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I run because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought.

Arthur Blank, Co-founder of The Home Depot

I got lucky on my 'long' run today, 7 miles along the Hayward Shoreline; not only did last night's {thunder and lightning} storm clear, it was incredibly beautiful! I LOVE clouds!!! Even though the tide was out, all the creeks that feed into the Bay were nearly overflowing! Lots of water coming down from those foothills today after last nights downpour...

Quote - Born to Run

A friend, and running buddy, gave me the book Born to Run. Last night I was struck by a paragraph on page 69. It struck a chord with me after my recent experience in the Oakland Half (about the pain)... This particular section is about Ann Trason:

"My friends would tell me I'm not addicted to crack, I'm addicted to endorphins," Trason would say, and her comeback didn't much put their minds at ease: she liked to tell them that running huge miles in the mountains was "very romantic".

Gotcha. Grueling, grimy, muddy, bloody, lonely trail-running equals moonlight and champagne.

But yeah, Ann insisted, running was romantic; and no, of course her friends didn't get it because they'd never broken through. For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated solely by size 6 jeans: get on the scale, get depressed, get your headphones on, and get it over with. But you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it, like easing your body into a hot bath, until it no longer resists the shock and begins to enjoy it."

Garin Park

Today was my first real outing since the Oakland Half.... decided to scout (a mix of hiking and running) a trail in Garin park. The morning started as a bit of a fiasco, so I should have taken it as a sign... The first half mile was sloggy mud then it opened up into the rolling green hills that I love so much. Rounding the corner near the halfway point I come to a herd of cattle on the trail (I do NOT like cattle ever since a certain experience)... As I was watching them I saw what appeared to be a calf... no, too small... oh, a dog... no.. .oh. a Coyote!!... Just walking and mingling with the herd. Then he spots us (at a distance) and crosses the trail and just lays down... watching the herd and us... hmmmnn... best to turn around I think. But here comes a man on a horse, through the herd. He offers to escort me through the cattle and beyond the coyote... he tells me to keep walking and he chases the coyote further up the hill... whew... then I come across a couple of people with two golden retrievers... they tell me that there is a coyote den... they point out 'the rock', which is actually a cotyote, but looks like a rock from our distance. She is guarding her den, watching us. The man tells me a few stories about his dogs getting attacked by coyote... scary (but they are fine)... he has seen a bobcat, too... oh nature... I feel pretty vulnerable as I continue on by myself (with Lola, my Rottweiler)... we are nearing the home stretch of the trail and come across some fresh intestines... oh boy... feeling very vulnerable... We make it safely back to the car.

I think that loop will get a check mark. Done it. Although I do like Garin park and will probably explore some more trails... But I guess that is what scouting is all about... adventure..

Mud

Wild Turkeys

Cows on the trail. And, look close enough, a coyote!

fresh intestines anyone... ?

Next!

I'm signed up for my next race; See Jane Run in Alameda on June 3rd... Chocolate & Champagne!

I'm doing this one because my cousin is also running it... she is way beyond me in fitness but it will be very fun to have this experience together. It's bonding. A couple other friends are signing up also. It will be fun.

With approximately nine weeks to go, I'm hoping I'll do some stronger training and get a good -perhaps, best - time since it is a super duper flat course...

http://www.seejanerun.com/t-See-Jane-Run-Half-Marathon-and-5K.aspx

Oakland Half Marathon

My training was not strong for this race... but I decided to do my best... slow and steady... and, thanks to the very flat course, ended up with my second best time (this was my 4th half marathon). No stopping, no walking. Lots of pain. Realized that somewhere around 9 miles I begin to question WHY I do this, and it is where pain begins to creep in, with resistance to that pain... And somewhere around 11/12 miles the acceptance of that pain (endorphins?!)... kicked it up a gear for that last .1 (thank you crowd/adrenaline/endorphins)... and now... I'm looking forward to my NEXT half marathon (and better training, maybe be in front of the run/walkers!)... See Jane Run in Alameda, June 3rd...

