I'm not crazy...I'm just bored!!

Fight for Air Climb

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Location:

Herriman,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jan 01, 2009

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

St George Marathon: 3:23:54 (10/6/12)

Half IM: 5:44:03 (8/25/12 - course was long!)

25K trail - Buffalo Run (16.5) 2:34:50

Half Marathon: American Fork - 1:30:44  6/23/12

Spectrum 10K 43:42   3/17/2012

Best 5K: Spanish Fork 21:55 05/30/09

Short-Term Running Goals:

Okay, so for 2013 I am going to have FUN! Not that running isn't always fun, but I had a wonderful breakthrough year last year and I want to play this year :) AND get faster! So, my first goal I'm going to put out there is my yearly mileage goal.
It is 2,186 miles from my driveway to my sister (QP's) driveway! I want to spend this year on a virtual trek cross country running those miles. So, that is how far I will run in 2013...from my house to QPs. It will take all year and yes, this is measured on Hwys so it isn't really exactly how I COULD run it, but good enough. 43 miles/week...totally doable, and a fun goal to track how far I've traveled as I go along. Who knows...maybe I'll even run PAST her house :)

I will do more trail runs, Boston, Pacing duties, another Half IM and some other tris. I'm excited for this next year and look forward to having fun with all of you out on the roads, and trails! Maybe bag a few peaks this year too!!

Long-Term Running Goals:


Big Dreams: 5K in 20:2X; 10K in 39:XX; Half in 1:29:XX; Full in 3:15:XX; complete the Rim2Rim2Rim run and not die; Comrades; Iron(wo)Man.

Run for the rest of my life!

Personal:

4 children: twelve, eight, five and baby Fartlek - 2 1/2. Wonderful supportive husband that lets me drag him and the family all over for race after race!

Finished 13 marathons and LOVE running that distance! I'm definitely hooked to the marathon monster and hope to constantly improve my endurance, speed and stay injury free!

I've also found a love of trail running! I hope to keep improving on this front.

After being injured with a broken foot at the first of 2012 I found a tri group and started training with them and am now loving tris! The half IM was harder than I'd ever imagined...and am ready to do it again. I'll earn my bike butt and someday have enough time to train for a full IM.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
BIKE MILES Lifetime Miles: 1168.40
LUCY MILES Lifetime Miles: 25.25
Adidas Lifetime Miles: 319.66
Orange II Lifetime Miles: 390.41
Boston Mizuno Lifetime Miles: 568.97
Fargo Nikes Lifetime Miles: 500.03
BEANS Lifetime Miles: 755.00
Orange Bostons Lifetime Miles: 527.59
Solomon Trail Lifetime Miles: 363.98
PI Tri Shoes Lifetime Miles: 4.00
Boston Mizuno 10s Lifetime Miles: 140.75
New Orange Lifetime Miles: 157.05
Total Distance
36.30
Young Purple Miles: 18.00Pokey Purples Miles: 10.00Cascadia Trail Miles: 8.20Awesome Elixers Miles: 20.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Total Distance
18.00

What was I thinking? Hmmm, well, I was thinking it was a holiday and on holidays you get in a nice long run :) Plus, my legs felt pretty good, so I just went for it! Why not!

This was our Newton's 10 mile loop, plus the 8. So, you can read in there - LOTS of elevation! over 1700ft of gain and you don't really get downhill until mile 12-13. 

Met Chad, everyone else bailed, and we did the loop at a better pace than I expected, I only had to stop at the top of the big hill to stretch my calves and then at the cove to get some fuel. I could tell my fuel was dipping down. I did also stop at home (we run right by!) to say good morning to kids and grab a swig of coke to get me the last 3 miles to Chad's house. The kids thought I was done, but I told them I had to run to go get the car :)

I'm grateful that Chad was willing to run slow with me today and let me reign in his super fast legs a little. I told him that he gets to count an extra 5-7 miles for the extra time spent on his feet!

It felt great to put in a good long run after my Friday 33 miler! I think I'm hitting a good pace and rhythm with my running and training right now. Speed is the only thing lagging behind. I'm hoping that will naturally come with a bit of focused training.

