Stress fractures meant that running was out of the option, so I completed my half marathon back on my bike for the virtual Social Distance Run.
And the rain held off.
Social Distance… Bike Ride
Running
I started running in 2012 and although I’m slow, I’ve completed dozens of half marathons and other races.
I’m Registered for the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon!
…. and I really hope it still happens.
With all the uncertainty going on in the world during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it felt very strange to plunk down registration fees for a race. But when it comes to RunDisney races, if you don’t jump on it right when registration opens, you lose the opportunity.
So fine, RunDisney. The parks haven’t even reopened to visitors yet, but take my money. I have so many questions!
Will I have to run in a mask?
- Will they cancel?
- If they cancel it, should I expect a quick refund?
- What will the race experience be like in this new world?
If it does happen, it’ll be the return of the 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend crew with Jason and I running the full marathon and Taylor and Kelly running the half marathon.
Every single one of us was on the fence on whether or not to register, depending on the day. We’re all a little unsure. However, there was probably one big thing that helped us decide.
Motivation.
It’s been hard lately. I’m glad to look forward to something. I think the registration will help with the following:
Glacier Half Cancellation | As expected, what would have been my 20th Half marathon was canceled. That was a huge disappointment and killed my motivation.. even though my current injury probably makes it a lucky break. Which brings me to my next point.
Proper Injury Recovery |Shin splints since February, repeated problems, returning pain even after 2 weeks off… time to get serious. It’s a probable stress fracture and I need to listen to my physical therapist. The treatment? Rest. It’ll take a long time to heal and I’ll need to follow advice to the letter if I want to be successful and able to finish a marathon 8 months from now.
Nutrition Tracking Success | The idea that I’d be running Glacier, followed by WDW marathon got me back to nutrition tracking. I’ve lost 20 pounds since January, getting back toward a healthier weight. Signing up for such a big race gives me a continued external motivation to maintain healthier eating patterns when I can’t work out as hard and maintaining a lower weight will even help with injury.
Hope | Continued social distancing is just draining. There are a lot of uncertainties in everyone’s life. It’s impossible to think or plan very far in the future at all. I don’t know what life will be like, but for now, I can dream.
I suppose for me, all of that is worth the cost of registration.
Training in the Time of COVID-19
If you’re a runner, you may have watched as all of your races were canceled.
If you practice martial arts, you may have sadly stopped attending classes at your dojo.
And like many around the world, you may have been taken aback at how quickly life changed as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated.
I’m certainly there myself. But despite working from home and being stuck in my house, I’m still trying to stay active.
Running
A lot of people are escaping the confines of their home during this time by going on a run. Unfortunately, I told myself I needed to take 2 weeks off to try to heal my shin splints just about the same time we all ended up indoors.
But I finally did get out! And ran right into a rain/hail downpour.
I actually met up with my brother… we ran six feet apart at all times and did a lot of waving, but despite the rain/hail, it was good to get out.
I still feel like my shin is pretty questionable, but I got through the three miles without run-ending pain, so that was encouraging.
My brother and I had a target of getting a good 10K time at the Cinco De Mayo run, but like so many other events this spring, it was canceled.
But I appreciate all the creative race directors out there. I’m usually ambivalent towards virtual runs, especially those that feel like just like a “pay for the medal” transaction. But now that large organized races are out there, I think these are some exciting virtual opportunities to build motivation and community.
The first one to catch my eye? The Social Distance Run by Orca Running.
Seriously, I may have to sign up just in appreciation of their wonderful website copy.
“Like a pack of introverted hyenas, we keep our distance but still look out for one another.”
—Social Distance Run, Orca Running
Seriously, check out their website. It’s good for a laugh, for sure!
And then there’s there’s the Stay Home Run put on by “Staycation Races” (aka Vacation Races).
Their entire site feels like a parody of their normal destination races schtick, which is pretty funny. At this point, I’m still hoping that the Glacier Half will so go on, but can’t say I’d be surprised if Vacation Races cancels it.
Karate
COVID-19 rapidly made holding group karate classes untenable. One day I’m testing for my new gold belt, and the next I’m not in classes at all. But luckily, I train with a wonderful group of people with very supportive sensei.
After just a week without classes, I was ecstatic when they announced they would be providing live zoom classes for students.
