Who celebrates a DNF with a shot of Fireball?THIS girl!
DNF stands for Did Not Finish and can be a runners worst nightmare.
Some runners put a lot of time into training for an event, money into gear, traveling etc. Making a call to DNF can seem like you’re making a decision to QUIT.
Depending on what race it is, a DNF shows on your “official” record and drops your overall “score”down.Some sponsored athletes are “forced” to DNF if it looks like they won’t place well at a race because it may make the company they are representing look bad.
So there are a lot of negative emotions around DNFing.
Several of my athletes have DNFd races before.Some were “valid” reason while some were not (in my opinion).
Making the decision to DNF is a big one because it could be construed as quitting and most people don’t like to be quitters.
While the reason to DNF is personal, hereare a few reasons why it would be a consideration in the middle of a race:
you got injured during the race and continuing to run could cause surgery or not running again for awhile
you’re not feeling good (sick to stomach, etc) and you could be in further danger of hurting yourself
you’re putting yourself in harms way
you die (morbid idea but possible!)
at some point you decide it’s ok to make the call to quit because you’re not having fun anymore, it’s not your A race or it just doesn’t matter and the world won’t end because you have a DNF 😃 (THIS!!)
I went into this race knowing the very top of it was going to be a big challenge for me. A few friends did it last year and the last 500 so feet is scrambling on hands and knees to the very top. I have no problem scrambling but it was at high elevation and I’m deathly afraid of heights.
Heading to the top of that mountain behind us! 3500 feet of elevation gain in 6 miles!
I signed up for this race because it was perfect timing for some altitude and elevation training for TransRockies (my bucket list and A race of the year!).I had never done it before. One of my #trurribeteam members Jan, did it last year and said it was the hardest yet best thing she had ever done.I decided to make it a Ladies Training Program and a few of us decided to get out of our comfort zone.
When I picked up my race bib, it was number 252. This is a special number for Greg and I. It was our first apartment number. When we moved into it, we found 2 quarters and 2 pennies! (coincidentally Sunset Point of the I-17 is Exit #252 too)
Anyways….it was a lucky number for me.
As I started climbing up, I had the voice in the back of my head whispering about that final scramble.From the start, this race was no joke.First of all I was tired from my cumulative training which included doing the 2nd hardest race I’ve ever done the day before (Silverton Alpine Marathon).Add the altitude and hard climb and I was averaging 35-45 min miles.I checked the cutoff the day before and say that I had 5.5 hours to complete it.The higher I climbed, the less likely it looked like I could finish in that time.Mind you, it was an out and back so the return would be downhill but it was also a pretty steep downhill so not as runnable for me. I finally got the “top” and was greeted by 2 of my friends who were volunteering at the aid station.I looked at the scramble and my first thought was:
I told them I was thinking of DNFing right away.They encouraged me to go so I figured I’d put in my big grill panties and suck it up. While I looked up at everyone on their hands and knees scrambling on loose rock, my heart was pounding as I made the attempt. My feet kept slipping and I really wanted to be one of those people doing it….but I realized I was completely miserable in that moment, was not having fun, I was more than likely not going to finish on the 530 hrs AND my A race was happening in 3 weeks!
I laid there for a few minutes with my face inches from the dirt, got really present and debated sucking it up or DNFing.
One of the things I ask my athletes right away when they are signing up for a race is what’s your Why?My why for this race was strictly getting a good training run in.
TRR has been in my bucket list for years, I volunteered a few years ago and was supposed to run it last year but Covid…there was no way in hell I was letting this race get in the way.Anything could’ve happened and I wasn’t about to really to take the risk.
I turned around and told my friends I was making the call.They were so sweet.They tried to convince me not to DNF and offered to help me up the mountain but I had already made up my mind.I was making a very mindful choice to take the DNF. Once the decision was made, a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could relax.I “celebrated” with an Instagram live and a shot of fireball and starts climbing back down.Good news is that I wasn’t swept off the mountain so I only missed about .4 miles of the 12 and still got a great day of training done.
I won’t lie and say I was a little bit disappointed in myself…. however Kendall Mtn was not my A race and I truly believe that I made the right decision.
The key was getting present, think about my WHY, being mindful and not letting my ego get the best of me!
I remember listening to a podcast from Trail Runner Nation awhile ago and one thing stuck in my head. Coach Jimmy Dean Freeman used these words instead for the acronym: Do Nothing Foolish.
I am super proud of myself for not doing anything foolish and at the end of the day, I still had an epic weekend of training mileage at altitude with elevation gain so I’d say it was a success in my book!
Last ultra in my 40s 3 years older than my last 100K
24 minutes and 33 seconds faster
But this race was so much more than this! I can’t believe that I finished 63 miles in 19:22:34 this year and felt amazing the whole way. I honestly still feel a little guilty about saying this but it’s true!
As a quick reminder:
I always like to do races that challenge me out of my comfort zone in February because it’s my birthday month. Turning 50 this year made it even more epic (I was supposed to do my first 100 miler in January of 2021 but it got canceled due to COVID)
I’ll share my post race reflections on why this race was so amazing for me in hopes that I can inspire you to have some of these amazing experiences too…..then a quick recap of how my day went.
6 feet apart at the start line with a wave start
Jubilee! One of my favorite Race Directors 💜
This race was close to being canceled due to the escalated COVID cases in AZ, more specifically Yavapai County which is where most of the race is located. I kept my fingers crossed until we received the email that IT WAS HAPPENING! On 2/2 (11 days before the race) we found out that there would be wave starts (standard with COVID now) AND that I would only be able to have one pacer (instead of 2) and no crew. This threw a wrench into my excitement about the race.
Since I am a back of the packer, they try to avoid having people pass you on the trail (COVID) which meant my wave start was 10am rather than 7am. This news hit me because it meant I would be spending more time at night. Don’t get me wrong, I love night trail running but I’ve been lost on this course before. It’s also pretty remote so this just added some anxiety now.
For most ultras, you can have a crew and pacers. They are there to help keep you focused, moving forward and taking care of the details when your sole focus as the runner is to get to the finish line. In the original race, you can have a pacer for the last 25 miles (two different segments). With the new rules, I would only get one for the last 12 miles. This added stress because it meant more running in the dark alone.
At this point I had the option to not accept these changes and post pone it until next year. My first reaction was to do that. I was really bummed about these changes (although I absolutely understood them to be necessary for the race to happen safely).
Not gonna lie, I was freaking out about them! But thanks to my meditation practice which helped me go from REACTING to RESPONDING and a few texts from friends, I made the decision to go for it. If I tell my athletes that the magic happens when you get out of your comfort zone, I had to practice what I preach!
Key Lessons
One of the reasons I love running is because it provides an avenue to learn more about myself.
Things that went well:
I canceled track the Thursday before. I didn’t want to have an alarm clock wake me up during that whole week. Thankfully I can do this since I’m self employed. I used to underestimate resting and learned how important it is. I allowed my body to wake up whenever it wanted to the week before knowing I’d be on my feet and awake for 18-20 hours on race day.
