590.55 miles in the past

Yes that's right.  I've ran 590.55 miles since I started my season in January.  Feels so good to know I'm one month away from THE race day.  This weekend is a short 2.5 hour training run.  No I'm not bragging, it's just that we train so hard that 2.5 hours is nothing in comparison to the following weekend.  July 10th is the longest training run we have this season, 7 hours of trail running.  We'll be covering part of the race course from Lake Chabot in Castro Valley to Redwood Park in the Oakland hills and back.  Yes I am very nervous to even think that I'll be running for 7 hours!  The most I've ran in one training is 5 hours and 15 minutes!  Those 5 hours and 15 minutes covered one of the most brutal and memorable training runs at Mission Peak in San Jose. 

The picture up above is of Mission Peak in San Jose.  We arrived bright and early at 7:30 am to try to beat the heat.  I couldn't believe how many people were there that early in the morning.  It was packed by at least a hundred cars and we had to park about a quarter of a mile away.  Sounds pretty silly.  Anyway, my coach said we weren't going to warm up because our warm up was going up the hill.  That was no hill.  She lied to us.  We went up and around for about 2.75 miles.  My calves were on fire but I pushed on.  The heat was blazing down on us for the first hour as we climbed away.  Once we reached the top the weather changed.  It was still hot but it was really windy.  I looked down in amazement to see what I had just climbed.  I couldn't believe I had climbed all that way and didn't stop.  That's what ultra running is all about.  We keep going no matter what challenges lie ahead. 

Speaking of challenges, the team, as a whole, got lost.  We ran for 7 miles before we found where we got off course.  By that time half the team decided to go back because we were so low on water.  The other half, including me, decided to keep going to the water stop.  It was a hard decision to make because I wasn't sure if I could make it to the water stop, which was another 4 miles away.  It took us about 3 hours to get to the water stop after 11 miles.  Thank God for our volunteers that day.  They had sponges soaked in ice water, chips, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels, gummy bears, water and electrolytes and so much more.  It was so nice to see them.  My mentor, Ellen, was one of the water stop volunteers that day.  I told her that I didn't have a good feeling about going back.  I had the option to get in the car and be driven back to my car or keep going.  I decided not to give up and keep going.  I knew that no matter how bad I was feeling, because of the heat, I could make it that no matter how long it took me that I could do it.  I don't like to be mentally defeated so all I could think of was making it back to the start.  That sense of accomplishment feels so good to me.  It confirms all the training I've done is working.  That will get me to the finish line on August 1st at Skyline.

Click on this link if you want something funny to watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-hCuYjvw2I.  If you've done a race you'll understand but for everyone else this is pretty much what you'll see after a race.

16 weeks and counting

Many of you are familiar with the "No Wimps" shirt.  That's something we've been taught to say and have been taught to think.  It's been 16 weeks of training and believe me I've had to really remind myself every week why I'm dedicating myself to this cause.  I can think of many people that I've known, heard about, or just met that have inspired me to continue going.  Just yesterday I had a family party at my house and my uncle invited his friends.  In speaking with my uncle's friends I came to find out that they were Lymphoma survivors.  Most of their family has had Lymphoma and they've all survived thus far.  My uncle's friend, Charro, told me how she was told that she was not going to recover and had very little time to live.  She is now in remission and she is loving life.  It was wonderful to hear her story and see how much she enjoys life through her bright smile.  Although she is still recovering from the chemo and radiation, she is going to do the Disney marathon later this year.  I'm happy to know that the funds you've helped me raise has had a hand in helping Charro and her family.  I've raised $2340 of my $2500 fundraising goal in these 16 weeks and I have several more weeks before I'm done.  This is the most I've fund raised and I couldn't have done it without my special donors.  Thank you!

