Adventures on Wasp Bridge

Today I went back to Cook's Trail. I wanted to try it again. I ran with my friend Sally, who is SUPER FAST, but seemed interested in trying a new trail.

It's always better to run with someone, so I was thrilled she came out there.

Also, I heard rumors that there is a giant turtle who lives under one of the boardwalks, and sometimes you can see him out and about eating leaves. I want to see the turtle!

We met at 8 a.m. Which was still too early for me, but the air was already muggy. I didn't want to run any later because it would be HOT.

I got to the nature center early (no traffic) and had time to stretch and watch other hikers and runners, who thankfully cleared the spider webs before us.

We started our run and Matt met us, he wanted to do the route, but in the opposite direction. So we ran together for about 3.5 miles.

We started off slow. A nice warm up run. I thought the split was TOO slow but I think that's actually what you're supposed to do for the first mile of a long run.

The warning
At about mile two, we were met by two of the ladies I'd seen leave a few minutes before us (they were wearing knee socks, which seemed like a very smart idea). They were running back. The stopped us to tell us about WASPS. A swarm of angry wasps on a bridge. One lady was stung five times. The other once.

This freaked me right out. I was scared. I HATE WASPS.

The ladies told us our best bet was to sprint one at a time over the bridge IF we had to cross.

We were 2 miles in an 8 mile run. I needed to get my miles in. Matt needed to get back to his car. Ugh.

We decided to see how bad the bridge was and then decide.

They told us it was the second section of the metal bridge.

So every bridge we went across with trepidation. We finally got to a two section bridge. I hung back and didn't want to cross it. Matt crossed it. Sally crossed it. Nothing. I ran for my life. And nothing. Maybe the next bridge? But there wasn't a next bridge.

We hypothesized that maybe the wasps were just passing through. I was imagining a huge black cloud of buzzing wasps.

We ran to the halfway point in the trail and turned around. Matt left us for another route. And again, a group of three ladies stopped us to warn us of the wasps. We didn't see them the first time, we told them.

We kept running. At a good pace, I should add. And we saw another runners we knew.

"Hi Katie," I saw to a lady who I think works at one of the running stores. And Sally and I discuss whether it was Katie. I say we'll find out on Strava later.

The wasps
And then we come to the bridge not worried at all. I run across it.

And Sally runs across it and Sally screams. She has found the wasps.

My response was to take off like Usain bolt across the second bridge. I don't want to be anywhere near wasps.

Sally catches up and says she hasn't been stung. I'm about to start running again, when it's clear she needs a minute. I'm looking at her for wasps, when I notice that her shirt is BUZZING—specifically the shoulder that's closest to me.

"It's in your shirt," I say. "TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT."

Yes, I'm with my new friend in middle of the woods telling her to take off her clothes.

She whips the shirt of in a nanosecond and throws it to the ground. (I don't know any other way to get a wasp out of a shirt).

No stings.

And I look at her. What do we do?

She's ready to leave the shirt. But it's her Ath-Half shirt. So we should try to get the wasp out, right?

We poke at it with sticks. The wasp is still in there. Eventually, she unfolds the shirt and the wasp is sitting there dazed. In a few seconds, it walks off the shirt. I'm wondering if she's going to let it fly away, but she clobbers in with a big stick.

She puts the shirt back on (I wouldn't have!) and we set back to our run. Completely weirded out. It was so scary. Ugh.

We finish our run and can't stop talking about the wasp. We warn people we see. The wasps bothered other people too.

I am SO GLAD we didn't get stung. It was kind of an adventure, but super scary. No more wasps. Katie saw a snake on her run. And no one saw the turtle, so......not the creatures we were looking for.

And if you need a new interval workout, just sprint the bridges and boardwalks on Cook's Trail.

Cook's Trail

Cook's Trail is the trail that goes from Sandy Creek Nature Center to Sandy Creek Park. I've wanted to try it for awhile. It's an out and back trail that's a little less than 4 miles each way.