I was prepared! Speed is not a way I measure my running success but this time around I wanted to be faster so I knew I had to do some different things. I followed a training plan from McMillan Running to try something new and then added my ChiRunning/ChiWalking form focuses. Due to COVID, I was able to do more running alone which allows me to train at my pace. My training plan had various types of runs that I had never really focused on before because I run so much with my TRU TRIBE. I found these challenging and fun. I also happened to do more road running due to my Every Damn Street Virtual race and I feel that helped me build my stamina in a different way. There is no doubt that being prepared had a huge impact on how I felt on race morning: prepared and ready to go!
I followed my nutrition plan from Sparks Systems. I am fat adapted and my body felt like a well oiled machine. I’ve never had any gut issues when running long distances so I keep doing what’s worked for me.
What surprised me the most was how good I felt the entire time! We always say that there are many highs and lows during an ultra race and you learn to “ride the wave”. The wind, the rain, the dark….none of it brought me down. I brought my Noxgear 39g and was prepared with music, podcasts, audiobooks to keep me company.(Use code RUNNINGU1 for 35% off the Noxgear 39g. I love mine!) I may have listened to these for maybe 3-4 hours during the entire race. My goal was to be alone as much as possible. I run with people all the time (and I love it!) but this was my race, my pilgrimage, if you will, into my 50th birthday year. I was really looking forward to just being alone, out in nature for a “few” hours by myself…and that’s exactly what I did.
The week before I started working on visualizations of the course and seeing myself out there having a great time. I meditate daily with the Insight Timer app. That week I found meditations about grounding, receiving and gathering energy. My plan was to take in as much as I could and conserve it until race day. Sounds almost cheesy but I believe this really worked for me. In addition, the week before, I was getting so many texts, emails, social media comments from people wishing me well and I took all of those in. I kept mentally conserving all that positive energy I was receiving. I felt it really propelled me on race day and was literally drawing me towards the finish line…like I almost had no control over it. We call this YChi in ChiRunning and I don’t ever think I felt it as strong as I did on this day. I could definitely feel the energy of my TRU TRIBE with me too. Here is just one of the positive messages I received that week:
I’m glad I decided to have a pacer for that last 12 miles! I had left it to my friend and colleague Henry Walker to decide between him and his girlfriend. I trained Henry last year to become a ChiRunning/ChiWalking instructor (the only other one in AZ!). He pulled his calf muscle lightly the week of the race so they decided it would make most sense for Laura to pace me. As much as I know I could’ve done it by myself, she helped me stay focused on moving forward. I would’ve slowed down for sure if I was alone.
I always have to mention ChiRunning/ChiWalking because I would never consider doing these distances without it. I was lucky enough to get to zoom with my mentor and founder, Danny Dreyer, the week of the race. He gave me some last minute tips. I focused on my technique quite a bit during the race. While I was pretty sore the first few days after the race, I felt great after that! I swear by ChiWalking especially during my ultras. There is a big difference in regular walking and I believe this also had a huge impact on my energy levels all day. The goal is always conserving energy and one can waste a lot of energy when running and walking. In addition to technique, several time during my race I visualized gathering energy from the earth every time my foot hit the ground.
I PRd by 24 minutes and 33 seconds! That’s about 24 seconds per mile faster for 62 miles! My technique, training and mindset all came together that day and I rocked it!
Things that didn’t go so well (yes there were a few things)
I always say never try new things on race day. This is common knowledge. While I was trying not to freak out about being in the dark longer by myself, this was one thing that was giving me anxiety. Most of my TRU TRIBE uses the Kogalla light for night running. I’ll be honest, I haven’t been crazy about these because they can be pretty bright and if someone is coming towards you, it can be annoying. (come to find out there are actually 20 brightness settings!) A few of them suggested I should try one out. I bought one the weekend before the race hoping it would get to me on time. I borrowed Jan’s the Tuesday of race week so I could try it out. It really did light the trail up quite a bit and she let me borrow it in case I didn’t get mine in the mail. I happened to get mine before the race but only tried it that one time. I have an entire different view on these now. The light was awesome and really increased my confidence of being out there alone. Since I only tried it that one time, I didn’t know how it would effect me on the switchbacks going uphill in the canyon. I am afraid of heights and used to having a headlamp. When you have a headlamp, it points wherever your point your head so although you have more limited lighting, it’s focused in the direction your heading which is in front of you. Well, the Kogalla, was on my waist (race belt) and lit up the entire trail in front of me (that’s the point!). What this meant that when I was going up a single track uphill, I could see the periphery which meant the slope down into the abyss and bottom of the canyon. It didn’t dawn on me to move my race belt towards the mountain side more (which I would’ve figured it out had I practiced with it more) so this slowed me down. I was more tired, it was dark so I really had to focus on looking ahead and not letting the ledge of canyon effect me. Aside from that, I am new fan of the Kogalla!
Kogalla lighting up the water crossing
Not having crew there until the last aid station effected me. Your crew will normally be able to meet you at various aid stations. They are there to help you make whatever changes and help you get in and out of the aid stations as quickly and efficiently as possible. I tell my runners all the time: DFA (Don’t F*#k Around) at the aid stations. You can waste a lot of time if you are not focused and the clock is ticking (only important if you care about your time and I was trying to PR). I really could’ve used a crew at Black Canyon City. This was mile 39 of 62 and I had been in the dark already for several hours. I was getting tired (I was about a little over half way) and I had ultra brain. I fumbled around with my drop bags, trying to figure out what I needed and what I could get rid of. I had to change my shoes and get into some warmer clothes, refill my pack, eat some food…it was a lot to handle on my own and if I had someone there with me, I probably would’ve saved at least 10 minutes. I stayed here longer than I anticipated. I didn’t have a choice as crew was not allowed there but I felt the loss of not having one.
I second guessed myself at one spot that ate up about another 15 minutes. I’ve gotten lost on this trail several times although only during training runs. The course was well marked! There is a point as you head in and out of Black Canyon City that you have to take a different way so you don’t go back the way you came. The course was well marked but I was paranoid about going back the wrong way. At one point I was feeling like maybe I missed it so I turned back around to that spot. Then I stopped, pulled out my All Trails app (where I had downloaded the course map in case something like this would happen) and realized I was going the right way. Better be safe than sorry but this “cost” me another 10-15 minutes.
Race Day
The silver lining about starting at 10am, meant that Greg (my boyfriend) could actually drive me to Mayer High School to drop me off at the start (this is a point to point race which means you start at one location and finish at another.) This adds some additional logistics to the day. The race offered a shuttle for the runners. I have a thing about shuttles and buses before a race. It depends on the race but I really like to be in my own space and energy before a race, especially a big one like this one. The erratic energy of a bunch of people in a shuttle tends to mess with me so I was grateful that I could be in the car with my honey for about 90 minutes getting myself psyched up.
I had created a spreadsheet like last time with my tentative pace from each aid station, taking into consideration the course profile, my strengths, time of day, etc. The first time I did this race, I finished in 19:46:01. The cutoff was 20 hours. For any first time experience, I never focus on speed. I know it’s my first time doing that distance, it’s all about enjoying it as much as possible. I was messing around at the aid stations, drinking some beer here and there, and just having a good ole time. This time would be a bit different. I wanted to have a PR (personal record) so I needed to be more focused. I felt stronger going into this race (I had just PRd the Coldwater 52K race the month before by 52 minutes!) so I had two different goals. First goal was to beat my time by an hour and the stretch goal was to finish in 18 hours (1hr 45min PR). I knew this was aggressive but I wasn’t attached to it…just hoping I could do it.
