Plan your run, run your plan!

This is the best advice I have ever received when it comes to running a marathon: Plan your run, run your plan.

So you think you already have a plan. You joined a running group and have been following their suggested running schedule to the letter. You’ve learned all about shoes, fueling, hydration, useful equipment (such as fuel belts, compression sleeves, etc.), pacing and more. But now is the time to plan a strategy specific to the marathon you will be running. Hopefully you have already practiced some of your plan on those long runs. It is a great way to get a feel for the “fun” to come. :)

I am a planner by nature. Yes, I do log every mile I run and every workout I do. I often note what I wore on my run and almost always make note of the weather and temperature. So when I start my plan for an upcoming race, the first question that comes to mind is what are the typical weather conditions for the race.

Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life, I don’t have to check weather records for the Portland Marathon. I know that the first couple weeks of October may bring reasonably warm weather but mornings are generally cool to cold and rain is always a possibility. Therefore, my plan for 2012 will be the same as last year, i.e. disposable warm weather clothes.

Disposable? Yes. Thrift shops, Goodwill, Salvation Army, any number of secondhand stores have loads of athletic jackets and long-sleeved shirts that are perfect for disposable use. Start your run wearing your warm gear. When you begin to feel warm enough to rid yourself of the clothing, peel it off mid-run and toss to the side. Most large races collect clothing disposed on the side of the road and donate it to outfits that wash and redistribute it to the homeless. (For smaller runs, you may wish to deposit your warm clothing at a water station where the volunteers can take care of it for you.)

I am also a firm believer in layers. Layers will keep you warm and you can always peel them off as needed. But if you’re too warm and you chose to run in long tights and a single long sleeve shirt…well, it will suck to be you if the sun breaks out and the mercury starts to climb. So note: plan your clothes well ahead of time.

Remember never to run in anything you have not already tested on a long run. This is most especially important for the layer of clothing that is against your skin. I am grateful for the advice of the Portland Fit coaches for reiterating this advice every chance they can. A couple weeks before last year’s Portland Marathon, I found the most lusciously soft tank top that I was POSITIVE would be PERFECT for marathon day. The little voice in my head kept telling me to test run the top, and so did my head coach, Peggy, although I was certain it wasn’t needed. Eventually I gave in and ran my last long training run in that top. Boy, was I glad I did!

Turns out that for some strange reason, the neckline (although soft as butter) turns into sandpaper with my salty sweat. This left me with two very tender sores along my collarbone. Needless to say, I ultimately ran the marathon in the same old tired outfit in which I ran most of my training runs. Comfort first, fashion…maybe.

A tip I received from the Portland Marathon Training Clinic last year was to wear a singlet and shorts in temperatures of 55 and over. Wearing even a short-sleeved shirt may prove too warm when you consider that a mid 50 degree day will feel 10-20 degrees warmer once you are out there running those long miles. In my experience, I agree. I have never regretted wearing a singlet and shorts as opposed to running capris and a short-sleeved tee shirt. Experiment on your long training runs and determine what works best for you.

It should go without saying that one should NEVER run in new running shoes on marathon day or even shoes with too few miles on them. Too many horror stories have been told about running with blisters from such attempts. (Even though I always run in my dependable shoes, I also try to remember to carry a few bandages with my “fuel” in the small snack-sized baggie pinned to the inside of my shorts, just in case…)

After the clothing decision, I spend some time studying the course map and elevation guide. I don’t like surprises. I want to know if after ten or fifteen miles these old legs will be expected to climb mountains or if I will be asked to finish on an uphill. I also keep a notebook with printouts of past long training run maps and elevation guides. By reviewing these, I get a sobering view of how elevation changes affect my pace. (Sadly, I am not a strong hill runner.)

The topography also plays a role in my fueling and hydration. Typically I don’t start taking water on the course until miles four or five. Depending on the challenges of the terrain and the expected temperatures, I may plan to only hit ever other water station.

Okay, I can hear the collective gasps from those that believe you should drink at each and every water station. Well, I have done that in the past and I wound up taking in too much water and feeling poorly. (There have been several articles written lately about hyponatremia discussing the dangers of too much water.) Now I am much more conservative about fluid intake and drink more to thirst, but not entirely. If I’m not thirsty after four or five miles, I still make myself drink at least a little bit. Remember that once you are REALLY thirsty…you are in trouble. If you’re unsure whether you should take liquids at the aid stations, then you may benefit by taking a little bit.  You just don’t want to hear or feel liquid sloshing around as you run. That may be a sign that you have more than you need.

I print the course map that shows the water/aid stations and I circle the ones I know I will absolutely use and I highlight the ones that will be “maybe” stations. Of course, the best way to insure you will not be in need of water or fuel will be to carry your own fuel belt. I, personally, hate fuel belts. I spend all training season using one but I find them annoying and uncomfortable, often causing chafing problems. I do see many runners on marathon courses using them. The call is yours.

From all those long training runs you hopefully will know what it takes to avoid the dreaded “bonk” come mile 18-20 on race day. You did your obligatory carbo loading 2-4 days leading into the race. You plan to fuel early and regularly on the course. For you, “fueling” every five miles might work best or every 30-45 minutes. Those long training runs did a lot to build up your aerobic capacity and the latter ones were a great time to practice some of the strategy you plan to use in the race.

Don’t forget to plan to arrive at the race at least an hour before the start. You have to account for finding parking, using the porta-potties (maybe twice), checking in clothes bags (remembering to bring some dry clothes for after the race) and maybe a little time to stretch and find your assigned corral.

Probably the most important part of your race plan will be pace. As most every book on marathoning will tell you (and I have no less than twenty of them), going out too fast is the number one rookie mistake of marathoning. Yep, I’ve done it, more than once. The adrenaline is pumping, the excitement sweeps over you and you feel GREAT! Only as the miles click away, that excitement changes to concern. The legs don’t feel quite so springy, the excitement wanes and come mile 18 (or sooner) you begin to feel the wheels start to fall off that runaway wagon of yours.

If you are running your first marathon, forget the time. Enjoy the experience. Resist the urge to join the rabbits at the start. In the end it will not be the time you remember but the sense of accomplishment when you cross that finish line.

If you are running for time and you are like me, i.e. not yet a master of pacing, you may wish to follow a pacer. Most large races have people who run at a pace guaranteed to get you to the finish at their promised time. The trick is being honest with yourself. You will only set yourself up for disappointment if you decide to follow a pace group that is really beyond your current ability.

Also, it is a mistake to think you will be able to “bank” time in the beginning stages of the run, figuring you will be able to maintain a slower but steady pace at the end. It rarely works out that way for most runners, especially newer runners. You will get increasingly slow as the miles click off and it will likely be much slower than you anticipated. Since few people outside of elite runners truly master the skill of negative splits (i.e. running each mile of a race faster than the last or running the latter half faster than the first half), trying to maintain a relatively even pace will be your best bet for hitting your desired finishing time. Be honest with yourself about your running abilities.

It’s sometimes painful to admit that you are not quite at a certain level time-wise. There are many online pace calculators that will give you predicted finished times based on your current performances at other distances. The one that I often used is the McMillian running calculator. It also gives suggested training paces as well as predicted times. So far it has been dead-on for most of my races.

