Jemez 50K Training, Week 8: My Cup Runneth Over
My friend Hari had some of his favorite running friends over for dinner a few months ago. As we stood in the kitchen, shooting the breeze while we waited for Hari’s world famous pulled pork to be ready, someone noticed a jumble of running stuff in the small pantry off the kitchen. When I say “jumble,” I really mean an overflowing waterfall of running stuff spilling from the counter. It was everywhere — and it was a MESS. After giving him a hard time for it for the next few weeks — because that’s what I do — I looked around and realized my stash of running stuff looks just as bad as Hari’s.
Hari’s running stash.
This is my confession.
My running stuff is not confined to one area, like Hari’s. It’s all over the place. There’s the bookshelf next to my computer that’s a jumble of office supplies, yoga DVD’s, teaching materials, yoga mats, weights, and running stuff. There’s the dining room table where I put out all the things I will need for the next day’s run. There’s the closet where I keep all my shoes, jackets, shorts, shirts, capris, tights, gloves, caps, etc to ensure I’m warm/cool/dry enough for any type of weather or season. And there’s the dresser drawer where I keep all my socks. Yes, three-fourths of an entire drawer of socks — thin socks, toe socks, trail socks, and thick trail socks. And I won’t go into depth about the TEN pairs of Nike Frees I bought on sale last year that are stacked up along the floor of my closet.
At least it’s not too messy . . .
Don’t get that snooty look on your face. I know I’m not alone. I bet your place looks just as overrun with running items as mine.
MON: Recovery – OUCH. My quads are very sore from yesterday’s half marathon.
TUE: Recovery – Still sore. Too sore for yoga even.
WED: Recovery – Just a little residual soreness in the quads, but I have a headache, so I’m taking another rest day and not feeling an ounce of guilt for doing so.
THU: Easy Run – 5 mi – Yoga – 20:00 – I thought I was just being lazy for not running yesterday, but my quads were still pretty sore on my run this morning, especially the left one. It was cold (37 deg) and Liz and I had to keep slowing ourselves down. We ran negative splits and finished off much faster than either of us really wanted to. I have to admit that it feels kind of awesome to be running so fast again. Enjoyed some forward bends afterwards and hoping it will help with the quads.
Obviously I have a sock addiction.
FRI: Yoga – 35:00 – Since my quads were still sore yesterday, and I have two long runs this weekend, I decided to do some easy yoga and take a running rest day.
SAT: Long Run – 13 mi – It was SO COLD on our run this morning. 32 degrees at the start with an icy cold wind to boot. My fingertips were frozen the entire run. Nevertheless, it was still a good run — despite the trauma of having our start time pushed back to 6:30am, UGH — and we kept a good pace. I am going to appreciate every single cold run from now on because I know these days are numbered. (I really could have done without that cold wind, though!)
SUN: Trail Run – Rowlett Creek Preserve – 11 mi – A gorgeous morning for both a trail run and a birthday. The weather was perfect, and we had a nice group running with us. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done an extended trail run with my friend Hari, so it was nice to spend the morning on the trails with him. Afterwards, breakfast at Hubbards with some of the group, and a quiet birthday at home. It was nice to take some time off this week from running to recover and to run a semi-long trail run to cap off the week.
Stats for WEEK 8: Run – 29 miles, Yoga – 55:00
The horror that is my closet.
RUN NATURE 
My mess is everywhere… and I currently have new stuff stashed in my truck because husband can only handle seeing a few new things at a time… I have to work them in!
That is hilarious! I love that you keep your new stuff in your truck and have to ease it in!
ha ha, I love your mess! I have weights on the hearth, yoga mat, foam roller, shoes and jackets in the entry closet, a huge drawer in the kitchen (plus cluttery running stuff mess on the counter), a drawer full of socks, a drawer full of clothes, but only 5 prs of athletic shoes, 2 of which I use for bootcamp and the gym…not running. 🙂
Well, I’m glad it’s not just me who has running stuff all over the place. I bet if I really looked I’d find something running related in every single room of the house.
Happy birthday if it’s your birthday you slipped mention of in your post 🙂 .
It was on the 3rd, same day as the trail run. Thanks, Andrew!
Good for you for taking that good ole recovery time! I am loving yoga right now BTW.
I’m pretty good about giving myself enough time to recover after a race. You will, too, when you get to be my age! So happy to hear you’re doing yoga now. I swear by it. It’s helping to keep me injury-free.
It’s wonderful! I used to do it a lot a few years ago so I’m enjoying bringing it back!!
