What's Next?

Almost a week has passed since the marathon. I'm still a little bummed about my race. Even though it was still a PR, it wasn't the strong race I know I am capable of and was hoping to have. What makes it even worse is that it was every bit my fault. I got lazy with my fueling approach. I'm pushing harder in races than I used to and seem to blow through my glycogen stores at a faster rate. I should have adjusted for that. So in addition to feeling disappointed, I'm a bit angry too. It feels like I squandered the opportunity for a really fast day.

The QT with my couch helped me complete my sister's birthday presents. This thing is filled with catnip and made her kitty go nuts.

Since the race, I've been running when I feel like it and don't worry about taking rest days. Right now, it's crucial I be kind to my body and mind. I had a massage on Thursday and Heather (AKA- Princess of Torture) was surprised by how few tight spots I had. She's been working with me for a couple years and probably knows my legs better than I do. I think those 70 mile weeks helped toughen me up.

Sister's other birthday gift. I filled it with a few local chocolate bars.

In addition, I made a trip to my MD to be sure everything was okay. Based on my blood sugar test today (65) and previous test results, it appears that Sunday's low reading was an isolated incident. The nurse was slightly alarmed by my blood pressure reading of 100/50, but this is my normal, even when I was going through chemo. My doctor is a marathon runner, so instead of her telling me to stop running so I don't die or go into a coma, she suggested adding solid foods to the GU in my fueling regimen so calories digest more slowly and keep me fueled longer. More cookies!!!!

Worst treatment regimen ever.

So far this week, I've had two 3 mile runs, a 5 mile hike, and tomorrow I'm running 12 trail miles with a friend. My life feels balanced and I'm content with that right now. My body will tell me when it's ready for hard training again.

Body has been asking for CARBS too.

The trail race I'm directing is one week away. Everything is falling into place nicely. Supplies are organized at the club shed and I'm going to make finish line cookies tomorrow in one day-long baking spree. I'm sure I'll eat a bunch of them myself. Quality control and whatnot. :) Everyone seems excited for the race, I hope it lives up to their expectations!

Body also enjoys crepes. Gotta do something with those garden strawberries!

Most of the time, I'm always looking one step ahead in my training. Future goals are laid out three or four months in advance. This year, I planned to reverse my summer trail season and fall road season in order to hit a few trail races that I've missed out on in the past. I'm still planning on that, but I'd like to dedicate at least a month this summer to getting faster at shorter distances. I've never trained or tapered specifically for anything shorter than a half marathon, so I think there's a room to grow. My current 5K PR is 21:42. I'd love to see if I can break 21.

Caroline is trying to talk me into joining her for the Santa Rosa Marathon in late August, I'm still undecided. She's about the same pace as I am, it might be fun to race a marathon with a friend. We'll see how my legs feel in a week or two. I'd really only need six weeks of dedicated training to be ready for it, so there's no rush yet.

How do you deal with disappointment? Do you let yourself wallow a little or do you get over it quickly? 

Maybe this is the more important question: What kind of cookies should I make for the finish line?! I'm baking 5-8 batches, so if I can find a recipe for your suggestion, I'll likely make them. Then you'll have no choice but to come run the race and try them out yourself. Bwahaha. Evil genius, I am.

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon, Part 2: Beyond the Finish Line

The dizziness finally became unbearable. I leaned over the cot in the finish line med tent and vomited several times on the lush green grass. I didn't even really know where I was. I felt like I was dreaming. The world swirled around in a wave of blurry colors. My heart was pounding so fiercely that I had trouble catching my breath. My limbs shook at a similar intensity. I didn't know what was going on and I can't even begin to convey how absolutely terrifying these moments were.

Medics asked me questions, most of which I struggled to find an answer. They were simple questions too, and I was mad at myself for not knowing the answer. After answering nearly all the other questions right, the medic asked me if I normally know the date. Apparently, I do not. That's what my day planner is for.

My additional souvenir.

Even while they pulled at my arms and legs, attaching various monitors to check my heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen transport, I still couldn't quite grasp what had happened. I've never been so disoriented and confused. Is this what it feels like before you die? was the only thought whirling through my head and absolutely terrified me. I fought with all my mental power to stay conscious, convinced that if I shut my eyes, even for a moment, I would never wake up. I have been through a lot of medical crises while undergoing cancer treatments, but I was never as afraid as I was in this moment.

