October 20, 2014

Race Report: 2014 Detroit Marathon

They say that you learn more from the races that don’t go according to plan than the ones that do, and I learned two big lessons yesterday:

Even though a race can go very differently from how you originally imagined, it can still be awesome for other reasons.
Sometimes it’s best not to be left to your own devices; the guidance of a third party (i.e. a coach) can help immensely.

But I’ll back up to the beginning… Even though I set two alarms — one at 4:45 and one at 4:50 — because I was worried I’d oversleep, I ended up waking up around 3:45 in a panic about my race-day attire. The weather, which had been hovering around the 50’s and 60’s all week, had dropped into the low 30’s and would only get up to the low 40’s toward the end of the race.

I only packed a tank, but once I decided to run 26.2 “ultra-style” with my gear, I bought a t-shirt as added insurance to keep my hydration pack from chafing. But when I tested my arm sleeves during my 10-miler last week, they rubbed the inside of my arms, so at 4:00 yesterday morning I made a game-time decision to run in a long-sleeve top with a t-shirt over it.

Like I said before, a lot can happen over 26.2 miles, and you don’t want chafing to be any part of that!

Hubby dropped me off a few blocks from the start line at 6:35, so I had just enough time to dash into Cobo Center — Detroit’s big convention hall where they held the pre-race expo — for a quick bathroom pit stop before heading over to my corral. It was (literally) freezing outside, so a lot of runners were huddled inside until the last minute, but I got out of there ASAP because I’d have to fight the crowd to get to my corral.

Because my original anticipated finish time was 3:50, I was in corral D. I just happened to line up next to that pace group, bunching together with everyone to share body heat, and smiled to myself. Let it go; let them go, I thought, and made a mental note to check my ego because we’d be parting as soon as I started my 10-minute run/1-minute walk plan for the race.

As “Lose Yourself” blared on the loudspeakers, the horn blew for the start of each wave of corrals and, before I knew it, we were off! I hung with my group for the first 10 minutes, settling into a comfortable pace, and then watched the swell of people move off into the distance as I pulled over to the side for my minute-long walk segment.

“Save something for the end,” became my new mantra, as well as, “I might be seeing some of you later!”

At this point, I still wasn’t sure if my leg would hold up, so I told Hubby and my parents that we’d plan for a few checkpoints along the way. The first of which was mile three, just before I’d cross the Ambassador Bridge into Canada. It’s one of my favorite parts of the race, but I knew that if my leg was giving me trouble early-on, I’d have to bail there because my cell wouldn’t work once we crossed International waters.

Luckily, besides some minor twinges, I was feeling ok (definitely not 100 percent, but good enough to keep going), so we crossed over the bridge as the sun rose. My pictures don’t do it justice, but you get the idea; I was more focused my form while high-fiving the border patrol and then tackling the uphill portion.

I did, however, pull over and take a quick selfie during my next walk segment. Not only did these one-minute breaks become my lifelines later on, but they also allowed me to document some of the course, which I thought would be fun for posterity’s sake!

Another one of my favorite sights on the course is the view of the Detroit skyline, as seen from Windsor. This is about five miles in and where I began fueling, which ended up helping immensely when it came to keeping both my energy and spirits up throughout the race.

During walk breaks I alternated a bite of Bonk Breaker and a few pulls of water with some sips of my Tailwind flavorless electrolyte drink (ok, and maybe a handful of M&M’s from someone along the course!). The goal was to take it easy to try to avoid gastrointestinal issues, and these all seemed to sit well on my stomach.

Another one of my favorite parts of a marathon is the spectator signs. There were some along the Canada stretch that made me smile, including “You are NOT anywhere near the finish” and “USA runners, you only need to work 90% as hard here.”

I kept up my 10 run/1 walk ratio and felt like I had a steady pace, so I went into autopilot and switched back and forth between trying to keep my form in check and taking in all the scenery. Before I knew it, we were headed into the “Underwater Mile,” which is the tunnel that runs from Canada to the US.

Although it’s one of the race’s claims to fame, it’s actually one of my least favorite parts of the course. Not only is there not much to look at, but it also gets pretty stuffy in there. I had been heating up in the previous miles, and by the time we were three-quarters of the way through the tunnel, I could feel my shirt getting soaked with sweat.

But it’s all worth it for what you see when you exit! There’s a huge crowd cheering loudly, plus a banner that we all slapped as we made our way around the bend toward mile nine.

This was the second checkpoint; as soon as I had reception, I texted Hubby and my parents that I was still going. We made plans to meet up around mile 15 as I headed toward my third checkpoint — more of a mental one — 13.1 miles.

By this time, the sun was up and the air was crisp — perfect running weather. We ran along the Lodge Freeway, which I thought was pretty cool — especially because it was along here that the song “8 Mile” came on my iPod.

No better way to run through the streets of Detroit than with a little music from Eminem!

I took the opportunity here to take another selfie during my walk break. Then we rounded the corner and went up the offramp, which I think was around mile nine.

This is where my legs really started to protest; oddly enough, it was more my left hamstring and knee, which started acting up — most likely because I was concentrating so hard on keeping my right shin happy. I kept going, but started wondering if I’d have to stop at the half marathon point.

Around mile 11, I really started doubting myself. But right as I started slipping into that dark place, I felt someone reach out and grab me — my friend, former-XC-teammate-turned-pro-triathlete, Terra Castro! Her timing couldn’t have been better.

We hugged, and I told her about my legs as she asked how I was doing. “You’re good, just keep it up — you’ve got it.” she said, and it was just what I needed to hear to suck it up, re-adjust my attitude and keep moving forward.

The pain was more of a tightness than a sharp feeling, so I knew I could continue safely with with my 10 run/1 walk plan — the battle from here on out would just be as much mental as physical. But I was still going steady when we hit the turnoff between the half marathoners and the full marathoners, so I took the turn toward the full and texted my family that I’d see them at the fourth checkpoint — mile 15!