Packed in like cattle but grateful for a dry, but chilly, day (it had been forecast for a miserable rain)...

When I saw this woman in the distance I thought she may be a pacer and I wondered what pace we were keeping... turns out she held the "Party Pace"!... good enough for me...



The course took us by two of my previous living spaces in Jack London District.. this was the first!

This is the second... The Phoenix Lofts (actually lived in two different units here)...


I did it!...

My greeting committee! {heart}



My official finishing time... turns out, thanks to the flat course, it was my second best time...

{sigh}...

I struggle with it... I am so easily distracted and I get down on myself. Last week I did a 10 mile long run. It actually felt good. Even though I am way behind in training for my half marathon NEXT week. I've accepted that it will be tough and that I may not finish {in time, I'll hobble along}..... but all the while... I miss running.. long runs.

Today I came upon this blog post by Anton Krupicka... I find him inspiring;
http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/antonkrupicka/2012/02/29/alone/?cm_mmc=RT-_-846234-_-03152012-_-KrupickaAlone

Hayward Shoreline

Who said it would be easy?!

Life! What can I say... After the Bizz Johnson Half Marathon my business went into overdrive and I slacked off on the running. Unfortunately, this coincided with the holiday season... and moving... Did I ever mention that I am a stress-eater?... So suffice it to say that after 3 months off and lots of calories in, the weight gain quickly took place. It's always dissapointing how it comes ON so much faster and easier than it goes OFF...

But this is life... and I am trying to embrace the fact that my weight will always ebb and flow... and that my love of the trails and newfound love of endurance running will stay somewhat consistent. Being out there on the trails or on a long run is good for my soul. And I miss it so much when I take breaks....

So... here I am... I am signed up for the Oakland Half marathon on March 24th... I am WAY behind on training... at one point I pondered which was worse, a DNF or a DNS... I have decided that I will get my sorry butt out there... and I will do what I can on that day... if I have to walk much of it, I will. But I will be there... and I hope to cross the finish before the cutofff time... And I'm excited.

I started this blog to journal my adventures... sometimes it is inspiring and sometimes it's just real life...

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I've learned that I associate running with my best self. When I go through a dry spell, not training, it indicates that the rest of my life is a little messy or worn down. Running strips away something like what Virginia Woolf called "the cotton wool of everyday life" so that there is nothing between my intimate insides and the air and light and landscape unfurling under my sneaker treads. It's release through motion.

Amanda Gladin-Kramer, Runner's World reader

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There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.

Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog at Runner's World.com

A long(er) rest...

It's been a little over two weeks since the Bizz Johnson race. I was very sore. I had no problem taking the week off. But then one week turned into two... and started creeping into three! Yesterday I went for a short run around Lake Merritt. It felt good to be out there again. I missed my runs. But it scares me how easily I can fall out of this routine. It also seems that I am an 'all or nothing' type of person. Without the running routine, I didn't take my supplements or give much thought to healthy eating. It's easy to get down on myself for all of this... but I try to remember that I just need to take that first step back into it...

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Running has opened up so many adventures for me, not just in the trails I run or new routes, but also in the friendships I've made and the confidence it has given me.
Meleah Shank, runner and spinning instructor

The Bizz Johnson - Express Half 2011

Again... too much time has passed without entries... sigh... This weekend I did the Bizz Johnson Express Half Marathon (my third half marathon), a race that I have been looking forward to for at least a year! I discovered it last year when I stumbled upon Michael McCollough's photos on the Coastal Trail Runs site...

Thankfully I decided not to do the Full and to stick with the Half. Let's just say the altitude kicked my butt!!

I started out feeling good, not as out of breath as I expected. I kept a steady, comfortable pace going, and with the slight downhill grade was feeling confidant. Soon, I pushed just a little to get by a few run-walkers and a group of chatty women. And with only 185 runners total, spent much of the time all by myself, quite fine with me. The scenery is just breathtaking and I kept reminding myself to 'be here now'... The weather, which had been a concern, was stunning. Just perfect in fact. Cool, crisp air with a warm sun. Clear, clear, clear. And I had layered correctly.

