They called it the, “Comeback Year” and while it was a little different than prior California International Marathons, it still went off without a hitch and thousands finished, BQ’d or just had a blast. For me, it was my 12th CIM and my 18th marathon finish. It is also the ONLY road race I do and my goal this year was to finish strong, uninjured (after being sidelined by a calf tear) and to be able to walk and not feel destroyed at the end.
PRE RACE: Why fix what isn’t broken right? So like my 2019 CIM, I woke up at 4:30 am, had my bowl of Picky Bars Can’t BEET Chocolate oats, a half a cup of coffee and water. This combo has seemed to work for me the last few races so I am sticking with it.
At 5:45 TiggerT my friend and ride to the start arrived and we laughed our way over to Folsom. We hopped on the shuttle buses that took us to the start and the minute I got off the bus, I realized that I had to pee …. like right then. I sort of rushed off from the group to get in the mile long porta potty line.
I almost ditched being in line when I saw that the race was starting in a minute. I was IN the porta potty when the announcer said, “We have 40 seconds until the race starts!” Even though I knew my plan was to start with a pace group and that all the groups start in timed waves, I was a little stressed and panicked. I made it though. When the “gun” went off I was standing with my pace group … and 9 minutes later I crossed the starting line with my wave. So yea, I stressed for nothing really.
I will say, that even though this is the only pavement race I do all year long, I did train more on pavement this year than I did in 2019. I ran all of my long runs on a bike trail and kept shorter distances or speed work on dirt (for my sanity). So truly, one run a week was on some form of pavement in an effort to get my body prepared for the pounding that pavement brings and also the mental aspect. Nothing is more boring for me mentally, than running on pavement and the same loop or bike trail over and over (which is what I did each week).
My last few long key training runs where a struggle though because I’d received some awful news that a friend’s 12 year old son had passed. Dylan Flinchum is the grandson, son and nephew of a family that I grew up next door to my entire childhood. They have been like my second family to me my entire life, so when I heard that Dylan lost his battle with MLD (metachromatic leukodystrophy) after 10 long years on the morning of my first real long run … I almost bailed on it entirely. However, I know that Dylan and his family never gave up during his 10 years battling this disease so I laced up and headed out running in between tears but running with Dylan and his family in my heart every single mile. I thought of them often during the race as well.
My final last long run happened to be during Dylan’s funeral which was held virtually because he’s touched so many lives and it truly would have been a packed church back in Jersey. Another long run met with tears but I found strength in listening to his service and all who loved him.
So when race day neared, my coach and I discussed pacing. One piece of CIM that was different this year than prior years, was the lack of lots different pace groups. Typically in years past, there were pace groups every 5 minutes. This year, they were intermittent. As I said earlier, my goal was to finish strong, uninjured, not destroyed and as close to 4 hours as I could manage. My CIM PR is from 2015 with a time or 3:54. That year I ran many many road races as CIM prep.
This year, my coach and I were deciding whether to run with the 4 hour group or the 4:05 group because after that, it jumped to 4:20. We decided to start conservatively and start with the 4:05 group. I found them and started with them but quickly was finding myself very frustrated. Pace groups tend to be crowded. No one wants to lose their pacer. The pacers in this group however were not holding up the 4:05 sign (I don’t envy that job at all – running 26 miles holding a wooden sign takes a lot of endurance and strength). Not seeing the sign every once in a while though frustrated me as I couldn’t find them at times and kept losing them in the crowd. Instead, I decided to run just in front of the 4:05 group and this led to me eventually pulling ahead of them.
The entire run I just focused on my breathing and keeping it even and steady: in through my nose and out my mouth. Basically, I just ran. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone really but I saw Todd and Nicole just before crossing the starting line, I saw Diane Hanes who ran out and gave me a hug (thank you Diane!) as I ran by and I saw April in Old Fair Oaks who screamed my name SO loud the runner next to me said, “Man! That’s cool! She’s SO happy to see you!” 🙂 And I saw got a boost from Jen from Fueled by Frosting IG fame near Watt Ave. All of those faces helped propel me.
Also while running through Old Fair Oaks, I heard a volunteer/spectator yell, “Don’t worry! It’s all downhill from here! I promise!” I turned and looked and it was Deirdre … a fellow trail runner. I chuckled and yelled back, “You lie!” and all the runners around me including Deirdre laughed. When it is your 12th time on this course, you know it well.
The weather was decent. It was foggy and cool. I prefer hotter temps but overall it wasn’t bad. I never took off my long sleeve. I could have but just decided I did not want to carry it. My calves and hamstrings were tight and I think in warmer weather they might not have been but they never got to the point where I was overly worried they’d cramp.
My nutrition was going perfect. I carried Unived in my handheld and sipped on that the entire first 11 miles. I refilled it at mile 12 and continued to sip and run. I had zero stomach issues the entire race and I never once stopped to use a porta potty (rare for me in this race).
Most of the race was uneventful. I was just running, keeping my pace steady each and every mile and focusing on my breath. Around mile 21 or so another spectator yelled, “It’s all downhill hill from here!” Wherein I sort of said out loud, “Except for that one hill up ahead. ”
The runner next to me goes: “I heard you tell another person they were lying for saying it was all downhill. How many of these have you run?“
Me: “This is my 12th CIM.”
Runner: “Oh! Wow! So you do know this course! You have looked solid and steady this entire race. You look really good. So is there another hill?“
Me: “Thank you! Yes, around between 21 and 22 there is the J Street bridge. It’s the last “hill” and then from there, it really is downhill or flat to the finish.”
She thanked me and I gave her some extra advice for when she was ran down L Street. Hint: Ignore the numbered street signs, they’ll mess with your head. 🙂
At the start of the race, I had decided that miles 24 and 25 is when I’d leave the pace group and try and push ahead but at this point, I was already ahead of the 4:05 group. I did however, look down at my watch at mile 24 and noticed the time … I was close to a PR. Dang it!
I started to slowly pick up the pace a little bit. My calves, hamstrings and quads were not loving this spontaneous decision but I just kept breathing.
I just focused on the road ahead. At mile 25 I looked at my watch again and realized a PR was out of the question but sub 4 wasn’t if I pushed it. I heard my name and glanced to my right and saw Vans and Squeaker smiling and cheering me on! They made it!!!! They’d spent the morning at some basketball tournaments in Rocklin and I thought for sure they’d miss the finish.
I made the final left turn and tried so hard to sprint. My finish line photo is of me smiling I am sure as I was ear to ear with a goofy grin when I saw that my watch said 3:58. I’d done it, sub 4, I was walking (not hobbling) and I felt uninjured. Mission accomplished.
Best of all, my family, minus the Peanut (she had her own basketball tournament) were there at the finish.
Super grateful to my family for being there, to TiggerT for the ride and laughs before the start of almost all of my CIMs and to my Coach for her continued support, direction, advice and encouragement.
It is a few days later as I write this, and I am feeling good. I am mobile and walking. Stiff and tired but no lingering issues that I can tell. I am taking the necessary recovery time and just enjoying the holiday season with my family.
And yes, I’ve already signed up for CIM 2022 … it is tradition. I can’t help myself. 🙂
Happy (back to the) Trails!
~Trailmomma
Shoes: Topo Athletic Phantoms
Hydration: Unived Elite Drink Mix
Pre-Race: Picky Bars Oatmeal
Extra Fuel & training fuel: Spring Energy
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