tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76257587221303231772023-11-16T08:42:30.804-08:00A Slight Change of SceneryA running blogMaryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-70649821088017947112011-06-07T17:52:00.000-07:002011-06-07T18:16:53.632-07:00A bit of an updateOh boy.<br />
<br />
I haven't written anything since just after the marathon. There wasn't much to report initially. I ran, probably about 4-5 times leading up to my next half marathon (9 months into my quest to run [at least] 1 half marathon every month for a year). Most of those runs did not feel very good; in fact I was starting to wonder if my quest might be over. It wasn't until the last run prior to my May half marathon (5/29) that I thought, "Maybe it won't be so bad!" AND I was going to be running with three of my girlfriends for a Girls Weekend, so at least I knew I'd have fun!<br />
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<u><a href="http://www.happygirlsrun.com/" title="Happy Girls Half Marathon">Happy Girls Half Marathon</a></u>:<br />
<br />
We drove down on Saturday, for the Sunday "all-girls" race, with a quick pit stop for two of my friends to run the <a href="http://www.daytonhighrun.blogspot.com/" title="Stoller Vineyards 5k">Stoller Vineyards 5k</a> in wine country. I opted to pass on this one, seeing as I was already worried about making through the half the next day. It was fun though, since everyone was allowed to wine taste after the race, including spectators.<br />
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After that fun, we made the 3-hour trek to Bend for packet pickup. It was snowing. At the end of MAY!! Oh boy! The weather reports seemed to indicate that Sunday would be a better day, but it still made us nervous. Turned out we had all packed several different choices since we weren't sure how the weather would really turn out.<br />
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It was a wet and cold outdoor packet pickup, but everything went pretty smoothly. We got our bibs, shirts, and goody bags (Lululemon bags stuffed with your usual race advertisements, Lara bars, as well as water bottles, candy, fruit strip, and other miscellaneous goodies). After we all retrieved our stuff, we quickly made our way back to the car to warm up, and head out to lunch. We wanted to eat at <a href="http://www.bendbrewingco.com/">Bend Brewery</a>, but the line was out the door, so we ended up at some nearby Mexican restaurant instead.<br />
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After lunch, we headed down to Sunriver, where we would be spending the next few nights at my Dad's house. My Dad and stepmom made us some pre-race Lasagna, and soon enough, it was time for bed (by 9pm we were all exhausted).<br />
<br />
The race didn't start until 9am, so our wakeup call wasn't too early. I got to sleep in until 7am!! My pre-race meal was a donut (why not?!) and I scarfed it down easily in time to drive back up to Bend. We made it to the race start with about 30 minutes to spare. It was supposed to be 40-55°, so I opted to wear my capris with a short sleeve shirt, and a long sleeve shirt on top to keep me warm until I warmed up. I figured I might be cooler than normal since I wouldn't be "racing". Soon enough, we were lining up in the shoot, awaiting the start, then BAM we were off. Well, maybe not that fast.<br />
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We lined up with the 11:00 min/mi pacer, and stayed ahead of him, except when we would walk through aid stations. (The pacers were all male "Handsome Pacers" and they were all wearing sparkly skirts.) The first half of the course, was mostly uphill, meaning the second half would be mostly downhill. The course itself was really great! Concrete river trail, paved bike trail, dirt trail, and road. River bridge, forest, high desert-y area. The other participants were really great, too, and many participants had really awesome supporters! All in all, the course was really fun! And the day turned out to be beautiful!<br />
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<img alt="253049_1998988807095_1014752176_2356724_58445_n.jpg" height="360" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/5810365846_15cf163296.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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I felt surprisingly great throughout the entire 13.1 miles, and we definitely stopped at the <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/">Deschutes Brewery</a> "beer aid station" at about 11.8 miles. So Fun! Soon enough, we were making our "victory" lap at <a href="http://www.bendparksandrec.org/Park_List_Hidden/Riverbend_Park/riverbend.html">Riverbend Park</a> on the way to the finish line.<br />
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Once we crossed the finish line, we were greeted by volunteers with necklaces. Yay! And then it was off to search for the beer. On the way there, however, we found the best thing I've ever found at the end of a race: BROWNIES!!! And not just any brownies, the most delicious brownies EVER!!! I want some more! We did eventually find the beer, and after putting on some warmer clothes (it's surprising how much warmer you feel when you're running!) we made our way to <a href="http://www.bendbrewingco.com/">Bend Brewery</a> for lunch. Much needed!<br />
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We headed back to Sunriver for a few hours relaxation (including a dip in the hot tub) before heading back to Bend to finish off the day at <a href="http://decemberists.com/">The Decemberists</a> concert. Good times were had by all, and we were all ready to head back home the next day, Monday, after breakfast at my favorite Bend breakfast place, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/victorian-cafe-bend">The Victorian Cafe</a>, and a tasting at one more Bend brewery, <a href="http://www.10barrel.com/">10 Barrel Brewing</a>.<br />
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Overall, the Happy Girls Half Marathon was amazing. Everything seemed to happen flawlessly, with no hiccups from our perspective! I was amazed, since it was an inaugural race! I would do it again in a heartbeat, especially if I had friends along with me!<br />
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<br />
<u>The Week After</u>:<br />
<br />
I was scheduled to have the Tuesday after Memorial Day off, so I planned to use it to relax after our busy weekend (and to clean my house!) Unfortunately, I started feeling odd at about noon. I was actually starting to feel like I had a temperature, but without any other symptoms, and by the time I went to bed, my temperature was 99.5°, so I planned to take the next day off of work. I didn't seem to have a temperature on Wednesday, and I didn't really have any other symptoms, but I just didn't feel "well". I didn't really eat anything on Wednesday, and I wasn't really hungry. I started experiencing a <i>minor</i> stomach ache at about 2pm, but overall, I thought I was actually feeling better, and very surprisingly excited to go to work on Thursday. I even went to Wednesday night Trivia with my friends! I went to bed, mentally prepared for the early wakeup call.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, stomach pain woke me up before my alarm did, at 1am. I tried to suffer through it for a bit, since it wasn't the first time I'd had stomach pain wake me up at night (from "ulcer" pain). Soon enough, my pain worried me enough to wake J and ask him whether I should go to the ER, especially since the pain was located in the right lower quadrant; location of appendicitis symptoms. We arrived at the ER at about 2am and after hours of waiting, numerous pokes and prods, and a CT scan (as well as a healthy couple doses of morphine...) we got the diagnosis: Ruptured Appendicitis!!<br />
<br />
WHAT!!!???<br />
<br />
But I hadn't had any <i>pain</i> until 1am that day. How do you catch it earlier than that?! Oh well...<br />
<br />
Next up, a couple of hours waiting to find out if they were going to go ahead and do surgery, or discharge me with antibiotics to calm all the tissues, and then schedule me for surgery later. Soon enough, they told me they had decided on surgery, which would happen as soon as they could get me into an OR.<br />
<br />
I had never had surgery before, but everything seemed to happen so fast, I didn't really have time to worry about it, and really...I don't think I had much of a choice to NOT have surgery.<br />
<br />
I went in to surgery at 4pm, and came out (feeling freezing cold) about 1.5 hours later. I was back in my hospital room by 7pm. By 8pm, I finally got to <i>slowly</i> drink water!! (I was so thirsty, even though they'd been pumping me full of IV fluids all day!)<br />
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<img alt="photo.jpg" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2439/5810371188_00b4152c90.jpg" width="358" /><br />
<br />
The good little Physical Therapist in me had J walk with me that night, and a few times on Friday (with my IV as needed). I had my last IV antibiotic Friday at 4pm, and they told me I could discharge if I wanted to, but I didn't think my pain was adequately controlled at that point, so I stayed another night. By Saturday morning, I was feeling well enough to discharge, so J took me home!<br />
<br />
The first few days were rough, and I'm still not feeling 100%. I get tired very easily, but my pain is steadily improving and my walking is looking better (at least from my perspective). I took this week off from work, since I figured I probably wouldn't be feeling to well. I might need to take next week off as well, since I have a 2 week, 10lb lifting restriction, and I do end up lifting people at work... I also have orders for no "strenuous exercise" for 4 weeks, whatever that means.<br />
<br />
BUT, this will affect some goals of mine. I was scheduled to run a half marathon the Saturday I was discharged, which would have been my 12th half marathon, and I would have completed it by the anniversary of my very 1st half marathon, which just so happens to be this upcoming weekend. But, that didn't happen. I'm also fairly certain I will not be running another half marathon this month...ending my streak. Oh, and that half marathon triple (3 in 3 days) I was planning over 4th of July weekend; doubt that's going to happen, either. What can you do?! That's the problem with making long term goals; things can come up!<br />
<br />
Right now, I'm focused on healing. After that, I can focus on getting back into shape. One step at a time!<br />
<br />
So...that's what's up with me. Probably no running recaps for awhile, but perhaps a "health" recap later on this month!Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-57754944092678598032011-05-02T19:08:00.001-07:002011-05-02T19:22:49.352-07:00Eugene/FIRST Marathon Race RecapI've been a terrible blogger up to this point, but I know I should definitely write down all my thoughts from our very FIRST marathon, before I forget ALL the juicy details!! So here goes!<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Saturday</span><br />
Saturday we got up at a decent hour (8am) to pack our stuff and start on our journey down to Eugene. We got on the road at a decent time, and made it to the Race Expo at the Eugene Hilton by noon. We found the packet pickup where we picked up our bibs, timing chips, goodie bags, and shirts. Nothing looked too enticing as we passed by several booths, and it seemed a bit crowded for my taste, so we were in and out in no time. <img alt="IMG 1078" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez9UhimdeXErRdjHyUfenoppctX4cjtNWxqzAk1LDvnlXKo6PS-TRPUniOlwVZULsyS3dbuMUBIZsrtD_gSEdP3n8bGoaYOVkhdt-8-N1qxWbD7aaE0NovflIe7mt_LtSKrvms4FUZL_P//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1078.JPG" width="600" /><br />
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<img alt="IMG 1079" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLiSayV7rfc5tsXFZ8PCWiKC8qMqvX_iFgBSMS9fdTYLIS9CI9ojmuD0JdekwS3z2hnlInXO_tSw5NcGuIEnzExP1t1-HphyphenhyphenNBQfQhdD3DgiyM-fI91BGjuFa4l1TW9fzQthTCgaaEAF0//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1079.jpg" width="450" /><br />
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<img alt="IMG 1081" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxgj99Cfj3OhgozU4EkdS36yMMWkCCs_zXniJqyZT7GRkbjpYp6lsdslvrj3snSfvobxcNVrEX2oP5dbrFyMTqPY6jnRDpIPGIbpkJB87SkK9Hjn2qBUM2XIduyy24inGV3oUeuozm05q//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1081.JPG" width="600" /><br />
<br />
We picked up a course map at the expo, and decided to drive the course as best we could, since much of it is on the path along the Willamette River. First stop was Historic Hayward Field, where the race start and finish are located! <img alt="IMG 1082" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsEDi_6sscRbToTUfXHJOamzuDo3PVLUs6wk-pOOEA7vT_EHINuYH3rRJI3WVmeb0P6WnVnalFmW13_gAqGMhJgT_nsfNEz2AMZwHvsiH5yWMVhOXBpnPs3kFg8nghhuaTfNTkI5XpBGP//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1082.JPG" width="600" /><br />
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<img alt="IMG 1083" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvVD3NAwSB2wgVPxFJrI7vo8B6CSPxz1vzHjimynWfsp_XljBoFt0CEfUvBrRUZE0sd6hWA_j73N1Kscxle3Qtny4Q8K2TnMR3oxF7652cjxaHS9nJiAn1vse21tpTSL66OV8hm5KVkpo//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1083.JPG" width="600" /><br />
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As we were driving around the Mile 16 mark, we accidentally found out where Autzen Stadium (home of the Duck's Football team) was, AND that there was something going on there on Saturday, at about the time we decided to drive by. Oops!! <img alt="IMG 1084" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8c4oQGjgRy1Ghj_gwgOHrhEFc3Zpkaepa4Qlz3qLwv6Ext4xn5IFlQyOCJ3clugRmIYbq-bG6uhlEBRwqRODWaOFNjl16XIBLVCBJqvH3xDkFzFOBacdVkZLimI58vqYe1i2yqh61Ftn//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1084.JPG" width="600" /><br />
<br />
We made our way through most of the course, and then it was finally time to check into our B&B (<a href="http://secretgardenbbinn.com/">The Secret Garden Inn</a>), located only about 2 blocks away from Hayward Field. Our room was not "spacious" but it was perfect for us! Cute and cozy, and perfect for resting!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ON7Dp2GP1VKhMpL_Jw63S09D1a2kjKHQvivENRokYH3wgK2QrwEM3qabbSfSbezoUBZvuR4ZT7cbR9M-4I15OycT06e8vUS6o_ITIz1DxknmiOa93eJ5ff2ufJYBONDNX-oxRVePrY0u/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ON7Dp2GP1VKhMpL_Jw63S09D1a2kjKHQvivENRokYH3wgK2QrwEM3qabbSfSbezoUBZvuR4ZT7cbR9M-4I15OycT06e8vUS6o_ITIz1DxknmiOa93eJ5ff2ufJYBONDNX-oxRVePrY0u/s640/IMG_1085.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cozy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Our friends made it down later in the day, and we met up at <a href="http://www.tracktownpizza.com/">Track Town Pizza</a>, for a delicious pre-marathon meal. Many of our long runs were preceded by a delicious meal of pizza, and we didn't want to stray too far from that! :) <img alt="IMG 1108" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaNth33OxfLMBBiAqXCaXMEmrtj6aQjz9IwMNMeo9-Y-EjYmJKD_ry4MgUPs8YMx8CBsRcJYNB_5_5OeevQWfZfnQ-iwvcVdvaGkR5mQ62crLn9TjXnVK_NBMay20r2-GwX0nAV5dT9ze//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1108.JPG" width="600" /><br />
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<img alt="IMG 1105" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRc_Ylx_G-yqQrh7ktYO9BJnKakCXQFeVLP8o9k2ujZcoez9Cu3scC3ifsLj-eLaXUDkGEOqKFEuecY3L0jpYGPUW_KsxTqiaJSkWuEd_bBeZHpUzy3wB6uRa8ZBfERKzT6d-n7RO-vnwQ//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1105.JPG" width="600" /><br />
<br />
And of course, our pre-long run meals always include a delicious beer...Mmm...(J and I split a pint) <img alt="IMG 1103" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtkmh4iVpgrG3r-6cgWEw99ERgv7vp9H-c9JHBtvaeKVL1Os-UFehetOON6YsdNKMt-fhKpZMONRW-_TtgajQKKLseLUv8iGCQydXxtu3B5DefnnkkUL8p1vMZZZuELCADBOETBUNflik//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1103.jpg" width="450" /><br />
Finally we headed back to our room and got our gear ready to go for the next day. <img alt="IMG 1099" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKR3sOp05UGPPwaKj-19sECIdFlrqzZRrcnN0C_Ds1zVsz-6wg02cazAHk0Lit4q6lf1jD6NyWzpLXO1PlOwqxHoYW3K_0b3NBT5LW9nw-e5aBmyJLHI5Ku4hB-5jMvwqoYVhonVcEUc9w//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_1099.jpg" width="450" /><br />
After we were prepared for the next morning it was time for some relaxation in bed, including an awesome <a href="http://www.portlandtimbers.com/">Timbers</a> game. Although I slept through most of the second half, I woke up just in time to see them cinch the win! I slept really good marathon eve, for some reason, and woke up with my alarm, ready to go!<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Sunday/Marathon Day!!</span><br />
5:45am came not so bright but early. J and I ate our oatmeal, and suited up for our first full marathon. I knew it was going to be cool for the start (~40°), but that it would warm up in no time. It was actually quite reminiscent to our <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/helvetia-half-marathon-race-report.html">first half marathon</a> a little less than a year ago. All our training, and even the week leading up to the race was cool and wet, and then come race day, the warmest day of the year thus far and no clouds in sight!! Not so nice when you can't handle running in heat...(We're the opposite of most fair-weather runners!)<br />
<br />
I tried to go into the race without any time expectations, as I knew it was going to be tougher than any race we had ever done. I knew if I went in with certain expectations, I would probably be disappointed, but I also knew I wanted to do the best that I could. I know that I am capable of a sub-4 hour marathon, but I wasn't sure today was the day for it. We hadn't done any speed work in our training. In fact, we hadn't actually run at a sub-4 hour marathon pace at all during training. But I wanted to start out at a decent pace, and see how we felt!<br />
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We got to the race start with about 10 minutes to spare. The lines to the potties looked immense, and I was starting to get nervous, so I opted out of the lines, and we went to line up instead. We found the 4-hour pacer, and thought that was as good a place as any to line up. Little did we know the race would start 11 minutes late...<br />
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Miles 1-7:<br />
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, a little girl sang the national anthem, and then the gun went off. We shuffled across the starting line, and waited for the crowd to loosen up a bit. The first mile or so was a bit of a cluster, but we didn't try to push through it, or wind through too many people; we just took it easy, we still had a LONG way to go.<br />
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I knew my friend, K, was waiting for us at about 1.5 miles. We saw her and waved, and I handed off my handheld, as I wasn't expecting to need it until later on, and didn't want to cart it along with us the whole way. It was at about this point that the 4-hour pacer took off. And I mean TOOK OFF!! I know he was a bit behind the pace, but holy moly! There were plenty of miles to make up time! It was probably at this point that we let him go on ahead, and we didn't see much of him at all later on. Oh well!<br />
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The next few miles were fairly uneventful. For the first few miles, we could see the fasties on the other side of a green patch (through some tree branches) which was pretty cool. We looped down and around, and made our way back up toward the University, grabbing water or gatorade at every aid station along the way. This part of the race seemed to go by really fast, and we were able to keep a good pace going.<br />
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Mile 1: 9:49 (Thick crowd)<br />
Mile 2: 9:13<br />
Mile 3: 9:04<br />
Mile 4: 9:10<br />
Mile 5: 9:14<br />
Mile 6: 9:00<br />
Mile 7: 9:03<br />
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Miles 8-11:<br />
Our friend K had planned to see us again in front of South Eugene High School, just before the "hill" at mile 8. I passed off my arm warmers (I was plenty warm at this point) and she told us to keep going. Then came the "hill", which wasn't much of a hill, really, and actually crested at our B&B, "See you later!" <img alt="Mile 8" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8LRLxc7VjH46iGZzs-txtu_3YCwMiqMtHXoQie6dWUKkezMG04idhGYfEnle3pXXZcPVD6SRCf65jY2gnPYP8pe8Kn-K_mHC32FH0yeNFPPngohNthPe0obUz-AAEXQV8WkyNbzcKjxp//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mile 8.jpg" width="600" /><br />
We came back by Hayward Field again, and we decided to hit up the potties while we knew there would be no wait. I probably didn't *need* to use the potty; it was more mental than anything, but it didn't take us <i>too</i> long. Soon enough, we were crossing over the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the river, and parting ways with the half marathoners.<br />
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Mile 8: 9:12 ("hill"?)<br />
Mile 9: 10:00 (pit stop)<br />
Mile 10: 9:12<br />
Mile 11: 9:23<br />
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Miles 12-16:<br />
Definitely the most boring part, at least to me...Neighborhoods, and a long...boring...road. I kept waiting for Centennial Blvd to turn in to MKL, because I knew that meant we were almost to Autzen Stadium, and almost to the River Pathways. After what seemed like forever, we were finally there! My legs started to feel a bit tired during this stretch, but that could have been a bit due to the long boringness of it...I'm pretty sure this is when we decided to settle in to our 9:20 pace, since our bodies had already.<br />
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Mile 12: 9:25<br />
Mile 13: 9:25<br />
Mile 14: 9:12<br />
Mile 15: 9:20<br />
Mile 16: 9:20<br />
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Miles 17-21:<br />
Although the scenery was better, all the pedestrian bridges leading to the other side of the river were dirty teases, as we had to continue on straight ahead. I was definitely getting more tired, but no more than I had expected. I was also started to feel warm, and more thirsty than the water stations were appearing. Luckily K, and our other friend M (who had just raced to a PR in her half marathon) were going to meet us at the mile 21 marker to run with us for a few miles!<br />
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Mile 17: 9:41<br />
Mile 18: 9:39<br />
Mile 19: 9:51<br />
Mile 20: 9:53<br />
Mile 21: 10:00<br />
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Miles 22-24:<br />
K and M met us just in time. I was so thirsty, and needed a good distraction. M told us about her PR, and K told us about the other friends she'd seen out on the course. They told us how strong we looked (which I strongly doubted, as I felt anything but strong at that point...) I got my handheld and kept drinking at every aid station. Soon enough, though, our 2 miles with friends were over, and we continued on on our own.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Mile 21" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtkcDQEhwKHZxmxP8VSr8RvJGPfnOjAh4A3gpxe9NLGIGRLggFNmRFDnJ81963uBGclgl273WT5dhXfjB2QTL76rITJbY9Vt8Sq8n8AymQ0TlLxup4SqnfRkigXEiqkGZZRkRTI6kUKTj//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mile 21.jpg" width="600" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marathons are hard!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mile 24 was probably the most difficult, as we were so close, but not close enough to know the end was near. We were passing several people walking, and although I <i>wanted</i> to walk, I really just wanted to get it over with! And I knew I could finish if I just kept running!<br />
