Category Archives: ChiWalking

How and Why to Run In The Heat

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

I find it pretty humorous during this time of the year when I start seeing these types of memes on social media…

…..like everyone in Phoenix has amnesia and forgets how hot it is here….E.V.E.R.Y. single summer…🤣 I guess when it’s perfect weather the other 9ish months of the year, we need something to complain about!

This topic has been on mind lately. Not because I’m surprised how hot it is here, but because this is the first year that I have a group training for an ultra in the summer (thank you COVID-19 🙄).  The Crown King 50K is one of my favorite ultras (this will be my 5th time). It’s normally at the end of March….it got canceled with everything going on and postponed to October 17th.  We all had options on what we wanted to do with our race entry.  Several of the ladies from that training program, including myself, decided to do the race in October (crossing all fingers and toes that it happens!)…..but we all knew what that meant: training in the heat.  UGH  But the decision was made and now it’s time to train….we just started a few weeks ago so not doing real long runs yet.

Earlier this month, I was jazzed up when Danny Dreyer, the co-founder of ChiRunning, asked me to be on his ChiSchool webinar because the topic was running in the heat. He’s lived and ran in enough places to know exactly what to do but of course I took him up on the chance to co-host with him! 😊

I was inspired by hanging out with him so I decided to do a video with some tips on training in the heat which you can find below.I thought of a few other things to add so I figured why not write a blog about it!

Here are my tips for running/walking in the heat:

  • You have a choice.  This sounds rather basic but it’s true.  No one is telling you have to do it. There are plenty of other options to exercise. You can swim, bike, use a treadmill, or not work out at all (I don’t recommend this 🤣).  If you truly hate the heat that much, don’t complain about it and do something different.
  • Embrace it.  What?!  You heard me….this is all about your mindset.  I know I can’t will the heat away, but if I choose to embrace it (rather than continuously complain about it) it won’t be as bad.  Since it’s my first time really training seriously in this heat, this is my number one strategy so far….and I feel like it’s working. One thing I started doing yesterday is not put my AC on in my car when driving to my running location.  I figure part of the problem is going from a nice cold car to a blast of heat.  If I can acclimate on my drive over, this will make the transition from the car to the outdoor air less shocking to my mind and body. Working on some affirmations next!
  • Pick a good time.  I’ve had to change the time I go to bed at night so I can get up and out the door and stay out of the sun as much as possible.  I normally try to get out before the sunrise. I also really enjoy being out on the trails at night time so that is also another option.  While it’s still warm in the evening here, there is a big difference when you don’t have the sun shining right on you. If necessary, and I have the time, I’ll take a little nap in the middle of the day when I don’t get enough sleep.
  • Pick a good location.  Ideally, stay out of the sun. Cacti are not really the best for shade so that’s a bit more challenging for us here. 😂Find locations that provide more shade. Get out of town for a quick road trip and head up north. You can also stay close to your house and have a short route that you go around so you can go home if run into any trouble.  I did an experiment the day of the webinar with Danny and walk/ran a quarter mile loop in my apartment complex at about 2:30pm.  My least favorite part was the heat from the asphalt but I got used to it after a few laps.  I did a few miles in 30 minutes but I didn’t die. I also considered jumping in the apartment complex pool but will save that for another longer session (Yes, I am intentionally trying to run in the heat…more on that below).  Here is a video I did on that day when I was done.
  • Have the right fuel and plenty of it.  Always carry water with you and make sure you have enough of it.  Freeze half of your water bottle or bladder from your hydration pack so you are ahead of the game. It doesn’t take much for ice to melt here. Staying hydrated on a daily basis will help too.  We also lose sodium and potassium when sweating so make sure you have the right electrolytes. This could be another blog post alone but if you google it, I’m sure you’ll find enough info.  I personally like to keep things as natural as possible so I use Saltstick capsules and Pickle Power. There are plenty of drinks out there but read labels as some of them have a lot of sugar and food coloring.  You can even google DIY electrolyte drinks and make your own! Make sure you have enough food for the distance you are going (there are many products like gels, etc) but I prefer real food: peanut butter pretzels, trail mix, potato chips.  It is harder for your body to digest real food vs gels so experimenting to see what’s best for you is my best advice.
  • Wear the right clothing. I always wear wicking fabric because it helps keep me cooler (relatively speaking) by evaporating the sweat instead of soaking up in fabrics like cotton. Nowadays you can even find clothes that have a cooling effect.  Modern technology is great for this.  As a matter of fact, as I was writing this, I started googling “cooling clothing” and “for extreme heat” popped up on it’s own.  Lots of good options here (huh, I may need to do some more shopping now!). I always wear a trucker hat as it keeps the sun directly out of my face. Sunglasses are a must for me and of course lots of sunscreen.  My favorite brand is Zealios and you can use discount code Zup-TRU20 for 25% off!
  • Spray bottles, ice and more ice. I usually have a cooler with ice and spray bottles.  If and when I have the chance, I put ice in my hat, in my sports bra and as many places I can think of.  Pour cold water on your wrists, head and neck (keep your neck cool with a bandana and ice).  I keep the spray bottles cold and will usually add some peppermint oil to it for even more of a cooling sensation.  You can also use peppermint candies, chew gum on your run for this same reason.
  • Learn running technique.  Good technique is not just about injury prevention.  When you learn good technique, you are learn how to move your body as efficiently as possible.  In ChiRunning, we teach people how to limit using their leg muscles (which are big muscles and use a lot of energy). When you are running more efficiently, you won’t be overworking your body which is already being impacted by the heat.
  • Adjust your pace.  Since our bodies are under more pressure with the heat, it’s important to adjust your pace. This seems like a no brainer but don’t go out and do speed intervals or hill repeats if it’s too hot.I have found myself ChiWalking a bit more than normal and I am totally OK with that.  ChiWalking is my secret sauce to ultra training/running.
  • Body sense!  This is a word you will hear every single ChiRunning/ChiWalking instructor talk about. Listening to your body (not your mind/ego) is a skill. It starts with self awareness and knowing that our minds/egos may not always have our best interest in mind. This is a main different between “power” running and ChiRunning.  It’s not mind OVER body, but mind WITH body.  The more you practice, the more you’ll know what your body is telling you when it comes to movement, how you are feeling, what you are eating, etc.  The body always knows best and it talks to us a lot.  It’s easy to choose to not listen but this can come at a cost.  Make sure you know how your body reacts in the heat and what it needs and when it needs it.

