Despite being dangerously under-trained, under-prepared, exhausted and injured, on November 2nd I ran the New York City Marathon. I did my best to suicide the mission by going out way too hard on Halloween night (I blame NY for being so fun), not sleeping more than 3 hours the night before the race and running in shoes that should have been thrown away months ago. Despite all my best efforts to sabotage, I crossed the finish line in 4:38:11, my second fastest marathon to date (by two seconds.)
As it should be in that city, the 4:38 did not come easy. New York makes you work for it. 30 mph winds, 40 degrees and a mini-marathon just to get to the start line. Usually when I cross the finish-line of a marathon, my first thought is: I am never running again and I want to collapse. This one was different. I had a huge smile on my face, I felt energized and I would have run it again the next day if someone had offered.
I am not a talented enough writer to put into eloquent words what it's like to run the New York Marathon. Nor can I explain what makes it so different than every other marathon. All I can say is if you have running a marathon on your bucket list, then New York should be it. It's not only the worlds biggest marathon, 50,000+ runners, the entire city shuts down and comes to cheer you on. It's a runners high I've never experienced. It's truly indescribable and something everyone should witness in one form or another.
I'll spare you every little detail of my trip but here's a few of the highlights leading up to the race:
Wed. night the Giants won the world series, we got covered in champagne and then I had to get on a 7am flight to NY.
I arrived late afternoon on Thursday, went to dinner with some great friends and then promptly fell asleep on their couch after watching Scandal.
Friday morning was a 3 mile shakeout run with Nuun in Central Park followed by coffee and bagels. Then we hit up the expo and the Nuun booth to pick up individualized goodie bags for all the ambassadors. Have I mentioned how much I heart Nuun? Such an awesome company, filled with the coolest of cool employees. In fact this is a good reminder that I need to restock, my stash is getting dangerously low. We checked into our Airbnb which we definitely scored with. Very nice two bedroom apartment blocks from the finish line and way more affordable then a hotel! I'd definitely use Airbnb, or even the same apartment next time I am in New York.
Expo
New York in the fall is hideous
I have no idea what is wrong with me in this picture but I am posting it anyway b/c I love the Nuunies so much!
The evening then kicked into high gear with some Top Gun costumes and getting rowdy in the village. Should I have done this two nights before a marathon? Absolutely not! But you only live once and how often am I going to be in New York with great friends on Halloween on a Friday night? Exactly.
Mav & Charlie
Saturday we brunched at took it easy which actually worked out since it was raining most of the day. We had a great pre-race dinner at OTTO, watched the Duck game and set up for the next morning. There were some last minute outfit changes since I had not come prepared for 40 degree weather with 30 mph winds.
Being the idiot that I am, I had a shot of espresso at dinner because I wanted to stay up for the whole Duck game. Mission accomplished and then some. I think I only slept 2-3 hours on Saturday night. I woke up feeling anxious and exhausted on Sunday morning. The first thing I read on my phone was the wind warning:
Just adding to the anxiety at this point
We had no choice but to put on ALL the layers on and get out there. AT 6:45 AM we navigated our way to Starbucks, on multiple subways (with some help from the locals) and on to the Staten Island Ferry. As soon as we stepped foot onto the island, the wind picked up and you could feel the chill in your bones. One long shuttle ride later, we were at the start line. I thought that we'd be sitting out there forever but the commute to the start line is no joke; all of sudden it was 10:30 AM and time to run.
It was really nice of New York to let these two homeless people run in their marathon.
After some mis-communication about where we were supposed to line up and frantic dash to strip off layers, tritreats and I toed the line ran frantically across the start line. Because I didn't really have a time goal for this race, I purposely ran without a watch so I don't have any splits or data. On top of that the entire race was a blur so I don't have tons to report but I'll breakdown what I do remember.
The two mile Varrazono-Narrows Bridge was brutal. It was so windy I was worried about blowing right off the top deck. Once we survived death by wind, I looked up and we were in Brooklyn! I was so distracted by the crowd, the music and the energy that the next 10 miles flew by. Brooklyn's got marathon cheering locked down! All of a sudden there is a one mile stretch through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood that is so quiet it's almost eerie. You go from thousands cheering you on, to nobody on the sidewalks. It's only a mile and luckily the crowds come back once you hit Queens.
It was right around this time that I started to realize something was wrong with my left ankle/shin. I had started to feel it as early as mile 5 but I thought my foot was just numb/tight and it would loosen up. Around Mile 11 I discovered that wasn't the case and this was a pain I had never felt before. It felt like a really bad shin split in only the lower half of my shin that was shooting pain down into the top of my ankle and foot. I had taken Advil before the race and it had started to wear off at this point and the pain was getting worse. I was frustrated since the rest of my body was feeling good.
