Running and Caring

My first DNF (or Did Not Finish for those not familiar with race lingo). American River was supposed to be my second 50 miler, but instead it became my first DNF. Where did it all go wrong? At the time, I could name a half a dozen reasons, but in retrospect, it all comes to one major cause: I was not ready for another 50 miler. I had failed to respect the distance.

I knew going into the race that I was not properly prepared. Yes, I began my training about 6 months ago, logging in some impressive long distance runs between 18-32 miles, but rain and foot injuries and lack of proper sleep from working long shifts at night prevented me from following my training plan as much as I should have.  I had to forgo about 6 major long distance runs and I know that hurt me.

The American River 50 Mile Endurance Run begins in the beautiful city of Folsom and ends in Auburn, California. Chris and I took Jet Blue the night before, arriving in Sacramento on Friday, April 5, 2019. After getting the rental car we headed to Fleet Feet in Folsom to get our bibs. We were presented with, not only our bibs, but very nice tech shirts (which I cannot wear now as I got a DNF) and an adorable reusable cup since the race is now cupless. (A concept that I completely forgot about when I got ready to race the next morning). I ended up buying some Tailwind (nevermind that I have not had Tailwind in years) for nutrition and some running gloves and sleeves. I was still contemplating on whether to wear running tights or shorts. I also bought a blue handkerchief with the race course on it, which is pretty cool. Regardless of my DNF, I will still use that on my trail runs.

Sleep was somewhat inadequate as it always is before a big race. We went to bed early so we could wake up at 2am since the bus would be there at 4am to take us runners to the start line. I was not happy to be up at 2am. Chris was not happy. The coffee in the hotel room was weak and lacking in the proper caffeine amount to wake two groggy and grumpy runners up. My first mistake that morning was inadequate nutrition. Usually before an ultra I would eat 2 bowls of oatmeal plus a bagel with peanut butter and a banana. This time I only ate 1 bowl of oatmeal and a plain bagel, because we forgot the peanut butter at home. In addition, the race did not even start until 6 am so I was eating too little too early, and I was already experiencing GI issues.

Mistake number 2 was the shoe issue. I knew months before the race that my shoes were getting worn out, but due to money issues I put off buying new ones. When Chris found out, he was rightfully upset and bought me a new pair of fancy pink Asics. I received my new shoes about a week or so prior to the race, which means that I did not break them in as well as I should have. I didn’t care too much, because they were the same brand that I always get. Or so I thought. Turns out that my new shoes were Asics Gel-Cumulus. I always buy Asics Gel Nimbus. This is an error I did not discover until we returned home the following Sunday.

Oblivious to my shoe nightmare, I put on my marathon pack, stocked with gels (thank you AJ!!!), a liter of water, granola bars, Band-Aids, Tylenol, tums, IPOD, replacement IPOD, sanitizer, headlamp, phone, and credit card in case I had to call an Uber to pick me up at the finish line since the bus to bring us  back home would be leaving at 6pm, leaving us slower runners to fend for ourselves.  I was planning on being DFL (Dead F-ing Last) not DNF! I also packed a drop bag with sunscreen, long-sleeve shirt, and my trail shoes as it was my understanding that the first 25 miles would be street and the last trail. I would change shoes at the half-way point.

We arrived at the hotel lobby about 3:45am. I glanced longingly at the complementary coffee placed for us runners. I knew it would be hot and strong, but I also knew that coffee at that time would mean multiple trips to the porta-potty! Be strong, Kendra! The bus promptly picked us up at 4am. It was creepy passing the Folsom State Prison in the dark. I secretly hoped we did not have to run past it! Many of us were under the impression that the ride would be an hour long, but it only took us 20 minutes to reach our destination, which angered a lot of people, including myself. The good thing was that we were allowed to stay on the bus until 5:45 am, but still many people complained, and I don’t blame them. What was the point of leaving at 4am only to arrive over an hour early! It was still chilly in the bus as the bus door was left open for people to drop off drop bags and rush to the bathrooms. At that point, I was already familiar with GI issues, which further exacerbated my anxiety issues. I managed to get in a quick 10-minute nap, but I was nervous for the start.

