Head out on the highway, looking for adventure...

"and whatever may come my way"... Ok, so maybe they lyrics are a little off, or out of order/missing a few more lines... the point is made, Pine to Palm was an adventure, to say the least...

As my first time out crewing and having personal contact with a ultra marathon, I did not know what to really expect, or what would happen.... boy did I not know what was going to happen.

Karen and I packed up the brand new Subaru Outback she bought a couple weeks ago and headed north towards Ashland, Oregon. My first trip to Oregon, my first ultra marathon involvement. Unsurprisingly Oregon looks a whole hell of a lot like Northern California, go figure. None the less, one more State checked off my list.

We meet up with Kate and surprise her with Karen's new car, which she did not know what purchased. Kate then proceeds to say how stupid of a purchase it was, and that it was a waste to buy a brand new car, and that she would shut up about it, and say no more, but that she thought it was a stupid idea (key moment to remember for later in this tale)

We drop off Kate's car, and head towards Grants Pass, check into the hotel, and decide to grab a bite to eat before heading out to check in and the pre-race meeting in Williams. As we sit down to eat, it starts to rain, at a fairly good rate... (little did we know, this was only the beginning of the rain to come)

We head out to check in, hoping to miss the first early bird check in's and catch the last minute announcements and get out of there to get to bed and rest.

We get the the Williams Grange, and sit down at a table with Russ and Gary both friends of Kate's that would be running the 100 miler as well. Russ would be attempting 100 #3 in hopes of a finish, 1 failed attempt involved medical issues, and 1 attempt he had called it quits around mile 60 (key point to remember for later).

After realizing the race director was just showing up (an hour after it was set to start) we chat and took some pictures just playing with the camera...

(Anne, Russ' Wife; Russ, Russ' Dad, Gary)

(Karen and Kate)

And documented the over crowded room with a line snaking around it to the shawag pick up table and physical check in...

Finally announcements started, and I tuned out after a few, as 1. I was not running the course (other then the last 17 miles, which I perked up at mentions of things after mile 83) and 2. It was more confusing then probably not listening at all. Basically the gist is keep your eyes open for markers and turns, you might miss some if you don't, hopefully you won't.

After getting through the line, checking in and announcements concluded we split and headed back to the hotel to finish prep and get to bed, the 6 am start was going to come early. 

One bold rainbow in the sky as the sunset, documented hoping it was a sign of a great race to come the next day, and we all hit the hay shortly after arriving back to the hotel. 

(If you look closely it actually became a "double rainbow" for awhile too)

5 am race day: Alarm goes off, waking Kate and me up trying to figure out how to turn off the hotel alarm clock, with no hope, Karen flustered, but to far way reminds us its her phone, not the alarm clock that was set and ringing bells off the hook, that were far too loud and quick for 5am wake up calls... but it did the job, so I can not complain... up and the start of the great Pine to Palm adventure begin.

5:20 Kate is dressed and ready with everything she needs to get to the first crew aid station at mile 31 where she will be seeing us. Load the car and off we go, back the Williams Grange where the race begins.

Doesn't she just look so excited to get this thing going?

Her pacer slightly more awake, and excited to see her off...

6am and they are off!

After we watched the 130 (give or take a few) starters head off into the day?!? (dark day) Karen and I returned to the hotel to pack the rest of everything up, make sure food for each stop was made and organized and labeled appropriately. Anyone that would like to argue that running is a "cheap sport" to be involved in and to, should take a look at what is all involved in crewing for someone running ultra marathons and then reconsider their statement.

Checked out of the hotel, we head off to the first aid station crews are allow at, Seattle Bar. As we arrive,  and begin to wait, this is what the weather, and stop, look like...

We were told the race wound through those trees and then down and around to the parking lot we where at. This picture was taken in one of the moments of light rain, one of the only to be had that day.

After waiting a few hours, in came the front runner, Tim Olson, 40 minutes behind the approximated time for the 1st runner to come in, who would eventually win the race in 18 hours 38 minutes and 50 seconds (somewhat sick, I know)  Note: if you are unaware, this is the 1st time this race has been held, and the 1st time the course will be run in its entirety, so true times are unknown, among many other things.

Awhile later Gary comes through and Karen patches up a hot spot and spends him on his way, about a 1/2 hour later and in came Russ... Karen goes to work....

Also note the rain gear is out again, it begins to rain again 

which will not stop again for at least 8 hours

Moments before Russ heads back out on the course, Kate comes rolling in... 

And boy was someone excited to see her, I think she might have squeezed her a bit to tight, or she is equally excited... (or she is wondering why the heck Karen has a parrot hat/visor on her head)

None the less, we get Kate through the aid station in less then 3 minutes, no shoe change, grabs some more fuel, switches out water bottles, and heads off.

We pack up the car and head to the next crew access aid station and wait...

Through came Gary, again missing any photo op's and then down came Russ. (notice the rain getting heavier) 

Kate comes through and the camera was forgotten as we  get some warm soup in her, and do a full outfit change from socks, shoes, shorts, shirt and hats, hand over a head lamp, because next time we see her, its going to be dark already and she is going to need it... 

As we head out of this aid station we see Russ and yell at him that he looks like a girl in the poncho he is now sporting, hoping it will help contain body heat and keep him a bit warmer... I went running after him, but man was he flying down the road, so I snapped this quick pic.

Little did we know, we should of read the sign... 

can we say foreshadowing...

We see Russ turn off the road and head off to repack the car, ditch some trash, the birthday cake and ice cream that went uneaten (and at this point was just getting in the way) ( It was Russ and Kate's birthday) then we head up to the aid station we think is Dutchman's peak, where Kate will pick up Karen and she will pace her til mile 83, where I will take over pacing til the end.

We park as we see a ton of cars all pulled off the side, and realize that we are not at the top, figuring that they decided it was too windy and rainy at the top for an aid station, and instead moved it down the hill.
The rain has continued to pour and pour more, and it is now pitch black dark as it is getting toward 10-11pm. At one point an ambulance comes up and continues up the hill/mountain, then within 10 minutes two sheriff officers cars pull up, get out and talk to another car for a few moments, and then jump back in and head up the same direction the ambulance went. Karen gets out and talks to a few people and finds out that they where looking for a hunter that had fallen and broken a hip up here some where.

 She also comes to find out that we are actually at the aid station prior to pacer pick up and we are not at the right place. Karen asks if it is ok that she pick up Kate at this aid station, and she is cleared to do so. I take a quick nap knowing I am soon going to be alone and driving alone to the next aid station, mile 83.
I wake back up, Gary comes through the station and many runners head up the hill, cars start to disappear and then it is only us. (as most people are at the top of Dutchman's waiting for the remaining runners) Hal comes through in his truck and heads down the path runners have been coming from, and returns saying there are a hand full more and that the sweep is back there as well.

Russ comes through with a guy he has been running with pretty much since the first time we saw him, still in poncho attire, wet, worried about the time cut off and making it (it is set for 1 am at the top, which is supposedly 5 miles), but overall feeling ok. They head off and we wait, and wait, Karen's and I continue to build worry, as Kate declined to take extra batteries with the headlamp and flashlight at the last stop, because she would reach us before she needed more. It didn't help that the aid station crew is really hoping the sweep will come through soon so they can break down and go home. Karen decides to head off in the direction Kate should be coming from, two flashlights and a headlamp in tow. Not 5 minutes after she heads down, do we see the glow of lights coming around the turn... 2 lights, 5 lights, 7 lights????

Luckily Kate had picked up the sweep at the last smaller aid station she was at, and he was well equipped with lights, and was able to keep her company. Turns out Kate had missed the turn onto the trail coming out of the last aid station (off of the "narrow rough road" sign road) and had run an extra 4 miles. Hal had told her she could have a bit of extra time to get to Dutchmans peak's cut off since she was running well, and wasn't slow because she was slow, but because she had missed the turn)

At this point the pictures completely end... I apologize, but we are getting to the most insane part of the story/adventure..... the "good part" the "climax" if you will.

