Glaciers A Go-Go?

More like "Glaciers a No-No" for me. See what I did there? If not, then clearly we're not friends on facebook. This saddens me greatly.

Anyway...

I had my first race ever on Saturday, 10th of August. The Glacier 3000 Run was 26k with an incline of 1900 meters from the gorgeous ski resort town of Gstaad to the top of a glacier in Les Diablerets.

At the starting line I was feeling nervous, but also excited...

With these guys rocking out on the alpine horns (in front of Louis Vuitton no less), you couldn't help but be pumped for a day of running in the mountains.

And with a multilingual countdown (in German, French and English), we were off!

The running bit was fantastic (you will see why I specify 'the running bit' shortly). The whole time you could see the Les Diablerets getting closer and closer. I wanted to make the absolute most of this race, so I kept my phone close at hand with the plan to capture some actions shots, so long as it didn't get in the way of the actual running!

At the 10k mark I came across these guys... not only did they quite like having their photo taken as they shook their ginormous cow bells, but this photo also serves as photographic evidence of me ahead of someone. Booyah.

The locals were out in force, cheering on the runners with chants of "hop hop!", the Swiss equivalent to "go go!".  Because you have your name on your race number, the more daring and forward Swiss would even cheer your actual name.

These kids were awesome - hearing them chant "hop hop Yen-nee-fair!" in their Swiss French accents and giving them high fives was possibly the highlight of the race - and this was only in the first 7k.

I reached the 17.5k point and heard a booming voice chime in. "Is that you, God?" I thought. But then I realized there was an announcer telling all the runners they only had 10k to go and to "hop hop!". The announcer then proceeded to tell everyone that my name was "Yen-nee-fair" and this was my first race. Maybe she was God after all...

"Thanks for the water - okloveyoubyyyyyye!"

So remember earlier when I said I would shortly explain why I specified "running bit"? Here's where I explain that. Right beyond this very shed the course changed entirely, going from rolling trails to a pretty gnarly incline with switchbacks that carried on for around 2.5k. Here my strategy was to conserve energy (for the glacier, obvs!), so I took it down a gear from a slow run to a brisk hike. I decided to send a text message - it unfortunately didn't send, but here's what it said:

"The good news: I'm not in last place. The bad news: there's an octogenarian hot on my tail!"

At the 20k mark the trail changed once again, and not in my favor: from dirt switchbacks to loose moraine rocks and an even steeper incline. All race long I had felt fantastic and genuinely amazed at what this old bag of bones I call a body was able to do with 4 months of training. However, with one look up and the realization that nowhere on the remaining course will it flatten out, I started to lose my mojo a bit:

"Is that a chairlift I hear, or circling vultures?"

The next 6.5k would be just like this, with the runners having to zigzag their way over rocks hand over foot. Even if I was still capable of running, I wouldn't be able to because all the loose rocks underfoot meant you had to strategically place each step or risk rolling an ankle and sliding back down the mountain. Shortly my "brisk hike", was gradually turning into a drunken stagger.

And then my calves gave out.

And then I started to cry.

And then I started to hyperventilate.

And then I started to vomit.

By 21k I was stopped by a race volunteer who made me sit down and take a few breaths. He kept telling me "piano... piano"... which in Italian means "take it easy". He gave me a pat on the back and stayed with me until I caught my breath. Then I asked him in a wretched mix of German, French, English and Spanish (the closest thing my warped mind could come up with) where the finish line was. He said it was just ahead, 20 more minutes to go. So I got up and carried on, staggering, occasionally falling to my knees, or going off course to vomit again. I came across the crest of the moraine, hoping to see the finish line, but instead found this:

More climbing. The shed at the top, which I thought was the finish line, was actually the 23k marker. It was still 3k short of the actual finish line. Slowly I crawled to the top, with spectators still chanting "hop hop Yen-nee-fair hop hop!".

Me coming up to the 23k station, closely followed by First Aiders and my Italian savior.

As I reached the station, another volunteer came up to me and literally ripped off my microchip (HARSH!) and told me I was done for the day. When I asked how far the finish line was, and if there was any chance I could just try to cross, he gave me "the look" (which I'm sure you can imagine) and pointed here:

The finish line is that tiny speck sticking up over that peak. On a good day, it would take me just over 20 minutes to run 3k. But there was no way - NO WAY - I was going to make that in my current state. I accepted defeat, handed over my microchip and went to go sulk in a corner.

Of course I was pretty devastated for a while, but then I looked back over the ground I had covered:

When I realized I couldn't even see the starting line village of Gstaad, I felt a wee bit better.

And when I looked at a map of the course, I felt even better:

Kinda puts it into perspective, doesn't it?

Ok, so now that the pity-party is well and truly over, there's only one question left:

When's the next race?

STOP: Taper Time

Ok so some of my readers have informed me that my last post turned me into a bit of a Debbie Downer, so here's a new post with good news: I'M TAPERING!

