Running Sprightly

I didn’t realize how tired I would feel after working on the Surfer’s Path Marathon race committee. Luckily, I was able to get back into a running routine after having only one day off. I was even able to get into the swimming pool for the first time in a few months and get some laps in. I do love the water, but man, swimming certainly humbles me. I hope to add swimming to my regular routine once I return from my holiday. 

Since the Surfer’s Path race on Sunday, I have become obsessed with a drink that was being handed out at the event. Recently, I wrote a guest blog post for the San Francisco Marathon all about chia, and my latest addiction includes plenty of Chia. The drink is called "Chia\Vie," and comes in three flavors, Mango, Snapple-Berry, and Acerola - Pina. All of the flavors are super yummy, but I think I like the Mango Smoothie the best. There is absolutely no sugar added, and with a nice smooth texture, you can hardly even tell that Chia is in it. It's gluten free and vegan free, and I can’t seem to get enough!

Hopefully everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. I know mine was jammed packed as usual. My running included a Fun Run 10k held by "Road Runner Sports," in Campbell. I just love the events Road Runner offers, organized by the lovely Meghan. This race was unique by the fact that no Garmins or timing devices were allowed, and the first female and male finishers that guessed the closest won a prize. Before the race, I wrote down a predicted finishing time of 50:50. This race would not be a PR as I was tired from the days past and just wanted to run a casual pace. UMM kidded with me that I should have wrote down 51:50... Upon crossing the finish line, I clocked in at 51:57. I would have won for sure if I had changed my time beforehand. Oh well! UMM ended up winning the race, and he will get his picture up as the course record holder. Katie also came out to run and though she was not feeling good she still managed to place 2nd overall. This chick is hardcore, and I am happy that she is my friend. Perhaps some of that hardcore running will rub off on me. Katie and I also managed to place in the top five females who guessed the closest. Hey, I'll take it!

Photo courtesy of Road Runner Sports, Campbell.

Just 9 more days until I leave for Germany and 11 days will mark my very first out of the country half marathon. I am very excited! I have a lot to do between now and then that also includes a couple of 5k races that I will be running this coming weekend. Busy, busy, busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

How was your Memorial Day Weekend? Did you manage to get some running in?

Behind the Scenes

Back in March, I was asked to be apart of the Inaugural Surfer’s path Marathon and Capitola Half race committee. I was really excited as I thought it was about time Santa Cruz held a marathon! There were two months left before the race and stress levels were high. The race director had planned many successful racing events in the past, but none so close to the date. Races are usually planned a year in advance to ensure a successful event. Due to a pending permit however, all planning was at a halt. After all, without the permission from the city, there would be no course to run on. Luckily the permit was passed, and planning began!

I was delighted to be asked to be involved as running is my passion and I absolutely adore the running community. I was given the task of Volunteer Coordinator and I also assisted with Social Media Marketing  alongside my dear friend and fellow runner Elise who is pretty much a rockstar. Not only did she work all weekend helping with details for the race, but at the last minute she decided to run the Capitola Half to boot! I won’t lie, trying to coordinate 200 plus volunteers was a bit stressful at first. Luckily, I wasn’t alone as I worked very closely with the team to ensure all areas were covered. In the past, when I thought of volunteering at a race, I would think only of aid stations or bib-pickup because that is where I usually was put. To my surprise, there are a lot more places volunteers are needed that include being on the course ensuring the runners safety, finish line and food duties, set up and tear down, expo registration, the list goes on. It seemed like at the last minute, all volunteers fell into place as we were able to recruit school groups and teams from the Santa Cruz community as well as from friends. Without the help and support of the volunteers, there would be no race and I appreciate the time that was given to make this even a success.

Big volunteer shout out’s go out to some of my awesome friends starting with my lovely friend Meg who helped us all day on Saturday at the expo at bib-pickup. Meg rocks because the next day she ran the Capitola Half and scored a major PR!

Marcia and Vinh who represented the Running Addicts were super supportive and I loved getting to know them better during the race. 

Shannon and Shila, who had to wake up in the wee hours of morning and drive over the hill just to help me out.

Fellow San Francisco Marathon Ambassador Peter who among the regular volunteer duties also kept me entertained.

And last but not least; A huge huge huge thank you goes out to my amazing beau UMM. He volunteered his whole weekend to be by my side to help out in any capacity he could. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive guy and am so grateful that he is apart of my life! 