Why would I purposely run in the heat?

  • Running is my lifestyle.  It’s what I choose to do as my main form of exercise.  Just because summer is here, doesn’t mean I have to stop running because it’s hot.  This helps keep me stay consistent with my regular fitness routine.
  • Training for an event.  Races happen throughout the entire year.  Normally I choose not to train for a race during the summer so while I would still run, I didn’t have to worry about major long runs for my ultra training. I did an ultra in 2016 that was at the beginning of July (Capitol Reef 50K and the hardest one I’ve ever done!) but that was really only one month of running in the heat. This year I was supposed to be doing my bucket list race (TransRockies) which would’ve been 120 miles in 6 days on 8/3 but that was canceled…but I was ready for some serious heat training. So when I had the chance to sign up for Crown King in October, I figured why not?!
  • Improve performance! While this is not the main reason I am doing it, I am interested to see how it effects my performance.  This could also be another blog post but you can search for “heat training and adaptation” and there are several studies (some more compelling than others depending on sample size, etc) that suggest that training in the heat will improve performance.  As a matter of fact, many runners train in the heat for races at elevation rather than training in altitude. It makes sense so I’m curious to see how this impacts me later in the year.

Well, there you have it!  I hope that these tips help you and inspire you to keep moving through the summer!

Cheers!
Coach Lisa

TRU Tribe: Member Spotlight Mellie Frei

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Every Saturday we highlight one of our members in TRU Tribe Running Club .  Meet Mellie!  If we can do it, so can you!

Mellie’s 1st 50K!

Why did you start running?
I started running for health reasons. I was diagnosed with COPD and Chronic Pancreatitis in the same year and wanted to do something to be able to keep breathing!
What age did you start running?
50
How old are you now? (to inspire the others! but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to)
52
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far from your running journey?
You can’t finish if you don’t start, and it is ok to be DFL! (Dead F*&n Last)
What advice would you give a beginner runner?
You have to start somewhere, set realistic goals, don’t be hard on yourself, surround yourself with positive, supportive people!
What would you do differently knowing what you know now?
Learn how to run the right way, so you don’t get injured!
What is your longest race distance and why?
Recently completed Javalina Jangover 50k with Cindy Richardson!  I wanted to try a 50k, as my goal is to challenge myself continually, and defy the odds.
Do you have a bucket list race or distance?
The National Pancreas Foundation is currently a charity partner with the Marine Corps Marathon. The cutoff is 7 hours for the full, which will require some speed work for me to maintain that pace for 26 miles.
What has been your favorite race and/or distance so far?
I have many favorite races!! I love the challenge of the half marathon distance and my goal is to complete all the Vacation Races! My favorite was the Grand Teton Half, simply beautiful!
What is your favorite color?
I don’t have just one!
What is your favorite post race food and drink?
I love a juicy IPA after a run!! Love going out for breakfast after weekend runs
Anything else you want to share with the TRU TRIBE 😀
When you are surrounded with the right people, anything is possible. TRU TRIBE ladies are so inspiring!

Click here for more Member Spotlight Inspiration!

 

TRU Tribe: Member Spotlight Kisha Ferullo

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Every Saturday we highlight one of our members in TRU Tribe Running Club .  Meet Kisha!  If we can do it, so can you!

Why did you start running? 
A friend was doing a race and asked me if I wanted to do it too.

What age did you start running?
35

How old are you now?
46

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far from your running journey?
To enjoy the ups and persevere through the downs.

What advice would you give a beginner runner?
Find a supportive group to run with.

What would you do differently knowing what you know now?
Stretch more, rest more, cut myself some slack for hard runs

What is your longest race distance and why?
100k at Javelina Jundred….I volunteered at this event about 6 months after I started trail running and I saw “real” people with “real” bodies and thought if they could do it so could I.  Made a 3 year goal to do it for my 45 birthday..

Do you have a bucket list race or distance?
I would like to get 100 miles at a timed event..

What has been your favorite race and/or distance so far?
I really enjoyed Punisher 30k….it’s a nice course at night.  I also thought the Black Canyon Trail was beautiful (at least the 20 miles I saw 😜)

What is your favorite color?
Purple

What is your favorite post race food and drink?
Beer and pizza.

Anything else you want to share with the TRU TRIBE Online 🥰
Thanks for being part of my journey!

Click here for more Member Spotlight Inspiration!

 

TRU Tribe: Member Spotlight Cindy Richardson

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Every Saturday we highlight one of our members in TRU Tribe Running Club .  Cindy Richardson was our first one!  Since she’s been a member, she’s crossed finish lines she never thought possible including her first 50K on 9/27/19!

Cindy and Mellie completing their first 50K..at night! They are still smiling at the finish even if the sunrise beat them to the finish 💜

Why did you start running?
I needed a new challenge in my life and running had always been something I was scared of.

What age did you start running? 
58

How old are you now? 
59

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far from your running journey?
Just start and quit thinking about it. Even if I have a setback, I need to work within my own limits but keep moving forward towards my goals.

What advice would you give a beginner runner? 
Just start and quit thinking about it. Find a coach and stick to a workout schedule. Having an event as a goal will help keep you focused.

What would you do differently knowing what you know now?
I would try to be more consistent with my workouts.

What is your longest race distance and why?
50K – recently completed. It was a tough event but I finished within the cutoff time.

