156 Mile Month, New Races & Quitting Cold Turkey

So now we’re in December. Around here that means it’s almost time for the Dallas Marathon. I am not running the Full, but I am running the Half. I think I’m in pretty good shape for it. I finished November with a bang, including a 13.1 mile training run.

I ran this one solo. It was windy and lonely.

The next day I ran another 6 or 7 on the trails with friends. I had to leave right after to get to yoga class, so I was missed out on the groupie…

Imagine me in this picture.

So for the month of November, I ended up going 156+ miles! I think that’s the furthest I’ve gone in a month…Even more than when I was training for the Dopey Challenge. I think the most I did then was 140+.

With my Dopey Medals.

I’ve found that having that many miles on my feet is really helping to get faster. Especially in “short” races like the 5k I PR’d in on Thanksgiving. I feel like it’s much less of a struggle to maintain a faster speed.

Something smelled fowl.

Speaking of racing, I have some new race news. I sneakily snuck in at the beginning of this post how I’m running the Dallas Half Marathon in Mid December. That’s new. I’ve only run this race once, but it was a few years ago and the course is cooooompletely different now.

A few years ago. I’m a baloonatic.

Aaand I’m also running a 5k this weekend! It’s the Rudolph Run in Allen, TX. I’ve never run this race, but excited to. Only weird thing is that I will be wearing a GoPro camera on my head. Hopefully it won’t mess with me too much. I wore one during the 10k portion of the Dopey, but I was just jogging that race. You can see the video HERE.

With the GoPro camera (& Mickey ears/hands)

Annnnywaay, I hope everyone had a good American Thanksgiving. I enjoyed many leftovers, until I finally ran out. It was sad to have to quit cold turkey.

Me about to quit cold turkey. (Yes, I went there.)

On a side note, things have been crazy around these parts. I know I’ve been somewhat missing around the blog world recently, but I have a good reason. I hope to explain in my next post. I appreciate y’all that have been checking in on me. I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to most of you yet, but I will. Hope you’re awesome!

How bout you? Got any races coming up? Gettin your miles in? Ever run with a camera on your head?

-Scott

More Miles & Smiles, More Races & Faces

It was time to get in one last weekend of miles in before my next half marathon.

So Friday I knocked out a quick 4 miler – pretty uneventful.

Saturday I banged out 14 miles. This run I met up with the White Rock Running Co-op, and a long time run bud…

My friend Ann. We ran. I ran with Ann.

My bud and I hadn’t run together in a while, and so we chatted the (exactly) 2 hours we were running. I was pretty pleased, because even with the chatting we still were able to hold an 8:30 per mile pace. I’m hoping that’s a good sign for this weekend’s race where I really want to claim a PR.

It was also good that I ran there because part of the race is going through the same part of town as this training run.

Afterwards we had tacos…naturally.

How can it be butt burnin if it’s only medium heat?

Then it was on to the boy’s soccer game. Sadly, my coaching didn’t lead us to a win this week.

Go Landsharks!

On Sunday I met up with some friends for a trail run. We cranked out another 6 miles.

We forgot to take a pic, so here’s an old one of mostly the same folks.

We were either on a squiggly trail, or drunk..or both.

Afterwards it was on to yoga. Aaaaand my legs were done.

The rest of the weekend saw us visiting the pumpkin patch. Though it didn’t seem quite right when it is 85 degrees out.

What else, what else..oh yeah, I signed up for a 2^nd race this week!!! Two days before the 13.1, I’m running a 3.1. It’s the inaugural Mavs Run This Town 5k. Woot woot!

Boom.

This event combines a lot of stuff I love – running, the Mavericks, and The Old 97’s. I’ll preview this race soon, but for now, just know that I’m super happy fun time pumped!

How bout you? Exhausting weekend much? Any good topics to talk about on long runs with friends? Git yo pumkins yet? Good idea to race less than 48 hrs before another race?

-Scott

Tuff Trail Run & Mastering Yoga

I almost titled this post “Crappy Trails to You”. I ain’t gonna lie…I had a hard time on this run.

