What Worked for Me (a post-mortem of the Surf City Marathon)

My friend, Laura called me on Sunday to congratulate me on my race.  She is also on a quest for a sub-four marathon and asked what I did differently.  Here are my thoughts:

mileage--  

I increased mileage by at least ten miles per week.   Prior to June of this past year, I kept my mileage relatively low.  I did long runs on the weekends, but only ran two other days during the week, sometimes three.  My mileage rarely got above thirty, if ever.  I had mistakenly thought that too many miles would mean over-training.  I didn't realize that having my long run such a high percentage of my week would make it that much harder to recover from that long run.

This time I was scheduled to run much higher mileage.  Due to circumstances, I didn't get in all those miles, but I came pretty close some weeks.  I was scheduled to run a peak week of 49 miles.  My actual peak week was 47 miles.  I ran five days a week.  My average mileage was well over thirty miles per week.  That includes some weeks that I took off due to injury.

result:  The higher weekly mileage helped me recover from my long runs more effectively.  

intensity--

I think another thing that helped me was running back to back on the weekends.  It goes against the concept of alternating hard and easy workouts, but I tried to take it relatively easy on Saturdays.  If we did longer mileage, we usually kept it at a nice easy pace.  I also kept my long runs at an easy pace.  Usually, my Saturday runs were eight to ten miles and my Sunday runs were the longer sixteen, eighteen, twenty mile runs.

For my previous marathons, I did almost all my runs at or near race pace.  I tried keeping my pace in the low 9's and would be frustrated if I ran near 10-minute-miles.  My "tempo" runs were very fast... often faster than a 10K pace.  I rarely ran at less than 90% effort.

I learned in my RRCA training the benefit of running more slowly.  I wrote a post about it here.  Long runs should be run at around a 75-80% effort in order to train your body to effectively use glycogen.  I now train close to RRCA guidelines, which also correspond pretty closely to McMillan paces.  My long runs are usually around 10:00 per mile.   

So while I upped my intensity in terms of days run per week and back-to-back long runs, I took it down in terms of speed.   I didn't do a lot of speedwork this go around.  I did a few pace runs where I ran race pace (9:00).  I did one or two half marathon pace runs (8:30), but not too much in terms of fast intervals at the track.  I think that will be next.

I also did quite a bit of hills.  In the early stages of this cycle, I did hill repeats.  As I got into the higher mileage, I just ran at least two hilly routes a week.  I mixed it up where sometimes the hills would get my heart rate going (like in the repeats) and other times I slowed down so that my heart rate stayed consistent.  I think it really helped, even though Surf City is a relatively flat course. 

result:  I feel like I can run forever.  My body uses fuel much more efficiently.  I didn't hit the wall until mile twenty-four!  I'm pretty sure that if I slowed it down, I might even be able to run further than 26.2 miles.

nutrition--

I didn't change much in terms of nutrition.  In fact, I think this is still an area where I can improve.  I failed to think in terms of fuel and often ate whatever I felt like.  I think I could even take my performance to a higher level if I think more carefully about my overall diet during my training.  This is a special challenge when you have picky kids.*

I did do the week before the race a little differently.  In the past, I have done straight carbo loading a few days prior to the race.  This time, even though there are mixed opinions whether this works, I did a carbohydrate depletion early in the week.  On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I tried to do a modified Adkins-style diet.  For example, I ate Trader Joes Chile Lime Chicken Burgers with cheese and avocado and no bun and I snacked on hard boiled eggs.  I didn't take it to the extreme, but I did try to consciously cut some of the carbs.  Starting on Thursday, I ate waffles for breakfast (in addition to my daily Luna Bar) and added extra brown rice to my El Pollo Loco Chicken Bowl and had things like pretzels for snacks.  I had pasta for dinner on all three nights.

