Newport Liberty Half Marathon USATF-NJ Championship, Jersey City, NJ. 9/22/13

Photo by Elaine Acosta

Today I ran the Newport Liberty Half.  It is a 700 pt USATF-NJ Race series Championship event.  It has prize money and many fast runners show up.  The top male runner won it in 1:08.  The top female ran a 1:20.  To have a shot at breaking into the top 10 as a female, you have to be able to run a 1:28.  I am not quite that fast.

My thoughts about the Course:
First I love how fast the course is.  If you are looking for a flat and fast race, this is one.  If you are looking for scenic, this one has some really wonderful skyline views and a phenomenal view of the Statue of Liberty worth seeing.  However, with the first 3 miles and the final miles being routed through Jersey city streets, under overpasses, over train tracks, etc.,  I don't believe the views are incredibly special.  In addition, the twist and turns as we wind through both street and the park roads in Liberty State Park can add mileage if your tangents stink. I did ok today, only tacking on about .2

Water stops are plentiful, but Gatorade (which I like) is provided only in the middle miles.  Unlike the RnR Half, which had gatorade starting at mile 3, this one started Gatorade at mile 6, then again at 8 and about 10, I believe.  If you are the type of person who needs sports drink early on, you may want to carry something with you.  If not, the amount provide seemed sufficient.

The Weather Trends - Expect Wind
Despite the weather being a factor no one can control, I find that knowing what to expect helps me mentally prepare.  For some reason, it always seems to be rainy or very windy.  The rain may be avoided if Mother Nature is in a good mood, but I don't believe this race is every going to be wind free. Several sections of this run are along the water on a waterfront walkway, where wind is just ever-present and always against us.  In the streets, the buildings block it on the way out,  but in the park and along the water, it is a real factor on the way back. I would like to say that the wind works both ways and we get an assist, but it really doesn't seem to be the case.  There may be a stretch along one short out and back part in mile 8 that is on the water where we get to run with the wind prior to running around a cone and then directly back into it for much longer. This break comes after a very long stretch  where we are running into the wind for what feels like forever.   If the wind isn't horrible, it may not slow pace, but it just adds work.

Perks:
Besides the prize money for the leaders, this race does offer long sleeve tech shirts, and holds a raffle at the end worth staying for.  Three of us won gift cards of $25 -$50 for restaurants today.

My Training the Day before The Race:
Yesterday, I trained with a TNT runner who was running her first 20 miler.  As an assistant coach for TNT, it is my job to run with our runners, give advice, answer questions, pace them, encourage them.  Well, Kim, the runner I partnered up with was just awesome and we clocked her first ever 20 mile in about 10:10 pace with a negative split.  That is not a "fast" training pace for me, but it is a lot of time on my feet.  As soon as we finished, Coach Sue, Kim, Jess, and I all ran into the ocean for a wonderful cool soaking of our legs, then refueled at Dunkin Donuts.

Because I have been doing depletion training for my long runs, I took in 0 calories and only water as needed during the entire 20 miles with Kim. However, I did want to refuel for the half as soon as I was done.  Bagel, OJ, Coffee and I was good.

The Race:
I arrived about 7:20 for a 8:30 start but somehow still found myself standing in the longest portapotty line on the face of the earth at 8:20.   Last weekend I raced with 18000 people and manage to find a potty with 0 wait.  This weekend I race with 3000 people and all apparently were on line before me!

At 8:28 am, omg, yes 8:28 am, I finally get in and out of the potty, but still have to run to the start.  This is a Championship race and points are assigned by GUN time. This means I better get as far up front as I can.  I am basically running along the fringe of the crowd of racers hoping to make it to the front before the gun.

Just as I get to the front, about 2 rows back, I see Martin and give him a hug... and we are immediately off!

Because we are running through city streets, my Garmin is confused.  It doesnt know it we are running a 5:51 or a 7:48... oh boy.   But this is a local race, and despite its size I know who my "regulars" are and see those who normally run my speed around me.  I feel like I am running fast, but go with it because it feels good and I wonder what will happen with a more aggressive start.  M1- 6:45

We wind through the streets and I feel like I am ok.  In addition to the long run yesterday,  I also ran a PR half marathon last Sunday and everyday in between.  Today I needed to push for points, and to assist my Team, but I was not sure how long I could hold a fast pace today.  Part of me wondered if banking a little time early could help me later when I lose it or whether banking time would ensure I fall apart.  I know I am not ready for a half a 6:45 pace. I settle down and stop running like an idiot.  M2 - 6:59 

Ok that's better.  If I can hold 7:00s for a while, and finish strong then technically I should be sub-7 for the entire deal, right? That sounds like a plan.  I try to sit just around 7's to see how long until my body rebels.  M3 - 6:57

I am trying to pay attention to my competition. After all, I need to beat as many women as possible today to improve my score in the Grand Prix series.  Currently, I am leading the women in this statewide, year long, series but I know that is a product of me racing a lot and I will not hold that position once all those better than me fill up their scorecards.  However, I don't want to make it easy to be passed so I know I don't want to blow up today.  I try to find a comfortable pace and sit there as we wind through the end of the streets. M4-7:02

As we enter the park, I must have been fading as I am suddenly being overtaken by a small group of runners. This race does not have pace groups. There were  about 4-5 people all moving well.  It is extremely early for aggressive moves. The group is mostly men, but there is one female in the pack.  They are not moving much faster than me, so I decide to go with them.  The guy leading the charge hears my breathing and asks me if I am ok.  I hate this part about asthma.  I sound like crap when running hard.  I am used to it, but others often try to tell how to breathe. It is very hard to breathe when your bronchial tubes are constricted.  I manage ok and really the only way to sound better is to slow down and that is not an option. M5: 6:58

As we approach mile 6, the chick in the group asks me my age.  I tell her and she is relieved we are not in the same age group.  She comments that we can help each other.  I love this because, first I really dont mind helping anyone, but there is this incredibly competitive side of me that wanted to remind her that in this entire pack that the only person I am actually racing was her! LOL. But I don't say that out loud because even thought I think it would be funny, it would sound very unfriendly.  But the truth is I LOVE racing and therefore I think it is great to be in a great head to head race with an actual competitor, rather then race guys who are not actually my competition.  She is sweet.  I hoped she would stick around and make me work.  M6 - 6:54

Ok so now the hard part begins. First, I really dislike wind. Constant wind mentally exhausts me as much as it does physically. For the next several miles we will be running along the water.  The view of the Statue of Liberty is amazing and incredibly inspiring.  But soon we get slapped in the face by Mother Nature and her nasty wind. It was not an incredibly strong wind, but it was noticeably and constant and we are going to be running into it for almost 4 -5 miles between now and the end of this race!

We turn on to the walkway at the water's edge and the woman from out pack drops out. We pick up a few others briefly.  I tuck in to the middle of the pack.  An older gentleman, also named Martin, comments... "That's what you gotta do, tuck in behind the big guys" and then he tucks in behind me and comments "Why can you be bigger?!"  LOL.  This stretch is just rough, not impossible, just rough. Our group is alternating leaders, and the one leading the group comments about how the wind sucks.  The rest of us concur.  I know we have to deal with this for most of the rest of the race.  I was ready for this and I work hard to stay on pace.  M7 - 6:55.  

I feel wiped from the effort it took to run into the wind and I am grateful that part of mile 8 does have us backtrack with a wind assist.  However, that is much shorter stretch than the stretch we had to deal with between 6 and 7 and we also have to turn back and double back into again after rounding a cone.  M8-7:00

Once past the 8 mile clock we continue running into the wind along the water for almost another mile.  It is just miles of headwind with nothing we can do about it.  I am just grateful it was not stronger than it was. It was obnoxious, but it was manageable and it was something that could be fought through. M9-6:56

At this point last week, I was just starting to pick up my pace to start my attack on the finish line.  Today, the wind has beaten me down so much, I decided to take another mile of "rest" before I make any effort to try to pick it up, if I even could. My group was now 4 of us.  M10 - 7:02  

As we hit 10, hear someone in my group say, "If we want to break 1:30 we have to move!" I looked at the clock at 10 and unless my math was wrong, I was pretty sure 1:31-1:32 was more likely than 1:29.  I notice Sergio running close enough ahead now for me to reach him.  I never run with Sergio.  He must not have been having a great day, but I decide to make that move the guys were discussing back at the clock.  I assume they will come with me.