Do you have a bucket list race or distance?
Not any more. I am happy with the 50K, but may decide to do other 50K races. 

What has been your favorite race and/or distance so far?
I really enjoyed my first night race, it was a 9K at San Tan and beautiful weather with full moon, and I ran with a companion Melinda the entire race.

What is your favorite color?
None really but wear lots of purple now.

What is your favorite post race food and drink?
Beer garden is always fun to sit and visit with group, beer and something salty for post race snack. 

Anything else you want to share with the TRU TRIBE Online 🥰
Having the TRU Tribe group as inspiration and companions is a great way to keep focused and have fun. Lisa is a great coach — working on technique, running workouts and auxilliary excercises plus cheering us on the entire time.

Click here for more Member Spotlight Inspiration!

Race Report

Canyon De Chelly Ultra 55K Race Report 2019

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

This race is one of the main reasons I love running!  This was my most favorite race experience that I’ve had to date! (so hard to say this as I’ve had so many but overall, this one takes it!)

First I have to thank Maria Walton.   Continue Reading →


Race Report

Race Report: Old Port Shipyard Half Marathon

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

Another first time experience in Portland ME running in a new place!  I love having the opportunity to run in new places and the only reason I was there was because of my running friends.

Quick history on why I was there because it wouldn’t have happened for any other reason.  I was promoting my Moab Ladies Training Program and Amy, who comes to Running for Brews, emailed me and asked if she could join the program but not do the Moab race. She wanted the benefits of the program but was already committed to running this half marathon in ME because she was on a trip with her husband.  First time this happened so I figured why not.  I asked her to send me the race info so I could adjust her training plan accordingly to include hills or whatever the race profile looked like.  When I looked at it, I realized I was going to be back east during this weekend and only 2 hours away…….HMMMMM….I marked “Interested” in the facebook event and then a friend that I met while I was teaching at Kripalu with Danny last year, saw it and said that it wasn’t too far from her and maybe she would come too. Well before you know it, 3 friends from the Kripalu trip were doing the race too….so why not?!

Race Report

As you know, I love trails so another road half marathon 3 weeks after Moab may have been the only reason I wouldn’t have done the race.  But to be able to see Amy through her training and then get to be at the finish line and see my other friends was a huge motivator for me.

This was one of the most organized races I’ve attended.  As an out of towner, I got enough updates via email with info for the event. I was able to find an AirBnb for Laurie and I (that was another crazy experience that I can’t even begin to address here but nonetheless part of our adventure).  The race directors even did a facebook survey at one point to decide if people wanted t-shirts or tank tops.  Tank tops won!

The race website had all the info from addresses of the parking areas to how much each one cost. I was a little disappointed on race morning that the weather was cloudy.  I am not crazy about running in the rain but I was so excited to be running a new route, in a new city, with friends even if it was road!

We got to the start line early enough and all of the sudden I could hear the MC of the race motivating people!  OMG, this is the start line I was missing since Moab!  Completely opposite experience!  This guy was awesome!  So many motivating words to get us pumped up…and he looked so cool!  Dreads and barefoot…..Here is a quick video of him at the finish line doing his thing!  I would go to a race just to hear this guy do his thing!  His name is Michael Bernier and apparently he MCs many races and does some pretty cool stuff.

I usually always encourage people to run their own race and this is what I normally do.  Amy was doing her thing and the other girls said they were going to do Galloway for 1 min run and 30 sec walk intervals.  They hadn’t trained as much as they normally would like so seemed like a good idea for them.  They said they probably would finish in 2.5 hours.  I had no goals for this race at all. I just did the Moab Half in about that time frame 3 weeks ago (still haven’t officially checked my results LOL because it doesn’t matter).  I’ve never done intervals that short before so I told them I would start with them and see what happened.

At the start line all pumped up!

We started out together and it the first part of the race was in neighborhoods.  Apparently they changed the route but it was all new to me.  We had a few rolling hills and since I hadn’t seen these ladies since their ChiRunning training in Kripalu, I was able to share some reminders from class about hill technique and give them a few pointers on their form.  Then it started raining!  To my surprise, I was not concerned in the least bit!  Might be because it was a very light drizzle or because I was in good company or because it’s been awhile since I’ve had this opportunity so I went with it and enjoyed every minute of it.

Then we got seaside.  I was bummed that it wasn’t sunnier as I think it would’ve been a bit prettier but it was still beautiful.  Here are a few photos:

Beautiful views!

More beautiful views!

Was going to be a selfie but a runner insisted to take the photo!

Time was flying!  We hadn’t seen each other in a year and had a lot to catch up on.  We leap frogged here and there but I mostly stayed with them doing these intervals.  I’ll admit I wasn’t too crazy about them.  We skipped some when we went downhill or uphill going more on body sensing than timing (the ChiWalkChiRun way). By the end of the race,  I felt like Pavlov’s dog waiting for the walk intervals.

At about mile 10 I had an awesome surprise!  Vince (a ChiRunning Master Instructor from NH) was there cheering me on!  He drove an hour to do this!  Most of ChiRunning instructors work on our own so when we have a chance to see each other (we are like family!), we try to make it happen.

Here are a few more pics from the route:

Vince!!

Wish I could get a better pic of this but it just looked cool..

Always have to have some selfies 😉

Cool graffiti on a wall…

and on the ground!

and we were on this trail for a bit!

More graffiti on the ground…

We had a few more hills and could hear the finish line approaching.  The last 1/4 mile was on cobblestone and my least favorite part. I believe there was more cobblestone in previous years and this was one of the big changes they made.  I am happy for that because it was uneven and uncomfortable but as ChiRunners learn to do, we figure out how to neutralize our “opponent” rather than meeting a force with a force.  (In Tai Chi, warriors always neutralize their opponent rather than meeting a force with a force….in ChiRunning, our “opponent” is the environment so we use technique to help us flow with it rather than fight it). So, I picked up my feet a little faster while staying slightly on the forefront of my feet (I’m normally mid foot) to avoid the dips.  Vince was there again and cheered me on and I could hear Michael, the MC, doing his thing which completely drew me to the finish line (my audio ychi rather than visual!)