Fifteen minutes before my start, I got this text message from my buddy Archie (one of our TRU TRIBE mascots)
As usual, I started faster than my predicted time. I knew this would happen but I was still holding back knowing I had a lot of miles ahead of me. The course has a negative profile (more downhill than uphill) which is deceiving. Downhills are my jam but this time we had some serious head and cross wind. While I love downhills, I am afraid of heights too. These downhills are single track and so much fun but the wind added an element of uneasiness as I was cruising down. Probably a good thing that it slowed me a down. Click here for the live video where you can hear the wind.
One of my favorite spots: the iconic windmill
downhill!
In addition to the wind, there were some pretty big clouds looming around. On the drive up, I had noticed that now the weather app was showing possibility of rain. Ugh! Not the biggest fan but this race has been unpredictable (I dropped to the 60K at my first 100K attempt due to some serious bad weather) so I was prepared. I already had packed an extra pair of socks in each drop bag (in ultras you get to have drop bags at specific aid stations where you can have extra stuff you need so you don’t have to carry it all while you are running) and had a poncho in my hydration pack and thankfully brought my purple wind breaker. I lucked out and got sprinkled on a few times during the day. I stayed ahead of my predicted time until about mile 35. Night had already started to fall so I slowed down as I expected I would. I approached my first water crossing which was a few miles before the Black Canyon Aid station which is where I planned to change as much of my apparel as possible as it was getting colder. One of the hardest parts of an ultra in my opinion is dealing with the major temperature change between night and day. Especially here in AZ. I attempted not to get my feet wet in the water crossing but then remembered I was going to change my shoes and socks anyways so I just walked right through it…it was barely covering my ankles so it was uneventful. Oddly the cold water felt good on my feet and climbed out of the canyon. I was looking forward to this aid station. I have to give a shout out to Altra Running shoes! I’ve been a sponsored athlete for 3 years now and I can never say enough about them. It’s all I wear! I chose my Superior 4.5 for the first part because they are more minimal and flexible and my Lone Peaks 4.5 for the second part as they have a bit more cushion.
One major thing I love about our trail/ultra community is the most amazing people you meet. Even if you only see people at races a few times a year, they are your friends. As much as I was bummed that I was losing time at this aid station, it was great to see some familiar races. Huge thanks to Dawn. She works with Medstar Solutions and was at the medical tent. She popped over to say hi and I was venting about having to go change my wet bra in a porta potty. She was so sweet and let me go into the medical trailer to take care of that! It was also great to see Crystal volunteering who I know from Girls On The Run. So I changed everything except my pants, refilled my pack and got some hot potato soup which was exactly what I needed. I headed back out and now I was 40 minutes behind my predicted time. Changing into warmer clothes, socks and shoes and that potato soup totally reenergized me and I felt great.
The rest of the race was a meditative trance. I can’t even explain it. It was dark and I was just following my light and moving forward. I was alone pretty much most of this time in the dark. I remember thinking this was going to be the hardest part but I was actually enjoying the peacefulness of the night. I could see this huge big black cloud that I was running towards and I was hoping that I wouldn’t get rained on. I got lucky again and only a few drops.
I approached Table Mesa Aid Station where I would either pick up Henry or Laura to pace me the rest of the 11ish miles. I could see them both as I approached and Henry had jeans on so I knew right away who was pacing me. He also had a thermos and filled my cup up with one of the best things I had tasted: Hot Apple Cider Skratch.(electrolytes) OMG, I couldn’t get enough! Not only was it nice and warm but it tasted so good! Between that and having Laura for company, those last miles flew by. We chatted and of course I bitched about the rocks. This is my least favorite part of this course. There are several parts that are pretty rocky so it’s hard to get any momentum forward while running. We passed an awesome Saguaro forest that I didn’t remember from the year before, hit the last aid station and were almost there! I had been in great spirits all day but the only time I would get slightly irritated is when I knew I should be approaching an aid station and I couldn’t see it. We starting seeing lights but couldn’t tell if that was the finish. Finally, there it was! Due to COVID restrictions, no one could be at the finish line. I was so happy to know that I had 3 of my TRU TRIBE members who had volunteered that night so they could be at my finish! (Alina had to leave because she drove from Tucson to volunteer and I didn’t get back in as early as I was hoping) I could see Jubilee, the race director, and I jumped up as I crossed the finish line. Even though I knew I hadn’t met my original goal to PR by an hour, I still had a PR and felt amazing!
Small section of the saguaro forest at night lit by my Kogalla
I walked to the aid station to see Mindy and Catherine. They had a birthday goodie bag for me and I got to hang out with them for a few minutes. They offered me alcohol to celebrate (because this is what I would normally do) but I just wasn’t feeling it. I never had a beer until later that evening!
As I reflect on my journey to that finish line, I am 100% sure that my attitude and mental state going into this day were THE biggest key to my success. Being trained and using good technique of course go without saying. I was so excited about this race and this day, I couldn’t wait to get out there and have that experience all to myself. I am so thankful that everything flowed for me that day. As I was finishing, 19 hours plus into the race, I knew that if I had to, I could keep going……..and you know what that means?! Hmmmm ?! 😁
I started this practice last year after finding out from the author of Atomic Habits that he does this annually. I checked out my 2019 Annual Review and apparently I never went back to it because I missed several goals for this year. I said last time that I would have a better way to track this in 2020 but that didn’t happen. I really enjoyed going through this process last year so here it goes again. (I just added this to my Asana board to do on a monthly basis for 2021)
(James mentions in his last annual review that’s it’s uncomfortable to “brag” about himself and his business and to be so vulnerable by sharing some uncomfortable information. I agree but I figure it’s part of my personal growth process and if it inspires others to do the same, then great! So here it goes!)
I didn’t used to keep track of my running miles but I may have had the highest number last year. Running was definitely a huge contributor to managing my mental health. I did things I never thought possible with the TransRockies Virtual race (not just the mileage but it was in the middle of one of our hottest Augusts ever) and Every Damn Street (this was probably one of the biggest surprises I had in 2020 and it’s all in this blog post).
I love that this is the oldest I’ve been and I’ve run longer, faster and the most miles STILL with no injuries. ChiRunning and ChiWalking continue to dominate my running/walking goals and my professional life.
Due to COVID, I ran more miles alone than normal and found this quite enjoyable.
