Most Inspirational Player

Tonight I went to the Cal Poly Club Awards Banquet and my team had voted me the women's Most Inspirational Player award.

In High school I have received this award twice in track and my senior year in cross country. I am so happy and grateful to recieve it again, at the collegiate level.

For me, MIP is better than MVP. Sure, it's awesome to be the best, but to be the one working the hardest and as the role model in the eyes of my teammates, is the best I could ask for.

Over the year, I have poured in a lot of effort. I trained incredibly hard over the summer, only to start Fall Quarter in the stands with a torn ligament.  However, I wasn't just in the stands. I was on the bike (inside and out), the elliptical, the stairmaster, and in the pool for numerous hours every day pouring sweat.  I came back strong at regionals and went on to compete at XC nationals.  I diligently ran over winter break and it showed during the track season.  With long runs and tempos, I even completed my first marathon, a 3:30!

I am honored to have been recognized for all my hard work. But I am even more honored to be labeled Most Inspiring.

My number one goal in life is to inspire.

As an educator, I hope to instill an insatiable curiousity and quest for knowledge, purpose, and bettering the world in the future generations (science or not).  As a teammate, I hope to push others so that they can achieve their personal bests.  As a student, I hope to greet challenges with excitement and joy that will brighten my professor's days and outlooks.  As a friend, I hope to inspire my loved ones to love others, have fun, and be carefree.  As an athlete, I hope to encourage others and lead by example for those starting to run or during their running careers.

I hope to inspire greatness and the constant pursuit of self-improvement and knowledge.

Thank you to my teammates, my coaches, my family, my friends, Skora Running, and my cyber supporters! Without you guys, I wouldn't be in the position I am now! You all inspire ME!

Mollee (MVP) & I at the banquet! (photo: Mollee Huisinga)

Running is a Sin Wave

Triathlete Jesse Thomas said it best in his most recent blog post, "Without the lows there wouldn't be the highs."

Recently I posted about how great my week has going. I had some quality workouts and hill climbs! Then over the weekend I had planned on doing a 15 miler Sunday. I somehow woke up feeling so out of it- stuffy nose, phlegmy throat and a cough. Coupled with a whopping headache, I just wasn't feeling great. I had only gotten about 4 hours of sleep and 2 miles into my run with my teammates, I had to turn around. It just wasn't working out. I felt like shit and would feel even worse every step if I continued. I tried running again Monday, but my teammate tripped and we only ended up running 1 mile. Which is a blessing in disguise, because I really needed another rest day to fully recover.

It isn't that bad- three days off? But for some, it's terrible. As competitive runners, we are so concerned with the quantity of miles, the amount of tempo work, the certain splits we MUST run in order to climb our way up to our chartered success.  But then we get run down. We start feeling very fatigued. Running becomes a chore and not a diversionary source of pleasure and release.  Before you know it, we are burnt out, unmotivated, and underperforming, or worse, injured.

So, we must take these lows and embrace them.  Accept them for what they are- our bodies reminding us to have fun and also enjoy resting.

I came back and ran a quality workout on Tuesday. 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400, 800, 1200, 4x100 ladder. I felt steady, strong and awesome. Then I took it easy Wednesday, and had a inadvertent 7min pace tempo for 5 miles.  I had an awesome tempo to the Dipsea 5mi mark and back.

It was an awesome week of quality running. I didn't necessarily hit my target amount of miles, but I am very pleased with all the work and quality running I had put in.

Monday (yesterday), I ran 20 mi on the headlands 50k course. I started just outside the parking lot of Muir Beach, ran through Green Gulch to the start of Coastal heading South. I have always struggled with this trail as it is very steep and hilly. But I was able to complete it sucessfully, a huge plus.  Then I bombed down the hills towards Tennessee Valley, cut through and started the arduous climb up Wolf Ridge.  I'm going to have to do repeats up this. Its soooo steep! I was exhausted half way up.  I started walking but only made it 50 ft before I started running again.  (i was uncomfortable walking haha). But instead of doing a loop in the headlands as the course routes, I cut across the ridge to Old Springs trail and bombed that down to Tennessee Valley parking lot.

