Last night, I had wanted to go out to dinner at The Olive Garden for carbo-loading of the tastiest kind. Unfortunately, YaYa's friends arrived at our home filled with so much enthusiasm that I couldn't break it up. An hour and a half later, since I had not planned to prepare dinner, we picked up some pasta at a more casual Italian joint. We sang "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as we drove homeward with our grub.

After dinner, I wandered aimlessly about the house preparing for my race. l secured the timing chip to my shoe, pinned my race number on my shirt, and laid my clothes out. Downstairs, Ms. Garminia was doing her own version of loading up. With everything race ready, I set my alarm and went to bed to dream of running.

The alarm was sounding before I knew it. I crawled out of bed wondering what had possessed me to sign up for another half marathon. I pulled on my running gear and lay back on the bed hoping that 5 minutes more of rest would provide me with what I needed to hit my goal. And then I woke up.

• Realistic goal: Break 2 hours
• Stretch goal: Finish around 1:50

Ultimately, my true goal for the day was to finish the race uninjured. I planned to run the first half conservatively at my long run pace. After this point, I would evaluate and, if feeling good, I would pick up the pace to finish out with a negative split and possibly hit my time goal. It wasn't a brilliant race strategy but this run was NOT my "A race".

Before long, I was standing in a mass of enthusiastic runners waiting for the race to start. This race is called the Jungle Run, however there is nothing even remotely jungle-like about it. Nothing jungle-like, unless you consider that saying, "It's a jungle out there."

There were a couple of runners in caveman and woman costumes. As for me, I was going with the green theme. Not the sort of green that would act as any sort of camouflage. Any shade of green would not have achieved that task. I would have had to be wearing gray with a broken yellow line to achieve that affect. I was thinking more to the effect of green means go.

The race started, and we were off (sort of). We went slowly at first, then up the hill, and finally...we were running. I found a spot in the pack were I could settle into a comfortable pace. The course took us on the local streets. The cone zone consisted of gutter and cambered road. I hovered along the cone line, nervous of every twinge and ache from my ankle and feet. Then, somewhere along the line, my aches and pains went away leaving me to just run.

Continue reading "In the Jungle" »

Posted by Juls at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Not yet, but I'm working on it.

Posted by Juls at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I let the day pass without giving Patriot's Day a single thought.  In the evening, I turned on the TV to select the digital video recording (DVR) of the race coverage among a collection of children's shows. 

As my dinner cooked, I sat on the couch and watched the 112th Boston Marathon.  It was a great thing to have avoided all mention of the outcome.  In this case, ignorance is bliss.

My dinner was ready around the time of the final push towards the finish.  I cheered wildly as the two women leaders approached the finish line neck in neck.  YaYa looked over at me and laughed.  The dogs got all riled up too.  I may have been a little over enthusiastic.   

Continue reading "Patriot's Day" »

Posted by Juls at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I am home from work, and glad that the work week has finally come to an end.  This week has been so exhausting.  I could go into a rant about that, but it wouldn't do any good.  Work is called "work" for a reason. Still, I am somewhat discouraged at not having accomplished much more than just get through my work days. 

Running wise, I have only ran once since last weekend.  Once home, any consideration to go for a run is pushed aside, either by responsibilities or lack of motivation.  I can't believe that it has come to the point where I need to force myself to run. 

Running used to so much a part of me where everything that I did seemed to revolve around running.  I would go stir-crazy if I went more than a day without running.  Unfortunately, my days of running obsession appear to be behind me.

In my prior state, a case of the running blahs was easily fixed by registering for an "A race" that would still push me.  I wonder if that would work for me now.  I've spotted a local 25K that I know I would enjoy running - that is IF I train properly for it.  It's less than a month away.  Here's the dilemma: I'd hate to fork out the cash only to find out that I still can't get up and running.  On the other hand, I'd hate to train only to find out that the race filled up.  Oh, what to do.

Posted by Juls at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The following message just arrived in my email in-box.

Dear Julie:

Thank you for your email.  We are sorry you will not be joining us on the March 1st weekend for the 30th annual Napa Valley Marathon.

Posted by Juls at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I’ve noticed myself becoming out of breath in the short runs around the block. It’s been scary to think that I might not be able to run farther than 1 mile at a time without stopping. It’s been 12 days since my last real run. Nobody is counting, right? Oh yeah, I am. Besides becoming noticeably out of shape in a mere two weeks, I’ve been more irritable as well. It all goes to show that I need my runs.

So, today, I laced up my running shoes for a run without my furry friends. It was humbling, and encouraging at the same time. I also pulled out my 2008 calendar to count the weeks until the Napa Valley Marathon. There are only nine weeks until race day and I am registered. I know that I haven’t mentioned this before. This is probably because the act of registering was impulsive and without forethought. I also should add that I have only the goal of finishing in mind.

Of course, you know me better than that. I can say that I only want to finish the race, but I know that I will want more once the race day arrives. How can you strive towards Boston Qualification (BQ) over and over and then just give up? Well, regardless of what happens in my training, and on race day, do know that I have not given up. I am just planning to scale down my training to allow for my new life’s demands (my new job, bereavement support groups, the puppy, single mommy-hood, etc). I am hoping to be ready to announce my attack race by summer. Until then, I am just trying to keep some sanity going.

Posted by Juls at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

...but Momma Mason thought she'd want to read about, so here you go.

The day started at 4 am. Big Sis (aka Linda) and I headed down to meet up with her running buddies and caravan to Sacramento. We ate oatmeal with raisins and a cup of java helped to stimulate my mind as well as my intestines. We hit the road, Linda, Carlos (Brother-in-LAW), and me.

After the meet up and many photos, we headed to Sacramento. It was all seeming to go as planned. Carlos would study for finals (he is pursuing his degree in law), and we would hit the buses. The energy was grounded but at a high vibration - perfect for a great day.