I knew a medic was talking to me because I could see his lips moving, but I couldn't understand a word he said. I was surprised by how protective I was of my left arm, even in my diminished state. "Fragile left arm, don't touch!!!" I write that on the back of every bib I've ever raced in. Matt filled them in on the details on my arm's history.

After covering my body with ice and dumping a bottle of cold water over my head, my memories returned in fuzzy, dreamlike snippets. I remembered seeing someone jump a finish line barricade. I remembered someone else I recognized waiting at the end of the chute. Eventually, I'd realize that it was Matt and fellow running blogger, Robert, who came to my rescue and carried me to the med tent. The holes in my memory were filled throughout the afternoon.

Robert waited 20 min after he finished to watch me cross the line. I don't think this is the congrats he had in mind. (source)

Although  my blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels were normal, the medics were alarmed by my dangerously low (54, normal is 70-120) blood sugar levels. Paramedics forced me to drink a tube of lemon flavored sugar gel, and asked again if I wanted to go to the hospital. Now, some thirty minutes after finishing, I felt a lot better. I was able to keep food and water down. I was finally coherent.

To better understand what happened, the medic asked me to talk about my race. I told him about my breakfast and race fueling strategy. I told him that I sweat a lot and am not acclimated to the (still reasonably mild) local temperatures. I thought I pushed myself too hard trying to break 3:35.  He asked if I had made it. I didn't know. I looked up at Matt for the answer and could tell by his expression that I hadn't, even before the actual words left his lips. Bummer.

That afternoon, I did the logical thing and consulted Dr. Google to figure out what went wrong, and more importantly, how to prevent it from ever happening again. A milder version of this same issue happened last fall at CIM. Because of the chillier day and my recent asthma issues, I had blamed EIA and didn't think I'd need any adjustments to my fueling plan.   

From what I could figure out, here's what happened:

Pre-race: Breakfast of Lucky Charms and a delicious sugary almond croissant from a delicious French bakery where the cashiers spoke with authentic French accents. Hotel room was ungodly hot overnight even with the A/C on and I could barely stuff my swollen feet into my shoes to leave the room. I drank a lot of Gatorade and water to reverse the issue and peed four times before the start. Thought that I was good to go.

During the race: Sweat began immediately. I was soaked by mile 4. I had tried the race drink, Fluid, in training but it was mixed differently and didn't agree with my stomach on race day. I had one cup at mile 3, one I mistook for water at about mile 20, and another at the mile 24 aid station. I hit all fifteen (or so) water aid stations and took three GU packets throughout the race. Things swiftly unraveled, with no warning, just after mile 25. After researching the symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), I finally understood why I didn't notice a problem. Many of the symptoms I experienced match what is perfectly normal in the late stages of a marathon:

perspiration

a feeling of weakness

rapid heartbeat 

fatigue

Honestly, I feel like I should know better than to let this happen. It's not like this was my first marathon.*sigh* Every race is a learning experience whether things go wrong or right.

A+ on pacing.

D- on fueling.

For now, I have no plans on trying for a faster time again this year. I have a fall marathon planned, but decided a few months ago that it would be a 26 mile tree gawking affair, not a PR attempt, at Humboldt Redwoods in October. I will be running with an emergency Snickers bar, just in case.

After talking to my diabetic mom, I plan to have an A1C blood test done to see if hypoglycemia is a regular occurrence or just a race day issue. As both my mom (diet-controlled diabetic) and sister (frequent hypoglycemia) have blood sugar issues, it is entirely likely that I do as well.

Mountains2Beach Marathon, part 1: the Race Report

Under the bright glow of the Ojai post office loading dock, Matt and I set up brief slumber party with fifty of our fellow runners. Some were huddled under foil blankets, some wore bathrobes and others spent the ninety minutes between the shuttle drop off and race start nervously running in place, fidgeting with their outfits or stretching. I sat quietly thinking about my goals.

Given the reputation of the fast course, I finally settled on a race strategy: start with the 3:30 goal and see how long I could hold onto it. At CIM last December, I lost the 3:30 dream near mile 20, but held onto a sub-3:35 until the final mile and saw it slip away in a dizzying blur of fatigue and confusion.  I spent the next few months wondering what would have happened if I had pushed just a little harder. Could I have made it? Mountains2Beach was my opportunity to give it another shot. The weather was bordering on perfect, a 61F start (and 67F finish). Compared to my recent marathon weather history, these were the most favorable for a strong day.