This was my most recent run in San Anselmo at Sleepy Hallow Park.  I took it nice and easy.  I ran in the back of the pack because I have missed three Saturday training runs.  The first Saturday I missed I was in Las Vegas visiting my father that had quadruple bypass surgery and a heart valve replaced.  This was out-of-the-blue and I had to stop what I was doing to go be with my dad.  I've always wondered what would happen if something came in the way of my training.  I've wondered how it would affect me.  Well, Mama Lisa, my coach, told me to take it easy while I was away.  She said that I'm one of the few people that train myself the hardest and push myself.  It felt really good to hear her tell me to relax a little.  Unfortunately I take the training calendar very seriously.  So I followed Mama Lisa's verbal training schedule while I was gone.  She told me to continue with my training schedule on Wednesday.  I did that but Wednesday was a 10 mile run.  Not thinking anything of it I wore sandals that day.  I hadn't worn sandals since last year.  Guess what?  I hurt my calf wearing sandals just by walking in them.  I didn't trip, fall, or hit anything but I must have been clenching onto my sandals throughout the day.  By late afternoon my calf was aching as if I had torn my muscle.  I was a little worried.  I iced and took it easy, again, for the next few days. 

Well, when I returned from Las Vegas I tried to run again but my muscle hurt too much.  I had a race I was looking forward to since the beginning of my season.  It was a race that Team In Training had scheduled as part of our training.  The race, called Quicksilver 25k, was to take place in San Jose.  I did everything I could to help my calf get better but I twisted my ankle on the opposite leg the day before.  It wasn't in God's plans for me to run that race.  Oh well.  I got to sleep in.  So that was the second Saturday I missed with my team. 

The third Saturday I was all better but I had a fundraising event.  I was at the Oysterfest in San Francisco pouring beer all day long.  All the tips were to go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I had seven lovely people donate their time to help me fund raise.  Together we raised $720 in tips.  Not too shabby right?  Needless to say it was a long day and a lot of fun.

I missed my team and I was so happy to run with them on Saturday.  I've been running on my own throughout the week and it's been quite difficult.  I've learned that it takes a whole lot of motivation and determination to get through the lonely workouts every day.  You see the picture to the right?  Well, we saw wild chickens, wild turkeys and deers last Saturday.  It was a beautiful and gorgeous day. 

I'm looking forward to spending this weekend with my team again.  We're going to spend the weekend in Auburn.  We will be doing day 2 of the Western States Training Camp.  The Western States Training Camp is a 3 day training of 70 miles total in preparation for the 100 mile race that takes place on that same course.  Hundreds of ultra marathon athletes get together to learn from each other on techniques, running attire, nutrition, etc.  The training weekend is split up into 30 miles Saturday, 20 miles Sunday and 20 miles Monday.  After the runs they have speakers and dinner.  I'm excited to be a part of this experience and learn from more experienced runners.  Here's a little bit of interesting information about Western States from my coach. 

"Western States is the oldest 100-mile "ultra" event; the grand-daddy of them all. That's one of the reasons that it is so hard to get a spot each year. How did it get started?

In 1974, Gordon "Gordy" Ainsleigh was the first to run the course of the Western States Endurance Run. At the time, only horses participating in the 24-hour Western States Trail Ride used the trail. When his horse went lame prior to the race, Ainsleigh decided he would run the torturous 100 miles of mountain trail from the Squaw Valley Ski Resort to Auburn, California, rather than look for another horse to ride. Ainsleigh, amazingly, completed the 'equestrian race', without a horse, in 23 hours and 47 minutes. This was the fabled beginning of the Western States Endurance Run, and the beginning of the modern sport of ultra distance trail running." This is why 100-milers (and many 100-Ks) to this day, still give out Western-style belt buckles (usually) for finishing. By the way, Gordy still runs the race after all these years and wears a number 1 bib number. I hope you get to meet him next weekend."  Here is the link if you'd like to check it out http://www.ws100.com/.

Happy trails!

Training race

Pirate's Cove 30k

Training race?  What's that?  Well, prior to our 50k on August 1st we have to enter ourselves into races that will prepare us for our actual event.  Since Ultra Marathoner's need to have experience prior to an Ultra Marathon we have been encouraged to do several races and have our team come support us.