Whether there is scientific proof behind this method or not, I'm not sure.  I think it worked for me.  I did not hit the "wall" until well after mile twenty.  I felt that pain of the glycogen depletion so much later than previous races or long runs.   At mile twenty-four, when it finally caught up to me, I was close enough to the end to push through it.

result- My carbo loading plan left me feeling well-fueled for the race.

race plan--

A race plan is so tough to get right.  Our only plan in 2008 was to keep it nice and slow in the beginning.  We may have gone too slow, keeping us out there on the course longer than necessary.  By the time we hit the later miles, we were so tired and sore that we couldn't have made up time.  I don't know if we would have had a better result had we gone out a little faster.  I doubt it.  In 2009, I had a plan but didn't stick to it.  I went out quite a bit faster than I had planned to, because I was feeling good.  I mentally wanted to "bank" some time in the early miles to give me room when I slowed down in the later miles.  Planning for positive splits only ensures that you'll get them.

For Surf City, I had a race plan and I stuck to it.  I knew I wanted to keep it between 9:00 and 9:09 for the first part of the race.  I knew that my fresh legs might want to go out closer to 8:50.  I believe that  sticking to my plan is the biggest factor in how I finished.  I not only made my goal, but I ran the late miles stronger than many of the earlier miles.  I might have been able to go out faster and still finished with the same time.  But it wouldn't have been as fun to have a fantastic time up until mile eighteen or so, only to walk much of the last few miles.  Finishing strong was a more important goal to me than finishing under four hours.  The most miserable feeling in the world is that hopeless feeling in the latter part of a marathon when you question everything.  I am happy to say that I never felt that during this race.

Yes, there is the chance that I could have gone out at 8:50 and continued to be strong throughout and gone on to hit my BQ time of 3:50.  But I didn't want to chance it.  I have no regrets on how I ran this race.

Another part of my race plan was nutrition.  I decided to eat my Gu's at specific intervals.  I think in the past, I was much less strict with myself.  I also don't think I ate as often in the past.  This time I decided to have a Gu every four miles.  I think in the past I had one every five miles or so.  So at four, eight, twelve, sixteen and twenty miles, I ate a Gu**.  At one point around mile eighteen I couldn't remember if I had eaten one recently.  Since I was following my plan, I knew that I had to have had one at mile sixteen.  I nearly skipped my Gu at mile twenty-four, thinking that I was so close to the end.  After about a quarter mile, I rethought that and decided to stick with the plan.

I didn't have a specific plan in terms of hydration.  I brought 40 ounces in my hydration belt.  I had twenty ounces of water and twenty ounces of Vitalyte.  In the later miles, I drank mostly Vitalyte unless I was eating a Gu.  It was getting a bit hot and I was sweating, so I wanted to make sure I had plenty of electrolytes.  I also took an Endurolyte around mile fifteen or sixteen, I think.

result: Knowing to consciously hold myself back was huge.  Staying smart and running consistent splits was the key to this race.  I also stuck with my nutrition plan during the race.

Thanks for reading.  I hope that some of my post-marathon thoughts helped some of you who might be in the same boat I was-- only a couple of marathons under my belt looking to take it to another level.  I am excited to keep moving forward.  What's next?  BQ?  We'll see.

*An example of this is when I tried making a basic switch by changing to brown rice.  There was a revolt in my house.  Even my husband, who will eat almost anything, asked to return to white rice.  Now I try to add 1/4 to 1/3 of quinoa to white rice in order to make it a bit healthier.
**I like Just Plain in the beginning of the race and Espresso Love in the later miles.

Marathon Redemption

3:57:17!!!!!!

It was a PR of nearly 19 minutes.  I ran it exactly according to my race plan.  In addition, the weather was fabulous and I had a wonderful time.  I am still on a high and am pretty sure I will be for a couple of days.   I will be posting the full report soon.  In the meantime, I am going to revel in my success.

First, I am going to go EAT.  I have not eaten enough yet....

Expo: check!

I went down to the Surf City Expo.  It was a typical expo; nothing special.  For such a big race, they had plenty of volunteers, so the waiting wasn't bad.  I was a little disappointed for a few different reasons.

• Not much free stuff:*   They didn't put anything in the bags.  On one hand, I don't have to worry about going through a ton of advertising when I get home (often weeks later).  On the other hand, there are no samples of Gu Chomps, Larabars or anything else.  You had to go from booth to booth and hardly anyone was giving anything for free.  Even the official drink, Vitalyte, was selling samples.  I actually drink Vitalyte and enjoy it.  They are serving the fruit punch flavor during the race, which I haven't tried.   I'll be carrying my citrus flavored Vitalyte tomorrow.

