Memorial Day Weekend Wrap Up

Whew!  I need one extra day off just to recover!

The weekend started off with the KW long run and for me that meant 13 miles.  If I remember correctly the weather stats for Saturday morning (@ 5:15am) were:  78deg and 98% humidity.  And if ever there was a time that I completely agreed with that, it was Saturday morning.  It was my first real rough go at a longer distance in quite some time.  Once again I took the first few miles (which I did before group start) easy, but then when I started with group run, I took the next few miles too fast.  It didnt help either that this route, one of my least favorites, included Memorial Park and instead of running on the road, I ran on the path and it just mentally wore my brain down, and takes way too much out of my legs.  By the time I got through the 2 miles there on the way out, I almost just packed it in and was going to call it a day at 10 miles. 

As I neared Memorial Drive again though, I said to myself, your turn around is not that far off.  Get to that water stop and head back. Take the short way (not doing Memorial again) and you can finish off that last mile at base.  You CAN do this.  You've done it before, in much worse, and for longer distances.  Quit being a baby.

It also helped that as I neared Memorial Dr. I saw a few of those that had left me (due to me taking a couple of walk breaks to get my head straight more than anything) were now walking ahead of me.  Little did I know (until later) that walking was going on even further up ahead...It was just that kind of morning for everyone I guess.

So yes, I made it to the water stop across 610 and headed back and finished out the scheduled mileage...It wasnt easy for me and it wasnt pretty, but at least only one of those miles were over 11:00 so I am happy about that.

After getting home from the run, I got everything ready and headed to the lake, where the day was filled with jet skiing to my hearts content along with family and friends.  Most everyone left early evening so it was just myself, niece, Nacole and Rhonda that were left to ourselves.  The girls got kinda silly drunk and for a short time I was left alone under the stars...with just my thoughts and realizing how wonderful life is and that I am one pretty lucky girl.

More jet skiing early EARLY the next morning for me...and more chill time with the girls.  That was about all the working out that got done!  Came home from the lake late Sunday, and was happy to sleep in my own bed!  Those girls, all that sun, and all that jet skiing wears a girl OUT!

Monday morning was an attempt at a small 'brick' workout.  15 mile bike (which wasnt easy due to the high gusty winds we were having), and then came in, quickly ate 1/2 of a Crustable, changed shoes (and shorts) and then set out on a short run.  Man I forgot how difficult that is.  My legs just didnt want to work, so the run became a walk/run which is fine.  15 miles on the bike, almost 2 miles on the legs.  Rested a bit, then went out by the pool and ended up just swimming a little.  2 laps of the pool and I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest!  So out of swimming shape!  So I just did a bit here and there, and after an hour out there my body and my ADD had had enough!

We went to see Hangover 2.  Horrible horrible horrible.  Thats all I have to say about that.  I see a lot of movies, generally 3 a month on average, and this is the first time in a very long time that I considered walking out during the movie and even afterwards I seriously thought of asking for my $ back, but didnt.

At least the Yogurtland froyo afterwards made up for it.  :O)

Now its back to running the next few days, a speed workout tomorrow and 14 miles on Saturday...I'm ready for my cut back weekend dammit!!!

Just the Facts

Monday:  4 mile run before heading to the movies (Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides).  So hot out.  I hated every minute of it.  Legs were just tired.  Oh and it was hot.  Did I mention that already?

Tuesday:  Honestly I didnt want to do anything.  I woke up with my legs just hurting and they hurt all day.  As in when I would get up from my chair at work to walk anywhere it took a while before things 'worked' right.  My legs were just overall dead.  My hill partner had cancelled out early enough that I packed my bag for the gym.  By the time 4pm rolled around I wanted to just go home and sleep.  But I made a deal with myself; just go on to the gym and if you dont feel better at any point you can leave. 

Guess who never left? 

This girl. 

However, I had to play a game with myself to get the 5 miles done today.  They were broken up into 5 sets of 1 mile each.  I ran a mile on the treadmill, then hopped off for either 2 machines or sets with free weights (depending on which I either did 3or 4 sets of either 8/10/20 reps).  Get back on treadmill for another mile.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.

