My first ultra marathon... good times and lessons learned!

Yeah, so this past weekend I took Polly back to Kansas City, MO to see our friends there. During our 49 hour visit my former running buddy Jenn and I got to experience our first ultra marathon.

The Blue Springs Runners club had a 50mile/50k/26.2mile run on Sunday so we signed up for it a few months ago.

Now a word 'bout Jenn. She's a fast runner - like a sub-3:30 marathon in the pre-kid days - so she knows all about competition. She also, one year ago today, gave birth to her 2nd son so she's not just a runner, she's a sleep deprived, working mommy of 2 little boys. Here she is in full drama :)

We both had to constantly remind both of us that this was only about having a fun time, running with an old friend, and tackling a new distance (or as much of it as we could) and still being able to drive home.

We wake up at 4:15am and get ready for the run. We are prepared for running in freezing temps until the sun rises and bracing ourselves for the cold. Silly, us - the weathermen are always wrong, remember! It was a nice 48 when we got up! That meant we could whip out the Skirts! So after a complete wardrobe verhaul, we were ready to go. We had the car loaded up like we were driving from Missouri to Oregon!

Our supply list for our first 50K:

• Skirts - I opted for the Gym Girl Ultra with 2 pockets on each leg that I shoved full
• Vests - I'm such a fan of the vest for cold weather running
• Longsleeve heavy technical shirts
• Kleenex and wipes to keep us clean
• Hats, gloves, ear warmers
• iPods which we didn't use b/c we talked nonstop for the whole run
• Fluids - 2 gallons of gatorade, 2L of Mountain Dew (just in case we needed a little jolt!)
• Camel back hydration packs
• Lots of food - pb&j, gu, trail mix, gum, bananas, candy

We get to the race and see all these people with head-lamps on. We're thinking, what are they doing? They need head lamps to get their stuff organized? Whatever. Then we hear a 10-9-8-countdown. Yikes - the 6am start is going and we're not there! So we slap on the camel backs knowing that in 4.5 miles there will be a rest stop and in 9 miles we'll be back at the car so we can reload.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, running in the night, on a trail, with the moon, and NO HEADLAMP! We get it ok! The head lamp is so you can see on the trail at night? I'm such an urban runner. There are street lights whereever I go. So we decide to mooch some light off the guys in front of us and follow in their footsteps. It was very Blair witchy running through the trail. Stealing light is good, it's a nice option.... until they stop to pee in the woods!

Thank goodness for the iPod = it gave off just enough light for us to catch the next group. Mr. Flag Man and another lady. Meanwhile, Jenn and I haven't shut up yet. We're having such a great time not being interrupted by kids when we try to talk!

Oh wait... do I have to pee... yeah, we forgot to do that at the start because we were so hurried. And oh yeah... there aren't porta potties on this course every mile are there. So we realize that this is what you do on trail runs and ultras. You run, get by yourself, pee, then catch the crowd. Repeat as often as needed.

So right about 6:45 we start seeing people (fast people) coming the other direction so the turn around must be up there. We say "hi" to everyone but they don't all say hi back and then we decide that we are going to be "the happy girls in their skirts". We look so totally out of place on this run. First of all, we are women (mostly men here), in our mid-30's (mostly 50+), and we are wearing Skirts.

We totally think they are looking at us thinking "there's no way they'll finish" - little do they know how determined we were. Anyway, we make it a point to say "hi" to EVERYONE we pass and smile and try to do it in unison (accidentally) when we can.

After the turnaround we notice that the 7am start group is gaining on us but we continue to remind our selves that we aren't here to compete, just to have fun and finish by 1pm so I can get on an airplane.

So I can sort of skip over the next few miles and get to Mile 27 - it's the same thing - run, see the car, refuel, see a rest stop, eat some candy, pee, repeat. At Mile 27 we hit the cars again and only have 5 miles left! We stop to take a picture on the trail we were running called the "Trail of Death" - how's that for inspiring confidence and Jenn realizes that her foot is really hurt.