•  No super interesting booths:  Either I have seen it all or there wasn't much there.  I have only been going to these things for a couple of years, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't that extensive.  They made it easy not to look at the merchandise.  At the RNR, you had to walk through logo'd stuff, which was pretty smart (if not a pain).  I didn't see anything I had to have.

• Not the best information:  The bag they gave us was kind of like a grocery bag.  It is exactly the same size and shape as the Trader Joe's bag I use for grocery shopping.  It's cool, but it definitely wouldn't work for a drop bag.  I went to ask about drop bags and nobody could tell me anything.  I am still a bit of a marathon newbie.  I have only run the San Diego Rock-n-Roll marathon and they provided a drop bag with a tag that you zip-tie on.  The lady at the booth said I had to use my own bag and label it.  I asked her how.  She didn't know.  I asked someone else if they would have tags there or if I have to come up with something on my own.  That person didn't know either.

• I asked about the wave starts for the marathon.  She referred to the back of the map, which shows waves for the half marathon.  I asked about the marathon.  She said that there would be an arbitrary time and everyone faster than that time would be in wave one and slower than that time in wave two.  Really? I know I'll be able to figure it out in the morning, but they can't figure it out ahead of time?  I had to put my estimated time when I registered.   There are much fewer runners in the marathon, so I know more effort needs to be put into organizing the half marathoners, but I feel uninformed.

 Despite a lackluster expo, I am really excited.  I got plenty of sleep last night, so I am good to go.  I am sure I will wake up constantly tonight checking to make sure I don't sleep through my alarm.  Par for the course.

*Of course there was a shirt, which I like quite a bit.  It is long-sleeve and v-neck with a cool logo.

24 Hours

In 24 hours, I'll be running my third marathon.  I am hoping that third time is the charm, but I am just going to try to take things as they come.  There are factors out of my control and I need to not focus on them today.   The forecast is now ominously predicting a 40% chance of rain tomorrow.   There is nothing I can do about that.   Also, I woke up today with a pretty good start to a head cold.  I've been fighting it all week, but it is nearly impossible to avoid it when your two small children have it.

I'm going to head off to the expo in a couple of hours and get excited about this race.  I'll be down there with brother and sister-in-law, who are running the 5K. It will be my sister-in-law's first race!  I am very excited for her.  What an exciting race to run your first.... with 20,000 runners along the Pacific Ocean.

I will post my official bib number* later this evening.  I don't think that Surf City has a cyber-stalk feature on the website.  I will probably post my results on Twitter and Facebook from my phone.  I might even try to post here from my phone.  I doubt if I will post while running.  I don't have this phone down well enough to do it without stopping.

I am eating a couple of whole grain waffles with agave sweetener on them, trying to carbo load.  I'm watching the rain come down.  Rain, baby, rain.... empty those clouds today!!!  I am ready for tomorrow, come what may.   I will finish.   I will (most likely) PR.  And, if the stars align, I will run in under four hours.  Either way.... I am going to have fun.

Good luck to all  the other Surf City Runners out there**!  I want to give a special shout out to L.B. who is running his first marathon tomorrow.  Woo hoo!   Happy running, everyone.

*According to registration confirmation, my bib number is 2862.
**Check the links for all the fabulous race reports that are sure to come!  It is hard to tell, but I linked each word to Alice, Aron, Danica, Penny, Glenn, and Jimmy.  I hope I didn't miss anyone.

Product Review: Lucy Impact Knee Pant

One of my goals for this blog is to increase traffic.  The way to do that is to a) post things that are meaningful to readers b) post often and c) be funny, clever and/or irreverent.  I don't have a lot of time to post every day and I am not particularly funny*.  So I am going to start posting more reviews on my blog.  I have never received anything for free from a company, so all my reviews are unsolicited and completely on my own.  I have purchased these products or have been given them as gifts.**

Lucy Impact Knee Pant

 

Here is what Lucy says about the Impact Pant:

Light enough for the gym, and warm enough to run in the cold, our new Impact Knee Pant has some serious details. We're talking mesh insets at the hip and calf, reflective detailing and a zippered pocket at the back waistband. Plus, it's the perfect compromise between shorts and our running pant— not too much skin (although a little skin never hurt anyone).

