2 year ACL surgery anniversary! @ UCSF 5K Holiday Classic

It's December already. And that means it's 2 years since ACL reconstruction surgery on my left knee (Dec 17, 2014). These past few years have been a rollercoaster, career-wise, relationship-wise, and in my running journey. This blog has sort of evolved as an outlet for my dreams and thoughts, but most predominantly, things related to an "active lifestyle."

It's crazy to think that I was in crutches two years ago and now people have said I'm "so in shape" or that I'm a "fitness junkie." I don't try to get these labels.. rather, I actively try to avoid them. But I'm fortunate, nonetheless, that my "obsession" (preferably, read: passion) emanates that way.

It's been an interesting fitness/running journey this past two years. A lot of downs... but a lot of ups as well. Let's focus on how amazing the ups have been:

• a job I enjoy that allows me to be flexible with my hours for training
• first road bike
• my first double digit training run, and then the second, and then a weekly thing!
• finishing my first half marathon, a sprint triathlon, and then a second half marathon
• PRing the 5K and 10K distance

But the biggest lessons I learned?

• Consistency is key.
• You don't have to go goal pace all the time!! In fact, you're likely to get injured if you do...

The year ended with an awesome 5K race for the UCSF Diabetes Center (all proceeds go to the Diabetes Center and is completely run by volunteers). The course was USATF certified which is pretty nice, since I know this is an official distance (unlike those Berkeley Half shenanigans!).

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect for this race because I'd done all of my training at MAF intensities up to this point (besides racing).

I did WAY better than expected and felt stronger than I thought I should have by the end. You guys, this is a HUGE personal record, beating my high school cross country time by 30 seconds. At 22:44 (7:19/mi pace), I think it spoke volumes to what LHRT/MAF has done for me. I went out to fast again, but honestly, I also think I could have pushed harder in that second mile. The second mile of a 5K, as it turns out, is a highly mental game. It was even more challenging given that the course has a few gentle hills going around Stow Lake. According to my Garmin/Strava, I blasted through the first mile split at 6:59 then slowed down to 7:31 in the second. I think... I just got lazy. For a 5K, you have to be mentally present for all 20+minutes of the game. Your legs have to be moving fast and your willpower has to be tough. I saw some females pass me and just thought... well, I'm not as fit as her, so I don't need to push myself so hard and ANYWAY, I still have 1.5 miles left to go! I know, WEAK. But despite having raced quite a few races this year, I still feel quite inexperienced, especially in the mental toughness department. In my opinion, LHRT definitely did not prepare me mentally for the second mile, but it did physiologically prepare me for the last. I found a kick in the end and finished strong.

Anyways. DESPITE THAT. Like I said, I blew away my high school PR (formerly 23:15 and even then, I'm not sure if that was a legit time... since there is no record of it online, as hard as I've searched) and the adult PR I set at the Giant Race earlier this year (23:36 @ 7:35/mi). I came in 2nd in my age group (F20-29) and I think 6th(?) overall female in a field of about 106 (22 out of 174 overall M/F). Results posted here: http://www.synergyracetiming.com/ucsf-diabetes-center-miracle-mile-5k/.

All that without intervals or high intensity work. I averaged about 25-30 miles per week with all of my training paces at 9:00+ minutes/mile (many closer to 10:00/mi)! The time is about where I think my road surface MAF was at the time... which was about 9:30/mi. The best part is: NO INJURIES!

I think it's enough proof for me to trust this method for another few weeks. Some day soon, I hope to break the 5K 7:00/mi average pace barrier (21:38)... but there's still 2 months of low intensity miles and base building left! Maybe I'll do a 5K as an official reintroduction to higher intensity work when the time comes.

P.S. I've run 1000km so far in 2016. Isn't that insane???

P.S.S. ALSO, my boyfriend ran his first 5K coming back from clavicle surgery. While the surgery didn't affect his legs, it was his first invasive surgery and it's been taking a lot mentally to get back into a health and fitness regime. He ran it at 8:08 pace which is pretty awesome for only running once a week leading up to it! I'm just glad to have my life partner back on his feet again :).

Berkeley Half Marathon 2016: lessons in rain and pain

So, I didn't reach my sub-1:45 goal. It was a PR but I didn't even break 1:47, which I think I was completely capable of. And that really sucked.

I think that I'm okay with the results, though, because I've never had a really "bad" race before and I think all distance runners need to have bad races before they really figure out what works for them and what doesn't. Here are a few big things I learned yesterday:

1) I tend to start out very fast. And the problem is that it feels. so. good. Especially after a taper... you just have that spring in your step! I'd read SO many articles about how you're not supposed to start out too fast for endurance races and I honestly thought I was holding myself back. But the first half of Berkeley is insanely hilly and puts you at risk for anaerobic burnout. Going out fast for a 10K or 5K works great but endurance races are a no, no. On the other hand, I PR'd the 10K distance (in a race setting) with a sub-8 pace (official time 47:48, 7:42 pace), which I'd been trying to achieve for a long time. And I ran myself into an unofficial sub-8 paced 10-miler as well!

2) The other problem I had was it was mentally very difficult to dig deep despite the fatigue from starting out too fast. Again, I'd read that the last 5 miles is where the 13.1 distance really becomes a race, and I thought I really had it in me. With my LHRT (low heart rate training) regimen, I practiced a fast finish only once and a semi-brick tempo 5K off of a 30mi ride on the bike. This, and the fact that I had raced often in the past gave me the confidence that I had the mental fortitude necessary to pull out a reach goal.

But reach goals are difficult. PRs are difficult. On a challenging course (550ft elevation gain) in tough conditions (cold and rainy), you've got yourself one hell of a race. And when the 1:45 pacer passed me near mile 10, I felt extremely discouraged. I really wanted a good time. I tried to dig deep. I tried to move faster by quickening my stride rate but all my legs could give me was an 8:30-9:00 pace. It didn't help at all that the last 3 miles are very slightly uphill. Making my efforts for pace seem a LOT more grueling.

Discouraged, I decided to walk a couple of times in mental defeat. I didn't need to walk but I ended up doing so, thinking that it would be enough to regain my composure. Re-composure never happened and, post-race, I hated myself for walking at all.

If I couldn't get 1:45, I could have at least tried for 1:46:xx. Alas... this is why you should have B goals and C goals. If I had believed in a B or C goal, I would not have walked and I would have gotten an even better PR. If I had believed in a B or C goal, I would have realized that some things like weather are just out of your control and you have to give yourself the best that you can. It's especially difficult to prepare for inexperience, which was probably the biggest obstacle I had this race.

It isn't all bad, though, because I believe that a race like this will give me the extra push I need in the final minutes of a race, regardless of whether or not I'm close to my goal time.

3) Finally, a note on the month of training I did at low heart rates:

LHRT gave me the ability and the spirit to train more consistently. On that alone, I was able to run a 5K only 4 seconds slower than the Giant Race I did in September AND I ran my fastest 10K to date, without it hurting at all. I can only imagine how much faster I've gotten at those distances.