Unfortunately a few of the ladies had to leave right after the race so they missed one of the best race after parties!  As part of our race entry, we got a slice of pizza, an ice cream and two beers from Shipyard Brewing Company…..you know where I went first, right?!  BEER! and I had extra tickets for Vince too.  There were 2 beer gardens!  After the first one, we decided to go to the second one because a disco tribute band, Motor Booty Affair, was playing and they were awesome!  I did a facebook live from there and I clearly had a few beers 😉  While I was on the coast, I had to get some clam chowder and try some lobster so we did that and called it a day.  Here are a few more pictures:

Amy finished and PRd!! So proud of her!

Kripalu gang finishers!

Cool signs! https://www.runawaysrunclub.com

Best name for a porta potty company ever!! Genius marketing!

Lobster traps

Yummy oysters!

Motor Booty Affair! This band was covering 70s music and were killing it!

Laurie and I…one of the official race pics…they won’t let me post the others ;(

Aha moment: An interesting side bar on my soreness a few days after the race….I was sore on both legs in a place I am never sore:  the bottom of my hamstrings, close to the back of my knee. I was trying to figure it out and I was talking to Danny about it and eureka!  In ChiWalking, you straighten your leg behind you not in front of you.  Because I walked much more in this race and changed my form frequently from ChiRunning to ChiWalking, I was extending my leg back which caused this to happen.

So do I recommend this race?  Hell yes!  I am posting this blog 5 days after the race and they already sent a survey to get feedback.  Beautiful half marathon course, very organized event, amazing MC and the best after party!  If I happen to be back east at this time of the year again, I would definitely redo it!

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Black Canyon 100K & My First Buckle

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

I DID IT!!! And it was the amazing experience I absolutely expected it to be!  Where to even begin?!  It’s been 3 days and I am still flying high from completing this race!  My longest distance ever and one of the most amazing experiences of my life! (WARNING: there may be a lot of exclamation points in this blog and maybe some swear words too)

I’ve been wanting to cross this finish line for the last two years and I finally did it.  You may recall that last year I attempted it and had to drop to the 60K due to the awful weather.  I was disappointed but it was the right call and I don’t have any regrets.  I will share some learning lessons and then a race report with pictures sprinkled in between 😉

My favorite picture of all! This at about 3am with my pace/crew team that helped make it all possible! I love that we are still laughing at the end!

Learning Lessons….

Be prepared:  Leading up to the race, I had logged about 900 miles, completed two marathons, two 50Ks and one 40 miler as part of my training. The longest I had been on my feet was a little over 11 hours for the 40 miler at Across The Years in December.  Needless to say, I felt ready going into it.  This is a great feeling to have and something I try to impart with my runners.  When you follow a training plan, and do all the work, there is nothing else to worry about but do the race!  The week before was strange as I never got nervous…I had never really felt this prepared for a race.  I also ran on the entire course on 3 different occasions so this helped. However, running each leg on 3 separate occasions (a month apart each time) was definitely not the same as running it all back to back (and at night time).  This was more challenging than I expected and caused me to finish 2 hours longer than I expected.  I also prepared a detailed spreadsheet with my expected arrival times to each aid station and finish and met with my crew/pace team. There is no better feeling for me than going into a race feeling prepared.

Get technique down:  No way I would ever be doing ultra marathons if it weren’t for ChiRunning.  This course had a negative elevation profile but still had some good amount of uphills too (while I was running, it did feel like there were more uphills than downhills though).  I focused on my technique on many of my training runs (I purposely did some races that had more hills).  I am a geek about running technique.  I love being present and focused on what my body is doing and how can I tackle the environment coming at me as efficiently as possible.  One of the things I love most about ChiRunning is I get to constantly get better the more I practice. This keeps me more process oriented vs goal oriented. Even though I had a finish goal, I was not attached to it. So long as I finished and got my buckle!

Have fun:  I can’t stress this enough!  The week before I was visualizing and I kept telling myself that I GET TO go run around our gorgeous desert for a “few” hours.  I was not attached to any expectations and truly just wanted to enjoy every minute of my event. I know that if I get too focused on time, it starts sucking the fun out of a race for me and why bother? I am never going to win the race…and personally I run because I truly enjoy it and have fun so I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.  If it starts feeling not fun, I won’t do it, bottom line.  Fun factor is a huge necessity for me during  a race, especially one this long!

Race Report:

Even though I had paid for the shuttle to take me to the start line (the race was a point to point which means we were dropped off at Mayer High School and then ran 62 miles south), I decided not to take it.  I would’ve had to wake up an hour earlier (3am vs 4am) and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be in a bus with a bunch of excited runners. I know I need some quiet time before an event this big so I can get centered and relax.  The 1 hour and 20 minute drive was a perfect way to do this.

Jubilee, the race director, giving the pre race briefing before the start

I arrived with 30 minutes to go, did a facebook live in my car and then headed to get my bib.  I saw several friends who were running as well.  After the race briefing, we headed to the track to start.

Startline selfie!

I knew the first part of the course had more downhills and I wanted to take advantage of that but also need to make sure to conserve energy for later in the day.  I started at the back of the pack (as usual).  I had projected finishing around 12:30 in the morning. I had my spreadsheet in my pocket so I could check it at each aid station and text my team to keep them posted. At this point, I was loving this trail.

So much fun running down switch backs.  I also welcomed the uphills as that’s where I tend to rest more with ChiWalking/Hiking.  One of the things I don’t like about this trail is that it’s a single track. The 60K runners started an hour after us but the faster runners quickly caught up to me.  I had to move over to the side of the trail many times to let them pass by me so that was a bit annoying. I’d get some momentum down hill and then would hear footsteps behind me and have to stop and let them pass. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of their race but it got old after awhile.