The next few miles until I saw my folks were a bit of a grind; there was a long straightaway down a long stretch of road, and I just remember thinking how I had to thank my running coach after the race. I hadn’t run this far since August, and after taking five weeks off during peak training mileage, I was really starting to feel it.

Taking the walk breaks, as he suggested, were extremely motivating. Not only did they give me a chance to catch my breath, but they also were an ideal reminder to refuel and re-hydrate regularly, which I remained diligent about.

The segment between miles 16-18 was actually another one of my favorite parts of the race. My legs were getting progressively tighter, so it was a welcome distraction to check out the beautiful tree-lined side streets of historic Indian Village with its huge, old houses.

Having spectators line up on their front lawns to pass out beer, play polka music and wave funny signs was also an awesome part of this section. It reminded me of my first marathon in Chicago where people in different neighborhoods would hand out food, drinks and really get into the spirit of the race.

I spotted my family as we turned to exit the neighborhood — awesome, I made it to checkpoint five and was almost down to single digit miles! I stopped for a quick photo with my parents, and heard my mom say, “Go, Jennifer! You’re really going to do this!” as I headed off.

As I trekked toward mile 20, I knew that the toughest part was yet to come. Everyone around me was starting to slow as we all began to feel the effects of the miles. People were pulling over to stretch, I saw one gentleman with a bloody back from the pack he was carrying, and I started recognizing a few familiar faces from earlier on as we continued along.

No, I hadn’t hit the wall, per se, but I was flirting dangerously close to it at this point, as were all of those around me. But all I could do was keep up my 10 run/1 walk pattern, keep fueling regularly and just put one foot in front of the other.

Although I did literally run through this wall. Couldn’t resist!

Miles 20-22 took us to Belle Isle, which is a 982-acre island park in the middle of the Detroit River. It’s absolutely beautiful, but I had trouble fully enjoying it because I spent most of this stretch talking myself into not walking the rest of the race.

Knowing you’re down to just six or so miles is an incredible morale boost, but at the same time you’re questioning how the hell you’re going to keep your body moving for another hour. And by this point, my quads were screaming — I was paying for my under-training with a searing build-up of lactic acid — so I gritted my teeth and decided to try to make a time goal to keep myself motivated.

I spotted Hubby between miles 22 and 23, and he ran alongside me for a few minutes to cheer me on toward the final stretch. He saw that I was majorly struggling, so he tried talking to me to keep me distracted, but I was in no mood for chatting.

At this point I knew I would finish, the only question was how long it’d take me. So try as Hubby might to engage me, I just smiled and thanked him, saying, “I love you! I’m trying to finish in under 4:30!” before popping in my ear buds and buckling down for the final 5K.

By then I’d eaten my entire Bonk Breaker bar and drank up my 20 ounces of Tailwind, so I took half a Carb Boom energy gel (which I picked up at mile 16) along with a few gulps of water. I had a little more than two miles to go to the finish, and I wasn’t taking any chances by letting my blood sugar drop before the final mile or so.

Seeing the Detroit skyline come back into view helped — so close! — as did a change in scenery along the RiverWalk leading up to mile 25. Just. One. More. Mile. My legs weren’t locking up as badly as they did in my last marathon, but I was SO ready to be done already.

My parents were lined up at mile 26, which was the perfect final distraction before the home stretch. The finish line wasn’t yet in sight, although I knew we were close, so seeing them right before we turned the corner gave me one last boost of adrenaline.

With the finish line in sight, I kicked it into whatever gear I had left and went as fast as I could for the final .2 miles. Regardless of how many marathons you’ve run, that burst of joy and relief you feel when crossing the finish line never gets old.

Official time: 4:17:17.

My legs were the angriest they’ve ever been after a race; I duck-walked down the chute to collect some food, get my photo taken and meet up with Hubby and my parents. But I was so thankful just to be able to complete this race — not to mention grateful to my PT for getting me to the start line and my coach for giving me a game plan to get to the finish in once piece.

The final to-do item on my race-day list? Kick-starting the recovery process with a deep-dish Pizza Papalis Chicago-style pizza and a warm Epsom Salt bath.

Thank you all so much for following along and cheering me on for what’s truly been a roller-coaster of a training cycle. Looking through your tweets, posts and comments on race-day morning gave me just the extra “oomph” I needed to keep pushing forward, running happy and appreciating the small victories along the way.

And in case you’re wondering…yes, I still have that sub-four marathon goal on my list. But I’m going to give my body a bit of a break so I can heal fully, focus on becoming a better runner and try tackle some different distances in the meantime.

After all, they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So, I look forward to that next new adventure together!

Posted in Detroit Marathon, Events, Fall, Injury, marathon, Michigan, Race Recap, Racing, Reflection, Running
55 Comments

October 15, 2014

Making a game plan for the Detroit Marathon

It’s no secret that things haven’t gone as smoothly this training cycle as I would have liked. But rather than getting angry at my body and blaming it for not being able to hold up to the rigors of a tough running schedule, I’ve accepted responsibility for a combination of faulty mechanics and inattention to the finer points of injury prevention.

As such, my original goal time of 3:50 — which seemed well within reach based on my pacing prior to injury — is pretty much a pipe dream at this point. After taking a month off from running to heal my medial tibial stress response (aka almost-a-stress-fracture), I’ve come to grips with the fact that I’ve got to reset my race-day expectations.

Frankly, I’m not sure exactly what will happen between when the gun goes of and when I (hopefully) cross the finish line, which both excites and terrifies me. Why? Well, a lot can happen over 26.2 miles.

But after giving it some thought, I’ve made the following goals for Sunday’s race to keep myself motivated and moving forward:

1. Good Goal: Cross the finish line, healthy and injury-free, regardless of time

2. Better Goal: Finish somewhere between four and five hours, depending on how the run/walk ratios go

3. Best Goal: Finish with a new personal record (anything under 4:07:46). Yeah right, but a girl can dream?!

Although my run coach and I have been discussing strategy this past week, I’m still digesting his suggestion for a 10 run/1 walk ratio. There’s a delicate balance between taking it slow and taking it too slow, so I’m trying to figure out the right mix of pacing and duration of runs to get me to the finish line as quickly as possible and in one piece.

