All this mountain love

My 4th of July weekend - Making time for freedom!

Friday: Drove 4 hours to Salida for camping. I was pretty tired once I arrived in Salida so I walked Charlie, my neighbor's dog who I was watching for the weekend. We hung out for a little while & climbed into the tent for a mountain air night's sleep. I need to get a better tent situation going for myself. I need a good, thick ThermaRest for my back. I wake up exhauted!

Saturday: We woke up and I had to leave pretty early because I had to work at my restaurant job on Saturday night. I took Charlie for a 2 mile hike hoping to wear him out for a long drive back to Durango. I was hoping this would bring me some mental clarity as well. I become very anxious driving for a long time. I find myself wanting to be out of the car doing anything - running, hiking, cycling. Charlie is HIGH intensity! He loves all outdoor activities and will stare at me endlessly if we are inside for a long time. We arrived back into Durango around 1pm. I took a quick nap and drove to work. By this time, I am craving some good outdoor activities. From being in the car 8 hours in two days and work - I could really use some quality mountain time.

Sunday: Charlie and I walked and played fetch in the river for about an hour. I felt too bad to leave him alone again after Saturday night, so I took him to my Sunday morning job, which is working at the Welcome Center for Fort Lewis College. We got up and walked around the town each hour I was working to keep Charlie happy. (If you haven't already realized, I truly love and care about dogs well being!) Free pet sitting for awesome dogs possible. Finally, 2pm crept up slowly and we were headed to Dry Fork Loop for a trail run/hike!

Dry Fork Fun

I took the picture in this post in Dry Fork parking lot. I wish I took my phone with me to take pictures of this trail because it is FANTASTIC! There are true single track trails, where there is only room for a bike or one foot directly in front of the other. This makes me a very happy runner. It feels awesome to be the only one in the forest and feel the cool shade from the trees. The only sounds are the breeze, my feet hitting the soft trail, and Charlie's dog tag tapping against his collar as he runs. We ran about 5 miles and hiked 2 miles in a rougher rock section. Next time, I will take my phone to take pictures of all this beauty. I will also take water and a snack. I find that I get hungry way more quickly on the trails! I planned to only run about 3 miles so I didn't take any water. Once I started running, I was mesmerized by the trails winding switchbacks and soft terrain so I kept going. There were streams for Charlie to drink from on the way. I was so happy to be free from work and free from driving. Plus, it was Independence Day weekend therefore I had to celebrate all my freedoms, right?

After the trails, I bathed Charlie. A well deserved bath for this pup.

Every time I trail run I find myself wanting to run more and more. I hope this feeling never escapes me. I am going to make it a point to run trails more often. It improves my mental clarity and my stability as I quickly and carefully descend a rocky path. When I run back into the parking lot and back to my car, I feel independent. I feel that I can take on anything handed to me. My mind is uncluttered.

Hit the trails, you won't regret it.

Be prepared: Take a hydration pack or belt. Bring a snack. Bring water for your pup!

Muddy trails & tails,
Whitney

I've Never Been More Wrong x2

I have been stubborn all of my life. It isn't until now I have seen how this has affected me. My parents have countless stories about me being the most stubborn child of three. I do not know what it is - I just never want to say yes and take advice! This stubborn road has surprisingly taken me many great places in my running career, but it has also put up walls against things I should have been believing in all along. One example from my last post is foam rolling and how I should spent my recovery time, or time that I am not running. Since I have lately fixed that problem, I realized what else I was doing wrong in relation to training and not making the most of my potential.

I've Never Been More Wrong Part I: Road Biking

My brother, Luke, who is two years younger than me taught me how to ride a bike when I was probably about 8 or 9 years old. He is daring, adventurous, and unafraid. I am always erring on the side of caution, which might explain why I chose running? Who knows. Anyway, my parents tried and tried to get me ride without training wheels, but I was so afraid of falling. I come from a family of cyclists, therefore I have no idea where this unrelenting fear to ride came from. My dad is a former road racer and triathlete and my mom is a former triathlete and half Ironman! Wow, what I would tell my younger self now! In the summer when we were kids, my brother finally gave me the confidence necessary to just get on and keep pedaling. The ability to motivate someone older than you is not easy to do and my brother did just that. Since that day, I have looked up to him to great lengths. Now he is a Pro 1,2 road racer that also races on a cycling scholarship in Kentucky. 