I catch up to Sergio and his reaction is just utter joy and amazement.  He is a very lovely person who is always so genuinely happy to see me run well.  When I caught up to him he said with such happiness, "You are going doing so great! You are going to beat me today!" as he started to pick his pace back up.  I responded with "I think I can PR.  Run with me!"  Sergio was up for the challenge.  I also think a part of him really wanted a good reason to pick up his pace and me asking for him to run with me seemed to perk him up.  He picked up his pace, faster than I could go and he called out, "Lets Go"!  I was pushing so hard, but I had not much more to offer.  I kept him in range, just a few seconds ahead of me.  M11- 6:53

We are back in the streets for part of the last 5k.  I don't like this part because just after you are beat down from the wind, there is an incline for most of the first half mile of 11 that feels like a challenge!  LOL  A chick is walking.  I tell her to "come on! let's go" and she starts hauling.  She passes me and I try to stay with her.  I hope she pulls me.  We get to the top of the incline and she start walking again. I feel grateful she was there to challenge me.  Then once again we are running along the waterfront. Wind, Again. Come on!  I am just so tired of the water and the wind. My chest hurts. I am wheezing loud.  Serge is pulling away. I am trying to stay with him.  Together Serge and I are passing lots of people. I feel like I am in a movie.  My legs feel wobbly.  I feel like I might fall down.  I am pushing my pace but the wind is pushing back a little. M12: 6:59

One mile to go and I am ready to be done.  We have to get back out into the street and finally we are out of the wind. Here I feel like my pace matches my effort.  Serge is ahead, I am trying to catch up. He would glance back for me periodically in this last 5k, I knew he was trying to pull me.  I feel like we are in our own race and no one else knows to go with us.  It is an amazing way to finish a half.  I have no idea how much further. I glance at my watch and it says 1:30. I can't imagine having 2 minute left of running. I am sure I will get a new PR but by how much.  (6:44 pace for the Last 1.17)

Finally I see the turn, I sprint. Serge does too. He is fast! We pass several runners on the final kick and we are done!  He was 4 second ahead.  I give him a huge hug at the finish! I am just so happy I PR'd after a hard week, a PR last week, and a 20 miler yesterday.

This race was much harder than last weeks simply because of all that wind.  Without focusing on chasing Sergio, I could have easily crumbled in the last 5k, but I didn't.  It wasn't as pretty as last week's PR, but I ran hard and I am very pleased with my result.

Stats:
Time: 1:31:25
OA Place: 166/2696
Female: 17/1242
AG: 2/203
Award: Metal
Bonus: Stayed for the Raffle and won a $25 gift card.

Rock N Roll Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon, Philly, PA. 9/15/13

First, I must thank Brooks for comping my entry into this race.  It means a lot to get perks like this as a member of the Brooks ID team.  This does not happen often, so I would like to make sure Brooks knows how appreciative I am.   However, I just was not sure how I felt going into this race.

Last Week:

Last weekend I missed a marathon. Like every marathoner's nightmare,  my cell phone froze in the middle of the night and my alarm didn't go off.  I did jump out of bed at 4:45 with possibly enough time to barely make the start out in PA.  However, I had run an easy-paced 20 miles the day before (I am working on Back to Back LR now) and at the very end of that run I experienced a sharp pain in my left foot.  As I hustled around the house like a crazy chicken without a head, I could feel the residual soreness in the tendons.  Realizing that if it hurts, even mildly, to walk on it then running a marathon surely is a bad idea.  So crawled back into bed and enjoyed the first morning I did not have to get up and go somewhere right away in a long time.  I still got up 2 hours later and when Sidney wanted to take Enzo for a short 4 miler.  My foot did feel irritated during that run and although it was not terrible I knew I made a good decision.  

Missing that marathon, which was really just a long training run, rocked my confidence a bit.  Not only was I now concerned about my foot, I also felt sluggish from taking a lighter week of mileage (60.2 miles vs the 87 miles I had the two weeks prior and the 100 before that). 

Sometimes when I back off, I feel more stiff and achy.  This week my calf and achilles were tight and sore all week.  Very low level irritation, but definitely not 100%.  Because I rested more in the start of week, with lower mileage runs, most of those 60 miles were accumulated from Wednesday onward.   One thing I have learned a long time ago is that if I catch an issue early, when it is just starting to act up, and take 3-4 easy days of running 1-4 miles as tolerated, I usually feel a lot better and can resume training. 

Yesterday (day before the half):

Yesterday, I had only planned to run about 10-12 miles but when the weather is perfect the miles come easy.  I logged 17 miles with TNT, before deciding it was time to go home.  I also needed to take Enzo for his run so that added 3 more easy miles to my day. The rest of the day was spend running errands.  I ended the day fighting my printer to give me a usable copy of all my paperwork for this RNR race day packet pick up, so by the time I got to bed it was 11:30 pm.  I had a 4:30 am alarm set. I was so concerned about it not going off, again. Consequently, I woke up each hour worried I had over slept.  

Today (race day):

In my effort to try to eek out every last minute of sleep possible, I ended up leaving the house 20 minutes behind schedule. The drive was easy but I was incredibly concerned that the lot I always park in would be full.  I like my lot.  It is .75 miles from the starting area. I have to jog up there to get my bib, jog back to my car to get ready to race and jog back to the start and then I usually get a final cool down jog back to the car.  As I approached it, at 6:50 am, it looked ominous but there were a few spots left when I got in there! Phew.  Next time I need to leave earlier! 

(Super Secret porto-potty tip - shhhh! dont tell anyone!):

Once parked, I ran off to get my packet... hoping to find a bathroom with a short line on the way.  I was so late, that the lines were already too long.  It takes a few minutes to get to the Oval.  To get a race-day bib pick up means you have to go to the three different booths (One to check your ID and get a sheet of paper. One to collect your your bib. And one more to get your T-shirt and bag... AND they are not all next to each other!).   When collecting my bib, the volunteer handing me mine was Sarah, who has been a virtual teammate of my on my Tramps team!  What a great surprise! The Tramps started out as a Beginners Running Group where we played a game online logging miles as a team in competition between other teams.  We no longer compete as a team, but we stay in touch via a FB group.  Some runners on that team have reached impressive levels of success! It is really nice to say in touch and was wonderful to see Sarah!

I was worried about time. But one secret tip... everyone waits at the first bathrooms they find.  Keep on going all the up to the info booth and beyond.  Walk all the way into the staging area and continue walking in the Oval and you will find tons of port-o-potties with 0 lines.  Year after year I remember this and never have I had to wait longer than 1 person for a clean bathroom with plenty of TP.   

By the time I had gotten all my stuff, it was 7:15 am.  I still had to jog back to my car, change and get organized, then jog back. I was starting to get stressed out that I was cutting it close. In addition I had to pee again (nerves, I am sure).  Lucky for me there was a port-o-potty in my parking with no line, so I was all set.  I was back at my corral by 7:45.

I knew Susanne was coming to this race.  Back in 2009, I remember walking into the Corral and she was standing right there.  I know her from a running group.  That half in 2009 was a break through race for us both.  We pushed and pulled each other to a 1:34 with us both being around 1:39-1:40 half marathoner prior to that morning!  

I lined up in my corral, today, and watched the entrance.  I was hoping she would walk in and this time see me standing there. I didn't tell her I was coming.  I don't like to clutter my race day mornings with meeting and greeting people when I am trying to focus.  I am usually running late and I have no time to chit chat pre-race.  I prefer to socialize after.  But I hoped she was assigned to Corral 1 and would pop in at the last minute!  I imagined a repeat of 2009 where we would join forces and energy and do something potentially amazing... or blow up trying.  But, not this year.  We were about to start. I was on my own. 

