You Spin Me Round (Like a Record): PCTR Summer Solstice 24 Hour Run

On June 21, I ran my first 24 hour race at Crissy Field in San Francisco.  The goal of this style of event is to run as many miles in a 24 hour period as possible.  The event was hosted by Pacific Coast Trail Runs.  Race directors John and Maureen Brooks along with all of the wonderful ultra volunteers did a spectacular job providing accurate timing, food, and smiling faces all day and all night. 

I signed up for the race because it was part of the PAUSATF series and I wanted to help score points for the Quicksilver racing team.  I was also intrigued by this unusual style of race without a static finish line.  I wasn’t sure how I would fare at this event, however, since the course consists of flat 1.061 mile loops.  The first half of the loop is paved, and the second half is gravel.  In the past, I have had success with hilly trail events, so this was definitely a big step outside of my comfort zone, both mentally and physically!

Preparation:

I worked with my coach, Ian Sharman, to prepare for this event immediately after recovering from Miwok 100k.  After having trained on very hilly trails for several months, I had to quickly change gears and focus on running flat, fast miles. Ian also helped me to develop a run/walk strategy that I could use and adapt over the course of the 24 hour run.  I decided to begin with 2-3 minutes of walking for approximately every 3 miles (approx. 3 loops) of running.  I knew that I would have to be flexible and adaptable during the 24 hours of forward motion, however, depending on how my body felt and how the weather fared. The frequency and length of the walking segments would most likely increase every few hours, and it would be best to adapt my plan before troublesome fatigue set in.  In other words, I was going to have to be constantly aware of and in tune with how my body was holding up, both mentally and physically.

Another important factor to consider was what type of running shoes to wear if I am going to be moving on flat, compact terrain for 24 hours straight.  In my old road running days, I always had success with Asics.  So, I ordered a pair of Asics Gel Kayanos online and hoped that they would be kind to my feet for such extended use.

After 5 weeks of focused training, consisting of long, flat runs along the Alameda Creek trail, race day had finally approached…

Quicksilver runners before the start of the 24 hour race.

Race Day:

The morning of the event was pleasant and cool and I had pre-race jitters due to my uncertainty of how the day would go.  Burnout Bear set up “camp” at a location along the allotted stretch of dirt path, consisting of two chairs and several bags full of clothing and a cooler full of nutrition for both the day and night.

Views from the course (Golden Gate Bridge on the right)

My bib number was 134 and some Quicksilver race team members made jokes about trying to reach their bib number in miles.  It would take a miracle to reach134 miles on my first attempt, I thought.  My main goal was to reach at least 100 miles, so I was focused on reaching that distance, first.  Any additional miles would be “bonus” miles.  Some team members had also mentioned that there was a 120 mile standard to qualify for the national USATF 24 hour team, so I kept that in the back of my mind just in case I happened to pull past the 100 mile mark.  Since the flat course would require the same muscles to work over and over, I was unsure if my legs would fatigue prematurely.

Completing another lap, still early in the day.

…Slow down, Turtle!...

And, of course, I made the classic mistake at a 24 hour run: I started out faster than I had planned due to nerves and some pre-race mate tea (after having abstained from caffeine for 2 weeks.)  Even so, I still adhered to my run/walk strategy and made sure to walk 2-3 minutes after every third lap.  The walk/run strategy saved my race, or else I most certainly would have burned myself out!  I used this time to also ingest some Hammer Perpetuum, Endurolytes, and Anti-Fatigue tabs, as needed.  I wore a Fuel Belt to make sure that I had some Perpetuum and water with me at all times while out on the course. 

Another view from the course: Alcatraz Island

I found that my GPS was not adding up the mileage correctly and was already off by several miles only a few hours into the run.  Calculating the distance that I had run became a great exercise for my brain while I was running, however, and I was watching the clock at the marathon mark to find that I ran a Boston Qualifying time (~3:40).  This shocked me due to all of the walking breaks that I had been taking and I tried (unsuccessfully) to back off of the gas at this point.  I was still feeling full of energy, though, so even though I maintained the same walk/run strategy, I ended up with the following faster-than-expected splits: 50k around 4:20, 50 mile around 7:12, 100k around 9:17, and eventually I hit the 100 mile mark at 17 hours flat.  The 50 mile, 100k and 100 mile times were all PRs for me!

Danni Baird completing another lap with a smile.  Who wouldn't smile with these views?