Kate grabs a sandwich, new batteries, her flashy light up vest, and her and Karen and Kelly (the sweep) head off up Dutchman's.

The plan at this point is for me to drive to the top and wait, Kate can get the rest of what she needs at the top, if she makes the cut off (at this point it is about 12:30). Rain is still pouring, wind is still hollowing...

I work my way up the dirt road, finally seeing a girlly looking poncho figure up ahead. I pull up next to him and try and figure out the window, no luck, I've locked them some how. I yell over the car to Russ to see if he needs anything, see how they are doing. He mentions being done, and just wanting a ride. Recalling how good he felt at the last aid station (probably about 2-2.5 miles back at this point) and how he hasn't finished one of these yet, and how this is his rough spot mentally before, I tell him he's doing great, and he'll be fine, just keep moving.

He mentions there is no way he will make the cut off... I reply that Karen and Kate and Kelly are behind them, keep moving "you can make it". I finally figure out how to unlock the doors at least and can at least be talking through the car and not over it... I ask one more time if there is anything he NEEDS... he says, no... just a ride... I decline and tell him to keep moving again, and head off up the hill.

As I continue to creep up this mountain it keeps going and going, I make a turn at point where two trees are markets with glow sticks to show the way, and keep climbing. I finally realize had I known how far it was still to go, I would have let Russ in the car... it was REALLY far still up this mountain to the aid station, and it was really cold and wet at this point, and hollowing winds.. and he was right, there was no way he was going to make the cut off... damn, can't go back now, the sweep and kate and karen will get to him and they will make it the rest of the way up... opps

I continue up this road as it narrows and climbs.. I finally get to another split, I remember there is a point where I am suppose to go one way and the runners another. I start down the right lane, and after a few feet decide that i was suppose to go up the left... I back up and start up the left path... I get about 20 yards and realize this path is very rough and in fact, I probably should have gone the way I started... I begin to back up slowly, with little visibility... as I think I am to about the split I hear the tire slide a little bit like I nicked the corner of the split and might have the cone under the wheel. I attempt to pull forward with no luck so just to be safe I put the car in park and hop out to see if the cone is just jammed or something....

This is when I realize, oh no, you are about 15 feet from the split, the right back tire is barely on any dirt... and its about a 5 foot steep drop to the road below I was suppose to take... I then turn to the right of the "right" right road and realize I have no idea what the drop is off of that.. but that it is far... probably very very far... this is when I go into shock and shear panic mode as I realize how close I really could have been to just throwing Karen's brand new car and myself off a cliff.

This would be a great point to have a picture of said situation, however, due to the emergency/panic/seriousness, taking a picture was the last thing I felt was necessary.

One female runner goes past me and the car on her way to the top (12:35ish) and asks if I am stuck, I say yes, I think so and asked her to let someone know at the top... she agrees and continues moving. I try one more time to see if I can drive forward, as all three of the other wheels are on the solid ground still... no luck...

within 10 minutes someone with a flash light is headed down towards me, "oh good someone to see what the situation is and to figure out an answer"... he comes down, evaluates the whole situation and says, yeah you are going to need to be towed out, he says he will let them know at the top and we help cheer on a runner that has only 15 minutes to make sure he clears the cut off time. He takes off with the runner.

I am alone, and begin to panic again slightly... realizing there is nothing I can do, nor is it a good idea to sit in the car to stay warm. Luckily I had switched into leggings and sweats and multiple layers before the last aid station. Rain jacket on of course I am walking in circles looking at the car.

Then headlights start to come down the path, "oh good" I think " they are sending a truck down here with a rope, I will be out before Karen and Kate and Kelly get to me ". Wrong, as the vehicle gets closer, I realize its not a big truck, its a volvo stationwagon type vehicle... they sit perplexed at the situation, as it doesn't look stuck unless you see the back wheel and try moving it, it just looks pulled off to the side. There is no way the volvo is going to get around me, so I agree to walk behind them as they back up the hill, there is no other option for them to get out.... I walk up the edge, making sure they don't make the same mistake I do going the other way up this hill... in the now sideways rain and hollowing wind. All of a sudden, down head more headlights... a samari... I explain the situation, and they look to see if there is a place for them to pull off to the side, allow the volvo to pass and allow them to go down to evaluate my situation, no luck... they back up all the way (mighty quickly I might add) and head down the other path. After awhile I realize I have left the car with the keys in, lights on, for quite awhile. Turning the headlights off, made me nearly invisible. I decide to head back down, if only to take the keys out and return to walk them up the hill. most of the way down I realize it was farther then I thought... they had more then 1 person in the car, they could manage...

I again begin to freak out as I am again alone, in the dark, and its now about 1:30am. The samari pulls up and looks, it was a father and son that had been marking the course with the glow sticks, to be seen at night. The son decided to try and move the Subaru again, my nerves going crazy, but realizing they probably new what they where doing, and more so then me... a few attempts later, no luck... and another set of headlights head down towards me..

A truck to the rescue you say...

nope, an older Subaru outback.. *sigh* I again explain the situation, and that she is going to have to back out. The risk of trying to go around is that the car going around slides, even just bumps Karen's brand new car, and over it will go... This lady responds when we say she should back up instead of going around is "its a Subaru" I still in shock, horror, and confusion respond " Thats a Subaru too".... we ask if she has a tow rope at all, and there is no luck, she took it out when she moved to the west coast, without the snow and potential to need a tow rope (damn damn damn)

She goes around me... I don't think I looked/watched... but in fact the Subaru outback made it around the hanging in the balance Subaru... it is now about 1:50 and we are all trying to figure out what to do... down comes more headlights... I am seriously hoping with all I have that it is a truck with a tow rope....

It is a Honda SUV thing... ssdrkj;uilhsjerhw!?

 We explain the situation yet again, and that the car before had gone around, but we suggested backing up. The guy driving offers to try and help push it out, so we try again, the son in the samari in the drivers seat, the rest of us behind it... It doesn't even budge. The Honda decides to back up the road like the others... a few minutes after this the father and son that are still staying with me (thank goodness, I don't know what I would have done) realize that now the front drive side tire is lifting from the ground... only option right now, I sit on the running board of the drive side of the car... tire back on the ground...

Not something you should be worried about at all...

The father and son debate going to get the sons truck, he has everything we would need in it to get this thing out of there (which is somewhat of a relief) the part that was not a relief, is that that would be an hour and a half trip to do... and that would mean leaving me alone.

They ask if I would be ok if they went to get it... I wish I could have said yes. I truthfully say not really. I wish I could go with them, but know that I'm worried if I leave the car, it won't be there when I get back.

During this whole series of events I continue to look down to see what time it is, hoping I could get it unstuck before Karen, Kate, and Kelly saw it... (I still debate how I would have told the story had I gotten it towed out before they got there)

about 2:30 here come some lights.. I know its them... I start to feel like I'm going to puke... I don't think there is much in me to do so.. but I am going to...

I say it out loud without realizing it and Karen's reaction is to tell me to get up then and away from the car. I say I can't, which she replys why... and I realize she hasn't quiet figured out what is going on. I say something along the lines of "because your car might go over the edge if I do, I am weighing it down".... she moves on up the hill with Kate, who at this point is close to hypothermic and needing aid, which is right up the rest of this hill/mountain.

I say something about she can kill me now and later.. she keeps going.

Next time I see Karen, she has come down in the Honda with Kate, and the kind souls that put Kate in their car with the heater full blast, at this point the guys are deciding if they should take off, now that I won't be left alone, to get a tow rope and the son's truck... behold more headlights coming our way...

Dear lord, if we have to back up one more car.....

Its a truck.... a big truck.... and then it stops, gets out....

