My legs were dead after Leona Divide weekend runs. So, I took it easy and Alan and I decided to run the OC half as an easy, recovery run. I was not a fan of the expo; we attended in the midst of the children's 5K festivities. While I love that they encourage young runners and could already picture our taking a child to that event years down the road, I hated getting through the crowds at the fairgrounds to pick up the bib.
Traffic was horrendous so we made sure to leave our house early Sunday and park so that we would have our choice of shuttle times. We boarded the next to the last round of half marathon shuttles and arrived at the start with barely enough time for a porta potty stop; the lines were long and we had to run to the front so that we could start in corral A.
The race started with a little gradual uphill and then a long downhill; the course bids itself as a net downhill and that downhill was the only significant one the entire race. We started out faster than planned but our legs reminded us that we were supposed to be taking it easy; I ran 8 miles the day prior to the race and I started to feel all the recent miles around mile 6 of the race. My knee started locking up and I began cursing pavement and wishing I had worn my compression tights as they seem to help my knee. Around mile 11, I realized that the course had more uphills than advertised; while I normally love hills, I just wanted a downhill as the flat and uphills were killing my knee. Our goal prior to the race was to finish in under 2 hours and we finished in 1:58; only a few months ago Alan struggled to run sub 2 hours for the half distance so finishing in that time the week after an ultra made us super happy.
I planned on running a long run the last weekend but work and school deadlines sidelined that. So, I have been in taper mode for the past couple of weeks. It's definitely a longer taper than I wanted but I got in some stronger runs and some soul-searching runs that will come in handy during next weekend's adventure.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Leona Divide 50K Race Report
Without a doubt, this was my favorite 50K. After a less than stellar training run the week prior, I scoured ultrarunning.com for an upcoming trail race so that I could get in a solid weekend of running. When I spotted Leona Divide on the calendar for April 28th, I mentioned it to my fiance and told him how awesome the t-shirt was; he has been eyeing Ink N Burn gear for weeks and I thought that might be the bait he would take for completing a trail ultra. Obviously, it worked and I happily signed up at the last hour for us to do the race I had wanted to do for years but never had the chance to attempt.
I briefly glanced at the elevation profile and noted that it was easier than other trail 50Ks, which reassured Alan that it was a good idea to do it as his first ultra. Considering his longest race had been a half marathon, I wanted him to feel confident in being able to complete the race; he has been training hard and completed several runs of 24+ miles on flat surfaces so the climbs were the only questionable part of the race.
We decided to drive up the day prior and got dinner at Sharky's, one of our favorite places because they serve primarily organic food at reasonable prices. We enjoyed eating with one of our friends before retiring to the Holiday Inn in Palmdale; the parking lot was full of cars with "100" stickers and I gawked at one with a Badwater sticker and briefly went to lalala dream land over the thought of completing Badwater. The entire week leading up to the week I battled insomnia and that night was no exception. When the alarm went off, all I could think about was running and being able to sleep. When we arrived at Lake Hughes, we realized how chilly and windy the start would be. We checked in and admired the schwag; Keira puts on a phenomenal race and the goodie bag was just the beginning.
I decided to use the run as a test of gear. I went with my CW-X Pro 3/4 tights and settled on wearing Skins compression stirups (ones I've worn for years) in hopes of preventing the swelling caused by the tights the previous week. It took me several attempts of putting on the stirups to finally get them comfy and in a way that covered my socks since we forgot our gaiters. Right before the start, we ran into my running buddy Lori and I was happy to start the race with her; I ran my first trail run/race with her and Billy in 2008 and I loved having the chance to catch up since our crazy lives have prevented running together/hanging out in a couple of years.
We started off comfortably because I did not want Alan to go out too fast; however, later I realized a comfortable, conversational pace for Lori and me may have been a little fast for Alan as it meant running more uphill than Alan is trained to do. We cruised along enjoying the sights and rocking the rolling hills. Very early I could tell that Keira, the RD, did an excellent job with course markings and had fabulous volunteers helping out at aid stations (and check in/finish line).