Apparently cold weather running is my jam. I hydrated at every aid station like I normally would but since it was freezing, I wasn't sweating nearly as much. The entire race, I never felt dehydrated or had any stomach issues, even post race. For me that's a huge win and very uncommon. However, this ankle thing wasn't going to allow for an easy race. I kept thinking I should tell Leslie but realized that wasn't going to help anything. I knew that once I started talking about it, then it would be on my mind, I'd wallow in my misery and start to get defeated. So I ignored it as much as I could and just kept running through the pain. Not the healthiest approach but it worked for me. Don't tell my PT.
The crowds
Around Mile 16 you go over the Queensboro Bridge and into Manhattan for the first time and the crowds are electric! We saw our cheering squad, who nailed it with the signs and high-fives. I concentrated on that and getting to mile 20. Even with the pain, I just kept thinking, this is the most amazing race I've ever experienced.
Happy faces despite the pain.
The energy boost I needed at this point
At mile 20, a lone man stood on the bridge with a boombox blasting Jay-Z over his head, Say Anything style. We had made it to the Bronx. I asked Leslie how we were on time? My plan had been that if we were not on pace for her to PR, I'd let her know I was hurting and start walking. If we were on pace, I didn't want anything to bring that down. When she said 3:33, I knew I just needed to suck it up for 6 more miles. I had taken more Advil at 18 which helped. Turns out this was a blessing in disguise because post-race I realized it hurt way more to walk then to keep running.
Miles 21-26 are a total blur. The crowds were unbelievable, Central Park was beautiful and I felt a surge of energy knowing I was going to finish the NYM in a time that I could be proud of given my current conditions. I felt like we sprinted (we didn't) the last few miles as we were dodging around a bunch of walkers. I tried to soak in the entire experience. We passed our cheering section one last time and all of sudden we crossed the finish line (5 min PR for Leslie). I had a huge smile on my face and despite immediately limping, I felt like I had run a good solid race and had the experience of a lifetime. We waddled our way through the finishers chute and got our ponchos, snacks and medals before heading back to the apartment where our support crew was waiting with a six pack of IPA and a giant bag of cookies. Told you they were the best. After showering, we went immediately to Shake Shack which tasted like heaven in burger form.
Worlds best cheer crew, including MFR taking the photo and not including the dude in the green hood, he might be great I just don't know him
I flew home Monday and by the time we landed, I could barely put weight on my left foot. I've since self diagnosed myself with Extensor Tendonitis, which you get from overuse or poorly fitting shoes....ding, ding, ding. I've taken almost two weeks off from running and instead I am focusing on spin, barre and yoga classes. I think it's getting better but for now every night is spent like this:
Someone needs a pedicure
It was totally worth it to experience the wonder that is the New York Marathon! I can only hope that I get to do it again some day.
Best signs and my new favorite medal.
And if I still don't have you convinced, just watch this.....
What in the world is up blogisphere? I've officially fallen off the face of the blogging earth. I think about it every now and then in a fond memory sort of way.
Remember when I had a running blog? That was fun. It really did keep me motivated and accountable to my workout schedule. Maybe I should start writing again. Or maybe I should put down this beer and go for a run and then write about that run. Oh look someone just posted a video of dog riding around on a Roomba. <30 secs later> What was I going to do? Oh right, go for a run and blog. Well there is a game on in 90 min so I really don't have the time, but for sure I'll do it tomorrow.
You get the idea. As I said before, my motivation went from 60 to zero after Hood To Coast. In an effort to figure out why, I looked back at my races over the years. Turns out that ALL of my PR's and successful races have been in the Feb-June time frame. I am not sure exactly what that means but I think it has something to do with my brain thinking fall = football + travel (see two weeks in Europe) and not long distance training. It's not that I don't want to workout at all, I just don't want to train. I've actually been dying to do anything but run long distances. I think fall races are just not my jam. Pour some out for my bucket list fall races: Santa Barbara, CIM, Chicago etc... Going forward I think I'll plan on spring/early summer for any sort of goal or distance races, maybe a few fun ones over the summer and end my season with a group relay in the August/Sept time frame.
