As this author has mentioned before, running is really very much like a party. A celebration of sorts, complete with costumes, parades, beads, food and drink, much like Mardi Gras. There has even been some nudity, public urination, and, on occasion, some vomit. It happens.

Many runners are anxious to earn their first set of beads. Generally speaking, this requires showing the world their bib! Some first-timers, like Lara, are more modest about showing their bib, wanting to expose themselves only when they feel ready. Others, like Jack, and Brent, enthusiastically flash their bibs, bringing the world along for the entire journey. And even if we have flashed our bib before, each time we do it brings a whole new thrill, as Susan can attest.

Sometimes, we indulge a little too much, as Sean learned when hiking 100K in one day. Or, like Wil, we are faced with other obstacles on the way to the celebration. But we can still celebrate our accomplishments and find pride in the courage it took to decide to join the party. (And we should never be afraid to expand our parade route, looking for new places to celebrate, even if it means being threatened by motorized vehicles.)

No matter what, we work hard to earn our beads.

Being the last one on the parade route, or the last one at the party should be a cherished moment - it means you enjoyed it the most, had the most to eat and drink and were able to meet more people. It means you sucked every last ounce of life out of that party. You made it worth your while. You savored it all.

Savor your running, decide what it means you. Suck the life out of the party that is running.

And remember to never show up empty handed and always say "thank you" for being invited.

See you at next week's Rundown.

Yesterday (Sunday) marked my third trail race ever.

Weather was cloudy and in the mid 60's (F); the trail was a mixture of terrain, well suited for runner's of all abilities. Smooth in spots, rooty and rocky in others, with just a touch of 'open field' thrown in for good measure.

This was the inaugural year for the race, which came as a complete surprise to me. The registration area was orderly; there was food and drinks out prior to the race start; access to bathrooms and parking was easy and convenient. There was no indication that this was the first time this group had done this. And the name of the race? That's a southern phrase, meaning that something is fun. I guess. That's what I was told. I'll believe almost anything when I haven't had my requisite amount of caffeine.

My goal was to stick as close to 8-minute miles as possible, but I gave myself some flexibility since this was a trail race and not a road race. I came to the realization that my 8-mile run on Friday night, followed by a 4-mile run on Saturday morning and then a 9-mile bike ride in the afternoon, wasn't the best way to taper for this event. But I was excited about it nonetheless, and wanted to see what my body could do when it was already a little worn out. I've been a little obsessed with pushing the limits lately.

The course itself was extremely well marked and well staffed. Not only were there arrows and markers everywhere, plus volunteers blocking paths that led the wrong way, but there was even a 'sweeper' making sure no one fell behind. And an added bonus was the water stop at the 2.25 mile mark (which was also the 4.50-ish mark as well).

The race started on a downhill and looped along a river and over a dam, then out into the woods. There were less than 100 runners and the field thinned out quickly.

I pushed hard and felt tired. There were times when I was sure that I had slowed down, but my watch told me that I was maintaining a pretty consistent pace (which is shocking for me). I was loving the scenery and the atmosphere of the race was awesome - friendly, fun and relaxed.
At one point, I noticed two young men (maybe around 15-16 years old) up ahead of me. They would run and then walk; sprint, run, walk. For a while, they were able to maintain the distance between us with this strategy, but eventually, I caught up to them. As I passed between them, I couldn't help but say 'You're not going to let yourselves get passed by an old woman, are you?'

That was all it took to light the fire under them.

They picked up the pace again. There were a few stops and starts. I tried to coach them the best I could, encouraging some deep breathing (one of them had some ragged breathing going on!), relaxed shoulders and an even pace. We kept each other going for the last mile and a half.
I'm happy to report that they both beat me. One of them stayed ahead of me the whole time; the other one sprinted past me on the uphill to the finish. Made me smile.

According to my watch, I crossed the finish line in 40:26, with the mileage being 5.08, giving me an average pace of 7:59. Of course, if my watch is off and the course was perfectly measured, my average pace changes a little, but who's counting? I was pleased with the effort. Not elated. But pleased.

Technically, not a PR, but this wasn't a road race, so I'm not sure if it's fair to compare this race against others. Overall, it was a great race and I'm looking forward to running it again next year.
Coming up tomorrow - Carnival of the Runner's!

