Nanny Goat 12 Hour Race Report

On Saturday, I ran my second 12 Hour run - The Nanny Goat in Riverside, CA. I had the option of starting at 8am or at 8pm. I was leaning toward running at night but the weather forecast said it would be cool & partly cloudy so I decided to run it during the day and I'm really glad I did.

Pre-Race
Since I decided to do the 8am start, I carbo loaded on Friday and I think I did a pretty good job of it. On Saturday morning, I got up at 5, ate breakfast, and got dressed. Then I packed my backpack and a chair for the day. I made sure to pack a couple extra pairs of shoes and socks along with food, Scaps, Aleve, and body glide.

Once I got to the ranch where the race was at, I set up my chair in a strategic location - close to the porta-potties and the food! :) Then I checked in, got my bib, timing chip, shirt, and mug.

The Plan
My training for this was pretty much non-existent because I hurt my foot back in March. My longest run in the last 2 months was the 19 mile run/hike on my birthday last weekend. I also had one 16.5 mile run and a handful of half marathons and that's it. No back-to-backs either. Like I mentioned before, I wasn't scared about this but honestly didn't know what to expect. I dreamed about hitting 50 miles (A goal), or my age (B goal), but hoped to just be on my feet all 12 hours (C goal). With that in mind I decided my plan for this would be 5 min running/1 min walking. It felt doable. I hoped. :)

Race
Steve, the RD, gathered us in the barn for last minute instructions and then we were off! Lucy Jacobs (carrying the flag below) led us out of the barn. It was a reminder of why and who we were running for at the Nanny Goat. FYI - Lucy did the 24 Hour and she carried the flag the entire time!

I ran the entire first loop to get the excitement out of my system. When I came to the barn (where the timing mat was), I heard "Hey, Run It Fast." and then "Go Lisa!". I looked and it was Kylie! I knew she would be there. :) On the second loop, I started the interval timer on my watch and started the plan. I had to stop and say hello to Kylie and give her a hug when I got back to the barn but other than that, I kept to the plan for the first 30 miles.

I did have some extra breaks in there - bathroom breaks (damn hamster bladder), 2 shoe/sock changes. Also, about 2 hours into it, I walked a little bit with Kylie who, by the way, went into labor last night and little Mackenzie was born this morning! Congrats Kylie and Mike! See, my plan to help her start labor totally worked. ;)

Back to the race... My feet started hurting around 3 hours into the race. I'd brought 2 other pairs of shoes with me because I wasn't sure which I would want and I decided to change shoes at 3.5 hours to see if it would help. It did for a little while though not much but I stuck with the plan. Those laps seemed to go by quickly but things were starting to go south. Every lap, my feet felt heavier and heavier. I changed my shoes and socks again at 6.5 hours and I think that was a mistake. The sock change was good but I saw I already had a blister on each foot. Even with the gaiters, the dust/sand got in my shoes. I think once I knew for sure they were there it was harder to ignore them.

I told myself I had to stick to the plan for at least 50K but I couldn't resist the hamburgers they were barbecuing and grabbed 1/2 a cheeseburger as I finished lap 30. I walked while I ate it and then finished a run/walk for the lap but not really the plan schedule. Probably more walk than run. After that, I thought maybe walking a couple of laps would give my feet a rest. I grabbed my camera as I finished lap 31 so I could take some pics of the course while I walked.

There were basically 3 types of terrain there: the grassy/gopher hole section (above right), the dirt orchard lane section (right), and a stretch of road (below).

That's Run It Fast - The Club Member #121 Ed Ettinghausen in the Jester costume! He had a whole bunch of hats and changed them throughout the day. When I heard a jingle, I'd know it was him and check to see what he was wearing next. His hats:

One more thing about Ed. He was a fabulous cheerleader on the course. He learned everyone's name and he greeted you by name every time he saw you and offered encouragement. Totally cool! Here's a few more pics of the ranch:

Nice course, huh? Interesting stuff to see and different surfaces to keep you paying attention. Though I think the gopher hole section contributed to my calf problems later I enjoyed it. After this, I put my camera away but continued walking. I was at the 8 hour mark and sort of resigned myself to walking the rest of the day. The next 90 minutes were all walking. I am a slow walker but I was trying to do at least 3 laps per hour. Each lap, my feet felt more and more like bricks and I was so frustrated. It wasn't just the blisters but the whole foot and ankle that were hurting. I didn't even pay attention to laps but I think it was lap 36 were I seriously considered stopping. In my mind, I said I would rest for 30 min or an hour and then start again but I kind of figured if I did that, I wouldn't go back out. :(

Not only were my feet killing me but so were my calves and my legs were complete noodles because after the cheeseburger, I hadn't felt like eating and all I was doing when I stopped was a cup of coke or sprite and  a slice of fruit. I decided I would try changing my shoes one more time and take some Aleve and see how it went. I changed back into pair #2 for the day but didn't want to take my socks off  (or look at my feet). I also grabbed some peanut butter & jelly crackers. I tweeted my frustration while I was sitting there but then I made myself get up and start walking again.

I walked for about half that lap, read the encouragement from my tweeps and then a funny thing happened. I decided to see if I could start running again. And I did! Woo! Maybe it was the Aleve kicking in or the pb&j crackers or a second wind. Whatever it was, I was so happy. I was running! :) So then I decided that I didn't want to risk walking again and I finished that lap without walking again and then ran the next 5 laps. They were slow but I didn't care because I was running.

Towards the end of lap 42, my stomach started feeling not so good and my right calf started to twinge like it wanted to cramp. It was getting close to the 11th hour and I think I burned up whatever second wind I had because I started feeling noodley again. I was so happy to finish lap 42 and see I only had 1 hour left! I ran/walked the last hour and got 3 more laps in. I finished lap 45 at 11 hours and 53 minutes so not enough time for another lap or new PR. :( But hello, I ran 45 miles! I was so sure I wouldn't even make it to 40 that I was thrilled with 45. I had run the last part of that lap with another runner and when we finished we congratulated each other. Turns out we both ran 45 miles. He said "We could have run the whole thing together." and I wondered to myself how different our paths were to the same place.

Post Race & Thoughts
My second 12 Hour was in the books! They took my chip and gave me my medal:

The medal also has a magnet on the back and can be used as a refrigerator magnet. I think it's a fun medal. This is what the 12 & 24 hour people got. If you ran the 100 miler, then you got a buckle. Once I had my medal, I went back to the barbecue and grabbed a piece of tri-tip (no bread or anything else - coyote style ;) ) that I had been smelling for the last few laps and ate that while I rested for a little while. I was starting to get cold so I packed up my stuff and headed home to clean up and take care of my feet.

So...I reached my B goal for the night. My age - 44 plus 1 to grow on. :) I was really surprised that I ran 45 miles yesterday when I considered myself undertrained vs. 45.6 miles for the New Years 1 Day where I considered my training just about perfect. I wonder if it's just that I had done it before so knew I could do it again? What do you think?

All I know is that though I had not so much fun with my feet, I had fun talking to the other runners, watching the horses, the dogs, & crazy guard chickens on the farm, seeing the runner's family cheering everyone on, that it was a beautiful day to run, and it gave me an opportunity to battle some demons. When I was getting frustrated, I tried to remind myself that I was lucky that I COULD put myself thru that torture, I mean, fun. I would see Lucy on the course, carrying that flag and not complaining, and just keep moving forward. I thought of my grandpa walking everywhere. I thought of Joshua and Naresh running Vol State 500 last year when they were tired and their feet hurt. I thought of all my twitter friends who've run 100 miles and suffered more than I did. But most of all, I tried not to think at all and just keep moving.

This was the first race in a long time where I listed to music (last 8 hours) to fill my mind with something else besides my feet. I had to laugh because the song that was playing when I finished was Fallin' by Alica Keys.

Oh, oh, I never felt this way / How do you give me so much pleasure and cause me so much pain? / Just when I think I've taken more than would a fool / I start fallin' back in love with you

Definitely some lows/pain during the day but a happy ending. Running can be a bitch but you gotta love something that can give you such amazing experiences and teach you lessons like this. :)  

Thanks for reading!

