A "training" Week + Holiday Lake50k 2/10/14-2/16/2014

Unfortunately, I missed my recap last week but there wasn't really all that much to talk about because...well...I didn't really run all that much.  This was partly due to the massive storm we had last week that dropped 22" of snow on the New River Valley!  However, the few days I did run were special because they were in the middle of a massive snowstorm.

Monday: 9.1, 450' 1.5hr
On Monday, we had our weekly VT Ultra group run.  I forgot that we had moved the run back from 7:00 to 7:15 and left my house as if we were running at 7:00.  Once I was out and about in the cold evening air, I realized that we were running later and managed to squeeze in a few extra miles on the way.  After the run, I made my usual stop at Moe's and then grabbed the bus home.  These Monday night group runs are really nice because after a long weekend of running it would be easy to not run but they get me out the door and even sometimes make me do more miles than I bargained for.

Tuesday: Rest

Yep.  After a long weekend of running and a few more miles than I had planned for on Monday, I gladly welcomed a "rest" day.  Although I didn't get out for a run I did make an awesome calzone for dinner that I whipped up from scratch.

Wednesday: 6, ~400' 1hr

On Wednesday, Michelle and I packed up our refrigerator, Gillie, and a few days of warm clothes and headed over to Michelle's parents to hunker down for the storm.  Last year, we had a lot of issues with losing power at our place and unfortunately lost a full refrigerator of food as a result of a power outage that lasted a few days.  Around two, the snow started falling heavy and continued to amass overnight and through half of Thursday.

Despite the heavy snow, I put on a few layers and headed out into the snowy evening.  The snow falling in combination with a strong wind was pretty brutal and I was wishing I had snow goggles but had to settle for sunglasses...which didn't really work because it got dark pretty early into my run, which meant that my tinted shades made it near impossible to run in.  I took the TS4 with me on the run and grabbed a few photos of me playing in the snow!

Pretty amazing to see how dark it got in the hour I was out running!

Thursday: 6, ~350' 1hr

I managed to get out on Thursday and get in another 6 miles despite the 20+ inches of snow on the ground.  My run was limited to the streets that were plowed but I was happy to get in 6 when most folks in Blacksburg were post holing to run two or three miles.

Before my run, Michelle and I went out to enjoy the snow and the day off from classes.  To put in perspective the rarity of Virginia Tech canceling classes, consider the following: In the 142 year history of Virginia Tech, Thursday and Friday were the 9th and 10th snow days.  Ever.

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Race Holiday Lake 50k - 16th

If you missed my blog earlier in the week about the race, you can check it out HERE.  I read this earlier in the week and had to share as it describes the race better than I can.

"You could try to run in another runners tracks, but you quickly found out that the snow never really packed down because it was wet…it just kind of slid somewhere else. Fail. Or you could just make your own brand new tracks in the crust – predictable, but immediately tiring and wet below the crust. Fail. Or, you could simply run straight ahead, not thinking and just taking what came to you, which made for really unpredictable footing. Fail. So there you have it, that’s what the FIRST loop would be like – trying to get good footing and failing. Trying to get some semblance of a normal running stride and failing. Trying to get into any kind of zone and failing. You get the picture."  John Anderson

It was a crazy race and one for the memory books.
  

Totals for the week:

Distance: 53.4

Elevations: 3150'

Duration: 8.75hr

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Where's Waldo Wednesday - 4/25/13-5/15/13

Where's Waldo Wednesday - The point of the week where more is behind than ahead and the weekend, and thus playtime, is the bright light at the end of the tunnel.  Why did I call it Where's Waldo Wednesday?  No particular reason really...other than I like alliteration and it is fun to say.  Try saying it five times fast!

A weekly (more like biweekly) series of what's new around here and other ramblings like things I found interesting on the internet this week or cool runs I did, kind of like a weekly synopsis.  Originally, I was going to do this on Sunday and call it Sunday Synopsis but then I couldn't decide between Sunday Synopsis and Sunday Summary...so I did the only logical thing and decided to write it on Wednesday?

