2021 CIM (CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON)

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.

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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.

2021 start

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.

Me not being stressed. 🙂

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.

Mile 25-26 – Photo: Vans

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.

Squeaker racing to the street to try and catch me. Photo: Vans

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.

Squeaker always gets my medal

Best of all, my family, minus the Peanut (she had her own basketball tournament) were there at the finish.

Vans and Squeaker – her 10th CIM finish photo (she’s only 10) and Van’s 12th CIM finish photo (minus any relays we’ve done).

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. 🙂

Pretty steady pacing – but that finish sprint … ouch! 🙂

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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2019 CIM (California International Marathon – Race Report)

Normally I get my race reports up pretty quickly after a race when all the memories are fresh in my brain but this year, the California International Marathon just kind of came and went without too much hoopla.

For the first time in about 3 or 4 years, I ran CIM solo and I went to the race expo solo. Having just run Pine to Palm 100 a little over two months ago, I really had no “plans” for CIM other than to just enjoy the day, finish it and complete CIM #11.

This year, due to some construction downtown, the CIM race expo was held at the old Arco Arena. Not super convenient to get to but definitely much easier to park the car. I made quick use of the expo. I got my bib, a small massage on my calves and then visited Michael at the Sufferfest booth. Vans and I have run into Michael 4 or 5 times over the course of the year at various races or events. He was making hats for runners this year at the expo and assured me that Sufferfest would be at the finish line!

The Saturday before the marathon was a bit of a crazy day. I woke up early, attended the Western States Lottery (didn’t get called) and missed my daughter and team’s soccer game because it was at the same time as the lottery. The minute the last lottery card was pulled I jetted from Auburn to my other daughter’s three game basketball tournament in Rocklin. I spent the remainder of the day/evening there.

When race morning arrived, I felt rested but didn’t have that excitement that I normally have probably because I wasn’t sure what the day would bring since I was running alone.

My pre race breakfast was a half a cup of coffee and Picky Bars Can’t Beet Chocolate Oatmeal. This stuff is awesome and packed with calories for long distance running. Sounds crazy … beets and chocolate but it is SO good.

Like always, Tigger T came to pick me up and brought me to the race start. I love the laughs we have and the memories of past races we share when we do this. I’ve ran with Tigger T a few years ago during the coldest CIM in (my) history. We still laugh at the crazy fun we had that race. I also met her friend Tiffany who was doing her FIRST full CIM. I love meeting people who are running their first marathon. Their excitement is contagious and that is just what I needed.

Race Start

The whole weekend had been dumping rain and most of the runners for CIM were anticipating a full 26.2 miles in the rain. Instead, the marathon gods shone down and we only had a few sprinkles at the start and then beautiful weather the rest of the race!

After saying goodbye and good luck to Tigger T and Tiffany, I made my way to the race corral. Here I had to pick a predicted finish time so I could place myself on the appropriate side of the corral.

As I was standing there listening to the conversations around me, I recognized a voice. I turned to my right and realized I was standing next to Tim Twietmeyer, the 3:40 pace group leader. Something flickered in my head … “Could I? … Could I hold a 3:40 pace with zero training…on pavement? … 3:40 would be a BQ I think … Could I?” I quickly shut those thoughts down, “Be smart. That wasn’t the goal. You don’t want to end up injured. Just run for fun.” The internal struggle was real. 🙂

Finally the race started and all the runners shuffled their way to the timing mats. Once I crossed the mat, I just tried to get a comfortable pace and avoid being stepped on by everyone jostling for position.

The first mile I clocked just below an 8:30 pace. I thought to myself, “That didn’t seem too fast. I feel okay. Comfortable. I’ll just sit at this pace for a while.” The miles seem to click by one by one and I just kept running. Every so often I would glance at my splits and somehow, I kept them consistently just under an 8:30 pace, “Wow. I wonder if I could hold 8:30 the entire race? If I could, that would get a me a decent PR!” This is what happens when I run alone. It is like I have an angel on one shoulder saying one thing and the devil on the other saying the complete opposite. Right about now, the angel must have been tying her shoe laces because I kept that 8:30 pace for the first 15 miles!

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Then, at mile 15 my shoe came untied, then I ran out of water and had to fill up and I took some fuel. That wast my first 9+ minute mile of the race … “That’s okay. See if you can bring it back to 8:30 … but man, I am starting to feel tired …. is that my hamstring that’s aching … glutes, think about your glutes. Sandi would say focus on your glutes!