Once I saw the success and enjoyment Luke was getting out of his road bike, I wanted one! My dad, Luke, and I shopped for a road bike and picked one out. I had immense difficulty road biking due to my feet being clipped in and balance and all the other components. Therefore, this bike sat untouched for a few years. I have a beautiful Fugi road bike and I was too stubborn to ride it. Do you know how many kids would kill for this opportunity? I realized this and was determined to become a road rider and a good one at that. I told my dad and brother I was serious this time about learning the sport. Thankfully, my bike was still the correct size for me. 

My first few road rides would consist of me falling off due to me not knowing which gears did what. My dad and Luke would tell me, but in the moment I could not get it down. I was frustrated, but truly determined. And when I got all of it down, I loved it like crazy. I still do love it like crazy of course. It improved my running and it improved my life. The only thing I regret about road biking is not falling in love with it sooner. I am glad I, at least, realize this stubbornness and push it away from me now. I can say yes to more things now, without feeling fear. Most things I am afraid to say yes to are amazingly good for me. 

I've Never Been More Wrong Part II: Crossfit

As a runner, we need strength training. It is inevitable and necessary. We can try to push our limits without it, but eventually can only go so far. We will get injured because we do not have enough muscle in the areas that help us run. Injuries will also surface because we do too much running and not much of anything else. 

I can honestly say that my brother and sister are my biggest role models. I think I am a role model for them in other ways and we all bounce off of each other. Because we are all so motivated and driven, we can learn from each other, but also teach. My sister, Jacki, fell in love with Crossfit a few years ago. At first, I hated it. I hated it because "it wasn't running" essentially. This took a toll on our friendship because I would constantly disagree with her. I regret the time I spent fighting her for her passion. Just as I found passion in running, Luke had found passion in cycling, Jacki found passion in Crossfit. All of these activities are hugely beneficial to our bodies and I was too stubborn to see that for the first couple years and that she was pushing her body to the absolute max. I saw what Crossfit did for Jacki and she is by far, one of the most fit people I know. She is happy, healthy, and in love with a wonderful guy. I admire her beyond words. Jacki has made a stable and exciting life for herself. She has it all and I am so proud she does because she deserves it. 

With the recovery of this injury, I realized I need to strength train. I did something I said I would never do -- join a Crossfit gym. (Drop jaws here, Jacki & Kevin). Here I am on day three of WOD's and I do truly love it. I got a discount on a local Crossfit gym out here in Durango and so I figured why not? I will be going home for two weddings in one month and I am hoping to look better and feel better through a mix of running, cycling, and Crossfitting, which I am pretty sure is not a word. I cannot wait to tell Jacki and her boyfriend I am doing Crossfit. Partly because I said I never would so it will be humbling for me, but it is something we can all do together! 

Jacki & Kevin: I applaud you and your strength through Crossfit. You are now even bigger role models than before and I cannot wait to join you in the workouts. 

Regret is an awful, awful feeling. If you can prevent regret by trying new things, I would side with trying new things. We want a life of good times, not should have beens. Learn from your motivated siblings, they can teach you so much about yourself and might even find your passion in one of theirs. I hope to become a stronger, more well rounded athlete through the three sports. I see it happening already!

Like the saying goes, "We find ourselves in the things we love."

My Hiatus and Me Time

When I started this blog, I was injury free. As all runners know, injuries show signs quickly and quite recklessly. Seven weeks before the half marathon I was setting up to race, I encountered an adductor injury that had other plans for me. The muscles of my adductor tightened up and the pain radiated to my groin, prohibiting running of any sort. I spent a week on my road bike, hoping my pain could be healed with rest. As soon as I began to run a week later, I felt the tearing, stinging pain in my groin. This meant I needed professional help.