On the bus, I took deep breaths and concentrated on remaining calm. I did not want to waste a bit of energy; it would all be needed if I was to run my best race possible. What my “best race” would amount to was yet to be seen.

From the bus, to the port-o-potty lines, to bag check, and then the start was a bit of blur. I was cold; I remember that. It was also very crowded. I had to sit on the barricade wall waiting for the race to start as I could not sardine my way into the mix.

After the race began, I lowered myself down on the pavement and began my race. I listened to my breathing. It was nice and easy. My body was relaxed. My mind was nervous and excited.

Down the hill and around the first turn I ran, following the crowd. I watched Garminia’s face to get a feel for my pace. I could not just follow the crowd.

The foot started its complaints subtly. At first it felt like I had something in my shoe. I stopped in the first couple of miles to check. Nothing. Then the funny feeling went away. I was on my way at my target pace. Nice and easy, I told myself. I was careful not to go out too fast, even the 3:50 pace team was up ahead. Each mile clicked off and I congratulated myself for a job well done.

At the first relay hand-off, I began looking for Linda. I made the turn and grabbed a cup of water at the aid station on the left. The 3:50 pace team was on the right hand side. I came out, with cup in hand, just ahead of them. I ran onward, keeping an eye out for Linda. As the pace team gained on me, I felt a bit claustrophobic being eaten up by the group. I moved to the left, watching the camber of the road to avoid stressing my foot. It was then that I saw her.

The plan was for me for me to run with Linda until mile 11 where my brother, Robert, would be waiting with his camera and car. They would travel up the road to Carmichael Park, cheer from there, and then head to the finish. I was doing well at keeping pace, but I wondered if I'd have trouble in the final 10K, so I asked Linda if she'd meet me at mile 20 to run me in.

After Linda had joined me, my foot began feeling numb. I’ve felt this before on many of my runs. But although the feeling was familiar, it worried me. Numbness preceded the injury that took me off the streets for several months. “Come on, foot,” I murmured, “wake up.”

Continue reading "It's a long story..." »

Posted by Juls at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Let me just start at the end:

I did NOT BQ.

Continue reading "The agony of d'feet" »

Posted by Juls at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Sorry for the delay in my race report, I am at a loss for how to describe what transpired at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (LBCM) this year. If you did not hear yet, it was HOT. The race was even cancelled 4 hours into it.

Of course, IF I had been on target for my goal, the closing of the race would not have been an issue for me. I was not, however. Unfortunately, my lack of performance was evident right from the start.

The starting line was amazing. I had wondered what 45,000 people would look like. It was so vast that I couldn't see to the beginning of the start. It was HUGE.

As we stood and waited for the start, sweat was already running down my body. I'd nearly drained one of the bottles in my fuelbelt. But, I tried to convince myself that the heat would not affect me. I held onto Coach's last words to me. I was ready.

As I passed the mile markers, it was clear that Garminia's measurements were not in synch with the course measurements. If she was right, I would, at that point, be closer to my goal than I was. The streets were lined with spectators who were all cheering loudly. It was amazing. At the same time, the field of runners stayed heavy the entire way.

I hit the port-a-potties at mile 6. I had known a couple of miles back that my goal would not be achieved. A 10K split that was over 1 hour was evidence of this fact.

It was time to adjust to plan B, running conservatively and using the race as a training. I even toyed with the idea of a DNF (do not finish), but thought better of it due to the sacrifices that the family had made to support me this weekend. I would go the distance.

As the distance wore on, it was harder to want to keep going. The crowds weren't as encouraging to me anymore - even though they stuck with it throughout. I felt sorry that they had to suffer too. The heat was brutal.

At the aid stations, in spite of the volunteer's vigorous efforts, the cups weren't being filled fast enough. I took the time to get a cup of gatorade and a cup of water at each station. Towards the later miles, this was increased too. I am so sorry to read that many who were behind me did not get any. I had no idea. I swear that I didn't use it to dump over my head though - I drank every drop.

Along the course there were areas where people had their hoses out to offer the runners a spray. I was already dripping wet with sweat from my hat to my shoes. I enjoyed a few good sprays to my face to wash the sweat off. I even picked up a dropped wash cloth to wipe the sweat out of my eyes periodically. There were even a couple of fire hydrants that were cracked open to provide the perfect amount of water to run through.

Continue reading "LBCM Race Report" »

Posted by Juls at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (37)

The race took it's toll on me. Thankfully, less so than others. I bid farewell to the family and flew home last night. In spite of the poor racing conditions, I had a great trip.

I am recovering from a bummy ride home. My Dramamine did not do the trick. They only had one blue bag in all of our three seats. I had to steal one from the bathroom. At home, I discovered that my pizza never was digested. I was discarded into my toilet prior to my going to sleep.

Although I am not at all sore, my head was still aching this morning...so I slept until 2 pm.

Posted by Juls at 02:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've been trying to stay connected with the blogosphere via, my niece, Kelly's computer. Mostly, I've been checking in on those of you who will join me at the starting line tomorrow.

After reading about a few who are throwing their goals out the window due to the weather forecast, I have decided that now is a good time to withdrawal from the blogosphere.

I've been out in the heat of day and will admit that it is HOT. I ran off a whole two miles worth of nervousness. It allowed me to figure out what I had wrong in my shoe set up; my metatarsal cushions needed a layer pulled off. I think that I am set now.

Running safe will certainly be my priority. On the same note, I still remember the disappointment that I had when I had to throw out my goal at Grandma's Marathon last year. I don't want to do that again, IF I don't have to. I've invested so much more this time around.

I remain confident that my training in the heat of summer has prepared me to endure these race conditions. I have to hold onto my goal and go for it.

I recieved my final words of wisdom from Coach Jeff and I am ready to go. So, until my race report...
I'm off to the races.