The first several miles were on fireroad and I loved when we hit the single track of the PCT; I had forgotten how narrow the single track was and many times I caught myself nearly sliding off the edge. I thought ahead to when we would see the return runners (out/back section) and wondered there would be enough room to let them by...Alan slowed up a little on the section leading into mile 16 so we parted ways with Lori. That was probably a good thing since I noted that we were on pace for a 6:30 finishing time, a little faster than Alan desired.
The climb from mile 18 to about 22 was long but not steep; however, it was enough to cause us to slow down. Alan started struggling during and after the climb but knew he would finish. There was another climb around mile 25 and Alan started to cramp; I told him to take a couple of salt pills (it was getting warm) and thankfully they resolved the cramping. We slowed even more, which was hard for me because my legs felt fresh and I wanted to run since running made my knee feel better. Yet, I reminded myself that the point was to finish with Alan and for him to feel good at the end. Miles 28 to the end were a gentle downhill combined with flat sections and I worked on pushing Alan to get to the finish; I tried to remember how I felt during the last few miles of my first ultra and realized how awesome of a job he was doing.
There is nothing quite like hearing "I love you" at mile 29! We held hands and crossed the finish line beaming with pride; finishing time was 7:35 (awesome time for Alan's first, especially since he never runs trails!). Alan was so happy to be an ultrarunner and I was so proud of him; he went from being a half marathoner to an ultramarathoner in only a few months and was able to walk easily after the race (big plus). We loved the medals and post-race food spread; Alan is already talking about wanting to do all of Keira's races.
The following day I tested out my legs by going for a 13 mile easy trail run. Alan did the smart thing and rested his legs but reported that he felt good enough to run. There is nothing quite as cool as sharing your passion with your (soon-to-be) spouse and seeing him walk around for days beaming with pride over completing an ultra!
I briefly glanced at the elevation profile and noted that it was easier than other trail 50Ks, which reassured Alan that it was a good idea to do it as his first ultra. Considering his longest race had been a half marathon, I wanted him to feel confident in being able to complete the race; he has been training hard and completed several runs of 24+ miles on flat surfaces so the climbs were the only questionable part of the race.
We decided to drive up the day prior and got dinner at Sharky's, one of our favorite places because they serve primarily organic food at reasonable prices. We enjoyed eating with one of our friends before retiring to the Holiday Inn in Palmdale; the parking lot was full of cars with "100" stickers and I gawked at one with a Badwater sticker and briefly went to lalala dream land over the thought of completing Badwater. The entire week leading up to the week I battled insomnia and that night was no exception. When the alarm went off, all I could think about was running and being able to sleep. When we arrived at Lake Hughes, we realized how chilly and windy the start would be. We checked in and admired the schwag; Keira puts on a phenomenal race and the goodie bag was just the beginning.
I decided to use the run as a test of gear. I went with my CW-X Pro 3/4 tights and settled on wearing Skins compression stirups (ones I've worn for years) in hopes of preventing the swelling caused by the tights the previous week. It took me several attempts of putting on the stirups to finally get them comfy and in a way that covered my socks since we forgot our gaiters. Right before the start, we ran into my running buddy Lori and I was happy to start the race with her; I ran my first trail run/race with her and Billy in 2008 and I loved having the chance to catch up since our crazy lives have prevented running together/hanging out in a couple of years.
We started off comfortably because I did not want Alan to go out too fast; however, later I realized a comfortable, conversational pace for Lori and me may have been a little fast for Alan as it meant running more uphill than Alan is trained to do. We cruised along enjoying the sights and rocking the rolling hills. Very early I could tell that Keira, the RD, did an excellent job with course markings and had fabulous volunteers helping out at aid stations (and check in/finish line).
The first several miles were on fireroad and I loved when we hit the single track of the PCT; I had forgotten how narrow the single track was and many times I caught myself nearly sliding off the edge. I thought ahead to when we would see the return runners (out/back section) and wondered there would be enough room to let them by...Alan slowed up a little on the section leading into mile 16 so we parted ways with Lori. That was probably a good thing since I noted that we were on pace for a 6:30 finishing time, a little faster than Alan desired.
