Top 5 Running Highlights of 2017

It was pretty easy for me to choose my top 5 of 2017, although some might say I double dipped on #1-3!

1. Running two marathons in the 2:40s.  It boggles my mind to think that I ran 2:47:14 and 2:49:20 marathons.  Many women have run many more marathons much faster, but I never thought I would do this or anything close!  I thought I was doing good in 2016 with two sub-3:00s.  I haven't run a marathon over 3:00 since 2015 (darn you, 3:01).  My mind hasn't caught up with my body because it seems like some sort of fluke, but on the other hand faster paces have become the new normal...it's hard to explain.  I am extremely thankful for both of these races and even if I don't run another fast marathon for the rest of my life, I ran 2:47 and 2:49!

   

   2:49

   

   2:47

2. PRs.  Thanks to my running club's Runner of the Year competition summary, I realized I ran 8 PRs in 2017.  It's not as good as it sounds, because some were bettering the same distance PR (e.g., 2 marathon PRs, 2 half PRs, track 10K + road 10K) and one was the first time I ever raced the distance so a PR was a given (12K).  My PR races were the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon, the BMO Mesa-Phoenix Marathon, the Big 12 12K, the Wash U Distance Carnival 10,000 m., the Bradleyville Scholarship Run 5K, the Plaza 10K, the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon, and the California International Marathon.

   

   Half PR in Indy

3. Racing trips.  I was blessed to able to travel to several races this year, and that contributed to highlight #2 because I've learned that it's typically better not to run marathons in the Midwest -- our weather is often not conducive to fast racing!  Not to mention that generally races in my immediate area are not competitive and not certified/not the correct distance.  I traveled to Arizona twice (Phoenix/Mesa/Tempe area), Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, along with shorter trips to Kansas City and St. Louis.
4. Exceeding 3,000 miles for the year.  I have only tracked my yearly mileage since 2010, and I've never done it with a yearly goal in mind (this year I just followed my coach's plan and this is where I landed).  I'm confident that I never ran more mileage than this before I began tracking it, because I have never before done mileage like I did during my CIM build, nor have I ever had a year that I didn't have some time off with injuries between 1999 and 2016! (!!!!!)
• 2017 - 3043
• 2016 - 2294
• 2015 - 1942
• 2014 - 972
• 2013 - 595
• 2012 - 1373
• 2011 - 1539
• 2010 - 2106
5. No injuries.  I had a niggle here and there, but never anything I had to miss a single day of running for.  I received ART three times for a hamstring niggle, and also had a little tendon niggle I was able to work through with rolling and eccentric calf raises.  This is HUGE for me and is the first time since my first injury between high school and college (1999) that I have had zero time-off injuries in a year!  Wahoo!  This is clearly linked to all of the other highlights so should probably be #1.

2017 will be hard to top, and maybe I'll never top it and that is okay.  But I'm ready to give it a try - bring on 2018!  God's plan for 2018 is the best plan, which means my main goal should be to trust Him always.

Here's hoping!

Houston Training Journal #2: All that's for certain is that I am crazy

This continues Houston Training Journal #1.

Note:  If you think this sounds like a bunch of me being negative, read through the end -- my positivity returns, I promise!

I got another race photo from Bass Pro that I actually like -
this one was in my running club's Dec. newsletter &
includes my super speedy friend Zach who is often
kind enough to slow down enough to run long runs
& workouts with me

December 19, 2017
I am fully invested in running Houston only if I am 100% healthy and the race day weather is conducive to fast running, which is difficult for me to think about because that means there is a chance I won't run it.  If I can't try for a 2:45 there (which I can't if everything isn't ideal or very close to it), there isn't a reason for us to take the trip or to put my body through a hard 26.2.  Logically I fully believe this, and I also believe that God will lead me in the right direction, but it's hard not knowing while at the same time proceeding as if it's going to happen.  It's making me lack the laser focus that I had for CIM.

My hamstring has put some added stress into the equation.  I never mentioned it before now, I guess because I was just hoping if I didn't acknowledge it, it would go away -- and it always did.  Two days before my 22 miler at the end of October I did deadlifts and tweaked a spot on my left hammy.  It didn't bother me running the 22 miler but I felt it the rest of the day after the run.  I was worried about it, but it never hurt running and got better relatively quickly.  Then in the Bass Pro half marathon, I felt it for a few steps around mile 10.  It was then fine again, until I felt it on the final mile of my fast finish 24 miler in November.  It has never bothered me much while running, but when it's irritated I know how I can make it hurt, which is by doing leg swings, doing high front kicks, or stretching it.  I had one ART session for it right after my 20 x 400 workout in November, mainly as a precaution and along with an ART maintenance session for pre-race prep, and it felt like a million bucks after that.  When it didn't bother me one bit during or after CIM, I thought it must have completely healed during my taper.

However, on December 11 when I did some strides at the end of my run -- my first faster running after CIM -- I felt it.  My coach said not to let it get any worse, and it didn't until I ran 1.66 miles hard at the Ugly Sweater 5K (the perk of calling it in at the turn around was that I didn't run the whole race hard and irritate it more, I guess) followed by a 16 mile long run with some 1:00 pick-ups the day after.  It bothered me after that long run (although not as much as it did after the 22 miler), so I went in for an ART session for it yesterday evening.  The ART helped, and I also got a bonus gait analysis and some exercises to work on because my right glute is weaker than my left.  I also need to work on stretching my hip flexors, which I do daily but I guess not enough.  I do a standing desk at work and that helps them, but I guess also not enough.

