Animals and Waterfalls …

Thursday – 3 miles 5.6 miles of Hiking

• Laurel Falls Hike – 2.6 miles round trip
• Grotto Falls Hike – 3.0 miles round trip

We woke up this morning at 6:30. Who does that while on vacation except to catch a plane? We do when we visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Two years ago I brought my boyfriend to the Park for the first time. At the time, he thought that both my dad and I were completely crazy when we told him our mantra is “dawn and dusk”. Then I took him on the Cade Cove Loop at dawn and he understood.

My boyfriend knew how much my training means to me so he tried to figure out the best time for me to get my 3 miles run in. I told him that as the day goes on I will figure it out. He even suggested that I run on one of the trails we were going on because it was paved and almost 3 miles.

So after I got out of the shower, I started pulling my running gear together when I realized that I was missing the most crucial item … my running shoes! After my run on Tuesday, I didn’t put them in my bag so that they could air out and dry from the sweat. On Wednesday morning, my boyfriend grabbed my bag and I didn’t check the room. I was fuming at myself. All of my prep work to find the best routes were just chucked out of the window. I spent the next few minutes mentally berating myself for my stupidity and then I decided that it wouldn’t ruin our day or our trip. I spent the next 45 minutes (the drive from the hotel to Cades Cove) convincing myself that I was still going to be working my leap with the amount of hiking we were planning.

Once we got to Cades Cove and started the 11 mile Scenic Loop, my anger disappeared and I absorbed the beautiful scenery we were surrounded by. Now what is so special about the Cades Cove Scenic Loop and why must you be there at dawn? Cades Cove is an area of the Park that at one point was the home to many families. The old homesteads are still standing for you to see and walk around. It is an area of the Park that is teaming with wildlife, including wild turkey, deer and black bears. During the warmer months (everything but winter), the best time to see the animals is at dawn and dusk because the weather is cool enough for them

to come down from the mountains to graze. We saw a lot of wild turkey and some younger deer (not fawns or greens horns but still visibly younger). It was really amazing to see all of the animals in the Cove. The scenery that the mountains provided truly lived up to their name. The morning haze lingered for a long time after the sun rose. The effect caused the “smokey” look that the national park is known for.

After an hour of driving the scenic loop, we headed over to the trailhead for Laurel Falls. This hike is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered moderately difficult. It is also a very accessible trail because the trail is paved, which allows people to bring strollers and even motorized scooters. I know that you probably don’t believe me but we actually saw an elderly woman on a motorized scooter

coming down the trail as we were headed up. The actual hike only took us about and hour and a half total. Of course, we spent about 30 minutes at the water fall mostly so that I could take a whole bunch of pictures. Unfortunately, my boyfriend was a little disheartened with this water fall because the tidal pool at the base wasn’t really big enough for him to swim in it and it was also really crowded due to the accessibility of it. I thought that the waterfall was gorgeous especially with all of the mountain laurels blooming. The crowd was definitely detracting from the overall beauty of the waterfall and its surroundings but it is also a must for any first time visitor to the National Park.

Once we got back to the car, we headed back into town to grab some lunch. Oddly enough, there is a Subway right next to the hotel so we were able to eat healthy for several of our meals. While eating our oh-so-delicious sandwiches, we watched the weather to make sure that we wouldn’t get too wet while hiking to Grotto Falls. I am glad we waited to leaved for the hike because as soon as we finished our lunch the sky opened up. Luckily, it didn’t last very long and it wasn’t humid and muggy afterwards.