The climb from mile 18 to about 22 was long but not steep; however, it was enough to cause us to slow down. Alan started struggling during and after the climb but knew he would finish. There was another climb around mile 25 and Alan started to cramp; I told him to take a couple of salt pills (it was getting warm) and thankfully they resolved the cramping. We slowed even more, which was hard for me because my legs felt fresh and I wanted to run since running made my knee feel better. Yet, I reminded myself that the point was to finish with Alan and for him to feel good at the end. Miles 28 to the end were a gentle downhill combined with flat sections and I worked on pushing Alan to get to the finish; I tried to remember how I felt during the last few miles of my first ultra and realized how awesome of a job he was doing.
There is nothing quite like hearing "I love you" at mile 29! We held hands and crossed the finish line beaming with pride; finishing time was 7:35 (awesome time for Alan's first, especially since he never runs trails!). Alan was so happy to be an ultrarunner and I was so proud of him; he went from being a half marathoner to an ultramarathoner in only a few months and was able to walk easily after the race (big plus). We loved the medals and post-race food spread; Alan is already talking about wanting to do all of Keira's races.
The following day I tested out my legs by going for a 13 mile easy trail run. Alan did the smart thing and rested his legs but reported that he felt good enough to run. There is nothing quite as cool as sharing your passion with your (soon-to-be) spouse and seeing him walk around for days beaming with pride over completing an ultra!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Heat training, gear testing
Training this weekend did not live up to my goals but next weekend will be different. I took it easy during the week to give my knee time to feel better and I focused on stretching my hip flexors thinking that may help. The plan for Saturday was to do an 8 hour run; however, as the forecast got less running-friendly, I wondered if we would make it 8 hours. I decided to set up a race simulation; we took ice, "ultra" food (pb&j, orange slices, bananas) and bandanas and I picked a flat, mostly dirt trail (Santiago Creek Trail) that connects Irvine Regional Park to Santiago Oaks Park. We parked so that we had easy access to the car and I showed Alan the 3 mile loop.
I was using the run as a way to test out my new CW-X 3/4 length Pro tights and Hokas. We decided to take it very easy and work with the heat. After the first couple of loops, we parted ways and I decided to venture off the loop through some cool single track areas. My knee and hip were okay and I cruised along making sure to keep my pace very slow. I planned on heading to the car every 6 miles to put ice in the bandana and fill up my water bottle with ice and water. I am bad about nutrition so I focused on taking a salt pill every hour, drinking water, and eating. I discovered that I love Honey Stinger Organic Chews...so yummy and I feel good about eating them since they are organic and I've discovered my body processes real sugar better than the crap in other energy sources.
As the heat intensified (upper 80s in the shade/felt like 90s due to clear skies), I also felt my hip and knee bugging. Around mile 19 for me, I felt the knee pain kicking in and decided to spend most of the next hours walking. Oddly, my calves were feeling very heavy. I wondered if it was because I skipped on the calf compression so I decided to put those on the next time I went to the car.
I caught up to Alan and decided to do the loop with him; his back was hurting during the week and it was starting to bother him so we made the decision to call it after the loop. It's a good thing I was with him because I saw the biggest snake I've seen in years; thankfully, I was ahead of Alan because he hates snakes and I had him stop before he could even see the snake crossing the path. That solidified our plan to end early. By the time I got back to the car, my calves were aching so much that it hurt to walk. It took a half hour of propping up my legs before the swelling and pain subsided. I realized that the tights may be so snug that they cut off circulation in my lower leg...I definitely need to figure out if wearing calf compression plus the tights rectifies that issue. I love how the tights feel on my hips and knee but may have been better off buying the full ones instead of the 3/4.
Mileage tally for the day was only 24.:( But I felt great during a short run on Sunday, so I know next weekend holds promise for training and I can't wait.
I was using the run as a way to test out my new CW-X 3/4 length Pro tights and Hokas. We decided to take it very easy and work with the heat. After the first couple of loops, we parted ways and I decided to venture off the loop through some cool single track areas. My knee and hip were okay and I cruised along making sure to keep my pace very slow. I planned on heading to the car every 6 miles to put ice in the bandana and fill up my water bottle with ice and water. I am bad about nutrition so I focused on taking a salt pill every hour, drinking water, and eating. I discovered that I love Honey Stinger Organic Chews...so yummy and I feel good about eating them since they are organic and I've discovered my body processes real sugar better than the crap in other energy sources.