Fit:

These pants fit snugly without being too tight.  They run a little big.  I tried on a size small, which seemed to fit fine.  The associate*** told me that the pants might stretch a little and to try on the smaller size.  The extra small instantly was a perfect fit.  I would recommend trying one size smaller than you usually wear.

The waistband sits just below the waist.  I usually don't like hip hugging clothing for running.  Honestly, it isn't very comfy to have my post-baby belly pooch hanging over the band.  But these nifty pants don't sit super low and they have a drawstring, so they don't fall down under said pooch.

The band at the bottom flairs a bit (but only a bit).  This adds to a feeling of style (although I am rarely stylish when I run).  It also makes it very comfortable.  There is no grabbing at the bottom, which allows plenty of range of motion.  In fact, I bet I could even do yoga in these pants.

Comfort:

These pants are very comfortable.  They keep me just warm enough on those brisk mornings.  I like them for my longer runs when it is cold in the morning, but I know once the sun comes out, it will warm up considerably.  I have made the mistake of putting on running tights for a 40 degree start only to be much too warm two hours later.  I have never felt warm in these.  I don't know if it is due to the mesh panels (I doubt it) or just the lightweight fabric.

I have done a couple of long runs in these and I didn't have any issues.  I don't chafe much, but a couple of my running skirts chafe after fifteen miles or so.  These didn't at all.

Other features:

There is a zipper in the back.  It is just big enough for a Gu.  I like that it has a hidden zipper, which looks nice.  However, because it is hidden, it tends to hang up a bit on the fabric, making it somewhat difficult to open.  I have to tug it just a bit, which isn't fun if you are on the run.   Usually, on my long runs, I have my hydration belt, so I don't use that pocket anyway.

I like that there is a reflective logo on the legs.  It is on the front of one leg and the back of the other.  I doubt, however, if these logos will last.   I have only had the pants for a few weeks and the logos already look worn.  They are starting to crack a bit.  I am sure they will peel off in a few months.   This is really the only drawback of these pants.

Cost:

These retail for $58 at Lucy.com or in a Lucy store.  That is a little more than I tend to spend.  I am cheap when it comes to my running clothes.   I can tell you that these are worth every penny.  Occasionally, Lucy offers coupons for 15-20% off.  They usually only run clearance sales, so I doubt these will go on sale often, as they are a stock item and not one of their seasonal fashions.

Bottom Line:

These knee pants are my new favorite running apparel.  They are comfortable and not too warm, not too cold.  I am planning on wearing them on Sunday for Surf City.  If my opinion changes at all, I will be sure to update this review.

*I look at the blogs that have a lot of followers and they post something nearly every day.  Others are funny and full of cynical self-deprication, which often include swearing.  I don't swear in my life, so doing it while writing makes me uncomfortable.

** But I am not opposed to receiving freebies to review!

***If you have an opportunity to go into a Lucy store, do it!  Their service is outstanding.  Not only are they very helpful, but they are family friendly.  The store here had toys in the dressing room that kept my kids occupied while I tried on clothing.  They have high quality clothing for active lifestyles.   Can you tell I am a fan?

The inevitable mid-taper discussion on pace....

As you know, I am running a marathon next weekend.  Maybe you don't know.   Many of the people in my "real" life don't even know.  I have been surprisingly low-key about this marathon.  Even my husband has been saying things like, "oh, your marathon is next weekend?"  Rather than obsessing all along (like I did for both San Diego marathons) I only recently started to think about it.

So now, as if to make up for lost time, I am thinking about the race quite a bit.   And, of course, thoughts are often of my race plan and what my goals are.  I have yet to have an "on" day on marathon day.  I have had a couple of "on" days for half marathons.  I know all too well how fickle the running gods can be.  You train and train and have spectacular runs and then have something go wrong on the big day (cramps, tummy issues etc.).  Of course, everyone in my house is sick right now.  Great.  No hugs and kisses for Mommy.  Like that is going to happen.

So, unlike a 5K, where you can go all out and see how fast you can run, a marathon needs to be planned out more.  I know from experience the pain that occurs from going out too fast.  And you often don't know what too fast is until it is too late.  Last year in the marathon, I started out fast, but not super fast.  I ran the first six miles or so around 8:50, which isn't particularly fast for me (although it is BQ pace for my age).  In fact, I can run thirteen miles faster than that.  However, on that day, it was too fast and I knew it before the halfway point.  But HOW do you know?  I had no indication that it was too fast during the first few miles.  In fact, I felt fantastic.