…Then I’ll Huff and I’ll Puff…

The biggest problem that I encountered during the race was the gusty wind that began during the early afternoon hours and continued until sometime after midnight.  It was blowing extremely hard into the faces of the runners when running out from the aid station on the south side of the loop and this made that stretch very challenging and tiring.  I made sure to take more walk breaks when heading into the wind and eventually I found myself walking that entire half side of the loop.  The headwind was definitely wearing me out and I wasn’t sure if I would make it the full 24 hours if the wind continued on the entire time.  The wind also made for a much colder run, so I decided to change from shorts into running tights immediately after the sun set.  This ended up being an enormous challenge with stiff and wobbly legs!  Burnout Bear had to accompany me into the women’s restroom to help me change because I couldn’t do it on my own.  This was my longest lap at over 20 minutes.  Never again will I attempt to squeeze my legs into tights after running on them for over 12 hours!  Lesson learned (the hard way.)

Burnout Bear, my lifeline for 24 hours!

RD John Brooks and Greg Lanctot managing the timing system.

As soon as the sun set, I had a difficult time seeing the path and trail and I found that a headlamp was required to maintain a brisk pace.  At this point, I was speed walking a lot and found both my body and mind fatiguing.  Every time I had to stop to use the restroom or refill my water bottles, my legs would stiffen up due to the colder air.  Luckily, the gusty wind gave up sometime in the very early morning, and this relieved all of the runners, as well as the volunteers.  I found myself maintaining around a 14-15 min. per mile pace much of the night.

Burnout Bear now jokes that I am “solar powered” because as soon as the sun light hinted over the horizon, I began to pick up the pace (10-12 min. per mile).  This was due to the fact that I could see the path better and I suddenly felt more awake.  I felt as if I was just starting out for my Sunday morning run!  I was amazed by how much fresher I felt simply by seeing sunlight.

The most common question that I have received since the race from both runners and non-runners alike is: Wasn’t it boring?

Still running in the early morning...

Not in the least!  The 24 hours flew by.  This was the most social running event that I have ever participated in and it felt like an all-night party.  The loop viewed the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the buildings and lights of the city of San Francisco.  There was a lot of comeraderie amongst the runners and many exchanged smiles, thumbs up, and words of encouragement to one another as one runner passed another.  (Although, during the later hours it was more like a half-smile and perhaps a flick of the hand at most, but it was the intention that counted!)  I met a lot of new ultra runners during this event and became more acquainted with others that I recognized from prior events.  It is refreshing to find that there are other like-minded individuals with an insane love for running and pushing the body to its limits to experience life in its purest and simplest form…  I can’t tell you how wonderful a poor man’s meal of noodle soup and a cup of Coke tastes at mile 110!

Quicksilver Club President Greg Lanctot helps motivate runners during the final morning hours.

Mark Tanaka finishes strong at a 7:37 pace for the final lap!

"Ultra Jester" Ed Ettinghausen finishes in third place after having run 100 miles just the weekend prior!  (He is striving for the record of running the most 100s in one year.)

Cecilia Santos completes another lap with a smile, while on her way to placing second overall female!

Post-race photo with two other Quicksilver race team members: Jean Pommier (left), finishing second, and Mark Tanaka (right.)  This was Jean's first 24 hour event, as well!

Finish line photo with the other successful, driven runners who ran for 24 hours straight!

The Outcome:

It was quite fitting that “Walking on Sunshine” began playing on my iPod as I jogged my final loop. I was in first place overall and was about to complete a total of 131.564 miles / 124 loops in 23:54:04.4 (an average of 10:54/mile.)  I never dreamed that I would complete this many miles in one day and the performance ended up qualifying me for the 2015 USATF national 24 hour team! 

Crossing the "finish line" for the last time!

And A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!

To John and Maureen Brooks for putting on a well-organized event!  Bravo.

To all of the “ultra” aid station volunteers for helping out all day and night.

To Quicksilver “Captain” Loren Lewis for his help and electric energy for 24 hours straight.

To Quicksilver President and Coach Greg Lanctot who helped all night and motivated me intensely during those final morning hours!
To Shir Kochavi for taking all of the high quality, lovely pictures posted in this blog, and then some.

To many other Quicksilver team members who stopped by Crissy Field to share smiles and words of encouragement!  It was uplifting to see you.

And the biggest, warmest thanks to Burnout Bear for his support and love, not only during these 24 hours, but continuously.    

Leaving the event with my supportive "other half".  Thank you, Burnout Bear!

My Vertical Triple-Header: Diablo 50k, Miwok 100k, & Ohlone 50k

So far, all of my 2014 races were training runs, or "C" level events, on my calendar.  (My coach refers to races as A, B, and C level events, with "A" races being the real targets, "B" races being hard effort training runs, and "C" races being gear and nutrition practice while putting in longer miles.)

