How Far We've Come

The El Cajon 20k Race Report or How Irene Got Her Groove Back

I must admit to some ambivalence after I agreed to participate in the track club's El Cajon 20k race, but I knew it would be a good half marathon training run since it's almost half marathon distance, complete with some kick-ass hills. This was also the same day as the train run, which is one of my favorite runs because we take the train* 16 miles up the coast and run back along the coast and a few of the coastal towns along the way. I love running along the coast. The El Cajon 20K is inland, which is usually a good 10 degrees (or more) warmer than it is on the coast.  I've never run this race before, but EVERYONE kept talking about the hills.  In the few days leading up to the race, I was concerned about the weather.  It was warm in my 'hood, which is by the coast, so I could only imagine the warmth in El Cajon.  I was not looking forward to running an almost half marathon with hills and heat. 

Race day comes and it's rather overcast and a little humid.  It's not cold out, but far from hot.  It actually drizzled a little when we arrived at the race venue, at Granite Hills High School.  This isn't a big race, perhaps about 200 people.  A lot of the people I normally run with were at the train run.  After the usual formalities it was soon time to race, and I wasn't ready.  Waking up at 4:30 AM didn't help.  I felt tired.  Since the air was on the humid side, a bit of asthma kicked in, and I needed to get a forced breathing pattern down right away.

Into the first couple of miles we all noticed plenty of road kill and eau de skunk in a few areas.  We also encountered a dead snake on one of the uphill climbs. As with most races, it started out with everyone running somewhat clumped together until we arrived at the first steep hill, then the clumps of people thinned out. Several people walked up the steeper hills.  People who were well ahead of me were soon behind me and never passed me afterward, which surprised me.  At times I was running alone.  As slow as I was going up those steep hills, I was still running.  I was still moving. 

I have not much to say about the route, other than it was hilly, but we did run through some beautiful areas along the lush countryside, past some huge custom homes with horses, and (of course) rocky hills.  This race was not on a closed route, and we all had to be mindful of bike riders and car traffic. What goes up must come down.  The thing about running up hill is that there's a little relief coming down.  The last 3 to 4 miles were mostly at a slight downhill, and I was able to make up some time, and was able to pull out whatever I had left in me to jam to the finish line.  

Notice the elevation gain?

Those kick-ass hills kicked my ass.  My hamstrings and glutes were screaming when I was done.  It was hard to stretch, but I managed a little stretching without falling over or screaming.  After grabbing the usual post race muffin and banana, I walked around the high school a bit just to keep my legs and butt from locking up or cramping.  I also chatted with a few track club members and met a few new people.  Hubs ran this race too, and wasn't that far behind me.

Soon after hubs finished his run, the race coordinators began announcing the over all winners and age group winners.  I though I might have a chance at something this year due to the fact that everyone who usually wins my age group were probably at the train run.

I WON THIRD IN MY AGE GROUP!

 Me and my prize for  3rd in my AG.   I actually had a choice between socks, running shorts, t shirt, coffee mug and beer glass with the track club insignia.  Of course I selected the beer glass.  I have my priorities! Cheers!

For all I know there were probably 3 women in my age group.  It doesn't matter because I showed up and I took on those kick-ass hills.  You can't win if you don't show up.  Oh, wait, I take that back. *cough*  This time I earned my prize.  Everyone who ran this race deserved some sort of prize because it truly was not an easy course. 

According to Lucy** moving time was 02:15:30 and elapsed Time was 02:16:19. I'm still waiting on the official time, but it was in the 2:16 range. This race did not use timing chips or D tags.  Posted race results are pending.

EDIT

Final results 70 IRENE M  33 51  3/6  F 2:16:19 10:59

Tuesday's Song:
No Scrubs - TLC - Run-DMZ

PEACE

*What's not to love? You get to take a train ride with friends and run along the Southern California coast. 
**My Garmin.

Misty Mountain Hop

Friday's Song:
Keep My Head High - Echo Movement

PEACE

Steep

Sunday's Song:
Sick Bubblegum - Rob Zombie

PEACE

Running on a Treadmill

On Monday I had a killer workout at RU. I can usually conquer what ever it is they set out before me, even if I am dripping in sweat when I am finished. In addition to my regular workout, Bryan put me on a treadmill with grade set to 10, to simulate a hill, and had me do intervals, but he wanted me to keep running the entire time, even if I went slow.

I know.

Treadmill hill intervals.

Treadmill.

*deep breath*

Just take me now...

Under normal circumstances, it takes me a good 5 minutes on a treadmill to get a breathing rhythm down. This is at a gym with fans in front of the treadmill section and air conditioning. I'm also plugged into my iPod and have my water bottle within reach. This was not my normal circumstance.

No air conditioning.

No fans.

No iPod.

No water bottle within reach.

How prosaic!

I pride myself in that I can do just about any workout with a "bring it on" attitude and not complain, even if I am struggling. Complaining takes too much negative energy. I'm basically asking for the challenge, and I do like the challenge. This was different. I was gasping for my breath. I sweat so much it was ridiculous. I struggled. I wanted it to be over. I felt defeated. I couldn't run the entire interval session. I had to walk. Ugh. Stupid treadmill.

That was Monday.