Overall, though, I think I’m going to treat it like an ultra — over-prepare and find a steady pace so I can finish strong. My plan is to see how my final runs go today and Friday before finalizing the run increments, which I’ll probably end up tweaking during the race based on how my legs and lungs are holding up.

Am I bummed about not being able to “race” this race? YES. But there comes a point where you have to not only deal with the reality of a situation, but also be appreciative of what you can do instead of what you can’t. Plus, three things have really changed my perspective on this race in the past few weeks.

First, one of Hubby’s and my most beloved friends passed away late last month. To describe him as the successful businessman, doting husband and loving father he was just doesn’t do him justice, however; he was one of those one-in-a-million people who made an impact on the life of everyone with whom he crossed paths.

So I’m dedicating this race to Burt Baptiste. And to his beautiful family — his wife, Danielle, and their two daughters, Milla and Emme. Their strength, poise and positive attitudes in the midst of tragedy have inspired so many of us, and I hope that I can have some small part in helping to make sure that his memory is never forgotten. #RIPBB

Second, one of my running heroes, Kara Goucher, wrote a terrific blog post on handling setbacks with grace, patience and perseverance. The entire piece hit home with me (well, aside from the whole ‘professional athlete’ part), but one line in particular struck me as she was describing her injuries, disappointments and what has been a long road on her return to racing:

“Instead of stressing about how far behind we are, we need to focus on the progress we are making and continue to make….I may not be where I want to be, but I am so grateful to be here at all.”

With a laser focus on planning, training and prepping for a goal race of the season, it’s so easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But even with our setbacks, our injuries, our derailed training plans, it’s important to keep things in perspective and find joy in the journey because you never know exactly where it’ll lead — or what you’ll learn in the process.

Third, my friend Doris Steere has unknowingly served as inspiration by example while she’s been on her own journey this season. After dealing with similar calf issues eight weeks out from her goal race, she proceeded to break a rib three weeks out. But rather than give up, she hit it hard with rehab work and ended up at the starting line of Augusta 70.3, saying:

“I make no promises for race day except to try and do my best with the hand I’ve been dealt….without quality training sessions to look back on, I’ve got to rely on muscle memory, experience, determination and pure grit.”

And she did just that, managing to nab a new PR despite a blown-out tire, poor road conditions and an aggravated rib on race day. Now, if that isn’t motivation enough to keep on going when the going gets tough, I don’t know what is.

So, final thoughts going into the race this weekend? Getting to the start line is victory enough this time, and even though I’m not sure exactly what shape I’ll be in when I get there or how the race will go, I do know the way in which I want to finish.

My week 18 recap will go up Friday, and I’ll be posting race updates on social media this weekend before the official recap goes up Monday. Thanks, again, for following along…here goes nothing!

Posted in Detroit Marathon, Endurance, Events, marathon, Michigan, Racing, Running, Training
9 Comments

October 6, 2014

Guest Race Recap: Hubby takes on the Portland Half Marathon

Since I’m sidelined from racing while I prep for Detroit these next two weeks, I thought I’d hand the reins over to Hubby to let him share his race-day experience from this year’s Portland Marathon Half.

Although his pre-race plans are, ahem, “unconventional” (sorry, hanging out in a bar and drinking beers the day before the race does not count as carb-loading, hon), he did managed to fight for a strong finish and snag a shiny, new PR.

Here’s how it went down, in his own words:

Portland Half Marathon 2014

With Jen getting back into the swing of running, but not wanting to push it too much leading up to her Detroit Marathon, I ended up running the Portland Marathon Half myself yesterday. I thought, why not just run it for fun? But of course, once race morning came, I figured I’d push it a little. Having done the Portland Triathlon two weeks ago, I still had the competitive juices flowing.

The Start

Yesterday morning could not have been more beautiful. I am an Oregon native and always remember Indian summer in October, but it has been an exceptional last week. With a Saturday filled with watching Beaver football and Timbers soccer, however, you might say I didn’t really prime myself with an agreeable “diet,” although I did rest my legs.

I woke up early, put on my gear, decided to run in my new Hoka Conquests, and ran the mile or so to the starting line. I got in the corral and almost immediately the race director announced we would be singing the national anthem — only someone would start us off, and the crowd would finish the song ourselves.

I stood next to a older guy in orange and black, and assumed he was a fellow Beaver fan; he was hoping to get a 1:45, and I thought I’d try to do the same. The gun went off, and away we went.

Miles 1-5

This was essentially the only uphill portion of this race. Compared to the last half I did in SF (Rock ‘n’ Roll), it was nice to only have a couple small hills and, really, the rest was pretty flat. I took off a little quicker than expected, around a 7:30 pace.

I will say that these are some fun miles with bands playing, high-fiving pirates, signs encouraging “cropdusting” and a picturesque loop up towards OHSU and above south waterfront. The climb was worth it, though, for the early morning views of Mt. Hood off to the right on the way back into town. My favorite parts were the bands playing music on overpasses and forklifts.

Then the route headed down towards the Willamette waterfront, and I could see our apartment building as we started a long straightaway up to mile nine in north Portland.

Miles 5-9

These were miles where I could definitely feel the dehydration start to set in. It’s a long, pretty flat stretch that seems to never end. I downed Ultima at pretty much every fuel station and had a few gummy bears, which helped a little but seemed to upset my stomach a bit.

I decided at about mile eight to just do water from then on. I think this helped, although I could feel my pace slowing. My friend from the start passed me, and I stayed on his heels until about mile 11.

What I enjoyed most here was being able to run my first half along with full marathoners. It was inspiring to see these people make the turn around mile 10 toward the East side and still have another 16 miles that, thankfully, I didn’t have to run.