Travel:
“Races”: Crown King, Flagstaff, Jerome, Prescott,
Professional: none
Personal: Heber, San Diego
Personal/Professional Growth:
Vision board: Word of the Year: Simplify
Certified 1 ChiRunning Instructor: Henry Walker
Meditated 352 times (sometimes I do it multiple times a day)-down from last year but still happy with this number
Show Up Online Challenge: 30 Days of Instagram Live/Story Videos with Louise Henry
My biggest goal this year was to Simplify my processes as much as possible so I could manage my time better. I am sure all solopreneurs can relate to this. So many hats to wear and not enough hours in the day. Taking the Asana course and using this platform as my project management tool was a huge game changer for me. I still have work to do in this area but this was one of my biggest wins in 2020. I am also learning a lot in the Membership Academy and I never regret spending money on personal and professional development. Meditating daily continues to be part of my morning ritual. Although we’ve had to move our Toastmaster meetings to Zoom, this continues to be a great source of self development and friendship.
The Running University
New logos and an apparel shop on my website!
Certified approximately 35 ChiRunners/ChiWalkers (doesn’t include privates and didn’t have a good way to track)
Courses/Challenges rolled out: Align Mind and Body for an Epic 2020, 30 Day Social Distancing Game, Two Photo Challenges (one specific to Mental Health Month), Out of Comfort Zone Walk/Run Challenge, How to Pace Your Run
Monthly Themes: Align Mind & Body, Self Love & Compassion, Mindfulness, Renewal, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Strength, Confidence, Motivation, Resilience, Growth Mindset, Balance & Celebrate.
Ladies Training Programs (LTPs):
Spring 2020: Canceled races due to COVID: Havasu Half, Crown King, Big Pine (2x): 24 ladies
Fall 2020: 18 ladies (approximate as I didn’t track these well)
1 First/Longest Trail and Night Race
2 PRs from the year before
13 First Trail Race Distance
5 First 50Ks
I was not interested in growing my TRU TRIBE team last year for several reasons. My priority was to focus on my current members and keep the ladies physically and mentally healthy. Due to COVID I haven’t been teaching any workshops but did several private sessions live and on Zoom. I beta tested a ChiRunning and ChiWalking online course that worked great but only hosted one of each earlier in the year.
Goals I completed from 2020 list:
Letting my gray hair grow out! I’ve decided as I get closer to my 50th year that I want to see what it looks like. If I don’t like it, I will dye it again. 2021 UPDATE: Loving how this is going!
Strength Training at least 2x a week 2021 UPDATE: while I didn’t do it consistently (I almost put this in not completed), I probably did 70% more than 2019
Continue my daily meditation practice as I believe this (and ChiRunning) have had a huge impact on my life and who I am today. 2021 UPDATE: although I did less meditations than 2019 I still averaged almost one a day
Learning more about Instagram for my business and doing more videos whether it’s facebook lives, IG stories or TV and You Tube: 2021 UPDATE: I didn’t get as far as I would’ve liked but definitely made good progress. I completed 25 of 30 Show Up Online Challenges from Louise Henry where I did IG lives, I completed a You Tube training course, invested in some Instagram training materials
Continue LTPs and integrating them with TRU TRIBE Running Team. 2021 UPDATE: Even with COVID, I am grateful that my runners still wanted to keep training to say physically and mentally healthy. I tweak them almost every time with new things and I believe they are getting better and better.
I was pleasantly surprised that even with COVID, I was able to keep business moving forward. My income was lower but my expenses were too.
What didn’t go so well this year
Goals I didn’t complete from 2020. One of my issues is that I never looked back at this blog to check them. I had some written down as more serious ones. As I write this, I am creating a way to track this on my Asana board so I can tally stuff monthly rather than trying to do it all at the end of the year.
Races:
2021 UPDATE: Elephant Mountain 50K (was my first in 2014, shooting for a PR)-dropped to the 35K because I didn’t feel ready
TransRockies 6 Day Stage Race, 125 miles with 20K feet of elevation gain in CO canceled due to COVID
First 100 miler at ATY on 12/30-12/31 as I go into 2021 (my 50th birthday year) canceled due to COVID
Spend more focused time with family:
Greg: Monthly Day Date on calendar– 2021 UPDATE: started this but somehow fell off my recurring calendar. We spend plenty of time together but I’d like to have a specific day of the month for a Day Date to do different stuff
Mom and Dad: see them at least 1x a week. 2021 UPDATE: COVID effected this
Spend more time on self development by using the following tools: books and podcasts. 2021 UPDATE: I listened to some podcasts while running but didn’t make any concerted effort in this area
Need to schedule a regular health check up. I take it for granted that I am healthy but I pay too much in monthly health insurance to not use it. 2021 UPDATE: didn’t do this at all, I could blame COVID but I put no effort into this
Checking in on people I haven’t talked to in awhile 2021 UPDATE: little effort if any at all
Ten speeches in my Toastmasters club 2021 UPDATE: I did five
Create a system to track all of this so it’s easier next year! 2021 UPDATE: did not do and have added this to my Asana board
Professional:
Assist Danny and Katherine in May at Kripalu for a 5 Day ChiWalking/ChiRunning retreat & ChiRunning/ChiWalking Instructor Weekend in November2021 UPDATE: canceled due to COVID
What did I learn this year?
Even though I lost faith several times in humanity, I am surrounded by some pretty amazing people! I have a fabulous group of loyal customers/friends that believe and trust in me. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for them. They inspire me every day!
If I want to grow my business, I need to continue working on my time/project management skills. I may need to consider a Virtual Assistant this year.
I love that there are so many ways I can help people (and myself) take running to the next level. Everyone knows that speed is rarely a focus for me personally (and with my clients unless they want to work on it). This year, I followed a training plan for my 100K (2/13/21!) and did more of the speed workouts than I have ever done. I discovered an entire new level of learning about myself physically and mentally. Focusing on improving it this year was surprisingly satisfying. I know what it feels like to go longer but going faster was out of my comfort zone. I don’t know if I liked the fact that I got faster this year or that I really enjoyed the process of working on it and pushing myself in a different way.
I work my ass off. Recovery and self care were on my 2020 vision board. For a quarantine year, I didn’t do as much as I should’ve. There were some other circumstances that contributed to this factor but more on that for another blog.
2021 Goals
Word of the Year: IGNITE 🔥 🧨This year I want to get clear on the future of my TRU TRIBE team. They are priority #1. The word Clarity came to mind but still didn’t feel right. I used the handy dandy thesaurus and found “shed light on”. I also wanted to have an action word to celebrate my 50th year around the sun. So ignite is shedding light with a bang!
Races/Events:
January: Coldwater 52K: PRd by 50:56 minutes!
February: Black Canyon 100K: 1 week before my 50th birthday! Goal is to PR by 1 hour (took my 19:45 last time)
August: TransRockies 6 Day Stage Race, 125 miles with 20K feet of elevation gain in CO in August 2020 🤞
Copy this blog and update date it monthly starting February.
TRU TRIBE Team: Double membership by 12/31/21 to 132. Keep growing by: adding content, increasing engagement, getting more guest speakers, creating more courses and member only events so I can keep helping more ladies reach running and life goals.
Ultra Ladies Training Program in Fall: at least 10 new ultra runners
Increase my presence on Instagram and You Tube. I don’t have goal numbers on this yet but hope to have them as I review this blog monthly.
Change my newsletter platform
Set up a road map in the Membership Academy so I can get get clear on my TRU TRIBE goals and be accountable
Five Speeches in Toastmasters
Personal:
Spend more focused time with family:
Greg: Monthly Day Date on calendar
Mom and Dad: see them at least 1x a week.
