Tag: race

Run!, Training

Week 36- Not Quite

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Upcoming Races-

  • SLO Ultra 5 Mile
  • Rock n Roll San Jose 13.1???
  • Rock N Roll Las Vegas 5K
  • Rock N Roll Las Vegas 13.1!!!!!

I had this cutesy little plan that if you lined up weeks 34, 35 and 36 the title modifiers would all add up to say “Kind of Back To Normal“.  Except this week wasn’t the normal that I wanted it to be hence the title change.  While I ran 4 days, when you add up the mileage it looks quite sad.  And adding a run on Sunday became laughable when I was hobbling around and had trouble just walking.

Anyways, moving on.   Last week was an odd one.  We found out on Tuesday that my boss is turning in her 2 weeks so the week just felt a little off.   Well, all weeks after a 3 day weekend feel off but this one felt more off.  Then I realized I seriously overbooked my Saturday and couldn’t figure out how to fix it.  I had a race, a shift at the Avocado Margarita Festival, a bed delivery and a possible haircut appointment.    I needed a clone.. or a teleporter.  Everything took place in a different town.


Monday- 3.1 miles  With the day off for Labor Day, I had thought about getting a long run out of the way early in the week but then I overslept.  It was another triple digit day and my motivation flagged as the day went on.  At the last minute I threw on running clothes and managed to get out the door for a late evening 5k.  It was short but I am glad I did something other than laze around like a sloth.

Tuesday-  Rest I rarely run the Tuesday after a 3 day weekend.  Work is usually crazy and runs late.  Theory held.  😛


Wednesday- 2.0 miles This was supposed to be 4 miles but work ran late and this was all I squeezed in before the light really faded once I got back to town.   Oops.

It looks so much brighter in this pic than it was

Thursday- 1.5 miles Failed kitten rescue!  I set out to run but only made it about 3/4 of a mile up the hill before I heard a little meow then saw a tiny kitten in the storm drain.   He looked like he needed help so I tried to rescue him.  I managed to coax him out of the storm drain and noticed he was limping but he wouldn’t let me near him.   I followed/chased him through bushes, freaked out a dog in a yard, almost fell down a little hill, got odd looks from other runners passing by but couldn’t find him.  He went into stealth mode!  After more than 30 minutes I gave up, sad.  By then it was getting dark so I just headed back to the car.

Friday- Rest  I worked then out to Avila Beach to pick up my race packet.  Packet might be a misnomer- it was a bib and shirt.  And I almost got lost in the parking lot- a few more signs would have been nice.


Saturday- SLO Ultra 5 Miler Recap to come but I will say -oh my quad—the hills.


Then I attempted a quick change before heading to work town for the Avocado Margarita Festival.  Where I had to park way too far away and book it down to the volunteer tent in flip flops.   My haircut appointment was a no go and my dad was a champ and met the delivery guys to accept the bed delivery.    Even though that was an adventure in itself.  His solution to making sure that the cats or dog didn’t get out while the guys were there was to just have them deliver the new bed to the garage.  Then when I got home we carried it into the house and set it up.  😛

Sunday- Haha!  Oh my god, I’m broken.  I can’t move.   I can’t even remember the last time I’ve been this sore.  Like I wish my bathroom had those handicap accessible bars in it for I need to use the restroom.  😂  I kept telling myself that I was going to run but the very idea of going down my driveway actually scared me.  Ouch!!!

11.6 miles for the week.  Haha.  I really should have run that long run on Monday.  Maybe I also should have looked at the elevation profile of the race sooner than Friday too.   I might have anticipated my broken-ess a little more.   Right now I am just hoping I can walk normally on Monday.  😛

How was your week?

When was the last time you felt abnormally sore?

 

Run!

Rambling On 15

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Maybe this will be a weekly thing until I get my act together? 😛

Just when I think I know what’s going on- wham!
My boss turned in her notice so now I have no idea what’s going to happen.

I had an interview for another position but now it looks like it’s changed.  Plus talk about the timing.  