Safari Park Wild Thoughts

So why was the Safari Park Half Marathon my favorite half marathon to date? I mean, I didn't PR, I didn't travel out of the state to run it, and I didn't win (ha!). But none of that matters. The reason I sign up for races is to experience new things - new places, new challenges, meet new people, and have fun while I'm doing it. This fit all of that.

These are the elements of the race that I loved:

• The course was interesting - it included road and dirt and hills. I like variety in my races.
• The course had great views - there was lots to see and Curious Lisa loved seeing all of it. I have to say that I loved the ostrich farm. The ostriches were wacky. I didn't know they made sounds like that and to see them watching us and running around was fun.
• The race was really well organized - Everything went off without a hitch this year. I heard they had problems with parking last year but there were none this year. The race started on time and the buses back to our cars after were easy peasy to catch.
• They also had really well organized aid stations. It was doubly nice that they sent out an email before the race telling us that water would be in clear cups and the electorlyte drink would be in solid cups. Except for the aid station outside the winery that was serving drinks up in wine glasses! Sorry, but I think it was just water and electorlyte drink. ;)
• Packet pickup, the drop bags, post food/water, directions/support on the course were all excellent too.
• There weren't a lot of spectators, practically none actually except for the families that were bused into the park and the one housing tract we went thru, but I didn't care. I don't need crowd support. And less crowds means you can focus easier. At least I can.
• One of the runners complained that she'd never been in a such a "chatty" race but I loved it. She's right, there was a lot of talking going on between the runners but isn't that why we race? To run with others? I had a lot of fun talking to various people on the course. It's always disappointing when you talk to someone and they are wearing headphones. But it was fun to be in awe of something we saw and to have someone else acknowledge they were thinking the same thing.
• The race had Race Guards running with us. There were also some on bikes out on the course. I'd never seen that before and I thought it was a very cool idea. A couple of them were running around my pace so I saw them all the way up until the end. I would like to look into doing something like this.
• The Wild Animal Park was VERY welcoming to us. All day, the people at the park congratulated me or asked me how I did. It was fun to see the shirts/medals all day too. Like a not-so-secret club. Also, a good conversation opener with strangers.
• A lot of the runners dressed with ears/tails/animal prints so that was fun too. I was mostly glad that I beat Tony the Tiger. :)
• Um, did I mention there were elephants and lions and cheetahs? Seriously, how cool is that!!! :) I am still going through my photos for that day! Hopefully, I'll have them ready tonight.

So yes, I absolutely will do this race again. Next time, I'm going to do the Roar and Snore and spend the night before in the park. I talked to some of the runners who had done it and they said it was a ton of fun to hear the lions and other animals at night and that the dinner had been yummy. I think it would be a blast. Who's going to join me?

Safari Park Half Marathon Recap

I ran my 10th half marathon today and I have to say that it was my favorite one so far! The Safari Park Half Marathon had all my favorite elements in it. More on that in a bit.

I didn't really have any expectations for this half. The start of the week totally sucked and my runs on Monday & Tuesday were no bueno. I could barely get a full breath which makes it really hard to run unless you are going really, really slow. But every day got better and better and my 9 mile run yesterday went really well so I was hopeful for today.

I woke up at 3 today since I had a 90 min drive there, had to pick up my race packet, and the race started at 6:30. I kind of regretted that this morning because I only got about 4 hours of sleep but it turned out okay. I got there in plenty of time, got ready, and then met up with Moonkin Running. It was fun to meet another twitter friend. I can't tell you her name or show you her picture because she is another Super Spy. ;) Then we split up to head to our corrals. I got in the corral with the 2:15 pacer which I thought I could do without dying. The plan was to just have fun, not worry about time, and enjoy the run.

The start was full of energy and packed with people which forced me to go out slow. I couldn't have gone faster if I'd wanted too. Which was fine. We headed out and turned on to rural roads that would take us past wineries, dairies (some of the cows even came out to watch us), a horse ranch, and an ostrich farm! It was cool and overcast and the surrounding views were beautiful. At mile 6 we had to climb a steep long hill into the Wild Animal Park. We were all groaning going up it and not just because it was so steep but also because the race people had put up signs with really bad jokes going up them. Like: "How do you know when a rhino is about to charge?...He pulls out his credit card!" and "What do elephant trunks and this hill have in common?...They both suck!". Yeah, they were all bad like that but you had to laugh.

Once we were over the top of the hill, we were in the park and we had a fabulous downhill that wound thru it. I was laughing w/ a couple of the runners about what the animals thought of us crazy humans running by them! We left the park for a little while and some of the keepers were out there with a camel cheering us on. We had one more hill at mile 12 as we went back in the park and then it was all downhill to the finish. I'd lost the 2:15 guy a while back but caught and passed him at this point. I'd had a low energy point around mile 10 but then felt better so picked it up a little at the end.

It was hard to stay focused though, especially when we ran by the elephants and there were baby ones! It was almost torture to keep running and not stop! But I told myself the faster I finished, the sooner I could come back with my camera. You could hear the finish line party for the whole last mile and it was really energizing. The finish was a lot of fun, with the lions to the right and the cheetahs to the left...I found myself speeding up. Be fast or be food, right? ;) I finished in 2:12:35 which I was very happy with. Frankly, I was thinking it would be more like 2:30 because I've been so slow lately. But I did pretty well considering the slow start and the hills. And best of all, I felt great at the end. I probably could have pushed harder but who cares, I had a blast!

I got my medal, grabbed some water, banana, orange, and a bagel and went to sit in front of the cheetah enclosure and watched them while I ate. I swear the cheetahs were licking their chops as they watched us and were pacing back and forth. Later, one of the keepers told me that all the keepers were talking about how much the cheetahs enjoyed watching us. Ha! I bet! :) The medal is very cool, don't you think? I love it.

After that, I went back to my car and got my camera and spent the rest of the day exploring the park. I even splurged a little and did the Photo Caravan tour which is a 2 hour tour on truck that goes into the animal areas so you can get up close and personal with them. You get to feed giraffes and be just a couple of feet away from rhinos. And take pictures galore. A photographer/wild animal lover paradise. Spring is a wonderful time to visit the park with all the babies and the frisky animals. I highly recommend it.

All in all, today was fabulous! A perfect early birthday present to myself. Holy cow, I'm going to be 44 in 13 days! I don't feel old though. I feel like a kid. Especially today. :)

Foxy Half Marathon Recap

I ran the Foxy Half Marathon at Lake Hodges in Rancho Bernardo today. It was the second race in Dirt Devil Racing's Half Marathon Animal Series and it was a lot of fun. I sucked but I enjoyed the run anyway because for once NOTHING hurt. Well, except for the quarter size blister I got on my left foot for some weird reason. But my foot, my groin, and my shoulder all felt really, really good. If only I could say the same for my stomach.

I knew going into this that I wasn't going to "race" it because I hadn't been feeling that great all week and I have been so SLOW on my runs. No speed at all. And then starting on Tuesday, I had some stomach issues. It was a little hot on my run home from work that day and I felt really nauseous after and dinner didn't stick around long. Wednesday I seemed fine but then it happened again on Thursday after my run home from work. So I thought it might be the heat. But then it happened again during lunch at work on Friday and that place is on icebox so it wasn't heat related. On Saturday I woke up feeling just slightly nauseous and decided to go for a run & ride and see how I did. Both actually went really well so I had high hopes it would be okay for today. It was mostly okay but I still have a lingering bleah feeling. Anyway, that's the back story going into this morning's race.

Pre-Race

Rancho Bernardo is about 90 minutes away from me so I woke up at 3:30, ate, got ready, and packed. I headed out at 4:40 so I could be there about 6:15 to pick up my packet. Traffic was non-existent so I made good time. I did have one moment of panic when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw flashing lights but he zipped right by me. I found out why in a few miles because he was doing a break on the freeway. Luckily it didn't last long and I made it there about 6:10. I got my bib and chip and my goodie bag. It had a shirt and a hat in it for the race. I really like the logo. I was SUPPOSED to eat something before the race but I forgot. But it was too late to go back to the car so I hoped the Gu Brew I had in my little bottle would be enough.