In all, I think 4 weeks of LHRT was not enough training to build up my endurance for the full half marathon. The ramp up in weekly miles was great but I didn't stay at a high mileage for very long before the race, which meant, frankly, there wasn't enough aerobic conditioning past the 1 hour mark.

My plan for the Big Sur International Marathon is to make sure all my runs go a minimum 60-75 minutes during base building phase in addition to the Sunday long run and a mid-week, mid-long run (>90 minutes).

4) Other notes I made for myself:
* more aerobic strength and vLT training needed
* be prepared for sudden course changes (I have no idea why they changed the course but it was not what I was expecting so my race strategy got a bit thrown off. As a result, I think the course ended up being maybe 0.1-0.2 miles short, which contributed to my official PR... but I'll take it since I'm confident I can beat it the next time I run a half.)
* practice running in the rain and various different weather conditions (this will come with consistency)
* could still stand to lose a few lbs (at 123-124 now)

All in all, a humbling race and one that will keep me focused for the many months to come before Big Sur. Here I go!

ALSO. I am getting better at taking race photos!!

   

Crazytown week and pacing experiments

Taper week is driving me crazy!! Since I started running consistently the past month, the thought of taking more than 1 day off from running really gives me the nerves - and I've planned pretty much total rest (brisk walking is aiite) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday... I've never felt so wound up before. I just want to run the race already so I can get back to my regular programming. This week is particularly stressful, too, because of a group project in my physio class and some deadlines at work. Argh!!

Maybe I feel like I didn't train very hard EVEN THOUGH it's probably the most miles I've ever run (or biked) in a single 30 day period. Although I've tested how it felt to run at different pace intensities, I'm still racking my brain because I haven't run at goal half marathon pace for more than 1-mile at a time. Of course, as I described before, there's a reason for that. I've just been building volume and I never intended to take the Berkeley Half seriously anyways. Being competitive old me, competitive with myself, the thought of not giving it my all, even when I feel so strong now (structurally, at least), I'm pressuring myself to perform and prove that my experimentation with high volume actually works.

But anyways...

Since receiving my Garmin Forerunner 235 (as a wonderful wonderful birthday gift from Marvin), I've bought into the theories of low heart rate training. I won't go into to much detail here because the best starting point for anyone would be this article here: "Want Speed? Slow Down!"

The gist of it is I used a very simple formula to find the heart rate I should rarely, if ever, exceed during my runs.

Maximal Aerobic Function HR = 180 - age

For me, my MAF HR is 154bpm but I've been aiming for about 150bpm most days because my breathing rate feels easier and it's also easier to prevent my heart rate from jumping at that effort. I allow for 154 when going up the unavoidable hills and inclines of San Francisco and Daly City routes.

Dr. Phil Maffetone suggests training at this heart rate exclusively for several months but I've mainly tried to keep it at 80-90% of my training. So I've more or less been following an 80/20 or 90/10 rule (80%-90% easy and 10%-20% at moderate-difficult efforts).

I still also have a long way to go in regards to cleaning up my nutrition and fueling habits. But I feel like I'm getting there. :)

After one month, I've noticed a few subjective side effects:

1) I enjoy running/jogging far more -- It's absurd how many days this month I've gotten out of bed excited to get a jog in or sad that it's rest day. I'm no longer tired after every run. I look forward to each run more than I ever have before. I never thought this was possible, given I'm a bit of a masochist and enjoy the feeling of a hard workout. But this method really makes me want to get out of bed in the morning to get a 10 miler in!!

2) I value the rest day and my structural fitness. Sleep and recovery are a lot more important to me, which in turn helps me bounce back from long run days quickly. If there's one most important I've taught myself over the past months, it's that fitness gains don't happen during the workout. They happen after the workout, and most importantly, while you sleep.

3) Slowing down taught me to honor my body and avoid injury and overtraining. It was easier for me to listen to my body and notice twinges and aches before they became full-blown injuries. This allowed me to foam roll, hydrate, stretch, strength train, or do whatever I needed to do to prevent ITBS or my previous knee/arch issues.  My body was able to take prolonged low intensity beatings without tearing apart and I upped my weekly mileage quickly. I also learned when my body needed easy/rest days. For example, after the speed workout I did with NRC, I was noticeably exhausted for 2 days (despite feeling wonderful and fresh the night of the workout). So I did an easy day on the bike and a SUPER easy 5K the second day (~140-144bpm). I also napped during lunch breaks. Because NAPS.

3) My form seemed to improve. By slowing down, I had a lot more time to focus on correct form and cadence. And I felt WAY more efficient as the weeks went by! My average cadence on most training days fell naturally at 176 spm but seems to trend upwards over time on fresh days. (On recovery days, I don't pay attention to cadence as much - mostly because I feel like a slug.) When I tested my race pace intensities, I easily went to 180 spm and, unless fatigued, I don't overstride.

4) Despite the benefits of jogging slow, I was also always worried that my low speeds would make me slower :(... still, I had to proceed  FOR SCIENCE! Since there have been no race performances to reflect any improvements, I can't exactly "trust" the process just yet. I do vehemently believe it has made me a more structurally sound runner, though. And more consistent. I just feel guilty that this has not been a pure Maffetone experiment as I could not let myself do away with speedwork and tempo work.

Anyways... the objective side effects:

The MAF test results

10/13/2016 3 Mile MAF test
3mi MAF test, 9:42(149bpm), 9:39(149bpm), 9:40(149bpm) 54F

11/13/2016 3 Mile MAF Test (monthly check-in and pre-race test)
3mi MAF test, 8:50(149bpm), 9:02(149bpm), 9:20(149bpm) 63F 

After just one month, at the same heart rate, on the same track, in warmer conditions, I ran my the first mile of the test 52 seconds faster!

I had a very weird 1st MAF test in October where I didn't really fade in pace. Normally, you should fade because of cardiac drift and fatigue. I warmed up for 2 miles before starting the test, so I'm unsure what it was - maybe because it was cold or maybe I warmed up too long? IDK.

Until my next test, I'll just be happy with the improvements I've shown in just one month.

The theoretical MAF race correlations:

MAF    5K   5K   HM   marathon

min/mi pace time time time

10:00  7:30 23:19 1:50 3:53

9:00   7:00 21:45 1:42 3:37
8:45   6:52 21:22 1:41 3:34

8:30   6:45 20:58 1:39 3:30

8:00   6:30 20:12 1:33 3:17

7:30   6:00 18:38 1:26 3:02

7:00   5:30 17:05 1:19 2:47

When I started circa a MAF pace of 9:42-10:00, the 5K time and half marathon times seem to correlate well. My 5K on a flat course was 23:36 (Sep 2016) and my HM (~350ft elevation gain) was 1:49:38 (July 2016). 