So now, I still go to regular classes! It’s been very nice to have the routine. In addition, keeping in contact with everyone has been very motivating. It’s better than I could have hoped.
Hope everyone else is finding ways to stay active during this difficult time!
Training Runs in the Bay Area
I was in Palo Alto, CA for 5 days and it was sunny during my entire stay. I had to take advantage of the weather!
My training runs lately have mostly been at night after work. It’s been cold, dark and wet. The weather leading up to my trip was atrocious— pouring rain every day.
But when I’m working remotely, I often go running at lunchtime! Out of the 5 days I was in the Bay Area, I went running on 3 of them. The weather was perfect… with one exception.
I did a 4 mile run in Byxbee Park with Jason. The scenery was gorgeous, but it was extraordinary windy!
The wind blew so hard, I was weaving pack and forth the entire time and in some places it was blowing waves of water over the path that I had to dodge.
I’ve never run in such crazy conditions and I hope I never end up having to race in such windy weather!
In addition to our training runs, I also watched Jason at an All-Comers Track Meet, where he ran the 1500m. Track is kinda new to him, so this was fun to watch. Always be trying new things!
Sadly, it’s back to more wintry running conditions at home, but training for the Glacier Half Marathon is going really well so far!
Back to training— The Road to my 20th Half Marathon
It’s been about 11 months since my last long distance race (Lincoln City Half Marathon) and it’s been a well-needed break from all that running around and running.
BUT THE BREAK IS OVER!
When Jason and I started brainstorming about what kind of vacation we wanted to take this coming June, we talked about taking a backpacking trip. And then I saw an email for the Glacier Half Marathon.
Fun fact, we had actually signed up for the inaugural Glacier Half, but had to get a refund. Luckily, Vacation Races has one of the best refund/deferral policies I’ve seen. I’m excited to finally get to do it!
So we signed up! We’re hoping to do both the half marathon and then a backpacking trip at Glacier National Park this coming June. We’re also looking at the possibility of doing the Walt Disney World Marathon (another full?!) a year from now, but registration for that doesn’t open for a while, so we have time.
But regardless, it’s time for me to make a game plan:
- Follow my training plan
- Keep up karate work & focus for all of its many, many benefits
- Start out easy to build back a fitness base and avoid injury during January/early February
- Begin building mileage slowly in late February to race day
- Build in hill work, starting in April/May
- Stretches & core (nicely aligns with my karate goals too)
- Start nutrition tracking again
- Buy another pair of running shoes—my poor shoes have already been through a tri, and 4 half marathons…. and all the training for those!
It’s possible that I’ll end up doing a half before Glacier since I’ll be training again, but one thing is for sure, I’m on the road now to completing my 20th half marathon!
2020-06-27T07:00:05
days
hours minutes seconds
until
Glacier Half Marathon
Race Recap: Freedom 5K— Molalla, OR
After years of talking about it, Katie and I finally sewed star-spangled running skirts before our fourth of July run. We even had enough left over for her daughter, and even her upcoming little one, perhaps for next year’s race.
We worked hard to get these skirts done before race day!
It was our first year running the Freedom 5K in Molalla, but despite it being a bit of a drive to get to the start, we really enjoyed it.
Running through a walk of flags!
I ran with Taylor and Katie and we took it rather slow, trying to enjoy ourselves and make it through 5K (none of us had really been running much lately).
It follows the parade route, so you get cheered on, and then, after finishing, you get to watch the parade! The post-race snack of blueberries also really hit the spot.
Ran With: Taylor, Katie
Time: 46:39
Best part of the parade: The longhorn cattle, of course!
Race Recap: PDX Triathalon at Blue Lake —Portland, OR
I finally stopped talking about doing a triathlon and actually did it! I finished the super sprint distance of the PDX triathlon at Blue Lake on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Trying to get that pumped, pre-race feeling!
I’ve got photos and will tell you all about the swimming, the biking and the sorta-running.
But first, some background.
This was a major event for me… let me try to explain why. This was one of my “before age 30” goals— one of a handful I completed. Timing just seemed right. I did my first marathon just after turning 26. But after 19 half marathons and 2 full marathons, running was losing it’s sparkle and races weren’t as motivating.
But tri? I had considered it as far back as when I was bike racer at age 15. Crazy to think that was literally half my lifetime ago now. But although I’ve always loved the water, at the time I didn’t think I could run far enough (ha ha).