However, keep in mind that terrain and weather conditions play a significant role in how close to those predicted times you can get, as well as your own health on race day. Therefore, I like to have three game plans for predicted finish times. One is the most reasonable time I should expect to finish a race given adequate training. This would be my worst-case scenario, a time I might not like but will accept as the best I could do on that given day.

My second time goal is the time I would expect if I felt strong and confident of my training. It would be a goal that would make me happier than just having finished the marathon. It’s a realistic goal but also a challenging one.

My third time goal is my ultimate goal. You know, that’s the one where everything works better than planned.  All the stars and planets have aligned just right and miracles do happen! No, I’m not crazy enough to think I would win the race or even my age division. But it may be a goal that based on a few very good training runs would suggest that it might happen…maybe…hopefully, with a whole lotta luck and a prayer. ;)

Whatever time goal I meet, I plan to accept it for what it is. It is one moment in time and it doesn’t change the fun I had during the journey to get to the start line.

I’ve run three marathons. Every time I think I will feel better at mile 20 than I ever have at that distance. Every time…I don’t. :P It is so absolutely true that the race starts at mile 20. It is at that distance for me (and most others) that finishing the race depends entirely on what is going on inside your head and not just with your legs. So when the negative talk starts to settle in (you know, the “whatever made me think I could do this?”, “I just don’t think I can do this.”, “I suck. What made me think I could do this?”), SNAP OUT OF IT! If it were easy, everyone would do it. Remind yourself, you are STRONG!  Remember, the pain is temporary; the sense of accomplishment is forever.

Your race plan may be as detailed or as general as you like. A plan of any sort will help you feel prepared and ready to rock that marathon! The best plan of all…remember to smile. Smiling actually produces feelings of relaxation. So when you feel yourself getting that scary race-face thing…smile. Laugh in the face of pain. You’re a marathoner. Know it, believe it. You planned your run, now run your plan!

See ya out there. (You might have to remind me of my “plan”. :D )

P.S. Stay tuned for my review of the You Go Girl Half Marathon. Another good day for mother and daughter!

Every girl gets a win!

Okay, a race run in the middle of August can sometimes be a bit dicey weather-wise, especially here. There's no denying that summer in the Pacific Northwest is fairly short but it typically is capable of being a very warm mid-August. With a few days last week teetering around 100 degrees, I worried my upcoming running of the Every Girl’s Half Marathon might turn into a bacon-fest with my skin sizzling on the blacktop like a slab of bacon on red hot cast iron. But my daughter was intent on getting another half marathon under her belt before the end of summer and who was I to discourage her desire to do something healthy and challenging. As it turned out, luck was with us. The day started in the cool 60s. It was overcast, a little muggy at times, but completely tolerable. For a mid-August run, you couldn’t ask for much more.

This was the second year for this event and part of the proceeds benefits a worthy cause called Girls on the Run.  (Girls on the Run is a “life-changing, character development program for 3rd-5th grade girls”.)  The run starts at the Sleep Country Amphitheater in Ridgefield, WA, just north of Vancouver. Parking is plentiful there and one of my favorite perks was the abundance of real, I mean REAL, bathrooms. It’s hard to say if it seemed like there was such an abundance of stalls because this race had fewer participants than many other races I’ve run (so fewer people waiting in line) or if it was because we had arrived super early in order to guarantee getting through current I-5 road construction. But there seemed to be a lot bathrooms and they were very clean, too. The race was starting out on a definite plus!

Before the start of the race director, Andrea Moore, spoke for a few moments, or rather tried to speak. She became quite verklempt while trying to express her commitment to the cause the race benefited, and her respect and awe of the women who participate in it. Being a person who also struggles with the tear factor when talking about things that “matter”, I found myself being touched as much by her reaction to the support of all these fabulous women as from the importance of the cause.

The Every Girl’s event has both a half marathon and 5K. The courses share the first mile or so then split off to their respective routes. As described on the website, the half marathon takes you through some beautiful quiet farm area with a few small to moderate hills (depending on your definition of “hill”) then a generous amount of downhill terrain which eventually flattens out for about four miles. Of course, what goes down has to come up, and so it does at about mile nine.

The final 2-3 miles have some substantial hill climbing. The hills were not as challenging, or as many, as Fueled by Fine Wine. However, being towards the end of the race, they proved challenging all the same. Due to an event at the amphitheatre later in the day, part of the course was redirected on a very short trail through a wooded area. The trail didn’t look like a legitimate path, more like one worn through years of use by people as a possible shortcut. However, the race director’s team did a very good job of clearly marking the trail with flags and fluorescent pink tape on any roots that might pose a tripping hazard. It was extremely narrow but, again, it was short. The hardest part was getting out of the trail. It deadended at a short but severe rise, like climbing out of a ravine. Alright, it might’ve only seemed that way because my legs were most definitely feeling the hills by then.

Volunteers were plentiful and super helpful and friendly. All turns were clearly marked and marshaled, and I don’t think I passed a single course marshal who didn’t shout out words of encouragement and show general good cheer.

Being pulled in by the strength of others.

Running into the finish you were likely greeted by the race director, Andrea Moore, and a team of volunteers. Andrea’s enthusiasm and her joy at your completion of the race is contagious as she tried to greet as many finishers as possible. Even if you might be feeling a bit wasted by the effort of trying to sprint to the finish after those final hills, your spirits are lifted when you see other women cheering you through it as though they’ve known you all these years and always believed you could do this. It certainly was a day about empowerment and accomplishment. In addition, I saw plenty of teamwork and mentoring on the course. It’s what strong women do. :) 

Daughter finds her sprint to the finish.

The high fives and the hugs are icing on those feelings of accomplishment and the feast of goodies that await you. I really should take better notes on the food and beverage available after runs. However, I’m rarely hunger for a few hours after any run. I did get one of my all-time favorite treats...ICE CREAM! Oh, and the music! It was great, reminding me of my old disco days. (I’m quite sure the hubby would’ve preferred I not try dancing by myself in full running attire. But with age comes loss of shame. I’m sure if my friend, Ms. Beckie, had been there with me there would have been much more dancing! ;) )

The day turned out especially sweet for my daughter and I. She has only been seriously running for slightly over six months. This was her third half marathon and she is training for the Portland Marathon, her first. I have watched her running improve by leaps and bounds in these past few months. At times she gets quite discouraged that she can’t outrun mom…yet. There is no doubt it will not be very long before I will forever be eating her dust. But as a teenager, she is impatient for that day.

So last Sunday it was such a treat to see my daughter’s shock and excitement at discovering she had run a personal record and placed first in her age division (1-18)! It was even sweeter to be able to share her success as I discovered I also had won my age division (50-59). Eighteen months since I took up running and after going from extremely overweight and sedentary to fit and fast (relatively speaking). Two women. One young and coming into her physical prime. One old and trying to hold off the inevitable slowing with age. But that Sunday we knew it truly was an “every girl’s” run!