Read 7 pages a day (I always say I want to read more but I don’t make it a priority. Following the idea of making it a daily habit rather than worrying about quantity of books)
Schedule a regular health check up, mammogram and other tests to be done at 50
Create 2021 Vision Board on 2/7/21
If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read through it! 🥰 This was a rigorous process that took me several hourly sessions. Now I have to make more of these goals SMART and I will have a clear direction of what needs to happen in 2021!
The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us. Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Who would’ve ever thought that this race would motivate me as much as it did? DEFINITELY NOT ME!
We all know what a crazy year 2020 was. Virtual races became all the rage for many runners. Not only was this a good way to stay in training mode but it also gave us the opportunity to support some of our favorite race companies that were being effected financially by the pandemic. Honestly, I didn’t do that many of them because I don’t race for medals or swag (well, sometimes 🤣). I picked my races this year very strategically.
When I heard about Every Damn Street (and Every Damn Trail), I was intrigued. You can read more about it here. I was immediately attracted to the idea of running in my community. I love the idea the race was built on. I also love first time experiences.
From the Aravaipa website:
“inspired by Ricky Gates’ Every Single Street project where he toured the streets of San Francisco, we are asking runners everywhere to connect to each other by sharing their hometown with this virtual community.”
If you know me, you know I am not a big fan of road running. However, I had a plan to run my first 100 mile race over 2 days on 12/30 & 12/31 at Across The Years as we entered 2021 (the year I turn 50!) This race is flat, mostly road and a 1 mile loop. I figured Every Damn Street would be a great way for me to get road miles in as training for my 100 miler. Bonus: the logo and feel of the race swag was Sesame Street, which was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. It was a 3 month challenge and my goal was to run my 85283 zip code. I started out not thinking that I would do the whole thing because it looked like A LOT. But the more I kept chipping away at each section of my zip code, I could start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. At the end of November, I decided I was going to run every damn street in my zip code.
Love the swag!
I decided to document my journey via Instagram Stories. I actually had to create a Part 2 in my Highlights because apparently you can only have 100 stories in each one.🤪 I may have got a bit carried away with them but this was a fun part of the challenge for me. Not sure if you need to have an Instagram account to view them or not but here is EDS Part 1 and EDS Part 2 (you can use your arrow keys to scroll forward).
Here are some things I learned in the last few months while doing this race:
Strategy was more important than I anticipated: From Day 1, this was all about strategy. My first run was Labor Day weekend and I wasn’t sure what the best way to start was. Greg (my BF), suggest to start out with the perimeter of the 85283 zip code.
My first run for this race
And so it began…
Tools: Aravaipa suggested using the Caltopo app. After every run, I could upload my Garmin file and it would continue to add my mileage as I went (see pic below). I would keep this open in my browser on my phone so I could tell what I had done on previous runs. I couldn’t see what I was doing real time though. I finally figured out to use my All Trails app and record as I was running so it would capture what I had just done. It sounds crazy but when you start going in and out of streets, it’s easy to lose track of what you did. I had to keep taking out my phone to see what I had done and where I was going next. This was much more mentally challenging than I expected.
Brought to you by:
I was an Altra sponsored athlete last year so every shoe I wore was theirs (they are the only brand I wear and love)
My Noxgear Tracer 360 vest for early morning and evenings helped me be visible and safe. My Noxgear 39G Bluetooth speaker kept me company with music, podcasts and audiobooks. I am also an Ambassador for them: use code RUNNINGU1 for 35% off
I am always focused on my technique and there is no way I would’ve been able to do all that mileage without ChiRunning and ChiWalking. No injuries in 7 years because of it! (and I walk/run a lot of miles! I averaged 31 miles a week in 2020! I never say this to brag but to really point out how much I avoid injuries because of good technique).
Miles flew by: I was really surprised at how quickly I could get mileage done in a small space. I would assume 3-4 miles and it would end up being double. As much as I don’t like street running, I know I will use this in the future because time went by quickly.
I did anywhere from a 2 mile run to a 22 mile run for this project.
Speed work goes by faster this way than on a track
I did 20 miles on Christmas Day since my family had decided to not get together
My boyfriend Greg joined me a few times for exercise dates!
In the last month, I felt like a drug addict having to get a fix. I was obsessed and have never been that motivated to go out for runs on the road in my life before.
It was awesome to finish my last run on 12/31/20 with a rainbow!
I love my neighborhood: when I first moved to AZ as a freshman in HS, we were in Tempe. I went to McClintock High School and I am an ASU alumni. I have always loved this city but I have a much bigger appreciation for it after this experience.
Ironically Sesame Street was in my zip code and I loved seeing it every time. The theme song would come in my head and it would always make me smile.
So many treasures found! From beautiful lakes and houses to funny election signs. In one neighborhood I was staring at house all decked out with human rights signs and across the street there was a house full of Trump signs. My favorite election sign was “In Dogs We Trust” “Dogs 2020 Because Humans Suck”🤣 From election signs to fun Halloween decorations to Christmas ones. At one point I even found a purple house! (you all know this is my favorite color!). I had no idea Mission chips was local and also found The Early Bird (have not checked them out) yet but I saw their cart parked in a driveway so I had to google it. I love supporting local businesses.
I challenge you to try something like this out. Pick your immediate neighborhood and/or zip code and just start chipping away at it. This blog post and my Instagram Stories don’t even do my experience justice. As I rewatched my IG stories, I got fuzzy feelings of the memories I created with this event. As a matter of fact, it ended 13 days ago and I still have weird withdrawals. I know I can go out and run in the neighborhood (I am about to as soon as I get done writing this!) but it’s not the same without the deadline of the “finish line.” This has given me a new appreciation for road running for training as canals get old after awhile.
Huge thank you to Aravaipa Running for giving me something new and fun to do in the crazy 2020 year. I just thought this was going to be another virtual race but I had no idea that it would impact me the way it did. 🥰
I still can’t believe that I did it! In retrospect, I realize that this is the most miles I’ve ever done in this short period of time and the longest I’ve gone without taking a day off! It’s one of the hardest things I’ve done and yesterday I turned 49 and 1/2! GO ME!
It’s been on my bucket list for about 5 years. When I heard about it and saw the pictures, I wanted to do it. It’s not a cheap race though so I wasn’t sure when I’d ever have the chance.
This was my bucket list and A race this year. (While I absolutely love what I do for a living as a running coach, I have learned that I need at least one major event a year for me). But then COVID19 happened…and of course they had to cancel the event.
They announced a virtual option for either 60 or 120 miles to be completed in the 15 days and I had to sign up!
My original plan was to do the 60 miles because I’m in the middle of a few big projects and I knew it would be hard for me to try to make 8 miles a day happen with the 120 miles. However, the AZ Girls (last year’s volunteer crew) were all doing 120 miles and twisted my arm pretty quickly. I also had been averaging 25 miles weeks and I wanted this to be a challenge….and IT WAS!
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I posted an IG Story for just about every walk/run of the challenge. You can see the highlights here if you’re on IG.(tap on each story to move forward faster).
