Stats & Desperate Attempt To Motivate

July Stats:
Weights/Core/Nov. Project: 80 min
Running: 54 Miles
Spin: 24 Miles
Yoga: 50 Min
Tennis: 2 Hours
Total: 78 Miles + 4 hours 10 min 

August Stats:
Weights/Core/Nov. Project: 65 min
Running: 64 Miles
Spin: 14 Miles
Total: 78 Miles + 65 min

Everything was down from June except Core/Nov Project and Tennis because it's never been on there. Mileage wise these are the lowest months all year.  I need to start "really" training for New York. Nothing like starting your 16 week training plan at week 9.  I am not starting from zero but I've been VERY unmotivated since Hood To Coast.  There are just other things I'd rather be doing then running - tennis, golf, watching football, traveling, drinking beer, eating food, drinking wine, watching more football, hanging out with friends and watching football.  I keep saying this is my retirement marathon (for awhile) so I'd like to run it well.  But if you add my lack of motivation to the fact that I've been traveling 4 weekends in a row and I am about to leave for Europe for 2+ weeks, the Sub 4 dream has come and gone.  I still have a very small amount of hope for a PR to end my marathon-ing on a high note IF I can get my ass in gear this week today.

Also I suck at blogging lately.  I just don't seem to have the inspiration or energy to put in to it.  I'am not even interested in reading other running blogs lately.  Clearly I am in full burnout mode but I need to woman up for one last race before I start pursuing other interests. I've waited 4 years for this race so it would be so stupid to waste this opportunity.

I keep planning on writing something interesting and giving this blog a refresh but it's just not happening.  I am literally boring myself while typing this sentence.  So to keep with the craptastic content that's been on here lately, I present 10 things you could care less about need to know about my life right now:

1. In Week 4 of not NY training, I had a minor scare with a popped SIJ . Turns out that all my right leg issues (knee, ankle, SIJ) are all stemming from a horribly weak right glute.  
2. I am now in physical therapy 1-2 times a week.  I had never been to a PT before but so far I am a fan.  Luckily my PT is willing to work with my (non) training and made a deal that I have to do these daily exercises before I am allowed to run.  She's no nonsense and says thing like "typical fucking runner" in response to my comments of, "no I didn't see anyone, I just took Advil." Also, PT is hard. I leave sweating and I am always sore for multiple days after.
3. MFR and I ate healthy the month of August which meant: no cheese, no beer (exception of 2 cheat days - HTC & Bend Brewfest), low carbs, minimal sweets and portion control.  I did pretty good but I am glad it's over. 
4. It's FINALLY sunny in SF and that makes me happy.
5. Football season is here which means Sat, Sun, Mon and sometimes Thurs I am booked
6. Besides one other weekend in the beginning of August, this will be my first full weekend in San Francisco in over 14 weeks
7. After Tour de Europe we made a deal not to travel for a few months (other than work trips, holidays and the NY Marathon...but other than that)
8. We ran Hood to Coast and per usual it was a great time.  Leslie has a good recap.  In summary, I not only survived Leg 5 but ran the best I've ever ran HTC.  It was a great feeling to finally run a good even relay and know I put everything into each leg.

   

   Entire team at the finish line!

9. I blame the high of HTC for my lack of excitement for New York.
10. This announcement helped!

And because I need it, I am posting this again:

June Stats, Running Lately & Official NYM Kickoff

June Totals:
Running: 55 Miles
Cycling: 37 Miles
Spin: 65 Miles
Cross/Core/Abs: 45 Min
Weights: 35 Min
Yoga: 2 Hours
Total: 157 Miles

June was big month for me!  I felt strong and like I got a good mix of activities in.  Highest mileage month in 2014 so far.

When I originally signed up for 3 half marathons (Zooma, N2S & Eugene) in 4 weeks my goal was to sub 2 all of them.  That didn't happen.  I came in at 2:04 for both Zooma & N2S and I am expecting something similar for Eugene this weekend.  The problem is not that I am out of shape or under-trained.  The problem is Hood To Coast!  What the what you say?  Sounds crazy but let me explain.