Mile 10-13.1

I would call these the wish-I hadn’t-“dehydrated”-myself-yesterday miles. About mile 10 my legs started to feel really heavy, and I felt really thirsty. Just when I felt I needed a fuel station, there wasn’t one for about a mile and a half.

Around 11 miles in, I walked through the fuel station and drank two glasses of water, gave myself 30 seconds to walk and then started to plod along again. My pace had slowed considerably to about 8:45ish per mile as I got back into town and started the final stretch.

With the announcer congratulating me on a strong finish, I pushed across the finish line. My unofficial time was 1:50:27, which was about five minutes slower than I wanted, but still a PR and a fun morning run in my favorite city.

Final Thoughts

Today was one of those runs where I never felt like I got “in the zone.” I was also a bit frustrated with the last three miles, as this has always been my weak part of each half. A lesson learned today is that I need to prep my body the day before with something other than the fantastic Oregon IPAs and Moscow mules.

I was tasked to take a couple of pictures along the route, which I didn’t do a great job of. But I did get a picture of a girl’s tattoo that I though Jen would love. It’s a Dairy Queen ice cream cone — which, come one, we all love — and the word “Hustle.” Side note: My first job was at the Dairy Queen in Corvallis, Ore., where I unofficially invented the mint Oreo blizzard (Jen doesn’t believe this story, but it was corroborated recently by someone I worked with at DQ).

All in all, it was a great day, and I wish I could have had Jenny there by my side, but I know she was there in spirit. And I was happy to have earned my Besaw’s Eggs Benedict and an afternoon of watching football and napping in the park.

Next up for me: the Silver Falls Trail Run half marathon on Halloween weekend with some great friends from the Bay Area. Uh oh, I have a feeling I may be “fueling” in the same manner as I did before this one, too. And can’t wait till next year’s PDX half…or maybe full???? I still don’t know how Jenny does it!!

Congratulations to all Portland Marathon participants, as well as anyone else who was racing this past weekend!

Posted in Events, Fall, Guest Posts, half marathon, Portland, Portland Marathon, Race Recap, Racing, Running
6 Comments

August 24, 2014

Race Report: Hood to Coast 2014

Courtesy of OregonLive.com

Two vans +11 runners + 199 miles = One incredibly-delirious adventure

All I can say is that in a race where you run down a mountain and over a coastal range to finish on a beach, the true highs and lows of the event happen inside the vans.

We laughed (a lot; thanks, Janelle!), we cried (Jen got injured during her second leg), we banded together (Mindy pinch hit a long, hot run as a result), we celebrated victories (Katy nailed her night leg along a particularly lonely stretch), we agonized over defeat (a few traffic-jam fails), we got sick (thanks, Paige, for playing nurse), we broke bread (well, PB&Js), we shared beds (less than one hour of zzz’s in a twin for the win), but when all was said and done and run, WE BROUGHT IT.

Final time? 29:27:17 (I think). And here’s a recap of my experience in the 33rd annual Hood to Coast race as part of the kick-ass Team “I’ve Got 99 Problems But the Coast Ain’t One.”

The Start

The rest of the team met up on Thursday and trekked out to Mt. Hood for the start, but I had a prior engagement with Hubby, so the plan was to meet up with Van 1 (Michelle, Nikole, Jacquelyn, Karin and Kellie) on Friday afternoon to run leg 6 (the final one in Van 1’s first rotation; they were down a runner so we each would be running four legs instead of the usual three) before meeting up with my van (Van 2) at the first main exchange point to run my other legs (9, 21 and 33). Hubby dropped me off as I waited anxiously for my teammates.

As I stood by the side of the road, I could tell everyone in the race was in great spirits; each van that passed shouted out of their windows, cracking jokes, saying hello and asking if I needed a team. No more than a half hour later I heard screaming and cowbells — yep, our team’s Van 1 — coming down the road. I knew right then and there that we were in for an awesome experience together.

I hopped in, we introduced ourselves, and then it was time to get down to business. They gave me the lowdown on logistics — Jacquelyn (our fearless leader and team captain) would be handing off to me, then I’d run to meet up with everyone at the first major exchange from Van 1 to Van 2 where they’d transfer my gear, Mindy would take off, and I’d head out with Van 2 for our first series of legs. Before I knew it, Jacquelyn came bounding up, we met (officially, in person, for the first time — here’s a shot), and I was off and running…

Run #1: Leg 6

Distance: 6.86/ Difficulty: Hard/ Time: 5:12 pm/ Duration: 56:12/ Pace: 8:11/ Roadkills: 4

I kept telling myself I’d take it easy and pace myself because we had quite a day…and night…and another day…ahead of us. But that all went out the window the moment Jacquelyn slapped the relay bracelet on my wrist. Pure excitement and race adrenaline took over, and I knew I was in trouble the moment I looked down at my wrist a ways down he road and saw I was running at a 7:20-something pace.

Because it was hot, though, I forced myself to pump the breaks. Although I couldn’t resist speeding up every now and then to pass some people. It’s called a “roadkill,” and the runners on each team keep count throughout the race — partly in jest, partly as an ego boost and mostly to keep you motivated as the event stretches on into the 24+ hour mark. Having your van stop and cheer by the side of the road also helps with that, as you can see!

After running along Highway 26 for some time, I entered the city of Sandy, Ore., and it was just a few more turns through town and onto some side streets before I slapped the bracelet on Mindy’s wrist and she officially kicked things off for Van 2. Here I am, following her out of the exchange area to meet up with the rest of the team and hop into Van 2, my home base for the rest of the race.

Run #2: Leg 9

Distance: 6.91 mi/ Difficulty: Moderate/ Time: 7:41 pm/ Duration: 1:02:07/ Pace: 8:52/ Roadkills: 1

I had a pretty quick turnaround (two legs) until I started my official Van 2 legs, so in between cheering our runners at exchanges, I used the time to refuel (PB&J and grape G2 hit the spot), recover (stretching and rolling are key before you get back into the van) and change into some dry clothes for my next run (the no. one morale booster on these overnight relays — trust me; you can’t underestimate the power of some clean underwear!).