I think it was somewhere around mile 8 that I started to feel the uh-oh... my legs HURT... and the voice of negativity was LOUD... 'just walk' 'why do you even do this?' etc... it was hard to combat... other than the fact that I was resolved to enjoying the Bizz itself, no matter what. My training had been derailed and even though I was able to do my last long (12m) run two weeks earlier, there was only one short run since. That surely was not helping. Every time I would start to walk I would literally say - yes, out loud - 'don't walk, it will only hurt more!'... and I would begin again... but each time, as expected, the pain increased... I know not to do this, but I couldn't help it... then somewhere in mile 13 I succumbed ... I walked... for a good three quarters of the mile... I was not happy about it but I had to... I felt like both legs would cramp solid... this walking pace was enough for all those chatty women and run walkers to pass me... Not happy. But I just couldn't, the pain was too intense. I even took Ibuprofen around mile 11 (in the hopes it would help for the finish pain)...
My boyfriend came with me on the trip and even though I wasn't sure he'd be at the finish line - he was :), I knew I needed to pick up the pace - pain or not - and get across that finish line. So I began the hobble... at which point, my calf muscle actually cramped into a knot!! 'Keep going!'... hobble hobble hobble... And there it was, the finish. 2:58:03. But hey, I finished within the 3 hour time limit. And, I finished!
There were only a handful of people that came in after me. In fact, I was 174th out of 185 and 24/25 in my age group. It's a little embarrassing. I want to be better. But I try to remind myself, I will get better. Endurance running is still pretty new in my life. I enjoy the running and these races... and most of all, the experiences that these runs and races are giving me. The places I visit, the trails I discover, the internal journey, the people I meet... I really love it. So I guess that gives me the answer to that negative voice ...

Within minutes of finishing I met a woman that was going to be doing the Full Marathon the next day... my pain had eased into discomfort and already my thoughts were 'maybe I could do the Full next year'....

Click Here to View More Photos

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As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, you must realize that not every action will be perfect. Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work. Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right. Jack Caufield

What's Next?

One of the reasons that I signed up for the San Francisco Half Marathon is that I am tossing around the idea of doing a Full Marathon... and the one that speaks to me is the Bizz Johnson (put on by Coastal Trail Runs)... I look at the photos and I just want to be there!

So I decided to schedule a half right at the halfway point in training... and then make the decision depending on how I felt after the race. So that has been the big question on my mind the last week and a half. At first I was pretty pumped up, I know my time was slow, but I did it. I know I can't imagine going twice the distance, but one year ago I could not imagine going 13.1. I believe in the training programs. I think I could do it. I know I could try.

Then my boyfriend gave me his advise. Why not improve my strength and time over 13 miles before attempting 26.2 It sounded reasonable. I decided yes, that would be my plan. I made a training program. Then I felt sad. A little deflated. That would mean the Bizz Full would be 14 months away... such a long time. The last few days I have felt in a bit of a funk, and there has been some stressful life stuff happening and car troubles. I felt down, overwhelmed and out of control. I decided to go to my happy place... looking at the photos of the Bizz Johnson ... that's when it hit me I WANT TO DO THE FULL BIZZ JOHNSON THIS YEAR.... The idea made me high... happy... so I whipped out a training plan. I realize that this won't make the 'life stuff' go away or the car trouble cost me any less... but it makes me feel good. It's what I want. I want to try. I happened to read someone's blog report of the race and she was affected by the altitude.. she had to walk it.. but she had a great time!... and with a finish of 6hours 45minutes she was NOT the last person to cross. So this takes of the pressure. I can train my best. I can try.

So for now, this is the plan. Maybe it's not practical. Maybe it's premature.

But it is the plan.

Recap - San Francisco Half Marathon

Before too much time passes I think I should give a recap of this race...