I am so terrified of that Runner 5 slot in HTC that I refuse to let myself taper or rest up for any of these races.  I have this nagging voice in the back of my head saying "running a half on tired legs will be the best training, think about how you'll feel climbing the mountain on your third leg."

Leg 3  - After having already run 14 miles (photocred/stolenfrom: OuaL)

I ran on tired legs for Zooma and then had a bad two weeks as far as training goes (selling a house, sinus infection etc...).  On Thursday, I considered just not working out and saving my legs for N2S but that voice came back.  So on Friday I ran lots-o-hills with November Project (Hills = Leg 5 Training), played 2 hours of tennis with MFR on Sat and then ran 13.1 on Sunday.  It's not ideal but it just makes sense to me right now so don't question.

Lyon St. Steps - The "Hill" we ran over and over again on Friday.

How can you say no to tennis with views like that?

This weeks plan consists of two Nov. Project workouts (hills & stairs), yoga, three short runs and a spin class all before taking on Eugene on Sunday.  Although I would still LOVE to Sub-2, I am not putting the pressure on.  My legs will be very tired once again, plus 95 degree weather is predicted.  Sub 2:05 is just fine by me.  I am looking forward to the race and my mini family run-union.  I haven't run Eugene since 2009; it will be good to be back in town for something other than football.

Last week was the official kick off of New York Marathon training, which is crazy to think about.  I have so much going on before November 2nd, that I can't comprehend it's only 15 weeks away.  I have seven trips (yes, seven) and three races before I get to NY.  Once I get passed HTC, my plan is to stay 100% focused on NY.  I've got a big goal and it's going to take a lot to accomplish it, especially considering the amount of travel I have.  Since it took me 4 years just do get into this race, I don't want to waste this opportunity.

I am using a similar training plan as Napa Valley Marathon.  Since I had N2S this past weekend and I have Eugene Half Marathon this weekend, I haven't followed the plan exactly but starting next week (week 3) I'll be on track + yoga, spin, core and hills (until HTC).  New York I am coming for you - Sub 4 or bust!

Bay To Breakers - The Mardi Gras of Footraces

On May 18th I ran Bay To Breakers.  It's a 12K race from the San Francisco Bay, through the city to the Pacific Coast's Ocean Beach.  It's also the oldest consecutively run annual footrace in the world and is a staple to San Francisco both for the race and the party.  Unless you've seen it, it's hard to explain but here's my list of the top 10 things that make B2B so unique:

1. Only 35,000 actually register for the race but close to 100K participate in some way.  Either by running/walking portions of it, spectating, finish-line party, house parties along the route or running/walking the entire thing as rogue participants.
2. There is A LOT of drinking involved - I was offered at least four different kinds of alcohol before I even entered the start corral.  I declined because I was actually looking to run it and unidentifiable liquids from a Stranger Dangers Camelback usually doesn't end well.
3. The costumes are out of control.  You will see the most creative and amazing costumes which include huge groups, theme music, floats etc...

   

   Muppets

   

   Even playing the Tetris music 

4. You will see a lot of nudity.  I was in corral B which means the majority of the madness was behind me.  Yet I counted 24 fully naked runners during my seven miles.  This does not include the hundreds that were mostly nude.
5. Hayes St. Hill is no joke.

   

   There is a hill challenge mid race as well - timed separately

6. Despite the madness it's a beautiful course that takes you past some iconic SF sites and quite a few elites show up to run B2B.

   

   Alamo Square Park

7. Tortilla Toss - For some reason it's always been tradition to throw tortillas in the air to pass time when you're waiting to cross the start line.  Picture hundreds of tortillas flying through the air.

   

   The aftermath

8. Centipede Division - There is a separate division where you run as a team of 13 people who are connected as a unit.  Apparently it's pretty competitive too.  There is a Head Pede, a pacer/floater in case someone has to drop and B2B is the official World Centipede Running Championship.

   

   Mens LinkedIn Team

9. It's got some great history - Not only is the oldest consecutive race, at  one point it was the largest footrace in the world with 110,000 registrants.  Now there is a race in Australia that's bigger and B2B official numbers have dropped since most don't register.  It was started in 1912 as a way to lift the cities spirits after the 1906 earthquake and it's a point of pride for SF residents.
10. The Spawning Salmon - The salmon have always been my favorite part!  Every year a huge group dresses like salmon and runs the course backwards (upstream).  It's amazing to watch them navigate through thousands of people in the opposite direction.  It's hilarious and their costumes are pretty legit.  I got really excited when I saw them around Mile 3ish this year.