My first "A" race of the year was to be Miwok 100k in the Marin Headlands on May 3, 2014 and this was my longest run since Headlands 100 back in September.  But my race calendar had even a bit more flare to it.  Miwok 100k was book ended by two other 50k races, Brazen Racing's Diablo Trails Challenge (a "B" race) and Ohlone Wilderness (a "C" race) with two weeks between each event.  I knew that the month was going to be a real challenge since the three races combined climbed a total of almost 30,000 feet.  (Diablo 50k climbs 7k feet, Miwok 100k climbs 12.5k feet, and Ohlone 50k climbs 8.7k feet.)  I wasn't sure if I would make it through all three races, but I was determined to give it my best effort.

Race #1 / Saturday, April 19: Diablo Trails Challenge 50k

The first race of my vertical trio was the Diablo 50k, which helped raise money for Save Mount Diablo.  I really wanted to run the event this year, as I have wanted to for several years prior and couldn't due to other conflicts.  The fires that spread on Mount Diablo back in September (unfortunately, caused by human stupidity) also made this event even more important to help raise money to build necessary land barriers and purchase land acquisitions for wildlife escape routes when future fires occur.  I did not taper for this event and would be running on tired legs at the peak of my 100k training, but would try to run a hard effort, around 80-90%.  My plan was to begin running conservatively and test out everything that I planned to use for Miwok two weeks later.  I wanted to try out a new pair of USATF shorts and use my Fuelbelt to carry fuel (concentrated calorie drink & gels), electrolyte drink, and water.  I like that I can have four different pods of liquid on my belt, all filled with different fluids or flavors.  It is crucial to have whatever you are really craving or need during an ultra, and since there are so many answers to this depending on the day and event, variety is key.  I also prefer to have my arms free for pumping up hills and balance on steep downhills. 

I would recommend this run to anyone looking for beautiful vistas of Mount Diablo without having to climb to the peak.  There is a serious climb into Morgan Territory during the first 8 mile stretch to aid station #1, but after that the climbs are less severe.  There were fields full of small purple wildflowers along the way, and most of the later stages of the course are downhill.  Just make sure to leave a bottle of Technu in your car at the finish line, as there is a long single track lined with poison oak between the 2nd and 3rd aid stations.  Also, the stretches between aid stations can feel long on a warm day, so it is necessary to carry a lot of fluid on this course.

The Diablo 50k went better than I expected given some leg fatigue, and I managed to break the previous course record by almost 10 minutes, finishing in 5:12:28.  The previous course record holder, Katie Murphy, also came out that day and ran a very strong race, finishing first woman in 5:01:50!  Wowza!

Running out of Round Valley, the start of the Diablo 50k (courtesy of Steve McCluhan)

Race #2 / Saturday, May 3: Miwok 100k

The second race of my vertical triple-header was the big one: Miwok 100k.  I was especially nervous for this event because I was unsure of how my legs would hold up later in the day when I reached miles past the 50k mark.  I also previewed 18 miles of the course during a training run the week before and found the trail to be more technical and exhausting than I imagined.  Luckily, my fueling and clothing worked out well at the Diablo 50k, so I planned to follow the same strategy and calories (times 2) for the 100k.  I was going to take the first half of the race extra conservative, making sure to put away as many calories as I could in preparation for later in the race.   It ended up being quite easy to take the first few miles slow due to a funnel leading to the single track that climbed the Matt Davies trail, resulting in a long conga line of headlamps.  And being only 5:00am, I was in no mood to be racing just yet, anyhow.  (I am not much of a morning person.)  Once the line of headlamps reached the top of the Matt Davies trail climb, I felt more awake and ready to move my legs.  But the group that I was stuck in was still speed hiking!  The sky was beginning to lighten, and I saw a guy up ahead that was causing this hold up.  I decided that someone had to say something.  Still having a case of the morning grumpies, I didn't sugar coat it all and shouted out, "Can we move a bit faster up there?" I now feel badly about having been so rude, and next time I hope to be a bit more tactful.  The man must have heard me, though, as he promptly stepped aside and let the line through.  I thanked him, and then instantly regretted having opened my mouth as I realized that I was in a pack of speedy males.  The conga snails instantly morphed into running of the bulls!  I did not want to become the one holding the line back, so I had to keep up or step aside.  I decided to keep up for as long as the single track continued, which was for a couple of miles.

Shortly after the first aid station, I slowed back down and met up with a guy from Colorado that used to live in the area and we chatted a lot about racing, training, and nutrition.  This was a great distraction from racing and helped to keep me from going too fast since I was running a conversational pace.  We ran together all of the way to the Randall Trail aid station turn around and back up.  On the way down, he kept stating that I must be one of the lead female runners, and I just laughed and told him that I was running conservatively today so that I could run the second half as strong as possible.  I wasn't racing for the win.  I realized after completing the out-and-back section that I was the 3rd woman, however, and this surprised me.  I hoped that I could hold that place because I would be ecstatic to podium finish.  The women ahead of me, Bree Lambert and Nikki Dinger, were looking very strong on the climb and I wasn't sure if I would see them again that day.  Passing back through the Bolinas Ridge aid station, one of the volunteers tried motivating me by sharing that the leading women were only 1-2 minutes ahead.  "You can still catch them!" She said, taking my empty bottle to refill it.  I laughed and said to her, "No, no.  That's okay.  They are very strong runners and I'm sure that I won't see them again."  She smiled back, handing me my filled bottle, and replied, "But YOU are strong, too!"  This encouraging statement stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

