Golden Gate Half Recap

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Golden Gate Half to review 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!

Sorry this took so long!!  When I left you last I was doubting my ability to run this race.  After a restless night of tossing, turning, trying to ignore the crazies next door and likely running a fever, it was rough getting going in the morning.   My first look in the mirror actually scared me!   I got ready slowly, debating my outfit the whole time.  I knew I was going to run the race but I also knew it wasn’t going to be a race.   One last weather check had me wanting to cry- it showed a 40-50% chance of rain.   Seriously?!  I hadn’t recovered from the previous weeks rainy race.  So I bundled up- capris over compression socks, arm sleeves and a windbreaker and my Buff® around my neck.    It crossed my mind that I may be over dressed but I figured better to err on the side of caution right?
Due to the parking nightmare of San Francisco, I had picked my hotel based on proximity to the race.    I had a short half mile walk to the race start.  I was soon surrounded by thousands of other runners waiting for the race to begin.  I was also officially confronted with the fact that the race started uphill.  Ouch.   I met up with another BibRave Pro- Brian– and we chatted.  It was nice having someone to talk to pre-race, I usually try to just not freak out.  😛    The National Anthem was sung and the race started right on time.


This will be a little different from my usual recaps, I knew my only hope was to get across the finish line in one piece and not hate myself or running after.  To that end, I never looked at my watch during the race.  I didn’t even look at the splits for another 2 days.   This race had nothing to do with pace or time.   The odd thing was that I ended up predicting my finishing time within seconds.   I had tried to give my mother a ballpark time just so she new when she and S should head down to the finish line.  Nailed it!  😛


Miles 1-3

Outside of the hill right at the start, these miles were predominantly flat.  We headed out through the Marina and the Presidio.  The race had around 4000 runners but things felt really tight.  It actually helped pull me along, looking back, these were my speediest miles.   It wasn’t raining but the fog was so heavy it was misting and I realized my sunglasses were more of a hindrance than a help.   I ended up carrying them for the next 8 miles.   I just went with the flow and enjoyed what I could see of the sights.   Parts of the course were parts of the SF marathon course so I thought I knew what I was in for.  I was wrong.

Miles 4-5.5 ish

My calves were starting to tighten up a bit so I was thankful for the first hill.  That was until I became so nauseous I was almost sick.  Ok, new plan- walk all the hills.  It’s cool.   The course was very windy so there were plenty of times we could see the faster runners ahead of us, it was kind of cool.   There was a lot of up in these miles so a lot of walking.   There was a particularly long hill leading up to mile 5, we ran up it to a turn around before running back down towards the bridge.  I passed Brian on my way up as he was coming down- he told me I had about a mile to go to the turn around.  Damn I forgot the hill was that long.  But that’s ok- I may have been sick but I could still rock a mean downhill- I kind of flew all the way the bridge.


Miles 5.5-9.8ish  The Bridge

I was looking forward to running the bridge again as I was hoping I would be able to see more than last time.  Unfortunately, it was just as foggy.  We ran the walkways instead of the road this time and I liked that much better- it seemed less slippery.  What I hadn’t counted on was the bottle necking.   It hadn’t really thinned out so it was hard to pass people.. or be passed.  Also, this was the race of selfies.  I have never seen so many people taking pictures mid-race before.  Dodging people became an art form.    I was also starting to feel very tired.  Once across the bridge we looped around Vista Point and down back under the bridge.  #1- a downhill trail?!?! Sweet!!  I ran like a 5 year old sprinting to the finish.  #2- you can run under the bridge?!??!  So cool!



Right after that we climbed what felt like the worst hill to me back up to the bridge.  That could have have been due to my maniacal sprint down the trail though.  😛   From there it was back across the West Side of the bridge.   It had finally thinned out so there was more breathing room.   My Buff® was coming in handy though- I had it over my face and was breathing through it for most of this section.  I felt like it had grown colder and I could actually see my breath.


Miles 9.8-11 Fort Point!!

Just off the bridge we looped under this side on a paved path.  As we were coming down a small hill I could see Fort Point on my left- when I realized that I could see runners running up to the Fort and turning around I wanted to do a little jig.   There was a field trip in 6th grade where we went to Fort Point and I remember loving it.  I was so excited that we got to run by it.  I even tried to photograph my excitement.


Miles 11-13.1

Once leaving Fort Point, we were on a dirt path along the bay.  The last 2 miles were flat and I was starting to feel sore.   I just tried to focus on the ocean to my left and Crissy Field to my right.   I was alternating between running and walking and just kept making my way to the finish.    We left the dirt path and turned onto Marina Drive and suddenly there were people cheering.  We were close!  Closer than I thought, I rounded a corner and suddenly the finish line was there! I had made it!