The Race
There were 2 waves for the race: the fast people and the snails. I got in the second wave but they were still moving. It was single track at the start and I kept up with the line and went out at a 9:30 pace. I did okay in the first mile but my legs were already noodley and I decided I better back off so I could finish and not blow up. I had no energy going up the hills but only walked a very small portion of them.

It was a pretty interesting course. Some single track, some fire road, road, and bike path, lots of fishermen. Um, but they weren't running. The course took us around a portion of Lake Hodges and even across a cool suspension bridge. Since I wasn't racing, I was able to enjoy the views. It was foggy this morning and it was hanging over the hills and the lake and gave it a very peaceful feeling. Kind of reminded me of Milford Sound. Hey! A girl can dream (it's #2 on my list of dream run vacations behind Scotland). So that and all the birds made for an awesome run. I wish I had stopped to take pictures but I didn't want to get in anyone's way or step off the trail (we were warned repeatedly at the start about watching for rattlesnakes).

The only bad part of the run was that I started getting a blister on my left foot about mile 6. I wore my Peregrines because they are more protective than the WT110s and I wanted my foot to not have a setback. But I haven't worn them in forever and paid the price. :( I thought I might have to stop and take care of it at one of the aid stations but decided to wait and see. Well, I waited til the end. One thing that helped keep running was when we crossed a stream for the second time. The first time I crossed I hopped from rock to rock like everyone else. The second time I stopped and looked at the rocks and looked at the stream and debated whether getting my feet wet would hurt or help. I finally decided to go for it and plunged right in. The water was cold and felt so good! It definitely helped and I was able to finish without stopping. :)

So I just ran along at a steady pace, enjoying the morning, and happy I was going to finish my 9th Half Marathon. Then I was done and I got my medal. I WAS happy to be done but it was a little bittersweet. I wished I could have run it harder. There was a part of me in the beginning that was sad but once I let it go, I really enjoyed the run. I just bought Of Monsters and Men's new album last week and there's a song on the album which fit perfectly for today. It's called Slow and Steady and these are some of the lyrics...

My dear old friend, take me for a spin
two wolves in the dark, running in the wind
I'm letting go, but I've never felt better
passing by all the monsters in my head
I move slow and steady
but I feel like a waterfall...

Here's my medal, front and back. The saying on the back of the medal is also on the back of our shirt. I like the quote a lot. This was a fun race, the volunteers and some of the runners dressed as cats, foxes, and other animals. Everyone was very friendly and the aid stations were great. Bonus...Merrell was one of the sponsors so I got to check out their new trail shoes. I'm not sure how I walked away without buying any. I was in lust. :) Yes, I have a shoe problem! The only downside to Dirt Devil's races is no food at all at the finish. Not even a banana. What's a starving runner got to do to get some food in her! Actually, it was better that I didn't have any food before I drove home. I would have hated to get another speeding ticket because I had to hurry.

I went for a ride when I got home. No soreness at all but I just wanted to spin out my legs a little. All in all, it was a good day. I can't wait for the Cougar Half in June and then Raptor Ridge in October. I've never done a series before. If I lived closer, I'd do their Grand Slam Series too. The first one is the Coyote 5K. What do you think? Should I?

A Smile From Across The Pond

Today, I got the most amazing gift. I knew "something" was coming but wasn't expecting it today and didn't know what it was. I was feeling a little low this morning and when it arrived, it brightened my day considerably!

In January, I wrote this post on Run It Fast: Inspiring Women of 2011. In it, I listed Chrissie Wellington as one of the women who inspired me. Not only does she inspire me with her amazing athletic abilities but also her work with charity and the joyful attitude she shares with everyone.

I'd told Rowena (@rowenanews) how much she inspired me when Rowena mentioned she was going to get to meet her in person. Well, unbeknownst to me, Rowena got to meet her twice and the 2nd time she met her she did this:

Woo! An autographed copy of Chrissie's book! Is that not cool or what?!?! Not only that but Rowena told Chrissie about me and she showed her my blog and my photo. Even better was the note that Rowena wrote to me. I started crying when I read it because I really needed to hear what she said.

I know that I came off sounding positive about my race on Sunday but there was a patch where I was in a dark place. I was really frustrated about another race not going as planned and seriously doubting my abilities. I know that my foot issues aren't a reflection of that but I was still mad. Mad at myself for going past the 1st aid station. Mad at my foot for hurting. Mad at the running gods for throwing another challenge in my path. Frankly, I am ready for the "growing" to be done and to just have a nice, easy...FAST race.

So around mile 9, I felt like screaming and kicking something. I felt like crying. I even had a moment where I thought about dropping out of the running world. I mean, really, what could I possibly share with anyone that was worth anything? Except be a lesson in what not to do. I was going to shut down my twitter account, shut down the blog, tell Josh I couldn't do anymore Run It Fast posts, and stop racing! Total pity party. But after a bit, I felt better and even got to a point where I was laughing at myself. When I got to one of the checkpoints, I told the guy that I was going super slow so he could see my number and it wouldn't be a blur. He laughed. And then I joked about it with a couple near the end and reminded them that fast is relative. They said I had a great attitude and I smiled wryly to myself thinking if only they'd seen me a few miles ago.

So I was in a much better place at the end. It WAS a good day. Still...when the RD emailed the link to the results last night, I had no desire to look at them. I finally did today and was really surprised that I wasn't last. Or 2nd to last. Not that it matters. Rowena didn't say I'd inspired her because I won a race. Josh didn't give me another Run It Fast assignment today because I bring home hardware from a race. And a twitter peep didn't ask me for advice because I'm going to the Olympics. None of that matters to them. They only care that I run! Why do I keep forgetting that?

I sometimes don't get why people think I'm inspirational but I do appreciate when someone lets me know. It makes me feel good to know that I've contributed in some way to another person's running/training. If someone inspires you, you should let them know. It just might make their day when they need it the most!

I Am A Cheetah...And A Mt Goat...Sort Of

Live out of your imagination, not your history. ~Stephen Covey

This morning, just as I was about to get in the shower, the shower curtain moved by itself. I stopped and looked at it and thought maybe it was my cat waiting to attack me. But then Spike walked up next to me and he was looking at the shower curtain too. First thing that went thru my mind was Psycho. Second thing was a ghost. Then a mouse. Then a REALLY BIG spider. All in the space of a few seconds. I almost didn’t want to know what was on the other side of the curtain but I pulled it back anyway and…nothing…the shower was empty. Whew.

Yep, I have a vivid imagination. I don't know what caused the shower curtain to move like that. I'm gonna go with ghost though. :)

I think my vivid imagination has come in handy for running. Oh sure, it's caused a few issues: imagining myself falling off a mountain, fending off a mountain lion, getting lost for days in the woods…even though I don’t run in the woods!

But on the whole it's been a good thing. It keeps me entertained on long runs so I'm never bored. I think you also have to have a good imagination when you sign up for a race. Some part of you has to imagine that you could finish it or you wouldn't sign up for it. Maybe at the time you sign up, you aren't ready but you will be.

They say that visualization is good for runners who race. It can help you get ready for a race and help you complete it when the going gets hard. I use it a lot while I'm running or sometimes at night when I feel overwhelmed or anxious about an upcoming race. I visualize myself running through the cheering crowds (there's always a stadium full) and crossing the finish line. The problem I had in the beginning was that I always visualized myself looking like I was in the first mile and that it would be easy. When it wasn't like that during my first few races, I was disappointed. Then I learned that racing is supposed to be hard and it's supposed to hurt. So I started visualizing what that would be like but that I'd still be running strong through the pain. That helped a lot.

So, um, as you know if you've been reading this blog...I am not the fastest runner out there nor am I the most agile trail runner. But I still have fun when I'm running on the road or on the trail. You know why? Because I turn on my imagination and become faster, smoother, lighter Runner Lisa. The Lisa that is so fast you can't see her. The Lisa that is so light and agile she can leap huge boulders with a single bound. Well, maybe 2. I do have short legs, you know. ;) Still...

When I'm running intervals or tempo runs and I want to run like the wind...or at least try to, I imagine I'm speedy like this --------------------->

(When I took this pic, I imagined the cheetah was looking at me like I was lunch. What do you think?)

And when I'm on the trails and I want to be fast and quick over technical sections, I imagine I'm this...