I got pretty close to bringing it back down to a sub 9 minute mile but I never got close to 8:30 again. The wheels as they say, were starting to come unhinged.

Mile 20 is usually where I see Vans and my kids but not this year. This year I was missing yet another soccer game because of CIM and they wouldn’t make it in time to see me cross mile 20. Mentally, that was a little tough because I love seeing them there. Actually, I only saw one or two familiar faces out there this year but I do think the crowds of cheering spectators, especially through those Carmichael miles was way bigger than in years past. Way to go spectators!

The climb up the J street bridge is tough but this year, the music was pumping and the cheering was SO loud it almost brought tears to my eyes. It gave me a little boost that quickly faded as my right ankle started to ache.

An old injury that I had surgery on in 2013, started to make itself known so in an effort to keep myself in check, I slowed my pace down considerably. There went my PR but I’d rather finish without an injury. Still, my ankle was screaming as I made my way down J Street.

When I made the turn onto Alhambra and knew that I had less than 2 miles to go. I tried to pick up the pace once again. I knew I was close to the 4 hour mark and the competitive (aka the devil) side of me would have loved another sub 4 finish but the realistic side (aka my angel) was reminding me that I had just run a 100 miler two months ago AND I had not even trained for this so don’t be greedy and stupid. The angel won but only because I couldn’t get my legs to move any faster.

I crossed the finish line and just smiled. I was happy to be done and the first thought in my head was, “Dang! That was tougher than my 100 miler!” 🙂 Road races are no joke and they can be extremely hard both physically and mentally. The pavement is not forgiving but CIM is tradition and I was so happy that I completed my 11th CIM (17th marathon total). While I much prefer running CIM with someone (ideally someone running their first marathon), I was pleased at what I was able to sustain out there even if it wasn’t my intended plan. It led me to … “What if? What if I actually trained for this? What if focused on a BQ?” I love the trails too much though I think to leave them. Who knows, maybe some day.

Once I got my medal and my CIM finisher’s water bottle (woot woot Sacramento Running Association for the NO single use plastics at the finish – I love it!), I made my way to the beer tent. Every runner is allowed a free finisher’s beer (Sierra Nevada) but this year, for the first time in 11 CIM’s .. I was able to partake in that finisher’s beer because they also had Sufferfest!

It was a good thing too because Vans and the kids took a while to get to the finish to pick me up so I just hung out in the beer garden chatting with other runners and trying to stretch out my incredibly tight and very tired legs.

My two girls showed up to bring me home!
My biggest CIM fan (psst, nice hat).

I love the California International Marathon. It’s just a great race with the best volunteers and spectators but it isn’t as easy as many might think. Happy to have #11 under my belt and I am already looking forward to next year. Anyone want to run their first CIM with me? 🙂

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CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON RACE REPORT

This is the worst parade ever!” – That was by FAR my favorite sign on the course. 🙂

On Sunday I ran the 2016 California International Marathon (CIM). It was my 14th marathon to date, my 8th (full) CIM and the 10th year I have been part of the festivities.

Clearly there is something about this race that keeps me coming back year after year. Last year I “raced it” meaning I set out to try and get a specific time. Boy did THAT hurt (I PR’d but didn’t reach my race goal).

This year, I just set my sights on pacing my boss to the finish-line of his first ever marathon.

Boss at the race expo.
Boss at the race expo.

Last year when I came into work after having run CIM, my boss said, “I want to run CIM next year. I want to run a marathon before I turn 50. Do you think I could do it?” I told him he could absolutely do it so long as he trained.

So, he trained. Every so often, Boss, SS (another running coworker) and I would run mid-week on our lunch hour. SS and I would give him some pointers or tips. Tell him stories of our first marathon etc. Boss would listen, take our advice and continue training.

Boss, Me and another coworker
Boss, Me and SS

Finally race morning arrived and I could feel his excitement. Sometimes you forget your first marathon and just how excited, nervous, anxious, freaked-out you are.

Right before the gun went off.
Right before the gun went off.

We made our way to the start line. I vowed to stick with him the whole race as I had no goals or objectives. I was out there to see him finish.

SS left us to go find a spot higher up in a faster group. We situated ourselves with the 4:00 hour pace group. I knew deep down Boss would love a four hour (even a sub four hour) finish time. I was okay with that, albeit a bit nervous having not run much on pavement these last few months.