AP: 8:48, splits: 8:40, 8:44, 9:05, 9:24, 8:21, 8:35, 8:51, 9:33, 10:41, 10:04, 8:38, 9:05, 8:00, 8:28, 8:01, 7:58, 8:17

You can certainly tell where the BIG hills hit :)

Young Purple Miles: 18.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
10.10

Tuesday 10 with Chad and George. I almost chickened out thinking "hey, I've run a lot, I'll just do a few at the gym and sleep in and...." "GET OUT OF BED LAZY!!" So, I ended up just getting up and doing it. The wind wasn't fun and I was dragging for sure, but it was a good run and the first time in weeks this loop hasn't made me sick!

AP: 8:38 splits: 9:02, 8:50, 9:25, 9:47, 8:27, 8:37, 8:09, 8:01, 8:05, 7:57, 7:45 (last .1)

Went home and snuggled into bed to get warmed up and then after getting kids off went to the gym for spin class. Oh, my...more hills. It was a good workout though, Allison always makes it fun!


Pokey Purples Miles: 10.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
0.00

I really just didn't want to run today. You won't hear me say that often, but today I just didn't want to, so I didn't :) I figured between F-Tu I had run over 60 miles and I could take a x-training day. It really will screw with my miles this week...but, whatever. Sometimes you have to listen to your body.

Spinning on the bike for 60 minutes,

Swimming for 30 minutes - pulling. Oh man, I forgot what a good upper body workout pulling is! I did some with fins too, but most was just pure pulling.


Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
8.20

There is probably more road than dirt on this loop, so wearing my trail shoes probably isn't the best idea, but I've got to break them in somehow!

George and Chad again on the Shaggy Mountain Loop. I wondered the whole time up the hills how in the world I did it on Monday after doing the first part of the 10 mile route! I drug a little on the uphill, but with a little power walking mixed in on the dirt parts I was able to overtake George and stayed up with the group the rest of the time. 

The fun part was seeing the beautiful views of the valley! The bad part was almost killing myself stepping in a hole while I was gawking!

AP: 8:46 (new record for this route!) splits: 9:11, 9:17, 9:59, 9:56, 8:18, 8:54, 7:23, 7:30, 7:04 (last .2)

The best part was seeing those mid/low 7's and knowing that they didn't feel forced! I was comfortable and talking. Ahhh, I love running :)

I went home and got ready in my gym clothes before snuggling into bed to warm up, but my mom (ugghhhh, long story) needed me to take her to an appointment and I finally found an orthopedic doc that would see her that morning at 11:00, so I didn't get to do spin and TRX :( I was sad, but family first. I'd already done 8 miles and had to just be good with that.

Cascadia Trail Miles: 8.20
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
0.00

Took a rest day for a couple reasons:

My house is a DISASTER! I haven't been able to get it cleaned for over a week. You crunch as you walk along the floor. It needed desperately to be cleaned! I had just been doing everything for everyone else and now I needed to take this time for me. 

I had an appointment in the early afternoon, so if I tried to do both the gym and cleaning I'd never get it all done. It was one or the other.

If I'm going to do what I want to do Saturday, I need fresh legs. Six hours of stairs isn't going to be easy!

Lots of rationalization, but I did spend a good 6+ hours on the house. I finally feel functional in my home again, and my legs were rested. Now, I just need a "house cleaning" mileage box :)

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Race: Fight for Air Climb (10 Miles) 06:00:00, Place overall: 1
Total Distance
0.00

STAIRS!!!!

Yup, no miles...none :) Today's challenge was a new one. Rossy talked me into participating in the Fight for Air Climb at the Wells-Fargo building on his team. I guess it was a team of people that worked for Wells Fargo...I got in on a technicality that I am a Wells Fargo CUSTOMER and pay their salaries! :)

Either way, Rossy just called me "The Ringer". When he first mentioned it, I thought "HA! I can barely walk up my stairs without getting winded and my legs burning, no way could I do 24 flights multiple times!" But, then Rossy knew exactly what to say to me "The women's record is 30 ascents, with all the running you've been doing you could easily challenge that." How can I resist a challenge like that?!? I mean really...have you met me? :) So, I signed up and decided to give it a whirl! Why not? What do I have to lose? It will give me killer climbing legs for hills and since that is all the Newton's run lately, I'm in!

We had 6 hours....6 hours. I haven't even run for 6 hours straight before, how was I going to climb that long? I played a lot of head games with myself, but figured I'd put up a high goal and then just go get it! So, I set my sights on 33 ascents for my 33rd year! Breaking the record and getting a nice round number. Rossy said each trip was a quarter mile...straight up. That put it into perspective for me :) Someday, I might even figure out the amount of vert I got in!