The Race:

Weather: 52-60 degrees, clear. 

Running Gear:  Sports bra, shorts, T-7s. 

Gun goes off! 

I start my watch as I cross the start mat. I get a good start... There is not a lot of traffic in Corral 1. Some people are clearly in the wrong corral, but hey that is part of racing.  I avoid being blocked in, but my tangents are a mess.  My Garmin is going crazy and the data is not helping...I am either running a 5:54 mile or a 9:35???  Mile one comes as my Garmin read 1.05 Miles... But this is irrelevant and the mile markers on the course are the only miles that count. I split my watch at the first official mile marker. M1: 7:09

I am cruising but honestly I dont feel awesome.  My shoulders feel tired, like my arm are just too heavy to carry. I shake them out, but it really doesnt help much. I worry that 20 miles yesterday is going to catch up with me, but when?! I try to focus on one mile at a time.  The crowds help.  I feel like I am in a herd of cattle.  M2 also reads long by .05, again. "Man I must stink at tangents today!" M2: 7:05

By mile 3 I am starting to ponder my split personality of racing.  Sometimes, I show up and run an impressive (for me) race.  Sometimes I show up and just can't perform well at all.  The problem is, I just never know which version of myself will show up on race day.  I would like to think I have some way of predicting this, like on the days I run 20 miles the day before and then try to race a half, things will go crappy and other times tapering will allow me to shine.  BUT it rarely works like that for me.  Some of best races come at the end of a 100 mile training weeks or the day after a Long Run.  Some of worst after a taper... BUT not always. There is simply not a clear pattern. Sometimes I know when my immune system is struggling I just cant run fast no matter what kind of training I have done. But sometimes my race day success is simply random and this suggests that part of my issues are psychological.  So I decide today to not let the weak version come out and play.  At least not now.  Each mile, I battle my internal quitter.  M3: 7:05  

I notice my 5k split is just over 22:0x minutes.  As I approach the start of Mile 4, I hear my name and it Bill W., a runner and coach from TNT!  This gives me a boost.  The downhill part of 4 is also helpful.  M4: 6:58

By mile 5 I am starting to feel tired. I am trying to hug every turn, but the course winds and weaves so I am just all over the place. Split continue to read long.  M5: 7:06

I try to convince myself just staying under 7:10 is good.  However, I don't like fading this early. Some of this is due to the gently rolling nature of the course.  I start doing math and know if I get to the 10k in 44:00 or better I am speeding up.  M6: 7:05.  I hit the 10k mark just as my watch flips to 44:00.  I know I was only a second or two faster, but I will take it.   

Now I start setting goals.  If I can get to 15k in under 66 minutes then I will be negative splitting and only have about 4 miles left and a chance at a PR. I know there is some incline coming as we approach Falls Bridge, but it is not too steep.  I focus on even effort for the next two miles, planning to unlock something as I hit 9 miles.  M7: 7:04, M8: 7:03.

I grab a gel at 8.8.  As soon as we cross the bridge we get a gorgeous down hill to use. I take full advantage and watch the pace on my Garmin fall, but we level out and roll a little.  My mile 9 is not as fast as I hoped it would be, but I am finding renewed strength. M9: 7:01

I dig.  I know I have a shot for a PR. My best was run the week after this race last year at the Newport Liberty half with my chip time being 1:32:07.  I do the math and know that I may be able to break 1:32, but just barely.  It all depends on how far under 88 minutes I am at the 20k.  I dig a little more and then actually taste some of that gel coming back up.  Awesome.  You know you are running hard when you throw up a little along the way. M10: 6:51

Five K to go! I am running well. I am passing people left and right.  This is the perk of a big race!  But I am also being passed as well. I am truly digging and the course is fast here if you have something to give. I fight hard and try not to puke. M11: 6:54 

I pass an older guy and he says, "My legs are telling me I am old".  I tell him, "Your legs are telling you you are awesome and you are almost done!"  A young kid says "Just 2.1 to go!" and then apparently hits his turbo boost, takes off into the sunset and I never see him again! Where do I get speed like that!

A woman in black comes up on my side and says "You are doing a great job!" and then she get a few steps on me.  My inner psychologist picks this apart. I always have odd feelings about telling people I am passing things like "You are doing great!" as I pass them. It seems a little condescending,  like the subliminal message is "You are doing great for YOU but I am simply better." So I try to save the "Great work" comments for those how are passing me (since they are clearly doing better). I try to either invite people I pass to "You look great! Come with me! Let's do this together!" which to me sends more of a positive message. But the reality is I usually simply just say nothing as I pass people. We are all racing. And when I am racing hard I am not both racing and cheering-leading.  I can only do one thing well at a time.  I am not saying there is something wrong with being supportive, but sometimes it is just odd. 

I do recognize her positive spirit and return her compliment, telling her she is doing great too!  She comments back just one more hard mile to go and then the crowds will carry us home.  We hit M12: 6:50 and I push past her!

I thought she was going to come with me, but she did not. I am sure she was close, but I was more focused on those ahead of me.  I hug all the tangents I can because my watch is already reading .18 long and that could mean I am just giving away time.  I work for mile 13 but I feel myself struggling. 

M13: 6:48

Finally, the last tenth or so.  I just want this to be over. I don't look at my watch but I believe I have a real shot a breaking 1:32 for a new PR. I kick as hard as I can and finish the Last .12: 044 (6:23 pace).

Garmin reads a lovely 13.29 (6:55 pace) giving me hope that I can actually run faster in a smaller race.  I also know that Negative Split this entire race, running each 5k faster than the 5k before it and I proud!

As I am walking through the finisher area, I hear my name.  It is Susanne. :)   She just ran a great race as well! If we had started together, we would have likely run the entire race together again.  We find out that we parked on the same street and walk to our cars.

Stats:

Time 1:32:00 (7:02 pace).  

OA: 676 / 18068
Gender: 144/ 11024
AG: 18/1846

In Pursuit of My Perfect Handheld... Part Two

Back in July, I started testing out a variety of bottles/hydration systems to try to find one I really love.

All the products were bought by me and I have no financial interest in any of this. I just want to not hate my run while carrying fluids when I have to carry my own.  Here is the original post:
http://shannon-creatingmomentum.blogspot.com/2013/07/in-pursuit-of-my-perfect-handheld.html

My results.

Quick Shot

First my Nathan's Quick Shot is still, by far, my favorite handheld bottle. NOTE:  NOT the one with the pocket. I dislike the way bottles feel in my hand when they have pockets.  But this pocket free version is the best. It feels like nothing in my hand... because at 10 oz it actually is barely nothing.  However, at my smaller size and the fact that I do well on less food/drink than most people either actually need or believe they need, I find a 10 oz bottle very effective for the training runs I do on loop courses or in race where aid is a few miles apart. By drinking up and then carrying 10 more ounces with me, I am usually covered by the time I have the opportunity to refill.

On longer loops, I may use hydration pack in training (or not and figure out how not to die of dehydration), but don't wear my pack in races so I wanted to try a larger bottle or a smaller pack.

In consideration of how much I liked the smaller Nathan's bottle, I tried the Nathan's Vapor Draw Bottle.  Ugh. The shape of the bottle looks, um, interesting.  It looks like it has some well-thought out ergonomic design that might make holding a larger bottle in my smaller hands actually work for me.  Uh, No. No. No. It. Did. Not.  In fact, I have no clue what the heck the designers of that bottle were thinking because the bizarre shape actually renders the hand-strap effective, at least for me.

