Well it's been funky two weeks. Still trying to get used to being in a new town. Right now it's hard because we don't know anything about Roanoke....or anyone and since we aren't in school and other routines we just kind of do our own thing. Kind of weird...but mostly fine. I think Ike is the one who feels it the most. He misses Winston and his friends and cousins. Maya on the other hand could be on the moon all alone stacking rocks and she would be having the time of her life. Actually sometimes I think mentally she probably is on the moon. And Ezra well as long as he is eating he is pretty much happy. I guess it will take time to see how it all works out.
The training volume isn't huge these days but that's okay. I'm trying to help the kids get settled and figuring all the other stuff out. Andrea is working now and so I just train when I can. Basically I am just trying to get used to running hills all the time and then when Sept comes I will be ready to go! Maybe...
But I have had some adventures this week....or misadventures you could say.
Training this week:
Mon: J's finally took her boards....great they are over.
Tues: 8 mile trail run. Went back to Roanoke/Mill Mtn to do the loop by my house and the ridge line trail. the ridgline trail is the 1.5 mile up that has been kicking my booty every time I have run there. Today as I was running along...before I even got to that part of the trail....I was already making excuses as to why I was going to walk it. "It's hot...I didn't carry water...my legs are tired." Then I realized what I was doing and got mad at myself....yes that's right....and I was like "you know what I am running this whole trail....AND the ridgline trail even if I red line...pass out...and fall over in the trail. And I ran it. First time I did the whole 8 miles without walking this one steep hill.
As I was running back to the car I was thinking how often people (me) do that in life. We end up not trying something or not doing something...because before we even try it/do it....we have made up excuses as to why we shouldn't do it...or can't do it. More often than not we just need go and just do it. We limit ourselves so much just because mentally we aren't strong enough to force ourselves....our push ourselves to do things. And yet once we do them (usually) we are glad we did. I'm guessing I am going to need a lot of mental strength in the months ahead.
Wed: can't remember...but don't think I did anything
Thurs: 8 mile trail run. Yes back at Roanoke/Mill Mtn. When I am short on time that's what it's going to be.
Fri: Off.
Sat: 20 mile trail run at Carvin's Cove. Oh boy....where do I start. So I finally went out to the much ballyhooed Carvin's Cove. Here are the details on it. http://www.roanokeoutside.com/carvinscove
And I must say it didn't disappoint. It was a legit trail and outdoor mecca and it felt pretty wild and rugged considering it's 15 min outside of town. There are around 40 miles of trails there and they have put a ton of work into maintaining them...pretty impressive.
So I knew I was probably going to be in for a long morning....I brought a map but really had no idea what I was doing or how the trails all worked. I figured it would be a work in progress until I learn more about the place.
The trails were good....not too technical except on the the hard stuff....though like all the trails here it was pretty rocky in places. The climbs were no joke. 2 miles straight up to the ridge...and then 2 mile bombs straight back down. Every trail I was on I was imagining myself mtn biking it because really more people mtn bike out there than anything. But between the hills/stream crossings/rock sections/hairpoint turns with drop offs on the side....it is going to be a wild place to mtn bike and I will need to get stronger on the bike before I can handle it all.
But none of that was the interesting part of my run....that would be....the Freaking BEARs!
I have read a lot about carvin's cove...like I nerd I even read all the signs at the trail head check in. And not once...not even in one place...do they every say "oh and watch out for bears." So call it naive because yes I am in the mountains of virginia but bears never once crossed my mind.
Well that changed quickly when about 30 minutes into my run I come up on a mama bear and her cub right off the side of the trail. Obviously I slam the breaks on. It caught me by surprise for sure but it didn't freak me out...I have been around bears in the woods in all my travels so I am not scared of them or anything. (Grizzly Bears? Different Story...)
So I'm standing there and she is checking me out....and I'm just talking to her reassuring her that I was just passing through. And so she and the cub turn and walk off into the woods a bit. So I think... "maybe its fine if I just mosey up the trail a bit and try and pass by." Which is what I do. I'm walking up the trail a bit when I hear a crashing to my left (mama bear is on my right) and here comes another bear cub running for his mom. And that's when I think, "oh....sugar" Between her and the cub wasn't where I should have been and immediately mamma bear turns around and starts walking back towards me. So I retreated quickly back down the trail still trying to reassure her that I didn't mean any harm. And it turned out fine. The cub caught up and the 3 of them walked off into the woods. So I started running again and though I was a little skittish from the encounter....mostly I was thinking "how cool and wild out here!"