Aside from a very nice tech tee shirt and a bag of various goodies consisting of the typical coupons, energy bars, Body Glide, lip balm, etcetera that is in your bag at packet pick-up, you do get a medal of sorts at the finish. Instead of the traditional medal, this is something more aptly described as jewelry. It’s a medium sized medallion on a chain like the pull-chain off of lamps. I put mine on a nicer necklace chain and discovered I actually like this idea of a charm or medallion over the typical garish finishers medal. It definitely is not a piece of Tiffany jewelry and on close inspection might be described as your typical inexpensive costume fare. But it is fun looking and something I might wear on occasion.

Medal or jewelry?

My daughter and I agree that the “feel” of the Every Girl’s Half Marathon was terrific. Women helping and supporting women. It’s a powerful thing. In fact, my daughter credits her finish to a woman whom she didn't know but who encouraged her and prodded her to keep going in the last couple miles. That is a lesson my daughter will remember and use throughout her life. Sometimes all it takes is to offer kind words of encouragement.

Team Daughter and Mom

The race was small. (207 ran the 5K, 144 ran the half marathon.) It deserves to be bigger. It supports a very worthwhile cause. It is very well organized. The people are some of the friendliest and helpful. It has a beautiful but challenging course.  And it’s just plain FUN! I can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t want to run this again…except maybe 100 degree weather. :)

Cascade Lakes Relay 2012

In the Pacific Northwest running community August often means it’s time for the final prep work for the very popular relay race, Hood-to-Coast. While out on those long runs with various groups you will hear the banter. “Are you running HTC?” “Does anyone need a runner for their team?” “How many times have you run HTC?"...

Well, there is another relay that may be giving HTC (31 years old) a real run for their money. This relay is called the Cascade Lakes Relay (5 years old) and it is not for the faint of heart! Whereas HTC is a 199 mile relay with 1050 teams, CLR is 216.6 miles with only 180 teams, is run at elevation (from Diamond Lake to Bend, OR) and most likely run at near peak summer temperatures with remarkably cold (think freezing) nighttime temps. It can be grueling with just those issues but, as with most relays, one needs to factor in the sleep deprivation as well.

Cascade Lakes Relay elevation chart HTC starts at 6,000 ft.

Cascade Lakes Relay was my very first experience in this type of running. It was hard and it was sooo much fun! (People with no sense of humor need not apply.)

I joined a team that was a collection of various individuals with different running backgrounds. Some knew each other, some did not. I initially only knew the team captain and co-captain. However, through my assistant coaching with Portland Fit, I was able to help in signing on three more team members. (Thank you Penny, Doug and Bob. Also thank you Dawn for browbeating some of these guys into joining the team.)

As with most relays, I suppose, there are two vans.  The interesting thing about the CLR is that Van 1 might have the toughest legs to run. Their legs appeared longer overall and the conditions less ideal. Think mosquitoes and dust bowl conditions on red cinder roads! >:) On the other hand, from the pictures I have seen online, Van 1 might also have some of the most scenic runs. (Although, the entire course of CLR is pretty darn beautiful.) I think I lucked out as I was in Van 2 and had one of the lowest mileage leg totals. Hey, I was the oldest in our van. With age comes some perks. ;)

Hot but beautiful!

The weekend of this year’s relay was considerably warm. When we would check in to see how far out Van 1 was from the first exchange point with Van 2, all the Van 1 captain could say was “It’s hot. It’s really hot.” #:-S

Goldie Hawn giving Bruce Jenner a quick hair trim. (We were That 70s Showe.)

Watching the runners come down that dusty road as their support vans kicked up solid walls of red dust verified that it was hot, it was dry and it was work! There were several reports that people went down from the heat as early as the first leg. :-o

Our runners had not done very well in a few of the earlier legs as far as speed. (Again, it was HOT!) This meant my first leg started at dusk and required the mandatory reflective jacket, headlamp and red flasher on the back. The air was finally cooling and it was going to be far more comfortable for me than my fellow runners before me.

As it darkened and the moon rose over the meadows, I was overwhelmed by the sheer beautiful of the orange colored orb coming up over the horizon. There weren’t many runners out there but I managed to pass one and was working on passing another when their light disappeared after some support vans pulled away from the shoulder. It would appear some vans were picking up their runners and taking them to the next exchange. /:) Odd, but I kept running.

The dark can do strange things to one’s mind. I began to hear noises and I wondered…is that a bat? Is that a wolf? Is that a cougar? I ran faster. :-S

One thing that may have been mentioned on the website, but which I did not take note, are those things called “cattle guards”. I guess they are intended to keep cattle from straying? They are wide, very wide, grates across the road. The officials had put plywood across them near the road’s edge for the runners. Problem was I was running more IN the road at that time since there was NO TRAFFIC at that hour. When I came across my first cattle guard I couldn’t make out what actually was in the light of my headlamp. Add to the fact that I have fairly significant night blindness and all I could make out was something that looked…well, corrugated. I didn’t realize until I stepped on the grating (thank God I stepped on the grate and not in the hollow) that I might be in trouble.

Cattle guard. That spacing in the grid is about 5"-6".

I still get shudders thinking what would’ve happened if I had not been looking at the ground when I hit that spot. I felt my foot slip into the grating and continue to go down until I realized I better catch myself with the other foot before I proceeded to snap my leg at the lower shin. Frankly, it rattled me and I paid very close attention to the road after that. Much less sightseeing (or trying to with my night blindness) and much more focus on the route.

Towards the end of my leg I began to worry that I had missed a turn. I could see lights across a large field that looked like the halogen lights of an exchange point but it appeared my road wasn’t going that direction. There was concern that maybe I was out in the middle of nowhere and my team wouldn’t be able to find me but something awful would. :-SS The beautiful evening run was turning into a Stephen King creep show. (Okay, I have always had a rather vivid imagination.)

Meanwhile my team was out dancing and partying. <:-P

Eventually I saw my exchange point and a breath of relief reached my lungs. Oh yeah, lungs! I’ve never run at elevation. It was a weird sensation and not one I totally adjusted to throughout the entire race. It always felt like I needed more air. The cool night air was welcomed. I didn’t even mind the occasional bug that wanted into my mouth and nose after having been attracted to me by my glowing personality headlamp. ;;) I doubt the bugs were attracted to the moisture of my body since it seems the air was literally sucking every ounce of water out of me as fast as I could drink it. (I drank enough liquids to float the Titanic and the only rest stops had to do with something not liquid related. :-S )

As I reached the exchange I was pleasantly surprised by the poor suckers souls who had volunteered for our team, my hubby and dear son. See the pictures. 

Sorry, hubby has not figured out nighttime settings on his camera so this is the best you get.

My dear son was ready for bed. I had miles to go before I'd see a bed.

Doesn’t my son look thrilled to be out there in the dead of night? Well, they’d been out there since 4:30 p.m. and were winding down their shift so they stayed to cheer me in. It felt great to be done with that first and longest leg of mine.

We had one last runner to finish their leg before we could look forward to some rest. As it turned out, the next exchange point was being shutdown when our van rolled in and we were told our runner was the last one out there. Okay. This could not be true. We saw a few others but we also saw what appeared to be people being picked up by their support vans and taken to another exchange point? Cheat much?