I live in Durango CO - an up and coming town that lacks in a few major areas. No Active Release Therapists? Ugh!!! Major problems in the world of Whitney as the only running related injury I had prior to this was healed by an ART chiropractor. I decided I would call around and see what my options were. I spoke to a chiropractor who told me my hips needed alignment along with deep tissue massage. I saw this person and the massage therapist for 4 visits without any signs of relief. I knew my road to recovery needed a divergence and quick. I spoke to a fellow runner in the running club I belong to here and he gave me the name of an awesome physical therapist whose focus is athletes.

I called him right up and saw him soon after. I would have never been able to run the half marathon without this man's help. For sports injuries, we need exercises and healing methods to help us recover faster and stronger. This PT was able to give me a structured set of exercises to do on days that I was not receiving treatment. Without these exercises, I would have sat like a lump on a log and not actively healed myself.

13.1 Day -- I decided I would run this distance, instead of race it due to set backs in my training and wanting to eliminate further injury risks. I have to say, I love this race distance. The first 10 miles breeze by you as you take in all the sights and watch the runners around you. You make friends at this race and with this race. The last 5k is where you really gut it out and show everyone what you are made of. The last 5k is a grueling test of your mental strength. After all, its only 3.1 miles, or less than 30 minutes, one episode of Friends, or half of an episode of Grey's Anatomy... however you decide you will come to terms with this last 25-30 minutes is up to you. You are in control to make the best out of it and that is what you always will choose to do.

Knowing I was not totally ready for this half marathon, I needed some mind games set in place when the going got rough. The easiest and most honorable way to set your mind in place is to dedicate your miles. The night before my race, I wrote out a list of each mile and who I would dedicate it to. I read this a while back when I first started running longer distances. It works perfectly for 13.1 because I can easily remember 13 people that have inspired me or for whom I should run this race for. For example, I dedicate one mile to each member of my family -- the people who give me the most support and inspiration because of the dreams they have accomplished for themselves. Along with those people, I chose friends and heroes that I look up to in order to crank out the rest of my miles. I also dedicated any rough patches, or times I wanted to give up to Paula Jones. Paula was a NEPA runner who was killed by a drunk driver while running. I knew she would give anything to be in my place -- even the hardest moments when I wanted to stop. Paula would have given anything to run a few more steps, so I knew I had to push on stronger for her.

Always, always, always dedicate one mile to yourself. Whether it be the first to remind you why you do this or the last to remind you that you are certainly strong enough. Dedicate a mile to yourself because after all, you are doing this for you. You are running 13.1 for a passion that lies within you. During that mile, I think my entire running journey: from the time I started running 6 miles on a treadmill, to being scared to do sprints with Steve, my dad's friend who pushed my running boundaries further than I could have ever pushed them myself, and to the Boston Marathon, where every runner dreams to be. These flashbacks of your first races and runs will instantly put a smile on your face and you will forget the pain you are experiencing. After all, its 13.1 and you are probably closer to the finish line anyway!

So, I finished the half marathon just under 2 hours. This is not my best time, but it certainly was a great experience not pushing myself against the clock as I usually do. It was enjoyable and incredible to push other runners through their first half marathon and give them the inspiration needed to go further.

With this injury, I realized the importance of a few things missing in my life. These things may seem small, but hugely important. I was missing quality time with the foam roller. I was letting myself go out for a run without any warm up and cooling down without any stretch or foam rolling. This may have let me slide through my younger running days, but it isn't helping my middle stage of life. Running is constantly a learning experience and even though I should have listened to my elder athletes, I am learning now and that is okay. I plan to be stronger and more concise in my activities in the future.

I know I maybe haven't posted enough to earn your trust 100%, but if you take anything away from this its to buy a foam roller and actually use it often!!! Injury prevention and strength starts here and its possibilities are endless if you are willing to put in the work.