    

    These spawners couldn't handle the current

    
    

    

    At least they get to go down Hayes Hill instead of up

It's such a bizarre mix of partiers, families and serious runners in a Mardi Gras like atmosphere. When I was in high school my dad would bring my brother and I down from OR to go to a Giants game and run B2B.  I hadn't seen or experienced it since then - 20 years ago.  My plan was to run it with the caveat that I knew it would be slow so I'd try to take in the experience.  It was a bad plan, I should have done one or the other.

For future years I'll plan on running or experiencing but not both.  I think the best way to do B2B is to line up in corral A and actually try to race the course as much as possible.  Or go all out in costumes, with drinks and friends and just take your time while enjoying the madness and house parties along the way.

This year I was a tweener in B2B purgatory.  I didn't have a costume (lame) and was in Corral B which meant I was in the thick of it all for the first few miles.  I heard from some runner friends that Corral A is the only option if you want to actually run the course.  Corral B made for tons of stopping because it was so crowded.  Even when I was running it was only shuffling since there were so many people.  Once I got to Hayes Hill, it really thinned out and became mostly runners but at that point I had already been stopping to talk with people, take pics etc... so I was in a non-race mind frame.  I wanted to turn around and head back to see all the non-runners come through. I didn't but I wanted to.

If you are a purist runner and don't like being around intoxicated people in a giant street party then this is not the race for you. Personally I think it should be on every runners bucket list just for the experience. Some of the things you just have to see to believe.  It's a blast and I will definitely participate in some form as long as I live in this city!

UA Shirt & Finishers Medal

Overall Time: 1:19:04
Pace: 10:37 min/mile
Gender Place: 2317 / 15,073 - gives you an idea of how many actually run

In other news:

May Stats:
Running: 35 Miles
Spin: 52 Miles
Weights/HIT: 1.5 hours
Yoga: 2 hours
Total Miles: 87

Big Sur recovery plus a week of illness made for a really light run month but  I stepped up my spinning and got in some good core training.  June is looking to be much higher mileage and I am officially back on the bike, as in outside.  Mind. Blown.  Now if I could just find my way back into the pool.

When Awesomeness Collides: Hydrating & Carb Loading

Last weeks workouts looked like this:

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 Team 10 Barrel! 

We'll be following up about kits and you'll be receiving your Team 10 Barrel 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.

April Stats and May Training Plans

I had a weekend filled of running, getting sh** done around our place, watching lots of shenanigans go down at Bay To Breakers* and celebrating with friends.

April Stats
Running: 81.7 Miles
Biking: 46.7 Miles
Yoga/Bar Method: 1 hour, 45 min
Weights: 50 min
Total Miles: 128

I beat my March stats in every category but yoga.  Damn. I've knocked down my running mileage and am concentrating on speed and shorter distances for the upcoming Zooma Napa Valley and Eugene Half Marathon's.  My goal is to Sub 2 both and PR one of them.

I've always been a runner who thinks that it's all or nothing when it comes to getting out the door. Meaning, if I don't have time to get in the 10 miles on my schedule then I don't do it at all.  This is a similar mentality I have with blogging.  Also I never saw the point of getting all sweaty if it wasn't going to be 5 + miles.  A lot of weeks this left me only running twice because that's when I made the time.   I am going with a new approach for this training cycle.  Running 4 times a week: one long, one track workout and two short runs (3-4 miles).  I am working hard on creating good habits (daily flossing, taking vitamins etc...) and consistency and repetition is the only thing that keeps me on track so I am applying this groundbreaking philosophy to running.  Here's what a typical week's training plan looks like:

Monday - Spin Class
Tuesday - 4 miles easy, lunch yoga + weights
Wednesday - REST/November Project* when I can get my ass out of bed
Thursday - Track Workout (4-8 miles w/ tempo in the middle) + weights
Friday - 3 miles easy or November Project hills
Saturday - REST
Sunday - Long Run

*More to come on November Project SF and Bay To Breakers.  Both deserve their own posts.

