Category: run

So Far…

Hi, it’s me. I’m the problem.

At this point I am so behind on post I planned that it just stresses me out every time I think about it. So I try to ignore it and move on, but then I think. of something I want to say, plan it out in my head but then get stuck when it comes actually putting fingers to keyboard keys. So instead of stressing about the missed posts, I am writing a short recap of 2023 so far.

January– Chill and cold, I kept the running at steady for me but nothing to really note. I ran one race- Fort Ord Trail Run. I ran the 10k while my brother did the 50k. I remember the morning being so dark and cold that I froze but massively overheating during my race. The course was pretty and green but there was very little shade. I also somehow lost my favorite headband during the race. Boo.

February– I had a work trip for the first time since COVID. It was fun but also stressful. I had one of my massive dizzy spell days and couldn’t even work. Then I ran the Ventura Half Marathon 2 days later. Oops. It was one of my slowest races, coming in around 3:09ish. 1.5 miles in my stomach rebelled in a very bad way and the best I could do for 13 miles was power walk. There was no running unless I wanted to live in the port-a-potties, ha! My brother lapped me while running the marathon. Also I was bummed that course had no beach views. We started in Ojai and ran to Ventura.

March– Vacation! It was off to Arizona for some time in Sedona and the Grand Canyon. There was snow on the ground and I packed for the cold. Instead it was sunny and 70ish and I melted and ending up getting sick from the sun, Which all came to a head in a blow up in the Grand Canyon. Oops. Oh and then the canyon tried to kill me when my shoe caught a piece of rebar and I went down way too close to edge of the South Kaibab trail. Thanks to the kind strangers who helped me up. I did write about my Sedona days- The Subway and the Mesa Brin. Also, ran the Oakland Half Marathon in March, post here.

April– A month of no races, boo. Steady miles for me but no races. Cant remember anything else, ha.

May– Oh May. I did some great trails- went back to the Pinnacles for another round. Headed back to Henry Cowell for some time in the Redwoods. This hike also featured my 2 largest water crossings yet. I also sliced up my legs on some branches which combine with falling into a creek the following weekend brought on the leg drama I wrote about here, And I stopped.

June– The leg drama bled over into the first 2 weeks of June. The issues on my legs turned into a chemical burn from too many failed attempts trying to fix the first issues, ha! I barely ran as running just made things worse. I felt so lazy and was missing racing too. I may be slow but I was having fun running races this year. But then I went to Yosemite. OMG, so many people, so many people. Still amazing views though.

July– I greeted July with a 10k Trail race (Golden State) back up at Fort Ord. Again I roasted in direct sunlight. Did turn in my fastest Inside Trail race 10k time though. Then I had a birthday that was a not the happiest of times but that’s getting older, right? Ran another of my favorite races towards the end- Rock to Pier- which turned more obstacle course like over 6 miles of beach than I had thought. The beach has changed a lot this year from all our early year rain. We were jumping rivers and rocks and piles of seaweeds. Granted if I hadn’t cared about wet feet, the rivers would have been no big deal. But who wants wet feet first thing into a race?? I also started training for CIM. And quickly realized I chose the wrong training plan, oops.

Outside of running, I feel like parts of my life are running me over with a truck and then backing up for more so that’s cool, cool. I’ve been stuck in a funk I can’t shake and it’s made writing seem so hard. I plan things out in my head but then lose the desire to actually type or write or anything. I said that already didn’t I? I am trying to kick that though, so maybe this post is my first baby step back?

So what have I missed?

Strategic

Last week was better.

Well at least running wise. Not gonna lie, life has me feeling a little fried.

I got in an interesting 5K, like I mentioned last week. And everyone at work was intrigued by the white turkey I saw. Even Google says they are rare. Who knew?

Friday was the end to a long, long week. I briefly thought about running but who was I kidding? Then there was Saturday. I wanted to sleep in but I couldn’t. I had a prior commitment working the registration table for a fundraiser for a local charity through work. I should have run in the afternoon but instead I took a 2 hour nap. And I am not sad. I needed it.

Sunday started with drama. The cat was sick so it meant a trip to the emergency vet. People still aren’t allowed into the vet so after they took Heli in, it meant chilling in the car for a while. Coincidently while a helicopter circled the area. I tried not to wonder why they were circling. Thankfully, Heli was ok just extremely constipated. Poor dude.