What did I learn while doing one of the? Here are a few of my key takeaways….
I will be forever grateful for ChiRunning/ChiWalking. I never recommend doing mileage you are not trained for…but if you do, having good technique under your belt makes a HUGE difference. Although I walked about 60% of the mileage, I doubled my weekly mileage for 2 weeks. While I could feel a bit of tension (I stretched just about every day too) and fatigue in my legs, my body felt great the entire time.
FOMO is real. I’ve blogged about this before too. Many of my TRU TRIBE teammates had signed up for the Great Race Across Tennessee (1000k to be finished from 5/1-8/31). I really really wanted to join them but I knew it would not be a good decision. I had too much on my plate and I really didn’t want to burn myself out (which I’ve done before and learned from that experience!) before this virtual race as it was my priority this year and I didn’t want to get distracted. I was planning on the 60 miles but as I mentioned before, between some arm twisting and a wee bit of FOMO, I decided to go for it. I don’t regret it even though I had a breakdown on social media in the middle of the challenge. (more on that below)
I had a plan and followed it. As much as I would’ve liked to simulate the real race and do the 120 miles in 6 days, I knew that was unrealistic for many reasons. I planned to do 8 miles a day which was the daily average necessary to complete the challenge. I looked at my calendar for the 2 weeks and saw some days where I’d get more in and vice versa. I started tracking on my Fit Bit but that was using passive workouts which were not intentional and didn’t count. I switched to tracking with my Garmin mid race to get more accurate results. I was adding and averaging daily to see how much I had left as I progressed. This worked well for me. Although apparently on the TRR page, my totals ended at 118.3 because someone messaged me late on the last day to let me know this. I get in freak out mode but checked my Fitness Rankings totals. I sent a FB message to Houda (the race director) with pics and he said I was fine! Phew!
Multi tasking and getting creative was necessary to get mileage done! Managing my time was probably my biggest obstacle. I had to get creative to get my mileage in:
while I was walking, I used some of that time making phone calls and listening to podcasts
I was able to schedule some of my mileage with friends and my TRU TRIBE. Some days I got one walk done and on some days I broke it up into 3 different workouts.
I woke up before my “work” group runs a few times and ran 1/4 mile loops in my apartment parking lot just so I could get it done before it was a bazillion degrees
It always boils down to mindset! While I am not a believer of mind over body (I’ve seen too many people get injured with this mind frame), I do believe in mind with body. Another principle I’ve embraced from ChiRunning. There is a big difference between ignoring your body and pushing through until you get injured VS. pushing through to overcome your mental setbacks.
We’ve had the hottest summer on record in Arizona and this challenge was from 8/3-8/17: prime summer heat. I had to try and schedule runs early morning or after the sun went down. This was not always possible. Although I could not make the heat disappear with my mindset, I could certainly embrace it and know that “it is what it is.”. I had several days that I had to go out when the sun was beating down but I was safe by minimizing that time and being prepared for it and I embraced it. Constantly repeating how hot it is will not make it go away, as a matter of fact, it makes it worst. Accepting the heat and driving to my runs with my windows down rather than going from the AC cold car to the blazing heat really helped me acclimate. Here is my recent blog about how and why to run in the heat.
Once I had my mid race melt down, I was able to dig deep and remind myself of my Why. This is a question I ask all the athletes before they start training for a race with me. Even more important now that we don’t know if races are happening. This was going to be my big bucket list A race this year and I would’ve been training for 4 months leading up to it. That opportunity was taken away from me by COVID19 so I replaced it with the virtual event. I was going to finish this race no matter what it was going to take. Here is my IG post about my meltdown and the IGTV video that I did later that day.
One of the things I loved/hated about the challenge was trying to figure how I was going to get it all done. It was so rewarding at the end to know that it all came together although I doubted myself several times!
Yesterday was 8/19, my half birthday. I turned 49 1/2 and I’ve never felt better! I know too many people that keep repeating how old they are, and how much harder things are….while some of this is fact that I can’t deny, mindset and how you take care of your body have a lot to do with this as well.
As I age, I keep surprising myself by doing things I never thought possible. This is a first time experience for me as far as number of miles in this short of time, without taking a day off….I have some pretty big goals as I prepare for my 50th year around the sun in 2021, and the real TransRockies Run is definitely on the list among a few other crazy endeavors…..stay tuned!
Sorry not sorry for picking on you today🤣 ….but as a running coach, this is one of my biggest peeves! I really want to understand you!
This seems to be a big thing as it feels like there are more of you that don’t train for races than people who do. These two groups couldn’t be any more different. I read about this in online forums, hear people talking about it after races…like it’s actually cool to go just run a half marathon (or any distance) without any training? I am really surprised at how so many of you “brag” about this?? We all run for different reasons so maybe you just really like to just show up on race day, hope for the best and see what your body/mind can do with no training?! 🤷♀️ I still don’t get it….
NOOOOOOO! Running is NOT hard, it’s NOT painful, it’s NOT unenjoyable!
I have never not trained for a race. Mind you, that my idea of racing is different than most people but for the purposes of this letter, let’s go with the meaning of the race in the true sense of the word. Dictionary.com describes a race as: a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
Before I give you some food for thought on why you should train for a race, the first and foremost reason is:
Crossing that finish line will have an entirely different meaning if you train for it!
We may all get the same swag and medal at the end of any race but I guarantee you, the experience will be entirely different!
Why? Imagine you have a half marathon in 3 months that you train for……this half marathon program has you running 4 days a week with long runs on the weekend…..
Your body won’t hurt and/or you won’t get injured. Running 13.1 miles with little to no training could have some serious consequences on your body. I’ve heard of people getting injured to the point that they won’t get to run ever again. Outside of learning running technique (like ChiRunning), training for a race gets your body prepared for it. Your muscles, joints, ligaments get used to the load that you add incrementally making race day so much more enjoyable! I love to hear my athletes say the day after a race how surprised they are that their body feels so good! Enough to get out dancing that same evening or another hike/run the next day.
You will be mentally stronger. When you have to get up 3-4 days a week to train, there will be plenty of days that you won’t want to for so many reasons: “it’s too early”, “I didn’t get enough sleep”,” it’s too hot”…… But guess what, every day that you go out and follow your training plan when you don’t want to, you are building your mental toughness muscle. Your mind, like your body, needs to be “worked”. You can pushing through on race day one time vs having 3 months worth of days of pushing through….seems pretty obvious who will be mentally stronger. When you build your mental strength muscle, not only does it make you stronger for running but you are able to use these same skills in your life!
You are more likely to make running more of a lifestyle than a fad. Habits build with consistency. If you get into a habit of training for a race, you are burning more calories on a daily basis, getting healthier….I really don’t need to list all the many benefits of running/exercising consistently vs not. I see it happen too many times. You half ass or don’t train for a race, have a miserable time and say running must not be for me and quit after that one experience….or you are a masochist and just like to run races every once in awhile with little to no training. Hopefully you are getting physical and mental exercise in other ways.