This week's post is somewhat of a triple? double header because I missed last week but there are some fun/important things to include...so you get three two for the price of one.  Also, that means this post is probably WAY too long for you so you may just want to skip through to options of interest.

The Week's Happenings

It has been a busy couple weeks around here.  This morning, I took my last final for the semester bringing the first year of graduate school to a close.  It has been a phenomenal year but boy am I glad that it's over.  I have to admit, I was shocked when I learned that I would need 18 additional math credits to be a "highly qualified" teacher per Virginia requirements, especially considering my undergraduate was in engineering, a math heavy major.  I have truly enjoyed being back in the classroom and a student at Virginia Tech again but look forward to having my own classroom and beginning my career as a secondary mathematics teacher.  I now have a couple weeks off before beginning my first of two summer sessions the Tuesday after memorial day.  I plan to head to the Outer Banks with my parents and grandparents for a week this Saturday, unfortunately sans Michelle as her summer session begins next Monday.

Here's a recap of the past couple weeks:

1. I Scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!  A few weeks ago Michelle and I received the ice cream maker attachment for our KitchenAid Mixer (which WE LOVE!!!) from my parents (Thank you again!) as an engagement gift and have been making lots of delicious sorbet and ice cream!  Our first attempt was...well...a valuable learning experience.  However, the next attempt which was not ice cream but instead a mango sorbet was much more successful...and delicious.  The recipes have all come from a book that my parents bought with our ice cream maker, The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, which has over 500 recipes.

2. Running and riding to recover.  Having run Promise Land the previous Saturday it took me a few days to get my legs moving normally again (i.e. not walk down stairs funny).  I had hoped to get out on a ride Saturday after returning home from the race but the weather kept us indoors (read: not riding but eating Cabo and drinking "recovery" margaritas") but on Tuesday I managed get out for a nice active recovery ride.  I'm ashamed to say that the Madone, and all of the bikes for that matter, have collected a serious amount of dust.  Pretty sad but with the weather finally actually feeling like spring we're doing out best to dust them off.

Recovery Ride on the Huckleberry Trail!

I'm really happy with how I recovered from Promise Land, only taking off Sunday and Monday and getting in my first run on Wednesday.  Considering that I ran 34 miles on Saturday I was very pleased to get in 31 miles  for the week right after an ultra, much better than recovering from a marathon.  

First post-Promise Land run

On Friday, I headed over to Radford to give the Subaru some love and get in a run with Michelle.  We went out for a very relaxed trot in Bisset Park down on the New River.  I had run the path that links Bisset Park and Wildwood park on previous runs but had never noticed the trails that were higher up on the sides of the valley until...well I was running slow enough that I actually looked around.  We did an out-and-back and I convinced Michelle to "explore" with me on the way back.  It was a much cooler run on the trails!

Trails in Wildwood Park Radford, VA

Massive fallen tree.

Run in Bisset/Wildwood Park.  After we returned to Bisset Park, I went out and few a segments on Strava and managed to get two of the three I went for.

On Saturday, I headed out to Pandapas and managed to get in 8 miles.  I had initially planned to do more but judged it by how I felt and decided 8 was sufficient.  The beauty of Jefferson National is incredible, I've really fallen in love with running on the trails.

Poverty Creek

Poverty Creek in Jefferson National Park.

8 Miles in Pandapas (Jefferson National)

3. McAfee's Knob Sunrise Run.  In case you missed my post earlier last, I ran to McAfee's Knob at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning. Read all about it HERE.

McAfee's Knob Panaroma

4. Stride Box!  A few weeks ago I participated in my first RunChat which is a Twitter chat that occurs on Sunday evenings using the hashtag #RunChat.  Runners from all over the world join for an hour to participate in a question and answer format discussion that usually involves five or six questions.  The sponsor for that particular RunChat was StrideBox, a monthly subscription for runners ($15) that sends a box to your door once a month with different nutrition and running products, I decided to enroll for May to see what all of the craze was about.  I received my first box last Monday and was pretty excited to see what was in it.  I have to admit that I'm not too excited about the shoe product that came in box, mainly because I don't really think I'll use it, but the nutrition alone in the box was worth more than $15.  I want to give the subscription service a fair try but I'm not too sure how long I'll stay enrolled.