Picking back up after CIM to go for Houston was/is a risk, but it is one I wanted to take, especially because I'm tentatively planning for my next marathon after Houston to be in June at Grandma's.  The way the timing aligned will allow me to take a down month after Houston before starting my Grandma's build, and the timing on that couldn't be better since it will be the coldest part of winter (give me 100* over 0* any day -- at least for training...for racing I am not sure).  But if my body says no Houston, I'm going to respect that too, as difficult as that is.  I just know I can't run 2:45 if I'm not 100%, so that makes it easier to acquiesce.  I am planning on Houston, but maybe God isn't planning it for me, and time and time again He shows me that He knows better.  Like I said here, I need to NOT tell God my plans.  We just all know that patience isn't my strong suit!  For now, I'm continuing with my training and I am actually in my peak mileage week for Houston.  I am going to be super diligent about strengthening and stretching, and we will see what God has in store.

December 20, 2017
Well, the good news is that my hammy is doing great!  ART can truly be magical.  The bad news is that I was injured at work.  By nature of my career, I often work with aggressive clients and once in awhile I am on the receiving end of that.  I was diagnosed with a neck strain (just what I need after my problems at CIM, right?!) and lost several clumps of hair.  Otherwise I'm just sore, but sometimes if it's not one thing it's another...

December 21, 2017
This week I've been really questioning whether or not I should run Houston, and last night my doubt hit the highest level.  I woke up this morning questioning this 70 mile week and what I am even doing.  Should I have taken 2 weeks off before easing back in after CIM like a normal person?  When I start not wanting to race and when daily runs start feeling like a "have to" instead of a "can't wait to", I get concerned that I'm over-doing it.  In addition to the hamstring issue (that's now all better) and neck strain (that also seems fine now), my body has recently been out of whack due to:

• Albani had pinworms, or at least we suspect.  When we called to make her a physician's appointment, they told us to treat her with PinX and then come in if it hadn't cleared up.  The PinX instructions said that everyone in the house should be treated, and it's just a single dose, so although I hate taking medication and had no symptoms, I took it.  This was on Dec. 18.
• I've never actually gotten sick, but I've felt like I've been fighting something or another off since just after CIM.  My immune system is strong, although less strong post-marathon.  I can just tell when I'm not 100%, with a slight sore throat or minor sniffles.  Some of this could be from running in cold temps too.
• Holiday junk food is everywhere.  Most of the year I am fine about turning down the crap food that's always at work, and most of it isn't any good anyway (e.g., donuts every Friday, Oreos and chips here and there, etc.), but a large selection of homemade goodies can break my healthy eating patterns.  I don't feel as good running or in daily life when I eat crap, but I guess I find it hard to turn down when I know I won't see those treats again until next Christmas.
• Stress.  Holidays stress me out.  I wish we could focus more on the true meaning of Christmas and less on the hoopla.  I feel overwhelmed by having so many things to do and by all of the changes in routines.  The stress, busyness, and changes in routines also affect my sleeping.

Anyhow, this morning on my run with my friend Rebecca I confessed out loud for the first time that I was thinking that maybe I shouldn't run Houston.  Maybe it's just too much.  I then said the same to Jon when I returned home, and noted it in my daily run notes on my coaching app.  After that, the weirdest thing happened.  I started feeling like I should run Houston again.  I am clearly going crazy.

December 23, 2017
When I told my husband, my coach, and a friend on Thursday that maybe I shouldn't run Houston, everyone pretty much replied with a similar theme of:  no worries if I didn't want to or if I didn't feel up for it, but maybe I shouldn't decide quite yet.  I felt strangely relieved after mentioning it, and I again wanted to go out for my runs!  I proceeded with my training schedule as if I'd be running Houston, including an 18 mile long run that included a 5 mile progression down to 6:08 today.  My 18 miler ended up being the fastest I've ever done in training, and it felt fantastic (also my ponytail froze and that was fun)!  So maybe I can run Houston.  And for sure I am going crazy.

However, it takes at least some crazy to try for a fast marathon, so perhaps this is to my advantage.  3 weeks until Houston, and I am so thankful that I get to run tomorrow!

Frozen hair/don't care

Houston Training Journal #1: Recovery Patience is Hard

This is unlikely to be anywhere nearly as extensive as my CIM series, but here we go!

December 10, 2017
5 weeks until Houston!

When we called Albani the evening after CIM, Jon said, "Mama ran her race this morning", and she asked "Did she make it to the Olympics?" (as shown by this question, she doesn't quite understand the whole Trials process).  Jon told her I was 2 minutes off of qualifying for the Trials.  A few days later she told me, out of the blue, "If I missed it by just 2 minutes, I'd be really mad at myself."  I wondered where she'd learned such an attitude, then laughed, because me a couple of years ago would have been really mad at myself.

2017 me isn't mad at myself at all.  I've learned to give myself grace and to not let comparison steal my joy.  I gave it all I had out there, and you certainly can't get 2 minutes, or any time at all, by being mad.  After Dallas I was terribly mad at myself for quite some time, and then I bullied my body into illness, over-training, and an injury.  Trying for really big goals means that you will probably miss along the way, but those misses are steps, not failures.  Perhaps this is one of the best realizations from CIM going forward.  Even if it takes me 10 tries to get a 2:45, or if I never get it at all, each training cycle and marathon is a step.

"The only failure in chasing your dreams is failing to see how far you've come along the way."

15 days until Christmas!

December 11, 2017
I am SO ANXIOUS to get back to training!  The balance with running two marathons close together is to get fully recovered from the first one yet maintain peak (or re-peak) for the second.  I trust that my coach will get me there, because he has before.  I had a break-through half marathon at White River 6 weeks after I peaked for Prairie Fire (with running a second marathon at Bass Pro in between).  I ran a huge 10K PR 5 weeks after I peaked for Phoenix.  The hard part is accepting that most of the work has already been done.  I am itching to run farther and faster, which I believe says good things about my CIM recovery, but this week is still somewhat recovery-focused and patience is key.  Over-training would kill Houston, so I am following my coach's conservative plan (this does not mean I have not asked him to add mileage, approximately 5 times already, haha!).

December 12, 2017
I was driving home from work today and it hit me:  I am a 2:47 marathoner!  I hadn't thought of it in that phrasing, and it brought me so much joy.  Even though I was 134 seconds short of my Big Dream Goal Time, I ran a 2:47 off of running an average of 65 mpw in my build.  I may very well come up short in Houston again, but maybe eventually I will get the opportunity to find out what I can do off of 80 mpw.  2 years ago I thought 2:59 was my max.  I now think that 2:44:59 is my max, and I'm okay with that!  It's crazy how different paces become the new normal.  I can't really believe that I ran 6:22.7 pace for 26.2 miles; in my mind that is still my 5K pace on a good day!

December 13, 2017
I got to do my first tiny workout post-CIM this morning (although I did have strides on Dec. 11, so had done a bit of faster running there).  It was just 2 miles progressive fast finish on the tail end of a 9 miler, but it was nice to run faster again and also to inch back towards a midweek long run!  I guess it was also the farthest I've run since CIM.  In the 6 weeks between marathons I'll basically do 2 recovery weeks, 2 training weeks, then 2 taper weeks.

December 14, 2017
I've hit my post-marathon slump.  Usually it hits sooner, so I thought I'd maybe even dodged it this time, but no such luck.  The week after CIM I was riding the high from the race and pumped to run Houston.  We were also vacationing for a few days before returning to work and real life on December 7.  Then I had 4 really long and super busy days at work playing catch up (taking time off at the beginning of the month at my job is a horrible idea, but CIM didn't ask how their date worked in my life schedule).  Yesterday I finally felt like I could breathe at work again.  I think all of that busy-ness delayed the inevitable post-marathon let-down, where I've lost the post-race high and don't yet have hard workouts to get an endorphin boost from.

We've had too many Christmas treats

This week I've been training, but lighter than I've gotten used to; I will end up around 58 miles total with most of it easy paced.  It's a time that is essential for me to have a coach, because on my own accord I would push too much too soon and screw it all up.  I looked at my Strava log today to see that I'll have 4 weeks mileage under 60 (2 weeks taper + 2 weeks recovery), and I don't like that one bit.  Especially because I then just have 2 weeks of real training before 2 weeks of taper for Houston!  I feel like I will be so out of shape, but I've looked back at what I did after other marathons and believe it or not I did not lose all of the fitness from months and months of training by tapering and recovering (shocker, I know -- it's one of those things that's easy to tell other people but hard to believe about yourself).

Jack Daniels, you crazy...but you prove that my strength lies in the marathon

December 17, 2017
Today was my first time to run double digits since CIM and my first long run of this very abbreviated training cycle.  I was a little apprehensive about it because I knew that I wouldn't be completely recovered 2 weeks after a marathon, but I also felt that I needed to feel pretty decent to continue with my goal of pressing on towards Houston.  I got in 16 miles in 41* and light rain -- the saving grace was that there was no wind, but being wet at 41* isn't my favorite.  I am thankful that it went well enough that this post is still titled Houston Training Journal!

Marathon Day Fueling

I used the exact same fueling plan for my last two marathons, and very close to it for the two before that.  I've never had any stomach or GI issues with this nutrition, and I've always felt like I had enough fuel for the distance.  While I think that marathon nutrition is very individualized and should always be practiced in training, this is what works for me.

• 3 hours pre-race:  a large baked sweet potato (no skin - the only time I don't eat it) and a nuun energy tab dissolved in about 12 oz water (40 mg caffeine).  I can also do a plain potato, but I like sweet potatoes more, plus they are more nutrient-dense.  Potatoes sit better with me than grains, but in a pinch I'm okay with breads, bagels, Cheerios, oatmeal, and other bland basic carbs.
• Between 2.5-0.5 hour pre-race:  sip on 12 oz water with a second nuun energy tab.
• 1.5 hours pre-race:  two scoops of Generation UCAN vanilla flavor mixed in about 8 oz of almond milk.
• During race:  3 Accel gels (each with 40 mg caffeine), around the 10K, 20K, and 30K marks, but with some variation based on the course aid station placement, because I try to take them with water.  I always carry 4 gels just in case, but haven't taken the fourth recently.  I also take water at each aid station, and at CIM I took nuun on the course because that's what I train with.  I dislike other brands of sports drinks that are often provided in marathons, so I've typically used water only on the courses.

  

  Gels & nuun energy

That's nuun energy in water, Generation UCAN
powder, & my baked sweet potato

CIM Post-Race Tears & Post-Race Planning

The marathon will humble you even when you have a strong finish, but the ground of the finish chute is extra humbling.  I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to die, celebrate, or wallow.  Another runner helped me to my feet; God bless her for picking up a sweaty stranger from the ground.  She and a volunteer helped me walk, while my husband, who had seen me go down, ran to the side of the chute.  It's all a blur, but I told them I was okay and adamantly and repeatedly refused the med tent and a wheelchair.

Once I saw Jon, I burst into tears.  I was in so much pain, and I was so relieved to have finished and to PR, yet I was also upset that it all came crashing down at the end.  I'd envisioned a strong finish to this race many, many times, but I couldn't pull it off.  It was a mental trip to finally be confident that I could accomplish my big 2:45 dream, only to be punched in the gut (actually, in the neck) and come up 2:14 short.  I held onto the side of the chute and cried, while Jon again tried to get me to go with a medic.  I was able to gather myself and walk out of the chute holding onto the side.

I was coherent enough to know I'd want this

The neck pain subsided enough that I had a photo taken and picked up my gear bag to change into dry and warm clothing.  Walking from the gear check we ran into Courtney Frerichs, who I'd met in November in my neighboring town where she is from.  Fingers crossed that she can join our running group for some easy runs when she is visiting her parents for Christmas!

I was shocked she wasn't much taller as
a steeple-chaser (I'm 5'7")

I then managed to change and we began walking to the car.  A volunteer had given me a banana in the finishing chute, but I hadn't picked up any other food due to the state I was in.  I asked Jon for my banana to eat while we were walking to the car, since I'd handed it to him when I was exiting the finish chute, and he told me he ate it!  I'd recovered enough to laugh at the irony that he thought he needed it more than me.  Then neither he nor my parents could remember where they'd parked, so we were walking for what felt like hours, and I had to stop at a CVS and buy food.  I think the excessive amount of walking helped my recovery though.  My phone said I walked 8 miles between the lost car debacle and our afternoon/evening on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, giving me a PR of covering 35 miles on foot in a day!

Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with missing the 2:45, I am still thrilled with this race.  I lowered my PR on a course that was "fast but not easy" (I completely understand that descriptor now!).  Strava does the nifty grade adjusted pace calculations that I often rave about, and it said that my 2:49:20 performance at Phoenix grade-adjusted to 6:39 pace (actual pace was 6:27.5), whereas my 2:47:14 performance at CIM grade-adjusted to 6:22 pace (actual pace was 6:22.7).  This is because Phoenix has greater net downhill and less climbing than CIM, and means that grade-adjusted I took off 17 seconds/mile, making the 5 more seconds/mile I need feel less intimidating.  I am really glad I didn't look at the Phoenix GAP before CIM or I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to try for the pace I did!  I am not sure what the difference in cadence means, but I think it's a positive thing.

CIM elevation profile & GAP

Phoenix elevation profile & GAP

I strongly believe that you will always run a faster marathon with a negative split, so I probably could have gotten a minute or so more out of this one if I had stayed at 6:20ish instead of dropping to 6:15ish.  My halves were 1:22:57/1:24:17, so not ideal but also not the worst.  The BPPV came into play, but there is no way to know if it would have hit me no matter what towards the end of the race, or if it hit me because of how much I was pushing, or if I even would have run any better without it.  You have to run within what you have each race day.  Regardless, I'm still glad I took the risk and went for the 2:45.  My body has now traveled about 22.5 miles at the pace I need it to go for 26.2, and I hope it will build back up stronger in order to give it a go. 

Annnnnd, I am going to give it a go again sooner rather than later!  I knew that after CIM I would have a strong feeling one way or another about whether or not I should run Houston on January 14, six weeks later.  I knew that the scenario that would direct me to run Houston would be not getting the 2:45 at CIM but feeling like it was possible off of this training cycle, and I now feel that it is within the realm of possibility.  It will take everything going perfectly, and I have to get completely over the BPPV (last night was the first night I slept flat instead of at 45* in weeks), but why not try?  I've historically run a little better in the second marathon when I've done two off of one training cycle before, I came away from CIM completely healthy and I'm recovering well, I trust my coach will find the magic formula to give me the best chance at it, and I'll pray for the strength and wisdom to try!  After all, taking no chances means wasting your dreams.

Houston here I come!

Additional links:

• There is a great article about the race here.
• Another article about the race and the record number of OTQs it produced is here (there were more women under 2:45 in this race than at the 2016 Olympic Trials!).
• My results are here.
• Results in what is possibly a more user-friend format are here.

Well, I came close age-graded (which I feel like just makes me old!)

Bye, Sacramento!

Race swag

I loved that Sara Hall won!  My dad said she gave a finish line
speech about giving all of the glory to God.

CIM Miles 22.5-26.2: The beginning of the end

Around mile 22.5 is where my short-lived 2:45:00 dream for this race began unraveling.  My neck began spasming, which is something I've never experienced before.  My legs were still intact, so initially I didn't worry and kept pressing.  I needed 3.5 more miles around 6:15 to make my big dream come true.

The neck pain quickly worsened, and I felt like my neck was being pulled backwards, like a puppet on a string.  I tried to pull my head forward, to tilt it down or to the sides, but I couldn't.  It quickly progressed to where I couldn't see the road due to my neck angle, plus I became dizzy, and my peripheral vision was off.  I looked downwards towards my nose and focused on the head of a runner in front of me.  My mantra morphed into, "Just get to to finish, just get in, just follow her in" over and over.

In the final miles, the marathon will find your weaknesses and rub them in your face.  A tiny rub becomes a blister, a chafe from a seam becomes a bloody wound, a niggle becomes a limp.  My recent issue with benign paroxsymal positional vertigo (BPPV) was my weakness, and it was exposed.  I've crashed in the final miles of a marathon before, but this sensation was unlike anything I have experienced.  We all have to run with what we have in any given race, and this was simply what I had.  The weather, course, and field were conducive to performing at 100% (a rare combination that all runners sure seek!); the BPPV was not.

I received about 12 professional photos illustrating
the posture I ran with for the final 3.5 miles, hahaha!

One thing that was odd is that I was still passing people.  At mile 20 I was in 73rd female position, and I finished in 65th female position.  A handful of people passed me during those final 3.5 miles, and each time I would think, "Sara, that's supposed to be you; you are supposed to be having that strong finish", but I was doing all I could to just get in. 

Splits/position

In retrospect, I feel foolish for in no way considering my health and only thinking about getting to that finish line.  Since I'd had the definitive BPPV diagnosis, I knew what was wrong, and as the name says it is benign, so I like to think that this information was in my head informing my decisions.  I would never want to jeopardize my long-term health for a marathon time; if the choice is between a PR and running for the rest of my life, the choice is always running for the rest of my life.  I didn't think about the options, I just thought about getting in.  I knew my dream was fading away, but I didn't know by how much because I couldn't look down at my watch to see my final 3 splits, and I also knew I could still PR.

This was all I could muster for the finishing shot,
but, hey, I wasn't stopping my watch in it!

I fought with all I had, and I was so relieved to see the mile 26 sign as we turned towards the capital (it was tall so I could see it looking up!).  I was so relieved that I was going to make it in.  I could see the finishing clock up high, and I could tell I was still going to run a significant PR.  I made it over the finishing mat and immediately fell to the ground, something I've never done before.  I've always thought that people are being overly dramatic when they do this, because I always give a race all I have yet manage to stay upright, but this was just different.  I was overcome with so many sensations:  excruciating pain, joy to finish in a PR time, and disappointment that my 2:45 dream actually wasn't possible this day.

My dad's video of the finish is here.

I grabbed this from my finishing video (see the video here)

A PRs a PR

Just to be technical, my average pace was 6:22.7, haha!

CIM Miles 10-22.5: Finding confidence for the first time

It's fascinating to me how that switch flipped around mile 10 and I decided I was going to go for it.  It was awfully reminiscent of the White River half, during which I suddenly thought, "yes, I will run the rest of this race at 6:15 pace."  That was a break-through half for me, and also the race that inspired me to go for the 2:45 full.  After I made this call at CIM, mile 11 was my fastest mile of the race, but it also had the most downhill (thank you Strava GAP!), so I don't think it was too fast, but it was kind of symbolic:  it was Go Time.

As we neared mile 12, the group of men we'd been running with started to speed up even more than we already had been.  I didn't feel comfortable picking it up any more at that point, and I sensed Jamie felt the same way, so we stayed where we were while Kris pressed on with the men.  I continued praying, "God, make us strong and brave.  Help us all to PR.  Help us all get that 2:45:00."  You can read about what a phenomenal race Kris went on to have here -- I was beyond elated for her and think she ran so smart (she ran a half PR in the second half of this race!).  She also did a podcast on I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein, episode 94 found here.  Kris and Lindsey discuss me briefly at around 1:04:00 in the podcast, which I was super excited about!

Jamie and I pulled up on a group of women just before the half and latched onto them for awhile.  Around this time we were also starting to pass elite women (we were in the sub-elite group), who were identifiable because they had numbers on their backs displaying their ranks going into the race.  I loved being in such a stacked female field because there were always ladies around, and passing the ones with numbers on their backs was particularly confidence-inspiring, because I knew they'd run a 2:46:00 or better marathon or 1:18:00 or better half to get that elite spot.

We passed the half mat in 1:22:57.  I fully believe that if I'm going to run a 2:45, it's going to be via halves of about 1:23/1:22, so this was an ideal first half.  I felt really fresh and I thought "I actually have a chance at this thing!"  6:15 seemed terrifying yet also achievable.  I kept with my mantra, "God, please make us strong and brave."  I don't choose race mantras in advance, because there are so many aspects of every race that you can't predict ahead of time, and I do best when I let mantras develop according to those, but some of my sayings end up better than others.  This one was far superior to my "It's just like an 8 mile tempo run, only 5 miles farther" at the Indy Women's Half!

My family was waiting just after the half, cheering with all they had!  My Dad's video from that point is here.  I took my second gel around this time.

Just after the half

The miles kept clipping off right where I wanted them to be, and they felt brisk but sustainable, each one solidifying that this was what I should be doing.  Each mile that passed I kept thinking that I could actually do this; at mile 18, "I can really do 8 more miles at 6:15 pace, I can!"  We were passing more and more elite numbers, including the woman who was ranked 9th going into the championship race.  As I kept rolling, I would sometimes question, "Will I have enough?" but would quickly reassure myself that I really was going to; I felt great.  I needed God to make me strong and brave, and I would be enough.

After mile 18, and a good representation of
how there were always people to run with
yet it was not crowded

Jamie and I got separated at an aid station, although I'm not exactly sure which mile it was at.  I was just behind her but I knew she wouldn't know I was there, and I didn't want to surge any (those 1:00 pick-ups to sub-6:00 pace during long training runs taught me that doing that could blow me up!).  I prayed for both of us to be strong and brave.

When I hit the mile 20 mat in 2:06:10, I knew if I could maintain 6:15 (for a 38:50 final 10K) through the end I was really going to do it!  I really thought I could.  At Phoenix I'd needed a 39:50 final 10K to get a 2:49 (I ended up running 39:10), and this situation felt so similar because in that moment I really thought I could make it happen.  It is always nice to have more wiggle room time-wise, but for me when running for a time goal like this, I just can't have it or I'll for sure bonk.

I continued to roll and to believe until around mile 22.5...

I couldn't figure out where to include this, but this is the
course elevation.  It is truly a "fast but not easy" course.
The net drop of over 300 feet is nice, but you climb a
significant amount too.

CIM Miles 1-10: Anyone can run a good first 10K

The starting gun went off, and just like that I was running the race I'd been dreaming about since March.  It was almost surreal as I strided out among the elite field as the sun was just beginning to rise in Folsom.  The road was very crowded initially, but I focused on running the tangent as well as I could into the first turn, which was less than a mile in.  A quick check of my Garmin told me that although I felt like I was barely moving I was actually running my exact goal pace for the first mile:  6:25.  Kris and I were side by side as planned.  We hit both miles 1 and 2 in exactly 6:25, also just as we'd planned - the easiest 12:50 2 miles of my life!

When Kris and I talked before the race, we both said we wouldn't be chatty during the race, and it was nice to not feel "expected" to talk but to know I had support right beside me.  We spoke here and there, mainly comments about being right on pace.  There were slight variations in our splits due to the elevation variations, but we were clipping off miles right around 6:20 pace.  I was also pleasantly surprised that the course seemed less hilly running it than when driving it the day before.  The field was thick enough that there were always many other runners around, but spread out enough after the first couple of miles that it wasn't crowded; it was the perfect balance.  I made it a point to run the tangents when we turned, but the course had minimal turns, which was really nice and one of the reasons I selected this race.  I grabbed a bit of water or nuun at almost every aid station; I think I missed two through the whole race.  My legs were ready to roll, and I kept telling myself, "Anyone can run a good first 10K; it's that last 10K that matters."

My family was on the course around mile 6, and I flashed them a big smile as I ran by.  I passed the 10K clock in 39:27, a shade faster than planned but nearly perfect.  During the race I never even looked at that meticulous pace band I made, but I knew it pretty well.  I thought about how my friends and family tracking me would get their first notification for the 10K split.  I took my first gel, which I never feel like I need, around the 10K.  My dad took this video around mile 6, although in reference to the audio I can't explain why he and my mom were so concerned that I was okay, haha!

All smiles around mile 6

A photo of me also showing my dad taking a video
of me - classic.  Kris is just to my right.

A few miles in I'd spotted my friend Jamie up ahead, and after Kris and I fell in with a group of men we gradually pulled up with Jamie somewhere between 8-10.  I was so happy to see Jamie, and I knew she was going to nail the race because that's what she does!  We were likewise not chatty, but it was comforting to be running by someone I put in many long run training miles with in 2015.

Mile 10 was a turning point in the race for me; I guess the endorphins suppressed my doubts and I decided that I could run the rest of the way at 6:15 pace and go for that 2:45.  I reflected back on my husband's advice of "You should go for the 2:45; if you lose it at the end, you lose it at the end, but you will never get it if you don't try" and my coach's encouragement of "Don't be afraid to drop your pace as the race progresses."  It was still a very intimidating thought, so I started praying, "God, please make me brave and strong."  I quickly corrected to, "God, please make us brave and strong" as I ran along with two very brave and strong women.

This isn't a spoiler since I already wrote the summary post

CIM Pre-Race Calm & Camaraderie

I generally get my panicking over during week 2 of my taper, so marathon morning I awoke calm and collected, and ready to execute my plan.  I checked the weather to confirm that the perfect forecast came to fruition, and my weather app confirmed that it was 44* with 3 mph wind (it would warm up to 58* by the finish but it never felt the least bit warm).  Leading up to the race I was floored with the support and prayers I received from so many special people, and the well-wishes continued to come in on race morning.  Sometimes knowing that a lot of people are tracking me scares me (what if I screw it all up??!), but this time I just felt extremely blessed by it.

Right before I popped part of my pre-race meal into the microwave, our hotel room power went off on one side of the room.  My dad went to check with the front desk because it seemed that a fuse had blown, and I resigned myself to eating a cold sweet potato, which I have done before.  My dad returned stating that the problem was about to be fixed, and that there was a hotel room full of runners next to us freaking out.  I chuckled because it seemed like such a minor thing to worry about.  I'm also not sure why it never occurred to me that I could have just moved the microwave across the room to a different outlet, but the power quickly came back on and I had a heated sweet potato.

After the power was restored; before I lost my glove

My husband and parents drove me to the nearest bus pick-up location, and I had only a short moment to say my final goodbyes as I exited the car among many other runners being dropped off.  I told them all how much I appreciated them being there, and nearly burst into happy tears.  If you know me, you know I am a very unemotional person, but the same thing happened to me when Jon dropped me off at the bus at the Phoenix Marathon.  I guess it's something about knowing that the next time I hug him, I will have run 26.2 miles that I've been working towards for months, and I also appreciate the gravity of all he has done during those months to help me get there.  Being out there on race morning is but a small part of the sacrifice he makes so I can chase these crazy marathon dreams of mine.

I made my way to the bus pick-up line, scanning the area for two ladies I was trying to meet up with, Kristi and Kris.  I'd connected with both of them via social media -- one amazing part of this marathon PR-chasing journey has been meeting amazing women like these two from all over the country who I wouldn't have met otherwise.  Coordinating meeting in the dark at an unfamiliar location with hundreds of buses and thousands of runners when you don't have cell phones is not easy!  By some miracle I spotted Kristi, and went to the back of the bus line with her so we could sit together.

When we boarded the bus I realized I was missing something:  the glove on my right hand.  Before I exited the car, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb mode since my dad was going to hold it while I raced, and I hadn't put my glove back on after taking it off to use my phone!  I planned to start the race in gloves (until I got warm and threw them off), but I could only laugh about this, and be thankful that it was 44* and not 20*!

Kristi and I chatted the whole ride up, and I really enjoyed her, plus it took my mind off what I was about to try to do.  She is such a kind person and also so humble about her achievements.  I drank two scoops of vanilla Generation Ucan mixed with almond milk on the bus ride up (I also managed to lose my shaker cup somewhere), and she ate Ucan pudding.  Ucan, you can sponsor us anytime! 