I remember my coach stating that the real race in a 100k does not begin until after mile 40.  I kept this in mind and remained focused on maintaining a consistent, comfortable effort for at least the first half of the race and continued to ingest calories regularly.  I was putting away about 200+ calories per hour, which I knew would become a big help later on when consuming calories can become more trying.  I also made sure to take salt capsules at each aid station starting at Cardiac aid station around the marathon mark, as I noticed that it was warming up and I was sweating more.  Unfortunately, the Colorado runner that I was holding a conversation with earlier had to slow down around mile 20, so I was most likely on my own for the rest of the race until I could pick up my pacer (Burnout Bear) at mile 48.

Miwok 100k Elevation Profile

After Cardiac aid station, there was a pleasant stretch of downhill and then a long stretch of flat trail and road into Muir Beach.  I couldn't believe it when I saw the second place woman ahead of me and I passed by her quickly, accidentally startling her.  I only had about a mile left until I reached the Muir Beach aid station, and I was very excited to reach this point for several reason: first, it was the 100k halfway point; second, Burnout Bear would be there to greet me and help refresh my supplies, including a treat of chocolate coconut water;  third, I knew all of the trails in Golden Gate Park well and the rest of the way would be "brainless" running before I met up with my pacer.  I was shocked when I saw the first place woman standing there with her crew as I crossed the wooden bridge that approached the aid station.  This awesome runner was Bree Lambert, a fellow Quicksilver racing team member.  I have never before been "up front" with her, so I panicked a bit and thought that maybe I had, in fact, gone out too fast.  I quickly refreshed my liquids and supplies with the help of Burnout Bear, gulped down some coconut water, and off I went to climb up the Green Gulch trail.

From that point on, it was the first time that I had ever been the lead female runner at a popular trail racing event.  It was exhilarating.  I couldn't believe that crews and spectators at the aid stations were clapping and cheering as I approached.  I thought that perhaps I had tripped and fallen earlier in the race and this was all a dream; or maybe I hadn't even woken up yet and my alarm would go off soon to run the race for real.  But if it was a dream, I was certainly going to enjoy it for as long as possible.  So I just kept running.

I was so excited to see Burnout Bear waiting at mile 48 to pace me to the finish.  I knew that we were going to have a blast running the rest of the course together, but he immediately bolted out of Tennessee Valley and I had to tell him to slow down!!  Once we got the pacer / runner balance worked out, everything flowed seamlessly.  I was having a very large craving for another cup of Coke (I had one at Rodeo Beach and it is like having one potato chip: once I have a taste, it is all I crave for the rest of the race.)  So, the goal to complete the climb up and over into Muir Beach: Coke.  And then the goal to reach Cardiac aid station after the next brutal climb: more Coke.  Insanely simple things really keep you moving in ultras sometimes.

Running out of Muir Beach on the return, paced by Burnout Bear (courtesy of Alvin Lubrino)

Glenn Tachiyama taking photos at Pirates Cove

After the long climb to Cardiac aid station, my legs were still cooperating and I actually found myself running down the Dipsea stairs, which I had never imaged would be possible at this point.  Everything couldn't have been more perfect: I felt great, the weather was comfortable, the course vistas were perfection, and I was sharing this with my favorite and most supportive running and life partner.  I finally saw the "Dipsea 7" mile marker and knew that the finish line would be just around the corner.  I crossed the line officially in 10:50:06 and was promptly handed a completion medal by the amazing RD, Tia Boddington, saying "congratulations" with a sincere smile and the rest is history followed by about 10 glasses of heavenly chocolate milk.  As Sarah Lavender Smith coined it, it was truly "The Just Right Miwok 100k."

Celebrating at the Miwok 100k finish (photo courtesy of Amy Burton)

Race #3 / Sunday, May 18: Ohlone Wilderness 50k

The final race of the vertical triple-header was the Ohlone 50k.  This race had been my very first ultra back in 2012, at which point I fell in love with the course.  I try to run this race each year, schedule permitting, and this was my third continuous year.