Anyway, I won’t bore you with all the race planning details, but needless to say, the event was very successful! The weather was perfect and everybody seemed to have a really great time and loved the course minus a few complaints of it being hilly!
As a runner in a race, I am only responsible for getting myself to the start line and run to the finish line. Certainly it can be stressful, but working behind the scenes, I learned so much right down to the smallest of details of putting on a successful race event! It was a great experience that I was so fortunate to be apart of!

Meg, Elise, Maggie, and UMM working hard at the expo

Good morning! With Meg and Elise pre expo.

Beer! It's what happens after a long day!

New Leaf was our sponsor and came through in a major way!

Top 3 Male finishers Capitola Half Marathon

 

Happy girls after completing the Capitola Half!

Marathon Maniacs and friends Shannon & Trish

Elise and I at the end of a looong weekend..

Yet, still smiling! :)

A Mermaid, a Chick and a Rooster

On Saturday, I ran in two 5k race events! Summer decided to cue in a bit early and the day was hot to trot, but I had a lot of fun at both events all just the same.

The first was the Mermaid East Bay event. I had participated in this race before and was hoping to crush my 5k time from the previous year. I did ever so slightly, but it certainly wasn’t my fastest 5k race. In fact, these last couple of months, I have really noticed my speed has declined. Yes, I am still working through some injury stuff, but it is still hard to see my pace slower than I am use to.

The race started at 9am and unlike last year, it was already getting hot. The course was slightly altered and was on a different direction from the previous year, still running on dirt and gravel around Quarry Lake though. The air was extremely dry and the bugs were out in full force. I ran what seemed to be the longest 3 miles of my 5k race history. I crossed the finish line at 24:52 at a 7:42 pace. I was immediately greeted by an old highschool friend who recognized me. After we chatted and parted ways, UMM informed me I had little bugs plastered all over the side of my face. Really? Why does it always seem that when I run into people from my past, I look like roadkill. Waiting for the results to be posted, I chatted with lot’s of friends who also participated in the 5k and 10k events. I was a bit down with my performance and shocked to see that I placed 7th overall and 1st in my Age Group. I received some cool swag and then I was off to the next race that was held in Campbell.

So sweet, UMM made a sign for me!

The Gurls

With a quick costume change, UMM and I again matched our clothes for the next race as it was the SVTC 1st Annual Chick Chaser. Upon signing in, our calves were marked with a “C” for being in a couple. Some other people had an “S” for single.
This race was so much fun as the ladies (chicks) got to start first with a three minute advantage. Then the men (roosters) began and it was a race to the finish! It was mid-afternoon when the race began and it was hot hot hot. I knew the course well, but I was miserable. Many men caught up with me in those hot 3 miles and then managed to pass me, that included UMM. Every rooster that passed me however was very nice as they said encouraging words! It was nice to hear especially from those super fasties! I crossed the finish line in 25 minutes with an average pace of 8:03. I finished 26th overall, 9th female, and 5th in my age group.

Again, I can’t stress how much fun this race was. At the finish line, I was greeted with a keg of beer sponsored by the Sonoma Chicken Coup. There were plenty of snacks and cheers! It was a very well organized event and well put together. UMM and I were even awarded Fastest Couple! We were stoked as there certainly were a lot of fasties out and about! So much fun! I can’t wait to participate in this event again next year! 

So that is my tale of two 5k’s in a day. Super fun, yet incredibly tiring, but certainly doable!!!

The Biggest Little Run

What a whirlwind of a weekend. I took a road trip to Reno, Nevada to run the "Rock N River Half Marathon." This was my first time in Reno. I will admit I did not spend much time there as we took a detour to visit UMM’s family in the surrounding area. However, I did manage to do a little "run-seeing" while running the Half Mary on Sunday.

The day before the race I did a shake-out run at 5,000 feet elevation. I panicked when I couldn’t catch my breath. I got a sharp painful headache and my lungs felt like they were bleeding. I had followed proper protocol in regards to running in high elevation and followed my own advice, but it was still painful. I was quite nervous. I was also nervous about running the half with my recent injuries. I even considered dropping down to the 10k or 5k, but in the end, I really wanted to run the half so that is what I did.

The expo the day before was held at "Scheels Sporting Goods." The place was huge and being there was an experience in itself. I had fun picking up our bibs and chatting with fellow SF Marathon ambassador, Charlie, who ::spoiler alert::  local to Reno, won the half marathon event. UMM and I even rode the inside Ferris wheel. Yep, you read that right. An inside Ferris wheel. It was so much fun until UMM started being a punk and rocking the car thing we were in when we were at the top. Talk about an adrenaline rush, sheesh! We also picked up our shirts after the ride. The tech shirt for men was grey with red lettering. The one for women was pink. Some women love pink. I am not one of them. If this was an all women’s race, I could certainly understand, but this of course was not the case. If they wanted to have different colored shirts for the sexes, why not all red with grey lettering? Or different options. Please don’t assume that all women like pink. This indeed left a bad taste in my mouth, but I let it go.

