Nike Women's Marathon (and a few others too)

So I actually made it through the series of races, including the big one, but not with the anticipated grace I had written of in my last entry. Here's how the break down actually happened.

Chronic Appendicitis: On top of the crazy knee issues last May, I started having sharp pains in my lower right abdomen, enough to make me sick several nights. So I took my crazy-limited graduate health insurance to the school's health center and got all kinds of tests done, including one that involved taking stool samples (gross). I also had an upper and lower sonogram (if you know what I mean) with inconclusive results. Because the pain wasn't there ALL the time, and because nothing showed up on the baby-screen, they figuratively threw their arms up in the air and gave up on me, telling me to come back if it got worse somehow. But that didn't happen, the pain subsided, and hasn't been back since. However, during this time period my running suffered. I was unable to do both the Lake Tahoe Relay run and the Odyssey run as a backup. So that made me sad.



Seattle Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon: After a long 12 hour, very rural drive from Reno to Seattle, we made it to Sandy's mom's house. Two days later, we were out running the crazy hill-tastic course (seriously, we're talking San Fran streets). The course was pretty amazing, and we got to run on closed interstate 405, around a lake, and through the streets of downtown. But I wasn't as trained as I would have liked to be, and I also think the increase in moisture and pressure screwed with my breathing, so the race ended up being about 2:45 with some walking with Sandra at the end.


During the summer, I think I also started putting way too much pressure on myself to somehow beat my first (and personal best) half marathon (the Reno one in April), so I worked myself into a non-sleeping, stomach-churning anxiety frenzy before this race, and even moreso before the VA Beach run.

My Grandmother passed away in late July, so that further added stress and hampered my training, but I decided to run the marathon for her. I raised about $1000 for the Leukemea and Lymphoma Cancer Society sponsoring the event, thanks to family and friends.

Virginia Beach Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon: In August, we flew to Virginia Beach. I stayed with my Mom and Grandpa, and became super sick with a migraine and cramps (probably a mixture of stress, insomnia, dehydration, and putemus). So, I sat this one out. And although at the time it was probably the best decision for me, I hated not running. (I have the bib with a black X through it posted on my wall for future reference).


Sandra could tell I was putting way too much pressure on myself, and signed up for the Lake Tahoe Half Marathon, a ridiculous but beautiful mountainous course up at Tahoe in September. I wasn't originally signed up, but when we went to pick up her bib, I got sucked in. This race has a 520 foot climb over 1.5 miles, also known fondly as the "Hill from Hell" and marked with witty signs along the way like "purgatory" and "almost to Heaven." And seeing every single runner stop to walk up that hill, I instantly dropped all the race-day anxiety and decided to just have some fun. And OMG it was some beautiful and challenging fun. Definitely will be doing this one again.












October brought the big one.
The Nike Women's Marathon: Luck was with us for this race. We got a hotel upgrade to the W, and were about 2 blocks from Union Square in San Fran. We stumbled upon this cute little Italian restaurant the night before the race, and picked up lots of fluids and snacks from a local grocery store. The day of the race, we managed to sneak (probably illegally) to the front of the line with the crazy fast runners, and then it was 7 am and we were off through the streets of downtown, passing the ports, the golden-gate bridge, and up death-hills galore. Nike was tracking me the whole time, and there were so many fun stations--an exchange your old bra for a new one and a Giradelli chocolate mile. The path curved through neighborhoods and opened up onto a long straight ocean front stretch. And even though I was walking by the end, running only in spurts, and I had bloody thighs from having chafed two large holes in my leggings, and even though it was mentally and physically the most difficult thing I have ever done, I loved it (even while hating it I loved it). The weather was overcast and breezy and perfect for running, and the act of going past the half-marathon point and feeling like I was really accomplishing something...that I wouldn't trade for anything. It left me wanting to run a full marathon even more (the Tiffany's necklace at the end helped too haha). Overall, excellent 6 hour experience. We went back to the hotel and ordered beer and hobbled around and in the morning, I got in the hotel hottub which helped SO MUCH. Fantastic trip, and the only way to experience San Fran.




We took a break from running after that to basically heal. Our friend Dianna and her boyfriend signed up for a Halloween Trick-or-Treat 5k here in Reno with costumes, so we went as two inmates...super fun. I beat my PR for the 5k, finishing just under 30 min.






And then with finals and end-of-the-year transitions and holidays, 2011 was over. (The year review is next.)