And while I'm not there YET, I will be one day! (Cross your fingers some of that happens this weekend at the Mesquite Canyon 30K!)

Have a great weekend and Run It Fast!

February Recap

My February was a pretty darn good month, I'd have to say. It was jam packed with all kinds of adventure and new experiences. Oh yeah, and a little bit of running! Cycling...not so much. That's probably the only low point for the month.

In February, I ran 232.7 miles and rode 159 miles. <--That bike mileage was my normal WEEKLY mileage last year and I haven't had a month that low since I started bike commuting almost 4 years ago.

But I'm not going to freak out about it. A few things, good things, happened in February that kept that number low. These are the highlights:

*I ran my 1st 50K on 2/4! In the mud! And I survived. :)
*I ran my 2nd 50K on 2/25! With lots of hills! And I survived. :)
*I ran my 1st solo trail run up a mountain in February. And I survived. ;)
*I continued run commuting to work a couple days a week. I may even go to 3 days in March. We'll see.
*I visited Tennessee and got to hang out with friends and make new ones. Saw Graceland and other cool stuff.
*I was interviewed by Ultra Chicks Unite and the site was shared by the head of AdventureCorps so it was seen by a lot of people! (kind of a weird feeling).
*I joined the Run It Fast Running Club! I hope to get really involved in it this year and I hope you'll join me in that.

So...a pretty awesome month, eh?

Anyway, the tapering for 2 50Ks, travelling to TN, and run commuting meant that I was off the bike for a lot of February. I have a feeling the rest of the year isn't going to be much better since I plan on running a LOT more.

This creates a dilemma for me with my life goal. In case you don't know...my life goal is to be less dependent on my car and only use it one day a week. The way I "judged" achieving my goal in the past was to ride more miles than I drive. Last year, I rode 6,500 miles so it wasn't a problem. I may only do half of that this year on the bike. So I'm thinking of including my running miles in achieving my goal. I think that's fair, don't you? My goal for 2012 will change to "more miles human powered than motor powered". What do you think?

I just have to figure out if it's more in the spirit of the goal to count run miles 1 to 1 or to use, say, a 2 to 1 ratio. For example, today's commute would count as 27 miles instead of 13.5? Still have to think about that I guess. Ha. Life is good when that's your biggest worry!

I hope you all had a great February and you have an even better March!

Lower Monroe Truck Trail

"Gonna keep on tryin' til I reach the highest ground." ~Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground

Today, I conquered one of my fears. I ran up a mountain. By myself! :)

I needed to do it. I had to do it. My fear was holding me back and I had to prove to myself that I could be out there on my own and be okay.

I was supposed to go to Laughlin this weekend. Today was my mom's 65th birthday and we were all going to meet there to celebrate it. But I had a message from her waiting for me when I got back from my 17miler yesterday that said the trip was cancelled because she had the flu. Poor mom. She sounded miserable and so sad that her bday trip was spoiled. :(

So, suddenly I had a chance to run the trails in our mountains this morning. I picked Lower Monroe Truck Trail in Glendora so I could visit my grandpa after (the trailhead is 15 min from his house) & take him to lunch for his birthday which is Tuesday.

I decided to take Mystic Canyon Trail (MC) to get to Lower Monroe Truck Trail (LMTT) so I parked on Big Dalton Road (the white circle at the bottom) which is the trail head for MC & Big Dalton. MC climbs up in the area of the white square on the map and meets up with LMTT (the distinct white trail). The trail to the left of the square is Poop-Out Trail (PO) which is REALLY steep. I'm not sure why it's on the map and MC isn't. Maybe because MC is mysterious? ;)

Anyway...MC was pretty steep in some places as well and I probably did 70% hiking to 30% running. It was fun though. This is one of the flatter sections:

Once I reached the meeting point for PO, MC, and LMTT, I stopped to enjoy the view...
(same view from a higher ridge later)...then headed north on LMTT and it flattened out a little so I could do more running. My run up the mountain was quiet. Just me & the birds and some other small animals I heard rustling in the bushes. I did pass one other woman hiking on MC and one mt biker coming down LMTT but other than that, I had the trail to myself. It was pretty nice. All I heard was my breathing. And the occasional souped up bike racing down the mountain on Glendora Mountain Road.

There were 2 sections where the trail had washed away/eroded and there was just a sliver of trail left. I was nervous crossing them both times going up & down but I did it without falling down the side of the mountain. I think that was my biggest worry. That I would trip and fall off the side of the trail and no one would find me. Yes, I have an overactive imagination. But it could happen. Right?

To be honest, I was a little worried about some of the bigger animals as well. There are mountain lions and bears and rattlesnakes up there. Some of my friends who ride up there have had run-ins. But I didn't see any. Thankfully.

I spent a little too much time sightseeing and taking pictures so I didn't go all the way to the top like I'd planned. I'd told my grandpa I would be at his house by 11 and I didn't want to be late and make him worry so I turned around when I got to the top of the ridge (the top white circle in the map above). It's hard to see but there is a tiny little offshoot just at that junction and there are a bunch of bee hives there. I didn't hear any bees though. These are some of the views from my summit (3280ft):


The run down was a lot more fun and took a lot less time. It was also more social as I saw a couple more runners, mt bikers, and hikers w/dogs. When I got back to the MC/LMTT/PO juncture, I stopped to take my phone off airplane mode and took a moment to figure out which trail I was going to take the rest of the way. I kind of wanted to stay on LMTT but that would have added more than a mile and I didn't think I'd have time for that. Poop-Out also would have taken me away from where I parked and meant some road running so I decided to go ahead and head down Mystic Canyon.

And then I was done! I made it back to the car! 2 1/2 hrs running/hiking for the day. I was tired & a little sore, but in one piece. It was a great feeling. 1185ft to 3280ft. ~2100ft of climbing for the day. Not bad. Didn't get lost. Didn't fall off the mountain. Did a little climbing. It was a pretty darn good morning. :)

I took it easy up there today because my quads were sore from yesterday's run and my 50K is one week away but I will definitely come back in the next few weeks. If I park on Glendora Mountain Road, I can do all of LMTT (which includes multiple stream crossings) and I'll give myself enough time to go all the way to the top.

I definitely think I'm ready to take advantage of living in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains! I've got my big girl panties on now!

How about you? Do you/did you have any fears when it comes to running? How did you overcome them?

Runcations

So with last week's 50K in Tennessee, I've now run in 8 states (the blue states)! I've visited the pink states and I hope to visit/run in the green states this year. As you can see, I haven't done a whole lot of traveling around the US but running has changed/will change that! Also obviously, living in California, I've got the Western part of the US pretty much covered. ;)

Anyway, I hope to run in every state and I plan on saving Alaska & Hawaii for last. Some states will be easier to find runs in than others I think. And some states have too many great runs that keep luring me back to them (TN, AZ, NV). I seriously need to win the lottery to fund these adventures! Did I mention that I want to celebrate my 50th birthday by running the Loch Ness Marathon and by riding my bike across the US? Yeah, I'm gonna need some serious funding. Maybe I can sell my cat...

So...I've visited some very cool places and that's one of my criteria for choosing the runs that I do. It's why I chose the Mohawk Hudson Marathon instead of the New York Marathon. I don't need big. I need beautiful or interesting. I need history or adventure. I need someplace that my camera will be happy too.

These are some of my favorites memories from my runcations:

Me & the Seattle Troll

The view from the ferry to Bainbridge Island on Puget Sound:

Graceland in Memphis:

The 911 Memorial in Albany, NY:

Zion in Utah:

Running on Hayward Field in Eugene, OR:

I have had a lot of fun on all my runcations and seen/learned a lot. I can't wait for the next one (which will hopefully be South Dakota in August).

How many states have you run in? Do you want to run in all 50 states? How do you pick the races you do?

Jackson Jackass 50K Race Report

You know how when you were a kid, you'd be super excited about Christmas and then be disappointed because you got clothes & underwear? Yeah, that didn't happen on my trip to Tennessee. It was the best trip ever! Even with the mud and the rain...maybe because of it actually...the Jackson Jackass 50K was a wild, fun ride.

