Sunday, December 01, 2013
Sunday, November 03, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Nike Women's Marathon San Francisco
Official Finish Time: 4:14:10
Pace: 9:43
Overall Place: 873 / approximately 32,000
Division Place: 77 / 433
5k- 27:58
10k- 55:21
15k- 1:25:05
21k- 2:00:39
25k- 2:23:29
30k- 2:53:54
35k- 3:26:26
40k- 3:59:55
I went into NWM for the experience. I knew it would be a race unlike any other -- and it was. From the race expo (which is nothing like any other race expo I've been to) to the craziness at Niketown to the race itself. This race was not like the others. I knew it would be a great experience and fun.
I had no expectations or time goals for NWM. I remember being asked just one week ago while running with a local woman what my finish goal was. I had nothing. I told her I was running for the experience and looking forward to a weekend in San Francisco with my San Diego girlfriends. It was going to be an awesome weekend, with a marathon thrown in.
NWM was my 3rd marathon in six months. I knew the course would have hills but I still wanted to run a decent race. I had incorporated hills on all my training runs but was ill-prepared for the onslaught that is the San Francisco course. Very little of this course is flat. You are constantly climbing or descending, both of which were severe at times. It felt like a roller coaster.
I had imagined how I might run this race. I was going to start slow (9:10-9:20 pace), pick it up after the course splits around mile 11 and finish strong. I wanted to enjoy the whole race environment, take in the views, feel the others' energy. I didn't wear a watch or listen to music. I wanted to take it all in and a slow start would allow me to do that and still finish strong. It didn't work like that.
I began the race at a comfortable 9:10 pace. The weather was a cool but comfortable 50. For me, this is perfect. There was heavy fog so not much to look at (this was the case nearly all the course) but I imagine the views are spectacular as we made our way along the marina and around the bay. The hills along the course were more than I expected so when mile 11 came along I thought I should keep it slow until the halfway point. Quite honestly, I had to fight the urge to take the right turn with the Half Marathoners. I would have been perfectly happy finishing. However, I hadn't pushed the first 11 so I would not have been happy with my HM time. This thought kept me left and on the path of the marathon.
After the split, we continued to climb into Golden Gate Park. There were some rollers and I was not recovering well from the hills in the first half of the course. At mile 13, I decided I need to keep it slow until I hit the Great Highway. I knew at that point it would be a flat approx. 4 miles out and back. This was not the case.
Around mile 15.5 for us, we merged with the half marathoners. This does awful things to a runner when you are knee deep into the miles with a long way to go and the girls beside you are hammering it home because their finish line is around the corner. For a moment I wish I had known (and taken) this short cut. Ha! I could have taken the split and merged back into the marathon and skipped about 4 miles. Of course, this is not something I would ever do but it's always a thought that runs through my head after 15 miles of running.
Mile 18 began a dark period. Did you know the bottoms of your feet can cramp? They can. And did. Everything began to hurt. I hadn't stopped until this but did stop for a minute. When I did, I considered stopping altogether. I could barely stand and at that point feared that a medical person would see me and pull me aside. It was better to keep moving forward, no matter how slow the moving forward became.
The dark period subsided and I was able to continue at a decent but slow pace. I'd have to confirm on a map, but around mile 19 began more rolling hills. Not anything to complain about but they were coming late and that always makes them feel hard. The turn around at mile 21 was at the bottom of a hill. It was at this point that I unloaded. My bottles were empty and I had taken my last GU. The fuel belt came off, my gloves were thrown into the trash, my handkerchief was left alongside the street.
After the turn around climb, we began a gradual descent back to the Great Highway straightaway. I watched the runners I passed who were making their way up that same hill. Some had stopped to stretch, some looked absolutely miserable. I felt sorry for them because I figured most had no idea how long that climb is or of the steeper hill at the mile 21 turn around still to come.
The finish was flat and didn't feel as long as it did on the way out (remember mile 18 was dark?). There were spectators cheering, surfers crossing to get to the beach and the fog was beginning to lift along the coastline. I could barely make out the finish line (due to fog) but once I saw that I felt energized again. The streets were lined with people in those last few blocks, at some points they really narrowed the course. It made the finish fun to see all the people out cheering us on. One older man, in particular, stepped out and gave me encouragement. I don't know if spectators know just how much that means to a runner, esp. in those last miles. I'll never forget the preppy gentleman in a bright yellow sweater.
Finish line: Very well organized with reusable water bottles handed to you immediately, the firefighter and Tiffany necklace waiting, other firefighters posing for photos, mylar blankets handed out, gift bags with food, and then gear checks beyond that. Cell service was crappy so I worried I wouldn't find my friends who had all run the half marathon, but eventually service worked for 30 seconds and I was able to call one friend.
This was a great race experience. It is not a PR course. It isn't a typical race. It's hillier than you're going to imagine. It's an expensive race. And a weekend in San Francisco is not cheap. I don't need to do it again. It's a bucket list item that has now been checked off. However, it is (and was) a fabulous girls' weekend -- with a marathon thrown in!
Pace: 9:43
Overall Place: 873 / approximately 32,000
Division Place: 77 / 433
5k- 27:58
10k- 55:21
15k- 1:25:05
21k- 2:00:39
25k- 2:23:29
30k- 2:53:54
35k- 3:26:26
40k- 3:59:55
I went into NWM for the experience. I knew it would be a race unlike any other -- and it was. From the race expo (which is nothing like any other race expo I've been to) to the craziness at Niketown to the race itself. This race was not like the others. I knew it would be a great experience and fun.
I had no expectations or time goals for NWM. I remember being asked just one week ago while running with a local woman what my finish goal was. I had nothing. I told her I was running for the experience and looking forward to a weekend in San Francisco with my San Diego girlfriends. It was going to be an awesome weekend, with a marathon thrown in.
NWM was my 3rd marathon in six months. I knew the course would have hills but I still wanted to run a decent race. I had incorporated hills on all my training runs but was ill-prepared for the onslaught that is the San Francisco course. Very little of this course is flat. You are constantly climbing or descending, both of which were severe at times. It felt like a roller coaster.
I had imagined how I might run this race. I was going to start slow (9:10-9:20 pace), pick it up after the course splits around mile 11 and finish strong. I wanted to enjoy the whole race environment, take in the views, feel the others' energy. I didn't wear a watch or listen to music. I wanted to take it all in and a slow start would allow me to do that and still finish strong. It didn't work like that.
I began the race at a comfortable 9:10 pace. The weather was a cool but comfortable 50. For me, this is perfect. There was heavy fog so not much to look at (this was the case nearly all the course) but I imagine the views are spectacular as we made our way along the marina and around the bay. The hills along the course were more than I expected so when mile 11 came along I thought I should keep it slow until the halfway point. Quite honestly, I had to fight the urge to take the right turn with the Half Marathoners. I would have been perfectly happy finishing. However, I hadn't pushed the first 11 so I would not have been happy with my HM time. This thought kept me left and on the path of the marathon.
After the split, we continued to climb into Golden Gate Park. There were some rollers and I was not recovering well from the hills in the first half of the course. At mile 13, I decided I need to keep it slow until I hit the Great Highway. I knew at that point it would be a flat approx. 4 miles out and back. This was not the case.
Around mile 15.5 for us, we merged with the half marathoners. This does awful things to a runner when you are knee deep into the miles with a long way to go and the girls beside you are hammering it home because their finish line is around the corner. For a moment I wish I had known (and taken) this short cut. Ha! I could have taken the split and merged back into the marathon and skipped about 4 miles. Of course, this is not something I would ever do but it's always a thought that runs through my head after 15 miles of running.
Mile 18 began a dark period. Did you know the bottoms of your feet can cramp? They can. And did. Everything began to hurt. I hadn't stopped until this but did stop for a minute. When I did, I considered stopping altogether. I could barely stand and at that point feared that a medical person would see me and pull me aside. It was better to keep moving forward, no matter how slow the moving forward became.
The dark period subsided and I was able to continue at a decent but slow pace. I'd have to confirm on a map, but around mile 19 began more rolling hills. Not anything to complain about but they were coming late and that always makes them feel hard. The turn around at mile 21 was at the bottom of a hill. It was at this point that I unloaded. My bottles were empty and I had taken my last GU. The fuel belt came off, my gloves were thrown into the trash, my handkerchief was left alongside the street.
After the turn around climb, we began a gradual descent back to the Great Highway straightaway. I watched the runners I passed who were making their way up that same hill. Some had stopped to stretch, some looked absolutely miserable. I felt sorry for them because I figured most had no idea how long that climb is or of the steeper hill at the mile 21 turn around still to come.
The finish was flat and didn't feel as long as it did on the way out (remember mile 18 was dark?). There were spectators cheering, surfers crossing to get to the beach and the fog was beginning to lift along the coastline. I could barely make out the finish line (due to fog) but once I saw that I felt energized again. The streets were lined with people in those last few blocks, at some points they really narrowed the course. It made the finish fun to see all the people out cheering us on. One older man, in particular, stepped out and gave me encouragement. I don't know if spectators know just how much that means to a runner, esp. in those last miles. I'll never forget the preppy gentleman in a bright yellow sweater.
Finish line: Very well organized with reusable water bottles handed to you immediately, the firefighter and Tiffany necklace waiting, other firefighters posing for photos, mylar blankets handed out, gift bags with food, and then gear checks beyond that. Cell service was crappy so I worried I wouldn't find my friends who had all run the half marathon, but eventually service worked for 30 seconds and I was able to call one friend.
This was a great race experience. It is not a PR course. It isn't a typical race. It's hillier than you're going to imagine. It's an expensive race. And a weekend in San Francisco is not cheap. I don't need to do it again. It's a bucket list item that has now been checked off. However, it is (and was) a fabulous girls' weekend -- with a marathon thrown in!
Sunday, October 06, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Fall Festival 5k
Official Finish Time: 23:15
Pace: 7:29
Division Place: 3/33
Overall Female Place: 10/202
The Fall Festival 5k is a small, local race with a 9:10am start. The course is run all around the OSU campus. Stormy weather last night left us with some wet conditions, including rain, for today's race. Solid race for me but not a PR. I thought I might be able to pull off a PR today despite having just run my last long run for NWM two days ago (22 miles!) but my legs were tired. I started much too fast and half a mile into the race I could feel the tiredness in my legs. I decided a PR was not going to happen today about a mile into it but thought I'd hang on the best I could for something around 23 minutes. I finished in 23:15. I was totally out kicked in the last block of the race which was disappointing but I feel good knowing I gave it my all to the end. Fun and fast! Love 5k races!!
Pace: 7:29
Division Place: 3/33
Overall Female Place: 10/202
The Fall Festival 5k is a small, local race with a 9:10am start. The course is run all around the OSU campus. Stormy weather last night left us with some wet conditions, including rain, for today's race. Solid race for me but not a PR. I thought I might be able to pull off a PR today despite having just run my last long run for NWM two days ago (22 miles!) but my legs were tired. I started much too fast and half a mile into the race I could feel the tiredness in my legs. I decided a PR was not going to happen today about a mile into it but thought I'd hang on the best I could for something around 23 minutes. I finished in 23:15. I was totally out kicked in the last block of the race which was disappointing but I feel good knowing I gave it my all to the end. Fun and fast! Love 5k races!!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Foot Traffic Flat Marathon
Finish time: 4:01:20
Pace: 9:12
Age group: 13/33
Women: 79/233
Overall: 198/441
Third time running the Sauvie Island Flat but my first time running the full marathon event. Great course and fantastic race! I hadn't been able to train much with the busy months of May and June so I pretty much piggy backed off my Eugene Marathon training (April race). I definitely was not prepared or well-trained for this race but still felt pretty good and had a great time. A chunk of miles (9 to 22?) were run alongside another woman. It was nice to have some company!
