2012 In the Books!

What an amazing year.  I ran my first marathon!!!  Then signed up and ran another one!!  I managed to end the year injury free and I'm ready for 2013.  I am not signed up for another marathon YET, but we shall see.  Here's a recap of 2012:

January
Ran 71.08 miles
Rode 93.54 miles
Total 164.62 miles

February
Ran 116.58 miles - started TrainingPeaks Marathon training
Rode 42.29 miles
Total 158.87 miles

March
Ran 135.98 miles
Rode 9.94 miles
Total 145.92 miles

April
Ran 136.33 miles, this included a 20 mile training run
Total 136.33 miles

May
Ran 158.41 miles, this included a 22 mile training run
Total 158.41 miles

June
Ran 72.52 miles, this included my first marathon
Rode 38.38 miles
Total 110.90 miles

July 
Ran 72.32 miles - started training for marathon #2
Rode 69.48 miles
Total 141.80 miles

August
Ran 90.10 miles
Rode 85.76 miles
Total 175.86 miles

September
Ran 112.90 miles, this included a 20 mile training run.  My longest training run before my second marathon
Rode 18.01 miles
Total 130.91 miles

October
Ran 102.67 miles, this included the Susan G. Komen for the Cure 5K
Rode 19.88 miles
Total 122.55 miles

November
Ran 85.12 miles, this included my second marathon
Rode 37.77 miles
Total 122.89 miles

December
Ran 66.50 miles
Rode 63.51 miles
Total 130.01 miles

Total for the Year
Ran 1,220.51 miles
Rode 478.55 miles
Total miles for 2012:  1,699.06 

If I would have realized how close I was, I would have gone an extra mile today to reach 1,700!

My plan for 2013 is to start the year with a 13 mile run.  It's been in the 30s in the early mornings lately and I am really looking forward to a long cool run.  I am also going to work on an "active" streak - I want to see how many days I can stay active.  This will include running, cycling, and strength training (something I desperately need to work on!)

How was 2012 for you?  Any big race plans for 2013?

Christmas Week 2012

Hello there!  I know it's been a few days.  We had an enjoyable visit with Les' parents.  I ate way too much sugar.  Pie, cookies, candy, ice cream, nothing was safe!  The funny thing about eating that way is I don't want anything sweet today.  I am done with sugar.  That's not to say I won't eat sugar ever again, I don't think I'm capable of cutting it out completely, but I'm ready for fruits, veggies, chicken and fish for a while!

I was able to sneak in a couple of workouts while our company was here.  Here's how my week went:

Sunday:  Ran 5.5 miles in 1:03:21, 11:31 pace.
We got home from San Francisco very late on Saturday night.  My Dad had 2 surgeries last week, so we spent a ton of time sitting.  It also rained while we were there, so we didn't explore the city at all.

Monday:  Rained out!
I was so bummed.  My plan was to do a double before our company arrived - a run and a ride - but it was raining like crazy!

Tuesday:  Christmas Day
Visited, cooked, cleaned... and ate a lot!

Wednesday:  Ran 5:14 miles in 1:08:00, 13:14 pace
My legs were dead.  It was very difficult to move due to a food induced coma.  Better than nothing, right?

Thursday:  Rode 9.93 miles 1:12:10, 8.3 mph
It has rained so much lately, our trail is a mess!  It made for tough riding.

Friday:  Rested
I was just lazy.  No other excuse.

Saturday:  Ran 7.07 miles in 1:17:26, 10:57 pace
I felt great today!  This is the fasted I have run in months.  I've had short bursts of speed, but nothing sustained.  I ran every step.  I was racing the rain, again, but this time I won!

Now it's time to start thinking about 2013!

Merry Christmas!

The gifts are bought and almost all wrapped.  Les will pick up his parents at the airport this evening.  Most of my cooking is done, at least the prep part.  My house is clean.  And I'm ready for a few days off.  My plan is to run in the early mornings while my in-laws are here, but I won't blog.  I'll be back Saturday or Sunday or Monday!