The gun went off and we took off at a respectable pace. We stayed right where we were supposed to be for a 4 hour finish. Then, we started speeding up.

Miles 3 through 8 were faster than I thought we should be doing but Boss kept saying he felt good. We were slightly ahead of the 4 hour pace group.

Miles 9 and 10 we were right back down where we should have been.

Mile 11 included a pit-stop at the porta-potties. We didn’t take too long but it was long enough to have the 4:00 hour and 4:08 hour pace groups pass.

I could sense a little disappointment from Boss. He even asked if I was going to try and “catch” them. I told him if he wanted to we could try or we could just run and see what happens. The latter is exactly what we did.

Miles 12 through 14 we were back to our usual pace.

Around mile 14.5 I asked him if he took that gel he grabbed a while back and he said that he had taken 2/3rds of it. Uh-oh. I could feel his energy depleting. He had stopped talking and joking with me too.

I handed him some jelly beans. At first he refused but then he ate them. He seemed to gain some energy after that, enough to be more talkative.

Miles 15 – 18 he slowed significantly. He would no longer run along side of me, he’d run behind me. We would often walk a bit. I gave him a gluten free peanut butter and jelly bar to have as well, hoping that he wasn’t too far in the hole to bounce back.

Prior to this he had been urging me to go on without him but I refused. To appease him, I told him that I’d get him to mile 20 and then we’d reassess and if he still wanted me to leave him, I would.

Mile 18.6 he pulled to the side and told me to go. He said he really wanted me to go on without him. He promised he wouldn’t quit. I handed him all the fuel I had left on me and I made him swear that he would eat all of it.

I left him. I felt badly doing so but sometimes I can understand wanting to be alone, in your own misery to get yourself out of it.
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I surged on. I knew my family was at mile 20.

So happy to see my girls!
So happy to see my girls!

My pace quickened, Mile 20 was 8:19 (super excited to see my family!). I hugged my girls and Vans and kept moving.

You've gotta laugh and smile. Then you don't feel the pain.
You’ve gotta laugh and smile so you don’t feel the pain.

Mile 21- 8:45/mi

Mile 22 – 8:51/mi

Mile 23 – 8:41/mi

Mile 24 – 9:00/mi (the sharp turns from J Street to Alhambra then again to L Street)

Mile 25 – 8:56/mi

Mile 26 – 8:53/mi

I was doing my best to push and try to catch the 4 hour group but my body was not having it. It would give me a few good strides and then would feel as if I was running in quicksand. I had no fuel left and I ran out of water between miles 24 and 25 but refused to stop.

I was super happy to see the finish. I crossed the finish line in 4 hours and 6 minutes. I just could never quite catch that 4 hour pace group. 🙂

My favorite cheerleaders!
My favorite cheerleaders!

Once I finished I found my family and went in search of SS. We then heard from Boss that he was at mile 25 and walking in. Finally we saw him!

Running Boss into the finish!
Running Boss into the finish!

He seemed happy to see us because he started running so we joined him.

SS trying to take a running selfie.
SS trying to take a running selfie.

We made the sharp left turn towards the finish shoots and SS and I peeled off screaming Boss’s name the whole way! He had done it! He finished! His time was 4 hours and 50 minutes.

I am super proud of him. He followed through in his goal. He said he has a whole new appreciation for running and the distance. He doesn’t think he’ll sign up for another anytime soon but he’s super excited to have completed his very first marathon!

Three marathoners!
Three marathoners!

And I feel honored to have been there to witness it. Like I have been telling my coworkers all day, he put in all the work, I just tried to keep his mind off all the pain. 🙂

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

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CIM 2015 RACE REPORT

This past Sunday I ran my 7th California International Marathon and my 11th marathon to date.

Last year when I ran this race (you can read that race report here), I decided that upon crossing the finish line that I wanted another shot at actually “running” this race and not just finishing (even though I ran the past few CIMs with TiggerT and had SO much fun while doing it). I had decided, that even though I am on the fence about ever running in Boston, I’d like to at least have the ability to say, “Why yes, I qualified!”

So when my trail season ended, I began running roads and started “lightly” following an old training plan that I had from years ago. I ran long on weekends all solo. I did speed work on Tuesday nights a few times a month with my old crew, the Buffalo Chips (man I missed that group and their workouts). I still ran with my morning crew but mostly on Thursdays.