I was so focused on the trail that it took a few moos from the cows to get my attention and notice them!

Part of the jeep road trail…then we would go down the canyon on some fun switchbacks and up again…and repeat…

Ran into one of the Aravaipa race directors, Noah, who was running the 60K with his brother. Love the night Insomniac Series that are part of his races!

One of my favorite parts of the trail is seeing the windmill that is pictured on the belt buckle

I was tracking 30 minutes ahead of schedule at each aid station (my estimates were conservative so I knew this would happen at the beginning).  During this time I kept myself entertained several ways:

  • I love being in nature so I started and spent quite a bit of time just being present, focusing on my technique and enjoying the scenery.
  • I listened to a few motivating podcasts:  Trail Runner Nation’s Intuitive Training with Courtney Dauwalter and Final Surge’s with Camille Herron.  I was hoping to see Courtney at the start as I was lucky enough to get a picture with her in the middle of her course record on the Coldwater 50 mile course. Huge amount of respect for both of these ladies and love that they both mentioned beer as part of their nutrition (more on this later!)  I couldn’t get beer out of my head after these podcasts!
  • I went back to nothing and then decided to listen to some ChiSchool to keep me focused on technique again. I have about 105 lessons on shuffle on my phone and ironicallly, the first one that came on was the lesson called, Dealing with Fatigue.  Perfect timing to get refocused.

In between this, I got to the Bumble Bee Aid station ( Mile 19) and it was great to see some familiar faces there. The key at aid stations is not to spend too much time there.

So great to see my friend Nancy at Bumble Aid station with her husband Bill. Also some Surprise Running Club peeps!

This was an awesome aid station (I think Bumble Ranch..maybe a dude ranch?) At any rate, they had a bar that was open! So tempted but too early in the game!

Had to get a photo opp with the “man eating cows” for my Run Heifer Run friends!

My next aid station was 4.5 miles away and my new friend Denise was there with Will and Mike. I switched my socks out here because they were rubbing (they were a new brand and I know better than not to try new stuff on race day but I brought a back up pair in case. Glad I switched when I did because I did end up getting some hot spots that impacted me later in the day).  Another couple volunteering at this aid station were asking me about Girls On The Run (I had my hat and shirt on) and I started getting into it when Denise said to me “This is about you today, you need to keep moving.”  As much as I love talking about GOTR, she was right and I need to stay focused (one of the hardest things for me to do at aid stations LOL).  By the way, icing on the cake, thanks to all of you that donated in one way or another to Girls On The Run!  I raised about $2,600 for our local council!

Getting into the aid station to change out my socks that were rubbing and bugging me. Glad I planned ahead and brought an extra pair with me!

I look at my pictures and love that I truly was smiling and having a good time pretty much the entire time! Taking a break at the aid station for sock exchange 😉

At the next aid station (last one before picking up my pacer at the 60K exchange), I was still 30 minutes ahead of schedule so I decided to take my time here.  My Garmin was running out of juice and I had brought a charger for it. I put it on the charger and put it in my pocket. I also choose to do another facebook live here.

I knew all I had to do was get to the 60K aid station and that’s where I would pick up my first pacer, Elaine.  I took my Garmin out of my pocket and realized it had paused.  Ugh, not sure how long it was paused but now I couldn’t update my crew on where I was.  This leg was harder than I remember so that ended up taking me 15 minutes later than I expected.  Good news is that I was able to text them when I was a mile away due to a course sign. I have to admit, the markings on the course were great!  One of my biggest fears in ultras is getting lost.  I’m not even sure how at one point in my life, I was actually an Underwater Navigation instructor! (yes I used to teach scuba diving!).  Navigation is definitely not my strong point.

Part of the single track uphill trail…this was one was clean with rocks on the side but a lot of it, especially towards the end, had lots of rocks filling the trail.

River crossing before the 60K aid station. The cold water felt good on my feet…I didn’t even try to keep them dry…I knew I would be at the next aid station soon to change shoes and socks again.

I was excited about seeing my team at the aid station…and what an amazing surprise when I got there!  In addition to my crew, there were several other friends that came out to cheer me on!  At first I saw my friend Heather and her daughter who were waiting a big ahead and ran in with me…As soon as I crossed the mat, I noticed the bigger group. I was so excited that I stopped and took this picture of them!

A picture of my crew/pace team and friends waiting to cheer me on! Wasn’t expecting this (and there are more friends not pictured like Heather and her daughter)…Elaine is already yelling at me to hurry! LOL

Got a little chaotic here because of all the excitement but I needed to stay focused.  I changed my shoes, socks and got some warmer clothes. One of the things that I had been thinking about for awhile was a cold beer!  Both Courtney and Camille had mentioned beers in their podcasts and I figured a little beer would keep me relaxed.  My friends had one in the car but further away…and this is what I love about trail runners…all of the sudden, this girl I’ve never met before walked up to me and brought me two Lagunitas! I only drank half of one but it was the best beer ever! I stayed a little longer than I projected but it was so re-energizing to see my friends. And I have to admit, I still felt pretty darn good!

That was one of the best beers I tasted! Only had half of one but was perfect! Cheers to Courtney and Camille!

They finally kicked me out with Elaine.

Not before I could try to get another selfie with my friends!

OK Elaine and I are finally really leaving!

