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Week 4: Coastal Trail Runs Crystal Springs Half+Big Fun in Pacifica

A light mist was falling as I wound my way up King's Mountain Road to Huddart Park last Saturday morning. Running again in Woodside, the race company was different, but the course was exactly the same with an out and back added to make it a half marathon. My plan was to run steady and conservative on the first half of uphill and then cruise on the downhill.

The start is downhill across a wide open field to the start of the trail. Within a hundred yards there is a sharp turn around a fence that brings the pack to a dead stop as we funnel out down the single track. I knew I was running the first mile fast, but I like to think of it as taking advantage of the early downhills...plus it was fun. I flew, and then I began the long 5ish mile climb.

About a third of the way up my legs decided they were done. Like DONE. I felt like I was crawling. The week before I had plowed uphill steadily feeling strong, but now, my legs felt like cement blocks. Finally reaching the top after a final insulting steep climb, I refilled my handheld at the aid station and took off on the out and back. This added bit was rolling for the most part and I decided to run through the last aid station with about four and a half lovely downhill miles to go to the finish.

2:16:10, 6th AG
After the run we drove up kkkkkkknjmh

I'm leaving that in. The cat just walked across the laptop like no big deal.

We drove up to Pacifica to hang at Nick's and have some crab sandwiches and watch the surfers.
Perfect recovery meal.
Not a bad view off the balcony of our room.
It wasn't until the next morning that I woke with an angry knee and a sore throat. I decided, very reluctantly, to skip my Pacifica solo trail run because my body seemed to be saying things to me. Instead, we hit the hotel gym and then lounged until checkout.

Driving home, we hit up the new outlets in Livermore and did some damage at the Columbia outlet. Pants and a jacket for me, new hiking boots for GeNene. That's when I started to realize the sickness was creeping in. I didn't make it to work for the next three days with sinus pressure so severe I was sure my eyeballs would explode. I floated through a NyQuil haze sleeping more hours than I was awake. It was miserable, and it was deliriously glorious. I'm done with this flu season so let's get on with it. I went back to work today, still kind of in a haze and confusing my body by being upright for so long. Tomorrow, I'll run.

I feel like I've had a bit of a setback, being sedentary for so many days and not eating very much, but the race date doesn't change and the goal hasn't changed. Time to rebuild, recharge, and get back in action.

My sister, who just got back from the Notre Dame game in Miami, sent me a picture of Bon Jovi at 3:37am this morning.


And now we're all caught up. My thoughts are with you all as we muscle through another flu season.

Good luck.



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Comments

  1. notthatlucasJanuary 10, 2013 at 9:38 PM

    Holy cow - you drove back here two weeks in a row? I can't believe I missed you there! Sorry about the flu thing - you didn't get it from me, but now I'm worried. Were you one of the large group that passed me as you headed out to the turnaround? (I did the 22 miles, and had a 30 minute head start. I couldn't believe how many Half runners blew past me.)

    Get better quickly!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KarenJanuary 10, 2013 at 10:15 PM

    Those were wonderful final miles to the race. I looooved them. I also hung out in the car until just before the start too (and kinda took a nap).

    I hope the plague didn't hit you too hard.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AlisynJanuary 10, 2013 at 10:48 PM

    Fantastic finishing time! Nicely done!! So envious you got into WTC! :)

    ReplyDelete

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