Finish- 2:30:17


The finish line was crowded and a little crazy but my mother and S found me fairly quickly after I was handed my medal and a water bottle.     We moved away from the crowd and my mother, knowing how angry I was with the previous week’s finish asked how mad I was with this one.    Not one damn bit.   For once my brain and my body were in agreement- I was already pushing the limit by just being out there, whatever pace I could pull off was great.  I walked when I needed to and didn’t berate myself for it, which is rare.  I tried to enjoy the race and the course as much as I could.

Which brings me to- the course!!!  People, this race freakin’ rocked!  I loved the course.  And I say that even with the 1200′ in elevation gain.    To me, this race offered some of the best things to see in San Francisco and half of it was covered by fog and it still rocked.  This is definitely a race I would like to run again someday.    Maybe when  I am healthy and can actually enjoy it?  😛  All the organizational details can be found here in my BibRave review.

This was my last half of the year.  It may not have gone the way I had hoped when training but I am ok with that.  I did the best I could that day and that’s all that matters.  😏😏😏

 

Week 45 Training Recap

Training for:

  • Golden Gate Half

It’s the final countdown!    Race day was Sunday and I was hoping to get in a solid week of running before that.   Unfortunately, that was not the case.    The aftermath of the very wet Harvest Marathon took a toll on me.  Boo.

Monday- Rest   I was feeling a little rough so rest was awesome.  I was also afraid to even attempt putting on a sports bra after the chafing hell leftover from Sunday’s race.  Boo.

Tuesday- 45 minute recovery run  Sick.  I didn’t even make it through the work day.   I felt horrible and looked like crap so my boss kicked me out.  I made the long trek home and took a very long nap that felt more like a coma.


Wednesday- 2.5 miles.  I still felt wobbly but I wanted to try and get my legs moving.   Putting on a sports bra was a little uncomfortable.  Boo.  I lasted for a slow 2.5 miles on what was most likely my last time running the lake path until next year.   Good night lake.


Thursday- 3.6 miles Shouldn’t have done that.   I wasn’t feeling so great but I didn’t want to only have Wednesday’s run before race day.  So I headed out for a few miles after work.  I told myself to stick to 3 miles but I allowed the thought that this was likely my last work run until next year get to my head.  I ran on until the 2 mile point, not thinking about the fact that it was getting colder and the return trip was uphill.  I crashed hard.  Shouldn’t have done that.

Friday- Rest Felt like crap.


Saturday- Rest?  The plan called for a shakeout run but I was feeling crappy and didn’t want to figure out the logistics of that in San Francisco.  Instead my Fitbit says I covered almost 7 miles walking around San Francisco and it usually runs short so I figured that was enough.


My mom and I headed up to SF early and picked S up from college along the way.   The plan was to hang out around the Embarcadero during the day, pick up my race packet and head to the hotel.  The hotel was within walking distance of the start and then S and mom would come down to finish line on race morning.  I started to feel worse during the day but I tried to chalk it up to a bad pepperoni pretzel.  Wishful thinking.  After finding dinner a nearby burger place, I still felt horrible so I headed to bed early.  I also got a little bitchy.  Sorry mom and S!   I was tossing and turning, alternating between freezing and burning up.    Then to make matters worse- a large, loud group of guys returned to the hotel room next to ours around 1:30am.  They were the loudest, most obnoxious group of people ever.    It sounded like they were slamming into walls.   I can only imagine what the poor people below them heard.  ☹ I just wanted to sleep.   I was beginning to wonder if I should even race.


Sunday- Golden Gate Half….. could I do it?

How was your week?

Have any hotel nightmares? or chafing nightmares?

Would you have raced?

 

Run to the Music 4

But this isn’t giving up no this is letting go
Out with the old dreams I’ve borrowed
The path I carve from here on out will be my own
A path to take me home
Most of my runs lately have had me thinking deep thoughts.    Maybe facing some truths too.     I claimed that this was the year  of no goals but I let myself get swayed by the dark side, the numbers side.  It’s all too easy to get caught up with social media and fall into the comparison trap.    Denying it can only dig you deeper and deeper into the hole.    Combine that with a bunch of crappy things happening outside of running this year and I think I’m falling apart.    Not completely but I’m starting to crack.
Which means a lot of things but one of those is letting go of those pesky numbers goals that snuck back up on me.   I’ve become a little too mired in pace and miles.  I realized the other week that I have run more miles this year than any year previous.   Right after that, I realized how close I am to actually pulling off 1000 miles in a year.   In other words, 2015’s failed goal.   But let’s be honest, 2 hundred mile months right now would break me.   Likely make me hate running too.  I don’t want that, I want to enjoy running just to run for the rest of year.  Maybe next year too.  Who know?  I want to enjoy races for awhile.
Thankfully, my iPod is still on shuffle all.    The perfect song came on at the right time today.
This is Letting Go– Rise Against
So this me letting go.  I saying it out loud…and in print.  Hopefully, you’ll see a shinier Slacker in the coming months.