Nike Half SF Last Weekend
Regardless of my lack of motivation and being incredibly under-trained, I am running the New York Marathon this weekend. So that's happening. I am not nearly in the shape I was for Napa and my longest training run was 18 miles (13 of which were Nike Womens Half). I am not worried about a DNF. I know I'll finish, it's just a matter of when. I am just trying to focus on the positive. Regardless of the time, on Sunday I am going to run the New York Marathon. Even knowing it's not going to be a PR for me (currently 4:12:05), I am still really excited to experience this race. I have no idea what to plan for a goal so instead here's three goals:
Good Goal: Cross the finish-line healthy and injury free regardless of time.
Better Goal: Finish between 4:30 - 4:45
Best Goal: Finish under 4:30, I think it would take a minor miracle to get in under 4:30 but I am putting it out there
New York will be my 5th marathon overall and 3rd marathon this year. I've been trying to get into this race since 2010 and I've heard nothing but amazing things. This may be my only opportunity to run it and I want to soak it all in. Also I'll be cheering something hard for this girl to win! I adore her and am inspired daily by her choices and determination. Add to that some Nuun ambassador events, lots of good friends, Duck football and a night on the town for Halloween and I am sure it will be an epic weekend. See you on the other side.
September Workout Stats*: Running - 40 Miles Tennis - 75 min Weights - 45min
*And that is why running New York in under 4:30 will take an actual miracle
I am going to try to keep this short since I am a few races behind.
On Sunday 7/20 I ran the Napa To Sonoma Half Marathon. If you like wine, beautiful scenery and running then this race should be on your bucket list. If you hate wine and feeling like you're in a postcard then this race would be your nightmare and also we shouldn't ever hang out. I didn't have a stellar performance myself but I still can't get over what an awesome course and race this was. First off, the organization on race day exceeded my expectations. We parked down by the finish line, loaded onto a shuttle and were dropped off at Domaine Carneros.
On the Napa-Sonoma Line. Very similar to the Florida-Georgia Line.
The scenery was unbelievable. You literally start in the middle of a vineyard, where I watched the Oiselle ladies and Lauren Fleshman warm up around the lake while Meb did laps on the Elliptigo. It was one of those is-this-real-life-? race moments.
Just chillin in a vineyard waiting to run 13.1
This race was made even better by the fact that I somehow convinced MFR to join me very last minute - thanks to a bib transfer. Besides doing Hood To Coast every year, MFR is not a big distance runner. He prefers training for Oly tri's, basketball, tennis, golf...just about anything other than running past that 6.2 mile mark. So the fact that he ran N2S the weekend before doing another half in Eugene is nothing short of a miracle. The alternative of having breakfast with my 96 year old Grandma while I ran might have also swayed his decision.
To save you the mile by mile replay, I'll just say the race went okay. I was really full again, as in this must be what it feels like to run pregnant feeling. I just ate way too much the night before and the morning of. I was running on tired legs and had to walk some in the last 3 miles. I also stopped at the lone beer stand for a shot of Guinness at mile 11. Why not?
I pushed through the last few miles and ended with a 2:04, a few seconds off my Zooma time. As long as I live in the Bay Area, this race will be an annual tradition. Honestly I don't think it gets much better as far as courses and scenery go. I think it sells out day of as well so if you're interested, stay on it!
Wine medal #2
Next up was Eugene this past Sunday (7/26). It was a weekend filled with friends, family and reminiscing in my "hometown." The race itself was great, I've always loved Eugene marathon. It's a good course, good size and finishing on Hayward Field is surreal. I was having too much fun to be bothered with photos but here are the two horrible pics I took all weekend:
This was my 3rd time running Eugene (2008,2009) and my fastest to date. For the 3rd week in a row I ended up within a 30 second window with a time of 2:05, a few seconds off N2S. The not so funny part was I thought I had Sub 2'ed. I ran Garmin-less with two friends and although we chatted the entire time, I thought we were going at a pretty good clip. I should have known better since I normally can't hold a conversation and run at the same time.
When I found out it was 2:05 I was shocked but not that disappointed. It was a great weekend and fun race and that's what I expected on my tired legs. At least I am consistent. Afterwards I ate ALL the pancakes, showered up and met up with these two for ReNUUNion beers!
After 3 half marathons in 4 weeks, I am ready to concentrate on Hood To Coast and New York. I am starting with a good base and now it's time to focus on the marathon. I'll worry about that Sub-2, PR'ing the half etc... after November 2nd.
I am coming for you NY - Actually looking at this photo makes me think I should reconsider this PR goal.