Thoughts on Streaking

In 1974 the Ray Stevens song "The Streak" was released.  I was 10 years old, but I still remember the days when "streaking" in public was quite popular.  People would strip down and run across a football field or baseball diamond.  The song had the famous line:  "Don't look, Ethel!" That's really not what I've been thinking about, but when I wrote the word "streaking" all those memories came back!

I'm actually talking about a running streak.  Running everyday for weeks, months, or years.  I've never had more than a 10 day streak and I've wondered how I would do if I tried to run everyday.

In 2007 I had my first 2,000 mile year - I ran 2,415 miles in a single year.  In 2009 I set a goal to run 50 miles a week for a total of 2,600 miles.  I did it, but I was completely burned out from running when 2010 came around.  Fortunately in 2010 I discovered that mountain biking is a lot of fun, I was able to stay active and my love for running eventually returned.

Of course this year was huge for me - TWO marathons!  My miles will be lower than they have been since 2006, but I've accomplished so much.  Marathon training had me taking two rest days a week and I certainly needed them.

I don't have an answer.  Since I've never tried a streak, I don't know if it would help or hurt.  I think a better streak would be consecutive "active" days, whether that be running, walking, cycling, or strength training.  I do know the older I get the more my body needs rest.  So I'll ask you...

Have you ever had a running/active streak?  Was it good or bad?

Do you remember Ethel??

Another Run in the Rain

I have run in the rain more in the past month than I have in the past 5 years!  This morning I could see that the ground was wet, but when I stepped outside it wasn't actively raining.  Five minutes into it, Murphy's Law for Runners kicked in:

The rain will start to fall 5 minutes into your run, and stop about 5 minutes before you finish.

That is exactly what happened!  It rained the hardest at my turn around point, but I was determined to get in 5 miles today.  My dad is having surgery in San Francisco this week, so we'll be traveling and sitting for several days.

It wasn't cold at all, but I was soaked!  Even my socks were wet.  At about the 3 1/2 mile mark my pace was 12:15, I decided I wanted to finish in under an hour so I kicked my pace up a notch and finished strong.


5.01 miles in 59:40, 11:55 pace
Ave HR 136
Max HR 160
Calories burned 489
Elevation gained 545 feet

The Weather Outside is... Unpredictable!

It was a typical week in Southern California ~ sun, rain, warm, cold, breezy and calm!  Here's how my week went:

Sunday - Ran 10.03 miles in 1:57:51
It was a cool 42 when I headed out, but was quickly warming.

Monday - Rest Day
The forecast called for Santa Ana winds with gusts of up to 45 mph.  The winds never showed, but I enjoyed a rest day anyway.

Tuesday - Rode 12.41 miles on Backbone Trail in 1:57:08
The most beautiful day of the week.  Sunny and warm, we had a high of 77!

Wednesday - Rode 9.36 miles on Las Llajas in 1:02:16
A storm was moving in.  Temps were low 50s, I got lightly sprinkled on.

Thursday - Rest Day
It started raining Wednesday night and was raining steadily when I woke up.

Friday - Ran 7 miles in 1:23:52
The storm brought much cooler temps.  It was 38 when I got up to run, we don't see that very often!

Saturday - Ran 4.40 miles in 56:28
We got a bunch more rain on Friday night.  Temps dropped to 37 early this morning.  It was cold, but I loved it!  It's so much easier to put on an extra layer.

All in all, a very fun week.  I'm really enjoying running and cycling when I want, without a training goal at this time.

Totals:
Running:  21.43
Cycling:  21.77
Total  43.20

Single Track, Sunshine, Rain and a New PR

I asked Les yesterday if I should rename this blog.  I've been doing a lot more mountain biking than running lately!  I read so many running blogs that talk about injury, I think cycling is great cross training.

For the last month Les has been telling me, "We need to go ride Backbone."  Backbone Trail is in the Santa Monica mountains with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.  We finally decided yesterday would be the day and we couldn't have picked a more beautiful one!  It was about 65 out, sunny, clear, and calm.