Entering Scheels under a fish arch!

Inside Ferris Wheel

 The race started at 7A.M. on Sunday, and UMM and I ran just a tad behind schedule. By the time we got to the starting line, It was only ten minutes before the gun went off.  The bathroom line was nearly a mile long. Like always, I really had to go, but skipped the restroom thinking this one time maybe just maybe I could just run through it. This wasn’t the case. A mile and a half into the race I detoured off the beaten path to use a city restroom. It took me two and half minutes until I was back running again. The course was quite lovely, starting in the downtown area, leading past rivers, parks, and beautiful neighborhoods. I set in at a comfortable pace and stayed pretty consistent throughout. At one point, the course narrowed to a paved trail where it got pretty packed. The marathon had started earlier at 6 AM with the first part following the half marathon course out and back. There were a lot of marathoners heading back at this point and a bit claustrophobic with runners on both sides of me. Luckily that didn't last long. Around mile seven, I felt that dreaded knee twinge. I had made a deal with myself before the race that if I was experiencing any pain during the race, I would DNF. I reminded myself of this deal and kept on running. The twinge remained until I crossed the finish line. It was after the running had stopped that I experienced that sharp pain that I so feared.

I got an ice pack from an EMT and reunited with UMM where I discovered he placed 7th overall and 1st in his AG. I finished in 1:59:23 with a consistent pace of 9:05. Besides the knee issue, it felt good to run the half marathon distance, and I was happy with my performance. I didn’t push, ran with caution and enjoyed the course. It was perfect and I felt the race was really well organized. On the drive home I even got to stop at Lake Tahoe where I took a painful, but with gorgeous views ice bath. It was a beautiful day and a real treat. It was a very fun weekend indeed, and I didn’t even have to step inside a casino to have a good time.

Racing for Apples

I participated in the Apple Blossom Trail 5k on Saturday. This trail race was unique as the course ran through different types of terrain. I almost wish I had my camera with me on the run as I ran through orchards, a forest, vineyards, and even passed by a pine tree farm where they were cutting the branches and the smell of pine overwhelmed my nose. This was certainly a good thing as I just love the smell of pine! It was a beautiful morning, and a fun filled day to boot!

The event held a 5k that I was participating in, a 10k, and a 10 miler that UMM was racing. All events started at the same time in the area called Apple Hill located in Camino Ca. For the first 150 feet or so UMM and I were able to run together before the courses split. This was fun, but of course I broke out into a sprint, which was a mistake. A few months past I wrote a guest blog post for the Gold Rush Fun Run all about elevation racing when training at or below sea level. Do you think I followed my own advice? Nope. No sir. Not even close. In this 5k, I started out too fast, did not properly hydrate before hand, and failed to go on a run a day or two before the race to practice in elevation. My lungs were burning and after a mile of running, I got a horrible headache. I was forced to slow down my pace, while I watched a few women pass me by. It was hard to not push, but I had to really slow down to minimize by breathing as my lungs were on fire. As mentioned above, there were all sorts of different terrain that I ran through. From grass my least favorite to run on, to mud, and gravel. Looking at my splits, I noticed I ran the slowest in the grass and mud, and the fastest on gravel. 

  

I crossed the finish line in 29:04. This was no doubt my slowest trail 5k race yet, but I am happy with the results. I finished 22nd overall and 3rd in my Age Group. Despite the beautiful surroundings, it was a tough hot, hilly course. The top two females overall had the home advantage finishing the race at 24 and 25 minutes. They not only finished strong, but were very nice to chat with after, comparing stories of how we felt and ran.

I then waited for UMM to finish up his 10 miler. He crossed the finish line at 1:13:32 and placed 1st overall! It was his very first overall race win, but I predict more to come.

About to cross the finish line!

Yes, we color coordinated our outfits...We are THAT couple! Disgusting right? ;P

Overall, I felt the event was well organized and a lot of fun. Awards were given to the top 3 in each age group, but none were presented to the top overall winners nor were they even mentioned. I was a bit disappointed as it would have been nice to see UMM applauded for winning, but perhaps I am being a bit bias.

 

The cool thing about the race is that it got the surrounding businesses of Apple Hill  involved. After the event, you could drive around Apple Hill and take advantage of the treats and goodies the wineries, and shops had to offer which UMM and I did! We tried some wine at the vineyards, and ended our day at my new favorite brewery the Jack Russell Brewery. The beer is super yummy and I can’t seem to get enough! 

