Pre-HTC-chill-out in Oakland and then HTC

(Monday, 18 August)

The fam decided to go for a hike so I packed up a backpack with some dry clothes and set off on a trail run ahead of them. I circled back after a little over 50 minutes and met up with them after maybe an hour and 20 minutes, so I think I did about 9 miles. We were in Bolinas at the Palomarin trailhead, which was a schlep and a half from Oakland, but hey, we were going anyways and the run was really super. It was foggy and cool even though I started out at about 1pm, and the terrain was perfect; some places a little steep, but mostly just rolling and with pretty good footing (a few gravely spots but on the whole better than most So-Cal fare). I got a great run in, scored some family time, and got to nap in the car on the way home! 

(Tuesday, 19 August)

Off, or something... what happened this day? I think Ellen and mom took me on a Battan Death March clothes shopping and so I scored some sweet new threads. Decided I should be tapering for HTC. 

(Wednesday, 20 August)

Mr. Ogliore was kind enough to meet me for a Gate-BV-Gate frolic on this nice foggy morning. It was actually great; this run is a cakewalk these days as compared to the epic-ness it used to feel like, which is fun and sad at the same time. Good company, feeling good, and good times. 

(Thursday, 21 August)

Flew up to Portland for HTC. Was a little antsy at first about getting along with the other folks... what if they all knew each other but me? What if they thought I was weird? What if I was the slowest one on the team? But it turned out to be okay. We arrived in Parkdale (Carrie's parents' place) and I went on a very easy leg-shake-out run for about 40 minutes. The country roads are a bit scary; people drive so fast! Also, I did notice the elevation at Parkdale, even though it was only at 2000ft. Uh oh. 

(Friday, 22 August)

Since they messed up the start times, we had ALL DAY to get bored/nervous (we didn't start until 7.30 pm!) so I kind of wished I'd brought myself entertainment. But, it gave me a chance to chat up the other folks, and we even saw the grand town of Hood River (I guess it's a big windsurfing place?) which was really nice! 

(Saturday, 23 August)

My first leg on Friday night was at 3.30 in the morning so I guess I should put it under Saturday. It was 4.4 miles, flat, along a bike path. The good news was that there was no way to get lost, and the bad news was that it was really dark, and there were almost no other runners (I saw 2 the whole time) so it was lonely and surreal. I was a little scared of the boogeyman jumping out at me so I just did what I could to hammer it; I just thought about breathing 2-in-2-out and the pace ended up being 6.59s. I passed one chica at the end so we weren't dead last. (Yes I was briefly dead last in a 12000 person race!). To remember; the other teams started before us, so it's not really that bad to be last. 

Then "night" happened and I slept for maybe an hour or hour and a half starting at maybe 6am. I was in a sleeping bag in the middle of a grassy field with people coming and going but I didn't give a shit; I was so freaking tired it felt wonderful. 

My second leg came up in the middle of the day; it was pretty warm outside but it felt like nothing after being acclimated to Pasadena all summer. So I got to feel superior about that. It was much more lonely feeling than last night because I could see the road in front of me; but I just went as hard as I could until I saw the next people up ahead and then went after them. I'm sorry I ran as slow as I did, because I thought I had much farther when I got to the final turn and was disappointed by not making up more time. It was 4.2 miles at about 7.00 pace. 

The dread of the third leg started after this point; I was worried. I slept for a glorious half hour or so waiting for van 2's final jaunt to the end. Then the realization that I'd have to run a whopping 7.3 miles for my final leg started to dawn on me (and my stiffening legs). I was nervous. But, I also knew that as long as we made it to my last leg at all (it was the second to last leg) I also knew that we would be okay. The drama was that they were starting to threaten to take us off the course alltogether; they did this first at exchange 30. I guess the teams that we had caught up with weren't expected to finish by 9pm, so they were starting "leapfrogging" - that is, putting the next runners on the course before the previous ones had finished. Obviously, we knew we were doing great - averaging about 7.30 pace - and that we indeed would finish well before 9pm. So we kept arguing and getting more nervous! They finally said that they would "reevaluate" us at exchange 33... 

Anywho, I drank 2/3 of a coke to sugarify/caffinate and that did seem to do some good. I nervously went to the bathroom for the 100th time and did the last leg. I tried to run easier than the previous legs, but not "easy" - I was shooting for 7.30 - 8.00 pace, but I really had no idea what that would feel like at that stage. So I just concentrated on breathing 3 in 2 out and catching up to people (I probably passed like 20 folks, but it's not as cool as it sounds, because a lot of them were leapfroggers). I think they said my pace ended up being 7.36, so that's great! 

I was very relieved to be done and then we just went to the beach (which was so cool to see right at sunset) and enjoyed the sunset and cheered on the last runner. Sleep and shower was so good! 

(Sunday, 24 August)

Flew back to catch the tail end of my dad's retirement party. I actually considered going for a run when I got up this morning but then I realized that it was the crazy talking. Legs feel much better after some sleep.