The trail is to the right of Les in this picture

There are several types of mountain bike trails.  Las Llajas, my usual ride, is on fire roads.  These are wide enough for vehicles.  The first three miles of Backbone was on single track.  It's exactly what the name implies - wide enough for a single bike, and tricky when someone is coming the other way. This was a first for me.  I've ridden a few other trails, but they've all been fire roads.

The Pacific Ocean, as far as the eye can see

We rode about 5 miles when we came out on Yerba Buena Road.  We somehow lost the trail, so we rode Yerba for a little while before turning around.  While I didn't mind going up the single track because we were going so slow, coming down was a bit scary.  I even took a small tumble trying to navigate a steep hairpin turn. I have a couple bruises, but didn't break any skin.  So maybe this cross training isn't exactly injury free, but it's still fun!

Total distance 12.4 miles in 1:56:59, 6.4 mph
Ave HR 136
Max HR 164
Calories burned 787
Elevation gained 1,716 feet

We are suppose to get rain sometime this afternoon or evening.  Since I can run in, or right after, the rain, I decided to ride again this morning.  About 4 miles from home it started sprinkling.  My legs weren't feeling completely recovered from yesterday, so I decided to just go the Y and call it a day.  Coming back down, I got wet, but not too bad.

I also set a new PR on Marr Ranch Blacktop.  Are you tired of hearing about that?  Today was huge for me - I rode it in 40 seconds.  I am now ONE second from first place!!

Total distance 9.36 in 1:02:16, 9.0 mph
Ave HR 136
Max HR 170
Calories burned 504

Elevation gained 1,030 feet

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?  Do any fun cross training lately?

Double Digits

I took a planned rest day yesterday.  A Saturday without running has been rare this year and I enjoyed it so much!  I set the alarm last night though, because I needed to run today.  Our forecast is typical December - Santa Ana winds are headed our way sometime this afternoon.  That's how reindeer fly in my neighborhood - 45 mph gusts of wind.

This morning was the calm before the storm - 42 degrees, clear and calm.  I had my first double digit run in a month - 10 miles and they felt great!  I wasn't fast, but I was steady.  My fastest mile was 10:51 and my slowest was 12:58.  I loved watching the sun come up and start warming things up a bit.

10.04 miles in 1:57:51, 11:45 pace
Ave HR 144
Max HR 160
Calories burned 997
Elevation gained 724 feet

Trail Pictures

I don't always take pictures when I ride, but today was too gorgeous out not to!  We rode to the top of Sunshine Mountain.  5.7 miles from our house and this is the view:

Today's ride:  11.4 miles in 1:30, 7.6 mph
Ave HR 144
Max HR 171
Calories burned 865
Elevation gained 1,644 feet

Mud Ride

I must have been smiling, because there was mud on my teeth!
~ Me, this morning

I had such a fun ride this morning.  We had rain for about five days, which meant a muddy trail this morning.  Lots of puddles, including one that went across the entire trail.  Going up the trail was a little slow as my tires collected more and more mud.  Just as I got to the split, I saw this downed tree:

Hmm... that takes me further up the trail.  To the left is a cattle ranch.  I was able to skirt around the tree and made my way up a little further.  The higher up the trail, the muddier and slicker it got, so I turned around and headed back down.  Going back down, my tires shed all the mud they had collected.  More than once, I felt mud hit my face and teeth.  I hit a really slick spot and thought I was going down for a few seconds, but was able to stay upright. 

Muddy Myka after I got home

And once again, I PR'd Marr Ranch Blacktop!  On November 16th I rode it in 57 seconds.  On November 20th I rode it in 54 seconds.  Today I rode it in 49 seconds!  This is one tenth of a mile with an average grade of 21.8%.  I really didn't think I could get that much faster, but I am. And having a lot of fun in the process!

Mud splattered clothes - just part of riding this time of year!