<br />
Mile 22: 10:05<br />
Mile 23: 10:05<br />
Mile 24: 10:12<br />
<br />
Miles 25-26.2:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Finish" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZESZGZ0B3p4VjdGhMssUqLLdDqCxppJF38_MwjxdUCauE7tRw_QctFpS2MAaYZ6D4xR5yBwF0bBW0Qv64CYqmgw9sbgG_hLnmMs9s1kxo5v8ru2NB36YuVG0m_AmvJUwkF8JvptRYiH6//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="finish.jpg" width="600" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming into the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I saw the Mile 25 marker, I knew I could pick up the pace, and I knew we would be finished soon. I just kept running, and when I saw the final turn on the path, that would take us to Agate Street, through Franklin, and onto Hayward Field, I definitely picked up the pace. On we went, and then I saw the stadium, and <i>really</i> picked it up! It got closer and closer until it was finally there. We ran onto the track, around a curve, and booked it as best we could through the finish line! <br />
<br />
Mile 25: 10:25<br />
Mile 26: 9:46<br />
Mile 26.2: 8:08 avg pace<br />
<br />
Garmin Results: 4:10:50 (26.27 miles)<br />
<br />
Official Results: 4:10:43 (26.2 miles)<br />
<br />
After we crossed, we collected our race medals, and slowly/painfully made our way toward the exit to meet our friends. We were done! The legs were not working so well, though. We collected our congratulations from our friends, and slowly made our way back to the B&B to shower/change. (It took AWHILE!!) We made it out eventually and ate lunch with friends at <a href="http://www.luckynoodle.com/">Lucky Noodle</a>, and then some gelato at <a href="http://www.sweetlifedesserts.com/">The Sweet Life</a>. Yum! Not walking so well: <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Funnywalk" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_bJoee9H4RK2FkctLrs3PraB_1OYoxcUyrkMG_Il3g6cN86bXs3ynRQ-2T2hLnm0bn9EJ1AX-s8JnVmSqnks5Mkb6mJ01YaW15ozGEnIXH4LkuqbUSItYtZBwjFFB61yauIIdRUMEC2L//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="funnywalk.jpg" width="450" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the back</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Smile" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1YiIOUFL6QtJbNYfjRLwEUl-A1PBGM4emob7XAVet60ZtUnePT3sYeggrO-NSk-eZRydlVOf2NuQdSRZiwhpubrOsSngqQqSi8GwsdEc8km1QPxgpEUZLLbLXNBcgcs77jxhcmSZM4Vz//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="smile.jpg" width="600" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the front</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Overall, I'm very happy with how we did. Yes, our pace dropped off, but I think we still finished strong. I think a lot of the difficulty (for me) in the last 10k or so was mental, and not knowing what to expected from myself in uncharted territory. But I think I was still able to remain strong, even during those tough times. Its kind of funny to look at our split times, compared to others running the race (check out our "rank" for our first few splits compared to the "last 10K" split, even though our pace dropped significantly, our rank improved!):<br />
<br />
10k: 58:10 (pace: 9:22 , rank: 115)<br />
Half (13.1 Mile): 2:02:09 (pace: 9:20 , rank: 116)<br />
20 Mile: 3:07:41 (pace: 9:24 , rank: 105)<br />
Last 10k: 1:03:03 (pace: 10:09 , rank: 102)<br />
<br />
I think it was a solid first marathon, and although I'm suffering from quite a bit of soreness right now, and felt like I was suffering through most of the end of the race, I'll definitely run a marathon again (and I think J is up for it, too!) I now know I can make it the whole distance, now it's time to see how fast I can go!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Afterthemarathon" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_y_BFHwsPeqxrecO3hnMpxd2S2g3sUy6J8hWRAhnKq1fjvaxJF0oE__gyNY0wEHOzj6aiWDIQcqeI7u_91m6cVPy_1_FgMiQzia_stoJrYhi5gvOXjBqA2GwOSb5e1RiURykFa4ZKujn//?imgmax=800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="afterthemarathon.jpg" width="600" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marathoners!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-81633460844496533192011-04-04T18:44:00.001-07:002011-04-04T18:44:35.387-07:0027 Days + Wheatfield Half Marathon Recap<p>until Eugene, and I am officially a <em>terrible</em> blogger! :) Oh well. I’ve been pretty busy with work, and you know, training for a marathon! I guess I can get a <em>little</em> lazy…</p> <p>Since I last left you, we completed another 20-miler, which I think felt harder than the first one…Maybe it had something to do with moving the Mt Tabor loop closer to the end of the run. We got to the top and then had to keep going! Oy! My theory: If its hard, it just makes you stronger! </p> <p>The following weekend, I completed my 8th half marathon in 7 months (with an additional 3 added miles to make it an even 16 mile long run) at the Wheatfield Half Marathon. I wrote a <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/2011/03/2011_wheatfield_half_marathon.html" target="_blank">recap</a> for the <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/index.html" target="_blank">RunOregon blog</a> about it. </p> <p>It was a good event. Very small race, and only $5 pre-registered ($10 DOR). It was a bit of a drive (1.5 hours to The Dalles) but it didn’t start until 10am, so we didn’t have to wake up extra early! It was a beautiful out and back course, along wheatfields, green mossy rocks, and most of the course ran alongside a really pretty creek. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWe0dyx6Yn6HZUbWSCMCq0njQIZiylV8U1BuINdww54JyhZJ1qcP45OuDacBaS0XJ4MIhC3bsoyQfeqoRaT_rq7DqrPxJGUHGUaRXJ5adSsKop98qxjf1BU5o9CLw7dUVCr1j-D86DkLf/s1600-h/200593_634108135409_35803523_35449077_7590184_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="200593_634108135409_35803523_35449077_7590184_n" border="0" alt="200593_634108135409_35803523_35449077_7590184_n" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqzd4qOUkcA9nu-md5pzSvBxio8tPlmrLJzZQgDWNnAgRdtxGlecD1pv6A2NQQZ50-KO-y3XUW9Ubo-6HXGQQNJC4EFe7v3xBVZXJw85J6wtASoKjAImQJoC2IjgQnCIead4ob5aYQo7X//?imgmax=800" width="302" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>Since it was a small race, there were definitely times when J and I were running by ourselves (Good thing we enjoy each other’s company!) And we recognized a lot of people out there, and it was fun to cheer them on as they passed us on their way back to the finish line. We took the course pretty slow, since this was most of our long run. We had gotten to the race start about an hour early (score!) so we did most of our extra 3 miles prior to the race start, but when we came into the finish, we knew we had another extra mile to do. </p> <p>After the race, our carpool friends took us to a few of their favorite breweries in Hood River: <a href="http://www.doublemountainbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Double Mountain Brewery</a> and Big Horse Brewery. Pizza and beer = delicious post-long run recovery food! :)</p> <p>This past week was a recovery week, and we took our rest seriously! </p> <p>Next weekend is the <a href="http://www.orrc.net/races/vernonia/vernonia.htm" target="_blank">Vernonia Half Marathon</a>, which will be my 9th half-marathon in 8 months. We’re going to use this is part of our last 20-miler (maybe 22-miler; we’ll see). After that…taper time! Wow, <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Eugene Marathon</a> is coming up quick!! </p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-32191925304506832882011-03-07T19:46:00.001-08:002011-03-07T19:46:30.508-08:00So Busy<p>And not just with running. We just finally had a “restful” weekend, but I still think I would have liked for it to be longer. Ah, well. </p> <p>So I guess I last finished off by writing about Hagg Lake. We’ve definitely kept up the running since then, and have done some <strong><em>LONG</em></strong> runs! </p> <p>Last weekend was our first ever 20-miler! And it wasn’t nearly as bad as I would have thought it would be way back when; just another progression in distance. We ran again with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=210867609585" target="_blank">Coach Jim’s group</a>, which brought us up to the top of Mount Tabor within the first 5 or so miles; not a bad way to start your first 20-miler! ;)</p> <p>After Hagg Lake, those hills felt like nothing! The remainder of the run was along relatively flat neighborhoods, and we finished 18.5 miles with the group. J and I ran few more miles until we completed 20.5 total! Wow! That’s kind of a long way!</p> <p>We’re planning on another two 20-milers before Eugene. And I’m thinking of just maybe making one of those 20’s a 22-miler…We’ll see.</p> <p>So far, though, so good. No problems with my shins (or knees, calves, hips, or any other body parts!). I’m pretty excited about this. I think it was a good idea for me to stay away from super challenging workouts, like speedwork, in order to prevent any injuries while going into uncharted mileage territory. </p> <p>Last week was another cut back week, and we finished all the pertinent miles on our schedule without difficulty, and managed to actually have a little fun, as well as a little rest over the weekend: including <a href="http://www.sakeone.com/" target="_blank">Sake Tasting</a>, <a href="http://www.erath.com/" target="_blank">Wine Tasting</a>, and dinner at <a href="http://www.porquenotacos.com/" target="_blank">Por qué no</a>!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB568GT9AUh03xM7gqZgtUj0wLCoNwEM2NDsap7SnLgNoLt9X0NpfqZ6ZB7_OgMFHFFtHxCxR8tMOE-detPrCKVQkFQd5nXvwoZ0jUCR3p4FC46hA1J0Qnqfpnhyphenhyphen93Dp6B675tCoZBu78P/s1600-h/porqueno%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="porqueno" border="0" alt="porqueno" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpouTwoik-mt0EBJWaWVF7YepwXvKndg-Ynzy54OD7-rXc-ODEMit9cWpB0FfgtaMOiv-jVKnY0ArLh1YAr4yIiyBenZTzAz8X56Kf1hPaEieY97Nmf1lVtcC1wmmaM_yZGmj5JI1ucqqs//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p>Next Sunday is the Shamrock Run. We’re doing the 15k + ~7 more miles for an even 16. It should be a fun time with friends, though! </p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="5"><font color="#008000">55 more Days <br />until <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Eugene Marathon</a>!!</font></font></strong></p> <p align="center"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.runnerspace.com/members/images/4/15867_full.jpg" width="240" height="143" /></p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-34147368892124100172011-02-21T19:32:00.001-08:002011-02-21T19:32:32.881-08:00Hagg Lake Trail 25k Recap + 10 weeks left!<p>J and I spent last weekend out volunteering at <a href="http://haggmud.com/" target="_blank">Hagg Lake Trail</a> (MUD!) 50k and 25k races. We spent all of Saturday volunteering at the finish line (which was also an aid station before the second loop) and then on Sunday, J volunteered at an aid station and the finish line, and I ran and volunteered at the finish line. (It was packed when I finished, and I jumped right into the same duties I did yesterday.) Volunteering was fun, and there were a lot of great runners out there this weekend. How they finished as fast as they did on those rough trail conditions just leaves me in awe!</p> <p>Onto the 25k recap!</p> <p>Mud. Mud. Mud. If you ever do this race, don’t let the first 8 or so miles deceive you. The last half-ish of the race is a big dirty, slippery mess. I don’t think I saw anyone finish the 50k who <em>didn’t</em> fall! My goal going into this race was to stay on my feet. And, as long as hand contact on the ground doesn’t count…I succeeded!!!</p> <p>The first several miles entailed what I consider “average” dirt trail, much like the Wildwood Trail. This section was tough with the hills and and all, but overall not too bad. There was a section of washed out trail where you have to get through some mud. I didn’t mind since I knew what was to come. But others tried their best to get around it. I didn’t feel like hurting myself trying to do that, so through the mud I went!</p> <p>I saw J at the aid station about 6 miles in, and quickly moved on after refilling my water bottle. A few more miles later, the muddiness began, and didn’t end until we crossed the finish line.</p> <p>First up was the slick mud. Easy goes it with shuffling and trying to stay on my feet. This is where I pulled, what I refer to as a Spiderman pose. One foot out to the side and both hands on the ground. But I was still on my feet! This continued on for miles, with slick up hills, slick down hills, and slick flats. There were a few breaks in dry dirt and on the road, but the slipping really takes a toll on your legs. </p> <p>I was counting down the miles, hoping for some glimpse of the finish as my legs were begging me to stop! And then I saw the boat ramp at the parking lot, and knew it was only a small bit of trail afterward to the finish line! But first, holy boggy mud!!! Mud up to mid-calf. This section went on longer than I expected it seemed like it could, and when I finished I only had to slug my 5-lbs blocks of shoes a little ways farther to the finish line. </p> <p>3:14:13 – later, and the finish line was packed, and I could tell all the volunteers were scrambling to get things done, so I jumped in and started helping out. Which probably explains the extreme soreness I’m grappling with today! Ouch!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRNkpZYwRBD_NIx10pkrKsr0uH0TUnUAypCiDDm-mDWMSwqS8D-HDWsoE4NpKTTSN8mrDp5Sf_BWMFLNrWsw_5IniCSbffpOcwsQQvQg1a38OfzIkGsTzPxcYzWXop1xaNIsr9biFyZtZ/s1600-h/182409_10150098831612771_243070527770_6341336_2181750_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="182409_10150098831612771_243070527770_6341336_2181750_n" border="0" alt="182409_10150098831612771_243070527770_6341336_2181750_n" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqyLGQHzushoZ1jl4EkBYgH981Pcvyd87vGAUCMjHy-_FCLFmto3hiwX3wSmesR0jsg7zB51d9Ggte0z-MSDYvbp7LQcV8aKOaQmb56Oq-jq74HQxDnMk-UkfyJuiOfcc1g06KP9ETCI1//?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a>Not the best picture of the mud, but pretty much knees and below = mud. </p> <p>On the marathon training front, we are about 10 weeks away from the <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Eugene Marathon</a> and everything is going well so far. I’ve decided against doing any speed training at least this go around because I want to avoid any injuries as we up our mileage. So far so good! Next weekend is our first 20-miler!! And it doesn’t seem nearly as daunting as it once did! I’m actually kinda looking forward to it! :)</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-55922284514245294212011-02-07T19:00:00.001-08:002011-02-07T19:01:00.011-08:00Lazy Blogger<p>Not much new to report. </p> <p>We’ve kept up our training for the <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Eugene Marathon</a>. Since we started our training, I’ve felt a little tenderness in the shin area, and since last week was a cut back week, I took it seriously and ran a total of 2 times, and made sure to massage and ice my shins as much as I could! They have definitely felt better the last few runs, so I think I made a good choice. When cutting back like that, it’s hard not to feel lazy, but I just had to keep telling myself: “It’s better to take a few lazy days now, than a few lazy months later!” And truthfully, my goal for this (my first) full marathon is just to finish! And I can’t finish if I injure myself during training!</p> <p>So I don’t have anything too exciting to post. January was my highest mileage month ever, about 0.4 miles more than my only other month over 100 miles. Not too shabby. I’m expecting the next few months to be even higher; I just hope my shins hold out for me!</p> <p>The weekend before last, we finished a 15-miler for our long run, our longest consecutive run ever. It felt pretty good, too, except for the last 0.5-0.75 miles. That’s when our legs started to feel heavy, but I expect that’s probably going to happen as we continue to increase our mileage; it’s kinda far to run!</p> <p>We have 16 miles planned for next weekend, plus I have to work Saturday. I predict I will be tired next week! Oh the joys of marathon training!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-80310605595061930892011-01-17T17:07:00.001-08:002011-01-17T17:07:04.296-08:00Cascade Half Marathon Race Recap + Week 1 of Marathon Training<p>When I initially signed up for this race, I thought that it looked like a nice flat course for a PR. Then the Holidays/Vacation came and went without much running, and I decided that I would just run it for “fun” and hope to finish! At some point I though I might try to break 2 hours, but I have been feeling pretty sluggish lately, and really just wanted to finish!</p> <p>The weather wasn’t too terrific for the drive down to Turner, but the temperature reading seemed fairly warm for January. And it would have felt warm, too, if it weren’t for the driving rain! Oh well.</p> <p>This race is a fundraiser for the Cascade High School Cross Country and Track and Field Teams, so the start and finish are located on school grounds. We made our way to the school gym to pick up our packets. Packet-pickup was a breeze, and we had plenty of time to kill before the start of the race at 9am. We wandered around the indoor school areas to get the lay of the land, including the cafeteria (which served warm soup after the race) and the locker rooms (which would allow us to take “warm” showers after the race.) </p> <p>Now, my bib number was 909. As in the pace needed to break 2 hours. (Yes, I knew that off the top of my head.) This is when I started to think I might just break 2 hours after all…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9trLawF8GkQ067yto31m1gBL_T8_VeSVtPxjrU3OhDE0BsdhbQQI_seYoCELs5tKKW_rLgJ_OO1ML0OBu-hOssZfQWd52J5SK0Gp6ZDSV4xbFJvmxe3zI_c90gv_st6GcrkDlLKAJ0yW/s1600-h/IMG_0863%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0863" border="0" alt="IMG_0863" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NksoeILVf4nHm96RYPY9lqWE66bgOGZ3fMgbdxjWatlil_qdNg6uzfIisz4J1nBuAmcYNrHnLHwi-Qqr0IfEMRA5on8YtDHGwqMVpo2sIAWCVEKIgh9orQk9wjlqA-G1mkSA-hQKpdyz//?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a>  <br />Soon enough, it was time to head outside into the driving rain. But we didn’t have to wait too long. Finally, we were on our way!</p> <p>The course takes place on flat country roads, taking several turns here and there as you weave through farms, cows and horses. A flat and fast course for sure, except for that darn sideways rain! As we made each turn, it was fun to discover which way the rain would be hitting you this time! It didn’t take long before we were all drenched, but we’re Oregon runners, and so, we continued on.</p> <p>I was hoping to settle in to my “fun” pace right from the beginning, unfortunately I fell right into PR pace. Oops! So, I tried to fall back a bit, but it was hard to do with all the people surrounding me. I finally found a reasonable pace…for about 2 miles, until the leaders started passing us on their way back to the finish. So I picked it up again, and before I knew it, we were at the turn-around with several boisterous spectators, which definitely pushed me on. </p> <p>When I saw the time on the clock at the turn-around, I figured I might as well continue on with my current pace! And so we wove back over familiar territory, counting down the miles left until the finish. Each time we turned a corner, I kept a lookout for the school, hoping I could dry off soon. Finally, there it was! So I picked up the pace for the last 1.1 miles, and pushed through the finish line.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdkPbKqgEfHhvb7RvyO8MNv_OdUM79rrhBy1ALl72aWWGaQjnngsWdCFOMU4SEJr0uyQ2o8ZDVaS7ZeQqTSxb1vJ3cagruq7H3i8WvE3djyG1rzq_tJ5egZcLtsz93D91CvxZVMbgQpHn/s1600-h/IMG_0878%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0878" border="0" alt="IMG_0878" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-T683ikui4Kjkbv_WPmpIudtRL1BNr6iztmNzdeJw0rEWSzO60LGfCEk8ke6OtEx1Yy5w8zBBHluUk4DRuGJanUFDt3gcR5R8tJ1EZQkBTVheDYywTyw8JwfSqlFrN0JuvqFMvg48vJZ//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a>  <br />Just for fun, here are my splits from the race (along with my thoughts at the time): <br />Mile 1: 8:23 (Oops! Way too fast.) <br />Mile 2: 8:46 (Better, but still too fast.) <br />Mile 3: 9:11 (Better, I could probably keep this going.) <br />Mile 4: 9:28 (That's more like it.) <br />Mile 5: 9:20 (Still comfortable.) <br />Mile 6: 8:52 (Look at those people coming back this way; they're fast!) <br />Mile 7: 8:56 (Ok, under 1 hour at the 1/2-way point, I should just go for it.) <br />Mile 8: 8:43 (Not sure I need to go this fast...) <br />Mile 9: 8:34 (Or this fast...) <br />Mile 10: 8:33 (Well, I'm nearly there now...) <br />Mile 11: 8:43 (A little tougher here.) <br />Mile 12: 8:29 (Almost there) <br />Mile 13: 8:12 (Push against that headwind! Push!!) <br />Mile 13.1: 1:23 (7:26 avg pace) (I just want to be dry again!)</p> <p>Official Time: 1:55:32 (8:50 avg pace) My second fast half ever!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjm35Ewsc0wRSdW_AkEliT3lX3tNd1oCZJuLy9m8cfpDmdNkCRpq9dUf0qFXWLCr6JA4F7upWoXBq5DnLhZJwbhJxMKJXDh2ljqbKx7x6Rn6ZOTEjgoc1wDDf7FTHSA3PlGWN1eUC_rTL/s1600-h/IMG_0880%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0880" border="0" alt="IMG_0880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0laod3Yf_IfAaHhY5Zr7YVI7YJIP6gD0n2ZzmjT9j54vLSGZprcOph5BWlvTnZbkcVGxIRdAyvQ7z_5Z_L-2XkWilOyGZx83QbWG6V9sGTknUrWupS0SQlmmlizy76fXeH0vXc_rV4gd//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a>  <br />So much for the “fun” run I had planned! I was tired, but not as tired as I had been after <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/11/ewebs-run-to-stay-warm-half-marathon.html">EWEB</a>. My competitive spirit definitely got the best of me! I collected my finisher’s medal, grabbed my dry clothes from J, then made my way to the locker room to get cleaned up. It was definitely nice to change into some warm/dry clothes! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8asp7vkKBPgYWDACZk9evbvD6vLgT60eMTr3Rqr8J80A-nBxhb-0V47-FSQLVANdadXHxMKFeh-cvQMAJXA8ngw0Qd9M55Afc3cOCl2LzVN9IhEGRNhu1J2v3qrSIBz_6VtFH_3PjArps/s1600-h/IMG_0884%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0884" border="0" alt="IMG_0884" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmltSyoyGS4Kx9VzfYkwUIZ-SbHMM_6-BFRAPyUUmlVAsY-r-QJLu7R5ITCsgrXqPavFQ1tqbuZn7O_0v_bb339kWUii2Sv4izI2fGnZLMO5wc_mx6GHsT0NkdMfT5vZzZX0u0zs2zCn20//?imgmax=800" width="484" height="644" /></a>  <br />It was a great end to a decent week of Marathon training. I got all my runs in, and finished the week with 28.7 miles. Not too shabby! I might have less mileage during this upcoming week, but that’s probably ok! :)</p> <p>So far I have completed 5 months of 1 half-marathon/month for 1 year! AND, since I completed 6 half marathon within 5 months, I now have 2 moons as a <a href="http://www.halffanatics.com/">Half Fanatic</a>! Yay!</p> <p>Until next time!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-6543119299761408732011-01-10T21:39:00.001-08:002011-01-10T21:39:13.425-08:00Sneaky Sneaky<p>Well, Marathon training kinda, maybe, somewhat caught me off guard. We got lazy over winter break, and now it's time to jump right in! Whoa!</p> <p>Luckily, we managed to squeeze in 22 miles last week, and we have 26 miles on the schedule for next week. I think we'll be ok, but going into my long run on Sunday, I was starting to worry about my half coming up <i>next</i> Sunday. But it looks like I'll be ok. I'm definitely not in "racing" shape, but I know I can complete the whole thing! Phew!