Wednesday:  Quasi speed workout (treadmill):

• 1 mile warm up
• 1 mile at 10:30
• 1 mile at 10:00 (which honestly is GMP, if not lower)
• 1/2 mile at 9:30
• 1/2 mile at 9:15
• Then I did a tabata session
• 20sec/10sec x 8 at 8:30pace
• 3 min walk to cool down

Treadmill read: 5.11 miles

Thursday: Scheduled 4 miles easy through the hood.

Friday:  Rest day

Saturday:  Scheduled 13 miles.  The road to Chicago continues....  :)

Cari and I were heading to Lululemon on Saturday after work and we saw this!  Of course I had to have a picture of me with it!!!

Kenyan Way - Long Run - 12 Miles

78deg
90% humidity

Yep.
Summer is back and I still can't figure out why in the hell I am doing this again!?!?!?  :O)

Started out a bit before because the route this week was only 10.5 miles, and I know myself well enough that I wasnt going to do it after the route with the group.

Cari and I started out before the group.  I stayed with her 98% of the time, only stopping to walk a time or two to let the HR drop.

Averaged 10:40 for the mileage.  Actually a bit faster than I really should be doing on these long slow distance training runs, but I would like to be able to stay at that once my long run mileage goes over 15 miles (will happen mid-June).

I just have to keep my mind right, and that the weather is what it is and it will all be OK in September and October... :O)

I took yesterday off from running as planned; but this morning my legs are killing me.  Working all weekend on my feet added to the soreness that seems to have taken up residence in my quads.

Tonight might be a run/walk session.  I set the alarm to get up this morning to knock out the 5 miles under the cover of darkness, but it just didnt happen.  Let me clarify that:  the alarm went off, I just didnt get up.  :O)

Looking forward to a great week with plans with several different people, PLUS I have something else exciting happening this week...which is a secret... :O) :O) :O)   (oh and there is NO work this coming long holiday weekend!!!)

Debauchery of Bay to Breakers (San Francisco, CA)

After the third naked guy, the shock of it all began to wear thin.

Thankfully I was faster that the naked people so I just saw ass until that one fateful time where I happened at the most inopportune time to look to my right and there I saw a wanker wanking as the man I was passing was actually jogging...just to be clear the naked people I saw were all men (although there were a few women in just pasties on their boobs but had bikini bottoms or shorts on). And when I say men I mean every one of them were at least over 50, and I would venture to guess over 60, and overweight. One of the naked men I passed was also so old and was using a cane to walk his way over the hills and through the woods(to the ocean I go).

Saggy droopy drawers are one thing, but saggy droopy ass on an old man is quite another....

But it wasn’t just birthday suits that people ran with at the Bay to Breakers. At this cross-city marathon/costume-party, San Franciscans donned everything from pink genies to garter belts to Viking helmets.

If you haven’t heard of Bay to Breakers (and I have talked enough about it to think some of you used Google, it’s a race that starts from the Bay, at the Eastern side of the city (Embarcadero and Howard), and ends at the Breakers, at the Western side of the city (Ocean Beach). It’s a total of 7.46 miles.  Basically 7.46 miles of parade unless you get a head start!

The participants range from diehard marathoners (who typically finish this race way inside an hour, with the current record being about 34 minutes) to families with kids.

I was not among the costumer contingent (I opted out so as not to mess up my cute tutu that Nicole made for me; droopy saggy tutu would be no bueno), and while I didnt finish within an hour (not too much over), I still consider myself one of the more 'serious' runners of this race, so I missed seeing a lot of the spectacle that was obviously going on behind me...

Which was fine with me. The costumers are an integral part of the Bay to Breakers experience and while I missed the majority of that spectacle, I saw enough to hold me over...

Just imagine a Halloween parade gone mad. With beer (although I didnt see any of this as it was 'banned' this year, but I know it was going on around me just not like what I had heard abou) and singing and dancing.

And naked people.

I hear that no San Francisco event would be complete without naked people. They seem to be a staple of this city’s life. Without them, the city would seem, well, naked.

It was sunny out most of the time sans some cloud cover in spots and a bit of rain only once (it was supposed to be a downpour and stormy!)

I wonder if their hoo-hoo-dillies and poonanies got sunburned.

There were some fantastic clothed costumes and vessels as well. A group of people built a pink Cadillac out of wood, cardboard, and other assorted materials, and rode in it. Another group had a pirate ship (also of wood and cardboard, I think), complete with a sail.