I am going to stick with this schedule until Zooma and then reevaluate before Eugene.

How many days a week do you run?  

Gluten is in what?

Because I like traditions, I am once again sick during race week; specifically SF RNR half race week.  Last year I didn't have a voice during this race and it looks like we might be headed in that direction again.  Sleep has been fairly non-existent since I've been up coughing up a lung the last few nights, so I am super cranky, sick and tired.  Good times for everyone around me.

<End bitching scene>

I called my doctor to see if I could try and stop this half marathon virus before it started.  While on the phone he mentioned a test I need to get done (it's no biggie just based on family history) and have been putting off for sometime.  Here is what followed:

Doc: You know you have to schedule said test
Me: Okay fine let's put it on the calendar
Doc: Depending on the results I may recommend a gluten free or dairy free diet
Me: Gluten huh? Well I don't really know much about it but I could definitely stand to eat less carbs so maybe that wouldn't be the worst thing (complete dismissal of the dairy mention was not unintentional)
Doc: Yeah there are some great alternatives these days so it's not too bad, except for the beer part
VERY long pause
Me: There is Gluten in beer?  We're going to have to talk about this later

I had NO idea.  Granted I don't know a lot anything about healthy eating but how do you GF'ers do it?  It seems to be all the rage right now. Hence why I question it. But I thought it was just white flour stuff (technical term.)  You know, just don't eat the entire baguette and all the pasta like I currently do.  But beer? Prior to this I was not really concerned about the test but now that clean bill of health it top priority.  Football season, post-races and trips home to Bend depend on it.

March Stats:
Running: 60 Miles
Spinning: 42 Miles
Weights: 45 min
Yoga: 3 Hours
Abs: LJ Abs Challenge
Total: 102 Miles

Recovery month indeed.  My goal is to beat every category in April.  Sunday's race is very hilly so I am looking to take it easy and come in under 2:05.  Initially I was hoping for another sub 2 but with sickness + a wonky right knee still, I'll be happy with a 2:05.  Based on my mileage lately, I am going to have to work hard for even that.  Good news is it's going to be 75 and sunny!   If anyone is going to be at the expo tomorrow, come by the Zooma Race Series booth.  Kristine and I will be there holding down the fort.

Some Quick Things

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.

January Recap & SoulCycle Review

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?

NWM: Week 9 & Current Favorites

Week 9 looked like this:

Mon - Lunch spin class (50 min class - 14 miles)
Tues - Trackmill (1M jog, then 6 x 1000 (5:15) at 10K pace, with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog), followed by 15 min of weights and streching
Wed - Unplanned Rest Day
Thurs - 10 miles - avg. 9:30 min/mile (first "long" run back)
Fri - Rest Day
Sat - 18 miles - avg 10 min/mile
Sun - Rest Day
Totals: Ran 34 miles, rode 14 and one weight session

It felt good to finally get back to a normal training week after the never ending saga of sickness.  My long run was good until the last 2-3 miles where I hit the wall and walked/jogged my way back up the the hill.  That brought my average way down but I was okay with it.  It just felt good to get the mileage back up.  I was a responsible adult this week and not only stretched but also foam rolled after every run.  I might actually get through this training cycle in one piece.

A few things that I am loving right now:

Salted Caramel Gu:  I can't get enough of this stuff.  It's no secret that I am not good at taking in nutrition while working out.  Gu has always been my go to just because it's the fastest thing I can take down while trying not to upchuck.  I have to take it with water and I can't do any of the fruity/sweet kinds.  Prior to this, Peppermint, Vanilla and Espresso were in my rotation but they have all been blown out of the water by this adorable Yeti.  Not only can I stomach this, you I might even say I like it.  You won't find me snacking on it anytime soon but I do carry 3 with me on every long run.  Why there has not always been salt in Gu is beyond me but it's a game changer.  It's a seasonal offering so stock up while you can.