Pre-Race
I flew to Tennessee on Thursday so I could have a nice easy day on Friday. The flights went well and I arrived in Memphis about 2:30. I drove downtown to check out Beale St. for a while and then drove to Jackson.

On Friday, I decided to check out the trail for Saturday. I probably shouldn't have but I was a little nervous about it. I didn't run the whole thing and that was probably a good thing because if I'd known what was waiting for me, I would have really freaked out! When I was done, I had a message from Joshua (@bayou) and I met him and Jonathan (@JonathanBobbitt) for lunch at Jimmy Johns. It was a fun lunch. Those two crack me up and it was great to finally meet Jonathan.

After lunch, I went to the store to get supplies for my drop bag and then went back to the hotel to put my feet up until dinner. Just before 5:30, I walked over to meet Dallas (@smithbend) at the old Country Store where we were meeting the others for dinner. We had hot chocolate in the Ice Cream Shoppe while we talked and he signed one of his books I'd brought with me. Pretty soon the other started showing up and what do you know...I was the only woman! Me and 9 Southern Gentlemen. I may have been a little quiet because I was enjoying listening to them talk. I love southern accents. Sigh. ;) But seriously, everyone was very nice and the food was delicious. I ate too much but couldn't help it! It was the best pre-race dinner I've ever had. Good food, good company, lots of running talk...what more could a runner girl ask for?

When I got back to the hotel, I put my feet up again and went to bed about 11, I think. I woke up the next morning to the sound of pouring rain. Good thing too because I forgot to set the alarm! Doh! Ate breakfast, finished packing my drop bag, got dressed, and headed to the race. I met Dallas and Emily (@trailjunke) in the parking lot and we walked over to the start. I met all the others I hadn't met which was fun and so cool to finally put real faces to all te twitter names I've been following.

The Race
It was still raining a little bit but it wasn't cold. We gathered at the start and Naresh sent us off into the wilds of Jackson. ;) OK, not really but it certainly felt like it. Yes, I was scared. I run trails at home a lot. Single track, hills, rocks. But not mud. I thought I had hidden my fear but Josh told me later he saw it on my face. It wasn't that I didn't think I could do the distance. I just didn't know if I could handle what the day had in store for me. So I let everyone go in front of me so I wouldn't slow anyone down. I found Josh waiting for me at two points on the course to give me advice and I was really thankful for that. Other than that, I was on my own most of the time.

The first lap was the hardest. I fell twice in the mud and I was really, really frustrated with how slow I was and how terrible I was doing with the mud. I'd tried to catch myself both times with my right arm and my shoulder was not a happy camper. It still wasn't 100% from whatever I did a couple of weeks ago and didn't even like carrying my bottle in that hand. But it wasn't a game changer. Just one more thing I was frustrated with. I would like to apologize for the 2 times I jerked it hard and let out a bad word or three! Anyway... I finally gave myself a firm taking to and told myself to get over the pity party. To stop thinking about it and just do it and concentrate on getting the current lap done.

I was feeling good in the beginning. Legs felt good. I felt good. When I got thru the first loop, I felt better. There wasn't anything I couldn't handle as long as I paid attention. The second loop was pretty uneventful. Two more falls, more slides really, and I was still worried about my overall time (didn't want the guys to have to wait around for me) but I just kept moving.

However, the third loop was miserable. Right as I left the aid station, my stomach went wonky. I figured it would get better but I stopped eating and drinking to give it a chance to settle. I thought I might throw up a couple times and maybe it would have helped if I did, but no. When I got back to the aid station, I didn't know what to do as far as food/drink goes. I didn't want to give up my gu brew yet so didn't get any water. Naresh (@iamarunr) talked me into some pretzels and I grabbed a handful and left for loop 4. About half way through that loop, my stomach felt normal and then it was never an issue again. I think I fell once on loop 3 and once on loop 4 so my average was going down! Woo! Things were looking up!

I realized while I was into loop 4 that I was half way thru the race but at no time did I ever think of the race in terms of miles. I didn't wear my Garmin so had no idea what mile I was on ever. I'm kind of glad. Anyway, I was getting passed by the fast guys and Emily and I would move off to the side and watch them go by marveling at how fast and strong they were running. That was a very cool aspect of a loop course. Usually fast runners are way out in front and you never see them. But this course gave me that chance and they all had encouraging words for me which helped a lot. In fact, I got way more encouragement out there than I gave. I would see glimpses of other runners but without my glasses, I couldn't always tell for sure who they were unless I remembered what they were wearing. I enjoyed my brief moments with Jeff, Jonathan, Emily, Dallas, and Josh. Emily made sure to remind me that she'd brought potatoes, pretzels, & pb&js and that might help my stomach. Dallas ran with me for a while on one of my laps and that was very cool.

I tried to finish my gu brew before I got back to the aid station so I could switch to my water bottle. I realized that I'd only had 20 oz of liquid in more than 4 1/2 hours and that probably wasn't a good thing! On the next pass thru, I did grab my bottle with water and some potatoes w/salt and some peanut butter crackers I'd brought. Laps 5 & 6 went well. They passed in kind of a blur. I'd learned where my bad patches were so I could avoid falling again. In fact, I have to say I really enjoyed those laps. I'm not sure why but when I was in the "lost" section, I found myself singing as I ran. I don't think anyone was around to hear me, but if you heard a coyote howling...that was me. ;) I couldn't remember many songs though so went to some old faves: Amazing Grace, You Are My Sunshine, The Jello commercial jingle (watch it wiggle, see it jiggle...), and an old lullaby my aunt used to sing to me. Strange choices, I know, but they made me smile.

After one of these laps, I remember being super, super thirsty and Naresh filled my bottle, waited for me to drink it, then filled it again. He talked me into more food and I took some pb&j and some potato. Heading out to the last lap, Josh gave me some Aleve. My shoulder was killing me. I'd tried not to use that arm at all but had to at the rope section and a couple of other muddy hills and had used it to stop a couple of slides. But my poor left arm did most of the work that day. The Aleve helped a lot.

Finally, finally, finally...I was on my last lap! I kept thinking as I passed through some of the muddy sections "yay, I don't have to do that again!" I was going along pretty well and then BAM! Caught my foot on a root and went down onto my left side! Thank god. I landed on my knee and shoulder but the nice thing about the trail was that it was nice and soft from all the mud. Picked myself up, dug my bottle out of the mud, cleaned it off with a leaf, and went on my way. I didn't sing on that lap really. Just a little Amazing Grace. Figured I could use all the help I could get. ;)

And then I saw heaven. As you got near to the aid station, you could glimpse the blue tarp there thru the trees. And then the guys would start shouting encouragement and it would make me so happy to hear them and know I was close that I'd pick it up a little. I never saw them at that point but it was comforting to know they were there. Then I'd turn the corner and usually see Naresh waiting for me. But this time was different! You see, when you finished the 7th loop, you had one more mini loop of less than a mile to do. When i finished loop 7, Josh and Naresh were waiting for me. I didn't stop and then surprise! Josh joined me for my last loop! He told me to do whatever, he was just going to keep me company. And then we heard someone behind us and it was Naresh! He joined me for my last loop too! I cannot even begin to tell you how much it meant to me to have them with me for that last loop. The two of them have inspired me no end and not just because they are two of the toughest ultrarunners I know but because they are two of the nicest, most generous men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Perfect example...Josh had a cracked rib and Naresh had hurt his knee. Neither of them should have been running but they ran with me to celebrate my finish. :) That is what I'm talking about when I say they are generous. I would have cried they made me so happy but there's no crying in ultrarunning. :)

So...we turned that last corner and I was done! Josh gave me my medal and we took some pictures and it was the most fun and satisfying finish of all my races. My second ultra and my first 50k. Woo! Josh had asked me while we were running if this had been harder than the 12 HR I did and I said yes. It was much more difficult and challenging and intense. But also a lot more fun to run with so many people I'd gotten to know. And the challenge made the finish that much more satisfying! I did it!

