make a run for it

Ironman Week 6

2012-02-13T11:44:00.000-08:00

2/6-2/12

Monday
am: conditioning / 1:00
Another reason to get up early and get my sweat on? The reward of a chai latte : ) Leave it to Starbucks to have a cup for every holiday!

pm: swim / 1,900 yds / 0:50
I took advantage of my day off and hit up the pool after seeing my chiro about my ankle. Most of my swims are done long after the sun has gone down so it's a bit of a treat to go in the middle of the day. My goggles started leaking from the start and ended up being a huge pain in the ass. I could barely make it 50 yards without them filling with water! It was especially frustrating because I didn't have my backup pair with me : / Nothing too special about this workout. I started off feeling kind of "meh" but felt better as it progressed. My swims are starting to get longer and I'll admit it's nice to feel tired when I get out of the water!

warm-up:

300
4x50 kick, RI 10"

main:

6x50 @ 1:50 on 1:15
3x100 pull @ 1:55 on 2:10
300 easy
6x50 @ 1:50 on 1:15

cool-down: 200

Tuesday
[brick]
am: bike / 15.5 mi / 1:00 / avg 15.4 mph
am: run / 3.25 mi / 0:30 / avg 9:20
Finally, my first brick of the season! I'm probably one of the few people who actually enjoy brick workouts : ) It was fairly short: 1 hour on the bike followed by a 1/2 hour run. It was a cold and damp day, but luckily the rain held off for most of the workout. The ride went by quickly (and only involved a little bit of mud) and then back at home I switched gear quickly and my dad & pup joined me for the first half of the run.

wet roads meant extra caution on the bike

T2!

yet another reason I love my Garmin - the multisport function!

Wednesday
am: conditioning / 1:00
The usual! As much as I hate getting up so early I love having an awesome workout done before most people have started their days : )

pm: swim / 2,000 yds / 0:48

warm-up: 300
main:

3x300 @ 1:55-2:00 on 6:30
6x100 @ 1:55 on 2:05

cool-down: 200

After Monday's goggle issues (after which I realized the pair are well over a year old) I bought some new ones at work. I got to the pool expecting to have a great workout with spanking new goggles, only to find that these leaked, too! The problem with the new pair was that the nose piece was too broad for my my face, so they wouldn't suction properly. They are the unisex version of my previous pair (womens specific fit), so I'm thinking that's the problem. So frustrating, though! I had to tighten them so much that by halfway through the workout I had a gnarly headache : / The workout itself was my longest yet, focusing on endurance with a lot of long sets. I was definitely a little tired but managed to hit all the paces I was supposed to.

Thursday
pm: bike / 40 mi / 2:30 / avg 16.0 mph
Got my long ride done a little earlier in the week! It ended up being an awesome ride on an absolutely beautiful afternoon, ending with an unbelievably gorgeous sunset : ) It's nice to be riding longer now, if only for the confidence boost I get. I know I still have a long way to go, especially with speed, but it feels like progress. And with a 70.3 in 1.5 months, I definitely need it!

just incredible

Friday
rest
Spent the day in Berkeley and nailed my first grad school interview : )

Saturday
am: bike / 12 mi / 0:46 / avg 15.5 mph
Easy morning ride on another cloudy morning but luckily the rain held off!

pm: run / 5 mi / 0:46 / avg 9:13
I got off work earlier than usual for a Saturday so I had plenty of time to fit in my run before it was dark. I felt pretty good but was still running a bit slower than usual. And unfortunately, my ankle started nagging me during the run : / I took my pup with me, too, which always makes my runs a little bit better.

Sunday
am: swim / 1,500 yds / 0:50
This was the first group swim for the Midtown Triathlon Club (which my coach is the head coach of). I hadn't swam with a group before so I didn't totally know what to expect. There was a range of experience and skills so we were split into lanes accordingly. The workout went fairly well and was pretty basic. One thing I'm really hoping to get out of these (other than the fun company!) is feedback on my stroke. I know what a difference proper form can make in efficiency and speed so improvement is definitely a priority for me.

warm-up: 2x150 [25 front kick, 25 R kick, 25 L kick, 25 kick on back, 50 easy]
main:

6x50 @ 1:50 on 1:10
100 CU
5x50 @ 1:50 on 1:05
100 FTD
4x50 @ 1:50 on 1:00 (+ 50 because we can't count!)
2x50 sprint (team relays)

cool-down: 100

pm: run / 6.5 mi / 1:00 / avg 9:16
To say I had trouble finding the motivation for this run is a bit of an understatement. I had initially hoped to run with the MTC group after our swim but with an hour on deck I wouldn't have finished in time to make it to work, so it got pushed til the evening. I've been exhausted lately (not sure why, but I have some ideas...) and after work all I wanted to do was go home and crash. This is one reason why having a coach is great - accountability. If I just had to answer to me, I can tell you for sure I would have skipped this run. Since that's not the case, I forced myself out the door first thing after I got home, before the couch could tempt me too much. It was raining and I knew it would be dark halfway through my run, but I sucked it up and ran. My ankle is bothering me again (boo) and my legs in general just seem heavy and slow. I struggled to maintain what is usually an easy pace for me. I'm hoping it's just the result of a long week of work and training.

Totals

swim: 5,400 yards

bike: 67.5 miles

run: 14.8 miles

other: 2 hours

total time: 11.1 hours

Thursday Things

2012-02-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

1) ankle update
After my long run last week my ankle/foot got to the point where I could no longer ignore it, so I made an appointment to see my sports chiro on Monday. After taking a look at things he diagnosed the problem as loose ligaments in my foot caused from instability in the forefoot. Basically the front of my foot seems to be twisting in the opposite direction of my hind foot and this torsion has caused the ligaments to loosen. I've been feeling it in my ankle because the tendons connect at the sight of the torsion. As he was testing my feet you could actually see how much "floppier" my left foot was than my right. After talking more about my training, shoes, etc. we determined that it may be a result of my cycling shoes not supporting my feet properly. His suggestion was to try an insert in them and see how it goes. Well, I put a pair of Superfeet inserts in my cycling shoes before my ride on Tuesday and lo and behold, the pain is gone! Fingers crossed it's for good : )

2) grad school interviews!
So far I've been invited to interview at 2 of the 3 graduate programs I've applied to! Obviously I'm equal parts excited and nervous. Both programs are very competitive so I don't want to get my hopes up, but I also know it's a good sign to have made it to this step. Let's hope I make a good first impression! My first one is actually tomorrow (!!!), so I've been trying to brainstorm responses to potential questions and review as much about the program as possible. Oh, and I still need to figure out what to wear : /

3) long ride FTW
I took the day off work after waking up with severe jaw pain (something I deal with occasionally from stress) so I figured I'd move things around a bit with my workout schedule and take the opportunity to get my long ride out of the way. I headed out in the late afternoon with 2 hours 30 minutes on the plan. I haven't rode that long since Vineman so I planned to take it easy and just see how things went. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. 65 degrees in February with bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds made for perfect ride conditions. It felt so great to just be in shorts and short sleeves!

I did two out and backs on the bike trail, heading to Discovery Park first. My last couple rides have been pretty frustrating as I've struggled to hold certain speeds and my legs have felt heavy and slow. Things couldn't have been more different today! I was by no means riding fast but I maintained a decent speed for the entire ride and it felt easy. My legs felt fresh and strong which was such a great boost of confidence! Being my longest ride yet of this training cycle (by a full hour) I was worried it would drag on or I'd get tired but I felt great. I just cruised and enjoyed the beautiful day

The last leg of my ride coincided perfectly with an absolutely breathtaking sunset. I couldn't take my eyes off of the colorful sky and had to stop multiple times to get a few photos. It made the ride totally worth it : ) I finished with 40 miles under my belt, averaging 16 mph. I felt great when I finished, not depleted at all. It's these workouts that happen every so often that keep me coming back for more.

♥

forty

Ironman Week 5

2012-02-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

1/30-2/5

Monday
rest
I was all ready to go to conditioning but when I woke up my ankle was still nagging me. I didn't think jumping, lunging, etc. would be the best for it so I decided to skip class. I ended up feeling guilty the rest of the day, but I know it was probably the smart thing to do.

Tuesday
pm: run / 3.4 mi / 0:30 / avg 9:06
I have this thing where I have a "minimum" for my workouts. For example, if a run is not at least 4 miles, I typically don't think it's worth it. I have two very convenient 4 miles routes from my house plus I figure the workout time needs to justify the prep time before and after. Well my schedule called for 30 minutes, which would obviously be less than 4 miles. I almost thought about just going a bit further, but then told myself to stop being ridiculous. So I set out on my 4 mile loop only to turn back less than halfway through.

pm: swim / 1,550 yds / 0:36
This week was lighter in volume because it was time for progress tests! Spread over the week were repeats of the tests I did 4 weeks ago to see whether I'd made any progress. When I did my initial swim test, I wasn't expecting much and I was fairly pleased with how I did. I had only been in the water a couple times leading up to it but managed to average 1:55/100 yds. Obviously, I was hoping to improve that by at least a bit this time around. After a little warm-up I pushed start (on my pretty new Timex!) and was off for a broken time trial of 10x100 with 10 seconds rest. I tried not to go out too fast but rather at a comfortably hard pace I could hold. My swim time (minus the rest intervals) was 18:35 for 1,000 yards, averaging a 1:51/100yds. It was a small improvement, but considering that my training has not been very aggressive in the last few weeks I'll take it!

warm-up:

200
6x25 fast on 1:00

main: 10x100 [broken time trial]
cool-down: 200

in between catching my breath I had this to stare at : )

treated myself to a little jacuzzi action post-swim

Wednesday
am: conditioning / 1:00
Glad to get a good sweat in after skipping class on Monday!

am: bike / 12.2 mi / 0:45 / avg 16.2 mph
Easy late afternoon bike ride on a beautiful, day!

Thursday
am: run / 5.4 mi / 0:45 / avg 8:23
Next up was the run test. Once again I was a little nervous, but not as bad as before the initial test. After a 10 minute warm-up I pressed 'lap' and increased the pace. It was uncomfortable to say the least. I had no idea how fast I was running because the current pace on my Garmin is always grossly inaccurate, so I tried to go off effort. I knew I had to be a little conservative since I had to hold it for 30 minutes. I also didn't look at my heart rate, because I honestly just didn't want to know. In the end, I did a bit better than last time. I covered 3.77 miles in 30 minutes for an average pace of 7:57. Heart rate, on the other hand, was about the same: 175 avg, 186 max. Once I got going my ankle/foot felt pretty good. I was aware of a little tenderness but it wasn't overly sore.

Friday
rest

Saturday
am: bike / 16.3 mi / 1:00 / avg 16.3 mph
Last but not least I had my bike test. I've been a little frustrated on my rides lately, so I was hoping to see a little improvement. I set out on the same course as last time and after a 15 minute warm-up I cranked it up to see how much ground I could cover in 30 minutes. Ironically, I ended up with the exact same results! I covered 8.77 miles for the time trial with an average speed of 17.5 mph. Heart rate was within a couple beats of last time with 156 avg, 167 max. I was a little bummed, but I know I just need to get more time in on the bike to see improvements.

Despite my test results the ride did have some fun highlights! The Jed Smith Ultra races were in progress while I was out there so I got to see runners in the middle of a 50k or 50 miler (consisting of the same 5 mile loop - over and over!) including a coworker of mine who was absolutely flying! On my way back I also spotted 3 young bucks standing along the side of the bike trail. We just looked at one another as I passed and I almost stopped to try and get a picture, but I figured I shouldn't press my luck. And lastly, I had my first experience with real bike shorts! How is this possible, you may wonder? Well, in the past I've always just worn tri shorts because I honestly didn't really think I needed the heavily padded bike shorts. Then I realized that this time around I'd be doing a lot more riding and doing much longer distances, so I bit the bullet and ordered a pair of shorts and knickers from Pearl Izumi. I'll do a full review soon, but let me just say: omg!

pm: swim / 1,600 yds / 0:44

Another Saturday night spent at the pool! For some reason this swim just sucked. It seemed to go on forever and I just felt awkward and sluggish in the water. My goggles also leaked the entire workout which added to my frustration and drove me crazy by the end of the workout!

warm-up:

200
100 hard kick w/ board
100 side kick (alt)

main set:

6x100 as [25 R/ 25 L/ 25 CU/ 25 FTD]
8x50 fast, 20" RI

cool-down: 200

Sunday
am: run / 11 mi / 1:40 / avg 9:05
Before heading out for the run I trigger pointed with the hope that it would help my ankle/foot feel better for the longer distance. It was an absolutely beautiful morning, but as I set out my ankle was still nagging. It wasn't enough to make me slow or stop, but it was slightly uncomfortable. I focused on my effort, trying to keep it at an easy pace, but despite this, the discomfort moved down into my foot and became worse as the run wore on. I actually finished strong pace-wise, running the last 3 miles at sub-9 pace, but I paid for it the rest of the day with a very tender ankle and foot : / I saw my sports chiro today so I'll have a separate post with an update soon.

golf course

"H" Street bridge

Totals

swim: 3,150 yards

bike: 28.5 miles

run: 19.8 miles

other: 1 hour

total time: 7.0 hours

Ironman Week 4

2012-01-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

1/23-1/29

Monday
am: conditioning / 1:00
This was my first class in two weeks and my body was well aware of the break! My legs and arms fatigued noticeably faster, although I know my legs are still recovering from the marathon, too. While we sweated it out inside the studio, a storm raged outside and for a moment made me question the swim I had planned directly after. But then I reminded myself that I do, in fact, enjoy swimming in the rain, so off I went!

am: swim / 1,800 yds / 0:43
My arms were a little tired from the workout just before but other than that it was a pretty good swim. The focus was on endurance with 400s as the main set, but they actually seemed to go by pretty quickly. The storm actually calmed down a bit as I was swimming so the water was actually quite pleasant. With a long day ahead of me it was nice to have both workouts done by 8am!

warm-up:

200
6x50 fast on 1:30

main: 3x400 @ 2:05 on 9:00
cool-down: 100

Tuesday

pm: bike / 15 mi / 0:55 / avg 16.2 mph
My schedule called for 30 minutes of rolling hills so I thought I might drive somwhere with more appropriate terrain, but then the day got carried away and I just didn't have the time. So it was off to the bike trail instead. There are a few small hills on the route I took, but I also just switched to a harder gear on the flats to simulate more vertical terrain. I also spent some time in my drop bars, which for some reason I've never really done before. The lower body positioning actually felt a bit more comfortable and my legs seemed to feel more efficient, too. I'm hoping these are some of the benefits I'll get from a triathlon bike as soon as I get the nerve to buy one!

beautiful afternoon

pm: run / 4 mi / 0:36 / avg 9:10
I took a 30 minute break after my ride then set out for an easy run. I took my pup and decided to run on the roads since it would be dark by the time I finished. This was also my first run with prescribed heart rate zones. The plan called for a 10 minute warm up in zone 2 (154-163) then 3x5 minutes in zone 3 (165-173) with rest in between. I actually felt great as I started and tried to focus on effort as well as heart rate. I was comfortably running just under 9:00 pace for the warm-up and then picked it up for the first 5 minute set. I still felt good and the pace felt manageable, but my heart rate was pushing the upper limits of zone 3. When the 5 minutes were up I slowed back down but my heart rate had a harder time doing the same.

It kept up this way until after the final pick up when I was slowing way down in an effort to lower my heart rate. It was frustrating because I felt good running faster, and it was actually harder to slow down so much. I know other things can contribute to heart rate, and I know it can be very beneficial for training purposed, but I think for running, I need to focus more on my effort. Ironically, I think just knowing my heart rate when I run stresses me out a little, which in turn just makes it higher! The saving grace of the run was the glorious sunset I was treated to on my way back. I so wish I had a camera to capture that one!

Wednesday
am: conditioning / 1:00
Another killer workout to kick off the day! It did kind of suck to get up so early on a day off, but that just meant I got to take a lovely nap later in the day : )

one good thing that comes with waking up early!

pm: bike / 14 mi / 0:52 / avg 16.1 mph

Later in the day (after my nap!) I headed out for a short ride. The focus was on technique with a few drills in the mix. After a warm-up I did 6x30 seconds of single leg drills with 30 seconds of regular spinning between each one. The last time I did single leg drills it was on the trainer and they were not very successful. I was worried it would be the same on the road. I envisoned jerky movements that had me swerving all over the bike path and crashing. But when it came time to unclip the first leg, I was surprised to find that it worked! I just kept up the cadence and moved right along with the other leg dangling on the side. Happy to have these out of the way, next up was 3x6 minutes focusing on pulling horizontally on the downstroke. This felt a little awkward at first but soon I could tell how much more efficient it made me. It did, however, give my hamstrings a nice little workout which I would go on to feel for the rest of the week!

Thursday
am: run / 5 mi / 0:45 / avg 9:10
Easy morning run on the levy with my pup. And boy oh boy were my hamstrings sore! Once I got moving they were ok but wow. I chose not to wear my heart rate after my experience on my last run and felt much more relaxed. In the middle I had 4x20 second pick ups. Other than that not very exciting!

pm: swim / 1,700 yds / 0:40
I was really tired during this workout for some reason. I found myself slowing at the tail end of the 250s so I had to remind myself to keep up the pace. I also find that when I'm tired my form sucks (which is probably true for a lot of things, like running). The workout finished up with another round of swim golf, and I think I'm getting the hang of it. I was able to reduce my stroke count with each 50, although my time basically stayed the same.

warm-up:

200
200 kick

main: 4x250 @ 2:00 on 5:30
cool-down: 6x50 swim golf

Friday
rest

Saturday
am: run / 10 mi / 1:31 / avg 9:06
I was actually nervous about this run for some reason. It would be my first double digit run since Houston and I was anxious to get back in to it and not be in recovery mode anymore. It ended up being a fantastice run, too. It was a beautiful, crisp morning so the bike trail was crowded with a lot of friendly faces. Once again I went sans HR but forced myself to keep it at a comfortable effort. My left knee was a little tight toward the end but otherwise I kept my pace in the low 9s and felt really good. As I was finishing up it was a nice boost of confidence to feel like I could keep going. But as soon as I stopped, the warm fuzzies disappeared as I noticed some pain in my left ankle moving down into my foot. I didn't think too much of it as I hurried to get ready for work, and figured it was probably just a product of tight muscles/tendons that needed to be worked out.

Sunday
am: bike / 28 mi / 1:50 / avg 15.3 mph

I headed out on another beautiful morning for my long ride of the week. I rode toward Lake Natoma and passed a seemingly endless number of runners. I hadn't been so far in this direction on the bike trail in a while so it was nice to see some familiar sights. The first half of the ride kind of sucked though. I was struggling to maintain a decent speed and my legs just didn't seem to have much in them. Luckily the second half was much better and I actually increased my speed quite a bit for a little negative split : ) I know with more time and practice my cycling will improve, but it still frustrates me now to feel like such a beginner. Part of me feels like I just need to get stronger on the bike, and the other part of me feels like I'm just not doing it right or my bike/fit is not very good. Hopefully I can improve both of these things in the near future. My ankle felt fine on the bike, but it was actually really sore the rest of the day at work on my feet : /

halfway at Hazel Ave.

pm: swim / 1,500 / 0:35
Tonight's swim focused on technique with a series of different drills. I was in a rush since I had plans later that evening so I was glad it was a shorter workout. I never did drills when I was training on my own but I'm finding that they're a welcome addition. I like to think they've made a difference so far, if only by making me more aware of proper form.

warm-up:

300
4x50 kick on side

main:

200 as 25 side-to-side/25 swim
200 as 25 one arm/25 swim
200 as 25 catch up/25 swim
200 as 25 fist/25 swim

cool-down: 200

nice to still have some light!