 

Fitbit Force:  I don't actually own one of these yet but I am coveting MFR's at the moment and it appears someone finally got this fitness tracking device thing right.  I never bought into the Nike Fuelband because I don't like that they have their own points system the accuracy isn't great so I was skeptical when everyone started talking about Fitbit but I am a convert.  It's so simple to use, everything syncs with your phone via bluetooth, it holds it's charge for weeks and I love the dashboard they use.  Not to mention you can compete with your friends which is the best motivation.  It's definitely worked for MFR, he'll get me to go for a walk with him at 9pm just so he hits his 10,000 steps for the day.  The fastening clasp could use some work but otherwise I hope to be purchasing one of these in the very near future.  Also it's a local San Francisco company which makes it that much cooler, the smalls are currently back-ordered on-line so I may just go knock on their door and beg for one.

Strava:  Speaking of cool fitness technology companies based in SF - enter Strava.   I've been using Strava for awhile now for cycling but I've recently had a resurgence of love for this APP. Aside from the treadmill I've started using it while running too.  It's so accurate and I love being able to compare yourself to others who have ran the same route.  My dad is training for a half marathon and asked me to "coach" him from afar.  I downloaded Strava onto his phone, started following him and now I can keep tabs on all his workouts without having to call and ask what he did that day.  Now I just text him, "you've been home for 2 days and I don't see any activity" and "tomorrow step it up to 4 miles."  He'll thank me later.  Also a Strava group was just put together for all the Nuun ambassadors which has been really fun to track. 

Does anyone else have a Fitbit?  Do you love it?

2013 Review - Ya Done Good

2013 was once again the "year of Kara."  Since 2006 or so I've dubbed every year the "year of Kara" and I've had some great years, especially since 2010, so I am not going to mess with tradition.  You know things are going pretty well when you look back and try to single out your favorite memory from each month and every month has multiple contenders.  Here was my best effort and horribly lazy editing skills and my favorite moments of 2013:

2013

All in all I had a pretty amazing year.  Looking back at the year I am feeling very blessed with family, friends, health, travel and adventure.  Besides my mothers health (multiple bad diagnosis this year), what more could a girl ask for?  I have lots of goals for 2014 and I have a feeling it's going to be another year jam-packed with fun, new experiences and changes. But before I move forward, a quick recap of last year.

2013 Goals:

• To finish a marathon in under 4:30 - F (FAIL)
• Didn't even run one but this is my No.1 goal for 2014 and one I hope to have completed on March 2nd
• To finish a half-iron in under 7 hours -NP (no-pass)
• Didn't do a half Ironman but I am much more okay with this one.  I knew early in the year I would burnout if I tried to fit this into my crazy calendar.  I am not going to recycle this one for 2014 either.  If I end wanting to do one at the end of the year, I will but I don't need the pressure since it's not a huge priority right now.
• To finish 3 half-marathons in under 2 hours - B (2 of 3)
• I knocked out two right away with Nike DC & MTB.  Both of those I finished much faster than I thought possible but I never got that 3rd.
•  To get on the Nuun Hood To Coast Team (this one is not entirely in my control but I will do everything I can)  - A+
• An amazing experience I will never forget!
• To do more races in the state of CA then outside of it - A 
• Stuck to that goal and didn't get burnt out.  Win win!

The Numbers:

• Running: 765 Miles
• Swimming: 13,500 Meters
• Cycling: 277 Miles
• Hiking: 45 Miles (actual hikes, does not include commute & general daily miles)
• 15 Spin Classes
• TOTAL: 1341 Miles

• 15 Core/Weight Sessions
• 11 Yoga Classes 
• 12 Races - One for every month
• 6 Half Marathons
• 2 Olympic Triathlons
• 3 Relays (2 regular, 1 ultra)
• 1 Bike Race
  

I feel good about where I am with my fitness compared to a year ago.  I had some breakout races this year and stuck to my goal of not getting burnt out and keeping my life balanced. I kept most of my races "local" and had a great time exploring my new home state.  There are lots of little things I would like to improve upon (ex - daily vitamins, more veggies) but I am proud of this year and everything I accomplished.  Running HTC with Nuun was better then I ever imagined and I am very proud that I made that dream a reality.  Crossing the finish-line at MTB and Nike DC knowing I had run my hardest and averaged Sub 9 min miles was a big accomplishment for this  previous 11 min/mile runner. I also really enjoyed getting back into the world of triathlon since my retirement in 2011.  Although it was only the 1st half of the year, it reminded me how much I love the sport and the cross training.  Reflecting on my accomplishments before I look forward to my 2014 goals, MFR and I came up with our new motto;  Enjoy the now, then take it to the next level.  2013 was an amazing year - 2014 looks to be even better.

