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!
It’s race week!
How did that happen? Then again the last few weeks have kind of been a blur so that explains that.🤣
Speaking of sleep, it hasn’t been going so well this week. I just tell myself that it’s all the more reason to love the Oakland Marathon start time. 9:30. Which is one of the latest times I have ever started a race.
It kind of makes me nervous- I’m going to be running until when? Haha. I am sure I will appreciate the late wake up call on Sunday but it’s odd. I’m used to 6:30 start times, 8 is late. Maybe race mornings are the reason I can’t run early? Nope, just lazy.
I am staying at the race hotel so that’s going to be new too. I feel fancy. Just kidding. I may or may not have my mother traveling with me- it’s up in the air. 🤷♀️
I have increased my mileage but not by much so I am treating the race as a well supported long run. And fingers crossed none of the issues from Surf City pop back up. I know I said I was cool with my slower time but it doesn’t mean I want to do it again.
The only thing I am mostly stressed about is driving to Lake Merritt on race morning, I know I am going to run into race detours but I am not sure where or how many times. The marathon on the 5K start at 7 and 7:30 respectively. Fingers crossed for smooth sailing!
Oh and what pair of shoes to wear. Can’t my feet just be happy?
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!
After a rough day of travel Saturday, I actually slept ok for pre-race hotel sleep. I woke up once around 2AM and was stoked I had another 3 hours to sleep. Sweet! Once up, I quickly got ready with all my gear and checked out of the hotel. The weather wasn’t dumping rain like the day before and the app said it would stay clear but I didn’t trust it. I was wearing arm warmers and my rain jacket over those.
My mom was able to get me as close as she could and I jumped out of the car on a street corner. I chatted with another runner as we made our way to the starting area. We ended up going our separate ways and I messaged the other BibRave Pro’s to see if we could make a meet up work before the race. We did!
Photo credit- Christine
Then it was time to line up. Surf City does self seeded corrals which works about as well as you think. I knew I was going to be moving slower so I placed myself in wave 4 which was 2:25- 2:34. I was almost right, haha not really, I ended up running my second slowest half to date.
Miles 1-5 10:52, 11:13, 11:26, 12:28, 11:27 I was moving slow but wasn’t feeling the need for walk breaks which was great because I know how out of shape I am. However things got weird around mile 2. I was cautious on how my foot would feel but I was expecting pain- instead my foot went numb. I could barely feel my left foot for the next 2 miles and around 3.5 my right foot joined it. I started walking just to see if that would change things. Thankfully it did. Just as it started to rain. Ok, mostly mist but it was still wet.
But then I realized I had another problem. Mile 6- 16:00 I suddenly need the restroom, not like my stomach was upset but I really needed the restroom. There was a series of port-a-potties around mile 5.5 and even though they had a line, I jumped in the line. Well, there goes my mile time.
Miles 7-10 11:46, 12:29, 12:28, 12:35 I was feeling ok but knew I was slowing. I wasn’t really paying attention to my watch. I was just focusing on the fact that I was still running and not taking walk breaks. Woo hoo! Well until mile 9. I knew once I took the first real walk break, there would be more to come. We had hit the turn around point and were running into a breeze now. I was still cold and it was misting every now and again but the breeze felt good to me.
Miles 11-13 13:38, 12:22, 12:37 I’ve run 2 marathons and never experienced “the wall”. Welp, I think I found it. Other than cold and wet toes, my body felt ok but I was done. I walked a fair amount of mile 11. From there I was just run/ walking my way in. This is normally the part of the course with the best views and most spectators but I was just keeping my head down and trying to get to the finish line.
Finish- 2:43:06 My second slowest half ever!
Granted, the 5 minute bathroom stop didn’t help matters along. I have no shame in that finishing time, I knew I was going to be slower, my training was almost non-existent and when I did get my act together, I hurt my foot and ended up taking 11 days off in a row. I’ll have no problem adding those results to my Athlinks profile for all to see. It gives me a starting point and now I know what I need to do going forward.
