Weekly mileage: 37.9
2008 mileage: 1182.5
2008 race miles: 483.25
2008 races: 54
I was happy with this week's training and races. I ran the dish on Tuesday for just one loop because my legs were still tired from the races on Saturday and Sunday, then I ran Rancho with my friend Lisa on Wednesday and we did around 8.5 at a pretty good clip (definitely faster up the hills than I would have done alone) and on Thursday I did 400 intervals at the track. It's not that much mileage wise but I felt good and not worn down and had the extra energy to do a lot of weight training, which I like. Saturday's race was totally muddy and wild, with pouring rain and gusting wind - but it was totally fun! It wasn't that cold so I just added a hat with a visor to my usual running wardrobe and that was all I needed, plus I beat my time that I had on that course last time in dry weather by 4 minutes - I was happy considering the fact that I felt the muck really slowed me down in places. And Sunday's race was crazy as well, not weather wise, but time wise - I got a PR by ~1:30! I didn't feel like I was going that fast, but when I got near the clock I couldn't believe it!Race Stats:
Enviro Stinson Beach 25k - 2:42:56: 48/132 overall; 11th F; 3rd Age
DSE Sawyer Camp 10k - 45:16; 7:18/M; 4th F
Week 43 (10/20-10/26)
Weekly mileage: 31.4
2008 mileage: 1144.6
2008 race miles: 461.55
2008 races: 52
I took a trip up to Redding for the Whiskeytown trail race that took place off of Whiskeytown Lake. It was pretty up there even though I only caught a single glimpse of the looming Mt. Shasta, which I definitely want to hike up (maybe next spring/summer). Also explored a local museum about the gold rush and stopped by an olive tasting place on the way back. If I do Whiskeytown again, however, I should do the 50k because most of the scenic trails and stream crossings were on the 50k route, not the 30k, which was almost all fireroads due to recent burns in the park and nontechnical somewhat boring trails. Missed the start of the DSE race on Sunday by 4 minutes, but ran the 12k anyway, a few minutes faster than that stupid bridge to bridge 12k - it was fun playing catchup to the other runners and even with the 4 minute late start, I finished strong. I'm feeling good and without injury and I hope I can keep that up through the Quad Dipsea.
Race Stats:
Whiskeytown 30k - 3:00:10; 9:41/M; 5th F; 2nd Age
DSE Fort Point 12k - 57:55 (by my watch); 7:46/M; 6th F; [?] Age
Week 42 (10/13-10/19)
Weekly mileage: 22
Mileage to date: 1113.2
Race miles to date: 435.5
I didn't run much during the week as I was in semi-recovery mode from the trail marathon/10k weekend before, but I felt okay by the time Sunday rolled around to do the Carmel 25k. I did not know what I was in for! Unexpectedly, I think Carmel was one of my most difficult races thus far. It included at least three very steep climbs and I got lost at the top of the middle mountain and added probably a mile and a half to the course by accident. On top of that, I got a mad blister on my foot -well, not really a blister, more like my skin just rubbed away entirely. It was so painful on the way down to the finish that I had to walk even though I could've run. The good thing, though, is that the Carmel race will still count for the PCTR series at least, since I got second overall (due to the lack of competitive women in the race)!
Race Stats:
PCTR Carmel Valley 25k (+~1.5miles of getting lost) (4,285' gain) - 3:16:28; 1st Age; 2nd Overall
Week 41 (10/6-10/12)
Weekly mileage: 32.4
Mileage to date: 1091.2
Race miles to date: 420 - First Marathon (Trail)!
I really felt unsure the week leading up to this last minute decision trail marathon; my other race got cancelled and this one fell that same day, but it was longer than I was planning for. I was concerned that I'd have a super hard recovery like after the 50k a few weeks ago and I hadn't run that much during the weeks leading up to it. But, lo and behold, it was an AWESOME race! I loved almost every moment of it. It was a beautiful, cool fall day and the trail took us through shady, beautiful forests. At the top of the hills were trees that were creaking in the wind. Appropriate for October, it felt like a haunted race, especially when a runner pointed out the place where a local woman's body was recently discovered! I had some knee pain going downhill during the first half but it disappeared. My right foot hurt again in a familiar place, but hopefully that will go away with rest. The best part of it was that my quads didn't feel at all like after the 50k when I was done - I felt a bit sore, but it was more even spread and not nearly as intense. Was it the extra five miles? the difference in the two courses? the experience of having done one before? I'm not sure. Whatever the reason, I was able to race the DSE 10k the next day and come close to my PR, taking third. I plan to rest the next few days and look at my upcoming schedule. I need to prepare for the quad dipsea and/or CIM, and I may cut out some races to do so. We'll see.
Race Stats:
Golden Hills Trail Marathon - 4:43:59; 33rd/132; 9th F; 4th Age
DSE Golden Gate Park 10k - 47:16; 7:36/M; 3rd F; 3rd Age
Week 40 (9/29-10/5)
Weekly mileage: 22.9
Mileage to date: 1058.8
Race miles to date: 387.6
This was one of those races that fell into the category of "they can't all be good" as it really was not good. Part of it had to do with my high expectations of getting a fast time and also my failure to pay attention to some obvious signs, like the fact that I couldn't muster any speed at my track workout on Tuesday. I felt pretty tired the night before and just thought that would go away like usual, but it didn't really. When I started running, I knew right away I couldn't go much faster, and then I almost threw up in the first mile, not from overexertion, but it felt like something was stuck in my throat... anyway, I got progressively slower during the race and was just happy to finish in under an hour! After I finished, and I wasn't breathing hard when I finished, I started having some kind of asthma or hyperventilating thing where I kept breathing super fast and couldn't slow it down. The whole race sucked. I'm not going to blow it out of proportion, though, I'm just going to take it easy for a bit this week.
Race Stats:
Bridge to Bridge 12k 59:47; 8:01/M; 281/2517 overall; 23/527 Age