At the Ohlone 50k start with Burnout Bear (courtesy of Paul Ng)

I knew that I wasn't completely recovered yet from Miwok, but I figured that I could complete the run.  There had always been a fair amount of speed hiking involved on this course (for me, anyhow), due to the steep grade of the climbs.  My plan was to run conservatively and treat the day as a comfortable training run.  The weather was unusually cool, which helped make the day even more comfortable.  I jog/hiked up the "appetizer" 2k foot climb up to Mission Peak and saw Darcy Africa from Colorado running up ahead as if it were a typical Sunday morning run.  I was amazed by how she made the climb appear effortless!  I only hoped that I could make it to the finish before she left for the day so that I could possibly meet her in person.

The Ohlone 50k "warm up": climbing Mission Peak (courtesy of Paul Ng)

My legs felt heavier than usual during the climbs, as expected, but the downhills were not a problem.  I tried shortening my stride on the climbs to make it feel easier and took my time.  I was relieved when I eventually reached Rose Peak and received a bracelet handed to me by Tim Renggli, a fellow Mission Peak Strider runner who was volunteering that day.  It is so refreshing to see a familiar face at this high peak of the race and after a quick hello and a friendly hug, I was ready to keep rolling to the finish line bbq.  Perhaps it was the higher percentage of downhill after Rose Peak, but my legs began cooperating and I was running more fluidly, including some of the uphills.  I even found myself jog/hiking the final, brutal 18% climb out of the stream, which was a first for me in the 3 years that I have run this course.  (Anyone who has run this 50k knows exactly which climb I am speaking of.  It is unforgetable.)  After this final climb, the rest of the course is downhill and it was a treat to cruise to the finish line.  At this point, I allowed myself to look at my GPS watch.  (I prefer not to monitor it during the race and I wear it solely in order to analyze the data post-race.)  I was pleased to see that the watch read 5:23-ish and knew that I could reach the finish before 5:40!  I ended up finishing at 5:35:50, which is a huge PR for me on this course, and Darcy was still at the finish.  I had the chance to speak with her and introduce myself, and we even soaked our legs briefly in chilling Lake Del Valle afterwards.  The only regret I have is that I forgot to have someone take a picture of us together to post on my blog!  But it was the perfect way to end my vertical triple-header series.

Meeting with some Mission Peak Striders at the Ohlone 50k Finish (courtesy of Paul Ng)

And Then...??  (No And Then!)

So, what's next?  I am taking over a month off from racing to both recover and transition into my next big challenge: a 24 hour run.  I am curious to see what the draw of these races is for some folks, so I will attempt to run around a one mile loop at Crissy Field in San Francisco for 24 continuous hours... definitely the flattest and probably the most insane race I will ever endure...

The Best Part of Hitting Rock Bottom: Climbing Back Up

I bet you thought that Vertical Turtle had quit blogging, and perhaps even trail running.  I don't blame you since my last blog post was in February of last year and was titled "A Case of the Grumpies."  Most of my runs back then were a huge struggle, and simply completing the miles was hard enough, let alone coming back home and reliving it in my mind to write a blog.  I was quite down on myself and I thought that I was not meant for trail ultra-running.  Everyone else, including Burnout Bear, seemed to be getting stronger and faster, and I was becoming slower and weaker and more tired with each passing month.

But then everything changed and I want to finally share my story about the experience.  

I had hit rock bottom last year... but was able to slowly get back up... and now I am running stronger and faster than I ever thought was possible!

So what happened?  It all began around the end of 2012 when I became a strict Vegan.  The diet was becoming increasingly popular amongst the trail running community at that time, thanks to several famous elite runners' testimonials about how the diet had helped their performance.  There are indeed numerous benefits to Veganism, both for the health of the individual and the environment, but what all of the elite male runners forgot to mention was that menstruating female athletes should supplement their diet with iron.  Unless you have a ton of time to perfect your diet plan and cooking, it is nearly impossible to consume enough iron to make up for a monthly loss of blood, let alone breaking down muscle fibers while training high mileage.  At least, this was my experience and the diet took its toll on me.

The decline took a glacial pace and I simply thought that my fatigue, headaches, and lack of concentration were due to overtraining and was normal for an ultra-runner.  I had just begun the sport and had no idea what the usual side effects were of running 50-60 miles per week.  But my workouts felt harder, my pace slowed, and my race performance suffered.  I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong compared to other ultra-runners that I knew.  So, I paid extra close attention to sleeping well, reducing stress and continuing to eat well, but I still felt tired.  I also was taking vitamins regularly, but the Hammer Premium Insurance tablets that I was taking do not contain iron.  (Note: Not everyone needs to take iron supplements and too much iron is detrimental, so Hammer's decision to not include it in the multi-vitamin is understandable.  I do think that they should create a women's version, though.)