In the Gatlinburg area, there are actually two scenic motor loops in the National Park. The Cades Cove Loop is near Townsend and is the one we went on this morning. The other loop is the Roaring Fork Loop, which is named after the river that runs parallel to the road. The trailhead for Grotto Falls is located on the Roaring Fork Loop. The hike is 3 miles round trip and is considered moderate in difficulty. Unlike the Laurel Falls Trail, this trail isn’t paved and is therefore not as accessible to everyone. The lack of pavement alone was enough to thrill my boyfriend about the hike. Because we waited the storm out, the trail was empty and when we got to the waterfall it was empty. He was stoked because he was able to go swimming in the tidal pool. Word of warning: the waterfalls in the mountains are usually part of the river that run through the mountains. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this means that the water in the tidal pools is utterly freezing. My boyfriend has a

tendency to forget that fact until after he jumps into the tidal pool. Of course, his reaction always gives me a wonderful fit of laughter so I never remind him. I think we spent about an hour at the Grotto Falls and it was really amazing to just sit there and take in our surroundings. One of the coolest features of this waterfall is also where it gets its name. The Trillium Gap Trail actually continues behind the waterfall and heads up to Mt. LeConte, which is the highest peak within the National Park. You can actually walk behind the waterfall, which is totally cool.

Within 30 minutes of getting to the waterfall, more people started to show up. I finished taking my pictures while my boyfriend dried off and put his shoes back on. We ate a Clif Bar and drank some water before we headed back to the car.

After we got back in the car, we finished driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Loop. Towards the end of the loop is another waterfall known as The Place of A Thousand Drips and it is a roadside cascade. We stopped, of course, so that I could take more pictures. Finally we got back to the hotel. All of the hiking we did today really wore us out and another storm was fast approaching so we called it an early night. We just had leftovers for dinner. I had the other half of my Subway sandwich and my boyfriend had the last two pieces of pizza from last night.

The Tale of the Dragon …

Wednesday – Strength Training

Even though I brought my kettlebells, yoga mat and workout DVDs, I didn’t follow my schedule. I was quite upset with myself today about it but then I reminded myself that I was on vacation and that my normal routine was chucked out of the window when we left my place on Monday morning. I also reassured myself that we had planned to go on three hikes in the next two days.

After waking up this morning, we loaded the car back up and headed across the mountains to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Now, the most direct route from his mom’s house to Gatlinburg is to go through Cherokee, North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by way of US 441. Of course, we never do anything the quick and easy way. There are two other ways to get there but they go around the National Park and

add at least an hour on to the drive. One of these routes is along US 129, which has a stretch of road that is known as the Tail of the Dragon. When we were up here two years ago, my boyfriend kicked himself for not going on the Dragon. The Tail of the Dragon is a stretch of road that is 11 miles long and has 318 curves … one way! It is very popular with motorcyclists and is the major reason why my boyfriend wanted to trailer his Harley up to his mom’s house. Time was not on our side to add a hitch to his car before we left. Not having his motorcycle did not deter him from driving the Dragon. Yes we actually drove 318 turns in 11 miles. I had a raging headache by the end of the drive. Apparently, I have a mild case of motion sickness. The Dragon was definitely a very cool drive but it wasn’t as scenic as US 441 in my opinion. We stopped at one of the highest spots to take in the view and I took some photographs. After we “tamed” the Dragon, we went into Maryville, Tennessee to the Smoky Mountain Harley Dealership. If you ride on the Dragon, then you should definitely stop at this place

to pick up your souvenir t-shirt. As well as the obvious souvenirs related to the Dragon, this shop also has a great selection of bikes and other gear. We spent at least an hour in the store as well as a lovely amount of money (we just couldn’t stay away from the t-shirts). Once we were done in the Harley Store, we headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Gatlinburg is a town that is a wonderful tourist trap. It is known as the Gateway to the Smokies and because of that it has become a town that thrives on the dollar of the tourist. The town is actually quite perfect for what we needed … a place to sleep and eat. Once we checked into the hotel and got settled, we headed out to walk around and find something to eat for dinner. If you plan accordingly, once you get to your hotel you won’t need to drive anywhere. So while I didn’t do my scheduled strength training workout, I did walk up and down the streets od downtown Gatlinburg. We ended up eating at the Mellow Mushroom. I had heard great things about this restaurant from friends who live near one in Florida. Unfortunately, the closest one to to my place would take two hours to get to. For those who have never tried the Mellow Mushroom, I highly recommend it. The Kosmic Karma pizza was delicious. Now before you start thinking that I have fallen off the healthy living wagon, the pizza was covered in veggies and I only had two slices. We also split a dinner salad and I had oil and vinegar on it. We didn’t stay out too late after that because we wanted to get up super early to drive the Cades Cove Loop. We did check out some of the shops though, including the new wine shop and monnshine distillery. Free tastings at both!