And today it was part of the Athens Road Runners Trail Series. I was excited to finally try it.

The group met at 6 p.m. The group's plan was to run 6 miles. To run three and then turn back, or whatever distance you wanted.

There were almost 20 people there—a good crowd. And we ran. I ran with Michael Klipper and Team Sara (Cera Jones, and Sarah Everett) and a few others. Pace was around 9:30 a mile. THEN I decided to BE CRAZY and run all of Cook's trail, which is about 4 in and then 4 back. I figured someone else would want to do the whole trail.

Nope. Just me. I ran the extra mile. And it was a hilly mile. The first half mile was OKAY and then it got mountainous. I walked the hill (So 11 minute mile)  and then I got back to normal, easy-isn pace. (It was hot. so hot!)

Overall, I really liked the trail. And you have to do the out and back. You can't get to mile 6 and hop back to your car (no giving up). So I think I'd like for my long run. I'd definitely go back. (I like it better than the lakeside trail.)

• The trail was a little muddy the day we went. Apparently it wasn't too bad.
• One of the bridges was very bouncy (watch out!) I wasn't expecting that
• It was pretty flat and not too hilly, except for in mile 3-4. That last half mile after the gate is brutal
• There's lots of boardwalk to run on. (Some of it is slippery, but not too bad)
• There's a cool section that runs UNDER the road. (HOW COOL IS THAT!?)

There were also some cool bug sculptures.

January workout highlights

Workouts: Month in review

13 runs for 61 miles

4 yoga classes

3 BodyPump class

3 pilates classes

2 gymnastics classes

2 home workouts

6 off days 

January highlights

The month started off a little slow with me in holiday mode—but with some double workouts in, I'm definitely back to gym rat status. I'm doing the same classes that I like. I haven't tried any new classes, but a few highlights for the month.

• Signing up for races Will race in 2017. At least twice as much as 2016 ;) 

I know I'm doing 6.6 miles in the Chick-Fil-A half in April and a trail race March 19 I have a bunch of others I'm thinking about including a 10k in February. 

• Completing the Lululemon Strava challenge for a free Swiftly shirtsleeve (and guacamole!)

• Increasing my weight in Bodypump. Woot! 

• Increasing my distance! I have been gradually increasing the distance I run. This time last year I was running 3-4 miles. I don't see a run over 4 miles until July. I've increased from 4 to 5 and change. I finally got to 6 miles this month and can do a 10k. Which is awesome.

(Running longer distances = blood blisters on my feet. I'm between shoes. Retiring old and breaking in new) 

Blood blisters

Just leave them if they're under a callus. They're fine.

• Finally running at Sandy Creek Park. I should make a list of area trails to try.

• Also, I was pretty good with meal prep. Definitely makes a difference!

Goals for next month: 

1) Mileage up to 7 miles

2)  Run better at Sandy Creek (less walking! less falling) 

3) Try a new trail if the weather (maybe make a list of trails in the area to try. Can you tell I love lists?)

4) Stay healthy! 

First 5k: Primal Rush Trail 5K at Crow's Lake

Start line. I'm in the tank next to the guy in neon. 

I'd like to call this my first 5k.

I haven't run since 2001 when I did a 5k my senior year of high school after cross country season before track season. That is the last 5k I ran. So I have run 5ks, but not as adult.

So today was my first-ish 5k.

I picked it because it was a trail 5k (I don't run on roads) and it's about time I run a 5k. I run. Everyone asks if I run races. But I don't. So I decided to run one. (I guess I just don't see the point of paying to run when you can run for free.) It was near our town. And it was a fundraiser for the organization my husband did his eagle scout project. Also only $20 with T-shirt, so cheap for a 5k.  My husband and I both signed up.