So how do I know??

According to the charts, using my recent half marathon PR, I should be able to run a marathon in just over 3:50.  McMillan shows that the equivalent effort of a 1:49:48 half marathon should be a 3:51:34 marathon (which is :35 seconds off qualifying for Boston).  My RRCA charts show a similar time.  I'm not sure I buy it.  The same charts say that last year, I should have been able to run the marathon in 3:54.  I finished over twenty minutes slower than that!

So the question is really how aggressive to I attack this marathon?  I am better prepared than I was in May, but not as prepared as I had planned to be.  I scheduled three twenty milers and was able to run almost two*.  I scheduled hill repeats and speed workouts every week and have not done them much at all lately.

I could go out easy (around a 9:30 pace) and almost guarantee myself a PR.**  I could do negative splits and perhaps even finish in the low four hour mark.  But that strategy seems like something that may have me thinking afterward, "what if."   A 4:04 (a 9:20 pace) is a GREAT time, but if I go out super easy, it is very possible that I will leave some extra minutes out on the course.  If would be a shame to get that close knowing that I could have pushed harder.

So I think I have formulated a running plan in my head.  I am going to try to keep the first miles just over 9:00.  A 9:07 average, or even 9:10,  would be perfect for the first half or so.  That will leave me within striking distance of the sub-four goal.  If I start to lose my momentum, I can slow it to a more comfortable pace, giving myself a decent PR.  However, keep in mind that my average for the first half in May was exactly 9:10 and I lost a LOT of time in the second half.  There are definitely no guarantees.

So there it is... a rambling post about how I want to run this race.  I don't have a lot of expectations for this race.  I am really hoping that I have a positive experience and can claim it as my "marathon redemption," sub-four or no sub-four.

*I ran one twenty miler and another miserable 19 miler.
**My PR is 4:16:10, which is  9:47 pace.

Oh Southern California, how I love you so!!

In many places I have lived throughout the country, I had to resign myself to months of winter.  I remember several months at a time of grey, drizzly weather in the Pacific Northwest.  So a big storm was often followed with more of the same.  In the Midwest, a storm would leave piles of snow that turned grey and black from cars and exhaust.  Then there would be the dirty, grimy slush that inevitably followed.  At least in Reno, a storm was often followed by cold, clear weather, which made for great skiing.   But Southern California is the best!  After a week of a miserable storm, we were treated with a weekend of spring weather.   It was enough to recharge my soul and prepare me for the next round of rain due to hit us tomorrow.  We don't need to wait for Groundhog's Day in February to tell us when spring is coming; around here, we just need to wait it out for a week or two.

Yesterday, I headed down to Huntington Beach and ran a good chunk of the Surf City course.  It was a PERFECT day at the beach.  As I passed scores of runners, I wondered which ones I would be running with in two weeks.  Many people were donning Surf City shirts from years past.  I love the long sleeve technical shirts and can't wait to get mine.

 

On the schedule was sixteen miles.  The plan was to warm up for two miles and then run twelve miles at "race pace," ending with two miles of cool-down.  I started out feeling great.  My fist mile was faster than a warm-up really should be.  I ran it in 9:20.  I slowed down a bit and ran the second in 9:35.

The next miles I was hoping to run at a pace right around 9:00/mile.  A sub-four marathon is 9:10, but I would hope to keep it closer to 9:05.  I still haven't decided if I am even going to go for it.  That is the subject of another post, however.  I ran the next six miles at a pace between 8:47 and 9:00/mile.  Mile 9 was just over 9:00, but I am pretty sure that was when I ate a Gu and checked a map*.

I ran through the Huntington Beach Central Park where I saw some storm damage.  There was a huge tree over the path that looked like it was hit by lightning. I wish I would have stopped to take a picture of it, but I was in a groove at that point.  I ran around the lake and then back into the streets of Huntington Beach.