10.19 miles in 1:15:18, 8.1 mph
Ave HR 136
Max HR 162
Calories burned 587
Elevation gained 1,234 feet

Determination

I really like this quote!  Great things don't happen by accident.  Crossing the finish line, whether it's your first 5K or your 20th marathon, takes a lot of determination. And brings a lot of satisfaction.

I had a great run this morning.  I didn't have a plan, I just got up and ran.  My legs felt strong.

7.02 miles in 1:22:37, 11:46 pace
Ave HR 146
Max HR 166
Calories burned 687
Elevation gained 793 feet

Being consistent, even through the final month of 2012, will take a lot of determination.  I'm going to do it, how about you?

I Needed to Run

I know I'm super spoiled when it comes to weather.  The only things that keep me from running are rain or wild fire.  I probably get rained out about 20 days a year, so I don't worry too much if I miss a day due to rain.  I use to have a treadmill, but I gave it away since all it did was gather dust.  This week I was rained out on Thursday and Friday, so I went to bed last night planning on running this morning...

I woke up and could tell the roads were wet.  It didn't seem like it was actively raining, so I decided to go for it.  It was 58 out, so I put on a light jacket (hoping to stay dry) and a baseball cap.  As soon as I stepped out, I knew it was going to be a wet slog.  It wasn't raining hard, but it was misting.  I told myself, "Go a mile and see how it is."  I then decided to go two miles, then four, and finally ended up with five miles!  I ran a pretty hilly route.  Even PR'd to capture second overall on one of the climbs!

The conditions never changed.  I was completely wet by the time I got home, but I felt so good!  My legs felt fresh, I think I'm completely recovered from my latest marathon.  So glad I went.

The face of a wet, but happy runner!

5.01 miles in 59:43, 11:55 pace
Ave HR 143
Max HR 159
Calories burned 515
Total elevation gain 607 feet

What keeps you from running?  How many days can you go before you're stir crazy??

Chasing Hamburgers

Les and I went riding this morning.  Las Llajas, of course.  The trail is perfect right now, the little rain we got a couple weeks ago has knocked all the dust off, but it's not muddy yet.

This morning I decided to push on up to what we call "Sunshine Mountain."  This is 5.7 miles from our house and pretty much all uphill.  I haven't ridden that far since before the marathon, so I didn't know how I would do.  Well, I got fourth woman overall on the segment called "Oil Wells Climb."  This is 1.2 miles with an average grade of 10.4%, some parts are close to 20%.  I watched my heart rate climb and climb, finally maxing out at 169 BPM.  It took me 24 minutes and 17 seconds to ride that segment!  A 24 minute mile while running is crawling, but doing this on the bike is killer!

After catching our breath, we headed back down.  The fun part!  About a third of a mile from the top, Les slowed.  "There's a momma cow and her calf."  They were just ahead of us on the trail, running for all they were worth to get out of our way!  They finally took a short cut that led back to the ranch, while we headed for home.  You just never know what you're gonna see on Las Llajas!

Not "our" cow, but this is what she looked like.

Total ride:  11.4 miles in 1:33:22, 7.3 mph average.
1,638 feet of climbing
Average HR 137
Max HR 169
Calories burned 690

Have you ever seen anything crazy while out running, riding, or walking?

Hiking the Mist Trail

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend.  Lots of eating, lots of fun and laughter with family, and a major hike. Yosemite National Park is practically in Fresno's backyard.  Just a short 60 miles gets you to the park entrance and another 35 miles takes you to the valley floor.

Les and I have made many trips to Yosemite in the past 22 years.  He proposed to me there on November 3, 1990 and we've been going back ever since.  When Les proposed, we hiked the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall.  This time we continued another two miles to Nevada Fall.  3.5 miles, with 2,000 feet of elevation gain!

The hike is described this way:

Medium, but bordering strenuous if you go all the way to the top of Nevada Fall. The stretches beside Vernal and Nevada Falls are both quite steep - in fact, the last few hundred meters up the Vernal Falls trail are stairs cut into the cliffside.

