FitLifeSF

I’ve been looking forward to July 26, 2009 for the past year.  Last year, marathon Sunday found me nursing a stress fracture of my left foot after only a few months into my new “hobby,” so Rob and I went to Pork Store on 16th for breakfast and to spectate.  I committed that, on July 26, 2009, I would be running the full San Francisco Marathon.

Fast forward to March 23, 2009, when I started my official marathon training program- a somewhat modified version of Pfitz’ 18/55.  Through a combination of doing new types of speedwork that I wasn’t used to, and pushing to hit paces vs just being concerned about mileage, by March 31st I’d developed extreme pain in my right hip and left shin that were later diagnosed as “stress fractures” (though, more correctly, “stress reactions.”)  Whatever semantics you want to put on it, only a week and a half into my training the marathon was out.  I was relegated to joining the Y for pool running, lap swimming and hitting the HELL-iptical.  To add insult to injury, I was laid off 3 days after my diagnosis, and all I could think the whole time I was in with HR was, “Man, with no job, I could have had an EPIC training cycle!”
The injury threw me into a pretty deep funk.  I told Rob I didn’t even want to be in the City at all on marathon weekend.  I’d say mean things about runners on the street and curse them under my breath.  OH, and the people wasting away on the hamster wheel at the Y vs. being out running in this glorious City?  They irked me the most!

Eventually, I got over myself, and I got over the pain.  A few more visits to the doctor and some more cajoling (OK, threatening to do it anyhow) and I was able to start “wogging” (easy run/walk intervals) on June 17- about 12 weeks after my injury.  Since I had already paid for my entry into the Marathon, I set my sights on an easy “wog” of the Second Half.

The SF Marathon Second Half starts in Golden Gate Park, where you do a mousemaze of 7ish miles before heading down Haight to 16th through the Mission and into Portrero on past the Ballpark to the finish on the Embarcadero just past the Bay Bridge.
Marathon Weekend was a whirlwind:
Friday: Went to the expo, which was located at the Concourse Expo Center on 7th and Brannan this year, and got my bib.  It was an OK expo,  but  I felt bad for anyone without a car since that area is so limited public-transport-wise.  They had shuttles from the Hyatt Embarcadero for race participants, but shuttles are a pain.  I didn’t stay at the expo long because I was so bummed to not be running the full that I got choked up every time I would see “26.2″ on anything.  I headed on out to Dos Pinas, where some friends from Runner’s World Online forums had planned to meet, and had me a tasty fish taco and a beer.  A theme of the whole weekend for me- It was so great to spend time in person with the people who had been my lifeline since the injury.

Saturday: Fetched another Runner’s World forum pal, Shacky, from the airport to store about 10 pounds of smoked meat he’d brought in for our post-race “Grubfest” in Dolores Park.  Shacky and I chatted about running some miles together during the race- I wogging and he running “barefoot” in those wacky Vibram Five Fingers shoes.  The rest of the Runner’s World crew was headed to meet up at Fuzio later that evening, but I was rushing to get to a benefit beer bust for our Bartendress friend, Corinna, at Stray Bar.  I was already feeling kinda weak in the knees from having some kind of really headache-inducing wine the night before at Via Venetto.  Went to the beer bust and had maybe 3 beers and a jello shot, then was home by 5:30PM.  I was in bed by 10:30, but did NOT feel well or at all confident about the race.  In fact, I posted before heading to bed that I was pretty much dreading it!

Sunday: The Second Half doesn’t start until 8:30 AM, making it the latest race start I’ve had.  (This is in stark contrast to the Full’s start of 5:30, which is one of the earliest Nationwide.) I was up before the alarm.  Fuelled up with my usual Kashi Waffles, almond butter, Amish apple butter, bananas and a Clif electrolyte drink.

Rob was a dear and gave me a ride to the start.  I wanted to get there early since some RW Forum folks were going in a group costume and I’d hoped to meet up.  I’d also gotten news that Shacky’s foot was acting up and he wouldn’t be running at all. I wasn’t able to find anyone at the start, so I ended up being all by my lonesome in a Harry Potter Luna Lovelace outfit- and I don’t even LIKE Harry Potter.

Oh well,  I got in line for the portapotty- THE LONGEST LINE EVER.  Seriously, of any race.  (And, when they had 10-15 completely empty potties a mile into the race, I was peeved!)

