Cinderella Trail Half

I ran this race last year. It was hard last year. I remember feeling fatigued and thinking that it was probably because I didn't eat enough breakfast. I have come a long way since then. Running takes a lot of training, a lot of practice, and a lot of learning the hard way. You can easily under-train or over-train or overexert yourself the day before a race or eat too much or not eat enough...there are so many factors that go into race day.

So it was a perfect race this time.

I am kidding.

This race was Broski's first 30k. He has run 17.5 miles and was excited about the extra .5 miles (super excited). We had a quick breakfast of oatmeal about 45 minutes before the race and then we headed up the hill to the start.

Like last time, the first 2 miles are about a 500 foot climb. Broski and I huffed and puffed up the hill until you get to a kind of flat spot. After that there is a pretty steep downhill, and then a really steep uphill. These are hard. Really hard. Just when you think that you are feeling alright, another uphill comes up.

Broski was having trouble. Here I was, running along, talking some nonsense to him about the last time I took someone hiking on this trail and she was complaining about the hills...and I was giggling and jabbering away and I look back and he's not behind me. Oops.

We tried to figure out why as the trail leveled out and it wasn't getting any easier for him. Breakfast? Check. Maybe too soon before running? He had a 10 miler on Tuesday, but that was far enough away that he should have been fine. He gardened the day before in the hot sun...maybe he didn't have enough water? He had a couple low weeks, mileage wise...maybe not enough training? Whatever it was, it reminded me of my first Cinderella experience. Maybe this course was just hard!

Then we went way downhill and there was Mecca, aka an aid station. We refueled with some fruit and water and then came the big one Elizabeth. The next two miles were a 1000 foot climb. And it's brutal, with a capital B. Brutal. Our pace at this point was 15 - 16 minute miles. I was starving, since by this time we were at about the 2 hour mark.

Climbing the hill (with Broski in the background)

Luckily, once we got to the top of that big hill, it was almost "all down hill from here". We cruised down the hill and man were we glad to see the Finish line. Unfortunately, we did not finish a 30k race that day; since it was a loop course, with one half marathon loop and then another 10k loop tacked on to make 30k, we decided to skip the 10k loop, thus making it a half marathon instead.

The verdict? We finished in 2:44. We got #43 and #44 out of 104. As Broski says, that's not bad for a race that he wasn't feeling his best. If we would have kept going for the 30k, we probably could have finished in about 3:47, which would have put us in around #13 out of 30. So, after all that, it wasn't even that bad really. Still in the top 50 percent.

Like I said to Broski, I like being outside, and the trails we ran are some of my favorites, so it was no sacrifice on my part to be out on the trails with my favorite brother on a beautiful Saturday morning. He was bummed that he didn't finish his first 30k. However, he is not broken, just bent and he will yearn to run again.

Sorry. I can't get that song out of my head.

Have you ever run the same race twice? If so, did it get any easier? Have you ever had to learn something the hard way?

Canyon Meadows Trail Half

When there is a race in my backyard, I can't help but run it. Last weekend there were two. First was the Oakland Running Festival, which is a nice course through Oakland and it's various neighborhoods, much like the one I run for many of my long runs. The second was in one of my favorite places for trail runs, Redwood Regional Park. I probably should have run the ORF, as it would have been a great way to assess my fitness and speed for Boston.

But I do love a good trail run. Plus the Canyon Meadows was less than half the price of the ORF. So, a trail running we will go. Broski came down to join the fun; he really is a glutton for punishment. Especially since the first thing we did was go up a really steep hill.

A while back, I had taken Broski to Redwood to show him my normal running route, and we had started up the same hill and ended up turning around because it was seemingly endless! Well, I learned that it was not literally endless, but it was almost a mile long!

Last year I ran the Cinderella Trail run in the same area. It was fun to look back and remind myself of where I was in the trail racing realm last year at this time. This race was different than the Cinderella though, although several of the trails were the same.

The details: The race started at 8 a.m. The weather was in the low 40s. According to the race director, there were about 400 runners. The distances were 5 miles, half marathon, 30k, marathon and 50k. I wore my new Montrail trail running shoes (my first pair of trail shoes ever).