Last year I had the honor of sharing a stinky, sweaty van with five amazing women on the Nuun HTC team. One of those women was Sarah who blew me away with her running ability. She was runner 5 which is the hardest of the entire race, 25 miles with some crazy-ass hills. I watched this quiet, shy girl jump out of the van and just dominate her first leg. Fast forward to her third/last leg at which point, I could barely walk and was thinking, how could anyone do 3 miles of straight up climbing at this point? We passed Sarah in the van and everyone exclaimed, "look how fast she's going, she is owning this hill." Our disbelief lasted that entire climb as Sarah showed us what a strong runner looks like when they are in the zone. It was amazing to witness that kind of determination and pure joy when she reached the summit.
I love this pic! Sarah at the summit running through our power arch. Note - I couldn't even be bothered to raise my arms all the way as she's dominating 600ft. of elevation.
It's no coincidence that after 6 years of HTC, this is the year I am finally tackling Runner 5. Sarah is pure inspiration in every sense. As I got to know her I was even more impressed, she's overcome and persevered through a lot in her life. You can read her very honest full story here on her eloquently written blog (unlike this one.)
Besides being an incredible runner, she's also an incredible mom and woman. Sarah's son Jack was born with a congenital birth defect. The strength and determination she has showed to treat her son and care for her family is unbelievable. And it didn't stop there. Sarah has raised thousands for the hospital where her son was treated all while training for a BQ, which she accomplished at the Sugerloaf Marathon last month. There are no words to describe the amount of respect I have for this girl. Sarah is one of nine finalists for the Women's Running Magazine Cover Model Contest. I can think of nobody more deserving or fit to be a role model and grace the cover of a magazine met to inspire women runners. If that's not enough, she's also just an awesome person who you'd want to hangout and drink microbrews with, so vote for Sarah! You can vote daily until July 2nd so set a reminder:
Monday 5/19: Lunch Spin Class - only got in 13.2 miles but better than nothing Tuesday 5/20: Morning run - 5 miles easy (felt harder then it should have) Wednesday 5/21: November Project - 2 miles of running and 30 min of Death Monopoly Thursday 5/22: Lunch Yoga - 60 min power vinyasa Friday 5/23: November Project hills - 4.5 miles total (2 miles of hills/stairs) Saturday 5/24 - REST Sunday 5/25 - Unplanned rest due to oversleeping and wine tasting winning out:) Total: 24 miles + yoga + 30 min strength I didn't have any daily doubles but I felt good getting in something every day during the week. I am trying to take it kind of easy this week since I woke up with a half cold. You know the drill, half cold = sore throat, stuffed up and weak but not bad enough to actually "be sick." I ran yesterday but begrudgingly took today off since this morning I felt worse. Hoping to feel up for a short run and some yoga tomorrow. Hydrating On the good news front, all the things I love in the world are coming together. I was so excited when I heard about Kara Goucher and Oiselle were teaming up, what could possibly be better? Then this happened:
Kara + Nuun. I could not be more ecstatic about this partnership. My favorite runner partnering with one of the coolest companies and kick ass products around. It's too good to be true. Plus now we are totes teammates. That's how that works right? To share in the excitement and spread the #nuunlove, you can use this discount code: MAY14NUUN for 20% orders through June 6th. This can not be used with any other discount.
Carb Loading
And just when I thought my little world of endurance had peaked, I received this e-mail:
CONGRATS! You made the cut!
So, WELCOME! We're stoked to have you on the team and look forward to an awesome first season of Team10Barrel!
We'll be following up about kits and you'll be receiving your Team10Barrel box in the mail within 6 weeks. Expect to hear lots from us in the coming weeks but for now, go crush a beer!
My favorite brewery,10 Barrel in Bend OR decided to put together and sponsor a team of mountain bikers, road bikers, triathletes etc... to represent them and I made the team. You may recognize 10 Barrel since I've posted about them just a few times: like here, here and all up and down Instagram. I have a minor love affair with their Apocalypse IPA and OG and Project Failed and....all their beers. If you've ever had the pleasure of sipping their sweet sweet microbrews, you get it. I know I haven't posted my bucket list on the blog yet but if I had you would see:
#51. Get sponsored by a brewery - preferably 10 Barrel
Consider that item checked. They are still working out all the specifics but the short of it is I'll be racing in their kit and preaching my love for their beer (which I was already doing). In turn we get some pretty sweet perks and to be part of an awesome group of athletes. I am so thankful to be part of this community of 10 Barrel athletes who already have shown they are legit competitors and pretty rad individuals that you'd want to spend some time with. To say I am excited to be rep'ing a company where I already LOVE their beer product and their culture would be the understatement of the century. I am f'ing stoked! Plus this means incentive to go to Bend even more than I already do. Also for you Portlanders, their Portland Pub is said to open by the end summer.
