Mahlon Mayhem to Massachusetts

T and I took off for Oak Ridge, New Jersey on Saturday morning. We made good time, arriving with over an hour to spare. Good thing too as we took a wrong turn 500 feet away from the parking lot and ended up on some random backroad where we saw a bear, yes a BEAR, in someone's front yard. We're literally driving down the road, when I stop and say, "Dude, there's a black bear eating those people's plants." Obviously we took a bunch of pictures while discussing what to do if we encountered a bear during the race.

We arrived at our destination and caught a ride up to the Mahlon-Dickerson Reservation. A 100K, a 75K, a 50K, a 25K, and a 12.5K race were being offered. We had signed up for the wimpy 12.5K, but with two marathons looming, we decided not to risk severe overuse injuries. The other races had already begun and we waited for 10 AM to roll around. Soon it was our turn to take off into the woods.

I started out in the lead, but a woman who looked like an experienced trail-runner quickly passed me. I know my own abilities and decided it wasn't worth it to try to keep up. I held second place for a while until Annoying Guy in the Red Shirt came up behind me. I allowed him to pass. One of the weirder things about running while multiple races are taking place is trying to remember who you are competing against. When you see incredibly fit people moving at a slow pace or evening walking, you have to remember that they might be running over 60 miles while you are running under 8.

The course was different from the Greenbelt Trail. It was mostly flat and much more rocky. There was one stretch that was covered in small, sharp rocks that I could feel through the sneakers I am wear testing. I wish I could tell you more about these shoes, but I'm under contract to keep my mouth shut. All I will say is that they look awesome but I don't recommend them for technical trail. The course was a lollipop loop so we got to cover this lovely rocky stretch TWICE, and by the end of it I was begging for the tree roots and steep inclines of Long Island.

There was a good crowd out there, which you tend to find at trail races. T commented on how different the atmosphere is than at a road race. People are laid back and friendly, even though they must possess a certain kickass attitude to subject themselves to long-distance trail runs. I saw a guy I had seen earlier on walking part of a hill. I decided to walk too, and as I approached him he told me that there was only 1.5 mile left in the loop and to get going. I took off and knew I could come in strong. I had forgotten to eat my KIND bar so I tried to gag down as much as I could before I hit the pending wall.

As I cruised down through the remaining trail, I came across Anthony, a runner who was attempting his first 100K. I had noticed him because of his tattoos and his sick Salomon trail shoes. He was fading but I guess I inspired him to kick it up a notch because he said he was going to use me to pace him. We went hard and fast until we approached the trail head. I threw down my water bottle and my hat (which I hadn't worn since mile 1 - it was incredibly annoying!) and sprinted in across the finish line. I completed the 12.5K loop in 1:12:22, beating my goal of 1:20:00. I finished second place for women and third overall.

I waited for T to come in at 1:34:34. Her time was creepy considering her bib said 134, but sometimes bib numbers are signs of things to come. Let's remember when I wore number 21 and PR'd a 5K at 21:36. We both won beer glasses for placing. Sadly we could not stay to barbecue with the other runners because we had a ferry to catch in Rhode Island.

After lunch and shopping in Westport, we finally beat the traffic and made it to Quonset Point for the 5:30 ferry to Martha's Vineyard. Much joyous debauchery ensued. I woke up the next morning to a half and half screwdriver and things quickly deteriorated from there. We spent the day boating and beaching before heading back to the mainland. We arrived back in New York at 1 AM on Monday morning and I can honestly say I have suffered from a debilitating hangover since then until this evening. I am not as young as I used to be and this morning's 6.6 mile run almost killed me.

A Scenic Tour of Long Island via 25A

I've had kind of a crazy idea (this blog is called In Shape Out of Mind, what did you expect?), and the more I think about it, the more feasible I think it is. Route 25A is a highway that runs from Queens to Calverton. The entire thing is 72.91 miles. Now I live near 25A and run on it pretty often, but never for more than 5.25 miles in any direction. My grand plan is to run from my house and head east and see how far I can get.

Since 25A runs through many major towns, I don't need to drag a bunch of gear with me. If I need something, I can buy it. It would be nice to have some people along the way to cheer me on, so I'll give you a heads up if I'm running through your town. There's also no way in hell I am making the return loop, so I imagine I should call ahead and make sure I have a ride back.

If you are interested in participating in or supporting this crazy idea, let me know. I have a few 20 mile runs I need to do to train for my marathon. If things are going well, I'll just keep going.