I still love Surf City and all it has to offer, maybe one day I’ll run it again and run it well.
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.
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!
While I love running some of the same races over and over again, I like branching out too. I almost ran Oaktown half last year but didn’t for some reason. Right now I can’t remember what that reason was but I do tend to be forgetful like that, so…
Oaktown Half works in partnership with the people that organize the Oakland Turkey Trot. I was super impressed with that and I just participated in the virtual option, I am super stoked to experience all they have to offer in person on race weekend.
The race offers a children’s race, 5k and half marathon. They offer a challenge for the speedy as well- run the half at 7:00 AM and the 5K at 9:45 and earn a challenge medal. While I think that is awesome, I am not sure I can pull that off on race day. Last year the 5K was on Saturday evening and that seemed much more doable. This is still pretty cool though, gives me incentive to work on my speed between now and August 11. 🙂
There is also a challenge medal offered if you complete the Livermore Half in March as well. #allthebling!
The race even offers an expo-in-a-box option. If come July, I realize that race weekend travel may not be my thing, I can opt in for my bib, shirt and expo goodies to be mailed to me. That way I can just drive up on race day if needs be. Now that would be a 3 hour drive for a 7AM start so that doesn’t sound great but I love knowing that I have that option.
Want to join me in Oakland on August 11? Use code BROAKVIP for 10% off!
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!
Did you know I have a gym membership?
Yep, for the last 7 years or so. I’m the type of customer they love, I pay monthly but only show up 4 or 5 times a year. Luckily my membership is less than 20 bucks and work reimburses it so it makes it really easy to ignore it. But I hate the treadmill, only need it for emergencies i.e. weather above 105. At least that’s what I thought.
I received a Zwift foot pod to try out through Bibrave and it turns out I like the treadmill- I just hate the gym. Who wants to hook me up with a treadmill?
Zwift is an app built for cyclists and runners to liven up their time on the bike trainer or the treadmill while getting in training miles that they can’t do outside. The app creates virtual running routes where an avatar version of you goes for a run. You can go solo while others are out for rides and runs around you. You can join planned events. You can plan meetups with friends across the country. It’s like a video game where you are the main player.
Now here’s where it gets tricky- there are actually two apps. Zwift and the Zwift Companion. The main Zwift app shows the route and metrics as you run. You can use your phone, tablet or laptop. The Zwift Companion app shows all the upcoming events you can jump in on, runners/ cyclists you can follow and gives you ways to chat or cheer on other runners while they run. However that might require 2 devices.
I have run virtually around London, through a volcano in Zwift world of Watopia and around beaches and mountains in Watopia. Other famous cities are also available. I have run more on the treadmill in the last month even being sick than I have in the last 2 years.
I love the app. That being said, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. My foot pod and I don’t always see eye to eye. On one run it will be fine and on the next run, it’s about a mile behind. I’m not using Zwift to track my overall mileage so it’s not a deal breaker it’s just kind of frustrating when your pace is right there in front of you and so off what the treadmill says. Sometimes my avatar just stops and chills for a bit. I may take photo breaks on outdoor runs but not treadmill runs! I did notice on my last run that my shoelaces bounce off the foot pod sometimes. It made me wonder if the pod was sensitive enough to be confused by my shoelaces. My run this week will have me lacing my shoes in a different way.
Another thing that didn’t really work for me was the timing of the group runs. There are a variety of group runs and workouts available but with me being on the West Coast and my work schedule, most of them happen when I am at work. The ones that don’t happen during work hours happen around 3:00 AM in the morning and I haven’t started liking the treadmill enough to give up sleep. I did try to jump in on a Zwift Academy Tri 5K race but I was 10 minutes late and no hope of catching up with the speedy folks. A few more later options would be nice.
I really do like using Zwift. I have big plans for this year so anything that gets me running more in the dark Winter months is a plus in my book.
Want to try out Zwift? Come run with me! Use code BibRave15 for 15% off (valid on first 1000 pods only)