At 5:45am, Chris and I headed to the start. I put on my headlamp and headphone. I was already nervous to run in the dark in an unknown territory. However, since the first half would be on pavement, I figured I’d be ok. The race director advised us all to be mindful of the abundant poison oak that would be on the trail due to the heavy rain the weeks prior. Great, I thought, At least I won’t have to worry about that until after mile 25 when it will be light outside. I knew I needed to avoid leaves of 3 with regards to poison ivy, but was poison oak the same?? I had visions of finishing with rashes and blisters. Not the kind of negative thoughts you wanted to have at the beginning of a 50 mile race.

Shortly after we were off. The race had begun. I didn’t see Chris pass me at the beginning, but I knew he was working on having a great race and time and he would be fine. We went up a small hill and then headed up a trail, which freaked me out because I was under the impression that the entire half was to be run on street conditions. Here I was running trails in the dark, fretting over the sting of poison oak and tripping over roots, wearing my new pink running street shoes. I kept my head down watching for roots and rocks. Was that poison oak that just grazed my leg?? We heard what sounded like turkeys in the distance and I laughed as I heard the guy running in front of me echo the sound. The trail was a single-track, so we were bunched together as we headed up the hills as there was no place to pass others. No one wanted to run outside the trail in the dark for fear of poison oak.

I was running with a good group of people at the beginning. They kept me entertained and I listened to them talk about their racing experiences. One of the guys would run ahead and video tape his friends. He was planning on taping the whole adventure. I started having fun and wished I could run with this group the entire way, but I knew that we would be separated somewhere along the way. My shoes held up on the trail, which I was grateful for and I managed to not trip. A first for this clumsy runner who is known for tripping on race day.

After 4 or 5 miles on the trail, we headed on a rocky pavement, which reminded me of the beginning of Hacienda. It was here that I began the run/walk method. At this moment, I was still doing fine, running at an 11-minute pace and feeling fine. However, I lost the group I was running with on the trail before and I suddenly felt alone.

The rocky pavement only lasted a few miles. After that we were running on surface streets, past bridges and onto the American River Parkway. It was around mile 13 that I began to have trouble. I was running out of energy. I was hungry even though I made sure to eat my go-to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the aid stations and other various snacks. I realized that the breakfast I had eaten hours earlier was not enough. I had another gel and hoped I could catch up on my nutrition. At this moment, my legs and feet were feeling fine. I was just running on low energy. When I did my 50 mile race in Kansas, I had made sure to fill my pack with Tailwind, which provided me a lot of calories in liquid form. That Tailwind saved me, but since I had gained weight with my training and race in Kansas, I did not bother with training with Tailwind. I realized that was a mistake. I should have trained and raced with Tailwind. I would have been drinking calories and had the necessary energy to keep running. Not good.

A few miles later, my left leg and foot started hurting. A lot. I ended up walking a lot more, but then walking started to hurt worse than running. I remember this girl and I ended up running past one another. We’d talk about how we kept catching up to each other. I’d pass her and then she would end up passing me. It got to the point where I never ended up passing her again. The course took us up a long steep trail and I started crying. My left leg and back were hurting bad and I was still hungry. I figured I would drop at the next aid station, which was mile 20. I had about 5 more miles to go. A race volunteer was ringing the bell at the top, congratulating everyone on their journey. I was trying to hide my tears under my sunglasses as I told him that I would not be finishing this journey. He expressed his sorrow and went about congratulating the others. I felt like the biggest failure. I had never not finished a race before.