Post Race
I was the last one to finish so when I was done we cleaned up the area and went back to the cars. We made plans to eat together after and decided on Coyote Blues. Ha! Loved that! I'd told them I was dreaming of burritos that last lap and Coyote Blues was a Cajun Mex restaurant. I went back to the hotel and took the fastest shower of my life! And one of the messiest. Mud everywhere! But I was hungry! Coyote Blues was a lot of fun. I had some crab enchiladas and they were delicious. And then I had dessert. Oh yeah! Raspberry cheesecake. I can't even remember the last time I had cheesecake. It was all good. The conversations were the best though. I had a great time hearing about the adventure of the others. Then dinner was over and I went back to the hotel and made like a spud. I was wiped! I didn't feel too bad though. I had some scratches from sliding into trees, raw spots where, my belt rubbed, and an achy shoulder/arm but otherwise I was good. Not even any blisters which I thought for sure I had (it must have been the mud that saved me - like a spa mud treatment for my feet because they sure were soft after! Ha!).

A Big Thank You
I cannot end this post without saying thank you to these people:

Josh - Thank you for inviting me and believing in me. For all the work you put into the race and for being a great host. For seeing my fear and being encouraging. And especially for running with me at the end,

Naresh - Thank you for being Race Director, crew, and course photographer! I know you must have been disappointed that you couldn't run but you always had a huge smile and tons of encouragement & advice. And thank you for running with me so I could see the Bedrock sandals at work!

Jeff - Thank you for the work you also put into the race and on the trail and for your encouragement while I ran!

Jonathan - Thank you for giving us all a reason to run together and get cool bling. I really appreciated your encouragement out there too. And not once did I curse your name. ;)

Dallas - Thank you for inspiring me and for coming all that way to run with us even though you don't do trails. For pacing me and encouraging me. For signing my book, for our Hot Chocolate "date", and for buying me dinner.

Emily - Thank you for bringing real food! Potatoes are my favorite ultra food! And thanks for your encouragement as well.

I am grateful that Josh, Jeff, Dallas, Chris, and Naresh waited SO long for me to finish and made me feel like a rock star at the end. I'm so grateful I finished. And I'm grateful I didn't see any bears or bobcats, just a squirrel. Squirrel!

Wait, where was I? Oh yeah. Most of all, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to visit a great state and meet some awesome runners!

I have to say that for a first 50k, the Jackson Jackass 50k was a pretty epic one! Did I mention I love the medal? Sweet bling!

Well, that's it for today. Thanks for reading!

I'm 3! Happy Running Birthday To Me!

January 18th is my running birthday. I started running on that date in 2009 so I'm only 3 and still a toddler as far as running goes. I've learned a lot so far but I have a lot more to learn.

When I weighed 300 pounds, I felt trapped...suffocated...like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I wasn't happy at all. I know that being overweight isn't the end of the world but you just don't know how awful it feels. Frankly, I think those women who say they are happy weighing 100+ lbs more than should are full of crap. Seriously, if you love yourself, don't treat yourself like shit. And being obese is not healthy no matter how much you trick yourself into thinking it is. I had no illusions. I just didn't have the will power to lose the weight.

But I finally did thanks to running & riding. I didn't enjoy it much in the beginning. It was hard and my knees & hips & feet hurt. Of course, they would when you're carrying an extra 75 pounds (the picture above was taken 2 months after I started running and the picture to the left was taken in December 2011). Eventually, it started to hurt less and I actually felt like a runner. I still didn't love it but it was doable.

Finally, about a year and half ago, I fell in love with running and thankfully the honeymoon hasn't ended. I feel incredible when I run. I feel like I'm light and fluid and strong. I feel like there's nothing I can't do.

You know, I still pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not dreaming. Never in a million years did I think I would love running, that I would love long runs, that I would complete 5 marathons, or that I would do a 12 HR! A flipping 12 HR! Me! The girl who weighed 300 lbs, wore a size 26/28, and used to drive to the store...half a block away!

I'm sure some people must wonder how all my runs can be so great or how I can feel good all the time. I guess they aren't always but when I compare how I feel on a bad run to how I felt 3 years ago, it's still 100 times better than it was. Who can complain about that?

And I've been so blessed by having running in my life - traveling and meeting awesome people and having all kinds of adventures - that every time I lace up my shoes it's a little bit of a celebration. A celebration of finally living the life I want. Would I do those things if I wasn't a runner. Maybe. But probably not. I didn't really take vacations before I started doing marathons. I'd go to visit my family or take time off when they came over but my vacation time would usually just build up and then I'd cash some out so I wouldn't lose it. But I'm using it now! I also hated to fly because I was always worried about fitting in the seat and being able to buckle the seat belt. And of course I didn't have the energy to walk around. Ironic that now I travel to run races and still have energy to walk for hours while I see the sights after, don't you think?

So yeah...I don't have bad running days. I may have slightly less great running days. Oh sure, I might complain that I didn't hit certain times or it's windy or it's so frickin cold my finger are numb (hey, I'm from SoCal, I don't do cold!). But I'll take those days over the spud days any day. And you have my permission to kick my butt if you see me forgetting that.

So what am I going to do to celebrate my 3rd running birthday? Why, sign up for a race of course! Registration opens for the Disney Half in October and I'm signing up for it so I can run with Teal, Beth, and Emily. AND...I'm seriously considering signing up for my 1st 100 miler! I really, really want to do the Javelina Jundred in October. I already talked to my sister about coming to help crew for me and she said yes. It's in Phoenix and close to where my sister lives. In fact, I think they've gone camping there with the kids. I think it would be a blast. Check out this video to see what it's like. Looks fun, right?

Thanks for celebrating with me and following me as I grow up as a runner/ultrarunner. :) Woo! I'm an ultrarunner! Woo! Sorry, I'm still a little excited about that. :) Ultrarunner...flipping insane! Am I dreaming?

When did you start running? Do you mark the date? What do you do to celebrate?

3 Days From Now

3 Days from now, I will be San Francisco in the midst of running my first 12 Hour race at the New Years One Day!

Part of me still can't believe that I signed up for this. What was I thinking? Ever had those days when you are in the middle of an adventure gone awry and thought "Why do I always get myself into these messes?" I've had a couple of those...this one night in New Orleans (which we won't talk about!) and then a century ride I did on my own a couple of summers ago that I thought would never end or just might kill me. But I made it through both adventures. I'm not sure I'm smarter because of them but at least I have some stories to tell. ;)

Anyway, I signed up for the 12 Hour because one of my goals this year was to become an ultrarunner. I'd hoped to do it earlier in the year but because I had to drop to the Half at Seattle and then signed up for Santa Rosa in August, I didn't see how I could train for one in time. Then I found this 12 Hour and I knew I had to do it.

I also knew that running a 12 Hour would be different than anything I'd done before. With a half or a marathon, you have to cover a certain distance, usually by a certain time - the cut-off. But not with a 12 Hour. It's more relaxed. Whatever you do in that time is up to you and your legs so there isn't any pressure.

Of course, I can't be that "relaxed" person. I should be happy with anything over 50K but no, I had to set a goal of 50 miles for my 12 Hour. Do I think it's doable? Sure. Probably. Oh hell, I don't know but I have to have some goal to keep me focused and moving during it, right? So I put my goal out there in twitterverse and now I'll be accountable for it! Yikes!

But honestly, I'm not that nervous. A lot less so than my first marathon which was a complete unknown to me. Sure, I want to hit my goal but I also plan to have fun, meet my fellow runners, enjoy the sights, and just enjoy running.

Hell, I remember when I couldn't run 12 minutes straight and now I'm going for 12 HOURS! :) What's not to be happy and excited about?

So, here's the plan:

Run/walk (probably a 5/1 ratio until my body says otherwise) for 48 laps. At least. The loop is 1.06 miles and you have to complete a full lap by midnight in order for it to count so 48 is the magic number.

I should wear one of my Jimmie Johnson #48 shirts for this. That would be fun since he's fast and races in circles too, right? :) But I'm going to wear my Run It Fast shirt. It's so soft and comfy and I know it will bring me luck. I also plan to wear capris, and have arm coolers for the day time and arm warmers for the night time. And gloves and a jacket in case it gets cold. Oh, and extra socks and shoes.

I will take my own Gu and Gu Brew but will probably drink water during and take advantage of the foods at the aid stations (including pizza!). We can set up a chair in the park for our gear but since I'm flying, I might bring a towel to put my stuff on.