The race began on the main street lined with cute shops. The first mile was an out and back and I quickly pulled to the inside of the lane to cheer for Matt as he passed by. Miles were marked by small, hand-painted surfboards. I started out with the 3:30 pacer, but soon found myself frustrated with the crowd of pushy runners that traveled within this tight pack. I pulled back a little bit to get my own running space and soon noticed a girl in a pink shirt that was running perfectly even splits and avoiding the pace crowd herself.

Mile 1: 8:00
Mile 2: 7:57
Mile 3: 7:51
Mile 4: 7:55
Mile 5: 7:55

The first nine miles were a loop through Ojai and I just kept the pacer in my sights as we crested a long, but small hill.

Mile 6: 8:17 (uphill)
Mile 7: 8:13 (uphill)
Mile 8: 8:02 (GU)
Mile 9: 7:54
Mile 10: 7:56

Soon after, the course moved onto a bike path paralleling the highway that would lead us to the beach. After mile 8, the pace group took off on a downhill and I let them go. In the gap about a minute behind the pacer, I noticed the girl in the pink shirt again, pulling off robotically perfect splits. At mile 10, I saw her check her splits and commented, "You're running perfect eight minute pace, even better than the pacer that took off way up ahead!"

Mile 11: 8:01
Mile 12: 7:53
Mile 13: 7:55
Mile 14: 7:55
Mile 15: 8:08 (GU)
Mile 16: 7:57 (inhaler-as planned)

We got to talking and the miles passed quickly as we enjoyed each other's company and the lovely views. Much of this portion was gorgeous. Scrub trees adorned nearby mountainsides and there were miles of unobstructed views down the Ventura River valley. I had set my watch to display the overall pace and was amazed to see that it had displayed 8:00 the entire race so far. How's that for perfect pacing?

Mile 17: 8:02
Mile 18: 8:01
Mile 19: 8:07
Mile 20: 8:03

Nearing mile 20, a gentle breeze picked up and was refreshing. I had soaked through my outfit and could feel little sweat droplets fall from my shorts and land on the back of my ankles. The breeze cooled me off, helping to dry my outfit. My racing buddy, Allison, got away from me at an aid station here and I caught her looking over her shoulder to find me until I returned to her side. At the aid station nearing mile 22, I'd find myself ahead, look back and not see her again for a few more miles. I switched on my ipod and noticed my pace slipping as I distracted myself with the music. Usually I listen to music to dispel negative thoughts but was surprised to notice that that conga line of negativity was nowhere to be found. I was feeling great: I wasn't unusually fatigued, my breathing was a little louder than I'd like, but even that felt great. I turned off the music when I realized that I'd need all of my mental power to keep going.

Mile 21: 8:08 (GU)
Mile 22: 8:24

About mile 21, the course went through an industrial area of Ventura and after a few surprising zigzags, ended up on the boardwalk just off a busy surfer beach. Matt and I did our last few runs here just before the race so I had this area mentally mapped. I reviewed these remaining miles in my head. Since an 8:00/mi is easy to calculate with nice round numbers, I figured that even if I slowed to nine minute miles for the rest of the race, I'd come in somewhere in the 3:33 range. I would be more than happy with that.

Mile 23: 8:25
Mile 24: 8:30

That late race fatigue set in and I urged myself to keep going. No walking at all. Slow if you need it, but we're not walking. We can walk all we want tomorrow, I bargained. I passed by the finish line at mile 23 and waved to Matt when I spotted him in a crowd of spectators. The remaining miles were a long out-and-back on a boardwalk along the beach, the first two with a tailwind and the last two into the wind. I ignored my watch from here to the end and just ran as hard as I felt I could sustain.

Beautiful scenery at mile 25, shot a few days prior to the race.

The final aid station at mile 24, I grabbed an electrolyte drink and a water, one to drink, one to dump over my head. I didn't realize how warm I was getting until those miles with the wind. Luckily, just after the aid station, I ran back into the wind for the remaining two miles.