I'm hoping that my last MAF test was not a fluke because it would be awesome to get a time closer to the MAF prediction. The Berkeley course is tougher with ~550ft of elevation gain but I hope my newfound strength can make up for it.

Another note: my Garmin's race predictor is interesting. According to my Garmin, I have a VO2 max around 49-50 and I'm capable of running a sub-1:40 =_=. Hah. A girl can dream I guess.

"We never lose our demons, we only learn to live above them."

I can't pretend to understand the gravitas of this year's electoral college and many others have voiced their opinions much more eloquently than I could ever hope. However, I've felt a certain pressure to say something when I read the posts of all my friends. I do have an opinion and I do have the option of resonating it on places like Facebook and Twitter and whatever. But I suppose I've taken a more removed stance on what's going on around me. So here I am on Blogger, where probably only two other people read this regularly, in the hopes that I can retain the memory of the fire I am carrying right now.

On election night, I watched my friends on Facebook shoot out things like "Oh, Canada" and "Why, America?" and instead of getting angry about the election results, I just got angry at what I was reading. I even chided my boyfriend for just joking about moving to Canada and for "not understanding" what was going on.

We should understand it completely. I may be somewhat of an idealist but at least I know that the world is not isolated to our California bubble. The symptoms of a divided America have always been there. Racism, sexism, misogyny, anti-LGBT sentiments have always. been. there. At some point during our social progress (and what exactly is "social progress" anyway?), corruption and fear (mostly fear) will inevitably come out from the shadows.

Again, I can't pretend to fully comprehend all that goes on. But if there's anything I learned while being abroad for nearly 3 years, it's that all the things that Trump represents in the eyes of democratic America (racism, inequality, misogyny, greed, etc.) exist because they are byproducts of human nature. They are convoluted representations of a basic human need for self-preservation.

But there is more to human nature. Juxtaposed to all the jokes about booking the next plane out of the U.S.A. and the severe disappointment with the American populace, there is a very real call for love. Some of my Facebook friends are urging Clinton supporters (or anti-Trump folks) to move forward, have empathy, reminding us that it's only a 4-year term and that there are still many things we can do at this point.

As long as we are here and as long as we have voices, it's our responsibility to use our privileges to make a difference in this world. And we can't do that by turning our back on America, or most importantly, the people in it -- even those who have voted for the 2017 president-elect (reminder: that's nearly half of those who voted in the general election...).

My entire life, I've told myself that we cannot turn our backs on our problems or our communities. We cannot run away from them and try to find our own utopias. Certainly, a utopia (or something close to what you believe is an ideal society) can equip us with the tools and ideals to model our actions towards but, at some point, you must return.

If there's anything good that came out of the general election, it's this: that we might no longer expect the oozing political complacency plaguing many millennials, myself included. As a nation, the viral infections of hate and fear have felt asymptomatic (with the occasional outbreaks reported by mass media) up to this point. But perhaps we reached the fever pitch as the election shocked reality back to the surface.

As the Ancient One once said: "We never lose our demons, we only learn to live above them." (That's a Dr. Strange reference.)

As for me: I was once complacent. But this election could serve as an impetus for me to understand the world. And, idealistically, I remain steadfast with the belief that I can change it in small ways that add up to bigger ones.

Forward.

No injuries this training cycle = success!

Wow! It's been one heck of a training cycle before the Berkeley Half.

I haven't been very race-specific given that I've treated this race as more of a springboard and baseline measurement for my marathon training. But this is certainly the first time I've trained consistently before a race (even if it's just been 4-5 weeks). And that is something to be proud of.

Naturally, I have high hopes for the Berkeley Half. But I'm nervous because I spent the majority of my training at low heart rates. I actually planned to experiment with 4 weeks of training at low heart rate exclusively. However, I figured that since I was injury free at my peak week of 33 miles, I might try a few tune-up workouts with a little speedplay at HM goal pace.

Quick summary of my weekly miles:

Planned mileage for the next 2 weeks are denoted by a lighter color and mileage range. 

As you can see, I dismissed the 10% rule... with reckless abandon AND this doesn't even reflect all of the cross-training I've done on my road bike (hint: it's a ridiculous amount of hours given how busy I am...). I've had four quality long runs and four consecutive weeks of 20+ mpw.... It's a miracle I'm not injured!! (*knock on wood*)

Lack of injury tells me that I'm doing something right by pegging the great majority of my runs as easy runs. And by easy, I mean truly easy (HR<154bpm, ideally <150bpm) @ 9:40-10:00/mile on the flats and even slower on hills. About 50% of my runs in October were fasted morning runs at this low intensity with the intent of training my body to efficiently use fat as a fuel source. This is my spin on the Maffetone Method.

... we shall see in two weeks if I can squeak out a sub-1:45 HM, a longstanding goal of mine. It's completely possible I'm not there yet, especially with respect to the hills.... but it's also possible that I am there! I've just got to trust my training and have fun!

Taper weeks commence! See you soon, Berkeley!

Oh, P.S. I think one thing that has really helped is logging my runs on Strava (see my training log here). It's almost unhealthy how obsessed I've been with the stats (mostly just building mileage). The old me (before I started taking marathon training seriously) would be worried that my followers will think I'm a slowpoke because I'm doing all these easy runs. But low heart training has no ego - and it will be the race results that really count.

Juggling Life: Stepping back to look at the big picture

Disclaimer: Total "all about me" post impending.

I realized while I was chatting with my boyfriend after an essay exam describing the cardiac cycle in Human Physiology... that I'm juggling a whole heck of a lot of things.

"Working full-time, taking a class, training for a marathon, and maintaining my important relationships is HARD!"

God, for all the times I've ever felt inadequate and paralyzed in my life... I never stop to realize how much I'm accomplishing just by doing things. I was talking to a classmate of mine and describing my life story: how I was born and raised in SoCal, went to community college, got a scholarship to get my undergarduate degree in Chemical Engineering in Hong Kong, paid my own room and board through tutoring and played basketball on the collegiate team (lucky stroke, I guess), got my Masters degree from Cal/UCSF in Translational Medicine (a program that trains engineers, clinicians, and the business-savvy to take technology from benchside to bedside), and am now working at UCSF as a research coordinator/project manager en route to a potential startup that uses machine learning to predict cardiac arrests in the intensive care unit. It's not a perfect story as there were definitely hardships and obstacles and things I could have done better or even embraced better along the way (there still are). But DAMN. Am I lucky to have such a rich life, or what?

I stop, though, for a second and I think:

"To the outside world, I must seem extremely unfocused--doing so many things at one time and going so many places with so many different focal points. Maybe for other people, they need a straightforward trajectory. But me? I guess I've always needed exploration. I've always needed to throw a bunch of dots on the wall, albeit loosely connected, and paint a picture that way."

So that's how the whole life cartography (the title of my blog) thing comes in. That's me. I am mapping out my own life, my way. Maybe I'm just a free spirit that acts caged. Or I'm a caged spirit trying to sing. Whatever is happening, I've only begun to scratch the surface of the final masterpiece of life....

The following is an attempt to illustrate the current picture of my life:

Big themes:

• Sports and athletics, specifically, rehab from personal injury or self-imposed limitations.
• As reflected with all my previous posts which are ALL race reports, my current obsession is in the form of marathon training and cycling training. I'm constantly trying to take my training to the next level but need to be patient with aerobic training and injury prevention. My current foray into training involves low heart rate (Maffetone-influenced) pacing to build up my aerobic base.
• I'm currently taking classes that will help my fulfill the pre-requisites for PT school. So far, I've finished a Human Anatomy course (A) at CCSF and am working on a human physiology course. Here are the current requirements for the SFSU/UCSF DPT program: http://ptrehab.ucsf.edu/prerequisite-coursework. I'm taking this, literally, one class at a time. But I will be taking a break from it next semester (if I feel like I can handle it, I will be taking a SQL database course instead). Ideally, I'd love to be the first dual degree PhD student in the DPT program, but I would also aim for the Northwestern dual degree program in DPT/PhD (Eng): http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/pthms/admissions/dpt-phd/index.html
• I feel like in order to "fit in" with the PT school stereotype, I need to finally achieve some of the lofty goals I set for myself: specifically, a sub-8 pace HM and a BQ Marathon time. LOFTY. But why set the bar any lower?! What is it that they say: "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars."
• In addition, I'm finding it hard for the extrovert in me to break out of the safety of my "I'm a nerdy engineer" shell.
• Healthcare technology/Bioengineering/Data science/and All things nerdy.
• I'm neglecting this quite a bit in my distractions with running and cycling. But I do feel like these things are a part of me. As mentioned, the classes are taking quite a bit of my commitment to work and research. Next semester, I will be reinvigorating my dedication to that.
• Data science: it's a love-hate kind of thing. I sort of just "fell into it" and so I never have had formal training. But I feel like I'm the person who could understand complicated patterns in healthcare. Specifically, EMR. But I think I could stand to learn more about physiological signals.
• Other goals in life:
• Volunteer mission. Before going to PT school, I want to volunteer my time in either my parents' country: the Philippines or another country (Nepal?) on a mission to improve sports education and physical therapy there via health programs, improved and affordable technology, and a better EMR system.
• Before the volunteer mission, I need to volunteer time in a dream PT clinic that will teach me the specific skills I need to learn.
• Learn Chinese. Ugh. I wish I had learned Mandarin when I was in Hong Kong. But it's nothing an immersion program couldn't solve? And maybe I could manage my mission in Hong Kong? I DON'T KNOW.
• Maintain a happy, long-lasting, mutually supportive and dedicated relationship. (Come now, who doesn't want this?)

What's next?:

• 5 year plan:
• Y1.25(remainder of 2016 and 2017): 
• finish physiology class
• personal athletic goals 
• learn more data science and physiological signals.. co-author 1 paper (EMR-related)
• superalarm development (startup?)
• Y2+3 (2018, 2019)
• work.. co-auther 2nd paper (physiological signal related)
• volunteer mornings at PT
• network and meet more PT and find more tech related to PT
• develop volunteer mission plan
• Y4 (2020)
• work work work
• volunteer mission! (3-6mo.)+language immersion (1 mo. or simultaneous)
• apply to PT school/PhD Eng
• Y5 (2021)
• PT school!!
• Y10.... be the director of a full-fledged neurorehab clinic. :O

Okay. So the dreams are lofty. But now that my crazy far-out ideas are here in the electronic abyss... maybe it will happen. Maybe I'll be unashamed or I'll learn how to be unabashed on my ideas in life. Maybe it'll go faster or slower than the 5-year plan proposes. But wow, I'll be 31 by then.... hey, if that's what it takes.

Everyone arrives... when they arrive.

Bridge to Bridge 5K (San Francisco Originals Series) Recap

"Race season" is almost over and it's one to be proud of.

Sure, I didn't reach many of my loftier goals (sub-8 race paces are still taunting me) but I finished my first half marathon, finished my first sprint triathlon, and PR'd my high school 5K distance. All within 2 years of my ACL Reconstruction surgery. I am a bona fide badass when you put it that way!

The Bridge to Bridge 5K was not completely flat with 91 ft of gain and a not insignificant hill in mile 3. Compare that to the flat and fast Giant Race 5K and any attempt at a PR becomes a lot more difficult. Strava failed to record my run so I'm only left to guess what difference the elevation gain made. Despite feeling stronger this race, I ended up finishing 50 seconds slower at 24:26. I also did not start near the front this time so I ended up weaving a lot more.

Pre-race support was a little lacking with Bridge to Bridge but I find this to be true of many charitable races (n=3). However, I liked that Bridge to Bridge was willing to mail their bib to you--especially since they were not giving out technical shirts for this race. I didn't mind the lack of shirt because anything to increase the amount that actually goes to charity, right (Special Olympics Northern California)? I was quite happy with some of the swag they did pass out (Oral-B Glide earphones x4??? and floss!). Finally, the SF Originals Series medal, which I didn't find too appealing from the promos, was actually a lot cooler in person.

Here are my times from the SF Originals Series:

• Bay to Breakers (12K) - 1:01:39 (8:16/mi), 90th/2472 division F25-29
• San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon (HM) - 1:49:38 (8:22/mi), 60th/609 division F25-29
• The Giant Race (5K) - 0:23:36 (7:35/mi), 3rd/423 division F25-29
• Bridge to Bridge (5K) - 0:24:25 (7:52/mi), 5th/162 division F17-29

Perhaps opting to do the "San Francisco Originals" run series was one of the things that pushed me to keep going despite setbacks and stress injuries. I've learned to train smarter and with more discipline (like running slower on easy days and warmups). Because of the series, I set a bunch of high baselines for myself. With a little more work, I will be breaking 8:00/mi in the longer distances next year. :) 

My final event of the year will take me back to my Bay Area roots at the Berkeley (<3) Half Marathon.

DOMS is setting in big time since my second half century bike ride right after the race... >_>

Santa Cruz Triathlon (Sprint Distance) Recap!

I survived! And what an fun experience!

Packet pickup was a breeze and Spokesman Bicycles even offered a free safety inspection of my bike. I had just installed some new wheels on my Specialized Ruby and so I was relieved that someone was there to tighten it and make sure she was alright.

There were plenty of first timers at the sprint distance. I was told it was a rather casual triathlon so I'm not sure if the procedures were quite as official as bigger named races. But everyone was very nice and willing to explain things to first timers.

SWIM

My suspicions about my abysmal swim fitness were correct. I am in the bottom percentiles of swimming speed... after all, I was afraid of the water for most of my adult life. I took a swimming class in 2010 and avoided it as much as possible thereafter. There were 112 finishing times on the results page.... and I clocked the 95th slowest swim, 20th fastest bike, and 18th fastest run of all women.