As the e-mail states - To celebrate, go crush a beer! You know that's what I'll be doing. It's only a half cold.
Happy Marathon Monday to all! I woke up at 5:30 am in order to caffeinate properly before the Boston feed went live at 6:30 am. This was especially tough after going to bed very late due to the Blazer playoff game going into overtime. Way tougher than actually running 26.2. I am all hopped up on sports and emotions. I just want to run around and talk with whoever will listen about Shalane, Meb, Team Hoyt, the runners who carried the man across the finish, the beauty that is the Boston Marathon and taking back the finish.
Today's outfit (thanks So Cal travel, my skin is no longer translucent)
Instead of creeping everyone out by doing that, I've instead decided to take a look at my week ahead. I am finally back in town (until Sat) and need to log some miles on the spin bike and hours on the yoga mat if I am going to beat my March totals. I should also be tapering since I am running Big Sur Marathon on Sunday. No big deal. It just sorta snuck up on me. I've had a very lazy relaxed approach to this marathon, only doing two double digit runs since Napa and not mentally preparing at all. It hit me this morning while watching others cross the finish line that I am also running a marathon this week and that is in fact a big deal.
The good news is every person I mention the race to has the exact same response: "don't push for a PR on this course, just take your time and soak in the scenery." So that's my plan. I am going to let Leslie set the pace and I'll try and stay steady and have fun. And maybe even take a picture or two; first time for everything. The weather is predicted to be low 60's, cloudy and a 20% chance of rain. Should make for great conditions if that holds true.
Excited to see these views
I am not going to "taper" since I don't have anything to taper down from. I'll do a few very short runs this week + yoga and spin. This lackadaisical approach will be coming to an end soon. I've got some ambitious goals for my running over the next few months. Many of which were spurred by watching Boston this morning. I always find it mind-blowing when runners say, "even if I qualified I wouldn't want to do Boston." I just don't understand that mindset. How could you not want to experience THE race and be part of that community? I may not get there until I am in my 50's but I know someday I'll be there and I will look forward to and strive for that moment with every step I run.
A huge CONGRATULATIONS to my Nuun Hood To Coast teammates: Jenny, Meghan B. and Megan H. who ran some seriously speedy marathons. These girls are legit runners and people who inspire me daily. Congrats to all three of you and everyone else who ran Boston today.
Besides a short run and yoga class, I've taken the last week and a half off to let myself recover properly post marathon. I am already anxious to get back running. Despite my lack of sweat; I do have some random updates to share.
I am participating in the Zooma photo a day challenge via Instagram. Each day has a different theme and they are giving out a pair of Altra running shoes every Friday. I've missed the past two days due to work travel distractions but I'll be back with a vengeance for today's hydrate theme. Nuun anyone?
Speaking of Nuun; they are being pretty awesome lately. New product launch - Nuun Energy. I bought the sampler pack and will be reporting back soon but considering I love Nuun and caffeine, it's sure to impress. Also, they are giving away a team entry to (the sold out) Hood To Coast 2014. It's no secret that I love me some HTC, we're going on year 7. The downside is it's a pain in the ass to get into and it's expensive, so Nuun has solved that. Details are here and you have to enter by Monday March, 17th.
Nuun Energy
I finally got a new pair of running shoes yesterday. Sticking of course with my one true love/worlds best running shoe, the Brooks Launch. My old pair were about 300 miles past their prime and about 200 days bast their ripeness. They got me through three Sub- 2 Hour half-marathons, a half marathon PR and a marathon PR. Launch purple/silver ya done good. It's the end of an era but it's time to move on to the caribbean/silver/coral (aka the only color they currently have in my size).
Welcome Home
While I was purchasing these bad boys, I saw on the Brooks blog that they are requesting race medals which they are going to build a massive runner shaped statue out of at their new building in Seattle. Details are here on how you can become part of Brooks history. I've already sent my Mountains To Beach medal in. And when I say "my" I mean MFR's since he also did that race and I can't part with any of my hard earned medals so I used his "duplicate." He'll never even notice.
Although I've been laying low on the workouts, I have been following along with the Lorna Jane March Ab Challenge. It only takes me a few minutes each morning and I can already feel a difference.
Finally February stats:
Running: 84 Miles
Spinning: 29 Miles
Weights: 45 min
Yoga: 1 Hour
Not stellar but it was enough for a marathon PR so I'll take it.