It appears the rules at CLR are lax in comparison to HTC. There really isn’t much monitoring at the checkpoints. In reality, for the 95% of the field that is out there for the challenge and the fun, it probably doesn’t much matter. If you are a serious relay runner, this laissez-faire approach might perturb you, but for us, we were there for fun!

So the first third of the run was done for our van and we needed sleep. I-) This is where my brain began to get very fuzzy, and to tell the truth, I just don’t remember the order of the next few hours. It seemed we pulled into a designated rest area in La Pine(?) where there were showers, some cots, food and areas for people to park their vans. We decided to catch some shuteye in the van. I don’t think we rested long before we made contact with Van 2. Based on their “plan” we decided to move on and jump on the next leg as soon as possible. (That, and the fact that our van was so punchdrunk from fatigue that we started to act like middle-schoolers at a slumber party. :o) Imagine 3 adult men and 3 adult women giggling hysterically over what the medal should be given for last. Copper? Aluminium? Tin? It’s bad when someone knocks on your van to shut up. We moved on. :-$ )

Those after-midnight runs proved COLD. I had forgotten what the website said, but I had brought long-sleeved shirts and long running pants. Thank God! The young men in our van apparently had not. Don’t know how they ran in shorts and a singlet at those temps. But they did. They ran fast! :D

By the time my next leg arrived shortly before sunrise, I was tired, cold and experiencing a caffeine (or lack of) headache. Thinking the cold air might help the headache; I started my leg in a thin long sleeved shirt under a singlet and running pants over my shorts. I neglected to pack a knit cap or gloves. Bad move. This leg was only a little over 5 miles but two miles into it I knew I should’ve sucked it up and taken off the running pants. My core was too warm, my hands and ears too cold and my headache was raging. I passed a couple people who seemed to be having a better time than I was, but they were dressed for the conditions.

When I finished that leg I was happy to see it ended next to a retire community that had opened its doors to the runners, offering free coffee and real restrooms! What a welcome sight. (I had been struggling the entire time with the urge to purge, yet no action. The end of the 5+ miler did the trick. ;) ) Unfortunately, they had run out of coffee and I wasn’t going to wait for a new brew. When I tried to sign in on their guest book, I literally could not hold a pen. My hands were frozen blocks of ice. I barely was able to scratch out my name. It was pathetic. :(

After our last runner finished his leg, we headed for the Elk Lake Resort area for a much needed rest. Vans were pulling in and everyone just picked a spot on the ground, threw out their sleeping bags and crashed! We agreed to meet at the van in two hours and resume the race. (For those paying attention, I explain this later when I address complaints about the start times and exchange points.)

It was beautiful at Elk Lake and the ground never felt so good. I woke to morning sunlight bouncing off the lake and people actually swimming in it! Brr… I’m sure the water was cold but the air was already warming up quickly. Best part of Elk Lake was that they had a café selling…COFFEE! Be gone caffeine headache! :p

A quick change back into hot weather running gear and we were off!

Sadly, we messed up with one of our legs and put one runner on the wrong leg. She thought she was doing the easiest leg of the run. Actually she was running the hardest. What a trooper! She didn’t even suggest killing our team captain for this snafu. (Being that they are girlfriend/boyfriend, he probably will eventually pay for that mistake.) Fortunately, she was relieved by another runner halfway up the treacherous leg.

Note our team member frolicking in the background. Sleep much? No!

Beautiful scenery on our last legs. We requested songs for every support stop.

My last leg was mostly downhill. But it was hot. Oh, I mean, it was HOT! It was short and it was fast.  Best part…it was over…for me. :)  Well, until my team finally showed up after nearly running out of gas and needing to go on a search for the nearest gas station. (Sometimes the details really do matter. :D )

Our team captain (aka Bruce Jenner) ran the final leg. We met him for the last 200 yards. Running in with him in the lead and holding the American flag was quite the height of silliness. Of course, so was carrying bottles of beer across the finish which happened to be on school property. (Our young gentlemen were reminded that this was a legal no-no. Oops. :-" )

Don't think Santa would approve.

Wonder if he wore sunscreen

Apparently even Santa's little helper thought it a bit warm for running. (Not one of our team members!)






I believe no one on our team had ever run CLR but several have run the HTC. It was agreed upon that the CLR was probably not for the casual runner, that a serious runner would likely fare better on the course. We also agreed that Van 2 was the one to be in. (I feel like I should apologize for those runners I brought on board as they all wound up in Van 1.)

I did hear complaints about the start times and definitely about the closing of some exchange points. It was said that Van 1 was encouraged by a race official to use the second snapband in their packet and start the next runner before the previous runner was done. It seems this is fairly common practice. I suppose the rationale is that the lap times will be added consecutively, thus giving the same resulting times as though you had waited for the actual wristband exchange. Strange. So this is why we started running earlier than expected as our other van had already begun and finished their legs before we reached them. So we were playing catch-up. I think. I'm not sure. (Yes, a logistical nightmare. #-o)

The volunteers all seemed very friendly and encouraging. The finish was great fun with food and a beer garden on hand. We were disappointed that our van did not win the best van decoration. Our vans were dressed like a big Nike shoe complete with the swoosh on the side. Van 2 had a sock popping out of the roof (Van 1 lost their sock on the highway) and we had a disco ball mounted on the dashboard.

Our Nike shoe van without the sock pulled up. See the waffle sole on the car's edge?

That 70s Showe

Our colored disco ball looked cool at night, but next year the "designers" promise to go BIG!

We made sure those runners on the road heard us coming with our cowbells and disco music blaring, offering encouragement to any runner (not just ours) who looked like they needed a bit of cheering. No, we did not start drinking until the race was over…even then we were too tired to drink much. Sleep was much more valued.

Do I think I'll do it again? Hmmm, bugs, heat, cold, dust, elevation, sleep deprivation. Hold on, I'm thinking...

My friends say yes; I say…it might be better left to the young.  I would like to see next year’s van, however. Mirrored disco ball outside with big speakers and a bubble machine maybe??  :-?

San Francisco Half Marathon, a mini vacation

I know. It’s been a long time between posts.  Hey, I’ve been out and about, having fun this racing season. Now that there’s a bit of a lull in my scheduled events, I will take some time to review the 2012 San Francisco Half Marathon as well recap my mini vacation. (Sorry, it's my blog. :) ) 

This race was not originally on my schedule but at the last minute I received an invite from relatives to join them.  The hitch? I had to run under another person’s name. :-" I know this is a no-no, and if I ran well enough to challenge anyone for a spot in the top ten of her age division I probably would have declined. But I am old and there was no chance I would be beating out any youngster for a prized top ten age division finish. Heck, since the family had entered their estimated finish times based on the slowest person of the team (the person I was replacing), we would be starting in what I believe was the second to the last corral. So no personal record (PR) would be run that day due to the thousands of runners I would need to navigate throughout the race. So, yeah, I accepted the invitation.

