Showing posts with label elm creek park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elm creek park. Show all posts
3.4.17
Long Run Monday - Elm Creek Park
Plan: Keep my heart rate low, but don't use the program/alarm on my watch. Because if my heart rate does go too high, I will be miserable. The plan was amended to run a fast final mile. This run was on a paved trail and it also counts as my hill day this week. Because hills!
Route: The Elm Creek Outdoor Adventure Loop, which is apparently my name for it now. It's a lollipop route. The out is 4 miles, the candy section is just over 4 miles, and the back is 4 miles again.
Weather: In the high 40s, super humid and light wind. This is my most favorite running weather ever. Though the pictures look a little dreary.
Wardrobe: Shorts, a shirt, visor, and Green Silence on my feet.
Execution: This run went really well. My heart rate stayed low. Some of the hills were hard, but not as brutal as I expected. Towards the end, I really wanted to be done, so I decided I'd do a fast final mile. I wanted it in the 12s, and got it down to 12:04. This goes down as a win.
Nutrition: This was another big win compared to my last long run. I had 2 hard boiled eggs about 45 minutes before the run. Once I got going, I took a bite of my Larabar every mile. In the first couple miles I was a little 'bleh!' to eat food, but by the end I was really glad I'd fueled consistently. I had two bottles of water but only drank one during the run. You know I downed the other one the second I got done.
Bonus: My post-run nutrition was on point too. I had a roll up of turkey and prosciutto and then some apples.
10.6.16
Long Run Thursday: Hot as he!!
Plan: Wake up at 5am, run 14 miles. Don't be late to work.
I did in fact wake up at 5am. To a thunder storm. I had no backup indoor workout planned. This is what doom looks like.
Plan B: Run after work. 14 miles would be good but whatever. It will be over 80* so be careful out there.
Updated plan B: It's really hot. Intervals will be a good idea.
Update to the update: This is nuts.
Route: I used my outdoor adventure route at Elm Creek. This is all paved bike trail.
Weather: Hotter than fire. It was around 84* and about 80% humidity (or it felt like it was that humid) Winds were out of the south, and they were a pleasure.
Execution:
Miles 0-4: I did a warm up and then ran over a mile (gotta get that in first) and then I went into 5:00 run, 2:00 walk intervals. I was surprised that my heart rate stayed as low as it did in the beginning.
Miles 4-8 (the circle at the bottom): I was starting to walk up more of the hills, and starting to get a bit impatient with the pace. My heart rate was creeping into the higher 140s but still very manageable
Miles 9-12: I stopped looking at heart rate. I just wanted to be done. I did go much faster for the intervals at the end. My heart rate shot up like a champ and I was spent by the end.
Nutrition: I carried 2 bottles of water, 8oz each and took at least 1 small sip every mile. I had a couple of gummy chews but my stomach was seriously not into the food.
Bonus: Today was all about temperature management. Bad decision today was to run outside. Good decisions following the bad decision were to run intervals, run slower than typical most of the run, drink water regularly and watch my heart rate most of the time. This run was hard, but not nearly as awful as I'd thought it would be before I started.
I did in fact wake up at 5am. To a thunder storm. I had no backup indoor workout planned. This is what doom looks like.
Plan B: Run after work. 14 miles would be good but whatever. It will be over 80* so be careful out there.
Updated plan B: It's really hot. Intervals will be a good idea.
Update to the update: This is nuts.
Route: I used my outdoor adventure route at Elm Creek. This is all paved bike trail.
Execution:
Miles 0-4: I did a warm up and then ran over a mile (gotta get that in first) and then I went into 5:00 run, 2:00 walk intervals. I was surprised that my heart rate stayed as low as it did in the beginning.
Miles 4-8 (the circle at the bottom): I was starting to walk up more of the hills, and starting to get a bit impatient with the pace. My heart rate was creeping into the higher 140s but still very manageable
Miles 9-12: I stopped looking at heart rate. I just wanted to be done. I did go much faster for the intervals at the end. My heart rate shot up like a champ and I was spent by the end.
Nutrition: I carried 2 bottles of water, 8oz each and took at least 1 small sip every mile. I had a couple of gummy chews but my stomach was seriously not into the food.
Bonus: Today was all about temperature management. Bad decision today was to run outside. Good decisions following the bad decision were to run intervals, run slower than typical most of the run, drink water regularly and watch my heart rate most of the time. This run was hard, but not nearly as awful as I'd thought it would be before I started.
13.5.16
Long Run - Outdoor Adventure
I'd been wanting to do this run for some time. Rain, fatigue, and some other sad circumstances kept me from it for a while. Once I saw my schedule and geography for the day, it seemed the right time to try it again.
Plan: Have a running adventure. It will be hilly but try to keep the heart rate in check. Have fun!
Route: This is a lollipop route, down a long path, around a loop and then back up the path. I've seen and been on parts of the out/back path and the loop in the past. It took me a while to figure out this combination of paths and starting/stopping points to get the correct distance for my current training.
Weather: It was projected to be cloudy. Those clouds were making my crazy nervous. I felt a total of 3 drops of rain, mostly in the cool down. The wind was for real too.
Execution:
Part 1 - Panic and impatience. I started running what I thought was a reasonable pace and my heart rate just kept climbing. It took me several miles to figure out that was mostly up hill. Miles 1-4 did not have a lot of even nice paced running. It was just up or down.
Part 2 - It doesn't look flat, but the running got easier. The 'loop' for miles 4-8 was actually quite runnable except for a couple of awful hills. I was starting to enjoy myself.
Part 3 - Fast finish. I told myself that for the last 4 miles, I could just run and not look at my watch. This always means I go faster than any other time of the run (and my heart rate climbs quite a bit too). It was fun. It was also good to have a push at the end, bit of a confidence builder for the half marathon I just signed up for.
Nutrition:
Note to my future self - I need 2 bottles, 8oz, for a run of this distance. 3 or 4 bottles is overkill for temperatures below 75*. Obviously I carried more water than I needed. I had a bag of gummies too. I took a few at miles 3, 6, and 9.
Bonus: I saw a Pileated Woodpecker. I tried to take a pic but it flew away. But I saw it in real life. So that's two so far this spring. Since I couldn't get a pic of the woodpecker, here's my face when I realized I was almost done running.
Plan: Have a running adventure. It will be hilly but try to keep the heart rate in check. Have fun!
Route: This is a lollipop route, down a long path, around a loop and then back up the path. I've seen and been on parts of the out/back path and the loop in the past. It took me a while to figure out this combination of paths and starting/stopping points to get the correct distance for my current training.
Weather: It was projected to be cloudy. Those clouds were making my crazy nervous. I felt a total of 3 drops of rain, mostly in the cool down. The wind was for real too.
Execution:
Part 1 - Panic and impatience. I started running what I thought was a reasonable pace and my heart rate just kept climbing. It took me several miles to figure out that was mostly up hill. Miles 1-4 did not have a lot of even nice paced running. It was just up or down.
Part 2 - It doesn't look flat, but the running got easier. The 'loop' for miles 4-8 was actually quite runnable except for a couple of awful hills. I was starting to enjoy myself.
Part 3 - Fast finish. I told myself that for the last 4 miles, I could just run and not look at my watch. This always means I go faster than any other time of the run (and my heart rate climbs quite a bit too). It was fun. It was also good to have a push at the end, bit of a confidence builder for the half marathon I just signed up for.
Nutrition:
Note to my future self - I need 2 bottles, 8oz, for a run of this distance. 3 or 4 bottles is overkill for temperatures below 75*. Obviously I carried more water than I needed. I had a bag of gummies too. I took a few at miles 3, 6, and 9.
Bonus: I saw a Pileated Woodpecker. I tried to take a pic but it flew away. But I saw it in real life. So that's two so far this spring. Since I couldn't get a pic of the woodpecker, here's my face when I realized I was almost done running.
3.8.15
Trail Monday: Elm Creek Park x3
Last week I did not trail run. I did lots of other running and just didn't make it to a trail. This week, I thought I was going to bail on running, but headed outside on an errand and found it to be the nicest day ever. I headed out to the trail after all.
Trail: The horse trail continues to be brutal. About 1/4 mile of it was mowed today. That was the best thing ever.
Hills: I figured out today that one of my favorite down hills comes at almost the exact middle of the course. I walked up most of the uphills and ran all of the downs. The Larisa Danis plan is going strong.
Ease of Running: It's getting harder. I can't even imagine what Baker is like. The grass is getting way taller. The woods are still generally a pleasure.
Animals: The number of frogs and toads I saw today was biblical. I also saw deer, a hawk, wild turkeys and tons of butterflies. The butterflies are my favorite though impossible to photograph.
Will I come back? My own personal challenge for the day was to go faster than the last time I did this course. I managed it well, though mostly by utterly ignoring my heart rate. My heart rate average was still 146 bpm for the entire time. I needed a confidence booster in anticipation of the trail running coming up next month, so I went a bit harder than usual.
Trail: The horse trail continues to be brutal. About 1/4 mile of it was mowed today. That was the best thing ever.
Ease of Running: It's getting harder. I can't even imagine what Baker is like. The grass is getting way taller. The woods are still generally a pleasure.
Animals: The number of frogs and toads I saw today was biblical. I also saw deer, a hawk, wild turkeys and tons of butterflies. The butterflies are my favorite though impossible to photograph.
Will I come back? My own personal challenge for the day was to go faster than the last time I did this course. I managed it well, though mostly by utterly ignoring my heart rate. My heart rate average was still 146 bpm for the entire time. I needed a confidence booster in anticipation of the trail running coming up next month, so I went a bit harder than usual.
20.7.15
Trail Monday: Elm Creek Again
Today marked my second trip to the north loop of Elm Creek Park Reserve.
Trail: I did the horse trail again, and this thing is brutal. It's well marked, and a very nice loop. Total distance is around 7 miles. Today was wild flower day. There were clovers, black eyed susan, queen anne's lace, and any number of purple flowers I can't name. This song was in my head the whole time.
Hills: Perhaps the most frustrating part is that the hardest section comes in the middle, and it's near impossible to get my running groove back after that middle rhythm section.
Ease of running: I agree with my earlier statement for the most part. This trail is really runnable for a grass trail. In most of the places the grass is mowed or worn down from the horses. There were a few puddles, though nothing as bad as the first time around.
Vermin: I am thrilled to report a tick free run. It was not mosquito, gnat nor fly free though. Many good insects lost their lives today. Jerks.
Other animals: This may be the first time I didn't see a deer. I may have seen something drinking from the lake, but I felt like what I saw was too still. I did see a falcon, eighteen million frogs, and all of the butterflies and dragonflies.
Will I come back: I now have a determination to conquer this trail. I am so slow on this thing. I want to keep going on it until I get stronger and faster now.
Trail: I did the horse trail again, and this thing is brutal. It's well marked, and a very nice loop. Total distance is around 7 miles. Today was wild flower day. There were clovers, black eyed susan, queen anne's lace, and any number of purple flowers I can't name. This song was in my head the whole time.
Hills: Perhaps the most frustrating part is that the hardest section comes in the middle, and it's near impossible to get my running groove back after that middle rhythm section.
Ease of running: I agree with my earlier statement for the most part. This trail is really runnable for a grass trail. In most of the places the grass is mowed or worn down from the horses. There were a few puddles, though nothing as bad as the first time around.
Vermin: I am thrilled to report a tick free run. It was not mosquito, gnat nor fly free though. Many good insects lost their lives today. Jerks.
Other animals: This may be the first time I didn't see a deer. I may have seen something drinking from the lake, but I felt like what I saw was too still. I did see a falcon, eighteen million frogs, and all of the butterflies and dragonflies.
Will I come back: I now have a determination to conquer this trail. I am so slow on this thing. I want to keep going on it until I get stronger and faster now.
8.6.15
Trail Monday: Elm Creek Park
This is an "after work" edition of Trail Monday, because I had an irregular edition of "working Mondays". (Normally I work Tuesday - Friday. I don't understand how people regularly function on 2-day weekends.)
Trail: I chose Elm Creek Park Reserve for geographical and logistical reasons. Last week I'd found myself unequal to navigating the walking trails at this park, but after careful study I decided if I parked at the Hayden Lake Road entrance, I should be able to pick up a horse trail and have a reasonably easy time following it.
Hills: The hills on the course are for real. Both up and down. Though, I found them somewhat fewer than Baker Park Reserve.
Ease of running: I found this path eminently more runnable than Baker as well. I think even though there was a lot of grass, it was cut shorter or managed differently in some way. The shorter grass was way more pleasant for running. I am still on the "Larisa Dannis Plan" and not worrying too much about running the ups, or even all of the flats. But I felt like I ran a lot more of this one than Baker last week.
Nature Vermin: The ticks were crazy nuts here. I hate ticks. At one point I stopped running and pulled six or seven off me. Only two had bitten, the rest were on my socks and shoes, and one of my belt. I stopped a few more times and then was crazy careful at the end of my run to check and check and check again. I learned from last week to pack a change of clothes and was glad I did. I packed my running clothes up in a plastic bag. When I got home, sure enough another tick was in there crawling around on my socks. Gross.
Other animals: I almost stepped on a snake. Even though it was a wee tiny thing, it scared the crap out of me. I also almost ran into a deer. You think I jest. Tons of dragon flies and surprisingly, toads. I also saw a turtle at the end of the run. Awesome.
Will I come back: We have really got to figure something out about those ticks. I run in long socks but my knees were exposed. I hate to come out here running in long pants in 85* but it may be necessary. I'm considering it because the running was really good compared to Baker which seemed comparably tick free.
Trail: I chose Elm Creek Park Reserve for geographical and logistical reasons. Last week I'd found myself unequal to navigating the walking trails at this park, but after careful study I decided if I parked at the Hayden Lake Road entrance, I should be able to pick up a horse trail and have a reasonably easy time following it.
Hills: The hills on the course are for real. Both up and down. Though, I found them somewhat fewer than Baker Park Reserve.
Ease of running: I found this path eminently more runnable than Baker as well. I think even though there was a lot of grass, it was cut shorter or managed differently in some way. The shorter grass was way more pleasant for running. I am still on the "Larisa Dannis Plan" and not worrying too much about running the ups, or even all of the flats. But I felt like I ran a lot more of this one than Baker last week.
Other animals: I almost stepped on a snake. Even though it was a wee tiny thing, it scared the crap out of me. I also almost ran into a deer. You think I jest. Tons of dragon flies and surprisingly, toads. I also saw a turtle at the end of the run. Awesome.
Will I come back: We have really got to figure something out about those ticks. I run in long socks but my knees were exposed. I hate to come out here running in long pants in 85* but it may be necessary. I'm considering it because the running was really good compared to Baker which seemed comparably tick free.
19.7.14
6 miles: Elm Creek Park Preserve
I found myself very close to Elm Creek Park Reserve at the end of the day. That means I should run here right? I'd only been to Elm Creek one other time and I loved it so I was super happy to get back.
Trails: Today I was on a mix of paved trails and grass/dirt trails, and what may have been horse trails. The horse trails were pleasantly free of poo if that's indeed what they were. Sadly, many of the non-paved trailed were still utterly compromised by puddles, which meant I kept having to find my way back to the pavement. This place is so huge. I've been here twice and still barely seen any of what's here. I can't wait for the dirt trails to dry up so I can get into the middle of the park more.
Run: Slow, hot, and gorgeous are the adjectives for this run. Slow because I was not super speedy. The paved parts of the trail were easier, but still involved rolling hills. The non-paved parts of the trail were and utter adventure. I'm sure not knowing my way around and having to stop to look at the map all the time didn't help. Hot because it was in the low 80s. I found it fantastic. Seriously, what is wrong with me? And gorgeous because duh!
Zumba: I totally went to Zumba after running. And danced my heart out because the teacher played the Boom Boom song for me. And then we had tacos after because I was so hungry from all the running and the dancing.
Trails: Today I was on a mix of paved trails and grass/dirt trails, and what may have been horse trails. The horse trails were pleasantly free of poo if that's indeed what they were. Sadly, many of the non-paved trailed were still utterly compromised by puddles, which meant I kept having to find my way back to the pavement. This place is so huge. I've been here twice and still barely seen any of what's here. I can't wait for the dirt trails to dry up so I can get into the middle of the park more.
Run: Slow, hot, and gorgeous are the adjectives for this run. Slow because I was not super speedy. The paved parts of the trail were easier, but still involved rolling hills. The non-paved parts of the trail were and utter adventure. I'm sure not knowing my way around and having to stop to look at the map all the time didn't help. Hot because it was in the low 80s. I found it fantastic. Seriously, what is wrong with me? And gorgeous because duh!
Zumba: I totally went to Zumba after running. And danced my heart out because the teacher played the Boom Boom song for me. And then we had tacos after because I was so hungry from all the running and the dancing.
26.6.14
6 Miles - Elm Creek Preserve
My biggest accomplishment today was being able to keep solid food down. For the most part. Running six miles felt pretty nice too. I had a weird ending to my day. I'd originally planned to try out Medicine Lake Trail, but a cancellation and a visit further out meant I was really close to Elm Creek Park Preserve so I headed that direction.
Originally I was really excited to try some of the single track trails because there seem to be about eight billion of them. Sadly they are totally muddy. The bikes could make it through, but I didn't have spare clothes and wasn't in the mood. So I turned around pretty quickly and headed to a beautifully paved trail instead. I ran 3 miles out, 3 miles back along the trail. It vaguely went around a lake, but not in the way that paths go around the lakes in Minneapolis. The trail was all up and down, not a ton of flat to enjoy. But the return trip felt more 'down' so I did just fine. I did not have my heart rate monitor. I was secretly relieved. Thank goodness! Now I can just run how I like!
After my run I did a 'finisher' that really finished me off. Side steps (hello IT band) and then standing bicycle crunches. I started at 20 and worked down to 15, which took me ten minutes. By then I could barely stand and my hip flexors were starting to seize up so I declared defeat and just stopped. I did some dynamic drills and stretched out a bit before jumping in the car to go home. My plan worked beautifully because by the time I got in my car and hit the road, I'd completely missed rush hour traffic (win for me!). While I was cooling off, I saw tons and tons and tons of mountain bikers roll in. I was at a trail head they use apparently. I heard one of them say this is one of the only parks in the Twin Cities that's still open to bikers and not flooded out. That explains the crowd!
I'm pretty excited to get out here again and try some more of the trails. Particularly once the rain stops and I can go play in the dirt! It looks like there's a few different places to park and trail heads. It seems like this park will have no end of exploration for me.
Originally I was really excited to try some of the single track trails because there seem to be about eight billion of them. Sadly they are totally muddy. The bikes could make it through, but I didn't have spare clothes and wasn't in the mood. So I turned around pretty quickly and headed to a beautifully paved trail instead. I ran 3 miles out, 3 miles back along the trail. It vaguely went around a lake, but not in the way that paths go around the lakes in Minneapolis. The trail was all up and down, not a ton of flat to enjoy. But the return trip felt more 'down' so I did just fine. I did not have my heart rate monitor. I was secretly relieved. Thank goodness! Now I can just run how I like!
I'm pretty excited to get out here again and try some more of the trails. Particularly once the rain stops and I can go play in the dirt! It looks like there's a few different places to park and trail heads. It seems like this park will have no end of exploration for me.
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