CBRC

So, Sue, are you doing HAT training like marathon training but with more trails? Or...?

Yes. I am basically following my marathon plan..but have added some miles here and there and I even added a day of running. Mostly on the trails. I'm doing hill repeats almost weekly, except when I had the 20 miler I skipped them that week. After running every trail at Calvert Cliffs, and making up loops this way and that way I think I know it like the back of my hand now. Surprisingly I haven't gotten bored running there, however, while doing that 20 miler it was hard mentally at the end.

How do you do hill repeats? Do you sprint up the hills, or go medium fast trying to lift your legs, or what?

I find a hill, one that might take me a minute or two to run up. Now, when I say run I am not sprinting. I just try to maintain my form and stay strong & steady all the way up. I may walk at the top for 20-30 seconds then run back down, turn around and run up. Sometimes I try to beat my previous "up" time, but when I'm doing 10 or 12 hills, my goal is to do them all and I don't want to burn myself out on the 6th or 7th repeat. Does that make sense? I'm hoping it helps toughen up the legs for all the hills at HAT.

Sue, Have you considered hooking up with the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club (http://www.vhtrc.org)? They have training runs -- next one in Cabin John, MD, Feb 14. They'd be a good group for your HAT run prep.
Claire

Claire, thanks for the information. I'd like to do that and I've heard of the vhtrc, but in reality I probably wouldn't be able to meet up for runs due to limited childcare and husband's work schedule. I'm six weeks away from the HAT and starting to feel a little more anxious or nervous or worried about it.

Your last sentence is another reason why vhtrc would be good for you. I've watched my brother run in a few of their races over the years and was struck by the camaraderie and support they showed runners. They'd help put your mind at ease. Some of their members are bound to be running the HAT run too. (Ok, I'll stop pushing them now. I can certainly appreciate the limits that life circumstances place on us.)

Sue, you have no reason to be anxious and stressed! You're training hard and running strong. I can put you in touch with another local person who is training for the HAT run, we've mentioned her before. I'll bring info with me tomorrow so you can get touch w/ her if interested. Have no idea what her training schedule is, when she runs, etc., but she lives around here and might be a source of stress relief for both of you.

Ok, so what I'll really do is ask both of you if you have any interest in getting in touch with someone else who is training for HAT, then put you in touch with each other if so.

Your nerves have confirmed that I don't want to do a race like that. I don't get the jitters until the week before a marathon. I couldn't handle six weeks of nerves. And despite my cool, calm, collected appearance , I get all worked up before the race and am decidedly miserable to be around.

Thanks Amy, I'd be interested. And just so you (and anyone else) knows, I am NOT having full blown jitters...yet . I think by me going back to the race website and seeing the elevation profile again and knowing what kind of "hills" we have here...well it just makes me a little worried, that and getting all the runs in, staying healthy, etc, etc. Before I ran my first full marathon it was a total unknown, and on almost every run the thought of the marathon distance and if I could finish it. While I still feel nerves at the start of a marathon, it's not a complete unknown since I have done it. I never know what the race will bring, but at least I have done it several times. But, I think now that I'm attempting a new distance, that whole unknown is coming up again. And tapers are bad enough, I wonder what this taper will feel like in a few weeks.... Sorry for the long post.

Sue, Hope all goes well tomorrow! We'll be thinking of you. Should be a beautiful day for a run in the woods and all your hard training (esp those hill repeats in Calvert Cliffs!) is bound to pay off. Good luck!
Claire & George

Go Sue! Have a great time. I'm sure it's going to be a fun adventure. Look forward to your race report, and the shoe report, and the sunshine report...

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I will be working on a report in a little bit. In short it was so much fun. It took me longer than I thought but I had such a good time, no hip issues (last summer I had some), no stomach troubles. My goal was: To finish with a smile on my face. I did. Even though it took over 6 1/2 hours, I did it and felt pretty good overall!! Wow, I still almost can't believe I did it! woo-hoo!!!

Way to go Sue!
I kept checking the website to see if they had the results, but nothing is listed yet.

I can't wait to read the race report!

If you don't put a report here, I'll expect to see one in the next club newsletter.