Posted by Juls at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)

In January, Coach Jeff and I discussed my target marathon options for my next Boston qualification (BQ) attempt. We discussed having a prolonged training period to allow for a strong base to be created and to allow plenty of time for my foot to get used to running again post-injury. A fall marathon would do this, he said.

As Coach went through a list of fall marathons, one stood out from the rest. The LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon was known for it's spectacular spectators, a "big" race environment, and a "flat and fast" course. On top of all of this, Tom's extended family lives in Illinois so it would be a great excuse to see the part of the family that we rarely see. I didn't waste any time in securing my spot.

Ten months later, here I sit on the flight to Chicago. I am without my husband, Tom, yet I am not alone. As BoBo and YaYa dominate the arm rests on either side of me, and encroach on my leg room, I am comforted (although UNcomfortable). Every time I see them, I see the lovely blend of Tom and I. It is a beautiful combination. Although our marriage was often challenged, I am still able to embrace a part of what was indeed good - my three handsome sons.

I would love nothing more than to cross that finishline on time to qualify for Boston. I really want my boys to see my hard work and determination, against all odds, pay off. I want the boys to know that chasing dreams of importance, such as a college education and a career that brings fulfillment as well as money, is worth the hard work that it requires.

We, as a family and as individuals, have much more grieving ahead of us, but we have a lot of wonderful memories. We also have many opportunities to create many more happy moments in the future.

May the Chicago Marathon be the first of many happy memories.

Posted by Juls at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Well the time has come to make the final preparations for Chicago. I've trained hard and long. One week from Sunday I will toe the line (with 45,000 others) and run my race.

Things begin to gather in a basket on my floor as I begin to consider what I will need for race day. There is the obvious: shoes, socks, run skirt/tights, short/long sleeved shirt, hat, jogbra, and timing chip. It's the less obvious stuff that I am worried about. Somewhere on my computer is my packing list...

For me, the "things" are only half of it. I do believe that having a race plan is essential. I'm a bit out of practice, not having run a marathon since last June, but I'll give it a go.

Continue reading "Making plans" »

Posted by Juls at 08:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Coming off of a 14 mile run wasn't the best pre-race workout. Friday just got too busy to go long, so I put it off until Saturday. Well, it rained on my parade but I made the best of it. Why? Because on Sunday, YaYa and I had a race planned!

It was 1 year ago when YaYa kicked off his racing career with this very race. I was only a little hesitant to sign him up again. He hadn't actually trained for the 2 mile race, but who thinks about these details anyway? Oh yeah, I do.

Well, anyway, it didn't matter much. He took 2nd place in his age group. Woo hoo! That's my boy.

As for my race, I'd planned to use it as a BETA testing experiment. To be precise, I wanted to test how well my body would do, in a race environment, while on the BETA blocker.

Continue reading "BETA testing" »

Posted by Juls at 06:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

The workshop titled "Empowering Yourself to Create New Possibilities" was a little strange. I little too touchy-feely for me. The most difficult part about it, though, was the constant references to "morning the loss" - of OUR JOBS. I did get something out of it though...

The gun has sounded and we are all off and running. We are, in a sense, moving in the same direction yet we all have different goals.

There are some that will run with only the goal to finish the race. They take their time and take in every aspect of the journey. Their journey is no more, or less, than that of the others who run the course.

Others have a different goal in mind. They do not slow to take in the crowd, let alone to refuel. They are literally on the run at all times. They reach down deep to find the power that will fuel them along the way.

No matter what approach is taken, it is the people that make the journey meaningful. Those who run beside you, whom you pass, or who pass you along the way add to the experience. We pull each other along with acknowledgement of the struggle to get to our destination.

Of course it wouldn't be the same without those who stand on the sidelines for hours on end. The signs that say "Go Mom," whether intended for you or not, speak volumes of encouragement. The kids, who stretch out their hand, give you encouragement and five more reasons to continue forward on your journey.

Do not give up. The race is worth running, and the finish line is so rewarding. All the aches and pains along the way are the evidence of your character, and when you choose to take your next step you will be empowered to create whatever you desire.

Posted by Juls at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I'd be happy to sit in this chair or, better yet, in bed all day but I am afraid that it might make it worse. The soreness and fatigue is moving in for the kill, as I sit here trying write my race report.

I began preparing for this adventure last night with the baking of a fresh batch of M&J's energy bars for race morning. I loaded my Camelbak with some 32 oz. of watered down Cytomax, my Epi-pen, and 2 GU packets. Then I went to bed. It was later than I had planned as DD's flight was a little late coming in and the airport was a madhouse. I had another fitfull night's sleep, waking a few times to check the clock or check on little YaYa (who broke his arm yesterday at school).

I was greeted to a cool morning, perfect for running. The turnout of runners was good but a much smaller crowd than you find for road races. The 25K (my event) was liked to the 5K of most races; another group of runners were already on the trail for the 50K and 50M event.

We all gathered back from the chalk line that marked the start. It seemed that no one wanted to be at the front of the pack. We began our run when the race clock was at exactly 60 minutes. A short downhill was quickly followed by a LONG and grueling uphill. I walked as I had planned and did not feel the least bit guilty for doing so. My heart pounded as I plodded. Some walkers passed me and others were passed by me. I was happy when the trail flattened out for a tiny bit before it began rolling up and down (mostly UP).

The downhill portions were equally as steep. It seemed a waste of all that uphill effort only to run downhill again. There was more up to follow. I kept reminding myself to relax on the descents and did my best to keep my wits about me. I did not want to be overwhelmed by the tendancy to feel out of control. Instead of my knees and hips absorbing the trauma from the trail, I used my imaginary brakes to slow me down. It worked.