Mile 25: 8:45

Then mile 25 happened. AGAIN. Just as it had at CIM, the dizzy, wobbly bonk hit. This time it was worse. Last time, I blamed my asthma, but my breathing was okay today. I fumbled along the path pausing frequently to re-center myself. I thought back to that day and wondered if I could have pushed through it. Suddenly, all thoughts of mental cheerleading left my brain. All thoughts disappeared. Even now, all I can remember is being severely dizzy.

Mile 26-26.2: 14:49

I crossed the finish line in a forceful, robotic fumble. In my dramatic final mile stumble-fest, I watched both Allison and the 3:35 pace team slip past me but I came away with a modest PR, shaving almost a minute from my previous PR.  Until that final mile, my pacing was perfect. I definitely need to figure out where this dizzy bonking is coming from, it is absolutely no fun and never happens during training runs.

3:36:46
8:17/mi.
(previous PR: 3:37:36)

Matt had a fantastic day and lowered his PR to 2:48:15, good enough for fifth place overall. He was pretty stoked about that since overall awards were that many people deep. This was his first trophy:

This isn't the end of my race story. I don't like writing two part race reports, but I don't want the rest of the morning's events to in any way take away from the joy I feel after running a personal best. Just so you don't worry, know that both of us are fine.

Starting a Trail Race

Soon after we moved to California, we began our search for running trails. Although they weren't as close to our front door as they were in Alaska, we found a few that were close enough to justify a day trip for long runs.

Our first trail run that became the 10.5 mi race route.

Our first trail run in the park was on Valentine's Day 2011 (you can read about it here). We ran/hiked to the fire lookout atop Grasshopper Peak, the eventual namesake mountain for our trail race. I was immediately taken by the remote beauty and ever-changing scenery. We headed home with a complete trail map and knew we had stumbled upon something special. While training for our first 50K, Matt and I made loops throughout the entire park and by the end of that summer, we had covered all 100+ miles of trails. More often than not, we ran between four and six hours and never saw a single person.  I ended each run wondering why there wasn't a race to introduce people to this gorgeous, diverse place, but always chalked that dream up to the endorphins.

Snacking on the summit.

Shortly after that summer, we joined our local running club. We were immediately disappointed to learn that their calendar included nearly twenty races, but only one of them was on trail. Matt soon took over directing the club's lone trail race. Even though his race is a much smaller, "sign your name and run" sort of affair, it gave us insight into the race directing process and finally convinced me that it might be time to introduce a race of my own.

At a particularly lengthy board meeting where two other local non-club race directors asked to join the race series, I waited to present my idea. Some argued that there were too many races already. My heart sank. Great, they're going to shoot my idea down, I thought. To my surprise, they loved my trail race idea and offered up their blessing and most importantly, the club's resources (a supply shed, budget, insurance, and expertise).

Nearly six months have passed since I first proposed my idea. Race day is June 7th. Until this week, it felt like an abstract idea dealing with mostly paperwork and online outreach. As my supply pile and list of to-do lists grows larger, I realize that this thing, one of my runner's high ideas, was actually going to happen. With every additional registration, it feels like I'm in grade school again and a really cool kid just RSVP'd to my birthday party. People like my idea! This is awesome!!!

My marathon taper couldn't have come at a better time. All the free time is being put to good use. This week, I worked on the aid stations and on-course supplies. The t-shirt order goes in tomorrow. Now it's a matter of making lists of things that need to be done on race week.

This race is a labor of love. Even if everything is a disaster on race day, I'm hoping at least that love will show through. :)

Atalanta's Victory Run 5 Mile Race

Nearly every day through the peak mileage week, Matt asked me, "Are you going to run the race on Sunday?" Since this Mother's Day race is women only, he decided to volunteer and was trying to figure out when he should get there. Until Sunday morning, I didn't have an answer for him.

I remember noticing him leave the room. I had every intention of going back to sleep, but that little voice in my head wouldn't let me. "You're really going to let him go and have all the fun?! Really?" Without fully realizing what I was doing, I reached full consciousness halfway through my bowl of Lucky Charms. Apparently, I was racing today.

The weather turned out to be perfect: sunny, 55F, and just a light westerly breeze that would be a headwind for the first couple miles, crosswind for one, and then a nice tailwind to the finish line. The beautiful weather drew record crowds in both the 5 mile and 2 mile races.

