Looking Forward to 2024

There were a lot of positive things in 2023. However, now that the racing is over and I've had some time to reflect, I'm ready to start thinking about 2024. What do I really want to accomplish next year? How hard am I willing to work for it? Will my enthusiasm wane in the coming months like it did last year?

Check out the "Last 365 Days" graph, the low point was in the summer
before CIM training started, don't want to get there again

This past year, there were several events where I said "Oooh, I want to do that race!!" and then I didn't sign up. Generally, I didn't register because I was feeling out of shape and overweight and I didn't want to make the effort. The event would go by, I would feel bad I missed it, and then life would go on. 

I'm In!

In an effort to keep my focus, I've already signed up for a few races, including a couple that I skipped last year.

• Dirty Duathlon (Jan)
• Jed Smith Ultra (Feb)
• Ice Breaker Triathlon (April)
• Folsom Swim Run (July)
• IRONMAN California (Oct)
• California International Marathon (Dec)

Outfit ready for the dirty duathlon

Other Potential Races

• Parkway Half Marathon (April)
• Tri for Real (at least one this year) (June)
• Urban Cow (loved this race) (Oct)
• Run the Parkway - 20 Miles (Nov)

My Goals for the 2024 

• Drop 20 pounds by the next California International Marathon. I honestly think my weight is holding me back. I think I could run with the 3:55 group if I still wasn't struggling with this extra weight.
• This goal works out to about half a pound a week for the next year. I do have a couple of interim goals to reach in terms of my weight.
• Keep track. When things start to go sideways, I immediately stop tracking because I don't want to know. Good, bad or ugly, I need to keep track of what I am doing.
• Get to 150 pounds by Jed Smith. Based on my weight this morning, that is a little less than 8 pounds or one pound a week from today (you do the math). 
• January 2024: Following Tony Horton's elimination diet from his book "Bring It!". I've done this in the past and it wasn't too bad. 
• I will also be participating in "Dry January" since it works with the elimination diet. 
• Start incorporating strength training at least 1-2 times per week. 

• PR at IRONMAN California
• My 2022 IRONMAN California time was 13:53:57 and my best 140.6 (IRONMAN Vineman) was 12:26:39, so somewhere in between those two times would be great.
• Finish my book
• 15 minutes per day devoted to the book whether its reading or editing.
• What does working on my book have to do with training you might wonder...well, it's a fictional story about a triathlete, so I'm hoping the book and the training feed off of each other :-)
• Dust off the blog. Haven't been writing as much as I used to, probably because there hasn't been anything worth writing about.

California International Marathon 2023 (No. 8 and Counting)

How It Started - A Chance Meeting

Some time around the end of July (2023), Mike and I were on our daily walk with the dogs. As we were headed back towards the house, I saw a familiar face coming towards us. I called her name and she stopped to chat. Of course, the conversation came around to running and she mentioned the CIM training group she leads for Gold Country Run + Sport. I told her I would think about it. I meant it, but wasn't sure her group would be the right fit for me. Honestly, I was worried that she would push me out of my comfort zone.

A chance meeting on the American River Trail 
with Karyn

 

Several days later, resigned to my comfort zone, I loaded my Hal Higdon intermediate marathon training plan into Training Peaks. I figured it would just be easier to do this plan AGAIN. However, left to my own devices I had become out of shape, overweight, and I was once again preparing to use a training program that had only produced mediocre results the last several years. What was I thinking? 

I tried telling myself that this year would be different. I wasn't training for IRONMAN California so I would be able to devote 100% of my training to the marathon. I had moved to Gold River, so I wasn't going to be doing my training on a treadmill. I was now retired so I would have more time to devote to training and getting in shape and losing weight. However, my gut was telling me that this wasn't going to get me where I wanted to be. I knew that I needed to shake things up and try something new.

On August 1st, I bit the bullet and signed up for Karyn's training program. If I wanted to run like Karyn, I needed to train like Karyn...or at least follow her plan. 

How It Progressed

The training schedule came out and I was ready to quit when I saw the first week's mileage. How was I going to run that much with weeks of only walking the dogs as my only training? I went back to my Hal Higdon program and realized that his mileage for Week 1 was almost the same as Karyn's planned mileage. I took a deep breath and decided to at least try her workouts.

The weeks progressed and while I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group, I knew my running was improving. On top of that, I was finally starting to drop some weight. My first true test of fitness came at the Urban Cow Half Marathon. I stuck with the pacer until mile 11 and ran ahead for the last two miles. Although my back was tweaked, I was more than happy with the results.

The mileage continued to grow every week. There were new things to learn and old things to re-learn. There were hill workouts, tempo runs, strides, and of course the long runs. Sprinkled within the workouts were Karyn's words of wisdom about training, recovery, and nutrition. Eventually the Sunday long runs became impossible to work around church so I started doing them on my own on Saturdays. This seemed to work OK and I would often see my Gold Country teammates out doing the same.

Every workout started with a group pic

I stuck with the plan up until the middle of October. During a run with 10 speedy intervals, I overdid it a bit and developed a nagging pain in my left quad. I didn't think much of the pain at first, but as the weeks went by, the pain only got worse. Every time I would start to run, the pain would shoot through my quad and I would hobble through the first several steps until I got enough momentum to move more fluidly. I started to doubt my ability to even make it to the start line.