I’ve blogged about Elaine before here as she did my first 50 miler with me.  We were 30 minutes behind my projected time but at this point, I didn’t care at all.  We started running but this is when the trail started getting rockier than I remember.  It was single track with lots of loose rocks so it was hard to get any momentum going.  Plus those hot spots on my feet seemed worse when I was walking but I just couldn’t get any momentum and run on those rocks.  Even though we were hiking mostly at this point, we were still keeping a good pace.  Any time the trail got smooth with no rocks, we’d start running (which felt so much better) but we would literally go for 20 feet and then ….the Mother Effin’ rocks again!!  This happened a lot on this last 25 mile stretch!  OMG, it was getting frustrating but Elaine kept telling me not to focus on them.  As much as I love running alone, having Elaine to talk to really helped time go by! At one point she said, we’ve been out for 4 hours!  I couldn’t believe that much time had gone by because it only felt like one.  We hit one of the aid stations and I had the best tortilla filled with peanut butter, some coke and M + Ms.  It was night and getting cold and there were several people at the aid station that looked like death warmed over.  I was grateful that I was feeling pretty darn good still at this point! Elaine did about 13 miles with me which included a few river crossings but they were not bad at all.  At one point we stopped and turned our headlamps off to enjoy the night sky!  What a trip to be out in the middle of the desert running a 100K!  We reached the next aid station and she switched out with Lori.

This aid station had sausages and Somoas!  So crazy how you never know what your body is craving under these conditions!.  It was great to see my honey again and my friend Vicki who kept me on track and filled my water pack at the aid stations so I could focus on food and clothing.  Lori paced me for the last 12 miles.  How can I be at mile 50ish of a 100K and talking about upcoming races?  I think I had this conversation with Elaine too.  Weird thing about ultra running is that it can get addicting.  The terrain was the same…..we’d get a little momentum running and the Mother Effin’ rocks again!

My crew/pace team did it again with an awesome cake the next day with my Mother Effin’ Rocks on it!  They added candy rocks and love the purple sneakers to match my favorite color and business logos!

Of course I was using the real word and our joke is how much I swear.  Lori was trying to count them but she must be used to hearing me swear because at one point she said I was at 4 and I know I had to have least swore 10 times.  I was really surprised at how good I felt considering I had been on my feet for 15 hours (this is how long my 50 miler took me).  My original goal was to finish by about 12:30 am but that last 25 miles was so rocky that it slowed us down considerably.  At one point I realized my food alarms were not going off.

I set food alarms to remind me to eat 150-200 calories every 90 minutes. I’ve posted about this before and thanks to Fuel To The Finish (Brooke Schohl) who changed my nutrition world when it comes to ultra running and my regular diet. http://www.therunninguniversity.com/2016/02/25/50-miles-of-gratitude-2-nutrition/

I had set them to go off every 90 minutes as a reminder to get 150-200 calories in me.  I looked at the time and I realized it was 1am and I had only set them through 11 with the assumption I was coming in at 12:30.  This is when I started to panic. I looked at my spreadsheet and we were cutting it close.  We could barely see the the last aid station…a light far away…a mirage and depending on how we were winding on the road, it would disappear and reappear.  It seemed like it was not getting closer.  I was worrying because the last leg was showing to be 4.8 miles and we were really cutting it close. There was no way I was going to be able to run 5 miles in the last hour…not with those rocks!  I am sure I could’ve done it on smooth trail because running felt pretty good still.  Thankfully when we reached that aid station, they told us it was only 3.5 miles and we finally got more relief with less rocks so we could run more.  This last section was surreal…I couldn’t believe I was doing it and almost done!  In a weird way I didn’t want it to end….but a the same time I was ready for it to end too.  I kept looking at my watch and was saying “I really don’t want to have the same dramatic finish from my 50 miler”! (I came in with 12 seconds to spare on the clock!).  We could see the lights where the finish line was and I was starting to get excited.  We could hear Elaine calling out to us and I knew we were going to make it in time.  And before you know it, there was the finish line!  Before getting there, I was trying to figure out how I would feel when I crossed…would I cry, get emotional?  I was surprised at how excited I was to cross it….as a matter of fact, when I crossed the finish line, the official picture didn’t come out so my friend Kisha (who volunteered at the finish line just to see me finish!) had me run back through it for the picture. She also gave the buckle to my honey so he could give it to me.  I did a Facebook live in my car on the way back home!

Still smiling big at the finish with my first belt buckle! I finished in 19:46:01 with 14 minutes to spare on the cutoff! I was out there from 7am Saturday to 2:26am on Sunday. And I loved every minute of it! (mostly, except for the mother effin’ rocks!) There was a 20% DNF (Did Not Finish) rate so pretty proud that I finished!

with Jubilee, the race director! What an amazing, well organized race!

This blog took me several days to write.  It’s 5 days after the race and I am still on cloud nine!  I describe it as one of the most epic experiences of my life…part of it is because I affirmed that and wanted it to be that way!  I know they can’t always be this way but one of the pieces of advice I received from fellow ultra runner and Chirunning Instructor from WI was “You’ll have highs and you’ll have lows, just ride the waves.”  Greatest thing about this event is that I never really had a low.  Don’t get me wrong, those Mother Effin’ rocks were getting on my last nerve but I kept a positive attitude all day and felt great the whole time!  Of course I was sore for a few days afterwards and I know it will take me a few weeks to truly recover but today I feel great!  And no injuries during my 900+ miles of training or at the race! Thank you ChiRunning!

A huge thank you to all the aid station volunteers, Aravaipa Running and race director Jubilee for making it a great event, and most importantly to my crew:  my best friends Lori, Elaine and Vicki for crewing and pacing me and my boyfriend for crewing as well but also for supporting me throughout my crazy training schedule.  I seriously don’t know that I would’ve made the cutoff without my pace/crew team keeping focused and moving!

I DID IT!!

I celebrated my finish and 47th birthday the next day. NO one escapes a cake in the face from Erica! And yes, I AM WEARING THAT BUCKLE!

Yep, I’ll show my buckle off! Hanging with fellow 100K finisher Chris Worden. He was the last one to come in to get the lottery entry for the Western States!

