j-lyn's corner

8 miles @ Dimple Dell 1:08:30. A decent pace for decent gain. I was disappointed there wasn't more mud.

I am starting to be obsessed (again) with Flo Rida. Especially the song Whistle, which was brought to my attention again by a friend who commented that her teenager just explained to her what the song was about, and ruined what she thought was a song about whistling.

Oh, Utahn's. Really, that song couldn't be more obvious. 

In her defense, it is about whistling. ;) 

Jun's watch said 19.12 and mine said 19.21 and then the watches got in a fight and mine was bigger and awesomer so it won.

When did I become such a running gear junky? Once we started working in the ourdoor industry a couple years ago, my lil fam has accumulated a TON of gear, which we're always swapping out and upgrading. I actually know the names of different types of rope cores. Bleh.

Ah yes, this morning. Neasts came out and joined us, hooray! She's fun to run with, and she's super speedy. ScottW had to bail with knee issues. Jacob came, whined for 16 miles about how we were running too fast, then booked it down the last 3 miles. ...Yeah, pretty much true to form for him. Jun called me fat again. I cried.

 A lot of deep mud, deep thoughts on dying at Barkley, and so on. I swear a saw a mountain lion. Foxes aren't that big nor do they run that fast. 

My reverse shin splint again felt better after running than it did before. Tapering down too much mileage too quickly is apparently just as bad as adding too much mileage too quickly. 

Nice morning. 

9 miles with Jim @CC. It wasn't muddy. It was a light-hearted, trash talking sort of day, and full of fun. I was starving and ate all of the snacks I found in my car, vest, and bag within the first 20 minutes.

I got to run in my new running shorts! Woo-hoo! First thing I've bought for myself for running since lil Fish was born! :) They are lovely. When I ate the trail the first thought in my head wasn't about pain, assessing injuries, or etc- it was, oh no! My shorts! ha. But they didn't get snagged at all.

With about a mile-ish left, some mountain bikers were stopped out in front of us. Then they started pedaling down the hill. I looked at Jim, who laughed and said, "Go get 'em." So I did. I passed one, and got pretty close to the 2nd one before I decided to stop fooling around and wait for Jim. He was dying laughing. I must've been running @ a 4 min/mile pace. What fun.

There is talk about me running a buck-twenty five at Wasatch this year. What mischief. :) 

In honor of hitting 500 miles, the NERC club (in Logan) made me a present.

aw, yeah.

slightly more psyched to push the double jogger for 10 miles tomorrow. Core, back, and legs for an hour on weights today.   that didn't happen!

Not all training runs are fun. Some are downright awful. I tried to have a PMA as everything sucked all morning, thinking "if everything is awful now maybe it'll be great later." It's a lie.

I duct-taped the chunk of my achilles that's rubbed off. But then the duct tape crunched up and chaffed-- result: more skin loss.

There were several goat heads in the double jogger. Oh, no worries, I will fill them with our bike goo and pump the trailer back up. With two boys biking and crashing and crying this takes an entire hour. Once I finally get going one tire goes flat at mile 3. The next tire was completely gone at my turnaround at mile 5. The goo stuff is supposed to prevent this...?!

I wanted to charge my ipod so my kids could play on my phone and I could listen to music, but the charger is broken.  So I charged my Nook for them, which died at mile 4.I then lost my music. So the wind picked up to console me...as I ran against it.

I'm glad I didn't do weights late last night as planned. My core and arms are shot, and would've been worse if I had worked them yesterday.

So, pushing a trailer with two boys heavier than me for 10 miles isn't the best idea. Somehow I managed a sub 10 min/mile pace, and even passed a person or two (poor guys). It all worked out and I got a lesson on suffering.

Oh, and then I used the rest of my birthday money and got my nose pierced. I put in a pretty little moonstone. Based on other people's reactions to it, I'm not assured my husband won't flip when he comes home from climbing tomorrow. According to my kids, I'm the most beautiful mommy and the piercing makes me super cool. (They also think I should pierce both sides of my nose, then I'd be even cooler).

I'm having second thoughts on taking the double jogger out for a repeat adventure tomorrow.

Wow I suck at remembering to record runs unless they're really fun.

2 miles with kids biking. Everything hurt. 

5 miles in a downpour. Wore a tank and a "water-resistant" running jacket. Should've been labeled "water-absorbent." 3 mins in to the run and I was soaked through. Hit up dimple dell and some of the Porter Rockwell paved trail. I went numb.

Held a decent clip 10 @Dimple Dell. Thought about inviting others but I didn't feel like waking up early. My knees hurt, nad shin, just until 5 miles and when I had warmth and direct sunlight, then everything felt better. But then I had to strip off all my layers, since 34 degrees and sunny is so hot.

This will mean that at Zion on Saturday I'll melt but that my injuries will feel great. 