I went ahead and ran the 2023 Run the Parkway - 20 Miler knowing that I wouldn't feel the pain in my leg after mile 3 or 4. I stuck with the pacer for the first 10 miles and sped up for the final half. I was surprised with my results and the average pace that showed I could probably hang with Karyn's 3:55 pace group at CIM. 

Floating along during Run the Parkway

After that run, unfortunately, things only continued to get worse. I decided I needed to give my leg a chance to heal or I wouldn't be running CIM. For the last few weeks of training, I swapped running for swimming and cycling. I did the last long run with the group a week out from the race. I was 8 miles and I was able to complete the distance, but I wasn't feeling too positive. After that, I passed on the remaining short runs and either walked the dogs or swam. 

I was nervous.

How It Ended

After a restless night's sleep, I got up, got dressed, ate my Maurten Solid 225 bar and drank half a cup of coffee. I filled a water bottle for the short ride to the shuttle drop off point and was ready to head out. This year, HS and I took a different route. Last year we took Folsom Blvd but since we knew the road was choked off due to construction, we opted for Greenback. I've come to realize that drop off logistics are almost as volatile as IKEA assembly instructions. Eventually, HS got me to a point where I could hop out of the truck and walk to the shuttles. 

NOTE: Celebrity sighting... Deirdre Fitzpatrick was on my shuttle bus! 

This year's start was exciting in that it was the first time I was racing as part of an organized training group AND we had access to the Gold Country Run + Sport store (which unfortunately is closing so now I will have to shop at their El Dorado Hills location). 

Great group of people!!

Because of the issue with my quad, I decided to run with the 4:00 group and hopefully have a bit left in the tank to speed up the last couple of miles. I made my way to the corral and noted the pacer. People continued to crowd in front of me to get as close to the pacer as possible, but I figured that as long as I could see his sign and I maintained my distance, it would be good. No need to get jammed up.

As I waited for the start, a couple of women behind me were talking about our pacer and how he had run every CIM since the beginning and how they had heard that he was spot on with every mile. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried about going out too fast and blowing up, this guy was going to keep me in check.

After a 10 minute delay, the race started. I shed my warming jacket saved from last year's race and continued the slow walk to the timing mat. I started a slow jog as the group began to pick up the pace and pressed start on my Garmin as soon as I crossed the official start line. After finding a clear lane to run, I tried to settle in. My quad was sore, but not as bad has it had been. I checked my watch and my pace was quicker than I had intended. I was planning on running at 9:08 and I was at 8:49. I looked up to find my pacer.

To my dismay, I couldn't find him anywhere. Where is the 4:00 sign? I started to panic. If I couldn't find my pacer, I felt doomed. I continued the faster pace hoping to catch up with him. Before I knew it, I was passing the Mile 1 marked. How did that get here so quickly? And why haven't I found my pacer? Mile 2 was almost as quick as the first but eventually I saw the red sign briefly pop up for a second and disappear. At least I had an idea where he was and I was close enough to try and get back to my intended pace. I only hoped that I hadn't derailed my entire race plan by going out too fast.

5k - 8:58 min/mi avg (This is what I would have been running if I was with Karyn's group!)

As I closed in on my pacer, I overheard two women behind me talking about not being able to find the 4:00 pacer. I pointed him out as the sign quickly popped up and disappeared again. I moved in a bit closer and was soon in line with the pacer. As I moved around other runners and out of the way, I found myself in front of the group. I checked my watch and was still moving quicker than intended.

10k - 8:57 min/mi avg (Uh oh)

I knew I was still running too fast. The miles were going by quickly and I was pleasantly surprised each time I came up on a mile marker. I reminded myself that I have in this position a number of times and I have paid dearly for it at the end. Because of this, I made an honest effort to slow down. My original plan was 9:08 pace for the first half, 9:05 ish for the next 7 miles and then 9:00 for the last 6.

15k - 9:01 min/mi avg

I think this was in Fair Oaks...saw HS and my friend Catherine!

Half Marathon - 9:02 min/mi avg

After the halfway point, I was feeling pretty good about my pace and intended to pick it up at Mile 14. My nutrition was going as planned: Sport Legs every 45-50 minutes, Maurten Gel 160 every 5-1/2 to 6 miles, water at every aid station. I was even doing my best to run through the aid stations avoiding the people that thought it best to grab a cup and then stop to drink it. 

Although my quad wasn't bothering me too much, I noticed a growing pain in my hamstring of the same leg. I wondered if I had altered my stride to compensate. Whatever the reason, it wasn't bad enough to make me walk, so I kept running. 

25k - 9:01 min/mi avg

30k - 9:01 min/mi avg

At this point, there was a lot of talking to myself. It started off ok...stuff like "Keep moving forward"and "Don't worry about your pace as long as you are still running" which devolved to "Quit being such a PUSS!!!" I think there were a few times I said the last line out loud! Oh well, it seemed to work.

I passed "The Wall" and reminded myself that there were only 6.2 miles to go, less than an hour. Mentally, I started to crack. I questioned why I was even running and then remembered that I feel this way every time I hit this point of the race. I then reminded myself that in the last two years I had already started walking and that I was doing so much better this year. 

Still running :-)

In a bargain with myself, I agreed that I could walk the aid stations, but I would need to continue running in between. Fine!