Then in July 2013, I finally hit rock bottom and landed in the hospital just an hour after completing the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 miler.  My Ferritin level was at a meager 6 and the altitude caused the oxygen levels in my body to plummet.  I felt dizzy both during the run and after crossing the finish.  While walking back to the shuttle after the race, I fainted and had trouble regaining consciousness.  The race medical team called for an ambulance and I ended up being admitted into the hospital that night.  What's funny is that the emergency room admitted me into the cardiology unit because of my abnormally high amounts of heart enzymes in my blood that raised their concern.  It ends up that this is normal for most runners after running ultra-marathons.  And let me tell you, there's nothing like being given a Lean Cuisine entree and fruit juice after running 50 miles!  The nurse frowned at me when I scarfed down two and then asked how many they had left in the freezer...

Anyhow, rock bottom became a familiar environment for me for many months.  Unfortunately, my health plan was not the best at the time (Kaiser Permanente HMO) and the only option that the doctor gave me for treatment was taking a daily iron supplement that you can buy over the counter.  The doctor suggested that I take as much iron as my stomach could handle.  This ended up being 2 iron tables (720% daily value total) daily.  Eating mostly vegan still, at least I was eating enough fiber to prevent any constipation.  I eventually found a great liquid iron on Amazon that had even less side effects if you can stomach the icky cinnamon flavor.

After repeated blood tests over five months, my ferritin and hemoglobin levels ever so slowly crept back up to just below normal range.  This is when the doctor said that I was "fine" (!) and I made up my mind to change health plans because I was still feeling tired on a regular basis and during runs.  Fortunately, I had this option and acted quickly before the end of 2013.   I was determined to feel better than "just below borderline" and made it my goal to feel and run better in 2014.  The day I received my new Anthem Blue Cross card in the mail, I immediately found a doctor that also found my thyroid function to be slightly low (which in turn can influence iron absorption and cause symptoms similar to being iron deficient.)  So, no wonder I felt tired and struggled with running for quite some time. To make a long story short, I got all of these internal health problems resolved, both iron and thyroid, and I feel so much better that I could sing!

There is one more big change in 2014 that has helped improve my fitness.  Burnout Bear and I both DNFed at the Quad Dipsea back in November.  I was still experiencing sluggishness due to my poor health, as well as IT band pain due to inconsistent / poor training while still trying to race.  Burnout Bear was experiencing some knee pain concurrently, as well.  Why am I bringing up this race?  Well, that day was also a rock bottom pivot point.  We were both so upset driving back home from the race that we agreed to hire a coach because it was clear that we did not know how to train and were flying by the seat of our pants ever since we began ultra-running.  So, in conjunction with sorting out all of my health problems, I also now have the wonderful opportunity to be coached and monitored by a professional runner.  And the coaching is working out beautifully, resulting in consistent mileage and increased strength.

My first ultra of the year was the Jed Smith 50k in Sacramento, CA.  It was a flat 6 mile loop course, making it a perfect first race back since it was possible to quit at any time if something were to go wrong.  I was excited (and very nervous!) to see how it felt to race again now that I was healthy.  The first few loops felt very easy and I focused on simply maintaining a comfortable pace.  When I passed the marathon point, the clock read 3:19:00, which would have qualified me for Boston by over 20 minutes, and I couldn’t believe how good I felt.  My legs felt tired by the last loop, however, because it was the farthest that I had run in 4 months, but I was on top of the world to be running again - and rather swiftly.  I ended up winning the race and was shocked to see the clock read 3:59:09 as I crossed the finish.  I never thought that I could run a sub-4 hour 50k in my wildest dreams.

All smiles after completing the Jed Smith 50k in 3:59:09 (courtesy of Chris Jones)

Since then, I also set a course record at Coastal Trail Run’s Canyon Meadow 50k (4:24:06) and the time qualified me for the elite field of the North Face Endurance Challenge Championship 50 mile race in December.

I am full of smiles looking at the year ahead.  I can't wait to try out tough terrains, again, improve my strength and technical running skills, and see what is possible.  My next big race is Miwok: a tough, hilly 100k with some technical trails in the Marin Headlands.  I am working with my coach to prepare my legs for this course, but it will be the farthest that I have run since Headlands 100 (which I ran when I was anemic and hypothyroid) back in September.  Hopefully, my improved health will make those hills feel easier than before and my endurance stronger... I am so full of nervous excitement!  

Go turtle go!

 

Enjoying a beautiful training run at the Marin Ultra Challenge 35k with Burnout Bear.

Turtle Has A Serious Case of the Grumpies

This morning's Saturday run was extremely challenging for me.  I felt the struggle as soon as the alarm clock went off.  Usually, I am excited to hit the trails, especially since we planned to run to a new destination, Monument Peak, but my body felt sluggish.  I downed a cup of mate tea, but even that didn't perk me up.  So, I figured that I would just deal with a few tough warm-up miles and wait for my body to get into the groove mid-run.  The plan was to hit Mission Peak and then continue running over to Monument Peak.  We started our climb up to Mission Peak, but every bothersome thing felt amplified: I complained about the ruts in the trail, all of the rocks, all of the people in our way.  Burnout Bear tried being as patient as possible, but eventually we started arguing about all sorts of things because I was so grumpy.  Eventually, one argument escalated to "Fine, then let's just turn around!" "Okay, fine then!"  And we ended up turning around at the base of the very top of Mission Peak, running three miles downhill back to our car in the parking lot without saying another word.