Yesterday I decided to take on THE HILL in my neighborhood, the one with the 16% grade. I wasn't going to let that stupid piece of machinery's fake hill defeat me. I get to THE HILL and it's blocked off. Once again, I pick a day when the city is ripping up a section of THE HILL due to ruptured water pipes or for the underground wires. There's other hills in my neighborhood, but THE HILL is the one that offers the most challenge due to its distance and grade. I had no choice so I ran around my neighborhood, taking on other shorter, steep hills, but there were a lot of flat parts to get to those other hills. It wasn't quite what I wanted or needed to do, but I made sure I motored up those hills full force without giving in or giving up.

Needless to day, I'm a bit sore today, and I still have the group workout to look forward to this evening.

Bring. It. On.

Saturday's song:
Gold Dust Woman - Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks - Run-DMZ

PEACE


photo from http://josefbrandenburg.com/

A Pain That I'm Used To

RU
B switched up some of my regular workout, and since my left hip is still a little sore, he's easing me back into my regular workout. I still did the squat and lunge matrix with weights but not as many reps and slightly less weight. He also threw in a version of burpees that I was able to deal with.

Last night I met up with the track club at Balboa Park. We're having some humid weather right now. It's not quite Florida humid, but humid enough to start sweating profusely once out of the confines of my air conditioned car. We ran on the back trails again, which I really didn't think we were going to, which is going up and down steep hills, THEN run down and back up 6th Ave to our starting point. 6th Ave is a long, gradual hill. We did this course twice The entire course (done twice) is probably about 6 miles. It was one heck of a workout, and it even beat up the most experienced runners there. I had a bout of asthma during the second time around on the back trails. I had no choice but to walk. The people I was running with were kind enough to wait for me. (It's one of those areas where you don't want to be alone.) I skipped the last go round down and back up 6th Ave. I was toast and rested a bit. If that wasn't enough, I did strides (with most of the group) on the large grassy area at the park, and did an abs workout. Justin (who I've worked out with at RU a few times) attended the workout and even he said it was tough. Several people opted out of the several sets of strides. Like last week's workout, I was pretty gross when I was done, between the sweat and dirt from the trails. My once nice, very white shoes



are now a pretty good shade of light dirt brown.



I'm kind of disappointed because my GPS stopped working sometimes during the first loop around the back trails. I think I put in about 4 miles.

I was thinking that after such a tough run/workout, I'd be able to get some decent sleep. I was wrong. I'm pretty sure I got in enough electrolytes and liquids yesterday, but as I was getting comfy and dozing off to sleep, both of my legs cramped up something awful. I can't remember the last time something like that happened... maybe when I was pregnant with my daughter 26 years ago? Once I got out of bed I had to do calf stretches. I can understand one leg, one calf, but both? I had to get up several times during the night just to stretch. This morning I had bananas for breakfast, along with a calcium & magnesium tablet, and plenty of liquids...

Nutrition is very much back on track. I had some water weight gain from our little respite last week, and that's already gone. I'm working on getting in as much real food as possible, especially when it comes to the protein. I also need more veggies in my regimen so I'm going to make a big pot of the vegetarian sweet potato minestrone today. It keeps well and is actually good once it's cold. No need to reheat.

Saturday's song:
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere - Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett - AKA Alice

PEACE

Reebok Tacos

My dog has been eating the cat food again... She likes to be near me when I'm on the computer, but, geezus, she just farted... Ugh.

I haven't blogged in a few days, but I've been staying on track with RU and running.

Yesterday my schedule allowed me to do a track club workout. We did hill repeats on the back trails of Balboa Park. We ran at 5k pace for 3 minutes then jogged for 3 minutes, over the same couple of hills, over and over again. It was tough, and everyone tells me that wasn't the toughest run of the season. I was so spent that I nearly tossed my tacos when we were done with the hills, and opted out of the several sets of strides the club did after ward.

RU
I did one set of four warm up type exercises, two sets of light weights with a lot of lunge and squat matrixes, then two sets of a whole lot of the gentle pylo. I was there for over 2 hours, and that included ice. My sessons are supposed to be 1 hour, so I felt like I got more bang for my buck. I'm still pretty sore and tight in spots from last night's killer hill repeat workout, so B took that into consideration. It still was a really good workout.

I had my 2 cents* printed in the September 2009 Runner's World Magazine, page 82. I'm a part of their wear testing program and they actually posted something I had to say. Too bad it wasn't on a shoe I really liked. It was on the Adidas Response Cushion 18. I wore them on an 18 miler and my knees really hurt after wards. They're OK for shorter runs. My husband wear tested the same shoe and he thought the same thing I did -- not enough cushion.

It's a good day all around. My daughter aced a college biology class and now she's looking to transfer to either UCSD or SDSU in Fall 2010. She's taken the long road, but I'm soooooooo glad to know that she's plugging away. It's a tough road between being a single mom, work, school, and maybe a social life. We've always said we'd help her out as long as she stayed in school.

I went shopping to look for a hand held water bottle, the ones with the straps that attach to your hand. Just about everyone is SOLD OUT! I found only one. It was the 20 oz version of the Amphipod, but I really wanted the 12 oz version, mostly for shorter runs when I don't need the Power Ranger's belt.** Looks like I'll have to shop on line. I don't like to waste a shopping trip (because shopping doesn't float my boat -- too many years working in retail management jaded me) so I came home with sneakers for the kid and a bright green, tech fabric, long sleeved Nike t-shirt for $14.99. Go me.

Sunday's song:
Superfreak - Rick James - Miss Rachel

PEACE

*More like once cent due to the crappy economy...
**Also called "Wonder Woman belt" or "Batman Belt -- Hydration belt with multiple bottles and large storage pouch.