Bay Bridge Half Marathon

Praise the Lord, it's been a pretty epic year of running. To cap it all off, I really wanted to run one last race on my birthday. It is already quite hot in Arizona, which led me to look outside the state for races. I intended to look closer to home, but then this one caught my eye: The Bay Bridge Half Marathon, a marathon that ran across a bay to an island and back, with a decent host hotel price, an included a technical jacket, and free race photos. I was sold! I told my husband that this would be a dream race. He wasn't keen on going to California for a race, but he agreed to try to make it happen.

The Training:

I told myself that I could "party-pace" the race and did not need to train hard, but then my competitive side kicked in. I started trying to add miles onto my Sub-45 minute 10K plan from Run to make them add up to half-marathon training lengths. (I roughly used the Orange County intermediate half marathon plan for a race that happened at the same time as mine.) I did add a few more miles to the final runs of race week. Two miles and twenty minutes felt too short, so I made them 5K. I started carb loading three days before the race, maybe a bit of overkill, but with running a few extra miles that might have depleted my glycogen stores, it probably did not hurt. (Plus according to my expected race times and Featherstone Nutrition's calculator, I still needed a three-day carb load.)

The Travel:

We drove 12 hours on Friday to get to the race hotel. Well, my husband drove and I rode. I carb loaded okay this day, but definitely did not hydrate as well as I could have. I also got a little stiff and sore during the day, despite running laps around a gas station when we stopped midway through the drive. Thankfully I still had a day to recover before the race.

The Tangents:

Thank the Lord, I got surprisingly good sleep Friday night. I woke up bright and early at 5:20 am and started the day. I ate breakfast around 7 am, and that was probably too late, because I was hungry! I had wanted to try out my race day breakfast, but as it was, I needed more food, so I ate more: a banana, cinnamon raisin bagel, strawberry pop-tart, and my own version of Nesquik with added salt (1 tablespoon of sugar, plus 1 tablespoon of cocoa, and about 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt).

I went down for the shakeout run around 9 am and chatted with the other runners. The 9:30 am run took us down to Lake Merritt and back. The group was small, I would say 20 or less. We stopped at 0.95 miles in for a rest, and then got back to our starting point about 2.1 miles. I wanted more time on feet, so I took off for another mile.

Packet pick-up was easy. I grabbed my bib and jacket and a few freebies and then got photos with my bib. My husband and I traversed to San Francisco after that. I worried about food and time on feet, but I think we did okay. My husband found busses and a Waymo to keep from walking endless miles. I ate a sourdough turtle from Boudin Bakery instead of my lunch bagel which worked out just great. Once again, my hydration was probably not as on point as it could have been. I had set out a water bottle to take with us, but I forgot it.

We came back from our adventure and I took about an hour nap. Then I laid out my flat runner and got ready for the morning. (I also had my husband take these flat runner pictures when I was in bed, as I had seen others do so and found their photos funny.) I ate an earlier dinner. We played Scrabble. I read my Bible. Then it was shower and snack time, and to bed.

Overall, I was quite a bit more lax with my race prep this time around. I was more flexible with the foods in my carb load (like sourdough discard banana bread and the turtle). I ate more carbs overall. I ate more pop-tarts. I took more liberties with my training plan (adding, subtracting, and breaking up miles). I did what people say not to do and took a little vacation before the race. All of this led to more and less anxiety about race day. Overall, I wanted to approach the race with curiosity and have fun. (I wrote, "Choose Joy" on my bib for this reason).

My goals for this race were:

A 1:50, 8:20/mile

B 1:55, 8:25/mile

C Get some good race photos. 

Based on my Pat's Run pace, My Pro Coach said I could run a 1:44:38 half. Based on my 10K, it went up to 1:45:18. Based on my last 5K, it went up to 1:51:11. Anything less than my 1:52:52 personal record was good in my book, and I told myself that if I just had to fun run it, I would, because that was what I ultimately wanted, to have fun!

Doing the Thing

Race morning

I am a planner and had race morning mapped out by the minute. Wake-up at 5 am. Breakfast of a strawberry poptart (with frosting and sprinkles, because this was a celebration run!) and RNWY collagen in coffee at 6:15 am. (I recently started drinking caffeinated coffee before running because Sports Scientist Jonah Rosner says it can enhance performance.) Getting coffee was as bit interesting, as our hotel elevators broke and I had to climb six flights of stairs down and back up again. It was a good warm-up, I guess.