Dear husband and I drove down to San Francisco on Friday. (Man, I love our Prius. Driving there was a LOT cheaper than flying. Wouldn’t have been the case with our old Hyundai Tucson!) Weather was spectacular! We took a 1.5  hour lunch break in Ashland, OR where the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is held (Feb.-October). I love that area. Definitely will need to consider a mini-vacation there. Maybe find a nearby run, some good golf courses and take in some shows and good eating. I almost hated leaving the area, but San Francisco was calling.

We arrived late (about 10 p.m.) in S.F. just four or five blocks from where the start line would be on Sunday. Fortunately, we found a very good place to eat (Globe) and I was able to get a good night’s sleep. This was key for me since I rarely sleep at all the night prior to a race.

After a late breakfast on Saturday, we took in a bit of sightseeing before making our way over to the Expo to meet the relatives for packet pick-up. I thought it a bit chilly for buck naked bicycle riding, but I guess it did not bother these guys. :-o

(Okay, I did fuzz out the frontal exposure since I don't wish to offend anyone.) 

And I bet Portlanders thought they were radical with their naked bike ride.  How about doing it in broad daylight?! :P

Early afternoon I met up with relatives whom I’ve never met. My cousin and his wife and father-in-law were there at the entrance of one of the largest running expos I’ve ever seen. Maybe it just seemed large because it had to accommodate the thousands of runners picking up packets for the full marathon, both half marathons (first half and second half), and a 5K. (Altogether, over 19,000 registrants.)  I do know that there was so much free food (energy bars, ice cream, cookies, etc.) being passed out to runners that I could’ve eaten it all and skipped dinner. I didn’t though. :)

 Enjoying the expo.

The family and full team. I'm running for the beautiful lady in the middle.

Once the packets were picked up, met up with one more cousin, and we had perused the entire expo floor to our satisfaction, we walked near the waterfront where we caught a bus and headed toward a little restaurant called Firenze By Night in North Beach on the edge of Chinatown and Little Italy. We had dinner about 5:30. A bit early but good for me. I hate having a large meal sitting in my gut late the night before a run. The timing was perfect, the food excellent, and the company was great.

My cousin’s wife is pregnant. She was training for her first half marathon when the pregnancy caused her to withdraw from training. Her father, Hans, has been running for many years and has run many marathons. He was visiting from Germany and was going to run the S.F. Half with his daughter, son-in-law and my other cousin. I’m sure he didn’t mind running it without his daughter given the circumstances. This will be the first grandchild. What a joy that child will bring in that family for many reasons. It was wonderful to hear stories about Jenny’s life growing up in Europe and to finally get to meet the cousins (brother and sister) I have never met.

After dinner we went different directions, agreeing to attempt to meet up somewhere around the front of corral 6 early the next morning. If we couldn’t find each other then, we would all meet at the finish. They were coming in on BART from the Palo Alto area, I think. Whereas I just had to walk a few blocks to the start. Logistically, it was easier to play it by ear.

Summertime in San Francisco is usually very VERY mild, if not sometimes cold. Early morning of the race it felt like a cold autumn day. It looked overcast and it was cold enough for a jacket. Thankfully, I brought my disposable jacket. (You know, the one you get at the local Goodwill or Salvation Army just so you can deposit it on the side of the road during a race?) I could not locate my family amongst the literally thousands of people still arriving for the late starters. I also couldn’t locate the porta potties but it appeared they were in a location that wouldn’t have given me time for once last trip to the john anyway. (This was a small area of irritation for me since I was running late due to my traveling companion, the dear hubby. When it comes to races I am almost ALWAYS waiting on him to get his camera stuff or get his jacket or finish his trip to the bathroom.  Grrr…)

So I eased my way near the front of the corral and hoped for the best.  The race started and so did I, sans family members. Two blocks into the race I knew I needed to shed the jacket. While most of those around me all wore long sleeves and long pants, I was out there in shorts and a singlet. I must be a Pacific Northwesterner.

The first four miles or so were very nice and very flat. Being at the head of a corral with much slower times than you run means you’re running ahead of the crowd. It was nice. The air was cool and moist. You could almost feel the fog but not quite. About mile 5 I caught up with the tail end of the previous corral. This would be a problem as we hit the hill going up to the entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The hill wasn’t that bad, the crowds were. Many groups of people who appeared to be running together were walking and talking, sometimes 5-6 abreast. This really messed up my rhythm as I would be forced to stop running myself or traverse across the road to find an opening in order to get past the slower participants. Still, I couldn’t be too upset. I knew this wouldn’t be a PR race and would likely be a PW race given the crowds. I just tried to enjoy the run.

Once on the bridge, the crowds were more of a problem since there was less room (one car lane width) on which to run. I would creep up on someone hoping they would feel my presence on their shoulder and move over. After awhile I would do the “Excuse me. On your left” shoutout as I squeezed through the slightest of openings. Now I know that irritates a lot of people (I overheard someone later that day complaining to another person about how people where constantly shouting “excuse me” and muscling their way through the run) but, seriously? If people in front of you get slower and slower, are the faster runners supposed to be held hostage by those slow pokes because it would be “rude” to express a desire to run through? Well, if you say yes, then I bet you also don’t allow faster golfers to play through, do ya! b-)

Anyway, the run over and back on the Golden Gate Bridge was still fun but not much to see. It was foggy below the bridge deck and the top of the bridge uprights disappeared into fog. I bet it would’ve been spectacular if it had been clear. The trip through the Presidio was another matter. There was a spot where you could look down at the bay and see the clouds just clearing the tops of the buildings along the opposing hill. It was serene and beautiful!

Whereas the crowds began to appear in clumps (i.e. a short stretch of clear road, then some more congested areas of slower runners) there seemed to be a great deal of trying to run around that slow poke or that group of friends that were running and talking and generally being a little inattentive to where and what they were doing. Whenever I would find myself being impatient, I would remind myself that this run was a social event for me, too. I needed to relax and enjoy it.

Certain I was probably running behind my family members, I would see people in the distance who I thought might be them. So I would speed up, only to discover I was wrong. I would do this several times but I never found them on the road. One cousin told me that when I dropped into the Golden Gate Park I should leave nothing in the tank since I would be almost to the finish. So that’s what I did.

When I closed in on the finish I felt GREAT! I don’t know if it was the cool weather in combination with being forced to keep it slow in those middle miles or thinking I might be the last family member on the course. Whatever it was, it felt good to have a little sprint left in my legs.

 

See the mist still hanging in the tops of the trees?

Turns out, I was the first family member to finish. The others had started quite a ways in the back of the corral. They took several minutes to get to the start line, whereas I took merely a few seconds. I missed seeing them finish as I was trying to find my husband and still thought they had already finished at that point.

There was quite a spread of food and beverages after the race. The BEST part (and something I think every cold weather run should consider) was the Irish coffee!  Oh my word, that hit the spot! I was cooling off way too fast and in spite of the space blanket, I was chilled. The Irish coffee helped fight off the cold and the damp.

Yep, that's Jameson Irish Whiskey and whipping cream. Yum! Perfect to fight back the chill.

The finishers! (Glad I brought my Portland Fit jacket as the space blanket wasn't enough.)

