Flashback Friday & Racing Updates

On my race calendar you may have noticed that I have almost as many races in California as I do in Utah.  Northern Cali is one of my most favorite places to run.  I grew up there, spent my formative years there and luckily married someone from there that still has family in the area.  So great!  Whenever we head out there to visit I usually try to sneak a race in. 

3 years ago I did the Muir Woods Marathon.  It begins on Stinson Beach in the sand and you proceed to head up a mountain for the first 3 miles.  It is an uphill climb for more than half the race but the first 3 miles took me about 45 minutes.  We're talking so steep that they have fire ladder steps up the mountainside to climb, not run up!  It is a trail race, put on by Envirosports.  Running through redwood and oak forests, jumping across little streams, climbing over and under fallen trees, switchbacks the whole way up. Once you get to the top, it is amazing!  Gorgeous view of the Pacific! Once you're running on top, it's all single track bike trails. There were definitely a few spots where I slowed down to prevent falling down the mountain. It was amazing.  The last few miles of the race were pretty steep with switchback downhills. I felt like one of those X Games athletes pounding through dirt and mud.  Loved it! Ipods/music devices are strictly prohibited but there is seriously no need with waterfalls and streams around every corner.  This is another one of those races where the aid stations had big bowls of gummies, trail mix, M&M's as well as water and gatorade. They do advise however to wear a water belt for the race.  They also advise that any ideas of achieving a PR or sticking to a specific pace will be crushed.  Of course run your best, but most importantly enjoy the experience, the views, and the course!  Definitely going to run that race again - maybe even fit it in my 12 in 12! 

Race reports...  I've known when it comes to running that I seem to have an addictive personality.  Once I'm in training mode it consumes a lot of my thoughts, as I'm sure it does most runners.  But since I've decided to do these 12 in 12, I'm finding that I'm getting addicted to doing races!  They're so fun!  I'm coming across and being introduced to lots of fun ones that aren't necessarily marathons. I want to do them all and I'm trying to fit them in here and there, hoping that they don't affect my monthly marathons...Do you think that's wise? 

There is a race this weekend that I've know about for several weeks and have been begging my friend to do it with me. It's called Hurt in the Dirt.  It's a run/bike duathlon up Ogden Canyon. My favorite thing to do... trail running!  It's a 4 miles run, 10 mile bike, 4 mile run, 10 mile bike.  I'm doing the running and my friend is doing the biking.  Sounds perfect!  8 miles total for me - that will be a perfect Saturday run for recovery week, right?  : )

**The pictures in this post were taken from Envirosports.com.  Didn't bring my camera to that race, dangit.