My form is inefficient. And I desperately need a swim coach. I had done a few pool workouts before the race and two practices in the open water in the SF bay. I never swam the 700yd distance in the ocean but was able to do it once in the pool. I knew I had the endurance for it but I always found the workouts unpleasant and cumbersome.

Overall, however, the swim portion was fun! Although I took a dip and warmup in the waves beforehand, it felt like I was dipping my face in ice water for about 5 minutes but I quickly got used to it.

I ran through the timing chute at 22:01 minutes.

After the swim, there was a quarter mile run/jog to transition where triathletes chose their racks. It was easy to remember where my bike was because it was a small parking lot but it still would have been helpful to have some kind of easy marker. I happened to choose a transition area close to the bike out/bike in, which I found advantageous because I didn't have to run very long with my cleats.

BIKE

The bike ride was a brisk one and very beautiful--my favorite part of the triathlon. I kept wondering if I should have been pushing myself harder but held myself back knowing that there was a 5K afterwards. On Strava, I achieved a good 19.2mph bike ride (not including mount and dismount areas) along a relatively flat route on West Cliff Drive. The most difficult incline was about 1% grade, which felt like nothing compared to our regular 5-7% grades in San Francisco.

Next time, I would try to do more brick workouts with all-out bike efforts (to test my limits). I could easily have exceeded 20mph average. Official split with the mount and dismount was 37:38 on a 12 mile course.


RUN

Finally, the transition from bike to run was relatively easy but I was unsure of myself and dilly dallied for a bit. I paced at 8:13/mile (25:32) which is much slower than my 23:36 (7:35 pace) at the Giant Race two weeks prior. Not too bad off the bike though! Glad I added a handful of brick workouts before the race. Again, I held myself back to make sure I finished but next time, I'd like to leave it all out on the course.

CONCLUSION

Would I do it again?

Yes! Once I become a more efficient swimmer.... For now, it'll be nonprofit races only, just like this one. Maybe Olympic distance at the Santa Cruz Triathlon next year?

Respect the Distance

This Sunday, I'll be tackling my first sprint triathlon, taking me way outside of my comfort zone. I'm nervous. Understandably so. And I'm stressed. I have a million things running through my head:

• I'm an unbelievably slow swimmer. What if I can't complete the swim in time and DNF?
• What if I crash in the bike component and break my clavicle?
• Why do I have to run this without my training partner? :(
• What if my training was insufficient? What if I didn't swim enough or practice the brick enough?
• What if I can't find time to study for my physiology test that's next Wednesday?
• What if I have to call in sick for work one of these days?
• What if I trained to hard this week and don't feel fresh on race day?
• Why can't I just quit?

Is this what 'cold feet' feels like at a wedding?

Seriously though. I've loved every bit of cycling training and running -- but swimming? The trepidation is unmatched. That was the point of this endeavor, though - to take myself out of my comfort zone. To do something that requires time, resources, and a certain level of fitness that not many people are lucky enough to commit to. To learn how to swim. To conquer fears. To manage my time and body well.

Can I say I feel trained enough to do this well? No. I honestly have never been able to say that before race day and there are many disappointing aspects to this training cycle as well. But I know I often surprise myself on race day and this time will be no different.

There's another thing too.

I signed up for a full marathon. On impulse (as usual).

On my 26th birthday, inspired by a friend, I decided I should complete the 26.2 at 26 and signed up for the lottery draw for the Big Sur International Marathon. Of course, fate would have me in the lucky draw and I bit the bullet. I am registered for a marathon with about seven months of training to go.

Source: ESPN

I never thought I could run a marathon. I've never exceeded 30 miles per week in training and not gotten a repetitive stress injury. I've had two knee surgeries and I'm probably on track for arthritis because of that.

But to be fair... there was a point in my life where I thought I could never run more than 5K without feeling discomfort in my knees. Then my cross country coach in college surreptitiously signed me up for a 10K in 2012. Then I started running more 10Ks and doing more crazy things like adventure races. Then I did Bay to Breakers in 2014. Then I signed up for a half freaking marathon in 2016 and finished that in a very respectable time with inconsistent training. Maybe I didn't get the times I wanted but I still finished close to them. I'm not in the pro leagues but I've still posted some respectable times.

So (please please please excuse the language; I can't think of a stronger expression) fuck self doubt. Fuck limitations.

2016, you've proved that I could do the things I didn't think possible. Somehow, despite the doubts, I still challenged myself to push my "limits", So why waste time with self-doubt? Why don't I start living by my own advice? The whole reason I want to do physical therapy is because I "want to help people exceed their perceived and self-imposed limits."

I can't fathom how hard this will be because I've never trained for a marathon before. Again, it's outside of my comfort zone -- I've read just about a million articles and blogs on how to train for a marathon, race recaps, and what it takes to get a certain goal time. If there's a common theme, it's that the marathon is a distance all it's own and it needs to be respected. The last 10K of a marathon is a special place to arrive to and train for. I'll get there. And then I'll get to the finish line. There's no doubt.

Maybe I had reason for self-doubt in the past -- I feared and therefore respected the distances I had to run. 

Well. Respectfully, self-doubt is not a productive form of respect.

I respect the distance. And I react with determination and courage.

I will not be afraid to state my goals because even if I don't reach them, I will have tried my best to get there, given the circumstances, and anything I will accomplish will also be respectable (e.g. I know I can finish and I know it will be under 4 hours).

Check out this elevation profile...

Source: marathonguide.com

BSIM Goal time: 3:35

Oct-Nov focus: running form and base building, injury risk reduction (strength and weight loss)

October Goals:

• Weekly mileage: 18-20
• Long run: 9-10 miles
• Weight: 120 lb

November Goals:

• Weekly mileage: 21-23
• Long run: 13-15 miles
• Weight: 118 lb
• Berkeley Half: 1:46

December Goals:

• Weekly mileage: 23-31
• Weight: 116 lb
• Long run: 16-18 miles

The Giant Race 2016 Recap!

I ran my first 5K race since high school...

Another good training race on my way to finishing the San Francisco Originals Series.

For me, the coolest thing about the Giant Race is that you finish in the Giants stadium (AT&T Park) where you can literally kiss the ground that the Giants have  played on. Pretty special. I mean, I'm not a baseball type of woman but the Giants do hold a special place in my heart because SF was amazing on the night they won the 2014 World Series. It was the same night Marvin and I first kissed. So happy faces to that :).

A few things I could've done better: Mainly, I need to work on maintaining my starting pace which is typically ~7:00/mi. The pace slowly increases to ~7:30/mi until the final quarter mile or so. With a bit more endurance training and intervals, I'm sure I can improve in time for Bridge to Bridge (signed up for 5km). I lost a few seconds weaving between people and running to the very side of the course but overall, I just need to build better endurance at that intensity.

