2017 race schedule + goals

Crossing the CIM Finish Line

I've been enjoying my break from training as I recover from CIM and look forward to a better 2017. Next week I start training for the Los Angeles Marathon and also start working with Becki Spellman. I've hired Coach Bekki to help me become a stronger runner and racer in 2017. I'm very excited to see what's in store for me. 

2017 Race Schedule

• January 7 - Riverside Citrus Heritage 5k
• January 29 - Phoenix Women's 1/2 Marathon
• March 19 - Los Angeles Marathon (third time's a charm)
• April 2 - Carlsbad 5000
• April 7-8 - Ragnar SoCal
• April 22 - The Tenacious Ten presented by Oiselle 10-mile race
• June 4 - Rock n' Roll San Diego 1/2 Marathon
• October 8 - Chicago Marathon

Other races planned but not yet officially registered:

• March 5 - Run through Redlands 5k
• September 9 - Great North Run 5k (Newcastle, England-will run if don't get in half-marathon and may also run if I do get in)
• September 10 - Great North Run 1/2 Marathon (ballot entry opens Feb 2017)

My race schedule for the first half the year is set. I may add some smaller races in February or May for fun. The second half of 2017 needs some work.

The Great North Run is the world's largest 1/2 marathon and it's a lottery entry. If I don't get in, I will need to plan another 1/2 marathon as a tune-up race for the Chicago Marathon. If that's the case, I may race the Santa Rosa 1/2 marathon (August 27) again but it all depends on our England travel schedule. I would like to race a total of four 1/2 marathons in 2017 and need to find one for November or December. Any suggestions? 

There has been some chatter about me possibly running my first 50k trail race in August. I haven't made up my mind one way or the other, but I did say I won't make a decision until after I run the LA Marathon in March. Because, really, what's 5 more miles??

My 2016 goals. 50% accomplished.

As Shalane Flanagan says, if you accomplish all 

your goals you're not reaching high enough

2017 Goals

• Run the Chicago Marathon in 3:48. My big "A" goal for 2017. This will take a lot of work on my end (mentally, physically, emotionally). I will have to get ugly, messy and give 100% on the race course. I've never done that. Especially not for a marathon. All my other races during the year are to help me practice and fine-tune my racing skills.
• Run a 1:45 half-marathon. A carry over from 2015 and 2016. I only truly raced one 1/2 marathon in 2016 and I want 4 opportunities to try this year. A "B" goal is to PR in the half (sub 1:47:38). 
• Continue to build strength through weight-lifting and core work. This is what has helped me become a stronger runner in 2016. This is what helps my body handle increasing mileage. 
• Continue to prehab regularly with rolling, stretching and Jasyoga. Add-in frequent massage and ART. This, in addition to glute work and activation, got me to the CIM start line ready to race. Since CIM, I've been rolling and stretching every day--even on days I don't run. I can't believe how good my legs feel.
• Sleep more. Once I'm back to marathon training, I'm setting a sleep alarm to make sure I'm in bed and asleep by 9:30 pm every night. If left to my own devices, I stay up way too late for the time I need to wake up in the morning.

That's all for now. I do have some smaller general goals, like fine-tune my race day nutrition strategy, but those will progress along with my main goals. 

UPDATE (12/28/17): My word for 2017 just came to me this morning: GRIT
Digging in and embracing adversity as a motivator in pursuit of my goals. 

2016: Getting Ugly for the Burritos

Idaho Bird Camp: June 2016

You've got to love running. It's ugly, messy, hard as f*ck sometimes....and at the same time one of the most empowering, connecting and worthwhile pursuits I have undertaken. I started 2016 barely able to run, coming back from injury and having to rebuild my base. 2016 ended up becoming the best year of my running life (started running seriously in 2010, occasional runner before then).