I hear something about no way he can back up (very true) and something about moving the god damn car... are you are part of those runners up here (in a much more selective set of words). It is a hunter, a pissed off hunter that isn't shooting anything because all these crazy runners are up on this mountain tonight with cars and lights, and ruining his hunting plans. We politely, and frankly tired and cold to our wits end explain "Sir, we would love to move our car, we truly would love to be anywhere but hanging off the cliff at 2:30am, however, we can't, until you pull us out, b/c you are in front of us, can't back out, and have the truck sent from some greater power to rescue us...

Next point, do you have a tow rope? well, that would just be too simple now wouldn't it, no, no tow rope... after searching and more words that sounded like a drunken sailor had landed in front of us, a small nylon rope emerges, it is agreed upon that this will have to be worth a shot, and they will double it up. Karen pulls out the tow bar (?) and proceeds to show the men where it goes, realizing we need something to get the cover off the spot it screws into... a panic looking for something resembling a screw driver to pop it off,  and it somehow was removed (no screwdriver was found, but it was removed, so it is not important).

Next thing I know, I am told to remove my hinny from the running board, and the son jumps in... I join Kate in the door of the Honda... realizing at this point I am finally getting cold to the bone. Kate does make the point that "heather, she won't kill you, as long as we are all safe, its going to be alright" which is reassuring, although at the moment the car was still undecided about living or dying...

I cringe as they start up the engines... and bam... easy as that, the car is back on the road! I don't think anyone on that mountain could have been more relieved... we could finally get off of the damn thing and go to warm beds...

Everyone gets on their way very quickly, and we are off to try and find our way down towards Ashland... A moment after we start moving Karen says "one second, I think my cow bell is still out here, I am going to take one glance for  it" and jumps out with a headlamp.. Kate yells after her, tired and over it  "Karen, I'll buy you a new cow bell... lets just go" for a moment I say nothing, then I look up at Kate and firmly and clearly state "NO, I WILL BE BUYING HER A NEW COW BELL" ,one small chuckle after a long ordeal... and then, ah, the cowbell is found, next to a BOOST, which Karen toss at Kate knowing she needs it more then she knows...

Up the rest of the mountain and down the back side we go, Honda right behind us, after getting down a steep rocky portion, we run into 3 more vehicles, drivers out, with a map, looking lost. Ready to go, we decide to go on ahead down the road, and they follow, 5 car caravan at 3 am, hollowing wind, pouring rain... wonderful, but hey we aren't over the cliff anymore!

We get 3.5 miles down this road, which seems like an eternity, and get to a clearing with about 4 or 5 different options. With no clear direction everyone discusses options. As a car we decide that we know how to get back the way we came, it might take us forever and a day, but at least we know the way, rather than having an adventure through these back roads... we had enough adventure of the unknown already. We bid farewell and good luck, and head back...

I start to doze off in the backseat, in rain soaked, dirt covered sweats, the rain jacket still on, and the sleeping bag fairly damp draping my legs, head on the ice chest, 5 liter water jugs all around me (as everything was spastically toss back in the car once it was pulled out).

Next thing I know Karen says something about she is going to pull over because she can't stay awake any longer, Kate agrees, and I figure I am sleeping already anyways, ok. At 5 o'clock (am) we pull off into a parking lot (we made it to flat ground and pavement) and crashed out for 2 hours.. I think within 2 minutes we where all out cold.

Around 6:30 - 7 we awake, and get back on the road to Ashland, and arrive to a small breakfast cafe, requesting a booth far away from everyone else, as we are gross, dirty, tired, and smelly most likely.  We ask our server if its been raining a lot in Ashland, he replied that it just started about an hour ago.

After breakfast we decide to find some place where we can unpack and repack the car...

It looks better then it was... the picture doesn't do it justice.

After we clean and repack we retrieve Kate's car and head to the finish line/race headquarters to check out whats going on there. We hang around and I agree to stay there while Kate and Karen take Grae (a runner from Nevada that had finished and whos car was at the start line) back to his car. I hang out and hear comments from those who finish. 

Many comments included "I don't know what that was" "I've never seen any course like that" (in a disbelief and worried tone) " That out and back up the boulders should have taken my life, or at least my ankle" "That has got to be more like 105-107 miles" Many congrats, many recounts about where runners last saw each other, discussing certain turns, aid stations, and the songs they made up along the way. 

We head off to check into the Manor Motel and to shower and take a short nap, then we head back to catch the awards ceramony, head over to Indian food, and take a good walk though the park. Then we head back and crash out for nearly 12 hours.

Wake the next morning, say our good byes and head home... half way home we get a call from Kate.. "Karen, I just wanted to call to tell you YOUR CAR ROCKS! I am sorry for whatever I said about it before, but I was thinking and not once while we where in the whole search for our way back down that mountain did I ever feel unsafe in that car, and I think it is probably the best purchase you've made, and it really does ROCK!" :) So much for being the stupid purchase ever that we started the weekend with, IT ROCKS!

In the end:

- 67 finishers under the 34 hour mark.

- Gary, Russ, and Kate all dropped at Dutchmens (Gary got could and was also having an issue with  hypothermia and was pulled). All seem content with their efforts, and the defeat this course had on them. It was absolutely horrendous conditions, and they tried with all that they had, it just was not in the cards for this 100. 

- The Subaru is alive and driving like nothing had ever happened, not even the alignment is off a tiny bit, its a miracle. Karen is considering writing into Subaru about the epic tale and the Subaru, as it seems like good potential advertisement for them, as they do those letters from Subaru owners bits... 3 women, rugged terrain, hurricane like weather, over a cliff, saved, Car is safe and looking as good as new.

- We have many affirmations from telling the tale (we invited all interested parties for diner Sunday night, to hear it in full length verison once, as we didn't have the time nor the energy to tell it over and over again) that it is in fact the craziest crew story ever known to date by any of them.

- Karens Garmin has gone missing, we believe it may be all that remains at the top of Dutchmen's peak as a reminder of what happened.. a new Garmin 405 is on the way... an upgrade from tragedy for Karen.

- Heather is traumatized, refuses to drive dirt roads up mountains solo while crewing anymore, just done. She is recovering but will continue to be the butt of all jokes about being able to back up straight.

- Heather has officially taken over the #1 spot for worst things done by a crew member at a 100 miler... moving Leslie to 2nd for locking the car keys in the car at an aid station during Western States, to have AAA arrive to unlock the car, and find out the key was in the folding chair, outside the car the whole time.

- I pray that I am done with near death experiences for awhile, and that the next 100 miler, isn't so dramatic and tale worthy... 

As we pulled in the driveway back in Arcata I turned to Karen and said " You can't even imagine how excited I am to run pavement and roads after that adventure, I think I am set with doing that for awhile now..." she laughed.. 

and life returned to normal.

(if you are still reading, thanks, sorry it was long, it was an epic tale after all...)

Next up:

Run Like Hell! 1/2 Marathon in Portland October 24th... themed as Alice in Wonderland... 

Kristen and I will hopefully be dressed as dwiddle-dee and dwiddle-dum. 

ADD mixing with long range planner

That pretty much sums me up.. which causes catastrophic stress levels when making decisions. They become very well educated and reviewed choices, but it promotes high levels of anxiety...

Anyhow, I am dwindling over what races to aim for next. I mean, I ran a half, I ran a full.. whats next up for Crazy Heather... hmmm

at the moment we are drooling over how much traveling I want to be doing in the next few months to race, obviously I want to do it all, and could "theoretically" but financially is another question...