Before long we were turning down onto the single-track part of the race. I remembered this part from having run the race in 2005. It is lovely. We ran in single file. Ms. Chatty-Cathy was right on my heals. Her non-stop talking was draining.

After a while, I just wanted to get away from her. I took advantage of the offers to pass and was soon running all by myself in the middle of nowhere.

Continue reading "Quicksilver 25K Trail Race" »

Posted by Juls at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

The alarm didn't even need to go off; I was already awake. I was awake most of the wee hours of the morning thanks to Tom's tossing and turning in bed. You'd think that he was racing. Oh well, at least there was no chance of me missing the bus ride to the race.

I was a little worried about my history of motion sickness. I skipped my coffee, which made being awake all the more challenging but allowed me to get a nice seat at the front, which was a great thing. I didn't even need to take my dramamine.

The bus dropped us off near the start in plenty of time to hit the port-o-potties and squeeze into the crowd. There sure were a lot of people out for the Kaiser Permanete Half Marathon. It took a minute or so to hit the start and then we were off and weaving through the crowd.

Basically the first mile was a bit of a blur. I was running with Cindy and aware that I was running faster than Coach had wanted me to go. I kept bidding Cindy to go on, but separation was easier said than done. Finally, I watched her move ahead of me, when a few runners got in between us. I could see her looking around for me, but I needed to let her go.

Through the early miles, I was feeling good. I tried to keep it slow, but couldn't manage to slow down enough. I was taking it easy though, and my foot was doing fine with my trail shoes and the orthotic/metatarsal arch cushion set-up.

Continue reading "thrive" »

Posted by Juls at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

My nervousness began to run through my body within hours of deciding that I would target the Chicago Marathon for my next BQ attempt. The nervousness wasn't so much about the race, or the logistics, or even the training. It's too early for these nerves to kick in. It was about getting into the race. I *have* heard that the race fills quickly. I couldn't afford to train up and wait for a long time before registering. So I did it. I'm registered!

Continue reading "LBCM anyone?" »

Posted by Juls at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

My employer gave us Christmas, and the Tuesday following, off from work. I took vacation days for the remainder of the week. Today, being the last “vacation day”, I took the kids to the YMCA for some swimming. I didn’t get a whole lot of exercise, but we did have a lot of fun. We reeked of chlorine when we returned home.

As my vacation comes to end, so does 2006. I have begun to draw up the plans for 2007. I have reviewed the race calendars and made a list of races that I am “considering” for the upcoming year. Though I would love to schedule a marathon in the spring, it is too early in the recovery from my peroneal tendonitis, and contused cuboid (foot bone), to commit. I have my eye on a few shorter to half-marathon races for the early part of the year. Trail races have also drawn my eye a bit more than in the past.

I am not big on New Year's resolutions. At the end of last year, however, I had a couple of things on my list of things to work on in 2006. Today, I looked back to see if I had accomplished what I had "resolved" to change in 2006.

Last year, reflecting on the loss of my stepfather, I noted that 2005 was a difficult year. The song, “Live Like You Were Dying”, had meaning that hit hard. I learned that no matter how young you are, it doesn’t mean that you will live for many years on end.

In 2006, there were more loved ones lost in addition to many that are fighting the good fight to remain with the living. As I sit typing this, we are dressed for another rosary. It's another reminder for us to show those that we care about all the love that we feel.

Continue reading "Planning for the New Year" »

Posted by Juls at 05:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In my home, where the testosterone runs high, doing anything "like a girl" is used as an insult. I usually just ignore it because it just isn't worth the fight. When I came home from my weekend with "the girls", the boys were all watching football on TV. I said, "and *look* at my 'medal'", as I showed BoBo and YaYa my necklace - I think the inflection in my voice told them that this was something special. Then I showed off my race shirt, which I am wearing. BoBo read the tag line, "Ran like a girl" and laughed. I just smiled and walked away to get an ice pack.

Continue reading "Ran Like a Girl" »

Posted by Juls at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

The down and dirty of it all is that I had another DNF today. DNF stands for "did not finish." It is not a failure; it just is what it is. I only hope that it isn't a sign of things to come.

I'm tired of race reports where I plan to do something remarkable and amazing and come back to report a performance that is "less than" what I know I am capable of. I'm tired of admitting that I am human, but the fact is I *am* human. I've been failing all too often lately.

From Bizz Johnson (October 2004), Silicon Valley (October 2005), and Grandma's (June 2006), I have had less than satisfying performances. There was always a reason for my "less than" performance, but I am getting tired of it. CIM 2006 will not be another one of those races. My DNF today, was in an effort to be certain that I don't have yet another reason for a "less than" marathon finish. I am not proud of my DNF, I am just accepting it. CIM is my race for 2006, and I am not going to sacrifice it for a half marathon.

Continue reading "Rock 'N Roll (or not)" »

Posted by Juls at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I love running, and enjoy any opportunity I have to share running with my family. I try to encourage them only and not shove it down their throats. When BoBo decided that he didn't want to do another 10K with me (at least not this one), I didn't push any further. I considered doing the 10K on my own. It would serve as both another opportunity to race, as well as a way to get another number to gauge my training success. I threw that idea out, and asked YaYa if he wanted to join me and run his first running race. YaYa said, "yes" and I had a date for the race.

Continue reading "Mom's Race Report" »

Posted by Juls at 02:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

But the weather was less than optimal for physical activity of this sort. It was hot. I heard 88 degrees and wondered why it felt like it was in the 100s. The humidity is why. It was about 80 percent I am told.

Not far into the course the first person when down. She was about my age and was having a seizure. She must have bit her lip because her emesis was mixed with blood. It was a horible sight. I slowed down to assess the situation. The people helping her seemed to be doing exactly what I would know to do. I continued on, and then felt guilty for not stopping for the next few miles. Later in the course others went down and out. Ambulances were passing frequently and I knew that I had just forget my BQ goal today and just stay safe. I wasn't keeping pace anyhow, so it wasn't a hard choice to make.

