Yesterday, I set another personal record for running. Six weeks ago, it was eight miles. Two weeks ago, it was 10 miles (I missed the 9-mile run). On Saturday, it was 12 miles! I set a goal of running the 12 miles in 2:30, and hit it on the nose, but not without a bit of a sprint at the end. Part of me wanted to just run an extra 1.1 miles to do a half-marathon distance, but the coaches know what they’re doing and have a plan for getting us there, so I am going to stick to the training plan until I cross the finish line at the San Jose Rock and Roll half-marathon.
The team run started at Natural Bridges Park in Santa Cruz and wound its way north through the beautiful Wilder Ranch State Park. Half-marathoners like me could run up to 12 miles, so that’s what I did. It was really hard because the trail was mostly single-track. It would’ve been really easy on my full-suspension mountain bike, but on foot, the rocks, gravel and uneven terrain really beat up my lower body.
I was told that a dip in the ocean would help with the post-run recovery, and two weeks ago at Monterey, it really did help. But our start/finish area was right next to the bay (see below), so you could grab your beach gear out of your car, take a dip in the cold ocean, get out, dry off, change into fresh clothes, and get in your car and drive home.
The beach at Natural Bridges is about half a mile away from the start/finish area, and there was a lot of wave action. So, you had to walk all that way with your beach gear, go in the water up to your neck because waves were breaking in the waist-deep zone, then get out and walk all the way back to your car. All the walking really negated any positive effect the cold water had on your aching joints and muscles, so I ended up dipping my feet in a bucket full of ice and water at home (I am still not up to doing a full “ice bath”).
Here is the Monterey run, just for comparison’s sake.
Physically, I am starting to have issues with my right leg, especially my right heel. I am normally “duck footed,” so my feet point outward. While running, my left foot points more forward, but my right foot still points out to the right. This causes an awkward, rolling motion and really hurts my heel and ankle region after 8 miles or so. I am going to have to work on that, or abandon my ultimate goal of running a full marathon next summer if I can’t fix it.
Oh, and here is the eight-mile Balzer Field run in Los Gatos, CA.