</p> <p>Also…I may have done a crazy thing. I'm a <a href="http://www.halffanatics.com/">Half Fanatic</a>, and noticed some of my Fanatic friends on Facebook were signing up for a few races on July 4th weekend. <i>Three</i> to be exact. So I signed up! For three half marathons in three days! Eep! </p> <p>Actually, I'm kind of excited. I think it's going to be difficult, and definitely a challenge, but I really think I can do it! And when do you get the chance to run 3 halves in 3 days? A fellow Fanatic (and Maniac) is putting on the 2 weekend marathons/half marathons, and the 3rd one is the <a href="http://www.foottraffic.us/flat/">Foot Traffic Flat Marathon/Half Marathon</a>. It's being billed as the <a href="http://www.firecrackertriple.com/">Firecracker Triple</a>, and you can find more information <a href="http://www.firecrackertriple.com/">here</a>. The 2 weekend races are capped at 100 participants each, and they will definitely fill soon! (Clearly, you can also do a triple of marathons, but c'mon now, that's just crazy :P)</p> <p>Marathon training officially begins this week, so I guess it's time to get serious. My legs are starting to remember what running is, just in the nick of time! </p> <p>Hopefully I'll have something fun to report next weekend!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-81379791218237497712011-01-01T14:30:00.001-08:002011-01-01T14:30:12.926-08:00Running Goals for 2011<p>I hope everyone had a good time ringing in the new year. J and I hosted our own party, and had a lot of fun with friends and games. I haven’t run since Monday, and thus can officially say I ran 801.5 miles total in 2010. Not too shabby, but I want to think bigger next year, especially with marathon training officially starting on the 10th. Eek! :)</p> <p>I made a few goals for 2011. I think they are realistic, and will give me something to work for. But I won’t hesitate to adjust them as necessary throughout the year, and hey, maybe add a few more! You never know!</p> <p><strong>1. Run 1200 miles in 2011.</strong> As I stated above, I ran 801.5 miles in 2010, my first full year of running. I know I can run more than that now, and I know we’ll be training for a marathon, and thus should definitely get more miles in. </p> <p><strong>2. Complete a Marathon.</strong> Currently planned as the Eugene Marathon! I’ll reassess whether I would like to run another one after I complete the first one. Best not to get ahead of myself, right?!</p> <p><strong>3. PR in the half marathon</strong> (and probably the 5k and 10k, and definitely the marathon…automatic PR!)</p> <p><strong>4. Complete running 1 half marathon every month to complete a full year (August being the last).</strong> I started in September 2010, so I am on my way!</p> <p>I’ve added a 2011 Race Calendar to the sidebar (and moved the 2010 calendar to the “Races” tab). I’ll keep updating it when I “officially” confirm my plans for races. Until then, happy planning for 2011!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://clovisexperts.com/files/2010/12/New-Year-2011-365x289.png" width="240" height="191" /></p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-80920303471853535822010-12-28T14:41:00.001-08:002010-12-28T14:41:17.094-08:00Recap of my first year of running<p>I’m fairly certain 1-year-ago-Marya would not believe what current-Marya has accomplished this year. Several 5k’s, 10k’s, and SIX half-marathons! As of a few days before New Years, I have run 801.5 miles, and will probably add a few more on before rolling over into the new year.</p> <p>Overall, I think it was a successful year! And I can’t wait to see what next year holds…including the <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/" target="_blank">Eugene Marathon</a>! Here’s a run down of the past year:</p> <p><strong>January</strong>: <br />We ran our first running race, the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/01/first-run-race-report.html" target="_blank">First Run 5k</a> at the strike of midnight. What a great way to ring in a great year of running! We finished in 29:16, and were ecstatic to finish under 30 minutes. Our times have improved, and we’ve certainly run further, but it was our first great running accomplishment, and I’m still proud of it! </p> <p>Unfortunately, while I was finishing the Couch to 5k plan, I got a little too goal-oriented and injured myself. Too much running for my legs coupled with the wrong running shoes = injury in the form of shin splints and I was sidelined much of the rest of this month. </p> <p>After purchasing some new shoes, I thought I had been magically cured, and attempted my first 1 mile race, the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/01/noobing-it-up.html" target="_blank">Be The Change Mile</a> (pictures can be found <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/01/pictures-from-be-change-mile.html" target="_blank">here</a>). I finished in about 9-ish minutes, but I'm fairly certain I can finish faster than that now… Looks like I need to find another miler to race!</p> <p>The rest of the month was full of cross-training in the form of <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/01/non-running-weekend-recap.html" target="_blank">hiking and recumbent biking</a>. Blah. I continued my shin splint self-care, and hoped February would be better.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvloA6MFgUeJozJ8tNLgUv8F91ysvb8nge-wS1EAn-AzKxoA6ugj4aMcpzyippIFNa5X9mDGbVpLtehSO5Fdvt6hfucckesWS9tWGj2VX6te_steK55YTkVRTx5nuNBQ5MdzZgDeiZ8zU/s1600-h/IMG_4615%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_4615" border="0" alt="IMG_4615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtgF8lmwvt8-XRjKvNeO32YMDcS1kyVfxoGqQDeSJZWbg-hhug9wfi8yEsl4Cr4OhjaHOmbFsLOLH9ytFE7llbxg6PX40uv7qOSRkT-at8sb6GGiNdPuQnvDa7-EhaCWQ5NuwnB6HWpQ1//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><strong>February</strong>: <br />I continued my road back to recovery, with <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/02/one-week-to-go.html" target="_blank">more hiking</a> and more self-care, and I eventually got back on my feet. It was a slow, <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/02/hesitant-return.html" target="_blank">hesitant recovery</a>, but I ended the month running <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/02/so-far-so-good.html" target="_blank">nearly 3 miles</a>, relatively pain free! And that’s all I could ask at that point. </p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://content.revolutionhealth.com/contentimages/nr55552004.jpg" /> </p> <p><strong>March</strong>: <br />I continued my recovery this month, and made my triumphant return at the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/03/shamrock-5k-recap.html" target="_blank">Shamrock Run</a>, with a new 5k PR: 27:40! We also signed up for 2 races: Bridge to Brews 10k and the Helvetia Half Marathon! I must have been feeling better; I was getting ambitious! </p> <p>In preparation for half marathon training, we completed our first “long” runs of 4 and 5 miles! Hey that was a big step back then! :)</p> <p>We also did our first volunteer gig at the end of the month, at the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/03/busy-weekend.html" target="_blank">Fort Vancouver Race</a>, and we made a <em>very</em> important running friend! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTc9Owf2EtPuJdBd3OV2mEZk8W4TLSG89vGPhHFxqQgMhmcudfoe-HFKgCq8t1IIQLDlDJ-_dDePbkNaOFZEx3N_NwH1KiSF9ff5EegA8xRISn2EJW-h0j4Uhh02yGcZPv8UC-q490ybY7/s1600-h/Shamrock10%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Shamrock10" border="0" alt="Shamrock10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgwMOVaOzAlr_MxC4Q_sqr7p-3IUx7JbTCIRO7Sq2rjfUgL-UhPvV8HYSr8SZHe5HUfcsyg56LUVDEcAV9ciaSWtWf-QnE5jyvb89PFePo4ppvNJFY9u8mVmhA1H-Y1_YEPV5ujnfYuqt//?imgmax=800" width="324" height="484" /></a></p> <p><strong>April</strong>: <br />This marked our first opportunity to run on vacation, down in <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/socal-vacation-part-1.html" target="_blank">sunny so-cal</a>! It was hot and I <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/socal-vacation-part-1-and-back-again.html" target="_blank">contracted allergies</a>, which impacted my running for the rest of the week after I got home, but I still ran a successful 6 miler! </p> <p>I eventually was able to breathe again, and was able to celebrate <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/bouncing-back.html" target="_blank">J and my one year anniversary</a>, with our <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/bridge-to-brews-10k-recap.html" target="_blank">first 10k</a>! (pictures can be viewed <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/blah-week-bridge-to-brews-photos.html" target="_blank">here</a>) We finished in 56:07, good enough for a PR (you know, since it was our first one! :)</p> <p>We finished out the month by volunteering again with friends at the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Earth Day Races</a>, and attempting a 7-miler on a difficult trail, on full stomachs, and trying Gu for the first time, and ultimately failing by completing only 5.3 miles. Oh well…</p> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="DSC_0037" border="0" alt="DSC_0037" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuG9rdLJcWEISpJQeYK5rVweS6hj5joH3s2G-fVHkzV_9fENaq7YZk_Osw7_9BwzxTwIzncxqK0WjathpAEpwm2z9qO_-LAgWvDG7WbA8P4_eH0TWj25_ZTEKPuGrc1Qwtlz5V9p-dqql//?imgmax=800" width="323" height="484" /> </p> <p><strong>May</strong>: <br />We started the month with something new and fresh. Our <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/all-not-according-to-plan-part-1.html" target="_blank">first track workout</a>! Later that week, I “ran” an almost-5k with my <a href="http://www.girlsontherunpdx.org/" target="_blank">Girls on the Run</a> buddy…<a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/all-not-according-to-plan-part-1.html" target="_blank">Oy</a>.</p> <p>Our follow-up week included a second trip to sunny so-cal, where we failed on yet <em><a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/all-not-according-to-plan-part-2.html" target="_blank">another</a></em> long run, but came back the next day to complete 8 flat miles for the first time ever!</p> <p>We completed our first “Tempo” workout the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/andwere-back.html" target="_blank">next week</a>, and took part in our first of <em>many</em> <a href="http://www.fitrightnw.com/firstThursday.html">First Thursday</a> Runs. We finished out this very successful week with a 10-miler on Leif Erickson! </p> <p>We followed up this “best week of training ever” with a <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/hmm.html" target="_blank">very poor showing</a> with a too-fast track workout and a terribly disappointing long run on the Banks-Vernonia trail. </p> <p>We made up for it the next week with a passable 12-miler, and J totally smoked a 5k race, getting first in his age-group, and setting a new PR in 21:34! Holy smokes fasty! This also marked our 3rd volunteer gig, at the Rum Run. Overall, we completed this <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/peak-week.html" target="_blank">peak week</a> with 26 miles, and were quickly closing in on our first half marathon! </p> <p>The <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/05/2-weeks-left.html" target="_blank">last week of May</a> was devoted to tapering, and our long run was <em>only</em> 9 miles! Totally easy after a 12-miler! Only 1 more week until Helvetia!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHZJUWWtE6GksOIUVc7oRowR_tl2ElECiBzVegRz2rlsuU-8UuXXcxBeKz4Bc-PzSFnh8lSkv_DY2GuwQ0gxQCklPZXMwa5W0BPCj1QEdeIsCv3K5CPD2u2Hfl6AG5650IbOCwp3KlAzH/s1600-h/Jrumrun5kjpg%5B4%5D%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Jrumrun5kjpg[4]" border="0" alt="Jrumrun5kjpg[4]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnj9k2257mZFshd_Em3INnW_438KOcHFbpUFIYc_r4hyNgmcDaSpLKBnrgNlODmLNF3AXPPeIsZHYFtvq8j0R7Z-MkYL-KZTc5dMbzRfOtbgDFPm3UiI4baKT7sVez4AwlrLXh-d6NJGD//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="472" /></a></p> <p><strong>June</strong>: <br />I started out the month with the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/1-week-to-go-starlight-run-race-recap.html" target="_blank">Starlight Run with Girls on the Run</a>…it only took us 55 minutes to complete the 5k, but hey, we beat the bus! :\ </p> <p>In preparation for our race, we adopted a <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/helvetia-half-marathon-pre-race-goals.html" target="_blank">new kitten</a>. Hey, why not? But soon enough, it was time to get ourselves to the start line, and do this thing!</p> <p>And then we did it. We completed our very <em><a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/helvetia-half-marathon-race-report.html" target="_blank">first half marathon</a></em>! I was slightly disappointed just after the finish, since we were so close to breaking 2 hours…but in retrospect, I think 2:01:46 is pretty respectable for our first 13.1 miles! I learned some lessons that I was able to take into my next goal race, about aid stations and fueling, as well as confidence that I could complete the distance! It was so great to complete that first half, and I think it gave me a bit of a bug for the distance, as we will see later in this recap. </p> <p>After the race, I continued on with my new addiction, yoga. The week after the race was devoted to yoga only, 3 yoga classes in the first week, and I became more familiar with the types of yoga that suit me best. </p> <p>We finished up a great month with the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/epic-oregon-relay-race-report.html" target="_blank">Epic Oregon Relay</a>. It was a great fun time with running friends, and I can’t wait to do another one of these relays, maybe next summer. I still had a great time even after biting it on my last leg. I think you look pretty bad-ass with blood streaming down your leg as you cross the finish line! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvVhrwAdnY3hi-CIa-7ZpqWIqgCncK-LJJvRQfpxAhT5A06-tpOof9ZqcOVyfLOLAPaqHL8onpNUlfUD3W-YEr4mII1sZbwUltx5cPf5WpQgxXT1mwyGitCVAF1RN8iRoJxx7ApjY8KPR/s1600-h/half_marathon_marya%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="half_marathon_marya" border="0" alt="half_marathon_marya" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Hqk0j0M48eFdwfqTLfgFCI79Rgl5qmuZnsDq08MVZWE9pFDlBeRTm9rbBC0ZEZ2NrFpkxAlp8D7x6xpFSXpeCv1qUPYADepkr680pwfqtTmVpasR27UFEtBqcYJymwGYI9Bfu3KFG0xI//?imgmax=800" width="323" height="484" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsPdVLtxwbT5wwHP0B32c8XvnaL6TXFviqieuGPiSe6WFteCyZ4soPQcAseyRrXTqQzkSzxBOyHmVuf16CNdCo1io7hDzxl04ateSsPM9cZ_wmfCJpO13gtb10u3qUecWIhcx6oLOvQGS/s1600-h/pretty%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="pretty" border="0" alt="pretty" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG356gpsO7sRaY892M2bQusg4h7AUDc72V8UeeFJUYo4KtIq8w4gRwIuxRQvVVCVZWDZfBzw84xVKmzluSvBq_u-5_WM8on0Ze2SJ1r0ErGht1x9KfGYozP6EzzWpf2mUj63lWukaAkAfe//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><strong>July</strong>: <br />This month started the theme of running for fun and continuing with yoga. With no real “race” planned, we just ran/yoga’d when we wanted to, and it was really fun!</p> <p>I started the month out by taking part in my friend’s <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-busy.html" target="_blank">Sleepover Marathon</a>. I honorably completed my “half” as my friends struggled to complete 15-17 miles. It was a very <em>hard</em> endeavor; much harder than we had anticipated, but it was still fun to be with friends. We also volunteered at an aid station for the Flat Half/Full Marathon; fun with cowbell!</p> <p>I continued on with <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/busy-bee.html" target="_blank">fun running</a>, finding new routes, and even getting lost sometimes. Then we decided to finally “race” again at the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/exciting-week-bowerman-ac-5k-race.html" target="_blank">Bowerman AC 5k</a>, where I got a new 5k PR (24:25) in the heat! (85° is hot to me) and got to meet Kara Goucher! Overall, a very fun month!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbyY7Lw91MS2ztqYHjAxRjXdFLs6tYFsRaVn_hYrdJOOe6wpSs0_M8vwq0L6aR76vHiv6XjLhBMnPonGoY8Ty0B3JS0QyBrb0c2usNRnXwL9dxQkfmbOtxQ-ZxBhG7Bzyu4cat2_RPafw/s1600-h/kg%5B4%5D%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="kg[4]" border="0" alt="kg[4]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2nE6drbroM7C3ppIGGo14jzSAjZw3orIPRICkQyDwLT-rDWq5Zr4XH0bkILKnD03TWteLiD-i92DaBqNR2hwvUg9QISoftM2jhBL8GsGbYFDpGQZwCcqhG0kMEN8LGwCwHV2YGLlk6K_//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a></p> <p><strong>August</strong>: <br />We continued on the with the running theme of “fun”: First Thursdays, volunteering, track, all while still continuing with yoga.</p> <p>And then I did it; I made plans! Well, first of all, we officially joined the Red Lizard Running Club. We’d been running with their group for awhile, so it seemed only right to make it official. And as for plans, I signed up for several half marathons, including a “goal” race for November: EWEB’s Run to Stay Warm…Soon enough I would be “training”, although I didn’t really end up following a “plan” as I did previously!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs110.ash2/38851_420417113599_113675373599_4812026_236899_n.jpg" width="476" height="480" /> </p> <p><strong>September</strong>: <br />I started out September by running a half marathon for fun (old Marya would say, “HUH?!”) The inaugural <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/09/oregon-wine-country-half-marathon-recap.html">Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon</a>. It was a fun time, except for that few miles of gravel…</p> <p>Next up, a 10k race, and a new PR (49:47) at the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/09/pints-to-pasta-10k-recap.html">Pints to Pasta 10k</a> race. I left my old PR in the dust! Woot!</p> <p>Continuing on with the shorter and shorter races, the next weekend I raced the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/09/another-slow-running-week-oktoberfest.html">Oktoberfest 5k</a>, and ran yet another PR (23:28). Guess I got a bit faster than the beginning of the year! </p> <p>We finished the month with a wedding, and just kept running!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVjE35C-YrqWN7VtOmzW0cwYo8QRGvp4ZYkvn_sgX-n6bsVxX71RcbRmA314q0mLUA88gySfEgPhdWWYgWz_Q9YWsm0LWlIpjpTXTULkHxuckyWInS-j9qnJmioO0R3CKyuBtgZLSjYJt/s1600-h/IMG_7091%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_7091" border="0" alt="IMG_7091" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCosYzjIq073ohoyI8GvG7x3T6jbtNwbno0gYhDVrxJyau6RlB255DfWVqGoHBHlERwr2VyrtJJ0eU_jmy8p3j8vXKyD3Uy1O0l5O3_6cjMGdBq_eQSmxZBNbIKDpJ_SerVeLRoKXIQ-sp//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0yUlbx-z6SiEuWQDlH1QZ8mxYDarLxDztNaFcEP2sjSQF7fjI3FtulcNjdOKEsirBk3wYggvKKGd4bXDOa_1SoGQcBEFw4eBPjugQkNy7BtbTLq924xs6skE7VYgnv_ULZEuI59OH-eY/s1600-h/63305-112-007f%5B4%5D%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="63305-112-007f[4]" border="0" alt="63305-112-007f[4]" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideHPIAX3F39l8PMmgI6yRITJZNQdhZc160Vgnxj5pXmwCB1Aj7K8FphS61hnOwfS1sZ4U4_Gme449AZDQTVoFevK0zZ4MTg6QFTuL0iRw5093usrXOBvSk79zz1DfWV_Ia4FPbHJAUIQP//?imgmax=800" width="326" height="484" /></a></p> <p><strong>October</strong>: <br />3 race reports, none actually “raced”. </p> <p>First up: <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/10/preparation.html">Fall Finale 5k</a>, pacing a 30 min 5k. It was fun preparation for the next weekend’s activities, and I won free shoes! Not bad!</p> <p>Next: <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/10/portland-marathon-pacer-recap.html">Portland Marathon Pacing</a>. So. Much. Fun. I ran 17 miles total with my pace group, and it was fun to see who was still with the group after a bit of a break at the aid station. I definitely want to do this again next year!</p> <p>Finally: <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/10/nike-womens-half-marathon-race-report.html">Nike Women’s Half Marathon + San Francisco Vacay</a>. What a great way to sightsee, first walking around with J, then running a half marathon with thousands of my closest friends! I don’t think I would ever want to “race” a destination marathon, but we’ll see!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs830.snc4/69013_444003183599_113675373599_5355011_2857790_n.jpg" width="362" height="480" /> </p> <p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTVduMgsJQR5H9V8-B99qj0NO0aztTgspIP-hsZvxzgQ4MHWj8_dTmfTqXRXpA5EFc5w-FUu8nQPOM8L58MAnsUrfEv8sEy9SfhG3RpZZOECCYycIGRYFm6_tk3Ap_tOa2YY-NspkYFRM/s1600/IMG_0039[4].jpg" /> </p> <p><strong>November</strong>: <br />The month of my new half PR. It started with a <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/11/silver-falls-trail-half-marathon-race.html">trail half marathon</a>, our first ever race on a trail. Super difficult, but really fun! The perfect adventure for a camera! I got a lot of great pictures out of it.</p> <p>I finished my last week before the race with lots of trail running. Excuse me. Lots of <em><a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/11/trails-trails-trails.html">muddy</a></em> trail runs. Super fun and super dirty. It’s what fall is all about!</p> <p>And then it came, <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/11/ewebs-run-to-stay-warm-half-marathon.html">the race</a> I've been running toward the last few months. I didn’t really stick to a “training plan”, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t train. I did track and long runs, plus other “easy” mileage throughout the week. I got my miles in, but I was still nervous! And then I ran what felt like a perfect race. Pretty even splits throughout, it wasn’t tough until the end, and I finished with a smile on my face; completely satisfied. A new PR of: 1:48:49; I’ll take it!</p> <p>After this run, I officially became Half Fanatic #652, and fessed up to signing up for our first <em>full</em> marathon! </p> <p>I also took it easy, but still managed a <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/12/taking-it-easy.html">turkey trot</a>, and paced a 30 minute 5k again. This race was packed, though, and I’m not sure too many people knew we were there. We still managed to get one kid across under 30 minutes, and he was definitely proud!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk0XIQneQBpIonE5yx1hgMSYSzy7HnYOVl9ZKUaRmOZiW9JlT8vLGT-Do74oh2lkEnsc-427sAqDrn_6S6ZLUJ3PN5E2utYSkxGnUA3r7dniIg0rIjlkuX5_vgU1EJ-syGUuhb2Ls9J_5/s1600/IMG_0750[4].jpg" /> </p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1174.snc4/154617_1646660959119_1014752176_1801339_2491982_n.jpg" width="637" height="480" /> </p> <p><strong>December</strong>: <br />Lastly, we have the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-half-run-report-weekly-recap.html">Holiday Half</a>; another fun run with friends. We got a great cowbell/finishers medal at the end, and I’m sure I’ll be able to use it to cheer on fellow runners at some point!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKSUqK6eyHOh9vBYl4cXDd0mrq3Y0_5RLEE7kyJNhYMJSv2_IugaIe5l34CirI5xYVUMICGTDiiT2ZiRkCIxbk_T2Oui-ffOuXxyhGTUyCS2pL2j4uo6FJoJX98Hk8MBeBv3BInZjOc4H/s1600/holidayhalf[4].jpg" width="362" height="480" /></p> <p>I’ve got some plans lined up for next year, but I need to get things somewhat more finalized. I’ll try to get a plan/goals post after the new year. Until then! Have a Safe & Happy New Years!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.runnerspace.com/members/images/4/15867_full.jpg" width="240" height="143" /></p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-73783533513749564472010-12-13T20:03:00.001-08:002010-12-13T20:03:39.198-08:00Holiday Half Run Report + Weekly Recap<p>Another weekend, another half marathon! ;) But first, recap of the week:</p> <p><strong>Monday</strong>: <br />Day Off</p> <p><strong>Tuesday</strong>: <br />Back to Track <br />This week’s workout: </p> <p>1 x 600 @ 2:48 (200 recovery) <br />1 x 800 @ 3:44 (200 recovery) <br />2 x 1000 @ 4:41 (400 recovery) <br />1 x 800 @ 3:44 (200 recovery) <br />1 x 600 @ 2:48</p> <p>Here’s how it broke down:</p> <p>600 @ 2:37 (a little speedy) <br />800 @ 3:37 (a little less speedy) <br />1000 @ 4:41 (dead on) <br />1000 @ 4:44 (oops) <br />800 @ 3:44 (dead on) <br />600 @ 2:42 (strong finish!)