Overall, I think this was a great race, especially when you realize that over 19,000 people ran the full marathon, two half marathons and a 5K. (You have a choice of doing the first half of the marathon course or the second half. My family chose the hillier first half.) It was well organized from start to finish. My only complaint was the placement of the porta potties at the start.  However, that might not have been an issue if I hadn’t felt rushed for time.

Although the San Francisco Marathon is not a flat course, the majority of hills are supposedly in the first half. If true, then I would say this would be a nice course to run the full as I didn’t feel the hills I encountered were terribly hard. (Of course, after the Fueled By Fine Wine my view of what is a hard hilly course may be skewed a bit. :-?)

As expected I did not run a personal record but neither did I do a personal worst. I was surprised to find I broke two hours (1:54) and I would’ve placed 6^th in my age division if I had been running the race under my name. My pregnant cousin-in-law did okay for her first half marathon, finishing in the top 100 of her much younger age division. ;)  It was a great weekend and a great race. Definitely one I may wish do to again…legitimately. ;))

Time is short.

I know it's been awhile since my last blog. This is a very busy week. Drove down to San Francisco to run in the half marathon (the first half, you know...the hilly one) and am now getting prepped to do the Cascade Lakes Relay with some friends. I promise to blog about both experiences when I return.

Until then...run slow, run long! :)

Small things matter.

Small things count in life. I was pondering this recently when on a long solo run. You hear a lot about "don't sweat the small stuff" and while I can't say that it's a bad idea, there are plenty of times that the small things do count and are worth our sweat.

My thoughts had wandered to the days when running a block/walking a block was all I could muster. (It wasn't that long ago, less than two years, in fact.) Now here I was, running 20 miles non-stop (well, except for that quick potty stop along the route ;) ) and knowing that those little stretches of running soon grew into much long and faster stretches of road. Sweating those small distances mattered.

How I have maintained my weight after a 60+ pound weight loss a year ago also was a result of small things. After banishing most processed foods from my lifestyle, I still had to manage the dreaded "munchies". No question I am an emotional eater. I eat when I'm happy, I eat when I'm sad, I especially eat when I am anxious. And with teenagers, I am often anxious. :P So I had to learn to make small but significant changes for both myself and my family.

To tackle that uncontrollable urge to eat a pint of ice cream in one sitting, I made sure there would always be healthier choices readily available. First, a hanging three-tier basket filled with fruit. All are welcome to help themselves. Easy and healthy and a small change from the box of chips we once stored in the pantry.

(Bananas missing because they disappear as quickly as they arrive. Time to shop...again.)

But sometimes you just don't want fruit. Besides, fruit has a certain amount of natural sugar that, in too much quantity, can wreak havoc on those sugar highs and lows. So I added another smaller change to our kitchen, two glass containers filled with raw nuts. One is full of walnuts, the other with almonds. I have learned a small handful (10-12 nuts) every couple of hours can provide just the right amount of fuel to quiet the appetite.

Before I reach for food between meals, however, I frequently down a bottle of water. Often hunger and fatigue is actually a sign of dehydration. If after the water I still feel hungry, I take advantage of the fruit and nuts. Simple and effective change...and small. Unfortunately, not all small things that matter are good. I was also reminded of that on my long run.

I won a pair of running socks as a prize for winning my age division in a recent run. They were purported to be a favorite of many runners and I was anxious to give them a whirl. They felt great...at first. (Yes, I totally ignored the marathoner's motto "No new is good new.")

The pads of the socks were a bit more cushiony than I am used to wearing. (I usually run in super thin socks.) While it wasn't my usual wear, I thought they felt pretty good...for awhile. About mile 13-14, I noticed I was getting a "hot spot" on one foot. No amount of adjusting the sock or wiggling the toes made it feel better. It felt like the stocking was bunching up in the middle of the ball of the foot, sort of like running with a bulge right in the middle of the ball of the foot. :( I had about six miles left to go. I finished, but that small tuck of fabric on that sock made it difficult. Small things matter. /:)

Another not-so-fun small thing that I've experienced lately has to do with that teeny tiny too-small racing flat. When I first purchased my flats I was in love with them. They make my feet feel like I'm running barefoot but with just the right amount of protection between me and the road. I've run several half marathon distances with these shoes and even bought a second pair. BUT...for runs over 14-15 miles? Alas, that tiny lack of distance in the toebox of one of my shoes proved to be a problem, especially when doing lots of hills, a.k.a lots of uphills and lots of downhills.

Now my toe next to the big one on my left foot has a black toenail. :-O Yes! The dreaded black toenail. Seems hot weather, long distance and lots of downhills, have caused that toe to rub up against the end of shoe. Drats! Getting shoes that fit is already a "challenge" for me as I have one foot an entire size smaller than the other. I frequently can get away with using a size that "just" fits the big foot and leaves the smaller foot swimming a bit. Now I have had to go get another (larger) size of my favorite racing flat. I may use that pair only for those really long runs. We'll see. At any rate, small things matter.

Finally, how about that piece of clothing that looks oh so comfortable. It feels great on all those training runs, but the first twenty miler or marathon and "Houston, we have a problem"! An example of this for many women is the scared running bra. (Running bras are always a gamble, especially for the well-endowed woman.) That uber comfortable, expensive and much touted about running bra can easily turn into an aggravating tool of torture. Thank the Lord for BodyGlide...if you remember to put it on!

Yep, small things matter. Good and bad. May your small things always be good, but if they're bad, may they always be fixable or temporary. ;)

2012 Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon Review (long)

I meant to write this review earlier but time slipped away on me. Sorry. Okay, so my teenage daughter (DD = dear daughter) is training for her first marathon. In fact, she has never been a runner other than a very brief stint on the high school track team (no-cut policy) a couple years ago. However, after seeing her elderly mother finish the Portland Marathon last year, she decided she also wanted to run a marathon. So her journey began.

DD has been training with a terrific running program in our area, Portland Fit. It's the program I used last year and the program that I am now participating in as one of their assistant coaches. As part of the training program, PFit uses a locally run half marathon June event for their first distance benchmark run. My daughter did very well on her first half marathon and she was bitten by the bug, insisting we sign up for another half marathon in July. We chose the 2012 Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon which is run on Sauvie Island near Portland, OR on the Fourth of July.

Now in the Pacific Northwest summer does not usually begin until July 4th or July 5th. Don't know why this is, but it is. Many a PNWer can recall a wet and/or gray Fourth of July camping trip with weather clearing up on your last day or the day you have to go home. So it was a 50/50 chance of hot weather. We lucked out. It was dry but in the high 60s - low 70s. This meant the early morning was cool. It was actually VERY cool that day. Pretty nice summer running weather.

Getting over to the island for the race is a logistical nightmare challenge, even for "almost-locals" who should know better. (We live in a Portland suburb.) Keep in mind, you ARE WARNED on the race website! But somehow the warning is just not dire enough. While you are told that traffic will be bad, that carpooling or riding the shuttle is really the only way to go, you aren't told how driving your own car to the island on race morning is an absolutely BAD IDEA unless you plan to get there at 3 in the morning! Thankfully, I purchased a couple tickets for the shuttle (of which I was led to believe there were approximately 500 available) so getting to the start was not an issue...later I will explain how others driving to the start affected the race.