35k - 9:01 min/mi avg

As I ran down the numbered blocks on J Street, my resolve started to falter and I was tempted to walk. Why not? I was ahead of where I was the last two years. I then tried calculating how much time I would add if I started walking. Would I be happy with this time? Would the 4:00 group overtake me like they have in the past along this stretch? (I hate when that happens!!) Would Karyn look at my splits and shake her head? People would believe me if I said my leg hurt too bad to run. Why not go with that excuse? My internal debate and mileage mathematics kept me occupied enough that the next aid station was soon in sight. 

It's amazing what a brief rest like slowing down enough to walk and take a drink will do for a body and mind. I decided to switch to Nuun, the electrolyte drink on course, and it seemed to put a bit of pep back in my step. For the remainder of the aid stations, I grabbed the Nuun instead of water. I left the aid station feeling energized and ready to take on the battle ahead. Unfortunately, a few steps later, I was ready to walk...it was definitely a mental battle at this point. Thankfully, the 24 mile marker appeared and I convinced myself to run to the sign before starting to walk. Fine!

Walking the aid stations - Miles 20-26
(with a sprint at the finish)

Just past the 24 mile sign, the course makes a jog on to Alhambra before turning on to L St. I decided that I could run until L St. One more small compromise on this long run. It was on this short segment that I found some gross inspiration to keep running. 

As I was running I heard some girls on the side of the road cheering for someone who's name I couldn't make out. I looked up and saw a woman in front of me and figured it must be for her. As I closed in on her, I noticed her white shorts and for a brief second I thought she was wearing a baby costume (I saw Santa Clause earlier, so why not a baby?). 

Well, she wasn't wearing a costume, but she had done what all babies (and some marathoners) do and had pooped her pants. It may not have been as noticeable had she not been wearing white shorts, but as I ran past her, her intestinal distress was very evident and running down her legs. My next thought was, "Tracy, you're not doing so bad after all. Now shut up and keep running."

I felt bad for the woman as I passed her. She sounded in distress and I could not fathom what would make her continue. I counted my blessings. I'm pretty sure I would have quit. I ran ahead and wondered if she would continue or stop and ask for help at the next aid station at Sutter's Fort.

When I reached that station, there was an announcer letting us know that we were probably going to finish in the 3:57-3:58 range. I can't say I was shocked, I was still ahead of the 4:00 group. However, the realization set in that I was going to beat my goal of 9:06 min/mi pace and I was getting close to setting a PR. Walking was definitely out of the question now, no matter how bad I wanted to walk.

40k - 9:02 min/mi avg

Passing Mile 26

I definitely ran slower in the second half than the first half and I was bummed that I didn't get a negative split but I as I passed the 26 mile marker I was pleased with my performance. I dug deep for the finish and started running as fast as my legs would carry me at this point. Oddly, I started passing people. I pushed even harder and noticed a weird feeling in my legs...sort of like they weren't exactly doing what I was telling them to do. The placement of my feet felt odd and it seemed like I would crash and burn at any moment. I willed myself to stay upright. Thankfully, the finish line was in sight and I made it without falling. 

Finish line!

Finish - 9:02 min/mi avg.
Sub 4 Hour Finish - 3:56:47
Second fastest CIM finish (Fastest time was ten years ago at my very first CIM)
Boston Qualifying Time - 4:05 

When can I sign up again?
(Yes, as of writing this, I am registered for 2024)

Looking Forward

Drop remaining 10 extra pounds

Finish with 3:55 pace group (Hope Karyn's leading it!)

California International Marathon - 2022

Ok, this one's going to be short and sweet...unlike the actual race. 

Seven and counting! 2022 is not my favorite medal.

This was my seventh time running CIM. I didn't expect a PR or BQ after completing IRONMAN California about a month prior. I also had been sick with a terrible cold/sinus infection since before Thanksgiving (Actually, I started having sinus problems after IMCA). Anyway, I decided to make the best of a bad situation and go out there and have fun and get my finisher's medal.

Emergency poncho! 

HS had been warning me about the weather all week. I knew the chance of rain was going to be high. I sprung for the $5 rain poncho at the CIM Expo and hoped that I wouldn't have to wear it for the entire 26.2 miles. Thankfully, the poncho was off before the race started. This year I chose to wear a hydration vest/pack. Originally, I was going to wear a hip pack to carry the poncho and gels, but the strap looked like it had been chewed by some vicious animal (I'm blaming Wags). 

Wagner, the destroyer of all things I decide
I need at the last minute!

The hydration pack worked fine and allowed me to keep my hands free and it matched my shoes! I sipped casually from the tube every time I passed an aid station.

Since it was a bit chilly, I wore a long sleeve thermal top. There was an internal thumb strap that kept the sleeves pulled down past my Garmin. Mentally this was just the break I needed because I couldn't stare at my watch every couple of minutes and fret about my pace. I ran the race, only focusing on enjoying the fact that I was out there on the course instead of sitting at home. 