Courtney of Eat Pray Run DC is hosting a Year of Running link up and I thought, well why not? So 

• Best race experience: I raced 13 times this year (lucky 13!). I liked them all for different reasons. Every race is a learning experience, which is why I like to race. Anyway, my best race experience was the St. George Marathon. It is an awesome race. The course is beautiful and breathtaking. The support and logistics are great. And it's a Saturday marathon which means I didn't have to travel back home right after the race. Of course, though, the reason it tops my list is because it is my marathon PR, I finally ran a sub-4 hour marathon AND I qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon. Crossing that finish line in that time was the hardest thing I have ever done in my running career and therefore my best race experience of 2016. 
• Best run: My best run of 2016 was also one of my first runs of 2016. It was my longest run (6.4 miles) after two months of barely running and coming back from injury. We were in Manchester, England and it was my last run in England before flying home the next day. I ran round-trip from our hotel in City Centre to Old Trafford (home of Manchester United), where we were going later that day to watch United beat Swansea City. Watching Premier League soccer in England is an awesome experience and if you have the opportunity, you should definitely do it. It was fun running through the streets of Manchester before the city woke up, getting to the stadium as my goal and then running back to the hotel.
• Best new piece of running gear: I do love my Garmin 235 with a wrist based heart rate monitor.  Not new...but I'm going to have to pick my GLUTES. Since late 2015, I've worked on activating, using and powering my push off with my glutes. With the help of regular physical therapy and my own determination, I've become a stronger runner.
• Best running advice you've received this year: The night before a marathon eat a big dessert. Trisha Drobeck, Oiselle Haute Volée, told us this piece of advice at Idaho Bird Camp. She says it guarantees a great race. It worked for St. George!
• Most inspirational runner: I will have to agree with Courtney, Kate Grace. She came back from injury and rocked the Olympic Trials coming in 1st place at the 800m finals (never podiuming before this). She is down to earth and she's superfan!
• Favorite picture from a run or race this year: This one was easy. Crossing the finish line at St. George knowing I not only earned a huge PR, but also qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon. I don't think I every smiled so big or full crossing a marathon finish line.

• 
• Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: Although the race didn't go as planned, I would repeat CIM in a heartbeat because I want to do better. The race logistics, organization and crowd support were amazing. It was the first race I've run with a large Oiselle Cowbell Corner and running in Sacramento is fun. I love running there. 
• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words: Boston QUALIFIER!

"Holy crap marathon, I hate and love you so much" CIM Recap

Thanks Sheena for these pictures!

Marathons suck. They hurt. I hate marathons. I don't know why I keep registering for them. I love marathons. I love them for the challenge, I love them for the sense of accomplishment and for the community and spectacle.  And I DO know why I keep registering for them: I want to get better. I want to learn from my mistakes.

And, boy, did I make mistakes with CIM. My first mistake was not sticking with my plan to make CIM my one-and-only fall marathon. It has been my goal race for 2016 when I had to defer last year and build up my strength this year. I got distracted by another marathon. I joined others from one of my local running groups to form a team to register for the St. George Marathon. I interrupted my training for CIM to taper for St. George, run it and then recover from it. This left maybe 4 weeks to get marathon ready for CIM. 

At 23.6 miles, Oiselle Cowbell Corner was amazing!!

My second mistake happened in the 2nd mile of CIM. My plan for the race was to stick with the 3:53 pace group until 20 mile or so. When the race started, it was crowded around the pace leaders and at times almost dangerous as people were running into each other. Around 2 miles, I decided to go slightly in front of the pace group to get some space. In retrospect, I should have slowed down and gone behind the pace group. Lesson learned. 

The first half of CIM is all rolling hills and rolling hills are my strength because it is all I train on. I spent the whole first half telling myself to slow down. It felt super easy and actually, it was the easiest 13.1 miles I have ever run. My splits for the first half are pretty even. The next few miles I slowed down, but not too much. It wasn't until mile 18 (that seems to be my nemesis mile mark!) that my wheels fell off and the marathon became a sufferfest. Oiselle Cowbell Corner was at 23.6 miles and knowing that kept me moving forward. Finish time-- 3:57:03

After beating myself up over my mistakes, I came to the realization that prior to this year I was unable or capable of running a sub-4 hour marathon and I did that twice! One of which was a 2018 Boston Marathon qualifying time!

Now it's time to rest and recover; to start prepping for the 2017 Los Angeles Marathon training cycle which starts December 26...


My title quote comes from a tweet by Stephanie Rothstein Bruce, pro runner for Oiselle, making her return to 26.2 after 3 years and 2 babies. She ran a strong race, coming in second and only a couple minutes off her PR!