1. By Valentine’s Day afternoon, the ice and snow had melted enough that the roads were clear so it was safe to go to work. However, that night there was an earthquake. It was a 4.1 on the Richter Scale which means absolutely nothing to me.
To translate it in terms I do know: A lady in Woodruff called Fox News with a front line report. She was in her recliner with her dog (a Boxer) sitting in her husband’s recliner, and ALL OF A SUDDEN, the double-wide started shaking back and forth. She was scared and all shook up — literally.
Another news station, showed a man’s security camera’s footage of the quake. You can see a car slightly bouncing in the driveway. Afterwards, the man pointed out a hairline crack in his driveway while talking about the damage the quake had caused.
2. My Saucony Cortana 3s have officially been retired. RIP:
October 2013 – February 2014
These beauties carried me through two half marathons, a multitude of shorter races, a lot of training miles, and all my gym workouts. I was hoping to eek another month out of them but the havoc they were wreaking on my feet became unbearable. They were my go-to road running shoes. My local running store cuts the soles of shoes to make them more flexible so with that and a little bit of arch support these were wonderful when they were in their prime. I would totally buy them again, but my eye wandered and my loyalty wavered.
3. Oh yes! I was wooed by a pretty new young thing. I have moved onward and upward to a pair of ON Cloudsurfers:
They look white in this picture but they’re gray with orange trim.
I am super excited about these. Due to the way they are designed, I think it will be nigh impossible for me to heel strike in these bad boys. My feet are constantly in pain and throbbing so it was a bit breathtaking to slip these on and have all the pain instantly dissipate – just by standing in them. My fingers are crossed that they will feel the same once I get them out on the road.
4. Yeah, I haven’t actually run yet in my new running shoes.
It’s been 2 weeks since I pulled/tore my adductor muscle, and I still cannot run or even walk without a limp. I’m thinking my 10k race next weekend will be a no-go, but I’m still holding out hope. In the meantime, I’ve switched to a more weight lifting focused routine which I really enjoy. On Monday, I did a chest/tri workout. The first thing it called for was 3 sets of 12 pushups with a minute between each set. I haven’t been doing pushups in my chest workout recently, and the last time I did I couldn’t get through the entire set without having to switch to my knees. However, this time I did it! Standard (on my toes) full pushups with correct form (no half-assing it and only going part of the way down to the ground.)
36 of them!
5. I’m still looking for a challenging Spring event/race that takes place well after tax season (preferably in May.) I’m seriously considering doing my first trail race with the “Bearwallow Beast.” I mean – just the name alone makes this one sound like a winner. I love hiking so I think I would really enjoy trail running (if I don’t injure myself.) One of my New Year’s Resolutions for this year was to learn how to love hills, and what better way than running up a mountain? Everything needs love, even nasty loathsome repulsive hills. .
Ben: “It has an elevation gain of over 1,400 feet? in just 3 miles? I bet that’s how it got its name, because by the end you look like a bear wallering up that mountain.”
A picture of the start of the single track where the trail begins it steep ascent. This was taken from the event’s facebook page.
(It actually got its name because there’s a mountain spring which forms several watering holes. Apparently, like pigs, bears like to wallow and these watering holes are prime wallowing real estate. But thank you for the visual, Ben.)
The fastest times last year on this course were 23-27 minutes for the fellas and 32-35 minutes for the ladies. In the normal 5ks I run, the winner usually runs the race in 15 minutes so this one definitely sounds like it’s a toughie.
But, on the bright side, there is a festival afterward! And I’ve already convinced one other sucker to run it with me! And the race is in the afternoon – score! Each race entry comes with a ticket for a free beer. Not that I will use that, but in my experience, that’s a sign the after-party will be amusing to attend.
I’m not familiar with this hike even though it’s relatively close to where I grew up. Evidently, it’s on private land but there is now a conservation easement on the mountain along with a fantastic new trail. Once my leg heals, I’m going to drag Ben hiking here just to see what I’m in for. And so he can come up with more vivid comparisons of what I’m going to look like while trying to do this.
Bearwallow Mountain. At least my death will be a pretty one.
I’m still adapting to the concept of a world where Laura Llew /runs/.
No one is more shocked than I am.
(No one is more appalled than Flannery.)