Hometown Reflections

Nothing really makes me realize how much I’ve truly grown like a trip to my hometown in Upper Michigan. Someone asked me how I felt to be home, I told them: “It’s like trying to fit into a pair of pants that you haven’t worn in ten years.”

1. The hills: After a few years of living and running in California, I view all the hills on my hometown running routes as flat areas. It almost appears as if someone steamrolled the landscape and each hill has shrunk in my absence. My parents’ house backs up to a nature area and about thirty miles of trails.

The gently rolling hills and packed dirt trails have little effect on my pace. If I lived here, I wonder if I’d be much of a road runner at all. I’d spend my winters skiing on the groomed paths and summers trail running and fighting off the mosquitoes and ticks. Matt and I did a short run on the trails, stopping at my childhood swimming spot. Night swimming here was the best. As I dipped my fingers into the warm water, fish swam up to meet them. Loons floated on the lake. This peaceful spot still makes my heart smile in a way few others can.

2. Listening to my younger self: I sorted through a box of my childhood journals. As I flipped through the pages, randomly reading a few entries, I noticed major differences between those from my early teens as compared to my late teens, including the evolution of my own writing style (I can also see a difference from the beginning of this blog to present entries). There were events I remembered and those I did not. I felt emotion in my written words, jogging memories locked deep inside my head. I neatly boxed up the notebooks, ranging from one with a Looney Tunes cover to one with inspirational quotes glued to the cover. Although I may never get over the embarrassment of someone else reading them, they are honest, pure and totally worth saving. I expect that in thirty years I’ll enjoy them a little more, once I’m in that place in my life where I can look back at my childhood and laugh at my youth.

Inside that box with my journals were a few of my toys. I adored the ballerina. Her arms and legs bent into ballet poses and she spun around when the crown was pulled up and down on her head. I combed out her messy hair and adjusted her dirty leotard. This is how all of my favorite toys are: well loved. She actually looks pretty good compared to some of them.

3. In miles past: Yesterday, Matt and I ran 100m repeats on my high school track. This is where we ran a mile for the Presidential Fitness Test. I think my most recent mile here was about twelve minutes and I walked most of it. I was almost the last one to finish in my gym class. I hated running, it was used as punishment rather than enjoyment. Over the last couple of years, I’ve come to enjoy track workouts. It was here that I realized my growth as an athlete.

4. Fraidy cat for always: After that track workout, Matt, Mom, and I climbed the local ski jump steps. The staircase has been replaced since I last climbed it, adding almost 75 new stairs to make a complete set of five hundred. The former stairs had broken apart and were a bit treacherous to climb. Then we got to the large wooden scaffolding of the jump itself.

Each year, a ski jumping tournament still goes on here. Crowds gather at the bottom of the hill to see tiny skiers fly down the jump and land somewhere on the hillside below. Whomever flies the farthest wins. Me, I can’t even muster the guts to climb to the top of the jump, let alone sail down and off the end of it. As I climb the wooden scaffold, I can see the trees down below growing farther away with each rung of the ladder. This day, I make it high enough to be above all of the surrounding trees and an entire carpet of green trees spreads out below me. I can see for nearly thirty miles. The view from here is fantastic, it probably isn’t much better at the top anyways, right?

The one thing that seems to have resisted the passing of time: the relationship with my best friend, JoAnne. We used to pass notes in Mrs. Kindstrand’s fifth grade class, saw our first R-rated movie together, and was standing with me at the altar the day I met Matt. Other than my immediate family, she knows me better than anyone. We don’t see enough of each other, but when we do, it was like our last visit was the previous day, not the previous year.

How do return trips to your hometown make you feel? Do you have notice how things have changed or stayed the same?

Last Week: August 4-10

Sunday: Rest!

Monday: Run 6 mi. easy and untimed.  Strength: Core, legs.
With the return of really windy weather, my allergies flared and I was plagued with headaches and general fatigue, so I didn't even want to do this run.  It helped loosen the gunk in my sinuses and actually felt better once I got home.

Tuesday:  Run 4 mi. 31:31 @ 7:53/mi.
I didn't really have plans for this run other than to run strong.  It ended up being a really nice progression run....even though the last mile had a 150 ft. climb in it.  Mission accomplished.

Wednesday:  Run 4 easy.  untimed.
The wind was strong with a chilly bite in it.  I felt like I couldn't take this easy enough to make it an easy run....until I turned and went with the wind.  It chilled me enough to warrant a stretch session in the hot tub afterward. 