The lost car-alarm clicker has not been found. We did track down the spare set and the little red Jetta has safely returned to the house.

I will never forget to zip my pocket again. And I will most likely just leave the car unlocked, but car a key with me. As others pointed out, the alarm is useless anyways. And it wouldn't be the worst thing if it got stolen.

I was excited to get into the pool last night and felt strong right from the start. Things got a little tough when we had five people in the little four lane pool - especially since there are no lane dividers. But we made do.

Until.

Two more people climbed in. Seven people. Four little lanes. And the two new additions had NO IDEA how to share space. I was already crammed in between other people, and this woman gets into my 'lane', and begins swimming right towards me. There is no where for me to go.

I only had ten laps to go. Ten minutes. All I needed was ten measly minutes.

I would swim a lap, weave around the stupid woman, and then stop to assess where I could go next. My frustration was only compounded by my the lack of sleep; I was reaching my boiling point.

I did one lap as hard and fast as I could, hoping I would scare the slow, stupid woman into moving into the lane with her slow friend. (And I'm not saying that slow is bad, but that two people of the same pace should swim together, one after the other, in the same freakin' lane.)

But no. She kept coming. At me.

I climbed out and sat on the side to see if there was any other place I could squeeze in. Nothing. Nada.

And I watched, in horror, as stupid woman - doing the backstroke - ran head first into another woman - also doing the backstroke. Stupid woman had moved into the other woman's lane. I GOT OUT AND MADE ROOM and yet stupid woman couldn't manage to stay in her space.

The situation was ridiculous. The lifeguard did NOTHING to help. Just sat there. Didn't suggest that the two women wait for someone to get out of the pool. Just sat there.

I was only able to do 20 laps. I was grumpy beyond words. I had to get out of there before I hurt someone.

And I had forgotten my flip flops. Lost my alarm-clicker; forgot my flip-flops; forgot my milk yesterday; forgot to get information to a friend - repeatedly; forgot to put on my mascara this morning; forgot to get a good night's sleep again last night; forgot how important it is to stick with your training schedule....I've lost my mind. Lack of sleep has a profound effect on me.

I've got three days to get in three runs (one of which may be a race) and two bike rides (testing out the shiny new/used bike!) - let's hope my brain returns home. I'd rather have the brain back home instead of the car.

Run smooth and strong this weekend - good luck to any racers! And don't forget to send me your submissions for the Carnival of the Runner's - I'm hosting it on Tuesday!

The evening was cold, windy and grey, with skies that threatened to burst open and pour forth torrents of rain.

All three Running Chicks met up in the parking lot of their favorite state park and hit the trails for 4.73 miles. The time flew by quickly, as stories from the weekend were shared and upcoming races were discussed.

All was well with the world.

During the cool-down phase, where the Running Chicks wander in circles in the parking lot, the Orange Hat realized that her key fob/car alarm clicker was missing from her pocket. Missing. Even though she usually checks for it obsessively during her run. She obviously didn't today.

Really? Even deep down? It's not there?

Yup. Only thing found deep down was a random red fruit snack. No clicker - or bleep-bleep as it may otherwise be known. All three Chicks check pockets, just to be sure.

So a plan is devised, and the Running Chicks head back into the woods to re-trace some tracks. They cover about 1.25 miles of the trail, but to no avail. No clicker. The Orange Hat feels lucky to have such wonderful running partners.

The wind has picked up, the temperature has dropped and the sunlight is fading. The park closes at sundown. The whole needle-in-a-haystack analogy is discussed.

No worries. There's an extra set of keys at home, including a clicker.

April Anne drive the Orange Hat to the homestead. No keys. No clicker. Not on the designated key hook. Not in any coat pockets. Nothing.

What the hell?

April Anne departs and recent med school grad Tamieka, with her trusty sidekick Eric, steps in.

Other options are discussed. The driver's side door is broken, leaving it unlocked but alarmed. The keys to the vehicle are inside. What if we open the car and disarm the alarm with the 'over-ride' system (unknown to them)?

Back to the car.

Open door. Alarm sounds. Loudly. All lakeside serenity is shattered for the other cars parked by the lake.