In the beginning, I was hitting my pace marks and felt strong and then, things started to fizzle. Either I lost motivation to run or was dealing with a few issues that my aging body did not thoroughly embrace.

Either way, for the last two months, my running has slacked. I ran Clarksburg but even then I knew, that the outlook wasn’t as positive as it had been earlier in my training. For various reasons that I won’t list here, I found myself waking up between 3 and 4 times a night.

Bottom line, I wasn’t recovering and I wasn’t hitting my marks. Still, I had faith and was determined to give it my best shot.

Come race morning, Stonegate and Burning Girl arrived at my house at 5:30 ready to whisk me away to the start. Their jokes and laughter made me smile, I was ready.

I had some pre-race laughs at the starting line with the McBride crew who always make me laugh, no matter what. They are, to put it simply, real good people.

Soon it was time to find my pace group.  I needed to run the marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes to qualify for Boston. My CIM personal best was 3 hours and 56 minutes ran in 2008 when the Peanut was 8 months old and I was about 15 pounds lighter and still full of prego hormones. That would have been a major hail mary of a PR to pull off. Yet, I am a way different runner now than I was in 2008.

I decided to run with the 3:40 pace group. When the race started it was a crowded madhouse. I haven’t run in such a tight knit elbow to elbow race in a very long time. It was a little unnerving and I got slightly pushed away from the pace group.

I didn’t panic as I knew it would eventually clear out. My pace group started off pretty darn quick though. Our first few miles were jockeying between our needed pace and a little bit faster –  8:16, 8;24, 8:10, 8:23, 8:11 went the first few miles. Our pace should have been 8:23 but I understand how it works and was hanging in there just fine.

Every so often it would dump massive buckets of rain on us and then stop. I completely over dressed for this race. I should have gone with my instinct but I didn’t.

Mile 7.5 we were passing an aid-station area with lots of spectators and they started blaring Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer and I just started smiling and rocking out. It was a sign for this Jersey girl and I let the music carry me.

Fast forward to mile 13, when my quads started cramping and I decided to let the pace group go. I always, ALWAYS carry a salt tab with me and I didn’t have a single one.

I hung in there running just behind the 3:40 group, closer to the 3:45 group until about mile 17 when I decided my quads were going to either seize or fall off. From that moment on, I let myself walk through the aid-stations. Just that small adjustment alone brought some life back into my legs.

I was still smiling mind you. I had decided not to beat myself up about it and to just keep running. What will be will be. I knew if I could get to mile 20, that I’d see Vans and my girls which would help a lot and if I could get to about mile 22 (I think) I would see my Oiselle Volee team and get another boost.

Hi girls!!!
Hi girls!!!

I pretty much walked here and gave them high-fives. It was Vans who said, “Ok, keep moving, get moving.” Thanks honey. 🙂

I saw and heard my Oiselle team cheering for me as I ran by in my singlet. That helped, a lot.
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Running through downtown I tried my hardest not to look at the numbered street signs. I know how defeating that can be to not see them get smaller faster.

There were a few really SLOW moments in there between 23 and 26 where I just wanted to lay down and sleep. My quads were SCREAMING at me to stop. I just kept telling myself, “You can’t walk here. You can’t stop here! You have less than 2 miles to go!”

At one point, I said, forget this and starting pushing myself, hard … or at least it felt hard .. and then a wave of nausea hit me. I looked around and both sides of the street were lined 4 deep with people cheering us on. I thought, “Oh god, if I hurl here that would be really really bad!” 🙂

So, I slowed ever so slightly, enough to push the nausea away.

I crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 54 minutes. 2 minutes faster than my last “real” marathon and a sub 9 minute marathon. I know I have it in me to  run faster, I know it … I just need the motivation or the determination or perhaps maybe a coach to actually keep me more honest and more on track.

Stats
Stats

Overall, I am pleased with those stats. My quads had nothing left. I was a sweaty mess at the end because I dressed too warm and I haven’t quite figured out how to fuel in a road race yet compared to ultras where you have the time and the convenience of fully stocked aid-stations.

Depending on our plans in 2016, the chances of me running CIM 2016 are pretty darn high. I love this race. It is right in my back yard and I know it inside and out and yet the outcome is never quite the same. Road racing keeps you honest. It pushes you beyond limits you didn’t think were possible.