After gearing up in the obligatory headlamp, safety vest and blinking lights (front and back), I queued up with the ladies of Van 2 (above, from left: Mindy, Janelle, Katy and Paige) at the exchange point as we waited for Jen to come in.

She rocked her leg under the heat of the sun, and I took off mine just as the sun was starting to weaken, thank goodness. This particular route took me down the Springwater Corridor, which was peaceful and not very crowded. In fact, I nabbed this shot while attempting to chase three fast men who passed me…and then I was on my own for quite some time as the sun began to set and I settled into the nearly seven-miler on some heavy-feeling legs.

One of my biggest fears (besides the lack of sleep) for the relay was the night run, but thankfully I only had a few miles in the dark — plus, I think there’s a HUGE difference between “8pm-dark” and “2am-dark,” so I was happy it went by quickly. And my reward was to be able to change into another set of dry clothes and cheer on my van as we completed the final stretch into to the city of Portland.

Janelle arrived to the second main exchange around 11 pm, so we handed the reins back to Van 1 and headed over to Jen’s aunt’s house in the city for a quick round of showers and a few minutes to lie down before we had to be off again for our early morning round of runs.

I can’t tell you how wonderful a shower felt, and even though I barely scratched the surface of what I’d call sleep — seriously, according to my Runtastic Orbit, I didn’t even enter REM — being able to stretch out and relax for a few minutes really did wonders for our morale.

My stomach was really “off” at this point; though. Although I wasn’t super hungry after my run, I did force down another PB&J and Gatorade to keep the calories coming into my body. But, of course, just as my head hit the pillow, my stomach decided it was ravenous…so I downed a KIND bar in an attempt to keep it quiet until our 2:10 am alarm.

Run #3: Leg 21

Distance: 5.00 mi/ Difficulty: Moderate/ Time: 6:14 am/ Duration: 44:12/ Pace: 8:49/ Roadkills: 0

I awoke at 2:06 am to the sound of my teammates getting dressed and ready to go, so I gathered my things (helpful hint: sleep in the clothing for your next run!) and we packed up the van and were on the road again by 2:30. We anticipated it’d take us about an hour to get to the next exchange, and we also wanted to allow a few extra minutes even though we projected them to finish their section at about 4 am the earliest.

Van 1 was looking strong as we did the hand-off, and I had two runners to cheer on before lining up at my own exchange for my third run of the race, leg 21. Because it was on a pretty desolate (read: quiet and remote) stretch of gravel road, I was crossing my fingers that I’d have some sunlight to help guide me. And, thankfully, the first slivers of light came just as I lined up to get the bracelet from Jen again.

That relief was soon followed by worry, though, as she came limp-running into the exchange, wincing with pain. She had been dealing previously with some foot pain and had landed wrong during her leg. In fact, she heard a pop in her foot and it hurt to put weight in it, so as Paige helped her back to the van, I ran off wondering what shape she’d be in when I returned to the group.

My legs felt ok, although the footing was a little more technical here. Hood to Coast had warned us that this stretch was dusty, too, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the five-mile sandstorm that was leg 21. Every time a van drove by, it would stir up a huge cloud, so by the end I could feel a layer of grit between my teeth, on my lips and all over my body (TMI: I’m still blowing it out of my nose!). Yes, they very aptly named this position the “Eat My Dust” portion of the relay.

My favorite part of this run, by far, was the very end. After eating dust (literally) and being left in the dust (by a bunch of the elites who whizzed by), my morale was taking a dip. But there was one guy I had my sights on in the last half mile; he had passed me about a mile before, but I managed to stay on his tail.

And as I rounded the final corner, one of the volunteers smiled at me as I thanked her and said, “Go! Roadkill him.” That was just what I needed to give it a final push to the exchange — unfortunately, I didn’t manage to pass him (I just needed another few yards!), but it did make me smile, which makes all the difference at this point in the race.

Run #4: Leg 33

Distance: 7.72 mi/ Difficulty: Hard/ Time: 3:35 pm/ Duration: 1:13:31/ Pace: 9:31/ Roadkills: 1

The next few hours of the race were probably the toughest, mentally, because we not only had to battle some heinous traffic, but we also all lost cell reception and our walkie-talkies weren’t working, so we lost touch with the other van and our spirits started wavering.

Suddenly, our well-oiled machine was not running as efficiently, but we powered on — thank goodness for Janelle’s van games! — and finally made contact at leg 32, in which Mindy had to battle some pretty intense heat and hills.

Paige hung out with me at the next exchange, and we watched in amazement as Mindy trucked up her final ascent toward us. Seeing her muster all of her effort for the good of the team inspired me to give it my all, as well, as I started my fourth and final leg of the race.

From the outset, I knew this leg would be the toughest. It was the longest, it was in the heat of the day, it was rated as “hard,” it was my fourth leg and it was to be done on little sleep and whatever fuel my stomach would allow me to consume (although by this point I was feeling much better, thanks to some TUMS and tummy meds). I started off conservatively, but ended up with an early road kill, so I figured I’d use that as my strategy to get me though: Pass as many people as possible.

But as I came upon my second person, she happened to turn to me and say something — I forget exactly what, but it made me laugh, so we chatted for a few minutes as we huffed and puffed up our first hill. I was pacing around 9:30 and feeling like I was already pushing it, so I turned to her and asked if she wanted to keep each other company. Enter Allison, mother of two, Hood to Coast veteran, and my “relay angel” for the day.

As the hills rolled on in the open sun, we pushed each other and strategized quick walk breaks every few miles to hydrate and catch our breaths before setting off and what felt like a much faster clip than it actually was. But, slowly, we ticked off the miles and even had a few laughs in the process, which was a total lifesaver when you’re feeling depleted on all levels.

