Training Update - 7 Weeks Until Big Sur!

Hey, a training update!  We haven't done one of those in a while - it seems like a good time.  Onward!

As you may remember (or may not - you're busy - I don't judge), my last big race was the O.C. Marathon in May 2017, or as I like to call it, "that race where I ran through like 8 different malls in Orange County."  During my training for the O.C. event, I developed some issues in my left knee, and while I finished the race, I didn't have a great time - both my clock time and my time on the course were less than fully enjoyable due to a number of factors, with the knee issue being number one.

That's an "OMG, I'm finally done" face.

In the week after the race, I saw an ortho doc, who felt that the knee was okay overall, but said that it needed some rest to fully recover and be back to normal.  8 weeks later, after building up mileage again veeerrrrrryyyy slowly, I ran an easy pace at a 5K event for veterans, and I was unhappy that the knee was still troubling me at its conclusion, although not nearly as bad as it had during the marathon.  It was back to the doc, who recommended even more time off and a 12 week course of physical therapy (PT) to get everything moving properly again.  

My PT experience was fantastic - a great therapist who not only diagnosed the main issue - shortened up tendons/muscle fibers in the left quadricep pulling the kneecap up too far and out of its natural alignment - but also helped me change up my running gait/stride to keep things working smoothly once PT was over and done.  Under her supervision, I started working on the treadmill again, practicing my new stride and gradually increasing the amount I was running.  Both she and I were really happy with my progress, and after the 12 weeks, I was on my own again.

When I started PT in July or so, I knew I'd need to re-calibrate my racing expectations for the next year; I'd initially signed up for the Surf City full marathon for February 2018, where I was hoping to qualify for Boston, but this would need to be pushed back.  Thankfully, Surf City had a convenient deferral option, so for $25, I was able to put my name on the books for the February 2019 race, which should give me the time I need to get fast(ish) again.

However, I didn't want to wait more than a year to run a full marathon again; thus, in fall of 2017, I put my name into the entry lottery for the 2018 Big Sur Marathon, held along the PCH on the coast of California between Big Sur and Monterey every year in April.  To my delight, my name was pulled, so I was in!  I spoke with Coach to line up a training plan, and we started building toward true training mileage through the rest of the fall and the Christmas holidays (essentially, making sure I could run 4-5 times a week and up to 10 miles for a long run without being hurt afterwards).

At the turn of 2018, I started training in earnest, and with 7 weeks left to go until Big Sur (on April 29th this year), things are going well so far (** reaches out to knock on every piece of wood in the immediate vicinity **); my longest run has been 16 miles, and I'm doing speed work, hill training, and tempo runs all at decent paces for my first marathon comeback after my knee issues.  My goal pace is flat 9:00 miles for the race, which would put me at just under 4:00 total.  However, Big Sur is notoriously hilly - over the course of the race, you gain 2,182 feet of elevation, and you also LOSE 2,528 feet.  That's a lot over 26.2 miles.  Additionally, since you're right on the coast, the weather is always a toss-up; it could be hot and sunny, it could be cool and misty, it could have crazy headwinds, it could be pouring rain - pretty much anything goes.

So, we'll see how things go.  I've always wanted to run Big Sur, mainly to see all of this - none of these pictures are mine - this is what pulls up in the first two lines of images on Google when you search for "Big Sur Marathon:"

I mean, hideous, am I right?  Regardless of what happens time-wise or weather-wise or knee-wise (although as I type this, I've been pain-free in the knee since the conclusion of PT due to my strict regimen of stretching, strength training for hips and glutes, and yoga, as well as my weekly runs), the run will be insanely gorgeous, and it should be a blast.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Later!

Amy