The Dog Days of Running …

Monday – Strength Training Rest
Tuesday – 3 miles

• 3.83 miles, 44’ 00” minutes, 11’ 30” min/mile average pace, 168 BPM average heart rate

So yesterday was the first day of vacation and most  of it was spent in the car (as I predicted). That’s ok though because the end result was well worth the 10 hour drive. We left my place at about 4:45 AM and headed north. We stopped in Lake City, Florida for gas and breakfast around 7:15. Now I promised myself that I would try my best to continue to eat healthy while on vacation. We stopped at Subway for breakfast and I had an Egg White Flatbread Sandwich with turkey, cheese, spinach, tomatoes and onions. It was actually very delicious. (I have never had Subway for breakfast before.) We didn’t stop again until after we got near Atlanta and we needed more gas. For the most part, the drive up was fairly uneventful and went really smooth. We did drive through two rough patched of weather, one when we hit Helen, Georgia and the other one near Hiawassee, Georgia. The weather near Hiawassee was the worst one because at one point it was a total “white out” of rain and hail! After almost 10 hours in the car, we safely made it to my boyfriend’s mother’s house. We didn’t really do anything after we got there. Of course, there isn’t a whole lot to do in the town she lives in. I know that I don’t live in a thriving metropolitan area but I don’t think I could ever live in a rural community.

This morning I woke up still a little tired but I went ahead and got ready for my run. I will be completely honest with you. I 1as nervous about running an area that I am unfamiliar with. Apparently I wasn’t the only one concerned. My boyfriend’s mom and her friends insisted that he take me out and drive the route before I start running. They even warned him that there were loose dogs, which of course made him nervous. After I ate my yogurt and granola and got dressed for my run, my boyfriend and I drove my chosen running route. We used the odometer in the car to make sure the route would be at least 3 miles. We also found the loose dogs. They were cute little things and not anything at all like what we were led believe they were.

Once we were reassured I would not be attacked by vicious, rabid dogs running wild on the side of the road, I started my run. Right around the first half mile mark, the dogs saw me. I guess I was running within their property limits because they literally chased me and barked at me until I left their property. They were completely harmless though. Not only did I find the loose dogs at this point but I also hit the first hill. I took it slow and steady and even shortened my stride so that I could maintain my pace. The downhill was much longer than I expected but I focused on not increasing my pace. It was actually a really enjoyable run for me. I came across another dog about a quarter mile before the turnaround point. This one didn’t chase me but it did bark at me. On the way back to the house, the dog was actually waiting for me on the other side of the road and was still barking. It actually made me laugh. I think I was laughing up until I hit the first uphill segment on the way back, which didn’t even come close to the the hills I am used to on the treadmill. The second uphill wasn’t as long but it was very steep. Halfway up, I couldn’t run anymore so I walked. Once I crested the hill, I started running again and continued to run until I made it back to the starting point. I was quite surprised that the other group of dogs didn’t meet me at the beginning of their property limits. I guess the owner didn’t want them chasing someone who is running in the road. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the temperature outside. I don’t think it got higher than 75 degrees and I didn’t finish my run until after 10 AM. All in all it was a really good run.

Vacation starts tomorrow!