Those 5 miles to the next aid station felt like the longest miles ever. I was doing more of a shuffle walk/run. Once again, the pavement turned into trail and I wondered if my outcome would have been different had I just ran with my trail shoes instead of running in new Asics that had not been properly broken into. I saw a blonde girl in the distance who appeared to be in much worse shape than I. She was limping badly and the nurse in me took over. I hobbled over to her and asked if she was ok. She replied, “No. I tripped over some roots awhile back and I can barely run. I’m going to drop at the next aid station.” Her right foot was pretty swollen. I told her I was dropping too, and I’d help her get to the next aid station. I said I would not leave her. I gave her some NSAIDS to help with any inflammation.

So, we walked the trail, moving over so people could pass us. She told me the last time she did this race was about 3 years ago and we talked about our ultra-experiences. Runners love to discuss their races. She said she was upset, because her friend drove all the way here to pace her in the last 20 miles and her mom was crewing her. According to my Garmin, we were already at mile 20, but the aid station was still about another mile to go, according to some hiker who passed us from the other way. This frustrated us, but we kept moving forward, albeit even more slowly than before. We were amazed that we made it to mile 20 at a good time about 4 hours. We would not have been dropped had we decided to keep going. She saw her pacer in the distance, frantically running toward us to help her friend. About 15 minutes later, her mom came to help her. Shortly after, we made it to the aid station and said our goodbyes. Her mom was parked there and would drive her home.

I handed my bib over to the volunteer and told him I would be dropping. He said, “Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?” I told him if this was mile 35 or 40, I would have kept going, but I was in too much pain. I could try to walk the 30 miles, but that wasn’t realistic. I told him I was a nurse and had injured my back moving a few patients a few weeks ago. One of the other volunteers said she was a surgical nurse too and understood. We talked about how the patients were getting heavier and it was really hard to move them with limited resources. It was great to talk to another nurse. I asked them if I could have some coke for the road and then I realized I had left my plastic cup at home. Duh! This is why they gave us that cup in the first place! They said my hotel was within walking distance and pointed it out to me. I texted Chris to tell him that I had dropped at mile 20 and was walking home. He thought I was crazy, not realizing that the hotel was so close. I assured him that the hotel was within eye sight and that I would be ok walking the mile or so back to the hotel. However, I got lost trying to get to the hotel. It was Uber to the rescue!!! The Uber driver got me back to my hotel in no time at all!

Amazingly, I did not regret my decision. I was sad, but I knew I would not have made it the entire way. After my initial cry on the trail after mile 13, I did not cry again. While Chris was running, I showered and visited a local brewery. I was actually happy not to be running, realizing I would have been running by myself in the dark after mile 40 and would be eating a gel now instead of enjoying a delicious veggie burger, tater tots and a beer. While I was still disappointed, I knew I had made the right decision. I was not prepared. Never underestimate a 50 mile race. The decision to run one should not be made lightly.

Chris ended up finishing his. I waited for him at the finish. He kept me in the loop via texts and I was happy and proud to see my fiancé cross the finish line in a little over 12 hours. I was a little jealous that he got the AR50 jacket that I wanted so badly (even more than the medal) but he earned it! According to him, the last 25 miles were a brutal trail run with lots of rolling hills. I am amazed at all the people who finished it. Another finisher was a young teenage boy whose longest race was a 5k! He told the announcer that the 50 miler just seemed like a “fun challenge” and he started “feeling it at mile 30”. Ahh…the power of youth!

I finished this blog post about 3 weeks after attempting the American River Endurance Run. At this moment in time I do not have any plans of running another ultra in the near future. The only race I am registered for is the Tiki Swim in Oceanside in September. I will be swimming for 1.2 miles, which I’m excited and nervous about. I am not the greatest swimmer having learned to “swim” as an adult. I am actually a very slow swimmer, but I do enjoy it. Since I am getting married in October, I didn’t want to sign up for any races that would take me away from wedding preparation. In the meantime, I have been triathlon training for fitness and fun.