Nuunvember Review

I am reporting live from Sunriver, OR (20 min outside Bend) where there is no snow but still a very festive feel.  We cut down our own tree in the forest (not a lot), went ice skating, had last nights dinner in the lodge and currently are gathered around the fire watching A Christmas Story (which to my husbands dismay I am not a huge fan of.)

I was on track for running until Saturday morning when we realized my bag with my Brooks was left at the airport and then Sunday when MFR and I both woke up with nasty colds.  I am slowly recovering but was able to get in a short run yesterday though my lungs were on fire.  I am going to attempt my scheduled 9 miler in an hour or so - Merry Christmas to me.

One thing I really like about the training plan I am using is they give you one goal and one theme for each month of the plan. November was dedicated to:

• Your Goal A sub-54:00 10K or sub-42:30 5-mile race 
  
• Your Theme You build your base.

It's so simple but helpful to remember where you're at and what you can do to test yourself to make sure you're on track.  I accomplished my goal of a  sub 54 10K (52 min) in Bend over Thanksgiving and felt good about a base build.

Workout Stats for November:
Running: 72 Miles
Hiking: 12.5
Weights: 15 Min
Total: 84 Miles


Looking forward to December, since it's already the 25th; clearly my news years resolution should be blogging more:

• Your Goal Complete a Run of 2 hours and 30 min (plan is to do this on Sun)
• Your Theme You add volume and speed

Right now you can ring in the Nuun year: Personally I hate cowbells but I do love Nuun and I do love cheering so I'll get on on board.

You can use the coupon code: HOLIDAY13 for 20% off all Nuun products until December 31st!

Merry Miles to All!

Ragnar Vegas ULTRA

I posted a pledge to run a marathon and then fell off the face of the earth.  Sounds about right.  In the last three weeks I have been traveling, working, running and traveling more.  As a quick catch up, I spent a week in Kauai with MFR, my parents and our close family friends.  We hiked, kayaked, golfed, even ran a bit, ate, drank and did a damn fine job of relaxing.  Pretty much the whole week looked like this:

 

Last Thursday I arrived home from Kauai around noon and had just enough time to unpack, repack and shower before heading back to the airport to fly to Vegas and meet the girls for Ragnar Vegas Ultra.  This was not ideal as far as timing goes and I don't recommend this approach but since I can't say no to races or vacations then sacrafices must be made: sleep, laundry, sitting still etc....

I arrived in Vegas Thursday night to find the girls all ready to go.  They picked me up at the airport and the van had been decorated, the food had been purchased and everything was packed.  Basically I got all the glory and none of the work. Just how I like it.  As Leslie said, we're not sure who's idea an Ultra Relay was but at one point we all agreed to it and all of sudden it was here. I should mention that my teammates were all women from Portland who knew each other from PDX Tri Club, TNT etc...  Besides Leslie, I didn't really know anyone too well but they did not dissapoint.  I am counting down the days until I get to race with these ladies again.

Friday morning we were up before 6am and on the road, headed to  Lee Canyon Ski Resort.  It was very bizarre going from high 70's to freezing with snow on the ground in under an hour.  At 8am it was go time and Erica took off.

Team Draggin Aces - Checking In

I missed the butt-grabbing and get your hair out of the way memo on this one

I missed the camera is over here memo on this one.  You guys are welcome for the countless pics I ruined this weekend.

As Erica and Anne ran down the mountain, I started to prepare for my first run.  As you can guess I have been terrified for this event for many months.  I haven't been running the proper mileage for an Ultra (whatever that may be).  To date I wouldn't say I've ever had a great relay experience as far as the actual running goes.  I clearly love everything relay but something always goes wrong (stomach issues, altitude etc...) and I never really feel great about my actual running performance.  And that's with 12 runners.  Regardless I have always wanted to run an Ultra (6 runners) so why not now?  When legs were assigned, I picked Runner 3 since it looked easier then most and had nice even legs: 10, 9, 10.  Considering I don't usually run 30 miles in a week, I knew doing it in one day would be a challenge but I figured I could get through it.  