I ran along the Bolsa Chica wetlands.  I had been looking forward to it, since I had read several accounts that it is filled with a ton of birds and other wildlife.  I was a bit underwhelmed.  I guess I expected a beautiful reserve.  Instead I saw this:

Don't get me wrong, it is nice and I am sure the wildlife is impressive.  What I didn't really love were the oil drills every few hundred feet.  And I expected more vegetation, I suppose, instead of the vast expanse of sand and water.  It was nice running for a bit on a trail, but I think I would prefer the canyons out by my house.

When I got back to the beach, I was starting to feel tired.  Mile 11 was the slowest of my "pace" miles (9:07).  I was starting to fatigue and there were several spots where sand covered the path.  The sand was tough to run through and I don't think it was very good for my foot/ankle that was starting to really bother me.

Do you ever notice people who pass you on a running route who look like they are barely working?  I mean, I am pushing to maintain a pace and someone looks SO relaxed and comfortable zipping past you.  I don't get it.  A couple of times I tried to fall into step with some runners.  They looked so relaxed, how hard could it be to catch up?  Unfortunately, I picked a guy who is 6'2 first, so his easy stride doubles mine.  It gets frustrating.  I feel like I look like I am sprinting while these other runners gently cruise by me, fast enough for me to feel the wind from them.

So I focused on passing other runners or keeping up with faster ones, in order to keep from getting bored.  I was tired by this point and ready to be done.  How am I going to go twenty-six miles in two weeks?  I decided to see if I still had a little juice in the tank for mile 14.  I ran that last "pace" mile in 8:20.  THAT'S what I'm talking about.  I wanted to be done, so instead of "cooling down" I ran miles 15 and 16 in 8:39 and 9:12.  Overall, I averaged around 9:00 for all sixteen miles.  Not bad!  The problem is that I don't think I could keep that up for another ten miles.  Maybe with a nice taper and not running eight miles the day before.  Who knows?  But that is a discussion best left to another post.

All in all, it was a gorgeous Southern California day and it did wonders for my outlook. I am ready for the next wave of rain!   And I am definitely excited to run Surf City!

Happy running everyone.

*I recently upgraded to a smart phone.  It was a complete splurge as I do not have any justifiable reason for a fancy phone.  My husband, however, does.  When he bought his Motorola Droid, Verizon was offering a Droid Eris for free.  Score!  It was a bit of a Christmas present for myself.  I LOVE being able to look up my mapped run and determine where I am without carrying a crumpled up piece of paper.  

What do I have to prove?

Upon hearing that I signed up for another marathon, one of my friends asked another friend, "what does she have to prove?"*  Hmmm.... what DO I have to prove?  Honestly, I don't know.  Once I have done one marathon, why do I need to do more and more?

Well, let's look at that question.  I find that I need a training plan to help motivate me to get out there and run.  Running makes me feel good.  Healthy.  Alive.  It is too easy to sleep in every day and say I'll exercise tomorrow.  When I have a race on the horizon, I have a schedule and I have a plan on what I should be running.  It works for me.

So why not a half marathon or 10K?  Well, I guess I am a bit of an overachiever.  I like to push myself.  It gives me a certain pleasure to accomplish something that not too many people can do (or would even attempt).  I'm too cautious to climb Mt. Everest--besides... who has that kind of extra money, time and craziness lying around?  I'm not saying that a half marathon isn't pushing myself.  It is.  But there is something about the marathon that draws me.

Being a runner has become as much a part of my identity as being a mom.  I used to be an executive.  I had a powerful job in a pretty tough industry and I was proud of my position.  I traded all that to be a full-time mom (a decision I have never regretted).  As wonderful as it is to have that as an identity, I didn't really feel completely satisfied in this new role until I also became a runner.  A running mom.  And I am in very good company.  There are a lot of running moms out there and every time I meet one, we automatically seem to connect.  We have so much in common and have other things to talk about besides diapers, preschools and timeouts. Now, not only am I a runner, but I am a marathoner.  A year or so ago, my sister introduced me to someone by saying, "this is my sister... she runs marathons."  At the time, I had only run one marathon.  But I liked the sound of someone who "runs marathons."  It made me feel pretty  proud.  Now I really am someone who runs marathons.  Go me.