"Tapering" refers to reducing your exercise and training in the days leading up to an important competition. Typically, an athlete will taper following their hardest work out. In my case, I did my longest run so far in the course of my training, 17 kilometers, on Sunday - injuring my foot in the process. Yesterday I did a great 6.5 kilometers (in 33 minutes, my fastest yet). I have now decided to quit while I'm ahead and start tapering today, 4 days before my first competition, the Glacier 3000 Run.

I will still do my yoga each morning, but instead of running I'll be cycling and swimming to get in my exercise. My main aim is to rest Madam Foot in the hopes that by Saturday morning, she will be healed and ready to rock that glacier. Let's face it, no work I will do in the next 4 days will better prepare me for what's to come, so I may as well take it easy and let my foot heal as much as possible in the lead up to the race, right? Right.

Like the old adage goes: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then sit back, relax and sip that lemonade while it lasts before you have to run 26k up a glacier and sweat it all out".

Madam Foot

Knock knock

Who's there?

Madam

Madam who?

Madam foot's KILLING ME!

(it's funnier if you say it out loud)

But, all joking aside, my foot is killing me and it's really starting to get on my nerves.

Yesterday I was aiming for a 3.5 hour run over all kinds of surfaces to prepare me for Saturday's Glacier 3000 Run. After 2 hours I was feeling great - the sun was shining, my shoulders were relaxed, my legs were feeling fresh, and I had just learned how to introduce members of my family in German whilst listening to a German lesson podcast: <<dies ist mein Vater, Hans>>

That's when my old nemesis, plantar fasciitis, reared its ugly head.  I had been feeling a bit of a twinge in my arch for a few kilometers, but as I've had plantar fasciitis for just under 2 years I am kinda of used to ignoring it and powering through - or at least that's what I thought. It was this moment, in the middle of the woods 15 kilometers from home that I realized I wasn't 'ignoring it', I was actually running on the side of my foot to avoid aggravating it. The side of my foot then decided it had had enough of this abuse and quit on me. So I was stuck just a little over half way through my run with a searing hot spike through my arch and an achy swelling on the outside of my foot, and a sharp pain through my knee added for good measure. Each step was agony and after another 2 kilometers I realized that I wasn't able to run any longer.  I begrudgingly starting the long walk home, limping and crying with frustration the whole way.

I spent the rest of the night like this:

This whole situation has got me very flustered. In 5 days - 5 DAYS - I am meant to be running the Glacier 3000 Run - 26 kilometers uphill. How will I be able to do that when I can't even get to 20 kilometers without limping and crying like a giant, sweaty baby?

As I mentioned, I've had plantar fasciitis for just under 2 years now. I first noticed the pain back in Brighton when I would run along the seafront before work. I thought it was my shoes, so bought a new, more cushioned pair. It only got worse, so I saw my GP who gave me a brochure about the symptoms, told me there is no cure but offered an injection of cortisone in my foot to ease the pain. I was so excited that there was some kind of relief from the pain that I ignored the part where she said, "but it's one of the most painful shots you will ever have". And believe me, it was. Essentially, it is jabbing huge needle into your arch, right above the heel, in one of the most sensitive parts of your foot, and injecting it with a thick, milky substance that then needs to be harshly massaged around your heel to disperse it. Without anesthetic. Yeah. Ouch.

And the WORST part - it didn't even work!! I was off my foot for 4 days to let the healing do its thing. And then - nothing. No pain relief, no cure. My only other option now - constant stretching and wearing a rather fetching plantar fasciitis boot on my foot while I sleep to keep my plantar fascia ligament stretched at night. H-O-T!

I have since changed my shoes and my running technique, which has definitely helped, but the pain is still there and after yesterday's run, I don't see it shifting anytime in the near future. Gutted.

It's LOG!

What rolls down stairs

Alone or in pairs,

And over your neighbor's dog?

What's great for a snack, 

And fits on your back?

It's log, log log!

It's log, it's log,

It's big, it's heavy, it's wood!

It's log, it's log,

It's better than bad - it's good!

Everyone wants a log!

You're gonna love it, log!

Come on and get your log!

Everyone needs a log!

Log log log!

(photos courtesy of Hillseeker Crossfit - HOOYAH LOG!)

Impulse Buy

The Oxford Dictionary defines "impulse buy" as: the buying of goods without planning to do so in advance, as a result of a sudden whim or impulse. They use chocolates at the check-out as an example.

I had an impulse buy this weekend. It was the Glacier 3000 Run. I wanted to do a proper run, my first ever, to prepare for The Big One in September, so found this little gem online. When they advertised it as "the ideal training for the Jungfrau Marathon", I was sold.

The best part is - it's the day after my birthday. So I thought that instead of asking for that coffee machine I've had my eye on, I would hurl myself up 26k (over 16 miles), across a glacier and finish at the top of a mountain 2900 meters high.  Happy birthday to me!

The BESTEST part - it's in 11 days.

11 days.