The picture above was the start of my first 30k (18.6 mile) trail race at Pirate's Cove in Sausalito.  I wasn't nervous but I was the only one on my team to do the 30k.  I decided to focus on completing the race without getting hurt and to learn how to run a trail race.  The start of the race immediately went up.  There were too many of us on the trail so we had to walk and it was a pretty steep climb to begin with.  I began the race almost all the way in the back of the pack.  I wanted to watch the others in front of me to see when they would walk and when they would run.  It helped me get through the race and preserve my energy.  I did exactly what my coach, Mama Lisa, told the team to do.  I kept myself well hydrated and ate every 20 minutes.  I looked forward to eating and drinking every 20 minutes because I felt the electrolytes and Gu working almost immediately.  It replenished my energy enough to keep going.  After several miles of running I got into a groove.  I was with the same runners for the rest of the race.  If I wasn't ahead of them, they were ahead of me but not by much.  I made sure I didn't fall back by being either in front of these people or just behind them.  I spoke to one woman that had done that race before and she was in pretty good shape.  It was my goal not to lose her.  There was another couple that was running together and they motivated each other to keep going.  The lady had an M-dot tattoo on her lower leg.  I stared at that M-dot and new that she would get me through the race.  Without speaking to the couple I stayed with them. 

In the end I saw my other coach, Mark.  Mark gave me that extra boost of energy to leave that couple behind and race to the finish line.  I finished my race in 3hrs 40 min.  It was nice to see most of my team cheer me in as well as my mom, grandma, aunt and boyfriend.  That felt good.  I was proud of myself.  I was proud to have finished the most challenging race I've ever done.  Soon after I went into the outside showers they had and rinsed myself off in the chilly water so that my body could get rid of the lactic acid that built up over the course of the race.  I try to be as good as I can when it comes to finishing a run and suffering just a little bit more just so that I don't regret it later.  Icing or chilly water on the muscles right after a run is important so that the recovery doesn't hurt so much later.  On the ride home I also ate a Power bar, a tangerine and drank a soda.  I've never had a soda after running but it tasted soooo gooood!  It's amazing how picky I am after running and how much better food tastes.  I will look at the selection of food and some of it I just can't imagine eating and normally what I do pick tastes so much better than if it was just a normal snack or meal.  I want to thank everyone that came to cheer me on at this race.  I always get so emotional when I think of who comes to support me.  I love you all!

Time to party!!!!

Take a break and come enjoy Azul Lounge with me.  Dance the night away.

New shoes!

I just bought new shoes!  I love these shoes.  They only weight 6.9 oz and they feel like slippers.  They are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had.  I ran with them for them once last week for about 2.5 miles but I also used them yesterday on my long run.  They were amazing!  They are the most flashy shoes I've ever worn and I'd like to keep them as clean as possible but that's really not an option with trail running.  They were absolutely filthy after our run yesterday so I had to hose them down when I got home.

We ran for 3 hours through Huddart Park in Redwood City.  The run was led by my coach's friend, Milo.  Milo is an ex-marine and he definitely trained us like a marine.  I felt like I was at boot camp.  He did a great job leading us through the woods and gave great advice throughout the run.  He told us to begin nibbling after 20 minutes and to continue to do that throughout our long runs.  A few weeks ago I had to work on hydrating myself and now I have to learn to eat during my runs.  I have some shopping to do this week to replenish my training essentials.  I use Nuun electrolyte tablets for my water bottles.  I love it because it doesn't have very much sugar like Gatorade or Powerade.  Nuun tastes more like water and keeps me from getting a "sticky" mouth while running.  I have to get some Cliff Bar shot blocks.  Those are also to replenish electrolytes but are chewy.  I also like the Gu bites.  They taste so good and have a good amount of calories in them to take during long workouts.  I need to get more Powerbars as well.  I like the chocolate flavor but I just discovered a new flavor that I love.  It's called the Performance Energy Honey Roasted Nut.  Yummy!


My fundraising is coming along well.  I just place another order of 300 chocolate bars.  I'm hoping to sell them within a month.  So far I've raised $671 of my $2500 goal.  It's been steady but I would like it to be ahead of my goal.  If you know anyone that would like to purchase my chocolate bars or just donate to help out my cause please give them my information.  Every single penny counts to get toward my goal of helping fight cancer and put an end to this. 


My coach Mama Lisa is fighting cancer.  She was just diagnosed a few months ago but she has decided to continue training us.  She loves what she does and wants to be there for us.  She begins her chemotherapy this week.  After the scheduled chemo she will have surgery in a few months to remove the masses she has.  If all goes well she will then continue on to receive radiation.  I just hope that this brave woman doesn't go through the pain that my friend Socorro went through.  It's not fun having cancer but I know Mama Lisa will always put a smile on her face for us.  We all love and support her.  She and others like her thank you for your generosity.