We finished strong, I handed off my bracelet to Paige and then got in a quick stretch before jumping in the van for one final change of clothes and another round of PB&J and Gatorade as we headed out on our final few legs toward the finish.

The Finish

Paige handed off to Katy, who kicked it into high gear to knock out a quick seven miles before handing of to Janelle for the last leg. By this time, the afternoon heat was a distant memory; it had been replaced by cool clouds and mist as we neared the coast.

Once Janelle was off and running, the rest of us piled into the van to meet her and the rest of the team at the finish. And I’m not gonna lie — seeing this as we (finally!) drove into Seaside gave us all chills.

By the time we parked and walked over, Janelle had technically finished and the timer had stopped for our team, but Hood to Coast has it organized so the whole team can do a ceremonial crossing of the finish line together. We reconvened in the team holding area, and Hubby snapped this shot of pure joy, relief, elation — and probably a bit of delirium — as we did what we set out to do nearly 30 hours earlier.

The only thing left to do? Party on the beach, of course! We danced our way into the crowd and celebrated with the other finishers who were treated to cold beer, live bands, roaring bonfires and hot food, all topped off with a fireworks display later in the evening.

As our friend Sierra, a Hood to Coast veteran, said to me before the race, “Sure no sleep sucks. But it’s way fun — it’s the worst/best experience, all rolled into one. That’s why I keep doing it every year.”

We may have started the race as 10 strangers, but despite sharing claustrophobic corners, operating on minimal sleep and pushing our minds and bodies to the limit, we emerged as a team of 11 friends.

So you can probably guess where I’ll be next year, as well 🙂

HUGE thanks and shout-out to all of my teammates: It was an honor to run with you, and I’m so proud of everyone for pulling together for a strong race. It’s been broughten, and I can’t wait ’til we do it again!

Posted in Endurance, Events, Portland, Race Recap, Running
16 Comments

August 20, 2014

Hood to Coast prep: Packing for an overnight relay

Let the countdown begin! Hood to Coast is coming up this weekend, so I made my list, checked it twice and started prepping early to avoid forgetting any last-minute items.

Because I’m an overnight relay newbie, my due diligence consisted of cross-checking a few different lists to see what people recommend. Here’s a peek at what I’m packing:

Coeur Sports hat for sun protection (day) and warmth (night)
Garmin Forerunner 910XT for tracking mileage during my legs
TriSlide for keeping chafage at bay
Flip flops for letting my feet breathe between legs
A comfy outfit for down-time
CEP compression calf sleeves if I decide I need support
Four different running outfits (we’re down a runner, so I’m doing four legs)
Petzl headlamp for nighttime running
Sunglasses to shield eyes during the day
Bonk Breaker bars to stay fueled
Lacrosse ball to massage out any tight spots
A towel for mopping sweat or drying off post-shower
Lululemon waterproof hoodie, just in case it rains
Bag to transport all my gear
Travel pillow so I can try to catch a few winks
Osmo Active Hydration for Women
S! Caps for electrolytes and salt
Antacid tablets to ward off tummy troubles
Nuun for keeping electrolyte levels in check
Deodorant to help keep me (and the van) from stinking
Sunscreen for during my daytime legs
Backpack to carry additional items
Two pairs of running shoes to swap every leg
Sigvaris performance socks for recovery between legs
Napsack jacket/sleeping bag combo for staying warm while dozing

Not pictured:

Waterproof tarp for keeping my sleeping bag dry
Knuckle Lights for nighttime running
Socks & underwear — five pairs, one for each leg plus a spare set
Shower Pill body wipes to help clean up
Colgate Wisps disposable toothbrushes to freshen up
Misc food to stay fueled — PB&J sandwiches, potato chips, etc.
Misc. meds/first aid — Advil, pepto, chapstick, ear plugs, etc.
Cell phone and chargers to stay in touch
Gallon-sized Ziploc bags to sort outfits and gear

Let’s hope I’m not missing anything! What are your must-have items for overnight relays?

Posted in Endurance, Events, Favorite Products, Gear, Portland, Racing, Relays, Running
6 Comments

August 18, 2014

Highlights from last week’s IDEA World BlogFest with SweatPink

As I sat down to write this post yesterday, I saw that my sister had forwarded me an article from the Detroit Free Press about how a specific group is sparking the nation’s running craze. And what started off as a way to procrastinate for a few minutes to cure my writers’ block actually ended up giving me a clearer perspective on the past few days.

According to the article, Running USA recently released some interesting stats: A record-setting 19 million people finished U.S. running events last year, which is great news because it’s an increase of 300 percent since 1990. But the best part? Women made up 10.8 million, or 57 percent of participants, the highest ever.

Some other fun facts from Running USA: For the first time in 2013, 61 percent of U.S. half marathon finishers were women. Women also competed in record-high numbers in full marathon events, making up 43 percent of finishers.

So what, exactly, does this have to do with me heading down to Anaheim last week with the SweatGuru/FitApproach team to co-host the first-ever Blogfest with SweatPink? Well, there are a few insights and observations from the event that I thought were worth sharing:

Women are stepping up to the plate and inspiring others to live healthier lives
We truly are redefining the phrase “like a girl” through actions, not just words
Using fitness as a tool, women can empower themselves, as well as each other
Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be an exercise in restraint; it can be fun
Wellness is going social: Being active is “cool,” and workouts are the new “it” activity

That’s why I’m proud to be part of the SweatPink community, and it’s also why we wanted to be a part of the world’s largest fitness conference, IDEA World. Regardless of gender (see top photo with my buddy, Pavement Runner, who knows that real men “sweat pink”), we’re’re all for the thrill of the challenge, for looking great, but feeling even better. And we’re committed to finding our best “fit,” whatever that may be, and making it stick.

Throughout the past few days we had the chance to connect with bloggers, fit pros and healthy living mavens and exercise enthusiasts. Of course, this all began with a group fun run, which wouldn’t be complete without a few mega-selfies to document our route through downtown Disney.