That weird hook shaped thingy, that I imagined would rest in the space above my thumb did not rest there but rather simply holds the strap out in space in the place exactly where you would want it to be snug... and do to the odd shape of the bottle you can't twist the hand-strap material into any position that makes sense and still stays on the bottle. I have never wanted throw a bottle during a run just to get it away from me before, but this one was on the verge at being pelted just to get its annoying-ness off my person. It has since been sitting on my

kitchen counter taunting me with its fanciness, but I know better than to take it back out with me.  I may find some purple flowers to plant in there. They would look nice against that crazy yellow.  Honestly, maybe a person with much larger hands can make this work, but I have little tiny child-sized hands so this is clearly not for me.

Next, I tried the UltrApire 16 oz.  I had high hopes for this one.  The fact is most bottles are over 20 oz and often I like them best when filled 3/4 or under. This suggested a 16 oz bottle may be perfect for me. But the bottle was shaped like a rectangle?!  This was pretty much the complete opposite of the fancy, ergonomically shaped fancy-pants Vapor Draw.

Why would anyone want to run around with a rectangle in their hand?  Why because it feels awesome! That is why!  However, I am sure this bottle only feels great because I have finagled the hand strap to mirror the Nathan's Quick Shot, so that it has a glove-like fit. You see, the Nathan's quick shot has an opening to slip your thumb through and the bottle rests in the palm of your hand, whether or not your hand is opened or closed.  If I keep the hand strap very loose on the UltrAspire, I can slip my thumb up through the space between the neck and the hand strap, mimicking the glove fit.  However, anyone with regular adult-sized hands can not replicate this magical feat and therefore the bottle does not seem to be so awesome to them.  I know this because I make everyone I run with try it and no one else can do this.

One negative about this bottle is the mouth piece.  It is obnoxious.  It is a twist top with a rubber cover over plastic. The twist is not easy to grip to twist when it gets wet or with sweaty hand.  I end up needing to grab it with my teeth. Somehow, on the first run, I put a hole into the rubber. I apparently have a super sharp canine tooth. That is scary.  All I want to know is where is that tooth when trying to open a freakin gel at mile 18!  The bottle is still functional with the tiny hole, but I am not a fan of the constant open, close, open, close action that I need to use my teeth to accomplish. In some cases the red rubber cover twists, but the actual spout does not open... ugh.

In comparison, the Quick shot has the perfect valve system on the mouthpiece which keeps fluid in when running, but with gentle pressure on the bottle, it shoots a stream of liquid wherever you aim it... sometimes (often) I aim it at John P. when he is being a smartass... or I just punch him in the arm.

UltrAspire 16oz

The only problem with the Quick Shot is when you attempt to fill it with anything carbonated... yes sometimes, I have a brilliant craving for Mountain Dew in the middle of race and try to fill my handheld with it AND then I start running creating a Mountain Dew volcano that erupts relentlessly and excessively out the hopeless valve.  Sometimes I futilely attempt to stop it by plugging the hole with my finger.  That just really makes everything worse!  Regardless of the Quick Shots failure to install a Mountain Dew Saftey Lock, I still attempted to cannibalize one quick shot bottle and tried to cram the mouth piece onto my UltrAspire bottle, hoping to create one Frankenstein-esque perfect bottle... It was quiet close but no luck. It is almost like these companies do this crap on purpose and make it impossible to swap parts! :)

Finally, I tried my Minimist Vest.  It is a really nice product.  The fit was great. The weight was lighter than my Intensity. However the design is a bit odd. The large pocket to hold gear is against our back while the bladder sits in a pouch outside that pocket.  It seems that the bladder should be closest to the body while the gear pocket be outside for easy access, but on second thought if you plan to refill that bladder quick assess may be better.  However, at 1.5 liters, I can go quite far on one filling.

In addition to the external pocket that does not actually seal shut to hold the bladder, the bladder seems to be missing any hook to hang it.  As a result, it just awkwardly slouches into the pouch it gets dropped in.  There IS an odd shaped plastic rectangular piece that could be used like a hook, but it is not an effective hook, on top of the bladder.  There is only a loop of fabric on the pack which would be the exact place to hang something from.  I discover that if I twist the loop, then stick the fabric loop around that plastic psuedo-hook thingy, it will stay put.  But really, WTF?  Just put an hook on it!

Next, if you dont really snug down the entire pack, the bladder will bounce incessantly.  But, with just some attention to snugging up the adjustable straps helps to resolve this. What is great about this pack it the two front closures not one.  It makes it stay in place much better than the older race vest (which I doctored up by adding laces to an additional front closure).

There is not a lot of storage in this pack on the front.  The other Nathans race vest or hydration pack have ample room to store a lot of things.  This pack has one stretchy zip pocket up front, that could hold gels, or a phone, etc...Then it has a small pouch that does not close where you can put stuff you would like to fling haphazardly about the trail, and possibly lose completely when falling down like I do often.  I like to put my keys in there when I am feeling dangerous. Just Kidding. Actually I do stink my inhaler in there and so far it have never fallen out. There are some other teeny tiny pockets for things like magic fairy dust or microscopic but yet important enough things that will save the day hours into a trail run while lost in the woods... I am not sure what I will put in them, but I am sure those who rely a lot on pills will like them.


Out of all the systems I like the Minimist vest the best for training.  I could possibly wear it in a race if really needed, but I would rather not.  I dont like racing with a ton of stuff on me.  It makes me feel heavy and hot.  At the present, I would choose the UltrAspire for racing if aid stations are too far apart for my Nathan's Quick Shot to handle. How far apart is that?  I am not sure.  Depends on the weather.

I am just going to hold my breath and hope Nathans makes the Quick Shot in a 12 -16 oz version.  I dont understand why they can't use the exact same simple design but add a bottle just a few oz larger.

Jimmy D 5k, New Brunswick, NJ. 9/1/13

When I left the house the weather report predicted about 76 degrees (not too bad) but with 93% humidity (OMG!) for this 5k.  This is just horrid!

I was pretty tired from running 21 miles yesterday, even though it was an easy pace (just around 10 minutes per mile). Yesterday was just as bad as today with the humidity building all morning and made those miles tough.

Today's race, starting at 9 am, was oppressively stifling.  It was so humid that I had to take off my calve sleeves because even just that extra layer was making me very very uncomfortable.  I met Martin J. and we warmed up a bit.  I only ran just over a mile before I lined up to start.

This was a USATF-NJ Open Women's Championship race.  I knew I would be lucky to be in the top 10 and would be pleased if I was in the top 20.  The race had 760 runners with 351 female.  Some of the fastest women in the state travel for this race and I never was and will never be a great 5k runner.  Still, with this race being chip timed at the finish but lacking a start mat, that meant it was basically a gun-timed race and that meant I needed to lined up towards the front.  I was about 3 or 4 rows back.

I knew this course from last year and I am not truly in love with it. We start on a mildly rolling descent out... until we hit a turnaround, then return on a somehow super hilly return trip.  ;)  Yes, it is the same road but on the way out the downhills are noticeable, but after running hard for 1.5 miles, the rolling incline becomes tough on the way back.  BUT then we get to finish the last tenth or so on the track.  I do love track finishes!

After the cannon start, I tried to find a fast pace that would allow me to use that downhill but not get me working so hard that I would blow up on the way back up.  I let a lot of people go, hoping they would tire and I could pass some on the return trip. M1 - 6:15

I was happy with that split.  I didn't feel like it was really that fast so I hoped maybe I could hold myself together in the second half.  As we made our way around the turn around, I grabbed two cups of water and it felt so go to just douse myself with one.  I don't care what anyone says about dumping water on yourself in a race being a bad idea, for me it just gives me such a boost.

