2018 Year in Review

The year is almost over, and it's the time we look back, count out our accomplishments, and make goals for the year ahead.

Some things I did well in 2018: we had a banner year at work, Neil and I had a great year, and my doggos are happy and healthy.

Some things I could have done better: stick to a training plan, meal planning, get up and get at it earlier in the morning.

So, in 2019, I'm looking to do more. More running, more cross training, more yoga. More meal planning.

To be S.M.A.R.T. (haha), I will:

1. Run 100 miles a month
2. Run 3:50 in the marathon
3. Run under 1:45 in the half marathon
4. Do yoga once a week
5. Have fun!

Self Doubt

A few weeks back, I decided that it was time to think about running again. I’ve been off of running, and religiously doing my rehab, spending lots of time at physical therapy appointments, and generally trying to “be good” and not go back to running too soon. Approaching my fifth month of not running, I started to ask if I’d been good for long enough.

With a PT appointment on the books for Wednesday the 12th, I decided that barring an absolute prohibition due to imminent injury, I would start running again next week. Time to be bad, I thought, and run even if the therapist tells me not to.

Well, Wednesday’s appointment came, and I was given the greenlight to run again. Of course, by run I mean run/walk for 10 minutes, then 15, etc, for 6 weeks before thinking about running on its own.

But still, a green light.

What happened next caught me off guard.

I came home Wednesday evening and settled into a funk of massive proportions. I’d run/walked for 10 minutes, and aside from some critical words about my form, it all went well. Why so glum?

Well, now that I’m allowed to run, the universe of obstacles is settling onto my shoulders, ready to thwart any progress I’ve been dreaming about for months. I CAN run, but what if…

It hurts?

I’m bad at it?

I’m slow?

I’ve gained too much weight and can’t lose it?

I get injured again and have to start all over?

I realize that I need to cut this s--- out. Negative self-talk, my old nemesis, has no place in my plans. I need to listen to more Run Selfie Repeat (love that podcast), stick to my new plan, and be excited, not scared, that I can run again. That I get to run again.

The Long Road to Wellness

After Chicago, time off did not help me feel better. I slowly started back up, started running a few miles a few times a week, and it still didn't feel right. So, I finally went to an ortho. Stress fracture in my left tibia, likely dating to the Wrightsville Beach Half in March 2016. In a boot for a month, then physical therapy. MRI on my right hip showed no issues, so intensive work strengthening the stabilizing muscles was recommended.

Fast forward a little more than two months. I'm seeing the physical therapist every two to three weeks, where my progress is tested. My core is weak, my left ankle is weak, and I continue to have significant deficits in my stability on both sides. In between PT appointments, I see the athletic trainers once or twice a week to do my exercises plus specific extra work. And... I get to use the AlterG, which is just about the coolest thing ever!

My current routine is biking to/from work (3.5 miles a day), yoga once or twice a week, my half hour of PT exercises every day (for the most part), and one or two sessions a week with the trainer. I'm up to 20 minutes of 2 minutes at 5.5mph and 1 minute at 3.3mph, at 60% bodyweight. So, a mile and a half of running twice a week.

Part of me is incredibly frustrated that I am basically not working out. I have been watching what I eat and drink, and I've lost maybe a pound or two since the beginning of the year. I'm still at least ten pounds more than I should be, and I'm no closer to the running performance I know I have in me than I was four years ago when these persistent injuries started.

But...

I know now that I am where I am because I keep coming back to training without putting in the work to get all the way better, without fully addressing what made me stop training to begin with. I've spent the past four years bouncing back and forth between injury and training while not fully healed. I know that to get to where I want to be, to be in the shape I want and running the way I know I can, I need to spend the time strengthening, healing, and paying attention to what my body is telling me. However long it takes, I know I need to be committed to being well before I can commit to a return to running.

So, here I am. Almost 33, out of shape, but much healthier mentally than I have been in a while. I know what I need to do. I am eating right, keeping hydrated (thanks to the good folks at Nuun), and doing the work I need to do.

So let's go. I'm finally ready to make it happen.

Team Nuun!!!