They look for secret buttons, press knobs and try to start the car while the alarm is sounding. Nothing. They read the manual, and learn that the alarm can be overridden by using the key in the driver's side door.

The broken driver's side door.

Needless to say, that didn't work either.

Orange Hat gathers up her belongings from the car, and the three depart (once the alarm stops sounding).

Back to the house. Call to the husband for some brainstorming. Extra key must be with the mechanic still, from the last visit. Husband makes a few calls to make sure the car isn't towed; other arrangements are made for transportation.

Orange Hat can now proudly join the ranks of those runner's who have lost their keys while out doing what they love.

Hopefully, her car is still sitting in the lot, waiting for her return.

Jon Segal, over at The Longest Mile, is this week's Carnival of the Runner's host. He does not disappoint with his usual witty prose; and there are links to blogs I'd never been to before.

Be sure to check it out!

I will be the charming host next week, so feel free to send me any submissions (your own posts or others!).

I survived my weekend in White Plains/NYC. It was fun, interesting and exhausting all at the same time. We visited the Bronx Zoo, in the rain, on Sunday and I am certain that I saw Matt Lauer there, although no one else saw him so I could be making the whole thing up. Monday morning, we went out to Brooklyn to visit an old friend of the family and then scurried back to Manhattan for the graduation ceremony that was the impetus for the whole NYC visit. (Sadly, we never made it to The Today Show on Monday morning.) There were the requisite adventures and mis-adventures scattered throughout the weekend, but I will spare you all the details.

I did manage to fit in one quick swim session at the hotel pool, but I haven't been running since Saturday morning (and that was a lead-legged 4.5 miles post-race). I completely blew off my training schedule yesterday, in an attempt to recover from a lack of sleep as well as a lack of wholesome nutrients. My dinner on Monday nite consisted of Pringles, pretzels, peanut butter crackers and a ganola bar. Not exactly fuel for this runner's body.

I've got my hopes set on a trail run tonight, in the wind and rain, with the Running Chicks. It won't be a fast one, but it will feel awesome to be out in the woods again.

It's good to be home.

I've lived in Connecticut for most of my life, with the exception of my four year jaunt to Arizona, and I'd never been to Bluff Point State Park in Groton until last night.

I will definitely be going back! What a beautiful place!

I arrived about an hour before race time, and was immediately made aware of the temperature difference from the middle of the state to the shoreline. My shorts and t-shirts proved inadequate in keeping me warm. But I had given Jank specific instructions about my outfit, so I was reluctant to alter my appearance.

After wandering around for a bit, I finally crossed paths with Jank. He was exactly as I pictured him, both in appearance and attitude. He was full of warmth, smiles and wit, and we launched into non-stop chatter up until the moment the race started. It was just like meeting up with old friend.

April-Anne was a little late getting to the race (which had me worried, since I know that she can be directionally-challenged when driving to a new place) but she tapped me on the shoulder about 5 minutes before the race started and we breathed a sigh of relief. Jank really captured the unusual 'start' of the race, so I'll let you read about it over at his place. Let me make one additional note to his description...there was NO OFFICIAL START LINE, not even a line in the dirt. You can't make this stuff up.

So off we went together...and fast too! Our first mile was 7:47. In an effort to slow us down, to save some energy for later, I made a comment about 'Speed Demons' or 'Speedy Folks' or some such thing...which Jank thought I meant sarcastically so he burst forward! I knew April-Anne was watching her pace, and I was uncertain of my stamina for a 7.4 mile race so I held back and worked at keeping the Running Chicks around 8:00-8:30. (It should be noted that April-Anne has said that she could only handle 9:00-9:30 mpm).

The trail was perfect for quicker pacing - it was more like a rail trail than the wooded trails we usually run on up in our 'neck of the woods.' And the hills were less steep than we are accustom to, which we didn't complain about.

We discussed whether or not Jank had brought along his laptop when he scouted out the trail for us, as we would pass an area and realize 'Oh, there's the pretty view!; hey, there's the babyhead!; oh, here's the granite; and here's the ballast!' The amount of detail he was able to recall from the trail was just amazing.