There was the huge birthday cake (they actually won the overall prize; it WAS fantastic looking in person!!), shouting “Happy Birthday!” to everyone they passed.  It was afterall the 100th birthday of this spectacle of a race!

If you looked to your left, you’d see people dressed as tea bags. If you looked to your right, you’d see people dressed in Hawaiian grass skirts and leis. If you looked in front of you, you’d see the Simpsons, the Mario Brothers and of course I saw a lot of Smurf people! And a lot of Superheros!

And if you looked behind you, you’d see more people. Really. More naked people. They’re all around; and they even know they’re naked! Ha!  So as I stated I didnt run with my camera or my phone, but I found enough of other peoples pictures of some of the ones I did see along the way!!!

I think these people must be there every year.  One guys salmon outfit looked a bit worn.  They were running 'upstream'; going against the mass of runners/people right down the middle of the damn road!

This had to have been HOT and difficult!!

I liked seeing the Mario Bros!

I actually saw a few of Thing 1 and 2's

Lots of Smurf pods of people!

Birthday Cake!  I saw this right at the beginning.  I heard they almost took out the Finish line!

One random naked dude...just so you know that they were out there...at least this guy wasnt old OR overweight

Just the Facts and Week at a Glance

Monday:  Rest day.  After the almost 12 miles (including the race) on Sunday plus traveling for 6 hours in airplanes and airports, I was one tired girl.  Thankfully I also had the day off from work.

Tuesday:  4 miles easy (treadmill) and a weights/strength session.  Good stuff.

Wednesday:  4 miles total.  Had a speed/fartlek workout of 1/2/3/2/1 built in for 18 min of speed work.  No weights even though I wanted to but because I am working job B today as well, there was no time.  I opted for the treadmill for ease of a busy job to job schedule.  Plus just easier to do speed on the treadmill to be honest.  Should have run 5 miles, but again no time...

Thursday:  5 miles easy.  Nice route through the 'hood.

Friday:  Rest day

Saturday:  Long run.  12 miles

Sunday:  Rest day

Bay to Breakers (12K) Race Report (San Francisco, CA)

I don't even really know where to start, mainly because I don't want to be too wordy and bore you to tears...so I will try not to:

There were waves/corrals this year and if you sign up too late you are basically going to be in a later corral.  I ended up in a 7:30am corral.  Honestly though, now I know I could have just showed up and started whenever I wanted to :)  There were all sorts of lettered folks for corrals that were just filing in with what I thought was the D corral..anyway...

We left the hotel just past 6:30 to get to the corral by 7 (per the instructions).  Someone had told me day before our start intersection was about .5 miles away.  We were at Pier 39 at a hotel there just across the street.  Um.  No.  We learned on the way it was about 2 miles.

I ran to the Start.  Not something I normally would/like to do, but I did what I had to do (besides it was here that I realized it was going to be a good day...when my warm up miles feel like that?  Yeah it was going to be good)... My 2 friends were going to walk the B2B (for some reason; and we will just leave that at that)...I did meet up with a few folks about .5 miles away, and walked it in with them though once I knew we had the timing OK.  And then really you just move along until there is the Start and they stopped us for a few moments then off we went.

So here I go.  To be honest the only thing I can really tell you about this part is that you need patience especially being anything farther back than on the front line of the first corral.  It is slow going.  There are just so many people and no one pays attention to walk on the right, run on the left. 

Hell some dont even run in the right direction!!!

They run scattered.  They weave.  They stop running for no reason. 

And they are all slower than you are at that given time.

I almost lost it a time or two, but then would check myself that "you knew this was going to be the case".  Do what you can until you can break free of this mess.

I don't really remember much about those couple of miles at the beginning; it wasnt until I looked up and saw Hayes Hill that I remember from there on out.

I remember almost falling flat on my face, but the crowd was so dense that the girl in front of me broke my fall as I pushed my hand into her back (almost making her fall)...

I remember a slow incline...so slight (compared to the hill I work out on, to the ones I ran in Soledad 2 days prior) that I really wasnt that phased ... kinda reminded me of NYC marathon possibly...or not...

I remember seeing mostly costumed people.  Not a lot of runners even.

Where the runners were, were on the sidewalk!!

So I ran on the sidewalk with them once I figured that out.  By the time I did though, I was almost to Hayes.