I got to the race start late. I was actually in my car when the race started. I scrambled to get my stuff together and ran to the start line. Not an ideal way to start a marathon. The weather had been hot but race morning wasn't bad. It did warm up as the morning went on but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting. Still, I stopped at probably 10 of the (13?) aid stations to drink a cup and pour another water cup on my bandana. I even carried fluids so it was definitely a warm race for me.
But, I do love this race. I love starting a long holiday weekend with a great accomplishment like this! And again, no watch for this race either!
Pace: 9:12
Age group: 13/33
Women: 79/233
Overall: 198/441
Third time running the Sauvie Island Flat but my first time running the full marathon event. Great course and fantastic race! I hadn't been able to train much with the busy months of May and June so I pretty much piggy backed off my Eugene Marathon training (April race). I definitely was not prepared or well-trained for this race but still felt pretty good and had a great time. A chunk of miles (9 to 22?) were run alongside another woman. It was nice to have some company!
I got to the race start late. I was actually in my car when the race started. I scrambled to get my stuff together and ran to the start line. Not an ideal way to start a marathon. The weather had been hot but race morning wasn't bad. It did warm up as the morning went on but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting. Still, I stopped at probably 10 of the (13?) aid stations to drink a cup and pour another water cup on my bandana. I even carried fluids so it was definitely a warm race for me.
But, I do love this race. I love starting a long holiday weekend with a great accomplishment like this! And again, no watch for this race either!
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Monday, June 03, 2013
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Eugene Marathon
Official time: 3:53:56
Great race, good weather, enough variety in the course to keep it interesting, awesome spectator support, well-organized overall and the parts of the course along the river were beautiful.
I had forgotten my watch at home so I decided to run as I feel. This translated into classic Cherl: too fast to start and a slow death after mile 22. I suspected I might be in trouble when the 3:35 pacer came up alongside me at mile 11 (this is way too fast for me to maintain). I stayed with them until a small hill at mile 16, passing the halfway point around 1:42 (faster than my HM times). I started to really fall off track around mile 22-23 and basically shuffled my way to the finish. Running up from the bike path, along Agate and into Hayward Field was incredible. Great way to finish a marathon!
The Good: My official finish time was 3:53:56. That's an ELEVEN minute PR for me. I'll be over the moon for days!
The Bad: I ran the first half in about 1:42 and the second half in 2:10. Oops. That's ugly.
Great race, good weather, enough variety in the course to keep it interesting, awesome spectator support, well-organized overall and the parts of the course along the river were beautiful.
I had forgotten my watch at home so I decided to run as I feel. This translated into classic Cherl: too fast to start and a slow death after mile 22. I suspected I might be in trouble when the 3:35 pacer came up alongside me at mile 11 (this is way too fast for me to maintain). I stayed with them until a small hill at mile 16, passing the halfway point around 1:42 (faster than my HM times). I started to really fall off track around mile 22-23 and basically shuffled my way to the finish. Running up from the bike path, along Agate and into Hayward Field was incredible. Great way to finish a marathon!
The Good: My official finish time was 3:53:56. That's an ELEVEN minute PR for me. I'll be over the moon for days!
The Bad: I ran the first half in about 1:42 and the second half in 2:10. Oops. That's ugly.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
March: 172.31
172.31: The most miles I've run in a single month. Ever.
That feels pretty amazing. This month's total exceeded my April 2011 total. I was close a couple of times but it took me two years to run more miles for a new high. Awesome.
That feels pretty amazing. This month's total exceeded my April 2011 total. I was close a couple of times but it took me two years to run more miles for a new high. Awesome.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Friday, February 01, 2013
January: 102.52 miles
Motivation has been low since CIM in early December. The second half of January my running finally began to turn around. Not as many miles as I would like this month, but all were quality (fast!) miles. That's been feeling pretty good. Most of my miles have also been solo or with Mike, not with the local running group. I just can't do the 5am wakeup call more than once a week when it's so cold outside. Sill not sure just how ready I'll be for Eugene at this point, but I'll be as ready as I can be!
Monday, January 07, 2013
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