Around the 2.5 mile mark, two young men come up behind me and I hear one of them say 'Are you the Running Chick with the Orange Hat?' I smiled, laughed and said 'Why yes I am!' Then I asked him how he knew it was ME and not the woman up ahead who also had on an orange hat...and he reminded me that my picture is on the home page. Duh.

It seems that he and his friend were looking for information on the race, having run it last year, and when they 'googled' the race, they got my page as the fourth hit. Nice.

I did feel famous. Maybe I can start asking for sponsorships?

And I used these young men to pace with for the remainder of the race, which worked out great. They were entertaining, to say the least.

Occasionally, I would yell back to April-Anne to make sure she was still feeling good - and like the trooper that she is, she always said that she was doing OK. 9:00-9:30 mpm. Yeah, whatever. I knew she could kick it up a notch.

The race flew by, I was having a great time and I felt strong the whole way. I have a feeling that I could have pushed the pace a little more, but more importantly to me, I was having fun.

I kicked it up for the last mile, which I'm pretty sure was a sub 8:00. And I crossed the finish line in 59:58, under an hour by the skin of my teeth. I was thrilled with that time, since my goal was 1:03. We averaged around 8:08 mpm.

I was wiped out for the rest of the night, relaxed and tired all at the same time. And today, I just might try to log a few more miles. The original plan was for 9 miles today, but I'm thinking that 5 miles will be just enough.

Another RBF meeting. Good times.

The world of digital cameras continues to elude me. Not intentionally, just financially.

Therefore, I still deal with 'old school' film, which is a step up from my previous method where I had to sketch pictures of special moments I wanted to remember. (And that was an upgrade from the little bird that would peck out the image on a piece of granite!)

So, without further ado, may I present my photos from the Easter 5K and the Merrimack River 10-M Trail Race.

And be sure to check out this week's Carnival of the Runners. Clever stuff, that.

Enjoy!

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Life restores balance. Sunrise, sunset. Birth, death. Money earned, money spent. Run, rest.

Yin and yang.

I'm a firm believer in those principles and/or theories. I even have a tattoo of yin-yang on my ankle (est. 1992).

My last few athletic efforts have only further confirmed my convictions.

Thursday, I did my first official 'brick' (translated: stacking two workouts back to back - bike/run, swim/run, swim/bike etc). I am pleased to report that it went much better than I expected. I swam 960 yards (24 laps at 40 yards per lap) then rinsed off the chlorine haze, dried off and changed into my running clothes. I passed my swim bag to my step-father, who kindly dropped it at my house for me. Then I hit the road, heading from the pool back to my house.

The run was on a mostly flat course and my energy level felt good. Not great, but good. I ate a gel and drank some water as I ran. I managed to maintain an 8:14 pace overall and put in 3.5 miles. When I reached the house, I felt like I had more 'in the tank' which made my confidence level bump up a notch in regards to the triathlon. I know I'll finish. And that felt awesome.

Saturday was the weekly Long Run. Ten miles. The first four miles went by quickly, probably too quickly, and by mile five, I started suffering. The rest of the run was 'full of suck.' It was painful. It was boring. And it took way more effort than it should have; so much so that at one point, I actually thought to myself 'This is marathon-hard today. What the hell?!" This marked the 96th time that I could be heard muttering "Well, they can't ALL be good ones."

The quick miles at the start helped me net a decent overall time/pace - I wrapped up in 1:30, averaging around a 8:55 per mile pace. Before I even left for the run, I knew something was off. My leg has been aching (sciatica type stuff) and I felt restless. I almost wore headphones. That's right. ME. The biggest anti-headphone person was actually considering headphones to combat the boredom...and I wasn't even out the door yet. Bored before I even took one step.

I think that means I need to hook up with some partners for the weekend long run.

To sum up so far: Good brick on Thursday. Crappy run on Saturday.

Spin class yesterday reset the balance with an awesome instructor and tremendous amount of sweat. Felt great afterwards. Good spin.

This does not necessary indicate that my run tomorrow morning will be crappy...the balance moves between all areas of my life...but for the past weekend, the balance seemed focused on my pursuit of athletic prowess.

I think I broke even. I can live with that.

Got some odds and ends to clean up today, so it's quite the hodge-podge!