Thursday: 10x200m @ 40-45 sec.
Track workout with the Tri Club.  This workout was really fun.  I know I've said in the past that I'm not a fan of really fast intervals, but they're over so quick that they require little mental power (and you know, that thing called pacing) and hardly feel fatiguing at all.

Friday: Rest!

Saturday: Run 11 mi, 1:57:45, 10:42/mi, about 2,000 ft. of climbing
We were supposed to run a half marathon this weekend, but the race director changed the date at the last minute (grrrr!) so we hit the Headwaters forest for some nice trail running.  Even though it felt like I was dragging up the first four miles, I set a new PR (previous 2:00:08)

TOTAL MILES: 30

Notes: Taper week #2.  Even though I'm still feeling a little beat up, I'm still able to pull a good workout.  Apparently, all my allergy issues are (literally) in my head.  So far, no asthma issues....and I've taken the summer off from both of my inhalers.  I usually use them for heavy training and in the spring and fall (when it rains just enough to grow things but still windy enough that it just blows them around) and my issues are worst.  I'm hoping that for the fall, I'll only need one of them.  We'll see.

Flirting with Injury on the Headwaters Trail

Lately, my runs have taken on a consistent pattern. I feel sluggish for the first mile or two and then my body suddenly wakes. Then everything pops open and loosens up.  Some people say they like running shortly after they get up in the morning so they can get going before they're fully conscious.  Morning running for me is more the equivalent of someone shaking me awake while they scream loudly.  No matter how much I try to like it and give it a chance, it doesn't return the same affections and patience.

Matt and I began with the rolling hills on our approach to the Elk River bridge.  Today more than usual, I was happy to have a gentler warmup before tackling the main hill, that 1,200 ft. climb over the next two miles.  The gentle warmup felt anything but gentle.  I swear, for the entire 28 minutes it took to reach the river, I thought to myself, This is too fast.  I'm going out too fast.  This won't end well.

Then we began our skyward climb through the recovering Redwood forest.  As we climbed the numerous switchbacks on the trail, the trees grew shorter.  Just as it appeared we would run out of trees entirely, the trail twisted into a gully and revealed towering giants once again.  Most of this was a brisk walk, giving me the same breathlessness than the track workout on Thursday did.  Matt and I marched along without saying a word.  We would have to stop to catch our breath before beginning a conversation.

Matt and I came across two other runners near the turnoff for the final loop at the top.  Later we would catch up to them on the descent.  Matt enjoyed the fact that we only came across people when we were feeling really strong.  We made this look easy.  I'm glad they didn't see me when I looked like I was melting and drenched in fresh beads of sweat.

The grove at the top is likely this hiking trail exists at all.  It is gorgeous.  Once again, as is tradition, I shout to Matt, "This is my favorite spot!!"  I was able to finally catch my breath, after nearly an hour on the trail and was enjoying myself.  The trail wove through and under the giant stumps and it was slow enough going with the corners that it felt extra easy. 

As we rounded a corner, I felt my right foot slip and I rolled my ankle.  Hard.  I heard a loud popping noise and felt the resulting instant surge of pain rush through me.  Immediately, I stopped to assess the injury.  I wiggled my ankle and the pain turned to soreness.  I began walking again and the muscles released.  Nothing was broken or torn.  (Later in the day, it seemed more like my knee took more of a hit, we'll watch it this week and see what happens.) I began running again and everything felt great.  Whew.  I often roll my ankle on trail runs, but it doesn't make a noise or hurt quite like that did.  Hopefully everything will be well for Marquette one week from today.

We continued down the trail at a nice clip, pausing only briefly for switchbacks, careful not to roll my ankle again.  When we reached the river again at mile 8, I was pretty tired but surprised to see that it was well under 90 minutes, I could PR my course time with a 10:00/mi the rest of the way.

I was careful to pace myself through the final miles, stopping to walk less than I think I ever have before.  It was beautiful.  There was also an ocean breeze filtering up the river valley and cooling us nicely.  With half a mile to go, Matt picked up the pace to challenge himself and I did the same, following a bit behind him.  I sprinted to the end and shaved about two and a half minutes from my previous best.  I'm ready for Marquette, rest up quick there right leg! I need you next weekend!