Harvest Half Recap

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Harvest Marathon half to review 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!

This race has been a long time coming for me so I was excited that I was finally going to run it.   I’ve wanted to run it for the last 4 years but always ended up working an aid station during the marathon instead.    Which was great but it wasn’t the same as running it.   When the opportunity to run it with BibRave came up I was tempted but I had plans on race day.  But I made it work!  Woo hoo!

The race is a fundraiser for local schools and it has great potential.  This was the first year without the marathon as it was canceled due to a few issues.  😢 Packet pick up was Saturday and went smoothly.   You can read all the little details in my BibRave review. I admit I was nervous wearing BibRave orange in Bearcat Country (high school arch rival is the Greyhounds- orange!) but I had nothing to be worried about.  My Bearcat coaching mother disagrees.  😛

The race is a big loop through back country roads.  It takes you past numerous vineyards and farms and is very scenic.     I drove it the day before and loved the sights.  I was less enthusiastic about the hills.   But it’s Paso and Paso doesn’t do flat.    It is a quiet race- there is very little crowd support outside of aid stations and the finish line.   Also the roads are not fully closed so it is entirely likely that vehicles will drive past you a few times or sometimes fly by doing 50ish.   All of my early half marathons were similar so I am used to this but it can be alarming if you aren’t prepared.

Race morning-

I slept surprisingly well considering my recent insomnia struggles and usual race nerves but woke an hour before my alarm feeling freaky nauseous.   I laid there and hoped it would pass.  It did but I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Uh oh.   I was suddenly thankful of the late start of 8:30.  Once at the start I debated arm sleeves or a windbreaker.  The skies looked ominous but the weather app said that rain was hours away if at all.  The high school cross country coach said no rain was coming and it wasn’t cold so I decided to just go with my tank.   We all lined up and it was go time!


Miles 1-3 9:43, 9:50, 10:17

The plan with Coach Jenny called for an easy first 8 before bringing the last 5 miles in at goal half marathon pace.  Sounded good to me.   I was trying not to look at my watch and run by feel but I was winded 1/2 mile in.  I felt like I was working too hard so I checked my watching expecting to see something in the 8:30 range.  Nope.  9:45.  Crap, that shouldn’t feel this hard!  My calves were also doing their lovely tight thing and the first 3 miles are flatter than I would have liked.   Boo.    I was running in the dirt on the side of the road any chance I got.  Then, 2.5 miles in the skies opened up.  Seriously?!  It didn’t take long before I was soaked.  It wasn’t pouring by any means but you got wet fast.   And I was getting slower.  I pretty much slammed into the wall at mile 3.5.  Well crap.


Miles 4-7 10:50, 9:59, 11:16, 10:49

And the walk breaks started.  Mile 4 was one of my toughest miles and I don’t know why.   I ran past the second aid station and tried to pick it up but I failed.  Why faster for this station?  It was manned by my mother and her tennis team.  😛   Mile 5 was a long slow downhill and my legs were finally starting to loosen up.  Second wind maybe?  Nope.  Mile 6 starts an out and back to add a little distance.  I hate out and backs.  And this one was all rollers as far as the eye could see.  Plus whatever downhill you had on the way out was a climb on the way back.   But I’m weird and even though my lungs hate hills, my legs don’t and mile 7 was almost 30 seconds faster than mile 6.   Third wind???


Miles 8-9 11:05, 10:30

Haha, just kidding.  My lungs were not happy with the constant cloud cover and rain.    I knew the road to mile 8 was really pretty and I had been looking forward to it.   For some reason, I remembered exactly where every mile marker was and it gave me something to look forward to.  Mile 8 was in front of Graveyard Vineyards where I had just learned that there is a literal graveyard in the front of the vineyard.  Mile 9 gave us a decent downhill and I tried to pick up the pace as I knew what was coming.

Mile 10 12:26

It’s the climb!!!! I knew from the drive yesterday that there was a long climb.  Yeah, mile 9 to mile 10.2 was all up.  It started slowly and then just kept increasing in slope as well.   I was toast.  It was still raining and I was starting to realize that I was having a giant chafing problem with my sports bra.  I could feel it with every step.   Stupid rain!  I rounded a corner only to find more climb.  Oh come on!