No matter how many marathons I do, it is never "easy." Today was just a reminder to me of the magnitude of how physically demanding marathoning is.

I finished in 4:36, per the race clock, and just wandered in complete numbness. I felt so empty and alone. My clothes were soaked through and I am wiped out. To top it off, Verizon Wireless apparently could not keep up the demands of the 9,000+ runners making calls in Duluth - the network died. So I couldn't call my family for a much needed Hello until I finally dragged my way back to the hotel.

Now, it is time to rest up. My flight leaves at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

Posted by Juls at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Spending nearly my entire Saturday cleaning house should have tired me out. At midnight, however, I was still wide awake. I wasn't anxious; I just could not sleep. I even took two Tylenol PM to attempt to induce sleep. It wasn't until my youngest, who also couldn't sleep, joined me in bed that I was able to leave my body for the land of dreams. Just a few hours later, I was awakening for my race preparations and travel to the race.
At 5 AM Sunday morning, just prior to the alarm sounding, I hoped out of bed. I wasn't nervous about the race itself; I just wanted to be sure that we caught the bus to the start on time. Since I had set out all of my clothes the night before, I just put them on and went downstairs to eat and wait for Cindy to arrive. It wasn't until we were arriving in San Francisco that I began to get nervous. As we drove down 19th, it felt like a race to get the last parking spots. It seemed that the majority of the cars out were filled with other runners. Having to pass the smaller parking spots, we ended up a half a mile uphill from the bus pickup. We ran down, got in a crazy long line of runners, and later boarded the bus for the start.
The day was clear and sunny. I knew I had made a grave error in choosing my clothing. I had expected the usual foggy, cold weather that San Francisco is known for. There I stood, among runners in shorts and singlet, in my tights and running long sleeved mock tee. "Just a training race," I reminded myself.
When we first headed out, I felt awkward. I just couldn't find my groove. Cindy was with me and we made small talk as we went. But while I love to RUN with company, I hate to RACE with company. There is an awareness of the other person that keeps me from totally focusing on myself. You hear their breathing, their steps, and maybe even their thoughts. I feel their discomfort and I just can't find separation. So when Cindy was heading to the bushes for pee, I decided to hold mine a bit longer. I knew that even if she caught up with me, or passed me, that I would have found my groove in the meantime. I immediately felt 100% better. Less than a mile later was a huge line of porta-potties.
The race took us up and down small rolling hills. I was just too hot, so I peeled off my long sleeved shirt and gradually got used to the cool air. As I headed down the hill toward the Great Highway I was awed with the breath taking view of the ocean. I love California! This part of the race is a long, gentle climb. We run on the chopped up road towards the zoo and then turn around and head back. While it is fun to see the race leaders zooming past, it is easy to feel like all of those people are passing you.
After the turn around, I pick up my effort ever so slightly. Running on more of the shoulder of the road, the path is less torn up. It is easier to enjoy the view. I see the torture in the oncoming runners faces as they continue in the opposite direction. I remember what I felt when I was on that side of the road. I've only got 3.1 more miles to run and it feels good knowing this. When I make the turn back towards Golden Gate Park, I come across this young lady who groans that she hopes that she can finish. "Oh, you WILL finish," I assure her. She is unaware just how close the finish is. I arm her with the knowledge that she has less than a half a mile to go and plow into the hill. I know the course well from here. I pick up the pace even more, and as I turn the corner and head toward the finish line I am already moving as fast as my feet will take me. I finish 1:56.
I found myself slightly disappointed in my finish time. I secretly wanted to beat my 1:50 time from two years ago. I wanted this even though I had sprinted too early in that race as I had thought the finish was at the end of the Great Highway. I had actually run VERY well. I ran, an evenly paced race, dead on at my marathon pace.

Posted by Juls at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The California International Marathon was just 5 weeks after the Silicon Valley Marathon. It was not a time for training, but more of a time for recovery. I got a sports massage two days after SVM and took it easy for a week. After a week, I began running again seriously but with reduced mileage. For my long runs, I did an 8 miler, then 13 miles, then 15. After that I tapered.

When I hit Sacramento, I was pretty optimistic. I wasn’t going to have the same stomach issues. I had a plan to run with the pace team and run with my new iPod as well. I even had some fun short music files that have the voices of my family cheering me on. I was set.

At the race expo, I hooked up with the 3:50 pace team leader. His name was Bill and not only did he explain how he was going to get us to the finish line on time, he also talked about what it is like to run in the Boston Marathon. I was psyched when I left the expo and looking forward to race day.

By race morning, I was ready to give Boston Qualification another shot. I was in good spirits and wasn’t going to let the little things, like forgetting a spoon for my oatmeal, get to me. I drank the oatmeal. Remembering my stomach issues at the Silicon Valley Marathon, I also didn’t get upset when I realized that I had not brought my way of ensuring that my “business” was taken care of prior to the gun going off. The morning was cold. It was REALLY cold. I decided on my Capri-length leggings and a long-sleeved shirt.

I spend too much time on the bus. By the time I was dropping my sweat bag and heading for the port-o-potties, everyone else was heading for the start. I kept calm, remembering the chip timing.

It was true that I would not be penalized for time from the gun going off to the time I crossed the starting line. It was equally true that the 3:50 pace team was far ahead of me by the time I was crossing the start. I did my best to find them and still not push too hard this early in the race.

After a bit of this “chasing” the unseen pace leader, I gave up hope of finding him. I just ran the race while listening to my new iPod. It was nice to have the music, which I kept to a low volume so that I could still interact with the crowd.