I tried not to chase other runners (old habits die hard) but occasionally found myself mad at someone for passing me wearing a running skirt or wearing their hair in a man-bun. Don't ask me why those things trigger me in a race, but I have determined that these people should not be allowed to pass. LOL

The race proceeded as well as could be expected given my sinus infection reduced training (hey, I was calling it an enhanced taper). I ran through Fair Oaks Village and kept my eyes peeled for signs of HS. There was no sign of him so I assumed he was either inside somewhere grabbing food or he decided to go to church. He went to church. I trudged along, pleased with myself that I had continued to run. I wasn't very speedy on this day, but I wasn't walking. 

I passed the 13.1 mark still feeling pretty good but dreading the next part of the course. I don't know what it is about this section, but it does not spark joy. Maybe it's just a bit bleak, I don't know. My pace was pretty consistent through the first 18 miles and then my cold medicine wore off. The first coughing fit scared me a bit. I was on a bit of a descent and as I coughed, it felt like my brain short circuited and my legs went haywire. I steadied myself, but after it happened a second time, I decided to walk when I started coughing. 

Then I decided to walk when I went through the aid stations. Then I decided to walk because my left calf was tight. Then I decided to walk because I was over it. As flat as the course was at this point, it was all downhill for me. I was done. I wanted to cross the finish line and get my medal.

Screen grab from the free finish line video on Athlinks
(I won't be buying any of the saddest race photos 
since the first time I did Barb's Race)

Post Race

HS was at the finish dutifully waiting. He asked what happened at 24th Street because he said that is when the tracking stopped moving. I shrugged, just wanting to get my swag and leave. I'm not sure what the tracker is based on, but I slowed down way before he noticed.

The walk to our truck seemed incredibly far and my legs continued to tighten up. I limped along in pain and hoped that he was picking the quickest route to the parking structure. I remarked to HS how it was so strange how my legs can hurt so much more after a marathon than an IRONMAN race to which he replied "You weren't doing a lot of running in IRONMAN." OUCH, BABE!!! LOL

Got my medal and didn't ruin my new Saucony shoes.
Win-Win!

We drove straight home and I stood in the freezing cold hot tub for about 5 minutes before wimping out and getting into a nice warm epsom salt bath. I hobbled down stairs and slipped into my Hyperice recovery boots. These were a godsend after IRONMAN. I was relying on them to save me again. 

Best purchase I have made in a while!

I wore the boots several more times over the next 24 hours and wondered if there was limit on how much you could use them. I didn't care. My legs were feeling 1000% better and I could manage the stairs and even walking the dogs. On day 2 when I normally found myself in a free fall situation every time I used the toilet, I was impressingly controlled and lowered myself like a lady.

Least favorite shirt. Missing the V-neck and the blue.

On Monday, I donned my new CIM shirt before we headed out to get my prescription (should have called the doctor before that the race). As I walked out of the bathroom, I turned to look in the mirror. What is wrong with my shirt? I had requested a large so it would be more of a lounge shirt but it felt very restricted through the shoulders. Were the arm holes too low? Did I have it on backwards? What is going on? I turned and faced the mirror. Something is definitely not right but I can't put my finger on it. I took the shirt off and swapped it for my Jed Smith Ultra shirt. Whatever...I ran for the medal not the shirt.

Final Wrap Up

All that being said...I just signed up for 2023!  Hopefully, HS will be joining me in the finisher pics ;-)

2016 CIM
Mike's first and only marathon. He missed qualifying for
the Boston Marathon by less than 5 minutes!!!

CIM 2016 - Race Report

Sunday’s California International Marathon marked the unfortunate end to my 2016 racing season. Going into the race I had every hope of finally getting a Boston Qualifying time. I had done everything right leading up to the race. I followed my training plan as closely as possible. Tried eating right and getting as much sleep as I could. I trained with the nutrition I planned on using during the race. Before my long runs I would try out different pre-race breakfasts to see what worked the best. I had even made it through an IRONMAN training season and a marathon training season injury free. I was on top of the world. All I needed to do was run the race.

Easier said than done...

I even limited my time at the expo to packet pick-up and a quick picture

Race Start

Once we were a few minutes away from the start of the race, I gave HS a kiss and made my way towards the start line. I wanted to be a little closer to the pace group for my goal. I also wanted to hang my Mylar blanket on the fence so no one would trip over it.

I should have stuck with these two

The gun went off and the slow march to the timing mat started. I was in no real hurry. Eventually I crossed the line and pressed “Start” on my Garmin. I saw the 3:58 pace group. That would be my time to beat if I wanted a Boston Qualifying time that would actually send me to Boston (4:00 is the listed qualifying time for my age group but you need to be about 2 minutes faster to go).

All three of my prior CIM times have been sub 3:58. However, I still wanted to beat 3:55:04…my time from my first CIM four years earlier. That time still stings because it was four seconds off of a BQ for that age group.

Karyn, one of the pace leaders for the 3:58 group, had asked if I was running with them. I said “No. I was shooting for 3:55.” Her response was “Tracy Pengilly don’t let me chase you down ;-)” That warning stuck in my head. I had every intention of sticking to the pace I had programmed into my Garmin. I was using the same pacing plan I had used for my first CIM. If that plan got me to 3:55:04 a few years ago, it could get me there again.

First 10K

The first mile is the best at CIM. It’s basically all down hill. I did my best to stick close to a 9 minute per mile pace but the quick descent and my adrenaline had me running a bit faster than I desired. The next few miles on Oak Ave were across rolling hills. I was feeling pretty awesome at this point and knew I was running way faster than I should be. It then crossed my mind that maybe this year would be my year and not only would I run a 3:55, but I would run faster than I ever dared believe. Although I didn’t realize at that moment, this is the point my race took a turn for the worst.