Those stairs in the cliff are killer!  Many were so steep, my hand was touching the ground as my knee was bent.  But the views from the top make it worthwhile!

Both of our Garmins had trouble tracking with the tall cliffs, and mine died completely on the way down, so I don't have complete data.  I did see my heart rate hit 162 as we were climbing the final steps to the top.

At Nevada Fall the trail continues on up another four miles to Half Dome.  The cables are down for the winter, so even if we'd been prepared, we couldn't have gone.

We made our way down, via the Muir Trail.  It was four miles, as opposed to 3.5, which made it just a little more gentle.

I had very little soreness on Saturday and none on Sunday.  I guess running hills has helped!

Turkey Trot 2012

I was going to sign up for a Turkey Trot that is taking place tomorrow.  A few weeks ago, when my Dad's health was so bad, I didn't know what we would be doing or where we would be on Thanksgiving, so I never signed up.  He's currently back in Fresno and I'll get to see him this week. I don't have a race scheduled, so I did a Turkey Trot of my own this morning!

I couldn't have picked a more beautiful morning - 49 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and no wind.  I didn't have a time or distance goal, I just wanted to see how I would do.  I didn't feel great, but I ended up running six miles!  I can tell I'm still not completely recovered from the marathon (11 days ago) but I'm starting to feel a little more pep in my legs.

I had a great ride on my mountain bike yesterday - even set a new PR on Marr Ranch Blacktop, taking second place overall of women!  I shaved 3 seconds off my best time.  First place is safe for now - I'm 15 seconds behind her.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, then we're planning to go hiking in Yosemite on Friday.  What about you - any Turkey Trot plans?

Murphy's Law for Runners

After a very rainy Saturday, I was ready to run this morning.  It was a little misty when I left, but not too bad.  I thought I'd do 5-6 miles.  My legs weren't great, but they felt good.  The mist felt wonderful, the air was clean.

About 1 1/2 miles from home all of that changed.  It started pouring!  Water was dripping down my face.  Murphy's Law for Runners says this:

The rain will start to fall 5 minutes into your run, and stop about 5 minutes before you finish.

I'd like to add a little:

The farther you are from home, the harder the rain will fall.

Like the typical Southern California wimp that I am, I cut my run short.  Still got in 3 miles, but I can run another day.  Getting rained out here is rare, so I don't have to run it in unless I want to.  Today I didn't want to!

Marathon Recovery Report

I had a really great recovery week.  It's surprising to me that I was able to ride my mountain bike up steep climbs, but could barely run at all.  At least I'm getting my heart rate up!  We have a friend who hikes a lot, he told Les he didn't think he could get a good workout on a bike... until Les took him riding!  As soon as the road turns up, cycling gives a great workout.  Of course the downhills are fun, too!  There's no coasting during a marathon.

Sunday: Rest
Result:  Rested

Monday:  Rest
Result:  Rested

Tuesday:  Rest
Result:  Walked 2.01 miles in 35:47
Moving slowly, but still moving
Ave HR 96

Wednesday:  2 miles easy
Result:  Rode 6.81 miles in 47:37, 8.6 mph
Ave HR 128

Thursday:  Cross train
Result:  Walked/Ran 3.05 miles in 43:57
Walking was okay, running was still a bit painful
Ave HR 111

Friday:  2 to 3 miles easy
Result:  Rode 9.36 miles in 1:08:31, 8.2 mph
Ave HR 129

Saturday:  Run easy, no more than an hour
Result:  Rested.  It's raining steadily here and I have no reason to push myself out the door!  Yay for a Saturday off!

As you can see, right now I can get my heart rate up higher on the bike than running.  As my legs continue to recover, I know I'll be able to get a higher HR running as well.  My plans for now are to continue doing both.  I haven't signed up for my next marathon, but I'm pretty sure there will be at least one in 2013.