This is the link to the website for the New Years One Day:
http://wwww.coastaltrailruns.com/nyod_new_year_one_day.html
If you want to check on my progress, they'll be posting hourly updates on it. And they also have a link if you'd like to send me an email during it. Please! :)(my bib # is 1220) I'll have my phone with me but don't know how I'll often I'll post updates to Twitter.

So that's it. All that's left to do is pack and in just 2 days I'll be flying up to the bay!

I hope you know how much all your support and your well wishes mean to me. Frankly, I've been floored by them. I'll be at the race alone but I won't be running alone. No, I'll be running with thoughts of all of you that day. Good, happy, warm fuzzy thoughts that will make me lighter than air. I hope. :)

A Hurricane JEM Race Report

I ran A Hurricane JEM 16.5 Mile Trail Run on Saturday, October 15th in Virgin, Utah. It was my first real trail race where I had to follow course markings and there was the possibility of getting lost! I signed up for this race for the adventure, to revisit Utah, and to mark Utah off my list of states I'd run in. As an extra bonus, my family decided to come with me to see me race and keep me company. My sister, nieces, nephew, dad & stepmom all joined me on this trip.

I always planned on having fun with this run but I have to admit that I'd hoped to do well. That all changed on October 1st when I crashed my bike. Suddenly, I wasn't sure I'd be able to even run the race at all. In the crash, I bruised the entire back and side of my left leg. There was a huge lump above my knee from fluid/blood that had settled there. Any jarring of that area was pretty painful and I tried everything to help it heal but according to the doctor, it would just take time. Time, I didn't have! I wanted to run the race, but I didn't want to risk further damage or delay the healing. Finally, on the Thursday before the race, I was able to run 3 miles, slowly and with the area wrapped by a compression sleeve to hold the jarring to a minimum. Jason felt that if I could run another 3 miles on Friday, I could go ahead and run on Saturday. Run though, not race. On Friday, I felt okay to run and I felt better on that run. I had hope that I would be able to finish on Saturday! Woo!

I probably should have stayed off my feet for the rest of the day but we were in Zion and the weather was gorgeous. We took the tram into Zion and did some exploring. We did some of the shorter hikes but nothing too technical or strenuous since my six year old nephew was with us. It was a long, long day day and I was pretty tired at the end and my leg was aching. I had to wrap it at the end but it was worth it. Zion is stunning and the views are soothing and inspiring to the soul. We got back to the hotel around 7 and my family decided to rest, change, and go out to dinner. I stayed in and just had some peanut butter and bagels for dinner so I could put my legs up and rest. I set the alarm for 4:45 and went to bed.

On Saturday, I woke up, ate breakfast, dressed, took care of business, then headed over to the race start to check in and get my bib and bag. Oh, and the map of the course. I guess there had been some confusion last year with a mountain bike race from the week before and some runners got lost. They were worried it would happen again this year so they handed out maps and made sure we knew to follow the orange markings only. I had a gel and hit the porta potty and I was as ready as I could be for this.

They sent us off just before 7:30. I felt pretty good for the first few miles. My leg wasn't hurting much and I was taking it easy. The first half of the race was a steady climb up to the halfway point with small rollers. This is my favorite profile for a run. I passed a few runners on the uphills and by the first aid station at mile 4, I was on my own. There were about 50 runners in all for both the 16.5 and the marathon so it was a small race which meant I wouldn't be able to just follow runners on the course. We were strung out enough that for big chunks of the race, I didn't see any other runners. It was nice and quiet. But if you are one of those runners who needs crowd support, this is not for you. There were a few people out at a couple of the intersections where a dirt road met up with the trail but other than that, it was just the aid station crews cheering us on.
The first half of the race was very nice. I got to watch the sun rise over the valley and it was beautiful. I took a couple of photos and then my phone went wonky and the camera wouldn't work. :( Boo! So I just tried to absorb the views. I was feeling really good when I went thru the 2nd aid station a little after mile 8 (about 90 mins) and had visions of finishing in 3 hours. I decided to have a gel and that's when things went south. I know better to run and do a gel at the same time, especially on the trail but it wasn't a technical section so I thought I would be okay. Wrong!

So…I'm running thru a relatively flat part of the course (on top of a mesa) and it's single track but not a lot of rocks so I decide it's safe for me to eat a Gu without stopping. And BAM! My foot catches on a rock and I start stumbling. I told myself to just fall and get it over with so I don't strain or break anything. I fall and roll and what do you know, I fall on my left side! My injured side. I remember thinking “couldn't you have fallen on the other side” and then I get up and start gathering up my stuff that went flying: my hat, my water bottle, my Gu. Yep, I picked up my Gu and finished it. It was the only one I had and it was another 4 miles to the next aid station. I only had water in my water bottle so I needed the calories. So I ate some dirt, figuratively and literally. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Next, I took assessment of my body. Sore arm, scraped knee, sore calf. But otherwise, I'm good. I run a few steps and it's not bad so I just keep going. I'm mostly thankful that no one saw me fall! Right after my fall, the trail took a steep turn down from the mesa to the canyon floor and that's when my knee protested. Needless to say, I did this section very, very slowly. Of course, that's where the photographer was so he got plenty of chances to catch me with my new dusty look. And once I was away from him and I thought I was in the clear…there was his daughter taking pictures at the bottom! Why couldn't they have been around a mile earlier when I looked fresh and strong! Sheesh.

The next few miles were mostly easy single track with a few ups and downs. I couldn’t take advantage of the down hills as much as I wanted though because of my knee and a few people caught me. They would ask me if I was okay because they could see from the dirt covering me that I had fallen. One nice gentleman came up behind me and asked me if my shirt came like that or if I’d made the pattern myself. I said it came like that and I was going to tell him about the tribal design on my shirt when he said “I meant the dirt all over your back”. Ha!

When I got to aid station 3, I stopped to get some water to rinse off my hands so I would stop getting dirt and mud on face and in my eyes. Then I grabbed a half a banana and ate it, contemplated cleaning up my knee, decided it could wait, and prepared to head out. But first, I decided to look at my map since I knew that we would be splitting from the marathoners soon and I didn't want to accidentally run a marathon! But there was no map! It must have fallen out of my pocket when I fell. I had about a 10 second anxiety attack and then just started running. The course had been well marked so far so I figured I wouldn't need the map. And if worse, came to worse, I could see from the landmarks in the distance where I needed to go so I knew I’d get out eventually. By this time though, I was getting tired and didn’t relish the prospect of adding miles.

I was on my own for the rest of the race, not a soul except a few lizards and birds. I walked a few of the technical uphills and downhills in the last few miles and I could tell my time for the second half was going to be a lot slower. So I trudged on. I stopped again at aid station 4 (unmanned) to grab some cold water and there were just 2.5 miles left to go and it was all dirt road so I could relax a little. I did get a little sidetracked because I wasn't sure if I supposed to go right or left at a fork in the road. I started out going right (which was the direction I should be going to the finish) but then decided the left was the “right” way (even though it was in the opposite direction). And luckily, I was right! There were a few people cheering at the end of that section so I knew I'd picked the right way.

Now there was just one mile to go. By then, everything was aching: my leg, my arm & shoulder, my lower back. I shuffled on. Then finally, I came to the street the park & the finish were on and saw my sister and my niece waiting for me at the corner. My niece ran with me toward the finish and then I was done! My first trail race. I crossed the line and ran over to where my dad was and he gave me a hug and I just leaned against him to rest. The race director came over to give me my medal and he congratulated me and asked if I'd left any dirt on the trail! Then he had the race photographer come over and take pictures of me (one of the front and one of the left side) so I could be captured in all my trail dirt glory. ;)

I grabbed some food (they had bread, cookies, chips, grilled cheese sandwiches, and root beer floats) and some water and sat to clean up my knee. After a little bit, we went back to the hotel so I could shower and then it was time for lunch (In-N-Out!) and more sightseeing. All in all, a successful, fun-filled family vacation. Can't wait for the next one!

My time was 3 hours and 34 minutes. So the second half did take me a lot longer. It should have been easier but I guess that wasn't in the cards for me. I ended up 9th out of 11 women. Actually, I was kind of hoping I would be last! I've never been last before. It would have been nice. Um, without the fall though. Maybe, just maybe, the trail gods were reminding me that I was supposed to be taking it easy! Sigh.