But my bear encounters for the day weren't through. Later that morning...maybe an hour and a half later I am running on a trail and come up on another bear off to the left of the trail and see her cub nearby too. Once again I slam on the breaks. I'm thinking that's pretty weird to seem more bears on the same run....and I'm wondering if this is the same bear. That would seem pretty crazy considering I had probably covered at least 8 or 9 miles from the time I had seen the last one. I waited for her to move on...off to the left of the trail and I started down the trail again.
Now naturally I kept turning my head and looking back because she had stopped and was just looking at me for awhile when I had run off. So I'm running maybe 30 seconds down the trail...with the trail moving off to right....and I had turned back to look one more time...and when I turn my head back I go around a corner and right in the middle of the trail (not off to the side) is another bear! This one bigger than the last one. I slam on the breaks and I'm like....okay won't say what I was like....but now this is starting to get crazy.
This bear has two cubs with her too...and they immediately scurry up a tree...and mama stares me down and starts making a little bit of a growling/barking/huffing noise at me. At one point even standing up for a second on her legs. She is definitely bigger that the bear I just saw 30 seconds ago....but what I'm wondering is if this the same bear from earlier or still another bear?
Anyway now I'm starting to wonder what's going on. Is this bear's nickname the flash? Is there a family of bears out here that saw me get out of the car this morning and decided "hey let's really mess with this guy today he must be new." Well regardless is was pretty crazy...and I never saw another trail runner all morning that I could ask about it. I was like that's okay you take the trail....I'll take the woods...and I after she walked off a bit I cut out into the woods a ways and went around them.
As I worked my way up the mountain later that day...walking because it was steep and my legs felt like jello I was thinking that there must be some daddy bears out here with all these babies...right? At one point I was running next to a lake and up from the bushes came a....deer. Yeah not a bear but I hadn't seen it so of course I nearly came out of my trail running shoes.
But anyway I made it back to the car. Besides the bears the run was a bit rough. My legs and body are struggling to adapt to all the hills and the up and down running. I feel sluggish and heavy. I know I just need to keep at it and slowly I will get stronger...but at times it's a bit tough to keep pushing.
As for the bears...just weird. At some point I would like to ask someone if this is normal out there. I saw more bears in a 3 and a half hour run than I have in the last 10 years combined and I just spent 3 days in great smoky mountain national park which is supposedly overrun with bears. I guess it definitely brought some adventure into the run though. I will see when I go back out there next sat what happens.
I was thinking too that I need to back up until I get stronger. I had planned on making some big jumps up in mileage in the next few weeks in hope of being ready for a marathon in a month...but its a tough trail marathon in the mtns and I am struggling to run even 18 miles now with all the hills the way I want.
I always give people who I am helping with their training the advice that if you aren't strong in a lesser amount of miles then don't jump up. Go back down until you can run that distance strong and then move up when you are ready. I am thinking I am going to have to take my own advice. Boo.
And that's probably good life advice too. All too often we are tempted to "jump up" or do more or add more to our lives when we are struggling to handle what we already have...or what we are already doing. It would be much better I would guess to back up and get stronger/better at what you are already doing and then add more and do more when you are ready. Both physically and mentally. That takes patience...which isn't always easy to have. Especially for Olson's! Anyway...I will try and remember that.
Sun: 7 mile "road run"
Maybe I should rename this blog the misadventures of David Olson.
So Sunday night I was feeling restless and decided after everyone went to bed to go for a run. It was about 9:30 or 10 maybe. There is a golf course in the community we are renting our house in and so I figured I would go out with a headlamp and just run the cart path throughout the course. No I had never been on the course but I had seen a few holes from the road...and how hard could it be to follow a cart path in the dark? Well it turns out it's pretty hard. Especially when your headlamp batteries are low and you don't realize it until you are gone and so you can't see that well.
So you know where this is going. I basically spent the next hour and a half lost in the dark running up and down...wait for it....you'll never guess....steep hills! that's right! more steep hills! In fact I passed lots of signs that said.... "caution steep hill".
So yeah I got all turned around and couldn't figure out where I was. At one point I somehow ran by the same hole 2 times. And I know there was one short but nasty hill that I must have been on at least 3 times. But the highlight of the nights festivities came when I was running along and came up on a skunk right in front of me. It took me a second to realize what it is....enough time for it to turn around and lift it's tale. I was like "nooooo" and darted out into the fairway of the hole I was running along....only to jump/trip over a low rope that was right there and land in a bunch of mud. Oh yeah. So obviously the rope was there to keep people out of the mud but that doesn't help me because again....it's dark...my headlamp is going out....and I'm dodging a skunk who is trying to spray me. Awesome. Saw 2 more skunks and lots of deer. One buck who looked to be about 6 points.
Anyway I finally came out on a road I recognized and just ran that back to my house. Just another run....
Totals for the week: 43 Miles running and 0 biking.
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