Resolutions and Races for 2011

polar bear dive, 1//1/11

• run my first 100 miler (Cascade Crest, August 27 and 28)
• do the Washington Ultra Series again (6 of the 10 races)
• get a road or triathlon bike and start biking.  I'm setting my sights on a triathlon, probably in 2012
• keep track of my running mileage for the year
• do a swim-only race
• which probably means getting a wetsuit
• volunteer for more races this year
• get out to dance even more than last year
• keep it fun and playful.  "It" being everything, especially running

Here's one option I'm considering for the open water swim race: Fat Salmon 3.2 mile.  The race starts at the Day Street Boat Ramp near Madison Park, Seattle.  They also have a 1.2 mile race if I feel like I'm not ready for the longer distance.

A note on the New Year's Resolutions- These pertain mostly to running, exercise and outdoor fun, but I also have some more personal goals.  I like the idea of making resolutions as it can help focus my goals and bring them into fruition.  So personally, I would like to keep working on myself spiritually, allow more love in my life give more love, and take responsibility for my life by recognizing more often how what I think and do creates my experiences. 

That being said . . .

Races for 2011
Here's what I'm planning to run this year, specifically this spring and summer:
Jan. 15 Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass 30 miler (near Olympia, WA)
Feb. 5 Orcas Island 50K (Orcas Island, Eastsound)
Feb. 26 Snow Fun 35 mile (Winthrop, WA)
March 19 Chuckanut 50K (Fairhaven, WA)
April 3 Yakima Skyline 50K (Ellensberg, WA)
April 30 Capitol Peak 50 miler (near Olympia, WA)
May 22 Sun Mountain 50 miler (Winthrop, WA)
June 25 Cle Elum Ridge 50K (Cle Elum, WA)
July 30 White River 50 mile (Crystal Mountain, WA)
Aug 27-28 Cascade Crest 100 miler (Easton, WA)
Sept. 18 North Cascade PCT 100K (Mazama, WA)- maybe, I'll see how I'm doing after cascade crest.

I'm planning to do enough races in the Washington Ultra Series to place anyway, which is 6 of the 10 races.  After September I will decide what I want to do in the fall/winter (Oct, Nov, Dec), but I'm leaving it open for now.

Break down:
six+ 50Ks (one of which is 30 miles, one 35)
three 50 milers
possibly one 100K
one 100 miler

Sounds a little ambitious, but it is mostly just one race a month.  Since late September I have been doing almost a 50K fun run (or race) a week, with a double 50K one week (saturday and sunday consecutively).  So I think I can handle it.  I plan to handle it and have a lot of fun!

2010: looking back
I finished every race I entered, and completed every race in the Washington Ulra Series to earn first place woman in the series (scored best 4 races).
Last year I did these races:
Feb: Orcas Island 50K
March: Chuckanut 50K
April: Capitol Peak 50 mile
May: Rhody Run 12K
June: Lake Youngs 29 miler
June: Sun Mountain 25K
July: Grey Rock 50K
July: White River 50 mile
September: Cle Elum Ridge 50K
October: Triple Ripple Trail Festival (4 mile, 10K uphill, 30K)
December: Pigtails 50K

Break down:
six 50K
two 50 milers
one 25K, 12K, 4 mile, 10K, 30K

Cross training of 2010

• regular swimming from 1 to 4 times a week all year long, with some time off in August and September
• semi-regular yoga classes
• Trampoline when the weather is good, a lot more in summer and fall
• calisthenics / yoga at home

Injuries of 2010
I made it until Capitol Peak 50 miler (end of April) before I got any injuries.  During that particular race a tendon in the back of my right knee became really inflamed and swollen 22 miles into the race, but I finished by taking ibuprofen and running through it (I don't recommend taking ibuprofen btw).  I took time off from running until the Rhody Run in mid-May.  My knee hurt in that race as well, and I began to ice it regularly.

Knee was better by Lake Youngs in mid-June, but by then I injured my left hip dancing and felt a lot of pain in that race.  Also had pain in hip for Sun Mountain 25k the week after Lake Youngs.

Everything was all better by Grey Rock 50K in mid-July, just some little twinges in the hip.  This was very good because a few weeks later I had White River 50 miler.

At White River I got the most intense foot pain: sharp, stabbing, yell-inducing!  It started about 26-27 miles into the race.  It was really flaring up all the way to Sun Top (mile 37), and I had to walk a lot.  At Sun Top, the race transitioned from single track trail to downhill gravel road and the pain was a little more manageable.  It was the uneven trail that really flared it up.  I finished the race at least an hour slower than I expected, but was happy to finish at all!

Lastly, I began to get IT Band Syndrome at White River and it continued through October.  It was never bad enough to really slow me down, but I worked on stretching and massage to get it better.  Well, that and just plain ignoring it, which is usually what I do with the come-and-go pain.


What are your goals?

Happy New Year!

polar bear dive on Whidbey for New Years day

snow run

celebrating New Years Eve with friends