The spectators were few but steady; there wasn’t any part of the course where they were totally absent. I took it all in, waving at the kids, and enjoying the entertaining signs. While I knew that the “Go Mom” sign was not for me, I took it as a message from my own kids. The sign that said, “Don’t Puke” had new meaning for me after my experience with the Silicon Valley Marathon just 5 weeks before. I had high hopes that this race would be a far different experience.

At about the mid-way point, I kept my eyes open for my brother, who lives near there, but to no avail. I was fighting the slow down and losing. While trying not to get discouraged and give up, I heard my husband’s voice. I looked around, thinking that he’d surprised me by coming onto the course rather than just waiting at the finish. Then I heard DD’s voice and the words that followed were all too familiar. It was the recorded words of encouragement that was playing on my iPod. I smiled, even laughed out loud at myself and continued onward.

Around mile 18, I was in desperate need for a port-a-potty. I mean DESPERATE. But there wasn’t one in sight. I slowed down to keep from having an “accident” and cursed my having forgotten to pack the suppository. My BQ was already getting away from me, but this certainly wasn’t helping. I was so relieved to see the large flag marking the 19th mile, but there was no potty in sight. I would have to go another mile. I continued on, sometimes having to walk in order to minimize the damage.

By the time I reached mile 20, I was beyond desperate. My stomach was cramping badly from “holding it” and I just held back the tears. My BQ was lost. As I hovered over the pot, trying not to let my body touch any part of the surrounding area, I couldn’t relax enough to go. There were other runners pounding on the door and while I knew their desperation, they weren’t helping things. 5 minutes later, I was on my way again.

Those last 6.2 miles never felt so long. I tried to come up with a secondary goal of finishing the race in 4 hours, but my head wasn’t satisfied with that goal. I’d lost the fight for Boston AGAIN, and it was disappointing. I ran. I walked. I hit the final stretch towards the finish and heard BoBo yelling my name. I began to cry, but I kept running as I crossed the finish line in tears at 4:04 with plans for another BQ attempt sometime in the future.

Posted by Juls at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I couldn’t have asked for better weather for the Silicon Valley Marathon. It was cool but sunny as we were heading for the starting line. I was excited. I’d trained smart and my pace runs were faster than the pace that I needed to run my goal of a 3:50 finish. Everything was going my way, it seemed, except for the fact that I had awoken with a case of the runs. I wasn’t worried. Usually I am worried that I haven’t been able to take care of business prior to the start of my race, so I figured having to go three times might not be so bad. I just prayed that it would stop when the race started, and it did.

I ran the first eight miles with my dear friend, Cindy. We were running basically at the planned 8:45 minute per mile pace only a bit faster. I felt good though and we were happily running and enjoying the company. I am usually a loner for my races so it was refreshing to have company and not be affected by it. At mile eight I urged Cindy to go ahead since she had planned a half-marathon and was very capable of picking up the pace when I did not want to do so. I watched her go ahead and missed her company for a bit. I knew that I’d be seeing Cindy again as she was going to meet up with my husband and kids at the half marathon finish line. Then Cindy was going to be watching the kids for us and continuing to support me along the course with her enthusiastic cheers.

As I came through mile 13 I was feeling the fatigue kick in. I took some more GU and gave a high five to YaYa, my seven year old, while smiling for a photo taken by BoBo (13 years). Tom gave me a kiss and reminded me to “say hello to the body”. It was good advice. As the miles passed I found I was more and more fatigued. My stomach was feeling bloated, I was getting nauseated and it seemed like the GU and fluids were not leaving my stomach. By mile 16 I was dry heaving. I’ll just stop and try to throw up in the bushes, I thought. But I wasn’t able to throw up so I began to walk/jog as much as I could. At mile 19, there was Cindy, BoBo & YaYa. They had a latte. Yumm. But my stomach wasn’t doing well. I sipped it anyways. “You’re doing great Julie” Cindy yelled. “You’re looking good”. I told her that I was too slow and that I wasn’t going to make the goal. “No, you’re right on track” she lied. But I knew that it was a lie even if she didn’t. Ilana and Brenna were there too. They were all cheery and encouraging. A nearby runner said that he felt better just by being near us. Onward we ran, jogged, and walked. I tried to run, but when I did the dry heaves came on strong, then I’d walk and gradually start to jog.

At mile 25, Ilana was there. “You’re looking beautiful” she said. Tears came to my eyes. I didn’t feel beautiful; I felt beaten up. Maybe Boston Qualification is just too big of a goal, I thought. Maybe I’ll never be able to get there. Ilana ran me in. At mile 26, BoBo was there to join us, then a bit further on YaYa and Cindy were waiting. I finished in 4:16 and headed for the first aide tent. I was wheezing and lightheaded. By that night, I’d decided to go with “Plan B” and try again to hit my BQ goal by running in the California International Marathon.

Posted by Juls at 06:10 PM | Permalink

My Forerunner GPS has some user malfunctioning. Garmin released the new software that allows for multi-sport auto capturing of all three sports and transitions. As far as I can tell, I started the watch at the beginning of the swim (7:43:31 AM). I probably turned off as I was putting it into my swim cap. I then got out of the water and restarted it, only to stop it, start it, stop it as I entered into the transition areas and changed sports. I should have practiced using the feature more. I was supposed to be hitting the "lap" button, not the "start/stop" button.

It was a beautiful day. The water was warm so both Tom and I didn't wear our wetsuits. I definitely have much to improve in the transitions. It was sort of a comical event as I slipped trying to run to the bike rack (I realized I had passed it. Then I couldn't find the bike because I hadn't got down far enough). I had purchased and mounted a 2-water bottle holder that mounts to the seat post on Friday. It misplaced my bag that holds my tube, tire irons, and epi-pen. So I had put them into my bike jersey pocket. But when I put the shirt on, everything fell out. I threw everything into my pocket again and was off on the bike portion at 7:54:54. I got passed by plenty who seemed like they were so fresh that it was a bit un-nerving. My legs felt heavy after swimming. I ate a GU gel and continued on a nice pace that was fast enough to be passing people but not so fast that I couldn’t keep it up.