Two weeks ago we received an e-mail from Ragnar stating that the course had been changed and so had some of the legs and distances.  Runner 3 was now running: 13, 13, 10 and my middle leg had gone from a rating of easy to very hard.  FML!  Two half marathons and a 10 miler in 24 hours?  I knew I'd have to dig deep to get through this.

Legs 5 & 6: 13.68 Miles

Around noon on Friday I started my first half marathon of the day.  It was out on Hwy. 95, the sun was beating down and it felt like a hair dryer was blowing directly on my face.  I knew it was going to be rough so I just tried to stay positive and not think about the many miles left to go.  Instead I concentrated on taking it easy and not burning out on the first leg.  I will say that it does feel pretty badass running through an exchange and saying "Ultra - Running Through."  I did not get sick of that all weekend and people give you major respect when they see you're running the Ultra.  After some very long hold ups at stop lights, I finally got to my handoff exchange with Garmin showing 13.68 for a total.  I was sweaty, hot and happy to be done. Nuun had a tent at this exchange which was awesome because I got to see HTC Coordinator extraordinaire Megan!  Nuun also hooked us up with bottles, stickers, van swag and of course Nuun.  All things that were pretty clutch at helping us survive this race.

Spotted during Laura's run - hello friend.

Legs 17 & 18: 13.32 Miles

The weird thing with Ultra is how fast the whole thing goes.  With only 6 runners and one van, you never stop moving.  I felt like I had just started to relax when it was time for me to run again.  Around 7:30pm, Anne came into the exchange and off I went.  The sun was down and the temp had dropped to high 50's.  I really debated wearing long sleeves because I run hot but eventually decided to.  Thank god I made the right choice.  After 3 miles around town, I started the 10 mile climb out to Red Rock Canyon.  

Middle of nowhere

There was no van support on this leg and it was VERY dark.  The temperature kept dropping until my hands lost feeling.  In the end, the dark and cold is what got me through.  I couldn't see the hill I was running up and if it had been during the day and hot, I would have died.  I saw about 10 other runners but had mulitple mile stretches where I couldn't see anyone.  The mirage of the exchange (van lights) seemed to never get closer so I just put my head down and thought how lucky I was to be out here on a beautiful night.  Finally, after almost breaking my ankle on a cattle grate I handed off to Leslie.  

I immediately tried to shove all the food in my mouth and get some sleep.  The first task I was very successful at, the second not so much.  We took turns driving, navigating and trying to stay awake.  At 5am the sun was coming up and it was time for my final leg.

Legs 29 & 30: 10.18 Miles

After some serious bitching about not wanting to run again and having too many miles (sorry ladies), I put my big girl pants on and got out of the van.  Anne came into the exchange, handed me the bracelet and I took off a bike path into the sunrise.  The first mile or two were ugly.  I kept stopping to walk and I couldn't catch my breath.  I was focusing on how much I had already run and was worried I just wouldn't be able to do it.  I realized this negative focus would make for a very long 10 miles.  I needed a plan.  I made a deal with myself that I would run for 2 min and walk for 1.  Running at all was tough at this point but I just kept saying, "you can do anything for 2 min."  It worked.  On all the flats and uphills I kept up this routine and on the downhills I would just let go and let gravity do it's thing.  My average ended up similar to my other legs and I even finished with a smile on my face.  I think I was also smiling because it was starting to really heat up and I was so thankful my run was over before the hair dryer came back on - sorry Leslie, Steph & Laura:(

So there you have it.  My first Ragnar and first Ultra done!  Considering I never ran more than 26.2, I was proud that I knocked out 37 miles in less than 24 hours.  I never thought I'd be able to run an Ultra but I did and even had fun.  Great way to finish out my 2013 race schedule.  

Kara, Leslie, Laura, Steph, Erica, Anne

Final stats: We finished in 30:13 and came in 2nd in the women's ultra division!

I am not as sore as I would have thought though stairs are a challenge.  I spent yesterday watching football and hanging out with my adorable nephew before flying home at the crack-o-dawn this morning.  I am looking forward to a few days recovery and relaxation before Napa Valley training officially begins next week.