I ran up Hayes as best and as far as I could until honestly it was just so steep that I felt like my face was on the pavement.  I stayed on the sidewalk and then just decided to walk it and eat a gel.  I would get to the top when I got there.

And sure enough I got to the top (2.9 miles at this point), took my time to look back down and was just in awe of what I saw below me.  And then it was time to go again...

There is a bit of a flat piece before you start slowly climbing again...No biggie.

In mile 4 I started getting rained on but it didnt last long; the sun would peek back out after about 1/2 mile.  It was also here where a man tapped me on my shoulder and asked me "you runnin' for your mom?"

Yes sir I am. (I had magic marker'd Mom on the back of 1 calf and 3/10/11 down the other just as I did in the last race (Angies Half Crazy Half Marathon)

Still climbing.  Ever so slightly though.  and the people were very thinned out by now (still in costumes though and some still naked)...  I had made it.

I knew that I had until around 5.5 before I started the descent that I couldnt wait for.  I was holding my miles after Hayes at about 10:15, 10:00 and then sub 10 (before that it was 11's due to crowds, stop/start/weave etc then ther 12:30 on the hill).  I dont have my splits with me (honestly I havent even downloaded; just going off vague memory...)

Once I hit mile 5 marker I just started going faster and faster...sub 10, sub 9:30, sub 9:15, until I knew I was going sub 9 and I looked down at my watch and it was at 8:39.  I know this because it was like a vision.

I was running 8:39 in mile 6 and I didnt even feel like it.  I am pretty sure I wanted to pee my shorts.

It would then fluctuate between 8:29 and 8:45ish etc., but always staying below 9min miles.

When I hit that 7 mile marker I knew I had less than 1/2 mile to go but I was content with my 8:30something pace...I was still going to finish upright and honestly wasnt even huffing and puffing.

So yeah...I left something out there and I am a-ok with that...a-fucking-ok.

My Garmin read something like 1:15ish, not sure now...and while that overall pace actually doesnt make me happy (well it kinda does considering the first 4 miles suuuuuck!!!)...all I know is what I did pace wise after that and that I ran some mofo hills like I have never run before and didnt die.

I couldnt be more pleased with my effort, my mentality and just how overall, as a race and a course, it was fantastic.  Just simply beautfiful and awesome.

I don't know where that girl came from, but I sure like her a lot...She's obviously a lot better conditioned than she gives herself credit for...

Would I ever do this race again?  I would love to...I hear there are at least 2 more years of it (Zazzle signed on for that; and they thought this 100 year running would be the last)...however I dont think I would do it if they didnt offer the medals again.  Its a long way to travel (for me) and its not cheap to get/stay there. 

But yeah, I would definitely love to do this one again...San Francisco is just a wonderful city to begin with...

Oh and after the Finish, just like with a lot of races its a long way to either get to the after party or the shuttles to take you back across town.  At LEAST a mile away...it is what it is...I ran/walked this after getting my medal and such.  Then without going into too much blah blah blah, I ended up running after getting off the shuttle, bringing my total mileage to 11.76 miles for the day...

One thing to note is that there is no bag drop/pick up.  This can or cannot be a good thing.  For example, this time it was supposed to be pouring rain (but it didnt thankfully), and well, at the end, you wouldnt have anything dry to change into...and who wants to run in a rain poncho for that far and then afterwards as well?  Not me.  Or also in this case it was about 47deg at the start.  Normally I would have worn short sleeves however because I knew I couldnt change into a long sleeve or a hoodie at the end when I knew I would be cold, I wore long sleeve...so you have to think about that... a lot of people didn't....and I either saw or heard about it from a lot of folks... bag drop addition would be money...

*********************************

OK so I didnt run with my phone or my camera (as I made the decision to 'race' this and not just be a part of it in general AND the threat of rain (heavy) just didnt want to chance ruining anything) but I did snatch some pictures from friends and random people that I found had taken pics.  Some of the pics too are just from random sites about Bay to Breakers.

I am working on 2 additional posts...one with costumed folks along the route and then also a post where I have pictures from the trip in general, from in Soledad, to the eating of such wonderful food, going out with the girls, and just overall San Fran sightseeing photos!!!!


Tortilla throwing at the Start.  Seriously, I was being beaned with tortillas left and right!  I dont know the story behind this, but there were people with tons and tons of tortillas (both corn and flour!)