Totals

swim: 5,000 yards

bike: 57 miles

run: 19 miles

other: 2 hours

total time: 10.4 hours

Houston Marathon (Race Report)

2012-01-24T23:49:00.000-08:00

Race morning started out as most others do. Alarm at 5am followed by a breakfast of bagel with almond butter and a banana, getting all geared up, and stretching a bit. Chris and Erin left before me to get their warm-ups in and I took my time heading downstairs. When I walked outside I was pleased to find that it actually wasn't cold at all. In fact I almost didn't need the arm warmers I'd bought at the expo last minute. Our hotel was conveniently located a few blocks from the start so I just followed the throngs of people. I ran a bit to test out my calf and was pleased to find that it felt fine. I'd trigger pointed like crazy the night before and was wearing my compression socks for the race so I think those helped. I made it to my corral just before it closed and then all that was left was to wait!

Houston sunrise race morning

I mentioned before what my goals were going into this race. I knew that as long as nothing disastrous happened, I would PR, probably by a decent amount. But I also secretly hoped I could get that sub-4 I've been coveting since I signed up for Chicago last year. My plan was to start conservatively and run more off effort than splits, then see where I'm at halfway in and push if I was having a good race. This worked out for the most part, and although the race didn't go exactly as I hoped in the end, I did run my best marathon yet.

The full and half had different starting lines before merging at mile 2 so it wasn't too crowded as we took off. I reminded myself not to get carried away with the pace, especially since we found ourselves running up the gradual incline of a freeway for the first mile. I couldn't help but think how ironic it was that Houston is touted as being so "flat & fast", and yet there we were, not a mile in, and running up some hills. Ha! My split for mile 1 was 9:17, but I wasn't too concerned as I remembered that it takes me some time to warm-up and get into a rhythm.

Going into the race I actually didn't know much about the course other than it being a loop and mostly flat. The first few miles honestly weren't very exciting but went by pretty fast. My pace naturally dropped to sub-9s where it would stay til about mile 20. From downtown we wound through the Heights and Montrose neighborhoods which had a cute small town feel and great crowd support and cheering. Around mile 6 we started to see the lead half runners coming back on the other side of the road, so I kept an eye out for Erin and Chris but I ended up missing them. Both went on to rock their races and set big PRs!

the 26.2 mile tour of Houston

look for the neon yellow arm warmers - in the middle, to the right of the orange shirt!

The half marathoners turned around at mile 9 while the rest of us continued on. Miles 10-14 took us past Rice and West Universities and their neighborhoods and were easily my favorite of the race. I was feeling pretty good, running even splits, and fueling on schedule (Gu + salt cap every 4-5 miles) plus the scenery and crowd support was amazing! The streets were lined with trees that for several stretches created a canopy of shade and the houses, especially on University Ave. were so quaint and cute! The crowd support here was excellent as well with lots of people setting up there own mini aid stations from their front lawns.

Around mile 16 I started to feel a little tired, but after 16 miles that is to be expected. I was still keeping pace, it was just taking a little more focus. Miles 18-19 took us past the exclusive Tanglewood neighborhood where former president George Bush retired to. I'd got to the point where I was telling myself to hold on and constantly wondering how much farther.

Around mile 20 things got hard. My quads started cramping badly and I had to slow down. In past marathons I probably would have started walking some stretches, but I told myself I'd made it this far, I still had a couple minutes of buffer for a 4 hour finish, I had to fight for it! Mentally I hunkered down and focused, but physically my legs just wouldn't go as fast as I needed them to. It had started to warm up a bit but luckily there was a little breeze. In fact I think we really lucked out with the weather during the race as it was as perfect as we could have expected. Miles 20 and 21 wound through Memorial Park which reminded me a lot of Golden Gate Park. I wish I'd been in a better mood at that point to have enjoyed it more, though!

focus!

That last 10k was really a struggle both physically with my cramping legs and mentally as I watched my buffer become smaller and smaller. With just a few miles to go I realized that I couldn't maintain the pace necessary to finish under 4 hours. Physically I was giving everything I had, leaving it all out there. It wasn't like in the past where I've let my head get to me. It was still hard though, especially since I knew I was going to be super close. In fact, the course ended up measuring 0.25 long on my Garmin, and as I looked down at my time when my watch recorded 26.2 miles, I saw a nice little 3 still there : ( The last couple miles brought us back downtown and I spotted Chris and Erin right in front of our hotel. I managed a smile and then tried to pick it up as much as possible as I reached the final stretch through Discovery Green park. I didn't have much of a finishing kick but it was one of the more memorable finishes as I got to run down the same finish chute as the Olympic trials marathoners had the day before. I was agonizingly close to my ultimate goal: 4:01:58.

running by Chris & Erin at mile 26

coming down the finish chute...

on the far right

dude ruined my finishing pic!

As soon as I stopped running I thought my legs were going to buckle. My quads seized up horribly and it was all I could do to follow the others into the convention center. I hobbled my way around trying to figure out what I needed to do before I could collapse onto the ground. I managed to track down some chocolate milk and then pick up my finisher's shirt and mug before trekking across the giant place to the reunion area. I could barely get my legs to bend enough to sit down, and when I finally got there I knew I wasn't going anywhere for a while. I waited about a half hour to see if Erin and Chris showed up and then I hauled myself up and hobbled the quarter mile back to our hotel.

Back in the room I checked my phone and suddenly was overwhelmed by the whole experience. A small part of me was bummed I'd come so close and missed it, but a much bigger part of me recognized that I'd just ran the best marathon of my life and set a 30 minute marathon PR, a full hour and a half faster than my first marathon less than 3 years ago. For nearly a year my marathon times have not reflected what I was capable of. After my devastating experience at Chicago after a solid training cycle I felt even more defeated. Houston was my redemption!

After I composed myself I met up with Chris, Erin, and a bunch of others for a bite to eat nearby and then came back to the hotel to clean up. My quads still felt pretty beat up and ironically my calves felt pretty good! I also ended up with a monster blister near my big toe and 2 blistered nail beds, but I usually don't come out of marathons with all 10 toenails intact : ) We were all pretty exhausted so we took it pretty easy the rest of the day. Erin surprised me with a celebratory creme brulee (my favorite!) and then we met up with some friends for a late dinner. I crashed pretty early and slept like a rock! The next morning we treated ourselves to breakfast in the fancy hotel restaurant before saying goodbye to Houston and our amazing weekend.

the monster

no. 10, the best yet : )

Ironman Week 3

2012-01-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

1/16-1/22

Monday
rest
This was a looong day of travel coming back from Houston. I was pretty sore after a night of sleeping and being stuck on a plane for 4+ hours did not help. Most entertaining part of the day: being asked by a flight attendant as I disembarked the plane if I needed a wheelchair - ha! I guess my hobbling looked worse than I thought : ) I was pretty exhausted when we got in to Sacramento, but was happy to find that my new shoes (in the right size this time) had arrived! They're the new 2012 color and very blue, but they'll get the job done.

en route

Tuesday
rest
I had a swim and bike on the schedule for the day, but my legs were still killing me, so I decided take another rest day and nix the ride and push the swim to the next day. I ended up moving a few other things around this week and felt sort of guilty for skipping a couple things, but then I reminded myself that I did just race a marathon and I need to listen to my body. I know in the big picture it won't make a difference, but I'm glad the week is behind me and I'm eager to tackle every workout this next week!

Wednesday
pm: swim / 1,650 yds / 0:38
I skipped my conditioning class and a 20 minute run since there was no way my legs were ready for that and instead hit up the pool for another afternoon swim. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and so nice to once again swim while the sun was still out. It was a pretty straightforward workout with an emphasis on endurance with some 350s. I could tell my muscles were still a little tired but it also felt really great on my legs.

warm-up:

200
6x50 fast on 1:30

main: 3x350 @ 2:05 on 8:00
cool-down: 100

such a lovely day for a swim!

Thursday
pm: swim / 1,800 yds / 0:50
I hit up the pool again, this time after work. It was finally raining and a bit chilly out, but once I was in the water it was great! I always dread having to swim in the rain and I don't know why, because I absolutely love it once I'm actually doing it. This ended up being my longest swim workout of training thus far but was broken up up with drills for the main set.

I did try a new-to-me drill called swim golf! I had to Google it, but here's what I came up with: first you swim 50 yards and note both the time and number of arm strokes, then add them together to get your "par score". Then you do a set of 50s and try to reduce your score either with a faster time or fewer strokes. The drill is meant to work on stroke efficiency, but to be honest, I found that the math aspect of it made it way too complicated! I kept losing track of my stroke count or the time. I sort of got the hang of it after a few trys, but mainly I just focused on pulling harder with each stroke.

warm-up: 300
main:

4x75 (25 R side kick, 25 L side kick, 25 swim), RI 15
100 moderate-fast
4x75 (25 R arm, 25 L arm, 25 swim), RI 15
100 moderate-fast
8x50 swim golf, RI 20

cool-down: 300

steamy

Friday
rest

Saturday
am: run / 5 mi / 0:46 / avg 9:12
My legs finally felt good enough to try a run this morning. I reminded myself to take it easy but a few things felt tight right from the start. I actually managed a pretty decent pace but my muscles weren't too happy by the end. I know this is normal immediately following a marathon, but I'm hoping with a bit more rest they'll start feeling better soon.

pm: swim / 1,500 yds / 0:36
I spent my Saturday night at the pool since I apparently don't have much of a social life ; ) Not surprisingly I had the pool to myself and ended up having a pretty good workout. The rain had cleared earlier in the day so it was a beautiful evening to be in the water. It was also a perfect way to shake out my sore legs after the morning's run.

warm-up:

300
100 kick

main set: 4x225 @ 2:00 on 4:45
cool-down: 4x50

Sunday
am: bike / 23.45 mi / 1:30 / avg 15.5 mph
I was hoping the rain would hold off for my morning ride and woke up to cloudy skies but no rain : ) I had an easy 90 minutes in zone 2 on deck so I hopped on the bike trail for an out-and-back. It's that time of year when the trail is bustling with both runners and cyclists but it was nice to have some company. I forgot to wear my HR monitor so I just focused on my effort. I felt great on the out, easily averaging between 16-17 mph, but on the way back it suddenly felt very difficult to maintain the same speed. There was a headwind so that may have something to do with it, but it was a little frustrating nonetheless. I keep reminding myself that I haven't been riding much and with more consistency I'll get faster, but I'm impatient : )

turnaround at Discovery Park

Totals

swim: 4,950 yards

bike: 23.45 miles

run: 5 miles

other: 0 hours*

total time 4.3 hours

* After two straight weeks without conditioning I'm ready to get back to it!

Houston in Pictures

2012-01-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

Houston was a trip like no other. From watching the epic Olympic Trials Marathon on Saturday to setting a 30 minute marathon PR on Sunday, it was a trip I'll remember for years to come. I was joined by two of my favorite coworkers, and since one was working the expo booth for CIM we lucked out with a free room at the ritzy Four Seasons, literally a block from the expo & start/finish lines, and actually on both the trials and regular marathon courses. We took it pretty easy most of the time, hung out at the expo a couple days and saw some familiar faces, got all hyped up watching the trials, and then all ran PRs on Sunday : )

(source)

On our first evening there we discovered a European specialty food store across the street from our hotel and ended up going back every day, mainly for their incredible falafel : ) We didn't really get to venture outside downtown much (except for the race - report coming soon!), but it seemed to be a pretty cool city. We lucked out with cool, clear weather until the day we left when we got a quick glimpse of typical Texas humidity - not sorry we missed that! In the end it was an absolutely awesome trip!

Erin & I at the airport ready to go!

layover in snowy Denver

welcome to Denver!

hello, Houston!

Four Seasons = baller

runners taking over the city

public, edible gardens!

Olympic Trials expo

so. cool.

"The Road to London"

fireworks at the trials opening ceremony

downtown Houston reppin' the good 'ol U.S of A the night before the Trials!

gotta hydrate!

trials women!

Abdi, Meb, and Ryan on their way to making the Olympic team!

the ladies of Team U.S.A.

Phoenicia!!!!!

the infamous Phoenecia falafel, eaten no less than 4x in 5 days : )

lots of time spent at the expo

marathon no. 10 in the books!

the hardware

post-marathon crème brûlée : )

celebratory morning-after french toast!

all good things must come to an end...

Ironman Week 2

2012-01-15T13:49:00.000-08:00

1/9-1/15

Monday
am: swim / 1,650 yds / 0:41
I had a small window of time before I had to be at work, so I decided to try something new: an afternoon swim! It was a beautiful day and it actually felt refreshing to get in the pool compared to the evening when I have to bribe myself to just get in. It was my longest workout so far with some drills and some faster sets but as a result it seemed to go super fast. I thought it would be hard to determine my pace for the progressive 100s, but I actually did pretty well: 2:05, 2:00, 1:50, 1:45. It was so nice to swim when the sun was still out and warm, so hopefully I can do it more often. It was a great way to start off my day!

warm-up:

300
100 kick

main:

6x75 (50 choice drill + 25 swim)
4x100 progression (15 sec rest)

cool-down:

100 kick
300

Tuesday
am: run / 4 mi / 0:36 / avg 8:59
Easy morning run before work. Ended up being my last before the marathon on Sunday.

When I got home from my swim I was excited to see that the shoes I'd ordered had arrived! I've been due for a while (I wear performance shoes so they only last me about 2 mos.) and I was realy hoping they'd get there before I left for Houston Thursday. I ordered 2 pairs of the same in a size 9 and got them all ready with my inserts before noticing as I was writing the date on the inside of the tongue that it said 8.5. I checked both pairs and sure enough, both were 8.5! Thankfully working at a running store has it's perks and I was able to snag a pair in my size to wear for Houston and I've sent back the shoes to exchange them for the right ones.

Wednesday
am: bike / 11.65 mi / 0:45 / avg 15.5 mph
Easy 45 minute ride, the first morning one in quite a while! I wore fingerless gloves and my fingertips were painfully cold : / My legs felt strangely heavy even though I wasn't riding fast. I do find that when I ride I have a hard time actually taking it easy and get way too hung up on my speed. I know I'm slow right now because I'm just getting back into Gotta work on this!

pm: swim / 900 yds / 0:25
This workout was suuuuper short. I spent more time driving to and from the pool and changing then I did swimming, but it was a good shake out swim. I averaged 50 sec for the 50s, and felt like I could have done with less rest between. Quick and to the point!

warm-up: 300
main: 6x50 fast on 1:45
cool-down: 300

Thursday
rest
Long day of travel to Houston, so I didn't have time to do the short run I'd planned in the morning.

Friday
rest

Saturday
rest
Was gonna do a 20 minute "shake out" run, but my right calf had knotted up big time the day before and was still pretty tight. Plus, the Olympic trials were early in the morning and I didn't really want to get up super early two days in a row.

Sunday
am: run / 26.45 mi / 4:01:58 / avg 9:08
Houston Marathon, the big no. 10! Race report soon : )

Totals

swim: 2,550 yards

bike: 11.65 miles

run: 30.45 miles

other: 0 hours*

total time: 6.5 hours

* My coach suggested skipping my conditioning classes this week to rest up and feel fresh for Houston.

U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon

2012-01-14T19:57:00.000-08:00

Talk about an epic race! This morning I got to watch the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon live in Houston and let me just say it was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. Many of you have probably heard by now who made the team. On the men's side, Meb pulled away at the end for a 2:09:08 finish, followed by Ryan Hall and Abdi. In the women's race it was close as well but Shalane broke the tape first with a 2:25:38, followed by Desi and Kara. Can't say I was too surprised, but it was an exciting race nonetheless.

the Road to London is 26.2 miles...

The multiple loop course made it especially friendly for spectators as you were able to see the runners several times without running all over the place. Add to that the fact that our hotel was directly on the course and it was super convenient for us. We headed down just before the 8am start and walked up the street to wait for the men to come through for the first time. It was a perfect spot for spectating as it served as mile 2, 10, 18, and 26. The morning was beautiful and clear, but there was a little wind and when it picked up it got cold!

great for spectating, but I'm glad I'm not running this tomorrow!

Erin, Chris, and I

Soon enough the pace truck and the motorcycles were zooming past then there they were! They were in a pretty tight pack but I could spot Meb and Ryan up in front. The way the course was set up had them coming down parallel streets so throughout the race, as soon as they would pass through on one side everyone would run across the street to see them again. We caught the men twice more before heading back to see the women's start, and by that time Ryan was in the lead!

Ryan in the lead!

the golden boy

Ryan, Meb, and Ritz

There were a lot more women running than men so when they came through it just looked like a huge mob. It was harder to spot familiar faces early on but by the time we got to the other street Desi was leading at the front and the pack had spread out a bit. We were also able to spot badass Sacramento runner Jaymee Marty toward the back, running hard despite a nasty injury.

Desi leading the way!

that's a lot of fast women!

Jaymee, in blue, toughing it out!

We went back and forth several times, but it never got less exciting to see the runners come flying by! By mile 16 Meb, Ryan, and Abdi were in the lead for the men, followed closely by Dathan Ritz. In fact they covered that particular mile in a blazing 4:52! On the women's side a lead pack had formed with Desi, Shalane, Amy Hastings, and Kara. My money was on Desi for the win so every time I saw her pass in the lead I got excited!

lead men

Desi in the front

check out that stride!

Once the men passed mile 18 we headed to the already packed finish line a block away at Discovery Green park. After trying somewhat unsuccessfully to find a good spot to see the finish, we settled for a few rows back along the finish chute. Meb had managed to take the lead at that point and was passing the back pack of the women's race, cheering them on as he went. Not long after we could see Meb on the big screen entering the park and we heard the cheering get louder and then there he was! I think almost everyone had assumed it would be golden boy Ryan Hall winning the trials, but I'll admit I was really glad to see Meb take it. Poor Ritz rallied hard in the last few miles and came in seconds behind Abdi, just missing the team. We had a bit of a wait for the women who were still about 5 miles out, but we managed to eek a little bit closer while we waited. In the meantime we watched the rest of the men finish and saw Meb, Ryan, and Abdi take a victory walk, brandishing their American flags proudly.

trials winner, Meb

3rd place, Abdi

The women's race had whittled down to Desi, Shalane, and Kara at the front and as we watched the last few miles play out on the big screen it became a battle between Desi and Shalane for the lead with Kara just fighting to hang on. It was obvious at that point who would be making the team, but I was really hoping Desi would make a sudden surge and take off for the win. Turns out it was Shalane who gave a final kick and pulled away. Once again the crowds got louder as she got closer and then she was literally flying by! Desi was right on her heels and Kara was not far behind.

see Shalane at the 0:40 mark

women's Olympic team!

Kara, Desi, Shalane

We hung out for a while to see the women take their victory walk and to watch the rest of the women finish, including Jaymee. It was one of the most exciting and inspiring things I've ever seen, and I'm so glad I got to experience it in person. Just getting to the trials is an incredible accomplishment, so my hat goes off to all the amazing men and women who were out there today. "The Road to London" was pretty epic, and in the end I think we have some impressive men and women going to represent the good 'ol U.S.A.

(source)

Houston, Here I Come!