One interesting thing to me was training for my second half marathon. I knew I could do it so I did not have that pressure to prove it hanging over me... or rather motivating me! It was different. I decided to toss the stopwatch and just go with it... A big difference was I did my long training runs with my dog, Lola. She certainly handled the distance well, but I felt it was only fair to keep the long runs at a slow pace. She came with me all the way up to 11 miles, then the runs were too long to keep us in the cool morning air. I enjoyed running with her, but since the long runs were on a paved rail to trail she had to be on leash (rather than off leash like on the trails). This meant I had to be more 'aware' of her... so all in all, it was nice to be able to go into the 'zone' on the longer runs.

I will also admit to doing only the minimum training - two short runs and one long run per week. Last time I also had a hiking day (five miles in the hills).

The result? I expected a slow time and was correct. I just barely made it under the 3 hour cutoff time! Yikes! My Big Sur Half time was 2:41 my SF Half time was 2:56 (I can't subtract the 10 minute porta-potty line... and it could not be avoided either!)...

I went into the SF Half knowing I could cover the distance (a 13 mile training run had me confident) and I knew I could handle hills (did that 10k in the Presidio and I train in hills), however, I knew the combination would be tough. I felt ready. Another advantage was that I expected the pain... this sounds silly but that first half really hurt, but I did it. So I knew I could push through the pain. Also, in my long training runs I learned that when I stopped - at all, for any length of time - pain soaked into my body and when I started running again it stayed with me. It accumulated. The more I stopped, the more it would hurt. Thinking back to the Big Sur I realize that the pain really did get worse each time I stopped to stretch. So in my long training runs I decided not to stop, at all (another reason to not bring the dog on leash) and I discovered that it worked - yes, I still felt inflamed and sensitive and 'in pain' but it was better than when I had stopped. Lesson learned. Good thing too, the last two miles of the SF were rolling hills but not so much on the down, they progressed up... it was tough and I heard many people comment on it. The hills affected most runners.

I love the pre-race buzz... everyone mingling, stretching, chatting. Around mile 4 I ran briefly with a man I would guess to be in his 60's - we passed someone with a sign that said "congratulations" and he commented it was a little too early for congratulations... I commented to him 'well, we did do all that training that got us here'... turns out he did not do his first marathon until he was in his 40's, he didn't race again for 17 years and in the last few years he's done 4 or 5 Full Marathons... now THAT is inspiring. The hills hurt, not gonna lie. But I felt good and I decided that I want to train to be a wee bit faster for future Halfs. It might be nice to be ahead of the run-walkers... no diss to them, it's just discouraging when I keep my steady (albeit slow) pace and keep ping ponging by the same folks.

As I approached mid mile 12 I think adrenaline started pumping... the pain seemed to disappear and without conscious effort my pace picked up slightly... 13 is coming... yes!... reserves kicked in from I don't know where and off I went... sprinting the last .1.. feels so good!... Crossed the line and broke down emotionally (which constricted my airway! thankfully I didn't have anyone at the finish line to meet and I calmed myself down... but man, it was emotional. I guess because I did it... again... it wasn't a one time, to prove it, event... it was good...

Marcelo, my boyfriend, met me back at the main festivities... again, I love the feeling of the groups... the 'buzz' may be different than pre-race but there is a camaraderie for sure! We found a lunch spot on an outside deck right across from the finish line and ate BURGERS while watching the full marathoners cross the finish... then we took the ferry across the Bay to Oakland, celebrated at a favorite Jack London Square watering hole (Heinhold's) and headed home.

I felt great.

2011 San Franciso Half Marathon

Zombie Runner 10k

I signed up for this 10k because it covers what I consider to be the hardest part of the SF Half.. the hills in the Presidio... I wanted to know if I would be able to tackle them... What I didn't bargain for was the stunning and truly awesome views!! The Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands... breathtaking (and that had nothing to do with the hills!)... My pace was too slow for the SF Half, but I think I could ramp it up... in fact, I'm considering joining up with a pace group. This 10k was organized by Coastal Trail Runs and the vibe was so relaxed and fun! (Same group doing the Bizz Johnson, which I am totally excited for!).... and now, because of this little 10k, I am really excited about the SF Half...