When the buses arrived at the starting area, we went into a nearby gas station in lieu of sitting on the bus so we could stand and stay looser.  In the gas station I met some of Kristi's teammates and their coach Susan, who I had also connected with via social media (it's amazing how once you have this public 2:45 goal you end up connecting with so many women with similar goals, and for that reason I am glad I made mine public).  One of the men with the team was not going to start his race in his gloves, so I acquired black gloves to start in -- not as cute as my pink ones, but I was so thankful for him, because at 44* I will race in a crop but I sure like having light gloves.

We calculated when we wanted to go outside and begin warming up down to the minute (because no one wants to stand around in a race crop at 44*), and around 6:35 a.m. we headed outside.  The race organizers did a really good job with signs and making it very clear where you went for everything (gear check, bathrooms, the starting line, etc.); at Phoenix I would have been really lost from the buses if I hadn't been with a man who had run the race before -- so kudos, CIM!  I checked my bag but kept on a throw-away long sleeve shirt from a road race circa 1993.  Kristi and I had different warm-up routines so separated with plans to meet back in the elite corral.  Kris and I spotted each other for the first time in the elite corral.  She had reached out to me a couple of weeks before the race and asked me about my race plan and if I wanted to work together, and I was so thankful she did because not only is she a super talented runner but she is a super sweet person.

I was only about halfway through my warm-up routine when the starter announced that he needed all of the elites in the corral 10 minutes early -- in 3 minutes!  I had to quickly prioritize, and peeing one more time was the top priority, so I headed into the woods along with several like-minded ladies.  I ended up laughing so hard because here are 20+ women who have never before met, decked out in professional racing gear, dropping shorts/buns to pee beside each other like it's completely normal.  There were separate men's and women's starting corrals on opposite sides of the road, which was extra helpful for this situation!  I got back to the corral in time, and positioned myself near Kris and Kristi.  I looked around for Jamie but didn't see her.  I started worrying that she was missing the start, since I knew she was getting dropped off there, and road closures and traffic were crazy.  I saw several women I knew or knew of, including Carrie, Courtney, and of course Sara Hall, who was positioned on the front line.  I was in awe that I was in this group of fast women, but for maybe the first time in a real elite corral, I didn't feel like an impostor (in the elite corral at Rock 'n' Roll Arizona, I'd sure felt like I did not belong).

As the final countdown began, I took off my long sleeve shirt and tossed it to the man collecting discarded clothing, and he caught my perfect throw right on!  I felt so excited to put my training to the test, and ready to execute my pace plan:  starting with two miles at 6:25 and then dropping to 6:20-6:22.  Just 26.2 miles stood between me and the possibility of a new PR!

Flat Sara

CIM USATF National Championships Panel & Expo

After flights to California that went nearly seamlessly (a rarity in my pre-race travel!), we arrived in Sacramento on Friday early afternoon, with time for a shake-out run followed by a late lunch before checking into our hotel and getting groceries.  I ran while we were waiting on our food order to arrive (multi-tasking at its finest!), and I was itching for my running fix so badly that I felt like an addict when frantically changing into my running clothing in the restaurant bathroom.  That's how you know you're tapered!  I was very blessed to have my parents and husband accompany me on the trip, and to have my sweet mother-in-law stay in Missouri with my daughter.

So thankful for the support of these two, in this
race & throughout my entire 37 years

This was our row on our flight from Denver to Sacramento!

I started Saturday with another short shake out run with strides, and then we drove the marathon course.  I tried to elevate my legs while we were doing so, but my husband said I was going to kill us all with my feet in the windshield, so it was short-lived.  There were signs about the race all along the route, which were fun to see.  Driving the course intimidated me a bit because it was noticeably rolling terrain.  The course has a net downhill of around 340 feet, and I knew it rolled much of the way, but driving it make it a bit scarier (spoiler:  post-race I realized why this course is often called "fast, but not easy", which never made any sense to me before I ran it).

Trying to get my legs up while navigating

Route signs

After driving the course (which took forever - also not confidence inspiring!), we made our way to the race expo and to watch the USATF National Championship Top 10 Bib Reveal.  Sara Hall is one of my favorite professional runners, so seeing her ranked #1 and being within 10 feet of her when walking to our seats was amazing!  I follow many of the top 10 women athletes on social media and blogging platforms, and they are so inspiring (another spoiler:  I beat #9 in the race).  My dad took this video of the bib reveal.  I admittedly enjoyed seeing the women more than the men, but the men had very impressive resumes as well.  After the bib reveal the top 3 men and top 3 women participated in a panel discussion.

USATF National Marathon Championships Top 10 Seeded Women

USATF National Marathon Championships Top 10 Seeded Men

Top 3 men & women panel

Then it was onto the rest of the expo!  I got to pick up my seeded bib number from a "special running group" table, which was exciting.  We toured the entire expo, scored some free goods, and took a lot of pictures.  The expo always heightens pre-marathon excitement, and I was inspired and ready!  I also met up with a few friends at the expo, Roger and Jamie.  Everyone was geared up to run fast and our race day forecast was looking perfect!

Special Running Group pick-up

Great photo-op prop

With Jamie by another great photo-op prop

I was crossing my fingers it really was the
fastest course in the west!

California International Marathon: "God, please make us brave & strong"

I fully intend to write an excessive amount of detail about this race (follow up note:  I did; refer to links at end of post), but here is a short-ish overview!