</p> <p>It was a good, dark workout. Nice to run fast again. I was afraid that I forgot how! It was my first track workout in (probably) over a month; before my Achilles started to bother me. No pain afterward (well maybe a little sore…)</p> <p><strong>Wednesday</strong>: <br />Fulton Pub Run <br />5.22 miles (9:16 min/mi) <br />A tad bit speedy, but it felt pretty good. Nice run with friends, and trivia afterward! Good times!</p> <p><strong>Thursday</strong>: <br />3.1 miles (un-timed run, with a story) <br />We had a bit of rain just before rush hour, which caused traffic to be horrendous. Literally the second worst commute of all time, right behind the time it snowed right at evening rush hour. That night it took me 4 hours to drive 12 miles….yeah, it was awful! </p> <p>To be fair, it only took me 1.5 hours to drive 10 miles (to NW Portland) where I was supposed to be taking part in <a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1498758429359#!/event.php?eid=100162493390825">Fit Right NW Light Up the Night Holiday Fun Run</a>. When I finally arrived, everyone was just finishing up their 5k run, and I was so upset (I absolutely <em>hate</em> traffic, like it tops the list of everything I hate in the world…) so I decided to do my own 5k. I had no Garmin, no plan, and no watch, so I just took off. I know I was running fast, but I didn’t care, I just needed to run. </p> <p>I looped down to the Pearl District and made my way back. I got a side cramp from running so fast unprepared, and had to walk just a bit. Now, while I was driving, there was hardly <em>any</em> rain, and the other runners had a fairly dry run. As I was walking, it started pouring, and I was so happy. It felt good, and I felt so much better finishing my run by getting drenched! </p> <p>I arrived back to the store, drenched to the bone, the raffle long past completed. Luckily, J had won me a nice reflecty beanie, and saved me a beer. I don’t even know what kind it was!</p> <p>Moral of the story: Best. Run. Ever!</p> <p><strong>Friday/Saturday</strong>: rest days</p> <p><strong>Sunday</strong>: <br /><a href="http://www.foottraffic.us/holiday/" target="_blank">Holiday Half Run Recap</a> <br />13.1 miles: 2:19.04 (10:37 avg pace) <br />Pretty good run for an inaugural event! The starting/finishing area was located at Adidas Headquarters, and there were a good group of people there when we arrived at 7:30am. We picked up our race bibs and shirts, then went to find the bathroom…line. Oy! What a line. We didn’t stick around for long, since we didn’t have to go too bad, and weren’t too worried about waiting in a shorter line along the race course. There were 3 porta-potties in the parking lot, and another few at the starting line. Needless to say, not enough potties for 1500 runners. I heard it took 30 minutes to get to the front of the line! Wow!</p> <p>The race started just about right on time, and we all funneled through the starting line. We started on a bit of an incline, then wove through some neighborhoods surrounding the Adidas campus. I would definitely prefer to weave for extra mileage at the start of the race versus the end! As we wove back to Greeley, we continued on to Willamette Blvd. There are some nice houses that line this road. The Willamette River was towards our left side, just on the other side of an industrial area below the bluff we were on. What I remember most about this part? THE WIND!!! You had to fight to stay upright! I was certainly happy it wasn’t raining, as I thought it might be. I can handle the wind, as long as we don’t have sharp rain hitting us sideways, as well.</p> <p>Eventually we passed by the St John’s Bridge, and ran through a few more neighborhoods, and turned around at about Mile 7.5. We looped back around the neighborhood we just traversed, and made our way back past the St. John’s Bridge. Soon enough, we were back on Willamette Blvd, honing in on the finish. We turned the last corner to a nice downhill through the finish line. After we finished, we received our finisher’s medal (a cow bell! for real!) I can foresee using this medal in the future for spectating. Very cool! It was also awesome that those who had already finished, and were walking back towards the race could use them to cheer on the rest of us runners! </p> <p>All in all, a pretty good race. We spoke to the race director at the end, who knew about the bathroom situation, and also knew that many of the carolers that were supposed to be along the course didn’t show up. Oops! I was a bit disappointed that there were not as many carolers along the way, but I was really having too much fun to notice they were missing until the end!</p> <p>I wore my Half Fanatics shirt for the first time during this race, and got a few cheers along the way because of it. I also got to meet a few fanatics at the after party, which was fun!</p> <p>K and I before the race:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKSUqK6eyHOh9vBYl4cXDd0mrq3Y0_5RLEE7kyJNhYMJSv2_IugaIe5l34CirI5xYVUMICGTDiiT2ZiRkCIxbk_T2Oui-ffOuXxyhGTUyCS2pL2j4uo6FJoJX98Hk8MBeBv3BInZjOc4H/s1600-h/holidayhalf%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="holidayhalf" border="0" alt="holidayhalf" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmpzsgxZBvoTqFUNc-15zwkKzO5PiaZkDkJoh51H5gkCKnzY10_5JQ0yfGzCBxlEIPeN0x0fHZLzUoWcaTNqIYrjiWs7xlOA4oLnvJ8ElUP886jxWSEEJTGdfbeWDouWMb7y7hIhxB3xP//?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a> Race swag:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-2Bpk6RK7R7czwZYToh0P3F82paQCUpn4QMHhkc98kjoVd6dZcqE5mp8_V_OXiyqHYRbZI0bshceZJHF5d4wfFIHroraoOu-skYHDLEPrzI5n_38p6vFfJ-GGRjpwk6P2RPnvN4vRYwl/s1600-h/IMG_0814%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_0814" border="0" alt="IMG_0814" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iCXKddMdNXDNMTZyCZsrNxH7dfc4RWBN6TUrk-5Q2TFiu5XBwZ-_AC6RAjN7GOzAQSU86hK9eTuRlH9YBtiDB56mcyM6xKFoPu2X0KvYNWzokVQyPsAlEjuJcSaxuQMe5-9XrXG9XWFg//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>One half marathon a month for a year: <br /></strong>So, since September, I’ve managed to run at least 1 half marathon each month, and I want to keep this streak going for 12 months. So far I have the <a href="http://www.wvroadrunners.org/cascadehalf/" target="_blank">Cascade Half Marathon</a> in January, and the <a href="http://www.haggmud.com/" target="_blank">Hagg Lake 25k</a> in February. I’m keeping my eye out for more each month through August! If you have any “must-do” halves, let me know, and I’ll see if I can squeeze them in! </p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-21030962980698984562010-12-05T09:47:00.001-08:002010-12-05T09:47:01.498-08:00Taking it easy<p>My legs have been a bit tired since the race, which is to be expected, so I’ve been trying to take it a bit easy. But I’ve still gotten out for a few runs!</p> <p><u>Thanksgiving Day</u>: <br /><a href="http://www.givengobble.com/">Give N’ Gobble 5k</a> <br />My friend K and I dusted off our fancy pacing skirts to pace another 30 minute 5k. A lot of people showed up to this race, and I’m not sure too many of the surrounding people knew what we were up to, but we tried to grab a few people in the last couple of miles so they could reach their goal. We even had one kid thank us at the end for pushing him through the finish! Very fun and rewarding! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwnFdFFrpsONvgnEwQYye3sWqDUp2xULfNAl170hJUDUFJ1uJ18nRFr79ePGNZh4ULgSvu1tePouBEtBxa2r9G15ANRdll_HyHsp63SnLHJeJ6w6Y_-K2npiF2fge_hDd8jOHsCsqRUsn/s1600-h/givengobble%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="givengobble" border="0" alt="givengobble" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77Skb497XvQWIJdjpzWOuqkYKnlCnW8H-7af4ckqMAEc-RgF1-1Qt8sWEZH8nwrwA-T6UGKuLPDrhlZFIuTPA22_YWO1xnVNqO3tBXMFIYPkLSN8oKgfCLJvbFrJ4VqRxCD9jW7jOHUZd//?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>I was a little nervous going into this “race” since my legs were still a little fatigued (especially noticeable the previous day for my first post-race run). But they actually felt a lot better on this day. Maybe it was the “race” atmosphere that helped! All around it was a good time! Instead of a Turkey Dinner later that day, we had pizza! Mmm!</p> <p><u>Post-Thanksgiving Weekend</u>: <br /><a href="http://www.energyevents.com/hotbutteredrun">Hot Buttered Run</a> Volunteering (Bag Check!) <br />Although I didn’t run this race, I had a great time volunteering, and it looked like all those out there actually participating had a great time too. There was a 5k and a 12k, and everyone (of legal drinking age) got delicious Hot Buttered Rum at the end (hence the name). Before or after the race you could enjoy the <a href="http://www.rotaryfestivaloftrees.org/">Festival of Trees</a> in the <a href="http://www.fortvan.org/pages/pearson-air-museum">Pearson Air Museum</a>. Overall, a great festive event!</p> <p><u>Last week: <br /></u>I ran a few times this week, and even did a long run yesterday. Group run from Lululemon! My legs were pretty tired the whole way through, but I made it, and feel fine today! </p> <p>After the run, J and I attended the <a href="http://holidayale.com/index.php">Holiday Ale Festival</a> during the Civil War game (in order to avoid the crowd.) Good planning! My favorite of the day (got 3 tasters of it, it was so delicious!): <br /><strong><a href="http://hopworksbeer.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/12/holiday-ale-fes.html">Hopworks Brewery Kentucky Christmas!!</a></strong></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUobq4McXGE9jNWvbeprnT84eqQ0wc09S5ei0fXRraWo8QCQefkg9fk3Wd5y4L3guPLCsYhLKCFhlrWmQjS04oeN0cf-LG8HNg34p0RVY-sJnkcH8mQXyubvvhpR1dsX-299oztPR1Bgm/s1600-h/holiday%20ale%20festjpg%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="holiday ale festjpg" border="0" alt="holiday ale festjpg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67B0SnpAVYUR3aG35Q2lHsJDj9mzNph9ZYvhMGEGLIkVbvSdJIu9h4W8VRjVL6_HXt4Z-LfLasM28x6Kh3-goLzJuDSuSdfSO0fbAmv_wGch8zi1kIVK9QT-2U1gq2AZEZ2ZfRAu0W0GS//?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a> </p> <p><u>Next week</u>: <br />Next weekend my friend K and I will be running (for fun) the <a href="http://www.foottraffic.us/holiday/">Holiday Half.</a> It looks like a really festive fun time! (Carolers!) Until then!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-37881533627544408142010-11-21T15:46:00.001-08:002010-11-21T15:46:10.898-08:00EWEB’s Run to Stay Warm Half Marathon Race Report<p>Freezing temps, wind, and rain. The weather forecasters could not have been more wrong! It turned out to be a beautiful, clear, sunny day! I was getting pretty nervous in the days leading up to my first goal race in a long time; I was really just hoping there wouldn’t be any ice or snow to slip me up! But I couldn’t have hoped for the weather to be any better than it was!</p> <p>The race didn’t start until 9am. And, since we drove down the night before, that meant we got to “sleep in”! (Anything past 6am is sleeping in to me!) I ate some of a cinnamon roll (since the oatmeal included in the continental breakfast was inedible) and started feeling a bit nervous.</p> <p>We got to the packet pickup area at a little after 8am, and waited in a brief line. The pickup was inside a heated building, which was nice, but the room was a bit small for all that was going on, and I think with the large turnout, it got a bit jumbled up in there. No worries, though. I got my bib number, picked up my chip, and stayed inside to be warm. Half an hour before the start time, I used the (real) facilities, and just counted down until it was start time. Soon enough, it was time to line up, so all the half-marathoners headed out to the start line.</p> <p>The race started right on time, and there was plenty of room at the start for everyone to spread out. After we finished weaving through EWEB’s River Edge Plaza, we found ourselves on the bike paths that would make up most of the race course.</p> <p>Just after the start (I’m in the green shirt!):<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs494.ash2/76731_464927488599_113675373599_5678191_3927799_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>About a mile into the race, we crossed over the Willamette River for the first time, and went around a bit of an extra loop on the North side of the river. We came back around toward our initial river crossing near Mile 4, where we met up with the 10k and 5k’ers. At first, I thought this would throw me off my race, but it was actually a bit of a mental boost. Up until this point, I felt like there were a lot of people passing me (although I would eventually see many of them later), but it was pretty empowering to be able to pass people running a shorter race than me. It definitely made me feel fast.</p> <p>I went into the race wanting to hold an 8:30 min/mi pace, but I definitely started out faster than that. I was just hoping I wouldn’t pay for it later.</p> <p>Mile 1: 8:02 <br />Mile 2: 8:20 <br />Mile 3: 8:15 <br />Mile 4: 8:31</p> <p>My friend K was nice enough to jump in with me from Mile 4 to Mile 7, to keep me company, and make sure I was feeling good. I was definitely feeling good, and able to keep a little bit of a conversation up at this point. Everything felt nice and smooth, and really pretty easy! J cheered me on from Mile 4 and Mile 7 (he was helping drive K around, and also there to cheer me on!) so I had him grab my gloves and hat since it had warmed up so much! </p> <p>Meeting K and J:<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1223.snc4/155556_464928353599_113675373599_5678223_6627166_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Running with K, still feeling good: <br /><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs964.snc4/75784_464928453599_113675373599_5678228_1956366_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Mile 5: 8:33 <br />Mile 6: 8:21 <br />Mile 7: 8:16 <br />Mile 8: 8:04</p> <p>About a mile after K took off to meet me on the other side of the river, things started to feel not quite as easy. Mile 8 is also where we had about a 0.4 mile out-and-back, which felt a bit discouraging, but after we made it through that, we crossed the Mile 9 marker, and crossed over the river for the final stretch. </p> <p>Mile 9 wove through some neighborhoods, but soon enough we found ourselves back onto the bike path system. Mile 10 is when it really started to get hard. I told myself “Only 5k to go!”, but really, 5k seemed like an awfully far way to go! I told myself just to keep going. Although I was feeling tired, I still sped up a bit during this section, which may be because I was passing a few familiar faces.</p> <p>Mile 9: 8:09 <br />Mile 10: 8:01 <br />MIle 11: 7:54</p> <p>I think my friend K and J saw me during Mile 11, so maybe that’s why it was so quick? But I know I saw K again about halfway into Mile 12. She ran with me to the finish, and I’m so glad she did. I was struggling, and mentally I just wanted to slow down a bit, but K kept me focused on my breathing and on keeping a smooth, even pace. I stayed strong, and the time just kept clicking away. Soon enough, K told me to charge ahead, so I did! One final turn and I could see the finish line. I totally didn’t catch up with the 2 girls in front of me, but that’s ok. My legs definitely gave all they had. Finally I crossed, with a smoking new PR!</p> <p>Getting really tired! Can you tell?:<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1174.snc4/154617_1646660959119_1014752176_1801339_2491982_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Me and J at the finish area:<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs929.snc4/74234_1646661359129_1014752176_1801341_5246429_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Mile 12: 8:12 <br />MIle 13: 8:13 <br />Mile 13.1: 1:54 (6:48 avg pace)</p> <p>Garmin Results: <br />13.28 miles: 1:48:44 (8:11 avg pace)</p> <p>Official Results: <br />13.1 miles: 1:48:49 (8:19 avg pace) <br />Age Group: 6/44 <br />Overall: 139/462</p> <p>(Apparently, my chip didn’t work. But I’m not too worried about it. I was only a few seconds behind the start line, and those few seconds didn’t put me over into the next minute! ;) </p> <p>I’m really proud of myself for this race. I ran it smartly, and really think I gave it everything I had in the moment. It was a great day to race a half marathon, and I definitely killed my time from <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/06/helvetia-half-marathon-race-report.html">Helvetia</a>! Part of that is because the course was pretty flat, part of that is because I’ve learned to run smarter, and part of that is because I’m faster. </p> <p>It was a great race, with a good course and good organization. And It was for a great cause! (From the website: “All proceeds benefit EWEB's <a href="http://www.eweb.org/assistance">Customer Care Program</a> to help income-eligible customers who are having difficulty paying their utility bills.”) It was also a pretty great preview of a good portion of the <a href="http://www.eugenemarathon.com/">Eugene Marathon</a>! (Which J and I may <strike>or may not </strike>have signed up for…)</p> <p>Since this was my 2nd half in 15 days (and also my 3rd or 4th within 90 days), I qualified to become a member of the <a href="http://www.halffanatics.com/">Half Fanatics</a>. Say hello to Fanatic #652! :)</p> <p>I want to continue running half’s (hopefully 1/month for a year, if I can handle it in my schedule!) I really like them, and not all of them need to be races! :) We’ll see how I do!</p> <p>In the meantime, it’s again time to run for fun! My next half is the <a href="http://www.foottraffic.us/holiday/">Holiday Half</a> on 12/12! And I have a turkey trot on Thanksgiving! </p> <p>Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-87067083144260706932010-11-15T22:15:00.001-08:002010-11-15T22:15:00.944-08:00Trails, trails, trails.<p>One more week to go until the <a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm">Run to Stay Warm</a> (aka My Goal Race)! I’m feeling fairly strong, now, even after my two week cut back for Achilles issues. I haven’t had any further Achilles issues (*fingers crossed!*) </p> <p>The past week has been chock full of trail runs. Trails are NOT easy.</p> <p>I had Thursday off (Veteran’s Day) and made good use of the free time with some friends up in Forest Park. We ran an 8 mile out-and-back starting at the zoo along the Wildwood Trail. Can you say switchbacky hills!? We made it up to Pittock Mansion before heading back downhill again. I was definitely breathing heavy as we made our way up to the top. The trails, on this day, weren’t too muddy, but there were definite patches of mud. The rain didn’t end up starting until later that day!</p> <p>Saturday morning, I made my way back up to Forest Park for a 12-miler. This time I started at Lower Macleay Park, before making my way onto the Wildwood Trail (it’s a long one!) and running along the trail from about the Mile 5.5 sign to the 10.5 sign. There was a pretty gnarly uphill section to start with, and then a gentle climb for most of the first half. (I planned it that way! ;) I wove through a new stretch of the Wildwood I haven’t been through before, and it was beautiful. There were a lot of other runners out there with me, and I’m pretty sure I spotted Zach (<a href="http://runningstories.blogspot.com/">Jen</a>’s husband). As I was running along, I passed by a parking area that I knew I’d like to remember so I could use it on a later trip (and I did!) </p> <p>After the turn around, there were a lot of gentle (and not so gentle) down hill sections. The trail was pretty muddy from the rain over the previous few days, but it wasn’t too bad with my trail shoes. I was feeling pretty good, and proud that I hadn’t yet tripped or slipped in the mud. And then it happened. I had slowed a bit for a small uphill section, and noticed some girls running up ahead of me, going in the opposite direction. I knew I needed to get a snot rocket out of the way before they passed, and in the brief time it took me to turn my head in preparation for said rocket, my foot hit a root (probably) and I hit my entire front side (well mostly the right - front) into a big pile of mud. </p> <p>Things I am thankful for: 1) I had slowed down in preparation for the snot rocket, 2) I was going uphill and the fall was pretty short, 3) I fell on a muddy section versus a rocky/hard section. Of course, the girls in front of me saw everything, but they didn’t make too big of a deal out of it. They joked that they were waiting for the same thing to happen to them. I popped up just about as quickly as I had fallen down, and I was soon back up on my feet and running again. My hip was a bit sore afterward, but I only had about 2 miles to go, so no biggie. I have a bit of a lingering bruise, but overall, not too bad. I have to say, falling on top of mud is actually kinda fun. And makes you look pretty badass! :) I had J take a picture of my muddy legs after the run. I’m sure they were pretty muddy before the fall, but afterward, I was getting funny looks from hikers.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7lBd5qfZS7v5pILnmPK5aebAbsDj3ihVUynjobh9Vae_DxEqhRdddkPi9NNUUo2kwRaPGOjxC-vi_EK11bDFglXwnp9lXD27j5KPdqb0MA-hQj1iD_zeKmX37-EKAwAz8J0KgLzt6XmF/s1600-h/IMG_0787%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0787" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0787" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDS_SBpIRQEj0UzbaK7FV8DSCv5YC3eNRHkkrSkbhiQwe8Bi3CSkPkt3VB5fNPDeIZPkuecsKJnvs0LuiLRgYQyQtXLc58tosUXRi-bAA_j3mQeJv3U0PRl5ktvlp1uLFRpF-Cg_FbyP6S//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalVaEoDpXso7bLbEIsq43jr8LQrg2I96DtmZDNhIJMSL7z7_xKNvvqfBKscsw25STFAnkXZzMifJrm-OBIPwL4n4EWBHrT_OX8ppg9H0Sw0PIqYV_BlqvMfh0G6D3Cq4UeIDxSUZYf1Uv/s1600-h/IMG_0789%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0789" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0789" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOCNb8jflhQzrU5XBWGnQvahguXvA6lCnob-1leXSBpDlcGAWUoLOTLH5VjiSDQuT5vANF6Evo-wV_A_kQJx_Xm4GueGZGKWoTGx4U2i9Ragnaa74l4dMHeGKaS-63H3rdcGOsUoKAtSf//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>I had tentatively planned a run for Sunday, but scrapped it since I was pretty tired after Saturday’s run, and I had already gotten a good amount of mileage in for the week (over 30!) </p> <p>So I moved my third (and final until after <a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm">RTSW</a>) trail run in Forest Park to Monday. I found the parking area I scoped out on Saturday’s run, and decided to keep going along Wildwood for some new scenery. This run was a bit tougher than the previous two. Trail running is definitely more difficult than road running. But my legs warmed up eventually. I made my way along the trail until I hit a crossing, and mistakenly took the wrong trail. Overall, I think the trails in Forest Park are very well marked, but I didn’t see the correct continuation for this crossing. I ran almost a mile on the wrong trail, before deciding I was going the wrong way. I eventually found the right way, but it took me down a rather wicked downhill section, which I knew didn’t bode well for the return trip. I was definitely breathing heavy on the way back, but eventually the trail evened out, and I finished with a pretty good pace (especially for on the trail). I ended up with 6 miles; that’s 26 miles total for the weekend trail runs! :)</p> <p>After today’s run, I went to a Thai Massage that I had won many months ago. It was a free 90-minute massage that I had finally found the time to book and go to. Wowzers, it felt good but painful, especially my calves. I should probably get those babies massaged more often. I know how knotty they get, and if I have any pain with running, it’s usually due to them being too tight.</p> <p></p> <p>I’m going to take it easy the rest of the week, and rest up for my race on Saturday. I’m not nervous yet, but I know I will be in the coming week. It has been awhile since I've actually “raced” a race, but I’m definitely looking forward to it!