When I finished the bike portion, however, I pushed the start/stop button instead of lap, then again when I began the run. In the transition area I pulled out my tube, changed shoes and grabbed my hat & a snack bag of pretzels. I found out quickly that these items swoosh back and forth in a cycling jersey. That was not going to cut it. I put the tire irons in my tri shorts pocket, held the epi-pen & tossed the pretzels. I would have liked a GU gel but I couldn’t find the one I’d put into my pocket. I didn't figure out that I was pressing the stop/start button, instead of the lap button, until partway into the run when I was trying to figure out why my speed was showing in mph instead of minutes/mile. I quickly pressed lap over and over until I was in the “RUN” portion on my multi-sport screen. My legs felt even heavier now. I felt like I was going at a snails pace but now that I had my Forerunner on the right screen I could see that I was not going slow at all. My pace ranged from 7:45-8:30/minute. This was just fine. For everyone who told me that there were hills, thank you for the warning.

Oh well, it was only my 1st triathlon and it was just for fun. I knew that I had enough information to recover some pretty accurate estimates each portion of my event. Based on my information, uploaded to Motion Based, assumptions of 3 minute & 2 minute transitions Tom and I were able to determine the following. Swim time (8 minutes); Bike (35 minutes); Run (25 minutes). Since I have my start and stop time so I know that my total time was 1:12:20. We had a ton of fun. We're planning to do another one in August and then do a real triathlon. After that, I'll need to get serious about my marathon training.

Posted by Juls at 06:20 PM | Permalink

The Napa Valley Marathon was my first marathon. It’s the race that started me on this goal of qualifying to run in the famed Boston Marathon. The race has been pretty good to me. My first year, I finished in 4:02. Last year, I finished in 3:55. So I felt pretty confident in choosing for attempt # 7 at reaching my goal.

I stayed at the host hotel this year. This allows you, as a runner, to take the bus to the start right from the hotel. It was a nice change from having to have Tom drive me to the high school to catch the bus. The hotel even had a continental breakfast out for us.

The energy was high as runners boarded the bus for Calistoga. I sat near the front and talked about marathons with the man next to me. This is always interesting. He hadn’t run a marathon for 10 years and was pretty excited. He talked about his heart rate monitor and his plan to keep his heart rate in his chosen range. I met two girls from the east coast who had done their entire training on treadmills. Crazy! It’s so nice to live in California. “You’re in for a treat”, I told them.

It was a treat. We watched the sun rise at the start. We were off and running alongside lovely countryside filled with vineyards and widely spaced houses. There were people hanging out in their driveways waving and drinking their morning brew of coffee. Approaching the street junctures, you could hear the large crowds cheering and words of encouragement would come from strangers as you passed. “You go Girl!”

Then it was quiet. In between the crowds was long stretches of vineyards. It was beautiful. Remember to look around and enjoy it because this will soon be over. I looked at my watch and confirmed that I was still on-target pace. It was getting hot now. I reminded myself to drink and happily sipped on my Ultima filled Camelback. I wished I had mixed it at home instead of trying to do it in the hotel bathroom. It didn’t quite taste right today; it was a bit strong. Before long I had a stomachache as my stomach was bloating. I gave my Camelback to, my husband, Tom at the 16ish mile. I was losing time and my legs felt heavy.

Mile by mile, I clicked off my splits and checked them against my pace band. At mile 18 I realized something was not right. Did I miss a split, or did I really run that mile so slow? I started chanting to myself, “Just keep running, running, running…” (like Nemo and Dori in Finding Nemo). Not to walk at all was my secondary goal. Mile 19 was better, but now the hill. I was about ¼ of the way up it when I met Marion. She was an inspiration. This was her 97th marathon! “You’ve got nothing to prove”, she said. “One step at a time”, she continued. And on she went, just constantly saying “hello” to other runners and verbalizing her affirmations. I wanted to latch on to her; I liked her positive attitude. I hesitated, thinking what if she didn’t want me to tag along with her the rest of the way. And then I looked up, and she was picking up speed as she rolled down the other side of the hill. I’d lost her; I couldn’t catch up. So I went back my “just keep running” plan, but added “nothing to prove”. On I went, resisting the temptation to walk.

Around mile 23 they give out small bites of sorbet. It’s cool and yummy and it makes you want to turn around just to get more. Then there are pretzels…and M&Ms…you realize how hungry you are now. The spectators try to provide more encouragement in these final miles. Now they are constant, but not as densely packed. “Almost there” I keep running and now it’s very familiar. Hey, there’s my husband, Tom. I smile for a picture. I’m keeping a scrapbook of my marathons after all. I pick up the pace and now I’m really moving. Just two miles left now. I can see other runners along the way sporting their finisher medals. Okay, so I’m not going to qualify again, but lets get this over with and finish strong. A mile left, and I am now moving even faster. As I turn the corner, I know too well were I am now. “This is it”, I tell some runners who are slowing down instead of picking up, “the finish is just around that corner”.

My finish time this year is 4:23. The volunteer puts her arm around me as I come to a stop. A tear rolls down. These finishes are so emotional. I get my medal and head for the soup. And there she is...Marion finished not too far ahead of me. I go over to tell her thank you and soon we are chatting like old friends in the post race celebration. “What are you going to do for your next marathon”, she asks. I don’t have one planned, but I will soon.