I googled what to do before a race probably 20 times this week. I ate really clean all week. I had my clothes laid out by Wednesday. On Thursday I ran a mile at race pace but generally took the day off (I was tired). On Friday I didn't eat the donuts in the break room, went to yoga after work and packed my bag for the race.

I've been able to run 3.1 miles since February of 2015, so it was probably time to do the race.

I got up good and early the morning of.
• I was ready to go at 7:15 a.m. and Matt was still in the bed.
• We left at 7:33. Matt grumbled that the garage door took 6x to try and close.
• He didn't like the Starbucks drink I got him so we had to stop at a gas station.
• Matt thinks the race starts at 9:30 a.m. It starts at 9 a.m. and we're supposed to be there at 8 a.m. Matt rants about the traffic backup there will likely be.
• At 7:50 a.m. Matt realizes he forgot his watch at home.
• At 8:15 we get there. No traffic backup, traffic is fine. They have our registrations. We walk around stretch. (My size small shirt is way too big!)
• At 8:45 a.m. we line up at the starting line. My heart is racing I try to calm down. (There's a cross country coach who tells her competing team that it's really 3.3 miles. This is an excellent bit of information.)
• 9 a.m. race starts.

I start at the front of the pack. I know there are a ton of slow runners and I'd rather not work my way up through. I start out at 7:30 mile pace. I'm the only woman out front. There's a hill. It slows me down. It's huge and muddy. And there aren't downhills to match the uphills. It's uphills both ways. It's .5 miles in and THIS IS A TOUGH COURSE. It's not flat in the least.

Also, the course is marked—but nowhere does it say .5 miles, 1 mile, 1.5 mile etc. That would have been helpful.

My first mile is 7:56—and perfect considering I was shooting for 8 minute miles. It felt much slower with all of the hills (including a big steep one).

Mile 2. Already I'm dying. I'm slightly dizzy and wondering about not finishing the race. I want to puke. A few high school girls have passed me. No one my age though.

Mile 3. More uphills. I roll my ankle in the trail. I halfway roll it anyway. My ankle goes one way, my body goes 45 degrees to the right. It's a very Gumby like move. My ankles are super strong though, so I'm fine. (I'm wondering if I really roll it, if I can stop running!) I actually start to walk at this point. I see Matt behind me and I really want him to catch me so we can run together. I need the support. He doesn't. I walk again. It's so hot and humid. 83 degrees, humidity probably 93%. This is the worst run I've had in months. (Part of it is mental. I am tougher than this.) I put my watch on distance mode to see how much I have left. It cycles and cycles and can never figure it out so I'm running clueless. There's no one in front of me. I think I took a wrong turn and am running some different part of the course. I see a water stand and figure I'm in the right place.

Finally, my watch chimes that I've travelled 3 miles (which means I've traveled more than 3. It underestimates me by about  10% consistently). The end is no where is sight. I see a building, but it's a false hope. It's still not the end. I run. My legs are lead. When can I walk? I finally see the end. The clock is almost at 30:00.

This is officially the slowest 5k I've run in my life. I try desperately to beat 30, but don't have enough left in my legs. (I shouldn't have walked or waited for Matt). I finish in 30.06.

I shut off my watch without looking at it. I don't want to know.

Then, immediately go to the bathroom. I have to pee.

Matt finishes a minute after me. I grab water and a banana. And generally walk around like I'm lost. I fill in my race card.

They start handing out award for earlier races a 20k and a 10k. I go to congratulate a friend of Matt's family who I work with. She did the 10k.  (The 10k started at 8 a.m. and that would have been a better time to run.)

I start to think that I won my age group (despite running the worst race ever). Only the high school girls passed me and that's something! Matt tells me they placed my race card with the men (because I'm a beast. I definitely put it in the women's bin). And for a while I think that I won my age group only because there was no one else. There was—40 places behind me.

We wait around in our sweaty clothes. We watch the leader board carefully.

So I win my age group. And that was my goal for the day.

I get my medal. Matt also wins his age group and gets a medal.