I promise this review will not be full of gloom and doom, although I do need to address some of the slightly unfavorable parts of the run.  First, packet pick-up.

I guess I am spoiled. At packet pick-up I have come to expect a little bag containing your race bib, maybe a few coupons, maybe an energy bar/gel, and a tee shirt. However, when we picked up our "packet" we were handed a bib number, that was basically it. We were welcome to grab some pins out of a box, there was a small pile of some type of coupon for something, we received a postcard with a barcode on it for some type of raffle type drawing they would be having on race day, and you went to another table to pick up your tee shirt. I saw no bags. We had registered too late to get a tee shirt with our packet so maybe people who received a tee shirt received a plastic bag? I don't know. I didn't see any and I didn't see a single soul at the start area arrive with a Foot Traffic plastic bag for clothing drop-off. I did eventually see plastic bags being given at clothing drop-off on race day...which is another story. Sigh. This may have been their way of "encouraging" participants to go green and use their own bags.

Now, we have our bibs but no ticket for the shuttle. When I asked about this I was told that my name would be on a list that will be checked prior to boarding on the shuttle bus. Right there I realized this would be an incredibly inefficient way to handle the shuttle situation but as the kids say...whateva. I decided that on race day I would bring my email/receipt that showed my confirmation number. Good call!

Race day arrives. The shuttles leave at two different times. One leaves really early for the early start of the marathoners, the other leaves later for the start of the shorter runs. Since the later departure would only allow for about 15 minutes to use the porta-potty and drop off clothes, DD and I decide to take the earliest shuttle. Another good call.

Getting on a shuttle was a zoo with people lining up and looking up names on a list. Flashing our printed confirmation numbers allowed us to board immediately. My kids hate when mom goes over board with "being prepared" but I received no complaints that morning. :) We arrived on the island well ahead of the traffic nightmare that was on the horizon.

It was remarkably cold that morning. Sunny but cold. There was a long time to kill and not much to do. The farm hosting the start had some barns and one of them was open so that you could go in and check out some small livestock. More interesting for small children than cold, race anxious adults.

There were plenty of porta-potties available and it's the one thing about which I did not hear anyone complain. As start time neared, we began looking for the clothing drop-off. Nowhere could we find a tent or big sign indicating "this is the place". I finally asked someone who looked like they worked for Foot Traffic where the drop-off was located. He indicated that it was at the tent on the other side of the van behind him. Other side of van...no tent.  There was a table but that was it and it appeared no one was there. (Guess we were early?)

Eventually it was close enough to our 6:45 a.m. start time to actually shed our jackets. By this time we see there is a makeshift sign taped to the once unmanned table and there is a line a mile long starting at the table as people were asking for bags and pens to mark said bags and deposit their clothing. Oh, bother. Again, mom to the rescue. At home I had pulled out an old Portland Running Company bag we used at the Helvetia Half Marathon, changed the bib number to our new ones and was ready to go. As soon as we arrived at the table we were outta there!

As DD and I (and hundreds of others) waited in drop-off there was a constant din of noise coming from a couple of loud but muddy sounding speakers. (I already have difficulty hearing due to too many endless hours listening to big band practices. Another story, perhaps.) Many of us simply could not make out most of what was being said. Turns out the marathon start had been delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic problems. This is when the truly irritating part of the race began for me.

At 6:45 a.m. DD and I line up for the start not realizing our start had been delayed. Looking around I see a mix of half marathon bibs in a sea of marathon bibs. I ask someone if they have decided to start the marathoners AND the half marathoners together due to the delay. No one seems to know. The horn blows, the crowd moves and many, if not all, of the half marathoners around me appear to start. So DD and I do, too! Mistake!

As we move down the road we see an endless sea of cars still attempting to get to the parking/start area.  Eventually we see runners with half marathon bibs running against the wall of runners who have started. I get this sick feeling that we started too early, but our chip has been started so after I walk back to where my daughter is (I run faster than she at the moment) we decided to heck with it, we'll keep going.

The course is as advertised...flat! It is also beautiful. The weather was perfect, the company very friendly. About mile 4, I begin to hope that the turnoff from the marathon course would be clearly marked. A couple of early start half marathoners express their similar concerns. We pass what I am certain is the half marathon turnoff but there is no one directing traffic and there is absolutely NO SIGN indicating "Half marathon - this way". We are assured by an older marathoner that the turnoff is farther ahead of us. After awhile a group of elite male half marathoners go blasting past us. It was comforting to know that at least we were going in the right direction...or were we???

In just a few minutes, those same elite runners came screaming down the opposite side of the road and they were NOT HAPPY CAMPERS! Turns out, we had all missed the turnoff. The course had changed from last year! Of all the little annoying things about the race, this is the one thing that frosted me the most. Even if they didn't expect half marathoners to start out with the marathoners, one would think they would have the course clearly marked. When even the elite runners who started with the proper gun miss the turnoff, there is a problem.

Now I am in a foul mood because I realized that not only did I not start with my wave due to poor communication in the start area, but I have run an additional 1.5 miles! Thankfully, DD didn't run the same distance as she was running more slowly and there was someone directing traffic by the time she reached the turnoff point.

It is no surprise so many use this run to Boston qualify. Although it definitely would be uncomfortable if it was a warm day since there is relatively no shade on the latter half, the course is relatively easy if you enjoy flat courses. The scenery is beautiful. Plenty of farmland, barns and country road. (Don't know what the full marathoners saw scenery-wise, assuming it was simliar to the half.) In spite of the start debacle, I PR'd for 13.1 miles and 14.5 miles (my actual mileage).

The strawberry shortcake afterwards really hit the spot. (I think they had hotdogs there, too, but I only wanted shortcake.) They also had kiddie pools filled with ice and water for people to soak their legs. (I know ice baths are purported to make your legs feel better but I'll pass, thank you. Don't think my old ticker could take deliberately plunging parts of my body into ice water.) The people organizing/operating the race, though not particularly experts at efficiency, were super friendly. (That can help one forgive a lot of things.) The locals who put up with the disruption of their quiet island life on the Fourth of July in the name of charity (the run raised over $40,000 for charities including their fire department) should be commended for their generosity both in time and patience. They were also super friendly!

The shuttles were scheduled to begin returning to the "mainland" at 10 a.m., I believe. This was very late when you consider how much time you had to kill if you ran one of the shorter runs. Turns out the buses actually were leaving as they filled. A point that could've been explained earlier and would've had many early finishers leaving as soon as they were done so they could get an early start on their own Fourth of July activities with their families.

Will I do this race again? I don't know. Unlike the Fueled By Fine Wine Half Marathon where the brutality of the course might prevent me from taking on the challenge again, the chaotic organization of the Foot Traffic Flat might give me pause. I hate disorganization. I recognize the difficulties of putting on such an event, however, they've had awhile to iron out the kinks. Hmm... If you only have 500-600 seats for the shuttle but 2600+ people run the race, that means the traffic scenario is not likely to improve with the current road situation.

I would like to run it again just to see how fast I could do it without the missteps. Unfortunately, I probably won't be getting any faster in my old age so this PR might be the best time I will ever have on a half marathon.