2012-01-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

I'm currently at the airport waiting for my flight to Houston. It's finally here! I know I haven't blogged much about this race or my training leading up to it. I really didn't follow a strict plan like I did for Chicago, so recapping just didn't seem as important. Despite the more relaxed schedule, though, I ended up having some pretty great runs and felt just as strong as I did leading up to Chicago. Not surprisingly then, this lead me to start rethinking my goals. I was originally going to Houston to watch the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and run the half marathon. But then after the disaster that was the Chicago Marathon, I wanted some redemption, I wanted the race I'd trained so hard for. So I upgraded to the full marathon and after a week of recovery I started building things up again.

My mileage was far less this time around, ranging from about 30-35 miles a week. I also started swimming and cycling more and I started my winter conditioning class with my Ironman coach. I can't help but think this may have contributed positively to my running. I only had about 7 weeks to prepare, so my plan was to focus on the long runs, keep up easy base miles during the week, and nix the speedwork. Interestingly enough, I had some of my best runs this training cycle, especially the long runs. I ran 18 at 9:04 average, on Christmas Eve I ran 16 miles at an 8:54 average, and I peaked at 20 miles with a 9:06 average. On most, I felt pretty strong throughout, actually getting faster as I went. I've tapered for the past couple weeks, hoping to keep my legs feeling fresh. For the most part, I think I'm ready to have a good race. I'm just hoping it's a good day!

I hesitate to put any solid goals out there, because I think I run better when I don't have a lot of pressure on myself. Pending disaster, I know I have a PR (sub 4:31) in me on Sunday. But I would be lying if I didn't have bigger aspirations. I still would love to break 4 hours, and I truly believe I have it in me. But if I run a solid race and push myself, I'll be happy with the outcome. My plan is to just run at a comfortable pace for the first part, and then see where I'm at. If I get to 20 miles and a sub-4 is within my reach, you better believe I'm gonna give it everything I've got : )

Ironman Week 1

2012-01-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

1/2-1/8

Monday
am: conditioning / 1:00
Despite the 6am start, I've started to enjoy getting a good workout in before the sun comes up. I haven't talked about these workouts yet, but they started at the beginning of December and will continue through the end of February, two times a week. It's basically a mix of plyos, circuits, and strength training, building in intensity each week. It's also geared toward triathletes specifically. Although I know the importance of strength training, it's always been easier said than done, so I'm glad that this forces me to do it! After one month, I already feel like I'm getting stronger : )

hello, sunrise!

pm: swim / 1,100 yds / 0:32

The focus of this workout was technique. It was fairly short in length, but I wasn't totally sure of the drills so I looked up videos beforehand and hoped I was doing things right! A couple felt somewhat awkward, but turns out I did indeed do them right!

warm-up: 200
main:

100 front kick
4x50 side kick (25 l/25 r)
4x50 side-to-side
4x50 catch-up

cool-down: 200

Tuesday

am: run / 5 mi / 0:44 / avg 8:20

Picked up the pace this morning to complete my run test! Felt similar to a tempo and ended up being a pretty intense workout, but I was happy with the results. Averaged an 8:04 pace for the 30 minute time trial. Also was my first time using a heart rate monitor...and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be : )

am: bike / 8 mi / 0:32 / avg 15 mph
Since I didn't have to be at work til noon and the scheduled ride was short, I decided to do it right after my run. My legs were definitely a little tired, but the half hour went by pretty quickly.

Wednesday
am: conditioning / 1:00
This workout absolutely killed my arms! It was hard to even hold them up to the steering wheel on the ride home, haha.

pm: swim / 1,500 yds / 0:36

This was my first evening swim after work. I used to swim after work all the time over the summer, but then it was warm and still light out; can't say the same now! On my way to the gym my stomach suddenly cramped up really bad, and for a while I wasn't sure I'd be able to complete the workout. I sat in the car til they finally subsided a bit then figured I'd give it a go. The focus on the workout was endurance, with 300s being the distance du jour. My arms were still tired from the morning's workout, but I powered through!

warm-up:

200
6x50 fast on 1:30

main:

3x300 @ 2:05 on 6:40

cool-down: 100

night swimming - thank god it's heated!

Thursday

pm: bike / 15 mi / 0:55 / avg 16.3 mph

Completed my bike test on an absolutely gorgeous day! Hard effort but felt good, averaging 17.5 mph for the 30 minute time trial. Also wore my compression socks during the ride for the first time which seemed to keep my calves feeling fresher.

pm: run / 5 mi / 0:45 / avg 9:10
Headed out about an hour after my ride and wasn't sure how my legs would feel after pushing it on the bike. They were a little heavy for the first mile but warmed up as I went and it actually turned out to be a pretty good run!

Friday
rest

Saturday
am: run / 10 mi / 1:29 / avg 8:54
My last long before Houston! Commuted to work on my usual route on a surprisingly warm January morning. Didn't feel bad, but didn't feel great. A little tired, but still managed to average a sub-9 pace. I wore my HR monitor and despite trying to keep it easy, I couldn't get out of a higher zone. Not sure what this means... I also may have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to HR! I think part of the problem, however, is that I'm in serious need of some TLC for my muscles. That means lots of trigger pointing, stretching, and foam rolling over the next week. Need to get these legs feeling fresh!

pm: swim / 1,400 yds / 0:33
This swim was originally planned for Sunday but it fit into my schedule better Saturday evening, plus I figured it would make a nice recovery swim after my 10 miler that am. I had the whole pool to myself, probably because I'm the only one with no social life who chooses to spend their Saturday night working out : / Haha! The focus was on endurance, although right now that still means 200s : ) I nailed the 2:00 pace for them, although I did feel a little tired during the workout. Finished the evening with a nice soak in the jacuzzi!

warm-up:

300
100 kick

main:

4x200 @ 2:00 on 4:30

cool-down: 4x50

Sunday
am: bike / 9.8 mi / 0:30 / avg 19.4 mph**
This workout was mostly a fail. It was straightforward enough, but in execution it just wasn't happening. It was basically an easy 30 minutes with some single-leg drills thrown in the middle, so it was recommended to use a spin bike or trainer. This was fine by me because I had to work earlier than usual this morning and it was dark by the time I got off. I've only used my trainer a couple times, and neither have been positive experiences. I feel like I don't set things up right as it never feels very "smooth". Maybe I'm just not doing it right!? When I tried the single-leg drills, something just wasn't right; it was way more jerky than it should've been. After a few tries I decided to just call it a wash and just do an easy 30 minutes sans drills.

**And then there's all the gadgets: HR, Garmin, cadence sensor. None of which seemed to want to cooperate tonight. The cadence sensor is supposed to give speed and distance data (plus rpms) while inside, which they did (except for rpms), but for most of the workout it had me riding at 19+ mph, and let me just say, there's no way in hell! My heart rate was also strangely low, like 120s, which is the zone 1 for me for running. Seemed kind of odd, but then again, what do I know about HR? So while I'm sure the speed and distance data is off, at least I got in a decent 30 minutes in the saddle. Let me just say I'm ready for the sun to stay out later in the evenings! The trainer and I are not friends.

Totals

swim: 4,000 yards

bike: 32.8 miles

run: 20 miles

other: 2 hours

total time: 8.6 hours

HR + Run & Bike Tests

2012-01-05T23:40:00.000-08:00

I finally completed all three of my assessments this week! The run and bike tests were a little different than the swim test and were more like time trials. Both also marked my first foray into heart rate training. I've avoided it in the past for a few reasons, even though I was well aware of the benefits. First, it seemed like an extra hassle and yet another data point to complicate things. Second, I honestly didn't want to know. I worried that I would find out that my heart was working super hard for what I'd deemed an "easy" pace. Despite my worries though, both tests required heart rate training as will much of my training, so it was time to suck it up!

I did the run test Tuesday morning, and I'll admit, I was more anxious than I expected. I think I just had high expectations for myself since of the three triathlon disciplines, running is my "thing". I also haven't been doing any type of speedwork since Chicago, so I wasn't sure what I'd even be capable of. The goal of the test was to do a 30 minute time trial at a fast, but sustainable, pace. I interpreted this as tempo pace, and hoped to be anywhere from 8:00-8:20. After a 10 minute warm-up I kicked it up a notch. I didn't look at the pace on my Garmin but rather tried to run by feel. I stopped once to stretch out my hip flexor that had bothered me on my last long run, but it seemed to warm-up after that and has felt good since.

As I was running on the levy, I spotted a rogue coyote trotting along down on the bike trail. Most of the coyotes around here are pretty harmless, but I kept one eye on it until I was well past it. The run was definitely a hard effort and I felt pretty spent by the end of the 30 minutes. I managed to run 3.72 miles for the time trial with an average pace of 8:04. My heart rate definitely reflected the intensity of the run: 176 avg, 185 max. All things considered, I'm pretty happy with how I did, especially since this just gives us a baseline to work from in training. Rounded out the run to 5 miles with a cool-down back home.

I did the bike test today and was much less nervous! Probably because I know I suck on the bike and had pretty low expectations. Once again I didn't exactly know what to expect or what to aim for, but I figured I'd just put in a hard effort and see what happened. The format was the same as the run test so after a 10 minute warm-up I chose a fixed gear combo (big ring in front, 5th ring in back) and started the time trial! The goal was to maintain about 80-90 rpms at a hard, but sustainable, effort. By using the big ring I was able to get more power with each pedal stroke, but I kept the back gear in the middle so I wasn't grinding too much.

I actually felt really good during the ride and was surprised to see my heart rate much lower than on the run test. I got faster in the second half and was hitting 18+ mph in the final third. In hindsight, I'm wondering if I should've pushed harder! I covered 8.77 miles over the 30 minutes with an average speed of 17.5 mph. I think I could probably do a bit better, but my goal was to be consistent and maintain a fast cadence. Heart rate was 154 avg, 168 max. I rode the 15 minutes back to my house at a nice, easy speed and finished with a total of 15 miles for the day.

an absolutely gorgeous day for a ride!

I'm glad to have these assessments done and am excited to have a baseline to help monitor my progress. Hopefully I can look back on these over the upcoming months and see how far I've come!

12 for 2012

2012-01-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a safe time ringing in 2012. Hard to believe it's already here, right? Anyway, it worked out perfectly that on the first day of the new year I had one of my final long runs scheduled. So of course, I took the opportunity to run 12 miles to kickstart 2012 : ) The run itself actually kind of sucked. I started a little later than planned, and from the start my stomach just didn't feel right. It was a cross between nausea and indigestion and just made running very uncomfortable. I was still managing sub-9s at what felt like a comfortable pace, but by halfway I was ready to be done. The sun started to go down and before I knew it I was in the dark. The trail itself is pretty safe so I wasn't so much afraid for my safety, but rather some of the critters that are out there. Plus, I like to be able to see where I'm going. Bad call on my part, I just should've started earlier.

On top of the stomach issues, my right hip flexor was pretty tight throughout the whole run. Didn't seem to effect my running much, although I did end up slowing down a bit over the last half. I still finished the run with a respectable 9:13 average, but I was glad to be done. I guess after all the awesome long runs I've had in the last month I was due a sucky one! My stomach was still off for the rest of the night, so I'm not sure what caused the problem, just hoping it's not around race day. My hip is more sore than I would like; lifting that leg at all is difficult. I went to my conditioning class this morning and that seemed to help loosen things up, but I'll be keeping an eye on it, icing and trigger pointing, and keeping my fingers crossed.

In other news, today is the first official day of IRONMAN TRAINING!! We're starting things off pretty easy with my workout this morning then a swim later this afternoon. I'll be back with regular weekly recaps now that the adventure has begun! 173 days.

Bike Lust + Swim Test

2011-12-30T22:55:00.000-08:00

Since I'm finally tapering for Houston and only running about four times a week, I've been able to fit in some other workouts which has really helped me avoid burnout. Yesterday I met a coworker at a bike shop in Folsom to do a little window shopping before going for a ride. With Ironman in my future I'm in the market for a new, more aerodynamic bike. My little intro road bike has been great, but it's not the greatest quality nor the best fit, especially for such a long race. I still plan on keeping it, but will most likely be getting a tri-specific bike in the near future. This will be the biggest purchase I've ever made, so it's definitely a bit nerve-wracking, but exciting, too! I'm going to do a little more research before I bite the bullet, but I also wanted to have a chance to check some out in person.

Our first stop was Folsom Bikes, where I oggled a lovely 2012 Felt B16. It's got a full carbon frame and is reported to be one of the best intro tri bikes for the price. Speaking of, it's a tad over my budget, so I'll need to give that one a bit more thought. I did get to hop on it in the shop and test out the aero position, and all I can say is holy shit it is terrifying! And I wasn't even moving! Definitely something that will take some time getting used to. From there we hopped on bike trail and road into old Folsom for a stop at Bicycles Plus. As soon as I walked in the door, I spotted this beauty:

The 2011 Trek Speed Concept 2.5, the bike I've been lusting over for months! Now admittedly, I'm mostly drawn to it because it's so pretty. In reality, I can do a lot better with my money. It's got an aluminum frame and is welded rather than a single frameset. If I'm going to spend the money, I want to get biggest bang for my buck. To add salt to the wound, it also happened to be on sale! Thank god I had someone else with me to talk sense into me : )

After we'd had enough bike lusting for the day we hit the trails again for a loop around Lake Natoma before finishing with 17 miles back at Folsom Bikes. It was a beautiful, if not a little cloudy, day, and it was nice to get back in the saddle. Although pretty soon I'll be spending a whole lot more!

That evening I grudgingly headed to the pool to do something I've been putting off for way too long: my swim fitness test. My coach has instructed me to do 3 different fitness tests to gauge where I'm at with each one currently so that she can plan my schedule and training accordingly. I've had the forms for over a month with a due date of January 1, and only a few days ago did I realize how close that was! So after a nearly 2 month hiatus, I found myself at the pool, slightly nervous about how slow I'd be and how much the test was gonna suck.

I've mostly been avoiding the pool lately because, who're we kidding, nobody wants to get in an outdoor pool in the middle of winter! Granted the pool is heated, but it's the before and after I'm not keen on. I sucked it up and hopped in, and once I got moving I warmed up pretty quickly. The swim test called for 10x100 yards with 10s rest, with the goal being to maintain a consistent pace throughout the test. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well the tricky part was that in addition to actually doing the test I also had to record the data : / This led to me setting up an awkward little station at the end of my lane with towel, phone, and paper and pen. This meant that during my 10 seconds of rest, I was frantically stopping the timer, recording the time, then resetting and starting the timer before setting off again.

at least I had a gorgeous sunrise to stare at between sets!

I wasn't expecting to be very fast, but I was hoping I could at least maintain 2:00/100 yds which wouldn't be too depressing, especially after such a long break. So I was pretty happy to find myself averaging a 1:55. I felt like I was working hard, but never like I was going to die. Definitely a win in my book! I know with more consistency I'll get faster, but I figure this is a good starting point. After a little cool down I rewarded myself with some time in the jacuzzi. With the promise of that after, I think I can come to terms with swimming more often : ) I still need to find the time to do the bike and run test (both to be done at the gym, and I'll need a heart rate monitor and assistant), but I'm glad to have at least one done... Especially since official training starts next week!

despite the cold, there's just something about night swimming...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T22:59:00.000-08:00

I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday with family, friends, and good food : ) We did Christmas Eve with my mom's family in the bay area then today was just my folks and bro. Definitely one of the more low-key years, but it was great nonetheless. I managed to squeeze in an awesome 16 miler Christmas Eve morning, which meant I could indulge with a little less guilt : )

I always love sharing my gifts with others and I try to put a lot of thought into each one, so it was fun to see everyone's reactions this year as I think I did pretty well ; ) I'm definitely that person that loves to give presents more than to get them, but I will say that I got some awesome stuff this year, too! I spent most of today being pretty lazy, finally managing to watch Love Actually, my favorite Christmas movie, and later Unbreakable, which finally arrived yesterday!

i wish this could stay up year-round...

new magic bullet!

ready for some adventures in juicing!

new ornament this year from Chicago

my festive pup on Christmas 2010 : )

It's hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone. It's certainly my favorite time of the year, and I'm always a little sad to see it go. But I know soon enough I'll get carried away with everyone else in the excitement of the new year. Happy holidays to all!

"Unbreakable" Film Review

2011-12-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

This past Friday I had the opportunity to attend a screening of a new running film, Unbreakable: The Western States 100. I'd seen the trailer the week before and really wanted to check it out, so I was excited to find out that my work was hosting a screening. As you probably could guess, the film covers the epic 2010 WS 100 ultra race. From the website:

"In 2010, four of the greatest undefeated mountain runners on earth toed the starting line at the Western States 100-mile endurance run, the oldest and most prestigious 100-mile foot race in the world.

'Unbreakable: The Western States 100' follows the four lead men on this amazing journey. Hal Koerner, two time defending Western States champion, and running store entrepreneur from Ashland, Oregon. Geoff Roes, undefeated at the 100-mile distance, an organic chef from Juneau, Alaska. Anton Krupicka, undefeated in every ultramarathon he has ever started, a graduate student living in Boulder, Colorado. Kilian Jornet, the young mountain runner and two time Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc champion, from Spain.

While their lives may be quite different, the goal is the same: win the Western States 100-mile run. A win will require breaking the course record and running the fastest time in the history of the race. An epic showdown ensues, from Squaw Valley, CA in Lake Tahoe, up though the high snow covered Sierra Nevada Mountains, down through the extreme heat of the American River Canyons and finishing in Auburn, CA. Though all four are undefeated, three must break and only one can remain Unbreakable."

trailer

The film ended up being just as epic as the race and had me on the edge of my seat for nearly 2 hours. It alternated between following the 4 runners on the trail as the race progressed and the intensity increased and interviews with the runners that offer a look into what their lives are like outside of running and racing. It was refreshing to see that despite tremendous talent, they all seem extremely down to earth and just really love to run. The footage from the race is pretty incredible, too. One of my favorite scenes was when Geoff, Anton, and Kilian began a steep descent and Kilian suddenly splits from the pack and takes off, putting so much space between them in such a short amount of time that you have to question whether you are seeing things correctly : ) Really, though, the filmmakers managed to make you feel like you were there.

While I did know the outcome of the race going into it, I nevertheless found myself wondering what would happen next. For those of you who don't know, after falling behind fairly early on, Geoff makes up a ton of ground and catches Anton around mile 88 and goes on to surge to the finish in a record-shattering 15:07. Watching Geoff cross the finish line after seeing the journey it took to get there was nothing short of amazing.

Completing a 100 miler has been on my bucket list for a while, and after volunteering at WS this past year I knew that one day I had to take on the infamous race. Now after watching Unbreakable I find myself with an ultra itch that only Western States can scratch : ) One day! If you have the chance to check out the film, I can't recommend it enough. Even if ultras or trails aren't your thing, you will undoubtedly still be inspired and entertained. In fact, I already pre-ordered my copy!

Catching Up

2011-12-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

1. GRE
On Tuesday I finally conquered the last big hurdle in the grad school application process: the GRE. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of taking this exam, it's basically a harder version of the SAT with verbal, math, and essay sections. This thing was seriously stressing me out over the last month so I'm glad to have it out of the way. I got the results back immediately for the multiple choice sections and while I didn't kill it, I did pretty average as I expected. I just keep reminding myself that there are a lot of other factors that the schools consider besides test scores. Either way, it's done, so yay!

2. CIM & 16 Miles
This past Sunday I had 16 miles on deck so I planned my route around the California International Marathon course. The race actually runs just a couple miles from my house so I did an out-and-back on the bike trail and made it to the J St. bridge just in time to catch the lead runners going by. It was pretty exciting, those guys were flyyyying!

American lead (went on to place 2nd!)