October Stats:

Running: 68 Miles
Cycling: 44 Miles
Spinning: 18 Miles
Yoga: 1 Hour

Weights/Core: 45 min

Walking: 9 Miles

Total: 139 Miles

September Stats & HMB Half Marathon

September Stats:

Running: 81 Miles
Cycling: 20 Miles
Spinning: 46 Miles
Yoga: 2 Hours
Weights/Core: 50 min
Total: 147 Miles

Feeling pretty good about last month given I was sidelined for over a week with knee issues.  This past Sunday I did the Half Moon Bay Half Marathon.  I was originally signed up for the full but pulled the ole switcheroo with Nike Women's on October 20th (I think).  To train for Nike, I had 20 on my schedule for Sunday so I decided to just integrate the half marathon into that total.  I had a lot of back and forth about the best way to do that considering I didn't want to run in pitch black or get up at 3am.  I was also very wary of saving the all extra 7 miles for post race because I knew I'd be tired and probably wouldn't do it so I split the difference. 

After my 4am wake up, breakfast (2 eggs, 2 fake sausage links, coffee, Nuun and half a LaraBar) and a 30 min drive  I arrived at the race around 6:15am.  The half wasn't starting until 7:30 so I walked over to the start to get my bearings, use the restroom and then headed out onto the course.  At this point the sun was coming up and it was gorgeous views right along the ocean.  I ran out 2 miles and turned around. I got some frantic/concerned looks from the volunteers who were setting up water stations when I came running up with my bib on.  I tried to keep a nice slow/steady pace since I knew I still had that whole race thing to do:

Mile 1: 9:49
Mile 2: 9:20
Mile 3: 9:33
Mile 4: 9:29

58 degrees, no wind and crystal clear = perfect conditions

Once I got back to the start they announced they were delaying by 15 min which left me almost 45 min to try and stay warm.  I debated going back out on the course for another 3 miles but they were starting the marathon so I wasn't sure where I'd run.  I had a GU, used the porta again and just tried to keep stretching and moving under my space blanket.  At 7:45ish we all lined up and Bart Yasso started the race.

My plan was just to stay with that steady pace and finish without hitting the wall.  Considering I haven't done a lot of long mileage runs I knew even this 17 was going to be hard.  Luckily I felt good the entire race and mentally stayed in it.  This might have been the most beautiful course I've ever run so I tried to take in the scenery but was pretty focused.  I had a Gu at 7 miles and probably could have used another one but didn't want to take the time.

The course ended up being 13.65 miles - whoops!  They have since dealt with the issue and luckily for me it was just a training run but others were not pleased.  That extra half mile was awful, it took all my mental strength not to stop and walk.  I kept thinking about this clip and it got me through.

Mile 1: 8:49
Mile 2: 8:51
Mile 3: 9:04
Mile 4: 9:02
Mile 5: 9:03
Mile 6: 8:59
Mile 7: 9:08
Mile 8: 10:12 (lengthy water/gu break)
Mile 9: 9:06
Mile 10: 9:46
Mile 11: 9:10
Mile 12: 9:43
Mile 13: 10:12
Mile .65: 6:26
Final Time: 2:07:28 (9:20 avg. if you factor the extra mileage)

I crossed the finish line feeling like ran a good/smart race and training run.  The only problem was I had 2.5 more miles to get to 20 but I didn't want to get stuck in the parking lot with the crowds and I couldn't run on the course.  I did a quick change out of my soaked clothes and drove back to SF telling myself that I would do a 2.5 mile run as soon as I got home before I showered.  Can you guess how that ended?  Food, shower, coach and football wins every time.  So I still haven't hit that 20 mark but I felt really good with my 18.  I am riding in Levis GranFondo on Sat. and have a 10 mile run planned for Sunday since I can't imagine doing 20 the day after a 60 mile ride.  I am aiming for a 22 miler on Wednesday of next week to start/finish my long runs.  Maybe I am being naive but I still think I can break a 4:30 marathon at Nike, it's just going to be really close:)

I will post a full review of the race but to give you an idea of how amazing the course is, take a look at these: