Quick Hit - Run for the Badge 5k

Hi there! Before my latest running hiatus, I signed up to participate in the Run for the Badge 5k. While there is no fundraising requirement, I am hoping to raise $200. 

Part of me hesitates to post this, as the law enforcement community is struggling with some terrible issues. I do not wish to alienate or offend anyone who has been impacted by the senseless brutality inflicted upon members of the public. I do want to honor those who serve with integrity, especially those who died in the line of duty. 

I did include this on the fundraising page, but in case you aren't sure you want to click over I will share this here as well. I grew up in a small community, one where we kept a police scanner on because we could hear sirens from surrounding departments and wanted to make sure friends' homes, businesses, and churches were safe. I remember the night that a local officer was shot and killed while searching for a suspect that escaped a work release program. I was 15 years old, and twenty years later I still remember. I've raced a local 5k in his memory for several years, and unfortunately his loss was not the last that my community suffered in the years since.

My educational and professional career have brought some incredible law enforcement professionals into my life. Those in small localities in Texas, near Mexico, combatting a corrupt department while trying to protect their communities from drug warfare. An incredible homicide detective in Orlando, writing grants for every dime possible to support advanced forensic science for his cases and responding to cases I cannot even imagine (including the massacre at Pulse). A team of feds that are the exact opposite of every stereotype out there, providing expertise to departments across the country, and responding to major crimes at a moments notice. 

These are the officers and agents that I hold in my mind and my heart. These and others like them are who I will run/walk/crawl 5k for in a few weeks. Please consider supporting those who sacrificed all by going to my page, linked below. Your donation supports the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The Memorial Fund is a principal organizer of the National Police Week observances and hosts the Candlelight Vigil at the Memorial each may 13 to dedicate the newly-engraved names of the fallen, as well as honor all fallen law enforcement officers. In addition, the Memorial Fund maintains the largest, most comprehensive database of line-of-duty officer deaths, conducts research to identify emerging trends and findings of officer fatalities, and serves as an information clearinghouse to improve officer safety. 

I am happy to answer any questions you have. Thank you so much for considering my request. http://support.nleomf.org/goto/pamchamplain

Quick Hit - Get Excited

It is no secret that non-running workouts are my least favorite thing. I'm not talking about the strength and crosstraining that we all work in a day or two a week. I'm talking about the "shit I'm banged up again and can't run" workouts that you do to maintain some semblance of fitness but really wish you were running instead. 

Since there is nothing I can do about it, and because moping makes things worse, I'm trying this thing where I find ways to get myself excited to spend a lot of time on my spin bike. This bike is hands down the best investment we've ever made. I have used it so much more than I thought I would and it has saved my sanity on a regular basis. Still, seeing a spin on my schedule doesn't get me fired up the way a run does. So, what did I do? I GOT EXCITED. 

It was surprisingly easy to find ways to get excited about sitting in my dark-ish home gym space with no more Olympics to watch (aside from football season being upon us). First, I asked for my spins to be longer. I wanted to feel like I was accomplishing something other than improving my bum's tolerance for the saddle. I wanted to work. Since I was going to have quality workouts on the bike, I decided to upgrade a few key pieces of gear accordingly. First off, big girl cycling shoes (aka clipping in). 

Looks like a running shoe, clips in like a bike shoe. Yay!

I can't very well clip in without the pedals, so I hit up the REI Labor Day sale and got some great Shimano SPD pedals. Added bonus that I can take the cage from the old pedals and put it on these so MS can still use the bike (or I can should I need to spin in other shoes). I've done a handful of rides already and it is so different. I wish I had done this sooner. I'm also pretty darn impressed with myself for installing the clips on the shoes, mounting the pedals to the bike, and clipping in with relative ease. For someone who has considered herself a strictly runner (not a cyclist, not a triathlete), it feels like a big deal. 

SPD compatible pedals for my new shoes!

Rounding out the bike goodness, I upped my data nerdness. Garmin was kind enough to provide me with a bike speed and cadence sensor. My 230 has an indoor bike option so these sensors will provide me with some concrete feedback on the various workouts I'll be doing. The cadence sensor was really easy to install on the bike and paired quickly with my watch. I haven't installed the speed sensor yet since I have a true spin bike with flywheel, rather than a bike on a trainer (aka the structure I should attach the sensor to doesn't exist). I think I've come up with a way to hook it up, but haven't tried yet. 

While all the bike love is great, I've also started looking into running shoes for my post-Pearl Izumi existence. There is a tentative test run on my calendar for September 27, so getting back out there on a regular basis might not be too far away. After some poking around online, I ordered the Salomon Sense Propulse. It shares some physical similarities to my current shoes (shape of the last, etc.) that I am hopeful about. The drop is similar, as is the level of cushioning. Added bonus, it can handle some easy trail running as well as the road. 

The first post-Pearl shoe I'll be trying...

If you've tried this shoe, or the Salomon brand, I would love to hear your thoughts. When you've had to adjust your training significantly, did you have any strategies to stay motivated? What were they? 

Quick hit - that perfect running shoe

The running shoe. The most important piece of equipment that a runner will ever own. Every runner has a brand that they LOVE or HATE (if you know me, you know that one). A shoe that got them through that first marathon. A shoe they swear caused their injury (doubtful). A shoe when you have a tough workout and want to feel fast. A shoe they like fine enough. A decent utility infielder, if you will.  What most of us runners search for (and rarely find) is the unicorn of running shoes or shoe brands. 

It fits your foot shape. The cushioning (or lack there of) is just right. The heel doesn't slip. The toebox doesn't pinch. You don't get blisters or lose toenails. It is durable. The color works for you. You can forget about it after the first step of the run because it is just that good. Whatever it is about a shoe that you must have and have not had in your shoe experience to date. If you have found it, and then it (inevitably) is updated in a way that you don't like (or worse, discontinued), you begin the 5 stages of grief. Welcome to my life.

Competitor Magazine posted on article on Twitter this past Thursday, stating that Pearl Izumi is exiting the running category by January 2017. Cue my heartbreak. After loving a shoe for one model year or two in other brands, an update would come out that was just not right. And then the search would begin again. Working in speciality running, you would think I'd find something fairly quickly. Not so much. I decided to step outside the offerings in my store and try Pearl Izumi. I had a few pieces of their apparel and thought I had nothing to lose by trying their shoes. 

I liked the lower drop, the options in stability, the colors, and the variety in weight and cushioning. My first pair were the EM Trail M2 and it was love at first step. It was wide enough in the forefoot but still snug in the heel and fit the shape of my foot first right. I loved the grip of the outsole and the rock plate. I have had some amazing trail runs in those shoes.

My happy place. 

When it came time to replace my most recent pair of disappointing road shoes, I knew where to go. Say hello to the EM Road M3. Those purple beauties carried me through Big Sur and have a few miles left in them. 

Big Sur 2016

The last addition was the EM road N1. I wanted something light, flexible, and fast. With a little cushion. BAM nailed it. I've crushed some track workouts in these and they have a lot of life left.

My speedsters.

Clearly, this brand has a shoe for every part of my running life. So where do I go from here? Aside from saving up some cash and placing a BIG order between now and January? I'm not sure. I'm on yet another running break right now, but should be back on the trails in a few weeks. I've been eyeing the Trail N3 for a couple of months and that will likely be mine soon. 

I don't know what is out there that might be similar. There are several brands I have yet to try (North Face, Salomon, Merrell). While most people would not consider those main stream running shoe companies, I want to make sure the brand has solid trail running cred rather than a brand who makes one or two trail shoes as an afterthought to the road market. If you've ran in Pearls and can recommend something, please do. If you haven't, but have experience in other trail brands, please let me know.  For now, I'll be rocking back and forth with my three pairs and muttering about my preeecciioouussssss.

Quick hits

Since the larger, more focused posts take me an excessively long time to pull together I thought I would try shorter more frequent ones that I'm calling Quick Hits for now. They might be a training recap, or update on injury, or whatever I feel like sharing in the moment. Those are usually things that I have not shared in the past because there was a larger post that needed my attention and it doesn't seem that important. 

What I've learned from blogging and following the social media exploits of others is that the minutiae matters. I don't think there is enough out there about the grind that we as athletes go through. We tend to think that it's small potatoes, or that no one cares, but when I read about athletes I admire (Devon Yanko, Krissy Moehl) I find myself wondering WHAT ELSE happened. What are you focusing on in your training or life right now? What does balancing work and training and relationships look like? Where do you feel like you come up short? What happens when things take an unexpected turn?

I'm obviously not an elite athlete but I do work two jobs while trying to train and tend to important personal relationships. I've sacrificed some interests for others. I feel like I'm dropping at least 2 of the 7 balls I have in the air on a daily basis and I know I'm not the only one. I often choose to sleep in rather than get my workout done before work. I know my nutrition needs some TLC but I choose ice cream over kale on a regular basis. Quick hits will share those moments of less than awesome choices and the moments where I come close to getting it right. 

Kicking off this first post, I'm back on running hiatus. I've got a niggle that is becoming more of a niggle so I'm taking the next month off from running. Sigh. I didn't take this well for the first 24 hours. Curled up on the couch under a blanket and fought off the ugly cry. Wasn't interested in silver linings or other opportunities for improvement. I did, however, make better choices in those 24 hours than I usually do. No junk food. No food for the sake of eating feelings. No adult beverages. I'll take that progress any day. 

The next evening I was thinking about what I could spend time on. Dialing in on nutrition. Getting more sleep. GETTING STRONGER. Asking for more/longer spin workouts. Using the community pool before it closes for the season. Meeting the step goal on my Garmin. Setting a minimum calorie burn on my Garmin. I'm not saying that I am going to DOALLTHETHINGS but now that I've pouted I need to focus on what I can do. It certainly isn't going to be an easy month. My race calendar is blank now. Without a target to work towards I struggle to be consistent in my training, even with a coach who sees whether I complete my workouts. Some days I just run out of f*cks to give. 

That is the quick hit for today. Future ones will be quicker now that we've got the logistics covered. I'm on a Facebook hiatus right now so please be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram where I'm quite active @ImTheMarigold! 

Big Sur 21 Miler

"Running on the ragged edge of the western world." That is the tag line for the Big Sur International Marathon and is a true statement. I will do my best to stick to race day in this recap as I could complete an entire post on the days leading up to it once we landed in CA (expo, sightseeing, Oiselle shake-out run, etc.)

Does it get more on the edge than that?!

All of the events on race morning (marathon, marathon relay, 21 miler, 10.6 miler, 9 miler, 5k) except for the 5k are point to point. The race provides shuttle bus service to the appropriate start line (no personal vehicle parking) as well as a return ride to your original pickup spot. It does make for an earlier alarm (2:45 am) than what you might have if you could drive and park yourself, but it gave me an opportunity to listen to a little music and doze for the 30-40 minute drive from our shuttle stop to the 21 miler start line.

Side note: we waited a long time to book lodging for the race (and luckily the place didn't require payment up front) which meant limited availability at the race-approved hotels. I went with the first place that had space and wasn't painfully expensive. It turned out to be a perfect spot. A 5 minute drive to the shuttle bus pickup on race morning, a 10 minute drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea (so quaint and gorgeous, beach, shops, restaurants), and had two awesome local restaurants across the street.

Race outfit: Oiselle Verrazano bra (in Pop), Oiselle Fall Tank (in Dew), Oiselle race singlet, Brooks 7 inch Greenlight short, CEP Calf Sleeves (Hawaii Blue), CEP Dynamic+ Short Compression socks (Purple Blue), a sweet Oiselle cap I won the day before, Tifosi sunglasses, and my Pearl Izumi EM Road M3 road shoes. 

You know you needed the outfit details. You can tell how I was feeling during the race by following the progression of facial expressions. Yes, by the end, I was hurting. But at the beginning? All smiles.

The shuttle bus took us to our start at the Andrew Molera State Park, 5 miles north of the marathon start. I was pretty groggy for the ride, so I closed my eyes and listened to some favorite songs until we got there. The shuttle got us there in plenty of time, there was tons of space for everyone to spread out and do their own thing, lots of portapotties, and most importantly, volunteers serving COFFEE. 

I don't normally drink coffee before a race, but I had an hour and half to kill before we started. I also knew that I wouldn't finish the race until late in the morning, at which point I'd be risking a serious caffeine headache if I didn't drink a little now. We had our drop bags with us and kept them with us until the last moment. That allowed me to stay warmer, keep my Tiger Tail handy, and have breakfast (Picky Bar!) and fluids with me so I could ingest closer to start time and not force it down my throat in the hotel at 3 am. 

There was a group yoga session (only in CA, right?) before the start and most people were into it. I had a pretty specific warm-up that I wanted to go through (and didn't want to tweak anything), so I did not participate. I had a couple of mantras to carry me through the day, as well as a few longer quotes that resonated with me in the final weeks of training (from Devon Yanko, Sarah Mac, and Kara Goucher). I wrote them down on a small piece of paper, read them in those final moments before walking to the line, and folded the paper in my shorts pocket for the long road ahead.

I knew there were a few other fierce flyers running the 21 Miler, and sure enough I found one minutes before the start. She was going to be a bit speedier than me so we had just enough time to exchange names and snap a quick selfie before they sent us off. 

A little pre-race yoga as the sun came up

Isn't she adorable?! Hi Lauren!

If you're curious about the course, take a look at the graphics below. The easiest miles of the course are the 5 I didn't run...

Obviously, we started at mile 5 of the chart above. Yes, that is two miles of up from 10-12. 

This is how my Garmin recorded the course. Pretty similar.

If you are really into the numbers, here you go: 
Start elevation:  64'
Finish elevation: 10'
Total elevation gain: +2,060'
Total elevation loss:  -2,114'

Moving on. There is a small incline as you run the access road to the state park and get onto Highway 1. From that point on, the only word you need to remember is WIND. I won't carry on about it because it was what it was, but the wind was a constant presence. 20 mph or so along the course other than the summit of Hurricane Point which was around 50 mph. No joke. People were losing hats left and right. It was coming at you from the left and you just had to accept that it was going to be part of your day and let it go. 

I had planned on running for as long as I could, alternate running and walking up Hurricane Point, and then doing whatever my body would let me the rest of the way. From the beginning, the views were amazing. I found myself taking a lot of pictures in the first half, I couldn't help it. I was smiling and mentally pinching myself. I GET to run here. In this beautiful place. Wow. 

Hurricane Point was hard. No getting around that. What surprised me was how strong I felt going up. How strong I felt on all the hills. There was power in my stride. I alternated a 1:1 run walk up Hurricane Point but those two mile splits were speedier than I expected. On a lovely and somewhat ominous note, drummers were playing at the start of the climb. Every time I would come to what seemed like a crest, it revealed itself to be merely a curve leading farther up. I did not take any pictures of the climb because I was busy doing work and the wind was ridiculous. I don't think any pictures I've take of the course do that section justice. You'll just have to find out for yourself. 

With the worst of the climbing behind me, I focused on relentless forward progress. The top of the point was 7 miles into the 21; I had a long ways to go. I tried hard not to think of how far I had to go because I was scared. I have no problem admitting that. I didn't know how my body would react to running so far beyond what I'd asked it to do in a long time. The biggest surprise for me was that the downhills were the hardest. For whatever reason, my glutes were trashed by the end. All of those downward slopes that I had hope to cruise and pick up time were the places I needed to walk. Flats and hills? Crushed. Don't get me wrong, I was so happy that my calves and shins were silent. I just wasn't expecting my butt to be a pain in the ass. 

As I said earlier, my facial expressions are a good indicator of my discomfort level. Still doing pretty good here. 

Here, not so much. I was only a few miles away and come hell or high water, I was running over that finish line. 

I did not take pictures past the halfway point. I dialed into how I was feeling, when I needed to fuel, and repeated my mantras. The aid stations were fantastic. They had fresh fruit in the later miles, as well as the standard sports drink, water, and Gu. The volunteers braved hours in the freezing winds to staff those stations, holding out tongue depressors dripping with Vasoline and offering hugs to all takers. 

Spectators were sparse until the course made its way back into a more populated area but they were there and they were wonderful. Cheers, high fives, signs, the works. The community really seems to embrace this annual event and turn out to show their support. I could hear the finish line long before I could see it, and the course was a bit over 21 miles, so I had a hard time knowing when to make a final push. I gave what I had left to cross the finish and I know that I left it all out there on the course. 

Well, shit. I made it. 

I cannot say enough good things about this race. The organization is fantastic. I love the small size. You are never alone on the course but you never feel crowded. The setting is gorgeous. Abundant aid stations and amazing volunteers. Music along the course. Great post-race/finish line festivities. Unique medals. How often is Highway 1 completely shut down to all traffic but runners? One day a year. This one. 

Two things to consider before choosing Big Sur (neither of which have anything to do with the race itself but should be taken into consideration): the Carmel/Monterey area is not cheap to visit. You will most likely need a rental car. Lodging and restaurants are a little pricey. If you make this a race-cation and budget accordingly it is worth it. This was my one travel race this year and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Second (and this it outside the control of race organizers but worth noting) sections of Highway 1 (the road the course is on) have patched and repatched areas of pavement that make for uneven footing. Early on in the race it might not be a big deal but in the later miles (when things start to hurt) having a solid place to land your foot is important. Takes a little bit more energy to pay attention to that detail especially when you want to stare at the ocean instead. The road, with all its twists and turns, is also rarely level. The camber wears on you and spending time drifting across the road to mitigate that is also tiresome. 