May StrideBox

5. BodPod Testing!  There are plenty of disadvantages of going to large school but every now and then some of the advantages really make it worth it, in this case access to BodPod testing is one of those advantages.  I wanted to take advantage of the free BodPod testing week in the fall but never made it over to that side of campus.  However, for a small fee students can schedule a BodPod test at almost any time.  I have been using the Withings Wi-Fi scale for a few years now but always wondered about the accuracy of the body fat measurements it provides, it uses electrical impedance.  I weighed myself on Wednesday morning, which happened to be the last day of classes (Yay!), and headed over to McComas, one of the gyms on campus.  The Withings Wi-Fi scale provided the following information:  Weight=155.4lb and 12.7% fat.  

I let the student doing the analysis know that I write a blog and wanted to grab photos and he had no problem and agreed to take a few of me in the BodPod.

McComas Fitness Assessment Center

The white cylinder to the left of the BodPod is used to calibrate the machine.

The entire process took about 15 minutes including changing into compression shorts I brought with me and the three tests.  Super easy!  Each test takes about a minute and uses the volume displacement between the chamber you sit in and the chamber behind the seat with your weight measurement (notice the scale at the very left in the left photo above) to determine your lean and fat mass.  The only instructions are to breath normally and try to avoid large movements.  

Read more about how the BodPod works HERE.

I was really surprised by the results, which have a tolerance of 2% but hey, I'll take 8.7% fat or 10.7% for that matter!

6. Running and Eating.  The rest of the week was well...uneventful and mainly involved running, eating, and repeating. On Thursday, I went out for the last group run of the semester with the UltraVT gang and we got in 7 miles and explored a few trails I had never been on.  Running with a group has been awesome!  Not only do I genuinely enjoy running with everyone but I feel like I have learned a lot as a result.

Thursday Night Group Run

Michelle and I took Gillie for a nice long walk on Friday afternoon and it was just fantastic to be outside and enjoy the spring weather.

Gorgeous day for a walk.

Gillie enjoying being out and about!

We've taught her to drink out of water bottle.

After our walk I headed out for a quick run and just barely managed to beat the rain on my way home.  I was really fortunate because it poured for the rest of the night!

Taco salad with fresh corn, avocado, sautéed onions and poblano peppers, and we made taco bowls from these neat trays my grandmother bought us.  Run, eat, and repeat.

On Sunday, I headed out for a long run in Pandapas and managed to get in 15 miles.  I brought along with me a few items from May's StrideBox to try.  I really liked the Bonk Breaker PB&J, it was delicious and hit the spot around mile 7 or so.  The Honey Stinger Cherry Cola gummies were good but I'm not sure I'd buy them if I saw them in a store.  That's part of the beauty of StrideBox is the opportunity to try new products for cheaper than I would have purchased it in a store and also try things I may not be inclined buy normally.

Honey Stinger Cherry Cola Gummies and Bonk Breakers PB&J.

The run was not one of my smoothest runs feeling slow and tired from the start but I'm really proud of myself for finishing the run and not calling the day early.

After my run, Michelle and I made some awesome Huevos Rancheros...and as Michelle puts it, "it was freaking good!"

The spread on the tortilla was so flavorful and Michelle made the salsa fresh that morning.  RECIPE.

7. I WON I WON I WON...again!  I should go buy a lottery ticket because I'm on a lucky streak.  A few weeks ago I won a book, Learning to Fly by Steph Davis, from Clif via an Instragram reply.  On Sunday, I participated in the RunChat again and replied to a few of the questions throughout the hour.  I must have turned off the connect Twitter notification because the tweet that notified me that I won went unnoticed for couple hours, granted we were driving home from the afternoon at Michelle's parents, but I was very excited once I realized I had won!  Two of us had won a copy of The Runner's World Complete Guide to Minimalism and Barefoot Running by Scott Douglas which I think will be an interesting read.  Can't wait to get it in the mail!

