The blog has been quiet, but only because so much has been going on lately.
Work has been busy. I went to San Francisco for a conference and added on a few days to see my oldest friend. My training has been up and down since Pac Rim. It took me a good week to recover and even after that I had a lingering weird tightness in my right calf. I decided to visit my other chiropractor whose office is really close to home. She does Graston and ART, so I thought she might help work out the calf. Plus she only charges me $36 for all that and ultrasound and she has a super pleasant personality. Turns out that the week before I called she has been wondering about me (I had last seen her in late 2008). So it was meant to be. She helped work out some of the tightness and we decided together that I probably need to work on my glutes, particularly the medius. I think this is what is causing my knee pain after 20 miles. Anyway, long story short, my mileage the first week after Pac Rim was only 6 miles, then 26 the week after, and then just 19 the week after due to me not getting in a long run the weekend I was in California.
So this weekend I really needed to get in a long run, since the Tacoma marathon is only 2 weeks away. Marc really wanted to run Larch, and I almost agreed to join him. But due to my leg issues, I decided I should run something a little more conservative. So yesterday, the little guy and I hiked the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop, which is about 5.5 miles while Marc ran up to Larch and back down Wahkeena (about 16 miles). Then today he joined me for 20 miles on Wildwood. We started at Germantown, with the idea that we'd run to the end and back for 11 and then head the other way and back for another 9. But we got stuck behind some other runners that were just about our pace and Marc couldn't do his run fast then walk routine. So we turned around at 29 and ran longer the other direction.
I wanted to do this route so I could try out running with 2 bottles and my Nathan HPL 028 vest. I had purchased the vest back in December of 2007, but had never tried it out. I really like my Nathan hydration packs but want to have some different options for races, where it can be more time consuming and awkward to re-fill a pack. My first impression of this set-up was not great, but I eventually got used to it and I'll definitely try it again. The major flaw, in my opinion, is that the front pocket without the zip doesn't ride as snug. So I spent the first 9 miles with it pounding my ribs to the rhythm of my running. So back at the van, I lightened the load and only put in some candies and loose gel blasts. This was much better. I also discovered that I could put an empty bottle in the back pocket and after a minute of it feeling strange, it was unnoticeable.
So I'm back up to 35 miles for the week and it's taper time again. After Tacoma, I definitely want to work on my consistency and slowly building the mileage. I'm so psyched about our schedule for this summer. Thinking about it makes me happy, happy, happy! I got into McKenzie, which for now, is the last race on my schedule. I need to see how the summer unfolds before I decide on the next step.
I originally planned this to be a pictorial post, so here's the rest of the story in pictures:
Work has been busy. I went to San Francisco for a conference and added on a few days to see my oldest friend. My training has been up and down since Pac Rim. It took me a good week to recover and even after that I had a lingering weird tightness in my right calf. I decided to visit my other chiropractor whose office is really close to home. She does Graston and ART, so I thought she might help work out the calf. Plus she only charges me $36 for all that and ultrasound and she has a super pleasant personality. Turns out that the week before I called she has been wondering about me (I had last seen her in late 2008). So it was meant to be. She helped work out some of the tightness and we decided together that I probably need to work on my glutes, particularly the medius. I think this is what is causing my knee pain after 20 miles. Anyway, long story short, my mileage the first week after Pac Rim was only 6 miles, then 26 the week after, and then just 19 the week after due to me not getting in a long run the weekend I was in California.
So this weekend I really needed to get in a long run, since the Tacoma marathon is only 2 weeks away. Marc really wanted to run Larch, and I almost agreed to join him. But due to my leg issues, I decided I should run something a little more conservative. So yesterday, the little guy and I hiked the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop, which is about 5.5 miles while Marc ran up to Larch and back down Wahkeena (about 16 miles). Then today he joined me for 20 miles on Wildwood. We started at Germantown, with the idea that we'd run to the end and back for 11 and then head the other way and back for another 9. But we got stuck behind some other runners that were just about our pace and Marc couldn't do his run fast then walk routine. So we turned around at 29 and ran longer the other direction.
I wanted to do this route so I could try out running with 2 bottles and my Nathan HPL 028 vest. I had purchased the vest back in December of 2007, but had never tried it out. I really like my Nathan hydration packs but want to have some different options for races, where it can be more time consuming and awkward to re-fill a pack. My first impression of this set-up was not great, but I eventually got used to it and I'll definitely try it again. The major flaw, in my opinion, is that the front pocket without the zip doesn't ride as snug. So I spent the first 9 miles with it pounding my ribs to the rhythm of my running. So back at the van, I lightened the load and only put in some candies and loose gel blasts. This was much better. I also discovered that I could put an empty bottle in the back pocket and after a minute of it feeling strange, it was unnoticeable.
So I'm back up to 35 miles for the week and it's taper time again. After Tacoma, I definitely want to work on my consistency and slowly building the mileage. I'm so psyched about our schedule for this summer. Thinking about it makes me happy, happy, happy! I got into McKenzie, which for now, is the last race on my schedule. I need to see how the summer unfolds before I decide on the next step.
I originally planned this to be a pictorial post, so here's the rest of the story in pictures:
Christine and I have been friends since 1st grade. Here we are 38 years ago, eating grape juice bars in my backyard in Castro Valley.
And here we were last weekend on a hike in Huddard County Park near Woodside.
I was able to get in two great runs while in SF. My hotel was on Union Square and on the first day I ran down Market to the Ferry Building.
The view of the sun rising over the Bay Bridge was spectacular.
Then I ran to Aquatic Park for a view of the Golden Gate and turned around.
The next morning I took the same route down to the Ferry Building, but turned right instead of left.
Ran under the Bay Bridge, then down and around ATT Park and back.
Back in Oregon, the little guy and I really enjoyed our gorge hike.
Airborne!
Pretty views!
Abundant water!
He says he may run an ultra some day.
Marc had fun too.
There was snow on Larch.
And for a mile or two below.
Good-by Gorge! See you next time!
7 comments:
Neat coincidence with the chiro timing and visit.
Love the pix, especially the lead it one with you and the little guy. Looks like he may be outgrowing that moniker in the near future. Our youngest was a good couple of inches taller than my wife before we gave up on calling him Shorty.
Sarah, being busy is ALWAYS better than not! You sound fantasticly excited! And yes, the Little Guy's running picture deserves framing:)
GREAT PHOTOS! WHAT FUN.
super post, Sarah, thanks for all the pix...long-term friends are the best, eh?
Funny about both of us with calf pain. I see what you mean! I'm impressed you did 20 just two weeks from Tacoma. Good for you.
Glad you are well.
I get you on the busy part...my blog is neglected, and my commenting time even more so!
On the vest - do you know that the chest strap slides up and down? I have that tightened all the way up and move it up and down as needed. That, and some adjustments on the side strap and I never get bounce. The only reason I mention it is that Rob had the vest for well over a year and didn't realize it - he hated the way it bounced. But once he found out the chest strap moved up and down - all was good!
I'm glad you enjoyed your time here in SF, beautiful pictures too.
I need to run up to Larch sometime...never even been there but have flown over it a kagillion times. Nice pix! Nice back to back runs for Marc the ex-non-runner.:)
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