Later at the convention kickoff, we heard from some pretty amazing speakers. One particular pair — Lynne and Augie Nieto — moved the entire audience to tears with their story. Augie is the founder of Life Fitness, a leading fitness equipment company, and was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. Despite a grim prognosis, however, he’s beat the odds and since doubled his life expectancy. His wife Lynne spoke about their project, Augie’s Quest, which strives to drive awareness and raise funds for ALS research.

And after Diana Nyad was presented with the Jack LaLanne Award, she walked us through her journey of how, at age 62 and after four failed attempts, she finally conquered the 100+ mile swim Cuba to Florida, sans shark cage. She was once challenged to swim as if she couldn’t go a “fingernail’s length faster” in the pool, and it’s clear she lives her life with that very same mission, so she encouraged us to do the same.

One of BlogFest’s highlights was keynote speaker Jillian Michaels, who shared the story of her fitness journey, along with some many awesome tidbits of advice during her Q&A. Some of my favorite snippets:

“Fitness isn’t about building a better body. It’s a tool that helps us build a better life.”
“Follow the 80/20 rule for food. Don’t be extreme, eat real food!”
“There’s a big difference in singing your own praises versus thinking you’re better than someone else.”
“Empower, don’t repress to get kids to eat healthy!”
“Regret is the jump we didn’t make, the leap we didn’t take.”
“Every failure is an entry point of learning.”
“Work with purpose is passion. Work without passion is punishment. What is the WHY?”
“I got where I got because I think I DESERVE IT….we are all worth it. We have to work for it.”

Oh, and did I mention that the entire room fell in love with her? She’s not at ALL like the personality portrayed on TV; she’s hilarious, irreverent and real…and the entire room had a #girlcrush on her by the end of the hour. Including me and Bianca.

Finally, what would a fitness convention be without some amazing workouts? Thanks to Stephanie Ring (yoga), Chalene Johnson (piyo), Tara Stiles (yoga), Shauna Harrison (bootcamp) and Moe & Caroline (bootcamp), we got to break a sweat between the expo and educational sessions. Here we are doing the famous “piyo flip” with Chalene.

So there you have it — and incredible few days working and working out alongside some of the most passionate people in the business. We were beyond honored to be a part of it, and I hope that seeing the shots of everyone in action inspired you, as well.

I also took with me a renewed commitment to share this passion via my little corner of the Internet here at KineticFix. My hope is to not only hold myself accountable in making healthier choices and redefining my own limits, but also to challenge you to think about how you can find whatever that best “fit” is in your life, as well.

How will YOU empower yourself to live a healthier life and, in turn, inspire others?

Posted in Community, Events, Fitness, Inspiration, Personalities, Travel
18 Comments

August 6, 2014

No sleep ’til Seaside…or Calistoga

Every runner has a bucket list, whether it’s to cover a certain distance, reach a specific time goal or sample a new kind of event to keep yourself feeling challenged. And while the first two are usually moving targets (read: works-in-progress), the third is actually something you can feel the satisfaction of checking off the list.

That’s precisely why, when I was asked to join two 24-hour relays — one in Oregon and one in California — this summer/fall, I jumped at the chance for both.

Now, my idea of a fun weekend isn’t exactly jumping into a van with strangers, then depriving ourselves of sleep and running without showering three times over so we can cover 200 miles together… But you know what? I’ve heard that it’s a bonding experience, a chance to make new friends and create some pretty cool memories, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to try.

And I guess now I’ll just have twice the tales to tell afterward!

What is Hood to Coast?

The “Mother of all Relays,” Hood to Coast is one of the longest and largest relays in the world with 12,600 runners (1,050 teams of 12) tackling a 200-mile course that runs from Timberline Lodge on the slopes of Mount Hood, the tallest peak in Oregon, through the Portland metropolitan area, and over the Oregon Coast Range to the beach town of Seaside on the Oregon coast.

Hood to Coast began in 1982 with eight teams and has filled the team cap on the opening day of registration for the last 16 years straight.

There’s even a whole documentary dedicated to the event, the Hood to Coast movie, which covers four unlikely teams on their epic journey to conquer the race. I watched it a few years back, and was instantly hooked; check out the trailer here.

What is Ragnar?

As the Ragnar Relay Series’ official “run now, wine later” race, Ragnar Relay Napa Valley is set in — you guessed it — Northern California’s wine region during harvest season. Teams start from San Francisco and race across the Golden Gate Bridge, then experience the rolling hills and farmland of Petaluma before heading toward the Valley of the Moon.

Just as with Hood to Coast, teams of 12 are split evenly into two vans. Only one runner hits the road at a time, and each participant runs three times, with each leg ranging between three and eight miles and varying in difficulty. As they say, “Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant.”

Yep. It’ll be run, drive, eat, sleep (?), repeat for 200+ miles as we trek through my old stomping grounds. Check out the promo video for the event here.

Two 24-hour relays in two months…are you crazy?!

The short answer: Quite possibly. But you already knew that, right?

The long(er) answer: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little anxious about taking the plunge on not one, but two. I mean, I like my sleep, and if given the choice I’d prefer not to stink up a van with five others as we hang out in our filth for a whole day.

But…I’m also eager to switch up my racing routine, which will keep me motivated during this marathon training cycle. And if I’m looking on the bright side of not sleeping for 24+ hours (if there is one), these races will not only allow me to get more experience running on tired legs, but I can also cross two big items off my bucket list.

Although I’ll likely need a nice, long nap at the end.

Hood to Coast is August 22-23, and Ragnar Napa Valley is September 19-20. Stay tuned for race recaps with all the details as I cover almost 400 miles with my respective teams!

Posted in Endurance, Events, Motivation, Portland, Racing, Relays, Running, San Francisco, Travel
7 Comments

August 2, 2014

Detroit Marathon: Week 7 training recap

This week was a whirlwind with two trips to Seattle (one for business meetings and workouts with the SweatGuru team, then another personal one with Hubby and friends).

