Snowdrop Event

Good Morning Everyone!

We are on our way to run 100 Miles. Here's our home for the next 55hours. Wish us luck. Catch Ya later. 

Just Another Day

  The beautiful fall season has now turned into winter and the calendar is almost ready to flip from December to January 2015. The weather is always changing from warm and humid to cold and breezy, a daily surprise. This weather has given us such amazing leaf colors in the trees, bright reds, yellows and oranges. The leaves have fallen like a fluffy blanket of snow on the pavement and when the wind blows they are scattered into piles everywhere. The Spring Creek Greenway has been covered in fresh leaves, crunching and crackling with every stride of my run. The fresh smell of fall can still be found in the air. 

   A part of the Spring Creek Greenway that I run is a 5 mile out and back course that I ran 3 times the other day, 15 easy miles. I had the pleasure of meeting a new fellow runner. An interesting sort of relationship developed and has given yet another understanding of my passion to run. Each time on the out and back I encountered the young lady running opposite of me. Each time we met up I would say a friendly hi, give a thumbs up and a smile for her efforts. She'd smile back and wave, looking relieved knowing that someone else was out on the trail for a long run. I could see she was struggling a bit in the later miles when I finally caught up to her. So I decided to slow my pace a bit and see if I could help with a few encouraging words. This is were the fun began. I pulled up next to her and started asking the usual questions. ...how is your run going, what race are you training for? The usual first questions all runners seem to open with. Well, as we all know, smiles and thumbs up are the universal unspoken language we all seem to understand. She of course only spoke Spanish. Wow, thinking quickly and laughing to myself because the many years of flying 'Airplane Spanish' isn't going to help me here! Unless she needs a beer, to know where the bathroom is located, if the seatbelt sign is on or it's chicken or beef I'm not going to get very far into the conversation. I had to really pull from my memory of high school Spanish. It wasn't very pretty but I did figure out she was running 17 training miles at an 11 min pace for her 3rd Houston Marathon. We ran together for her last 2 miles. I think she enjoyed the company along the way and it is always nice to have someone with you to help you finish strong. With another smile and a wave I took off to finish my run. Looking forward to seeing her again. Time to think about breaking out a Spanish text book maybe, Ha!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Gotta Love Naps.. especially after that big holiday meal. Heading out for a long walk. Enjoy your day. 

Running Shoes

      Shopping for most things is definitely not my forte. Now, if it has anything to do with running clothes or gear I'm always interested. The new pair of La Sportiva Vertical K trail shoes arrived at my door yesterday and needless to say I was excited.

I'm going to wear them for the Brazos Bend 50 Mile race. Oh, the smell of a brand new pair of shoes! It's just like that great new car smell and who doesn't like that! It's to bad that after the first time I lace them up and go for a long run on the trails they will look just as dirty and worn as the rest of them on my storage rack. But that is when they achieve a greater level of status. Instead of laying around in a box, now they have some dirt, grit and grime. Probably a new blemish or two and after running in the rain or mud they now have character. Serving the purpose they were built to do, each run is now a story to tell. 

     I rotate through several pairs of shoes as do most distance runners I'm sure. Currently I have 7 pair of trail shoes and 5 pair of road shoes. I keep track of and spread the mileage out between all of them. I'm able to get around 350 to 400 miles on a pair then I donate them to a local children's charity for kids that can't afford shoes. The shoes still have plenty of life in them just not for running long distance. 

     Running is basically an inexpensive sport. So if you don't need to get really high tech and connected, you just need a good pair of shoes, some simple clothing items and you're ready to hit the road. When I first started out I had the hardest time finding the right pair of shoes. The running store employees were talking to me in a foreign language - pronate, supinate, wide toe box, cushion, stability, neutral gait, heel or mid foot strike, one size bigger (WHAT! I already have big feet so why would I want an even bigger size). At first it seemed like a complicated algebra problem and I didn't know the formula. It can be a little frustrating at first, but it's worth having the right pair of shoes. Once again the tried and true method of trial and error has solved the problem. When you find the right shoes it's a lot easier to get that next pair. It's a process! I get asked frequently by people starting out their running life - What is the best running shoe? What brand of shoe do you wear? The very best running shoe is the one that fits your foot correctly, feels comfortable and you like. How many awesome stories can all of your running kicks Tell?

    30 mile run yesterday and a 15 miler with my husband today, getting those new shoes dirty!

Training Runs

     I'm going to run the 50 mile trail race at the Brazos Bend 100 on Saturday Dec 13th. I am using this race as a training run. My goal is to maintain a 10 minute mile pace, that equates to 8 hours and 20 minutes, but I also have to factor in maybe 30 more minutes for aid station stops to hydrate and refuel or solve any unexpected problems. So that should be right around an 8 hours and 50 minutes finish time. BOOM!! The idea is to see where my training is at and how much work is left to do for Destin. It's not uncommon for endurance athletes to use a race as an opportunity to train hard to be ready to compete at another event. It's all a process.

    I have been maintaining 55 to 65 mile weeks for the last two months and will increase that to 70 to 80 mile weeks through December and January for Destin in February. The key and essential component - back to back long runs. I have had a lot of success with this method. It builds strength and endurance along with teaching your body to function while being tired. Yesterday (saturday) at the Spring Creek Greenway trail, I ran 30 miles and stayed right around a 10:30 mile pace and then ran 15 miles today, with my husband pacing me we maintained a 9:45 mile pace all the way through. I feel strong and can tell the training is now starting to come around. I'm really looking forward to the Brazos Bend 50 event then sharing the time over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at Snowdrop 55 Hr helping my husband achieve a long time goal for him. All of this work has an ultimate goal, that being the Destin 24 Hr run in February. I'm going to take a run (no pun intended) at something pretty big and special. I will spend some more time talking about that as we get closer to February. 

Company Picnic

    The Destin Beach Ultra Run - 24 hour event - is the big race I'm training and gearing up for in February 2015. The Race Director created this particular race event with the main focus on raising awareness and funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The SOWF has been providing the children of our fallen Special Operators, in all the branches of service, the opportunity to get and complete their college educations for the last 30 years. This will be my fourth year to be a part of this fundraising event and endurance competition. In the first 5 years of this endurance event they have raised a total of $134,000. 

    On Saturday Nov 1st, my company had their annual employee picnic. It featured a petting zoo, games, train rides and even a zip line for all the kids to enjoy. I think I even caught a couple of the parents putting their karaoke talents on display. I joined in the fun and set up a vendor booth to get donations for SOWF in exchange for origami paper wallets that I make.

I met and talked with so many of my fellow employees and met new friends from other departments. Getting my name out there and helping out the charity with the funds that were donated was awesome. I enjoyed sharing stories and displaying my medals and awards from the Destin Beach Ultra.

I appreciated the many different reactions and questions people had about ultra running. I raised a total of $100 for SOWF. Thank you to all of my fellow employees that donated. If anyone else would like to donate or find out more about the SOWF and spread the word around, here is the link. http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jeanhofschulte/destin-beach-ultra-runs-2015

  Or www.firstgiving.com   Then search my name Jean Hofschulte 

    

What's Normal...

    If you ask me which I like better training for a race or running the race. I do have to admit I really love the training part it gives me a goal and purpose. Every time I finish a training run it makes me feel accomplished knowing I have the dedication and drive to do my very best. 

 

 My layover in Portland, Oregon this morning was no exception being in the gym on the treadmill at midnight getting my 20 miles in before I have to go to work, that's normal to me. What's seems crazy to me is the tv shows that are on at that time of night. Do people really stay up to see these programs? I've watched some really strange stuff between the Sci-fi channel extra large squid living in the local river killing people to Hallmark channel movies that make you cry and then there's Infomercial's. It's all very entertaining and it does pass the time. 

  I'm feeling very accomplished today. Now it's time to put the uniform on and go to work.