Congrats to @rbsherfy and @brignut44! You've won the @mescottdouglas book. Please DM me your mailing address. #RunChat
— David H. (@RunningBecause) May 13, 2013

8. Grocery Ride.  As I mentioned earlier, all of the bikes collected a fair amount of dust over the winter.  Michelle and I decided we would go for a ride on Monday evening and that we would pick up some groceries on the way.  It is incredible how cheap it is to eat healthy.  We only shopped in the produce section and I bought kale, two english cucumbers, tomatoes on the vine, and fuji and gala apples for only $6.*#.  Pretty awesome!  Even better is that we rode there...and most of the way home.  The hill home is not too bad...if you don't mind getting sweaty every time you want to go home but the bus also has two slots for bikes on the front, which we took full advantage of.  Hey, we still rode 5+ miles to get the groceries instead of the typical American who hops in their car!  I brought my camera along and grabbed plenty of funny photos.

The ride was pretty casual...and at this point Michelle seemed to be enjoying it.

...and well...not enjoying it that much here.  The photo was just too good not to share.

Blacksburg is a gorgeous place to live!

After picking up the groceries.

Once we were on the bus, Michelle was...not pleased I was taking this photo but again...too good not to share!

9. Runble in Pandapas...or tumble in Pandapas.  Michelle and I are trying to run together.  I say trying because well...it's a work in a progress.  And progress is slow.  Anyone have suggestions?  Seriously, leave them in the comments...we'll try anything.  To complicate the situation, we decided to bring Gillie along for our run in Pandapas yesterday and Gillie doesn't really get the whole "pacing" thing.  Again, a work in progress.  This was Michelle's first run in Pandapas and we decided to do an eeasssy out-and-back along Poverty Creek.  I started out with Gillie and eventually, once she was more tired, handed her off to Michelle.  We "agreed" beforehand we would run about four miles and I tried to show Michelle the beauty and appreciation for the woods I've gained over the past few months of running in Jefferson National.  It was going good until Gillie decided to cross paths with Michelle and stop.  I had just pulled out my camera but just missed the acrobatics occurring right in front of me.  It was America's Funniest Home Videos worthy.

Michelle made us chocolate waffles before we ran.  Everything was from scratch including the chocolate batter, whipped cream, and strawberry syrup.

Michelle wanted to try out her hydration belt she picked up as she begins to train for the Hokie Half in September. 

Believe it or not I snagged this one while running...not too bad.  Also, this was pre-tumble as I have Gillie's leash in one hand and the camera in the other.

Michelle displaying her souvenir from her first trail run.  It's like a right of passage but maybe my "Welcome to trail running!" wasn't appropriate?

Around the lake we came across a few Geese that were very protective of their goslings and hissed at us we ran by.

"Guys, this running this is hard!"

Interesting Internet Findings

1. Active Google Glasses? Recon Instruments releases video for their new "active" Google glasses competition...and they look AWESOME! (via @DCRainmaker Tweet)

Impressive: Camera, ANT+, GPS, WiFi, BT. RT @recon: The Recon Jet, the groundbreaking Heads-up Display for sports reconinstruments.com/jet
— Ray Maker (@dcrainmakerblog) May 15, 2013

2. Want to run the ING NYC marathon?  Getting into the NYC marathon seems to be a bit of a hassle.  You can do the 9+1 guaranteed entry where you either have to run 9 of the NYRR races in addition to volunteering for one of the races (or donate $1000 instead of racing) in a calendar year or can go through the application (lottery) process.  Well there may be another New York marathon, or two, in the next couple years one of which will be run in Manhattan and the other in Brooklyn. Read it HERE (via Runners World)
3. Music video from space? A few Where's Waldo Wednesdays ago I posted a video from the Canadian Space Agency about what happens to tears in space.  The commander of the space station, until yesterday that is, released his farewell video, Space Oddity, as a sendoff and it went viral.  Check it out below:   
4. Behind the Shoes - The Boston Magazine Cover featuring shoes of Boston marathon runners.  Read it HERE (via +RunChat Twitter).

And with that...you're pretty much caught up on everything we've done over the past few weeks.  I'll save today's horrific run for another post.