I could say so much more about this race, the area, and the weekend as a whole. I would love to race Big Sur again and I probably will. Before I wrap this up, a few thank yous are in order. Oiselle and my Volee family who gave me community when I needed it. Nuun and Gu for fueling me every day, not just race day. CEP for relieving so many aches and pains and helping keep my body together. Pearl Izumi for making fantastic running shoes, I wish I'd found you sooner. Kyle, for not giving up on me and not letting me give up on myself. My family and friends, for tolerating a ridiculous amount of self-pity and doubt. Mark, for loving me at my worst and celebrating me at my best. You believed for me when I couldn't and I love you so much. WE DID IT! #whatsnext

Training recap 4/18 - 4/24

As the saying goes, the hay is in the barn. Or, it should be. Most of it. As much as I could harvest from my bum field. Or whatever continuation of the metaphor. I didn't have a taper going into Big Sur, but I don't think I needed one either. I didn't go longer than 12 miles and we're trying to capitalize on my relative healthiness by getting a lot of quality work done. 

Monday Scheduled: rest, drills
Monday Actual: rest

Tuesday Scheduled: easy 5 miles, core
Tuesday Actual: easy 5 miles, core
Notes: felt a niggle in my right quad/groin area. PT and massage scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. prepared to shut down track workout early if needed. 

Wednesday Scheduled: easy mile warmup, 7x800 moderate w 800 recovery,  easy mile cooldown. strength.
Wednesday Actual: track as scheduled, no strength
Notes: first on the track, last to leave. I was pretty tired by the last 800, but it was the length of the workout, not the intensity, that wore me out. 9 miles before the sun comes up is rough. 

couldn't go another step if I wanted to

Thursday Scheduled: travel to CA, rest, drills
Thursday Actual: travel to CA, rest. 

come on now, CA

Friday Scheduled: rest, strength
Friday Actual: rest, strength, drills from the day before

Saturday Scheduled: CHO loading protocol run (3 miles)
Saturday Actual: as scheduled above, but as part of a Big Sur shakeout run organized by Oiselle and the local speciality run store, The Treadmill. 

so happy to meet some fellow flyers!

Sunday Scheduled: Big Sur 21 Miler
Sunday Actual: full recap coming soon. :) 

Mileage: 38 (scheduled) 38.8 (actual)

I could post a lot more about the first couple of days in CA (aka so many happy sunny beachy pictures) but I'll spare you all. For now. 

Training recap 4/11 - 4/17

Yeah, I know. This is late. And I owe you another week after this. And I raced Big Sur. I'm getting there, I promise.  

Monday Scheduled: easy 5 miles, core
Monday Actual: less than easy 5 miles, core

Tuesday Scheduled: rest, strength
Tuesday Actual: easy spin, strength

Wednesday Scheduled: easy mile warmup, 5x1200 hard w 400 recovery,  easy mile cooldown. hip strength
Wednesday Actual: as scheduled. 
Notes: 1200s and 1600s are my least favorite track reps but I was pleased with how strong I felt and it showed in the splits. 

When your jam is the first song you hear after you crush your workout

Thursday Scheduled: rest, strength
Thursday Actual: rest, strength

Friday Scheduled: easy 3 miles, core
Friday Actual: easy 3 miles, core

Miles for Boston

Saturday Scheduled: easy 12 miles with a 1:00 minute stride each mile
Saturday Actual: 10 miles, 3 strides
Notes:  crap run. nothing specifically wrong/hurting, possible dehydration.

At least the scenery was nice...

Sunday Planned: rest, strength
Sunday Actual: rest, strength

Mileage total: 27 (planned) 24.4 (actual)

As I am writing this well after the fact, I guess I will say that this week was unremarkable. I was a little short on the mileage but not in a problematic way. With the race now being a week out, I am telling myself that the bad workouts are just kinks working themselves out now so I will be strong come race day.  I nerded out and made an epic packing list for the trip, but travelling for races is tricky business. Am I the only one who makes packing lists? For all travel? Yes? Oh, ok.