Then comes the hard climb up Miwok.  I took that slow and steady until I got to the flat part, where I could open my stride up again. I was able to hit sub 8 min mis on the downhill and flat sections, which is pretty awesome considering.  Then I crossed high way 1 onto Diaz Ridge.  I was supposed to keep going on Miwok down into Muir woods, but I got a little turned around.  After that had sorted out, I bombed it down.  The trail was gorgeously green and I had a little fun hurdling logs along the way. (should've been a steeplechaser!) I made it down to Muir woods, crossed Muir Woods rd, and started the even more arduous climb up Cardiac. (Deer park onto Dipsea trail). In the 50k course, I cannot use the shortcuts, so I had to take the long way up.

I'd have to say, I felt pretty awesome throughout the run, not struggling and definitely managing the climbs.  But the climb up Cardiac was the worst point in the course. Mile 15-17.5 were when I "hit the wall". I made sure to hydrate regularly and consume shot bloks so it wasn't too bad. After getting to the top, the course normally makes a loop down Matt Davis to Stinson beach and back up the dipsea, very hard climb but super rewarding trails.

After that, I was able to race down the resumed course on Heather Cutoff.  This trail is great. Super beautiful and a lot of fun on the switchbacks.  I was definitely smiling.  Then it empties out onto Santos Meadow.  The start and finish of the 50k.  I stopped for a second to take it in, memorize it, and then picture myself breaking the tape.  I smiled and raced back to my car.  (the very start of the race goes from the meadow, along Redwood Creek tr to where I had parked).

My stats: 20 mi, 3:34 hr, 4100' of climbing.  I burned close to 3 kcal and stopped to do leg swings after each climb.  (bottom of cardiac too)

Fabulous run. I had a lot of fun, but I was also humbled.  I still have a long ways to go and a lot of work.  But I have three months to ready myself for mountain climbing.  I can't wait.  I will emerge victorious!

Some pics from the run:

Heather Cutoff

My watch and Skoras after

Santos Meadow!

View from top of Miwok with tam and Diaz Ridge in distance

Mountain goat

So it's almost been two weeks since my first marathon. And I am feeling fantastic!!

I was sore and tired the day after, but by Tuesday and Wednesday I was virtually recovered!

Nonetheless, I still took it easy that first week back. I did a slow one mi jog with friend Loren on tues (didn't mean to run until thurs), and spun on the bike for a bit tues and wed. But by tues I was definitely missing running. On Thursday I went for a three mile jaunt through Morro bay state park and was tired from NOT running! I started doing some more miles and took Saturday "off" (we had a beer mile). And Sunday I ran poly canyon and felt relatively fit!

Monday started the dipsea and headlands training regime again. I had an adventurous run (climb) up and around high school "hill". (1500 ft in one mi!!) and promptly slid down.

Tuesday I took it easy for a flat six miler through town with the cpdc ladies for much needed girl talk. Wednesday I ran (fast) around Madonna for a hilly run and felt fantastic. Thursday I ran up and down bishops for a long hilly run again, and ended up getting my second fastest (3rd all time) ascent.  But it felt easy! And Friday, a workout. 4x1200 and 10x60 stairs. I'm pacing myself and taking today off, and only 15 mi in MDO Sunday.

This week I've had fun! I LOVE hills, and running them faster than expected, while it feeling easy, is an awesome confidence booster. I smiled as I danced over rocks and sailed down bishops. I was laughing with my friends running through the tall, golden grass on Madonna. I had a hell of a time on HS hill and around on a true adventure run- climbing through and over barbed wire fences, crashing through non-trail bushes, splashing through a creek, and "glisading" down the hill.

During my workout, despite getting some blisters, I felt awesome. Smooth and steady through the 1200s, fasting but not pushing the pace. And on the stairs, I felt like I had more in the tank.

This whole week I mostly held myself back. It was fun. It was playful. It's why I love running.

Now I can't wait for next week.  I have some awesome runs in store- dipsea tempo and 20-22 mi of the headlands 50k course!