I did it! After 3+ years of talking about it, I finally ran another marathon and met my goal of a sub 4:30. In fact I killed my goal and ran a 4:12, which I didn't think I was capable of. I love when I surprise myself. I thought a sub 4:30 was possible and maybe a little better but not a 26 min PR - 1 min for every mile ran. The race itself is already a blur and I am having a hard time believing it happened. This post race loss of memory only seems to happen when I run a really good race. If I have a bad race, I can recall each disappointing mile in detail.
Here's what I do remember. It was hard, I had really sore/tight muscles after mile 7ish, it rained (which is why I have NO photos), the last 8 miles were tough, I need a better sports bra (race pics confirmed this), it went by really fast, it was a beautiful course and I made a lot of mental deals with myself (i.e. run to the next milepost and you can walk for 30 sec) to get to the finish in under 4:15.
After walking over 5 miles on Saturday (don't ask) I started to question if I really could run a 4:30. My muscles were sore and tight from the sports massage and the stupidly long walk. As I was packing, I opened a new box of my favorite Salted Carmel Gu and found the Golden Yeti (which means I won a free 24 back of more SC Gu + a chance to win a weekend trip to San Francisco, oh wait...).
Salty for the win.
We finally got out to Napa around 6:00pm on Saturday night, the expo was over but packet pickup was still open. This is where finally started to get excited for the race and mentally engage. I got checked in and then they handed me my gear bag. Woah, woah, woah....what is this? Apparently I had missed all the hype about how great the swag bags were. To be clear the swag was nice, your normal samples, chips, bars etc... but the actual bag was what had me questioning if there was a mistake.
It's the little things.
Not too shabby for a gear bag.
After check-in we headed back to Sonoma for the night where a comedy of errors took place which included jumping my car 3 seperate times, getting stuck out in the rain and ending up at a restaurant with no real "carbs" on the menu besides beer. I ended up with a quinoa salad and a fish taco. After 4 days of no booze I gave in and had half a beer on race eve. Before you say a word, it was Pliny The Elder ON TAP, exceptions had to be made. For you non-beer drinkers, this is like stumbling across a race entry to Boston.
On race day, I woke up at 3:45am and began the ritual. Coffee, bagel, Justins, Nuun, Bodyglide, triple check everything and out the door. After a 20 min drive to Napa, I parked at the high school no problem, grabbed my bag and headed over to the shuttles. In this race everyone takes buses up to Calistoga since there is no parking. I grabbed a seat next to a guy from Monterey who had turned 60 the day before and to celebrate he was running his first marathon in hopes of qualifying for Boston where he was originally from. I love this sport!
After a 30 min drive or so 25+ school buses rolled up in the middle of surrounding vineyards. It was just about this point when I realized just how well organized this race was. A volunteer got on the bus and said portas are this way (and there was no line) and that the buses would all be staying until the 7AM race start so were welcome to stretch, hang out and stay warm until minutes before. I ate two fruit leathers, finished my nuun and stretched out. As I am writing this I am realizing just how much fiber I ate in that 24 hours pre-race. Probably a good reason my stomach did not feel great after the race. Noted.
At 6:55 I checked my bag and lined up and right on time we were off. As soon as I crossed the start line I told myself to slow down. My biggest fear was going out too fast. I tried to just shuffle along with the pack and take it easy. This course was perfect since the first 7 miles are rollers so it just kept me going a good steady pace. I told myself to get to 7 and then I could pick it up. Obviously I ran miles 4 and 5 faster than I intended but still felt good about containing my pace.
Mile 1- 9:48
Miel 2- 9:30
Mile 3- 9:18
Mile 4- 8:53
Mile 5- 8:54
Mile 6- 9:08
Mile 7- 9:28
Pre-Rain
I was told at 7 that the majority of the hills would be over so that was where my speed up plan would go into action. At this point two things happened. It started raining misting and I realized just how sore my muscles were already. Every step was a reminder of the tightness; I felt strong but like I could be snapped in half. I questioned if I could keep it up so I made a deal with myself. Just get to 20 and then we'll see what's what. Don't walk or slow down. You did 20 twice in training; you can do it now.