My goal was to always do an Ironman, but training would be difficult since I would have to do it alone as my night shift nursing schedule is erratic. For this reason and many other reasons, such as being on a regular schedule for my new family and not wanting to do nights and be “zombie girl” on my days off, I have decided on a career change. May 25^th will be last day as a floor nurse on the telemetry floor. Starting May 27^th, I will begin a new chapter in my life as an RN case manager. I will be working Monday through Friday from 8am to about 4:30pm, which will allow me to train with a group on the weekends and workout at night after work. It will also allow me to take swimming lessons on the weekdays, which I was not able to do with my current schedule. I am excited to start a new career that will hopefully let me reach my athletic goals and to finally finish an Ironman before I turn 50 years old! Maybe in another year or so, I’ll tackle another ultramarathon. You never know! Life is an adventure and we are allowed to change our minds! I’ll keep you posted!  As always, thank you for reading!!!

“I didn’t realize there would be so much critical thinking during this race!” I said to the runners behind me as I eyed the rocks in the second creek, trying to figure out the best way to cross without getting my feet soaked. “That’s why I chose running so I wouldn’t have to think!” I got a few chuckles and nods of agreement.

I was on the first loop of my first 50k in about 3 years. The Sycamore Canyon trail race is a loop course that looks like a figure 8 and takes place within the Goodman Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve near San Diego. As I was running the 50K, I was required to do a total of 4 loops with each loop consisting of about 8 miles. The even loops were to be run clockwise on the bottom of the figure 8 with the odd loops being run counterclockwise. The top half of the figure 8 were to be run clockwise only. Sounds confusing, right?? This meant you always had to pay attention to the signs and the loop number you were on, in addition to the pink ribbons on the trail. For someone who suffers from anxiety, I had nightmares of getting lost and ending up running 50 miles in lieu of a 50K! If anyone can get lost on a trail race, it would be directionally challenged me!

We started at 7am on Saturday, February 23, 2019. It was freezing. As such, I decided to wear my running pants, putting my shorts in my drop bag in case I decided to change later on. The first part was a steep downhill. It was windy and my hands felt numb from the chill and lack of gloves. My nose kept running too and I silently cursed myself for forgetting my gloves and my hankerchief. I could see Chris ahead of me but I didn’t want to try to keep up. Due to the rain, I was unable to run the trails as much as I should have so I didn’t know what to expect performance wise. The last long run I did was only 22 miles and that was on the street. Much flatter than this muddy terrain.  I reminded myself that this was merely a training run for AR50 so I didn’t feel pressure to race it, but I also didn’t want to be the last one in.  I watched people pass me, flying by as if the mud was nothing and I felt my anxiety creep back in. This was just the beginning of the race and my self-confidence was already deteriorating.

During my long runs on the street I practiced the run/walk method to prevent injury, which means I would run one mile and then walk one minute, but that was an impractical method to employ during this race due to the elevation gains and losses. Each loop was said to contain about 1400 feet of elevation gain, therefore, my strategy was to just run the downhill and flat areas and power hike the uphills. However, I was not prepared for the slippery mud and creeks. This reminded me of the trail conditions at Paramount 30K and Sean O’Brien Marathon, which I “ran” about 3 years ago. I slipped a few times in the mud there too. I managed to avoid getting wet for the first few creeks by jumping on rocks. However, I learned that would not be the case with all of them and running in wet socks and shoes would be the norm. The race director warned us that we would have to run through a “lake” and I realized she was not kidding when I saw the muddy pond that I would have to trample through 4 times! It gives a new meaning to mud bath. I had brought extra socks to change into but that is a pointless strategy when you constantly have to run through the same creeks and mud pools. You quickly learn that being dry would not be an option.