I did another short out-and-back and by the time I got back to the bridge the pace group of women gunning for a Olympic trial qualifying time of 2:46 were passing. 25 went on to finish under the standard and will be headed to Houston in January for the trials (I'll be there, too!). After that I hopped onto the course (on the sidewalk, not in the thick of things) and ran down J St. spectating as I went. It was actually kind of funny, because of the timing I was running along all the sub-3 hour folks. And there were a lot of them! Seriously impressive and inspiring. I got to the mile 25 aid station sponsored by my work and took a short break to do some cheering. With just a mile left to go I headed to work. I would've preferred the finish line to work but such is life!

Olympic trials hopefuls

J st. bridge

Sutter's Fort

1 to go! (for them and me)

Fleet Feet Sac aid station

home stretch

The run itself actually went really well though and was a huge confidence boost. My plan was to actually start off slow, like 9:30s, and just keep it easy. I have a habit of doing my long runs way too fast (like, practically race pace) so I wanted to try something different. Interestingly enough, after a few miles my pace naturally dropped to 9:10-9:15s for the rest of the run with no apparent change in effort. That's a win in my book! Also has me reconsidering my goals for Houston...

3. Winter Conditioning
I don't start official Ironman training with my coach til January but in the meantime I'm taking part in her winter conditioning classes twice a week. They are mostly circuit-type workouts designed for triathletes specifically that build in intensity from week to week. So far I've really enjoyed them and will be incorporating them through February. The only downside is the time. They start at 6am - it's actually still dark when we finish! I am not a morning person, but I know I need to get used to it for Ironman training. Yikes!

4. 100 Push-Ups Challenge
So I made it halfway, through week 3, and was doing nearly 70 push-ups in one workout. And then this week happened and push-ups didn't. Between the GRE and my winter conditioning classes (which include push-ups), I just didn't want to do them. Plus, they were getting really hard. I'm not giving up; I'll probably just repeat week 3 and go from there. And if that doesn't happen, I'd like to at least continue to incorporate push-ups into my routine because they really are effective and easy to do in 5-10 minutes.

halfway...

Run to Feed the Hungry 10k (Race Report)

2011-11-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was pretty low-key, but great nonetheless. We kicked off the day with a little exercise at the annual Run to Feed the Hungry. It's become somewhat of a tradition for my dad and I to run this race Thanksgiving morning. In 2009 we started out with the 5k, last year we stepped it up and did the 10k, and this year we returned for the 10k again.

Despite my hopes for clear weather I awoke to a gloomy and rainy morning. The race was going on rain or shine so we joined the throngs of 27,000 (!!!) other runners at the crowded start near Sac State and waited for the start. We were already pretty wet by the time the gun went off, but luckily it wasn't a cold rain. By the way, sorry for the blurry photos - I had my phone in a ziploc bag to keep it dry!

The first couple miles involved a lot of dodging and weaving through the crowds, but eventually we settled into an easy rhythm. We weren't really racing for time (it's almost impossible with so many people), so we just kept the pace comfortable. About halfway in my dad's calf started acting up. He injured it about a week ago and has been having issues with it ever since. It felt better to keep moving, so we did.

We made the turn around just past McKinley Park and headed back into East Sac. Despite the rain, the fall colors were out in full force and appeared even more vibrant against the dreary gray sky. The rain showed no signs of letting up but by that time were soaked and used to it. With just a couple miles to go my dad really started struggling. His calf was cramping badly and forcing him to slow a bit. Looking back at our splits, we surprisingly stayed very consistent and it wasn't til the final mile that we really slowed down.

love!

We finally made the turn onto the home stretch down 'H' Street, merging with the throngs of 5kers that had started a half hour after us. There was no final sprint across the finish line, but we crossed together in 1:00:36. As we anticipated, as soon as we stopped running his calf seized up so we tried to keep moving. It also got pretty chilly once we stopped moving, and being soaked did not help. We walked about a half mile back onto the Sac State campus where we my brother was waiting to give us a ride home.

done!

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and eating, the perfect ingredients for a good Thanksgiving, if you ask me! I helped my mom with some of the cooking, and I even ventured into the realm of baking with homemade cheddar sage biscuits! I am much more of a cook than a baker - baking is just far too scientific and easy to screw up - but these were actually really easy and turned out great! I will definitely be making them again. It ended up being a wonderful day, full of family and food. There really is something special about the holiday season, so glad it's finally here!

fresh out of the oven!

How was your Thanksgiving?

I'm Still Alive!

2011-11-23T23:44:00.000-08:00

Sorry for being a bit M.I.A. these last few weeks. There's been a lot going on!

1. Grad School
I've finally got my ass in gear and am in the process of applying to grad programs for Fall 2012! This is something I've been planning on doing for a while, so I'm excited (and a bit nervous!) to start this new chapter of my life. I'm applying to 3 doctorate programs in psychology, all located in the Bay Area. The application process has been a bit overwhelming and in primarily responsible for my absence on here. Between writing essays, relearning math for the GRE, revising my resume, etc. there's a lot to get done! But I should have everything in by mid-December then I'll just have to cross my fingers for some good news!

2. Push-Ups
The 100 Push-Ups Challenge is still going strong! I even recruited a few ladies from work to do it with me and so Team T-rex was born! Week 1 was pretty easy, but things are already getting tougher. Tonight was Week 2, Day 2 with a total of 53 push-ups. I may totally be imagining it but I do feel like I'm getting stronger - although I still can't imagine doing 100 straight!

3. Houston Training
While I haven't been blogging about it, I have been running. Not a ton, but I do feel like I'm getting a solid base built, then in December I hope to start doing some longer runs and slightly more mileage. I've also been taking advantage of my more relaxed training approach with some cross-training. I've been to the pool a few times (although I need to start making this more of a habit) as well as hot yoga. The latter has been a really great outlet for me to relax and refocus. I plan on doing a better recap of my training this month at the end of November.

4. Ironman Coaching
This is something that deserves it's own post, but I did just want to throw it out there that I've decided to hire a coach to train me for Ironman in June. I'll go into more detail later, but I'm really excited!

5. Turkey Trot
Tomorrow morning my dad and I will be taking part in what's become an annual Thanksgiving tradition, the Run to Feed the Hungry 10k. The race is huge (think 25,000 runners!) and is always a lot of fun. Hopefully the rain holds off and we luck out with a lovely, cool morning, running through the colorful fall foliage and working up an appetite for later!

I hope to be back to more regular blogging soon. While my own blogging has been less than stellar I have been trying to keep up with as many blogs as possible. Big congratulations to Allison for her huge marathon PR in Philly and Roadbunner for her new sub-4 hour PR!!

100 Push-Ups Challenge

2011-11-15T00:28:00.000-08:00

This is one of those things I've wanted to do for a long time, but can never seem to fit it into a training plan (or at least I just don't try hard enough). I often describe myself as a t-rex; all my strength is in my muscular legs while my arms remain scrawny and weak. The bigger goal with this is to incorporate more strength training into my routine as well as targeting the muscle groups that often get ignored in my regular activities (hello, arms and abs!). But for now, I'm keeping things simple with one of the most basic strength exercises out there (and perhaps one of the most dreaded), the push-up. I've been eyeing the 100 Push-Ups Challenge for a long time and figured that since I'm not currently following a specific training plan, now is the time to do it!

The program itself is pretty simple, the goal being to complete 100 push-ups (the real ones!) by the end of the 6 week duration. Why 100? Because it's totally badass to be able to spontaneously bust out 100 legit push-ups. One of the best parts of the program is that it's not time-intensive at all. There are 3 workouts a week, ranging from about 5-10 minutes in length. The build-up is also very gradual, with the workouts structured into short sets with breaks in between. Before starting the program, you perform an initial test to determine the maximum number of push-ups you can do. This number puts you in one of three categories that determines which workouts you follow each week. In my initial test I did 11 push-ups (this number may or may not have something to do with this), so I will be following column 2. The program also suggests doing the workouts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so you have a rest day after each one and can recover over the weekend before starting a more challenging week.

So I kicked things off today with week 1, workout 1. The minute-long break between each set actually felt like more than I needed, but by the last set my arms were definitely shaking! I did manage to eek out 10 for the final "max" set. So far, it's definitely not too bad. But I did peak ahead to week 6 and was a little terrified to see sets of 20, 30+, back-to-back. But then again, by then I should have some killer guns so that should be a piece of cake ; )

Feel free to follow along! You can even print the entire plan and then follow directions to fold it into a handy little book. My plan is to post a brief recap on each Friday on the week's workout.

Has anybody tried or completed this program?Anybody else resemble a t-rex?

eleven

2011-11-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

Today was a big day for me, one I've been waiting a long time for... 11/11/11! I'm not just one of those people who goes nuts for weird number things like this, it's more that eleven is my number. Favorite number, lucky number, whatever you want to call it. I always seem to catch the clock at 11:11, it's always the number I choose, and there's just something about it I love. I've been anticipating this date for the past couple years, and decided a while back that I wanted to do something to commemorate the only-happens-once-in-a-hundred-years occasion.

I had the day off so this afternoon I headed out for a run. Do I even have to tell you how far I ran? Why 11 miles of course! It actually turned out to be a pretty great run, too. It was my longest run since Chicago, and I was a little nervous as to how it would go. I've concluded that partly why I've been feeling so slow and heavy on my runs is because my legs are a tight mess, so before my run today I took 15 minutes to Trigger Point my calves and roll out my quads and IT bands. It was amazing what a difference it made! It was supposed to rain and the sky was dark, but it ended up holding off. There weren't very many people out on the bike trail so it was a nice solitary run, just me and my thoughts. I stopped a few times for water, but other than that I felt pretty strong through the end. The sun set with just a couple miles left, and as soon as the sun went down the critters came out! I saw a coyote, three deer, and a bunch of jackrabbits : ) I stopped a few times for water, but other than that I felt pretty strong through the end. I've really been struggling with motivation and getting back into a running routine, so it was nice to have a confidence-building run like this. And of course it was fun to do 11 miles on 11/11/11!

The highlight of the day, however, was getting to do something I've been waiting years for. I hit up my favorite tattoo shop and got the number eleven in roman numerals inked on my arm! It's simple, but I absolutely love it. And the fact that I was able to get it today just makes it that much more special to me.

done!

p.s. Yes, I did wait til 11:11pm to post this : )

Apple Hill Harvest Run (Race Report)

2011-11-07T23:56:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I ran a race just for fun, but yesterday I got to do just that! I'd heard good things about the Apple Hill Harvest Run, and figured it would be a good way to get in a run, enjoy the beautiful scenery up there, and get some tasty treats after. I managed to talk my dad into running the 8.5 mile race with me, so I headed up to Apple Hill with my folks that morning. The forecast had a 50% chance of rain with temps in the high 30s/low 40s. It was pretty chilly! The start was at the lovely ParaVi Winery, and we got there with plenty of time to to spare. We picked-up our bibs and found the bathrooms then just tried to stay warm while we waited to start.

the start at ParaVi Winery

beautiful orchards & fall colors

Going into this race I was planning to just run it easy and have fun. It would be my longest run since Chicago, and I know I'm not in racing shape right now. I'd mentioned it to my dad, thinking he might want to do the 3.5 miler, but was quite surprised when he decided to do the 8.5 miler with me! He's in great shape for his age and runs fairly regularly, but usually maxes out at 10k. In fact this would be the longest he'd run in nearly 30 years! I had no doubt he could do it, and I was excited to be along for the ride.

By the time the race started my toes were completely numb. We started out with a good quarter mile climb right off the bat that warmed us up a bit, but my face was frozen for much of the first half of the race. After cresting that first hill we settled in to an easy, consistent pace along the flat country roads. The course is known for being pretty challenging, especially in the last few hilly miles, and also due to the elevation. The first 5k seemed to fly by and we were both feeling pretty good. We had to pause briefly for my dad to pee (he chose a lovely Christmas tree farm) so I slowed to a walk til he caught up. The course took us past lovely vineyards, apple groves, ranches, and Christmas tree farms. The air was cool, crisp, and unbelievably fresh. The rain thus far had held off, and we we had our fingers crossed that it would wait til we were done!

alright, Dad!

donkeys on the left : )

apple bakery...you could smell all that goodness!

Mile 5 gave us a nice, long, gradual downhill which I made sure to take advantage of, knowing what was coming in the final 3 miles. When saw the mile 6 sign I knew we were entering somewhat new territory for my dad. Up to that point we were both feeling good, then we turned a corner and found ourselves on a nasty little hill. It wasn't all that steep but it was long. We made it to the top, huffing and puffing, and I suggested we take our first walk break to catch our breath. Then we took advantage of the short flat section before we hit the next hill.

Dad tackling another hill!

It was actually pretty entertaining to me to listen to my dad complain about the hills. He's used to running on the flat bike trail or the treadmill, making the hills and the elevation especially challenging. Our pace slowed a bit on the hills, but we ran most of them and walked when our running couldn't be distinguished from walking. In the last couple miles I could tell that my dad was hurting a bit from the hills and was more than ready to be done. Considering that he did not train for this, I was quite impressed, especially on a tough course.

what goes down, must go up!

We passed the 8 mile sign, took one last walk break up yet another hill while we commiserated with the others walking around us, then turned the corner for the homestretch. Oh, and in keeping with the trend, the last quarter mile is up another steep hill, so there was no finishing kick for us! I'd told my mom to look for us around an hour and a half, and we came in just under at 1:28:39. As we approached the finish line the MC called out our names and then correctly guessed that it was a father-daughter duo : )

the homestretch!

father-daughter finish : )

Once we stopped moving we got chilled pretty quickly. My dad didn't want to stop moving and tighten up in the cold so we headed back to the car and then went on the hunt for some post-race apple treats : ) During the race we'd passed a market at Boa Vista Orchards so we made our way back there and picked up a few yummy treats including apple donuts (for immediate consumption), an apple pie (for that night), some apple cider, bbq sauce, and chestnuts for roasting. If it weren't so cold I would have loved to do a little more exploring but by that point I was freezing!

Boa Vista Orchards

mmmm!

I'm really glad I had a chance to participate in this race and get up to Apple Hill in the fall when it is just so beautiful. It was such a good feeling to just relax and run for fun, and this was the perfect race to do it - in fact I didn't look at my Garmin once the entire race! I had a wonderful time running with my dad, too. I'm proud of him for challenging himself and finishing strong, and I'm glad we got to do this together. There is definitely something special about sharing one of your passions with someone you love, and I'm fortunate to share my love of running with both my parents. So now that I got him to do 8.5 miles, I just have to convince him to do a half - after all, it's just another 4ish miles right? ; )

Halloween + October

2011-10-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!

It certainly did creep up on us, didn't it? I did my celebrating over the weekend and took things easy tonight. Saturday night my bff and I got all decked out in our costumes for a night on the town. My mom and I had been working on my costume all week and even at the last minute were still adding final touches, but it came out so much better than I expected! For those of you who can't tell/live under a rock, I was Ursula, from The Little Mermaid : ) I bought a strapless black dress and then my mom sewed the tentacles to be worn underneath. As for the accessories, I made the jewelry with craft clay and my mom sewed the stuffed eel.

ursula!

just a couple of witches : )

We hit up a couple bars in midtown, but ultimately it ended up being a slightly disappointing night. I think I try to convince myself sometimes that I like going out, but in the end it's usually just not that much fun for me. Around midnight, my bff and I looked at each other and both were like, man, how much better would it be if we were back home on the couch in our sweats? Haha! I'm still glad we went out and I got to wear my awesome costume. I'll definitely be saving it for future occasions!

Tonight I went for a nice run and then just stayed in and handed out candy and watched some scary movies. Pretty perfect if you ask me. Did you dress up this year? Do anything fun?

*******************************************

October

Total: 81.3 miles

swim - 3,200 yards

bike - 16 miles

run - 63.8 miles

I've said this every time but man, where did the month go!? Seriously, after Chicago the weeks seemed to fly by and then here we are at Halloween! It wasn't a big month training-wise, but there were some highlights. I ran my second Urban Cow Half Marathon at the beginning of the month as a final long training run and ran with the same pace group I set a PR with last year - except this year it was an easy pace! It was nice to see how far I've come in the past year and the slightly new course was great!

The following weekend my mom and I headed to Chicago. I had an absolute blast exploring the city, but I didn't end up having the race I'd planned and hoped for. For the most part I've made my peace with it, and I'm still really glad I got to experience a marathon like Chicago. I know I still have a sub-4 marathon in me, and when I finally do get it, it will be that much sweeter : )

the Bean! my favorite.

view from the top of Sears Tower!

floating on the Skydeck

The rest of the month was honestly a bit of a flop with workouts, but that was kind of the plan. 2011 thus far has been a busy year with racing, and I've jumped from one training cycle directly to the next. With my most intense training cycle on the horizon for Ironman, I wanted to just take the rest of October to do whatever I felt like. Sleep in. Be lazy. Get my sweat on in other ways besides running. And so I did just that. I did a little hot yoga, had a reunion with my Jillian DVD and got my ass kicked, hit the pool a couple times, went on a killer bike ride for the first time in months, and even ran a handful of times. I know I needed the break, but after a few weeks I found myself missing a routine. So now with marathon no. 10 on the calendar it's time to get back to work!

#10

2011-10-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok guys, sliiiight change of plans. After I finished the Chicago Marathon the plan was to take it easy for a while before kicking off/signing my life away to Ironman training December 1st. I've had a few casual, shorter races on the schedule over the next few months but for the most part, my focus has been on the Ironman on June 24th as my next big race.

Well that all went out the window when I decided to upgrade from the Houston Half to the full on January 15th. Whoops : / So it looks like the 26.2 mile run leg of Ironman will no longer be marathon no. 10 for me, instead I'll be hitting that milestone in the Lone Star State several months earlier.

change of plans : )

Just to clarify, I am aware that this goes against my earlier training and racing plans. I'm willing to eat my words here. No, I am not trying to get redemption after a seriously sucky Chicago Marathon. My rationale, however, is still not very sophisticated. In my efforts to get one step closer to my 50 states goal, I figure if I'm flying all the way to Texas for 5 days, it should be to cross it off my list. Originally, the whole point of the trip was to watch the U.S. Marathon Olympic Trials, and that is definitely still happening and will certainly be a highlight of the trip. I just decided it would be more fun and worthwhile to run a marathon while I'm there, too : )

marathon no. 10!

In terms of training and logistics, I don't plan to race this one or try again for a sub-4. I think, especially after Chicago, that I need to enjoy a marathon, without the pressure of a big time goal. I also don't have the motivation or desire to do another traditional, time intensive marathon training cycle, so a fast (for me) Houston Marathon is just not gonna happen. Since Chicago, I'm afraid to say that my sweating exploits have fallen to the wayside. The first week it was all about recovery. The second week was about catching up on sleep and relaxing a bit. But the third week, I hate to say, was more about me just being lazy. I need something looming on the horizon to get my butt back out there.

I've only run a handful of times since Chicago, maxing out at 5 miles. I've felt slow and out of shape, so I'll admit the thought of a marathon in 11 weeks is a bit daunting. My plan is to build up a good base in November with some moderate long runs (like 16ish miles) thrown in, then switch to my Ironman training plan on December 1st. I'll still try and include some quality run workouts and hopefully a 20 miler, but the main focus will be on the Ironman. I know that my body can complete a marathon on minimal training, and I also know that the hours I spend on the bike and in the pool will keep me in decent shape.

