Four Bridges Half Marathon Race Report

Doing a second half marathon in 3 weeks seems crazy, doesn't it? But I promised my mom that we would participate together so we both signed up. A great bonus was that my brother also registered the day before the event so it was going to be the three of us participating together! Whoo hoo. Family stresses and crazy dynamics be damned!

I got to the run early because I had 17 miles on the training plan and I wanted to get the additional 4 miles in before the race. I ran 4 miles early at a pretty slow pace (10:45-11 min/miles). That was all good.

I had a 45 minute wait until the start of the race so I called my brother and mom to gauge their ETA. We hooked up about 10 minutes later. Mom was really nervous.

I was originally assigned to wave 2 based on my estimated finish time (2:10) but I switched to wave 3 so I could start with mom (2:15+). Bro started in our wave too. He was very irritable for some reason. Whatever.

The horn blew and we were off. The biggest thing we coached my mom on was for her to slow down during the first 5 miles. She kept trying to speed up and we were telling her that the first 3 miles were downhill and she would blow it if she sped away. It was like trying to keep my dogs from chasing a squirrel. I on the other had was trying to keep a slow steady pace. I did sprint up the hills because I enjoy it--but then I waited at the top of the hill for mom and bro.

I felt great all the way to mile 7 (which for me was really mile 11). By mile 8/12 my right IT Band was KILLING ME! I couldn't believe it! I hobbled on through miles 9/13 , 10/14 and 11/15. I saw my husband and RR#2 at mile 12/16. O M was i in pain!

At mile 12.5/16.5 my mom and brother started arguing on the bike trail and my mom, now really angry, took off on a sprint, leaving us (her support team) in the dust.

Bro and I almost caught up to her (we stood with our mouths open staring at each other for a few seconds) by the finish. We were about 2 seconds back.

Finish line photo of all three of us will be posted soon. But you can see it here

Find Bib #217

Finishing time was 2:27 -- but for all 17 miles it took me 3:09

Chuckle for the Day

I think this is really funny.

Four Bridges Race Report coming up soon!

Speed Work

Just a quick note. I did my speed workout last night

2 mile warm up.
6X800's at threshold pace w/ 90 second recovery
2 mile cool down.


My TOP SPEED while running???? 6:28 min/mile!!!!!!!!!

Don't MESS, er, with Kalyfornya.. (as our illustrious governator stays).


Woot Woot!

Kickn' A$$

Working long hours has kept me incredibly busy -- too busy to post anything lately.

This weekend (Sunday) is the Four Bridges Half Marathon. I am set to run it. I am hoping for a 2:15 time or better. My mom is running with me, despite a slight calf muscle pull. My brother is planning to run it too--as a surprise for my mom.

I wish there was a lot more to tell but there isn't.

I ran 15 miles last week. My longest run ever in my life. I felt like crap afterward but by the next day, it was all good.

I am looking forward to the cheering spectators on Sunday. I am going to run 13.1 miles for the race, then another 4 miles (2 mile warm up/ 2 mile cool down) after--in order to reach my 17 mile training goal.

That's it for now. Tonight's workout is 6 half mile repeats at intensity pace + 1.5 mile warm up/1.5 mile cool down for a total of 6 miles.

I'll post after Sunday's race!

Cowtown Race Report

First my sincerest apologies—I have no pictures. I was too lazy to carry the camera with me.

However, here’s report.


I woke up at 5 and had coffee and PB & J toasted sandwich and water.
Read the weather report—40 degrees outside--Perfect for shorts and shortsleeve top when running. I donned skirtsports skirt with compression thigh length shorts underneath. Wore my blood sweat and beers top and also brought my hat.

Did the usual ‘bodily functions’ packed up my stuff and left the house by 5:45. Fleet feet said to reach their tent by 6:45 for a warm up.

Met at a friends house who lives close by the race location and parked the car in front of her house. Went in, used her bathroom and then we walked to the race start (about a mile away).

Oh.
My.
It was cold. Walking in shorts in 40 degree weather (remember this is California and it was 110 high only 1.5 weeks ago) is difficult. I forgot gloves. Drats.