Back to my car… I bought it in June.  Just cleared 5000 miles. 😂😂😂

Should have taken an after pic too

I have a race on Saturday!  Right? I know what you’re thinking.  I’m trying to figure out how to get my bib.  Freaky long lunch on Friday or show super early to race on Saturday and gear check something for the first time. 🤔 

Speaking of Saturday-  I have the race, a volunteer shift at the Avocado Margarita Festival, just found out my bed is being delivered and my hair dresser may try to squeeze me in.     All of those things take place in 3 different towns. I have a problem and I haven’t figured out how to fix it.  

What are you doing this weekend?

Run!, Stomach, Training

Week 27- Ha Ha Ha

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Upcoming Races-

  • Rock to the Pier 10K?
  • Salinas Valley Half Marathon

So yeah.  This week was kind of a wash.  I was prepared for July to be busy.  I planned this week of workouts out accordingly.  It was a good plan, like I said I was prepared.  Until reality showed me otherwise.  Life just laughed at me.

Work was busier than I expected.  I wasn’t sleeping well, 5 hours a night if I was lucky. Then I got sick or exhausted, something like that.   Summer has fully arrived after a late start and temps have been above 100 in home town most of the week.    That brought power outages and way too many damn fires with it.

Monday- Rest I knew work was going to be crazy busy so I didn’t even bring my running clothes.  I was not wrong.   By the time I made it home, my brain was fried.  For it only being Monday, that should have been a sign.

Tuesday- Rest/Sick  The start of the downhill slide.  I was supposed to go hiking with my dad at a new trail but my stomach was a giant ass hat all day.  Nothing active happened.  I did enjoy some lovely 4th of July hot dogs with my family though.


Wednesday- Rest  This was partially planned.  I knew work was going to be insane after the 4th so the original plan was to rest.  I took running gear though since I had failed to run or hike on the 4th.   However my stomach was still being an asshat so running did not happen.  It was also 100+ at home when I got off work.


Thursday- 3.1 miles  I woke up with a sore throat and major headache.  Oh hell, no, I don’t have time to be sick.   It was a calmer day at work and I was hoping that a few easy miles would help run out the oncoming head cold.   I ran in work town as it was like 103 in home town.  I kept the miles easy- well they felt easy-ish but they were too fast.  I didn’t feel worse after the run but I didn’t feel better either.

Friday- Rest With my boss on vacation- I’m open to close on Friday’s so no working out.    Plus home town was 107.  And the air conditioner died.


Saturday- Rest I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck.  Combine that with the 105 temps and the heavy smoke from the 3 huge fires burning in the county and I was not even attempting a run.  Instead I lazed around.  Did spend some time looking at refrigerators as a power surge on Thursday half killed the refrigerator.  Yay.  By evening’s end 3 more fires had started.

Sunday- 12 miles Rest I set everything out for a long run but when my alarm went off after the first decent nights sleep I have had in weeks, I just couldn’t do it.  I still didn’t feel great and I know the next 2 weeks are going to be crazy at work.  Being in sick is not an option.     Plus the sky was so thick with smoke, I had a hard time telling that it was actually blue.

3.1 miles for the week.  Ouch but it is what it is.  Moving on I need to be a little more flexible during the next 2 weeks as we move through this system conversion at work.    I am now a little hesitant about my 10K next weekend.   I knew July was going to be interesting so now to see what this week throws at me.😀

How was your week?

How do you handle setback weeks?

 

BibRave, Run!

Summer Racing

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Salinas Valley Half Marathon 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!

Summer running- happened so fast, summer runnin’- had me an asthma attack.

Haha, couldn’t help myself.  😛

Every summer for the past few years, I’ve run a half marathon in July.  Always near the beach, sometimes on the beach.  Last year the heavy marine layer and my asthma conspired together to make me want to swear that off.  😛   Combine that with what is shaping up to be a crazy busy July and it seemed like a good idea to pass on running a half next month.