1:57:45
11 miles
10:42/mi.
about 2,000 ft. climbing

Have you ever had any close calls with injury?  
Please tell me your positive stories!  :)

Running the Spectrum

In an instant, the world melts away.  My field of vision narrows, centering on that perfect white stripe.  Music pulses through my headphones drownsing out the wind and a nearby softball team practice.  My feet move rhythmically to the beat, dancing joyously as I come off the first turn.  For those first few strides, I am filled with effortless power.  I can fly.

Just as quickly as those feelings appeared, they dissolve away.  My heart races, my lungs gasp for air that it can't quite find.  I am so close to my limit that I can feel it through every molecule in my body.  I push harder, reveling in the discomfort.  It begins in my arms, I sense my movement fall off the music's beat.  My legs follow and soon I feel my body instinctively ease up as if met by a strong headwind.  In a moment of despair, I cannot imagine making it to the end.  I wonder if I should have gone out slower.  Then the end is just steps away.  Relief!  I will make it!  My head urges my limbs forward and the final paces are met with renewed mental strength.  Then it is over. 

A sudden blast of euphoria ensues.  I made it.  As I finish the lap and begin my recovery, I glance down at my watch to note my split.  The entire emotional spectrum in less than 45 seconds.  This is why I like 200m repeats.

 The Math:
10x200m goal: 40-44 sec.

My recoveries were inconsistent, but for the most part, if the recovery was longer, the rep was shorter.  The last recovery is longest because I put my headphones in my pocket and waited for Matt to catch up.  Then we dueled.  He didn't quite give me enough of a head start and caught my by the end of the turn at 75m, so he definitely beat me.  We both ran our fastest 200m reps ever, so it was still pretty awesome.

Do you like running 200m repeats?  What is your favorite track distance?
I used to swear the mile was my favorite, but I think I like all of them.  One day soon I'd like to try a ladder workout and incorporate all the distances in at once.

Last Week: July 28-August 3

Sunday:  Rest!

Monday: Run 3.25 mi. easy in 31:57, 9:50/mi.
I felt pretty stiff after the 31 mile run on Saturday so I took this one extra easy.  I also tried out a new pair of shoes.  Normally I don't time my recovery runs because I don't want to know how slow it was, but this one was out of town and I wanted to know the distance, so there you go.

Tuesday:  Run 5 mi. easy, untimed.  Strength: Core, legs.

Wednesday:  3 mi tempo (22:00, 7:20/mi avg), 4 total.
This was my fastest tempo run to date.  The last mile was used as a cooldown to pick some blackberries.

Thursday: Run 8.75 mi. easy 1:19:18, 9:04/mi.
I ran the first and last 3 miles with Matt and did the middle section on my own when he went out for a tempo run of his own on a longer loop.  Logistically, it wasn't my favorite run.  Maybe we'll go back to my pacing him on a bike instead.

Friday:  Run 4 mi. untimed. Strength: Core, legs.
Hmmm, I remember nothing about this run other than yes, I did do it.  Or at least I think so.

Saturday: Run 16.5 mi on trails. 3:27:47, 12:36/mi, 3,111 ft gain.
This run was beautiful and most importantly, uneventful.  After last weekend's adventure and extra miles, I was happy to just soak in the scenery on this one.


TOTAL MILES:  41.5

Notes:  This was the first of a three week taper.  We had planned to run our club's half marathon on the 10th, but the date was changed at the last minute and we won't be around for it.  Since last week's 80+ miles, I was happy to have a taper of this length anyway.  The long run last week almost made me feel like I had raced it, I was that sore.  Next week, I'll shoot for something around 30 miles.

A Humboldt Redwoods Saturday, 16 mi.

The sun was just about to burn through the remaining bit of marine layer when we began our long run on Saturday morning.  Temperatures were near perfect.  It was everything that last weekend's long run was not.  And sometimes that in itself can be nice.  Or at least it was nice for me.  When we collected our gear from the trunk of the car, both Matt and Danny realized they had forgotten their water packs and snacks.  For a moment, they eyed my backpack, wondering what extras they could convince me to carry.  Nice try boys.  This is where that emergency food/water kit in our trunk comes in handy.  A safety precaution still lingering from our winter-driving days, our trunk always contains a few bottles of water, a box of granola bars, a blanket, and some warm clothes.  Matt simply grabbed one of the plastic bottles and a few granola bars.  Danny opted to go without supplies, deciding he was going to train his fat-burning system.

Within the first half mile, we took a wrong turn.  The web of trails surrounding the Big Tree Area always confuse me.  Of course we've been here dozens of times, but it feels different when the run begins somewhere else.  When we looped around to where we started, we realized the error and had only added another half mile to our day.  And it was all flat, unlike last weekend.