Wearing the buckle a few days later with my shirt at Running for Brews. I’m the Organizer so I picked the theme: Favorite Medal 😉 Hehehe (funny is that I don’t wear buckles so I had to buy a belt for one. I did it last minute and it arrived 30 minutes before my party….then I realized I got the wrong size so Greg had to make a new whole it in for me too)

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Sedona Marathon

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

This was my 3rd time doing the Sedona Marathon (did the half marathon as well once).  I absolutely love this race!  It is incredibly scenic and even though I really don’t like road races, the middle part of the marathon is on a jeep road so trailish.  I also love the fact that it is a hilly course.  I love this because I get to use a lot of my ChiRunning skills and this is one of the reasons I love running. I am definitely a geek about this technique but I love having my mind and body working together to tackle the course as efficiently as possible. Click here to see the elevation profile.

Night before the race. Since the race starts at 9ish for all distances, you could come up the day of but I alway like getting there the day before. Don’t like sitting in a car for a few hours and then run 26.2 miles…plus it adds to the experience!

Thanks to Connie for this great pre race photo…just love that scenery!

Here my roses and thorns about this race:

Roses:  

  • Scenery is gorgeous!  I think you get the most bang for your buck on this if you do the half or the full marathon.  It’s an out and back course (this could be a rose or thorn) so you don’t get back as far with the 5K or 10K.
  • Nice small town feel of a race. I’ve stopped doing the Rock N Rolls because they are too commercial and too big.  First time I did this race was 2014 and it has grown but not to an extreme.
  • Hills, hills, hills! I love using my ChiHill techniques and Chirunning in general.  This marathon is my PR (2014) with a 4:58:49 and it was mainly due to form and strategy.    Even though half is on road, it’s technical enough for me to feel like I’m on a trail because I have to match my running technique to the variety of the road coming at me. This makes running fun for me because it’s a fun challenge to see how I can use my technique to be as efficient as possible.
  • The finish has always been small but this year they added a few food trucks and a BEER garden!  My favorite beer is Piehole Porter from Historic Brewing Company and minutes after my finish, I got a nice cold one and it was possibly the best beer I’ve had 😉  I did a Facebook live at the end…but not before I got my beer!

This was Piehole Porter #2 of the day. We’ve enjoyed stopping at R.I.O.T. in Cottonwood on the way back home which has great craft beer and food!

  • I like the out and back because I love to see the elite runners on the top of their game. It’s fun to be able to yell great job at them as they run by you.  Although I will say, road runners are not the same as trail runners.  Most of the time there wouldn’t be any acknowledgment to the “good job”s where on trail, you normally get a “thank you” and/or “you too.”
  • Lots of energy at their aid stations. They have a contest for this but it did dwindle on the way back.  Aid stations provided water, Gatorade, Cliff gels and bananas.

Aid stations compete for the best one. This one had a circus theme and had the most energy in my opinion. I also went under the lady in the stilts! Camera was probably fogged up when I pulled it out so not a clear picture ;(

Superhero theme aid station….this was on the way back so I was in chill mode…was trying to get selfie but then let the aid station volunteer get a better shot 😉

  • Friends!  I went up with a few friends and met other friends that I didn’t even know were going to be there!

with Connie and Aaron at the start…ran into several other friends but forgot selfies!

Thorns:

  • I am not a medal person but it doesn’t seem fair that everyone gets the same exact medal.  A 5K person gets the same medal as a marathoner and that just doesn’t seem right to me. I think they can step up their game for sure on this one!
  • Not crazy about the shirt you get for the race. I know they have to give props to sponsors but way too many sponsors on front and back.  Not crazy about the color. I wouldn’t normally buy another shirt but since I love this race, I sucked it up buying a purple/pink tank top that has the map of the course on the back.
  • I am normally a back of the pack runner and this was a training run for me.  This was one of my longest marathons because it was just a training run for me but I got to the last aid station and they barely had water (no more Gatorade or food).  It seems like the energy at the aid stations really dropped on the way back when you need it the most.  There was still people at the finish and maybe because this year it was bigger…but the cutoff is 7 hours for the marathon and I don’t know how much support the other back of the packer received.  I remember getting bagels, bananas, etc at the end and didn’t see any of that this year unless I missed it.
  • I think for the price you can get a bit more swag in the goodie bag.
  • I love the smaller feel of this race but I don’t remember that there was as much traffic on both the paved and non paved road.  RECOMMENDATION: I am really glad I had my buff around my neck because the cars made a lot of dust on the dirt road so I would pull it over my mouth and nose when they passed by. Again, seemed like more than usual traffic there.

My Experience

I love this course because I get to really practice my ChiRunning technique. For some people, running is just a means to an end and is goal oriented. ChiRunning is process oriented. This means that it’s a practice (like yoga is a practice).   The more you focus on your technique, the more you’ll have breakthrough “aha” moments and continuosly get better and better.  So when I’m running on a technical course (many hills) I love working on my technique.  In Martial Arts/Tai Chi, your opponent is a person…in running, your opponent is the environment coming at you.  In Martial Arts, you don’t meet your opponent with a force but you cooperate with that force to neutralize it…..we do the same in ChiRunning.  Most people will use way too much leg muscle to propel themselves up a hill (meeting a force with a force) and then get to the top and walk down because they are so tired.  In ChiRunning, we use specific techniques that help us cooperate with the uphills and then crank down the hill because that’s cooperating with gravity all the way down.  Every time I do this race I always chuckle to myself because I will constantly leap frog with people doing this.  They pass me on the uphills and then I run right past them on the downhill using less effort up and down.

I knew this was supposed to be a training run. It was my last long run before my first 100K (2 weeks after Sedona).  I wanted to really PR and even though I told myself I wouldn’t do it, I did try to PR through the first half of the course.  When I reached the half point, I was on schedule to PR….then I forgot the next 5 miles were back uphill…..then I remembered this was only a training run…… so I quickly decided to chill out because the 100K is my priority.  The second half of the race took an extra 30 minutes which was absolutely fine with me.  My legs were feeling like I had pushed myself and I also felt that I was still recovering from the 52K a few weeks before.