Planting Fields Arboretum Woodland Trails

Today I decided to run over to the Planting Fields Arboretum. I haven't been there in years, but I used to volunteer there and it's absolutely beautiful. The last time I tried to run up there (and this was like five years ago) there was some misunderstanding about entrance fees and I didn't have any cash on me. To avoid this nonsense again I looked up their website before I left. That's when I found this map. Five miles of trails and I don't even have to get into the car?

I ran the three miles from my parents' house over to the arboretum on the road. The very nice man at the gate said runners do not have to pay the $8 car entrance fee (just as I had thought!) and I ran over to Coe Hall. I used to be a tour guide at this Tudor-style mansion. You're jealous, I know.

Obviously I neglected to bring the map I had found, but I ran along different paths (and through some grass) until I saw a marked entrance for the Beech Path trail. The Beech Path connects to the Oak Trail. Very pleasant running and not too many technical obstacles. At one point I got a little nervous that I was going to get lost so I pulled out my phone and brought up the map. This is why you should run with a smartphone if you're going to run alone. I realized I was quite close to the Boundary Road and kept going.

Once I exited the trail, I assumed that I was back on one of the arboretum's many lawns. That's when I saw a building that looked vaguely familiar. Then I realized I was standing behind a driving range. You can see on the Mill River Country Club marked on the trail map. Yeah, my family used to be members there. (Apparently we could no longer justify a full club membership so that I could eat a salad by the pool three times a year.) Now there I was in sweaty spandex covered in dirt. I waved to the staff and hightailed it down the driveway, back to the road, and back to my house.

This brings me to my next point - what shoes do you wear fo a multi-terrain run? I wore my Brooks Adrenaline 11s today. Sure, I would've preferred my trail sneakers on the trail but I was on the trail for less than a mile; I spent over 5 on roads. If I was planning on running all of the trails, I might suck it up and wear my trail shoes on the road. I've done it before and it's really not so bad. That's why Salomon created the XR Crossmax. One shoe from door to trail!

I covet these shoes. Size 8.5 please.

Preparation for Saturday's Trail Race

I invited my friend T to come out to Long Island for some trail running before our big race on Saturday. The Huntington line leaves from Penn Station (not the most convenient for us Eastsiders) and delivers you in Syosset without any transfers (if you read the schedule correctly). I picked T up at 8:46 AM and we were off to the Greenbelt Trail head in Cold Spring Harbor.

We ran to Stillwell Lane and back, which is five miles total. We're running the Mahlon Mayhem 12.5 K on Saturday (7.78 miles), so this should help prepare us. My goal is to finish the race in 1 hour 20 minutes. I haven't seen the course, so this might be unrealistic, but right now I'm thinking it's an ambitious yet attainable goal.

When you invite someone to Long Island in the summer you have to bring them to the beach. T and I completed our day with some quality PTH (peak tanning hours) at TOBAY followed by dinner at Point Lookout Clam Bar.

Frozen Golf Balls

I read about this tip in Runner's World and tested it out today. Put two golf balls in the freezer and leave them overnight or all day. Take them out and roll a ball under each foot. I stood on one foot and rolled the other foot over a frozen golf ball and then switched for a while, but I found that sitting down and rolling both feet simultaneously gave me the right amount of pressure. My arches have been bothering me lately and this was a great way to give myself a foot massage without having to touch my own feet, and the coldness helped with some of the discomfort I've been feeling. I actually tried this out this morning before I put the golf balls in the freezer, and it didn't feel nearly as good.

Miscalculations and Uncertain Situations

I don't handle uncertainty well. I like to know things, even if I don't like the outcome. Either I don't have a job or I do have a job. Or I got hired for the new job or not hired for the new job. The new job exists or it doesn't exist. The same goes for my personal life. We are in a relationship or we are not in a relationship. You are my friend or you are not my friend. What the heck is this "in limbo" crap? People need to start making decisions.

I was pacing around my house this morning, trying to figure out my next steps, when I realized I was getting nothing accomplished in my pajamas. I got into my running gear and hit the road. My training plan said six miles and I promised myself I would do six miles even if my feet hurt and my body felt like it was running on diluted whisky fumes... oh wait, it probably was.