This year, the races began separately. Instead of a mass chaos of tiny children taking off and then stopping to catch their breath after a few blocks, the start was smooth and fluid. Before I knew it, the pack had spread out and I found myself, once again, running right beside Rachele. "I'm glad you're here!" she exclaimed. When we reached the first mile marker, I decided not to look at my mile split. In previous races, I've done well by not looking at my watch. It's always an exercise in trust, but it has yet to fail me in these shorter races. It removes the pressure to pick it up and also the panic of feeling like it might be too fast.

Mile 1: 7:25

The running club has just two flat races a year, this one and the Arcata Bottoms 3 & 8 Milers (in November), both coincidentally running through the farmland of the Arcata Bottoms. Other than the broken pavement and sometimes brutal headwind, these are very good courses to test yourself for speed and even pacing.  It's also a really good place to run with the baby calves, goat kids, and this year, geese roaming right out onto the course.

Mile 2: 7:25

The geese at mile two watched from the other traffic lane as a stream of runners passed by. It worried a few of the ladies ahead of me, but the geese didn't mind the activity at all. Because these roads have little traffic, it is a popular area to bike and run and free range animals seem happy to share their space.

Mile 3: 7:37

Rachele and I passed a few women after the third mile. I could hear footsteps behind me, presumably from the women we had just passed.  They were strong and steady, a perfect rhythmic cadence. Sometimes I can just tell how strong someone is feeling just by the sound of their feet. I noticed the woman pull up beside me and realized it was Lanore. "You're running really strong today," she said as we ran side by side.

Through the next several turns, the three of us ran together. From here, they pretty much did all the work. When their pace quickened, mine did. I focused on keeping them nearby. At each intersection, our friend Mary, cheered on her bike. Then she zoomed to the next spot to cheer again. Mary has been injured lately but she still comes to a few races to cheer.

Mile 4: 7:24

Soon we rejoined the tail end of the 2 mile course. The crowd thickened and nearly all of my remaining energy went into weaving through the throngs of people that were paying no attention the fact that another race was going on behind them. Luckily, with Lanore and Rachele slightly in the lead, I stayed close enough behind that I just followed their path before the gaps closed.

After a few more turns, the balloons over the finish line came into view. Lanore pulled away as Rachele and I came to run side by side. "Lanore looks like she's getting tired. You can definitely catch her!" Rachele whispered.

With just two blocks to go, I hit the gas. To my surprise, I felt my body accelerate. Normally I try to muster up a kick and nothing happens. Since Lanore is usually a few minutes ahead of me, I knew that this might be the only chance I have to beat her. She just keeps getting faster and faster, but I knew she's run a lot of races this spring, so maybe I could get her, just this once. I had to try. Over and over in my head, I repeated: This is your only chance. Go for it. You can get her.

Lanore and I sprinted side by side for an entire city block. I felt like my heart was going to explode. My legs burned with fatigue. She sped up, I sped up. We traded the lead by mere inches each time. We crossed the line side by side. Lanore was the first to rip her tear tag off for the volunteer and was eventually credited for the win. I'm not sure who won, but I'm fine with it either way.

Mile 5: 7:00 <--that 5k="" i="" my="" pace="" s="" totally="">

36:52
7:20/mi.
Overall 8/176

Since this race was just two days after my 22 mile run and on the end of a 70 mile week, it seems that was a perfect warm up to this race. I shaved over two minutes from my 5 mile PR and honestly, was surprised by my performance. Rachele and Lanore exemplify the reason I love this club so much. We're all running to do our best and beat others, but we'll also be there to cheer each other on at the moment we need it most. In a way, it's almost like being part of a team. Racing buddies always help bring out the best in my running ability.

All photos, Y. Kim, SRRC credit.

Race Planning and Weekly Running Tales

My mileage dwindles as race day nears. Gone are the 90 minute daily runs that take up all of my free time and energy. Instead of having tons of leisure time to relax and crochet, I find myself busier than ever.

The trail race I'm directing is in less than a month. Gulp. Don't mess it up Karen, don't mess it up. It will be fine, I know. I'm really lucky to have so many other race directors help me through this process. A shed full of equipment and my very own race budget don't hurt either. I have no idea how people put on new races without this type of support system. This week's goal is to have all the aid station volunteer positions and equipment organized and ready to go. Taking baby steps will prevent the overwhelmed meltdown that occasionally happens if I take too much time to look at the big picture. So far, so good.