I finished in the top 10 women for the 5K and top 3 in the F25-29 category. Pretty cool even though I know all the fast people are running the 10K and HM instead! Some of these girls are running mad impressive times!! Sheesh.

In other news, I completed my first half century one week before the 5K! It was really difficult for me to focus during the last 5-6 miles due to hunger, fatigue, and desperation. I wanted to get home and EAT and I may have been delirious at one point. Gotta bring more food or buy a few energy gels for these types of things...

Upcoming Events

9/25/2016 | Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon (700yd, 12mi bike, 3.1mi run)

10/2/2016 | Bridge to Bridge 5km

11/20/2016 | Berkeley Half Marathon

4/30/2017 | Big Sur International Marathon

A Fractured Clavicle

My training partner fractured his clavicle during a training bike ride.

Cycling fast is pretty fun until you find yourself on the shoulder of a road wondering where you are.

This is what happened to my training partner (aka boyfriend aka Marvin) while on a ride this past Labor Day weekend. We had just finished a swim session at Giammona Pool and were doing a fast training ride along Great Highway. Being the speed and intensity addict that I am, I sped ahead to our turnaround point trusting that Marvin would be fine on his own and I would meet him at the turnaround. Unexpectedly, however, I received a phone call when I reached our turnaround point. Knowing that a phone call usually means something bad, I immediately answered with concern "Where are you? Are you alright?!" "I don't know, I just woke up on the ground." In near tears, I sped back to where he was. He was about 2 miles from the turnaround and the memory is hazy and guilt-ridden: all I was thinking was "Andrea, you idiot. Why didn't you wait at an earlier point? I hope he's okay. I really hope he's okay and it's not as bad as it sounds. I'll never leave him behind again." As I approached, I saw paramedics on the scene already with my boyfriend on a gurney and in a collar. In a flurry of emotions and panic, the firemen took pity on me and offered to take our bikes while I joined Marvin in the ambulance to SF General Hospital. Marvin was a champ in all of this. He was more calm than I was and sort of rolled with the punches. I really have a lot to learn from him. Thank God he's alive and it's just a broken collarbone and road rash...

The bone displacement from the fracture is about 2.5cm, which means he'll be getting surgery. It's been bittersweet taking care of my "patient." In one sense, we've grown much closer together with this experience as I was with him when he was in the hospital and as we've been learning how to deal with the injury and how to avoid anything like it in the future. But of course it sucks. I would've thought I'd be the first of us to get hospitalized because he's such a careful and intentional person. Alas, life has it's ironies. A single moment of distraction for him becomes a serious injury while I constantly chase danger and push my limits unscathed. He'll be missing the Santa Cruz sprint triathlon on September 25th but at least he got a 50% refund for it in the form of credits for next year.

Two things:

• ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET
• Tegaderm is amazing for road rash! 

I'll be updating this post with all my followup comments on his injury and surgery.

SF Half Marathon Post-Race Recap

Boo. I really haven't been keeping up with this blog.

So the SF Half Marathon rolled around a lot quicker than I expected. This was my first time running 13.1 and, honestly, I slacked on the training and the mileage. I had been travelling a for work the month before, dealt with a foot injury, and was cycling instead of running.

Needless to say, I was a bit anxious about the race in the week leading up to it, given that my longest run was nine weeks prior, at 12.34 miles. At my best training efforts nine weeks before race day, I was ~4 or 5 pounds lighter (and I can honestly feel the difference in perceived effort/time based on weight). At my best training efforts, I was running my >5 mile runs at sub-8 paces.

On race day, I was heavier and nowhere near my best training efforts. I hadn't done any hard-effort runs in a month and I was getting in a measly 6-10 miles per week. I definitely was not running this fast and it was unrealistic to still aim for the sub-1:45 time I had wanted.

Still, all the biking to fatigued state was a savior to my cardio endurance and, as a result, I powered through the half at a fairly consistent pace. I surprised myself with the cadence I was able to maintain up to mile 10.

There are two different races you can run at the half marathon distance at the SF race. The first half and the second half. The first half is beautiful and you get to run across the bridge but it is also notoriously harder and hillier. The second half is the half you run if you're looking for a PR. It is still difficult and challenging but easier to run than the first half. I ran the second half because I wanted a good time but I had to throw that idea out the window and run what felt good.

I began in wave 2 this time after the "competitive" group and I'm so glad I did given my traumatic experience at Bay to Breakers in May. I was definitely able to control my tempo and pace in this group.

I have to say that the hill at the beginning of the second half was not as difficult as I thought it would be - perhaps as a result of all the biking I'd been doing. I was able to maintain a quick, fresh pace on adrenaline. One thing that helped in the first four miles was not to stress about times: at this point, you should want a controlled pace, not going out too hard but still fast enough to match what you've trained for. You want to be able to have enough energy in your muscles for the flat section of the race and the last 3.1 miles.

The downhill part was exhilarating, although I could have pushed harder. I felt fast, fresh, and kept being surprised that I made it to mile 5,6,7,8,9 and so on without hitting some sort of mental block or meeting some sort of physical adversity.

Running the SF Half was rather therapeutic at this point. I wasn't racing the clock. I was going by how I felt. I listened to my phone which gave me paces at every half mile and thought, "oh that's nice" but never changed pace because of it. I even chose to stop for water and that is VERY unusual for me. I usually see water stops as a waste of time at shorter distances (10km, 5km, 7-miler). Hydration, in the past, always felt unnecessary. But I was smart this time - and opted for hydration.

At mile 10, I got extremely hungry. And I learned where my "limit" was from a "stored energy" perspective. I'm not sure if I was supposed to eat more for breakfast or more for lunch the day before - but my stomach never agrees with too much mucking around in my digestive system during a race. So I may have to subscribe to that energy gel school of thought.... I'll try it with my long cycling rides first and see where that gets me.

In the end, I surprised myself with a sub-1:50. And I think that spoke volumes to my base fitness. I can't say that was a "max effort run" but I did run it wisely given where I was at that time.

Imagine what I might've run if I had been at my training peak, gave a max effort, avoided injury, had more long runs under my belt, and was closer to my ideal racing weight (which I calculated to be 115lb vs my current setpoint 125lb - for a roughly 5'2" woman).

Race Results

Overall: 724/4491

Women: 221/2460

F 25-29: 60/609

Age/Grade: 59.48% Place: 616

Finish: 1:49:38 Pace: 8:22

Upcoming events:
9/11/2016 | Giant Race 5km
9/25/2016 | Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon (700yd, 12mi bike, 3.1mi run)
10/2/2016 | Bridge to Bridge 5km
11/20/2016 | Berkeley Half Marathon
4/30/2017 | Big Sur International Marathon

YES THAT'S RIGHT I SIGNED UP FOR A FULL... dun dun dun

Urgh, I hate official race photos. This was my only good one!