Runner's Lament

This morning I woke up, begrudgingly turned off my alarm and realized I'm tired. Like, really really tired. Not just physically, but also mentally and a bit emotionally. Sure, my transformation has been pretty incredible, but it took a lot of work to get here. A lot. And perhaps now it's all starting to catch up with me.

It's my first summer in Zurich - this place is amazing in the summer. And I'm starting to feel like I'm missing out on a lot. This is my Runner's Lament:

1. I want to wear flip-flops, damnit! I'm tired of wearing shoes in a heat wave because it keeps my plantar fasciitis from flaring up.
2. I want to sleep in instead of going for 7 am hill intervals because it's the only time I can fit them in around work.
3. On weekends I want to go to the lake with my friends, eat over/under cooked BBQ meat and drink beer, not stay behind for 14k runs up hills.
4. I want to sit on my couch and eat an entire box of cereal in one sitting whilst watching Game of Thrones. And not feel guilty about it after.
5. After work, when all the guys have a beer and relax, I want to be able to join them.
6. I want to get out of bed and not be limping.
7. If I see another ice bath, I swear someone (else) will get hurt.
8. I want to eat what I want, when I want.
9. I want to drink what I want, when I want.
10. I want to sleep how long I want, when I want.

Now that I got that out of my system, here are a few things that have been pretty awesome about my training:

1. I can run more than 5 minutes at a time now.
2. I like being able to think, "I wonder what's over that hill?" and just run and find out.
3. I love that I know what kind of running I love (trail running) and what kind I hate (road running).
4. I love that people are asking me for fitness advice, and I can help them.
5. I love that people from all over the world are saying that they've been inspired to get in shape.
6. I love the tan I have from all this outdoor activity.
7. I love that a 2-time Olympic runner said I had "excellent running technique".
8. I love that when I sweat, it's because I've just run really far and not because I've just taken the stairs.
9. I love that when I get tired from running, all I need to do is smile and I feel more energized.
10. I love that hills don't intimidate me like they used to.
11. I love that I've become super sporty and outdoorsie now.
12. I love that when I see other people running, I pay attention to their technique.
13. I love that I've lost 12.5 kilos/over 27 pounds. To put that into perspective, it's 2 and a half of these:

(For a better idea, when you next go to your local supermarket, pick up a 5 kilo bag of potatoes. Then pick up another. Then, take a third, empty half of it and pick that up, too. Then, run like hell before they call security.)

Yes, that's what I was carrying around my midsection for all those years. No wonder I couldn't run very far with all that sloshing around.

So I guess when I put it into perspective, the pros of all this training have outweighed the cons. I'm working on getting out of my "trainer's fatigue" (yes, that's a thing) and getting the motivation I once had back in time for the marathon in September.

If all of this wasn't motivating enough, just think of the kick ass facebook profile picture I'll have when I finish the marathon.

On-The-Job Training

Recently I've been working two jobs (hey, life in Zurich is expensive!). The work has been fun and brought some much-needed income, but the extra hours are quickly encroaching on my training time. I started off trying to go for runs in the morning before work, but as I also work night shifts I usually don't get home before 1am (3am on weekends). This made having the motivation to get up and going early in the morning pretty tough.

So that got me thinking - is there a way to incorporate training into my actual day-to-day work? Job 1: waitress - I spend hours on my feet, rushing about the busy pub dropping food off, clearing tables, bringing drinks, buzz buzz buzz back and forth. Surely there's a way I can incorporate some training into this: carrying lots of plates = strength training. Sprinting through the pub = interval training. Dealing with customers who may have had a bit too much = mental toughness.

A blur of color... and chicken wings.

Job 2 is also pretty conducive to training - dog walker extraordinaire. The dog walking path we take is around 4.2 kilometers, so a pretty decent daily training run. In the early stages of our working relationship however, I found it difficult to run with him. Mostly because every couple of meters or so he'd stop to mark his territory, or run underneath  my feet to try and play. He'd also do things like this:

Adorable, but still counterproductive...

After a few weeks I was able to get him to run alongside me. I found he makes an excellent pacer - when my pace is good, he gallops alongside me, but if I slow down he changes to a fast jog, his judgmental stare serving as a gentle reminder to keep up the pace.

Other than that, I try to run whenever possible. This practice came in very handy last night when a delayed train meant I missed the last bus home, leaving me stranded at a station 4 kilometers away. Although I was dressed in 'normal' clothes and wearing flip flops, I convinced myself to 'man up' and run the 4k home. 25 minutes later I was walking through my front door. The soreness of my feet paled in comparison to the feeling of pride I felt in this accomplishment. Hopefully I will be able to walk again soon.

This week I will start a desk job. I'm really excited about the new opportunity, but concerned how this will effect my training. I'll still be working at the pub nights, which will continue to make morning runs difficult.

Do you have any tips as to how to maintain your training when working long hours or constantly changing shifts? If so, please send your advice to me jenfrau@gmail.com!