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-88383873610279120532010-11-07T20:27:00.001-08:002010-11-07T20:27:53.424-08:00Silver Falls Trail Half Marathon “Race” Recap<p>Well, I haven’t blogged in awhile. I stopped for a bit when I was taking it easy due to some Achilles soreness, but I seem to be on the mend, and bouncing back ok. I got my mileage up to <em>almost</em> where it should be, and completed a <em>really</em> tough half marathon course on Saturday! (Recap coming soon!)</p> <p>There’s only 2 weeks left until my “goal” race, the <a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm">EWEB Run to Stay Warm</a>, and I’m feeling pretty good about it at this point. I’m not sure it’s going to be <em>as</em> fast as I had initially hoped, what with my 2 weeks of recovery (stupid Achilles!) but I do think I have a pretty good shot at a PR!!</p> <p>On to the race report:</p> <p>This was an inaugural race, and as soon as I heard about it, I knew I wanted to sign up. With only 400 spots, I had a good feeling it would fill up fast, so I signed up within 24 hours of “thinking” about it. (That may be why I ended up with number 15! :)</p> <p>What made me so excited about this course? I love Fall, I love waterfalls, and I love trees! And this had everything. The pictures I’d seen of Silver Falls were amazing, and I really wanted to be a part of it. Well, this race did <em>not </em>disappoint! </p> <p>When I signed up for the race, I knew I wanted to use it as a “training run” rather than a “race”. When I saw the elevation chart, I knew I wouldn’t be going <em>too</em> fast… I still knew it would be perfect for a scenic jaunt through the forest with my camera. We carpooled down to the race with some friends, which was a great idea because it was a long drive. We got there with plenty of time to spare, hit up the restrooms, and picked up our packets. While waiting for our packets, we ran into <a href="http://runningstories.blogspot.com/">Jen</a>! and Zach Hi! After getting our packets, we went back to the car to keep warm before the start. Soon enough, though, it was time to line up, and off we went. </p> <p>The first mile or so was on a wide paved section, which I’m sure allowed those out there racing to find their groove before hitting the trail section that followed. Soon enough, we were making our way through the trees and enjoying the fall scenery! </p> <p>I’m so glad I recently got my hands on some trail shoes. They really do make trail running a little more enjoyable. I was definitely more comfortable climbing through mud and rocks! I don’t like slipping! There was one section that the line of runners in front of us stopped at. It was a short steep muddy decline, and without my trail shoes, I would have had to have J help me get down it, but with them, I felt a little more confident. (I’m a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to steep down hills, especially on trails, and especially when I’m running!)</p> <p>Overall, the first few miles were relatively flat, and we were just soaking in the environment. We were in a relatively large group of people at this point, but it would clear up soon enough. Eventually, we made our way to the hills. But with the hills, came the beautiful waterfalls! Miles 6-8 were mostly downhill, and were followed by some nasty uphill, including a large amount of stairs! “House of Pain” was written at the bottom. I think that sums it up! I was feeling pretty good until about mile 9. A little sore, but I expected it since trail running is definitely a challenge, but this course was <em>really</em> challenging! It seemed the hills might just be over at Mile 12, when we could hear the cheers at the finish. But alas, the worst hill of them all was still to come. We walked that guy, and the subsequent downhill (holy steepness!) Although I had trail shoes, I have a huge fear of tripping and falling to my death. I probably just need to get out there and practice a bit, but with how heavy my legs were feeling, it was probably a safe choice to take it easy. </p> <p>Soon enough, the downhill was over, and a few turns later, we were crossing the finish line! It wasn’t a PW (that still belongs to <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/10/nike-womens-half-marathon-race-report.html">Nike Women’s Half</a> :), but I like to think of it as a trail half marathon PR! Road races and trail races are definitely different beasts, after all! </p> <p>Although this was a super challenging course, it was a <em>lot</em> of fun. We ran by 10 waterfalls, and behind 3 of the larger ones. Nothing beats running behind waterfalls! It was a beautiful course, and definitely worth all the soreness I had the rest of the day! (And maybe a little bit the next day…) The race was well organized, and the course was marked amazingly well; I never once wondered about a turn. There was no getting lost out there! </p> <p>I would definitely recommend this race to anyone, and to get you excited, here’s some pictures I took while I was out there:</p> <p>One of the many waterfalls:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwFaFXq9S3c_xokSRgFxCQplnXan395JlselZBeMcJGyfiS7KjydU6DAse6C5j_psmod6rcOoNG3I59AguicUVZmDfta-k0Ar0FVXUkNEPptnxlIT0KGCp3t2zRvybHYdIikyCTEmPhFJ/s1600-h/IMG_0726%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0726" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0726" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvdRyR6ptEAYDVTUM6u9CH0_paP0S0Z3fkpMarRGsH2MgRGlB4NG6cDxI7CXsajhl8CdrqDsXfL0w_l8nfZk2nfv9sjWK23RLLrmov7rZKmYXvsYOGVBotwpMr6aGsrn9gCwjQGBg-afG//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>The stairs we got to go DOWN:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUYJpYCAzuv7dnQdHSFNcfV3L7XR9NWEevEN60h1zZbLdRcVzqf7p5R-2KDh-G-Vr1k7JP48l6tW6_3RdxX94dAef3CeUE0kks864tLmWY0cpFMfLfPhqZA68atTCgcWa-ZkwI32mcYph/s1600-h/IMG_0728%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0728" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0728" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYWwZk08oJCtZ__lOtR3ul9zuhFxE-QImCFuvjX3cZy0kARcGKyq6Og1jEnfRfEFD1j-QHhm3VtX7eBRsxPllwFbcTWb3rNeGLERaHjDRn9UJc9RVrxO0NHSA0AvdKbW7koXaeDXTkZHK//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Runner’s about to run behind a waterfall:  <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hGGLAlbpA9Gozq03tLdt8sIH4u8OOhcHms-O8Ko12Xo7yPDTSw9KvgoTpSHeujECKwu8nndcb2LtcEoxIAE3ph7flWOK6_0BlEnddrPEF5bl-bOJRb34ZsSoZt5N2P2KrMCBvO43VcIX/s1600-h/IMG_0737%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0737" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0737" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5muCmSGJnVO8tl3gXLBa2zIOsjqKv8-Pi0t1rX8xo_uQMUwG9MsPUQF6f7ogOx_YN-dZ59QRGc-vR-T34Rj3FAP5i7xNWKC0tbbxdO0mvoooO0RSADYammrDxVvXHPRzofm4LWyfs0za_//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Leaves on the trail: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFxXwN8tgtjChuI-QmWX-eL381-8z4wZyONQmIANiFIbkYGjLFTfkGRChTSxRHpxyTTjle8ofhcJ9VRcpgLDtFpOf931e2h-8edQSU3E0qQN3IxZrXKvNfDMYB8Zyu9dZNOu6i4WnunnG/s1600-h/IMG_0738%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0738" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZgoN5I7AJEsw1ljqw6PUyuJhxRSgNMiI2n9nocWSjAfbizwgCEcgDcIq1LPegx6Vj2qCpvYY3209PmXxz7QEh5wc0ig5g7b0JDfLJCvYzHbNQryZ_Yskz7Nhsq-Tndye7cNjPBS8Q8bk//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>J and I in front of a waterfall: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk0XIQneQBpIonE5yx1hgMSYSzy7HnYOVl9ZKUaRmOZiW9JlT8vLGT-Do74oh2lkEnsc-427sAqDrn_6S6ZLUJ3PN5E2utYSkxGnUA3r7dniIg0rIjlkuX5_vgU1EJ-syGUuhb2Ls9J_5/s1600-h/IMG_0750%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0750" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUgdj_n-nDFHbCb8BPhFBls-uEQOumacGFZXTnVcDVQoPhx59GlqKaF3mSwoM9Ohv-oDgCNyTE55d3K5TQUnWn3fwTSW4vs0eB9GUDR7TrRask4p371JDTMJZ_f05tdxqTODXclf3stmR//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p>“The House of Pain”: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgMYTIXtML4NHNSKvoV3lfekg9X5nsjHg4pXAbcnQEGx7KHEKqNvHUoVCmTIVT79I2Bwma183ZubVh14d4HIuP6LpiyyjwI1eQmSBDfWxWi8Ptebw6bvdSX76hVsgVhlIL0SiokHS-tt-/s1600-h/IMG_0767%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0767" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0767" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_X-_k4uaUkV4f0SAgp509VMRKhmZCRGB7XjYjMZXDkswiWQn1wLVzl5w8bMILk9nAZ8VJ6cfqm1kkvU43ngNXp9GaffIGQqIFmeGUakgbQCK0_IKLwMPMUbUdViBU1rxsQgQwLD53u-Tw//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Me behind one of the waterfalls:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieURwFcp9rWh4FLhwKsHRUZ-rWywa2UqD76MSxbS18XHf6zYjghQupdoVKkSo9yFHbllaxXBOXZqWpaPgFdgCh-qgpZiIIkYuqLJno00Bz-AgF_wEI2IgCkOLPYqntvlSiD-2Zz1cDq1Jt/s1600-h/IMG_0773%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0773" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0773" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MypDVI3BsghjbNVfALO45zl19BezJK0ql3KVaUzXUrbteErWyH6Rv_M1FloAhqKaRU3WxiH6NkWemiBqPzUl11EzCJoW1Z5y1cgW3LsulPIEzSftOHiASVOB03rB1c5a5nS2mjaBHenf//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>2 more weeks until it’s actually “racing” time! :)</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-16248719864765455352010-10-19T21:43:00.001-07:002010-10-19T21:43:20.363-07:00Nike Women’s Half Marathon Race Report<p>After the awesomeness that was pacing the Portland Marathon last weekend, I was pretty excited about running. I had last Monday (aka the day after the marathon) off and needed to pick up my allergy meds at the pharmacy. I didn’t want to drive or take the streetcar, and I figured, “I’m just gonna run. It’s pretty close!” I got there, no problem, picked up my meds, and started making my way home. That’s when both my Achilles started to hurt. ARGH!! And they proceeded to hurt the rest of the week. I decided to hold off all running until Sunday (aka the day of the next race) and hope for the best. So, I was pretty nervous going into the race.</p> <p>J and I drove down to the Bay Area on Friday. There, we met up with <a href="http://ambitiousaspirations.blogspot.com/">Alisa</a>, and spent the night at her Father’s house. Saturday morning, we made our way to a BART station, and rode on into the city. Our hotel was just outside the station, and right near Union Square (aka the site of the Expo and Race Start). We checked into the hotel, and made our way down to the Expo.</p> <p>The “Expotique”: <br />We managed to make it to the Expo before the crowds got too out of control. (An hour later, the line went around the block. We made our way through each station, got our bibs, corral bands, and then split up. While the girls went shopping, I took J out to see the sights, since he’d never really been to SF before. But first, we meandered over to Nike Town, and<em> </em>I found my name on the “wall”.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhEDJjGNMk-dVSq2QNeqPXQxfN-G2Cw3ZIFw7CP9M-NLRvVOJklb0p4uCWQ3ploH7inbxSEdk_uGw5gQRCUWvS3lju4GDVgb0YS_tXBi_RoLN72K3xhRqOgnaloY6rTJAK1EWd_JqKYdq/s1600-h/IMG_0369%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0369" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNKAfsVwJhY1AKjXfqgc09kEmXqlDbP3W2i_j-Mz7TBleeGRPgMLQX5tQB_wnrnQSxyjoS0sbi22FzhsKwNnKTjx49EIziOLhUeF8-qHk_X3sq_pv24bjKOUqQ0FIp4wQyzAq5pegGBS-//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheN2p5XRWH9OiwcGNzQo0O4PtZEviERZYb8r-ryivvhWimPzN_esczHDOqBT0J3RPI9nHxEvsufm8m2Bot3jvxj1XXFcI1REc7YRuWb3t4bUIT02_crEEpz0Sm6esHH6G6WgH64a7sBaIN/s1600-h/IMG_0368%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0368" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFr9K-mC6VbybY06ho7RNgsdHvamBIU6OVCtVZGHlTDzUOnWSrm5vaIrPB06FRLzIIfD0EsIg52jGhl4cFyTnkNucZDkl6ntnPERPrtNZ68u9WPGC13ChnjcUfTXOS5AUKOgDe99Epr-jl//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Sightseeing: <br />First, I took J down to the Embarcadaro. This is where my dad used to take my brother and I to get sticky buns on the weekends when I was younger. The sticky bun place was no longer there, but the fountain we used to hop around in was. There was also a Boudin Bakery there, so we enjoyed ourselves with some lunch!! Mmm.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGoEnJp7JSV2N8CUHxw6iTuY7_HHKF-y9nocJaNEl2sOO4Xaf2pUrGnIvpgoM-9Sd8BZKxMNqm4Gji9mG__e1ofWcdYqrQbqL1r5oodjGjgf_QuF29mMUBNkIdPxnZYMkaRyywTWTTPWK/s1600-h/IMG_0374%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0374" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYhZnQItIhKfTz-UeF5VOKl18VrAy8YrITGHl7VpEd1w-KZFAs5kZ5YVgacz1n4cs74ZinACBeVrnXkhYwFaLJNBlzkfPcyDi3g7EgcMkdTsYNfzvYvWiIQbqndKAVM80NNwZTzpl8h5Q//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><font face="times" size="1"><strong>My brother and I used to hop around in this fountain. P.S. I’m pretty sure they were doing construction on it the last time we were there….</strong></font></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-ErBLBuDh8-FVf9k06JlseNEIq3udLKQq-C5XDGgT7bOU9SDGM9RRPGj50VD6ABxoSSj-hIQmpgVg-flHahpgwX_9JfZ4BUh3a-dG6UIZ5xe5hpNVPrNx_AtSk0zNKQ5fuYiiaRWrgmN/s1600-h/IMG_0378%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0378" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIw2MMvyXI7QPfAGLby9dq_iamBRa7JGs4ZhgdGDCZOQ1IhHhtmTSEmVBX27KWBUsqxhNrHVWDeQncnttIJ9cxyADSjPlbT_28fPUxxhiblvzkWgPmrTmHNc8xx_oDC8vhnZnP8X0gWlz//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Next up, we walked along the Embarcadero, and past Pier 39. We spotted the sea lions, and also Alcatraz, then made our way to Fisherman’s Wharf, and finally, to the Ghirardelli Factory! Double Mmmm!!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsJ7Ep_ynk8QuIw75YYIaVkVSSDLHjiqsM2OL_RNFhnVpOmwDiqcYsFxvJx7MaEnbGS4y8UfCTJEXgS_yEpvWpOI7AovTMijP2nZIOuu21ZWQdKbA05aTiw6Gq49niOjlxt0aw_84acAl/s1600-h/IMG_0396%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0396" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsMB-JLVZ6vxT_cw-PEpsbvKXtz-tt6aO7ne1E0fY6Z917G5ZBFTmXZ6dpYflr5K6G6FbhfpfVlASXp3silJ0FEfShvmzstI3Zi9YR9o7BlC3wf7aGQQ3LJaOLrK7R12N2pPDYJ-xD_tl//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a><strong>Alcatraz in the background</strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj0Tzt1Q6hpFAoq3DBHoS0_gttBHpkn86Qh1aZcOAEwTSY6E-Ffx3nugp-HH1vnaJ8s_22Onjci7dyG5bpa1C53JM_e1tRPzAKBkAxKx3xoTTrEHN0tIUx6NV8kQ7g2hQASY7rZLho2PX/s1600-h/IMG_0410%5B6%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0410" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWTEe9zC7fxZRZFh3lN2_OkMoLMB5Vrpi8StHL6WQin7vrLPHQnsJYWqAZzRnNsZMMEWhJ5igZM15jYz5jXog64SPWmMRJzsVVM0FsVk5bqM_7CEsOxJ3_3fDd-XENvSnPGUF0eE6qBNQ//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpeupQJLjKpnF9YnKcReQxjNdrpn3bhs3xui1XOvmW806-JiginFI-y9TUOjd3XYvY5wbO61r4imeskr2NDu5HKwr1K00VcGK1OoV2AGIkHvv9ddQujClZn4vvgubCGEDzy-66bkYaG2q/s1600-h/IMG_0413%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0413" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDgKaQKckaMJmJS4g4nMfzBeVSNVuzvKVl3Q0DJCzfPg0ss_Gi2NmmobZ0MUIYiAoc9GOOdW3KsQHwgjC-cL5vUZ9pIe8RDeWzNadq6Y8P4KS22cnPpoUXGK2wGWU66rcS-6fUsy3fy4d//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eqvelyDCVeDTaGbdEmh6mLOGwrlPSGFspaaoOMePgzxGQz2kZM7tXoMM6ezsHc5e6A1T-Cco2ZQs8vlMWSMDNppzB9YUJbCHgc4Hcbxz9xjX7ajfyVxcXxI4muCEcxqjkiKIoYPyhyYy/s1600-h/IMG_0414%5B6%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0414" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdk5qDcJf5gYKXv-QnksFxbIbz0f6MUhaumVQBg92R-YkLN2Rxq4Z28QEn597ohjqTUtIgyqdt1EfutalZfRz9BOcCRSUXnLGKQk2w_DvP_YOp8FxCNHV9Ofw4-vQByzS7XuDU1M2fOPQL//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>After we scarfed down our dessert, it was time to make our way back to the hotel. On they way, we passed by Lombard St (the crookedest street) and up some steep hills! (Probably not too great for the Achilles.)</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWXtgoDJgREsT2gDOKce8DkP6f6fRsoKVIxkmSa6lG8lJSpMf5Bs6RKs1a_isBvbuN7CElGqsXj3htneYpqWJxmHOYFU6xWypKJFajUgZkywFz3Z0sFXsgblHdQpffuavCutVCrnpVQbV/s1600-h/IMG_0416%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0416" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6MU4eEI4fjQ4jwfW7u9yi42ZGM4DgmBZ7WAYlH8QNcT2dW4XGiBO4MTODupQaCYiF6v0XTHNswpZG-7Lf49z0vyfzJW2iXvsurJo5Ox8NFxQLAF1rklpAb8amQJsTWXvDd3-9EnFYrdt//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a>                      <strong>Hills</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>Next, we ordered some takeout from the California Pizza Kitchen. That place was very convenient to our hotel, and therefore the race/expo area, and it was nearly empty when we went to pick up our food! Score! We finished the evening by lounging around in our pj’s, eating some pizza, and watching TV. With our race stuff laid out and ready to go, we hit they hay.</p> <p>Race Time: <br />At 5:30am it was time to get ready. We got our gear on, scarfed down some bagels and cookies (mmm!) then made our way to the starting area. Holy moly that place was packed! I’d never been to a race this large before. (Alisa later told us it’s the 3rd largest half marathon in the WORLD! and I’m not surprised!) The race was a point-to-point race, and we wanted to have some warm gear at the finish line, so we maneuvered our way to the bag check area. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-ZEsaQL6srFQ0baURCyY81NjqsxpZ8P_NI34EzYGZ7uD9VMgT729XcngedHgzrTvJ6KpZPQeCSsUN84R6Dw9xZjUyD4LrnqwXpkrvbMudYst7Q41Hu7tauqFXP5O80Ta5w4beVSkTtzt/s1600-h/IMG_0434%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0434" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcja2Qi_bIUi3unIjlIXKSKcMVyoN_iRkTxCvk1AiMAythk-VfjYyDJ9WnrDuLDYMXAFsmw7ArRqk7XpaiwEH5mhY-0RsmiLPk0n4i8EvYrfi_IjOeYFs5_s9BnU8_2bWGnn7yXBIQ7R9r//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPeT-qmeNihywvjkGPu9l65MklPitneB88pbBocm4PK3CIIADyanMq6xmOJMP7b9yJMETHfck4TJ8EgaF7CPoN4YUBwcUoicv2J71B7x7v-T5AaK-7CjGEdJBDNOjVQ-Pev6nrGS6VWA8/s1600-h/IMG_0436%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0436" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2JYKlCeXcNbDpXLKyNsIzRbrNIYiePS4FAzdVjqxPYUwhke_Z18CRaaNFyIs95YxqiioVq0tgMUfpjtV2LtXYphO6ZsYLb47sdvLgTnEXBsQmFaSTwmVRiuG2Fn3NVWZgJ-ilf4ew3fV//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Alisa and I pre-race.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>With our bags checked, we made our way to our starting corral. We lined up in the 10-11:30 min/mi corral for our leisurely journey! Eventually, we heard the gun go off, and we patiently awaited our turn to cross the mat. Soon enough, it was our turn, and we were off!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQudWAv6szJzlT670kE3QeZUs7RJOBcKSj63ZZ19P1-sQoNonxDUA2fc4xtAAllSatIpPeEA9n540ksYFvJAA_BSLsWWDkoL6r8-Uz0b6pVEHdzYFAgRByBSpbWJnbZahRJ0JIE7xaoJE7/s1600-h/IMG_0445%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0445" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90sls8aXO2t54QGhCq5Z97GSP2VU1ErRBQo9U7PnD0KnFImzStjlbVTZxDSg0d5CjVkrpYjTLX4CtZ5znyBObbKIazoRpx7At1rxrakNkS0fHcsiO8miBjecAGUE-HGDH4dfbLak0yE7z//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The first mile or so wove through the Financial District. Although the entire race, from our perspective (aka the slow, take your time and enjoy sightseeing area of the pack) was a cluster for pretty much the entirety of the race, it didn’t seem like we had to weave too much around runners just out of the chute. Although, I’m sure that could also be due to our leisurely pace… </p> <p>Miles 2 and 3 ran along the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf and by the many piers lining the water, including the touristy Pier 39. From here, we could see the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz, and I made sure to snap a few pics. It was an average cloudy morning for San Francisco, at least from my memory as a youngster growing up in the area, but you could still see the sights pretty well. Mile 5 brought us by Fort Mason, and our first potty stop. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjG_B0p1TuH0ha_B1aErlghXC29Z9BcsdnYnzUpLNbdZQBL_Qm2fRWXYFq8VGBPghWRYd0xCWm0-i1YHbcwTPwE95OgnUKfsTICBYG40Z_6BrulsjhJLQb8DqewnE5nelH0nfVoz1b0P_/s1600-h/IMG_0480%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0480" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HTjY3xuH_GJL8zdggytxbTd8JM0X3Jn74-XP-QJKbKL7cRj9FCfhYaLRZM6Q0t1RdUUzyMXWeCoMu89zjawDueds571kiKQi5iyS4PkUiHlbaMW_3v34ZOAGP9EAmATEGV5X794-2oRt//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Now, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this before, but San Francisco has a few hills, and after passing Fort Mason, we got a nice view of our first big one. I have to say, the hills on this course (at least the first half) are <em>definite</em> walking hills. I probably wouldn’t suggest this half as a “PR” course… Pretty much everyone around us, at this point, was walking. But we got some great views along this “280ft over a mile” climb, and we savored every moment of it (and took some nice pics of the Golden Gate Bridge.) There were even race signs pointing out the best scenic views for pictures! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTVduMgsJQR5H9V8-B99qj0NO0aztTgspIP-hsZvxzgQ4MHWj8_dTmfTqXRXpA5EFc5w-FUu8nQPOM8L58MAnsUrfEv8sEy9SfhG3RpZZOECCYycIGRYFm6_tk3Ap_tOa2YY-NspkYFRM/s1600-h/IMG_0039%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0039" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0039" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lIFQb13IOSX8fiXVD396xMjtNjlMFtk4Et4O7_tkneXmstv7TGbqWVayKjD1iqySwMzmQUdjNyPSXpSr3__GqlFdYa0typMzIordTfzASmX43tQKC0JxZg_Wb_Uu7CknVPfoaRfpGv0s//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> <br />The next few miles included some “rolling” hills, at least by San Francisco’s standard. But remember, hills = good views! Mile 9 took us through a neighborhood with a lot of really nice looking houses, and oranges from Kaiser. Yeah, I grabbed some. Another great part of this stretch was the encouraging signs along the route, saying things like, “Reason [to run] #8: Because I Can”. </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBasC_HzmBYqq2d6zv3fKLDtOew7YyyELkv1lNhN1jJyxV7K732I7LYHhGs5wa3SaL9JEbuTy1CGW2o3eW00IqzBAhT8Ild7pwc5XsqY0edlOVuGGw6c6F3yn8FuaW2adQdb-UeZHfcn9p/s1600-h/IMG_0524%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0524" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZ84VEf9WxvbHh5fRjJugQlMQ7usAmzybMP6gczy99dYNLU4SUs3QCAAUZWw2bgR8iFVWB3otPMvKM-klp_a2gljKHh_0IzbXJus7SGAg2Dq-8V_tqTm1eGfnAs2jpOS0gXedxe4FsJfl//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a>  <br />With every hill, comes a downhill, and Mile 11 was a quad scorcher! We rounded a corner, and got a great view of some beaches, and what appeared to be a finish shoot…but that couldn’t be right… It wasn’t. There were two portions near the end of the course with blown up arches with encouraging words. Not sure I would appreciate those if I were racing. I usually associate those arches with the finish line, but it was a nice gesture! </p> <p>All we had left was a short jaunt through Golden Gate Park. This is where we split from the full marathoners (Good luck, ladies!) and made our turn down the “Chocolate Mile”, because, really, what would a women’s race be without Chocolate?! I grabbed some Ghirardelli from the volunteers and stashed it for later (I’d already eaten some Clif Shot Bloks and Luna Bars from a previous aid station, so I was no longer hungry at this point.) Finally, we wove our way through the final stretch, and through the finish line! </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MHMqyhkZx1yAW36uiQ_OR2iWvfLNYSil1nW-8_DjgRYJ7Vf-nP_6RK8qakGTc0YJaWxq4GptGWq_xvrmqH6jgePgqP69U603GcAqlvZeNItqmgFHq8Dx1GT-sU6OVGFK4-OeeT1Om44K/s1600-h/IMG_0565%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0565" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0565" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0J3VA_8GlRBjkHORN7l73DB6TCWUSUqAmWaCKKYlNJJlZwKv7o4UzkLvTHV_5LOppgQCjIDUvm4vz7KCFDbj0f1bBp-EbbQGvolP3wvoQE5ysWT-gH15t3hk51jCH-0m-Rr2oAmh_E-Zw//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a>    Post Race: <br />What a hoard of people at the end! I managed to spot the tuxedo-clad fireman and got my necklace. Race officially complete. The finish line was a great use of the assembly line system. After making my way through the necklaces, and acquiring my space blanket, I was led into the “food area”. I was given a great re-usable shopping bag in which to stuff my goodies (including bananas, bagels, Kashi cereal, Luna bars, raisins, and Gatorade). I grabbed everything that was offered to me and stuffed it in my bag. Soon enough I was at the shirt station, grabbed my Pink Nike Tech Tee, and finally filtered out of the system. I collected my bag, and bundled up a bit to protect myself from the rain that had started just as we were finishing up. </p> <p><img title="IMG_0572" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn2ffSQduyiwGf37muz4PWUunwZo_jnVZnFgxlgQZV80pB6bWuyYbMZwW2rFl5cVqogZynY3vyWANxfHVKzZ67J-vGyZm0433KsMCvH0qIwjE0X26FgRi9qjWIS8fPLulPQKQ7f4-H69F//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /><img title="IMG_0584" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiZTDER5mI3xjmD2fW42VIG2S1SVfzP4Y8PaXVQnqLWD5-3zai1cySoDkYW4GptmM0Ug98YtKTCl1ZWvgxJKwORJCiQ7ZQDed_B-_sz8DABeQuz6GRrlf_BBBK4S-LaV0rmqLNTOl31fe//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /><img title="IMG_0590" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTTQQGzDUmdp1prf8syEkGEuVB_n8dd4NMCA6hp0AhU36xXA4J8V6qMM9mWuTNJ8yzVaLvN2fJn4b8OmgMdSetVs6n7SPy7D0LWXt1uqBBvgW7upGNziiS86rI-cgEp75oZ9kNMs3xmNh//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" />Now, my absolute <em>least</em> favorite part of the race: Getting back to the hotel. Everyone in our group had purchased shuttle tickets for a ride back the start. Well, everyone but me…Oops! They ended up waiting in line for 45 minutes, but that was still better than what J and I ended up doing… We had the brilliant idea to take public transit. We ended up walking about 3.5 miles and getting passed up by 3 buses before finally getting picked up. We made it back to our hotel in just enough time for late check out. No shower for me. Bummer!