6 w/Ku @CC. A new hot spot on the knee was wanky and felt all sorts of wrong. I kept stopping to adjust the knee strap. It felt fine on downs... I got it adjusted and doing therapy. Not a muscular or tendon mine, just feels out of place or off. Tried to talk Ku out of running 10 or so tomorrow. I don't want to hear him whine all through Zion.

We're all going into Zion with trashed legs. Supposedly this will be good training. 

Trip Report finally up: Zion Traverse

http://jennilyneaton.blogspot.com/2013/05/zion-traverse.html 

Ran from Carrie's house with the crew.

Jacob tried to chick me on the uphills but I told him I don't let Asian girls chick me.

Carrie hauled on the downhills, I thought she was Jacob trying to sneak up on me a few times.

We all enjoyed running rocky trails. It was fun, moved quick, but walked the mile of pavement. My knees were still oozing quite a bit, stiff to start with how swollen they are. 

Recovery run @Dimple Dell in the early AM. I went early to avoid the snow. Failed.

Brrr. Rain, then snow, then slush. Then it repeated. Glad I wasn't out long.

Knees were stiff and tired, sprained ankle moaned a little.... the normal creaks and groans of a slowly recovering body. 

Took Zion out of my legs, and put something else in. 

Did VB with ScottW in the morning. He gave me great ideas on how to break 100 miles into more manageable pieces. I can mentally handle 50 miles, but I can't mentally handle 100. ScottW's poor knee was flaring, I think the vert and cold aggravated it. It was freezing! I packed food/water for more mileage than the 8 we did, thinking I'd add on after, but my hands were numb and I was frozen from the 28degree weather and wind... and Ben's been sick and I thought he might've slept in so I hurried home. Sure enough he had barely woken up and the kids were still in "pah-jay-jays." haha. So I took an hour to cook breakfast for everyone, pack lunches, load on some layers, and get everyone out the door. Then I rushed up to Lower Bell Canyon Reservoir. Then I ran and proceeded to remove all said layers since it was warm in the sun.

I've been wanting to check this trail out for quite a while, I'd heard rumors it was more technical and steep than most the trails near my house, so I was excited even if it was so short. I ran up the "easier" route (0.71 miles) did a little loop at the top, went down the steeper section (more gain/loss 0.51 miles), then turned around and went back to my car. Then I repeated it. I ended up running to the reservoir 4 times. It gave me a total vert of over 3500+ft (I don't really feel like getting out the calculator).

This was one of my idiotic yet brilliant ideas. Idiotic because I was wanting/needing a recovery run, brilliant because the thrashing of those giant step ups/downs gave my quads and knees smoething new to complain about and will probably benefit me during Bryce. I'll be out of town all week next week, but I think the following couple weeks I will repeat this adventure, adding on a repeat each time. Going up, down the opposite side, and back gives me 1138 vert (without the loop at the top). Doing that 4 times will give 4500ish vert in 10 miles. i.e. thrashing and bashing and training.

I guess I did get a recovery run this morning (sorry Scott I didn't want to run up all the hills) and then I got some training in after. Not sure if this was doubles or a long run.... whatev. 

I've only got 3 weeks til my Bryce taper starts. The clock is ticking... 

Hey, guess what, I ran Karl Meltzer's 100 mile pace for 8 miles. Go team.

Took an extra hour at lunch since I'll end up working a few hours tomorrow. Did 8 at Dimple Dell. Knees were creaking and groanin. So was I. I was conflicted-- I wanted a recovery run, but I wanted a tempo run. It was something inbetween. Best be callin' it a run. Ah yes, and my gangsta name is J-Lyn.

Now I'm still sore. This is a little concerning. This was my easy/recovery week before 2 1/2 really hard weeks. So, buck up body. It's only going to get worse from here! 

Daddy wasn't home this eve, so the kids and I ate pizza and watched mountain bike videos and stayed up late. I'm so productive and such a good Mom. But at least we're going mountain biking tomorrow (ok, they are, I'll just jog along). 

lovely Leslie watched the boys and I ran on the ghetto canal gravel road by her house. Did 10 1:21:50, abt a 7:40 pace.

Although I went on this run as a "recovery run" it ended up being a big motivation boost. It's been a while since I've done a flat run on road and I've been feeling really slow lately-- just discouraged because what I used to be able to run on a long run I can't hit on a tempo. So it was nice to put myself on a road and push a little... oh yah, I can hit a pace. oh good. felt creaky, walked all of the skywalk, etc but all in all good.

Double jogger, slow. Did 4, stopped at the park, then ran the last one home. Felt awful and achy, hoped I got the kinks out.

The idea of a night time 50k struck out of necessity with my husband and I's never ending travel plans. I got Jun to commit, which surprisingly isn't all that hard. I used a combination of blackmail and bribery, but it turns out it neither was necessary. Mental note made. I figured I could try to ask around and see if more people would hop in, and interest was minimal, but Dorsismus ended up coming out too.