I received the great news today that I am once again helping spread the #nuunlove by representing Nuun in my athletic endeavors. This time around, I was chosen to be part of Team Nuun, an acknowledgement of my commitment to sharing information about healthy hydration for several years. I look forward to representing Nuun as I get back into racing this year! 

Chicago Marathon!

Once again, I've been remiss in updating this blog. I had a wonderful time in Chicago with the Bull City Kitties, eating, drinking, and oh yeah, running a marathon. Here's a bit about that last part.

Me in the start corral!

Sunday morning, I woke up with a stiff hip. Oh, my old friend, who are you doing this today? Going into the race, I was running once a week. Just the long run. Any more, and my hip acted up, or my left leg started to get sore. I assumed I may not be able to run the race, but figured I'd go anyway and see friends. I toed the line Sunday morning, assuming I would drop out at some point. 

Well, the race went much better than I anticipated. I ticked through the first few miles much faster than planned, around 8:40 or so on average. The spectators were amazing, as were the bands and signs along the way. 

Things went swimmingly until around mile 18 or so, when the inevitable lactic acid/fatigue combo hit. What can I expect when my longest long run was 16 miles? Oh well, I slowed a bit.

At mile 22, the hip really started screaming, and a slowed to a crawl. More accurately, I started tottering along. But at least I was still having fun. I finished in 4:13:38, pretty much my slowest finish. But, given my lackluster training due to nagging injury, I think it was a good showing. And I had fun! 

Three ladies happy to be done with the race!

I had a great day with friends, and set a PR in deep dish pizza eating! I took a bit of time off after the race, and came back slowly to running. The left leg just didn't feel right, and the right hip was a bit achey. More on that later...

Bull City Track Club at Lou Malnati's after eating our weight in pizza!

Seriously Overdue Update

So, Big Sur didn't happen. Well, the marathon happened, but I didn't go out to California to run it. My posterior tibial tendonitis didn't quite heal, and I didn't really want to get a stress fracture. So, no Big Sur Marathon in April for Kendra.

Before I decided not to run Big Sur, I entered the lottery for the Chicago Marathon (to be held October 9). A bunch of my awesome Bull City track Club friends got in Guaranteed Entry for being fast ladies, and a few of us not-so-fast (or fist timer, or whatever) ladies got in using the lottery. So a gaggle of us will be converging in Chicago in just a few weeks. Which will be nice because...

I moved back to Sacramento last month! I know, everyone already knew that. But is it really official if I haven't written about it in my blog?

;)

In addition to moving, I also got a new haircut. Thanks Trish!

Chicago will be a big Durham reunion, with Laura coming in from New York, Brad and Erica from Virginia, Rachel from Ohio. And yours truly, from California.

In the meantime, my tendonitis had been bugging me. I missed my first 18/20 mile run during the cross-country road trip, ramped back up for two weeks to get back into the swing, then did a few 16 milers. The week before my 20 miler, I had a flare up, and my 20 turned into 3 miles. I took last week off, ran 13 on Saturday, and foam rolled and ART'd my leg a ton Sunday. So, Monday, of course my leg still hurts.

At this point, if I make an 18 or 20 miler this weekend, I'll be fine for Chicago. It won't be fast or pretty, but hopefully it will be fun.

Off the Beaten Path

Looking to try out a trail in Durham you may not have tried before? Durham Magazine asked me to write a few lines about fun trails to check out this summer. The Ellerbe Creek trails take you downtown, to the Brontosaurus, and the Museum of Life and Science. Read more in my write up below, and in the magazine.

The Ellerbe Creek Trail connects Club Boulevard north through Northgate Park, past the Brontosaurus at the Museum of Life and Science, and on to Rock Quarry Park. This is one of Durham's oldest trails. Check out the Northgate Park Dog Park along the way!

Heading the opposite direction from Club Boulevard into downtown, the South Ellerbe Creek Trail winds through neighborhoods, and passes by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association's Pearl Mill Nature Preserve, and heads into the popular Central Park Neighborhood of downtown Durham. Rolling terrain provides a challenge, but is still accessible to all members of the family. 

Heading south, the Third Fork Creek Trail begins near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway at Southern Boundaries Park, winds through neighborhoods along the Creek, and ends at Garrett Road. This trail is a great option for those in southern Durham who desire to try out a new trail or go to Southern Boundaries Park.

I know this might come as a surprise...

Credit: http://runnersconnect.net

...but I managed to injure myself, a month out from Big Sur. My left calf and arch started bugging me during the Wrightsville Half, and continued to feel really tight through the next week. I ran my 20 miler (too fast, I'll admit) last Saturday, and it felt a bit worse. Sunday, limpfest 2016 began. I went running Monday morning- or tried to. I managed 2 miles, averaging over 11 minutes per mile.

Maybe it is just soreness from the 20 miler, I thought. Maybe I just need to stretch and foam roll more, I thought. By Tuesday, I made an appointment with Dr. Jason just to be sure. I ran Wednesday and Thursday for less than my full schedule, at a very slow pace. I didn't want to be short on miles during what should be my peak training week.

Well, it turns out that this particular pain, which I thought was just tightness, is posterior shin splints. Luckily, I failed the stress fracture test (I mean, I don't have one). I didn't even know that was a possibility!!!

No running until at least mid-next week, and maybe not even then. It sounds like it should be back to normal in about 3 weeks. Good think my race was 3.5 weeks from when I was given that prediction!

Needless to say, I'm a bit panicky. What if I get to the week of the race and it is still bothering me? If it is possible to give myself a stress fracture by running on it with the shin splints, would I go ahead with the race, or have to sit it out?

I'm going to be positive, and assume that I will be able to run. I was almost to my taper anyway, so I won't lose too much fitness. I can pool run in the interim, so that is where you'll find me for the next few weeks.

Road to Chicago, coming soon?

I know I have another month until the Big Sur Marathon, but I am already thinking about my next race. Of course. My plan until recently had been to sign up for Richmond before the next price increase this Thursday, but plans have changed. 

Last night, I entered the lottery for the Chicago Marathon, which is October 9th. Another lottery?!? Though having a race entry submitted and done is nice, so is running in a big city, with all of the excitement of a major marathon.

That, and friends! Five of my friends on the Bull City Track Club have cashed in previous marathon times for a guaranteed entry spot. With this being the final year for guaranteed entry by time qualification, it seems a good time to put my name in the hat to tag along.

Will my next challenge be Chicago? The answer, coming to an inbox near me on April 21st!

Race Report: Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon

A month or two ago, I decided it would be a good idea to run the Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon as a tune up for the Big Sur Marathon, which is coming up April 24th. Up until the morning of the race, I hadn't really decided how to approach it, however. Marathon pace? Try to race it? What do those even mean? Ack!

The last half I raced was in October 2012, about 8 weeks out from the California International Marathon, and 2 weeks before I broke my leg. I finished in 1:39:43 and was very pleased. Fast forward to fall 2014, when I was finally able to train for the City of Oaks Marathon, and ran the Bull City Race Fest Half as a tune up. At the time, I had the same quandary as with Wrightsville: what does race pace mean for me right now? I finished that race in 1:46:23.

Fancy new singlet! Yay!

So, back to Wrightsville. As Big Sur is a hilly marathon, and my mileage base was absent leading up to this training cycle (you guessed it, injury), I have opted to focus on quality miles and some hills over dedicating the time to track workouts. Is this a good strategy? I'm not sure. I do know that I'm unlikely to run fast at Big Sur due to the killer hills and killer views, so neglecting track is what I'm going with.

My tempo-ish runs have been in the 8:30 range, and my long runs have been pretty strong, so I was confident that I could likely hold 8:15 for the half. I know, not fast, but that is where I am. Could I do faster? Maybe. Ellen and Anna were planning on marathon pace or faster, so I decided to go out with them to see what I could do. 

Going out too fast? Yeah, kinda. But it sure felt good. It was rainy and cold, but it sure felt nice to keep a pace well under 8:00 for the first time in a while (i.e. since I was 28). I was a bit stressed about going too fast, and quickly succumbed to the (very slight) hill on the Trask Drawbridge, slowing down ever so slightly and falling behind my fast friends at the mile 3.3 Wolf Pack aid station. 

Mile 1: 7:53

Mile 2: 7:46

Mile 3: 7:46 

For the next several miles, I still managed to keep my pace under/right at 8:00. I felt fine. I had Ellen and Anna, and their lovely BCTC singlets, in my sights for some of this time. 

Mile 4: 7:48

Mile 5: 7:58

Mile 6: 8:02

Mile 7: 8:03

Up until the halfway point(ish), I really felt that I would be able to pull off an 8:00 per mile pace, which I was pretty excited about. I've doubted my fitness and ability as a runner since I began trying to come back from my broken leg in early 2013. It has been tough to build speed when I'm constantly having some recurring issues. I digress. 

To further digress, I was pretty starving by the time we got to dinner on Saturday. I hadn't brought enough snacks, and didn't bother to buy any before dinner. I was hungry when I woke up before the race, and still felt hungry after eating my oatmeal. Even after a Gu at mile 4 or so, I didn't feel properly fueled. At about the 8 mile mark, I started to feel nauseous. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly slowed me down.

Mile 8: 8:11

Mile 9: 8:15

Mile 10: 8:08

I kept at it, took another Gu, and hoped for the best. When we were winding out of Landfall, the 1:45 pace group swallowed me up. I'm not a big fan of pace groups. I seem to get caught up in them and can't find my way out. Needless to say, I wasn't upset when I wrenched my way free, aside from the fact that they passed me, taking with them my hope of a strong (for me) finish. I slogged out onto the main road, into the headwind, and ran a few disappointing miles to the finish. 

Mile 11: 8:26

Mile 12: 8:19

Mile 13: 8:27

I had enough left to put some gas into the finish, and was happy to be done. 1:46:59 for an official pace of 8:10/mile, or 8:04 according to my watch (which said I ran 13.27). Either way, it was just about 25 seconds shy of my fall 2014 Race Fest finish, and not too shabby for my lack of trackwork. I'm not thrilled, but I'm happy to have run a decent workout with lovely friends, and stuffed my face with good food over the weekend. 

Onward to Big Sur!

Portland, You're Allright

This morning, I crossed the river six times, over four bridges, during a seven mile run. All of these bridges have ample pedestrian (and bicycle) accommodations, which reminds me that such things are possible if the will is there.

I'm in Portland for the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, which brings me (almost) annually to places with varying degrees of livability, multi-modal accommodations, and awesomeness, tending toward the more side of the scale. I've looked forward to this trip, both because I love beer and the west coast, but also for the opportunity to run in a city I haven't run in before.

I've been to Portland twice, but never run here until this week. As a planner, I've read about the transformation that has made the city bike-friendly, and it was pretty great to run across several bridges I've previously read about. 

The first, an old rail bridge, had a bike/pedestrian path attached to the lower (rail) deck about 15 years ago. Today, it also accommodates light rail and pedestrians on the upper (auto) deck. 

I tried out both the Morrison and Hawthorne bridges also, which have very wide and well-signed bike/pedestrian paths. 

The icing on the cake for me was Tilikum Crossing, a brand new pedestrian, bicycle, and transit bridge. Not only does it feel safe without the cars, it is sleek and beautiful. Once you get to the downtown side, green bike lanes, bike signals, and other rare (to me) accommodations await. It is amazing.

Being in Portland this week gave me an opportunity to have a few nice mid-distance runs, on my drop-down week for marathon trainings. It also showed me what is possible for multi-modal transportation if we work hard, and the will is there. I have a lot of work to do!

Road to Big Sur: Finishing 20 miles!

Couch, coffee and Kindle after my run!

I'm only finishing week 7 of my 18 week training cycle for Big Sur, but I completed my first 20 mile run yesterday. While that may be a bit early, I am relieved to know that I can get through a 20 miler, and that I have more than two months left to build on my efforts. 

Since I did a Hansons training plan for the City of Oaks Marathon in November 2014, I didn't do a training run longer than 16 miles. We all know how much that ended up biting me on race day, and for the year of hip pain that followed. I just wasn't prepared. 