Instead, I’m taking it inland.   I’ll be running the Salinas Valley Half Marathon on August 5.  Salinas isn’t that far away so it will an early morning drive up to run the race before driving back home.  This is actually a race that has been on my radar for a few years.   The course is through vineyards and crop fields which is my favorite and it seems to be the perfect size crowd for me.    Last year’s race was actually canceled due to the smoke from the Soberanes fire, we were on fire for what seemed like forever last summer.   😢

Ok back to some fun stuff-

  13.1-mile course along the agricultural fields and vineyards of Salinas Valley

  • –       Begins at historic Soledad Mission, ends at Pessagno Winery

    –       Travels along River Road Wine Trail, passing several wineries and tasting rooms

    –       Post-race wine tasting, music, awards, bbq lunch and more

    –       This is in the heart of “Steinbeck County” where many of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck set his novels and short stories.  (A humorous sign placed at one of the hills calls it “Beast of Eden;” a play on words to Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.)

    –       Crops are identified along the route

Beast of Eden- how awesomely punny is that?  Plus, it starts at a Mission.  Fun fact- California has 21 Spanish Missions.  I’ve been to 3- used to sing in the choir at one actually- so this will be #4 for me.    And it will be half #27.  😛

As for that beach race in July?  I may run the 10k.  We shall see.  😛

BibRave, Race Day, Recap, Run!

Rock n Roll San Diego 13.1 Recap

Fallon @ Slacker Runner

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll San Diego 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!

I love Rock n Roll.

This race made a liar out of me in so many ways.  Ok, maybe just changed my mind about some things.  😛

Going into this race, I wasn’t a fan of large crowded races, preferred rural views and hated humidity and flat made me cry.  But I had heard great things about the Rock n Roll races, San Diego in particular, and always wanted to run one but never made it work.   Until now.  And now?  Well I still hate humidity.


The odd thing was that going into this race I wasn’t stressed at all.  I wasn’t worried about the miles or how long it would take me.   I was mildly concerned about the humidity I knew I was coming but even at the Bibrave meet up I was just joking that I should probably run with my inhaler in my hand.    I still wasn’t sure what shoes I was going to wear and I was mostly irritated that I had to run with a portable charger because I didn’t think my phone was going to last the race.   I was also taking a race shuttle for the first time ever but I managed to sleep better than I did for my previous 2 races.

Race morning-

I woke up and knew that my food choices the day before were not going to sit well.   Well yay.  I dressed, decided on wearing the UltraBoostX, bibbed up and headed for the shuttle bus.    They were charter buses not school buses- sweet!  I checked the weather, saw 86% humidity and then tried not to think about it again.

Once at the starting line outside of Balboa Park I just followed the crowd.  We came upon about 6 port-a-potties and I was confused.  Ummm, 6?  For 30,000 runners?  As I got further in I found more scattered around in lines.  There were probably between 50-100 around.   I ended up parking myself near the solutions tent and just runner watching.  People were everywhere!  They even had a fitness warm up going on- I thought only small town races did that!  I met up with Mai and after hitting the baggage trucks we ended up sprinting across the grass to the We Run Social picture meet up by corral 3.    We just barely made it!


After meeting some more IG people in real life, listening to the National Anthem and ditching my top layer, I headed for my corral.   I was in corral 19.  Of 37.   They were releasing the corrals at a steady pace so once I found an opening in the fence I stopped and just waited for the corral to get to me.   I hopped in and pulled my phone out to take a pic only to realize it was almost dead.   Grrrr.    I plugged in my portable charger and turned off anything in the phone that was non essential.   The race announcers were doing a great job of keeping everyone pumped up and things were very organized.  I suddenly found myself at the very front of my corral on the start line and it was go time.

Miles 1-3 9:41, 10:22, 10:48

Haha, ok starting at the front apparently put wings on my feet.   Slow your roll, Slacker.  There was a guy on a megaphone shouting inspiration at us as we ran by.      It was crowded but I was ok with it, I had to dodge people sometimes but I knew I wasn’t breaking any records so it wasn’t a big deal.


The first music distraction was a DJ on a bridge or was it a band? I should have written notes!    The first aid station was well stocked with plenty of water and Gatorade and awesome volunteers.  The gloomy clouds and some of the buildings I was running by made me feel like I was more in San Francisco than San Diego but I was enjoying the sights.  And sounds- to save battery life- I hadn’t turned on my headphones.   There were college kids handing out beer around mile 2 as well.  There was a selfie/ picture station too but it may been in the next set of miles.


Miles 4-6 10:28, 10:31, 10:44

Oddly, I hadn’t really slowed down yet, I was walking the water stations but that was it.  The streets were still crowded, water stops were every 2 miles, live music was every few miles.  Around mile 4 we headed into more residential area but I notices that the cheering increased.  Yeah, we were near an aid station but this was too loud.   Turns out I was coming up on Harriet!  I passed her and told her she was awesome.    I mean, 94!   Geicko had a full on bar on mile 4.5.  You name it, they had it.  😛

My legs were feeling good and surprisingly so were my lungs.  I was beginning to feel optimistic.  Then at mile 5.3, my stomach cramped in a rather unpleasant way.  Oh come on!  I took a walk break and deep breaths to try and calm it down but I was a little ticked.   And I would be nauseous for the remainder of the race.


Miles 7-9 10:57, 10:35, 10:28

6 and 7 slowed me down while I tried to get myself under control.  We passed the relay exchange a little past 6 and once again I thought I really need to do a relay.   There was a man handing out tequila shots at one point saying that while we may think it was too early for tequila, he thought it was too early to be running so why not meet in the middle?   😛  We had entered Normal Heights and I thought it was an awesome name so I had to take a pic.    At mile 8.4 the marathoner’s split off from the pack and the crowd thinned up a bit.   I was still feeling nauseous but I was trying to ignore it, I wasn’t going to let my stomach win.  I was listening to the on course entertainment and truthfully some interesting conversations from the runners around me.    My legs were feeling ok but by my standards this course was flat and I knew I would eventually be sore if I didn’t get a hill somewhere.


Miles 10-11 10:58, 11:06

We were coming into Balboa Park and I could hear drums and see the big inflatable guitar guy and I knew I was almost to mile 10.    Yay!  Except, around mile 9.5 the battle my lungs had been fighting the humidity got harder.  And my lungs started to lose.  I had to walk again and use my inhaler.  Grrr,  Of course, just past mile 10 was the first real hill of the course and my lungs were being whiny.  I walked it.  I also had a moment where I thought I was going to lose my cookies and may have mentally swore off pizza.   😛  I turned on my music just to drown out my breathing.

Miles 12-13- 9:45, 11:14

So, yeah coming out of the park lead to a decent downhill and I flew.   I was still taking walk breaks due to the humidity and my lungs.  The last mile was a struggle.  I thought I had kissed a sub 2:20 goodbye and I was pissed.   I haven’t seen that in 2 years and that I had gotten so close, I almost cried.  But I sucked it up and kept going.   The crowds were cheering, runners were walking away with medals and I was still taking walk breaks.  Grrr.   The finish line was in sight and I decided enough was enough and just ran for it.

Finish- 2:19:56

I crossed the line and bent over wheezing.  Medical was on me in seconds.  Damn, you’re fast!   I felt embarrassed but said I was ok, I just needed a moment.    It wasn’t until I got a hold of myself and received my medal that I looked at my watch.  I did it!   It’s been so long since I’ve seen I’ve been below 2:20 even if it is by the skin of my teeth.


I made my way through the picture station and then the food goodies before attempting to find my mother.  It was crowded!   We met up and hung out for a bit before I realized I needed to return to the hotel.  So much for the finish line festival.  That nausea and cramping I had been fighting reared it’s head I was very glad that my hotel was 2 blocks from the finish.  I could hear Micheal Franti though and he sounded great.

Overall, this was an awesome race.  I would recommend it to anyone.    The course and the crowd support was great.  The aid stations were on point.  As was medical.  😛    Now I want to run another one.  😁