The first two miles were flat and meandered through the towering giants of the Bull Creek drainage.  Sunshine broke through the canopy and filtered down into the valley.  The bright light was soft enough in this earlier hour that it only served to enhance the lush green understory of the forest floor.

As we do most long runs here, we included a bit of Grasshopper trail on our route.  The climbing began and I soon found myself power-hiking up the hill as I usually do.  This time, instead of working up the hillside slowly, I picked up my pace and focused on technique.  If I'm going to walk, I might as well get good and efficient at it.  Soon my heart rate climbed to the same rate it does on the track interval workouts.  Climbing 600 ft. in less than half a mile is always strenuous, but in a deep dark place within, I find myself enjoying it. 

It was here that we found ourselves on the race course of a 75 mile endurance horse ride.  We each placed bets as to how many horses we would see for the day.  All of the riders this day were courteous and we shared the trail peacefully.  It was a pleasant surprise after the our previous experience with horse races. We joked that Matt and Danny could drink from the horse troughs on the course if they got really thirsty.

Squaw Creek Ridge trail continued skyward but entertained us with several runnable sections that were just teaser enough to keep me from maintaining a solid rhythm.  Just as I found myself growing annoyed by this, the trail junction appeared. We sailed down to Baxter Camp on the meandering singletrack trail through the forest and dusty sand.  The spring had been especially dry and our first two stream crossings of the day didn't require wet feet at all.

We cruised alongside Bull Creek to the road of the same name.  After a momentary pause for berries alongside the road, we found ourselves climbing again, this time up the Pole Line trail.  When I plan our long run routes, I like to climb the fire roads and descend along the singletrack trails.  The fire roads are very steep, wide gravel roads.  In my mind, they serve to get the climbing over with as quickly (and painfully) as possible so we can sail gently down the other side.  This would be our second climb/descent of the day set up in precisely that manner.  Throughout the entire park, most of the trails are set up in a way that this works nearly every time.

The descent along the Indian Orchard trail was effortless.  Although this isn't my favorite descent with its cambered trail and unremarkable scenery, I reveled in the simplicity of my movements.  Recently, I've noticed that my running form has a pronounced twist, which eventually leads to sore and tight muscles in my lower back.  After carefully paying attention and experimenting (and with Matt's help), I've determined the issue: I don't swing my arms enough when I run.  These descents were perfect to help me practice my form.  It did, however, make my arms pretty sore by the end of the day.  This adjustment will definitely take some getting used to and won't be a focus on every run.

When we reached Cuneo camp, a race checkpoint was set up near the water source.  Matt refilled his water bottle and Danny drank straight from the tap.  The remainder of the run was along the Homestead Trail.  This trail, although much flatter than the others today, always surprises me with its hills.  One moment I'm running along a straight flat stretch and the next, there's a hairpin turn and I'm going uphill again.  We alternated stream crossings with soft sandy trail.

Whatever cleaning effect the creeks had on our shoes was quickly erased by the dusty trail.  I had to run a bit behind Danny to keep the dust from irritating my eyes.  After we reached Albee campground, Matt and Danny took off for a fast finish.

I hung back at my own pace with the camera.  The final section of Homestead trail was through once again through the Redwoods.  I smiled blissfully and found myself increasing the pace.  This park is my favorite part about Humboldt. 

16.5 mi.
3,111 ft. gain.
3:27:47
12:36/mi.

For me, that's a pretty decent pace.  Maybe that 31 mile run last weekend wasn't such a bad thing.  One more long run (12 mi) next weekend before the race!

What's the best part about living where you do?

Skyline to the Sea Trail..... with some bonus miles

The first few miles passed in a blur of orange and brown. Even though this was my third week in a row of 20+ mile runs and after mile 10 I would have a new weekly mileage PR, I somehow expected it to be easy.  After all, it was 25 miles of downhill, how hard could that be, right?

(source)

The first six miles passed quickly through unremarkable groves of baby Redwoods.  Matt, Danny, and I took turns leading, chatting about this trail while we ran along.  I expected a long run pace PR for this run given the ease of the downhill course.  The boys remarked about how urban this trail feels compared to our usual route.  We passed the Waterman Gap trail camp seven miles in and had already seen nearly ten people.  Last weekend, we came across two for the entire 22 miles.  We would eventually stop counting when that number reached 99 people.  The trail was well-marked and we let the four-sided posts guide us to the ocean.  These signposts didn't always point directly at one trail, rather halfway in between two heading in different directions.