Getting to 20 early on this time, and having time to drop down and build back up twice more will hopefully give me the base and the confidence I need to tackle Big Sur. I know I will need it with those hills!

And now, I am looking forward to a week of 6-7 milers, most of which will be in Portland, Oregon!

Sixteen Miles of Snow!

Mid-run view from the American Tobacco Trail

Durham was the lucky recipient of a ton of snow courtesy of winter storm Jonas this past weekend. Rations were stockpiled, panic ensued, but the weekend long run still had to happen. And happen it did.

Amazingly, we had one of the biggest groups out together from Bean Traders at 10AM on Sunday morning. Some tried to go earlier, but were waylaid by ice and snow. We started picking our way across an icy parking lot close to 10:30, some equipped with traction devices, some trail shoes, and some brave souls with just regular old running shoes.

While some folks broke off from the pack for 5 or so miles, quite a few of us went for a 10 mile roundtrip back to the cars for a water and snack break. I overdressed, had to change my soaking wet shirt and ditch the fleece jacket, and was almost left behind.

In all honestly, I really struggled through this run. I was slipping a bit, and the slushy patches really got me low (literally, because I was sinking). I kept falling behind the group after mile 7 or so, and the last six mile out and back after our break was brutal. My hip was not keen on slush running, let me tell you.

My wonderful friends turned around to make sure I was still there, and waited for me every so often. That helped my spirits a lot. Close to the finish of the 16 miles I realized that, aside from the 2 measly miles I'd done the day before, this was THE FIRST TIME I'D RUN IN SNOW! Sure, I ran while it was snowing in Michigan two years ago, but there wasn't any accumulation. So, big pat on the back for me.

After our run, the most epic Bean Traders gathering ensued at the Big Table. Sunday, plus slow late start run equals beer! I opted out (long drive home, ice, whatnot), but it was fun seeing the group of us, equipped with water, coffee, bagels, and beer, taking off shoes and socks and talking about the beast of a run we just finished.

This is why we run.

Product Review: Fuel100 Electro-Bites

Sometimes, on a long run, I've wished I could eat something that wasn't sweet. Don't get me wrong, I love gels and chews, but after one or two, another option might be nice. Luckily, such a product exists: Electro-Bites nutrition for athletes.

Fuel100 Electro-Bites: Full Product Line

Electro-Bites, like their gel and chew counter parts, are a calorie and electrolyte replacement product for endurance athletes. They have 100 calories per pack, but differ in a few major ways from the energy replacements I'm used to. Electro-Bites are small and crunchy, and easily dissolve without leaving the sticky residue often left by gels and chews. Even better, the small size and solid consistency lends itself well to eating when you want, instead of all at once.

Electro-Bites: Bite Sized Crunch

I took a bag of Salty Vanilla Electro-Bites on my 11 mile trail run this morning, and broke into them about 6 miles in. Crunchy, salty, hint of vanilla. No water needed, but the bites seemed to dissolve a bit faster if I did wash them down.

My group was strategizing our next move, so we were stopped when I started eating the Electro-Bites. I had finished about half the 100 calorie pack when my friends had finished their gels. However, I just put the bag in my pocket, and continued snacking on the bites as we started into our next mile, and was finished a short time later. For those who don't need the whole 100 calories at once (say, like a 5'2" female runner like myself), having the option to snack as you go is nice. I'm guessing the true endurance crowd, frequently out running for hours at a time, would appreciate this feature more than this casual marathon runner.

While Electro-Bites are salty, they do offer a variety of flavors with both savory and sweet flavors mixed in: Salty Vanilla, Apple Cinnamon, and Pumpkin Spice. For the all-savory crowd: Simply Salty and Salty Vinegar.

Electro-Bites Offer an Alternative to Sweet

One of the coolest things I learned when researching this new alternative fuel: not only can they replace your gels, they can also replace your electrolyte beverage! As a bonus, they are gluten and soy free, deriving calories from organic coconut oil, organic agave nectar and non-GMO potato starch.

