Cross Country Tour (Also Running Vest Discussion)- 18 weeks until the 100
If I were to metaphorize my 28 week training plan as a whole, I would describe it as having to drive across the country. You know you have to get some distance in on as many days as possible, but you also want to enjoy the trip and also not overdo it and fall asleep at the wheel. There are some days I just want to enjoy some beers at a cool brewery and stay the night. There are some days that I can really hunker down with a good audiobook and get some continuous hours in and really make some headways. And then there are some days I just don’t feel like driving at all.
Week 10 had a little bit of all of these feelings. Just a few hours ago, I finished my last run for the week, an hour and twenty minute jog around Bent Creek, bringing my total mileage for the week to 38. It was actually supposed to be somewhere closer to 45 but I found it difficult to get all five prescribed runs in. I totally skipped Wednesday’s run completely and didn’t quite hit the mileage for Tuesday either. My body, particularly my knees, were just kind of sore and I felt like I needed that extra day of rest. I also am still struggling with balancing “having fun”, aka drinking a few too many celebratory beers on Tuesday night after a successful disc golf tournament, and then getting up the next morning and running.
But I did have two successes I wanted to brag about. In order to get my run in on Tuesday before work and disc golf, I actually got up and ran at 6:30 in the morning! This is absurd if you know me as I typically don’t even wake up until close to 9 on most days (blame my evening shift job). It was really hard getting those running shoes on that early but man, once I knocked it out and took a shower, the rest of my day was absolutely amazing. I felt energized and accomplished and that vibe just kept going all the way into the evening.
The other success was knocking out an 18 mile road run around my neighborhood and surrounding region. This was a tough gig because getting the motivation to do a long run that comprised mostly of the areas I run frequently was difficult. One of the best ways to trick myself into getting excited about a long run is checking out a new trail or a new area but I was kind of on a time crunch so I needed to run straight from the house. Since the majority of this 18 miler was around the parts of my neighborhood that I’ve run ad nauseum, it was mentally tough. However, I branched out and found a new mini-neighborhood near my home that included all these relatively new build homes. It was pretty enjoyable jogging past them and critiquing their styles and admiring their mountain views.
Also, little side step here, let’s talk about running vests.
I treated myself to buying a new running vest today. It probably was secretly a way to “reward” myself for almost making it halfway through my training plan. I took advantage of the Memorial Day sale going on at Jus’ Running and bought the new Salomon Adv Skin 12. It was pricey, even with the sale price, but I’m stoked about it. I used it on the 7 miler this afternoon and loved it.
My first vest was gifted to me by my brother in law. It’s an Ultimate Direction 4.0 Adventure Hydration Vest and I love how light it is. I used it during my 50 miler and my only complaint was that unfortunately one of the bladders ripped near the end of the race. I had some GU packets in the compartment below the bladders and I think the sharp edge somehow tore it. Either that or those bladders were probably just pretty old. However, since it was a hand me down, it’s a little too big for me and rubs in a few places. The elastic that holds the bladders in place is stretched out and the carrying capacity isn’t great.
The next vest I bought was the Osprey Dyna 6. I love this one for my super long runs as well as for long hikes. It has a 1.5 Liter bladder so it can carry a ton of liquid and I love the magnet clasp on the front that makes drinking super easy. However, it’s a little warm and I don’t love having to take the whole pack off just to access things from the back. It’s not ideal for races though as taking out the whole bladder to refill it is time consuming and annoying.
So the new Salomon vest had the best of both worlds. It’s light, has a little more breathability in the front, it can do either two small bladders or a large one, has tons of compartments for GUs and supplies (including my phone), and has a quick access spot on the back to quickly grab a towel or a rain jacket. This is also probably me justifying my expensive purchase but I really did love everything about it during my run today and I look forward to utilizing it!
With 18 weeks remaining, it’s becoming more and more important for me to hit my weekly milage. I’m really trying to focus on treating my body better and sticking to my schedule. And of course, using my new pack!
Bent Creek Trail