Kaiser half marathon February 1, 2009

Here’s how I did:

• Chip time: 2:17:47
• Gun time: 2:22:52
• Diff: 05:04
• Pace: 10:31/M
• Rank: 4143 out of 817
• Age group rank: 307 out of 500

Going the Distance September 19, 2007

I sometimes joke (though not often out loud) that as an English major and film minor, I find symbolism everywhere. So it’s no surprise that I find endless metaphors for running in my life.

At festivals, when you really can’t get a moment’s peace (ear plugs and an eye mask when you go to bed are the closest things to solitude), running helps me literally put distance between myself and the festival and get some space. I’ve written before about how tackling hills is an endless series of challenge and accomplishment — and how hills that seem insurmountable at first get easier the more often I face them. I mean, how can you miss that? It’s so obvious, it feels like I wrote it in high school.

But the other thing that strikes me about the way I run is that I’m a distance runner. I always have been. I’m terrible at the fast sprints where you go all out and then — over. I need time to settle in, and once I do, you can drop me in Golden Gate Park, and I’ll happily run for 6, 7, 8 miles and feel like I can keep going.

I always feel that’s a metaphor for how I deal with a lot of things in my life. I stay in for the long haul, whether I should or not. But I am proud that I can and do go the distance. I’m proud of myself that I’m capable of that, like I’m proud that my body can run 6 or 8 miles and not crumble after. And it makes me happy. At mile 2 today, with the Nike Club Run, I just got into that zone. I was smiling. I just wanted to keep running forever.

Tiffany wasn’t feeling quite so exuberant. I noticed after we turned around at Aquatic Park that she wasn’t talking as much (If you know Tiffany, you know that this is a sign of something. Could be fine, could be bad, but it’s not the norm). So I picked up the slack. For the first time in my life, I did a six-mile run and talked almost the whole time (If you know me, you know that this, too, is not the norm).

That’s when I realized that even though I’m hopelessly undertraining, I can totally do this half-marathon. Not fast. But not slowly either. And definitely all 13.1 miles. Because once I get going, I can just keep on happily going — or grumpily going, depending on my mood. But I’m going to do this. And it’ll be hard and good and awesome. Like a lot of things in life.

Oh, and Tiffany and I still ran 11-minute miles — with a million red lights and tourists by Fisherman’s Wharf. What?!?!

Eight Mile High September 9, 2007

There are two things I’m thankful for today.

1. I’m in better shape than Britney Spears.
2. I can run 8 miles.

I mean, I know Britney’s a train wreck, but really? I have a more toned tummy than her? How did that happen?

I finally figured out where the Nike Marathon training schedule was on the site (how did I miss it before?), and realized that I’m totally undertraining. I freaked out for a moment, but the good thing about actually running again is that I’m realizing why I do this.

So why am I doing it? Running is a constant series of successes. Every time I make it to the top of a hill, every stride or pickup I add, every time I up my mileage or cut minutes off my time, it’s an accomplishment. I did that Noe hill twice today. I rock!

Oh, and the other thing I realized? I accidentally bought the wrong width sneakers. So now I have to buy a(nother) new pair. Why must running shoes be so expensive?

Why I Run August 24, 2007

I think it’s funny that, while I’m training for my second-ever athletic event, Gillian is training for something, too. Which I just realized, by going back through her blog, is the same half-marathon I’m training for!

This morning, I suddenly realized I should go for a run after work. After my run with Annie on Tuesday (and Gillian’s inspiration), I’ve decided to turn an alleged training plan into a real training plan. I turned down a Wilco show (I’ll probably regret that) and a chance to grab some drinks with coworkers (I probably won’t regret that). Then I got home, put on my running clothes, and dashed out for a 4.5-mile version of my super-hilly neighborhood run.

I always keep a good pace at the beginning (You need to have good form when running in an ex’s neighborhood. It helps that it’s downhill), but I realized when I was running up San Jose on that gradual incline that usually kills me — I was keeping the pace.

I wish I could say that I noticed all these amazing things on my run, but I was really thinking more about what it means to me to be in shape. I don’t really care about having a great figure. I don’t ever expect to get rid of the belly I’ve had since I was in middle school. But climbing that hill on Noe after having run more than three miles already and not having to walk, then getting to the top and looking out over the city. That’s why I run. I love being able to do that.

Goals for next year September 5, 2005

I gave up on most of my athletic goals for this year. I didn’t start training early enough (well, at all) for the Pac Grove Tri. I decided to do the Nike Women’s Half-Marathon instead of the Treasure Island Tri, but the day I went to sign up was the day after the half-marathon sold out. Oh well. Next year.

As a matter of fact, next year, I’d like to do Bay to Breakers again, Pac Grove, and the Nike Women’s Half. I want that Tiffany and Co. finisher medal, dang it!

After finally starting to recover from my post-vacation cold, I went for two runs this weekend, and boy, am I out of shape. I was hoping to get up to go to spinning tomorrow AM, but maybe I’ll sleep in and start back up with Spinning on Thurs. As always, we’ll see…

Gmap Pedometer July 10, 2005

Action Hero Melissa had a link on her website to the Gmap Pedometer, a hack that uses the Google API to figure out mileage of any route. You double-click for each point (the program draws straight lines between each point), and it calculates the total mileage.

Here’s my usual long (6 mile) running route.

I’m going to use it to map out some training runs for the Nike Women’s Marathon in October (I’m doing a half).

Distances include distance from my house (about .75 miles OAB):
4 mile loop
5 mile OAB
5.75 mile OAB
6.75 mile OAB
7.75 miles OAB
8 mile loop

Running June 12, 2005

I ran somewhere between 2.5-3 miles today and I was dying. It’s warm–hot for SF–and I kept thinking, “It’s going to be hotter than this when I’m running next week at 7 am up in Grass Valley.” Since I wimped out at the end, I did 40 walking lunges (each leg counts as one), 20 calf raises, and 20 standing squats.

I still haven’t decided finally about Pac Grove, but if I don’t do Pac Grove, I’m definitely doing the Treasure Island Tri. Man, I need to get in shape.

Hayes St. Hill April 27, 2005

I walked up half of Hayes St. Hill (Octavia to Fillmore) on Saturday. It’s going to be tough…

Bay to Breakers April 17, 2005

I’m running Bay to Breakers. Well, I’m running at least part of it. The last half should be a cinch–basically the same run I normally do. Hayes St. Hill, well, that’s a different story. An 11 percent grade in the middle of a 7.46 mile run.

And I’m raising some money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society again. I have to raise $200 to enter, I set a goal on the website of $300, and if I raise $500, I get a massage at the end of the race. So, if you’ve got $20 to spare (or more or less), please make a contribution on my fundraising website.

By the way, I’m going to incorporate this blog into my main Seamripper blog, so after this race, if you want to be informed about my athletic adventures, come check that site out.

I’m doing Bay to Breakers! April 17, 2005

I’m running (well, running and walking) Bay to Breakers on May 15. Yikes! For those non-San Franciscans who read this blog, Bay to Breakers is a crazy race/free-for-all. The Kenyans and other serious running run the 7.46 miles (including a hill with an 11 percent grade) fast, then trotting along behind are people in Elvis suits, naked runners (no, that won’t be me), and people pulling kegs on trolleys.

My distance runs have been getting up towards the 5.5-6 mile mark. I’m heading out for another distance run today, but I’ll need to start doing hill repeats really soon. I’m just doing this for fun, and to help raise some money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, but I don’t want to embarrass myself!

Help me reach my goal by donating at:
active.com/donate/llsbaytobreakers/nsolis