Up on the chopping block to choose from currently include:

Lake Tahoe - they have a full week of marathon activities... including a 2 man and 5 man marathon relay, which really just sounds like too much fun... working on the det's of getting a group assembled, but its a good possibility... September 26th

City to Sea Half Marathon - Fundraiser for Cuesta College Track team, I have helped with the finish line of this race for 2 of the 11 or so years its been happening, and its in SLO, a pretty good excuse to go visit, don't you think... October 10th

Big Sur Half Marathon - miss labeled due to the fact its actually run in Montery, but beautiful, and flat none the less, another great possibility for a fast fast time, as it only has 1 climb to ... wait for it.... don't loss your pants... 70 feet... I think that is manageable, I mean might be a toughie after the SF marathon... don't you think... all kidding aside, that one is November 13th...

calender/training wise, all do-able... travel/$$ wise... probably need to pick 2 and schedule more out for the next calender year....

Ideally I am looking for new adventures, but still want to go back and conquer shattering 2 hours for the 1/2 and 4 hours for the full marathon... meaning I am going to have to look for "standard marathon courses" whatever that means, that aren't labeled things like "The course even marathoners fear"... sooo lame and unexciting, haha!

(btw, apologizes, I just has a Mocha with espresso, I am a little energized at the moment, as I normally have half caf black coffee I sip on for an hour or two in the morning)

The San Francisco Marathon

I am still somewhat in disbelief about the fact that I ran 26.2 miles straight on Sunday, although my legs do feel slightly abused now.

We drove down Friday evening after work and stayed the night in Danville. We traveled across the San Ramone bridge and what I was going to be doing was still surreal as I looked over the Bay. I could see the lights of this City that I have some what of an obsessive love affair with. I am not sure why my heart melts and calms when I even see San Francisco, but it does, and seeing the sky line and the subdue lights lining the shoreline and the Bay bridge, it seemed magical.

I crashed out the moment I put my head on the pillow when we got to my "adopted family's" sister/aunt's house. Woke up first around 6:15, rolled over, went back to sleep, and finally simply could not sleep anymore by 8.Kristen and I headed out to run 3 miles to the nail salon where the family was getting mani's and pedi's done. I took the time to walk back to the coffee shop, call and update my mother on the following day's schedule of events via phone, grab some ice coffee, and relax for awhile prior to the insanity which would be SF.

We returned to shower and got ready to go to the City. As we drove to the City I had panic attacks that I left things such as my watch, socks, etc... thankfully I didn't leave anything I needed.

As the adopted fam. went off to a baby shower I took on the public transportation system to go pick up my shwag and bib number, etc. I was only mildly prepared for insanity that would be the Expo.Entered the SF Design Center and really quickly was able to pick up my bib, drop bag (a drawstring bag you write your number on) tech race shirt, timing chip, some other random samples, coupons, etc.

Then I navigated towards the schwag store and the expo... having to pull myself over to the side-lines several times and reminding myself to breathe and focus... people going every direction, while I am trying to select things I really wanted and would use (which I really have trouble doing in a calm environment) Honestly I don't do well in gift shops with tons of people, I just don't. Anyhow, picked up a few things, headed to the vendors area to locate the Running Divas booth to pick up one more item (got to support the SLO based running clothes brand)(helps the fact that they have awesome gear as well).

Finally found it, managing to snag a few free samples along the way, but honestly, I just don't think its worth dealing with the crowds to score all these free bit size samples everyone seemed after, just sayin...

Chatted with Aeron from Running Divas about Jani Johnson and track and running over at Cuesta, as she had run with Jani at one time, and had Jani help model shirts for the website to show off the products. I then decided it was time to get out of there, and headed out with a t-shirt.

Basically I think the organizers of the SF Marathon did a great job in having adequate space to make picking up your race information/number/bag very easy, however the rest of the space was simply not large enough for the number of people going through it. (1 of only 2 complaints/suggestions of area of improvement for future race organization)

Jumped back on Muni back to where I left Kristen to hand off the schag and stuff I didn't need to race (avoiding having to go back across town to pick up stuff after the race) a quick thank you, hug, see you to tomorrow after I run 26 miles, and I was off to head to Lower Pac Heights to stay with my college sorority sister Ashley for the evening.

Got to the neighborhood about an hour/hour and a half before we where suppose to meet up so I headed to Lafayette Park, which is about a block from her place. This could possibly be the first time I have had true down time in SF, which is completely fine by me. I just enjoyed the sun between the clouds, soaked in the warmth of the sun and made a few last minute pep talk calls to Karen and my mom, did some people watching. Love that City....

Met up with Ashley and her boyfriend Nelson, and headed to Filmore St for some diner carbs and catching up, ate some decadent ghonnci and walked back to her place. Nelson decided it would be great to watch YouTube videos of runners gone bad or something of that sort.... such as this one... Finish line FAIL

which although terrible, provided some pain-inducing laughs for the evening, and a good chuckle the next day when I saw a girl bobbling her head around in similar fashion, although I think she was rocking out to her music....


Woke up about 4:25 am the next morning... tip toed around getting oatmeal, a banana, and coffee in my system...
Contacts in.Shorts on, Jersey on,
Shot blocks cut and in proper pockets,
Garmin on, Ipod set to the right playlist...
hair pined back, headband on...4:50, headed out the front door...up to the bus stop I had scouted out the day before that would take me straight to the start line... bus comes at 5:04... and totally just flies past me... didn't even see me...

Thanks to my over-paranoid sense of planning... I didn't start til 6:22, (bus was about a 1/2 hour ride) and I had plenty of time to catch the next one.. I decided to move down a few blocks to see if there was a better visible bus stop, found one and hung out for a little while, watched the paper boy of SF navigate dropping off papers.. and the next bus stopped and picked me up... still on time.

As we got closer more and more runners got on the bus, some half marathon runners, some full. We get to "the stop"... Off the bus, and it all starts to become real, I try and stay calm, realizing I still have plenty of time I walk slower than most... who either had too much coffee or are just way way too hyped up. I take in the subtle blue glow of the sky as the sun is starting to wake, realizing most of the City is still sleeping, minus all the of the people I am about to join...as we turn a corner and enter the square, where it all begins to settle in.

It's here... The SF Marathon, its time to run. Photographers for the race event snapping pictures left and right of moms and dads, and kids and friends running with one another, like we entering Disneyland or something.

I skip this as I am not a fan of touristy things most of the time. I still have my number pinned on my shirt below the sweats and am riding solo, so I was able to dodge them without to much harassment...

I am with a few thousand people and alone, ready to do what I came to do. For me this race was never about running with someone else, beating someone else, or wanting to flaunt that I had done it, it was a personal goal and accomplishment to have, nothing more, nothing less.and just happened to be in a city I enjoy immensely.

I pass by my friend Andrew who is running this as his first full too (the only other person I know out of the 6,000 running the full) say hello, note what he is starting in wave 5 or 6, so he'll be ahead of me, let him know if he sees me, we should keep each other company... note that he is wearing plain navy blue (the race shirts where navy blue that soo many choose to wear [I think its just cliche to wear the event shirt for the event, that me though]) and I show him I am wearing bright yellow.. chances are we won't see each other, but if we would, it would probably mean he could use a familiar face and support. Wish each other good luck, and continue on in our pre-race moods.

I find drop bag drop off... time to shed the sweats... and it becomes real, I am not just a supporter of a runner now, I am a racer (I think I got past all the photographers at this point)... Garmin gets turned on, locating satellites, Ipod on the arm, sunglasses in pocket, and the rest goes over the fence in the guarded area...Now to the bathroom line... notice I have about 10 minutes and they seem to be a little behind schedule.. for the most part everyone is calm and happy but mellow. I think it was the roughly 6 am start times, but it was exactly how I like it, no high strung energy, just the voice over the microphone counting down the wave starts, asking how many first timers there was, and sending them off.

Into the mass that was Wave 7 I went. I enjoy rolling starts, they are less stressful for me, you start in a mob, there is a bit of a hoot and hollar when they count down the start of the wave, otherwise. I like to run and not know anyone is watching me specifically. I had issues in high school knowing my parents where there, it added some uncontrolable notition of pressure throwing me in to a sort of panic attack (although there was no pressure from my parents, they thought I was crazy just to do it to begin with). I like the invisibility running in a group gives you for some reason.