I could have used the rough morning to pass on running and have in the past but chose not to. My non-plan plan called for 6 in theory miles. Which would also be the longest run since the Santa Rosa Half. So I changed and headed out to see how things went. I tried to play it smart though. I knew I was way undertrained and also figured that my next half would involve a lot of walking. So I power walked the first 3 miles and ran/walked the next 3. Other than a shoe lace issues 2 miles in, I felt surprisingly ok. I fueled at the half way point, still working on that. But I felt good. I even rounded it out to be a 10k.

A 9 mile week sounds like nothing but considering it’s about half of what I ran in the entire month of September, I’ll take it. Now if the daily headaches would go away, that would be great.

Thoughts

I live in a smallish town. 10 years ago when I started running, it seemed even smaller.

While I worked for the same company then ( and actually back in the same office now) I was in a more customer facing position. I remember customers coming in and telling me they thought they saw me running. Oh crap. My question would be “oh, really, where”? Which is how learned where a lot of customers lived, ha! Luckily, my only concern was that if they ever looked out a window again and saw me, they would see me running not walking.

It sounds silly and possibly egotistical but it’s one of the those I took fewer walk breaks. Especially when a couple of those locations slightly overlapped. The main bridge in town is similar. When I first ventured to runs where I was running across town, I had to use the bridge. The only way across town is by one of the bridges and this is by far the busiest. The bridge became my unintentional sprint zone. I could usually drop the pace of that mile significantly just on the bridge. Every time.

I ran that bridge this past Sunday for the first time in years. And I think I finally realized something. I no longer commute. I’m back where I started. I am older, I put back on all the weight I lost and added some for good measure. I am back to all the old, original running haunts and I can barely run.

So instead of being concerned that people would see me walking, I am now concerned that people will see me running. Or more like struggling to run. So I walk. Well, I walk when I finally lace up the running shoes and get out the door. Which, thanks to Strava, I know I only managed that 6 times in July. 6. Out of 31. That is not even 20%.

The question is will admitting it to myself be enough to change the bad habits?

Take a Moment

I had such a plan.

And it was a good one!

Disclaimer: I received a pair of special release Knockaround sunglasses to participate in a custom campaign as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

Knockaround wants to talk about plogging and the planet? I’m in, sign me up! I’ve been toying with the idea of adopting a street in my town. This would just give me that last push! My mother and I were talking about a big trash pick up party- us and her tennis team- we were making plans.

Then the world went a little sideways.

While litter still drives me absolutely mad, suddenly the idea of plogging even with gloves was a little off-putting. Especially since I kind of didn’t venture outdoors except to go to work in the first weeks. Which was not good for my psyche.

Turns out I can’t just hide inside anymore, running has opened up so much more to me. You know, I was the treasurer of the hiking and environmental club in high school? Except I don’t remember any actual hiking. Hmmm. Then I graduated high school, started working full time and got lazy.

It wasn’t until I started running that I rediscovered how much I loved nature and being outside. Part of that came from the running of my first real trail race. Which was a complete accident. I swear there was nothing said about trails in the race description. Oops.

I digress.

With the change in circumstances, Knockaround decided to focus on how awesome the Earth is. And I needed the encouragement and reminder to take a moment (or few) and just take in what nature had to offer. I feel like I needed something else to focus on and just try to decompress. Which has become a lot harder these days. I’ve been sticking to my neighborhood but have been finding the beauty where it is. We could all use that right now.

Mother Nature is showing us how resilient she is right now and we need to take notes. I’ll keep taking in all the nature moments I can right now.

Of course in my favorite shades- Knockaround. And I just ordered myself another pair. You can’t have too many, right?

How are you decompressing these days?

Rain or Shine? Run

Disclaimer: I received an entry to Oakland Running Festival as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Wait, it’s February? How did that happen?

That means 2 things- Super Bowl and Surf City. Now I could care less about the Super Bowl but Surf City is always the same day so I just pretend the excitement is for the race not the game.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am no where near race ready. When I toe the line on Sunday I will be fully prepared to take it easy and take my time. I have run/walk intervals set on my watch and ready to go. But I am looking forward to revisiting the race that started me down the path of (longer) distance running. The crowds are awesome, the beach view is great, I get to (hopefully) see a bunch of other BibRave Pros.

I posted this 3 years ago at my second Surf City

Now if the weather will cooperate. Granted, it is absolutely nothing compared to what is happening in most of the country but a rain filled Saturday and Sunday wasn’t exactly what I was looking forward to. I can roll with it though and have just changed most of everything I was going to pack and wear.

So, fingers crossed for a fun filled weekend that’s only slightly wet.