We even have a race website!!

This training cycle, it worked better to have a two week taper because of where the half marathon fell. After a 35 mile recovery week leading up to the half, I jumped right back into the higher mileage for one final week.  This was my third week in the 65-70 mi range this cycle. I love how quickly I can see gains when I add more volume. Here's how the last week looked:

Sunday: Run 15 mi, including Avenue of the Giants Half.
I have been waiting all season to have a race like this one. Everything just clicked. I was there mentally and physically at the same time.

Monday: Run 10 mi easy, 1:32:30, 9:15/mi.
Matt and I racked up the karma points on this run. We helped an elderly man push his broken down car out of an intersection, then we helped a neighbor locate her lost puppy. It sounds like a dream, but it was real. Dear Universe, May 25 is marathon day. I'd like to cash in my points then. Thanks.

Tuesday: Run 6 mi easy, 51:50, 8:38/mi. Strength work: Core, legs.
Solo run with the musique. Had some splendid relaxation time all to myself.

Then Zoey and I had a bath together. Okay, I showered first, then kitty got her bath. After about three months of weekly baths, she’s gotten to trusting me in the tub. She’ll meow a couple times when I put her in the water, but I no longer have to wrestle with her to stay in the tub. Now she stands there perfectly still until I finish washing and rinsing and then we dry her off. 

Such a trooper, she is. It really helps my allergies to give her 2-3 baths a month, so I’m glad she’s so cooperative. It would break my heart if she thought I was about to murder her each time she gets a bath.

Wednesday: Run 8.25 mi. 5x1mi (Goal:7:00)

I’ve noticed that the first hard workout after every race is faster. I’m not sure if it’s because my confidence is elevated or if I remember the last hard bit of the race and don’t let up until I reach that same discomfort level. Either way, I’m more than pleased with how this one went.

Thursday: Run 9.25 mi easy, 1:18:07, 8:26/mi.

Gone are those sunny, record breaking high temperatures. We’re back to rain and 50F. It was one of those “kitchen water sprayer” rains. Ended the run with hot cocoa. It was the best.


Friday: Run 22 mi, in 3:04:47, 8:24/mi.

M2B Marathon is hilly the first six miles, downhill-ish the next 13 miles, and then finishes up with about seven flat ones. After running CIM, I know that the flat ending almost ensures a bonk, so I designed this run to be like that. Hilly 8, 4 downhill, 3 uphill miles, and then a 7 mile super flat ending. The last seven miles were the fastest, in the 8:10-8:20 range. Nice strong finish that I’m happy with. :)

Saturday: Rest!!
I spent most of the day debating whether or not to run Sunday's all-female race. Eventually, I decided to just go for it and see what happened. That race report is up next. :)

TOTAL: 70.5 miles

Notes: This spring has had a lot of struggles, but the last four weeks have really come together nicely. I've seen some significant gains in my track workouts and marathon pace runs. This last 70 mile week was exhilarating instead of exhausting. Part of me wishes that I had built a few more of these weeks into my plan. Perhaps an idea for next time.

Have you ever directed a race? If so, what was your biggest challenge? If not, what do you think is the most important thing in a race you run (accurate course, timing chips, cool shirts/prizes)?

Do you like running high mileage weeks? I think I love them. As I've probably said before, my body just likes the consistent slow miles. Maybe someday I'll venture beyond the 50K distance and see if there's something fun there for me. :)

Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon

By Saturday evening, I was exhausted. I snuggled up on the couch with my bowl of spaghetti and tried to relax. I knew that spending ten hours outside with the things that make my head swell up would lead to this overwhelming fatigue and was surprisingly content that way. With a spring of mostly underwhelming race results, I've learned that I can only control certain things and worrying about the things I can't control will only distract me from doing my best. I don't know if it was the complete physical exhaustion or this newly discovered racing zen, but I slept like a log for a total of nine hours. I think that's a new record for me.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

After visiting our super-secret, secret bathroom area with flush toilets and absolutely no line (hidden area only the locals know about and just a short warmup jog from the start/finish...shhh!!!), Matt and I rejoined the masses for the half marathon start. Since I had decided not to taper for this race, I started back a little further than I should have. My only goal was to go out at a controlled and smooth pace, then try to negative split the second half of the race. The rolling hills course is home to my second fastest half marathon time. I was hoping to come close to my course PR of 1:43:07.