</p> <p>Luckily, I was able to get myself the largest Pumpkin Spice Latte I could, so that I could warm up a bit (rain+SF=cold). We made our way to the BART station, and rode back to our car. After a pit stop at Alisa’s in-laws (with very yummy dinner and breakfast! and a good night’s sleep) J and I made the long trek back up north on Monday.</p> <p>It was a busy, but super fun weekend. And I got new bling! Both Achilles made it through the race ok; no pain really while we were running, a little achiness as we walked up those hills, but I made it through ok. My right heel gets sore when driving (from the pressure on the heel), and I’m definitely cutting back this week! I ran a bit today (Tuesday), but only about 2.5 miles. When it started hurting, I stopped. I’m gonna run just a bit again tomorrow, then take a few days off. Friday is my birthday, and, although I wish I could run on my Birthday, I think a massage is in order! </p> <p>Here’s to a happy, restful, injury repairing birthday week!</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRluXXqec6nDwGjOSOWwVJqFCsyBrfLPlhcZAlGAMbfCu0TXisxjwVbrNum9ym_6NvGNvHFwdd9c_8tn3mWDl_ywBy8gPZoeV9QtYkRROHlrtsL6AdhO6es1-jUSYtbj7JaTg8YWLtF2a/s1600-h/IMG_0574%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0574" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRg-niL425IIjiBiA5-Bnmq5Zp25iP-pHcWE6bHZD-9ag9uLOUN6Ux22gHQ9uPR8WiTeeCpd8qPp41LjE8I5rxzgCwi3P3j6W6FtBAVU2U8o_qTOrHk_ZJVL4xpL6eW8DCstQidJI4Wn9//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-55661365153463137702010-10-11T19:09:00.001-07:002010-10-11T19:09:23.937-07:00Portland Marathon Pacer Recap<p>This past Sunday, I took part in the Portland Marathon, as an official 4:45 pacer. Let me just say, I had an absolutely amazing time! Here’s the recap of the weekend:</p> <p><u>Expo</u>: I worked the <a href="http://www.redlizardrunning.com/">Red Lizard</a> Pacer Booth on Saturday afternoon, and actually had a really fun time answering questions from nervous/excited expectant Marathoners. We handed out pace bands, and answered many questions about corrals. Unfortunately, the Portland Marathon had decided to use the entrants “projected finish time” from their registration to assign them to a corral, without actually letting the runners know… So a <em>lot</em> of runners were upset that they were placed in separate corrals from their pacers, based upon a time they input 6-12 months ago…This probably wouldn’t be much of a problem if they would allow people to change corrals, or update their information a few months ago, but we hoped it would all work out the next day anyhow.</p> <p><u>Race</u>: We set our alarms for 5:45am, so that would could be dressed (in our “pacer uniforms”: see below picture) and make our way to the Pacer’s Meeting point at our assigned time of 6:15am. When I had looked outside while getting dressed, I didn’t see any rain, but dressed for the elements, anyway. When we finally made our way out the door, it was pouring, so we quickly headed back inside to grab some trash bags, as we knew we would be standing in the rain for awhile before the race actually started. When we stepped out the door for the second time, we noticed that it was 6:15, and we were late, so we ran the few blocks to our meeting site. We collected our “Lizard Pace Sign” and made sure we were ready to go. Soon enough, it was time to head to our assigned corral. </p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" height="730" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs830.snc4/69013_444003183599_113675373599_5355011_2857790_n.jpg" width="550" /> </p> <p>We both decided that we needed to use the portas, but the line was already a block long. We started by lining up in the line, but after the 5th person approached us and asked about being paced, we decided it would be best to try and cut the line, then line up appropriately for our pace group to meet us. Some nice girls understood, and let us sneak ahead, and soon enough we found our waiting place. Several runners approached us and said they wanted to run with us, but that they wanted to wait under cover, to avoid the large amount of moisture that was falling upon us. “No problem!”, we said. Eventually, we distantly heard the national anthem, and knew it would be time to take off soon. </p> <p>Did I mention that it was absolutely <em>pouring</em>?! Because it was, and we were already soaked before we even started…</p> <p>Eventually, we were directed toward the starting line. Garbage bags were strewn all across the road, and you had to be careful not to trip over them. (It doesn’t hurt to walk them over to the side, people!) One thing I didn’t like about the march to the starting line, was when we passed by the “fat lady” sign that said, “It’s almost over!” It later leads you to the finish line, but, really, we hadn’t even started yet! <br />That’s just mean… :(</p> <p>Finally, we reached the starting line, I clicked “start” on my watch, and off we went! There is always great energy at the start of the race, and even though I wasn’t racing myself, I was still very excited. One of my favorite early moments was as we passed a Large Drum band (<a href="http://www.portlandtaiko.org/">Portland Taiko</a>). The sound they created was very dramatic, and definitely added to excitement of the first mile!</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs061.snc4/34410_444003418599_113675373599_5355022_4909470_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Even though we started in “waves” the first few miles were a definite challenge from a “pacer” standpoint. There were a lot of people in front of us, and we just hoped they were on pace. The first few miles we were actually a bit fast, and we continued to add a little bit to our “bank”  until about Mile 5. This is when we started on the most scenic, the most awesomest, and just plain spectacular (sense any sarcasm, because these sentiments are <em>layered</em> with it…) out and back of all time. OMG. It definitely does not shine a great light upon Portland…</p> <p>Anyway. These miles dragged on a bit. There were some nice bands, but it was pretty darn boring. One cool thing was that we were able to see a bunch of people going the opposite direction, including a lot of the other pace groups. Something I noticed was that this section became very overcrowded, especially during the aid stations. Not sure if this was because of the half-marathoners mixed in with the marathoners, or what? But it could become a bit of a mad house, what with people cutting across you trying to get to the water or other aid. Oh, and another awesome thing about this section: <em>PUDDLES</em>!!!! As if the pouring rain wasn’t enough, this road has pretty poor upkeep, and collected a lot of water in spots. We had no hope of keeping our tootsies even remotely dry…</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs444.ash2/71725_444003703599_113675373599_5355038_8194342_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Soon enough, we were done with this section, and we definitely cheered verbosely! And then before we knew it, we were at Mile 11. Only 3 to go before pacing buddy and I could put on some warm clothes and head over to the Mile 24 aid station! At Mile 12, the two pacers taking over for the second half joined in. We introduced them to our group, went over timing logistics, and settled in to the pace. They were happy that we had banked a little extra time, as the dreaded “Hill” (St. John’s Bridge) was still up ahead.</p> <p>Mile 14 came and we hopped out and yelled some final support to our pacees, and told them we would see them again at Mile 24!</p> <p>Wearing dry clothes never felt so good!! And <em>warm</em>I  Ahhhhh…..Soon enough, we made our way to the Aid Station, and passed out Gummy Bears and Pretzels. And shivered. Brrr…it was cold. We kept our eyes out for all the pace groups coming through: 3:50, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30. Time to make sure we were run ready. A few more minutes, and we spotted our Lizard. (He was the one with flair!) We jumped in and looked around at a few familiar faces, although I guess a few had been lost after the bridge. Before we knew it, it was one last climb up onto the Broadway Bridge. This was a tough climb for all these marathoners. At this point, their legs were toast, so we gave as much encouragement as we could, and grabbed any stragglers we passed. </p> <p>The Mile 25 marker passed, finally, and you could see everyone struggling, but you knew they were going to make it! They were going to be able to call themselves “Marathoners”! The final chute involved a right turn, followed by a left turn (which I think threw a few people off mentally). When we made the first turn, we told our group to take off and finish strong, and boy did they. We were all alone at this point, but there were some people a few yards behind us, so we yelled for them to pass us! When we finally crossed over the finish line (at 4:45:00 on the dot!) pacer buddy and I turned around to cheer in a few people behind us. </p> <p>Eventually, we went back to the finish and got our space blankets, although the rain had finally stopped! This was apparently the wettest Portland Marathon in history (probably). It was a little emotional at the start line, and why not, a <em>lot</em> of these people finished their first marathon, and finally finished what they had been training so long for!</p> <p>So, to sum it up, I can’t wait to do this again! It was a very rewarding experience, and it was so much fun to be a part of something so big for all these runners!</p> <p>Now I didn’t bring my camera, because, in case you didn’t catch it, it was <em>pouring</em>!! So I borrowed some pictures from my friend! :) </p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-19641227608463004862010-10-04T10:28:00.001-07:002010-10-04T10:28:11.932-07:00Preparation<p>This week really felt like preparation for next week’s Portland Marathon Extravaganza! I increased my mileage (to the most weekly mileage I’ve <em>ever</em> run!) and practiced pacing with my pacing buddy!. </p> <p>Monday: <br />4.1 miles (9:51 avg pace) <br />My friend, who had gotten married over the weekend, had a <em>lot</em> of leftover cupcakes, so we made our way over to the weekly <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70194335460#!/group.php?gid=70194335460">WAMR</a> group run. We don’t usually head over to these runs, because they’re a bit of a drive from our house, but it was worth it for the cupcakes. I have every other Monday off from work, so I’m sure I could make my way out there again in the future.</p> <p>The run takes place mostly on the <a href="http://www.thprd.org/pdfs/document46.pdf">Fanno Creek Trail</a>. It was a nice little run through a “park”-like area. I’m really glad this run was with a group, though, because I’m sure I would have gotten lost without them! And, yes, the cupcakes <em>were</em> delicious!</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Rest Day</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />5.6 miles (10:04 avg pace) <br />This was the week for group runs! I was supposed to meet up with <a href="http://ambitiousaspirations.blogspot.com/">Alisa</a> for a hill workout, but work issues prevented her from coming out. :( (Don’t worry, we’ll make it work sometime!) Instead, we made our way over to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=125198394168&share_id=254207078851&comments=1#!/group.php?gid=224761378124&ref=search">Fulton Pub Run</a>, for one of their last weeks of the “summer route”, which includes 1-2 miles of (what seems to me) moderate-difficult trail. My pacing buddy and I used the last few miles to practice our 10:52 pace for our Portland Marathon pacing duties. Nice and easy.</p> <p>Thursday: <br />Last Thursday <br />3.6 miles (9:36 avg pace, with stop and go) <br />The last “First” Thursday of the year. This one seemed to be shorter than the other “routes”, and we were able to hit up each and every stop. There also seemed to be less people, which upped our chances of winning. Neither J or I were successful, but our friend won <em>twice</em>! Plus, we got delicious <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brews/seasonal-ales/jubelale/default.aspx">Jubelale</a> for our recovery drink! </p> <p>Friday: <br />Rest Day</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Fall Finale 5k Pacer Report <br />My pacing buddy for the Portland Marathon had decided awhile ago to pace this race for any participants who would like to break 30 minutes for the 5k. So we pulled out the best part of our pacing outfits (the tutus) and got to work. We tried to hold about a 9:35 min/mi pace, and I think we did this quite well, until the last mile, but at this point, I think we had already lost a few folks. As we neared the end, I continued on with the pace, to lead those still with us to the finish line. Then I told them to finish strong, then hung back to cheer on those just behind me. There were quite a few people that appeared to finish PRs, even if they didn’t quite surpass the 30-minute mark! It was a lot of fun to help people reach their goals, and we’re totally going to do it again. We’ve already picked our next race to pace: The <a href="http://www.givengobble.com/">Give N' Gobble</a> 5k, in Sherwood. If you know anyone looking to break 30 minutes, send them out our way, and we’d be happy to cheer them on! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQkL0YhjEyHzZwsvpuos493-qjgNTnasGUDgqpqge-Klr3Gl8ndLWLDOc0yMNeRAMqQ6OSSsQ93vS0FOcD9SUkOQxbJp2NYMu5UKHF2nh8Pv2NvMQTZEsWcr2kia5CkL1DEvnL0PVUYMy/s1600-h/IMG_0327%5B6%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0327" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_6RVEMkgv_CfNB34VnxaU_NU51iE0VDcGTCLx89fl9Oc_ohpbNbmHk9bFGsOWLotPhsNiwLv0d6buSV_VRCL2PEpCaoTTvih0b21n8_BepIxp2o7SKXLhUVaXDfYlH-wfQ6e1NFW0Sux//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>5k: 29:17 <br />0.4 miles of warm-up/practice = 3.5 miles total for the day</p> <p>There was also a raffle after the race, and I am happy to report: <em>I won new shoes!!!</em></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAgt1bI4Fgnmgod3Z8qId8OJqujlxkMIRBQk-q1yLjGOV_Ejispwz_n2oDl9OLVUw3xLWgj5i-u77_PvFDeiLhNtAk9IalV3mDUautatcrXZTYwo9EQLgPY3CrsqEfe0hvhw6E1fbk1TX/s1600-h/IMG_0352%5B5%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0352" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1bhGCUJHibJyj_4qdHIrodHjV3o76dur1ZsKUjgOsUh586N__LSRukg43jlWENdOhypcRLIXI8dh3ZNx9FW4j9KLOsxSFz2ocNr4IBSsgl3H40XwVOMwFH54DJDf6xeQFNJ3kQJnHzUd//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Sunday: <br />Long Run <br />13.1 miles (9:36 avg pace) <br />I started this run with J, but he left after about 2.5 miles, so I was mostly on my own. I headed up Terwilliger, because for some reason, I love doing that?! Then I made my way down those hundreds of stairs down to the Willamette, up and over the Sellwood bridge, then back up the Springwater to the Steel Bridge, and then home. It was a pretty nice run. It was a little misty to start out with, and the leaves had begun to fall. Yeah, I <em>love</em> fall!! The first few miles were about 10:00 pace, and I ended up (on the flatter sections) running a few 9:00 miles. Whoops! Oh well. I was a little sore afterward, but not too bad. And I definitely enjoyed my pizza lunch afterward! Yum!</p> <p>Total miles for the week: 30!! Yay!!</p> <p>Next weekend (10/10/10) is the Portland Marathon. I will be co-pacer for the first half of the 4:45 group! I’m really looking forward to helping people try to reach their goals. At this point, we’re planning on running a little past halfway, then going to help at the Mile 24 aid station. Then, we hope to join the 4:45 group when they come through the aid station, and run with them through the finish! </p> <p>Good luck to all those who are running the Marathon! Hope to see you out there!!</p> <p>And just as an aside: After a year and a half of unemployment, J has finally received a job offer. He starts work tomorrow, and will finally contribute to society once again! Good luck J! I love you!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjif8nyk2vvfB-HDsJJS2-zkI_qKIsESQYK2ChApkyq_l56MN_Z30sb_mVN2KQ8RDuWodDH174Cl739zRGAuW7_YHpxmpxd0H7YxHZ2tzckY1Bdp7WbLVOLPFNrdtkIcnQBNGxMVtYEcVMF/s1600-h/IMG_0349%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0349" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYhhHlojQ4ZpRdfApCTXTcNu5s4k5jCie5hTXhaZlHw_YLFpKz4jCnB7URGpSqVhAjNiWsqHX4BByRE9aUFbBxzYo3NpxhdIW-D5Bud6b0eEqgRk5U0sbwaZ7Ln1LXKpgO5TeWaKboHgQ//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-28737258984528588522010-09-26T20:47:00.001-07:002010-09-26T20:47:09.081-07:00That’s more like it.<p>This week was <em>much</em> closer to where I want to be. My mileage is back up where it once was, and about where I want to be at this point in my training. Here’s a recap:</p> <p>Monday: <br />4 miles (9:12 avg pace) <br />Just 4 miles, a little fast, along the normal route.</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track – Whistle workout <br />This week’s track workout was another whistle workout. This time we would run at “L”-pace (a little faster than 5k pace) for the first 2/3rds of the workout and finish off the last 1/3rd at “S”-pace (short interval pace/fast). We were told we would be running about 20 minutes at quick speeds. It was a tough workout, but still pretty fun. It was also a long workout, and I definitely felt it through the rest of the week:</p> <p>7 miles (8:42 avg pace)</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Rest Day</p> <p>Thursday: <br />4 miles (8:59 avg pace) <br />Way too quick; guess I was excited, and in a hurry! (I had to make it to a pacer meeting that evening.) This run definitely added to the heaviness of my legs later on in the week. </p> <p>Friday: <br />9.7 miles (10:53 avg pace) <br />I wanted to complete our long run on Friday after work, since we were going to be busy for most of Saturday due to a wedding, and there was no way I was going to plan a run on the Sunday <em>after</em> the wedding! We made it out a little before 6pm, and barely made it home before it got too dark. The first few miles were definitely tough for my legs, but they eventually warmed up. We still took it pretty slow, but that’s ok, I’ll just pretend it was practice for my upcoming pacing gig! ;)</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Wedding Day</p> <p>Wedding Day started with 2.5 “Matrimony Miles”. The friend that was getting married is “streaking” for 1 year, requiring her to run at least 1 mile every day for a year. She invited a bunch of friends out to join her for her last run as a single lady. It was a nice cool, foggy morning run. And we finished up with mimosas, mmm!</p> <p>2.5 miles (10:46 avg pace)</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPVZ5ZDmcLVZtoycluIpCkd1jpTRbmwiubLBT3NNZZ7-Z8dM6v5RaRF3o9kolmcOZeIT0QDLfF1Co2RJfNuyOKSAKv6SS_lE4ov8PdajuvzVCnIRudEuGbOLeUpCQByTY_3KcdRJP_FZJ/s1600-h/IMG_0023%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0023" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0023" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJmIqU-YoexRym0paD2XbfZvfu9J3Tdljlj1fk9T4enTBV10a58_JWmMwCL5oZH2aD0RBRE3ernU706FuK5S1zQMkF4ShcokpxUT6M-uj44A-w5Yq7yDsq5gWQP8H7-QGkI9Kte8FtIin//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The wedding itself was a ton of fun. It was fun celebrating our friends along with all their family and friends! Congrats guys!</p> <p>Tired at the end of the night:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRm4eHG_4erzJ1dOMkDrhPQVjUfELGMG6TgtwT367j0iCIBxV36IGzig4mTPxbWADwigqQWooo9eL-xCBdWW_X5ZDHidVuCnVA5iYEiEMYvKzwgQr5nMEugEtzYzg4SKGCG_O3niaVi7k/s1600-h/IMG_0311%5B5%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0311" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_0311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfk3DUY2nKo2K58UogdFsXC9WHDqvpbIyrx2o-8Fz5xP0KMt2ozyDsvCAUmtp5Do9IsSFRD7HN072sXfhMk_YUEoF5ccDgYxP7F496I1vH6VzuqugT1o80-nZs8fVMtwDVB1z0NkpLbC9//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Sunday: <br />Real rest day. We needed to recuperate!</p> <p>I’m hoping to keep on track with my training plan next week. Thursday is “Last” Thursday, and we’re planning to meet up with <a href="http://ambitiousaspirations.blogspot.com/">Alisa</a> on Wednesday for a hill workout, so things are shaping up pretty good so far. Yay for running plans with friends!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-26650757082083984832010-09-20T20:39:00.001-07:002010-09-20T20:39:01.475-07:00Another slow running week + Oktoberfest 5k Race Report<p>Kind of…</p> <p>I didn’t log too many miles this week, and I haven’t been sticking to my training plan too harshly. In fact, I haven’t even really looked at it… Oops! What I need to do is type it up into a calendar so it’s easier to look at. I plan on doing that after I’m done with this blog entry! (*Fingers Crossed*) </p> <p>Last week, I started by recuperating from Sunday’s 10k PR! </p> <p>Monday: <br />2.5 miles (9:45 avg pace) <br />I used this recovery run to “run” some errands. I was on the lookout for a Bachelorette Party gift that included lots of bits and pieces. It was definitely fun to run with a purpose, and this would not be the last time I would “run” errands last week!</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track <br />5.8 miles (with warm-up/cool down)</p> <p>2x1200 (on chips) long interval pace <br />5:43, 5:43 (7:41 avg pace)</p> <p>3 sets of 400-400 (400’s at short or medium interval pace with 100 float between each 400) <br />1:46-1:45 (7:07-7:04) <br />1:47-1:45 (7:09-7:02) <br />1:49-1:48 (7:19-7:16) Trying to hold on strong, but definitely tired!</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Rest</p> <p>Thursday: <br />4.89 miles (10:15 avg pace) <br />Another night of “running” errands. This time planning for a bachelorette party. I ran at least 2 miles holding cupcakes! Mmm!