Chasing Kris

Chanoko is a Total Body Fitness Race that starts at the Auburn Dam Overlook park and hugs the North Fork of the American River following the Pioneer Express Trail. In Ultra circles around here, the Pioneer Express is a major artery for big name races like the Western States. Chanoko is a smaller run, less than 75 people were entered into this distance (31k) the day I ran it.  I like that because the trail is yours, for the most part.  We aren't back-to-back people chugging along, worrying about our pace because we don't want to hold up the group.  It's easy to spread out, with the fasties taking the (considerable) lead, then everyone else finding their pace and enjoying the solitude of nature. The overall elevation change of this route was 1,629 feet.  That number is deceptive (as it always is). The beginning of the race is up on the overlook and the first three miles are spent moderating speed as you wind your way down to the river.  We are three miles in, just get

I've totally strayed off course from my training plans for Ragnar.  The Granite Head Trails and Ales race totally knocked me off track.  I had a complete breakdown at mile 9 of the 11 mile race and had to walk the last 2 full miles.  Up to that point, I was feeling awesome! I haven't had this particular pain in a couple years.  It's a pretty classic IT Band syndrome.  I'm sure it was just a factor of ramping up my mileage too aggressively.  The amount of added mileage I take on needs to be slow and steady in this new post-chemo body because I just heal slower now.  I guess I was pushing myself to see where that edge was.  Found it! So I took a full week off from running.  I added a series of strength building exercises to my daily routine in place of my usual running.  I will need to get in another long run, at least 8 miles because that's my longest single stretch for Ragnar. I think I'm pretty much on the home stretch at this point.  Whatever endurance,

Granite Head Trails and Ales is a race that fit into my training plan for Ragnar Napa in November and also keeps me having fun and on track for my California International Marathon Relay in December.  I've run this race before and, since it's practically in my backyard, decided to sign up again this year for the long course (11.2 miles). This race is put on by Fleet Feet and begins and ends at the Granite Bay Main Beach area of Folsom Lake in Granite Bay, California.  They offer two course options, the long course and a shorter version that is a little over 6 miles.  The parking is abundant, although getting through the entrance into the State Park can take a while.  If you don't have a State Parks Pass, the parking will cost you $10 at the gate. Pre-Race organization was very good.  The check-in process on site was quick and easy.  There were plenty of fresh new porta potties to keep the lines short.  Runners get their bibs and shirts right in the parking lot, so it

Welcome to October! This week was the last week of September, and my second week of training for my triple thread of  upcoming runs. My training mash up of clustered runs and long runs is working out okay.  I'm more sore than usual, but I am choosing to believe that means it's working.  If it were easy, I'd be wondering why I haven't stepped it up before. Last week I tried a few new or unusual (for me) things.  I ran four days in a row. My normal routine always includes a day off between runs, just because I'm slow at recovery and have a tendency toward chronic issues if I overdo it.  I'm the Queen of Overdoing, so my moderation policy has been one I've deliberately ingrained.  It's fun throwing that out the window and embracing my Overdone nature once again! In addition to clustering my runs, I also got up before the sunrise and ran with a few of the ladies who will be on my Ragnar Napa Team.  My policy of "No Run Before the Sun" has

Johnny Cash Bridge, Folsom CA This is the first week of my Training Plan Mashup.  There are 19 days until my first event in this series, Granite Head Trails and Ales.  That race is 11 trail miles up and down the western shore of Folsom Lake along Granite Bay's entrance with a steep but short climb up and over Mooney Ridge at the end. I'm going with the idea that a solid base will carry me through the trail race and continue to keep me on track for surviving Ragnar.  The biggest unknown for me is the effect of running consecutive, yet separate, runs over the course of a short time period.  My longest distance ever run at a time has been a half marathon.  For Ragnar, I'll be totaling 20 miles in 36 hours. The Tamoxifen I continue to take (it has been prescribed for me for the next 10 years to keep any lingering breast cancer cells at bay) is still causing me some grief.  I'm more sensitive to caffeine and alcohol.  I sleep a lot less because of the hot flash

2018 is going to be a banner year for me.  So far, I've kicked ass on Breast Cancer with my final chemotherapy and surgeries ending in April.  With that task completed, I've thrown myself into recovery and rehabilitation mode.  I signed up for a bunch of races while I was sitting through my chemotherapy infusion in March.   Dirty Secret Trail Race was my first run, at 5.8 miles I thought the short distance race would be an excellent motivator (and it was!).  A sweet deal came across my Facebook page for Gold Country Half Marathon in early June, so I grabbed it.  An Independence Day local tradition in my running group is the Firecracker Trail Run on the 4th of July.  It's an 8 mile out and back race with elevation that kicks my butt every year, but I did it anyway.  At the end of July I survived the short distance Blood Sweat and Beers Race , which also kicked my butt, but I did it anyway.  In August, my husband and I celebrated 27 years of marriage with an outstand