Miles 11-13 10:48, 11:39, 10:43

Yay!  The crawl was over, I knew there was only a 5K left and the rain stopped!  Let’s do this!  Except that enthusiasm lasted about .25 of a mile.   I didn’t feel overly tired but I had nothing.  I don’t even know how many times I walked in those last 3 miles.  A lot.  I was actually passing people but I was still irritated with myself.  I had just picked up the pace a little past mile 12 when I passed my mom and her team again, apparently they had moved stations and were now traffic control.   With a mile left I told myself to run it in and I would at least be faster than City to the Sea.  Haha.  I am glad for small races because my proclivity for cursing like a sailor was in full force as I berated myself…out loud.   Finally the finish line was in sight and I could be done.

Finish- 2:21:06


That did not go like I had hoped.  At all.  The course was awesome.  It really had a great amount of up and down for me but it wasn’t my day.  I don’t know how much of it was the rain (very rare here) and my lungs.   If it was the weird nausea in the morning ( I did actually get sick and miss some work) or if I am just burnt out from a crazy year.    I also don’t want to make excuses though, for whatever reasons I was not all there on race day and my race effort shows it.

The rain screwed with a lot of us.  I have never chafed this bad in my life, clothing hurts.   I wasn’t the only one either.  I saw more than few blood stains on shirts.   We’re in a drought, what is this water stuff??   I can count on one hand how many times I’ve run in the rain and that includes this race.

I initially delayed writing this recap because I needed some time to think about the race.  Then I actually did get sick and missed some work which delayed this post even more but I think the extra time helped me accept the race for what it was.    I think I can finally admit that speed is not my biggest adversary, my head is.   Half the battle is knowing who you’re fighting right?

This was my kind of race though and I will be back.  Redemption in 2017?

 

Week 44 Training Recap

Training for-

  • Paso Harvest Marathon 13.1
  • Golden Gate Half

So I started titling my weekly recaps like this back in January but took a little break during marathon training.  The weekly numbers are starting to drag on me.  I need figure out another way to do this.  Good thing it’s almost 2017!   Ouch, did I just say that?

This week saw me back on the dreadmill and it almost broke me.   I don’t know if I can do that 2 nights a week until spring.   I may have to get over my mountain lion fear.  Well, and the fear of what’s hiding in the dark when you run at night.    To that end, I bought a new pair of reflective leggings this week and I am hunting down all my blinking lights.   I think I have them stashed in odd places.  My flashlight also needs new batteries.  Who said running was a cheap sport? 😛


Monday-2.3 miles  The plan called for an easy 30 minute recovery run.  Oh man, my calves were stiff.   I walked more than I would have liked which meant I barely hit 3 miles in 30 minutes.  Ouch.   At least I was able to enjoy the view.


Tuesday- Rest I spent some time with my foam roller but probably not enough.   I can’t remember if I did anything else. 😛


Wednesday- 4 miles  Son of a treadmill.  The plan was for a 7 mile run- some warm up and cool down with mile repeats at half marathon pace.  Ha!   I hate treadmills but I was trying to be optimistic.   I couldn’t even pull off one mile at pace.  My calves were tight and would not loosen up. I paused the treadmill so many times to try and stretch them out.   At one point, I stretched so long the damn treadmill reset itself.  I finally decided that I was doing more harm than good and called it.  I was still pissed though so I cranked the incline to 7 and power walked it out.  Things finally loosened up.   So what, all my treadmill dates this winter will power walking at an incline?

Thursday- Rest  I was still feeling sore from the day before so not much happened.  I planned on jumping on the bike for a few miles but I didn’t.  Oops.

Friday- Rest


Saturday- Rest  Oops.   I was supposed to do a 20-30 minute shakeout run.  This also would have worked great with the Alzheimer’s Walk that I was supposed to participate in and yet neither happened.  I took my car in for some tire work and planned on doing the shakeout run then except they moved at lightning pace and I did not have time.    After a few errands, I headed to pick up my packet for the Harvest Half.   I was nervous.  This is the first time in 4 years that I haven’t volunteered to work it and it was the first time in 6 years that I was running it again.   I ran the 5k years ago.   This was also my first race with BibRave so I a little anxious.

They moved the expo into town this year and livened it up with a few vendor booths, some live music and a dinner in the park.   I have to give them points for effort.  There were only 2 vendors- Costco and a local gym.   The tri tip smelled amazing though.  I headed home to eat dinner and try to get a decent night’s sleep.

Sunday- Harvest Half  To be continued…but ouch.

How was your week?

Any tips on making the treadmill less miserable?