And with that said, I think I'll go for a run later ; )

Chicago in Pictures

2011-10-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

So the race didn't quite go as planned, but the rest of my time in Chicago was incredible! It truly is an amazing and beautiful city. We stayed in the heart of downtown (Hampton Inn Majestic - wonderful!), right in the Loop, so we were able to do most of our exploring on foot or with the help of public transportation. My favorite thing, hands down, was the infamous Bean (aka Cloud Gate) - I could've stared at that thing all day! But really, everything about Chicago is wonderful - the architecture, food, parks, people, shopping, sights & sounds... I will most definitely be back one day!

Here are the highlights of what we saw/did:

* oohed and ahhhed at the famous sign at the Chicago Theater
* admired the views from the Skydeck at the top of Sears Tower (aka Willis Tower)
* rode the carousel at Navy Pier
* took an architecture cruise down the Chicago River
* visited the John Hancock Observatory for some sunset views of the city
* went shopping on the Magnificent Mile and the Loop
* walked along Lake Michigan
* saw Sue the T-rex at the Field Museum
* strolled through the lovely Old Town
* took a skyline cruise on Lake Michigan
* quick visit to Shedd Aquarium to see some jellies
* devoured some authentic deep dish pizza
* celebratory cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery
* saw the Bean and Crown Fountain in Millenium Park
* strolled through Grant Park and saw Buckingham Fountain
* quick trip to The Art Institute of Chicago for some Picasso, Van Gogh, & Dali

Nothing but a Number

2011-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, there have been moments in races when you hear footsteps behind you, then seconds later you see a flash of graying hair as you're passed by someone that could be your grandparent. In fact, at last weekend's Chicago Marathon, to rub salt in the wound when I had to drop back, all of the 4-hour pacers were at least twice my age! Clearly, when it comes to running at least, age seems to be just a number. A look at most age group results shows that it's not always the young guns that are winning races these days. And masters running has become pretty damn competitive.

But there certainly must be a line drawn somewhere, right? Well, that may not be the case as this past Sunday 100-year-old Fauja Singh set the record for the oldest person to complete a marathon. Seriously, this dude has been alive for an entire century and covered 26.2 miles in 8:25:16 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. And believe it or not, this wasn't even his first marathon - this was number 8, and he ran his first at age 89! You can see a video of him finishing here.

(source)

The Toronto Waterfront Marathon saw another age-related record broken on Sunday by 80-year-old endurance running wonder Ed Whitlock who shattered his previous age group record with a 3:15:54 finish. No, there are no typos...this guy is just old...and crazy fast! Whitlock obviously won his 75+ age group, but he also beat the top finishers in the three younger age groups as well. Also on his list of incredible accomplishments is being the only person 70+ years old to have run a sub-3 hour marathon. Ummm, what!? Seriously, this guy is wicked fast! According to the article, he was actually in Sacramento this past summer for the World Masters Track & Field Championships (where he set records in the 1,500m and 10,000m) - I wish I'd got a chance to meet him!

(source)

Pretty incredible stuff, right? I can only hope to be a fraction as active at their age, if I even make it that far!

Chicago Marathon (Race Report)

2011-10-17T01:51:00.000-07:00

Now that it's been a week since the race, I've had some time to reflect and put my experience and feelings into words. You might have guessed from my lack of an immediate declaration of success that my sub-4 goal did not go as planned. I was disappointed and bitter, and have run through the race in my mind countless times trying to see if there was something I did or didn't do. But in hindsight I know that it was out of my control and I did the best I could under the circumstances. I still do strongly believe I am capable of running a sub-4 hour marathon, and I know that one day soon I will. For now, I'm trying to make peace with my Chicago Marathon and focus on what lies ahead.

We caught a shuttle to the expo Saturday morning, hoping to beat the big crowds. It was still pretty hectic, so I tried my best to get in and out fairly quickly. I couldn't help looking through the official Nike apparel and ended up buying a cute half zip and the singlet I ended up wearing race day. While it was crowded in there, I have to commend them for being organized and efficient in distributing packets and shirts. I did a lap of the booths and then we got the heck out of there. We wanted to check out a couple of the museums nearby after but found out there was no transportation there so we ended up walking. Probably not a smart idea considering I would be running a marathon the next day. The rest of the day was one fail after the next and I ended up walking way too much.

expo

Chicago ended up owning me : /

found my name on the Nike wall!

By 6pm we were back at the hotel where I passed out and took a nice little nap, waking up just in time to order room service for dinner. The Italian restaurant we ordered through looked promising, and had the prices to go with. I ordered some tortellini in marinara sauce, but when it came and I opened it up...I seriously thought it was a joke! I had five tortellini in what I can only call a broth, not a pasta sauce. It was pathetic, and at $16 a total ripoff. We called to complain and they finally offered to send something else up but I just made do with the salad, bread, and tiramisu that we ordered as well. I did some trigger pointing and foam rolling before going to bed, then tossed and turned, trying to get my mind off the race so I could fall asleep!

Race morning began like most others, cursing my alarm, wanting to crawl back in bed while dressing, applying a copious amount of Body Glide and sunscreen. Our hotel had breakfast set out extra early for the race so I headed down for a bagel with my favorite maple almond butter brought from home (Justin's brand if you were wondering...it's like crack!). Maybe it was nerves but I had a hard time getting the whole thing down. I grabbed a banana to take with, hoping my stomach would settle enough later to get some more calories in.

I picked our hotel primarily for it's proximity to the start - we had less than 1/4 mile walk to the start! I tend to get anxious about making it to a race on time so this was one less hassle to deal with in the morning. One thing I will say about this race is that it has excellent organization. There were a ton of volunteers out there for the sole purpose of answering questions, and believe it or not, they actually had the answers! I found my way to the entrance for the open corral and said goodbye to my mom and then joined the throngs of anxious runners.

With about 30 minutes til the start I managed to find a potty line that was moving pretty quickly and was in and out within 10 minutes. I headed for the corrals only to discover that they were being closed! The only place I could get in was back by the 13 minute pace. I noticed that the volunteers were letting certain people move up to the next corral so I told the volunteer that I was running with the 4 hour pace group and needed to get through, but I was told that they were only letting runners through that had the official Nike pace group bibs on...ummm what?! I somewhat incredulously asked him if he expected me to start back here with the walkers when I had trained to run a certain goal time, and all he could say was "sorry". So I did what I had to do... I ducked under the rope and walked right past him into the next corral.

I wish I could say this was the end of my pre-race complications, but once I made it to the next corral I was still back with the 11 minute pace group. The 9 minute signs and 4 hour pace group were much farther up but the corral was so packed there was no way I was going to get there in time. So once again I did what I had to do. I hopped the fence to get out of the corral, hopped a bush, ran around some more fences and then ran along the corrals til I reached the 9 minute signs. I managed to hop the fence to get into the corral just as the race was about to start. I still was a ways off from the 4 hour pacers, but I figured I could just keep them in sight for now and catch them later. So things ended up being a little more hectic pre-race than expected, but when that start gun went off I was excited and ready to go!

It took less than 10 minutes of start-and-stop shuffling to cross the start, then I immediately set my sights on catching the pacers just ahead. To say this race is crowded is quite the understatement, especially in the first several miles. It was just a sea of runners pressing in on all sides. I dodged and sped up when I could and just before the first mile mark I finally caught up with a pair of 4 hour pacers. The first several miles were chaotic to say the least. With such heavy crowding it was impossible to hold a steady pace. There were lots of turns in the beginning which lead to massive bottlenecks that practically brought us to a standstill. These would be followed by big surges in speed to make up time. It was frustrating to say the least, but I just tried to focus on staying with the pacers and hoped things would thin out a bit in a few miles.

The first few miles took us through the famous Loop, skyscrapers towering all around us. The streets were packed with people cheering and between them and and the runners you could just feel the energy in the air. I was feeling pretty good, warming up quickly but thus far enjoying myself. We came up on 5k pretty quickly and were right on pace. As I crossed the timing mat I couldn't help but think of those at home tracking me and was glad they'd know I was right on track. I grabbed water at the first couple aid stations and took my first Gu around mile 5. I took a salt cap here as well and in an effort to make them easier to get in the future I tore the top off the tiny ziploc bag I had them in and stuffed them back in my bra. This would really come back to haunt me later.

The next few miles took us toward and through Lincoln Park. Things had thinned out a bit and we were finally able to settle into a more consistent pace. I was still feeling pretty good and was surprised by how fast the first 10k seemed to go by. It was warmer than expected so I started early on pouring water on my head to keep cool. Not long after the 10k mark things started to feel a little harder. The pace felt much faster than it should have and my legs felt heavy. Usually by this point in a long run I'm warmed-up and settling in, but this was quite the opposite; I just hoped that it would pass. Around mile 8ish I took another Gu but when I reached for my second salt sap, my fingers only closed on loose salt. I may or may not have cursed aloud. This meant I was without my usual electrolytes on a warm day with almost 20 miles left. This was about when the wheels started to come off.

fall was evident in the colorful trees

The aid stations were fairly frequent (about every 1-1.5 miles) and I'd been taking advantage of the water, but with the loss of my salt caps I knew I needed to start drinking the course electrolyte...lemon lime Gatorade. At first it wasn't so bad; I would grab a cup of Gatorade, toss it back, and then grab a cup of water to chase the syrupy sweet Gatorade. Around mile 9 my stomach started to feel a little sour. We ran through the crazy Boys Town neighborhood which helped distract me for a bit with the screaming crowds and crazy cross dressers. But I was working far too hard to keep up with the pace group and I could feel the contents of my stomach sloshing around ominously. I was angry with myself at the turn in events and kept going back and forth in my head, trying to keep it up. I pushed myself to mile 10 and then made the painful decision to let the 4 hour group go. Half of me felt like I was giving up, but the other half knew that this was more than that and there was actually something wrong. I was pushing myself as hard as I could but with 16 more miles to go there was no way I could keep it up feeling the way I did physically.

From here things went downhill mentally and physically pretty quickly. I slowed and even walked a bit, and kept beating myself up for letting them go. I knew there was no way I'd catch up and in that moment my sub-4 goal went out the window. I withdrew into myself over the next few miles as I progressively felt worse. I'd continued to drink the Gatorade and could now feel it sitting uncomfortably in my stomach. The faster I tried to run the worse it felt and I just knew I needed to get it out. I started to look for a place to pull over and yak but there were so many damn spectators that there was no space! I crossed the 13.1 mat and felt a pang of guilt and disappointment as I knew that my friends and family would see that I'd fallen off pace. Not long after there was a clear stretch of road so I pulled off behind a tree and barfed.

I hate to say it but this was not my first time throwing up in a marathon. Although the last time, I was actually sick going into the race so it was somewhat expected. I felt a little better after but from that point on I couldn't really keep anything down. With my stomach emptied of that nasty yellow fluid, around mile 14 I made the mistake of trying to get some calories back in and took another Gu and a little Gatorade with some water. Not surprisingly this put me right back where I was pre-puke and the sour stomach pretty much lasted the rest of the race.

The course continued through the West Loop while I started to incorporate regular walk breaks to let my stomach settle. My whole body just felt like it had nothing left, which is not a good sign barely halfway into a marathon. I tried not to think about how many miles I had left and instead focused on getting to mile 16 where my mom was waiting. I passed the 16 mile marker and started scanning the sidelines for her, but after a while I figured I'd either missed her or she hadn't made it there in time. Then just before the next aid station I saw her face and just stopped in my tracks. I mumbled something about not feeling good and barfing and told her to just walk with me. I explained what happened and that I couldn't keep anything down and was running much slower. She told me she was going to head to mile 23 next so I said goodbye and started running again.

mom's POV at mile 16

Around mile 16 we crossed over a little bridge and passed some photographers, and for the first time in a race I couldn't muster a smile. Not only was I miserable physically but bitter disappointment had filled my head and was ruining my race one step at a time. From the beginning my Garmin was measuring the course long, too, probably due to all the weaving and being unable to run the tangents on such a crowded course, but by this point it was long by almost 3/10th of a mile. So I'd hear my watch beep and know that I still had quite a ways to go officially. Just one more thing to mess with my head, right? With 10 miles to go I knew I was going to finish, but I also knew I was going to be nowhere near my goal. As the miles ticked by I was forced to adjust my expectations...4:15...4:20... then just hoping for anything under 4:34, my current PR.

I think the face says it all

The crowds continued to impress me, and I so wish I could have fully enjoyed them and fed off their energy and and smiled back. Seriously though, there were very few empty stretches, and where there were spectators there were rows of them, yelling so loud I couldn't hear the music on my iPod : ) Just one more thing that makes me wish I'd had a good race. Because of the warm weather there were a ton of spots along the course where spectators or volunteers had hoses to spray us down and I made sure to take advantage. Every aid station it was two cups down the throat, one more over the head.

Around mile 19 we entered Chinatown and here the crowds were just nuts! It actually gave me a little boost that got me through the next couple miles. Just after Chinatown I stopped to let my stomach settle and a girl passing asked if I was ok. We started chatting and turns out she was having the same kind of day as me. She was attempting a BQ but got sick early on and was just having a miserable race, too. We both were suspicious of the Gatorade and cursed the warm temps. We commiserated some more and ran together for a bit, and it made such a big difference to have some company! Around mile 22 I lost track of her but was grateful for the knowledge that I wasn't alone.

Chinatown

At that point I knew I was so close and I just wanted so badly to be done. The typical aches and pains that come in the later miles of a marathon had started to make themselves known in addition to some rather painful blisters on the bottoms of my feet. I looked for my mom at mile 23 but didn't spot her so I assumed she hadn't made it there. I actually didn't care much at that point and could only think of one thing: crossing that finish line and being done with this horrible race. My iPod also died around this point but I didn't mind so much as the crowds were loud enough anyway.

again...check out that face!

The course eventually steered us back toward Grant Park and the finish. With just a few miles to go I ran more consistently just to be done as soon as possible. A lot of runners had started fading in the last 10k and I actually managed to start passing some. The crowds and noise were overwhelming the closer we got to the park. I glanced at my Garmin and knew I was going to be close to my time from Marine Corps last year and might just PR. I can't help laughing at the irony of this... MCM was a hard effort the entire race, and here I was, having gotten sick and walk/ran the last half of this race and I was going to have nearly the same time. This thought makes me feel a little better and reassures me that I do indeed have that faster sub-4 marathon in me.

one more mile...

We entered Grant Park and then finally I could see the finish line. I gave it everything I had left for a final finishing kick (which wasn't much), but I didn't feel any joy crossing that finish line. I did end up PRing by a few minutes with a final time of 4:31:12. I was so glad to be done, but I immediately got a little emotional at having such a failed race. My legs started throbbing as soon as I stopped running so I tried to keep moving. I felt faint, not surprising considering I hadn't consumed any calories since mile 14, and all I wanted to do was lie down. I grabbed my medal and some water and joined the throngs of runners through the finish chute toward the finish festival. It was slow going of course and at several times I felt quite faint. After walking almost another mile I made it to the family reunion area and found my mom just as I collapsed on the ground.

trust me, I was not really this happy

glad I wasn't out there alone : )

We hung out there for a while amidst all the runners celebrating their accomplishment. I was still extremely bitter. I called my friend Erin and got a little emotional as I told her what happened. I think the worst part is knowing that I was capable of sub-4, it just wasn't my day. I trained hard for this race, harder than any other before and I was ready. I'd faced the doubts and mental roadblocks that have derailed me in the past, and yet ironically, it wasn't my head that was my downfall, like I would've expected, but rather my body that let me down. Having reflected on the race I can pinpoint a few things that are probably responsible for what happened. The Gatorade was a bad idea, and I should've known better, but I didn't have much choice. It probably would've been just as disastrous to forgo any electrolyte on such a warm day considering how much I sweat. I also think the inconsistent pacing over the first 10k came back to bite me in the ass. I know that it was unavoidable in such a crowded race, but clocking 8:30s so early on in a marathon when we should've been running 9:00s probably didn't help matters.

I took a few ibuprofen while I laid on the grass and once those finally kicked in we ventured back toward our hotel. I had to get my shoes off since the blisters were killing me, so I walked back barefoot and my feet felt infinitely better. My stomach was still feeling kind of off but I knew I needed to get something in it so we stopped for some chocolate milk on the way back and I ate a Clif bar back in our room. When I showered I discovered that in addition to my usual chafing along the bra line I had some nasty chafing on my lower back from my shorts pocket. The square shape matched up perfectly with the pocket : / I think it was from being so wet during the race trying to stay cool. But man! Those first few moments in the shower were brutal!

We actually spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city seeing some more sights. I was exhausted and sore, but I also didn't want to waste an afternoon, and I knew ultimately it was better to move around after a race. I managed to eat some plane pasta a couple hours after the race, then later that night we finally enjoyed some real Chicago deep dish pizza. By that time my stomach was fairly settled but absolutely ravenous from being empty for so long! I also may have treated myself to a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery... I did run a marathon after all!

deep dish

cupcakes make everything better

In the end, it wasn't the race I'd hoped for. I wish I could say I still enjoyed it but that was most definitely not the case. I just couldn't enjoy the sights, the people, the course when I felt so terrible and was so disappointed. I almost regret this the most - I wish I could've somehow just accepted the turn in events and enjoyed the race. The thing is, I've run a lot of marathons...this was no. 9. I know I can cover the distance. I've run marathons just for fun or just for the experience, and this time I wanted it to be more than that. I wanted to see what I was capable of, not just run another marathon.

Now that I've had some time to reflect on the race, I know there wasn't much I could've done differently. I think it's actually part of what draws people to marathons. You can train hard, follow a plan, put in the time, sweat, and miles, but ultimately anything can happen come race day. You have to respect the distance. It's when the stars align that you see your hard work finally pay off in that perfect race. And so I'll keep running, keep training, until one day, when everything comes together I have that perfect race.

p.s. While the marathon wasn't much fun, the rest of my time in Chicago was amazing! It's an absolutely incredible city, I wish we'd had more time there to explore. We did get to see and do quite a bit in our short time there, though, so I'll try to put together a post with some pics soon!

The Moment

2011-10-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

"That moment is a crossroads, where everything you want will collide with everything standing in your way."

My friend sent me a video to pump me up and inspire me before Chicago, and the above quote is the one that stuck out to me. When I signed up to run the Chicago Marathon more than a year ago, it wasn't just to run another marathon. After running the distance (and then some) 10 times, I know I'm more than capable of finishing. But this time, that's not enough. In the past, I've focused more on quantity then quality with my marathons, running them for fun, with friends, etc. This time around I wanted to see what I was capable of with focus and more serious training. And more specifically, I want to break 4 hours.

t-minus 9 hours...

For many people, this is not a fast marathon by any means. But for me, it's something that, until recently, I never thought I could do. I ran my first marathon a little over two years ago, finishing in 5:27. At the time, I was just elated to finish, and actually didn't even have any plans to do another. But it turned out that completing that first one lit a spark in me, and over that next year I ran 6 more. I finally broke the 5 hour mark in my third, and at the time, it was a huge deal. Then about a year ago I ran the Marine Corps Marathon, hoping to take another chunk of time off and run around 4:30. I finished with a PR of 4:34.

Earlier this year I took a break form road running and discovered trail running while I trained for my first ultras. It was during these months that I started to see big changes and improvements in my running from the higher mileage and challenging terrain. When I would run on the roads my paces were naturally faster. It was strange to start seeing numbers that once meant "fast" and now were "easy". In February, on a whim, I ran a half marathon, and not only PRed but broke 2 hours for the first time, something I used to think impossible. I'd also been working at Fleet Feet for several months at that point and had gained a lot of knowledge from my coworkers on training and racing. This past spring I completed my first 50k and 50 miler, and while challenging, they also taught me a lot. Summer brought triathlon season and a cutback from running, but still I found that cycling and swimming made more excellent cross-training and helped maintain my run fitness.