At the end of the first 10k I decided that I needed to reign in my speed a bit. If things worked out as I had planned, I was going to pick up the pace at the wall and run with everything I had left until the finish.

Half-Way

I had successfully slowed my pace but was starting to wonder if I had slowed because I was trying to slow down or because I couldn’t go any faster.  Each time I came to a hill, I could feel my quads burning just a bit more than the last hill. Eventually my Garmin started beeping at me to “Speed Up”. This was not a good sign. I tried to chalk it up to the 20-30 seconds I lost refilling my water bottle, but I knew it was more than that.

20 Miles (The Wall)

As I neared “the wall” I started to wonder if this was the year I was actually going to hit it. I wasn't feeling tired, I was just starting to hurt. My quads were burning and there was a pain in my right leg that seemed to radiate around my leg and into my hamstring. I wanted to stop, but I wanted to stay in front of Karyn even more. Unfortunately, I soon recognized the voice behind me and I knew she had finally ran me down. I kept up with the 3:58 group for a bit but it hurt too much to try and stay with them so I let them go. I wanted to start walking but convinced myself that a slow run was still better than walking.

At this point, I was pretty down. Not only was I not going to beat the elusive 3:55, but I wasn’t even going to finish below 3:58. I slowed down a bit more. I was losing my will to fight on. I reminded myself that technically a sub 4:00 finish would still be a BQ. All I needed to do was stay in front of the 4:00 pace group. Within a mile or so, I heard a group of runners coming up behind me. I then heard the cheers of “Go Sub 4 Group”. Crap! They were here and I was suffering. As the group ran past me, I slowed to a walk.

I thought of another Karen at this point. She had just gone through a similar situation at the Las Vegas Marathon. If I’m not qualifying and if I’m hurting on top of it, why keep pushing and run the risk of actually doing long term damage? While this was a very logical decision, it was still a very bitter pill to swallow. I had worked my butt off for the last four months and I can’t even run the last few miles. Ugh.

Every once in a while I would start running again but the running spurts starting getting shorter in distance and further apart.  I thought of the Pearl Izumi pact and the words printed on the back of my Ambador shirt (We take the “ass” out of ambassador) "I will endure. I will enjoy". Well, I was definitely enduring, I just needed to focus on the enjoying part.

I will endure. I will enjoy.

The Finish

The final stretch to the finish was familiar territory. Not only was this my fourth time doing CIM, but I had been running the virtual course on my ProForm “Boston Marathon” 4.0 treadmill.  I knew exactly where mile 25 was. I had imagined the portion of the race over and over in my head. When I hit that point, that last one mile, with less than 10 minutes of running left to do, I was going to sprint. I was going to finish in a blaze of glory. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case today.

A Word About Hot Stuff

Last year, while I was signing up for the $89 CIM Re-Run special, I mentioned something about the cheap price to HS. He was on his second glass of wine and cavalierly responded "Sign me up!" I continued typing away on my computer. A few minutes later he asks "Did you just sign me up for a marathon?" Yes I did!

He wasn't sure at that time what he had gotten himself into, but around September, he decided to commit to a training plan and he stuck with it. He was not fond of the 18 and 20 mile training runs as the race date neared, but he got through them and he knew he could finish the race. Ironically, I tried instilling in him the importance of pacing himself and not going out too fast.

He watched his heart rate during the race and ended up running a negative split. In fact, he was closer to qualifying for Boston than I was! I missed the mark by 7 minutes and 3 seconds.  HS was only 4 minutes and 49 seconds away! I am truly impressed by his effort!

That's the face of a happy first time finisher!

Post Race

I am thankful that I decided to ease up and not hurt myself during the race.  I am in much better shape a couple of days out of the race than I have been in the past. The only pain that I have now is in my right shoulder/back area. HS thought that I may have slept funny or something, but it is more than that. There is a definite pinched nerve feeling and overall soreness. I wracked my brain trying to think of what I could have possibly done during the race to cause this much discomfort. At first I thought that I may have just been too tense in my shoulders and then it dawned on me. ..this was the first year I ran with a water bottle.

I've done other races with a hand-held bottle and I do my longer training runs (when I'm not on the treadmill) with a hand-held. However, when I carry a water bottle, I always make a conscious effort to change hands every other mile. I only switched hands once or twice during CIM. For the majority of the race, that 20oz water bottle was planted firmly in my right hand. If I carry the bottle again, I am going to make sure I change hands.

Did I just use the word "again"?

Yes, yes, I did. And before you ask, yes, I am registered for the 2017 California International Marathon. I missed the $89 Re-Run special, but I was quick enough to get the $99 Re-Run 2 special. I've already let Ms. Karyn know that if she's leading the 3:58 group again that I will be running with the group. I think I will go back and look at my training data from my first CIM and maybe stick with something similar to that. 5th time has to be a charm :-)

See ya next year CIM

#endureandenjoy #pearlizumirun #run365 #CIM #marathon

CIM 2015 - Race Report

I really thought that this year was going to be my year to qualify for Boston. It's not that I even think I want to go to Boston, I just want to qualify. Maybe this goal is stuck in my head because the first time I raced CIM in 2013, I missed a Boston qualifying time by a mere :04 seconds! ARGH!!