As much as I love and adore trails, the competitive part of me loves to challenge myself and try and exceed past attempts at things.

My whole family was there at the finish. My heart was full. My girls and Vans were in good spirits and the weather was great.

Post Race Family photo for once
Post Race Family photo for once

I was happy. No matter what my time was, I was happy. And that is all that matters.

Happy Trails!

~Trailmomma

 

 

 

 

 

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CIM 2014 RACE REPORT

This past Sunday I ran my 6th CIM (California International Marathon) and my 8th marathon total. I didn’t blog much about CIM mainly because I had that OTHER big race I was thinking about and preparing for. Yet, CIM is one of those races that is near and dear to my heart.

It was my first ever marathon. It was the first marathon that I ever truly bonked and completely injured myself during the course of running it. When I was pregnant with the Peanut and couldn’t run the marathon, I ran the relay. It was also my first major run after my ankle surgery last year. It holds my marathon PR to this day and I just love that it is in my own back yard. Since my first year in 2004, I have only missed running it a handful of times.

With that said, last year somewhere between miles 40 and 50 on the American River 50 course, TiggerT said to me, “You need to run CIM with me again this year if I am pacing you during an ultra!” That seemed fair right? She paced me 10 miles and I was to pace her 26.2, ya, math is truly not my strongest asset.

Still, I adore TiggerT and I ran with her last year during CIM just 3 months after my surgery. Not the smartest move at the time, but it worked out for both of us. I got to see how I would hold up running that far and she had someone by her side.

Fast forward to just a few months ago when TiggerT tells me she hasn’t been running very much. She has this bum hip that has been screaming at her for quite a while and it seemed the closer that CIM came, the more it barked. She had not run longer than 8 miles in the months leading up to the race.

Lucky (or unlucky?) for her, she has quite a few friends that said, “Nah! You can do it! Heck, we’ll do it with you and we haven’t trained either!” Ya have to love runners.

I told her I was keeping my promise. I would be by her side helping her get to that finish line and LAUGHING most of the way too. She tried to push me away and tell me that I could go run it with all my heart and see what I could do time-wise. Besides the fact that I had no intention of dropping her, I have not run on pavement in over a YEAR. My tender little tootsies have been running on dirt trails for the better part of a year. Switching to pavement is a whole separate beast. Sure miles are miles to some, but for me (and my back and my feet and my knees) there is a significant difference between the two.

When CIM expo week arrived I started to get excited. CIM traverses through Folsom, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Carmichael and Sacramento. It was founded in 1983 and was celebrating its 31st race this year. I was excited!

I missed the expo last year but made a point to go and get my bib this year and for fun, I brought Vans along with me. He loves a good expo (aka free snacks and goodies). We saw TiggerT while we were there and I saw quite a few ultra-buddies too. It is such an electric environment! I love it.

With my bib in hand, I felt ready. I knew I could cover the distance, I just wanted TiggerT to be able to do it too and I could see and sense the fear in her every time we’d talk. That uncertainty can really play with your head. Yet, she’s strong and she said that NOT starting, was NOT an option (yet she had no qualms about bowing out mid-race).

Sunday morning couldn’t come quick enough. The weather was predicted to be absolutely gorgeous albeit even a little warm for this time of year. Last year’s CIM was a massive ice festival with a max of like 30 degrees for the day! That’s cold for around here.

5:40 right on the button, TiggerT arrived in my driveway ready to take me to the start. She has run this race so many times (way more than I) that she has the starting ritual down to a science. We get dropped off at a gas station, we use their inside (warm) bathroom and then we hop on a bus that takes us to the start and drops us off in the thick of things. This year, the bus took a different route which did cause a mild case of “What the?!” from TiggerT and myself. Glad to see that we were both paying attention!

Another quick jump into the super long porta-potty lines and then TiggerT dropped her bag of warm clothes off in the truck. This year I didn’t bring anything. I wore a long sleeve t-shirt that I was willing to toss and it was warm enough for shorts (or a running skirt). I didn’t need gloves or anything like years past, it was great! I had one water bottle with me and I threw some fuel in the pocket of my skirt. Inside the bottle pouch I had some salt tabs. Something just nagged at me that morning to grab a couple salt tabs just in case it got too warm too fast.

We found TiggerT’s crew and we made our way up towards the start line. It was just a sea of runners. The excitement was overflowing. We listened to the most beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and then they started the wheelchair division first.