We stopped for a snack when we intersected the Saratoga Toll Road, one direction leading back to Saratoga gap and one going in an unmarked direction.  We ran away from Saratoga Gap and ended up at Highway 9 and no apparent trail up the hill.  We backtracked to read the signpost again and that revealed no clues.  I decided to run up to the highway and alongside it for a little bit, figuring if we were lost, the best place would be nearest civilization.  We soon came across the trail we had crossed before.  Now we were going in circles.  Where was the trail?  After about an hour and a half and adding a few miles to our run, my mind considered something I didn't want to be true, "I bet we missed a turnoff a few miles back on the trail.  We must have."  "I think we're supposed to be about two miles back the other way and 800 ft. higher than we are now," I suggested.  The boys agreed, that was the only option right now. 

Just ten miles into our already long day, this destroyed me mentally. Why couldn't we have gotten lost on a mountaintop instead of a valley?  I went to that dark place that not even the fruity delicious Gushers could fix.  Somehow, Matt and I get lost more on well-established trails than faint unmarked ones.  Clearly we just need to travel with a map because the world makes more sense to us than these silly guidepost signs.  One thing we did do right while determining which way to go at a confusing intersection was to note which way our shadows pointed and corresponding cardinal directions.

Where we went wrong.  Tell me that doesn't look right, yeah?

Eventually we regained our position on the Skyline to the Sea Trail and realized where we made our mistake.  We had followed the "Skyline to the Sea Connector" trail, which would connect us back to where we began at Saratoga Gap.  Oops.  That little detour effectively added another six miles to our day.  We ended up somewhere near the little arrow on the map instead of the trail that parallels the highway (in yellow).

(source)

Until this point, the trail meandered through the same forest of scrubby tan oak.  We contoured a ridge and were eventually treated to views of the surrounding hillsides and a few shots of crisp, ocean air filtering up a valley somewhere.  It was nearing 80F and my skin welcomed the sudden cool bursts.  We meandered through these cold areas and toasty, stagnant heat. 

When the trail finally dropped into a Redwood grove with flowing streams nearby, we couldn't resist taking a little dip. I considered ending my day here, soaking in the refreshing water.  I pulled myself from the creek and offered the rock I was perched on to Matt.  I couldn't believe the difference a short dip made on my fatigue level.  When we began running again, I noticed the calming effect on my mood as well.

The boys stopped for one more quick swim and I continued on to the Big Basin park headquarters.  The trails were marked by similar signs, but some had handwritten directions to further aid in navigation.  It seems we're not the only ones to get lost out here.  At precisely 20 miles, we arrived to a flurry of excitement as hundreds of people prepared for their afternoon hikes.  They were fresh, clean, and watched us with curiosity.  I looked like a drenched rat with a trail layer of dust everywhere.  Matt marveled at how his skin had darkened enough to match my natural complexion.

Matt and Danny refilled their packs with water as I ventured inside the snack bar.  This was our oasis for the day.  I gulped down a berry smoothie as fast as I could.  I actually welcomed the brain freeze.  Nothing has ever tasted so good.  We stopped at the ranger desk to ask where the trail left the parking lot.  We didn't want any more bonus miles for the day.  We explained how we had gotten lost earlier and the ranger offered us a map.  Huh, might as well, I thought, even though from our research, we knew that from here the trail was without braided sections and much less difficult to take a wrong turn.  Of course I know where I'm going, I'm going to the oooooooocean.  Duh. ;)

We climbed a short hill out of the visitor center area and then began the long descent towards Berry Creek Falls.  Signs warned of the difficulty of the hike.  I figured after how our morning had went, the rest would be gravy.

After following the same creek for a couple of miles, we eventually crossed and were faced with a trail junction: climb to the top of Berry Creek Falls or continue to the ocean.  My energy levels were beginning to dip and with already five hours on the trail, I wasn't excited to add more.  The boys made a detour as I continued on solo.  Every time I reached a trail junction, I placed a few sticks together to form an arrow pointing in the direction I traveled, just in case.  The last thing I wanted to do was get separated from them.

I pulled off the trail after almost thirty minutes of solitude.  Thinking nobody would see me, I peed next to a tree and began walking again as I pulled up my shorts.  Just then, Matt and Danny approached quickly from behind and a woman walking her dog came up ahead.  Matt told me they had gotten great views and a few photos.  I quickly responded, "Of what? My ass?"