I was in the third wave start and crossed the mat at about 8:45… I was dreading the mousemaze of Golden Gate Park.  I generally dislike running in Golden Gate Park, both for the wet, gray weather and the “uphill every direction” feel.  For most of the park, I committed to doing 2 mile run/.25 mile walk intervals.  I was feeling great, but, did I mention I HATE THE PARK!?!  Especially in this race, there were SO many out-and-backs.  It’s like the running equivalent of “busywork.” Just racking up miles for no reason other than to rack them.  I hate it!  We literally ran around the same lake twice and crossed paths with nearly every iteration of Full Marathoners, First Half Finishers, etc. I have to say, passing the first half finish about 5 miles in was a nice jolt of energy.  I hear the Full marathoners hate this because they are just a mile or two away from “the wall” and still have far to go. (Here are some pics from the park. Excuse the photos. If I were to stop long enough to snap a pic,  I’m sure the photos wouldn’t look like everybody is on ‘shrooms.)

And, they're off!

We ran around this little lake like 49 times.

Trees and more trees...

Looking down over the First Half finish area.

Congrats, first half finishers!

Finally got out of the park and LOVED running down Haight Street, though there were only a few clusters of spectators.  It was really neat to run down it pretty much empty. This is where I switched to more of a “walking hills, running everything else” methodology.  Which means I ran most of the last 4-5 miles straight through.

Shops along Haight St.

Neighbourhoods behind Haight.

Crossing Market St.

When we got to the 15th/16th and Guererro switch, I knew I needed to go down 16th to meet my friends, so waited for them to stop diverting runners to 15th and then got to run down a totally empty 16th Street.  WHEEE!

16th Street all to myself!!

Awesome!  Sherri and AT brought me an ice cold apple juice and an ice cold water.  I had a few swigs of the AJ first (they walked with me down a few blocks, it was time for a lil’ walk break anyhow) and then followed it up with a few swigs of water.  HEAVEN!

With Sherri at mile 8/9 or so. Here, you can see the Luna Lovewhatever spectagoggles and everything.

This was where the course started getting slightly uncomfortably warm.  (As a side note-  I would have been comfortable in just my race gear, with no arm warmers, from the very start. Rare for a Golden Gate Park start!)

Then the “boring” part started.  Everyone complains about the race going through Portrero and the Dogpatch, since it’s not exactly what you think of as “San Francisco.”  I have to say, I had never run through Portero like this, so it was interesting to me, but I can see how it’s not entirely scenic.  By this point I was running 95% and just walking a drastic uphill.

At mile 9 or so, we passed my fave brunch spot, Just for You Cafe- awesome chile verde huevos and Beignets. You can't see it in this photo, but I was secretly flipping everyone off.

When we get to about mile 11, I run into a friend I’d never met from Runner’s World forums, which really picked my spirits up.

After I split off from him, I go to grab a water.  Only after I grab one does someone scream after me “THAT’S A SALT WATER!”  I look back and see several tubs of Iodized Salt on the table.  What the heck?  I have never heard of serving straight-up SALT WATER on a table!  Anyhow, I had just taken a Roctane, so I passed on that (plus, anyone who has ever done Master Cleanse with the Saline Flush would understand why I was reluctant), and I got my water from a further table and carried on.

There's the ballpark, we are nearly there! Last mile!

Just past the bridge is the finishline!

By this point, I was running pretty continuously, only pulling off the course to Twitter before the final mile because Rob has bad luck finding me on the course.

Finally, it is the last mile!  Some asshole put a 16″ step there that everyone has to hop up!  Ugh!  I had hoped to see the finish line from further out, so I was just running towards the water jets (SFFD boats on the bay at the finish line spraying water in the air.)  I started sprinting and, unfortunately, my friends got it all on film.  They haven’t posted the photos, though, so I assume it’s because they have some social graces and the photos really were just that bad.

Net-net is finish in 2:16:54. A “personal worst” for me (my first half was 2:10 or so….), but I feel great about it!

HERE IS THE GARMIN CONNECT DATA FROM THE RACE.

In line for medals, I found myself smack next to Laura “FroFro”!  It sounds like she had a great race, as well.  But, MAN, did it get hot at the end there, though, so I wasn’t much for talking.  Nor did I really need the tin foil cape they shoved into my hands after the medals.
I headed home to get my traditional post-race gardenburger with bacon and then home for a shower and to Dolores Park, where a crowd of Runner’s World folks (and a few non-runner friends) met up for a VERY sunny and fun GRUBFEST!!!!!!!!

The RWOL crew at Dolores Park

So, in a nutshell, I had a WONDERFUL weekend, and am so glad that I decided to HTFU and do the race.  It might not have been the race I’ve been looking forward to since last year, but it turned out to be way better than imagined.

What’s next for Smurf?  Well, much to my horror, I put on about 6 pounds in the past 3 weeks, so I am on lockdown until that comes off (and then some for a cruise me and Rob are going on in late Sept.) I’m doing some recovery running this week, then launching into an extended verson of Ryan Hall’s Half Marathon plan to train for the US Half on November 1.  Geez… it’s time to plan for November already?!