I heard someone say in regards to injuries, do you want to run for the next 2 weeks or the next 20 years. Well, Jenn will be running her whole life so she takes the smart road and stops. I shuffle along for the next 5 miles by myself and continue to say "hi" to everyone. Especially the friendly ladies running the 50K the week before their friends 50th birthday! That totally rocks!

I finish the run and got my light-switch-cover medal. I love this race, this distance, and these people. They are all so supportive, kind, friendly, and motivating! I can't wait to do this race again next year and maybe after a few years of doing a 50K, I'll take the plunge and do a 50-miler. Until then here are my lessons learned from my first ultra marathon:

• Layering is a good thing
• iPods while running are totally overrated
• Running with a good friend and talking about everything without fear of judgement is the best thing
• If you are an urban runner (like me) and want to do a trail run expect some post-race discomfort
• Cheese before a run, not good
• PB&J before and on a run, perfect
• Saying "hi" to everyone on the trail is an easy way to stay motivated
• Walking breaks during an ultra are encouraged
• Corn husks can work as TP but they tend to shred and that is no good
• Arnica on sore joints and muscles is wonderful
• Having the support of your family and friends on a run makes it all worth while

The day after the race I'm feeling ok but I am more achy than after my Ironman. I know I trained enough, my shoes aren't old, and I wasn't sore after my IM. I think that the trail messed with me a bit. My IT Band is a bit flared up but I've got some arnica and a will of steel so I'll rest up and get ready for next weekend.

On November 2nd we've got the City of Oaks Marathon. I'm signed up to do the full, but I'm going to make it a game day decision about whether I do the full or half. I hate to not do the full marathon distance if I know I can but it's not worth permanent injury. Besides all my friends are running the half so at least I'll have someone to trot with! In a dress, no less!!

Would you want someone to help you if this was your family?

http://www.bripardun.com/

A friend of mine from Kansas City, MO (where we lived before moving to Wake Forest, NC) forwarded this to me. It's the story of a young family with 3 beautiful little boys. In the past few weeks they found out that the oldest 2 sons have a life-threatening condition known as "Niemann Pick Disease Type C" or also known as "Childhood Alzheimer's". Over time the children "forget" how to walk, talk, and function. The estimated life expectency of children with NPC is 9-15 years.

This disease is always fatal which ultimately rob's innocent children of their life's!

On their website is an area where you can donate to help them. The money will go straight to the family to cover their costs for therapeutic equipment, medical expenses, or whatever the family needs.

Please consider giving a financial gift to this family. I know if these were my children I would be praying for a miracle. Maybe we can't provide a miracle cure, but we can take some stress off the family so our combined help can be a financial miracle for them.

Please consider helping. Every penny counts.

If I run slowly I could run forever!

Saturday morning I got up and started my run at 5am. Did a nice 10-miles then met up with the new Heritage Running Club that is starting up in my neighborhood. The other folks out there were looking for a 10/11mile routes so the 10miler I had mapped out worked nicely for the group. I had my running buddy, Kristie, there with me so I did the 10-miler again and felt great.

I really wish I were faster but I can see that I'm getting there little by little. I actually like my long runs and look forward to them. I'm a slow and steady runner but in the end I finish my runs feeling good (fatigued but hey, I just ran 20miles, I'm entitled to that!) and looking forward to the next one.

Speed is nice sometimes but the reality of it is that my life won't change if I'm fast or slow so I'll just enjoy my long slow workouts, the time to myself to think, and the joy of watching my neighborhood wake up slowly on Saturday mornings.

If you live in Heritage, FYI - there are owls on the new side of the neighborhood across Rogers Road. They'll hoot at you in the dark and it's kinda spooky... especially at Halloween time... ooooooooooo. :)

Who says you can't run in a Dress? Picking up some speed!!

The City of Oaks Marathon and Half-Marathon push to run in a Dress is picking up some speed! Spread the word! Here's the info:

At the City of Oaks Marathon or Half Marathon on November 2, 2008 in Raleigh, NC we are pushing for every Skirt-alicious woman to really break free here.