You are missing the journey! As cliche as this sounds, the race is the goal….what’s the point of getting to the destination if you don’t have all the struggles, wins and learning experiences from the journey? Feels like an easy way out…like you’re cheating yourself of so many experiences…
You are missing the camaraderie! You can certainly train for a race by yourself. This is better than not training for a race! In my case, I do Ladies Training Programs so part of the training, means going out on group runs together. We explore new locations together, we get to know each other better, have way more fun, support and encourage each other. It’s better together!
COVID-19 won’t impact your running journey. If you are reading this now, all races have been canceled for the last 3 months….many of them continue to get canceled. I’ve had a few of my Ladies Training Program start and continue during these times even if we knew the race may not even happen. As a matter of fact, we went and made our own race last weekend in Flagstaff.
Start the race confident and prepared. There is no better feeling than showing up for a race being prepared. I always say some good nervous excitement is a good thing (I love this video from Simon Sinek on this subject). I love being at the start line feeling confident that I have trained the miles and I am ready for whatever will happen that day. Since we get that mental toughness training for months, we are more likely to handle anything thrown our way with more grace and mindfulness on race day.
Bottom line: You will grow in so many more ways
that will impact your running and life!
I always say, you do you when it comes to running (and life). If running a race with little to no training works for you, keep doing you! But if you want to have an entirely different experience, get a coach and train for a race!
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you’ll know that I believe practicing meditation and mindfulness are a super power and the answer to all things in life. 😊 I just heard the phrase from Gaia during an audio session on Insight Timer this morning: Master Your Mind, Master Your Life. Continue Reading →
I thought I’d heard them all but yesterday, I almost spit out my drink when I read this tip! It’s in a training log of all places! Are you kidding me?
From a training log! 😡
We are having a 7-Day Photo Challenge in my TRU TRIBE Run Team this week. The challenge is to take a photo each day and describe what feelings you are having at that moment (part of our focus on Mental Health Awareness month). One of my members, who happens to be a personal trainer as well, posted this picture along with this comment: “Dismayed! I saw this in my runner’s log book. Don’t they know about Lisa?”
Or any other running coaches?!
If any running population needs a coach, beginners would be the first group I would recommend get one! Running keeps becoming more and more popular. Although it seems like putting one foot in front of the other is all you need to know, there wouldn’t be a 65% injury rate if that were true! (I don’t know what it is exactly but numbers I see range from 60-70%)
What’s one of the first things someone tells you when they find out you are going to start running or are a runner? You shouldn’t run…it’s bad for your knees (or name any other body part.) RUNNING DOESN’T HURT YOUR BODY, HOW YOU RUN HURTS YOUR BODY! What you do with your body when you are not running has an impact on how you run too (for example, sitting at your desk all day).
We take golf, swimming and tennis lessons, cooking classes, but rarely do people consider taking a class to learn how to run…or at least find a coach that can help them with this. As much as I love social media, that’s a whole other blog post for another day. I’m all for people sharing their experiences in facebook groups but I’ve seen some of the worst advice given about running there too. Just because people run, it doesn’t make them experts.
I’ve been teaching ChiRunning for 10 years and coached many runners of ALL levels. Bottom line, it’s worth the investment regardless of what level runner you are to have a coach! There are many different coaches out there and it’s important that you find one that works for YOU. Here are some key things that I would look for when hiring a coach, in order of importance:
Education and credentials: Do they have the proper knowledge required to teach you how to run properly and increase your mileage safely? Being a runner isn’t enough. Many of us have spent quite a bit of money for the education we have. There is a reason there are coaching agencies and certifications.
Experience: how long have they been coaching? More experience means they’ve dealt with more scenarios and have more tools in their toolbox. What type/level of athlete do they coach?
Personality: are they a good match for you? This is more important than you realize. Some people like the hardcore, drill sergeant personality while others might prefer someone who is more of a cheerleader.
Does their speed matter? Absolutely not! While there may be some great coaches out there that are fast runners, this is not something I would consider. If you’re goal is to learn to run fast and they meet the qualifications above, great!
Does their “celebrity” status matter? Absolutely not! While there may be some great coaches out there that have a celebrity status because they are really good with social media, this is not something I would consider. If they meet the qualifications above, great!
Will they give you a good hug at the finish line? 🥰 While there is nothing better than a good hug, this is not something I would take into consideration…unless they meet the qualifications above.
You don’t have to take this advice from me though! Here are some of the answers to this question “What advice would you give a beginner runner?” from TRU TRIBE Run Team Member Spotlights:
“I had to start with alternating walking and running. At the time I felt like I wasn’t a “runner.” Now I realize that the moment I transitioned from a walk to a run, I became a runner! So, I would advise a beginner to think of herself as a runner, regardless of speed, body type, age or experience. I also recommend getting a running coach to help you with your mechanics. You probably ran very naturally as a child, but as an adult you may need to re-learn good form. It may be the key to staying injury-free. Lastly, find a running group! I love my time alone when I run, but I also love running with my Tribe!” Barbara B.
“Start with a good coach. Learn the right form right out of the shoot. But most importantly, just start.” Andrea T
“Do not worry about your speed or what other people may think. Take your time, build up slowly, focus on your form, get some strength training in to smooth out any imbalances. Hire a coach to help you with all this so you don’t fall into bad (injury producing) habits!”Karla H
“Find a coach to help you with your running journey. Learn the correct running form to prevent injuries along your way. Strength training is such important element to help you get stronger, prevent injuries, and improves your performance as an athlete.” Sonia G
Guess what, Bill Gates thinks you should have a coach too! If you plan on making running a lifestyle, getting a coach is one of the best things you can do for yourself!
I haven’t done this practice in a few years but my goal is to do this every year going forward. The monthly theme in the TRU TRIBE Running Team for December was self reflection. After doing more research on the subject, how beneficial it is and knowing that the most successful leaders do this, I decided to take some time to do it. While I have not read James Clears’ book yet, Atomic Habits (I should be getting it today!), I checked out his website and he does an annual review every year. So I decided to try it out his format.
James mentions in his last annual review that’s it’s uncomfortable to “brag” about himself and his business and to be so vulnerable by sharing some uncomfortable information. I agree but I figure it’s part of my personal growth process and if it inspires others to do the same, then great! So here it goes!
2019 Personal and Professional Self Reflection
What went well this year?
Great year of races and events
1293 logged miles on Garmin/2,648 logged miles on Fitbit (I wear this 24/7 but not sure how accurate this mileage is?)
Zero Injuries
5 ultras (Black Canyon, Crown King, Jackrabbit, Canyon De Chelly, Across The Years)
10 other races
First Time Experiences: First trail half (Vail), First Double Down (Big Pine) Longest Night trail race (Jackass)
Breast Cancer 3-Day in Boston (raised $2200)
TransRockies: Volunteered for 7 days
Travel:
Races: Crown King, Vail AZ, Flagstaff, Canyon De Chelly, Boston (Breast Cancer 3-Day)
Professional: Las Vegas (Consumer Electronic Show with ChiLiving), Denver (Assist Danny with a workshop), Asheville (assist Danny with Instructor Training)
CO: TransRockies 8 day volunteer gig
Personal: Rocky Point 2x
Personal/Professional Growth:
Certified 1 ChiRunning Instructor
Foot Collective Workshop
Meditated 424 times (sometimes I do it multiple times a day)
Toastmasters: 9 speeches delivered
Running for Brews Tempe: met 50 of 52 weeks (have only canceled 5x times in 7 years)
Certified approximately 59 ChiRunners (doesn’t include privates and didn’t have a good way to track)
First 100K finisher
First International Client who did her first 50K
9 Ladies Training Programs (LTPs):
86 participants
2 100K finishes
24 Ultra finishes
4 first time ultras
11 first time double downs
19 longest race (night or day)
10 first trail race
13 first night trail race
10 DNFs (Did Not Finishes)
What didn’t go so well this year?