The announcer continues to gab on as I wonder how long he has been up and how much caffeine must be in his system. They play "When in San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie as they start moving us up to the start line.

Cross the official start line and "beep" on goes Garmin... and I am off... the group gets moving, people begin to thin out and settle, as we run down the 4 lanes of embarcadero, past fisherman's wharf... smell of bacon in the air, very funny someone, very funny...

Past mile 1, 2, seeing a guy infront of me sporting western states gu pack around his waist. I pull up next to him and chat with him for til we get to the aid station. His brother had run WS1oo a few years back, and he spoke about it the same way Karen did, crewing for his sibling, a wonderful experience, we bid farewell as we approach the ciaos of aid station 1...

In go 3 shot bloks, and I figure out water is second at aid stations... momentary ciaos... and I am off again, up the steepest incline of the course, short, and it was like a speed bump to me. I maintain 10:15-20 minute miles at least point, having to slow my self down at some points, reminding myself to follow the game plan, i've got plenty of time, we are finishing vertically, and we (talking to myself) know how to do that...

Feeling great, moving past people left and right, barely noticing I am one of the only ones still running, and not walking, up this hill and the one at mile 5 1/2 (and really every steepish hill) up to the bridge... legs still felt great.

The bridge is halfway visible as the marin layer hugs the top still, half way up the hill to the bridge, a gong and many cow bells are ringing and banging to cheer runs up the incline.Before I realized it I was on the bridge, runners swishing by returning from their trip across and back, on our left...

Besides having to zig zag through the friends running 3 abreast at a 13 minute mile pace (incosiderate or oblivious.. take your pick), the bridge was wonderful, a smooth long rolling hill, turn around at mile 7.5, in go more shot bloks... run with a SF native for a little while, chatting about running past his parents house, and work, and the temptation to stop, and then back across the bridge we go. Half way back they had moved the on coming runners to the sidewalk, opening up the whole half fo the bridge for returning runners... excellent... had to remind myself to look up, and around myselfand see where I was, what I was doing... I was standing on the road bed of the golden gate bridge for peets sake and there was a cargo barge rolling beneath us!

Off the bridge and I hear someone say, "Great job heather, you are looking great"... I look up sorta boggled thinking whos here that knows me? I see the person that had said my name, smile, and it takes me about 5 more seconds to remember my name is on my bib... haha... great work SF Marathon, very good.

We take a right and head up the hill through the preisido, which I guess is the long killer hill, I really wasn't thinking about it and I nearly run past the 9.5 aid station because I am enjoy the run and just chugging up this hill...

throw 2 shot bloks in my mouth, grab a water cup, pinch the top of it and keep going, trying to get down 3 shot bloks and not loose any time thanks to my moment of absence. It worked out fine, and then a long beautiful downhill over baker beach and up 19th street we went, nice rolling uphill.. and before you know it BAM, we are at the 13 mile mark and dropping off the half marathon runners...Honestly I thought I would at least feel restless and slightly jealous to not be done at this point, seeing people nearing their finish.. but I think I had mentally prepared that I was there to do the full marathon, there was never the option or thought to run the half, so it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be...

Although as an after thought I would be interested to run the half marathon course... b/c I hit 13 at 2:16...holding back to run the full, and my half marathon personal best is 2:03.. I think I could have shattered it, even with the hills...Anyhow, out past the buffalo, and we start to run into the 2nd half marathoners that had started right before I got there... and then there is the next aid station, as normal Cytomax, Water, and then...

BEER... haha, I had heard about this exisiting in the past, and so I had to grab a cup, I went to Cal Poly after all... I took about 2 sips and was done, but I mean, you have to, just to say you did...Feeling great as we get to mile 16 which lines up back where the half marathon ends, past the flower conservatory.. and before I know it I am getting ready to leave the park, mile 19! I think about the fact that I have only ran 18 miles at once, one time prior to this... and I only have 7 to go... seriously... amazed myself by my positive thought process. I think to myself, I have alot left in the tank at this point.

Out onto Height street, rolling downhill, at this point I began to feel my quads, not painfully, but definitely acknowledging that we where no longer climbing, but going down hill, a long downhill, and possibly that we had run 19 miles already... still picking off people, and still holding about a 10:20 mile...

I stop really paying attention to pace time, as at this point I am "theoretical according to the plan" free to run how I feel and pick it up. I enjoy looking around, rather than ahead of me, I really was in a great place, if I had any pain, I would have dreaded seeing the length of height we still had to run... but I was enjoy it, and feeling great.

The only "downfall" ("" because, really there wasn't a downfall at all) was that I had not driven this part of the course prior and didn't really have an idea of how far I had to go visually, I didn't know what the small incline around mile 22 really looked like (I can't really remember any big hill around 22), and wasn't sure how my legs where goin go to hold up, I felt good, and like I could maintain what I was doing, but was afraid to pick it up and burn out and then have to slow down much more later...so I waited til there was about 2.5 miles to go... and then started really moving, making myself slightly uncomfortable, the knees started to scream a little bit, but I was surprisingly in a great mood and was going to pick it up... around AT&T park we went, I jump in front of the 3hr 2nd marathon pace group (having no idea when they really started) and start moving, I hear the pacer behind me say there is a .5 mile to go, and I am off... its time to move and move and move...

I start sizing up the people in front of me for age, although I have no idea when they started and how long they have been running, but begin figuring out how many I am going to pass, and I go at it.As I pass under the Bay Bridge the race path splits the half marathoner and the full marathoners (noting someone say, seeing the sign that reads half runners <-- full runners -->, "we are only half runners today apparently and have to run on the left, not full runners" and chuckled).

I start to hear the crowd growing, more cheering, more cow bell, more signs, and the chills run through all parts of my body as I realize I am at the end, I made it, I just ran a marathon, I can't help my smile as I cross the finish line and hit the stop button on my Garmin....

4:31:41 is the official finish time... I just ran my first Marathon, I just ran SF... and I feel great, I did it, my body is still strong and holding me up... I did it (pat on the back for heather)
The hand me my medal (they must have gotten really over trying to loop peoples heads as they swayed I think) On goes the hunk of medal saying marathon finisher : ) through the food shoots, bananas, cookies, granola.. heat blanket on, and the guy I had been running to the end anticipating...Banana suit man from Jamba Juice with my strawberry whirl smoothie... that was the end encouragement, a strawberry banana apple juice smoothie kids.... I am a tough one to please...
Kristen found me eventually, and my friend Matt happened to snap a few pictures of me finishing, so those will come soon.... Matt, his coworker Ariel, who both had run the first half, and their friend Jessie where waiting for Andrew to come across the line, and I had come across before him... thank goodness for wearing yellow, I was easy to see...

Andrew finished in 4:51, I must have missed him running through SOMA, the only think I can think of how I missed him at this point was that b/c they switch off between running different ways around blocks to ease traffic during the race, he must have gone one way and I another...

We all celebrate with our finishers beer, take a few pictures and saying our last congrats...

and then Kristen and I where off to get on BART to head back to Arcata... Kristen directing me, and we both laughed as I walk in the slowest stroll known to man kind, down market street and down the stairs to BART, up the escalator once we get off... made the calls to mom, and Karen, and then we where to are stop, and in the car and north bound before we knew it... We made a stop at In-and-out, where I made some figure 8 laps around the restaurant as we wait for our order. I took my burger down in about 2seconds , and back in the car north bound we go.

All in all, a great great race, beautiful views, a beautiful city. A great race, wonderfully ran by me. ( net paces at miles 7, 13, 20, and the finish where 10:27, 10:26, 10:27, 10:22 respectively) and with this elevation change over the course, thats pretty amazing, even to me..