And even though my training took a bit of a hit, it didn’t stop me from getting sweaty. We documented our adventures via the SweatGuru blog, so if you’re in need of a great studio when in Seattle, you might want to check out these spots!

ModBody Fitness – bootcamp with Stacey, who is doing Ironman Boulder this weekend
Ian Fitness – bootcamp with Abril and the energetic early morning crew
Troy Lucero Acme Yoga Project – challenging Ashtanga class with Troy, who got me into my first handstand
Parkour Visions – by the end of class, Brian had us hurdling over six feet walls
Sync Fitness – bootcamp with Jill, whose flow and music we absolutely loved
Lab5 Fitness – Roy had us feeling the burn with this Pilates-based strength & cardio class
Urban Yoga Spa – we topped off the trip (and pampered our tired muscles) with some hot yoga

Needless to say, I’m a little sore from all the different activities — and I definitely discovered a few muscles I haven’t used in a while.

But there’s one thing that’s really been concerning me this week: a plantar fasciitis flare-up in my right foot. It’s something that started as a nagging annoyance during last year’s marathon training, but lately it’s been getting worse.

I’m waiting until we get to Portland and get settled to attack it professionally with some type of massage, PT, acupuncture or ART (still deciding and polling athlete friends; let me know if something’s worked well for you). I know that not running will ultimately help, but it’s not quite to that point, so I’m icing, rolling and taking Advil in the meantime.

So rather than overextend myself by doubling up on miles, squeezing in extra workouts or switching up the schedule too much, I ended up modifying things this week by skipping the first three days of workouts while on the road. Luckily one of those days was an “off” day, but I am feeling anxious about missing the Tuesday speed work.

Other than that, training is progressing well, and I’ve got renewed faith in the program, thanks to last week’s 10K race. My “easy” run pace is slowing to somewhere in the 9:00 range, but I’m still able to maintain the tempo (8:46) and long (9:29) paces, so I feel like I’m on the right track.

Thanks again for following along, and stay tuned for next week as I close out the second month of training!

Posted in Detroit Marathon, Events, Exercise, Fitness, marathon, Portland, Running, Seattle, Travel, Wellness at Work
3 Comments

July 31, 2014

Race Report: Beaverton Sun Run 10K

Ok, let me cut to the chase — final time: 44:14 (1st age group, 6th woman, 20th overall).

First thought: Where the heck did that come from?!

Second thought: I guess I can’t complain anymore about the Hansons’ “cumulative fatigue” concept.

But let me rewind and start at the beginning…

Since we aren’t up in Portland just yet, Hubby and I had about a 90-minute drive to get to the race, which was slated to start at 8 a.m.

Factor in us not liking to hang around too much before the gun goes off with it being a more relaxed event (see start line shot above), and we arrived with 30 minutes to spare for packet pickup and a quick port-o-pottie pit stop.

At one point Hubby mentioned he’d like to try for a PR in an upcoming race, but that he was content to stick together for this particular one (he’s clearly the hare to my tortoise).

My response? I don’t think today is that day. Especially since I had been feeling pretty wiped out all week from the jump in mileage and accumulated fatigue in my legs.

So we agreed to keep the pace around 8:30-8:45 and play it by ear.

Famous last words.

For the first mile, I had to talk Hubby down from going out too fast: We’ve got six miles to catch everyone who’s rushing out, I said. Let them go.

But after we settled into our own space and found a pseudo-comfortable rhythm, I looked down at my watch and saw that our pace was fluctuating in the 7:XX range. Huh.

Despite my PF flare-up this week, my heel was feeling ok. And as we ticked off the miles, we kept checking in with each other. You good? Yep. Me, too. Cool.

So we held where we were at, and I saw 22:XX on the clock for the first 5K lap.

There’s no way I can maintain that for another three miles, I thought. We came out way too fast; we’re going to crash and burn this next lap.

But we stayed steady and passed the time by thanking volunteers, shouting some brief words of encouragement to fellow runners and trying to figure out where we were in the pack as we focused on running the tangents.

I think all the San Francisco hills helped, too, because the course was super flat, fast and PR-friendly.

And before we knew it, we had the finish line in sight. Hubby started to pull away, but I had to save my last kick for the final 100 yards or so because I was battling a side cramp.

The best part? Seeing 44:XX on the clock and knowing we ran even splits, which means our pacing was on-point.

There’s nothing like an PR early on in training to give you an extra boost of confidence, especially when I could feel myself slipping into a negative mindframe this week while fighting fatigue and injury.

As my Twitter friend Mike put it so well, “#CumulativeFatigue= sweet&sour.”

Yep, I know that this training cycle won’t be easy, but the Hansons definitely know what they’re doing, so I’m putting my complete trust in their program from here on out.

I’m also looking to add an August race into my schedule! Anyone have suggestions in and around Portland for late in the month?

Posted in Events, Portland, Race Recap, Racing, Running
8 Comments

June 27, 2014

Win an entry into the 2014 Nike Women’s Half Marathon

Hey, runner friends! How would you like to race to support lifesaving blood cancer research this fall at the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco?

Team in Training (TNT) has partnered with our friends at Fit Approach to offer one FREE entry to the 2014 Nike Women’s Half Marathon. Opportunities as unique & powerful as this only come around once in a while!

Team in Training is a race training program that also serves as the main fundraising campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.

Over the past 25 years, TNT has raised more than $1.4 billion to support LLS’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the lives of patients and their families.

Each mile you run will impact the lives of loved ones across the country.

In exchange for raising funds, TNT provides four months of marathon training with world-class trainers as well as clinics on nutrition and injury prevention.

Not to mention, you’ll get to run the Nike Women’s Half Marathon with 25,000 new friends through the iconic streets of San Francisco…

Enter today…and good luck!

Learn more about Team in Training

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway