Tag: Rock n Roll San jose

Week 41/ Rock N Roll San Jose Recap

Because let’s be real, that’s the only thing that kind of happened last week.

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll San Jose 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 packed up on Friday and was ready to road trip on Saturday morning. Let’s do this!

I forgot how easy the drive is up to San Jose. Soon enough, I was parking at the convention center for the expo.

The expo is more a mid size expo for Rock n Roll expos but with plenty of good things. I spent money! But first, the important stuff. I checked in and picked up my bib. Then I looked for the solutions table- oh right behind me! I walked over and asked what I needed to do to drop to the 10k. They wrote my bib number down and that was it! Easy peasy.

Then I was off to wander around the expo. I love the first big section is the Brooks / Rock n Roll section. I always drool over all the things but never buy. Except this day. I fell for a hat and a magnet. So cute! Then I wandered and checked out the rest. I kept my wallet in my purse this time.

I was aiming to get a good race pic here

Then it was off to the hotel and dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. Yum, but maybe a little too much. I laid out my #flatrunner to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. I was looking forward to running the 10K and knew that dropping down was the right choice after the past few weeks. My only goal for the race was to have fun and try to get an actual good race picture. I knew where one photographer was going to be so I figured I would try for a good one. We were being warned that it was going to be a warm morning but I was prepared.

Off to bed early, where I suddenly realized I had no safety pins for my bib! Oops! Then I tried to sleep. Key word- tried. I was just dozing off around 3 when it all changed.

The phone screamed into the night just after 3 in the morning. My dad was in the hospital and I was on the way back home in less than 30 minutes.

And that was how I DNS’ed Rock N Roll San Jose.

At the time I was writing this , I had more of hospitals than I would like but my dad is recovering. And that is what is important.

Sometimes life happens. There will be more races.

Taking It Back

Oh hey San Jose, can we try again?

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

Yep, I’m heading back to Rock n Roll San Jose in October. I feel like last years sciatica pain colored a course and crowds I would have appreciated in a not great shade.

San Jose has an impressive amount of cheer leaders out there cheering for you along the way. They did an amazing job by the way. They were the only thing that got a smile on my face by the last 6 miles. There were some neighborhoods that looked amazing in the back half of the race and I regret not taking pictures now. Running through San Pedro Square was awesome. And if there is a photographer there this year as well, I swear I am going to smile this time.

Now, about the flatness. This race is pancake flat. Seriously. It’s touted as the fastest half in California. Well, for most runners. For me? Well, I just want to finish under 2:25- doesn’t sound like much but I have never finished a flat course fast. Never. Even back when I was so much fitter and faster than I am now. 🙂 Flat is my nemesis- it’s time for flat to lose. I just want to enjoy myself and not finish a flat race course saying ouch.

Also, I will finally earn the Cali Combo medal. My first year running Rock n Roll races I only ran one in California- you had to run 3 to earn the Cali Combo medal. Last year I did run 3 races in Cali (San Diego, San Jose, LA) but they didn’t offer a Cali Combo medal. Boo. But—- they brought it back this year and now you only have to run 2 Rock n Roll races. Yay!!

Want to run with me???
Use code 19RNRBRP16 to save $16 on the half!

Rock n Roll San Jose Recap

After the worst night of sleep or lack thereof, I was up and getting ready for the race. I was also regretting the Spaghetti Factory dinner from the night before. 😛 I got ready and headed off to the start line.

The race started at 8 and while the Slacker in me liked that, every other part of me was worried. That is late. I knew I was going to be slower than planned. I still had to check out of my hotel. Rock n Roll had sent out a heat advisory email the night before. Let’s get this show on the road! Except we didn’t. I can usually guess exactly what time my corral is going to start for Rock N Roll races but I would have been so wrong this time. There was some delay for the trains? Buses? I don’t know but I was confused. I didn’t cross the start line until almost 8:30 and it already felt warm. I hate humidity.

Miles 1-3 9:58, 10:42, 10:21, 11:05
Irritation fueled the first mile. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to maintain that. My legs felt ok but the rest of me felt off- just kind of not present. I was running and felt like I was pushing but I knew I really wasn’t. I was realizing just how many turns this race course was going take. We turned so many times. We ran through the San Pedro Market area which brought us past the Spaghetti Factory- nope, nope. Then it was another turn and we were coming back towards the start line. I heard a woman tell her running partner that it was too hot for her.

Miles 5-8 11:05, 11:21, 11:31, 11:23
So much flat road. We were running towards the SAP Center and into an area of apartments and strip malls. I found the perfect apartment complex- an Orange Theory and Papa Johns were across the parking lot. Replace the Papa Johns with Domino’s and I am sold! The things we think about when trying to not think about running. 😜 So many more turns and we were in Santa Clara. I felt like we were so far away the finish line. I needed a hill. Why was it so warm, it’s October! There were some damn nice houses we ran by during this block as well.

Miles 9-12 12:58, 11:33, 12:26, 12:02
Oh, what the hell? My right hip/ sciatica seized and I ground to a slow crawl. I spent mile 9 mostly walking and punching myself in the butt. 🤣 I kind of wonder what I looked like to the runners behind me. I ran more in mile 10 but 11 was more of the same. Grrr. My stomach cramps from the morning also returned. Really?? What else? I was taking more walk breaks trying to loosen up my hip area. I was drinking water and Gatorade at every station and dumping water on my Buff then shoving it down my shirt to cool off. Classy, right? This course had an abundance of cheerleaders and they were needed as I was fading.

Mile 13 11:15
Around mile 11.5, the 2:30 pacer passed me. Umm, excuse me? I know they started after me and I was on pace for a 2:30 so they had no business passing me. I picked up the pace a bit because I was so ready to be done. Sure enough I passed the pace group in the last stretch to the finish line as they slammed on the breaks.

Finish – 2:30:00 on the nose

I was done, I was hot and my hip hurt. I made my way through the long finisher’s chute, getting my medal and food before finally making my way out and meeting up with my mother. In one good thing, the finisher chute pretty much dumped us out right at my hotel parking lot so I didn’t have far to hobble.

If you love flat, this is the race for you. I did like running through the neighborhoods of San Jose and course support- aid stations, music and cheerleaders. But I need hills. I don’t know if they would have made much of a difference that day but I missed them. Also, I haven’t been that sore post race in years- even after both marathons. 😛

Week 40:Upcoming Races-Rock n Roll San Jose Training Week 12

Upcoming Races-

Rock n Roll San Jose 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)-10/8
City to the Sea 13.1-10/14- maybe
Rock n Roll Los Angeles 13.1 (Thank you BibRave!)- 10/29
Monterey Bay Half Marathon (Thank you BibRave!)- 11/12

Welcome to funk town. I’m in a funk. I need out.

On the work front, things are getting interesting. We had an employee give notice which was sad because we had a great team in place. We were super lucky and managed to hire someone quickly so we were only short staffed last week but another employee turned in notice last week. Aaargh…what is in the water?!? And both of the them were afraid to tell me because they didn’t want to disappoint me so I was always the last person to “officially” know. Thanks, I think?

So workouts- the plan called for a 3 mile run, 4 mile run and the race. I also hoped to fit 3-4 cross training work outs in.

Monday- Liift4 week 1/day 1, Mes de Mas day 1
With my leg feeling cranky from the hot mess fail of a long run on Sunday, I decided not to run and just restart Liift4. It felt harder this time around. Hmmmm. I was feeling like doing more though so I pushed play on the Mes de Mas workout after. A workout for body and brain as the instructions are in Spanish. I’ve been looking forward to this one becoming available and it was fun.

Tuesday- 3 miles/ Liift4
I kept the miles nice and easy and just tried to focus on my form and stride. Nothing hurt but my leg didn’t feel marvelous either. I did another round of cross training once home.

Wednesday- Rest
Something pissed off my stomach in major way. It was enough just to make it through the work day. It also rained so I tried to just see it as good timing to feel crappy.

Thursday- Rest
My stomach was still angry. It’s been a while since I had bad flare up so I guess I was due for one. Race week timing was not great though.

Friday- Nothing
I meant to run a couple miles. I took the day off work in order to get a few things done and checked off my to-do list but only managed to check off a few things. Grrr.

Saturday- Road trip to San Jose
Road trip! I was on the road around 9 for the drive up to San Jose. Luckily San Jose is only about 3 hours away so the drive wasn’t bad. Getting to the expo was the easy part. Bib pick up was a breeze. Getting around town after was ridiculous. It was like Apple maps and Siri just refused to work. We got lost multiple times- on foot and by car. Grrrr. Thankfully I nailed the hotel choice- within walking distance of the start/finish- and it was within walking distance of a Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Though I came to regret that. Then I tried to get a decent nights sleep. Fail.