*****
This week's Carnival of the Runners is up and ready for your greedy eyes. Feast away! Thanks to Naomi for hosting this week; she's a total cut-up and I hope you enjoy her writing style as much as I do.

I'll be hosting a few weeks, so if you have a post that you want to submit, let me know! Questions? ASK!

*****
In an effort to win the 'Meet the Most RBFer's Contest' - in which the winner will be awarded bragging rights as well as homemade truffles from Jon - I thought I should let everyone know about my travel plans this summer in an effort to make some more connections (no stalkers or paparazzi, please):

May 21-23 - White Plains and NYC, New York - Look for me on the plaza of The Today Show on Monday May 23. I'll be wearing an orange hat, hanging with Katie and Matt.

June 11-21 - San Diego, CA (Escondido to be exact...Jeff?)

July 14-17 - Falmouth, MA - Cape Cod

Any takers?
******

There has been swimming (in the pool that changed lane direction from 25-yards to 50-freakin-meters - damn, that was hard) and some running...and some discussion about getting a used road bike. It's a little more bike that I actually need or deserve, but if it fits, it is too good a deal to pass up! More details as I get closer to my final decision about it!
******

My work here is done. For now.

Charlie held me back from my run on Friday afternoon, but Saturday morning I would not be deterred from my left-foot-right-foot routine. I did scale back to 9 miles (instead of 10...yeah, I know it's only a 1-mile difference, but psychologically it does the trick) and it was a cold, wet morning.

I headed out on the flatter course near my house, and was able to get 8 of the 9 miles under 9 minutes. The last uphill mile was a rough one, but Charlie stayed away and that was my primary goal of the run.

Tri-training officially begins next week, but I'm already starting to rev up the schedule. It's been challenging to juggle three activities, and still be able to find a way to fit in races. This whole journey should be amazing!

Sunday was a day for experimenting. I went to the gym and kicked out 7 miles on the stationary bike, working my butt off and jamming along to my Shuffle. I did some 'hills' and made myself stand up and pedal, through the quad burning. It was one of those hard but good workouts, that leaves one all red-faced and sweaty.

From the bike, I dashed over to the treadmill, and banged out a mile in 8:57 with a 1% incline. Walked for quarter of mile and then hit some weights and ab work. Good stuff.

Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day, but I really wanted to try out my mother's old road bike. And when I say 'old,' I'm not kidding. We're talking 25 years old. Still with the original tape on the handlebars. Original saddle. The entire thing, with the exception of the tires (I hope) is 100% first issue. She and I actually had matching bikes, but my parents gave mine away years ago. As synchronicity would have it, here I am on her bike now.

It's heavier to pick up than my Mtn. bike, but it's a much faster ride, with it's skinny tires and narrow handlebars. I had a blast flying down the street and my stepfather was pacing me with his bike, since he has the computer. It looks like I was doing about 17 mph, which is better than the Mtn bike, but I still have work to do. I need a tune up and some toe-clips for starters!

Like I said to Annalisa, I think I'll put a sign on it that says "Don't laugh. It's free."

Today, I've already got 4 miles under my belt and will head back to the 25-yard pool tonight. No cramps this time. There will be stretching and warming up and cooling down and more stretching. And maybe some stretching too, just to be safe.

Oh. And guess what? I get to meet ANOTHER RBFer. How freakin' cool is that? Jank and Running Chick, running the Bluff Point Twilight 7.4 Mile Trail Race.

Be jealous. You know you want to. It's OK. Green looks good on you.

Wow. Actually, let's drop the "w" and change that to "Ow." Ow, ow, ow.

I need to whine. Just a little.

Tuesday was the calf cramp from hell. A pain unrivaled at this point in my athletic adventures. Who knew that a muscle cramp, commonly referred to as a Charlie Horse (What is the history behind that terminology?), could be so debilitating?

You can bet that I spent hours analyzing and researching what I did wrong, how to avoid doing it again and how to speed along my healing process. And since I believe in learning from others, I'd like to share what I've learned with the hopes of passing along some decent information.

Here's what I think didn't cause it:

Dehydration - I had consumed over 2 liters of liquids throughout the day prior to my swim session. I was even drinking water as I was taking my flip-flops poolside.

Potassium - I eat a fairly well-balanced diet, IMHO, with lots of fruits and veggies, including a banana a day. I had eaten a banana about 45 minutes prior to swim time.