As the heat intensified (upper 80s in the shade/felt like 90s due to clear skies), I also felt my hip and knee bugging. Around mile 19 for me, I felt the knee pain kicking in and decided to spend most of the next hours walking. Oddly, my calves were feeling very heavy. I wondered if it was because I skipped on the calf compression so I decided to put those on the next time I went to the car.
I caught up to Alan and decided to do the loop with him; his back was hurting during the week and it was starting to bother him so we made the decision to call it after the loop. It's a good thing I was with him because I saw the biggest snake I've seen in years; thankfully, I was ahead of Alan because he hates snakes and I had him stop before he could even see the snake crossing the path. That solidified our plan to end early. By the time I got back to the car, my calves were aching so much that it hurt to walk. It took a half hour of propping up my legs before the swelling and pain subsided. I realized that the tights may be so snug that they cut off circulation in my lower leg...I definitely need to figure out if wearing calf compression plus the tights rectifies that issue. I love how the tights feel on my hips and knee but may have been better off buying the full ones instead of the 3/4.
Mileage tally for the day was only 24.:( But I felt great during a short run on Sunday, so I know next weekend holds promise for training and I can't wait.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Dirt, please
Training for Nanny Goat is different since I am training with my fiance. Normally, I would hit the trails and savor and curse the long climbs and put in 20+ miles feeling great and happy. He does not share the same love for trails and, more importantly, is not comfortable trying to put in long hours on trails alone; we do part of the long runs together but as the miles get longer, we tend to do the same route/area but separately since our paces are different. I am protective of him and know that he is truly a city boy so I plan our runs in areas that he is more comfortable. Unfortunately, that means running on pavement and without significant hills more than I prefer.
A few weekends ago, we did a 6 hour run and the heat wiped us out. It was the toughest run yet and I attribute part of it to being on/near pavement and the freeway for so long; the route that we did included out/backs on a bike path beside the 405...yeah, that sucked. I tried to run on the gravel areas beside the pavement as much as possible and then ditched him and went to the trails nearby for the last half. I felt so much better and managed to eek out about 32 miles in 5 and half hours; not exactly what I hoped for but given the temps in the upper 80s and blazing sunlight, I chalked it up to a learning experience.
Last weekend I aimed for a double - 15 to 20 miles Saturday and then 30 on trails the following day. Saturday I decided to do an out/back on the bike path so that I would see Alan coming home (he started his run several hours before me); that meant running on pavement and very hard packed dirt/gravel the entire route. My always nagging left hip flexor got tight around mile 10 but I refused to stop and stretch; by mile 18, it completely threw off my gait and my knee was so bad that I could barely stride. I finished with 20 miles but knew that I had to take a couple of days off. It was defeating to have this nagging issue flare up again and made me reassess whether accomplishing my goal at Nanny Goat will even be possible.
I have been stretching religiously (as always), foam rolling using every method found on youtube, and wearing a knee brace. I have severely limited my running this week but noticed that the softer the surface, the better I feel. On yesterday's run, I felt so great when I was running on dirt trails as the short section on pavement caused knee pain and I felt no pain on dirt; maybe it was the surface or maybe it was the new CW-X tights but whatever it was, I want to stick to dirt for training. So my motto apparently is going to be "dirt, please."
A few weekends ago, we did a 6 hour run and the heat wiped us out. It was the toughest run yet and I attribute part of it to being on/near pavement and the freeway for so long; the route that we did included out/backs on a bike path beside the 405...yeah, that sucked. I tried to run on the gravel areas beside the pavement as much as possible and then ditched him and went to the trails nearby for the last half. I felt so much better and managed to eek out about 32 miles in 5 and half hours; not exactly what I hoped for but given the temps in the upper 80s and blazing sunlight, I chalked it up to a learning experience.
Last weekend I aimed for a double - 15 to 20 miles Saturday and then 30 on trails the following day. Saturday I decided to do an out/back on the bike path so that I would see Alan coming home (he started his run several hours before me); that meant running on pavement and very hard packed dirt/gravel the entire route. My always nagging left hip flexor got tight around mile 10 but I refused to stop and stretch; by mile 18, it completely threw off my gait and my knee was so bad that I could barely stride. I finished with 20 miles but knew that I had to take a couple of days off. It was defeating to have this nagging issue flare up again and made me reassess whether accomplishing my goal at Nanny Goat will even be possible.
