I can’t get no satisfaction: Labor Pain 12 Hour Endurance Trail Run Race Report

I am rarely, if ever, completely satisfied by a race result–or training session. Even for the races that seem to go pretty well, it usually only takes me a good night’s sleep to start picking apart what I need to do better, how I can improve, and what I did “wrong.” The Labor Pain 12 Hour Endurance Trail Run was no different than any other race in this regard. I selected this race as my primary prep race for the Javelina Jundred, which will be my first 100 mile race on October 31, 2015. G.U.L.P. My plan was to approach this …

Just Do It

Nike had it straight when they came up with this gem: By now, this tagline is cliche. But, think about it this line as if it were fresh, and recognize how powerful the sentiment is. You have a goal that requires hard work. Sometimes, you might not want to do this work. Other times, the work might seem too hard – too far outside your comfort zone. In another moment, there might be fear or anxiety about the uncertainty that comes with training and racing toward bigger and bigger dreams. Think about those moments in light of this line. Now, just …

Burning Nomads

One of the things that I like about big goals and dreaming big is the way the thought of the goal itself sets a spark that lights a fire in my core. The fire focuses me. It excites me. It lets me know I’m alive. The last big fire went out the second the announcer at Ironman Louisville said my name to step right up and grab my golden ticket to the big show in Kona. The relief washed over me with the same intensity as the fire that burned to get me there. Since that day, however, I haven’t even …

The 9% Solution: Take the Tough Option

Last year, my coach Vince scheduled a treadmill-specific hill workout that had a series of different inclines, from 3% to 9%. As if the changing incline wasn’t enough, I did each interval at the same pace (approximately tempo effort) – without any recovery interval throughout the duration of the workout, which was typically 45 minutes. Despite the lack of a recovery interval, it’s amazing how a 3% incline at tempo effort can feel like a recovery after a 9% interval. The first time I did this workout, the 9% interval crushed me. And, when I say crushed, I mean smoke blowing …

2014: The Year of the Plow Horse

Recently, when reviewing my site analytics, I discovered a blog, from Russia, that was referring visitors to my site. That’s odd, I thought. Sometimes, international sites link to my blog, which I usually determine to be spammers. But, I was curious. So, I navigated to the site, and looked through the page, to find that I was featured at the bottom. But, what does it say? Ever the curious sort, I copied the words into Google Translator, and discovered that this post was about women bloggers that this particular blogger reads. Cool. But, what was she saying about ME?! 7. Maria ( her …

Pure #awesomesauce: Rosaryville 50k race report

Not long after I finished Ironman Louisville, my coach Vince and I talked to discuss what was next. “I want you to run a 50k,” he said. “Squeeeeeeaaaaaaallllllll!!!!” I was so excited, and so very loud in my exclamation. I do feel optimistic that Vince will regain full hearing at some point. Prior to this talk, I had assumed that his recommendation would be another 6-months of cycling, with a side of cycling. But, I was wrong. Gloriously, wonderfully, happily wrong. I had about two months to focus my training on the thing I loved the most: the run. And …

Yes, running hurts, but it’s just pain

Ironman training is hard. But, more than anything, Ironman training involves loooonnngggg hours. Ultramarathon training doesn’t have as much volume – but oh boy, it packs a much more painful punch. It’s been a few years since I trained for an ultramarathon, and after the third or fourth looooonnnnggggg run, I remembered just how painful ultra running can be. But, let’s be honest, here. The pain is part of what I like about it. Yes. Running hurts. But, that’s living, as the nerves fire and the muscles strain. With each footfall, you get a very tactile sense of the kinetic …

The fog lifts to reveal the present moment

The last two months have been busy. In fact, I haven’t been this busy since I-don’t-remember-when (which explains the poorly updated blog as of late…). When I get this level of busy, and I have limited “me” time, I tend to get cranky, anxious, and fatigued. Needless to say, a busy work schedule is not optimal for training. And, I’ve felt a little off most days, as if my body was not 100%, and my mind has felt foggy. At first, I thought these feelings were simply a result of my I-can-do-two-ironmans-in-one-month stint. To be sure, that trick left a …

Oh, baby, I got the post Ironman blues

There I was, in the middle of my run, just bee-bopping along and the thought occurred to me: triathlon season was coming to an end for me. The best season of my triathlon career. Over. And, then it hit me. The “it” being the post Ironman blues, or in my case, the post-best-triathlon-season-ever blues. Since then, I’ve been feeling a little sad, agitated, bored, unmotivated, and annoyed. All at once. Being the curious sort that I am, I wondered if there was an explanation for the post Ironman blues. I’ve had this feeling after almost every Ironman or “big” race I’ve …

NJ Ultra Festival Race Report: 100 Miles to Go

This post is from my husband John Jenkins. It is his NJ Ultra Festival race report, which details his first experience running 100 miles. The race was held at the NJ State Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ, starting on Saturday, March 23, 2013. This post is a little on the long side but so was the race, so grab some snacks and enjoy.  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 100 miles, 10 x 10 mile loops. This one is hard to put into words but I’ll give it my best. “Go!” race director Rick McNulty exclaimed exactly at 7 a.m. And, with that, I started my first 100 …