Then it was time to start training for Chicago. With a lofty goal (35 minutes is a lot of time to drop!) I decided to take this one seriously and follow an actual training plan. I picked one that I knew a lot of friends and other bloggers had used with success, and that incorporated some of the elements I knew were responsible for making me faster like higher mileage, speedwork, medium-long runs, and tempos. It was hard to find the time to fit all the workouts in, but I trained harder for this race than I have for any other, including the ultras. I ran my highest weekly and monthly mileage ever, and could feel myself getting stronger. In August I set a new half PR of 1:55, giving me a boost of confidence with Chicago looming in the distance. I ran a half marathon up a mountain, from 0'-4,000'. I hiked for 9 hours on incredibley challenging terrain to summit Half Dome in Yosemite. I did tempos and speedwork in the the heat, long runs before a full shift of work, even commuted to work on foot to get a 10 miler in.

Over the past 11 weeks, I've put in the time and hard work. I know my body is capable of breaking 4 hours. The biggest hurdle standing in my way? My head. We all know how running mental can be, and that can be either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the person. Unfortunately I fall in the latter camp. My mind starts playing games with me from the start. "Oh, this pace feels fast and you're gonna hold it for 26+ miles?", "It would be so much easier to take a walk break right now", "Who did you think you were to go for such a big PR?", " You haven't run a marathon in a while, they're a lot harder than you remember"...

I know I can't let these thoughts get to me. I need to remind myself that I've put in the training, I've had some strong races these last couple few months, and I can do this. And that brings me back to that quote - it all comes down to that moment. When I have to make a decision, to listen to the voices in my head, to let the doubt creep in, or say no. Before most of my races I've set A, B, and C goals. I know that sometimes things just happen on race day and it helps prevent you from being too disappointed. This time, however, there is only one goal: to see the number "3" when I cross that finish line. I know I can do it, so anything else will not be enough.

My race plan is to start with the 4:00 pace group since I notoriously suck at even pacing. I'm going to remind myself that it often takes me 6+ miles to really warm-up and get in a groove. I'm going to enjoy the scenery, feed off the energy of the crowds, and try to stay relaxed. It's going to be a warm one, but I've done long runs and speedwork in much hotter temps, so I've just got to use the aid stations wisely and be consistent with fueling and hydration. Will it be easy? No, but the things that are worth the most usually aren't. I'm going to remind myself of all the time and miles I've put in over the last few months, and believe. Believe that I can do this, I will do this, I am doing this!

(source)

p.s. If you're interested, you can go here to track me tomorrow. My bib no. is 38744. FYI, the race starts at 7:30am CST, and it may be almost a half hour til I actually cross the start line!

Pier to Peak Half Marathon (Race Report)

2011-10-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

Well folks, considering it's now been over a month since I ran Pier to Peak, how about that race report? I'll try to keep it short and sweet!

We headed down to Santa Barbara after a full day of work so we didn't get in til pretty late. The drive wasn't as bad as I remember, but I did have some good company : ) We stopped by one of my favorite restaurants (Natural Cafe, holla!) and got some pasta to-go, then headed to my friend Tom's place where we were crashing. Tom is kind of like my running mentor. I first met him when I joined Team in Training back in 2009 and ran most of my first marathon and all of my second with me. He also is responsible for instilling in me a true love for running that's lead me to where I am today. I hadn't been back to Santa Barbara since I graduated in June 2010 so it had been a while since we'd seen each other, but it was a wonderful reunion. We had an early wake-up call so as soon as we ate it was off to bed!

The race starts downtown at the Dolphin Fountain at the start of the pier, right on the beach. I did so much of my training along that stretch of the beach it brought back some great memories. I miss running along the ocean! It was dark when we arrived, but a small crowd of runners were already milling about. It wasn't a huge race so after a quick trip to the potty and a brief announcement by the race director we were off!

waiting at the start

The first couple miles are actually fairly flat as they wind through downtown Santa Barbara, starting down the shopping mecca of State Street. I tried to keep it easy since I knew what was coming. Around mile 2 we passed the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission, shrouded in mist at the early morning hour. Just past the Mission we took a sharp right and headed straight....up.

Santa Barbara Mission

and up we go!

From here we started a steep climb that wound through a nice neighborhood. Around mile 5 we got our first glimpse of how high we'd climbed. The houses on the hills below us were nearly covered with a marine layer of fog. I was powering up the mountain up to this point, albeit at a very slow pace, but the second half of the race turned into more of a hike. The hill was literally never ending, and many sections were just too steep for me to run. I tried to distract myself with the views, which were more and more amazing the higher we climbed, but the fact remained I was running up a mountain and I just wanted to reach the top!

at least there were some great views!

Around mile 8 Tom texted me from the top to let me know that the winner had just finished...and it was Chris! I was not surprised in the least, but I was also slightly annoyed that he was now done and I still had so far to go. A couple miles later I got another text that Erin had finished second female. Again, I wasn't surprised, but I texted back that I was dying, and I still had three miles to go! There were many profanities uttered on my way up that mountain. It had warmed up significantly by this point and many stretches were in the sun, so I made sure to take advantage of every station by stuffing ice down my bra. This left me totally soaked, but was also absolutely brilliant.

Just around mile 11 I saw a bunch of runners coming back down the hill, and for a brief second I assumed they had already finished and for some reason were running back down. But then I struck up a conversation with a fellow runner who informed me that actually it was a short out-and-back, and that mile 11 was almost entirely downhill! As soon as I reached that turnaround I let my legs fly and it felt so good! I got to see my pace drop to single digits for the first time since the first couple miles and actually felt like I was getting somewhere. This stretch was greatly needed, physically and mentally.

The lovely downhill stretch eventually came to an end and we started climbing again with a little over a mile to go to reach the summit and finish line. I ran as much of it as I could and even managed to pass a few folks. Along the way I passed a couple hikers, and I couldn't help but think how much wiser they were than all of us runners : ) Then, as if the first 13 miles of the race weren't enough, the last 0.1 was up an incredibly steep winding trail leading to the summit, totally crushing your spirits. You're so tired at that point from climbing the freaking mountain, and then to have to finish on an steep stretch like that sucked big time.

last mile

trudging up the final stretch!

When I rounded the final corner I saw Chris, Erin, and Tom up ahead and didn't want them to see me walking when I was so close, so I gave everything I had to crawl up that last hill. Needless to say there was no finishing kick! Crossing the finish line was a little anticlimactic. More than anything I was just glad to be done.

here I come!

Going into the race I really didn't know what to expect from myself performance- and time-wise. I knew I would be much slower than with a normal half, but I think I also underestimated just how difficult it would be. It took me almost an hour longer than my PR - 2:51:12 - but it was also the most challenging race I've ever done. Seriously, this course is no joke. It's certainly a unique race that's not for the faint of heart. The swag kind of sucked - the "medals" were really just double-sided coins (really, how much does a ribbon cost!?) and the t-shirts were cheap cotton and unisex. But I guess that's what happens with small-scale races. And this is one race where you do it for the experience.

finisher coin...hmm...

We chilled for a while at the top of La Cumbre Peak, taking in the amazing views of the surrounding Santa Ynez Mountains and Pacific Ocean, and looking 4,000' down below at where we started hours before. It was a tough race, but I was proud that I pushed myself and finished the damn thing. After a while we headed back down the mountain, this time via car, and as we descended I couldn't help but think just how far and high up we'd ran.

finish area at the top of La Cumbre Peak

me and my speedy pals

these kinds of views at the top *almost* were worth it ; )

elevation at the top

Once back downtown we met up with some of Chris' friends for breakfast on the beach where I inhaled some amazing strawberry pancakes. Then we made a quick visit to the dog shelter I used to volunteer at before heading back to Tom's to wash up before heading out for a little Santa Barbara fun. I took Erin and Chris into Isla Vista, the square mile housing most of the UC Santa Barbara population. We made a quick stop by my old sorority house, got some froyo, and took a stroll down Del Playa Dr. along the beach. Brought back some good memories! Then we ventured into the ritzy Hope Ranch neighborhood to meet up with Chris' friends again and spent the rest of the afternoon poolside with a killer ocean view. That evening we met Tom downtown at the pier (same one from that morning) for a nice dinner just as the sun was setting.

doxie pup at DAWG shelter!

♥

Isla Vista beach

our view for the afternoon

Tom & I

Santa Barbara sunset ♥

We got back to Tom's and almost immediately crashed after such a long day. All three of us had to work the next day at 1pm, so we were up and on our way before the sun was even up. Luckily I didn't have to drive this time so I got a little nap in. It was a really short trip and I didn't get to do or see nearly as much as I'd hoped. But I guess that just gives me a good reason to go back again soon!

p.s. To get a better feel for this race check out this great video from last year's race!

p.p.s. Chicago is AWESOME! Be back tomorrow with some thoughts and goals for Sunday's race : )

Chicago Week Ten + September

2011-10-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

9/26-10/2

Another week of taper in the books! My overall mileage was cut back significantly and I got 3 rest days instead of 2. It was a hot week weather-wise, and I suffered accordingly when I decided to do mile repeats on a 95 degree afternoon : / The weekend was one of our busiest of the year at the store due to packet pick-up for the Urban Cow Half Marathon, leaving me drained at the end of each day. At the last minute I decided to sign up for the race myself instead of running my planned 12 miles solo. It was fun to run the race again, on a slightly new (and improved!) course, and compare my experience this year to last year's. I made sure not to get overzealous and kept it nice and easy since I'm just one week out from Chicago. Yikes!

Monday
rest.

Tuesday
rest.

Wednesday

run: 5 mi, 9:19 avg pace.

Took advantage of my day off and waited til the evening to run when it had cooled off. Still it was a warm one! I started off a bit too fast for a recovery pace but slowed it down for the rest of the run.

Thursday

run: 8 mi, 8:38 avg pace.

I totally shot myself in the foot on this one. I should have got up early to do this when it was cool, but I have a weird thing about speedwork in the mornings...I don't do it. So instead I waited til later, but I had dinner plans so instead of going in the evening when it had cooled off, I was running at 4:30 in the afternoon. Doing mile repeats in 95 degree weather? Ummm yea, not one of my best decisions : / I was determined to get it done though, so I set up my Garmin for an interval workout and set off for a warm-up.

The plan called for 3x1600 at 5k pace (approx. 7:30-7:45/mi). I told myself in advance to cut myself some slack on the workout since it was hotter than hell and I was in taper mode, but I also kept telling myself I only had to do 3 (conveniently ignoring that they were a mile long). Right away, knew it was going to be ugly and miserable. I felt like I was moving through sludge, my legs heavy, I could hardly breath, and I was already soaked with sweat. I stopped halfway through the first one for a breather then took another short break when I finally finished it. I timed each repeat to finish at a water fountain, but I couldn't seem to quench my thirst. It was just so dang hot!

I had no idea how fast I was running because on the interval setting my Garmin doesn't show the interval time or pace, but I felt so sloooow. I did an easy quarter mile jog between repeats, and I somehow managed to muster up some energy for the last two, taking halfway breaks during both and stopping for more water after each one. Looking at my data after, I was shocked to see that I had actually hit within my goal range for the repeats (7:15, 7:42, 7:49), even though I felt like I was dragging. Just shows you what the heat can do to you! When I finally finished the last one I had a few miles back home to cool down (except there was nothing "cool" about it). I finished feeling absolutely thrashed and probably a little dehydrated, too (I really have been having problems in this are lately, haven't I?). It was my last speedwork session before Chicago, and while I'm glad I did it, I don't think it was a very wise choice. I'm certainly not going to miss these ridiculous temps!

Friday
run: 4 mi, 9:14 avg pace.
I didn't have to go in to work til the afternoon so I slept in a bit then did an easy 4 with my pup.

Saturday
rest.

Sunday

run: 13.2 mi, 9:21 avg pace.

On a last minute whim I ran the Urban Cow Half Marathon for the second year in a row instead of my long run for the week. I took it nice and easy and stuck with the 2:05 pacer (the same group I set a PR with at last year's race), consistently running about 20 seconds slower than marathon goal pace. It felt pretty easy and allowed me to just enjoy the day and the awesome (slightly new) course. I saw a ton of familiar faces and the race was so much better than logging the miles alone!

Totals:
run - 30.2 miles

*******************************************

September

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten

Total: 151.3 miles

run - 131.3 miles

hike - 20 miles

I know everyone says it, but seriously, where did the month go?! It was another busy month with lots of training and even a little traveling to mix things up. I kicked off the month with a roadtrip down to Santa Barbara, my old college stomping grounds, for a little race called the Pier to Peak Half Marathon (for which I still owe you a race report, a month later). The race itself was a doozy, climbing from the pier at 0' to 4,000' at the top of La Cumbre Peak. So literally the entire race was uphill...no wait, up a mountain. It took me almost an hour longer than my PR time, and much of it was more "hike" than "run", but the views along the way and at the top made the effort (mostly) worth it. Oh, and I also brought along a couple of my coworkers, who proceeded to win the entire race and place second overall woman. Yeah, I have fast friends, but don't worry they waited for me : )

I also got to spend some time with my old running mentor, Tom, who is partly responsible for making me the runner I am today. Since it was my first time back since I graduated I took a little stroll down memory lane, but our time was limited so I didn't get to do or see everything I wanted. Just means another trip is necessary!

Tom & I

sb sunset ♥

I, along with the rest of America, spent 9/11 remembering and reflecting on that day ten years ago and honoring those that were lost. It's hard to believe so much time has passed, but amazing to see how much time has healed.

As seems to be inevitable in any training cycle I got sick, derailing my training a bit. After a few days I was feeling better and the timing couldn't have been better because then I was off to Yosemite! I spent a couple days in the park with my coworkers, the highlight being our epic 17 mile hike of Half Dome. It was one of the hardest but most rewarding things I've ever done, and something that should be on everyone's bucket list! The views were amazing, and totally worth busting my butt for 9 long hours. Our second day was more relaxed with a little swimming at the base of Yosemite Falls and wandering through picturesque meadows. I can't wait to go back!

Vernal Falls

the cables on Half Dome

at the top!

on the edge : )

swimming at the base of Yosemite Falls!

Half Dome

Merced River

The end of the month brought with it slightly cooler temps and taper, two of my favorite things. September was awesome, but I have to say October is looking to be an exciting month!

October Things

2011-10-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

1. Chicago Marathon
In t-minus 6 days! I leave Thursday morning for Chicago and hope to get some fun sightseeing in before the race on Sunday. It will be my first time in the city so I'm pretty excited to explore! The forecast is looking great so far (I'm keeping my fingers crossed though!). As far as the marathon goes, I'll be posting my thoughts and goals later this week!

2. Incubus live in concert

My favorite band, Incubus, is coming to Sacramento the day after I get back from Chicago. I've ssen them live twice before and couldn't miss another opportunity! They are absolutely incredible live, so I'm really looking forward to this. Plus I haven't been to a concert in ages so it should be fun!

3. rain!
Sacramento seemed to protest the arrival of fall with a lovely little heat wave, giving us temps in the 90s throughout September. But now that October has arrived, it seems that mother nature is finally relenting and giving us some cooler weather. In fact, the forecast this week is calling for rain for the next three days! I'm looking forward to doing some final taper runs in a nice drizzle : )

4. sweaters, boots, and scarves
Now that the weather is finally cooling off, that means I can break out some of my favorite fall fashions! Remind me how excited I was for this when it's freezing (for California) and I can't seem to wear enough layers ; )

love this video! 25 ways to tie a scarf.

5. planning my DIY Halloween costume

After several years of experiencing the debauchery of the famous Halloween celebration down in Santa Barbara during college, I'm looking forward to wearing a costume this year that doesn't leave me half naked as was the trend. I love crafting and DIY, and I've set my sights on the villanous Ursula from my favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. I'm going for more of a sexy (not fat!) version, though. Lucky for me one my mom's many talents includes sewing, so I'll have a collaborater to help me figure out those tentacles!

fat Ursula

my costume inspiration

What are you excited about for October? Anything you're looking forward to?

Urban Cow Half Marathon (Race Report)

2011-10-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

My morning began with a too-early alarm followed by my usual pre-race routine. I got dropped off at the start to escape the hassle of parking. I was actually a bit nervous for some reason, even though my plan was to take it easy and treat the race as a supported long run (with 4,000 of my closest running buddies). I met up at the Fleet Feet Racing team tent and saw some friendly faces, including a couple coworkers. I didn't have long to wait, though and I was headed to the start line. I lined up with the 2:05 pacer (actually the same woman from last year!) and waited for the countdown. 3....2....1....go!

start

We settled into an easy rhythm pretty quickly, although the first couple miles were fairly crowded. The pace (~9:30/mi) felt pretty easy and at times I even felt like I was holding back a bit. Funny to think back at how challenging this same pace felt at this same race last year! The first mile we wound through Land Park then around a lovely neighborhood with a bunch of families out cheering, including my former high school history teacher! Around mile 3 I spotted a coworker out spectating, and just after his girlfriend, A, caught up to me and provided some company for a couple miles.

The next few miles were actually new this year and took us into downtown Sacramento which was actually really cool! In fact much of this route had me wondering, where the heck am I?! We actually ran through the downtown mall, past Macy's and other stores and restaurants. Then it was under the freeway via a tunnel with a pretty rad mural into vintage Old Sacramento for a short jaunt. I had sped up a tad to keep up with A, so when we came to the next aid station I let her go while I slowed to take a salt cap.

(source)

tunnel art

(source)

Old Sac

(source)

Around 10k we passed the relay exchange point where I got a quick cheer from a coworker who'd ran the first leg. By this point I was still a bit ahead of the 2:05 pacer but consistently so. I'd warmed up and the pace was feeling even more comfortable, but I kept reminding myself to stay close. My splits were hovering in the 9:20s, and for a while I was hitting back-to-back splits to the second! We continued on to the Sacramento Marina (yet another area of my hometown I was totally unfamiliar with!) with a short out-and-back where I got to see a bunch of other friends/coworkers/customers. The high fives and cheers along this stretch were one of my favorite parts of the race!

Sacramento River & Marina

(source)

out-and-back

The next couple miles had us back on the course from last year on the Sacramento River bike path. Sidenote: I spend so much of my training time along the American River, I totally forget about the Sacramento River! It's actually quite nice, though : ) My knee was giving me some trouble for a bit during this stretch, but eventually faded, and my hips were starting to feel sore from the concrete, but I still felt nice and relaxed.

Around mile 11 we left the bike path behind, landing on Riverside Blvd. Spotted another coworker out coaching his team and ran into A again! With just over a mile to go we reentered Land Park and kicked up the pace a bit. The course was running long by a tenth, but we were right on with our time. There was no final sprint down the finish chute for me, but I did break away from the pace group to cross the line in 2:04 flat.

I grabbed my sweet cowbell medal (although not so sweet when they're clanging around the necks of hundreds of runners) and some water and chocolate milk and headed back to the FF Racing tent to get my stuff. I had to work right after which meant no time to stick around and socialize! The top of my left foot was suddenly painful afterward and my right foot was so tight I couldn't curl my toes, but with a quick massage things were feeling better soon. I think this week I'll be doing lots of trigger pointing, massage, and stretching to get myself ready for Chicago!