And I'm never wearing those sunglasses again...

B2B: Race Week

Woops! A month and a half went by since Bay to Breakers and I never wrote a recap! Belated entry commence:

Unfortunately, I did not hit my goal time but I did end up beating my time from two years ago by a few seconds. Here's the statline:

5/18/14 place: 1844   sex pl: 317   div pl: 42   time: 1:01:55
5/15/16 place: 1677   sex pl: 314   div pl: 90   time: 1:01:39

Running the race, I did feel like I slowed down a lot after Hayes Hill. I never walked but I was definitely very tired from weaving early in the race. I was stressed about time so I probably ended up going way too fast, too early. My pace in the beginning was about 7:35 and map my run gave me about 7.8 miles of actual distance ran. Oh well! We started in Corral B because Marvin had been suffering an IT band injury and we didn't know how fast he could run or if he could even make the whole distance. Luckily he got through the entire race! It's the longest foot race he's run before.

Note to self: If you're serious about your time, ALWAYS choose to start in Corral A despite what you think your pace will be (as there will be walkers in every corral).

Despite the unfortunate amount of weaving I had to do in the beginning, I had a ton of fun this race. The costume made a difference and I received a ton of compliments and got to take pictures with a few people:

I'm most proud of the fact that I ran this race for a cause I believed in. Fundraising is always a challenge for me because I never want to bother people for donations. Since this experience, however, I'm more willing to give to others who are fundraising for their own causes. Especially if it helps children.

I still have to give away that yoga mat that I promised! Gotta randomly select!

The San Francisco HM is at the end of this month. Phew time flew by fast and I've been slacking on training and nutrition. It's been a rough and fun month of travel but I am so so happy that I can settle back into a routine.

I'm pretty slow still but I at least I am enjoying myself... and the health (and confidence) benefits are amazing! My baseline fitness is a lot higher than before and I am confident I can get back into the groove of things.

B2B Training Log: Weeks 6 & 7

Weeks 6 & 7 (04.24.2016 - 05.07.2016)

This week was a sad one. Just as I decided I would buy myself a bike for my birthday in August, someone decided to break into my car and steal Rusty de Bianchi. My favorite cross training method has been stripped from me. But I joined Fitness 19, swam, and did elliptical instead. Sucks about the bike (and my car window) but life's gonna move on. And I guess I'll be getting an early birthday gift for myself...

Week 6

Clocked in my test 12km (7.5mi) at 59:07 (a 7:53 pace). My ultimate goal of sub-1hr is looking like more of a reality!

Then we went to Vegas, stayed up all night to drive to Zion for an early Zion hike (Angel's Landing!). Proceeded to get little sleep the next two nights of partying. Maybe got a little sick. But am now on the rapid mend.

Run: 11.1 mi
Hike: 9.0 mi

Week 7

• Long run was intended to be a 10-miler... but I've been afraid of hurting my foot. 
• For some odd reason, I've been hearing strange non-painful clicking in my right ankle.
• Barefoot speed/grass workouts are awesome!

I also accompanied Marvin at Road Runner Sports and took Shoe Dog for a spin. Here's what I learned. I have very wide feet.

Your Left Foot: Very Flexible, Toe Center
Your Right Foot: Very Flexible, Toe Out

Your Shoe Category: Stability, Cushion Plus (Level 5 or Level 4)
Your Size: 7.5 Width: D

Run: 15.54 mi

B2B Training Log: Week 5

Week 5 (04.17.2016 - 04.23.2016)

Thoughts for the week: 

1. My longing for a female bestie to train with, talk life and science with, and chase ambitions with is still strong as ever. Will I ever meet my long lost woman swolemate....?
2. Is it just me, or does KT Tape really make you feel like a beast (even though it technically means you're an injured beast).
3. Ran the furthest I've ever run before! Ever. 11 miles up San Bruno Mountain, along the ridge trail, and back to Mission's Edge. I told myself I would avoid hills this week, but runner's mentality took over. Luckily, my feet tendons are still on the mend. RICE really does work wonders.
4. Made a decision to join a gym so I can work on fixing the muscle imbalances in my quads and wherever else....

TAPER WEEK IS COMING (yay)! I have one more 12km test run before Vegas next weekend and then B2B expo, watching my friends and roommate do the Spartan Race on May 14th, and then B2B. I guess I haven't raised as much money as I would have liked for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation but I'm glad I helped even a little bit. Looks like the winning costume is going to be a unicorn (me) and rainbows (boyfie). Bring it!

Workouts this Week

AVOID HILLS.

• Intervals 4x800m, 4x400m | @ 3:30, 1:30 each with 0.25 mile rest --> 6 miles
• Full Body Strength and Core | lightly weighted squats (20 lb dumbells), lunges, 2-3 minutes of inversion, and arm work, including reverse pullups, dead-hangs, and hanging leg raises. Added 1-2' of jumproping between exercises (total: 10 mins jumprope)
• Run easy, 11mi | San Bruno mountain! -->11.1mi
• Planks! | Every weekday morning 3 sets of 1'30'' or 5' plan workout

Totals

Run: 17.1mi
Bike: 24.75mi

B2B Training Log: Week 4

Week 4 (04.10.2016 - 04.16.2016)

Four more weeks until the big B2B race weekend! Last week I ran a 5km effort at PR 7:16 pace (22:30) which puts my race predictors at sub-1:45 HM and a 56:34 12km. Unless I fall off the wagon, I'm not too worried about my B2B goal given that I'm so close to optimal racing weight and I feel so much more fit than 2 years ago. However, I'm skeptical about my 1:45 HM goal in July. Despite a PR 10km this week (48:33! I've never broken 50:00 before), race predictors put me at 1:47:39. I'd probably be able to run sub-1:50, but 1:45 is quite fast.... we shall see how I feel after B2B. There are still many weeks of training left before the half but injury prevention will be critical.

At this point, I must be careful about over-training and ensure myself a well-executed taper.

Two words to remember as I continue my training: STAY HEALTHY.

Workouts this Week

Cross training week--did a lot more biking this week! Forgot to do strength b/c of work but planking has REALLY helped me with core strength - and it's fun coming up with ways to make it more challenging. I feel like my abs are really benefiting from these!

Bought a foam roller... and boy does it hurt so good...

Happy to report that my foot from last week isn't badly injured. A little RICE goes a long way. I need to take care of Lefty more diligently.

• Run, Tempo 10km | @ 7:50 pace Lake Merced Run 
• Run easy 10mi | Berkeley and Berkeley Fire Trails :)
• Planks! | Every day, 3 sets of 1'30'' OR 5' plank workout

Totals

Run: 16.2mi
Bike: 41.8mi

B2B Training Log: Week 3

Week 3 (04.03.2016 - 04.09.2016)

Does a woman's menstrual cycle affect athletic performance? This is the same question as "Do hormones have an effect on athletic performance? The answer is yes.