Mile 8- 8:46
Mile 9- 8:55
Mile 10- 9:04
Mile 11- 9:04
Mile 12- 9:05
Mile 13- 9:11
Mile 14- 9:11
Mile 15- 9:11
Mile 16- 9:28
Mile 17- 9:21
Mile 18- 9:01
At 18.5 or so I saw MFR and stopped to say hi eat a handful of chocolate covered pretzels. I started up again and saw a hill straight ahead. I still had 20 in my head but that was the first official time I walked (besides aid stations). It was maybe only 30 seconds but it set the tone for the next few miles and they were rough. Mentally 19-23 were the worst miles. I was still checked in but I was wet, chaffing and knew I was slowing way down. Once I got to 20 I took another walk break and started to do the math. I figured even if I walked the last 10K I'd break 4:30. I knew a sub 4:15 was possible but I didn't let myself think about it I hit 23. It's amazing what gets you through at this point. I'd tell myself to run to "that tree" and then walk or run 1.5 miles and regardless of the target I could usually do it.
Mile 19- 9:53
Mile 20- 9:37
Mile 21- 11:29
Mile 22- 10:35
Mile 23- 10:35
At mile 23 ish a group of locals were handing out little cups of homemade sorbet. I took 3. Even though it was raining and cold, those flavored icy treats were the best things I had ever tasted. I looked at my watch one last time at 23 and knew I could potentially get sub 4:15. I was already celebrating that I would accomplish my goal. Obviously being close to the finish pumped me up. Once I slow down I have a very hard time ever getting my pace back up. Looking at my splits, I am more proud of miles 25 & 26 then any others. I sprinted through the finish with my hands over my head, feeling like i left it all out there.
Mile 24- 11:23
Mile 25- 9:54
Mile 26- 9:59
.4 - 3:50
I once again ran a positive split which is not ideal but knowing how hard the last 10K of a marathon is, I feel like I ran the best I could. There is definite room for improvement but for now I'am just going to bask in the glow of my 4:12.
What it looked like when others crossed the finish line:)
Race Review: I can't say enough good things about this race. It should be on every runners race bucket list. The scenery can not be beat; rolling hills, surrounded by vineyards and oak trees the entire time. For anyone who has done Hood To Coast, a lot of the course reminded of being out past Mist on the narrow coastal highway. For a lot of the time we were running single file which also felt like HTC.
The organization was the best I've seen and I really enjoyed the small 2700 person field. Aid stations were every two miles and had gatorade and water at each. They had actual catchers (a la Ironman) at the finish line to take care of each runner individually as they crossed. I had the nicest man congratulate me, get me a heat sheet, a water and medal and verify I didn't need medical before he want on to the next person. The only downside was not being able to use headphones - though I didn't even notice and the course is not very spectator friendly. The Silverado trail is closed to traffic and there are not a lot of access points but it made the areas that did have crossroads fun to run through because hundreds of spectators would be gathered there cheering, it gave you little bursts of energy.
If you're even kind of considering this race, just do it! I promise you won't be sorry. This is hands down my favorite marathon I've ever seen or participated in. I love that it's just a marathon too, no half option. Through May 31st, it's only $100 to register (includes your shuttle to Calistoga) which these days is unheard of. Especially considering the sweet race bag. I believe it sold out around October last year. Mark your calendars, race day is March 1st, 2015. Most likely I'll see you there.
This is officially the worlds longest week and I think it has something to do with the fact that I am running a marathon on Sunday. It's no big deal, it's just another run. At least that's what it looks like to an outsider this week. Besides obsessive hydrating and a painful sports massage (that had me in tears and begging for mercy), I've done absolutely nothing as far as preparation goes. Each day I am thinking about the race but my stream of consciousness reads something like this:
Wow it's Wednesday I should probably start changing my eating habits for the race...is that an open bag of oreos...oh well that's what taper is for right...I wonder what my pace has to be to run a sub 4:30...I should probably look that up...what am I am going to do with no music...when does packet pickup end on Sat...I should probably look that up....marathons are too far, that last bit is going to suck....look at me drinking water and taking vitamins....yes I would like to go to In-N-Out with you for lunch...hope my knee holds up...that massage was so painful...is it good to get a massage like that so close to race day....I probably should have looked that up....where should we stay Sat night....maybe Sonoma at Grandmas...I should probably call her....god I hope I run a sub 4:30....what should I wear...maybe I should check the weather...I bet we have to be on the shuttle really early...I should probably look that up.
You get the idea. For a type-A planner on most things, races seem to bring out the type-Z in me. Yet my best races have been the ones I don't think about at all over think so you gotta stick with what works.
I have been foam rolling daily and hydrating like a pro. Today through race day is no booze and an attempt at healthy carbs and proteins. Lunch was a great start. The chocolate chip cookie it came with was not.
Dino kale salad w/tofu from The Plant. My favorite $14 salad out there.