I finished 20th overall. I'm 5th for the women. 4 cross country team members in front of me. In fact, if that cross country team hadn't have run I would have finished 8th overall with only men in front of me. (The cross country runners should have their own division! I did finish in front of more than half of their girls).

We take pictures with our medals. And go to Matt's parents for brunch. I AM STARVING.

And it's Matt's first running medal :) Which is cute. So he's happy we picked a relatively uncompetitive 5k. (The Chilly Dawg that he ran last January had like 500 runners with plenty of women running 18-20 minute 5ks. He said that course was FLAT compared to this beast.)

And when I finally get brave enough to check my splits—And notice that my watch says 3.53 miles for my run.

Splits:
Mile 1: 7:56
Mile: 2: 8:23 (Which is actually decent pace)
Mile 3: Too slow. But under 10.
Mile 4: Not accurate since I stood around at the finish line deliriously

I know the coach had said the race was 3.3 but they apparently added some switch backs to the course this time (Matt noticed a sign changed) and added some length. Everyone Matt talked to said their GPS read 3.5. Even our friend that ran the 10k said the course was not 6.2.

I actually ran my 3 miles in 25:56 according to my apple watch (Which underestimates my speed. It says I run slower than I actually do. I can't get it to calibrate correctly.)  So maybe 30 minutes isn't bad for a hilly 3.5? I guess it's not bad for a first race.

And I'm okay with my time.

Until....

Then that evening I get the race email. And it tells me my SLOW AS HECK RACE PACE and links to the timing and race results. Which I'm honestly embarrassed by. But it wasn't a 5k. It was 3.5 miles or 5.5k. So I din't actually run that slow. I wish I could correct it. I delete the email so no one thinks I'm slow.

Review of Crow's Lake 5K course
If anyone is thinking of running the 5k course at Crow's lake—it is difficult. There's a big hill in the first mile. And lot of little hills in it. Expect to run a good minute slower per mile than your road pace. This course is about 3x harder than the Intramural fields at UGA and almost on par with the White Trail at the State Botanical Garden. The course is hard for a cross country course and has lots of places to roll your ankle. NOT a fast course. You will not PR on this course. Part of it is in shade, but not enough to be a cooling factor like some trails.

I'm not sure I'd run this one again. We'll see. I'd say it was well organized. And I would have liked more cheering!

Unintentional mud run

I haven't run a trail in a month. It's been too cold. (I have asthma and cold air constricts my air ways.)

It was over 60 degrees today, so I decided to try a trail run. I sped home, changed in a hurry (wished I had packed running clothes), sped over to the botanical garden, did a too quick stretch and then hit the trails.

Only it was muddy. Really muddy. I forgot that it had rained recently.

I kept running around the trails, trying to go around the mud puddles and do some fancy footwork when I did have to step in the mud. Then I got to my favorite part of the trail—the flat sandy part by the river and it was swamp. There was no trail to run on.

I think the massive rains from a few weeks ago overflowed the river onto the trail. There was only mud.

I looked at that swamp. And was grateful I had worn my oldest shoes. I then turned around and ran back the way I came.

I ran back to the start and to the hilly white trail. It was not rained out. I got 30 minutes in. Super slow, but it was still nice to run on a trail and not 30 laps around the indoor track dodging and weaving oblivious walkers.

Observations:
• Saw a deer at dusk. Said hi. Deer said not to talk to it.
• A squirrel jumped out and scared the bejeezus out of me. Seriously this happens a few times every time I run here. !

When I got home, I spent about 20 minutes cleaning my shoes before the mud could dry. I paid too much for my Asics for one mud run to ruin them. I still have some miles in them and want them to last as long as possible.

Cleaning my shoes splattered mud on my neon shirt. This mud did not come out in the wash. I'll try again.

Lunchbreak 5k

After two weeks of running a lot of trails, I headed back to the indoor track today. It was my lunch break. The goal was just to get some miles in.