Can you find me? I've got a hot pink headband on. SRRC, Y. Kim, photo.

Within the first few steps, I realized that I had started too far back and spent the first mile backed up behind people that finished closer to the two hour range.  Oops. It kept me from going out too fast, so I didn't complain. Soon the field spread out and I was finally running in my happy little bubble of personal space. Giant Redwoods towered above the brightly colored pack of runners. Even the tall men running nearby were dwarfed by their stature. My thoughts turned to the visiting runners. Some stopped for photos, others chatted quietly about the giant trees. For as many visits as I've had to this gorgeous state park, I don't think I'll ever get bored with it. Every time I come down here to play, I find myself gazing skyward, enamored by their sheer monstrous size. I'm proud to call this place home.

Mile 1: 7:53
Mile 2: 7:35
Mile 3: 7:49

By mile three, I was settled into a comfortable pace that coincidentally was right behind Rachele. She lives right on the race course and if you drive the Avenue on any given weekend day, you're likely to spot her running along that white fog line on the shoulder of the road. If anyone can ace pacing on this course, it's her.  Even though she's coming back from injury, I knew that if I could hang with Rachele until about halfway, she would pace me to run a strong race.  "Glue yourself to Rachele. Don't you dare let her get away." My mental powers were divided between keeping Rachele nearby and running artful, perfect tangents across the winding roadway.

Matt and I helped mark the course a few weeks before race day. This photo is near mile 2.

Mile 4: 7:52
Mile 5: 7:59
Mile 6: 7:50

Soon the faster runners were making their return trip. Matt was in fifth place when he ran by, his new rival, Reed, just a few paces behind him. I reached the almost halfway turnaround point by 51:30 and realized that I could possibly run a course PR if I kept myself together. The cool thing about this race course is that it feels mostly downhill both ways. Of course this isn't true, the first half is slightly uphill. I cruised through the next few miles distracting myself by cheering as I passed friends. It was lovely.

Mile 7: 7:47
Mile 8: 8:03

I stopped at the aid station at mile 8 and grabbed a cup of water. I normally try to keep the same breathing pattern while I drink to avoid gasping for breath. The cup wasn't very full so I tipped it closer to my face to get the water. That's when I saw the sides of the cup close around my nose and mouth. I had a moment of panic, while choking on the water and trying to release the cup that was suctioned to my face. I've never had that happen. It did bring on a bout hyperventilation and took almost a mile to relax my breathing enough to run calmly. Apparently, my water drinking skills have plateaued.

Mile 9: 8:03
Mile 10: 7:38 (average these two miles, one of the markers was in the wrong place)

Until about mile 10, Rachele had a slight lead, but I noticed her flagging a little. We traded the lead a few times. On the second to last uphill, I heard her give an audible grunt. I turned back to her. "Stay with me girl. Think of the downhill on the other side. You've got this." She had pulled me this far, I could at least return the favor and try to get her to come with me. It worked.  She stayed behind me until the top of the final hill where she finally took the lead.

Mile 11: 7:47
Mile 12: 8:07 (yeah, these two too....this course never has reliable mile markers)

I've been just behind Rachele enough times to know that she often pulls off one heck of a finishing kick. Ever since I began trailing her at mile 3, I was mentally preparing myself for it. "She's going to take off on that last downhill...you're going to go right along with her," I told myself.  As predicted, she hit the gas pulled me along as if we were tied together.

Right at mile 13, we emerged from the Redwood canopy and the finish line came into view. I gave my best kick, closing in on the finish line with every passing raspy breath. It was practically a 5K effort the last mile and I couldn't have asked for better closing speed. Just ten feet from the finish line, I saw Rachele dash a zigzag pattern through a group of 10K runners and thought to myself, "oh heck no, that's not happening." I didn't want to crash into the wall of 10K walkers and actually decelerated to the finish. Boo. Single file guys, really now.

Here's Rachele just after she ran through the 10Kers (blue bibs). SRRC, Y. Kim, photo.

Mile 13+0.1: 8:46 (7:48/mi.)