I have been stretching religiously (as always), foam rolling using every method found on youtube, and wearing a knee brace. I have severely limited my running this week but noticed that the softer the surface, the better I feel. On yesterday's run, I felt so great when I was running on dirt trails as the short section on pavement caused knee pain and I felt no pain on dirt; maybe it was the surface or maybe it was the new CW-X tights but whatever it was, I want to stick to dirt for training. So my motto apparently is going to be "dirt, please."
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Into the Wild 21K Report
I am very behind in blogging but I have to recap an awesome race that we did a few weeks ago. On March 24, my fiance and I ran Into the Wild's 21K at Irvine and Santiago Oaks Regional Parks. I read reviews about last year's race and it seemed well-run, so I signed us up for it a few months ago. A week before the race, we went to pick up our bibs at REI; I was very impressed with the T-shirts and goody bags.
The morning of the race, we arrived early and enjoyed free admission to the Irvine Regional Park. I loved the low-key atmosphere of the race and that it was obvious that the race organizers were runners who had family members helping out with race details. The race started on time after the RD gave an introduction and told us how the course was marked.
The first mile was on pavement and then we hit the trail; the RD told us that the first few miles were flat and that we hit the climbs from miles 4-10, and that the last miles were downhill and flat. We cruised along, taking it very easy as this was run 1 of 2 of the day for us (yep, double necessary to get in distance needed for the day). We left Irvine Park and entered Santiago Oaks Park; I was very impressed with the trail marking. Not only did they use ribbons and chalk, but they had large XXX to prevent us from turning on the wrong trail anytime a new trail (even a very obviously wrong on) was encountered.
Near the beginning- heading out of Irvine Regional Park
Gorgeous scenery in Santiago Oaks Park
After first or second climb - view in Santiago Oaks
The markings were super clear!
The race became very scenic and the hills were no joke; before the race, I doubted the estimated 2900 ft of climb but the race made me realize they were not exaggerating the amount of climb. We took it very easy on the climbs and, by the last one, we were with other people who were also joking that the RDs found every possible climb in the park. I was happy that the hills were done and enjoyed the downhill and then flat last few miles.
The houses in the background are the only way to know you are near a city. The climb was worth the view.
The only negatives of the race were the lack of aid stations and the seemingly endless run on pavement at the end; however, I am accustomed to being prepared for few aid stations during a race and the finish was designed to make sure we hit at least 21K. There was aid at mile 1 and 12 and then around mile 7 (I think); the RD said water was stashed around mile 10.5 but that they had already dealt with random people taking part of it so he could not guarantee it would still be there; we were mid-pack so I knew not to look hard for that unmanned water. The aid stations and post-race aid area were well stocked with tons of ultra/trail goodies and the volunteers and co-RD were awesome at manning those stations.
Overall, I highly recommend this race and any other ones they organize. It was the best marked course I have seen and the trails were very pretty. The medal and other goodies were high quality and it was obvious that the RDs worked hard at giving everyone a superb race experience.
Love the medals - they can be taken off and used as keychains!
Post-race, we stretched and grabbed some fuel; then we drove to UCI to buy organic veggies at the Farmer's Market. Then, we immediately headed out for our second run. I knew a flat section of dirt that was about 1 mile out; so we separated and did out/back on that path until we hit at least 13 miles. I "learned" the importance of fueling and carrying water as the afternoon hit took a toll and I wished that I had water with me. In the end, I hit 28 miles for the day and my legs felt the hills but I loved the trail run, so I was a happy girl!
The morning of the race, we arrived early and enjoyed free admission to the Irvine Regional Park. I loved the low-key atmosphere of the race and that it was obvious that the race organizers were runners who had family members helping out with race details. The race started on time after the RD gave an introduction and told us how the course was marked.