Okay, I guess that's pretty cool. Note the tiny person in lower right corner.

Now that our group was reunited, I found myself missing my solo time.  The boys ran ahead at a pace that I couldn't keep and frequently left me behind.  I suggested they go on their own pace and leave me to run as slowly as I needed to without pressure to keep up with them. The boys took off and I was soon joined by two unicyclists.  We were going about the same pace.  As they teetered down hills, I caught them and they zoomed by on the flat stretches.  I had settled into a natural pace and found myself running consistently again.  

Matt waited for me a few miles ahead and we finished the run together.  When we came within a mile of the end, we caught our first glimpse of the ocean.  I told you we'd find it eventually!! The chill of the ocean air penetrated my skin and I wasted no time changing into dry clothes after we reached the car.  Then the three of us took to the water.  I had just changed my outfit and wasn't willing to go in beyond thigh depth.  Just after Matt turned to head for shore, Danny came up behind him and playfully gave him a shove.  Matt fell into the water and emerged with a snarl on his face.  "The first thing I thought when I went into the water was, 'wow, I must be really sweaty', because my lips tasted salty," Matt explained.  Clearly we don't spend enough time swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

That night I stuffed my face with a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a root beer.  It was awesome. That day was tougher than it had to be, for sure.  I'm just glad that between the three of us, we had enough common sense, supplies, and endurance to add some miles without major issues.

Looks like Garmin spent more time lost than we did.

31 miles.
7:34:10
2,000 ft. gain (about 4,000 ft. loss)

Fall Racing Schedule

To keep ourselves occupied during a taper, Matt and I often consider our races for the next season. In September, we will be tucking away our candy bars, hydration packs, gaiters, and trail shoes for the faster and lighter road training.

This fall training season will be the first one since Matt and I began training together that we will not be preparing for the same distance.  He still plans to do long runs with me, but his focus will be on the shorter distances.  After training for several years at the marathon, he believes that he's got more potential in the 5K and half marathon distances and would like to explore them.  Right now, his marathon pace and 5K pace are less than 40 seconds apart.  His 2:51 marathon predicts short distance times much faster than he can currently manage.  Personally, I'm excited to see what he can do when he applies the same dedication to the shorter races.  And that will only make him faster when he returns to the marathon.

As for me, I have my sights set again on that elusive BQ time.  I will be following the same training strategy as before: three hard days (long run, marathon pace, and track/tempo work) and three easy, maxing out at a weekly mileage of 65.  Ever since the cold I had a few weeks ago, it seems that my allergies have taken some time off.  I hope this continues on through the fall and that race day will be a healthy one, unlike this spring at the Avenue of the Giants (I ran with a sinus infection I didn't know I had).  For the first time in many marathons, Matt will be running alongside me every step of the race.  I hope that my bad marathon karma has expired and that the stars will finally align, making my first BQ a team effort.

Of course, we'll be running several other races through training.

August 10: Hammond Trail Half Marathon. We accidentally mixed up the weekends and this race is the 17th (day of Marquette 50K in MI) so we'll be missing it.  Boo.

August 31: Sand Dollar Shuffle 5mi.  Our club's only beach race.  If my feet are feeling up for the challenge, I'd like to make this my first barefoot race.

September 8: Blue Lake 5K/10K.  I'll probably run the 5K and see if I can make it in under 22 minutes.

September 22: Run the Rogue Half Marathon in Medford, OR.  I'm especially excited about this race because its flat.  All three of the local half marathons here have several hills, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do on an easier course.

October 6: Turtle Bay Half Marathon in Redding  or Oct 27th's Weaver Basin Trail 30K.  We'll see what Matt and I are in the mood for when the time comes.

October 20: Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon.  Club race with the locals and a few thousand of my closest tourist friends.  Hanging out with my favorite Redwoods makes it even more fun.

November 9: Arcata Bottoms 3 and 8 miler.  They begin 45 min apart, so I'll probably do both races, one as a warmup and the other racing.  Odd distances, but it is a club race that I really enjoyed last year.

November 28: Turkey Trot 5K.  This happens to fall during one of my most rested periods of the year: about 10 days before CIM.  Rest=magic fastness.  We'll see what I can pull off.

December 8: California International Marathon.  No monsoons this year please, last year wasn't much fun that way.

Do you like running other races during training?  How far in advance do you plan out your races?