When they blew the horn we made our way shuffling with thousands of others past the starting arches. We were on our way. TiggerT started off at such a good pace I wasn’t sure what to do. She seemed okay. Maybe she was trying to warm up? I just went with it. She ran ahead of her friends and we soon lost them in the crowd behind us.

We had goals in mind. We knew that TiggerT’s wife would be a mile 5.5 and we knew quite a few of the people running that aid-station as well. Our goal, was get to mile 5.5! TiggerT seemed okay. Me, on the other hand, was starting to think about a pit stop. When we reached the 5.5 aid-station I told TiggerT that I needed to jump into the port-potty line. She joined me. I hate having to stop during a race like this. On the trails, I don’t seem to mind, in a road race, I get annoyed but it is what it is. In line I got to talk to Stonegate who was helping at the aid-station. She laughed when she saw me in line for the bathroom, “Shocker!” she said. It was here that I shed the long sleeve shirt I had in my hands.

With business out of the way we were off again. Prior to our stop we were running right next to the 4:35 pace group which was a bit surprising to me. Yet, TiggerT seemed okay at that pace. Of course when you stop you tend to stiffen up a bit. When we started on our way again, I noticed that TiggerT was a bit slower than before. Maybe she had noticed our pace finally! 🙂

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At some point she reconnected with her friends but it was pretty brief. We lost them again as our pace just naturally seemed to be a bit faster. Our next goal was mile 8 ish where we’d see Pigeon, Missouri and the rest of the Fleet Feet crew.

We talked as we ran. We passed a man holding onto a leash. Of course I just thought it was a dog but then TiggerT turned to me and said, “That was a goat!!” I looked at her and I looked back but I couldn’t see anything, “Are you hallucinating?” I asked her. “No! I swear that was a goat!” We had a good laugh about that one for a few miles which was a nice distraction.

One of my favorite things during a marathon is to read the signs people hold up. Yes, I DO read them so all you spectators out there, KEEP THEM COMING! I love it. One of my mental goals during the marathon is to try and remember the funniest signs that I have seen along the way.

This year, my favorite sign appeared very early in the race yet this woman was a superhero and somehow magically positioned herself all.over.the.course! She was EVERYWHERE! I wish I had a photo of her sign, it wasn’t artistic at all, but the message had me cracking up every time I saw it. The sign read: Chuck Norris has never run a marathon! How funny is that!? There were countless others that made me smile like, Smile if you are not wearing underwear! and Run Now. Wine Later. I love it and appreciate it.

We were trucking along still moving when all of a sudden I see a boy holding a goat. I look at TiggerT, “That’s a goat!” I turn to the kid and said, “Hey man, nice goat.” He smiled and the woman next to him said “Goat-get em!” Which caused the cheesy side of TiggerT and I to crack up with laughter.

When we ran through Old Fair Oaks I saw chickens! I said, “Look chickens!” but TiggerT assured me they were behind the fence (thank goodness).

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Somewhere past the half-way point I think, I started to feel the pavement in my feet and the tingling in my calves. They felt like they were on the verge of cramping. I took a salt tab hoping that would help.

The middle miles of this race are usually quite boring. They go through a section of the course that is more business than residential and usually that means a lot fewer spectators out there. Not this year! I have to say I didn’t have the middle mile dread! There were bands and people cheering and it was exciting! Such a difference and I hope it is one that sticks!

At some point in the race, we got to the point where TiggerT needed to walk every so often. At one point, she stopped to use the porta-potty and while she did I tried my hardest to stretch my calves out (they were still screaming at me).

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I also ran into an ultra-friend who was running alongside a man dressed as Flash. Head to toe Flash complete with spray painted shoes, water bottle and fanny pack. It was awesome. Everyone would cheer him on as he passed. We ran with them for a bit while I was chatting with my friend who was running the marathon only to head into surgery on Wednesday. Amazing.

Flash!
Flash!

Closer and closer to the finish we ran. I was amazed at how quickly the miles were just flying by. It helps when you are running to SEE something, whether it is a friend or an aid-station where you know friends might be, having something there, really makes those miles fly by.
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Oddly enough, running against the sea of runners was this guy in a speedo. It was pretty funny and he was quite boisterous cheering us on. He had sneakers and a speedo. The cop at the intersection cracked me up because he had this smirk on his face as if he was trying to decide if he should laugh at this guy or arrest him.