Maybe I started off too slow this year?

I went back again in 2014 after following a marathon training plan and sticking with the 3:55:00 pace group. That should work, right? Wrong! I added two minutes. I was so bummed. Part of my problem was (I thought) that all of the running I had been doing as part of my training finally took its toll and caused my calf to cramp with less than 5 miles to go. I had to walk it out and missed my goal. I was completely defeated as I watched the pace group run away from me.

For 2015 my plan was to stick to a more diverse training plan with more swimming and cycling. I was done with running 5-6 days a week. I also decided to splurge and get a hotel room at the Hyatt right across from the starting line.  I also convinced Lindsey and Max to come stay at the house with the dogs. This move should remove any race morning worries about driving from Stockton, finding parking, dropping the dogs off at the kennel, etc. I should arrive at the start line well rested and ready to go...NOT!

Day Before the Race

HS and I got to Sac a little after 1:00pm on Saturday. We parked at the hotel and headed to the convention center to pick up my race packet. There were no lines and I was done within 10 minutes. Since we couldn't check in until 3pm, we wandered around the expo for a while longer, I bought some of my favorite GU...Salted Watermelon and HS snapped a pick of me standing by a CIM sign. By then it was still only 2:30pm. We walked back to our car, grabbed our bags, went to see if we could check in a little early.

This sign had the shortest line

There was a line of runners at Registration but the clerks were efficient and it was our time before we new it. To our surprise, The #Hyatt had our room ready and allowed us to check in. The Hyatt also had a goodie bag for the runners, a bottle of water, a banana, some Nuun, and a pack of ear plugs LOL

Our room was very nice. I went through my bag and starting laying out the gear I would need in the morning. Once that was done, I double checked that my Garmin and my LifeBEAM hat (for tracking my HR) were synced. I then triple checked my alarm and flopped down on the bed. HS warned me about taking a nap and not being able to sleep later on, so I did a little channel surfing before we decided to go get dinner.

I had been craving ramen for over a week so we headed for a sushi restaurant that was just around the corner from the hotel. I ordered the House Ramen and was not disappointed. It was just what I wanted.

Carbo loading with House Ramen at Osaka Sushi

We were back in our room by 6pm and HS was asleep not too long after that. I, on the other hand, was not ready to sleep. I was preoccupied by the race and could not wind down (not even after some #MichaelDavid Inkblot Petit Verdot). I tossed and turned, hot and then cold. Comfortable then uncomfortable. Eventually I turned off the TV and tried willing myself to sleep. This was not good.

I think I finally fell asleep around 10:30pm. It's not bad, but it would have been nice to be asleep at my normal bedtime of 9:00pm. The alarm would start ringing before I knew it.

Pre-Race

My alarm sounded at 3:55am (I just realized that I set my alarm for my goal time LOL) and I wished I could just keep sleeping. I rolled out of bed, started some coffee and hopped in the shower (my hair was a sweaty mess that even my hat could not hide). I ate a Clif Bar and a banana and finished my coffee. I had been thinking about bringing some bagels, but didn't get around to picking some up. At 4:50am, HS and I walked down to the bus line. It was a little on the windy side and chilly. HS wanted to go get his jacket but didn't want to miss sending me off, so he endured the cold.

I love my number!

A couple of buses appeared from the opposite direction and I was lucky enough to get on the second one. As we headed east on Highway 50, the rain started to fall. I told myself that it looked worse than it was because it was a big flat bus windshield. The funny thing about riding the bus from the finish to the start is you get a very good idea of just how long 26.2 miles is! Even though this is my third time running CIM, I'm always humbled about how far it actually it is!

Once we arrived in Folsom, the bus driver took a couple of wrong turns, but eventually he got us to the start. I got off the bus immediately and headed to the port-a-potties. Once that was taken care of, I wandered around a bit, helped myself to some free GU Chomps and looked around if I could see anyone I knew. No luck.

Race!

Before I knew it, we were singing the national anthem and on our way. Immediately I noticed my HR was too high for my race plan...even though I had been trying to keep it at the right pace and we were running down hill. I didn't want to slow down anymore and prayed that I wasn't dooming my race before the first mile was even over. Eventually, my HR started to come down a bit and I got into my rhythm as we made our way up and down the rolling hills.

The race progressed as I had planned, and according to my Garmin, I was at the pace I wanted. I ate a GU about every 5 or so miles and was drinking at the aid stations. I was happy that I was able to grab the cups of Nuun or water offered and drink without slowing down much (I did get water up  my nose at one station LOL). However, at around mile 18, things started to change. I noticed that my quads were starting to ache. This was new for me because I usually don't even notice my quads until about a day after the race.

My legs felt like they were on fire, so I took another dose of Sport Legs (I had one prior to the race and again at mile 10). I also had some Aleve in my bag so I took one of those too. Unfortunately, this had no affect on how my legs felt and I only succeeded in upsetting my stomach. I told myself that if I slowed down to walk I would feel worse tomorrow about walking than I did at that moment. I hate looking back at a race and wishing I would have pushed more, endured more, or not given up. So I kept running. I told myself it was just a little pain and that I wasn't going to die from it.