I ran that first lap at 46 seconds, which was smoking. I felt fast. After taking Thursday off, I felt great.
I wanted to know how fast I could run a mile: 7:26. I was competing with a walking class and dodging people so that's not bad!

I went on to run 3 miles in 24:14. I let out a whoop when I was done. I shaved off 20 seconds from my previous fastest time. (And that was better than my fastest cross country time sophomore year.)

How awesome is that?

I feel like all those trails are really paying off. Trails are hard and I don't feel like I've run that many hills, but just been getting more mileage in and that bit of hills in the trails, my times are dropping.

Granted,  running trails really hard on my body. My back's been really achey. Everything hurts. I think I need to to go to the indoor track once a week or so because it's not as hard on my joints or lungs as outside. But it was awesome to knock that workout on my lunch break. It freed up my evening, so the husband and I went to get cheap Mexican. After smoking that workout, I totally deserved fish tacos :)

Happy running!

Nerdy Girl's Guide to getting lost on a trail run

I used to love to run trails. Love. The nature. The way it cleared my head.

I'm trying to get back into running so I decide a Saturday morning trail run was exactly what I needed.

Let's be clear, I haven't done this in 15 years. I run the intramural trails with my husband on occasion, but it always kicks my butt.

I can run 3.5 miles inside no problem and need to increase my mileage, so I google nearby trails and decided to go to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. They have PDFs of their trail maps. I look at them. And decided the white trail, at 3.22 miles was perfect. Finish in 27-30 minutes is my goal.

The trail is a 5-minute drive from my house and I get there when the garden first opens. I find the trail head no problem. I put my iPod and my iPhone in my sports bras pocket and go for a run. 7 minutes in and there are hills! Like hills at a 50 degree angle. I'm dying. I try to get to 10 minutes before I walk. And I'm clearing all of the spider webs as I run. And freaking out about spiders falling on me. (I think I only get bit once by a baby spider on my elbow.)

And the trail is narrow. Grasses are whipping my thighs as I whip through thickets. (I'm worrying about chiggers).

I'm running and worrying about snakes. And the trail is difficult. There are roots sticking out everywhere. There's rocks to avoid and sharp turns and steep angles.

And I realize that running a 3.2 mile trail BY MYSELF is probably a bad idea. I have my iPhone, so should I twist my ankle I could call for help (I'm somewhere on the white trail.) The trail runs by streams. I could fall in and short my iPhone and be stranded until someone comes nearby.

I see a deer. And aww....this is why I run trails. And it feels so good to speed down an uneven slope and know that I can gauge my stride exactly. And that I know what I'm doing and feel great.

And then there are the hills. I let myself walk some. This is about getting back into running shape.

The run goes on and on. And I know my time won't be great. I check my distance traveled on my iPhone, and its 2.8 miles. I've got another half mile in me so I run some more. And more and more.

The trail is very well marked. There are signs that say white trail constantly, and trees marked in white paint so you know you're going the right way. But when my GPS says 4.2 miles—I know something went wrong.

I ask Siri how to get to the parking lot. She asks me what parking lot. Maybe the IM fields parking lot. I tell her I'm lost. She's no help. Grr!!

At this point my goal is to just get out of here. And I find a map. I take one way. And double back. And finally I get back on the never-ending white trail. And I see the road that I drove in on! The trail seems to be leading away from the road, so screw this trail. I climb down a ledge to the road. I will not let this trail beat me. And I find my way back to my car. 4.6 miles and 50 minutes later. I wanted to increase my distance, but that's not quite what I wanted.

So maybe not my best idea. But I need to conquer this trail (the website describes this trail as "our longest trail and our most chal­leng­ing to hike." I want to go back so I can best it. And see if it is 3.2 or 5 miles long! Maybe I should walk it first.  Or go with a partner that can run ahead of me and clear the spiderwebs.

Celebrating after making my way back to civilization.