The first mile was on pavement and then we hit the trail; the RD told us that the first few miles were flat and that we hit the climbs from miles 4-10, and that the last miles were downhill and flat. We cruised along, taking it very easy as this was run 1 of 2 of the day for us (yep, double necessary to get in distance needed for the day). We left Irvine Park and entered Santiago Oaks Park; I was very impressed with the trail marking. Not only did they use ribbons and chalk, but they had large XXX to prevent us from turning on the wrong trail anytime a new trail (even a very obviously wrong on) was encountered.
The race became very scenic and the hills were no joke; before the race, I doubted the estimated 2900 ft of climb but the race made me realize they were not exaggerating the amount of climb. We took it very easy on the climbs and, by the last one, we were with other people who were also joking that the RDs found every possible climb in the park. I was happy that the hills were done and enjoyed the downhill and then flat last few miles.
The only negatives of the race were the lack of aid stations and the seemingly endless run on pavement at the end; however, I am accustomed to being prepared for few aid stations during a race and the finish was designed to make sure we hit at least 21K. There was aid at mile 1 and 12 and then around mile 7 (I think); the RD said water was stashed around mile 10.5 but that they had already dealt with random people taking part of it so he could not guarantee it would still be there; we were mid-pack so I knew not to look hard for that unmanned water. The aid stations and post-race aid area were well stocked with tons of ultra/trail goodies and the volunteers and co-RD were awesome at manning those stations.
Overall, I highly recommend this race and any other ones they organize. It was the best marked course I have seen and the trails were very pretty. The medal and other goodies were high quality and it was obvious that the RDs worked hard at giving everyone a superb race experience.
Post-race, we stretched and grabbed some fuel; then we drove to UCI to buy organic veggies at the Farmer's Market. Then, we immediately headed out for our second run. I knew a flat section of dirt that was about 1 mile out; so we separated and did out/back on that path until we hit at least 13 miles. I "learned" the importance of fueling and carrying water as the afternoon hit took a toll and I wished that I had water with me. In the end, I hit 28 miles for the day and my legs felt the hills but I loved the trail run, so I was a happy girl!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
RIP Micah True
Tonight I intended on finally writing my race report for the Into the Wild 21K I did last weekend. However, the news of Micah True ("Caballo" from Born to Run) just broke and my race report can wait. For those of you who have not read Born to Run, get a copy and read it and then share it with others. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Micah, he was one of my inspirations and I am sure many other trail runners and others outside of the sport would say the same. While the details have not been released, I can only hope that it was natural causes and that he passed doing what he loved - running trails. RIP Micah True - your legend will live on and you will continue to inspire people.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Running is therapy
The past few weeks I have been on a roller coaster with my career. I resigned from my teaching position in February trusting that the position lined up would be a good move; it would put me in a position to work a full-time flexible schedule, while giving me time and energy for other aspects of my life (getting married and running). This week my world turned upside down when I learned that I have to look for a new position; being a contract employee means that a change in the client's needs can result in lots of contract employees not having any work...sigh. The news hit me hard so I hit the trails for stress relief.
Yesterday's run pushed me to my physical limit. My legs are already tired from my running streak and the new trails that I explored had more rolling hills than I anticipated; I pushed through and, despite my desire to walk, I surprised myself by running all of them and focusing on maintaining good form up the hills. I got home and put on my trusty CEP compression socks and my calves thanked me. Today's run may be cut short due to time (NCAA tournament is on after all...GO GATORS!) but I will get out just to take a break from job hunting.
Honestly, I wish I could find a job, even part-time, that is related to running or sports. Unfortunately, those are limited and not many exist in the Orange County area. Until I find a job, I'll take advantage of extra time to run and relish in the beauty of the scenery as I run the local trails.
Yesterday's run pushed me to my physical limit. My legs are already tired from my running streak and the new trails that I explored had more rolling hills than I anticipated; I pushed through and, despite my desire to walk, I surprised myself by running all of them and focusing on maintaining good form up the hills. I got home and put on my trusty CEP compression socks and my calves thanked me. Today's run may be cut short due to time (NCAA tournament is on after all...GO GATORS!) but I will get out just to take a break from job hunting.
Honestly, I wish I could find a job, even part-time, that is related to running or sports. Unfortunately, those are limited and not many exist in the Orange County area. Until I find a job, I'll take advantage of extra time to run and relish in the beauty of the scenery as I run the local trails.
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