At the aid stations, I drank pickle juice and coke and ate fruit and vegetable bites. Most of the food was cookies and I was a little disappointed to not see my go-to peanut butter sandwiches. I ate my gels, but I knew I wasn’t eating enough. This would hurt me in the end. During the first loop, Chris would wait for me at various spots to make sure that I was doing alright. I could see him waiting for me as I was power hiking up the hill that would take us back to the start line before turning back and going down the same hill I just hiked up. “This is tough!” I said to him. I was exhausted, hungry, and wet and I had only ran for about eight miles. He agreed and took off to run his second loop. I envied the ease at which he approached the race and wish I was in better running condition. I finally got to the top and searched for the porta-potty. At the beginning of the race there was only one. Thank goodness there were now three. Time to start the second loop, which meant I would be running the bottom half clockwise now.

My strategy was to run the second loop in just under four hours, so I could possibly finish in 8 hours. Therefore, I picked up my speed a little bit, running through the creeks with more confidence since I knew that dry feet were not an option. I saw one girl eyeing the mud bath with trepidation, desperately searching for a way out.  “There is no other way,” I said.  “You just have to jump in and get your legs soaked. Is this your first loop?” She nodded yes and proceeded to walk through the brown water as I jumped in after her. The next few miles would be nothing but mud and creeks and desperately trying not to slip and fall.

I finished the second loop in the time I wanted. I passed Chris again towards the end. He was running down the hill while I was hiking up. Every loop ended with a major hill. Not fun. The third and fourth loop, though, were the toughest for me. At this point it became a harsh mental game. I silently chastised my decision to run a 50K, thinking that I’d be done if I had registered for the half marathon. My pace got slower and slower.  I did meet new people. Tina was running slightly behind me and it was her first ultra. Therefore, I ran with her some and made sure she was doing alright. We got separated, but I did see her fly past me on one loop that I was slowly working on. I was happy to see that! One guy and I walked a bit and discussed the different races we had done. Regarding Sycamore Ultra, he said, “I’m tired but I’m going to finish this think whether I’m crawling or not.” Ahh…the running spirit!

I eventually stayed with another runner from San Diego who was doing her first ultra. I remembered talking to her when Chris and I first drove up to the race start. She was nice and, at that moment, we were both so exhausted from the loops and the constant elevation gains. I credit her for getting me through those final miles and she thanked me for getting her through them! We’d run, we’d walk, we’d linger through the aid stations, drinking coke and pickle juice and eating cookies. At one point I started running ahead and looked back, realizing she wasn’t next to me. I saw her at the aid station, filling up on water. I didn’t want to leave her behind so I waited for her to catch up to me on the trail and we moved towards the finish.

The last mile was the toughest for me.  Of course, we had to finish on a hill. Every time I thought we were done, we turned a corner to run up another hill. I was exhausted. My new friend was exhausted. We stopped talking and moved silently towards the top, listening to the voices in the distance that served as a beacon of hope for runners. When we got to the top our pace quickened as we knew the finish line was within our grasp and this time we could actually stop in lieu of running past it to do another loop. I saw Chris at the top, which made me happy. I silently gestured to him that I was done and I was tired. My new friend saw some friends of hers, going crazy that she was almost done. As we became near the finish line, I shouted, “This is her first ultra. She’s an ultra runner now!” While I was glad to be done, I was also excited to have helped someone on her first ultra.

This was my first ultra in a long time. It was also my worst ultra in regards to time. I finished in 9 hours and 9 minutes when I was hoping to finish in 8 hours. Granted, I had to deal with a lot of mud and water, which challenged me on every loop, slowing down my pace. Nevertheless, I was happy I did it. I decided to text my cardiologist, Dr. Simon Cheung. I wrote, “Good evening Dr. Cheung!! This is Kendra your favorite cardiac patient and running nurse. Just wanted to let my cardiologist know I finished my 50K…32 miles in 9 hours with 5000 elevation gain. They have a hill called cardiac hill and I had to do it 4 times. How’s that for someone with a systolic murmur.” His response, “You shame me.” Then, “You are also a model tele nurse at FVRH. I hope you are not end up coming to work with crutches.”