Immediately after the water stop we start to go back up the rolling uphill and almost immediately I start passing people.  I reflect on my last week's 100 miles of training and realize that already I can tell the hard work is helping me to run stronger.  I know I will fade as I continue on because there is nothing I can do about going uphill, but I just don't want to be passed by any women and I am not.  M2 - 6:28

This last mile would be all elevation gain back to the track and I knew it was going to hurt. My asthma, triggered by humidity and made worse by hills, is killing my chest requiring me to make involuntary whooping noises periodically which seems to open up my airways (while making me sound ridiculous).  I am fading but trying to hold myself together, just waiting to drop a fast kick on the track.  I am still passing people as I approach mile 3, except for the one man who blows past me.  That's ok, he not a chick so good for him!  M3 - 6:46  

As soon as we get through the gate to the track I catch up to Joe and we both launch into an all out sprint to the finish.  I cant recall the last time I sprinted that hard at the end of a race and neither of us gave up. It was photo finish and I wasn't actually sure who won.  According tot he results, I just edged him but I suspect he let me have it since I know he is faster than me.  Last .11 - 38 second (5:39 pace).  

It took me a long time to catch my breath, which is really hard to do when drooling and dry heaving at the same time.  TMI?  LOL.  After I got to my senses I realized that I had just run my second fastest 5k of my life in horrible humidity after a 21 mile run the day before.  I have only broken 20 minutes one time. I will never be a great 5k runner, but I usually need it to be cold for me to run fast for me.

I am really happy with this race.

Stats:
Time: 20:09 (6:29 pace)
Overall: 50/760
Gender: 14/351
AG: 3/41

Some Random Thoughts on Nutrition:

We cannot become great runners through healthy eating alone, but much of our hard work can be undone by misguided eating. When we really think about it, our training may take up 30 minutes to a few hours of our day, while eating happens much more frequently. We can easily overcompensate for a workout by over-eating after.

In addition to making us stronger and fitter, our running burns calories which also makes us leaner. The impact of being leaner is faster training and racing paces (With the "rule" being about 2 seconds per mile for every pound lost).  However, if we eat more than we burned, we can actually gain weight during training! No way! Yes, way!!!

I never advise my runners to diet during training.  First, we need to be fueled to train hard and a starving runner is an injury waiting to happen. But I dont want to anyone to undue all their hardwork by not understanding how to eat smart as an athlete.

Another rule of thumb that has been shared is that "running burns 100 calories per mile". This is a good general rule, but if taken literally smaller runners may find that they are over eating, while larger runners are not eating enough for proper recovery. Here is a "proven" formula to help you determine how many calories per mile you are burning per mile. .63 x your weight in pounds = calories burned in one mile. Multiple this number by the mileage run and you have a more accurate estimation of how many calories you burned during the run.

If you find that you are eating a pre-run snack, post-run recovery meal and then your normal meals, just for a 3 miler you may be overdoing things. One tip I can give is to time runs around meals so that your regular eating is doing double. Then if after a meal you still crave a snack, THEN chose something small and healthy. Also do not mistake dehydration for hunger.

One formula for properly refueling is offered by Dietitian Jackie Diko, cited in Running Times here: Divide your weight by two, and eat that many grams of carbohydrates, plus 10 to 20 grams of protein after a hard workout.

Carbs and Protein have 4 calories per gram. When you do your math to see how many gram of carbs you should eat and how many grams of protein you should eat, multiple the total grams by 4 and you will find your total calories of carbs and protein. Most food contains fat as well, as it should because we need it. Choose low fat options. Add the fat calories in and you will have some idea of how many calories you will need to consume after a hard workout (for me it is about 300). As a rule, I dont take in recovery fuel for runs that dont burn enough to surpass the calories of my recovery fuel. In my case, now, I usually dont eat specifically for recovery (i.e. bring a snack with me) unless I run double digits (10 or more). Instead I wait until my next regular meal (which is usually soon after). I used to refuel after 6 miles or more when I was newer to this.

Timing: You should be eating a regular meal or recovery snack within 60 minutes after running, but I find eating by 30 minutes is best.  (Exception:  Sometimes I purposely do depletion training where I restrict calories, but I dont recommend this without doing your homework first. There can be alot of negatives, but historically there have been many benefits as well if done properly and well-timed.  The most recent science shows depletion training has more of a benefit for those racing a long time at sub-maximal paces, so unless you are an ultrarunner you may not need to train depleted, ever.).

Although chocolate milk is a great option for recovery, I do choose a protein shake b/c I feel the protein in chocolate milk can be on the lower end of the above recommendation protein amount for me. Currently I drink a protein shake as my prefered refueling choice, but any real food that meets the above formula is great.

What is even more important may be rehydration. Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger. The body absorbs fluids at a rate of about 400-800 ml per hour (as per Dr. Noakes), so it can take time to rehydrate, especially if you lost a few pounds in sweat on that long run in the summer. Drink lots of water to feel better sooner after a hard workout.

Finally, to make sure I am on track every few months I log onto "My Fitness Pal" and spend a week logging everything I eat, drink, and do. If my Calories In are equaling my Calories Out I know I am not eating away my workouts. I am rarely significantly under the goal, but I am always close and sometimes over. I love food.   http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence Marathon, Rockland Lake State Park, NY. 8/23/13

Last year, I managed to run Turkey Swamp 50k in 5:15 and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon in 3:34 in the same week, plus 40+ more miles between them to make it 100+ in 7 days.  I was on track again for this same high mileage week.  I am in the beginning of focused training, so racing well is not a priority. I wanted 100+ miles this week. However, this time things did not go as well.

Last year I ran the 50k about 30 minutes slower (a minute per mile slower) and I ran my mid-week mileage slower as well.  But Sri Chinmoy was a much hotter day so I thought I would be ok to finish, even if I was a little more beat up by the time I reached the starting line.  The night before the race I decided, like I often do when I don't want to cook, to have Thai food for dinner.  I got it mild rather than medium like I normally do.  I eat spicy foods without issues and didn't believe this would be a problem. Regardless, spicy food clearly doesnt make a great pre-marathon meal choice.  I woke up with a bit of an upset stomach and on the ride up could not eat anything I usually consume pre-race.

I really wasn't running this race as a RACE, so I didn't need every pre-race detail to be just perfect. I would just slow down and get it done.  I had a long work day Thursday, got to bed very late, got up early getting very little sleep.  I grabbed some race gear in the morning, like I would for a long run and met Alanna at 5:00 am when she picked me up.

Sometimes it is nice to not think too hard about race day details, just show up, run and see how it goes. Sometimes it goes ok.  Anything under 4 hours would be a good day for me. Other times, not so great.  I learn a lot more by doing things wrong than I do when things seem to go right, so it is ok when I do things wrong sometimes.

I wasn't really worried about not being able to consume calories on the ride up. I figured I would just go with Aid Station sports drink and maybe some food along the way.  I have needed less food than others at races, so I figured I would be ok since this was just a Long Run anyway.

I planned to go out just under 8:00 min pace and see how long I could sit there. At the start I felt very good.  By mile 4, I was feeling great but I was getting concerned because the Aid Stations had a sports drink that I did not recognize the taste of.  In fact, to me it tasted like it was very weakly mixed.  I felt like I was basically just drinking water. That may have been how it was supposed to be mixed, but I was clearly not used to that drink and it was not giving me what I needed.

By the end of the second lap my stomach was back to being irritated, but I assumed that would pass.  I made a quick pit stop and continued on my way.  When I passed the next aid station I asked someone handing out drinks what brand of sports drink was.  He just said "Energy?" like he did when he held out the "Energy drink."  I could already tell there wasnt enough energy for me in that drink.   I still wasn't sure if I was getting any calories at all and started looking for something else.  By mile 6, I was already feeling hungry and remembered I threw a bottle of gatorade and a small 10 oz handheld in my bag.  I stopped to get my bottle together, hoping that after a 15 minutes or so I would start to pep up.  I tried to drink the gatorade, but it was warm and my stomach was still irritated, requiring yet another pit stop. I was just not feeling well.  In comparison to what I was drinking early, my gatorade tasted way too sweet and this was now adding to my nausea.

By mile 8, I just didn't feel like I could consume anything without getting nauseated.   This is how I feel when I am depleted and dehydrated.  By 13 miles my legs were turning to lead and I knew this run was not going to end well.  I slowed down and tried to refocus my energy on drinking the gatorade or getting calories in me.  I tried a piece of watermelon, but one bite just made me feel worse. I slowed down, felt like crap, but tried to keep going.  It was not going well and I still had almost half to go!