Deadlines: TRU TRIBE Running Team roll out was delayed several months from original projection and I’m still rolling out slower than planned.
Strength Training: still not make this the priority it should be.
Toastmasters: Was going to finish my 2nd Distinguished Toastmaster but decided to stop even though I was pretty close. Started program all over again to learn new educational path online. I figured all the work I put into the 2nd one was not wasted as I learned through the process. I also made this decision because newer members were using the online platform and it was getting hard to mentor them without knowing the system.
Blog: I keep having great intentions of writing more but I only wrote 17 blog posts last year. Eleven of these were Member Spotlights so truly only 6 were my writing material.
Like A Boss 12 Month Bootcamp: Started this very excited and once I started working hard on my TRU TRIBE Running Team, I stopped.
10 DNFs: While I don’t consider these failures because many of these decisions are necessary. It’s always a smart idea to stop before pushing your body to a point of potential danger due to injury or hydration/nutrition issues. Crown King had a 54% DNF rate. Part of this were issues with the race itself which were addressed by and with the race director. DNFs are always a great reason to reflect on what could’ve been done differently.
What did I learn this year?
Need to be more realistic with deadlines. I tried rolling out TRU TRIBE Running Team in the middle of some heavy travel times which didn’t allow me to focus on it the way I wanted to.
As I started this process, I realize I need to have better ways to track what I do. This process took a lot longer than I wanted to this year.
Blogging is not my favorite thing to do. I need to work on spending time doing things for my business that inspire and drive me. I’ve learned it’s much better to spend time doing less things well/more often rather than trying to do too many things less often and not well.
Learning to let go is still hard no matter how much I meditate! 🤣:
I was crushed after the Crown King DNF situation. It was our last ultra of the 4 for the 212K Challenge. Some things were out of my control but I took it personally for awhile. I was disappointed in some of the decisions to DNF from my athletes but more disappointed in myself for so many reasons . It took me longer than I wanted to get through some emotions after this race. However, through this process I made some changes to my ultra Ladies Training Programs and I am always grateful to learn from my mistakes.
Growing my business is hard! Making the decision to go online and create the TRU TRIBE Running Team was easy. I’ve had this on my to do list for several years. My big learning lesson for this was/is that not all my peeps will follow me where my business takes me and not to take this personally. I struggled with this for awhile but have been working through it and feeling a lot better about it. Knowing that I’ve impacted so many people whether they continue to follow me or not is a huge accomplishment and I need to focus on that.
2020 Goals
(I realize not all of these are SMART goals right now but I need to get the list out)
Races:
Elephant Mountain 50K (was my first in 2014, shooting for a PR)
TransRockies 6 Day Stage Race, 125 miles with 20K feet of elevation gain in CO
First 100 miler at ATY on 12/30-12/31 as I go into 2021 (my 50th birthday year)
Personal:
Spend more focused time with family:
Greg: Monthly Day Date on calendar
Mom and Dad: see them at least 1x a week
Letting my gray hair grow out! I’ve decided as I get closer to my 50th year that I want to see what it looks like. If I don’t like it, I will dye it again.
Spend more time on self development by using the following tools: books and podcasts.
Strength Training at least 2x a week
Checking in on people I haven’t talked to in awhile
Need to schedule a regular health check up. I take it for granted that I am healthy but I pay too much in monthly health insurance to not use it.
Ten speeches in my Toastmasters club
Continue my daily meditation practice as I believe this (and ChiRunning) have had a huge impact on my life and who I am today.
Create a system to track all of this so it’s easier next year!
ChiRunning/ChiWalking Instructor Weekend in November
TRU
Rebrand – new logos
TRU TRIBE Running Team: Keep building on this: adding content, increasing engagement, getting more guest speakers, creating more courses and member only events so I can keep helping more ladies reach running and life goals.
Continue LTPs and integrating them with TRU TRIBE Running Team.
Learning more about Instagram for my business and doing more videos whether it’s facebook lives, IG stories or TV and You Tube.
If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read through it! This was a rigorous process that took me several hourly sessions. Now I have to make my goals SMART and I will have a clear direction of what needs to happen in 2020!
One of our ChiRunning Instructors just posted an interesting article in our Instructor faceook page. I am rarely this motivated to write a blog post but I scanned the study and I was inspired immediately! I haven’t even really read through the full thing but just picked out a few of things that really got me excited!
Something I’ll never forget from my Psychology 101 class in college is that most “studies” are really BS. There are many variables required to have an effective study so it’s easy to believe every article in every magazine that claims the effectiveness of such study . So truly most of the time they are BS. I actually just saw one yesterday that mentioned a study with a sample size of 8 people! Hardly representative of any population!
The first sentence before the title of the article says: “This is the first mapping of Global running participation. The analysis covers 107.9 million race results from more than 70 thousand events from 1986 to 2018. This is by far the largest study of race results in history. “
hmmmm that sounds like a pretty decent sample size!
Here are the the key points that got me fired up with my 2 cents under them 😉
Runners have never been slower – male runners in particular. In 1986 the average finish time was 3:52:35, whereas today it’s 4:32:49 – a slowdown of 40 minutes and 14 seconds. (marathon)
Yeah! It’s about time we don’t care about speed when it comes to running!
Runners have never been older aging from 35.2 in 1986 to 39.3 in 2018.
Based on the people I hang out with, this is actually still young! Great to see people getting out of their comfort zones as they age!
For the first time in history, there are more female than male runners. In 2018, 50.24% of runners were female.
Yes! I am working on getting more women running first…then more women running trails…then more women running ultras 😉
Traveling to race has never been more popular than today.
Definitely something I started doing more for some of my races as well as my groups. One of the reasons I love trail and ultra running is to getting to see new beautiful places. Ladies Training Programs so far have been to Flagstaff (2x), Vail AZ, Tucson and Moab. Future plans are to have more programs out of town.
The motives for participating in running are potentially changing from being achievement-focused to being psychological, health and socially focused, which in part can be proved by more people traveling to race, slower finish times and how milestone-ages (30, 40, 50) now are much less dominant than 15 and 30 years ago.
This makes me the happiest! This is the kind of running I promote!
Learn how to do it right so you don’t hurt yourself as you age and you can run forever!
Be social! Make sure you are having fun by doing it with friends!
Travel!
Take your time, there is no rush! Your pace, your race!
Run to eat, run to drink beers, run for cookies…or whatever floats your boat!
Doing all of this will make it so running can be part of your lifestyle! This is how and why I run!
From My Running Story to Yours…. (if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)