I don’t often comment, but I follow you and LOVE your blog. I nominated you for a Liebster Award (which really isn’t an award, just a neat way to recognize and share blogs you love).
Check out my post on my blog for more info.
http://turtlepacing.blogspot.com/2013/03/well-howdy-ho-looks-like-ive-been.html
Thank you so much, Tanya! Don’t be shy, feel free to comment anytime. Looking forward to reading your blog as well.
Thanks for the shout out, Andrew!
Congrats on a great half race (feeling sore is okay for a few days — you worked hard) and a happy belated birthday. I hope someone got you socks for your birthday to help fill up that drawer! 😉
Thanks, but I don’t need another pair of socks! I think I’m good for the next 20 years!
Happy Belated Birthday! I guess I haven’t been running long enough because my mess is confined to my dresser and closet. But I have noticed the amount of running shoes is becoming overwhelming. It may be time to get rid of some old ones.
I definitely accumulate more the longer I run, so watch out! My local running store has a donation box that takes old running shoes and donates them to the homeless. Maybe you could do something like that with your old ones.
Mine does something like that too. I think I will when I go get new shoes next time. Thanks for the reminder.
Angela, I’m not one to start trouble, but if I were to do an NFL interpretation of your running stash, I’m seeing a lot of Orange and Blueish Purple in there. Did you know that subconsciously and deep down you’re really a Denver Broncos fan?
Ha! I’m not a football fan at all, but I’m sure my Cowboys friends would have something to say about that, Mike!
Angela – how i LOVE your blogs. You are a great writer – and I really appreciate how much thought you give to your blogs. The picture at Hari’s could be at any of our homes. The “horror that is my closet” picture looks wonderful to me, very well organized – what does that say about me ::-). Thanks again for another great blog.
Andy, how can I be so lucky to have such a nice friend as yourself? You are too kind. I can’t imagine why anyone would be remotely interested in my blog or my running, so thanks for that. And I’m happy that you think my closet is “well organized.” It’s all a facade. I can’t find half my stuff the night before a run!
Yes, your stuff seems fairly well organized. The shoe thing…when you find a shoe you like, start hoarding–the cheaper, the better! I totally understand (even though I haven’t been smart enough to buy ten). Socks, too.
I took a lot of flak from my friends for buying ten pairs of shoes, so it’s nice to find someone else out there who gets it. Secret hoarding tendencies aside, I’m pretty much set for a few years worth of running!
Hi! Your bookshelf looks quite similar to our dining room table…we don’t eat there very often! Good luck with your Ultra training! The Jemez Mountains are just a short drive away from my house in Albuquerque and they are BEAUTIFUL! You’ll have a great time!
Thanks, Amy. I am so excited about Jemez, but a little anxious about the altitude. We don’t have much of that around here!
This is a great observational post Angela. Like you and Hari I have mountains of running kit. But I have a good excuse!! When training through an English winter I have sometimes had to run in 4 or 5 layers of clothing on top and bottom. That means wearing virtually all the running kit I own at one time!! One of the biggest challenges of training for a marathon in the English winter wasn’t the miles but was keeping up with the laundry! Luckily I have a very organised and patient wife who ensures it is clean and stored away neatly. Left to my own devices it would be chaos!
Gosh, I can usually get away with just a light jacket when it gets in the 30’s here in Texas, but I can imagine having to layer up and have so much laundry afterwards. The few times I’ve been to England I was cold the entire time!
Great insights! I’m a multiple-mess-maker like you, Angela. It’s never concentrated in just one place like Hari. Three different drawers of running stuff. Top nightstand drawer filled with running gadgets (iPod, blinkers) and bottom one filled with bibs, medals, and more. A drying rack in the basement that’s always filled. The next morning (or night’s) clothes laying in the middle of the floor. Gels and headbands and gloves falling out of a kitchen cabinet. My watch and USB stick and cords on the computer. And of course lots of running shoes laying around in random places throughout the house…cleaning it all up would be the toughest workout of the week!
I love the label “multiple-mess-maker,” Jack! And your list of places makes me realize I have other locations I didn’t even realize: an entire shelf in our pantry for running gels, chews, bars, and powders; the stack of old race bibs (with pins still attached) under the jeans in my dresser; the Garmin charger in my desk drawer; the drying racks in the back bedroom that always have running clothes on them; the towel on the driver’s side of my car and water bottles in the cup holders; and every running book ever published on the bookshelves in the living room and on my Kindle? Running truly has taken over every nook and cranny of my life!