Then, in college, I took a swimming class and got way, way better at my freestyle stroke. For our final, we had to design a swimming workout/training regime and I chose mine to be for a sprint triathlon. During my brief stint in collegiate cycling, we even occasionally worked out with the tri team.
The seeds of the idea were planted early… and then I started running long distances in 2014 and realized I could do it. But I was busy running so many races…
Training really is the hardest part!
In November 2018, I took the plunge and signed up, before I could back out again. I immediately got my beloved racing bike all cleaned up and ready, but training made me nervous. I didn’t know what I was doing at all! I had this idea that I would join the THPRD barracudas, a master swim club, but their workout schedule was super early in the mornings… too early for me to make it work.
After the Lincoln City Half Marathon in March, it was clear I’d actually need to start training seriously. I was nervous and unprepared.
And then Mom asked if she could sign up. Here’s the hilarious thing— she didn’t want take away from my “solo” achievement, but I think I would have died without her as a training partner (that goes for the two marathons we trained for together as well).
And she deserves a formal apology too, because it turns out we both hated it. Don’t get me wrong—each of the three sports is fine by itself, but trying to train for all 3 at once is awful. We focused most on swimming, because we knew we could run 2 miles and bike 10 miles.
By race day, what I was most nervous about was the logistics. Not the legs of the race, but the pre-race set up and the transition zones.
Race day!
Racking my bike so I can set up my transition area. Such a lot of gear for a race that only takes a little over an hour!
Race day we got great weather for early June! It was dry and not too hot. The logistics made me nervous, but it turns out Tri people are the nicest people. They helped us remember to get marked up (calves and shoulders). They explained where all of the various things needed to go (ankle timer, bib for running, two stickers for the bike and marked numbers on your body).
If you’ve never done a triathlon, do yourself a favor and show up super early, no matter what time you have to get up. It was so nice to have the mental space to look through all the gear, double check, and set everything up to be perfect.
And they told us we could do it! We got everything set up and then we just waited for the start!
Ready for the Race! Oh yes, those race issued swim caps are soooo cute….
Swim-Bike Run!
Let me just get this clear— after complaining about training, the RACE WAS AWESOME.
It was the weirdest feeling being at the start line of a race with very little gear on. I mean, I didn’t even have shoes, and I kept feeling like I had forgotten something.
Just my neoprene ankle timer. Oh, and the strip from PDXcarpet they used for the swim exit chute.
The swim portion of the event was the only thing I’d never done in a race. I’ve raced bikes, I’ve run races, but I’ve never done a swim mass start. I hadn’t even swam in open water in a long time, and certainly not for any distance.
Mom and I were in different start waves. I went first.
Can’t you see that gal in the orange cap and black suit? Haha, in actuality, I’m partially obscured, but , you can just catch me diving in, with the blue strip on the side, second row from the camera.
It was hard, harder than swimming in a pool, but I was prepared and well-trained. Sighting the course to make sure I didn’t swim off course was the hardest part, but I was probably mid-pack, I believe.
I tried to focus on my breathing and remember my strokes and before I knew it, the sandy bottom was there and I needed to get out of the water!
Ditch the cap, ditch the goggles and run to the bike!
So I ran to my bike. Here I am the most confident. I am not super trained, but I’m still a champ on the bike. I know it and even when I’m not fast, I know how to go fast.
I can tell I’m not as fit as I was— I can feel my potential to go much faster, but I blow by all sorts of riders. Many have nice bikes, but no technique. My own setup isn’t shabby, since I still have all my bike racing gear with my Zipp aluminum racing wheels and carbon fiber Giant TCR3 bike. I love that bike so much. I miss bike racing so much.
Grinning like a lunatic, I feel like a teenager again, back when I spent 6 days a week on the bike.
It’s my favorite part of the race and I’d forgotten what it was like to be good at what I’m doing, at racing. But then it’s time to go running…
Ditch shoes, grab shoes—it’s an awkward exchange and my legs don’t want to work. Grab number belt and only the loud music at the transition zone is moving me forward. How can 10 miles feel so great and 2 miles feel so terrible?
But I walk-jog-run my way on the course and notice everyone is terrible and no one looks good. Many are faster than me, but no one looks awesome. I suppose triathletes aren’t runners either and this is the third leg of the race.
