running shoes

Just ordered some new running shoes from Brooks.  Ran 10 miles today in my adrenalines and love them.

Run fun.......

Jed Smith

With Coyote Two Moon quickly approaching, I needed to get some miles under my belt.  I haven't done anything long since October so I decided to run Jed Smith 50 mile on February 7th.  This run is located at Gibson Ranch in Sacramento and is put on by the Buffalo Chips running club.  I have never done this run before but Barb Elia has run it many times and encouraged me to sign up.  The course is a 3.3 mile figure 8 loop with paved and dirt paths.  I went online to ShadowChase.org to the pace calculator early in the week and figured out if I ran 10 minute miles I could finish in 8:20.  This was my goal (which I wrote in my log book, to make it official).

I also choose not to wear my garmin so I wouldn't be a slave to the pace portion of my watch.

I went up with Barb Elia and Linda McFadden.  Linda and I were both doing the 50 miles while Barb ran the 50K.

Here I am at the start.  We brought our stuff (change of clothes in case it rained, ice chest, food and a chair) and placed it across from the aid station.  The event was very low key and at 8:00a. a small group started.  The speedsters took off.  I fell into a nice rhythm.  I was running what felt like a fast pace, which usually means I am running slow!  The 50 mile consisted of 15 loops, I know 15!!  The first loop went pretty fast because I had know idea what the course was like.  My thought on this is, ignorance is bliss!  I liked the course, it had hills placed at the right time to change up the pounding on the legs.  The aid stations were nicely spaced and they had this wonderfully nice man encouraging us at the Y before the loop.  I figured each loop should take about 33 minutes.  Well, I started running and each time I passed the clock I was on the half hour so I figured it was all good.  My plan was to run 10 minutes and walk for 1 minute for the first 10 loops. 

Photo taken by Anthony Brantley.  

All during the day, I was trying to focus on hydration and nutrition.  My goal was to consume 20 oz. in an hour and eat something each loop.  As the day warmed up, I switched to plain water and started taking one bottle per loop.  I have a tendency to drop off on the hydration as the day progresses.  Overall, I was happy with the hydration portion.  I could have eaten more.  I wished I had brought some GU.  I don't know why I didn't.   On loop 11 I left the aid station walking and drinking soup broth.  I continued with the 10 and 1, but threw in a few more walks.  I limited myself to walking 50 steps then back to running.  When I came in from what I thought was loop 12, I was informed it was loop 13.  Only 2 more laps.  Wow, I was glad to have miscounted.  The clock said 6:39.  Loop 14 was deadly, my legs felt like lead but I had a good energy level.  I started my last loop at 7:17.  Loop 14 turned out to be the slowest lap.  Barb and Linda were yelling at me to get moving to make in under 8 hours.  I headed out for the last loop.  I thanked the nice man and the Y intersection for his kind words of encouragement all day! 

 I rounded the second to the last turn and there was Barb.  I really wanted to walk a bit but she kept yelling, run, run.  I really had no choice.  I crossed the finish line in 7:52:52, first woman in the 50 miler. Wow, I was glad to be done.  It was a nice PR for me.   

Here is a photo of the three of us at the finish (Linda, Barb and myself)

Linda finished behind me in 8:53.  Overall, it was a great day.  My legs didn't feel all that bad in the following days.   

The first place man, Todd Braje won the race in 5:30 (a 6:37 pace).  That just seems so incredibly fast.  He lapped me to many times to count!!

I will be heading out to the hilly trails in the next few weeks to get some hill training.  I will definitely need it for CTM.

Run fun....

Surf City

On Friday, January 30th, we drove to Huntington Beach for the Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon.  We arrived late Friday but awoke early Saturday to head to the expo and check out Huntington beach.  Here we are pictured above at a restaurant enjoying lunch.  We celebrated Roos' birthday with a cold one!

The expo was small but nice.  We got our stuff and just walked around town.  Of course, we went to the beach.  Connor had a great time playing in the sand and water.

We stayed in Costa Mesa, not far from Huntington beach and we arrived early so we could park fairly close.  I was running the marathon and Roos and Connor were running the half.  I started at 6:50a and they didn't start until 8 a.  It wasn't very cold at the start which was nice.  There is nothing like running the first few miles with feet that feel like blocks because they are frozen!  Shortly after we started a low fog rolled in but the weather remained warm.  Later in the run, the sun came out and it was beautiful  I think the high was in the low 70's.  I guess we lucked out because last year, it was windy and the rain was blowing sideways.

The marathon starts on the Pacific Coast highway near the pier and then cuts inland.  We ran by some beautiful homes and then into Huntington beach park.  For a brief time, I mean brief, we hit a dirt path near the lake and then back on to the path that runs around the park.  By the time we hit the road to head back towards the ocean, the speedy half marathoners were coming in the opposite direction.  When you get back to the Pacific Coast highway you run north, turn, run south, turn, run north, turn, run south and finish up near the pier.  There are alot of turn arounds but it was okay.  At one point, I thought we were at mile 15 but no.... mile 17 - that was a pleasant surprise.