We started just after 6AM and my first trip up I got locked IN the stairwell :) We get to take the elevator down, but the guys who had busted a move to the top the first time didn't leave the door open. One other girl and myself were stuck. We went down to about 15 before we saw the guys on their way back up. I decided to head back up at that point, but she continued down. After that one snafu (which I didn't count in my 'official' total), it was nothing up climb UP the stairs, walk to the elevator, ride down, go outside for the 15 foot walk to the stairwell entrance (oh, how I cherished that quick cool down!) and then climb back up. For six straight hours. I never took a break. I was set on that goal! Plus, the ride down gives you a chance to refuel and to recover cardio enough that you think it was fun and you want to do it again! Crazy!!

The volunteers were amazing! The first hour it was just us 10ish people climbing the stairwell, but by 7 or 8 there were more and more people. The volunteers were on the landing every 5-10 floors and so I started being their entertainment. I had gotten used to signing with my ipod (yes, tacky...I know!) while I was ALONE, but then they kept just popping up all over. So, I made a quick bond with them and would sing and dance for them :) They loved it and cheered me on every time! I mean...breathless, off-key singing?!? I AM almost as good as Beyonce :) I just need a little more shake to my dance moves. I looked forward to seeing each of them! They really kept me going.

The guys at the door on the outside of the stairwell were amazing too! Each time I'd come by I'd say some clever thing them "....one more time!" Toward the end (11ish) they finally weren't sure whether to really believe me or not :) I just never stopped! One time I grabbed a coke out of my bag (I am NOT a soda drinker, but when I'm on a long run, there is nothing more I like than a shot of flat coke! So, I brought one here as my alternate fuel :) ), and said "can you hold this for me?" "sure!" "okay, I'll be right back!" and I ran off up the stairs. I left the chuckling and laughing at that door more times than I can count. Totally made each trip worth it! I've never been in a race with such amazing volunteers! They seriously made this race for me.

There was a group of 3 guys that had Wasatch 100 shirts on and they were killer climbers! They did 2 stairs every step (I told them they were cheating, because they were missing half the stairs so they had to do double!) and were just machines! I always looked forward to them lapping me. I know that sounds dumb, but I knew that we all shared the same crazy! They are just more so :) One time I was at 21ish when I saw/heard them coming. I picked it up! They nearly caught me at 23 and I said "I can't be demoralized ONE more time and let you pass me!" Then I ran up the last flight. Of course we all took the same elevator down, but we all got a good laugh out of it.

The morning started dark and clear and the view from the top was breath taking! A few short hours later there was zero visibility and the view was gone. I felt bad for all my running peeps out in the blizzard and was happy to have an excuse to stay inside :)

I DID finally accomplish my goal and hit 33!! Everyone cheered me on when I got to 30 to tie the record, then I took a few victory laps :) Only problem was...I still had over an hour left to climb! So, I kept on climbing. I made it to 40 ascents. Taking the women's record and obliterating it! Felt good to come through as The Ringer! :) I climbed till the bitter end and actually my 40th trip up they had just unplugged the bottom counter, but the top one was still on! So, I don't know if it was official or not, but I figured with the snafu at the first I get those extra few minutes.

It was amazing to see ALL the people, young, old, fit, working on it...all climbing for a cause! Some were fast climbers and others just stuck to it! I got a few ascents never being passed, but I also got passed quite a few times too. Rossy was killing it! He always seemed to get 3 or 4 climbs in for each time I saw him. Met some really neat people and watched those 3 Wasatch 100 guys blow the men's record of 42! They hit 47 (I think) ascents. Wow. I'm telling you...I might just have to train for this one next year :) Now, I finally have a title to defend!!!

I went past lots of cameras, but never got my debut :( I checked all the stations that ran stories on the climb and I didn't make any of their cuts. Stink. So, I have no pictures. I know there was a lady from Rossy's team taking pics, so I might get one of those to post. Overall, this was amazing. I feel great! My hip hurts from turning right over and over and over again! But, other than that it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Next year, I think we should organize a FRB team and show these people what athletes can do!!!

40 ascents in 6:00:00 and with Rossy's calculation of .25/ascent I put the race as 10 miles. Too much vert to compute :)


Awesome Elixers Miles: 20.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(15)
Total Distance
36.30
Young Purple Miles: 18.00Pokey Purples Miles: 10.00Cascadia Trail Miles: 8.20Awesome Elixers Miles: 20.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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