Haight Ashbury...There were some craaazy stuff through here all along the route...Still seemingly 'flat'.  I wished I had had another day to go down there to just sightsee and hang out.

Hayes Street Hill.  I just want you to know that it IS just how this picture shows it.  Its around mile 2.7 or so, and I remember specifically looking up (not realizing I had gone that far to be honest) and it was staring me in the face.   You actually can see from about 1/4 mile away I am guessing...Its hard to miss because all you really see is a wall of people.

Looking back down once you hit the first 'top' of Hayes, you stop, turn around and just look.  I think it was much more intense than what this photo reflects.  You then go up just a wee bit more then you finally cross a timing mat at the very tip top.  Mile 3 was DEFINITELY my slowest mile (ever) at 12:30pace

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park (from the air)

Golden Gate Bridge

This waterfall is spectacular.  You are running along and then bam! off to your right its there...just as beautiful as it could be....

Another favorite!  At this point in the race you are so close to the finish you might forget to look for this, but then..unless you are just blind or have your eyes closed you arent going to...in the photo below you can see it and where it is on the course...just before getting to the left hand turn onto Ocean Beach.  FANTASTIC!!!  You are running through some heavily wooded area, going downhill...all shaded...it just feels UNREAL!!!!

You can see the route there heading towards Ocean Beach where you turn left and basically its um...about 1/4 mile down or so...

and then the FINISH!!!!



I will get around to actual writing as soon as I get caught up on life!

In the meantime, here are my race photos from Bay to Breakers (there werent any from the actual race; tooooo crowded!!)

I actually found myself in this one!  LOL!  Click on photo to enlarge

Bay to Breakers. San Francisco, CA. Done.

Somewhere along the Embarcadero on the way to our corral:  JunieB, Stacy, and Lisa

Start Line:  4th wave

Finishers Medal

So much to show and tell.  I rocked it out though and couldn't be happier with my performance on a very difficult course (by this Texas flat land girls perspective).

Just How Exactly Do You Plan to do THAT?

A few people have asked how exactly I plan to do the 3 marathons in 3 months thing.  Its actually a very good question.

It is me we are talking about after all...  :O)

If anyone remembers I was planning on doing the full at Houston (Jan 2011) after doing Chicago (Oct 2010), and well I didnt because honestly there were 2 reasons.

Initially I thought it was just that I was burnt out on training and just didnt feel like running anything over 15 miles (which is what I got back up to after Chicago before calling off Houston), and that might still have played a part in it, but honestly it was due to, as I said 2 reasons.

1. There was too much time in between the 2 marathons.  I was basically going to have to ramp back up to my 20-21 miler again.  And the sole reason behind that was...
2. Doing long runs on the weekends again was taking up time from my family.  I really wanted to help out more with the care of Mom and running extra long on Saturdays was just too much.  I dont like to do much after a long, hard run, let alone having to do what I had to do when caring for her.

Looking back on it all, I certainly made the right decision to drop down to the half at Houston because having that time with my Mom is precious in my memory now that she is gone.

So back to now...

There is a bit more time in between Chicago and Dallas White Rock than I would like, but just this morning I mapped out what would occur, and its simple really. 

After Chicago, take a full week off, then a couple of 15 milers, do a long run of 20-21 miles then taper the 3 weeks to Dallas.

Now from Dallas White Rock to Houston is going to be MUCH easier.  Take a full week off, run one longer run (probably 13-15) then a 20-21 miler, then taper the 3 weeks to Houston.

Obviously DWR and Houston, I have to face the reality that they arent going to be 'fast' by any means.  I am just not that kind of runner (I'm talking to skinnyrunner).  I don't see that changing.  So #2 and #3 the biggest fear I have is that I will chicken out (and drop to the halves of DWR and Hou) because of my inept ability to just go out there and run for running sake, and not put too much stock in the time factor.  Bottom line is I am putting this out there so I need to be held accountable and more than likely reminded of this some time in the near future from my readers.

Whatever I am going to do needs to get done in Chicago....  :O)  And the weather needs to cooperate this year!  :O)

Maybe not...but I will give it my best shot!!!!

Now I need some more followers dammit!!!  I need to be held accountable!!!!