The course: This was a great course for me because it encompassed many of the trails I regularly run on, plus it added a few that I had never tried before. It went on both the West Ridge and the East Ridge, both of which were part of the Skyline 50. The West Ridge was also on the Cinderella last year. Both trails are in the sun part of the time, and can get hot, but luckily that wasn't an issue this time. The course was a loop course for the half. If you were running the 50k, it was 2 loops of the half plus an additional 5 mile loop.

The pros: *This course wasn't too hilly. I know, you are probably laughing, but for instance, the Cinderella or the Golden Gate races have a about 2500 ft gain,  the Canyon Meadows is only 1500 ft. It makes a difference! *Once again, everyone was very friendly. I love trail runners! In fact, I even got recognized by a blog reader (actually she recognized Broski's shirt from the last race recap)! *There was beer at the end. GOOD beer. *The chip timers are on the race bib. No more shoe chips here (or written down times. Remember that?). *The new trail shoes were good! No blisters, no rubbing! *I got to talk to Broski for two hours. And by this, I mean I talked while he ran alongside me. There is no better listener than one that is stuck with you for two hours!

 Broski + beard / Me + beer

The cons: *The course was short OR everyone's GPS was messed up. Everyone I talked to said their GPS was showing about a mile short. I would like to think I just ran fast, but I am not so sure. However, I was assured several times that the director walks the course with a Rolatape surveyor's wheel. *The finish line snack area was also a bit confusing. It was a mess of half marathoners who were finished as well as marathon and 50k people passing through. If I were running the 50, I would be a bit annoyed by the halfers, who were kind of in the way. *Your shirt color is dependent on your size! We were talking about how maybe next time we should pick a different size, since Broski keeps getting yellow shirts (I have been lucky with pink and blue the last two times).

The race: Like I said, the first mile was uphill, and was about a 500 ft elevation gain. It was hard. Then the course leveled out a bit and got a bit easier. My fastest mile was actually mile two. I must have been really glad that hill was over! Broski and I split up because he went to water the plants and when I went to do the same, I encountered a bunch of poison oak. I would rather hold it then get that again! For the next mile and a half I ran on my own. Then I stopped at a real toilet and Broski caught back up.

The next few miles were varied up and downs and then the second half of the race was mostly downhill. You would think this is a good thing, but if the downhills are really steep, it can actually be harder. Luckily a lot of this race was on fire trails, so there is space to pass people, because going downhill on a single track trail and trying to pass the person in front of you without bumping into them or knocking them over can get pretty hard sometimes.  As you can see, there was a pretty steep downhill around mile 8. The last few miles were the best because they went through the redwoods (the upper ridges are more Eucalyptus) on the Stream Trail and are nice and dark and ferny, which I really like.

The stream trail

We finished in 2:09. Actually I finished in 2:09. Broski was annoyed that his Garmin didn't say 13.1, so he turned around and did a quick out and back to make up the miles. I tried to tell him that with trail races it doesn't matter, but he is determined to get his true half marathon in! So be it.

2:09 / Garmin reading = 12.4 miles / ave 10:03 pace
If it is a true half, the average would be 9:50 pace.

Afterward, we went to brunch, where we ate a mountain of food, and then Broski drove home and passed out on the couch. I know this because Mrs. Broski sent me a photo of him when she got home from work. Maybe I will post it here later. (just kidding!) I guess we wore him out. 

The verdict?  I would run this race again, although I prefer the Cinderella, because it goes on my favorite trail, the French Trail. I would still run another Coastal race (and will!) but all of them have been short, and I am not certain that they can all be blamed on the Garmin!

As a side note, Broski asked me if, instead of driving to Easter dinner, I wanted to run with him from his house to the in-laws place (17 miles). I think he's got a bit of the crazy in him! Clearly he's been hanging out with me for too long! Or listening to me too much during trails runs.

Have you ever been the catalyst for someone's crazy hobby? What are you doing for Easter?