On the way downhill I felt so angry with myself for quitting.  The day was certainly not going to improve after ending the run on such a sour note.  We returned to the car and quietly split a banana.  And then I said, "After finishing this banana, we are going to run up to Mission Peak again. And this time I am not going to quit."  I didn't really believe what I was thinking until I heard the words myself.  We had never run up Mission Peak twice in a row.  After a pause, Burnout Bear said "Okay!"  I couldn't believe that he agreed to such craziness.

Well, believe it or not, the second time up Mission Peak was actually much more enjoyable!  I was still feeling tired and heavy, but my head was in the game.  I had set the goal and my drive to reach the peak was solid.  And this time we made it!  We asked another couple to take a (tired looking) picture of us to celebrate the moment.

Mission accomplished atop Mission Peak.  Whew.

Mission Peak x2 (almost)

Sitting here sipping on homemade ginger tea (helps with inflammation), I can think of a few problems that may have contributed to today's struggle:

• Overtraining: I have increased my weekend mileage every weekend over the past two months, (completing 28 miles last weekend) in an attempt to be prepared for a tough 50k in March.  I clearly need more recovery time.  To do this, I should decrease the total weekend mileage to 12-18 miles on every other weekend.  It's better to be under-trained than over-trained, right?
• Nutrition: Due to Valentine's Day and my love of chocolate and sweets, I have to admit that my diet was far from ideal the last few days.
• Poor Sleep/Stress: This past week I experienced more stress at work and slept poorly.

Obviously, I need to calm down and focus on restoring my body.  Time to ease off of the gas there, Turtle.  Cheers (ginger tea in hand) to doing that and to no more grumpies!

And here are some views from Mission Peak that I thought I would share:

A bit hazy, but you can still see Mt. Diablo far in the distance.

Looking off into the direction of Monument Peak, our original goal for the day.  This stranger's profile says it all!

Trail Running, Oh How I've Missed Moo!

One of the highlights of getting back out onto the trails is seeing the cows.  I rarely saw a real, live cow while living in New York, but here in California they roam the regional parks as freely as rats do in the subways of Manhattan.  Oftentimes, I have to stop and wait for cows to move off of the trail ahead of me; it makes me smile every time.  I especially enjoy seeing the young, downy calves with their inquisitive eyes.  The adult cows avoid humans, as most of them have been branded and know our evil ways too well, but their babies show a sense of wonder and amusement towards us crazy, path-following bipeds.

This past weekend was the highest mileage weekend that I have pulled off this year so far.  Prior weekends have resulted in various muscle strains and joint issues due to my body adjustment back to the running regime.  But this weekend, I ran 16 miles in Del Valle and then another 12 miles around Brushy Peak.  While these trails did not contain any huge mountains, I at least pulled several thousand feet of climbing without my body yelling at me and enjoyed seeing hundreds of cows while doing so...  Success! :)

Hungary baby.

The black stallion down the street that we call "Clue Horse".

Showing up uninvited to another cow party.

Hello, again, Brushy Peak!

Naptime.

Lunchtime.

Okay, I'll look cute and pose for you...

New Year, Same Goal!

It ends up that the Skyline 50k was indeed the last race of my season last year.  My strained hamstring took months to heal and I lived in spinning, strength training, and core classes at the gym during that time.  It was very difficult to stop running cold-turkey style and it affected every other area of my life.  I felt much more stressed than usual since running had served as my outlet and I could not even get myself to return to this blog.

I now have a new appreciation for running that I did not have before and am grateful for every run that I can complete injury-free.  I started running again in December, but only a few miles at a time.  Even though I had been working out at the gym the last few months, nothing quite compares to running.  I had to get used to the joint impact and cardio challenges, once again.

This new year, I have the same goal as last year since my injury prevented me from accomplishing it.  I am still striving to complete a 50 miler and plan to track my progress in this blog.  I would like to finish the 50 miler in under 11 hours, but I don't want to be too greedy at this point.  Burnout Bear and I have already signed up for Lake Sonoma 50 in April.  I am a bit worried that this may be too soon, but I am hoping that the numerous hours spent in the gym will help me as the training miles increase.   Wish me luck!  :)

It's sooo wonderful to be on the trails again!

Yup, Burnout Bear and Vertical Turtle are back at it.  (Sorry- poor phone pic.)