</p> <p>Friday: <br />Rest</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Race Day - <a href="http://www.mtangel.net/matthew/oktoberfest.html">Oktoberfest 5k</a></p> <p>This is a small race (about 724 total participants) in Mt. Angel, OR; famous for its Oktoberfest (hence the name). It was a pretty foggy morning, so the sights along the course were definitely hidden, but it looked like it would be a beautiful place to run! The weather here had been pretty great running weather, except for the humidity. (Believe it or not, we don’t get a whole lot of humidity here in the NW.) But it was a great morning to be racing! We arrived early to make sure we had no problem picking up our packets. (No problem at all!) And waited around (listening to some occasional German music) until the start of the race. I warmed up a bit about 20 minutes before the planned start time. My legs didn’t feel too terrific for some reason; like they never really warmed up, and were still pretty stiff. I hoped this wouldn’t affect the race. (I wanted a PR!)</p> <p>Pretty soon, it was time to line up. I placed myself about 3 people behind the line, and soon enough, the gun went off! Holy smokes there were a lot of people quick off the starting line, but I resisted the urge to keep up, and immediately found my planned pace. I was hoping to hold 7:30’s, at least at first, and then give it all I had in the last 0.6 miles. There were a few turns soon after the start, and then we were out on open road. This mile held a lot of downhill, but I tried not to burn out my legs right at the start, especially with my legs feeling a bit rough!</p> <p>Mile 1: 7:32 (Pretty dead on!)</p> <p>Soon after the Mile 1 marker (which was pretty accurate according to my Garmin) the 5k’ers made their turn-around. It was pretty neat to be able to count the people in front of me. I only counted the females: 13 ahead of me at this point. Since the first mile was mostly downhill, this mile was mostly uphill. I was feeling a lot stronger at this point. Maybe it helps that I’ve gotten pretty strong with hills, and was able to get past quite a few people (2 girls, I believe). As we were nearing the end, I feared I had gone out too fast; I was pretty exhausted, and my breathing was definitely labored. Soon enough, we crested the hill, and made a turn into some neighborhood roads. Soon after landing on a flatter road, I was feeling fresh as a daisy, and ready to finish the last mile strong!</p> <p>Mile 2: 7:52 (This could be better.)</p> <p>The last mile wove through the neighborhood surrounding the park/start/finish area. I passed some more people here, including J (he’d been sick and wasn’t feeling very good on this last mile.) Finally we turned onto a familiar road; one I had seen on the way to the start area from where we’d parked our car. At this point, I had about 0.6 miles to go, and I was feeling it. I had pretty much followed my plan. My new mantra was “A 5k is <em>supposed</em> to hurt.” A couple more turns and we were onto the home stretch. I could see another girl in front of me, and really wanted to pass her so I could finish in the top 10. I couldn’t tell if she was in my age group, but I knew I could be in the running for a Top 3 Age Group finish (i.e. a ribbon!) </p> <p>Mile 3: 7:12 (Almost over!)</p> <p>The finish shoot is a little awkward, in that it is on a narrow stretch of sidewalk/trail going into the park. Because it was so narrow, and a guy had come and chased me <em>and</em> the girl in front of me down, I wasn’t able to shoot past the girl just in front of me, but I did manage to finish strong!</p> <p>Mile 3.13: 0:52 (6:43 avg pace)</p> <p>Official (non-chipped timed) Time: <br />23:28.40 (7:34 avg pace)</p> <p>I finished just out of the Top 10 Females (11th) and just out of the Age Group awards (4th). That’s what you call rotten luck. At least I know the girl just ahead of me was out of my age group, and the girl who finished 3rd in my age group finished a full 40 seconds ahead of me, so there wasn’t really anything to do differently. And what else do I know? I totally PR’d!!! Woohoo! I’ll take it.</p> <p>There was also a pretty neat raffle drawing post-race (which neither J, nor I won…ah well) which included things like tech shirts, tech socks, German flags, mustard (from the nearby Abbey), and <a href="http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx">Road ID</a> (among other things). </p> <p>Overall, it was a great and well organized race. I’d be interested in trying out the 10k course, too. It looks pretty similar to the 5k one, except it continues on the road after the 5k turnaround, and loops around the Abbey. Hopefully, if we do it again next year, the weather will be a little more cooperative, and we can actually <em>see</em> the Abbey. </p> <p>Another reason to potentially do this race again next year: so that we can stick around and actually go to the Oktoberfest celebration that the town is famous for. We didn’t get a chance to this year, because I had a Bachelorette Party to finish up planning for/attend. What are you gonna do? ;)</p> <p>Sunday: <br />Recuperate post-Bachelorette party</p> <p>Not bad for a slow running week, but maybe I can start following my training plan, with a little more planning! Here’s hoping! :)</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-66417384965779629682010-09-14T21:17:00.001-07:002010-09-14T21:17:01.994-07:00Pints to Pasta 10k Recap<p>Well, last week wasn’t what I was anticipating going into the race. I had planned a slight cut back week, since I had been increasing mileage for several weeks leading up to the race. I figured a 6.2 “long run” was a good way to follow through with that plan. But that plan kinda changed when I awoke on Monday (Happy Labor Day) sick with a fever. Yuck!!</p> <p>This made for a week of <em>super</em> cut back mileage. I only ran 3 times last week (including the race) for a grand total of 14 miles! C’est la vie!</p> <p>I was a little worried about the decrease in mileage going into the race, even though I’ve been going steady for several weeks previous to that. But I definitely had some goals going in: The biggest goal being to PR. </p> <p>This course is a point to point course from the Adidas campus to The Spaghetti Factory, and mostly downhill. The race organizers suggest everyone park at The Spaghetti Factory, and take the shuttle to the start line. Since we live somewhat close to the Finish Line, we didn’t really want to park there. We looked up public transportation to the starting line, and found out the light rail would take us about 0.8 miles away. <em>Perfect</em>! We made it there in plenty of time and waited in the huge line to drop off our bag. After a quick warmup we saw that people were lining up. We ended up somewhat in the middle of the pack (not exactly where I wanted to be…) and soon enough, we were off!</p> <p>Mile 1: <br />This mile included a lot of dodging, of course, especially with the large downhill section just after the starting line. It was also pretty quick! I tried to hold back a little bit on the downhill, since I didn’t want to burn myself out, but I still wanted to take advantage of it. Overall, I think I did well!</p> <p>7:50</p> <p>Mile 2: <br />Mile 2 was more of the same (except a little less descent), I just tried to keep a tough but manageable pace. I was aiming for 8:00-8:15 min/mi paces. Nailed it!</p> <p>8:11</p> <p>Mile 3: <br />We crossed the Broadway Bridge during this mile, which included a <em>slight</em> uphill, but was followed by a nice downhill section. This was the opposite direction of when we crossed this bridge on the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/04/bridge-to-brews-10k-recap.html">Bridge to Brews</a> course, and it was much nicer in comparison!</p> <p>8:14</p> <p>Mile 4-5: <br />These miles were in familiar territory: The Waterfront path. It was kinda fun to be in a race along a familiar route! Mile 4 was easy, but I think I started to worry about holding my pace on Mile 5, which is why I think I kinda slowed down.</p> <p>8:00 <br />8:15</p> <p>Along the good ole Waterfront:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbq3r2sHiM6Aeo4_xNNNeMf-YA4itYHoJ4aYy7MUVtL-fwVD8IrX4tg6k-yRWGoAPP_BQtUmGMdRCeCknIwD5-nVMPFt1xCqGtVlazGO1G2QJ8YdvojB0PYYWLHYOdsIhUWnBdhryzuoI/s1600-h/63305-044-021f%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="63305-044-021f" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="63305-044-021f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8v61LQZVe89UxbIIYpfVpUuqPr7yhJD7SqYZmln50AM92WOO7l6Qjb-fCBQeRwdg9-C29P_FU9hWcaTh0Td2vb9tSMk9qU_rSvKQCGKBdBlck7ojX5w0Ef4_VFijwkQXaBitZ4yybNC9//?imgmax=800" width="323" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Mile 6: <br />Again, we were in familiar territory. It was nice to be running in an area that I’m familiar with, running-wise. I was able to feel how much further we had to go.</p> <p>8:05</p> <p>Sprinting to the finish:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1QSveWdAl8gcL7W_Y7KAgp6krHeLNw1WqMau5_GFF3fvAmHCYQ3TljFZza-kDphgVwESndNv-9o3dgaEkKPiZSMSxo1YfaqlIvWWvvMcbncCOxM5OoLVW-NkdRL389bv1aMsjWGzBf4z/s1600-h/63305-112-007f%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="63305-112-007f" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="63305-112-007f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1EdvVVjEC0Cpvw0qZSKDBV_u05_a0y1B8UOaDwhLt-CqK4KV8fL-TMc4x4_1P3f6_zCGliJ3NAn8XRiSmpWFvf5JmYG0U8ivMJt-GdnWLE_gZQGl1lpOOI9a3XZDJ7ZuJX18PpnN_r88//?imgmax=800" width="326" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Mile 6.2: <br />I could see the finish line from really far away (~0.3 miles). I looked at my watched and notice that I could break 50:00, so I took off at a sprint and gave it all I had! I even caught up with Paula Harkin, of <a href="http://www.runwithpaula.com/">Run with Paula</a>!! (I <em>literally “</em>Ran” with Paula! ;)</p> <p>6:19 avg pace</p> <p>Running with Paula (she’s in the front, I’m in the back): <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStzCe4whu73npJbIDNZ7kqib1rYt8CDHaRgW21wb0kLulOWxUxPBBawKa8PzusbpVYIQ8sNX8651Bw58zeOe_Fc_Qw4UCL1-EZyxrZctfKU6rEgZ1PBexf-nwVoabTJ-ipzR-oFkLWBGv/s1600-h/63305-112-005f%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="63305-112-005f" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="63305-112-005f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1ksQxFHdOI-64IxnWguFAq5aLP-qxaz2E-ufD8e51ll6auLuNb49eDEXABeAZO46AAnIgWisJW9pD5BYyaeh71AL2omBSis-upu8hRtoQpXrN4UzZhSPu2XwzwbB1vw_osbNWPZdw0MJ//?imgmax=800" width="324" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Official Time: <br />49:47 (8:01 avg pace) <br />Massive PR by over 6 minutes!! Woohoo!</p> <p>It was a great course, even though I’ve run through most of it habitually. (The net elevation loss can’t help!) I was hoping to be able to break 50 minutes, and I totally did. Not too bad after a sick week! :)</p> <p>_________________________________________________________________________________</p> <p>Next Saturday we’re racing a 5k. I’m hoping for another PR, since it shouldn’t be nearly as hot as my <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/exciting-week-bowerman-ac-5k-race.html">last one</a>…We’re doing the Oktoberfest 5k in Mt. Angel. It’s a bit of a drive, but it looks fun! It’s one of our last short races of the year (at least for what’s on our schedule <em>now</em>…)</p> <p>This is also my first week of training for my “goal” race: The Run to Stay Warm Half Marathon. This training cycle might not work out exactly as “planned” on paper, since I have a *few* half marathons placed in the mix… You think I might be addicted?</p> <p>These include: <br />10/10: First half of the Portland Marathon. <br />I’m going to be pacing the first half of the Portland Marathon with my friend. We’re running the 4:45 group (about 10:52 pace) so it’ll be a nice easy run, and I’m really looking forward to it! </p> <p>10/17: Nike Women’s Half Marathon <br />This is another “fun” run. No PR here, although I’m sure the hills will be a good workout! </p> <p>11/6: Silver Falls Trail Half Marathon <br />Sure to be a beautiful course, also another “fun” run! (What’s wrong with that?!) I’ll definitely bring my camera!</p> <p>11/20: EWEB Run to Stay Warm <br />*Goal Race!!</p> <p>Here’s to some great runs!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-49253701537243608162010-09-06T19:35:00.001-07:002010-09-06T19:35:24.604-07:00Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon Recap + Recap of the rest of the week<p>So this week culminated with the <a href="http://www.run4oregonwine.com/">Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon</a>, and so shall this blog post! :) But first, a recap of the other fun runs from this week:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Rest Day</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Easy Run <br />6.97 miles (11:03 avg pace) <br />I joined in for the Tuesday Lululemon Group Run again. I got an extra couple of miles by running on the way to and from the run. It was definitely an easy run, but it’s fun to get together with a group of other runners. I skipped out on track again this week, but I definitely want to go back next week. I have a 10k to prepare for! :)</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Ran to/from yoga <br />1.7 miles (10:12 avg pace) <br />I participated in a new class “Yoga for Cyclists”. It was pretty fun, even though I was the only runner. We targeted very similar areas as a “Yoga for Runners” class would. I’m thinking of heading back next week, so we’ll see if it fits into my schedule.</p> <p>Thursday: <br /><a href="http://www.fitrightnw.com/firstThursday.html">First Thursday</a> <br />3.8 miles (9:53 avg pace) <br />Another fun afternoon/evening of running, and maybe the last of the year! :( They aren’t sure if they’ll be having an October run since the Portland Marathon is so near to it, but I hope they do. These runs are so fun, and its great to see so many people out there hitting the streets. This months was kind of a short run; most of the stops were on 23rd, but we still logged a few fun miles. </p> <p>Friday/Saturday: <br />Rest/Lazy days <br />Thought about running one of these days, but then I decided to be lazy instead! </p> <p>Sunday: <br /><a href="http://www.run4oregonwine.com/">Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon</a> “Race” Recap <br />2:18:44 (10:36 avg pace) <br />This was a “fun/training” run rather than a race, which I did with my friend. We took lots of pictures, chatted with lots of other runners, and just had a fun time. This was the inaugural race, and the first race put on by <a href="http://www.destinationraces.com/">Destination Races</a> to take place outside of California. There were a lot of out-of-towners (runners from 46 states, Canada, and Singapore) which brought a lot of tourism to our local economy. The race itself was pretty well organized, especially for an inaugural race. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to go to the Race Expo/Packet Pickup, which took place near the race, or about 45-60 minutes away from where I live on Saturday, which definitely took some travel time out of my weekend. The race includes a pretty nice shirt and free wine tasting at the finish line. But onto the race itself:</p> <p>We arrived about an hour before the start time (6am for the 7am start time) and had absolutely no problem finding parking. This was a point-to-point course, but J and my friend’s soon-to-be-husband drove us to the start line, and found us again at the finish. We lingered around the staging area, greeted other runner friends, and porto-d. Soon enough it was time to hit up the starting line. We lined up just in front of the 11-12 min pace line, since we were aiming for 10:50’s, in preparation for my friend (and maybe me) pacing the 4:45 Portland Marathon Pace Group. While we were lined up, we met a girl who had used this race as an excuse to come up from Santa Barbara and visit her friends in Portland. At about 7:10, the gun finally went off, and off we went. <br /> <br />I’m in the blue shirt and black skirt:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-heqqqh1mKa-DsOgXGXmIPE87md2PerO1D-mC4IR67BE80i5nYoaU6icsG7M1fgLH8ivt_Dy54ecSzpwV36eOBDOpbyljyhBkoDBfYjl3aq_mIpEwg27lUTtrCQrrEkzBrso_qYBc0Cv/s1600-h/IMG_7078%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7078" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7078" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-QRxyw1JTtsawTDoiiCFurrXFXT_-Fhx2mmJhc5kHHGCEs-3Tr5IJrjZUvdSGX1vIdsD6kcZ1ko0vAAmwKjfcf_0H0V1zaJiCIJx__agTbJ_2hY6sCgrF62UacI2ieMZhyqxRIX2lNND//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> And we’re off: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbbnCocayvzYxGppUlccoJKWY3-lz42tIFPGxA32AHUKJ6LmLr97S6G_va_aZ4eR6zjV_cf4r8-7W3rSXK0i6EDlcnLVPYWPefA8uiPW6fX_M3tOv-gqGdlk6Y5Nl1MiPPyHKW7IHX0Kr/s1600-h/IMG_7079%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7079" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7079" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gUNlllI8n64RgeajAXBOVH7h-p3NzABAVKXYR2i6FLIEFx3sCUPURDpkDFlMpJf3L94dLUF0e0TcRhFZmvZdJdNn1ZCGIHFQJED_YU_qG00eZr9kDvLU1b8zpuNNPG-EgbcNkkJxJloE//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> <br />We started off in the large crowd, got passed by some grapes, hit a mile marker way late (12:00 for the first mile…?) and the second one too early (notice a theme here) then things quieted down. Part of the reason this run was so fun was probably because we were running at an easy pace, so it was fun to just chat along the way. The course didn’t seem too difficult (at least for the first 8 miles). There were some nice gentle rollers, nothing too over the top. About mile 6 we passed the relay exchange for the 2-person relay. It was nice to have so many spectators greet us at the mid-way point, especially since this race took place out in the country. In fact, there seemed to be a good amount of supporters along the course, mostly as we were travelling through neighborhoods, or past houses. A lot of people came out to spectate!</p> <p>Grapes: <br /><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" height="480" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs602.snc4/58273_430895798599_113675373599_5079567_6027533_n.jpg" width="637" />Pretty views:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitemqLBd8rF2uAjOory_j_qgrKag-_ap3JH17VN4X_D1b1Be0FE01FZR9I7cGeaoredPYa8Ck7heEm0UNJuGE9AYfK-DOp8KgtQzPhybZwB-_oeACmlqDHPOPtYB9Yy1k3UYBFznw6OehO/s1600-h/IMG_7080%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7080" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0x7q9ETHnQ6cDqIwVpUiJy_j0bL6OAdr5aF0ZgOw6-TPOEck45vz1_JfLKcuehZ4OLJWjnuX7AWK45HuDfUdjaYf-KDXt9sD79XeUYCO9h-VvaGB43kIww7fP55szfCgaQYlFzASYgN1//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p>After passing the 8 mile marker, we met the toughest part of the course: gravel. I hate gravel, and was just hoping it would be over soon. It wasn’t quite soon, in fact, it lingered far longer than I ever would have wanted… I don’t think it quite ended until after mile 11. That’s a lot of gravel. It wasn’t so bad for us, since we weren’t truly racing, but for some friends that were aiming for a PR, it was pretty rough. </p> <p>So much gravel:<img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" height="480" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs624.snc4/58450_430897153599_113675373599_5079632_1690197_n.jpg" width="637" /> </p> <p>Other than the gravel, though, the race was pretty flat and scenic, and would probably be good for a PR course, but I’m not sure what 3.5+ miles of gravel does for other people legs…Soon enough, we were closing in on the finish. We got passed by a few people that were finishing strong, but no worries. We just glided into the finish, and collected our medals. Next up? Wine time. Yum!</p> <p>Finish line: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmePNZabGiie4tRT_MI7WDlciOVkCtKUHOdxHtI5aNCvLYdUv7UKhwd0u5mSbY3Sj6noL-cgZvGL0HLbGDpA1xV5Gh2OwJM0uYvmpkn2nvxC0hLrZLUt8aH8Lz5KG0yZkUPlsbqoITxVc/s1600-h/IMG_7081%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7081" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7081" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp_zt5USjKjjHso3T4musL4Ph0N3cpjGmC80gLOBMosov6Cs-ozSude4a3KzLxRGoQqFzryebZ2PDbKU-vFKjfAufB97kIXeN9BcgTZ6E_mlDWiinWDfz2QGlpy4Ab-tUXwJuPgEvlhON//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a>Finishing at pace, no kick here: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCDs38qMEJHYYv6FVWlao623SVM7FoZ5tRbUyK7xF0QjmoyDT67JAY-tzNXQP_PENlqhwzmsDqFcaUM5A9hWjTz3kbvN6BLJ2__SlwBuRdISnQ330X1H_cvYwk_s7QwnUHt2M1t6-MPY1/s1600-h/IMG_7091%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7091" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7091" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubJG86Dm4A3NuCpf4NryDJ_72Oa9TgdxCnlxXStUDsEMPyRDX_979xz7vW90p6MXyuL-lFX5TSqCcDYFPZXjw4HW-5F-ec6eKSs_GFPn2Ivty4dkA1wWukKqKpjJAZvf7UrFZnTjXq6Ts//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> Wine: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EgwQCwmr6ySFO1oWb60Z0hO8trwq8ZOJjM5SA8lnl7XV1Ym8VPXUQGy60eT3rSk6plNyfMG9TLRyFis16cZvRGAfUiVBKw85WLQOymg5o1Tzc9SrWwkAtO-VlCx0pQRdVQXbIhkBl0n8/s1600-h/IMG_7094%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_7094" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_7094" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFVzIA5dNzsgwZE1AZUgPUeJx_8FxrthIttazvpHMvTRjn7ssZ7eHQwuB4t514GTnYTPyUuaM9dmvnQ-88J-jHLf6RDEZLfvMeX-EnahlSzI0mCuseQ5G-TmZQChoKCf41ZMWcG4e4uUR//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Next week is PR time. 10k PR that is. I’ll be racing the <a href="http://www.runwithpaula.com/pints-to-pasta">Pints to Pasta</a> 10K next Sunday, and I’m pretty excited. I don’t think I’ll have a problem PR’ing. (It’s been awhile, and I feel much more in shape/speedier than I was when I raced this distance back in April.) This course is also known to be speedy and mostly downhill, so it should be fun! </p> <p><a href="http://www.runwithpaula.com/pints-to-pasta"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-bqWj1zFCW1OPj4ctlW3ybz01SZqes-hGAhuNrU78G4y-qeIM5OMGWjlRGNyaRQvOieP98Fs_muByDCI9fnaEWPUrWINRFa77ma-b7QkjW1wOxDOVLMn7h5ITOD-cuNhAp0lYe-xe1k/s320/pintstopasta10k.jpg" /></a> </p> <p>After next weekends race, I’m going to finalize a training plan for my “goal race” in November: the <a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm">EWEB Run to Stay Warm Half Marathon</a>. Very exciting!</p> <p><a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" height="130" src="http://www.runnerspace.com/members/photos/2622/78652_full.jpg" width="240" /></a></p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-91991374667122519282010-08-28T17:37:00.001-07:002010-08-28T17:37:31.818-07:00This is a long one! + Big news!<p>I haven’t blogged in a bit because I’ve been a bit busy. Well, last week, my knees were talking to me, but they’re feeling great now. I’m getting better at taking care of my body! :)</p> <p>Last Monday, I attended a yoga class with a new teacher. Our old teacher was off for maternity leave, but I was excited to see what the new teacher might bring. Well, unfortunately I don’t think I clicked really well with the new one. I’m not planning on going back to that class…I like to work hard in my yoga class, but this felt more like a drill sergeant class, with less focus on our practice. I’m sure there are people out there who like that, but it’s just not my cup of tea. </p> <p>After the couple of hill runs the week before, and a few classes filled with lunge sequences, my quads were already pretty pooped from the week before. Bring in the sergeant, and my quads were fried! This lead to some sore knees, and me taking it easy for a couple of days. I held off on yoga for the rest of the week, and took my runs somewhat easy. By Friday, my legs were feeling recuperated, and I haven’t had any problems since!</p> <p>Here’s the recap:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Power Vinyasa, not my fav…</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track, or not to track <br />3.2 miles (10:38 avg pace) <br />I went to the track, but decided to do a couple of easy miles instead. The knees were talking to me on the way to the track, so I think it was a smart move.</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Skipped the yoga, no runs = Rest Day!