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Where's Waldo Wednesday - 4/4/13-4/10/13

Where's Waldo Wednesday - The point of the week where more is behind than ahead and the weekend, and thus playtime, is the bright light at the end of the tunnel.  Why did I call it Where's Waldo Wednesday?  No particular reason really...other than I like alliteration and it is fun to say.  Try saying it five times fast!

A weekly series of what's new around here and other ramblings like things I found interesting on the internet this week or cool runs I did, kind of like a weekly synopsis.  Originally, I was going to do this on Sunday and call it Sunday Synopsis but then I couldn't decide between Sunday Synopsis and Sunday Summary...so I did the only logical thing and decided to write it on Wednesday? 

The Week's Happenings

1. Snow in April.  Only in Blacksburg. - Is this real life? The week was progressing like most other weeks this semester and I was on the downhill side of an easy week (academically) before things ramp up as the semester draws to a close.  Thursdays, I only have one class from 3:30-4:45 which means most of the day is spent catching up on work from the week (I will openly admit I am never 'ahead') in hopes of having a "relaxed" weekend.  The weather on Thursday had been very...Blacksburgesque, meaning gray and gloomy.  About a half hour into class the phone rang, this never happens, and I jokingly made a comment that class was cancelled because of weather.  It was.  Most of the class was in total disbelief because Virginia Tech has a habit of never canceling classes...except for that one time last fall!  The town was total chaos because Virginia Tech cancelled classes effectively immediately, causing a exodus of 25000 people from campus.  To further compound the problem, the roads were not prepared and the rate of snowfall was significant enough to cause major delays.  As in standstill.  Fortunately, I made it home without any problems (Subaru For the Win!) and had a somewhat productive evening.

It really accumulated quickly!

The two above photos say it all.  On Thursday we had about six inches of snow at the higher elevations (Including where I live) and the forecast for Friday had a high of 57...talk about identity issues Blacksburg! 

So my intention was to take these photos 24 hours apart but I wound up taking the second photo around 6ish on Friday...but ~25 hours will have to do.  A pretty big difference!  Even more incredible is that nearly all the snow had melted by 6PM the following day!

The weather made me want a warm comforting meal and I had been craving Thai so I tried one of the Campbell's Skillet meals I had in the pantry and dressed it up with things I had lying around.

Thai Green Curry with basmati rice, cilantro, and peanuts.

2. Trail Run...with 6+ inches of Snow!  I have enjoyed getting out and running on the trails in Jefferson National Forest over the past couple weeks but it adds about thirty minutes to a run because of the drive there and back.  Hence, it isn't always super practical to run there but I when I have the chance I try to seize the opportunity; Fridays are ideal because I only have one class that ends at 9:55.  I was not going to let a measly six inches of snow Thursday evening put a damper on my Friday morning run.  However, I did alter my initial plan, which included a ton of climbing, that would not have happened after I saw the conditions of the trails.  I was hoping because I was getting out there "early" that I would only catch the beginning of the melt off but as the picture above shows the snow melted fast which made Fridays run wet.  Wet and cold.  I had planned on doing 14 or so but after getting out there and changing routes I wound up settling on a loop about half as long.  I nearly turned around 1.5 miles in because my feet were so painfully cold from the 2" of standing water under the snow but decided to tough it out.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos on the run because I haven't figure out an ideal way to carry the camera when I don't have my hydration vest on...so you'll have to believe me!  I did take some photos after I got back to my car.

You can see at half past noon when I finished my run most of the snow in the parking lot was gone. 

To me, Friday meant the start of Chaco weather.  The. Best. Kind.  Snow or no snow!

Friday evening, Michelle and I were up to our usual dirtying every pot, utensil, and appliance in the kitchen!  On the menu for the evening: Calzones!  Michelle LOVES artichokes and I picked up this fun pizza book over break at Home Goods for cheap which just happened to have an artichoke-prosciutto-spinach calzone recipe.  As a first attempt, we were both very pleased with how they turned out although we both agree that next time we will make them smaller.  We've been making dough via the recipe from the book and it has turned out to be really easy to work with and the KitchenAid mixer makes cuts down the time to about 15 minutes including cleaning and washing the bowl (obviously this doesn't include the hour for the dough to proof).