 You have to love a cardiologist with a sense of humor! On to the next adventure!

I am almost done with week 3 of my 18-week training schedule for AR50 ultramarathon.  I’m not going to lie. It’s been a tough transition going from dedicated grad student with minimal running back to ultra training and preparing my body to run continuously for 12 hours…maybe more if needed. On the one hand, it feels great to feel the familiar soreness in my calves and hamstrings, but, on the other hand, it sucks to feel the familiar soreness in my calves and hamstrings. This brings to mind the infamous quote my now fiancé, Chris, lovingly says to me to rile me up, “Never happy…never, never happy.”

According to my training schedule for this week, my long runs consist of a 12 miler followed by an 8 miler the next day. My amazing friend, AJ, volunteered to run the 12 miler with me at El Moro, which helped me out a lot. I figured as a fellow nurse, AJ would not gross out if she had to hold my hair back if I needed to throw up trying to keep up with her!

It has been awhile since I ran El Moro so I forgot how tough it was! The first few miles were a bunch of rolling hills and I was exhausted after mile 2. However, since I was running with someone 10 years younger than me, I had to play it cool and pretend my lungs weren’t on fire. I listened as AJ ran and talked and never seemed out of breath while my sentences got more and more broken! How does that girl do it?? Darn you runners in your thirties! (Ha!Ha!)

I was extremely grateful, though, for the company. I usually run solo so I forgot how beneficial it was to have someone cheer you on, pushing you to dig deep and keep running even though you want to give up. AJ has always been my personal cheerleader. Thank you girl! It has been a blessing to witness her running achievements and master the art of the marathon.

We finished running the ridge of El Moro with only 2 miles left to go.  We could run the trail for another mile and run back, but I was exhausted and didn’t want to run another rolling hill. So we decided to run on the street, which would consist of running downhill for a mile (Yeah!) but we would have to run back up. I don’t know why I thought that plan was the lesser of two evils. Like I said, I was exhausted and probably lost a few brain cells on the trails of El Moro! The run down was glorious, but going up was horrible! We ended up picking a pole or plant and running to it and walking to another pole or plant. We alternated between running and walking until the end of the last mile. It was tiring but the run/walk method made it more manageable. At least it did for me.

The next day I had to run 8 miles on sore, tired legs. Obviously, I still wasn’t thinking straight after the 12 mile run at El Moro, because I decided to run Hacienda. I have a love/hate relationship with Hacienda. First of all, it’s tough with a lot of elevation gain. The scenery and city views, though, are outstanding and the trail is not heavily populated. But still… it is tough. Usually I take Ahwingna Trail to Native Oaks Trail to Coyote for a 5-mile loop, but to get 8 miles I would have to go into the heart of Puente Hills Preserve.

Ahwingna Trail is an exhausting uphill battle in a short time with twists and turns until you get to Native Oaks Trail. I love Native Oaks, because the beginning is a fast run downhill with tons of shade and beautiful trees. Of course that downhill turns into another uphill battle, but it’s not as intense as Ahwingna. Prior to Coyote Trail, which is my second favorite trail to run down in Hacienda, you enter a flat patch. It’s not terribly exciting and I always find it boring. However, this time I had to fight swarms of bugs and I did not want to get my protein that way. I hate swallowing bugs. I kept my head down for most of the journey. To get the extra 3 miles, I ended up running towards Nike Hill mostly because of the woodchips. At that moment, my legs were really sore and running on woodchips seemed like a nice solution. Of course, I regretted that decision when I had to run up some switchbacks towards the top of Nike Hill. I should have just picked a flat run by Huntington Beach.