I stopped my watch moments after I finished and realized I came close to my course PR. I'd have to check the results later to find out if I actually made it, and if I did, it would be by seconds. I congratulated Rachele on a great race and thanked her for pushing me. She gave me a hug and said that she was struggling a bit mentally and really appreciated my encouragement.  She later emailed me again thanking me. Personally, I think it was a team effort. :)

Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

1:43:11
7:53/mi.
~700 ft. gain
F25-29: 8/133

I felt strong the whole race and except for the cup-stuck-to-my-face incident, had no breathing issues. To come that close to my PR is fantastic. If I hadn't had a few minor things get me (starting too far back, drinking issues, wall of 10K runners), I could have had a small PR. When I look back at this race, I'm not disappointed in those four seconds at all. I ran smart and strong and it felt great. I've now run this course three times in 1:43, this one had the best pacing. I should talk Rachele into pacing me in the fall marathon on this course. :)

Matt finally broke his streak of fourth place finishes (the others were in the marathon) and placed third overall:

Someone ran in front of Matt in his finish photo so the photographer made sure to get him later. Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

1:21:33
6:13/mi.
Overall: 3/1155
M30-34: 1/62

Race Weekend

The running club's spring and fall marathon weekends are always a whirlwind of activity. These days, most marathons are run by corporations that produce only a single race each year. Workers are paid. But for my local running club, all positions except the race director are volunteer.

Yoshi and Harry directing traffic.

They love running that they spend the entire weekend in all weather conditions ensuring that the race goes smoothly. Saturday was sunny and Sunday had clouds and some torrential downpour showers mixed with sunshine. The majority of these folks end up running one of the races on Sunday, quickly changing clothes, and then get right back to work. It's exhausting, but the group is lighthearted and fun, so I keep on showing up.

Bill and Gary handing out t-shirts.

Saturday, Matt and I answered questions and promoted our upcoming trail race. Visitors were either local runners coming to chat or people that mistakenly thought our map was of Sunday's course.

Sunday's effort was mostly focused on packing up the equipment, manning the bag check area, and the finish line. Eventually, I was assigned to the task of waiting for the final five runners to make sure they made it back. Most everyone had gone home. As we waited for the final runner to come across the finish line, I chatted with her husband. Even though she finished well beyond the cutoff, he appreciated that someone was waiting for her with a medal and bottle of water.

Sunday evening's exhausted, yet happy, smile.

Even with the long hours outside, aggravated allergies (that definitely impacted my race), and funky tan lines, I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was a wonderful weekend filled with enough positive energy to hopefully carry me through my final week of training before I taper for May 25.

Race report comes tomorrow! :)

Looking Back to See the Big Picture

Now that April has come to a close, I took a look at my running log to total my numbers. Even though my mileage this year has felt more inconsistent than in the past due to an early allergy season, progress is evident. This is a broad view of what I was talking about in my previous posts about higher volume. I don't plan on tightening up my training paces until I can actually pull off a 3:30 marathon, so for now I just keep adding more difficulty through volume and progressive fatigue.

 

Here are monthly totals from 2013:
January: 157.6
February: 120
March: 208.5 (PR at the time)
April: 134

And now monthly totals from 2014:
January: 211.75 (PR at the time)
February: 128.75
March: 207.75
April: 222 (NEW PR!!)

The 222 miles was completely by accident. The nerd inside likes the repeating digits, I do admit. On April 29, I was at 213.75 and planned to run 5-8 on the 30th. Yesterday was a record-breaking hot day (80F, nine degrees above previous record) and we rerouted while on the run to hit a couple water stops and came out with 8.25.

I’ll be running about 35 mi this week, racing on Sunday, and then completing my last 70 mile week before the taper. It will be tougher since the week starts out with a half marathon, but being able to see the taper coming helps me stay motivated finish my training strong.

The miles this week have felt swift and strong. I love how quickly I can feel the adaptations of marathon training. I’ve been unsure of my fitness level lately, but it seems as though things are finally coming together for me. Hopefully that means I’ll be ready to tackle the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon on May 25.

How does your training fluctuate from season to season?

Until now, it has been one great mileage crescendo. I think that after this spring road marathon cycle, I won't necessarily add more weekly miles to bulk up training, but I may do more consecutive higher mileage weeks if I continue to race marathons. Once I get up to 70mpw, my outside life disappears, and I'm not always a fan of that.