The day after my long hot group run, I met up with another group for a hot trail run. A local running store organized it, and I was glad to see a bunch of familiar friendly faces there.

Some of the group, but not all of the group.

I don’t know if it was the heat, the humidity, the hills, the previous day’s run, or the fact that I went out way too fast trying to keep up with my super-fast friend (his last 13.1=1:07), but I just wasn’t feelin it this day.

But hey, I got through it…And after the run we had pancakes waiting for us!

See, flap jacks. I like the range of expressions in this photo – from stone faced to ecstatic to skeptical to pancake faced. 

We ate, throwed the Frisbee, and had a sweaty good time. It was fun to catch up with a bunch of friends I hadn’t seen in a while.

Then it was off to yoga with some other friends.  And I’m proud to say I finally mastered the ‘chair pose’.

Nailed it.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the community pool with the fams.  These kids loooove to swim.

Besties.

After those two days, I was wiped out.  Bed time came early.  And I’m ok with that.

How bout you?  Any tough runs lately?  Mastered any yoga poses?  Who wants flap jacks?

-Scott

I’m a Sexy Trail & Rain Runner

Firsty, I never check this stuff, but I needed to look at something in my blog settings and I noticed the search term someone had used to find my blog.  I gotta say, whoever he/she is, well, they came to the right place!

Haha, dayum skippy.  They found their man!  If you didn’t know, I’ve been finding that lots of the exercises we do do make us sexy.  Tee hee, I said doo doo.

Secondly, Holy Frijole did we get some rain today!  It was awesome!  We are in a really bad drought here in Tejas, so today was much welcome.  It stormed most of the morning-night and all day.  Only problem – when I was up for my morning run, there was lightning.  We shouldn’t run when there’s lightning.

I waited…and waited…until I thought the lightning had stopped…and went for my run.  It was still raining, which felt uhmaizing!  It’s been a long time since I’ve run in the rain.  However, I have a big but.  (Tee hee, I said big butt.)  BUUUUUUT the lightning hadn’t stopped.  I definitely ducked a few times when I saw the flashes.

Luckily I made it home safe.  However my white tank top was soaked.  I probably would’ve won a wet t-shirt concert if my neighborhood wasn’t so lame and decided to had one.  So sexy.

Anyway, back to whomever was searching for sexy trail runners, I’m sure this is the photo they were looking for…

I hope they were satisfied with their search results.  Hahaha, I wish I could see their reaction.  Oh well.

How bout you?  Rain run much?  Which one of you was searching for ‘sexy trail runners’?  Be honest!

-Scott

Weekend Trail Run: (Wo)Man down!

It was a pretty good little American Easter weekend.  I got a run in, a few fam/dog walks, and a sunburn from doing yard-work.

With two dogs and two toddlers, It’s never as peaceful as the photos make it seem.

For Easter we got together with the fams and some friends to hang out and eat food stuffs.  Pretty good times all around.

I think the chicken that laid these must’ve been ill.

Blowin Easter bubbles.

Another highlight was the 7.5 mile trail run.  I got up early Saturday to meet some friends at a park.  It was perfect weather – the kind where you are in short sleeved clothes but still have steam coming off you when you get all sweaty.  And even better, my little nagging calf injury thingy didn’t bother me at all!

There were lots of people in the park who were camping, biking, and even a few taking off in hot air balloons.

I don’t care what anyone says, those guys are full of hot air!

Funny thing happened on the run.  One of our friends fell down.  We can laugh because she didn’t get hurt…but then again, we’d probably laugh at her anyway.  She was right in front of me and I saw it all happen.  A tree root jumped up and grabbed her foot.  She claims she could’ve stopped her fall, but was too lazy to do so.  She probably just wanted a break.

I thought we might’ve lost her for a second, but I was eventually able to locate a pulse.  It took me a while to even find her because her cammo shorts made her really blend in amongst the nature.

Anyway, pretty good little weekend there.  Not too shabby.

How bout you?  Ever fallen during a trail run?  Color any eggs this weekend?  Weather in your parts nice enough for walks, bubbles, and balloons?

-Scott