My medal...

Santa Rosa Marathon Race Report

My 4th Marathon is done. I ran it in Snoopy's home town, Santa Rosa CA, on Sunday in 4:06:18. I'd been hoping to go sub-4 but instead I'll take the 8 minute PR! Here is my recap of the weekend.

Pre-Race
Santa Rosa is 460 miles from where I live. I decided to drive there instead of fly so I only worked half day on Friday to drive up there. I thought I might run into traffic when I got to Oakland so I was going to do the drive in two stages. But I didn't really have any traffic so I drove all the way to Santa Rosa on Friday. 8 hours on the road (two stops). That was a long, long drive.

I got a little lost looking for the hotel and arrived at 8:30. And when I went to check in they said they were having a problem with their key machine. But I eventually got into my room. I was pretty tired.

On Saturday morning, I went to the hotel's cafe for their pancake breakfast. This was probably the only carbo loading I did for the race and I think that came back to bite me on race-day. After that, I went to pick up my race packet. It was a very small expo so I didn't spend much time there at all. Just got my bib, chip, and shirt and then talked to Marshall Ullrich for a little bit (he signed his book for me!). I think I was out of there in 20 minutes. After that, I got a pedicure (green toes!), had a sandwich for lunch, and then went back to the hotel and made like a spud.

I was still tired on Saturday night and I fell asleep around 8:30. But then some party revelers returned to the room next door to me at 1 am and I couldn't go back to sleep. I tried just resting my eyes and I think I got about another 45 minutes of sleep because the alarm woke me at 4 am.

Race Morning
So, I woke up at 4 and had a banana, 2 mini bagels, and 20 oz of Gu Brew. I could tell I was nervous because my stomach was a little upset but it soon settled down. I got my food and drink ready for the race, packed a bag for after, and then got dressed. Then I listened to some Daft Punk and Austra while I studied the course map and waited til it was time to leave. At 5:30, I headed over to the race start which was only a few miles away. I drank another 12 ounces of water on the way.

When I got there, I went into the Church of One Tree (The church was built using just one redwood tree! It's pretty small but it still must have been a big tree!) where the 5K registration was to wait and use the restroom. After that, I downed a Gu and had one last gulp of water, did a short warm-up, and it was time to head to the start line! I got into the section for 9 min miles and waited. I wasn't nervous at the start and spent most of my time looking at the shoes everyone was wearing. I didn't see any barefoot runners or minimalist shoes which I thought was weird. I thought about that later during the marathon.

The Race
The gun went off at 7 sharp and we were off! The start was narrow to string us out because the river trail was pretty narrow so it was a little crowded. This kept me from going out too fast and my first mile was 9:01, a little faster than the 9:08 planned but not too much. I thought I did pretty good.

The course was a double out and back along the river and it was really pretty and quiet. There wasn't a lot of people along the route cheering but I kind of liked it that way. Once again, I was surprised by how many people ran with headphones so I didn't really get to talk to anyone. The miles passed pretty quickly. Just me and my thoughts and the scenery - river, trees, vineyards, fields with horses. Plenty to keep me occupied. :) The only thing I didn't like about it was that half of the course was dirt and a little uneven in places. I only tripped once though. Which is good for me. Anyway, part of the trail was gravely and I figured that might be why I didn't see any barefooters or VFFers running.

Soon enough, I was at the turnaround (6.5 miles). My Garmin was beeping a little earlier than the mile markers (about .10 of a mile) and I realized I wasn't doing a good job of running the tangents. Darn it. After that, I really tried to run them but the path was winding and it was hard. I didn't lose much more distance getting back to the start for the halfway point so I was at least doing better. I realized that with the extra distance I'd run, I would be cutting it close to 4 hours but at the time I was feeling pretty good and had visions of picking up the pace for the last few miles (ha!). When I got to the turnaround at 19.6, I was .16 miles ahead of the mile markers so I'd lost a little bit to the tangents again but at least not as much.

I was still feeling good all the way thru mile 21 and I'd averaged 9:08 for all those miles and then bam!... I started slowing. :( Mile 22 was 9:24, mile 23 was 9:42, mile 24 was 9:57, and mile 25 was 9:59! I don't know what the last mile and change was because my Garmin lost the satellite during the last mile! But it was probably around 10:20, I think. Those miles felt a lot slower than the actual pace and it was so frustrating! I kept telling myself to pick up the pace but my legs chose to ignore me and do their own thing. I mean, come on! Who's the boss here? Apparently, not me.

The one bright spot during that time was Dan from Sacramento. We were running about the same pace and I was a little behind him. The back of his shirt said "Why do you run marathons?" so as I came up to him during mile 20, I told him "I run marathons for pancakes". He laughed and we started talking. We ran together until the last couple miles and he pulled me along. He asked me what my goal was and I told him 4 hours and he said he would help me and he kept giving me encouragement and pushing me. He kept me from walking and slowing down even more. Finally, I told him to go ahead since he was doing better than I was but I kept him in my sights and that helped keep me running and lessened the disappointment once I saw I wasn't going to hit 4. He finished about 1 1/2 minutes ahead of me and met me at the finish line. I am so grateful for his encouragement out there. Thank you Dan! I wish I'd remembered to thank you when I saw you at the finish. (bad Lisa!)

The Finish and Beyond
This marathon definitely hurt more than the Lost Dutchman in February. I was hot, covered with salt, and my legs were super tight. When I crossed the finish line, I was more concerned about getting water than my medal (pretty cool though, eh?) and I had to keep moving because both hamstrings and calves were trying to cramp. But I also really needed to sit and rest so I was just wandering around trying to decide what to do. Finally, I just stretched out in the grass and drank lots of water. When I felt I could get up without my legs cramping, I made my way over to the pancakes and wolfed 'em down. Hey, a girl's got to have her priorities! Let me tell you, they tasted delicious. I could have eaten another one but I thought I better let that settle. So I went over to the results to see my official time since my Garmin had gone bonkers. 4:06:18. An 8 minute PR! Frankly, I wasn't even sure if I was going to get that! But I did it. I finished my 4th marathon and got a PR out of it. :) Thank God, I didn't walk. Thank God for Dan!

After getting my results, I walked back to my car but I didn't think it would be wise to drive yet. Instead, I grabbed my gear bag and went into the mall (where the race parking was), changed, did a little shopping, and got a Turkey & Avocado sandwich,pretzels, and a peanut butter cookie. I sometimes have trouble keeping food in after a long run so again I didn't want to eat too much. My celebratory meal would have to wait until dinner.

Once I ate, I felt like a normal human being again and that I would be able to drive back to the hotel. So I went back to the hotel to put my feet up for a little bit. But only a tiny little bit because I wanted to go to the Charles Schulz Museum and Sunday afternoon was my only chance. Luckily, it's not too big and wasn't too far away. There's no way I could go to Santa Rosa and not go there! Have I mentioned that my nickname is Snoopy? And that I have Snoopy tattoo (pic on the right) on my ankle? I'm glad I went. Although my wallet may not be because well, I bought a few souvenirs. Okay, more than a few. ;)

I went back to the hotel and then went over to Applebee's for my celebratory dinner. I had tortilla soup, steak, garlic mashed potatoes, veggies, and a hot fudge sundae! I made sure I wore my medal so if anyone saw me chowing down, they'd know I earned it!

And then my adventure was over and I drove home yesterday. My legs were still stiff so I went for a ride when I got home and then got a massage later. Both helped. I actually felt pretty good. Not tired or drained so I think I'm recovering pretty well. My left foot hurt a little on the outside and my left knee was a little sore from the trail being concatenated, I think. Also, my arms/shoulders were sore which is weird. Never had that before. At least, I don't think. I guess it has been long enough since the last one to forget how much it hurts! ;)

Overall, I would say this was a successful trip. I ran a marathon along a beautiful river, visited Snoopy's home town, met some great people, and got an 8 minute PR! What more could a girl ask for?

P.S. I'll post a Random Thoughts blog tomorrow about the Santa Rosa and it will have my thoughts on what I think went wrong. Because I still think I had a 4 hr marathon in me. It just wasn't meant to be at the Santa Rosa Marathon.