All in all, if you like beautiful scenery and a challenging course, I highly recommend this race!  May become an annual tradition for me…maybe it will be my A race next year so I can really train for it rather than use it as a training run.

some amazing scenery!

more amazing scenery

 

 

From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

She’s such a loser!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

I wrote this original blog post on 9/9/2014.  I am updating it because it’s 3 years later and Diane is still rocking it!  I am sure she will agree when I say running is a great way to not only lose weight but keep it off.

“Nearly 65 percent of dieters return to their pre-dieting weight within three years, according to Gary Foster, Ph.D., clinical director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. The statistics for dieters who lose weight rapidly, according to Wellsphere, a website sponsored by Stanford University, is worse. Only 5 percent of people who lose weight on a crash diet will keep the weight off. ” (Livestrong.com)

Since the interview on 9/9/2014, Diane completed 2 marathons, 15 half marathons and “lots of 5ks and 10ks”..

This weekend she is completing her 16th half marathon at the Arizona Rock N Roll and she’s been on TV inspiring a lot more people!  Check out Part 1 (3 min 48 sec) where she talks about what propelled her to start running even though she felt like she was never athletic,  Part 2 (4 min 17 sec) where she talks about what running has done for her and shares inspirational tips for weight loss.  And another one here too!

As a ChiRunner, Diane has been able to keep running and stay injury free and not become one of the 65% of people to regain the weight back.  It keeps her consistently active and it’s become part of her lifestyle now (only way to keep it off is to make it a lifestyle).  And she’s met so many new friends since she started running it’s almost impossible not to keep running when you have fun friends to do it with.

Read the original blog below:

__________________________

9/9/2014

No, I’m not about ready to start bashing anyone but just wanted to get your attention. Honestly, this will be probably my favorite blog post yet…Why?  Because this story is EXACTLY why I do what I do.

Meet Diane.  I met her in March this year when she attended Danny Dreyer‘s ChiRunning workshop.  I remember hearing her say at one point that she lost 100 lbs. As a fitness trainer, I always love to hear these stories. We became facebook friends and she joined my Running for Brews group a few times and met at other running events across the valley.  This weekend, I had the honor of being with her on her longest run to date. Not only was it her longest run (15.5 miles) but she did it on a trail…and at night time!  Let’s go back a bit though…

Here is a before/after picture of Diane:

dianepotterpic2

Since my passion in life is to help more people get into walking and running because it’s one of the easiest things you can do for weight loss/maintenance (if done correctly), I asked Diane if she could answer a few questions for me.  I was in tears reading her answers and I asked her permission to blog about it because I know she can inspire others!

How much weight did you lose?  
“I lost 100 lbs in a year and 105 lbs to date.”

When did you realize you need to make a change in your life?
“I was lying in bed one night and I was concerned because my heart was beating really hard and fast. It had been doing that for a couple months and I was scared I was going to have a heart attack and have my daughters find me. So that was my defining moment of when I decided to make a lifestyle change.”

What did you do?
“I was very strict with my diet by cutting out fast food, junk food, and sweets–I basically detoxed. I allowed myself to have one splurge meal a week.” (if you calculate it, she lost about 8-10 lbs a month which is healthy amount to lose)

When did you start running? Why?  When was your first 5K?
“I started running in September 2013. Even though I had lost a lot of weight, I felt like something was missing in my life. I decided to start walking. One night on a walk I started wondering if I could run. So I tried it–it was really tough and I could only do it for maybe 30 seconds at a time. Three weeks later I ran my first 5K.”  (I love that running can provide people with so many first time experiences: distances, trail, night trail, triathlons, etc. I see people pushing their boundaries all the time!)

Why did you keep doing it if it was hard?
“I was hooked on the race experience and found that I could channel my stress and anxiety through running. I ran my first half in May 2014 and am currently training for my first full in January. I’m still pretty careful about what I eat, but running allows me to enjoy brownies every once in awhile!”

What else has running done for you?
“Running and losing weight have given me the confidence and inner peace that helps me to be successful in all areas of my life, personally and professionally. The best part is I have become a good role model for my daughters, and they’re very proud of me!”

Any advice for anyone who would say to you “I could never be a runner”
“My advice to those who feel they could never be a runner is to take it slowly in the beginning with both pace and distance. If you try to do too much too soon, you could injure yourself or get burned out. Running is a huge lesson in patience. Accept the days when running feels impossible, and embrace the days when running feels effortless. Progress is gradual so don’t give up!”

Any advice for anyone who would say to you “I’m too overweight to be a runner”
“As far as those who think they’re too overweight to run, not true! Runners come in all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of amazing runners who don’t fit the mold. Fear is a prison. Don’t let it hold you back from being successful and accomplishing your dreams! It’s also important to focus on good running form so you learn how to run with minimal impact to the joints. I haven’t had shin splints, foot pain, or muscle pain since I started ChiRunning in March.

And for all new runners–don’t get hung up on being fast. Just get out there and enjoy it!”

Thanks so much to Diane for sharing a very brief summary of how weight loss and running has changed her life!

Here is a picture of us from this weekend.

javelinajangover

Both of these ladies broke records by surpassing their longest runs to date.
Both of these ladies never thought they would be running 15 miles on a trail at night (same goes for me!).
Both of these ladies never thought they’d be running a full marathon!
But both of these ladies had the courage to listen to their heart (don’t listen to your mind because it will tell you otherwise!) and just go for it.

So whether it’s weight loss or starting a walking/running program, remember this:

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” ~Brian Tracy

“If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” ~Thomas Edison

From My Running Story to Yours….

(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)

Race Report

Race Report: Inaugural Revel Mt. Lemmon Marathon

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

….and My Story Runs On….

I have learned that I have to write these within a few days of the event or I lose the event mojo 😉  Like my normal race reports, I’ll break this down into a few sections so you can skip through the parts you need to know about depending on why you are reading this. Continue Reading →