But how exactly does that play out for me? Since the estrogen concentration is higher in the days leading up to menstruation, you tend to retain more water. Last week, my legs felt inadequate and I felt puffy and bloated even though I ate well. This week, my period started on Sunday and I lost 2-3 lbs and felt much more energetic during my runs.

That aside, I once again learned I need to follow my PRN workouts with more discipline and awareness. More foot arch problems (probably plantar fascitis? or the same peroneal tendonitis that has been plaguing me the past year) led to me cutting out my planned long run (8 miles). I planned to take a break from hills yet I decided to ditch my track workout for a fartlek run to Potrero Hill (doh! -_-)! My feet suffered on those hills. :'(

REMINDER TO SELF: my training volume has increased and has made me more vulnerable to injury! I'll try taping my arch next week and see how that goes. Can't push myself the way I did in high school anymore...

In other news, I PR'd my 5km @ 22:35, 7:16 pace (6:57, 7:27, 7:25 mile splits)! So yay. :)

Nutrition

I've been trying to eat clean when I'm not eating out. My strategies are mainly to cycle between the same foods, to eat things that are high in protein, and to avoid bread, cereal, rice, and pasta  when I can. I'll eat carbs more generously around hard workouts and I don't stress out too much if I go off diet on the weekend. The food items that I have been enjoying for the past several weeks include:

• Drinks!
• Traditional Medicinals - Dandelion Root Tea
• Peppermint Tea
• Traditional Medicinals - Echinacea Plus (Elderberry) Tea
• Yogi Ginger Tea
• 100% Instant Colombian Coffee - TJs
• Supplements
• Vitafusion  Adult Gummies for Women
• Nature Made Fish Oil Adult Gummies
• Spatone Pur-Absorb Iron (liquid supplement with Vitamin C)
• Snacks
• Clif Builder's Vanilla Almond Flavor (SO DELICIOUS) - TJs
• Quest Bar - Vanilla Almond or Mint Chocolate Chunk - Amazon
• Natural Turkey Jerky from Trader Joe's - TJs
• Breakfast/Lunch
• Greek Yogurt, 0% nonfat, sunflower seeds - TJs/Costco
• Chia seed + Almond milk (a recent delicious addition) - Costco
• Ground cinnamon
• Pre-dinner/Dinner
• Sweet Kale Salad Kit (minus dressing) - Costco
• Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower
• Rotisserie Chicken - Costco
• Tyson Teriyaki Chicken (frozen) - Costco
• Wild Alaskan Salmon, marinated (frozen) - Costco
• Cayenne pepper
• Lemon juice

I've been most concerned about getting enough iron and calcium (not together, because apparently calcium inhibits the absorption of iron??) to help with athletic performance and recovery. 

Workouts this Week

• Run, Tempo 3.1 mi | @ 7:30 pace at North Beach, SF (6:57 | 7:27 | 7:25)
• Intervals 6x0.5mi | @ 3:30 each with 0.25 mile rest --> 5 miles
• Full Body Strength and Core | lightly weighted squats (10-12 lb dumbells), lunges, 2-3 minutes of inversion, and arm work, including reverse pullups, dead-hangs, and hanging leg raises
• Planks! | Every weekday morning 3 sets of 1'30'' or 5' plan workout

Totals

Run: 8.1mi
Bike: --

B2B Training Log: Week 2

Week 2 (03.27.2016 - 04.02.2016)

The after-effects of last week's long bike ride lasted throughout most of this week. In addition to dehydration and being at an extreme calorie deficit, my best guess after some Googling is that the mouth soreness was a result of open mouth breathing. Over the ~5 hours that I biked, said breathing caused irritation in the roof and back of my mouth and allowed for dirt and pollution to enter my respiratory system. 

The pain wouldn't have been so great if I had known about this problem. Solutions for next time include:

• Breathing in with the nose, breathing out with the mouth
• Rinsing mouth with water regularly
• Avoiding tough/hard food post-ride
• Staying adequately hydrated
• Eating enough!

Sadly, in my utmost ignorance after the ride, I had 4 slices of Cheeseboard/Sliver pizza with delicious crunchy crusts (my favorite part). That is when I remember the first pangs of mouth soreness. So... I suppose I caused further trauma, resulting in extreme pain. I will remember this for years to come....

In other news, I like variety so I flex my workout plans pro re nata (PRN). As such, I threw in my first set of hill repeats and, boy, was it fun. Running uphill is a hard fact of life in San Francisco - and I relish the challenge.

I ran three half-mile repeats this week but my next hill workout will probably consist of shorter hill sprints. My overall hill training strategy is to train on hills similar in grade to B2B at a pace between 8:00-8:30. Hayes Hill, the hardest 0.75mi of the B2B course has an average grade of 5.5% (yellow highlights below) with the steepest grade being 11% (blue points below). Developing speed and power will be most important during this training cycle. Effectually, hill training is supposed to help improve VO2max. All I want, however, is for the hills to feel easier so that I don't bonk near the end.

Bay to Breakers Elevation Profile

In contrast to B2B, the SF2HM has ~2.5 miles (1.5-4.0) of an uphill incline over 200ft of elevation change. Once B2B is over, I will need to focus more on uphill aerobic fitness over that distance. Here's a neat little blog on the SF Marathon website about pacing and elevation: link.

Source: theSFmarathon.com

Workouts this Week

• Run, Tempo 5 mi | Lake Merced Run (40:04 @ 8:01 pace) Wt: 126lb (??)
• Hill Repeats 3x800m | I ran these at San Bruno Mountain SP. Notice how dramatically max grade affected my time. These were run at about 7 effort in a relatively fasted state. I had hoped to run it faster to train pace, so I'll just say that these long hill repeats were intended for building aerobic capacity. It took so much willpower to run. Seriously. Hills are difficult....!
• 1.0 mi warmup
• 800m Δ144ft (8% max 12%) - 4:28, 1' rest
• 800m Δ200ft (7% max 15%) - 4:51, 1' rest
• 800m Δ62 (5% max 7%)- 4:09, 1' rest
• 0.5 mi warmdown
• 1.0 mi downhill - 6:38
• 1.0 mi warmdown
• Full Body Strength and Core | lightly weighted squats (10-12 lb dumbells), lunges, a few minutes of inversions, and arm work, including reverse pullups, dead-hangs, and hanging leg raises
• Long Run ~12km | After a pleasant bike ride to UCSF Parnassus, I set out to meet my friends for a group run! In total: 7.18mi. Scoped out the first few miles of SF2HM. Was sore from strength training the day before so I took it easy but next week I'll probabaly try and run 14km near race pace.
• Planks! | Every other day, 3 sets of 1'30''

Totals

Run: 18.75 mi
Bike: 33.01 mi

Ran a LOT of miles this week cuz I was feeling pretty good. Scaling back on Week 4.