I was really happy with how the race went and glad I stuck to my original plan and took it easy. Not only was it better for me physically, but I was able to really enjoy the race in a way I can't when I'm pushing myself. I saw so many familiar faces out there, and the new course was a fun little tour of Sacramento, including some new-to-me spots! Best of all, it's great to see myself come full circle from the race last year, running with the same pace group under very different circumstances. I guess I have come pretty far : )

**A note on the pics: I was too lazy to take my phone out, so all were either borrowed from the world wide web, are from the official photogs, or are from last year! I hate posts with no pictures : /

A Race Like No Udder!

2011-10-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I'll be running the Urban Cow Half Marathon for the second year in a row. I have 12 miles on deck for my final "long" run, so I figured this would be the perfect substitute and a heck of a lot more fun. And who doesn't love signing up for races at the last minute? A supported long run on new territory, with a cute shirt, a sweet cowbell medal, and free food afterward? How could I resist! And since it's sponsored by my work, that means my entry was gratis, which was just icing on the cake : )

Last year I actually set a big PR at this race (which has since been smashed!), but this year things will be quite different. Since Chicago is next weekend (yikes!), that means I need to take this suuuper easy. Knowing how I often throw my game plans out the window when a race starts, I'm going to keep myself in check by starting with the 2:05 pace group and sticking with them til the end. Ironically, I started with the same pace group last year, but back then it was a challenging pace that resulted in a PR! Now it's pretty close to my current long run pace and slower than marathon goal pace so I shouldn't be overdoing it, just an easy training run. Should be fun!

Setting the Records Straight

2011-09-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Two big things occurred in the world of running this past week that are worth taking note of. First, Patrick Makau, of Kenya, set a new marathon world record with a time of 2:03:38 at the Berlin Marathon last Sunday. Makau bested the former world record, set by legend Haile Gebrselassie at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, by 21 seconds. Just to give you some insight, that's a 4:42 pace for a marathon!! Many are now speculating just how fast a marathon can be run as boundaries continue to be pushed. Will we one day see a sub-2 hour marathon? I can't really wrap my head around running these paces for even 100m let alone a marathon, but Makau's performance has proved it can be done. Nothing less than incredible if you ask me!

remarkable

Second, and a good deal less exciting, is the announcement from the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) of a rule change affecting the women's world record for the marathon. According to the IAAF, an official world record must be set in an all-women's race, with no men acting as pacers. This effectively strips Paula Radcliffe of her record time of 2:15:25, set at the 2003 London Marathon, as well as Deena Kastor's national record of 2:19:36. Instead, they are changing the terminology and referring to them simply as world's best. Not only is this a slap in the face to both of these incredible runners, but what does it say about women in general? That we can only run fast with the aid of men? At the end of the day, they both still ran those times. None of the men threw them over their shoulders and got them there with anything besides their own talent and drive. The IAAF claims the change was to prevent the unfair advantage of having faster males as pacers (although with no clarification as to over whom). Perhaps the real reason behind the rule change? Women are just getting too good ; )

amen!

Chicago Week Nine

2011-09-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

9/19-9/25

This was definitely a nontraditional week training-wise. The first couple of days I was still feeling a bit sick so my running hiatus continued. Wednesday marked my return to sweating in a big way with an epic 17 mile hike of Half Dome in Yosemite. Maybe not the smartest thing to do after being sick and inactive for 5 days, but so totally worth it. The hike was an intense workout, with more than 4,000' of climbing over just 7 miles, then coming all the way back down. I was just as sore, if not more so, than after many of my marathons! Needless to say, our second and last day in Yosemite was more of a leisurely walk : ) Over the weekend I finally got in some running mileage with an easy run with a friend and a solo 16 miler, my last long run before Chicago in t-11 days!!

Monday
rest.

Tuesday
rest.
Worked all day then headed to Yosemite!

Wednesday

hike: ~17 mi, ~9 hrs.

Hiking Half Dome was an absolutely incredible experience. It was extremely challenging, both physically and mentally, but so rewarding and memorable. The whole experience seemed to strike a balance between exhaustion and exhilaration. It also made for one killer workout! Seriously, hiking is no joke.

Vernal Falls

scary cables...

Thursday

hike: ~3.5 mi, ~2.5 hrs.

After a full day of hiking Half Dome the day before, we were all tired and sore so we decided to spend our final day in Yosemite taking things a bit more leisurely. Highlights included swimming at the base of (ice cold!) Yosemite Falls and meandering through some meadows with amazing views of Half Dome and the surrounding granite faces.

Yosemite Falls

swimming at the base of the falls

Half Dome from Cook's Meadow

Merced River

Friday
rest.
Considered running, but second day DOMS hit and I felt like I'd been hit by a truck! Seriously, so sore. Just the thought of running was laughable.

Saturday

run: 6 mi, 9:08 avg pace.

I wasn't sure how my body would feel after the hike and the almost week-long hiatus from actual running, but I had plans to do an easy run with a coworker so there was no hitting snooze. I actually felt pretty good once I warmed up, and while I did feel more fatigued than usual, I managed to pick up the pace in the last couple miles to a sub-9 pace and finish with a solid 6 miles before heading to work.

Sunday
run: 16 mi, 9:13 avg pace.
I was a little nervous about this run as I seem to have been for all my long runs this training cycle. I had initially thought of trying to fit in the elusive 20 miles I've missed twice now, but decided that with Half Dome earlier in the week it would be too much. Plus, for me the 20 miler of a marathon training cycle is far more mental than physical. So I stuck to my training plan, which called for 16 miles as my last long run.

I decided to do a double out-and-back to hopefully avoid getting too bored on the bike trail, and was pleasantly surprised to find a bunch of folks out there from the half and full marathon training groups run by my store. Even though I wasn't running with any of them, it was nice to have some company out there and see some friendly faces, including a couple coworkers who do double-duty as coaches. Although it seems to be common practice to run long runs at a slightly slower pace than your goal, I always find this challenging for me. I see the higher paces and feel like I'm slacking. The same thing goes for "easy" recovery runs, that are often anything but for me. I think this, in addition to being bored with my routes and running solo, have made me dread my long runs.

I felt decent on the majority of the run, but the last half were a little disastrous. I don't like carrying extra fluids if I can avoid it, and so I often plan my runs so I have frequent access to water at the fountains along the trail. The thing is, in one direction there are plenty - nearly every 1-2 miles, while in the other direction, there's only one in an 8 mile stretch! The latter is known as my oasis, as it as appeared as such on many occasions. This was what I was counting on for Sunday as my water stop on my second out-and-back. Well the universe apparently had other plans because about a half mile from the oasis I found my way blocked by...construction. Yes, there was a detour that allowed you to keep running, but there was no substitute for the blocked water fountain. This meant I had no fluids for the last half of a 16 mile run, meaning I couldn't take my final Gu or salt cap. I'm sure many of you don't have much sympathy for me and are thinking this is why I should carry at least some water with me, and I don't disagree! But it was what it was, and I my thirst became all-consuming as the miles ticked on. It was even more maddening because only days before I'd had a far more serious run-in with dehydration. Hopefully this was the last time!

Totals:
run - 22 miles
hike - ~20 miles

Yosemite

2011-09-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

"Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space."

Ansel Adams

There are places in the world that evoke so much awe simply from their raw beauty that words cannot suffice. They must be seen, experienced, and felt. Yosemite is unequivocally one of these places. In hindsight, I'm also amazed that it took me so long to make the trip! It's hard to believe something so incredible is so close and accessible, and I can say with certainty I will be making many more trips back. It was nothing short of incredible, and certainly one of my most memorable experiences yet.

We only had a couple days there, our plans centering around hiking to the summit of the infamous Half Dome. For safety reasons, the park implemented a permit system for the cables leading up to the top, and knowing how in demand they would be we reserved ours way back in June for September 21st. Our group, consisting of a couple coworkers, a friend, and myself, headed to the park Tuesday evening after work and arrived at our campsite around 11:30pm. You really couldn't call it camping, though. The place was called Housekeeping Camp, located in Yosemite Valley, with units made up of three cement walls, a curtained fourth wall, a canvas roof, a bunk bed and double bed, a patio, fire pit, and bear locker of course (be bear aware!). I was actually a bit surprised when I first saw our accommodations, but they actually ended up working out really well. They were reasonably comfortable, affordable, and had a great location.

our unit at Housekeeping Camp

patio

"be bear aware"

After starting to feel better the day before, my cold seemed to have come back with a vengeance, and my throat was killing me on the drive in. I was a bit worried about how I would feel on such a strenuous hike, but I just hoped I'd feel better in the morning. We got settled in pretty quickly and hit the sack with our alarms set for 4:30am, hoping to hit the trail at 5am.

Well 6:10am rolled around and we realized there was going to be a slight change in plans : ) The extra sleep was probably a good idea in hindsight though since we got in so late and were all pretty exhausted. We ate breakfast, put our packs together, and then made the short drive to the trailhead. We walked about 3/4th of a mile to the actual start of the Mist Trail, the most popular route of ascent. We got started around 7:30am, and right from the start, we started climbing! Erin, Chris, and I started to get flashbacks to Pier to Peak (I promise the race report is coming!), and I started to think about just how long we'd be hiking. Most references said it takes the majority of people 10-14 hours to hike the ~14 miles roundtrip. It was a perfect morning, though, with clear blue skies and a nice breeze. I was feeling a little fatigued early on, which was not surprising given my 5 day workout hiatus while I was sick, plus the strenuous nature of the hike. And things were only going to get tougher!

up we go!

destination: Half Dome

sunrise on granite

The Mist Trail is one of Yosemite's signature hikes, with stunning views scattered all along it. It starts with a bridge overlook and continues on to two breathtaking, unforgettable waterfalls that are the trail's namesake, all the while being surrounded by sky high granite walls reaching up to the clouds. To get to these falls, however, you must climb an endless number of stairs, most carved directly into the granite. I was huffing and puffing, and I'm sure my heart rate was through the roof, but as soon as I caught my first glance of Vernal Falls cascading down the granite, and was hit with my first wave of mist, I was really left breathless. It was nothing short of stunning.

first glimpse of the falls!

the group

Vernal Falls

looking back down at the trail

After taking plenty of pictures we continued up more stairs til we reached the top of the waterfall and could look back at the steep climb we'd just made. While looking at the waterfall from distance was incredible, there was something even more impressive about seeing it from the vantage point at the top, were it turns from river to cascading waterfall.

at the top of Vernal Falls

Just beyond Vernal Falls is the stunning body of water that feeds the falls, aptly named the Emerald Pool due to it's deep green color. It had warmed up considerably by that point and the water looked positively divine, but unfortunately the water was off limits for swimming! Instead we crossed a little bridge and continued on up and soon caught a glimpse at the second waterfall, Nevada Falls, quite as stunning as Vernal Falls. The trail continued up the side of the falls, again with a looooong flight of steep granite stairs. I pulled up the rear in our group, afraid that my heart might actually explode, but I finally reached the top and was of course rewarded with yet another incredible view. The Mist Trail technically ended there, at about 3.6 miles, but we continued on, following signs for Half Dome, about 4.5 miles away.

Emerald Pool

Nevada Falls

oh hey!

the view from the top of Nevada Falls

After such all those stairs, it was a relief to soon hit a nice, long, flat and sandy stretch. The boys were on a mission and were setting a pretty fast pace, but Erin and I hung back a bit, enjoying the scenery, chatting, and taking pictures. The sky had turned a brilliant blue, and we were soon surrounded by lots of trees. During this stretch I noticed that my hands had swollen quite a bit and realized I was probably a little dehydrated. I was sweating a ton and was still fighting my cold, so I started to drink more water and took some salt caps. Before long we started going up again, the trail turning into a rocky path winding through the trees.

big trees, little Erin : )

I zoned out a bit here, and then all of a sudden I was catching my first glimpse of Half Dome! We were pretty high at that point, close to 7000', and I could definitely feel the effects of the altitude. While the air was getting thinner, however, the views were getting even better. Vast granite walls and peaks as far as the eye could see, underneath a vivid blue sky. We were getting closer, so I decided to make one final pee stop in a bush while I still could, and nearly had a heart attack when a startled deer jumped out of said bush!

there it is!

We passed the park ranger checking permits and were given a final warning not to attempt the summit if we were even a bit unsure...ending with just how easy it is to fall and die off Half Dome. Just what I needed to hear! At that point we made the short hike up another hill before we reached the killer switchbacks leading up to the sub-dome. This is when my nerves (and legs) really started to be challenged. The footing on the switchbacks was tricky and the path basically followed the tree line straight up a cliff - from the distance it actually looked totally vertical! My legs were pretty tired at that point, and many of the steps were extremely steep. I couldn't really catch my breath due to the altitude either, then I made the mistake of looking back down...and freaked out a bit. I managed to slowly make my way to the top without having a panic attack, only to reach the sub-dome and become a nervous wreck at my first sight of the infamous cables. My legs were shaky from exhaustion and nerves at this point, and I literally started to question whether or not I could actually do this.

switchbacks & steep steps

The sub-dome was full of people hanging out and resting. As nervous as I was, I did take a few minutes to take in the unbelievable views surrounding us in every direction, as far as your eyes could see. Granite giants, forests of green trees, blue skies and fluffy white clouds. I tried not to dwell on the cables and sat for a bit to eat a Clif Bar, drink some water, and rest my legs, then it was go time!

sub-Dome

the cables...hyperventilating may have ensued

We made our way across the Saddle, a narrow stretch of granite between the sub-Dome and the base of the cables. Luckily the cables weren't too crowded yet. At the base of the cables there's a pile of discarded gloves to help grip the cables, but I passed over them since I'd brought my own. I realized immediately, however that mine were actually too slick so I decided to go bare handed. Our friend Ryan, the only one in our group to have hiked Half Dome, promised to stay right behind me and talk me through it. I was really freaking out, but just started slowly making my way up, one foot in front of the other, gripping the cables for dear life. I tried not to look up or down and just focus on what was right in front of me. It was fairly slow going as folks tended to pause at the wooden planks to rest or give space to folks coming down. And honestly, I don't think anyone is in a rush going up those things!

About halfway up Ryan ended up giving me the gloves he'd grabbed at the bottom which were more rubbery than mine and made a world of difference. There were a few really steep sections, and I was just so grateful for my grippy trail shoes and gloves and the strength (however meager) of my arms. Finally we crested the face of the Dome and reached the end of the cables, and just a short uphill walk later I was standing at the summit of Half Dome!

I did it!

I was exhausted, elated, terrified, and proud all at he same time. The top is actually much bigger than I expected, with plenty of places to wander and catch breathtaking views. I sat down immediately to catch my breath and compose myself a bit and ate half of the sandwich I packed. Then it was time to check out the views from the top! I honestly can't capture the feeling of standing at the top of something like Half Dome, 8,800' in the air, with precarious ledges, sheer drops all around, and stunning vistas everywhere you look. It was nothing short of thrilling. We spent a good deal of time at the top, taking pictures and just relaxing underneath the warm sun. While there was no way I was dangling my legs over any ledges, I did work up the courage to take a picture from the infamous "diving board", a ledge that sticks out from the edge of the Dome with Yosemite Valley in the distance below. I tried not to look down as my stomach would do somersaults, and it was actually much wider than it appears in pictures.

the summit!

breathtaking

group on the diving board!

girls on the diving board!

floating : )

Yosemite Valley

After about an hour at the top we started to notice darker clouds in the distance that looked like rain, and heeding the many warnings about how fast-moving these storms could be we decided to start our descent. I was actually way more scared at the prospect of climbing down then coming up, mainly because you could see where you were going and how steep it was. I chose to go down sideways, with Ryan in front of me, and the scariest view behind me. Once again it was slow going, my hands ached from gripping the cables to hard, and some of the steeper sections were difficult to maneuver, but I made it down to the sub-Dome. Next up was the nasty switchbacks, which I made sure to take very slowly as parts of them had loose granite and steep steps. My legs were fairly shaky once again, and I was so happy to reach the bottom!

coming down!

back at the bottom thank God!

sub-Dome

down we go

ominous clouds...

We definitely picked a good time to descend because the clouds had already moved in a lot closer. The crazy thing was the handful of folks still trying to go up as we were making our way down. Way too risky! In fact as we made our way down we started hearing thunder crack in the distance. I also discovered that my pack, which holds 70 oz., had been drained in just the ascent, so I was even more eager to get down. I decided the faster we got down the better, plus we wanted to get as far down as possible before the storm got there, so I started booking it down. It was much easier on the descent, but the trail was still pretty technical with rocks, roots, etc. so careful footing was crucial. I welcomed the change in muscles used, but my feet were killing me at that point and I was so thirsty! We were making good time and passing lots of folks, and soon found ourselves back at the top of Nevada Falls.

top of Nevada Falls

We'd decided earlier to take the Mist Trail on the ascent but the John Muir Trail for the descent. The latter is about 2.25 miles longer but less steep (read: no stairs). We stopped for a quick break at the top of Nevada Falls and before we knew it the sky finally opened up and it started raining! We all quickly donned our jackets (mine being an ah-mazing new Brooks shell - look for a review soon!) and where the trail split we followed the arrow for the John Muir Trail. We got one final view of Liberty Cap and Nevada Falls before I put my camera away and focused on getting down. It was definitely less steep than the Mist Trail but fairly rocky so it was still no leisurely stroll.

Liberty Cap & Nevada Falls from John Muir Trail

My thirst at that point had progressed to intolerable and all I could think about was water and other liquids to quench my parched mouth. I didn't want to drink from any of my friends packs since I was sick, and there was nowhere to refill along the trail. It continued to rain and the trail got pretty slick, necessitating even more caution with footing. Still, we were making good time as we descended switchback after switchback. All of us were feeling the effects of the day in our legs and feet and were eager to get to the bottom. When we were about a quarter mile from the end of the trail I decided to just run - I knew the water fountain was at the end, and I was about to go crazy from thirst. My friends got a good laugh when they rounded the corner and found me with my mouth stuck to the fountain like a camel : ) In all seriousness, though, it was quite scary to be so dehydrated with no water left. Especially since I was also sick, I needed even more water than usual. Definitely a lesson learned.

my oasis

From there we headed the mile or so back down to the trailhead. This section, while in good shape, was pretty steep, and my legs were killing me from trying to hold back so I just let myself loose and went barreling down the trail, getting some looks from other hikers like I was crazy! I waited at the bottom for my friends then we slogged back to the car where it felt amazing to finally sit after completing a looooong and challenging hike. It ended up taking us about 9 hours, including our time at the top, to finish the whole thing, so I think we did pretty good.

When we got back to camp we took glorious showers and assessed the damage. Other than being sore I had some nasty blisters on my toes and got sunburnt pretty badly. It was all totally worth it though : ) After cleaning up we headed out to get some pizza for dinner then spent the rest of the evening fireside, talking and making s'mores before passing out fairly early from exhaustion.

In the middle of the night I woke up in a lot of pain. I don't think I adequately rehydrated, and my whole body was cramping up. I couldn't find a comfortable position and after tossing and turning I just lay there for a good half hour, unable to sleep, before deciding to take a few ibuprofen. Thankfully these dulled the pain enough for me to fall back asleep. We slept in a bit and had a leisurely breakfast before packing things up. We had a couple things on our to-do list for the day, all far less strenuous than Half Dome which left all of us stiff and hobbling all day.

Our first stop of the day was Lower Yosemite Falls. Despite the rainy weather the day before, we lucked out again and it was once again a perfect, clear day. It was a short hike in, down a stretch with trees on either side and the falls sitting directly in the middle in the distance. Although it's late in the season, the falls were still running fairly high and were quite stunning. While we were looking at them we spotted a couple people sitting on the rocks near the bottom of the falls and quickly decided that we wanted to, too.