Total for the week:
Running:  5.06
Cycling:  16.17
Total:  21.23

Setting a PR

Les and I rode our mountain bikes again this morning.  Our trail is tough, I get a good workout every time.  This morning we had a time constraint, so we only went 4.6 miles before turning around. 

There are several Strava segments on this ride, the final one is called Marr Ranch Blacktop. This is a quick stinger - blacktop after riding on the dirt.  When I first uploaded some older data, I was 5th overall of women.  A few weeks ago I moved up to 3rd overall at 58 seconds.  Today I did it in 57 seconds.  A new PR!  I am only one second away from 2nd place overall.

I was really surprised because my legs still felt pretty dead after last week's marathon.  Les said I was sandbagging the rest of the ride. It was great riding today knowing I don't have a long run in the morning.  I think I'm going to enjoy spontaneous running and riding for the rest of the year.  We're suppose to get rain, so I just might sleep in on a Saturday for the first time in 2012!!

Marr Ranch Blacktop is just before the 8 mile mark

Total stats for the ride:

9.4 miles in 1:08:31, 8.2 mph.  1,022 feet of elevation gain.

Ave HR 129
Max HR 161 (this was on Marr Ranch Blacktop)
Calories burned 520

Coming Back for More

I love this quote by Dathan Ritzenhein:

The marathon has so many elements to prepare for. I think that is one reason I always want to come back for more. There is always something to change in your preparation and I am still trying to discover what I am capable of.  I guess I just love the challenge.

Dathan is the American 5K record holder.  His half marathon time is 60 minutes and his full is 2 hours and 10 minutes.

I really didn't know how I would feel about running a marathon.  But after running two, this quote just sums it up.  There is always something to change and I'm actually amazed at what I am capable of.  No, I haven't run a sub 4 hour marathon, but I have finished and learned a lot along the way.  I don't have another race planned yet, but I feel sure there are more marathons in my future.

My recovery is going well.  I took Sunday and Monday off, walked on Tuesday, rode my bike yesterday and finally tried a little running today.  I use the word "running" quite loosely, since I did a combination of walking and really slow jogging, also known as wogging.  I have a little soreness, but it's only noticeable when I try to run.

SB Marathon Numbers

If you don't care a thing about numbers, this post is not for you!  I am a data geek, so all this stuff is right up my alley.  I was lost when my Garmin died, I probably look at it too much!

5:28:52 - My finishing time
12:33 - Average pace

Split times:
2:26:19, 11:10 pace - First half
3:02:33, 13:56 pace - Second half

10:00 - pace of my fastest mile, mile #2
15:24 - pace of my slowest mile, mile #24

1247- my place out of 1375 finishers.

66 - my place out of 72 in the Women 45-49 age group

2:23:09 - Overall finisher's time

147 - Average HR
173 - Max HR

3005 - Calories Burned

0 - Number of blisters.  I had 2 last time.  I put cream on my feet before I put my socks on and that did the trick.  I was so happy when I finally took my socks off to find no blisters.  It really is the little things.

2 - Number of post marathon rest days.  I got up and went for a 2 mile walk this morning.  I don't think I'm as sore as last time.  The slower pace and early walk breaks may have made the difference.

5 - Number of donut holes consumed in the car post race.  Recovery done right!

I took a little time to compare this marathon to my last one.

Actual time:
Ojai to Ocean - 4:53:33
Santa Barbara - 5:28:52

35 minutes and 18 seconds slower.  1 minute and 13 seconds a mile slower.

Then I spent a little time using Strava's Grade Adjusted Pace:

Ojai to Ocean had 215 feet of elevation gain - my GAP was 5:02:34 - I would have been slower if the course had been completely flat.
Santa Barbara had 754 feet of elevation gain - my GAP was 5:15:55 - I would have been faster if the course had been completely flat.

Comparing the two marathons using GAP, I would have only been 13 minutes and 19 seconds slower, about 30 seconds a mile!  What does all that tell me?  I can do better next time...

Next time??  Oh yeah, I'm already thinking about it!