We blanched the spinach by boiling it for ~30 seconds and then shocked it in an ice bath.  I was shocked (pun intended) by how much the spinach reduced, next time we'll have to double (maybe triple) the amount we use.

Cheesy goodness!  

(No.  I didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting.  I easily could have but showed self control).

As a side note, I had mentioned a few weeks ago at the Rock 'n' Roll USA marathon expo I created a video audition for TEAM REFUEL and had the card sitting at my desk reminding me that April 5th was the day they intended to post finalists.  Unfortunately, I was not one of them.  But NEXT TIME!

3. Operation Smile 5K - Dublin, VA - On Saturday morning, Michelle and I headed down to Dublin (the biggest city in the world! ....It's dublin' every day) for the Operation Smile 5K.  Michelle had signed up for the run through her masters program, I think there was some academic incentive but none the less a great cause, and I was along to spectate and support (read: ring a cowbell).

From Operation Smiles website:

We're a mobilized force of medical professionals and caring hearts who provide safe, effective reconstructive surgery and related medical care for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

The race was very small...maybe 50 participants combined in the running and walking categories.  We arrived a little before 8:30, the run did not start until 9, and mingled with other folks in Michelle's program until they held the pre-race briefing.

The race was held at Radolph Park "The Pride of Pulaski" which is a nice recreational/athletic facility.

When we arrived they were in the process of setting up the finish shoot.

The course began with three laps of the athletic fields prior to a short singletrack section in the woods followed by a lap of the perimeter of the park.  The gentleman who won had to have been in his early sixties..."beast" status!

Michelle finishing the run!

After the race they had a raffle and handed out plaques to the age group winners.  It was very different from most of the races I have done recently but it so nice to feel a sense of community between the runners and take a break from the "big box" races.

When we got home, I went out for a quick run before we were out the door again, heading north to Salem, to check out the "newly" opened Parkway Brewery!

4. Parkway Brewery - Ever since I heard the NRV (New River Valley) was getting a brewery (Bull & Bones doesn't count in my opinion) I had been been itching to check it out!  I liked their Facebook page and followed their opening but week after week was not able to make the short trip up the road for one reason or another.  We  finally made time on Saturday to go see if it would live up to the hype.  After I knocked out a quick run, we rode up to Salem with Michelle's parents and met up with some friends to see what the brewery had to offer and "carboload" for Sunday's long run.  The brewery does not serve foot but instead invites food trucks (Brooklyn Brewery does the same thing) as an option for patrons or allows food be brought in from the outside when in the absence of food trucks.  The brewery could be very easy to miss as you drive down the road as from the outside it's just a baby-poop-greenish industrial building but all of the cars outside gave it away...and also made parking a challenge but we managed.  Usually a good indicator!  It turned out to be a beautiful Saturday with temperatures in the 60's and it seemed like everyone had the same idea as us...so we snagged seating on the inside as most of the outdoor seating was taken.  The setup is very simple, a single bar opposite where you walk in and the rest of the area is filled with a bottling line, boxes of beer, as well as tables and benches to sit as you enjoy cold adult refreshments. 

The view as you enter the brewery. 

I have to admit, I was excited about going to the brewery and finally tasting their beers but I was way more excited to try Bruno's Gastrotruck!  Michelle and I...well...we're foodies and food trucks are pretty high up on our list.  Another reason why I wanted to get out on a run before we left for the brewery was because I knew exactly what I was going to order, the LE BACON ROYALE WITH CHEESE.  A play on Pulp Fiction for those that don't get the reference, STOP reading and watch this video first.

Bruno's Gastro Food Truck (HA! Didn't even realize I caught Cindy and Cheryl at the truck)

They actually pull the truck right into the brewery. One thing that I found neat was to see that they can operate off the location power which seems pretty logical but just wasn't something I had thought about.  You can actually just make out the chord in the photo above near the front left tire of the truck. 

Three of us stated with a "flight" or a 4oz (seemed bigger though) sample of their four beers for only $5, a great deal.  I loved their get Bent Mountain IPA which we wound up with a pitcher of.