Here's what I think did cause it:

Over use - I've increased my activity level and decreased my rest days. On Tuesday, I had run in the morning at a decent pace. I may need to dial down the effort of 'double' days.

High heels - I had been wearing heels all day prior to my swim. In the past, wearing heels has caused me to wake in the middle of the night with foot or calf cramps (though not as severe as what I experienced on Tuesday). I rarely wear them and will probably banish them to the back of the closet until after the Tri.

Failure to warm-up and stretch - I'm terrible about this, in running as well as swimming. I'm just so dang excited to be doing the activity, that I jump right in, full steam ahead. And when I finish up, I rush off to do other things, neglecting the important cool-down and stretch as well. I think it's obvious what needs to change here.

Push-off - The final straw for my muscle was pushing off the wall. Looking back, I recall feeling just the slightest twinge as I pushed off, and just a few strokes later, I was completely incapacitated.

The healing process has been slower than I'd like (isn't it always) and I've been stretching, massaging and walking to work it out. The knot in the muscle is big enough to actually grab on to...yech.

I was still very sore, even tender to the touch, on Wednesday so I took the day off from any and all activities. Last night, I decided to try swimming again as the muscle still felt pretty sore and running was out of the question.

The pool I swim at on Thursdays is very warm and, as we measured last night, only 20 yards long. I made a promise with myself to 1) try not to kick or point my toes and 2) take is slow and easy. Twenty laps or so, with permission to stop if it hurt.

It would seem that my friend Charlie (the Horse) appreciated the warm water and my relaxed effort. Not only did I feel stronger with my freestyle stroke, but my calf felt great by the end of my 34 minute session. This swimming thing isn't so bad.

Tonight, I'll try a nice, easy run on a flat, even surface. If the muscle holds up, I'll work out my weekend plans and move onward!

Good luck with all your weekend running and racing RBF!

Yesterday marked the second official occasion of double sessions for Dianna.

Following Friday's morning swim and afternoon bike ride, yesterday I had scheduled a morning run and an afternoon swim.

The morning run was awesome. I averaged 8:17 mpm for 4.04 miles (Fred's got an empty belly and is in full working order). I was cruising along, enjoying the morning fog and the relative quietness that accompanies a morning saunter. I looked down at one point and actually saw a snail 'moving' along the path. I challenged him to a foot race, but he mumbled something about not having feet, and bowed out. Shortly thereafter, I passed underneath some men working on the overhead lines (electrical) and one yelled down "You're an inspiration!" That was a great way to start the day.

After work, I dashed over to the pool (I work at a university) for my 20-laps.

Starting out, I did 5 random laps of whatever stroke sounded interesting and then spent 10 laps doing breaststroke, with no rest. Then I came to terms with the fact that I really needed to start working harder on freestyle. I promised myself that after 3 laps of freestyle, I could do 2 laps of whatever I wanted and then get out of the pool.

First lap of freestyle goes by without a hitch; felt better than it usually did. Second lap....halfway down the first length and BAM. Left calf muscle contracts into a tiny ball of rock solid marble...feels like a snake is strangling the life out of my poor muscle.

I struggle to the end of the lane, not sure of what I should do. I pull myself up and out of the pool and stretch out the leg. The muscle will not relax. It's just a tight ball of pain. Ouuccchhh. Deep breaths. Stretch. Rub. Relax. Muscles starts to ease up, but it still feels like I just got whacked with a baseball bat.

Three laps to go to make my 20 for the day. Can I do it?

I swim the length back to complete my interrupted lap. I have to try just one more lap, to see what happens. I focus on pulling only, trying to keep my legs from kicking...and just pull, pull, pull to the end and back again.

18 laps total. 900 meters yards. It will have to do.

I had 5 miles of running on the schedule today, but the muscle is still really tight and sore. Today will be a rest day. Sigh. Stupid cramp.

Adapt and overcome!

Feeling overwhelmed by the number of running blogs and subsequent posts to read? Wish someone would read them for you and then highlight a few posts that are entertaining, inspiring or otherwise interesting to read?

Well...Derek Rose has designed just such a page for you!

The first 'Carnival of the Runners' can be found here.