When I chose CIM, I selected it with the express purpose of trying for a 2:45:00 or faster marathon.  God placed the dream of achieving an Olympic Trials Qualifying time on my heart, and after an almost painful amount of marathon research I decided that CIM would be my best chance after the qualifying window for the 2020 Trials opened this fall.  As race day grew closer, I felt like I was ready for a PR, but not for a 2:45.  2:46-2:47 felt more realistic, and I lamented on this quite a bit during my taper.  I ended up deciding to target 2:46:55, 6:22 pace.

As marathons always do, once the race began, it took on a personality of it's own.  Miles 1-10 were at an average of 6:22 pace - right where I wanted to be.  Then something clicked in my head, and for the first time I felt confident that I could run a 2:45:00 after all.  I typically hit a stride like this in the marathon, where I feel like I can conquer the world.  I start thinking with endorphins, and thoughts like "6:15 is way too fast for that many miles" are replaced with "6:15 seems doable for the rest of the race".  Around mile 10, I could hear my husband's advice in my head:  "You should try for the 2:45; if you lose it at the end, you lose it at the end...but you'll never get it without trying."  I could hear my coach saying, "6:22 is a good starting pace, but don't be afraid to drop the pace as the race progresses."  I prayed, "God, please make us strong and brave" ("us" being my friends Jamie, Kris, and I -- full story about the miles I spent with each of them during this race to come).  I suddenly believed that I could run the remaining 16 miles of the race at 6:15 pace, which I knew would get me in at just under 2:45.

From miles 10-22.5ish I did just that.  Each mile that passed I was hitting right around 6:15 pace, with some variation for elevation, and each time I passed a mile marker I just knew I could run the remaining distance at 6:15 pace.  A similar thing happened to me at BMO Mesa-Phoenix, when I just knew I had the rest of the race in me at 6:30 pace or better (on the other hand, at Dallas I knew I was going to come up a few miles short).  Mile 18 - yep, I've got 8 more miles of 6:15s in me.  Mile 19 - yes, I can do 7 more miles of this.  Doubt crept in here and there, and I would question if I had enough left, but I just kept running the mile I was in and praying to be brave. When I hit mile 20 in 2:06:10, I believed I could run the final 10K in 38:50, or 6:15 pace.  For the first time in this entire training cycle, I fully believed I was ready for a 2:45.  I thought of all of the fast finish runs I'd done; I was ready to close with a solid 10K.

Then around mile 22.5, my neck started spasming.  My legs were still intact, so initially I didn't worry, but tried to tilt it forward and to the sides for some relief.  It quickly worsened, and I also became dizzy.  I knew it was the benign paroxsymal positional vertigo (BPPV) I'd experienced during my taper, and I knew it was trying to steal my 2:45!  I wasn't going to let it take my dream without a fight, but I quickly felt like I was losing the battle.  I felt like a puppet, my head pulled back on a string.  I couldn't keep my head forward and I couldn't see the road.  My peripheral vision was off and I almost felt like I was running into the unknown. I tried to focus on a girl's head in front of me, and kept telling myself "just follow her in, just get in".  I didn't see my final 3 mile splits because I couldn't look at my watch, but they weren't nearly good enough for the 2:45 (6:40, 6:46, 7:01 -- I did see mile 23 which was 6:26 for the start of my slow-down).  I wasn't sure I was going to make it in at all, so my disappointment with slowing down was replaced with thankfulness to finish.  Something is going to give at the end of a marathon, and this was just it for me in this one. 

I crossed the finish line in 2:47:14, a PR by over 2 minutes on a course that was more difficult than where I ran my 2:49 (you can't earn an OTQ at Phoenix due to the amount of net downhill).  I was overcome by so many sensations at once:  excruciating pain as I fell to the ground in the finish chute, joy for the PR and to have made it to the finish, and disappointment that after finally feeling like I could run a 2:45 for about 12.5 miles, I was unable to even come close.  I finished 65th female in the USATF National Marathon Championships, after not being seeded in the top 100 going in.

Could I have run faster had I stayed at 6:20-6:22 pace instead of dropping to 6:15?  Most likely; pretty much anytime you slow down at the end of a marathon you're well-trained for it's because you didn't pace within your capacity earlier on, and it's always better to negative split.  I may have gotten in at 2:46:30ish, but I still wouldn't have gotten the standard.  As much as I hate not having a strong finish, I am glad I took the risk.  A marathon PR is always a risk, and this Big Time Goal was a Big Gamble for me.

One thing that's changed in addition to my bright shiny new PR is that, for the first time, I feel confident I can run a 2:45.  It's going to take everything going right (no BPPV!), but now I know I have it in me. Phoenix was a turning point because I knew I had to try (who is going to run a 2:49 and not try?); CIM was the point that I knew I could do it (who is going to be content with a 2:47 when that 2:45 is right there?!).  Just like after my 2:49 at Phoenix, even if I never run a faster marathon, I am really proud that I ran a 2:47.  I am thankful God gave me the strength to run it and put people in my life to help me get there.  It wasn't that long ago that 6:22.7 pace was my 10K pace, and it flummoxes me to think that I ran 19:49 5Ks for 26.2 miles straight.

I have over 2 years to find 134 more seconds.  Trying is always going to be intimidating, because it's freakin' 6:17 pace for 26.2 miles!  But as at CIM, God will make me brave enough to try.

Official results are here.  This link also has a few race videos and links to several super ridiculous-looking race photos (the crazy posture I ran the final few miles in is illustrated well, and I now can't look at them without laughing!).

More from CIM:

USATF National Championships Panel & Expo

Pre-Race Calm & Camaraderie

Miles 1-10:  Anyone can run a good first 10K

Miles 10-22.5:  Finding confidence for the first time

Miles 22.5-26.2:  The beginning of the end

Post-Race Tears & Post-Race Planning

Marathon Day Fueling