Marathon #1?  Registered and paid for....October 9, 2011



Marathon #3?  Registered and paid for....January 15, 2012

Thankfully I was lucky enough to snag a spot from HARRA and bypass the lottery!  Kudos to HARRA for speedy delivery of spots awarded and online code for registering!

Now we wait for June 1st...to register and pay for marathon #2...

Week at a Glance

It's going to be a very busy few days leading up to my departure to California on Thursday morning so here is what is on tap run/workout wise.  The blog will probably be somewhat quiet this week unless something major comes up that I must blog about :o) ....  highly doubtful. 

Monday:  5 miles (treadmill) and heavy duty work that booty workout (strength training)!
Tuesday:  5 mile run
Wednesday: 5 mile run; at home weights
Thursday:  No run.  Travel day.
Friday: 3-5 mile run somewhere in wine country (Soledad, CA)
Saturday:  No run.  San Francisco.
Sunday:  Bay to Breakers 12K.  San Francisco.

Things That Still Kinda Freak Me Out...

I don't think I will ever get use to hearing being introduced as, or described as a runner, let alone a marathon runner.

This just happened again this past weekend, and for some reason it stuck out in my mind.  I was actually a little embarrassed by it, and most times that is the case.

I had met up with some friends at the movies (not Something Borrowed as in the movie still above) on Friday night, and unbeknownst to me prior, there was a guy that was joining us.  Someone I had never met (would later find out that yet again I was potentially being set up with one of my friends' guy friends...)

Anyway, the words 'this is my friend June.   She runs marathons too.'  just kinda felt funny to my ears this time moreso than others.  Maybe because I was a little taken back by the fact that this guy was joining us (thankfully I had dressed cute); I dont know really, but I was.

This has happened more often than not, mostly by my non-runner friends and by family members, but when another runner introduces a runner that way, it just sounded weird to me.  But a compliment too I guess?

And what else is weird to me, when asked 'so how far do you run?' (this happened on Saturday when I went to new person for haircut).  I dont care if it was 3 miles, they generally freak out to some extent.  When I answered on Saturday with '11 miles' I thought she was going to fall on the floor.  I was careful to leave out the word 'just'...you know when asked 'how far did you go today?' and your reply is 'just 10 miles'...thats always funny to people...

I don't know...I guess I just find it odd that people think runners are some breed of human that requires extra words for describing them...or that we're odd for how far or how often we run...

Do your friends or family do this when introducing you to new people?  Do people you know kinda freak out when they ask "so how far do you run?"

Kenyan Way Long Run - 11 Miles

I couldn't have asked for a better run to start off the Kenyan Way Fall Marathon training season!  I am not sure of the temp or humidity, probably about 70deg and about the same % of humidity (not so bad considering...)

The route was 9 miles today so I got to base early and did 2 miles before starting with the group.  Started with the 4:15 group and held my own.  At the 2nd water stop (3.5 miles into the route), Coach was there and he looked at me and said "leaving the 4:15 group in your dust today huh?".  I had to laugh but not gonna lie it gave me the boost and confidence I can always use.

I was a bit apprehensive about the run going into it because I didnt eat any dinner last night unless you count the strawberries and cherry tomatoes I sneaked into the movies last night (went to see Thor with some friends; it was AWESOME!!!) and I had to stay far far away from popcorn which for me is VERY hard to do, but I know from past experience that popcorn the night before a long run does not go over so well on this body of mine.  I ate 1/2 Clif Bar on the drive over and hoped it would be enough.  I took 2 gels with me to be safe and took 1 at mile 4 and then another around mile 8.  I relied on Gatorade at every other water stop.

It all seemed to work because I ended up with a 9:49averagepace for the 11 miles.  I'm certainly happy with that.  As the weather gets much warmer I suspect that it won't always be this 'good' but I'll take the victories where I can get them.

I don't know if it was just fluke, or if the weight training is playing a small part in it, but I plan to keep on doing what I have been doing and just slowly taking the weight off.  I haven't weighed since that day a couple of weeks ago (when I was at 119, but the goal is 113), but I'll probably weigh in the next week or so for a gauge.  Next week the schedule has me just doing 7 miles so that works out great since I will be running Bay to Breakers in San Francisco and thats a 12K (7.46miles).

Happy Saturday and happy running!!!