As I came around to 17 miles, I took a break to walk and could feel my quads aching badly.  I felt like my legs were bruised from the inside out. I suspected my muscles were simply not ready for this effort. I recognized this sensation from late into ultra where I am just running on fumes and bonking hard.  I really dislike that feeling.

Returning to a run, I was at a crossroads.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to push on through. I could have managed a sub-4 hour if I just ran 10-11 minute miles for the balance of the race.  That really doesnt seem too hard, but every step make me feel like I was tearing up my quads and calves.  I wanted to train with my TNT team the next day.  I could just stop at 20 and accept it as a training run.  I moved on, seeing if I felt better, but slowing down as I progressed, no longer having fun, feeling worse as I went on.

I thought about how much value to me, during training, it would have for me to run the last 7 miles at a snails pace, run/walking just to get mileage done and likely not being able to train well the next day.  During this phase in my training, I am not focused on race times and dont mind a slow race.  However, it made little sense for me to continue on mostly walking. I knew at 20 miles I would have 96 miles for the week.  I was happy with that weekly volume.  96 or 100 is not that significant.

I recalled that last year I was running higher volume more consistently before this double.  This past July and early August, I had some issues that slowed my training.  After a few weeks of feeling my immune system crashing, I backed down a lot.  Then I felt great, starting to log more mileage only to be sidelined for about 10 days after straining my calf.  Last year this double likely felt easier because I was able to handle it better.  This year, I was just not as well-trained.

At 20.5 and about 3:05 into the run, I reached my stuff and just decided to stop. As much as it stings to not finish, I knew it was the right decision.

The next day, I was able to log an easy 20 mile run a team of runners I assist with training runs.  And then today, I was able to run a hilly 15 mile route with some friends and back that up with another 5.   60.5 miles in 3 days is good training and right now I am in training mode.

I try to remind myself of my focus when I start to get caught up in other people's rules.  For me it is "Good Training during Training and Good racing during Racing"  I cant race well during training phases and I cant log huge training weeks without any bit of a taper and race my best.

Showing up on tired legs and body, depleted of calories and possibly dehydrated, unable to consume food, running only on water, while trying to run strong is a recipe for bonking around 18-20 and that is exactly what I did.

Today's 20 mile day felt 100 times better than Fridays run.  My only regret is DNFing at a race that is arranged by a group of people who base their spirituality on enduring through adversity and using endurance events to exercise their drive.

Regardless of how tough this race felt, I know I needed it.  After running well at Turkey Swamp last race, I did not walk away with a lot of lessons.  After DNFing this marathon, I had a list of lessons the length of my arm and I think I needed learn them.

Turkey Swamp 50k, Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold, NJ. 8/18/13

Alanna, Tracy, and me pre-race

I like small local races.  They take the pressure off.  I get to sleep in my own bed, drive my own car, bring the snacks I prefer from my own kitchen. It is easy and I am glad this race was small because I was not very confident going into it.

I need some low key races because I am using the next two months to build up mileage volume and everything I do is going to be on tired legs.  I enjoy training through races.  I love the sport. I love the people. I love the challenges. Even though my times may be slower than my best, I thrive off working a race tired and then racing one fresh.

My Calves
Last Tuesday, two days after running up La Luz in New Mexico, I felt a severe charley horse in my left calf when I was out for an easy 4 mile loop.  I was not running fast, it was flat, I had no significant burst of speed - although I did pick up the pace from "pedestrian" to "leisurely" while crossing the street when it happened.  I walked the .5 miles short cut back to my house. RICEing and hobbling for two days followed, since it felt bruised inside but did not look it outside.  I was not happy that my "Build" week was going to be a rest week.  This was not how things were supposed to go.

After shutting down a bit, without actually missing a day of running,  I was able to resume regular training by Wednesday.  This helped give me the confidence to at least start Turkey Swamp 50k.  However, I lacked that confidence to believe I would complete it.

Sunday: Race Day
My Garmin was dead.  This happened last year as well.  I am starting to think this race likes to mess with me!  I had my Timex and decided that I am really quite happy to just run at a pace that feels comfortable, whatever that it. This is just training.

We started a few minutes later than 8:00 am due to some technical difficulties. Our wonderful RD did all he could to keep us occupied while he waited for the timers to give us the OK.  The only inconvenience for me was that as I stood on the line, I felt like I really should go back to the bathroom but not knowing when we would start, I just waited.... and then I couldn't stop thinking about it! LOL.  I took a quick break when we passed the port-a-potties at lap 2 and then I was able to focus better.

The weather was just perfect today for an August race.  Just as we started we had a little drizzle that was so light it was almost unnoticeable to me.  The clouds kept the hot sun hidden all day.  Only later in the race did the humidity creep up to the point of stifling, but by then I was almost done.

Because I was worried about my calves, I did not plan to go blazing fast at the start.  I did want to set myself up for a good race or strong training run if possible.  I was prepared to bail if I needed to, but I didn't want to make that happen by running stupid, so I sought out to find my rhythm.

Without a Garmin, I just used my Timex to take splits,  but not really knowing how long the trail loop really was, I was never quite sure how fast I was running. I assumed 2.6, but who really knows. All I knew is that I felt like I was making an effort, but I was comfortable.

At about 4 laps into the race I was caught by a female runner.  She was in the marathon. It was nice to not be passed this early by a 50k runner. It was too soon to be racing hard and I would have likely just let her go.  Instead of passing me, she joined me to run with Mike, for many miles, while talking about 50 mile training ideas and race courses, etc...

At about 7 laps, I felt our pace slow a little. My marathon partner and I discussed what lap we were on and whether we were actually sure.  I also noticed a female runner seeming to make up ground on us in the fields. I knew most of the 10 milers and half marathoners were done so if this chick was moving up on us she was likely in the full or the 50k.  I felt compelled to pick up the pace to make it challenging to be passed.  After all, I was technically over half way done at this point.  I thought my marathon running buddy would come with me.  She did not.

As I put a little distance on my perceived competition I noticed a female, who had passed me quiet briskly earlier coming out of a port-a-potty.  Again, gauging by her pace she was likely a marathon or a 50k runner. I wanted to keep her in range and see what happens.  With over 4 laps left, I did not want to pass yet.

At the end of that lap, I wanted some intelligence to help me determine how hard I needed to work.  I don't need to and cant pummel myself if I want to keep training well this week. I asked what place I was in and was told 1st female with 2nd place 7 minutes behind.  Good to know.

The girl ahead of me slowed at the aid station and I caught her.  Knowing she did not lap me, and to confirm my lap number I asked her what lap she had us on.  She then said, "Oh, I ran the half, I just needed 20 for the day so I am out getting extra."  I responded with "So I can stop trying to race with you now! Thank goodness!  You were making me work!"  She laughed and then helped me confirm that I was starting 8 laps.

When I finished lap 8, I wanted to know how far ahead was I from 2nd as per the last lap splits.  I was curious as to whether I was putting time on her or losing it.  The timers weren't sure and said they would figure it out.  By the time I finished lap 9, I had stopped asking because I could see back about 6 minutes behind me due to the open fields sections. I knew that no one was closing in fast on me.

I started passing some guys at this point despite feeling like I was fading a little... maybe a minute per lap or I was just getting hot and tired.  I noticed the humidity getting heavy and my chafing (under my sports bra band because I forgot to pre-treat that) was starting to irritate me.  I just wanted to hurry up an be done.

The last laps clicked off uneventfully and by lap 12 I knew I had a good chance of taking home the win.  I finished as strong as could in 4:43:33.  Second place was about 14 minutes behind me.

Photo byVivian Corlew

I was really thrilled to find out I was actually 3rd place Over All -  The beauty of running very small races. :)


After the race, I had a great time sitting and talking to a runner-friend, Joe, who I am coaching.  It was so nice to see a runner I am training have a great time at a race that was outside of his usually running routine.