Yosemite Falls through the trees

It took a great deal of careful climbing over rocks and granite boulders (made a bit more challenging when your whole body is sore) but eventually we found ourselves at the base of the Yosemite Falls with the pool of runoff directly below us. As we sat relaxing on the rocks marveling at the view of the falls from our close-up vantage point, a random guy jumped in the water! So of course our two guys soon followed, actually swimming out to the very bottom of the fall and standing under the mist. They both came out shivering and immediately bundled up in their clothes.

just a few rocks to climb over : )

we could feel the mist!

Not wanting to be left out, and thinking that it would be pretty epic (if a bit cold) to swim at the base of Yosemite Falls, Erin and I made our way down to the water. After several minutes of hesitating, I finally submerged my lower half. I can only describe it as a giant ice bath...the water was freezing! Like takes-your-breath-away, could-catch-hypothermia-in-minutes cold. There were two rocks in the middle of the pool, so Erin and I both set out for one. My breath caught in my chest when I started swimming, and I swam as fast as I could to my rock about 25 yards away and clambered up and out of the water. Surprisingly it was actually pretty warm just standing there in the sunlight. After a couple minutes we reluctantly slid back in the water and swam furiously back toward the rocks. It didn't seem so cold on the way back, maybe because my body was already numb...? We hung out for a bit longer and watched as a steady influx of tourists, many foreign, made there way out to the rocks. A few more braved the cold water, but many were behaving quite foolishly, too. I would've bet that if we'd hung out a half hour longer we would've seen someone get hurt.

contemplating...

in the middle...

done!

When we got back to the car we had a little snack then headed out on our next little adventure for the day, the Cook's Meadow/Sentinel Meadow Loop, a nice, flat 2.25 mile hike through two meadows with multiple views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and other towering granite faces. The loop basically followed a stretch of the Merced River, a slow-moving, shallow snake of water that was a gorgeous array of colors. While we meandered through a meadow we came upon a young dear, although no mother was in sight. She seemed pretty comfortable with us and we were able to get extremely close, perhaps because she's become used to all the tourists? The views on the loop were all amazing, especially Half Dome, where it was hard to believe we'd been just a day before. Best of all, the hike was flat and easy, just what our legs needed at that point. When we got back to the car we talked about going to Mariposa Grove, but after looking at a map and realizing how far away it was, we decided to just call it a day and get home before dark.

Half Dome!

Merced River

wildflowers

On the drive out of the park we made a final stop at turnoff with a nice view of the infamous El Capitan. We were even able to spot a few rock climbers scaling the face, looking like nothing more than ants. Just the thought of attempting something like that gives me goosebumps, but it's impressive nonetheless! The rest of the drive was fairly uneventful, and about 4 hours later we found ourselves back in good 'ol Sacramento, in lovely 100 degree weather : /

El Capitan

There's no way my words or pictures can really do Yosemite justice. It's a must-do for everyone, and something you're sure to remember forever. Half Dome itself is a hike you can't die without doing. It was one of the most terrifying and challenging things I've ever done, but also one of the most rewarding, both for the views and the feeling of overcoming my fears. It's incredible that places like this exist right here in the United States, amidst cities and towns, buildings, and roads. So amazing to behold, and yet so accessible. I'm already researching other trips to National Parks, especially since many are so close! Yosemite is the perfect reminder that nature really is magnificent. It may have taken me way too long to finally visit, but I'll be back soon. We're already planning our winter trip : )

Chicago Week Eight

2011-09-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

9/12-9/18

What was supposed to be my final big training week before tapering for Chicago ended up being a total bust. After having a great week of training last week, I was feeling a little more rundown than usual early on so I took an extra rest day. Felt fine on my midweek medium-long run, only to develop a tickle in my throat the next day that I just couldn't shake. That turned into a pretty nasty end-of-summer cold/allergy attack which sideline me for the entire weekend and knocked out two big runs, a 10 miler with speedwork and my 20 miler.

I'm still deciding on how I'm going to treat the next couple weeks and if/when I'll make-up the 20, but right know I'm just glad this happened now rather than race week! I'm feeling a little better now, just a bit congested, and am going to attempt a short and easy run tomorrow. Then I'm off to YOSEMITE after work with a couple coworkers for a few days to tackle the infamous Half Dome and explore the park a bit...maybe even get some running in (and lots of tough hiking, too). I'm glad I'm feeling better since the HD hike is apparently no joke, but I wouldn't miss this for the world!!

with any luck I'll summit this baby on Wednesday!

Monday
rest.

Tuesday
rest.

Wednesday

run: 10 mi, 8:58 avg pace.

Nothing special here, just another 10 mile commute to work. Felt pretty good and kept a pretty consistent pace, averaging sub-9!

Thursday

run: 6 mi, 9:04 avg pace.

I took my dog with me for an early evening run along the trails. After a couple miles I took a short break to let her go swimming in the river, being her usual crazy self and diving for rocks. I was supposed to do 7 but I started feeling a bit funky partway through so I cut it short. Could definitely feel something coming on, and wouldn't ya know the next day I was unquestionably sick.

Friday
sick.

Saturday
sick.

Sunday
sick.

Totals:
run - 16 miles

Chicago Week Seven

2011-09-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

9/5-9/11

It looks like this is actually going to be my peak week of training for this cycle (so much for maxing out at 55 miles, ha!), but I'm quite proud of myself as this is also the highest weekly mileage I've done, ever. Not all the runs were great, but managed to get them done even with a busy work schedule and an end-of-summer heat wave. Chicago is now just a month away which means one more big week then taper!!

Monday
rest.

Tuesday

run: 4 mi, 8:51 avg pace.

Made the run quicker than the recovery pace called for to make it to work in time!

Wednesday

run: 8 mi, 8:42 avg pace.

While much of the country seems to be welcoming fall with cooler temps, this wasn't the case in Sacramento. When I left for my run around 5pm, it was still 98 degrees and humid...not ideal for running, let alone speedwork. I actually felt pretty good during the 4.5ish miles to the track, but then things got ugly fast. I'll say upfront that I wasn't well hydrated, and the air quality and temps were not very healthy for running, and undoubtedly both are responsible for my workout leaving me drained. I had 5x600m at 5k pace (~7:30/mi) on deck and after the first one, I was wiped. I stopped to rest after every repeat, and could feel myself slow significantly after each one. I almost threw in the towel but managed to get through it, then did a slow cool-down job to my aunt's house in the area where I had dinner plans. I literally stumbled in the door and downed two entire water bottles. It took a good 20 minutes for me to feel better, but I could feel the after effects the rest of the night. It was a big mistake not bringing water with me (I usually do), and I probably should have avoided running in that weather period. Amazingly enough, looking at my stats I realized I actually was under my goal pace for each interval. Crazy, since I felt like I was running through mud. It also further proves how much I suck at pacing ; ) Here are the numbers:

2:30 (6:48/mi)

2:32 (6:52/mi)

2:39 (7:11/mi)

2:38 (7:09/mi)

2:43 (7:21/mi)

Thursday

run: 10 mi, 9:17 avg pace.

After a killer workout the night before leaving me dehydrated and exhausted, I was a little nervous about my 10 mile medium-long run to work this morning. As soon as I got moving I knew immediately something was wrong. A nagging pain in my groin was forcing me to alter my stride significantly. I hoped that once I warmed up it would get better, but a few miles in I was a little worried. I tried stretching, but with little relief. I had a hunch it was related to my glute/hamstring, and actually first felt it getting tight after my speed workout the night before. As a result, I was forced to move along at a slower pace than usual. Fortunately, around mile 5 it started to feel a tad better and I could run without a normal gait, allowing me to pick up the pace for the final half of the run. Since then I haven't experienced any issues with my groin, but it's definitely something I'm going to keep an eye on.

Friday

run: 9 mi, 9:32 avg pace.

I had the day off so I opted to sleep in and do my run later that evening. It was another warm evening so I didn't get started til pretty late and it was soon dark. The plan called for a new kind of run - a "tune-up race" of 9-13 miles with 8-10k at marathon goal pace. From the start I was feeling good, but by the second mile, even though my effort hadn't changed, my Garmin was showing a much slower pace. On the third mile I picked it up even more, to the point of tempo effort, only to see my pace slower than expected again. I know perceived effort can sometimes be biased, but I also know I was running faster than my watch was telling me, but I kept trying to push harder to see that damn number go down. The frustrating thing was that the whole point of this workout was to practice goal pace, but thanks to my watch I had no idea what I was really running. I ended up finishing the run feeling like it was a hard effort, but without the pace to show for it.

Saturday
rest.

Sunday

run: 17 mi, 9:17 avg pace.

I honestly wasn't sure how this one was going to play out. I had to work an event (Luna Bar all-women's triathlon) from 6am-3pm, forcing me to do my long run later in the day. After an early wake-up and a long day at the race, I really was dreading the run and would've much rather taken a nap. But somehow I managed to drag my butt out there around 5:30 and thankfully it had cooled off by then. I decided to try out a new part of the bike trail that I'd never run before, mainly because it's more trail than paved bike path. It was a nice change of pace and actually fun to go off-road. I got turned around a couple times but ended up with just over 6 miles when I found myself back where I started. I decided to add on an out-and-back on the opposite side of the river. On my way back I even spotted 7 deer! The final leg of the run was on one of my usual loops, but it was quite dark by then and I was eager to be done. My pace hovered in a decent range for the majority of the run, and I allowed myself to take short stretching and fueling breaks at the water fountains. I was absolutely exhausted when I finished, but so glad I got out there and did it. And I sure slept well that night!

While it's not exactly running related, I did want to touch on the 10 year anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. It's hard to believe so much time has passed since tragedy struck for so many Americans, but as with most things, time helps to heal. It was heartwarming, however, to see so much of the country come together in remembrance of all those lost on that day. I think for most, it was also a day for reflection. America may have it's faults, but I still think we're pretty lucky to call this country home.

remember, reflect.

Totals:
run - 48 miles

Chicago Week Six + August

2011-09-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

8/29-9/4

This post is waaayyy overdue, but it was quite a tiring week, and when I'm exhausted blogging just doesn't seem to happen. I managed to get back in the pool this week for some cross-training which felt amazing (note to self: make this happen more often!), and I got in some speedy double digit runs midweek. The weekend was a whirlwind as I headed down to Santa Barbara with a couple friends/coworkers for the epic Pier to Peak Half Marathon. After 4,000' feet of climbing, with amazing views that almost made up for the fact that we were running up a mountain, we spent the rest of the day relaxing before hitting the road before sunrise the next morning so we could work that afternoon. I welcomed September with open arms and dreams of fall, only to get a slap in the face with temps in the high 90s alllll week. Barf.

Monday

swim: 2,000 yds, 45 min.

repeated twice:

50, 50 w/ pb
100, 100 w/ pb
150, 150 w/ pb
200, 200 w/ pb

After nearly 2 weeks off from swimming (the last time was at the Folsom Sprint Tri!) I finally made it to the pool. I had the day off but it was a scheduled rest day, so I figured a nice easy swim would feel pretty nice on my legs. I didn't really have any set workout in mind, and ended up just doing a ladder-type swim. I could feel the fatigue set in a little sooner than usual, but I just took it slow and easy. I've really missed the pool and I'm actually looking forward to swimming more often once Chicago is over.

Tuesday

run: 4 mi, 8:53 avg pace.

I had intentions of running at least 5-6 miles, but per usual I got a late start and had to kick up the pace just to fit 4 miles in. So much for making this a recovery run!

Wednesday

run: 10 mi, 8:46 avg pace.

This was supposed to be a moderate paced medium-long run, but for some reason my legs wanted to run much faster than usual...like mid-8, nearly tempo pace fast. I decided to just go with it and listen to my body, but I kept it up til I hit 10 miles. The nice thing was that it gave me plenty of time to stop at Starbuck's for a smoothie and to get ready for work, far more leisurely than my usual hurried pace. Runs like these really put me in a good mood for the rest of the day, and this one in particular has boosted my confidence for upcoming Chicago.

Thursday

run: 10 mi, 8:58 avg pace.

This run was actually supposed to be 12 miles with 7 at tempo pace, but I didn't get started til about 10am and it was already hot by then. I figured my speedy 10 miler the day before could basically count as a quasi-tempo, so I decided to simply make this one a medium-long run. I didn't have to be at work til later that afternoon so I was able to take my time, although I still ended up running faster than usual with an average just under 9 min/mi.

Friday
rest.
After two back-to-back 10 milers, a rest day was very welcome!

Saturday

run: 5 mi, 9:32 avg pace.

I met up with my coworker for an easy recovery run before work. We'd planned on doing 6, but partway through we both decided to cut it short and ended up with 5. This was the weirdest run, though because while I felt like I was running fairly fast (to keep up with my faster coworker), when I checked our pace mid-run I couldn't believe what the Garmin said! Now I know 9:30s are not slow, and for a recovery run they're perfect, but my perceived effort just seemed so much harder than that. Maybe it was the faster runs earlier in the week catching up to me?

Sunday
run: 13.2 mi, 12:58 avg pace.
Epic is the only word I can think of to describe the Pier to Peak Half Marathon in Santa Barbara. Oh, and painful. And long, exhausting, miserable, and even beautiful. And standing at the top at 4,000', looking down at where we'd started hours earlier, was quite the reward. Working on a recap to come soon!

Totals:
swim - 2,000 yards
run - 42.2 miles

*******************************************

August

Week Six

Total: 187 miles

swim - 2,880 yards

bike - 13.7 miles

run - 171.7 miles

I can hardly believe that August has come and gone! While I actually love fall and everything that comes with it (pumpkin, sweaters, hot cocoa, holidays, scarves, cozy fires...), it's hard to even think about a new season when summer seems to be determined to give us one last heat wave here in Sacramento. Despite the warm weather, I'm looking forward to what's coming up in the next few months! August was a pretty big month, full of lots of miles in preparation for the Chicago Marathon now looming on the horizon. I also said adios to triathlon (for now) with one last race, the Folsom Sprint Triathlon. It was fun to do a shorter distance race and really be able to push myself. And it actually left me looking forward to getting back into training come December.

Folsom Sprint Triathlon

triathlon buds

August actually ended up being my highest monthly mileage ever at 171 (running) miles! I finally got into a groove with training, consistently running 40+ miles a week and embracing a much higher training volume than I've done before, as well as more intense, quality workouts every week. I've finally started seeing results, too, including a new half marathon PR at The Giant Race in San Francisco. August also had some less-than-exciting moments, too, like nasty chafing that lead me to invest in some new running wear. That's one more reason I'm looking forward to fall - crops and tights!

The Giants Race

a shiny new PR : )

This Weekend...

2011-09-02T23:33:00.000-07:00

I'm headed down to Santa Barbara with a couple coworkers for the first time since I graduated last June. On Sunday I'm "running" a little race called the Pier to Peak Half Marathon. I think you'll agree that those quotation marks are necessary after checking out the course elevation profile. It literally starts at the pier, climbs up a bloody mountain, and finishes at the peak. I'm treating it more as a glorified hike.

what was I thinking!?

Chicago Week Five

2011-08-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

8/22-8/28

Yet another week gone by. Once again I tweaked some of the mileage (mostly cutting back a couple miles here and there), but had some really great runs, including a solid 10 miles at marathon pace, a 10 miler with some fast repeats that I nailed, and a new half marathon PR at the Giants Race in San Francisco over the weekend. I was a bit disappointed at first for not hitting the 48 miles that my training plan had scheduled, but now that I'm writing this recap it's clear I still had a very successful week and mileage is not everything! Besides a fleeting IT band issue, it was a solid week that gave me a nice little confidence boost looking ahead to Chicago.

Monday
rest.

Tuesday

run: 5 mi, 9:20 avg pace.

Easy out-and-back in the am before work!

Wednesday

run: 10 mi, 9:02 avg pace.

Once again I got my medium-long mileage in by running to work. I actually felt surprisingly good, with the majority of the run around marathon pace, and the last four miles at sub-9 pace. I've found on these runs that I get faster toward the end, so I think it just takes me a few miles to get warmed up and into a rhythm. Note to self: warm-up before races! I'd left my stuff to get ready at work the night before, but I somehow forgot shoes... It actually worked out in my favor though since I'd been meaning to order some new shoes, and we just happened to have 3 pairs in stock in my size : ) When I put them on for work, I couldn't believe the difference from my old ones! I guess I just didn't realize how worn down they'd become, but these new ones felt like heaven, and I was so excited to start running in them!

Thursday

run: 10 mi, 8:55 avg pace.

I was extremely nervous about this workout: 10 miles with 5x1000m @ 5k pace. Both the overall distance (plus speedwork thrown in there!) as well as the longer intervals were a bit intimidating. I decided earlier in the week to save it for a day off. I find that I do better (or at least enjoy more) doing my faster runs in the evening, which isn't really possible on days when I work. It was another hot day, so I was happy to wait til evening to head out. I may have waited a bit too long though because just a few miles into my run the sun was already starting to set, and I ended up doing my repeats in the dark : ) It was a hot August night, but I started out feeling good. I had my new shoes on and the fresh cushioning felt ah-mazing! A few miles in, however, I got a really intense pain in what felt like my left IT band, up toward my hip. I'd rolled before my run so it seemed odd for this to flare up, but I had to stop and stretch. I tried to massage it, too, but later discovered a bruise so I think I was a little overzealous! I managed to continue to the track and once I was moving my leg didn't feel as bad.

my beloved Scotts ♥

When I got to the Sac State track my worries were confirmed - it was already locked up for the night. Not to be turned away so easily, I managed to hop the fence (in the meantime discovering that it could be pulled forward enough to slip through, negating the need for potentially dangerous fence hopping) and brake into the track! I was worried I would get caught, and had my excuses all rehearsed, but no one ever came (part way through another runner actually joined me, which made me worry a bit less). With a nice 4.5 mile warm-up I got started, a bit nervous about my IT band, but was happy to find that it actually felt better running fast! My goal was 4:40 for each 1000m (a 7:30 pace), and I nailed each one! I felt smooth and strong on every repeat, although I welcomed the 400m recovery lap between each one : ) Here are the stats:

4:25 (7:08)

4:31 (7:18)

4:30 (7:17)

4:37 (7:27)

4:33 (7:22)

Afterward I realized I only had a little over a mile left for a cool-down to get to 10 miles, so I did a final lap around the track then decided to run to my aunt's house, just under a mile from the track, rather than the 2 miles back home. It was pretty dark by then (9pm!), and I didn't want to be out on my own longer than necessary. That last mile dragged on, but I was happy to be done and called for a ride home. As much as I dread them, I love that feeling after kicking butt in a tough workout : )

Friday
rest.
My body was feeling the effects of two back-to-back 10 milers, and with my half marathon the next day rest was much needed and appreciated.

Saturday

run: 13.1 mi, 8:50 avg pace.

The Giants Race Half Marathon!
My plan called for 15 miles with 12 at marathon pace, so I planned running the race at MP and adding a couple more with a warm-up and cool-down. I ended up running the race a bit harder than planned (and PRing!), so they extra miles just didn't happen, but I was more than ok with that : )

Sunday

run: 4 mi, 9:38 avg pace.

My plan called for 6 recovery miles, and while I did slow my pace, I hit snooze one too many times and had to cut the run short to get to work on time. Whoops!

Totals:
swim - 0 yards
bike - 0 miles
run - 42.1 miles