Aaah, Del Valle.  I have missed you!

Skyline 50k: My Last Race of the Season?

I have not posted a new blog for awhile now because a running-related injury got the best of me and I have been moping instead of running.  This is the first running-related injury that has prevented me from maintaining my training and I have to say that it is the pits.  I am further upset that beautiful Fall weather has just arrived and I am missing out on cool, breezy runs.

It all started soon after the Skyline 50k in mid-August.  This was my third 50k race and I knew that it would be my fastest since there was just under 5k feet of climbing (compared with Ohlone containing almost 8k feet, and Golden Gate having over 6k feet.)  Burnout Bear and I were feeling positive and ready to set a challenging goal: run the 50k in under 5 hours.  The course was an out and back starting at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley and turning around at Skyline Gate in Oakland.  The morning of the race was cool (around 60 degrees) and the environment was very relaxed; so relaxed that we actually didn't hear the start and just saw the mass of people starting to run down the trail, so we joined in.  The aid stations had some of the most friendly volunteers I have ever experienced and they called us by name as we arrived.  (I guess they had a sheet with the names and numbers of all runners.)  This really added a personal, comforting touch to the race.  Burnout Bear took off fast from the start and I could not keep up with him.  I  kept as brisk a pace as I could, however, because I really wanted to break 5 hours.  I kept looking up at the sun to gauge what time it was since I don't wear a digital watch or GPS when I run.  There were some nasty climbs on the way out to Skyline Gate in Redwood Park, though.  I tried to keep a steady pace and jog as many of the climbs as possible, with the exception of a few steep ones which I speed hiked.  On the way back, as I was nearing Lake Chabot, the sun was almost directly overhead and I knew that 5 hours was approaching since we had started at 7am.  I pushed it as hard as I could along the windy trail leading back around Lake Chabot and I spotted Burnout Bear at the last aid station.  Apparently, he lived up to his name and went out a little too fast this time.  He was feeling beat and told me to run ahead, so I did.  I ended up not making my goal of under 5 hours and came in 5 minutes too late!  Burnout bear came in another few minutes after that.  It was disappointing to miss a goal by only 5 minutes after running for 5 hours, but I was content that at least I came close.  Plus, we managed to beat Dean Karnazes, who we didn't realize was running until we saw him cross the finish.  I was hoping to introduce myself and say hello, but unfortunately he left very soon after finishing.

Turtle crossing the finish.

Burnout Bear happily crossing the finish.

We were there to see Dean Karnazes cross the finish!

The week after the Skyline 50k, I was a bit sore but managed to jog/walk 3 or 4 miles a few times.  I had to get back into training for my biggest race of the year: the Firetrails 50 in October!  The following Saturday, I volunteered at Coastal Trail Runs' Cinderella race and that is where the pain began.  I was helping at an aid station for 5 hours and was standing the entire time.  Then, I had to sweep 11 miles of the course and for some reason I felt a sharp pain on the outside of my left knee about 6 miles into it.  I had to walk the rest of the way.  I think the combination of standing for an extended period of time and then running 11 hilly miles less than a week after the 50k really set something off, but I wasn't sure what it was at the time.

I went to the doctor and she said that she was certain it was Illiotibial band syndrome (ITBS).  She scheduled me for physical therapy and sent me home.  The physical therapist then confirmed that it was ITBS and sent me home with rolling and strengthening exercises.  The goal was to stretch out the ITB and strengthen my outer hip and thigh region.  I rolled and completed my exercises rigorously, determined to loosen my ITB as quickly as possible.  I had the biggest race of my season approaching!  I didn't have much time to prepare for 50 miles as it was, let alone with an injury in the way.

I became frustrated when my knee pain still appeared less than one mile into a run after a full week of resting; and this cycle continued for several weeks!  My knee pain was not improving at all.  I became frustrated and a friend from the Mission Peak Striders recommended a sports chiropractor.  Even though I had to pay out-of-pocket, it was definitely worth it because the chiropractor realized that my pain was not due to my ITB, but due to a strained, outer hamstring muscle.  This muscle lies right next to the ITB, so the tightness in that location can commonly be mistaken for ITBS.  I am now following a new regimen of exercises and stretches and should hopefully see improvement in a couple of weeks, according to my confident chiropractor... let's see!  I am also busy cycling at the gym and keeping my strength up with weights and ashtanga yoga so that I am prepared to run again when the injury finally subsides (soon, hopefully!)

Sadly, I won't be able to run my biggest race of the year: the Firetrails 50.  This also means that I won't be able to qualify for Western States in 2013.  I am very depressed about all of this, but am trying to keep my spirits up and look ahead to what's next... maybe the North Face Endurance Challenge in December?  I certainly wouldn't bet on it, but there's still a teeny tiny chance if I'm lucky...