Happy Shaded Trails,
Whitney

"Be a Spring, Not a Sponge"

"Be a spring, not a sponge" says our running club coach. Bret led our track workout yesterday at my local running club. I got to thinking about this saying during our workout while also trying to keep great form and run awesome times. I got to thinking about how I can apply this saying to the track and to my day to day life. I'll start with the easier one.

To the track: Bret explained our workout to us and ended with this saying. On the track, we want to spring each foot off the ground. We want to act like the track is hot and we can't keep our feet on the ground for a long time. We want spring in our steps with each stride, excelling us forward. If we are sponges on the track, we will be sluggish, absorbing too much time with our feet on the ground with each stride. This quote stuck with me because it is so simple, but makes so much sense during training - especially track workouts. 

To the life: Be a spring, not a sponge. I like to think of this as a way to deal with anyone trying to bring you down. What people say can stick with you and hurt you, or you can be a spring. As a spring, when someone says something hurtful - you let that bounce right off of you. Don't get me wrong; you want to be a sponge to soak in knowledge and information to make you a better person, but you want unneeded, hurtful words to bounce off of you. Springs don't stop for anyone.  People who represent this quality chase goals. They hunt them down & never let an obstruction in the course lose sight of their goal.They keep on going, bouncing freely. No words can hurt them, no actions can stall their path. Be a spring. Be light and free. Don't let other people's actions determine your course. Be in control of your dreams and goals. Only you can turn these dreams into reality so don't let anyone set you off course!

Thursday: Track workout with the running club. 

Today: Rest Day. Bummer! & Work. Also Bummer. 

Happy trails, 

Whitney 

I love running. Here's why.

Hi and welcome to my blog! I have wanted a blog for such a long time, but life gets in the way. I am happy I am finally doing this and I hope you will join me in my adventures. This will be an intro post so let me tell you about me and my background.

I love running. Running has given me a huge part of my identity. It has shaped me into the courageous, joyful, adventurous person I am. I never had anything I could call my own before I discovered my passion for running. I am not here to sell you on running. I am just here to share what running has given me and inspire others to push their goals - no matter what sport.

How I got into running is kind of funny. In high school, I played field hockey and I didn't mind all the running we did. In fact, I only enjoyed the running part of the whole sport. Coming back into season, I would only train myself to run the 1 mile in hopes of making the best time on the team. I had no desire to work on my skill, just my running. I didn't enjoy the drama of the coaches and the favoritism. I just wanted to do my own thing - run my own show and race. My dad saw the drama I was facing being on a high school team. He continuously told me to switch to track or cross country. My mom always said, "Whit, what about cross country?" My dad told me I would be a dominant force in the 2 mile race on the track. At that time, I thought people who raced the 2 mile were nerds. Now, if I had a time machine, that is where I would go. To a lane of a 2 mile race and to track practice improving myself for this distance every day. First lesson: listen to your parents. They undoubtedly always know what is best for you and they would never steer you wrong. These people are your coaches for every situation, for all time. They already know what is right for you. Believe in the path.

After high school, I started running seriously. I got myself a very strong base before entering my first ever race. My first race set me soaring. I knew nothing about pace, speed work, or mileage. I just ran my heart out and my heart become a heart in love with running. That was 5 years ago and the love is still as strong. I have raced two marathons, two half marathons, and countless 5k's and 10k's. I am currently training for another half marathon in June (first one at altitude) so you will be able to read all about that. I am working on speed training and becoming as fast and free as I can.

Currently living in Durango, CO and finishing my bachelor's degree. This is my first time living at altitude. I have joined the running club here. Advice: join your local running club. These people are AWESOME. I don't think there is a better way to become a better runner. All ages, all different backgrounds - and the best part? They want you to be the best you can be. Everyone is pushing for each other while bettering themselves. I love these people and I can't wait to know them better.

That is a little bit about how I fell in love with this sport. It is the short version. Many more stories about the people who inspired me and insights into my days now. Hope to see you back here.

Happy trails!