Walk downstairs at 6:45 am. (I felt race nerves, so I tried to read while we waited for our Uber to the start area. I also used the bathroom again during this time.) Catch our short 15 minute ride to the start line at 7:05 am. After that, plans were a but more fluid. I immediately used the restroom, and then sat on the curb for a few minutes to rest my legs. I did a 0.6 mile shakeout run with a few strides, and then used the bathroom at again. I lined up at 7:45 am. I took a pumpkin spice GU gel at 8:00 am, and then participated in the pre-race yoga stretch. At 8:15 am, we were off!

Miles 1-3

I tried to keep up with the 1:50 pacers, but they were going out fast! I figured that I had to run 8:20 minutes/mile to break 1:50. They were running around 8:00 minutes/mile, so I decided to drop back and run my own race. I roughly planned to follow Jess Do It's 1:45 half plan, and 8:00/mile was not in the cards.

Miles 1-3 were flat and I kept about an 8:05 pace. I thought I was doing pretty good until mile 5 when I noticed my pace slowing to around 8:15/mile. We were running up the bridge, though, so it was all good. I had been sipping on an 8 ounce water bottle throughout this time and took my first gel, a caffeinated birthday cake GU, at 30 minutes. I waved at every photographer I saw and just tried to enjoy the bridge views. They were beautiful.

Miles 6-10 

The turnaround was at 6.5. I had finished my water by now and took a cup from the table. I drank some of it and poured the rest down my back. I took a few shots of the views and kept on trucking. As I ran back, I got to cheer on runners coming my way. This was one of my favorite parts. Things felt good, so I just kept hollering. I took a caffeinated chocolate GU gel at 60 minutes, sans water since I had none, but this was a thicker gel, so I could kind of chew it and keep going. I was clocking under eight minutes a mile going down the bridge here.

Miles 11-finish 

Things started to flatten out, but I just kept going. I knew I could run 7:41 minutes/mile for a 10K, and faster for other races, so surely I could keep an 8:00 minutes a mile or less pace. It was a little hot, but I just kept going. I briefly thought about a 90 minute gel, but then I was close to the finish and forgot about it. A man with a "God loves you" shirt was running around me at this time. Some people on the sidelines saw my bib and cheered, "Choose Joy." I thought. I prayed. I celebrated.

I had read in reviews of this race that the course was a little short. It seemed this way coming in, so I ran hard to the finish. I pointed my finger up because I wanted to thank God for this race (thought it probably looked more like number one). I thought I might run past the finish, but instead paused my watch to get my medal and glass. I pawned them off on my husband so I could run the little bit more to get 13.1. I wanted to get 13.7 for my 37th birthday. My official race time was 1:42:34. According to my 13.1 run, my time was 1:43:47. In either case, it was a new personal record!

Takeaways:

The finish festival was Epic. They gave us recovery drinks at the finish line, but then almost every vendor had more drinks, from La Colombe coffee, to Yerba Mate energy drinks, to other beverages. They also gave out noodles. (My husband ate these, as they did not appeal to me.) All in all, I would say I got a haul. Along with the tech zip up and free photos, I think this race was way worth it!

We had booked at 10:45 am Uber back to our hotel. Since I finished the race at 10 am, that left us waiting a while, or so we thought. In another blessing from God, the Uber driver came around 10:30, so after all the race goodie collecting, we did not have to wait long!

I felt the burn in my legs as we had to climb six flights of stairs back to our room. When I saw the cleaning ladies hauling linens up and down, though, God convicted me that I needed to stop complaining. I did NOT have things that bad. I chose to run and hurt. They were just trying to work!

We headed out of Oakland pretty quickly after I showered and cleaned up, as we had other adventure plans. My neck and shoulders hurt, but other than that, I found the soreness minimal. I felt a little tired, but not exhausted, and I definitely rode the race high for most of the day. As my mom said about my race photos, "You look so happy," and I was/am. This race was truly a gift from God and a great way to celebrate my birthday!

What's next? Well, I am registered to run a half marathon for charity in October. (If you would like to donate, you can do so here.) I would like to go sub 1:45 again, but we will see. Maybe if the Lord allows me to keep running I can eventually run a full marathon at this pace and qualify for Boston? That seemed impossible years ago, but now, maybe! Whatever the case, I give God the glory and thanks for running and whatever experiences I get to have, because as Tara-Leigh Cobble says, "He's where the joy is."

37.

Maybe, just maybe I lived up to my birthday goal from last year, "Just Live." (It probably helped that I really simplified the language of my goal. That gives me less satisfaction in achieving it, but increases the likelihood that I would.) I say that "maybe" I lived up to my goal because we did some big things this past year. We took an anniversary trip. I went on a girls' weekend. I cut my work hours back for a little bit to try to breathe in some more air (and because my husband asked me to do so). I ran a marathon. The year was hard. The year was good. I am thankful.

As I ponder this next year, I realize that my goal is in the same vein as was my goal last year. I want to prioritize. I want to celebrate. I want to, with the Lord's help, try to do things now rather than waiting until later. I want to reclaim my life.

My mom gave me the advice that we should not delay things until the perfect time, or until we are flush with cash, because then we will never get to do them. In that vein, we took a trip for my birthday. We also scheduled another trip later this month. I registered ahead for some big races in the future. Were these things risky? Yes. Were they wise? Maybe. Maybe not. I just know that if I don't make choices about my life, the circumstances of my life will control me, rather than I, them.

I have continued counseling this year. Although I would rather not incur that expense and spend that time, I think it is useful. It helps me metabolize the things I experience. It gives me time to reflect on my priorities and what I am doing in my life. For now, I continue.

Running has taken a bigger place in my life these past twelve months, and perhaps, for a season, it will continue to do so. I find joy and freedom in running. I find accomplishment and fun and pleasure. Will it always be this way? No, probably not. But for now, I want to celebrate the good gift from God that running is.

I continue to grow and flex with my job. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to some extent, to set my own schedule. I need to take advantage of that gift. I also want to be faithful with new opportunities as they present themselves.

In the midst of reclaiming, though, I want to learn and practice contentment. May the Lord help me with that. This life has plenty of struggles, but as I tell others, God has given us two hands. I can feel joy and grief at the same time. As I seek to reclaim this beautiful life that God has given me, may I remember to make room for both.

Eats and Empties (Week 18)

The Eats:

S'mores crispy treats (Featherstone Nutrition)

Strawberries and cream rice krispie treats (Fit Foodie Finds)

Sweet potato hash (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Vegan sourdough snickerdoodle banana bread (Nuts About Greens)

The Empties:

Cinnamon sugar
Clementines
Cottage cheese
Frozen easy stovetop mac and cheese with jumbo shells (Great Value box recipe)
Two pounds of marshmallows
Half gallon of milk

Pumpkin spice hot chocolate mix

Ground turkey
Freeze dried strawberries
Sourdough discard
Sweet potatoes

What went to waste:  

Nothing that I know of yet!

Everything I Read in April

I only read my Bible and Kate Bowler's Lent devotion during Lent. That makes this reading month's reading wrap-up small, but small and mighty. I am really enjoying my return to reading!

25) The Hardest Part by Kate Bowler—This was another free Lenten devotional by the prolific Kate Bowler. With a short scripture reading and reflection for each day (except Sunday), this book focuses on the hard parts of faith, with encouragements to be kind to oneself along the way. Bowler includes blessings from her books The Lives We Actually Have and Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day. I found this book helpful as I celebrated Lent, in all its hard and beautiful parts.

26) Waiting for Daybreak by Kathryn Cushman —Paige Woodward is grasping for straws to find a job as a pharmacist. When Clarissa's Richardson's grandfather offers her an excellent job with great pay, she jumps on it. She comes to learn that Clarissa does not really want her there, though. Thus begins Clarissa's vendetta against Paige, and Paige's wrestling with how to handle the situation. Enter sweet Ora Vaerge, a pharmacy patient who always has a Bible verse to share. Ora's encouragement from Psalm 46:1-2 to wait for the break of day sustains Paige, until Ora herself has a midnight moment. This book has some mystery and intrigue, a little romance, and a lot of faith integration. I enjoyed reading it!

27) Ordinary on Purpose: Surrendering Perfect and Discovering Beauty Amid the Rubble by Mikayla Albertson, MD—What I expected from this book was something different than it was. I expected a self-help, devotional type book about overcoming perfectionism from a faith perspective. What I read was a memoir detailing how early trauma led Dr. Mikayla Albertson to thinking she had to be perfect, and how her experience with a husband battling addiction tore down her life and helped her turn to God to rebuild it. While Albertson is Catholic, she writes a lot about Jesus and includes quite a bit of scripture. The latter parts of the book have a lot to do with Albertson’s role as a mother. While difficult to read at times because of the depths of abuse and despair Albertson experienced, this was a valuable treatise on learning to value life as it is, because “ordinary” life is actually a gift.

--

Friends, have you read anything great lately? Please share in the comments section!

Strong(er) in April

Phew! What a month. It was full. It was long. It felt hard, but by God's grace, I got through. Am I stronger? Maybe. Maybe not. Here's my summary.

Faith: Lent is over. I think it was a beneficial experience, but man am I glad the reading fast is over. That was tough! Did it make me stronger in my faith? I hope so! I do think that fasting builds strength. It is just very, very hard.

Marriage: I am thankful to report that my husband and I are doing well. Is that a result of the work we are putting in through our marriage devotional and regular dates or just God's blessing? Both? Whichever the case, I give God thanks and pray we can continue in this trajectory and enjoy a summer season in our relationship.

Body: I did complete my first round of the pull-up program, too. If I jump hard and high, I can almost pull my chin over the bar. Dropping down to the next resistance band size, though (as instructed in the program) was humbling. I am back to not getting my chin back over the bar. Do I continue to increase reps, or try to get up at least one with this band? I am not sure of the correct protocol.

Praise the Lord for an amazing Pat's Run, especially after sickness weakened me and brought me down for a few days. My feet have started hurting a bit again, though. I changed up my physical therapy exercises, so is it that? Or that I got new shoes? Who knows? Lord willing, I have one more big event, and then turning down the running (or at least the speed portion of it). 

What's next? Lord willing, diligence in continued Bible reading, some summer trips to spend time with my love, and continued strength training and at-home physical therapy exercises. What to do about those pull-ups still remains a question.

--

Readers, do you have any goals as summer approaches? Please share in the comments section!

Girls on the Run 5K

I ran a 5K...and I am proud to say it was my slowest one yet! I really enjoy running, but as I get older, I want to find ways to give back to the sport that has given to me. Enter the Girls on the Run Sparkle Run. Girls on the Run is a nationwide organization that uses running to build emotional, mental, physical and social health for girls. When a coworker told me about the opportunity to be a "Sparkle runner" running buddy and pace a girl through the race, I was sold.

Packet pickup was really easy. Look at these great tanks we got! The organization provided multiple days for packet pickup and I was in and out in minutes. Way to go!

I wanted to truly sparkle for this run, so I gave myself a pink sparkly manicure and pedicure. I also bought some face and body glitter to share. (Amy Haas of Race Across the States sold me on this stuff.)

The race start was slow because man, there were a lot of girls (and buddies)! I think every girl that ran had a buddy, and this race was for girls in Maricopa and Pinal counties, two of the biggest counties in Arizona. The announcers did a good job of starting us in waves. My girl wanted to walk and run, so that is what we did. It was a bit hot out and the first water table was not until about one mile in. That was a bit far for her. The cheer squads were great, though. So many people were out with posters and costumes.

I encouraged my girl to run over the finish line, and that we did! We finished in just under 45:00 according to my watch. People passed out water and Gatorade just past the finish line-needed due to the hot weather.

All in all, this was a great experience, and one I definitely recommend. Next time, I will just come a little more prepared for lots of people and hot temperatures. I could also up my sparkle game. I mean, people had not just face glitter, but hair glitter, and tutus!

Eats and Empties (Week 17)

The Eats:

Cottage cheese overnight oats (IFoodReal)

Garlic pork with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli (Meal Prep in an Instant)

Healing Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Hummusapien)

Hot cross buns (The Perfect Loaf-made by my husband)

Lemon garlic roasted broccoli (Simple Fit Vegan)

Loaded baked potato soup (Instant Pot)

Shepherd's pie (Food Network-our traditional Easter meal, made by my husband)

Soaked whole grain pizza (Oatmeal with a Fork)

The Empties:

Fresh broccoli
Five pound bag of carrots
Box of chicken broth
Carton of 18 eggs

Carton of Greek yogurt

Lemon
Head of leaf lettuce
Half gallon of milk
Five pound bag of potatoes
Can of Progresso soup
Twelve ounce bag of fresh spinach
Frozen big-batch white beans (Epicurious)
Frozen heavy whipping cream

What went to waste:  

The milk soured, but I used it up in my favorite mug cake, so win!