I’m barely moving at this point and this slight incline is doing me in.
A man on the sideline cheers for a girl behind me. I hear her, out of sight, respond “I need to learn how to run!” It makes me smile, and I’m thinking I feel you.
I’ve done a lot of miles running, but these are some of the hardest. My feet don’t feel like they’ve run a marathon or anything— but only because I’ve barely been on them. My body is a different story— I’m tired to my very core making this as hard as any long-distance race. And it’s getting sunnier and hotter….
Swim fast, hard. Bike faster, my best chance for time, but run/walk just to finish. Just to end.
When I near the finish, Dad cheers me to the end and I suddenly realize I have enough left to sprint to the finish.
I’m only happy running in this photo because I’ve just crossed the finish line (where the cone is). Now I can stop.
DONE!
I can hardly believe I made it! They placed a giant medal around my neck and I truly felt I had earned it, even though this was a short distance for a triathlon.
I’m so proud of myself and my mom for doing this race. She even placed in her category! It was one of the hardest things I’ve done and although I enjoyed the race, the training was so difficult to fit into my already packed schedule, even worse than my marathon training. I’m just not willing to live at the gym.
And the triathlon folks were so great, perfectly willing to help a new person out and encourage us from pre-race to post-race.
Blue Lake Triathlon—Super Sprint
- Swim: 1/4 mile | 10:11.0 (2.19 HY)
- T1: 2:41.5 (change gear! Wet feet into dry shoes!)
- Bike: 10 miles | 35.23.7 (17mph)
- T2: 1:42.7 (change gear… so tired.)
- Run: 2 miles | 25.24.1 (12.42 minutes/mile)
I’d love to say I’ll never do this again, but I’ll be honest: If a friend wanted to do a tri and wanted a buddy, I’m sure I could be convinced. It was such an adventure!
After the race, its easy to smile. We did it!
Time: 1:15:23 (but since this was my first super sprint, I don’t really know what that means)
Distance: 1/4 swim, 10 mile bike, 2 mile run. I could have done the regular sprint distance for bike and run, but was grateful to start my first tri with a shorter swim distance.
Most surprising thing: It’s true what they say—Open water is harder than pool. Lucky that I’ve loved water my whole life, but I can see why some people can get freaked. It was fine for me.
Best part: The bike, totally. I haven’t gotten to pull out my race wheels in 10 years.
I missed most: Earbuds for the running section. Even for a short 2 miles, I needed more than whatever song got stuck in my head. But it wasn’t worth trying to get it set up for such a short distance.
Those markings: I thought they had special pencils, but the number people just used sharpies. Needless to say, I wore a sundress to a BBQ that afternoon and the numbers were pretty obvious on my shoulders and the back of my calves… for about 2 days. Maybe if I hadn’t been so tired I could have scrubbed them off sooner? Wear them with pride, I guess.
Race Recap Rewind: 2019 Lincoln City Half Marathon— Lincoln City, OR
Better late than never— rewinding to March 3, 2019 for this race recap:
A beautiful day for a run!
When my friend Kelly said she was running the Lincoln City Half and the hotel room was already booked, I signed up. And although she ended up needing to walk the race when injury prevented her from training, I still had a great time. And then I got a great time!
We got very lucky— although it was chilly, it was a beautiful sunny day in early March. This was probably one of the smallest half marathons I’ve ever run and I was surprised by how well run and stress-free it was. It’s a far cry from running around expos and navigating starting corrals.
Of course, that meant that by mile 4, once the 10K runners had split off, I was mostly alone on the roads. Despite it being in a coast city, there were no ocean views, but luckily, the Oregon Coast is such a beautiful place that we wound through the forest for a lovely quiet course.
The locals waved when they saw us and cheered us on. I stopped only for my mile 10 picture.
There was only really one hill to speak of, but sadly that was near the very end when I was tiring as I climbed back up to the high school track where we had started. And then I was finished, shocked at the time I had posted!
A third place ribbon? No WAY!
It seems that I really do post better times when I run by myself (although I really enjoy running with people). It was even good enough to earn me a third place ribbon, which was really shocking and cool! I mean, it helps that there were only 4 runners total in my category, but hey, a ribbon is a ribbon and a rare thing for me!