Just the Facts

Monday:  5 miles on the treadmill and I made it hurt.  I pretty much just was all ADD on there, pushing the pace for a song, slow down the next one, then slowly increase for a song or two.  Or I would switch to a higher incline and start out slower and build the speed up until I thought my legs were on fire.  I read an article that running on the treadmill on a 0 incline is pointless, so from here on out I will always do my treadmill running on 1 or 1.5 incline.  After the sweaty sweat sweat session on the treadmill, I hit the weights for some HIIT and cardio bursts for about 35 minutes.  Most times I wasnt even counting and found myself just lifting to exhaustion.

I had a really rough day at work and I found out that my niece had an accident over the weekend which resulted in surgery (10 pins and 1 plate in one of her legs that was broken in several places).  She is going to be fine but its going to take a lot of physical therapy and rehab.  I sure wish this family could catch a break.

Tuesday:  4 mile easy run.  Beautiful weather for a change so I pushed the pace.

Wednesday:  See Monday.   Minus the last paragraph.  :)

Thursday:  Hill repeats (in the Vibrams; still WINNING!) with the J-man.  6 mile bike.  Took it easy since I am a day late in the week doing a 'workout'.  Long run on Saturday (11 miles on tap) so I wanted to not wear out the legs.  KENYAN WAY TRAINING IS BACK!!  So so so happy about that!!!

Friday: Rest

Bay To Breakers - Race Strategy?

Embarcadero Bay, San Fran....Where the B2B race begins

When I first signed up for Bay to Breakers and honestly up until a week or so ago, there was no 'race' strategy.  I signed up because my friend Lisa (she lives sorta kinda near San Fran) put it out there and I took the bait, and it was always my intent that her and I would be doing it 'together' even though she is a bit slower pace than I, it didnt bother me one bit....she had hill training and I had more speed, so it would even itself out more or less, and even so, I just had it in my head that I would run with her stride for stride.

Then another girl came into the picture, one of Lisa's friends daughters (I think) from AZ was also coming.  It wasn't until the past month I guess, going off of FB information, I realized that AZ was not training (and I might even go so far as to say 'not a runner').  And not running.  I know thats not a big deal, but sometimes it kinda is  :O)...because in my head I am only thinking..this is not going to go well...getting through a 5K mud run is one thing with no running/training, but a 12K (7.46miles) is quite another.  With hills.  Big hills...And as much 'fun' as the event and the experience will be, at the end of the day, I'm a runner and its a race, and I want to 'race' it the best that I can.  The only other thing that was concerning was the sheer size of this event and not being able to find each other after...still not sure how we are going to do that, but worse case scenario is I will have a key to the hotel room and I'll find my way back somehow...

Another shot of Embarcedero Bay, San Fran; gonna be awesome!

 So, hoping not to mess anything up (what others might have planned), I kept stressing over this fact...that I really wanted to 'race' it, especially when I found out that the temps there in the morning are low by Texas standards this time of year, making it even more difficult for me to run 11:30-12:30 min miles.  And what might end up for AZ as quite a bit of walking.  I could be entirely off base with this, just a hunch...

So this morning I mentioned it and sure enough, my dear friend Lisa pretty much solidified it with 'run free my friend, run free'.

And I was elated!

Now after having said aaaalll of that, there is still the fact that I am not really conditioned for this kind of course, so yeah I expect to be huffing and puffing more than I would like...and well with 60,000 REGISTERED runners, and generally this race ends up with about 100,000 runners when you factor in all the bandits, its not like there is going to be a whole lot of room to 'run' ...  They do have wave starts this year...but still...its going to be ugly.  And those are 2 things I just cannot control and will most definitely affect the time that I can cover this distance in. 

Now as far as a strategy, well, all I know is that I want to not die in the first 3 miles.  :o)  Thankfully thats where it will be the most crowded and I will be forced to go slower than I would like.

I have looked at my little race distance/pace chart I have from RW, and oddly enough, they have a 12K distance on here...and I guess I would have to say I definitely would like to go sub 1:15, and its definitely doable for me...in San Fran though?  and with that many people?  (although I will probably only have about 20-30K in front of me based on my corral placement ;o)...I dont know if thats doable.  But its definitely on my radar...I would actually prefer closer to 1:10, but I think the only way I am going to be able to do that is if from mile 5.5 on, during that continuous downhill to the finish that I dont have a buttload of people to get through and around.