Anyway, got to the fleet feet tent in time to see the group leaving for their warm up. I warmed up with a mile on my own. Talked with a few friends and then stood in the 10:00 min/mile section behind the start line.

At 7:15 I ate a GU Espresso Love.

At 7:33 a.m. the gun went off and I started pretty slow.
First mile split was 10:30. All felt pretty good. No ankle pain. Breathing was regular.

Second mile split 9:20. WTF? Ok, slow down slow down… I kept thinking I have to slow down.

Third mile split was 9:25. SLOW DOWN!

Fourth Mile split 9:15. Ok this is ridiculous. Right then my shoe lace came untied. Perfect!! Never have I wished for an untied shoelace, but I was happy to stop and tie so I would force myself to slow down.

Fifth mile split –10:20. I also half-rolled my bad ankle in a pothole. I kept running—was it hurt???? No, it was ok. I kept going.

Reached the half way point—6.5 miles. Mile split was 9:40. Fk.
At this point, I should have eaten some GU but was so focused on trying to slow down, I forgot to eat. This would come back to haunt me later.

Mile 8---Why do my legs hurt??? They feel like they are filled with concrete. Split was 10:00

Mile 9---This is a long freakn’ mile. Side stitch started and wouldn’t quit. Saw some friends on the sideline and got some much needed, “GO KAREN!!!” and high-fives.

Mile 10---Only a 5K to go. Why does this hurt? Just keep moving forward. No walking. At this point I noticed a man behind me continue to cough and cough as if he had some sort of contagious (SWINE FLU) disease. He was also telling his running buddy that he’d had a bad fever [Cough cough cough hack]. Lovely. This was a good incentive to run faster. Noticed my overall time was 1:38. I could make 2:10 if I kept up the same pace.

Mile 11—I had to walk for a minute or two. The lack of calories at halfway point and 10-mile marker (forgot that fueling point too) was really starting to hit me hard. I heard the cougher coming up behind me and took off.

Mile 12—cheery high school students were handing off water and cytomax. I tried to smile and say thank you, but I think it might have come out as a grunt. Mile split was 11:22

Mile 13---I could see the finish line and started to sprint with a smile on my face. ,I grabbed the finisher’s medal at the end of the chute-- the finishers medal is a COWBELL (of course)!

Final time 02:11:37. All things considered this was a good race for me. My goal was about 2:15 so I beat that.

Things to learn: EAT EAT EAT when I need to eat. I kept forgetting to eat because I was so focused on going faster and putting one foot in front of the other. Maybe I can figure out how to set a timer on my Garmin.

Other than that I was pretty happy. I am surprised at my fast mile splits in the beginning. I wanted to maintain 10:00 min/mile splits the whole way. This is a great race, nice and flat and even though I love hills, I enjoyed the flatness of it. I discovered later that they had a gear check (I didn’t see that info on their website) so next year, I’ll definitely wear my sweats to the start …

Cowtown Miracle

I finished Cowtown in 2:11:37!

So sore today but I can't believe it!

Detailed report to follow ... BUT I ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR FOUR BRIDGES HALF MARATHON ..

Race of the Year

As you may have noticed, I haven’t raced much in the last 18 months or so. My thesis/feces took priority. On Sunday, October 4 I will endeavor to complete the Cowtown Half Marathon. I am a little worried and nervous. I have been sick for two days this week; had a bad ankle for 4 weeks; and now have some shin pain.

I ran 4 miles this morning in 40:32 and felt great after so I’m keeping my hopes up that Cowtown will go well. I’ll try to take pics and post them after the race.

If all goes good with Cowtown then I intend to register for four bridges half on Oct 25. CIM group is slated to run 17 that day, so I’ll do the 2 mile warm up before the race and a 2 mile cool down after so I can get in my mileage. My mom (58 years old!) is running Four Bridges – her first half marathon ever!. She rocks it. She started running when she was 50 –and had absolutely NO athletic background before she began running a few years ago.

Anyway, that’s it for now.. Send good vibes my way on Sunday morning.