Sunday – Rest

• Kettlenetics – 47 minutes (Cardio Balanced Workout)

I thought that I wasn’t ready to do the Cardio Balanced Workout with the 8 lb. KBell. I was completely wrong. When will I stop underestimating myself? I decided to go ahead and do my strength training today instead of tomorrow because I am going to be in a car for about 10 to 12 hours and the last thing I am going to want to do when I get out of the car is workout. I decided to do this workout with the 8 lb. KBell because I really want to take my strength training to the next level. The only way that I will be able to get my body into the shape that I want is to constantly force it to a new level. Doing this workout with the 4 lb. KBell was getting way to easy so I knew it was time to push myself to the next level. After the warm up, I was actually ok with my decision to use the 8lb. KBell. By the end of the swings (there are an absolute ton of them), I started to second guess my choice but I stuck with it. I was dripping with sweat and was afraid that I would drop the KBell. After the swings came some more standing exercises and then came the floor exercises. For the first time in two months, a modified push up actually seemed easy to me. Yes I admit that I do “girlie” push ups. At this rate, I might actually be able to do a full push up by the end of the summer. The only exercise that caused me any problems was the side planks with arm raises. After the first set, my shoulders were a little sore. The second set was much harder and my right shoulder actually gave out during one of the arm raise. I ended up using the 4 lb. KBell for the rest of the side planks and arm raises. I felt like this workout went really well especially using the heavier KBell.

Magic Mile No. 1 ... Dolphins and a Turtle

Saturday - 4 miles

• 4.01 miles, 46' 42" minutes, 11' 38" min/mile average pace, 170 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
• mile 1 - 10' 38" min/mile
• mile 2 - 11' 45" min/mile
• mile 3 - 12' 16" min/mile
• mile 4 - 11' 53" min/mile

When I went to bed last night, I knew that this run had the potential to be a really bad one. Against my better judgement, I didn't set my alarm. I was tired and really, really annoyed with my phone. Last night, my phone decided that it had had enough of this world and was ready to pass on to the next one. It completely reset itself back to factory. I was not a happy person when I went to bed last night so I decided I wouldn't set my alarm. My body wasn't fooled though. I woke up at 7 AM without an alarm. I tried to ignore my useless phone and get ready for run, which was easier said than done. After some hemming and hawing, I finally got ready for my run. I ate my yogurt with granola and drank some water. Because my run today was only scheduled at 4 miles, I didn't worry about taking any "foo" with me. Mind you that "food" while running is not normal everyday food. It took me about 20 minutes to walk to the running trail, which allowed me to come to grips with how I was going to handle my 4 mile run. According to the Jeff Galloway training program, today's run was supposed to be 3 miles with a Magic Mile (MM). A Magic Mile is a way to estimate what your pace will be on race day. Of course, the first time you one your pace isn't that great so you should actually run at least three and use the average as your Magic Mile pace. The MM is a mile where you push yourself to your max. It is recommended that you should not be able to continue anymore at your current pace when you finish. Even though, I did improve my overall time for the mile, I don't feel like I pushed myself as much as I could have. When I finished, I felt like I could have gone faster. That's okay though because I still have several more attempts to improve my MM pace.

Once I finished my MM, I took a moment to catch my breath and drink some water. When I started running again, I was conscious of making sure that my pace was much slower than my pace was for the MM. I wanted to be able to maintain my pace for the last three miles that I scheduled for today. The trail I run on is located along the water and today the water provided me with some excellant views this morning. Of course, with my phone on the fritz, I didn't have it with me to take any pictures. At the end of mile 2, I noticed that the water was moving. I examined it closer and two dolphins were swimming along the sea wall. About a mile later towards the end of mile 3, I noticed something floating in the water. At first, I thought maybe the dolphin had actually folled me it wasn't. It was a sea turtle swimming along. I actually stopped running to watch him for a little bit. The turtle dove down into the water and actually came back up with a crab. It was very peaceful to watch the sea turtle float along and it reminded me of the peaceful, realxed feeling that running gives me (when I am not stressed about my phone not working). At that point, I realized that I was focusing on the wrong thing this morning. The last mile of my run was probably the best one I ran all day because I allowed my mind to clear and started to enjoy my run.