Splits:
As I write this report, I finally got to sit down to look over my splits, because I did not actually look at many as I took them.  I have been very good in the past about running steady and mostly even 50ks.  Those races involved using a Garmin and knowing how far I was running per lap.  Today was hard because I had no Garmin and did not even know the loop distance.   I had check points en route that I attempted to get to by certain times and based on that data I felt like I ran a pretty even race.  Now that I look at my splits, I am very proud of just how even I did run.  Fastest lap - 23:19.  Slowest lap 24:24.  Just 55 seconds difference between fastest and slowest of eleven 2.6 miles loops.

Splits:
Lap 1 - 16: 55 short lap
Lap 2 - 23:19 (abt 2.6 miles)
Lap 3 - 23:20
Lap 4 - 23:34
Lap 5 - 24:24
Lap 6 - 23:33 early split as I high-fived Maria
Lap 7 - 23:33 average for last two laps
Lap 8 - 23:48
Lap 9 - 23:20
Lap 10 23:46
Lap 11 24:24
Lap 12 24:16
Final partial lap: 5:17

Race Fuel:
Although this was a 50k, I opted to carry nothing.  The day before I went to my parents house for a party and ate a lot of carb-based foods, including chocolate mouse cake, (abandoning my "no gluten the day before a race" rule and not suffering any negative consequences.  I did stick with my "no-more-food-12-hours before the race start" rule and stopped stuffing my face around 7:00-7:30 pm).  In the morning, I had coffee and then on the ride down and prior to the start I drank about 20 oz of sports drink and Mt Dew.  I left half a small bottle of Mt. Dew in my small cooler bag next to the race course.  I ate a rice crispy treat for my pre-race snack.

With the exception of the first lap, I grabbed fluids at each station (2 AS per 2.6 mile loop, one water only.) At the main aid station, I would grab a cup of gatorade, drank about half of it, and ate small boiled potato until they were gone. Then I tried a pickle... and concluded that don't need to do that again.  Once the potatoes were gone, and the pickle taste was out of my mouth, I just ran on gatorade.  With 2 laps to go, I recalled the Mt. Dew in my cooler and drank that.

That was it.  No salt, except any, if any, that was on the potatoes. No gels. No other food.  Just gatorade, water, some Mt. Dew and about 4 potatoes pieces each about the size of half a ping pong ball or smaller. No bonking. My pace was even the entire way.

Stats:
Time: 4:43:33
Over All: 3rd place
Gender: 1st place

La Luz, 9 Mile Trail Race, Albuquerque, NM. 8/4/13

La Luz Trail... We race to the top. 

On 8/4/05, I was diagnosed with cancer.  Two weeks later I had surgery, then 4 months of chemo, then another surgery, then a year of another IV infused cancer treatment (technically not chemo), then another minor surgery.  January 2007, I was officially done with cancer treatment.  Then two years later, I had another scare when I found another tumor. Six month later, after another surgery, the tumor was diagnosed benign.

In 2009, somehow I discovered the La Luz trail run.  I have no idea how.  I likely wanted to visit my friend Jim in ABQ and must have stumbled across it on some website.

In 2009 and 2010, Sidney and I "ran" it.  Ran is in quotes because the race is 9 miles, one-way, uphill at an average 12 percent grade. It starts at 6400 feet and ends at 10600 ft.  It is an amazing race!

Elevation chart from 2009...  I doubt it changed much.

This year, Jim Plant joined us for the race and his wife Jess joined us for the weekend.  I also got to spend time with my friend Jim G, who I have known since college.  It is always good to see Jim! (Both of them).  Beside running up the mountain, we shared a bunch of meals and spent the day prior to the race driving up to a natural hot springs resort about an hour above Sante Fe called Ojo Caliente.

Ojo Caliente was the most relaxing place I have ever been to and I am not quite sure there is anything like it anywhere.  The resort is over 145 years old and the core attractions are several naturally fed hot mineral springs, Iron, Soda, Lithia, and Arsenic.  Yes, I jumped in a boiling tub of arsenic-laced water and lived to tell about it.  Relaxing music is pumped through the resort.  You are only allowed to Whisper.  Not only were their signs posted telling us so, there were also people walking around with handheld signs reminding us of this rule.  Hammocks and lounge chairs are placed strategically to help you appreciate the views of the cliffs the spa resides in.  Jim and his wife slathered themselves in mud and baked in the sun, which was fun to watch. Sid and I splurged on deep tissue massages.

In addition, right from the front door of the spa are 12 miles of marked mountain bike and hiking trails (which we did not get to explore, this time).  Beside soaking in the pools, you can also make appointments for spa treatments.  (One sign, used to demarcate a closed mineral pool, but faded by the sun made me laugh because it looked like it said "SORRY  LOSER" and I thought "Well, that is not very peaceful of them!"... But what it really said "SORRY CLOSED."  A few minutes later I heard Jim point out to his wife the same sign. LOL.)  We spent several hours there and at the end of the day I realized I had just gone the longest time, with the exception of when I am asleep, without checking my cell or using my Ipad that I had gone in years and I did not even miss it.  

The Race:

Just before the Start

We decided to take two cars so we could leave one at the base of the Tram and drive one to the start.  After a few photos, we gathered our gear and got ready to walk over when I heard Sid and Jim discussing what to do with the car keys.  Sid and Jim both had small handheld bottles and not a lot of storage. I used my Nathan's Minimist hydration pack b/c I wanted to be able to carry money, and later throw our shirts in the back after the race.  In one of the funniest discussions ever, Sid noticed Jim thinking about where to put his keys and suggested he leave them in our car. Jim them pointed out that would be a bad idea because Jim needed them once we got to his car at the Tram to drive us back to our car.  But Jim then stated, that Sid should have left his keys in Jim's car at the Tram so he wouldn't need to carry them up the mountain... until Sid pointed out that he needed them to drive us from the Tram to the start. Sid then declared them both a bunch of dummies.  At that time, I took the keys and put them in my pack. We were clearly already suffering the effects of 6400 ft of low oxygen! That or lack of coffee. LOL.

As we walked uphill to the start, I took a puff of my inhaler, which stopped working.  I told Jim that we were so high that my inhaler had asthma.  This was not going to be pretty. :)

The race starts with an uphill, slightly rolling road section (1.8 mile) that makes someone not used to the altitude (me) require walk breaks.  I had told Jim that I usually need my first walk at about .2 miles. At point .11 into it he finally believed me and told Sid and me to go on without him!  I was very proud that Sid and I made it all the way to .3 miles up before our first walk. :)  The road is the worst!

Once at the trailhead, the elevation gain is more forgiving as the switchbacks make it more runnable, in theory.  But on race day, by the time we reach the trailhead, due to our slow flatlander pace, we find a lot of those who were able to race their way to the trail then decide to slow down and set a slower pace ahead of us. On the single track, there is no easy place to pass.

All weekend long I had a the song Gone, Gone, Gone, by Phillip Phillips stuck in my head. There are parts of this song the make me think about how I feel about Sidney.  It was a very sweet thing and as we started running, I could hear this playing in my head.  It was beautiful soundtrack that went well with the experience of me running with him up this gorgeous mountainside on this day which was very special to me.

You're my back bone,

You're my cornerstone 

You're my crutch when my legs stop moving 

You're my head start, 

You're my rugged heart 

You're the pulse that I've always needed 

Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating 

Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating 

Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating 

Like a drum my heart never stops beating

Then at 2 miles in, Sidney started making his move and we began to pass people. At one point, as I shimmied past someone and extended my hand out to catch my balance... sticking it right into a huge cactus with unforgivingly huge needles.  They pierced my thumb, index finger and middle finger.  When I pulled out the needles, the blood wouldn't stop... and the lyrics to that beautiful song in my mind morphed into "Stuck my thumb. Now it won't stop bleeding. Stuck my thumb. Now it wont stop bleeding"... FOR MILES I heard that over and over. :) LOL!!!   Eventually it stopped... both the song and the bleeding.