Down Fair Oaks Blvd., we ran and when we looked to our left we saw a man, holding two llamas. Yup. Llamas. TiggerT and I just looked at each other to make sure we were both seeing this. We were like, “Look! Llamas!” and the runner behind us said, “Oh thank god you see them too.”

We were quickly approaching Loehmans Plaza. This is roughly just past mile 20 in the race also my old neighborhood. Vans and the girls are generally here cheering us on (as well as hundreds of others). We jogged through the intersection and I couldn’t find Vans. I saw a line of cars and I thought to myself that they must have changed the way they routed traffic and he couldn’t get in (or was running late, or both). It was harder for him to gauge my time this year since we were unsure as to how TiggerT would feel during the race.

We did find TiggerT’s wife and we stopped to say hello. I think TiggerT even sat down for a minute! This would be the last we’d see of her as she was heading home and I was praying Vans would make it to the finish to pick us up.

Miles 20 to 26.2 are always interesting. They are heavily populated with spectators so it isn’t boring but it can be quite deceiving. It is here that you enter the number streets that lead you to the state Capitol. So if you are focusing on the numbers, you are mentally counting down in your head as you run however, the closer you get to downtown, the longer the blocks become so it really starts to mess with your head. I don’t think I looked at one street sign the entire time. I have learned my lesson.

It was on this section that TiggerT ran into quite a few friends and I finally met Jody who commented on my last blog post having run Mt. Tam too. Such a small world! The music on this section is always good too. They have DJs every few blocks. My only complaint is the instrumental band in front of the convention center… I get it, it is artistic but it is NOT motivating to listen to classical music at mile 25 of a marathon.

We were getting closer and closer. I could smell it. I kept wanting to pick up the pace but I was trying to be conscious of TigerT. I am a finish line girl. I know you are supposed to leave it all on the course when you race, but for some reason, I always find a reserve when I get near the finish line. It is in my nature to try and run fast the last mile no matter what.

I kept myself in check and instead focused on seeing my favorite guy at mile 25. Every single year I have run this race, there is this guy dressed like Jesus (wearing a robe and a wig and of course bright blue running shoes) standing ON the course holding a sign that says: THE END IS NEAR! I know he is there but it still to this day, makes me crack up. I love it!

We rounded the corner heading toward the finish line. I saw the number on the clock. It was my slowest marathon to date but I had smiled the whole day so I didn’t care. My goal was to get TiggerT to finish and I did. We crossed in under 5 hours and best of all, she felt (and feels) great! I was worried that this would push her hip over the edge pausing her running career for too long but she tells me days later, that she truly feels great. That makes me so happy.

TiggerT and I
TiggerT and I

I feel great as well. My calves were really starting to burn around mile 21. I recall taking another salt and I took an Aleve. I don’t like to take meds during a race but I was seriously on the verge or cramping up something terrible and I figured, why not, we’ll see what happens. As it turns out, the calf pain went away! Days later I feel great, no pain. I do need to foam roll my calves and quads still (I know I know).

As it turns out, a lot of people suffered from cramping on Sunday. We saw people lining the sides of the course trying to stretch their calves or hamstrings. I think the warm temperature really threw everyone for a loop. Vans and the girls made it to the finish area too which was really nice.

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Overall, it was a good race. I look forward to a little recovery this week (not much) and then back at it for another trail race in late February and possibly another in April. After that, I may be taking a break from doing any races. There is a summer one on my radar if things work out but if not, no biggie.

Next year however, I want to train and run CIM for time. I think I finally have that PR bug again.

My CIM History to date:

CIM 2004 : First Marathon!

CIM 2005 : First major bonk & race injury

CIM 2006 : Ran the Relay (still injured from previous CIM)

CIM 2007 : Relay Team (ran two legs pregnant with Peanut)

CIM 2008 : PR race, Peanut was 8 months old

CIM 2009 : Missed a new PR by 3 seconds

CIM 2010 : Pregnant with Squeaker so I volunteered

CIM 2011 : DNS (Bronchitis & Squeaker was 6 months)

CIM 2012 : Brother’s Wedding

CIM 2013 : Ran with TiggerT, 3 months post ankle surgery

CIM 2014 : Ran with TiggerT

CIM 2015 : Yes, I already signed up and I may try and actually try to BQ (eeeek)

 

Happy Trails

~Trailmomma

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