Swag: I did order a tee shirt to be picked up at the store a couple weeks later for DD and myself. You do get a good sized medal. I've heard many say how much they LOVE the medal. To each, his own, I say. It is a "fun" medal in that it has a certain comical quality. Not a favorite on mine but I have seen far worse. The tee shirt is also "okay". I'm not a fan of red, white and blue clothing so I will probably toss it into my stack of tee shirts that will find its way into a tee shirt quilt.

Bottomline:  Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon is a good race with the potential to be a great race! The people are great, the organization will likely improve. Be prepared and be patient and you'll have a great time. :)

Hurt so good!

When can a PW (personal worst) be the best run ever?...When the course presents you with not only a crushing challenge but breathtaking views and great swag! I'm talking about the 2012 Fueled By Fine Wine Half Marathon held in the Dundee wine country of Oregon.

This was my first attempt at this race. I had heard all the talk about how brutal the hills can be on the course but also how gorgeous the run was. It was also noted on the run's website that it is not a race on which to expect a PR. They weren't lying! So let me give you a rundown of my first-time experience with what my dear husband has coined as the brutal-ful run.

After about 5 hours of sleep (I never sleep much the night before a run), I rose at 4:15 a.m. and went through my usual race rituals (i.e. coffee, half a bagel with raspberry jam, a bottle of water and the obligatory trip to the loo, followed by dressing and doing one last check of all necessary items).  I like to awake one and a half to two hours before needing to leave, especially on Sundays because I also enjoy watching some CNN news to get my mind off of the upcoming run. Rituals are comforting, you know.

It takes only 30 minutes to get to Stoller Vineyards (the start of this year's race) from our house. Note to others, the queue of cars to get into the parking area really slows down to a crawl when you need to get into areas of the countryside where there is only one two-lane road. So, yes, we should've left a bit earlier. (Think the Foot Traffic Flat Half traffic debacle. 'Nuff said.) We (me and my driver, aka non-runner hubby) left early enough to get me there at least a half an hour early but we arrived with only about 15 minutes to spare. I still managed to get in and out of a porta-potty in time to get in place at the starting area.

I saw several fellow Portland Fit members and coaches also at the start. Most of them had run this before and reiterated what I had previously been told and read, that this is a race no one (or at least no "recreational runner") runs for time. Since the race course changes every year it was hard for anyone to say exactly HOW hard this year's would be, but it was certain from the course map online that it would be a bear.

Thank God for the great running weather. It was 61 degrees (according to the car's outside temperature reading) and overcast. It did feel a little "humid" at one point in the race.  However, it's hard to tell whether that was for real or just my body telling me that this was the dumbest idea I've had in a very long while.

This year's race started with a rather long, somewhat gradual and very welcoming downhill. I heard others afterwards saying it was quite different than last year's start which had them climbing almost immediately. Looking back at the run, I should've let it rip that first mile since there would be few points later where I would be physically able to let it rip. (Did I mention that this course was brutal-ful?)

I am not sure how anyone truly trains for a run like this. I have a couple favorite hill training routes, one which has a substantial hill...but not a 2.5 mile climb!!! And it certainly is not on uneven, unpaved, trail and trail-like paths such as this year's FBFW run. Not only did we get the luxury of that massive 2.5 mile climb (beginning around mile 7?) but we had two other substantial climbs (only about a mile long each) before we even hit the monster climb!

Yes. I tried to resist the urge to walk but when I saw people in far better shape than myself walking...I walked, too!  I walked a LOT on the last "big" one.  The walking did give me the chance to take in the breathtaking views of the vineyards, orchards and the valleys below.  Even under gray skies it was spectacular!

(This view near the start doesn't begin to show how gorgeous it is from the top of the run.)

After such a long and brutal battle to the top of the last mountain...I mean hill, ha, I mistakenly thought I could let myself fly downhill. Wrongo! The footing was uneven at that point on the course (not on gravel or  pavement yet) and my legs were SHOT!  Felt better once we hit the paved road but couldn't find that extra gear to bring it home.  The finish was a slight uphill and I could feel myself getting slower and s-l-o-w-e-r.  My "driver" said it was obvious I was hurting.  I was. I was so grateful for the cool gray skies. A sunny hot summer day might've killed me.

I finished at 1:59:16, a personal worst, but I LOVED the run! The male winner of the half marathon ran a 5:25 minute pace. The female winner ran a 6:57 min pace. With all those killer hills?? Amazing! I did manage to place second in the 55-59 age group (most of the sane old ladies stayed home or just bought a ticket straight to the wine-tasting tent). They say there was good food. There probably was but I am never hungry after a race. I grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the wine-tasting tent. Believe me, even though it was just after 9 a.m., I earned it!

What kind of swag do you get for your efforts? Well, a great looking tee shirt, lots of coupons for free wine tastings and discounts, a nice medal, a very nice wine glass, a four bottle wine carrier/bag.

Will I be back next year? Maybe...if it's like childbirth where you can eventually forget how horrific the experience was and get that crazy wild hare brain idea to do it again. According to other participants, last year's route took them through quite a bit of residential areas. This year's route had virtually NO residential areas. Trees, grape vines, dust, grass, sawdust-like materials, panoramic views, it was GREAT! (If I want to see houses, I can stay home and run through my neighborhood.) I hope FBFW stays with the organic nature of the run.  As tough as the race was, it goes on my list of favorite races.

I won't be complaining about my hill routes for awhile...and that 20 mile training run on my schedule this week? Well, I'll just keep telling myself it could be worse...much worse.

****************************************
Comparing elevation of FBFW to some training runs and the Helvetia Half Marathon (also a hilly course). I think FBFW has them all beat!

A couple favorite hilly training runs elevation charts:

Helvetia Half Marathon elevation chart:

Fueled By Fine Wine Half Marathon elevation chart:

P.S. A shout out to the young gentleman who came up from behind me around mile 10 and told me I had some of the most amazing set of legs he's seen. Thank you for the albeit brief confidence boost! Unfortunately, as I indicated to him, too bad they don't move faster. :D

Summertime...

And the running is...hot! Another warm day in the PNW. Enjoy! Embrace it! It won't last. Remember those long runs in the pouring rain? Remember the splish splash of your brand new running shoes as you hit those slight depressions in the road? Well, I do! 

I don't mind running in the cool/cold/wet weather, but I rejoice when the heat finally hits us. (Keep in mind, I recognize how lucky most PNWers are to be living in an area that has natural and fairly dependable air-conditioning courtesy of Mother Nature.)  

I am NOT a hot weather runner. Would not want to have to run in it for months on end, but I do enjoy the occasional stretch of heat. Yep, even if it means I have to slow my already slow pace down to a snail's crawl. I try to focus on how the warmth of the sun is loosing my muscles and how the drip of that sweat feels so cool if I'm lucky enough to catch a little breeze. Of course, I hydrate! Volumes have been written on hydrating and I have taken note. Hot weather requires consistent hydration.  

Do you love the heat? Are you a hot weather runner? Do you get more miles run in the hot months than the dead of winter?  

Run slow, run long...weather permitting! ;)