Finishing Results... which are really meaningless, b/c just finishing my first marathon is enough, but here they are:

3182 of 5873 Marathon finishers
864th of 2000 Female finishers
98th of 218 Female 20-24 year old finishers...

not to shabby eh??

It hasn't really sunk in.. I do not know why... I felt too good to make it seem hard, I obviously trained well for this.. but its weird that I can still say it was fun, it wasn't really hard, is that sick? or just contorted?

anyhow I have to laugh as this video pretty much sums up Monday (although I was moving a little bit better then most of them) still picture perfect

I did it

ok, so i did it, and I survived to tell you about it... another day though.. I promise I will give you the full run down with all the details soon, but know I conquered it and enjoyed it. : )

and the crazies of the taper

Soooo its Wednesday, race is on Sunday... eekkk, but really I am ready, as ready as I am going to be. But my body is going "WTF are you doing heather" or rather NOT doing. I am too much energy for my own good, making me unfocused and unproductive at work, and my body is craving every food under the sun. Trying to maintain the few pounds I dropped in the last month, so I'm not toten' it around on Sunday.

However, tonight I will be sitting down with Karen to figure out splits, fuel intake locations, water intake locations along the course, and then I think it will become very real.

The funny part, I am no longer nervous about the hills, I seriously am confident with them. Weather is projected to be low 57, high 62.... perfect. I am just nervous about the race, just like any other race.

And I need to stop looking at the race website, blog, and facebook page, because I can fell my heart rate jump when I do and start feeding off the stress, excitement, nerves (and stupidity comments regarding registering, running unregistered, recording of splits on wrist bands or race numbers?? BART not being operating that early (DUHHHHH where have you been)) that i'm going to create unneeded stress...

I am going to show up on Sunday and run my own race, enjoy it, embrace the City that has a piece of my heart and venture to complete "tour de San Francisco" as I have started referring to it as.

Oh and looking forward to a beer and a finishers medal... : )

TAPER!!!

So for the moment I am really excited to taper... I know I will probably have a different story come next monday after a light weekend, but honestly I don't know if I could have taken another long run weekend... it kicks my butt, and with the elevation I am climbing (which I know is good for me and will pay off, I hope) my legs are tired... I am tired... but I am taper now, so thats good, I am running quicker then before, more consistently quicker, so thats good news... but tired... time to rest up and get ready for the race, and worry about getting the rest of life on track and good to go...
I am a little all over today, sorry, but thats what two weekends of 24+ miles gets you, a tired monday... which I can't even describe what it makes wednesday and thursday feel like. : )
Excited though, and worried, worried about going out to fast, worried about bonking, and I am sure the worrying is a good thing, and thus I will be extra on top of the water/shot blok intake. Still have to sit down and figure out the whens and weres for those, but it'll get done...

Friday

I am sore and tired... I am taking this as "I should be" because its the last push before tapper starts (which, is, just, CRAZY!) I feel like I should be doing more, yet I feel incredibly in shape. I don't know when 5 or 6 miles went from being a struggle and aweful, to "a run around the block" but I have gotten there... and I really should maintain this. Not to say it gets easier, I always know that my weakness is getting me out the door, if you can get me out the door, I will go, and I will finish whatever the workout is for the day, b/c after all, I can do it, I just don't like the getting started part. Having Kristen around to recap the day, complain with, and just distract me from the distance we are going always helps too.

The other reason I am feeling it, and feeling it in my core is because of this simple little core strength bit I have added to the no mileage, low mileage, and cross training days...
It isn't much, only about 15 minutes if you do it right (faster if you do it wrong and are impatient, and thus, it becomes less effective) and I am feeling it.

The good thing about these "moves" is that they focus on the deep muscles, the ones that make you feel like you are working out and doing well, because they start to show definition, AND, for some reason I feel like they make me feel smaller in a way, I am tighten up the stability of my body, and once you see those defining back muscles, core abs, you feel and look better... and it becomes easier to carry yourself through the miles and everything else your day holds...

And best part, I can do it laying on the floor, and then move over and lay in bed when I am done... no need to get myself, up, dressed, or out the door... : )

With this sore and tired, tomorrow shall be interesting, plus I am down training partner Kristen(shes going camping), and up a dog, Charlie (Karen is running SOB up in Ashland this weekend, so I am dog sitter)... which bless his heart, will keep me safe from bears in the forest (yes, bearS, plural, I haven't seen them, but Karen and Charlie have)

Although I am running a road race, those trails up the skill level and difficulty of miles and make the road seem fast and smooth and well "easy" in contrast.

I will probably run as much as I can tolerate in the forest, give Charlie a good workout, then drop him off and end whatever is left out around town on the pavement.... oh did I mention tomorrow is an 18 miler?? So pretty much I will be running all over by default... and then a "quick" 7 or 8 on Sunday... then we are through the bulk of the training, that's scary... but exciting, pretty nerve wracking that I will be running 26.2, a full marathon in 15 days....eekkk

Final Countdown

We are getting their folks... 20 days, and good news, I think its going to happen decently well.
I ran a total of 24+ this weekend, accidently running a little bit more on sunday than I needed, but none the less it went well and I enjoyed it. The weather is finally cooperating and giving me beautiful days that just scream, get outside and run.
Got the new shoes, which made the world of a difference, dumby should of realized i needed new shoes awhile ago...
Nike shorts and my top (with pockets) came in, and I ran the 16 on Saturday in them, the whole way, with very little chaffing issues... looks like they are good to go.
One more big mileage weekend to top things off next weekend, and then the tappering begins, ek!
feeling good, and I am sucking Kristen into finding the joy and sense of accomplishment that distance running brings... shes thinking a half marathon is in her future, I think thats wonderful.

i'm crazy

I'm crazy, I'm crazy, I'm crazy.... a marathon, ok, I watched alot of western states this weekend, which is BALLS TO THE WALLS CRAZY, but I don't know how you would do that, you would need years and lots of dedication to it, its possible, but you have to want that bad, but right now, I am thinking 26.2 is crazy...
I am really hoping its just a downer week, I wasn't eatting well, and i wasn't running what I should have, so thats really probably why my hip flexer and back of my left knee and quad are just tight and cranky... and my right knee, I really believe my shoes might just be shot, so I have new ones on the way, but I can't just wait around for them to show up... ran 6 yesterday up in the forest, breathing is an issue, need to go get a new inhaler as the one I have now is getting lowish, and then attempted 14-15 this morning, made it to 12.25 and am at the office, will run another 2 home, maybe extending it to hit the total 15 for the day.. tomorrow rest, wed. easish, thursday hill/speed day, friday cross train.

I also feel tired in my shoulders, think I need to start doing some push ups/upper body work on the cross train/easier days, just hard to carry them, core is feeling strong ish though, so I suppose thats good news...

Alright Monday, lets make this a better week (oh and did I mention we are sub-month away! yikes!)

SCCCOOORREEEE!!!

So for some reason it is the biggest victory to get your running shoes (well anything really) for a steal, but when its the exact thing you are looking for, in the right size, width, you can deal with the color...



and at 60% for my beloved New Balance 769's (retailing at $99.99, I got them for 46.95 AFTER shipping), i'll deal with the orange, which, they aren't that bad, just going to get dirty anyways... small victory, now to get by butt back on the door to run, and to try and curb this intense sugar craving day...

bought over at 6pm.com... which I don't know how I got to, but I won't bother worrying, however its a portion of zappos, surprised when I searched Zappos they didn't come up, huh, thats ok, cheap new solid running shoes for me, and hopefully happier knees, I am thinking this could solve the knee ache issue I've been running into at the end of my high mileage days, cross your fingers and toes kids, hopefully its a sucess (Eaither way, I am about due for some new tread)

not feeling it this weekend, but its done

Soooo it was one of those weekends that you could categorize as just "not feeling it" I did it, but i wasn't about it, which I guess is a good thing, considering, if i wasn't feeling it, you'd think I would run... but I know I have to, skipping some 20-ish miles isn't really a good idea at the 35 days to go mark. Garmin was having some weird ass issues though, I some how did an out and back, turned around at 3, ended at 6.25, explain that one to me. Oh well... 14 yesterday, and 6.25 today... one of the muscles in my knee stabbed at me again. Its right on the inside top of my knee cap... i'm taking it as I don't have enough salt/hydration between runs, and my body is going wtf... you didn't run enough yesterday???!?! but even with that, I hit 20.25 (at least, due to garmin descrep. it mayb have been a bit more) aimming for 21, not so shabby.