The medal was also super cute. I love the octopus logo that was on our bibs, medals and the race shirt. And after the race, the beach was right there!
Time: 2:46:25
Ran With: Solo run
Best Part: Pre-race was so relaxed… I could get used to these small local races.
Race Recap Rewind: 2018 Golden Gate Half— San Francisco, CA
Better late than never— rewinding to Nov 4, 2018 for this race recap:
Great weather and great views— Even though I was concerned about time, I had to stop for this photo.
It turns out that good solid training and a healthy amount of fear can contribute to a great time! The Golden Gate Half Marathon was one of the most challenging courses Ive ever run. If you want to run in San Francisco, you’d better be prepared for some serious climbing.
So imagine my shock when I posted one of my best half marathon times yet! I haven’t run this fast since my PR at the Phoenix Half Marathon (and that was a downhill course).
I trained hard for this race, on some very challenging hills. Why? This race, since it’s run right within the city, has a strict course limit of 3 hours. Although I rarely run over 3 hours, my most recent half in Seattle was a 3:02… doesn’t exactly give me much leeway in case something goes wrong on the course.
This race had been on my wish list for a while. The medals looked awesome and who wouldn’t want to run over the famous Golden Gate bridge? I convinced longtime running partner Perrin and her hubby to fly out and join Jason and I.
I didn’t end up running with Perrin, however. We had been placed in different corrals and she also had some wardrobe problems that slowed her down. Luckily, she’s super fast and finished right behind me, also beating the time limit.
First view of the Golden Gate Bridge calls for a running selfie!
The race ran past the Presidio and with the weather, we got great views of the Bay.
But the hills started early and they were steep and long. I ran or hiked up them, keeping in mind I always needed to push myself.
And guess what, the Golden Gate Bridge itself is much longer than it seems! I’ve driven across it and ridden my bike across before, but that simply doesn’t compare to running across. It was a great feeling passing under the famous towers and seeing the art deco influences up close.
But for me, my golden moment of the race was right after crossing the bridge, during the loop down, under the bridge and up to the other side. My music was perfect and even know I can recall that feeling of well-being and euphoria.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again— my best miles are always around 5-9 miles and this was no different. Sadly, once I crossed the bridge, the race became more grueling. I was pointed away from the iconic bridge and I still had so many hills. The park is beautiful, but I’ve never hated it so much.
I don’t time myself during a race and frankly, even when I try to calculate times, the fatigue of racing always prevents me from accurate math. So even if all the signs pointed toward me finishing in good time, my tired brain was stuck on “run fast or you won’t finish.” Thank goodness I had built a brand-new playlist for the race. I was pretty sure when I was climbing my last hill because I knew the race ended right in front of Ghirardelli Square.
I pounded my tired legs to the finish line, finishing with a huge grin. But I wouldn’t believe Jason when he told me what my time was! It just didn’t seem possible, considering how challenging the race was!
Tough race and a good time is a cause to celebrate!
Minutes behind me, Perrin & her hubby finished so we all went to Ghirardelli’s for some massive ice cream sundaes! The most delicious post-race experience ever….
I hate hills, so although I’m glad to have run this race, I probably won’t run it again. There are still so many races on my list and frankly, if I was going to run a race near here, around this time of year, I’d repeat the Monterey Bay Half I ran in 2017. That run was gorgeous too…. and completely flat.
Ran With: Totally solo
Time: 2:43:16
Moment of Song: I felt the best right after crossing the golden gate. We turned from road to trail, a narrow, winding path downhill. The Greatest by Sia was playing in my ears and I could feel the breeze from the bay and the sun on my face. If I hadn’t been so focused on the race and moving forward and keeping pace, I might have started dancing with joy.
Race Recap Rewind: 2018 Freedomthon 5K—Beaverton, OR
Better late than never— rewinding to July 4, 2018 for this brief race recap:
Post Race Pancakes for the win!
The Freedomthon 5K is the perfect race for Jason and I— It’s close to our house, it’s a short summer run, so if the weather is too hot, we will still survive, and it ends with pancakes! I never really train much during the summer months, because even with mild Oregon summers, I just can’t handle the heat. Luckily, Taylor and Katie were like-minded and we all enjoyed taking it slow and chatting it up.
Plus, the race finishes with pancakes!
Ran with: Taylor, Katie
Time: 44:51
Kallen in Motion 