So bottom line is of course as always:  try not to weave, try not to go out too fast (dont think this will be a problem here) and in this particular race, don't waste too much energy on 'the hill'.  I've heard how amazingly beautiful the course is so once I do start that descent towards the ocean, I plan to just soak it all in...and run my heart and legs out!!!

Heading down to Ocean Beach (where the finish line will be)

Ocean Beach

Bay To Breakers (Hayes Street Hill) - 10 days to Race Day!

Course starts at the bay (San Francisco) and ends at the Pacific Ocean where the waves 'break' against the Ocean Beach (click for full picture and better view)

Looks like the 'wicked' downhill Coach has been telling me about is spot on right after topping Hayes but then at 5.5 its a straight downhill to the finish...Can't wait; just hope my quads are ready!!!  (Click for full picture and better view)

Bottom of the Hayes Street Hill, the highest point in elevation; some argue that its not that after you top this hill you still have a ways of an incline before the actual descent occurs down to Ocean Beach (which of course is still over 4 miles away at this point!  :)

In Case You Didn't Know...

Well sorta.  I mean the KW official Fall marathon training program started this week, but since I have been keeping my running up and my longer runs at 9-10 miles every Saturday, I am pretty much just still going to be in maintenance mode through May.

When entering in my information into the db to get my training schedule (miles, paces, workouts), I did a couple of things differently:  5 days of running (as opposed to 6) and then I selected for the adj feature due to heat/humidity.  This allows my paces to be a bit more 'relaxed'.  I am still going to train for that 4:20 (actually 4:19) marathon time, which is completely doable given that I dont get handed another crappy weather situation on race day :O) 

I am super duper excited for training and its finally kicked in that I have a very busy summer (Fall and Winter too!) coming up and that my Fall/Winter marathon trifecta (3 marathons in 3 months) hopefully will become a reality!  I know I will have Dallas White Rock (registration opens June 1), its just getting in to Houston that I won't know about for a bit longer.  Actually now that I think about it...I think I might know next week if I get a HARRA entry or not due to club points; I know the deadline for applying is Sunday.  If I don't get in, I will have to find another January marathon (USAFit Marathon comes to mind even though that was a DISASTER (half) marathon for me this year).

Anyway, point being is that I am still extremely excited about training, and while I still waffle on some days (when its REALLY hot) about the fact that I am doing Chicago again (and training in the heat/humidity after I SWORE I wasnt going to this year), I am 98% super excited!

Anyone else out there training yet for a Fall marathon?

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In other news....there's this situation...

...but its paying off big time (I think)...new post coming in regards to this forthcoming...

 

And this....



Some Easter Weekend/Time off Photos

Did this a couple of days

Went here too...

1 SMALL bag, 4 items, $204.00.  Oh Lulu how I love thee!

Also got my bib and chip for Bay to Breakers!!  Woot!

Colored some eggs...made me sad...thinking of Momma...We always did eggs together...

Pre-long run assembly..

Then on Saturday I began the trek North...

Driving by the entrance to my familys place that we had for some many years until Daddy passed...Cedar Point, Onalaska, Texas on Lake Livingston

Nearing the turn off for my nieces new place on Lake Livingston

Loading in the party boat

Brandy and I after we had both finished our share of jet skiing!  Wears a girl out!

Back end of nieces party boat

Nacole commandeering the party boat

Self portrait after a day on the lake

Jessie, the winner of the Easter egg hunt

Brandy, the loser of the Easter egg hunt;  My sister hid a dozen camoflaged plastic eggs with scratch offs and food gift card receipts in all of them!

Getting ready to hit the ground looking for eggs...Jessie cheating!

My sister called her out but she still got a head start!!!

hunting...

hunting....

more hunting....these show the hill from where the house will be down to the lake; 60ft pier being built as we speak!

Me begging Brandy to get off already and let me have my own time!!!

Me out there trying to do rooster tails

Finally on my own!

Weeeeee!!!!  and I am off!!!!

The 'children' after a day of boating and jet skiing

Niece in her Hummer...pulling the boat out of the water

View from the deck of the property

They made a liquor run!

Temporary housing for visitors!

Trying to learn how to work the margarita machine

Brandy is so cute!!

Sister and I on Easter morning

Niece and sister on Easter morning

Niece and I

Nacole and I  (nieces partner)

My nephew Brandon and I