Mile 23 and 24 were tough.  Overall, I was happy with my time.  I had told a few girls I was running with the week before that my goal was between 3:30 and 3:45.  The bad thing about actually verbalizing your goals is you have to come through.  I finished up at 3:36, so within my goal time.  I felt great afterward.  I sat on the grass and waited for Roos and Connor to finish.  

I looked for them out on the course but never saw them.

This was Connor's second half marathon.  His first was Avenue of the Vines in Lodi last May.  He finished up in 3:48 ( it was 105 degrees that day).  

Roos and Connor finished up at 3:18!  They finished looking good.  Connor took 30 minutes off his time.  I am very proud of both of them.  The medal was cool.  This is really the reason we did this event, Roos wanted the surf board medal!

Of course, Connor played on the beach for awhile while we chilled.  We drove home that night.  It was a long drive.

We plan on doing this event next year with my oldest son and daughter in law.  It was a great weekend with beautiful weather.  Who doesn't like running next to the ocean??

Run fun......

Training

This last week, I wasn't going to get many training days in because I was scheduled to work four 12 hour shifts.  So, I figured I better make those days of training, quality runs.  On Monday I decided to drive to Castro Valley and run the trails at Lake Chabot.  I love the trail that runs around the lake.  It is beautiful.  It has some nice ups and downs and awesome single track.  This picture is of the bridge after you get off the cement pathway.

I decided to follow the bike path for a few miles and then turn around and take the trail around the lake.  The trail around the lake is only 8-9 miles and I wanted to get in around 15 miles.  I stayed on the Brandon Trail and took this photo at the top of the hill.  A great day!
It turned out to be a nice run.  

On Tuesday I talked Robert into going to Peoria flats to run the HILLY loop.  We did the loop three times; 2 clockwise and 1 counter clockwise.  That hill is a b***ch but awesome climbing and good downhill training for the quads.  

I planned on taking off Wednesday and then running Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning.  The only problem with running those mornings is I have to get up at 4 a.  to get a run in before starting work at 6:30 a.  I managed to do it once.  The other days, it was dark, raining and my pillow needed me!!

I finished up the week with a group run at Dry Creek park for a total of 11 miles.  I managed a 8:16 pace, so sort of a tempo run.  

This coming weekend is the Surf City marathon in Huntington beach.  My goal is 3:45.  It looks like the weather is supposed to be a high of 79 degrees on Sunday.  A little warm for running but should be a great family weekend.

Run Fun....

SOLD OUT!!

I went online to register for the Pacifica 30K this morning and it was SOLD OUT.  I looked at the website earlier this week and saw that there was "no limit" for the 30 and 50K, so I didn't feel the need to rush to sign up.  

I am sad that I won't get to enjoy the North Peak climb but I am very excited for Wendell and Sarah because their two events this year so far, have been SOLD OUT.

Trail running has taken off like wildfire.  Most events are close to selling out or are having to switch to a lottery system to accomodate the larger number of folks hitting the trails!

Well, I am going to look at my list of planned races and sign up for them now, then I will be guaranteed a spot!

 

Run Fun....

Blame

Last Friday, I went to Auburn to run with Jeffrey, Trish, Chuck, Anthony and Bill.  We ran from Auburn Dam Overlook to Cool and back, approx. 14-15 miles.  The run included K2. 

 The weather was great!!  I was a little overdressed at the start because I wore pants and I should have worn shorts, oh well (thinking heat training!).

I felt pretty good, but you would think I'd never been on a trail before in my life.  I was slow on the down hills and walked most of the ups.  Wimp....

For a few nights before this, I have been waking up with my thumb throbbing in the middle of the night, stagger to the bathroom, take some Motrin and hope for sleep. When I got home from the run, I soaked my thumb.  After my shower, I began poking around some and man some gross green pus came out (hopefully, no visuals from that description).  I called my doc, went in and sure enough, I have an infection under my thumb nail.  So I got to thinking, I am going to blame my wimpiness on my infection. 

Because of my performance on Friday, I am contempling signing up for the 33K instead of the 50K this weekend at Pacifca.  Our running club banquet is that night and I don't want to be late.  Pacifica is tough and the 50K may take me, gulp, close to 7 hours.  What to do???

Run fun....

Flat Arch

On Sunday, December 28th our running club, ShadowChase, had an informal "fat ass" run.  This run is in memory of Al Stoll, a local runner who died while running.  You can run any distance you like.  The only catch is:

"No aid, no awards, no wimps. Organizers decision is final on all results and disputes (including religion and politics).'

This year there were 44 people.  7 started out going for the whole schabang (50 miles) with only one completing the distance.  2 did a 50K and many (including me) did 15-16 miles.  

It was cold at the start but the sun came out and it turned out to be a beautiful day.  The best part about the day is we started and finished at Cindy's Restaurant where I ended my 15.78 miles with a patty melt and fries!!

After all, isn't running really about what you eat when your done??

Run Fun....