Aesthete Runner

One week ago I was sitting on my couch watching the Chicago marathon feeling sore but on cloud 9. It is hard to believe after so many weeks of hard training, my first 50 mile race has come and gone. Running 50 miles is pretty life changing, and it is strange to think that while I was doing something major, the rest of the world just kept on turning.

This is it, the final week! It is hard to believe after 16 weeks I will be running my first 50 mile race in 6 days. I alternate between feelings of excitement and terror, which is completely normal, but I have been an emotional wreck. As much as I love the taper, I have felt horrible the past two weeks.

I received the remainder of my training plan from my coach this week and it was crazy how close I am to race day! It didn't seem real until I realized how few weeks are left. Thankfully the Evergreen Lakes 50k was my longest training run and each week decreases in mileage and time more and more from here on out. As a friend reminded me, the work is already done and the focus right now is on rest and recovery from the 50k, and putting in the time on my feet until race day.

Week 14 was a big week for me, as it marked my longest training run before the Hennepin 50. It was a week that I was both nervous but excited for as it marked a 50k being a training run distance vs a race that I was training for. While the race itself did not go as I expected, I was able to take away a lot from the run and it still is satisfying to complete the distance especially in less than ideal conditions.

One of my favorite things about Red Rock Canyon is that it is so diverse. From the red rocks of the calico basin trail in last week's Trail Tuesday, to the pine trees and water this week, there is a whole range of beauty to be found depending on which trail you pick.

It's hard to believe in just 4 weeks at this time, the Hennepin 50 will be over. When I hit the 30 day mark last Thursday, I was both excited and nervous at the same time. But I've had to carefully tuck this away in the back of my mind and keep the focus on where I am at right now, which is finishing Week 13 and looking ahead to my last long training run during Week 14.

There are so many amazing trails to explore in Red Rock Canyon, but one that we wanted to make sure we returned and hiked were the Calico Basin trails. These trails run along the red rock section of the canyon, and are spectacular.

What a difference a recovery week makes. Sometimes the recovery is purely physical, but this week I also felt recovered mentally from the challenges I faced in Week 11. I started the week feeling like I was ran over by a bus and down in the dumps about how my back to back long runs had gone. With a little encouragement from my coach and friends, extra rest and recovery, and some enjoyable runs, I am feeling much more like myself.

Oh Week 11. Where do I begin. I knew this week would be tough, with long back to back runs, but I never expected it to be as hard as it was. I struggled a lot, both physically and mentally and feel a bit raw in the aftermath.

My favorite moment of Death Valley was stumbling upon water in the middle of the desert. It was completely unexpected but so beautiful. We were the only people around besides the wildlife, and it was an incredible moment. I highly recommend the Wildlife Refuge that is on the outskirts of Death Valley. You will not be disappointed if you can find this little gem. 

Continuing the Death Valley journey this week, the next stop is Zabriski point. The photos almost look fake, as the landscape is so surreal and otherworldly. Having recently read more about Death Valley, I was excited to learn that the tall yellow point in the photos is Manly beacon, named after one of the first people to cross Death Valley. 

Week 10 of 50 mile training continued to build on distance and time on feet. After receiving some helpful feedback from my coach last week, I was able to maintain confidence with where I am at in the training cycle, and thankfully my body continued to respond well to the load.

Artists Palatte was another really neat stop in Death Valley. The higher elevation meant that you could see the Badwater Basin from above, and the "painted" rocks were a surprise in the desert landscape. The short trail in a dry river bed was deceivingly dangerous as my husband slid down a rocky section and cut open his hands. 

Welcome to Week 9 of training for the Hennepin Hundred - 50 mile race. This week is just over the half way point of training, and Monday was the exact two month mark until the race. For the second week of the "50 mile specific" phase, I was pretty much thrown into a high mileage week. I haven't run mileage like this since the end of my 50k training, so my previous concerns regarding where I was at in this plan were obliterated.

Another neat spot in Death Valley is the Devil's Golf Course, which as you can see, is appropriately named. There were signs that warned visitors to be careful when trying to walk out on the salt formations, and it was no joke! It would be so easy to fall or twist an ankle, and I had to test several rocks before putting my full weight on them to make sure I wouldn't break through.

Welcome to the first week of the 50 mile specific training phase! Thankfully Week 8 was a recovery week, so not a bad start to the real heart of the training plan. When I first started working with my coach she asked about any vacations or time off that I had planned and was able to incorporate that into my training schedule. This week happened to be my annual camping trip and rather than try to cram long runs into the week, she scheduled me for recovery.

I was in Badwater, CA only a few days after the Badwater 135 race ended, and I was simply amazed at how anyone could walk, much less run, anything longer than a mile at a time. I walked the mile and a half to the edge of the basin and back, and it was otherworldly. The dirt turns to salt, and the hot wind stings your eyes. Despite all of this, it is truly beautiful in it's own way.

Week 7 of 50 mile training was the last of my "Introductory" phase. From here I move on to the 50 mile specific phase, which will focus on the runs that will prepare me to run the Hennepin Hundred. So far I have really enjoyed how gradual my training has been in terms of adding mileage and speedwork. While at times I see how far others are already running for the Chicago marathon which is the day after the Hennepin Hundred, I also fully trust my coach and the plan. My coach knows what is best for me in the build up to this distance, and I still have 10 weeks of hard work to go.

Another rainy week, but the rain brought out a few friends on the trails.

I am in still in the "Introductory" phase of training for the Hennepin Hundred- my first 50 mile race, and Week 6 was a bit of a recovery week after the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 race last week. My coach advised me to run easy and gave me some options for additional recovery if needed. Recovery was difficult this week, and it was one of the few races that I have really struggled to come back from.