But first there was lots of fear and anxiety-- what if they back out? What if I don't get to do this? What if these are snow clouds and everyone is a "fair weather friend?" Despite Jun trying to reassure me that he was coming several times, I had a good bout of anxiety. I soothed that battle just a bit by promising myself I could run laps at Dimple Dell or liberty park. Yes, I'd be willing to run at liberty park in snow/rain through the middle of the night for 6 hours to get my miles, although I hope it'd never come to that. 

We met at 9pm and I fed everone cookies to cheer the mood. We did a 12.36 out and back on the BST, with a vert gain of over 4500. We passed some freaky people, and the boys were pretty sleepy. There was a time or two we were all sitting down on the trail (me massaging my ITB with a rock), then we realized we were sitting on the ground.... on got up and got moving again.

I think I chatted the boys ears off, Dorsimus was smart and dropped behind because I always try to keep up front. So the Jun was stuck listening to me talk talk talk despite his hints about how nice it is to be in your own head. I have mild insomnia and sometimes I get really excited to be out late at night.

I could sense the feeling of.... we hit the cars and we're done. I tried to counteract this by describing the feast that awaited us at Denny's (4 miles roundtrip). We got to the cars, and the boys consented it would be a great idea to drive to Denny's. I am stubborn and refused, hoping to convince them to run there. I failed. It was ok though, Tuesday I had a full day of work and then a drive to Mesquite (and we didn't leave SAndy til 7pm). So instead we all went home, I ate leftover pizza, cleaned up the kids who wet the bed, changed sheets, put the boys in their bed in pajamas, did the dishes, then got my husband off the couch into bed. Then I work up 3 hours later (c'mon body! you had 2 more hours on the alarm clock! stupid insomnia!) so I reluctantly got up.

Glad I have friends who did crazy things like run late at night and put up with me. There's some good people here. 

12 miles 1,100 vert 9:16 pace.

First thing after returning to my roots in Upland, CA was to hit the 99cent store. They have TONS of fresh producs (cantelopes, bags of avocados, 10lb bags of potatoes, big things of fresh local romaine.... all for a buck!) so I loaded up on the produce for while I'm here. Then I changed into my running clothes and took off. I was nervouse about starting a run at 1:30pm in SoCal, but rain clouds blew in, and with the clouds and wind.... ah, 65 never felt so good. Funny thing, everyone I passed was in sweats+coats+hoods! lol.

Ran up an old dirt path that's lined with trees that goes up the middle of a 4-8 lane road through the center of town. Then I cut across some suburbia, fought the temptation to pluck all of the apricots, lemons, and oranges I saw all over, and made onto a trail I found on google maps. Cucamonga trail.... more like Cucamonga wash! the trail went up an old wash and meandered around and was really rocky, technical, and exhausting. The wind kept going and I could hear the rain in the foothills above me so I headed back.

I felt pretty trashed after and was mad at myself for not taking walking breaks. I did stop to snap a picture on the trail on Euclid (ye olde bridle path) because it is so sentimental for me, which I'll add when I'm home. 

Tried to recover since it sounds like tomorrow my 20 miler will include running up (tough probably not summiting thank goodness) one of the local peaks. We'll have to see how the stiff ITB handles that much climbing.

5 miles-- hmmm.... well, it drizzled, rained, my period started, and I went to the bathroom next to the paved running path (it's fenced between a major road and the suburbs). High class and not a lot of fun but I got it done. Here's to a quick recovery.... cuz tomorrow is early and long! 

Long run with Buddy Jones, a CA La Sportiva pro.

 Here's some tips for running with an elite athlete:

1. Don't.

2. Bobble your headlamp when the look back to make sure you're upright. It makes it look like you're running.

3. Try not to feel like a sissy when you eat and drink and they do so minimally.

4. When you finish off your 4000+ vert with 7 miles of rollers, pretend like a 9min pace isn't hard. Pretend really hard.

5. Take their advice about how to suck less. Usually worth it.

Oh, and there were so many ticks on our legs that it looked like mud splatters. What a lovely day. 

Ran on a horse path for recovery. Didn't bring water. Wanted to hug the church handing out water bottles after 6 miles. Chug chug chug.

Tried to do a tempo run at Dimple Dell. TRIED.

Kept the pace uncomfortable. Not as fast as a real tempo run on less tired legs, but close.

Oh, and I went all awol on a poor teenage girl with a leashless huge dog that tried to eat me. First time I've ever reprimanded someone for their dog. I think I'm just going to start spraying aggressive dogs. If your dog regularly tries to bite people, put the darn thing on a leash. 

Ran with Neasts on the BST starting at Big Willow. Where's Big Willow you ask? Ask a climber. Look at a guide book. C'mon runners, it's a whole freakin' canyon full or beautiful granite with some of the best THE BEST sport routes in the valley. It's ludicrous that runners who know every inch of the BST and still don't ever take a step up that canyon.

Anyways, lovely run. Except when I stepped on the trail, scratched up behind my leg and got all bruisey. We ate, I tried not to die trying to keep up with Neasts on the hills, I got some quality spousal advice, etc. Shins were flaring but not awful.