Run in a dress and have fun doing it!The unofficial-official attire for the City of Oaks Marathon or Half Marathon is the SkirtSports Footloose Running Dress.

If you've tried the Skirt then move on up to the Dress. You thought running in a Skirt was freedom - think about having NOTHING rubbing on your waist line, riding up, riding down - no riding at all.

On Race Day, we'll meet at the Starting Line under the Announcer's Podium at 6:15am for a photo. Be there in your SkirtSports Footloose Dress and be ready to rock the course for a great run!!!

Go to http://www.skirtsports.com/ and use the Discount Code REBECCAW to get your dress (and something to wear under it) for 15% off. Wear it on some long runs before the race and get ready for a Dress Revolution!

Personally, I'll be there in my favorite Footloose "little black dress" complete with some sparkly earrings, and necklace. See you at the starting line!

Skirt on!

Shoes tied, clothes folded, bike ridden - the path to growing up!

So this has been a big week in the Warriner household. Polly, our 5-year-old, has mastered some real big-kid things!

We did our standard "Fall Fashion Show" where we get out all her fall and winter clothes and try everything on to see what still fits. Looked like we needed to get some new church clothes so some shopping was in order.

Sunday we went to our favorite store, Super Target, and did some serious shopping. We made it to the fitting room with over 20 things to try on. After making some hard decisions (do we go with the red plaid skirt or the pink... so tough) we made it home with lots of mix-and-match pieces very appropriate for a little girl that is trying to grow up but her mom isn't as ready as she is.

Our ground rules - nothing with Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, or High School Musical, and we both had to agree on it. That's it - shopping was actually so much fun with her! She's got the pink/black preppy/punk look going on and I love it!

Then as we are trying to put her clothes away (usually done with forceful stuffing into her drawers) she decided she should fold her pants and showed me how she could do it! Very nice, we'll see how long that lasts. Most of her stuff hangs up so stuffing - whatever - as long as it's not on the floor.

Monday comes around and she comes home from school saying "I can tie my shoes! I can be the shoe tie helper!" She really can tie her shoes now. We've practiced maybe 5-8 times total and each time she insists she doesn't want to learn. It all has to be in her own time. That's just Polly!

Then Monday afternoon we finally got to put the pedals on her bike and she got on it and rode without a single minute of help! I must say, we got the Trek Float bike and it was so great. For the last few months she's practiced "riding" without pedals so she could get the idea of balancing, braking, coasting, and picking up her feet. It was the easiest bike training I've heard of.

Every day after school she's coming home and riding all around the driveway and around the block pretending like she's doing a triathlon! I've got a short video of her growing up and her little brother following in her footsteps!

Funny John story - he tells us that when he grows up he's going to "be a big girl and go to Kindergarten too" - too cute!

Oh my gosh... more new Skirts! Here I go again!

Ok - so SkirtSports.com just released their new fall and winter line and oh my gosh! They are too cute. I've got a hankerin for the toughgirl with the matching running shirt that has the holes in the sleeves for your thumbs. I'm gonna need to get another job so support my Skirt habit!

Check it out - www.SkirtSports.com

My little bitty guy!

So last Thursday my little guy John (he's just 3 weighs 26.5lbs and is about 36" tall) had his tonsils and adenoids taken out.

I've heard it wasn't such a big deal and that in 3 days he'd be like new but man, is this taking a toll on him. It's Tuesday and he's still not eating much, still needing his pain medicine, and really weak.

I'm sure this is nothing compared to what some families have to go through, but man - watching your teeny-tiny little boy not eat because he's uncomfortable is tough. I know he'll eat eventually but until then I'm reminded how fragile and delicate a child can be.

However, John does get pumped up still when he watches football so I know he's spirit is still in there - he's just too tired to let it out very often.

I'm ready to have my spunky, "bad boy" (his words not mine) back!