked at my nutrition; once I had some empirical data that my calorie burn vs. calorie intake was skewed far too heavily in the direction of burn, I began to admit to myself that I needed more and different foods to fuel my body. This opened the gateway to allow for the possibility that perhaps someone who runs the run and has to make lifestyle adjustments to support these runs should probably start calling herself a “runner.”

The truth is this: your speed doesn’t make you a runner. Your distance doesn’t make you a runner. Running makes you a runner. If you run, if you run regularly, you are a runner. If you enjoy running, you’re definitely a runner. If you eat different foods to make your runs better, you are most certainly a runner. Running is not about measuring up to an impossible standard; it’s about your personal journey through the sport. It’s about testing the limits of your body and figuring out how hard you can push yourself. It’s about learning yourself and understanding how to motivate. It’s about achieving goals; conquering demons; and (sometimes literally) climbing mountains. It’s about saying “I think I might be able to do that” and then actually doing it.

Do I still sometimes feel a pang of misrepresentation when I discuss my running habit with faster friends? Absolutely. Do I let it stop me? Nope. I am a runner; anyone who wants to dispute that can try to outrun me over a long distance. I may be slow, but I’ll finish every time.

I’m Back!

Posted on July 11, 2016 by drosvally

Hello, world! I’m back.

I am not going to try and explain-away the dissertation-invoked hiatus, but suffice to say that I missed blogging. I haven’t stopped running, I haven’t stopped making theatre, and I haven’t stopped making academic progress. Thing one: I’m officially a Doctor! That’s some pretty exciting news that should probably feel like it changed more things than it did.

But enough about that; let me discuss what’s going to happen with the blog.

As I refocus, I’ll be looking to write more about my running, and more about my cross fit habit. Workouts, nutrition, gear reviews; that sort of thing. I’ve found that these things really fuel joy in my life; and that’s what I need to focus on as much as possible. Life is short; let’s live the things that make us happy.

So expect to see more about my training; more about staying active; and FAR more gratuitous gym selfies (P.S. if you’re looking to constantly stay appraised of my gratuitous gym selfies, check out my instagram.

Let’s start here: current goals: I’m training to run the Mount Desert Island Marathon in October (my first marathon!). I’m also 2/3 of the way complete with my Spartan Trifecta for 2016 (I did the Tri-State New Jersey Beast and the Tri-State New York Sprint; Super is scheduled for August). Between marathon training and crossfit, I’m doing a LOT of training which should give me plenty of fodder.

So if you’re interested in following the antics of a back-of-pack runner; welcome aboard! Here goes a new adventure in Dani land.

Daniprose

academic adventures, theatric theoretics, and sundry snobberies.

Monthly Archives: July 2016