I don't like to run with music that often, especially when I have thinking to do. Focusing on the run and my surroundings helps clear my mind, and around mile four, I started getting into a groove and was able to make some decisions. I had a plan of action for the rest of the day. I no longer felt like gnawing through my fingernails and pulling out all of my eyebrows (I'm weird. Get over it.) I was feeling ready to conquer the world when I finished up the six mile run, but low and behold, I was still 1.5 miles away from home.

What do you do when you finish your run and you realize you have miscalculated the distance? Obviously you have to get home somehow. These are some options:

1. Keep running. 

On days when this is just not going to happen:

1. Find the closest public transportation. This is probably most convenient if you live in a major city.
2. Pause your Nike+ GPS and use your iPhone to call someone to come pick you up.
3. Use the remaining distance to get your cross-training in.

Number 3 explains why motorists on 25A saw me doing walking lunges down the highway. I followed these up with some butt-kicks. Then I alternated for a bit. Never underestimate the power of an audience on your form.

UPDATE

* Things are looking up on the employment front.

** I still have commitment issues.

Coconuts Gone Wild: Blue Monkey Pure Coconut Water

You can spot Mr. Coly Cat Mink in the background.

Today I woke up in my apartment, underneath all of my decorative pillows. I was still wearing my contacts and my tube top. And I broke my left pinky toe. Come to think of it, I was wearing the same shoes the last time I drunkenly broke one of my toes. Marathon training is sure going to be fun.

After watching two weeks worth of Degrassi while sucking down a Slurpee, I rolled up to Whole Foods. I spotted a new brand of coconut water while standing in line to pay for my sushi. Drawn to the coloring of the pretty aluminum can, I grabbed one and hoped it would help my hangover.

Blue Monkey is 76 calories and 10 grams of sugar for 8 fluid ounces. The container I bought is 17.6 fluid ounces. It's a lot sweeter than O.N.E, Vita Coco, and Zico. I'm not sure if I like it. It tasted more like the fresh coconut I had in Chinatown, but not as refreshing. To be fair, my taste buds have been overwhelmed by scalding 7-11 coffee and whisky. I might pick up a smaller can this week after a workout to see if my reaction changes.

Horribly Unflattering

These photos speak for themselves.

http://www2.brightroom.com/email/84844/2216/107169613

Check back soon for a post about Saturday's NYRR Queen's Half Marathon.

Ice Baths

I'm wearing Turquoise and Caicos by Essie on my toes.

So I'm taking my first ice bath - yup, I'm blogging from the bathtub - and it's not as bad as I had feared. Ice baths help your legs recover after races, as well as long or difficult workouts. I also learned tonight that they can be helpful prior to races (thanks Miami!) and I plan on taking some before my marathons.

Making an ice bath is rather simple. Buy a bag of ice, dump it in your bathtub, and add enough cold water to cover your legs. Then get in for twenty minutes. I'm wearing a bikini bottom to protect my lady bits from frostbite, but that's up to you.

Helpful tip: If you have a faucet with a cold only handle, one bag of ice should suffice. However, if you have a temperature control handle, get two because the slightly warmer water is going to melt the ice.

Fountain Fun

I've been run crushing on my coworker since I met him at the end of June. He's run Boston (twice) and Miami. My Facebook stalking of him tells me he ran a 6:50 pace, for a marathon. Um hi, yeah, can we be friends? And don't even get me started on the time I showed up for work just as he was taking off for a run, and I stared enviously at his long, lithe runner's legs as they pranced down the asphalt. He reads this by the way. I wonder if he feels awkward yet?

We'll call him Miami since that is where he teaches. After seven weeks of bringing up running every time I saw him, I finally coerced him into running with me. This is actually a lie - he came willingly, but I'd like to think that my powers of persuasion and my insistence on wearing day-glo running gear to work helped out. After a long day at the office (where I got to drive a cargo van by the way), we hopped in Petunia and drove over to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. I am obsessed with this park now.

Miami and I had a nice leisurely 8 mile run around the park, as I tried to remember where everything was located. It's much easier to see the sights when there are orange cones guiding the way, but eventually everything worked out. We saw many soccer games, ran through the zoo, and enjoyed long stretches of path along the water. It's a lot of fun to run with someone new because you get to learn all sorts of nifty things about them. They get to learn that you're probably a sociopath with a sneaker fetish. Win-win situation.

I apologize to Miami who had to put up with my insanely slow hobble, but as he said, I did just run a half marathon. To complete our extremely fun evening, we ran through the fountains under the Unisphere.