Photo  of dirt trail Sidney took when he ran La Luz solo. 

After about 4.5 miles of dirt switchbacks, there is the one significant downhill section but it is a bit too rocky for me to comfortably take advantage of it without fear of propelling myself over the side of the mountain. So I walked.

Almost immediately after the decline there is a mile of loose rocks to navigate.  This happens to occur as we reach over 8500 ft of elevation. This also happens to be about the altitude where I start to get dizzy.  This also happens to be the point in the race when the sun started to peak over the mountain creating a nice glare impairing my vision. There is nothing more terrifying than experiencing vertigo on the side of a mountain while trying to navigate loose rocks with bright sun in your eyes for about a mile.  The entire mountain starts spinning around me.  It happens every year.  In reality, there were only spurts of loose rock broken up by runnable patches at the corners of the switchbacks.  It was nowhere near as precarious as I remembered it to be.

After the rocks we get back to runnable trail, for those who CAN run without oxygen since we are at about 9500 ft. Sidney and I were doing well up until then. At this point the altitude really started to impact us.  I also think we started off a bit dehydrated since we sat for hours in hot springs the day before.  We decided to step aside, enjoy the view and let some people go past so we weren't holding anyone up.

In the last mile, the trail gets relentlessly steeper.  Just when you think it cant get any worse, you turn a corner and discover you have to run up about 34 concrete steps near the top.  There was a chick dressed like a hotdog standing at the top when we arrived... or at least that is how I remember it!

Jim, Sidney, Me at the top.

A few more switchbacks and suddenly we are at the finish where we are allowed to stop moving... unless you are a streak runner.   At that point, I had not yet run a continuous mile so after finding a spot for Sid to sit down and hold my pack, I took off and did 4 laps around the parking area so that I could make sure I logged 1 full mile before Jim finished.  I did not want to have run a mile later when my body crashed.

After the race, we received our Finishers T-shirts, which you only get if you make it up and then we hiked 2 miles to the Tram so we could ride that down.  It is the best way to get down the mountain. The views from the Tram are awe-inspiring.  It is longest continuous aerial tram in the world.  It takes about 15 minutes to get all the way down.

Sandia Peak Tram

In the past, usually Sid and I start together and cover about 3 miles before I pull away. But in consideration of this day feeling important to me... marking 8 years of survivorship, I decided I just really needed to run up that mountain with Sidney by my side.  He did not ask me to run with him. He doesn't need my help.  He encouraged me to go on with out him but I reassured him that I just wanted to spend the morning enjoying the views with him near me. He was by my side during all my treatment and through all the trials we faced since.

Each year we do this, Sidney always says he is not looking forward to the Mountain... but once when military sent him to ABQ for work, he made an impromptu solo trip up the mountain on his own (mid-day, facing snakes and other scary wildlife... possibly a bear, which he thought was a pig, but I don't think pigs live on La Luz :) ).  I am very proud of him and I was glad he was there to spend the day with me.  So one more time: Gone, Gone, Gone

BUS 6 Hour Pajama Romp. Astoria Park, Queens, NY. 7/27.

Last night, I took a ride over to Astoria Park to run for a few hours at the 6 hour race.  I never intended to race it, but I hoped to get at least 3 hours in before my body had enough.  I had gotten up at 4:30 am Saturday morning and ran 15.5 miles of trails.  Once I got home, I did some stuff, like maintain my garden, clean the bathroom, play with my dog, etc... before taking off for Queens at 3:15 pm.

I wanted to test out a few things.  First I wanted to see how long I could run after running far in the morning.  I know that dehydration is hard for me to detect and I tried my best to drink after my 15 miler but I just don't feel like I was able to replenish enough fluid.  Although race temps were cooler than they could have been and I was drinking often, I still lost a lot of weight.  Sunday morning I woke up at 113 lbs which is the lightest I have been lately.

I was very pleased to have been able to run as far as I did when starting out so tired.  At one point about 2:30 hours into the run, I felt like I had a shot at staying in it for the whole 6 hours, but by 2:50, I crashed hard and my legs were toast.  The fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks. I am sure I could have fought harder to stay in this race had the race been more of a goal race for me.  However, I hit 20.3 miles in under 3 hours and decided that distance, plus the 15.5 from the morning, was enough for me for the day.  I really just did not want to pummel myself beyond repair for no great reason.

Another thing I wanted to test out was some new shorts. I bought some new shorts from Brooks which were more like bike shorts (spandex and mid-thigh length) rather than the looser fitting shorter running shorts I normally wear.  Sometimes thigh chaffing is an issue with regular shorts because I have thick thighs, especially in humid summer month. These shorts resolved this issue completely.  I also have a lot of trouble with waist bands putting pressure on my abdomen, which makes me feel crampy during long runs.  These shorts, which I bought one size bigger than I really should, put no pressure on my stomach.  The real truth is I first bought these shorts because I like the plaid print, but they feel so good I already ordered 2 more pairs.

I wasn't sure what shoes to wear.  My Launch are my training shoes and I reserve them for longer ultras. Running for 3 hours, 6 hours max, was short enough for racing flats for me.  However, going in beat up a bit made me decide to not waste mileage on my T7.  My T7's are my go-to racing flat and their life span is not terrible long. It makes no sense for me to pound out 20 miles on this super light shoe when I can save them for a better race and give them a chance to shine :).

Instead, I pulled out a new pair of Pure Connect 2. No way!  New shorts AND New shoes on race day... isn't there some type of  "rule" against this! :) I still brought my Launch and left them at the side of the race course with my cooler bag.   The Connect 2 were really the perfect shoe for this distance and the were problem-free for me the entire time I was out there.  Since the T7's are my marathon to 5k shoe and my Launch are my 24 hour shoe, I am feeling that the Connects are going to work out well for me for the 6 hour to 50 mile distance, although I have worn T7's for those distance without much trouble.

This was also the first long race in over a year I decided to try without taping my feet.  I have been taking my feet since early 2012 for plantar fasciitis.  I have had PF so bad that fibroma (scar tissue nodules) formed in my arches.  The tape was one thing that helped me the most.  I found the preventative taping helped keep my PF at bay.  However, lately I have been very pain free and this month I stopped taping for training.  My feet actually felt fine without the tape after 36 miles today.

I ran the first few miles with Cherie Y. and the next 12 or so with Tim.  It felt great to have company and I was more chatty than I would ever be if I was taking the race more seriously.  Like I mentioned, I was not sure I was actually going to drop out at 3 hours until just minutes before.  I started to track first place chick, who had about 8-10 minutes on me and pondered whether I could stay in this and be competitive.  But after 1-2 more laps, my legs felt heavy and dead and I knew it was because of all the running I did early and I just needed to rest.  There was nothing in me to dig for, so I decided to call it a day.

I wanted to be smart about doing something a bit extreme.  I could have slowed way down to a walk/run and logged a bunch more miles, but I just did not want to risk injury for no real good reason.   Instead, I stopped to chat with Trishul, who has a long history as talented multi-day runner and he is also a massage therapist.  He found another therapist who had a table, they set it up, and Trishul was able to give me a massage that really helped to revive my muscles.  In fact, I felt better after the massage than I had before the run.  My quads had not fully recovered from Running with the Devil last weekend and only after he worked on my muscles did they finally feel pain-free again.

So after the massage, rather than stick around I decided that Sleep was really something I needed.  I headed home to try to get settled in bed as early as possible.  I knew it was going to be rough to fall asleep after a night run. True to form, I was tossing and turning for hours.  However, at least I was off my feet.

As for Stats, all I know is:
- I ran 20.3 miles in about 2:56
- After a slow pace 15.5 mile trail run in the AM
- Giving me close to 6 hours of running and almost 36 miles for the day.
- The shorts were awesome,
- The Connects felt great,
- My plantar fasciitis was ok without tape and
- Swedish Massages by Multi-day runners are the best!