5 weeks???

5 weeks and counting. I am feeling good during the week, and I hope good things for this weekend. I had a bit of a runner's knee issue last weekend at the end of my 13, but I am hoping doing every single workout this week (I know, I'm lazy, a lazy marathon trainning kid) that this weekend will go smoother. I killed hill repeats yesterday, after 5 miles running around, did 8 of them, yes, all 8, aimmed for 6, after 3 I knew I had 8 in me... and I feel fine today, a bit lax in the legs, but thats normal after hills, and its not killer, so that means good things.
got more margarita shot bloks in the mail yesterday, and i'm hoping for my new nike compression shorts to come today so I can test them out tomorrow during the long run.
I am on the hunt for my race day outfit, I have realized that i'm going to want to carry shot bloks, (I know, I know, should just learn to like the gu's that they will have on the course, but I like my shot bloks) and baby steps, I am going to run without water on me, it weighs to damn much, and they should have plenty of water stops where i need them, jsut got to remember to eat shot bloks before i get to them.
Back to race gear... I realized I need pockets.... it is a marathon, and in shot blok terms, its about a blok a mile... so I've got to find someplace to put roughly26 bloks... one pocket on the back of the shorts, looking for a top that eaither has a big pocket, or what I am finding is 2 pockets, which could work out since I will have extra salt (margarita) bloks and regular (berry) bloks, and needing to keep them straight...

Other than that, looking good, nervous, worried I won't be ready, but I am making major strides in eatting better, and being present when I eat, for the most part anyways... Oatmeal instead of doughnuts (i did have 1 today, b/c its friday) trying to eat earlier rather than later, more protein, portion control on the carb foods, more fruit, this week will try and include more veggies... and lots of water, good sleep... going to try and loose a few pounds before the race, just so I don't have to tote them around, and well.. I want to look like a hot chic running that race, not like a pear shaped 1/4 life crisis 1st time marathon runner... lol
would like to be at 130... this morning (before eatting) i was at 137.5, here we go...

Also, Youc an now find me at bloglovin' Follow my blog with bloglovin

Back and Running around....

So, I am back in the groove. Thanks to my friend Kristen, I have someone hassling me to get me out the front door and on the road.. thats my golden ticket, if you can get me out the door... I am set. I know what I need to do, and I will do it. For some reason I just dread the door. Thus Kristen's sole job is to hassle me til I do. We ran last sunday, it is 3 miles from my house to hers, so I run my first 3 and then run the last 4 with her, then i ran with her tues, wed, and thursday (monday was a day off and friday cross training) Then this weekend I ran Charlie (the dog) since Karen was out of town for 3, then ran to her house, 3 more, then ran the last 4 with her. Tried out the new shot blocks with extra sodium... (uhhh by the way, I then understood why the extra sodium ones are margarita flavored, duh, w/ salt) they where too bad, although I prefer the berry ones, probably b/c they are less salty tasting, and the margarita was missing some tequila... regardless, they did a great job as I had plenty of energy and steam to finish the 10.5 and go about the rest of my day...

Yesterday I was to run 7, and I did, I ran Charlie up in the forest for 4, getting in some killer hill time and then Kristen met me at my house and we ran the last 3... was defiantly tired, but I did it, and didn't feel like I ran 17.5 miles this weekend.. great great news... I feel like there is hope. Next weekend will be rough b/c i'm going to be in murrieta for a wedding... but I think i'm going to be ok. then kristen is going to italy for 2 weeks, so running solo will be a bit rough, but she has gotten me back in my rythme, so I think I will be able to make it til she comes back...

Wohooo for 17.5 and 2 long runs in a weekend, thats a first, and a most mileage in two days, so i'm stoked... and nothing hurts to bad

Lost

I am a reck, and I am pretending that i'm not running a marathon in 68 days... or 66, or whatever it is today. I know if I just put in the time, I can do it and finish, I am just nervous as hell. I was watching biggest loser last night, and they all completed one, these people that have been overweight and lost 100+ pounds in the last 5 months.... they did it, and they did it in a respectable about of time (well lets face it, them finishing in any amount of time is respectable) however, I am not overweight, I am not out of shape, I there for feel I have high expectations. I should be doing it, and doing it "fast" The goal is to break 4, and i feel like maybe i need to take a step back and just take it for what it is, and plan to just finish, wear the watch with my pace and all that on my ankle or somewhere I can't worry about time... what is time, its always just something to rush you, and not allow you to just enjoy what you are doing. Maybe I just need to do it to do it, everything is a race, a competition, something to prove... maybe i need to realize i am proving enough doing it, I don't need to be the best, or to have some set time I want to hit, maybe I just need to be in it, really be in it, and enjoy it, it should be a celebration, it is an impressive feat, that not just anyone can do.

I happen to live in a very healthy state overall, and I think I have a mis-conception of my body and a good body, and success....
I need to live in the moment, enjoy running around san francisco... I'll get to the finish line when I get there...

funny how 26.2 miles is more of a mental battle then a physical one (at least at this point)

13. 1 check,

I finished, and I did pretty well for my first 1/2 marathon ever.
Placed 10th in my age category (out of 53)
147th out fo 728 women
and 341st overall (out of 1126)

I would call that an accomplishment and a job well done. I finished in 2:03:03. just over both of my goals. But I did end up with a salt deficency that messed with me for the last 4 miles, and I think without that (and the cramping calf that came with it) I would of broke 2... it was a hilly course, but a beautiful day, a little bit of wind between 5 and 7, (a headwind both ways, how I dont know, but that is what it was) I hit the half way mark at 60:50 and finished the second half in just over 62 minutes, no so shabby. (even though i was planning to negative split)

It went well, I am happy with it, I finished, and I finished in the bracket of time I wanted to finish in. I had no gauge of speed/pace while I was running, I totally would think one thing, look down and realize I was totally different then I thought (most of the time, running faster then I thought I was)

It went well. I am nervous to see how a full marathon goes, not in the forest but on the streets of SF... quite a difference, nervous but excited... once I figure out a way to get salt in me... the salt tablets are a bit to big for me to try and swallow, let alone try and swallow while I am on the run and trying to swallow.

Today I am tired, but i drank lots of water yesterday and walked around, just sore all over and tired.

13 days to go...

And I am feeling confident.

I think my legs might fall off, but I will still be breathing at minimum. So thats at least hopefully. I have gotten in all my workouts this past week, feeling better about life and work and running (side benifits of runnning, and the reason I should always run)

Yesterday I ran my long run.. boy oh boy.. I knew I couldn't take it easy this week, this is my last long run for the books before the race, since next weekend I will begin tappering. Well I think accomplished running something that will prepare me, hopefully.

First off I made the mistake of washing all my running clothes (and i really do mean all of them) that morning, so I had to wait for them to finish drying.. getting me out the front door around 11-11:30.. it was a beautiful day, but a hot one. I knew I needed to run a good hill towards the beginning of my run, since I had been focusing on them more towards the end (default I live uphill, so its eaiser to run away from them and then come back). So i ran up the neighboring street to the entrance to the community forest... roughly 600 ft elevation gain in about a mile and a half... so that was a good start.
Then once I was under the trees I realized that I wanted to stay under the trees or I was going to shrivel up and die on the side of the road trying to run 10 miles, probably would end up calling it quites at like... so this ment more hills...
Probably a good thing.. So i headed up, about another 300-400 ft in about 3 1/2 miles... ran back down, and then finished up my last 3 on the road, and nearly melted away... but its done and accomplished.