It's nice to know that there is a savory alternative to the sweet fuels I usually use, especially one that is easy on the stomach. I'm looking forward to testing the other flavors, and adding them in to the rotation.

Disclaimer: I received Electro-Bites for free from Fuel100 as coordinated by Outdoor PR in consideration for review publication.

Asheville, here I come!

I'm off to Asheville on a much-needed weekend trip with some of the fine ladies of Bull City Track Club! Sure, I'll be getting in my 14 miler while I'm there, but it will be a balmy 60 degrees and sunny! 

Baby, it's Cold Outside

For the second time this week, I went running at 6AM in sub-freezing temperatures (and in the dark!). Being a California girl, this is quite a feat for me. I haven't done any serious training in winter since moving to North Carolina, so I am pretty excited to be on a roll not turning my alarm off and staying indoors. Here's to a successful Big Sur Marathon Training Week 3, at least thus far!

Road to Big Sur: Week One

It's hard to believe, but my first week of training for the Big Sur Marathon is complete. Thanks to a relaxed vacation schedule, I was able to ramp up my mileage (from the paltry amount I'd been doing) without taxing my daily routine. Now, I just have to keep it up!

We went to Michigan for Christmas, and I did my first week of training in the balmy 33-45 degree weather there. It rained a bit, but not while I was running thankfully. No snow, which I much prefer to rain.

I started the week off with 11 miles on Sunday, did a 5 miler with Neil, a 6 miler alone, a 3 miler with Neil on Christmas, and capped the week off with another 11 miles the day after Christmas.

Everything went well, but my hip is still not too keen on me running more than 3 miles, two days in a row. I'll have to work on that.

I'm excited to be on the road to Big Sur!!

Proud member of 2016 #nuunbassador team!

Just in time for my Big Sur Marathon training which begins Monday, I received the official notification that I am a Nuunbassador for 2016! This will be my second year helping spread the #nuunlove, helping others find a tasty hydration beverage without added sugar. I am a big fan of Nuun, and honestly can't manage marathon training without it!

Jumping In

It has been a long time, but I am cautiously optimistic that I am ready to jump into a real training schedule. Three years of building up and falling down are behind me, and it is time to put myself to the test.

I didn't necessarily plan on taking a few months off from running, but I ended up taking off the late summer. Travel, my hip feeling worse before it felt better after my PT visits, and general busyness/laziness equaled a lot of sub-10 mile weeks.

After March or so, I didn't run more than 5 miles at a time. After the past few years, I started to doubt whether I'd ever be good at running again. Guys, running is hard. And it seems so much harder when you remember how fun long runs used to be, and how terrible even short ones are now.

The Bull City Race Fest Half Marathon approached, and I made the call to switch down to the 5 miler. I doubted that I could even do that without embarrassing myself. If stopped going to group runs because I felt too slow. Not a real runner, my inner doubter would say.

Well, the Race Fest went well. I held a sub-8:00 pace for the race, without a watch, which was a nice surprise. It wasn't difficult. I was tired later, but the race reinstalled my faith that I am not incapable. Just untrained.

With a few months of PT under my belt, and a pretty solid adherence to my exercise regimen, I decided to start a schedule after I returned from my trip to California. I ran an easy 15-20 mile a week plan on Smart Coach, ending when I am supposed to start training for the Big Sur Marathon in December. With pretty much no base, this will be key to not immediately failing at the first few weeks of marathon training.

I've finished my first week of consistent running, topped off with a well-paced 8 miles alone on Sunday. (I didn't bail!) I have a few weeks to pick a training plan for Big Sur, and then I'll be off on my 18 week journey to my 7th marathon! 

Best Run in Durham: American Tobacco Trail

Credit: Briana Brough, Durham Magazine

A while ago, I dutifully voted in a few local "best of" surveys, which I tend to do every year. Some time later, I received an email about one of my votes, a vote for the American Tobacco trail as the Best Place to Run for the Durham Magazine Best of Durham issue. They'd seen that I kept a running blog and tweeted a lot about running, so they asked me to write about my perfect day on the trail for the upcoming issue. You can read what I wrote here.

Check out Durham Magazine on the web, Twitter, and Instagram!