</p> <p>Thursday: <br />Another lunch run. <br />3.8 miles (9:33 avg pace) <br />I really wanted to try to squeeze in 4 miles, but didn’t want to put too much pressure on the pace. I took it as easy as I could, and got 3.8 miles! Not quite 4, and I only had a few minutes to stuff my face with some food in order to make it on time to my meeting. But it was a good run, and I saw some more of Vancouver!</p> <p>Friday: <br />Rest Day</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Long Run <br />12.45 miles (10:46 avg pace) <br />Gathering outside before the start of the run: <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHB3Ca1JWWH5O22LyzZPHKPj9tFT_skgwXPXBdcJtKvSMdI3gd7YIjYmQnLw5qd-C7WC2Tv5bhwmsnD4blMe-bItqrv61MROt7I4PykBSeK__-d5ql_kbTrwYxbFk_lslA0d7TdgA1znGV/s1600-h/lululemon%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="lululemon" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="lululemon" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNOjE3LiImMwp_Hpb90DDGrWD9GWldNBY2uaAWrVQ8IOWqqZ64EypGmm7_sBMk4x05CrA4KA5eI8wrV8DXNqgWHQUuf64EQKFOFNwxqAKUKq2s0NWabgM2FumzD7wvM2BRrTLVo2n5_dD//?imgmax=800" width="644" border="0" /></a> <br />My friend decided we should join the <a href="http://www.lululemon.com/portland/pearldistrict/events/event-24206-2010-08-21">Lululemon</a> <a href="http://www.teamoregon.com/pmc/training/">Portland Marathon Training Clinic</a> Group Run on Saturday. This is a free group long run, and you don’t have to complete the whole run, which we didn’t. They were doing 16, but the other friend we were running with is only at 8 miles for her long run, so we decided to run 4 out and 4 back, then head out for another 4 or so miles to complete our long run. I recognized a lot of people there, and there was a 15% discount offered to the runners at the end of the run. (Not a bad deal!) There were Lemons manning aid stations along the route, and pace leaders helping to make sure you don’t speed out of control. It’s definitely a nice set up, and would be a great group run to join if you dread doing long runs on your own. It’s also a great way to meet new friends, or meet up with current ones. Overall, great run! :)</p> <p>Sunday: <br />Salmon Creek 6k <br />I kind of added this “race” at the last minute. I was able to run it since we were volunteering in the bag check, again! Since my knees were taking it easy, I didn’t want to go all out. (I may have thought twice about it if it had been a 5k…awkward). My friend said she wanted to jog too, so we lined up mid pack, and gave encouragement to the runners out there who were definitely giving it their all. I definitely got speedier as the run went on, and felt great at the end. My friend told me to go ahead, so I took off and finished the last 1.7 miles with an 8:00 min/mi pace. (Not bad considering we started at 9:35 :). So, now I have a random 6k PR: 33:04. Woot?</p> <p>Now, to the real reason I haven’t been blogging. I was reading. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mockingjay-Final-Book-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023513">Mockingjay</a> was coming out on Tuesday, which is the third and final chapter of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games">The Hunger Games Trilogy</a>. I love this series, but was pretty much engrossed in it from Saturday night through Wednesday Evening. Needless to say, I didn’t get a whole lot of working out. But it was totally worth it! :)</p> <p>So, this week wasn’t the most exciting, fitness-wise. In fact I only got 2 runs in this week (and plan on an easy 4 miles tomorrow):</p> <p>Tuesday: <br /><a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/2010/08/join_meg_on_the_new_lululemon.html">Run Oregon-Lululemon Group Run</a> <br />5.55 miles (10:09 avg pace) <br />I decided to take a break from Track for the week, and join this run (especially since Megan had been bugging us to!) It was hot out (95<b>°</b> is HOT here!) so we took it easy. The run itself is 5 miles, but we ran a little bit before hand. I was initially planning on staying for yoga afterward, but I decided to go get my book, instead… :)</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Long Run <br />11.5 miles (9:46 avg pace) <br />This run felt easy and fun. My knees talked to me just a bit about 5 miles in (pretty sure I need new shoes at this point), but just a little bit further in, I met up with the <a href="http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BTW_OR_Homepage">Brain Tumor Walk</a> walkers. Wow. It was pretty amazing to see all those survivors, current fighters, and family members. So inspiring. I saw pictures of family members and friends that had passed on, as well as signs on the survivors. Friends walking with friends, and just a lot of love. I had to fight back some tears, and wait/walk a bit, but I didn’t mind. Sometimes it’s fun to run into unexpected events!</p> <p>Ok, so I promised big news, so I hope it’s not disappointing! 2 big things:</p> <p>First: We finally joined the <a href="http://www.redlizardrunning.com/">Red Lizard Running Club</a>. We’ve been joining their club for track workouts for a long time, and we’ve met quite a few people who are part of the club. The Lizards are a big club team in Portland. There are some super speedy people on the team, but also a lot of people at different levels. We’ve been to a few of their social events, too, and thought it was a fine time to make it official! As well as being a part of a group with our friends, we get a Red Lizard shirt and a discount at a local running store. Not a bad deal.</p> <p>Second: I’ve got plans!! Well, I’m not exactly sure when I’ll start training, but I <em>do</em> have a goal race on the calendar! Here’s the break down of upcoming “races” (not all of them are for PRs):</p> <p>September 5: <a href="http://www.run4oregonwine.com/">Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon</a> <br />This one I’m doing just for fun with a friend. I got a free entry from her (it was kinda pricey when we initially looked it up, but can’t pass up free!)</p> <p>September 12: <a href="http://www.runwithpaula.com/pints-to-pasta">Pints to Pasta 10k</a> <br />I’ll be going for a PR here!</p> <p>September 18: <a href="http://www.mtangel.net/matthew/oktoberfest.html">Oktoberfest 10k</a> <br />Just for fun again!</p> <p>October 2: <a href="http://www.nwrunningleague.com/races/fall-finale-5k.html">Fall Finale 5k</a> <br />Not sure it’s a PR course, but I’m going to go for it anyway!</p> <p>October 17: <a href="http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/?tags=nike_womens_marathon_2010">Nike Women’s Half Marathon</a> <br />Another “just for fun” run! :)</p> <p>November 6: <a href="http://www.runwildadventures.com/index.php?p=1_17_Silver-Falls-Half-Marathon">Silver Falls Trail Half Marathon</a> <br />I’m planning on using this as a training run/”just for fun” and stop and take lots of pictures. It looks absolutely gorgeous (and I <em>love</em> fall!) and it’s only $25. Not bad!! </p> <p>November 20: <a href="http://www.eweb.org/runtostaywarm">EWEB Run to Stay Warm Half Marathon</a> <br />GOAL RACE!! This looks flat and pretty fast. (Certainly flatter than our last half marathon!) The proceeds go to helping low income families pay their utility bills so the can “stay warm” during the winter months. So, a good fundraiser, a good price, and what looks to be a good course. I’m excited.</p> <p>So, I think I’ll start “training” for the Goal Race after Pints to Pasta. I wanna get a good idea of my current fitness level (which I think a new PR at the 10k level would do), and then formulate a plan from there.</p> <p>I’m pretty excited to see what I can do. I’m pretty sure I can beat my time from Helvetia, which was not ideal weather for me, and was definitely not “flat”. But I’m also excited for all the other “races” I have coming up. Most of them I am doing with friends, and I love feeling the race energy, even if I’m not using it to go fast. </p> <p>It feels good to have a plan in place, but I’m definitely still having fun with running!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-49990774726770329192010-08-15T18:07:00.001-07:002010-08-15T18:07:13.618-07:00Big Running Week!<p>This week was FULL of running, although it did not go exactly according to plan…But I’m definitely having fun with running right now, as well as with yoga. I’m feeling really good, overall, and I’m starting to find a nice groove in the schedule. I had 5 total running days this week (more than ever!) and I’m still feeling pretty good (my knees are a bit sore, but I think that’s more due to running on hills/having tight quads versus too much running, but I’ve been stretching them!) Here’s a recap for the week:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Vinyasa class (awesome as always) <br />Recovery Run <br />I went out for an easy jaunt around the waterfront to shake my legs out from the weekend activities. I don’t usually run with music, as I’m usually running with someone else/J, but this time J was unable to run due to his knee pain, so I let myself jam out on the run. Unfortunately, music really makes me go, and I completed the run <em>way</em> too fast! It still felt good, but I need to try to slow down on these runs!</p> <p>4.1 miles (9:02 avg pace) OOPS!</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track <br />Tonight was a hill workout. It was kind of an interval workout on the hill, involving cones. First, we would sprint up to the first cone, then slowly run back down. Then, we would sprint up past the first cone, until we reached the second cone, then run back down for a recovery. We continued on until reaching the 5th cone, at which time we would start over again with the 1st cone. We continued on this way for 25 minutes or so. I think the recoveries down the hill were kind of hard on the old knees, but the uphills felt really good! I did 2 full sets, and ran for more than 3 miles total, at about 8:30 pace overall. I wasn’t sure what to record with my watch, but you get the idea!</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Power Vinyasa</p> <p>Thursday: <br />Lunchtime run</p> <p>3.2 miles (10:00 avg pace)</p> <p>Vinyasa (the highlight of my otherwise horrible no good day…traffic + lost shoes + missing the streetcar = very sad Marya :( )</p> <p>Friday: <br />Ok, so this was supposed to be the day of our next 5k race, <a href="http://catnipfriday5k.org/">The CATnip Friday 5k</a>…First of all, it was the beginning of the heat wave here in Portland, so I was already kind of dreading <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/exciting-week-bowerman-ac-5k-race.html">another</a> super hot race. But I was still determined to go, and try my hardest. Then I got home, said hello to the kitties, and knew that we wouldn’t be making it to the race… :( Our new addition, Bastian, had a super swollen eye, and just looked miserable, so we had to take him to the vet. The vet said it was probably just conjunctivitis, and we would just need to give him some eye drops for a couple of days. Bastian is much happier now, and he can open his eye all the way!! His stomach has been acting up recently, so we’ll continue to keep an eye on him, but I think he’s going to be ok! :) I am still sad that we weren’t able to at least hang out with some of our friends that were going to be there, but by the time we got home, it was definitely too late to make it all the way down to Sherwood… Oh well, here’s to next year! </p> <p>We actually talked to the vet, as we were leaving, about running. I had gone to the vet in my running clothes, since I had been planning on just swinging by home to pick up J on the way to the race. Apparently, the vet used to run cross country in college, and ran with Frank Shorter and Prefontaine. He ran with all these super iconic runners, but thinks marathoners are crazy! Go figure!</p> <p>Saturday: <br />Long Run <br />I knew it was going to be a hot weekend, so I tried to get out the door for my long run, before it got too hot. I didn’t quite make it out until 9am, which had me a little worried, but overall it was ok. I decided to run up the west-side of the Willamette, and try to find my way back up to Terwilliger, so that I could finish my run under the shade of` trees, by the time it would really start to heat up. The first 4.5 miles went along smoothly, then I hit the spot I had guessed would get me up onto Terwilliger. I found some signage pointing to the <a href="http://magazine.traveloregon.com/files/2010/05/trailtramtrolleytrain.pdf">4T Trail.</a> I see these signs everywhere, but I knew it was pointing me in the right direction. Unfortunately, a half mile into the change of direction, I found the the way up contained a LOT of stairs. I didn’t count them, but I climbed about 350ft in about 1/8 of a mile. You better believe I walked up those stairs! I was pretty tired when I got to the top, and just hoped I could make my way to to Terwilliger somehow, because there was no way I was heading back down that way again…When I finally reached the top, the signage was a bit unclear, but after traipsing about the neighborhood for about 10 minutes, I finally found my way to Terwilliger. I checked Google maps on my iPhone to make sure I was heading in the right direction, and I was on my way! From here it was all smooth sailing back home (mostly downhill! :) I drank about 3 bottles of water on this run (the first with some electrolytes in it), but didn’t really experience that whole “it’s too hot and my head feels faint” kind of feeling, except briefly just before the stairs. I’ve been working on making it through hot runs in one piece, and I think the electrolytes really help. I made it home before it got too hot (although it did reach up to 85<b>°</b>!!) Overall, great long run!</p> <p>10.1 miles (10:09 avg pace) I tried to take it easy (for long slow distance)</p> <p>Sunday: <br />Recovery Run</p> <p>Another recovery run, another waterfront loop adventure. I also tried to complete this run somewhat early, as the heat wave was continuing on! I had my music again, but tried very hard to mentally slow myself down. It worked, somewhat, but I think I was still a bit too fast…I guess I’ll keep trying!</p> <p>4.1 miles (9:33 avg pace)</p> <p>Weekly total: 25.9 miles</p> <p>Here’s my tentative plan for the upcoming week:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Power Vinyasa <br />Rest day from running/lunchtime run?</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track!</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Power Vinyasa</p> <p>Thursday: <br />Lunchtime Run <br />Vinyasa</p> <p>Friday: <br />Rest Day?</p> <p>Saturday/Sunday: <br />Long run/more yoga!</p> <p>We’ll see what the week holds!</p> <p>Someday I’d like to be on a structured training plan again, but I’m still enjoying the freedom of my schedule at the moment!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7625758722130323177.post-40870486532111867202010-08-09T16:18:00.001-07:002010-08-09T16:18:10.039-07:00Helping hands<p>My running mileage this week was a whopping 20.9 miles. Woot! And I was still able to attend 3 yoga sessions AND take a rest day! Go me! Here’s the recap:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Lunchtime run <br />Power Vinyasa class <br />This was my first EVER lunchtime run. It was 73° out, so the weather wasn’t TOO bad, but I was still nervous about being hot the rest of the day. (I <em>do</em> work pretty closely to people in my job.) But it wasn’t too bad. I work in Vancouver, directly over the Columbia River from where I live. I don’t know much about the Vancouver area, except how to get to work, so it was kind of exciting to venture out to the surrounding area. I found a track (by a High School) and a couple of parks. Overall, it was a fun run, and I made it back in time to scarf down some lunch, and wasn’t too sweaty the rest of the day. Success!</p> <p>3.2 miles (9:42 avg pace)</p> <p>Later on, J and I attended the last class our (pregnant) instructor will be teaching on Monday nights. I’m kind of bummed she’s leaving, but I understand the reasons! It’ll be fun experiencing a new teacher; they’re all so different. But I’m definitely looking forward to our former teacher’s return in October/November! :)</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track <br />My legs had definitely recovered from the <a href="http://aslightchangeofscenery.blogspot.com/2010/07/exciting-week-bowerman-ac-5k-race.html">Bowerman 5k</a>, and track ran a lot more smoothly. <br />The workout:</p> <p>2 sets 800 - 800 (300) @ L (3:54 [7:48 avg pace]) <br />4 x 400 @ S (400) (1:48 [7:12 avg pace])</p> <p>The outcome</p> <p>800 - 3:42.00 (7:24 min/mi) <br />800 - 3:45.80 (7:29 min/mi) <br />800 - 3:49.74 (7:38 min/mi) <br />800 - 3:53.24 (7:45 min/mi) [Hey! It’s still under! ;)] <br /> <br />400 - 1:44.18 (6:55 min/mi) <br />400 - 1:48.44 (7:12 min/mi) <br />400 - 1:45.62 (7:05 min/mi) <br />400 - 1:44.82 (7:00 min/mi) [Last one!]</p> <p>Overall, good workout! The dash between the 2 sets of 800’s are “floats” or just easy running (but not <em>too</em> easy) before getting back into the next 800. It’s like running a mile with an easy jog in the middle. I enjoyed myself, and ran with 2 other girls for the most part. I’m looking forward to this week’s track workout; should be more quick fun! :)</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Power Vinyasa <br />This instructor is also going to be leaving us for a few months. She’s going on sabbatical to India (jealous!), so we’ll have another sub; hope we like her!</p> <p>Thursday: <br /><a href="http://www.fitrightnw.com/firstThursday.html">First Thursday</a> <br />I <em>loooove </em>First Thursdays. This month we had a few stops over in the Pearl (from NW Portland). It’s fun when there are new checkpoints/businesses to stop in. We had a few different ones this month that I might be interested in visiting one of these days. It was a warm day, and one of the checkpoints was a slip-n-slide. Sounded like fun, but I wasn’t sure I really wanted to get <em>that</em> into it; plus the line was ridiculous, so we skipped it ;). We made it back after our “fartlek”-type run, and enjoyed our delicious Widmer beers, only to strike out on the raffle, again! Oh well, maybe next month! </p> <p>4.2 miles (10:43 avg pace…probably)</p> <p>Do we look hot yet?<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs280.snc4/40317_420416893599_113675373599_4812018_490237_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>So cute during our “run” :P<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs110.ash2/38851_420417113599_113675373599_4812026_236899_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Look how small my beer looks next to my massive head in this pic! (hopefully that’s due to the camera angle… :/<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs133.ash2/39985_420418568599_113675373599_4812098_6185643_n.jpg" /> </p> <p>Friday: <br />REST DAY!!</p> <p>Saturday: <br /><a href="http://www.skirtsports.com/skirtchaser5k/vancouver/">Skirtchaser 5k</a> Volunteering <br />I heeded the call for volunteers for this race earlier in the week. How could I say no to the promise of a free running skirt + 2 free beers!? There were a lot of ladies (at least 2/3rds of the race participants were ladies). If you don’t know about this race series, it’s put on by <a href="http://www.skirtsports.com/">SkirtSports</a>, and involves a “chase” of the women by the men. Women get a 3 minute headstart for the 5k, and the first individual (man or woman) to finish, gets $500. So far, women have won every event this year, and Vancouver was no exception. The winning women clocked in at 16:56!! Not too shabby! (I think she was running for charity, but either way, she was smoking!) The first man came in at 15:55, which, although quite speedy, was not enough to surpass 2 ladies. I think the cutest part of the race was that the first couple to cross the finish line together (ie holding hands) each won a free pair of shoes. Adorable!! The skirts they were giving out at the race were black with pink under shorts (and a slit in the skirt so you can <em>see</em> the shorts!) I like the skirt, and it will definitely be used in the future!</p> <p>“Enforcing” at the beer garden. Do I look intimidating? The skirt probably helps!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1396yb86IMFCfawimt8-C6tgGYL9EaN05Bug8zn_gaOlsNzL1MSMTR11Tan6ImRhc-hSDypxZQSRCoBV1psUHaYVG06E4_jcevq0pz6xx09ojSd7sV9mK1x1YBpkFWWjbfv6pvK8HJtH/s1600-h/IMG_1310%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1310" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_1310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSGuQRO2ZJDqNOMnvEw1170ENm4nHE16Rj_a4ODAbCKG2qGfTsvL0X4rS-iWRfO8XtvsXb6-ezEoQM-d0CxyJLa25I5nCw7akoWFmsKzs224V7jIH0H29cftoDzfw6LvcGS434kGMtVIZ//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Sunday: <br /><a href="http://blog.bridgepedal.com/">Bridge Pedal</a> Volunteer <br />9 mile long run <br />Those of you that are unfamiliar with Portland may not know this, but we have a <em>lot</em> of bridges! The annual Bridge Pedal is a bike ride that allows you to ride over 10 of them, including the freeways. I’m sure it’s a nightmare for cars, but it only happens once a year, and so many people are out there, I think it’s a sacrifice they can make! This year, my friend asked for people to help her hand out balloons at the finish line. I guess last year, her and her fiancé did it alone, and this year she had 4 friends to help her. We gave out <em>so</em> many balloons. We only had 2 helium tanks, and ran out early! Oops! My friend says she only used one tank last year, but this year she had a lot of help. Oh well! Kids of <em>all</em> ages were definitely appreciative of the balloons! We had a great time!</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pjaCBRFo_kEkrWz0s9lXZdU0Oo3jcK89bycQ7JcIt5SvH1Zq4yeHt9KMm0ThLFXpdxFRQ_czazN15uKceKii_s4oLLtdqigLV7t0VNygeX3ynniaSFNoo43f6Bv1EzLFM4GBwAaQcT5T/s1600-h/IMG_1311%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="IMG_1311" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="484" alt="IMG_1311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37WA3hdHRAIA_kN8jDa0A-0swtt-FfnS2DUIsvpOeO9LYYC-_Pa1bnL13RXriJCTgzfM8s_dpCgOrx3bhMA8MUc7jtHGkL5n0mo23NTOzADm7HW-LsGYhEnfokLW6rkiLkaKMn7HObv-K//?imgmax=800" width="364" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Afterward, my friend, J, and I headed out for a long-ish run of 9 miles around the un-closed bridges! My friend is a big proponent of long slow distance, so she helped me reign in the speed a little bit, and before we knew it, 9 miles were completed and it was (finally) time to eat! :) Unfortunately, J only made it to about 4.5 miles, then reported (at the furthest point from home) that his knee could take no more…Thanks for the heads-up dude! It all worked out in the end, but poor J and his knee. Sometimes injury recovery can take for<em>ever!</em></p> <p>9 miles (11:20 avg pace, definitely negative split!)</p> <p>So, a <em>very</em> successful week, in my opinion. First lunch run <em>ever</em>, yoga + run on the same day, great track workout, great long run, and lots of volunteering! Here’s hoping next week is just as great! Here’s the plan, thus far:</p> <p>Monday: <br />Recovery Run + yoga</p> <p>Tuesday: <br />Track!</p> <p>Wednesday: <br />Yoga</p> <p>Thursday: <br />Lunch run + yoga</p> <p>Friday: <br /><a href="http://catnipfriday5k.org/">CATnip Friday 5k</a></p> <p>Saturday/Sunday: <br />10 mile run, hopefully; to be reassessed after the 5k</p> <p>**And, just as an aside, my friend is one of the race directors for the CATnip Friday 5k. So, if you’re in the Portland area and like cats, this is a run to benefit the <a href="http://catadoptionteam.org/">CAT adoption center</a>. This is a great no-kill shelter that takes in cats, and has a great adoption program for kitties. This is where we got our new kitty, and he fits in just great with our family! So, if you want to do an evening race, on a Friday, for a great cause, sign up and join in the fun!</p> Maryahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01031976735913280551noreply@blogger.com2