To quote directly from Derek's page:

The Carnival of the Runners is a weekly roundup of the best running-related blog posts. It’s here to interest, amuse, and hopefully inspire runners and non-runners alike who don’t have time to read 230+ running blogs each week.
...
The carnival depends on YOU, its readers, for submissions. Email nominations to running /at/ derekrose.com. Any running-related posts with their own permalink are fine.
...
The weekly deadline is 10 p.m. EST Monday night, to allow for the inclusion of weekend race reports. The Carnival should appear the next day.
...
Are you interested in hosting a week? The carnival moves from host to host each week. Each week’s host is responsible for writing the roundup and hosting it on their blog. Email me at running /at/ derekrose.com to volunteer.
...

Want to know even more about this crazy Carnival thing? Just click here already! Jeesh. Nosey parker.

A huge thank you to Derek for tackling this monster!

ENJOY!

It has been a weekend of troubleshooting and page flipping.

Fred, my beloved Nike speed-distance monitor, was acting a bit odd. Or so I thought.

You may recall that I was struggling with Fred during my Wednesday night trail run. I figured my dizziness was the problem, and didn't think much of Fred's inability to save my data.

Yesterday was a Big Day for me and Fred. For the past four years, I have participated in Journey for Sight, which is a 5-mile walk-a-thon fundraiser for Lions Clubs. Being a Lion, I am always dutifully there, laced up and ready to go. The first year, I walked it. The second year, I ran it. It was the first time I had ever run 5-miles. I ended up with a terrible headache (dehydrated) but felt immensely satisfied with my results. The third year, I ran it again, faster than the year before and with no ill side effects.

This year...I decided to run it again. Twice.

Saturday is long-run day. The course is pre-marked, with three aid stations, complete with water, oranges and twizzlers. Plus porta-potties. There are tons of people there, walking with their dogs, kids, friends and family.

Why the hell not?

My stepfather and I went to the event together...he set off walking at a brisk pace and we agreed to meet back at the start in about 90 minutes.

Fred was a taskmaster from the beginning. I wanted to do my ten miles under 9:00 mpm so I listened carefully to Fred's beep-beep, which told me that I was running faster than 8:30. Fred would also beep once when I was going slower than 9:15. And he automatically records each mile split for me, so I don't have to remember to hit any buttons.

The rail trail was in decent shape, although there was one muddy spot that slowed me down each time I passed through it (four times total). There were no big hills to speak of; just some gently sloping grades, rough ballast (rocks) and old railroad ties. Enough obstacles to keep my ankles working!

When I hit 8 miles, I decided I wanted to work really hard on the last two miles, so I kicked up the pace. I thought of Jeff and how he runs at race pace during his long runs, and that sounded like a good idea. I was doing between 8:00-8:30 for those last two miles and could not wait to read my splits when I got done.

I hit 10 miles, pressed stop and then hit 'save.' Fred said 'Hold to clear?' No. Save please. Fred said 'Hold to clear?' Argh. WTF?! Before I started pressing buttons, I made sure to check out the total time of the run, which was 1:27:30. About two buttons and three seconds later, all the data was gone. Forever. No splits.

Friggin' Fred.

When I got home and reviewed the manual, I learned that the watch can only hold up to 100 laps of information. I thought it was 100 runs. Duh. This explains was Fred was cranky on Wednesday too. He had a full belly and didn't want any more to eat, thankyouverymuch.

Today, I met up with Charlie for the Sunday WAC run (Willimantic Athletic Club). Fred was blinking at me a lot and I didn't think much of it, until he stopped transmitting pace information at 1.63 miles. WTF?! All I know is that our first mile was 7:57 and we did the whole run in 53:31, mileage estimated at 6.5-7.0 miles.

The culprit this time was a dead battery. Easily replaced. And now I know more about Fred and his habits. Lessons learned.

This was a tough week for me with 25 miles of running, a spin class, 30 minutes of swimming and a 30 minute bike ride outside. I'm beat! I can only hope that it will get easier as I get better at this multi-sport thing!

And let me say publicly - GO BRENT! YOUR FIRST RACE! YOUR FIRST 10K! AND A MARATHON ON THE HORIZON!! WOO HOOO!