Cinderella Trail Run: Race Recap

Last weekend, I ran the Cinderella Trail Run as half marathon number 5 of the 12 in 2012 Challenge. It was in Oakland about three miles from my house. The course ran through trails in both the Redwood Regional Park and Joaquin Miller Parks. This race, like the last trail race I did, was hosted by Coastal. I am so glad I found out about them! Their races have been fun, the field is very small (therefore intimate) and both the ultra runners and the race directors are awesome. Plus I get to eat gummy bears as fuel.

The details: This race started at 8 a.m. The weather was forecasting temperatures in the 80s, and in the morning, by about 7, it was already feeling pretty warm. Luckily much of the trail was in the shade. There was a 10k, Half Marathon, Full Marathon and 50k.

The course: This was a loop course. The half marathoners did the loop once; the marathoners did it twice and the 50k folks did it twice plus an extra 10k loop. The total ascent according to my Garmin was about 7800 ft. The course winds through a nice shady, wooded area mostly, and affords views of the city, the bay, the Golden Gate bridge and even the Marin Headlands!

The pros: * As I said, luckily the majority of the course was in the shade. However, the 1000 ft climb you see in the profile above was NOT in the shade. Go figure. * The other runners were very friendly. I usually am not one to talk to other people while I am racing, but surprisingly I had several conversations on this course. Granted, they were mostly things like, "whew it's hot, eh?" or "that's a big hill!" but still. * The volunteers were great, very friendly and eager to help. * There were few non-racing runners/walkers on the course. * There was a no shirt option, which saved $5. I took it! *At the finish, there was fruit, clif bars, soup, pretzels, candy, goldfish...and more! * They do the awards right away, so you don't have to wait around.  

The cons: * I did encounter some bicycles, but they got out of our way. However, maybe having the race on a non multi-use trail would be a good idea. * The sun on that big climb was a killer. 

The race: Right after we started, the course went uphill (you can see in the profile above). It was only about a half a mile, but it really took the wind right out of my sails! I was wheezing and panting and feeling like death. Around mile 2, the course started to go both up and downhill and I kind of got a rhythm going.

Mile 1: 10:03, Mile 2: 9:04, Mile 3: 9:03

Mile 4 had a large steep uphill. In case you have never raced trails before, you may not know that most people walk up the steep hills to save energy. I did not know this the first time and I tried to barrel up one of these steep ones and almost keeled over. Now I know. So I took this little hill slow and easy and then tried to get my rhythm back once I got to the top. However, I was still feeling very tired. I think that I ran too much this past week, especially after doing the Relay. I should have taken an extra day off. My legs feel like lead. Also, I don't think I ate enough breakfast. I didn't want to overdo it, so I fear I under did it.

Mile 4: 10:30, Mile 5: 11:43, Mile 6: 10:49

You would think that the downhills are easier, but sometimes trying not to fall on one's butt, twist one's ankle or crash into another runner (while falling on your butt and twisting your ankle) requires a lot of concentration! I feel like most of my soreness usually comes from the downhill sections. Mile 9 goes from about 500 ft to about 1200 ft in one mile.  

Mile 7: 9:03, Mile 8: 9:28, Mile 9: 13:10

Mile 10 goes from 1200 ft up to 1500 ft. This is where the, "when is this hill going to end" conversation is had. Finally the course "flattens" out before heading down a VERY sharp downhill section (a 600 ft drop in about half a mile) where I fear for my life, and then finishes with a mostly flattish section at the end. 

Mile 10: 11:33, Mile 11: 9:28, Mile 12: 9:59, Mile 13: 9:13

Finishing time: 2:10:29 (10:02/mi)

This is a 5 minute PR from the last trail race, plus I got 1st in my age group! I was the 2nd female overall; the first got a 2:08:49!! If only I wouldn't have stopped at that aid station and eaten those gummy bears! If only I would have run faster on that first mile! Oh well, next time I will beat her!

Afterward, I volunteered for a couple of hours. Its so great to stay and watch the ultra folks coming through. They are all so positive, even though they are going to have to go back out in the heat and do another loop (or two!) It's really inspiring!  Also, it's good to meet other Bay Area runners. Even if I am not a group running person, it's still nice to be part of the running community!

The verdict? I would run this race again. However, I would take a full rest day the day before, and I would get up earlier on race morning and eat more breakfast. I had no gas in the tanks this time! I thought I knew better than that!