The 3:55:00 pace group caught up with me at around mile 21 or 22. I tried to hang with them knowing that as they moved past me my goal time was also slipping away. As much as I tried to muster more energy, I just couldn't go any faster. My goal at that point became not walking and instead pushing until the end. I ran past the spot where I walked last year. Every step after that became a victory. Before I knew it I saw the 25 mile mark and I started to run with everything I had left. Looking at my Garmin data I was running around 8:20 pace down to 7:34 when I rounded the corner and saw the finish line.

Thanks for capturing this moment, HS!

Post Race

After I crossed the finish line I walked over to HS. All I could say was "I didn't make my time." That was it. No tears, no anger, just sort of matter of fact. I guess the fact that I gave it everything I had, that I had no regrets made it easy to accept that once again I missed a Boston Qualifying time. I really didn't think about this moment again until the next morning when HS remarked "I was really proud how you handled yourself yesterday."

I was floored. It meant so much to me to hear this, to know that it was remarkable enough for him to notice!! It was another victory for me. I had finally learned to handle defeat and to shrug it off. I was moving past that race and looking forward to my next challenge :-)

Of course, one of my next challenges is CIM 2016. As soon as I got the invite for the $89 re-run I signed up. HS even signed up too and so did my sister, Trisha; my teammates Dani and Nancy; and one of my co-workers!

Here's to 2016...BQ or no BQ :-)

#endureandenjoy

In Search of 5 Seconds

In 2013, I ran my first California International Marathon and missed a Boston qualifying time by 4 seconds (race report).  F-O-U-R freakin' seconds!!! I was crushed.

I went back in 2014, after following a marathon training plan and cutting out all of my usual triathlon cross training, and I managed to ADD a few minutes to my time. (race report) ARGH!!

Had a great time in 2014 with my tri buddies

I recently re-read my race reports from those years.  At the end of last year's report, I had noted the following goals:

Goals for 2015 

• Learn to listen to myself
• Enjoy the marathon during Vineman
• Convince HS , Lindsey, Max, and Ashley to run CIM with me!

Ok, I'm running CIM by myself, so I definitely missed Goal #3. As for enjoying the marathon during Vineman, well...I don't know about that goal either LOL!!! Now, as for my first goal about learning to listen to myself, I think I have been much better than previous years.

Going Back to What Works

This year I decided to go back to more of what I did in 2013 and less of what I did in 2014. In 2013, I enjoyed my training a lot more than all the running I did in 2014. I also didn't have the cramping issues.

Here's how my training in November matches up for the past 3 years:

Orange = swim
Blue = run
Red = cycling
Green = strength training

November 2013

Almost as much swimming as there was running with a little bit of cycling on Saturdays. Seems like a lot of "rest" days too.

November 2014

Almost entirely all running except for the Salmon Duathlon.

November 2015

Less swimming than 2013 and a lot more cycling and strength training.

Race Plans

I've decided that I won't be running with a pace group this year. 2013 = no pace group / 2014 = 3:55:00 pace group.  Apparently the pace group tries to keep an even pace for the entire race. However, that is not how I run. I need to start out a little slower and then pick up the pace later in the race.

26.2 miles is a long run and a lot can happen. That being said, I really hope that somewhere in all those miles I can manage to squeak out at least 5 seconds!

Last Long Run

Today was my last long, slow run before CIM. I usually don't write much about my running...there's not much to say...it's long and it's slow and it's boring. Knowing that you have a 20 mile run is not always something you want to think about when you roll out of bed...especially if it's raining. I checked the weather report and according to Yahoo! Weather the rain would be over by the time I got home from church! Yay! I was not looking forward to running 20 miles in the rain.

Our street was still wet from the morning rain, but the weather report said it was over

Yeah but...

Unless your cable and internet service has been down for a few days, you are aware of the terrible events that occurred in France on Friday. It is truly a tragedy. When I got to church and looked at the handout I saw that the topic was "Yeah but...Why do bad things happen to good people?" This wasn't a sermon that the pastor cooked up at the last minute because of the events in France. It was the planned sermon in a series called "Yeah but..." which is meant to address the questions that we all may ask about God, life and faith... the "Yeah but's" in life.

Although the sermon wasn't intended to be about France, the pastor did open with a prayer for the people of France and everyone affected. After the prayer, I couldn't help but think about all the tragedies and heartache in the world. You can't turn on the TV or look at the internet without learning about some new horrible event. My mind then drifted to my big worry...was it going to rain on my long run. Immediately I felt horribly shallow and stupid. Really Tracy? That's your big worry? Boy you sure do have it rough.

Is it Worth It?

When I think about the time and money involved in training for the events I choose, I often wonder "Is it worth it?" I mean honestly, what am I doing here...planning my Sundays around insanely long distances that I really don't even like to do. In a few months I will be preparing to have another go at Vineman. What if terrorists decide to do something horrible in the US again? It could all be over tomorrow and then what? Are there triathlons in heaven? Does everybody win at a triathlon in heaven?

I then remind myself that my time spent training is my way of staying grounded. For the few hours that I am out riding or running, I am in control. I'm not concerned with terrorists, bombings, mass shootings or anything like that (although the car alarms and sirens in Stockton can be a little worrisome). During my training, it's just me and the road. In a world where I feel incredibly out of control and helpless, my training gives me a glimmer of hope. I decide where I want to run, how far, and how fast? Nobody is making me train, it is my decision and I am incredibly grateful to be able to decide what I want to do.