I nearly didn't make it up the hill back to my house, but butt was burnning like crazy, but i made it, and I tried out shot blocks for the first time, b/c with running a marathon (and even really with the half) I am going to have to get my body use to running and getting more energy to it.

It went well, they where decently tasting, just big... but tasted like gummy snacks, not great ones, but way better then the thought of gels in my mouth. Aka- i didn't want to instantly spit it out... which is what i think of when i think of gels, even though i haven't tried those eaither.

I don't know if I will break 2 hours, I am going to try, but I will just be happy to finish it. I hope weather is good and I feel good, and I enjoy it... its an out and back course, which I do well with mentally. 13 more days to go, 5 more tough workouts to get some speed in my heels... getting excited about it.

why am I like this...

Sometimes I wonder, I get in and out of moods, of workout moods, of being super into it, realizing it makes me happier, more balanced, more balanced and productive.. yet I get in funks and just don't have the energy to kick myself out to do it. I want to sit at home with movies all day. Now this would be fine if it happened on sundays, or if it happened once a month or so... but it maintains itself for a week or two at a time... and with a half marathon right around the corner ( I think we are at like 23 days or soooo) I need to be out of this funk. Luckily the rain I think is done for the year, or at least for a few days, I can get out tomorrow and get my long run in, kick the week back off, and just stick with it... and then realize my marathon is around the corner....

I think the other big issue I have is nutrition... I know i really need to sit down and learn about it, apply it and live it in my every day life. I really should start eating vegetarian for environmental reasons. But also because it would be healthy, and other then chicken I don't eat much anyways... And there are wonderful wonderful vege meals, especially here in arcata and humboldt. I just have to make the choices, it doesn't have to be a big epic switch over, I just have to stop choosing the meat options, and opting for the vege. options, most of the time I think I would feel better and healthier anyways.

Damn I am a Bad Ass, and get pelted

Its time... well its past time, but it is serious time... we are down to 31 days til my half marathon, holy crap... time to get moving... This week is a good reminder I have got to get out there, and I can. I can make the time, and I can brave the weather (although it beat me up, see story below).

Today I got out and ran my tempo run, warm up, 5 minutes reg. pace, 10 minutes at a faster tempo, repeat 2 times, then cool down. Boy oh boy is 10 minutes seem like a decade when you are pushing it, but you feel pretty awesome running past people and through intersections, thinking (well I think this) that they are thinking, "Wow that girl is a bad ass, she is running really fast, damn, I wish I was in shape like that" ... well that is really what goes through my head anyways, lol. Today it was a bit chilly (its been getting down to the 30's at night here, when its suppose to be getting warmer) but the clouds didn't scream that it was going to dump.... no, that all happened Tues.....

Tuesday, I needed to get in a speed workout, 6 2 minute intervals... I looked at the skys, and they said, you better go now, cuase in an hour... you are going to be screwed. So I got out, got running, was 3/4 of the way done (35-40 minutes after leaving my house, when I thought I had an hour), about a mile and a quarter or so from my house.. literally finished my last repeat 20 seconds prior to the skys opening up and dumping...

Now i've run in rain before, but seriously, there was no warning, no slight drizzle, I am talking fire hose status... and then!!!! it started to hail, and the hail got bigger, and I am of course, nowhere near any type of cover... i'm out in industrial Arcata, on the side of the road in the pouring cold rain and getting pelted by hail... and all i can do, is keep running. By the time I got to the over pass... about a half mile later of hail, of course it stops hailling, still pouring freezing rain, but the hail stopped... stood there for a second trying to decide if I its going to stop any time soon and would be worthe waitting out.. no, it pretty much looks like is going to rain til the next morning...

So I take off, b/c at this point I am getting cold, and that only would make matters worse...

But I did it, I never recommend running when there is a chance of hail (I don't even know if there was a chance of it, it just happened though) it hurts like hell since your body is hot, but then the skin is cold and wet, and a piece of ice is flying into your chest, nose, head, etc.

It sure makes for a good story though.. and the trainning continues.. I am hoping tomorrow takes the tiredness out of me, and I am pushing my long run to Easter Sunday b/c I am working a conference all day saturday and won't have time, I feel good, strong, both speed runs this week I ran just under 5 miles in mileage, so I am sure that is going to help the long run, just makes my legs tired for the time being...

Count down is on

So its been awhile, I realized after looking out schedules again that I was running to far to soon, so I have been backing off the mileage and will start moving back up the scale as we get there...

5 weeks to the 1/2, and 17 weeks to the full. I think I am going to learn an awful lot when getting to the full. I need to learn about food, and eating and hydrating while running, and figuring out my plan and what works for me...

I am nervous about it, mostly just because its new, and putting energy into your body is critical for just finishing a marathon. I am confident I will be able to get it together, but its going to take time and learning.

10, 1:40

So Saturday I headed out for my long run. Beautiful day, a little on the chilly side even though you can tell spring is trying hard to fight off winter soon enough. I tend to just accept what i am going to run, I don't really think about the long windy route I will be taking, other then the fact I know where to turn. When I route out them on www.mapmyrun.com (great planning tool) I focus more on turns then I do on how long between the turns there are. I think this breaks down the 'daughting' task ahead of me.... Also tip - never look more then 15 feet ahead of your feet, there is no point, unless you are looking to defeat your mind... body over mind says only look far enough ahead to make sure you aren't going to trip and fall on your face. :)

10 miles felt strong, with my hills at the end, although I need to start throwing them in at the beginning of the run now, so I can practice maintainning pace after the hills. I run pretty even, miles 4,5 and 6 where spot on the same time, and I don't look at my watch when I do long runs. They aren't about the time, they are about getting the miles on my legs. (although I still seem to want to run faster, I have to calm myself down)

After finishing up spot on at 1 hr 40 min, I did the math (I am good at math, just not while running and trying to calculate mileage... I hav no idea why, I just fail miserably at it)I had hoped to set a goal of going sub 2 hrs for my 13.1, half marathon in may.... I haven't really told anyone about this yet though, b/c i tend to set my goals a bit high and blab all about them and then can't seem to meet them... so I am learning to have internal goals that I just set and keep for myself, so far, so good....

2 hours, hilly half marathon, here I come... bring it... I have 6 1/2 weeks to make it happen, and that is more then enough time if I can manage to stay health, and stay on track with the schedule. But I can tell you finally hitting the 10 mile run after 3 weeks of 8 miles feeling rough... 10 feels good, and I have plenty of time to spare to keep the mileage up and get my legs use to the distance.

I also realized I finally am not struggling as much to get out and run, i finish strong... the cross-trainning I think is paying off. : )

seperation of chatter

So I have decided I write too much for any sane person to want to read in my single blog. So I am going to divide them up.. This one being for my running tribulations and endeavors.

Namely 13.1 to take place May 2nd and 26.2 to take place July 25th. (Hense the name 13.1 26.2)

Saturday was a killer 8 miles up in the community forest, a beautiful redwood forest behind HSU's campus which very rarely believes in flat...

Felt great to finish all 8 considering I wasn't so good about working out during the week, however around mile 6 runners knee decided to stir up :( fortunately we came to terms with each other and finished up.

Luckily I also had Charlie with me (ever faithful black lab mix run loving dog) who's records for a weekend include 20 something on Saturday and somewhere around 16-18 on Sunday (Karen, the lady I live with, runs ultra marathons. He loves it and keeps you company, and gives me something to keep my mind off of how I am probably nutz for attempting what I am doing.