It was a fantastic day for sure and I am just happy to be able to run again without my legs giving me attitude!

Participating businesses in the area

Less is More

Last week I ran very cautiously. On Tuesday, I hit the trails for a 2 miler. My calf was still very tight, so I slowed the run into a jike (jog/hike). On Thursday, I increased the mileage to 4 miles and hit the trails yet again for a scenic jaunt. It was Sunday though that progress was really made!  

Katie had invited me to run from her house to go cheer on a friend of Layla’s; Michaela at a Triathlon held at Almaden Lake Park. It was just over three miles away from Katie's house. I was hesitant at first because well, frankly I was scared. I was worried that all my aches and pains would return. I weighed the pros and cons of running in my head and decided to meet up with Katie and Layla and just run. Worst case scenario, I end up on a hospital gurney.

Luckily however, it was the best case scenario I could have asked for - I ran pain free for over 7 miles! It was my longest run in the last three weeks and I was on a cloud nine. Perhaps it helped that I had fabulous people surrounding me, but I had a blast. It was such a fun morning - Spectating all the hardcore triathletes, running, socializing, not to mention eating and drinking a fantastic post run breakfast and meeting some new cool peeps.

It was a hot day! Doesn't help that we were right in the sun's glare. With Katie and Layla!

I am wondering if my shoes have something to do with my injuries. I recently bought the Brooks Pure Flow, and ran two Half Marathons and the Modesto Marathon in them fine. It was suddenly while on casual runs that I experienced pain in both legs shortly after the marathon. Switching to an old pair of asics or running in my New Balance Trail shoes have proven to be pain free. Very curious indeed!

In other news, I found out that I was denied by nuun to run Hood To Coast, but I am not upset. At least I tried right?  And I am very happy and excited for all the awesome girls that did make it! Perhaps other cool  things are in the cards for me and I can’t wait to see what those will be! For right now, I am busy being on the race committee for the inaugural Surfer’s Path Marathon and Capitola Half that will be held May 20th, 2012. It certainly takes a lot to put on a successful race event, and I appreciate the opportunity to be able to be behind the scenes and see how it all unfolds!

Happy Running!

Running at the Zoo

Or, perhaps a better title would be Running is a Zoo. Well, it is fitting for me anyway. At the zoo, you have these animals who from afar look tame and manageable. Looking at them from behind the glass, we forget they are after all truly wild animals of an unpredictable nature. So yes, I compare running to a zoo. For months, years even you can be out there running on that jungle pavement, running to your hearts content and then, ROAR. An injury occurs. Well, mine roared anyway.

Two weeks ago it was a knee. Last week was my calf and on Sunday at the Sacramento Zoo Zoom 5k, it was a combination of the two. I don’t quite know what to make of it. I have been keeping my mileage really low, focusing on cross training and strength exercises. I am itching to get out there and run pain free again, and I want to do it now! Patience is certainly not my virtue, but I remind myself that I would rather take a few weeks off of running than a lifetime.

But I did run at the zoo. I wanted to push like I never had before. I love running 5k’s. I love running at full force in shorter distances. I don’t know why, I just love it. And yes, I will admit I did indeed push it that first mile. I couldn’t help it, I got carried away with the energy of the crowd. So I ran that first mile at a 7:25 pace and then my left calf ROARED at me, and to make quite certain I was listening, it ROARED again. I didn’t want to quit. So, I slowed down some. I thought about walking, but I just couldn’t do it. Not in a 5k. My second mile was at a 8:10 pace. And, then because I never want to leave anyone out, my right knee started to twinge. I knew the feeling all too well. It is like that little Microsoft Dude when in a Word Document knocking on the screen to let you know he is there. Just like that, my knee gave me warning of what's to come and I obeyed, thus slowing down my pace even more. Third mile at a 8:18 pace. Always being one to sprint to the finish, that last .10 was at a 6:39 pace.

I was angry when I crossed the finish line. Hurt, upset. But luckily, I was at the zoo and I it’s hard to be down for too long when at the zoo! Especially when I got to hand feed a baby Giraffe. (Insert highlight of the day here.) I will say that walking around the zoo after the race did not help my knee very much, but it certainly helped my spirits. 

The Zoo Zoom was a fun race. The course was flat and fast, though it is placed near a driving range, and one runner got hit by a golf ball while running. I did not hear her outcome, but certainly hope for the best. Zoo admission after the race was free. Easy parking, and no other logistical mishaps makes this a race one I will certainly do again. And the next time, mark my word I will be Roarless....Or injury free rather!