Windy, Windy Weather

So, I lucked out in the rain department, but unfortunately the wind picked up. In fact there was even a possible tornado a little further south and that is pretty rare in California. My Garmin says the wind was 10 mph, but as anyone with a Garmin knows...that's at the time you start your activity. Weather Underground reported maximum wind speeds in Stockton of 31 mph with gusts up to 38 mph. I definitely felt some of those gusts. The run back home along the Calaveras bike path was miserable. All I could do was put my head down and hang onto my hat...so much for my Chi Running form ;-)

HS kept me company throughout the run. I know it wasn't easy for him to try and stay upright on his bike as he rode at a stupid slow pace, but he did it. I can't thank him enough. As I made my way back over the bridge on Feather River Dr, a gust of wind blew along the water way and pushed me enough to make me side step a bit. I was so over trying to fight the wind. I should have just ran in the hills if I wanted this kind of workout! I dug a bit deeper and made my way home (only 2 miles at that point LOL).

After loading my Garmin data, I then checked my calendar. 10 miles next Sunday!!! AWESOME ;-)

P90X3 and Me - Month 2 Wrap-Up

It's funny, when I look back at all of my blog post, I have several favorites...most of them are race reports. However, when I look at the stats,  my top post of all time is about P90X3. Go figure.

My first go at P90X3 is still the top post.

There are a couple of reasons that I decided to do P90X3 over the original P90X or P90X2:

• P90X3 is only 30 minutes long. I loved the original P90X, but with my current marathon training, I just didn't have the time or energy for 60+ minute workouts.

• P90X3 seems to be geared towards athletes. If you read the fitness guide or listen to the comments that Tony Horton makes during the workouts you will notice comments about preparing the body to compete, preventing injury, etc.

Month 1

I was shocked during the first month of P90X3. I figured that I was in the best shape of my life. It had been a month since I had completed Vineman, my first "iron" distance triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run) I couldn't have lost that much fitness in just a few weeks. It wasn't like I did Vineman and then stopped working out. I took a few days off for complete rest, but I was back in the pool and running and biking before the week was up...I felt great.

Anyway, that was my frame of mind when I started P90X3...it should be no problem. Well, I was wrong. I struggled with any type of pushup...in fact, yoga turned out to be quite a tough workout for me. How could that be???

Regardless of how tough everything felt, I kept at it. At the end of the first month, I was down 4 lbs. and I was starting to look more toned.

Day 60 - Down Another Pound
(My tan is fading fast LOL)

Month 2

The second month has marked the return of my strength. I can now do push-ups again and I feel fluid and strong during the yoga workout. While I know that the workouts in the second month are supposed to be more challenging than the first month, I actually liked them much better. The eccentric upper and lower routines are great and I was pleasantly surprised by Triometrics. I was certain that Triometrics was going to be 3x worse than P90X Plyometrics, boy was I wrong. Triometrics has some jump training moves but nothing like I was expecting.

TRIOMETRICS

"Old-school plyometrics is jump training. Welcome to Triometrics, X3's state-of-the-art take on a plyo workout that goes far beyond simple jumping. "Plyometrics" here means explosive. It's highly effective means of training muscular efficiency or power. The downside of this training is the time factor. The more explosive force that's created, the more downtime you need. Triometric's proprietary formula utilizes three different levels for every exercise, each targeting a different plysiological response while minimizing the downtime needed between movements. The result is a workout that increases speed and power in a fraction of the time you're used to training."

Speed and power...that's exactly what I need. I have the endurance (or had LOL), but the longer my triathlon training got, the slower I seemed to go. I was concerned that my 47 year old body was just slowing down. Maybe I was to the point where I would never see another PR :-(

This past Friday I went out for a 6 mile run (it was the end of my P90X3 transition week)... my average was sub-8 minute miles. I hadn't run that fast in a long, long time. I was thrilled. The only thing I can attribute this to is P90X3 and workouts like Triometrics.

My weight loss has been very, very slow this month. I am battling to get the last 4 lbs. off before CIM. I am going to have to really watch what I eat over the next 30 days if I want to get to my goal.

Trying to use Photo Booth on my computer to take pics...
didn't work so well LOL

Month 3

I started the third block today. I was tempted to skip it and just stay in bed, but I got up and made my first attempt at "Decelerator".  HS even joined me today. Decelerator was challenging, but it was the perfect cross training work out.

DECELERATOR

"Most athletic injuries occur on landing, not during takeoff, which is why a University of Southampton study concluded deceleration training is a must for general fitness training. Decelerator focuses on this type of training, using strategic angles to force loads on different parts of your anatomy, thus increasing your ability to stabilize and protect muscles, connective tissues, and joints. It also focuses on the strength and explosive power associated with launching into a move, creating a balance between your ability to go up strong and come down safe."

While I am a bit disappointed in my weight loss, I know at this point, it is going to be tough to get those last few pounds off. When I look at my pics though, I see more of a change in this last month than one pound could explain. It could be that I may have lost fat and gained muscle. Who knows...I feel better, I'm performing better, and I look better. Bring on month three!!!