Do you ever talk to people when you race? Have you ever had one of those "lead legs" or "empty gas tank" races? Would you (or have you) ever run an ultra race?

Grizzly Peak Trail Run

For race number four of the 12 in 2012 Running Challenge, I chose to run my first trail race, the Grizzly Peak Trail Run hosted by Coastal Trail Runs. I thought I had run a trail race before, but it was really a very wide bike path race, NOT a trail race. So this one was an eye opening experience for me. I run trails all the time. In fact, 3 or 4 of my 4 times a week running are generally on trails. So I thought I was ready. I was surprised at how hard it was.

Let's talk about the pros and cons of the race. First, the PROS. This race was small. I see that as a major pro. It consisted of a 10k race, Half Marathon, 30k, Marathon and 50k. All together, there were probably 250 people, the half marathon being the most popular. Also, this race was only $40. It was in Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills, which was a beautiful venue. Around mile 6, you could see the entire Bay Area, including the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The view from the top.

The aid stations were AWESOME! Snacks consisted of: Peanut M&M, plain M&M, chex mix, potato chips, pumpkin pie, gummy bears, oranges, bananas, watermelon, Gu, Clif bars, Oreos, graham crackers, goldfish, potatoes with salt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, snickers, kit-kats, twix, trail mix, coke, sprite, water and electrolyte drink. I only had a few gummy bears and some water, but the other snacks were tempting! I'll let the 50k folks have them though! 

Yummy!

Now, the CONS. The t-shirt was cotton, but you can't really expect much for $40. There was a tech t option for an extra $24. There were no medals for finishing, only for placing. But that doesn't really bother me that much, since I have a stack of medals that I don't know what to do with already! The trail was pretty well marked, but I (and a few others) did get lost once. I don't know if that was my fault or what, but I wish it hadn't happened. There was only one photo at the very finish, and mine is blurry. 

It was a muddy race! Good thing I wore my old shoes!

So, how was the race? It was awesome. It started off a little congested, since it was not only a single track from the get go, but it was also uphill right away and very muddy. Many people were walking right away, so the beginning was a little slow. However, once we got up the hill and I passed a few people, it was good. I ran with the same 4 or 6 people pretty much the entire time, after the first couple of miles. 

Although the first 2 miles were uphill, it was more gradual, so I ran the entire time. However, at mile 2.5, the hill went straight up and since the guy right in front of me was walking, I decided to do the same. I really wanted to run the whole thing, but now that it's over, I realize that probably isn't possible. There were some killer hills! Sometimes you need to recharge. 

At mile 3.9, we finally started going downhill. Except it wasn't a relief. It was WORSE than the uphill.  After that, I found my rhythm a little bit and headed down the hills and back up the hills. At mile 6.5, the view was gorgeous. I told myself, "this is fun. And beautiful", and it was. At mile 8.5, I stopped at the aid station, ate a couple of gummy bears and a shot of coke (a first for me!) and then headed up the trail. Except it wasn't the trail. I figured this out, but not before I went about a half a mile out of my way (and half of it was uphill!) Darn it. I got back on track and started up the hill where the arrow is pointing to (the one that sucked). 

Luckily the last few miles was almost all down hill and it was gradual, so it made for a fast ending. I came in as the fourth girl and if I hadn't of gotten lost, I would have been first or second in my age group. As it was, I ended up third (so I got a medal anyway!) 

Final time: 2:14:55 (10:32/mi) 

3/12 age group

13/89 overall

Total elevation change: 4496 ft (according to Garmin)

Net elevation change: 1000 ft


I am considering this a new TRAIL PR! 

Afterward, I stuck around to help with the aid station at the end, which was also the turn around for the 30k, Marathon and 50k folks. The race director was awesome; everyone was like a little family. They were very friendly and just cemented the fact in my mind that the running community is The Best! 

Verdict? I would do this race again in a heartbeat. But first, there are so many more Coastal Races to choose from! Next up is the Cinderella which is only about 2 miles from my house. How can I not sign up for that one!?  

Have you ever run a trail race before? What is your favorite sweet or salty snack, either from my list or at a race you have run?