Taper week really does make you feel off. I am tired, starving and antsy which are all signs of a good taper. I had planned on a few more workouts this week but after an awesome 7 mile #runch on Monday with the SweatGuru team my knee felt a little off. I immediately scheduled a massage for Tuesday night and although it feels way better I thought it best not to push it. I am going to do an EASY 4 miler on the treadmill tonight and then call it good. Stretching - rolling - hydrating - walking will be my mantra for the next 48 hours.
This will be my third marathon overall. My last one was in 2010, in the pouring rain and I managed a 4:38 (35 min faster than my 1st marathon). I am a much better runner now so that 8 min doesn't seem like it should be that tough but in my pledge to respect the distance, I know I it will be. It's a marathon and they are hard but I am ready to run a smart race and enjoy the miles. As long as I can contain my speed for the first few miles and keep a consistent pace, I don't see any reason I shouldn't be able to accomplish my goal. I just have to remember to breathe and maybe check to see what time I should be on the shuttle. See you on the other side - with a glass of wine in hand.
My only hope for this race was to come in Sub - 2 hours since that's what my Sub-4:30 Marathon Training plan said should be my goal. Who am I to argue? My head/heart wasn't really in it all week. I was traveling for work and my training took a hit. To make up for that I did a nine miler on Thurs and a spin class on Saturday. Probably not the smartest thing to do the day before a race. I went out late on Saturday night, had a few drinks and way too much pizza. Around 9pm I realized I didn't have a plan for getting there, hadn't looked at the weather, didn't know what I was going to wear etc.... needless to say I was incredibly unprepared. I even considered calling it at one point but a quick text from JW who was still planning to go, made me suck it up - sort of.
Race morning I woke up at 4:30 AM to something pounding on our window. Is it raining? You've got to be f'ing kidding me. It's been clear and 60's for weeks - hello, CA drought. Not only was it raining it was down pouring. I got up to get coffee and Nuun around 5:30 AM and got back in bed. I texted JW to see if she had reconsidered. She was still planning to go. Damn! I finally got up around 6:30 and ran around trying to figure out what to wear, what to eat etc... After yelling at my phone because Uber wasn't working, I threw a map at MFR and said here's the race route, plan on being at the finish around 10. His response was, is it raining? I growled at him and ran out the door.
Walking to the start -well this is a horrible idea
January Workout Stats:
4 weight sessions Running: 88 Miles Spinning: 43.85 Total: 132 Miles
Nutrition - C
Hydration - B
It's not perfect but it's headed in the right direction. Last week was rough with the travel and all day meetings. I did manage to fit in 9 miles with one of my Nuun HTC Teammates around the Davis campus, which was immediately followed by In-N-Out, hence the nutrition grade.
#2 Animal Style
As for trying new things in January, I feel like I nailed that one. I played my first round of 18 holes of golf, bought a Fitbit (review to follow) and went to a SoulCycle class. I've been hearing for months that I just had to try Soulcycle and that it's the best workout ever. I finally decided to see what it was all about. The text I sent J-Dub post class since she was also debating trying one: Initial thoughts: Mix of yoga shavasana and intense music video/body pumping exercises. In the dark which is kind of nice. Good workout-dripping sweat but the spin class at my gym is almost just as good minus the weights so not worth $30. Maybe once a month or so with friends. Not too cult-ish except when the instructor starts chanting and saluting.
SoulCycle SF
If you haven't done one, here are a few things to know before you go:
Bikes are VERY close together so just plan on being crammed in there
You can reserve your bike online - I suggest one near the back/fan for your first class and not directly in front of a speaker (so loud)
It starts in the dark and stays pretty dimly lit the entire time
You will sweat profusely
It's $30 per class plus $2 for shoes if you need to rent them
They have lockers for your stuff and the instructor will get you set up for your first class
They do an arm series with weights while on your bike. I had 2 lb. weights which seemed like a good place to start and my muscles were definitely burning.
There is a lot of jumps, pumping etc... that if you're not used to could be tough to follow and keep up with.
I was worried about the cultiness of the class. Everyone who goes seems to wear the logo-wear non-stop and talk about how it's the only acceptable workout. Luckily, the instructors were nice and I didn't feel too intimidated. I get the draw and it was a good workout but not life-changing. Again I already have the worlds best spin class so I was able to keep up with everything and it was very similar to my regular Monday class. If you had only done your average 24-hour Fitness spin class before this, I can see why it would be so addicting. I liked the addition of weights and the meditation in the dark. I still think the price is ridiculous but considering every class seems to sell out, people are clearly willing to pay it. Unless friends were going I'll probably just stick with my Monday class.
Has anyone else tried SoulCycle? What did you think?
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