Running with Joy

And Happiness.  And Satisfaction.

Today I ran ten beautiful miles on the Towpath with my friend Joy, whom I haven't seen in weeks.  Joy and I used to run together regularly in the morning and on Sundays, but life got in the way for us, and it has been a while.  I was surprised and happy when she responded to my invitation to run with a "See you there!"

I've been worried about a bit of weight gain lately--food will always be a struggle for me--and I haven't run more than nine miles at a time in the past few months, so I wondered if today would be difficult.  It turns out that it was easy-peasy.  I felt like I could have easily put in a few more miles.

I attribute this to several factors:
1.  I ran with Joy, who is so easy to talk to.  Even after not seeing each other for weeks, we were able to slip back into our long-run conversations.  That is a true running peep.

2.  I haven't neglected my strength training, and I've tried to step up my core-strength training during my non-running days.  It's amazing what a difference weights can make.

3.  Believe it or not, I also credit trail running, which I have done about three weeks in a row.  I initially thought it might make me slower or more reluctant to run a longer distance since I walk the hills most of the time, but guess what?

We ran from Szalay's into Peninsula and turned around just a mile past Lock 29.

The Towpath coming back from Peninsula

One of the great things about living near the Cuyahoga Valley is that during fall I can randomly point my camera at ANYTHING and it will look artistic.  Case in point:

The Cuyahoga River from the Towpath

How could I not enjoy such a beautiful run?

On a final note, I would like to congratulate my running peeps who raced this weekend: Stacie and Cassie did the Buckeye 1/2, Teresa and Julie did the Buckeye 1/2 Relay, Heather and family did the Marine Corps 10k, and Jennifer and Steve ran the Marine Corps Marathon!  Well done, Peeps!

Gotta race coming up?  Yes? No?  Mine's in two weeks, but I'm definitely not stressing about it (I know--who is this person?).  Enjoy what is left of the fall leaves, and run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Why Am I Running?

This could be the opportunity for me to write a deeply philosophical post about the joys, challenges, and sorrows of running.  It could be, but it isn't.  I've already done that HERE and HERE.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I experience the joys and challenges of running.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I experience the sorrows of running.

It could be the post where I write about the camaraderie of a running club and how my running peeps keep me going.  It could be, but it isn't.  I've already done that HERE.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm experiencing camaraderie.

No, this post has nothing to do with these topics about running.  Why am I running?

Because. . .

I'm racing a train!

The Cuyahoga Valley Railroad: AKA My Racing Competitor

On Sunday, March 23, I'll be running for 10 miles along the Towpath, trying to beat a train.  Both the train and I (and hundreds of other runners) start at 10:10, and the train is scheduled to make it to the turnaround at 10:55.  Can I make it?

I am a bit nervous about this race because I haven't hit ten miles in my recovery yet.  I can do eight right now, so I believe I can get to ten before the race.  Can I average a nine-minute mile right now?  I don't think so, but you never know.  Recovery has been slow because of the terrible weather, but I'm hoping to kick it up a notch in the next couple of weeks.  Let's just say that I'd like to survive the race.

This race is just what I need to kick myself in the butt.  It will be a fun opportunity to get back into the racing season, and best of all, the proceeds benefit the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  I am so grateful to live in an area that has so many cool opportunities for runners, and I'm glad that this fun race will give me the chance to give back a little bit.

I guess I can't flatten a train's tires, so I must now either think of other ways to sabotage that train, or sigh. . . actually train for the race.

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout.

Cross-Training Is Fun!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I went cross-country skiing with members of The Ohio Runners Network.  I had only tried cross-country skiing once when I was about twelve, and my kids had never tried it, and honestly, none of us is particularly graceful, but I thought, "What the hell!  Let's give it a shot.  I already have a broken foot; what else can go wrong?"

We went to the Kendall Lake Winter Sports Center in Cuyahoga Valley.  There were lessons there ($15.00 for three hours, skis included), but I had not registered us ahead of time, so we decided to wing it.  Without lessons it costs $7.50 for three hours.  Let me tell you that this was the best money I have spent in a long time!

We are lined up and ready to go!

The eleven-year-old took off with my running peeps as soon as we booted up, leaving me with the six-year-old, who decided to practice falling down and eating snow.  Eventually he got tired of laying in the snow, and we were able to ski in a one-mile loop around a meadow.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am a serious cross-country skier.

We even saw deer beds in the middle of the meadow.   How do we know there were deer lying in the snow all night?  I would say the prodigious amounts of deer droppings were a hint.  This, of course, was incentive enough for my son to get up out of the snow and try some faster skiing.

The Ohio Runners Network, looking badass and pretty and the same time!

We skied for about two hours, and believe me, that was plenty.  Myfitnesspal.com told me that I burned about 1,000 calories, and I believe it!  My glutes, thighs, and arms felt like Jello when I finished, but you know, Jello in a good way.  Not the Jello-mold-your-aunt-brings-to-your-house-filled-with -disgusting-bits-of-fruit way.  I was so exhausted at the end of the day that I didn't even eat dinner, and I  was in bed and asleep by 8:00 pm.  Bonus!

Every day that I manage to get outside, I am so thankful to live in an area that has so many opportunities for healthy, outdoor fun.  Even in the damned snow.