My beautiful fiancé!

Now, the Le Royale with cheese was a Kobe Beef patty, Applewood smoked bacon, havarti, over easy egg, baby arugula, picked onions, tomato, and sriracha mayo.  It was THE. BOMB. DOT. COM!!! Michelle had a beef tip wiz' wit (Philly-peeps) that was also amazing.  

Verdict: Bruno's Gastrotruck - Five Stars!

**(It was a bit pricey in my opinion, would've thought ~$8 for the burger instead of $10)**

LE ROYALE WITH CHEESE

I digress...back to the brewery.  It is super impressive that they already have a bottling line and are distributing in Blacksburg...well their Baltic Porter in 22oz. bottles is at the speciality stores in Blacksburg and they had everything else available for purchase there at the brewery. 

Bottling line.

Not quite sure what this thing does as the line wasn't running while we were there (obviously) but I'm guessing this is the capper?

5. Sunday Long Run - Sunday started early for me as Michelle and I planned to go to church at 11 and I wanted to get a long run in...that meant leaving the house a little before 7:30 and just getting in the door at 10:00AM to stretch, shower, eat, and get to church.  And we made it.  With time to spare!  This was my longest run since the Rock 'n' Roll USA marathon and it felt really good.  It started out a little chilly, 45 degrees, but warmed up nicely throughout the run.

Details: 

Totals for the week: 4/1/13-4/7/13 (I always start my weeks on Monday)

Mileage: 44   

Elevation Gain: 4,019 ft.  

My highest mileage week this year.

6. Spring is FINALLY HERE! - I had forgotten how long and depressing a Blacksburg winter could be, not that I'm complaining, but the opportunity to run in shorts and short sleeves over the past week has been AWESOME!  The start of this week was super busy and the next 6 weeks look to be even more so.

Interesting Internet Findings

1. Canadian Space Agency Informative Video - Ever wonder what would happen if you cried in space?  Yeah.  Think about that for a minute.  Well the Canadian space agency decide to create an informative video about it.  Pretty wild what happens! 
2. Social Media Brings Back a Retired Shoe from Brooks - #OperationSaveTheLaunch - The Launch is Back!  Honestly, I could care less but I love social media and think this is an awesome example of the power of it. Read it HERE (via Brooks Blog)
3. 12 Year-old WINS Cherry Blossom 5K?!? - Yep.  You read that right.  A 12 year old won the Cherry Blossom 5K.  I'll say it again.  A 12 year old won the Cherry Blossom 5K.  While I applied to run the Cherry Blossom 10 miler this year, my application was not accepted so I only have to be rejected one more year before automatic acceptance.  It was tough reading all of the posts about it but it's high on my dream list! Read it HERE (via Washingtonian)
4. "The truth is, I hate to run. It’s just a means to an end. I like to race, but I hate to run." - Interesting article on one runners realization waiting for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler to start.  Super brief but I really enjoyed the read because I understand where he's coming from and wrote something similar a few weeks ago. Read it HERE (via Forbes)
5. 91 Year-old Run 3:04 Half-marathon!!! (I have to admit, I originally thought it was a 3:04 marathon and was going to quit running altogether) And you thought a 12 year old winning Cherry Blossom 5K was impressive.  Talk about the real deal!  Read it HERE (via Runnersworld)
6. Ultrarunner Survives Avalanche Scare while Climbing - A scary and humbling thought about how we handle our trips out into the woods, even if were just going for a few quick miles. #RespectMotherNature  Read it Here (via Ultimate Direction Blog)
7. Meb Keflezighi Withdraws from Boston! - With the Boston Marathon this weekend it is disappointing most of the American hopefuls have withdrawn from the race (Meb and Ryan Hall). Read it Here (via Meb's Blog)

That's it!  Hopefully you enjoyed my ramblings and seeing what I've been up to this week. This weekend we head down to Charlotte for a friends wedding but not before the 3.2 for 32 - Run in Remembrance Saturday morning.  I'm so looking forward to getting back to the Queen City!   Leave some love!

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