And honestly... I do need to prove something to myself.  I know what my body can do and it hasn't done it in either marathon I have run.  I ran a twenty-two mile training run averaging around 9-minute miles, but was wiped out by mile 13 on race day after running the same pace.  This is not as much a physical test any more.  It is a mental one.  I need to run smart and stick to my race plan.  I am looking at Surf City as redemption for me.  My first two marathons had my number; they owned me.  I am hoping that this next one I can run on my terms.  I am going to be more conservative with my expectations and goals.  I also think I have a better training plan.  My mileage per week is significantly higher than it was before the Rock-n-Roll.  I hope that this does a lot to improve my ability get to the finish line stronger and faster than before.  What I really want is to have FUN.

What?  Fun in a marathon?  Never.  But I know it is possible.  I have had fun on twenty mile runs, why can't I at least have fun for twenty miles of a marathon?  I recently started following a blogger, Danica,  who lives in this area.  Ironically, she had a miserable time in the Rock-n-Roll as well.  She had her redemption last month in Long Beach and her race report is my inspiration for Surf City.   I WILL smile throughout the race, just like I did during the Carlsbad Half Marathon last year.

So what do I have to prove?  I'm pretty sure that I have proven that I am a runner.  I've proven that I am a marathoner.  By continuing to run marathons, I continually prove to myself that I CAN.

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On the running front, I ran 36 miles last week.  I ended my week with not one, but two long runs.  On Saturday, I ran ten miles with my new running friends.  I had originally scheduled eight miles on Saturdays in order to run with them.  Then, I talked them into running a half marathon in January and wrote them a training plan to get them there.  What that means is that they are going to be running a lot more than eight miles, but not enough to keep up with my long runs, which means two long runs.  Too bad there is not a Goofy challenge** around here, because I am training for one!  Our ten mile run had quite a few hills, so we kept the pace pretty easy.  That was good, since I had an even longer run on the schedule for Sunday.

I had originally had fourteen miles on my schedule, but I thought that might be too aggressive in my second week of high mileage running.  I decided to run twelve.  The first nine miles were pretty flat (with some easy inclines/declines along the way).  I kept my pace at a nice easy pace.  I have been listening to books on tape on my long runs, which keeps me nice and slow.  The last few miles were pretty steep.  I found a nice shady horse trail that cut up through a neighborhood.  I am really starting to enjoy running around here.  When living in San Diego, I had to drive to many of the cool running places.  Here, I can get to cool routes right out my front door.  I think next week I might run with a camera to prove that inland Orange County is a pretty place to run! 

I ran twenty-two miles over two days and I was ready to rest today and sleep in past 5:30 a.m.  Back to the dawn patrol tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to a nice easy recovery run to start out another week of running.

* After reading some of the comments, I wanted to clarify that this particular friend said this in jest and with plenty of love and respect.  I'm pretty sure she does get it, but the comment did spark a thought process in me... hence this post.

**running a half marathon on one day and then a full marathon the next.

Another marathon?

You betcha! The question is which one (s).

I am 90% committed to the Catalina Marathon on March 13. My friend has signed up for it as her first marathon and I had mentioned to her that if she did it, I would do it with her. It is definitely one up there on my list of races to run. It is mostly off road with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and a herd of bison. If is incredibly hilly and difficult. The winner usually comes in around three hours. MarathonGuide suggests counting on a finish time around an hour (or more) slower than a road marathon. A good percentage of runners come back and do this race again and again.

The big question is whether or not to run the Surf City Marathon a month before. If I do it, I should use it as a training run. But can I run a marathon without trying to PR or go for that elusive sub-four hour finish? If I run it all out, I doubt I'll recover enough to make a decent showing in Catalina. Surf City is on the beach and close to my house. It seems like a great race to do. They have a half marathon option, but I'd really like to do the full. I am thinking about signing up for the full and then I could switch it to the half if I need to.

I am in the process of writing up a training plan. I have already added hill repeats once a week. Yesterday, I found the perfect place for training runs.* My new running friends took me there. We did a great eleven mile run that started out on a bike path along the river and then headed up into the hills. We ran on fire roads that had some steep spots, just like Catalina.

So I am officially back into training mode and very excited about it. Anyone joining me??


*Although I am not sure how often I could run there by myself, since I heard rumors that there might be mountain lions in the hills.