Posted by Juls at 06:09 PM | Permalink

Two weeks after the BIZZ Johnson Marathon, I was all hyped up at another starting line. There was a group of friends lined up at the start of the Silicon Valley Marathon. I was ready to give it good shot for another attempt to qualify. But I also knew that I might DNF as well. I started out strong and on my target pace. I was tiring quickly and soon I knew that this, too, was not going to be my day to qualify for Boston. My husband, Tom, and the kids were there to take pictures and give race support. My dear friend, Cindy, did the same. I love seeing friendly, familiar faces along the path; it’s so encouraging. One of my friends, Rob, even tried to bring me back to target pace by running with me for a few miles. I just couldn’t hang on to it though. I ran past the 13-mile marker to the track exit to the 2nd half of the marathon and just stopped. I stood there for a couple of minutes before I decided to stop at the half-marathon. Another DNF; this time I wasn’t disappointed in myself. It was crazy to think that my body would be ready for another marathon so soon. My unofficial half-marathon time was 1:58:34.

Posted by Juls at 06:13 PM | Permalink

I was very excited when I read about the BIZZ Johnson Trail Marathon. It was a very different sort of marathon. A trail race that was due to have 20 of the 26.2 miles “downhill”. It was certified as a Boston Qualifier. I was so excited about this race that I abandoned my fully paid registration for the Silicon Valley Marathon and adjusted my training for this marathon

There really wasn’t a race expo. Generally, I love the distraction that an expo offers me the day prior to the expo, so I was a bit disappointed to be out in Susanville, CA with nothing to do. There isn’t much to this town.

The pasta feed, however, had two dynamic speakers. I barely found a spot to sit at this crowded event and began to eat as the race director welcomed us and first speaker was introduced. He was a well-known ultra distance racer. He had slides and short video clips of various races that he’d done. He talked about the advantages to trail running. Afterwards, many of the listeners were intrigued to take on the BIZZ Johnson trail.

The next speaker at the pasta feed was Chris “Z”. He talked about his experience running street marathons. He also had videos and slides of, mostly himself, taken by his wife at various marathons. He talked about the stages of a marathon, the crowd support, and the finish line. He also had sound clips to go with the video clips of the finish at CIM and Boston – which he used to demonstrate the difference between a small and large marathon. Many of us were hyped up and eager to do the race in the morning, hoping to meet our Boston qualification goals. The BIZZ is a certified Boston qualifier after all.

But life can throw some curve balls your way at any time and this was one of them. After the pasta feed my brother called me to give an update on my grandma. Grandma was in the hospital after emergency cardiac bypass surgery; she wasn’t doing well. It seems that the family was to have a meeting the next day to discuss removing life support.

I started the race, but my head wasn’t in it & my heart was elsewhere too. I kept thinking of Grandma and imagined myself talking to her and telling her that it was okay to let go if she wanted to. I told her that if she wanted to live longer that she would need to show some signs of that quickly.

I was half-way through the race when I decided that the BIZZ could be a long training run for Silicon Valley; it was pretty certain that I wouldn’t be qualifying for Boston today. I began to walk every mile for 1 minute. As the race progressed however, the 1 minute became 2 and then more. My hips were hurting whether I walked or ran.

The BIZZ was everything that they said. It was a beautiful, unpaved course with 7 little wooden bridges to cross over and a tunnel too. I finished the race after 4:37:38 and was pleasantly surprised that there was a small crowd in the clearing of runners who cheered me in. They were enjoying the post race refreshments and didn’t even notice my tears. It was time to see if I could get an earlier flight back to San Francisco. Grandma was waiting.

Posted by Juls at 06:14 PM | Permalink

I usually write a race plan prior to each marathon. In doing so, it helps me to think about how I want my race day to play out. It's more than just the finish line goal; it's about the whole experience. Putting it down has helped me to get into the right frame of mind for race day. My race plan for Napa Valley 2004 was, by far, the best race plan that I have written to date. It also lead to my best marathon performance so far. I hope you all will enjoy reading it.

Continue reading "The Best Race Plan Ever" »

Posted by Juls at 04:20 PM | Permalink

On a cool morning in San Francisco I awoke early to dress for the San Francisco Marathon. While Tom & the boys slept, I contemplated on if I should be racing that day. Just 4 days before I twisted my ankle but today it looks fine. I hooked up with a SFRRC pace team & set out at a quick pace. It felt good to run for the 1st time since my injury. We were on target for my 3:45 qualification goal.

It's hard to know how I would've felt had I not lost the pace group. I began slowing pace. Although my ankle didn't hurt, my foot didn't feel so great. I just felt funny. By the time I reached the 10K mark I was getting cold & the ''wall'' was already coming on strong. By mile 10 I knew I could not meet my goal & miqht be destroying my foot & ankle. When I reached the Half-Marathon point I finished my race & took the bus back to the hotel.

This was the 1st race I'd had the kids at & I was so sure I was going qualify-before my ankle sprain. Tom BoBo & YaYa were waiting at the finish line with the camera when I called. I was crying, but they cheered me up with much needed hugs and a non-fat latte. They reminded me that maybe I could do it "next time."

Posted by Juls at 08:00 AM | Permalink

After 16 weeks of training, Tom and I dropped the kids off with their Aunt Carol & Uncle Marcelo and drove to the Napa Valley. During the training, I ran my weekday runs with Michelle, Mark and Melanie from work. The weekend long runs were with my husband. We often would push YaYa in the job stroller, while BoBo would ride his bike ahead of us. We would stop, along the trail, at the playgrounds to give the kids a break. It was tough because the long runs too a really long time. We got a sitter when the run reached the higher mileage, and the weather was rainy. It was fun to compare aches and pains after the runs. Even though we didn't run the same pace, the training still had a way of bringing us closer together.

I don't remember every detail of that race, but I do remember the feeling of crossing the marathon finish line for the first time. If you haven't had this live experience yet, it is well worth the training and the pain involved with that. There is nothing like it. But let me go back to the start and tell you the whole story - at least as much of it as I can remember.

Continue reading "My First Marathon - Napa 2002" »

Posted by Juls at 05:55 PM | Permalink