Running down Coyote Trail is always a treat for me.  With the exception of some baby hills, it is mostly a 2 mile run downhill on a single-track trail. At that moment, I was feeling pretty good and a bit cocky and so the inevitable happened. I tripped. Luckily, I did not fall down. I managed to do some insane dance with my arms flailing about.  I probably looked absolutely ridiculous to any hiker or trail runner but I’m happy to say I was able to keep going without falling off the side. This is new for me. I usually fall and not in a cool way.

Today was my rest day and so I spent 20 miles biking San Gabriel Trail. I realized that my cycling also took a hit from grad school and I silently cursed my slowness. I also forgot my sunglasses. I will never forget them again as I now know why they are important. Never forget your sunglasses while cycling unless you want to take bugs off your eyeballs. I’d rather swallow a bug then have to pull bug guts off my eyeball like I did today. Not fun. I thought anatomically, eyelashes were supposed to ward off bugs, but I guess mine suck or are too short. But I digress.

Next week I have a 14-mile run and an 8-mile run. Lets see how that goes.  So far, I have managed to follow my training schedule. As always, thank you for reading!!

I’m going to run Peter’s Canyon today. I finally have 3 days off in a row from work and this is the first day I didn’t feel like a zombie in a while. My work schedule has not been the greatest this week. I worked 2 nights in a row starting Thursday, October 25^th, with Saturday off, back on Sunday, off on Monday, on Tuesday, off Wednesday, and back on Thursday. Since I work night shift that literally means I was at work every single day. Yesterday I was up for about 24 hours, which is good for 100 mile training if I was training for one now, but I digress.

I haven’t run Peter’s Canyon since June 2017, which was before the October 2017 fire. It was closed for a long time, so I was excited to go someplace that was somewhat familiar and new at the same time. Chris and I got there at around 10am and it was warmer than what I was hoping it would be. I do not do well running in heat. Before I started grad school, I used to get up at 4am to get an early start on my run that day. Now I can barely wake up at 7am on my days off.

At first I was feeling pretty good. I ran Hacienda a few days ago and felt great! According to my Garmin watch, I ran 6.5 miles there at an elevation gain of 1,563 feet at a 12:47 average pace. I can do this!!! I remember Peter’s Canyon has a lot of rolling hills, but I’ve been running consistently for the past week so I wasn’t too worried. I kept up with Chris at the beginning. It was a pretty flat trail until we hit that first big hill. I remember there being a hill at the beginning, but I forgot how steep it was. I slowed down and stopped, drinking water as an excuse to rest and assess the situation. I told Chris to go ahead and I watched him run up the hill with no trepidation. Of course he runs mountains every weekend so this should be easy for him! I managed to slow “run” about 75% of the way up before walking the rest. A second hill came quickly after that one and I ran/walked that one too. As such, my confidence was a little shaken and not as high as it was in the beginning.

At the heart of Peter’s Canyon is a bunch of rolling hills. In order to reach said hills, one has to climb a hill that is loftier than the first 2 hills I spoke about. Chris and I joked about bringing his daughter here on Father’s Day. We laughed about how we would not win any Parents of the Year award or century, for that matter. I let Chris run ahead and I ran about half-way up before stopping to hyperventilate and then ran a little more before stopping again to hyperventilate.

“Hey hon,” Chris said, pulling me aside when I reached the top. “That girl who passed you with the Starbucks cup looked back at you and smirked when she saw you huff and puff.”

What??? Now I don’t know if she really did that to me or he just said that to waken my dormant competitive side up. Regardless of the reason, it worked. I could see the girl at the top of the next hill. She was probably half my weight with really short shorts. You are on girl. I ran past Chris to catch up to her. As she was walking down the next hill, I ran past her. “Excuse me,” I said, passing her on the left so she could watch my back moving further away from her. No one is going to smirk at me!!

I was on a running high for the next mile or so. By mile 4, though, my energy had waned and all I wanted to do was get into my car and drive home or have Chris drive me home. It was a pretty uneventful trail towards the end with a couple of inclines. I stopped a few times to walk before getting the energy to run again. I told Chris that I was completely going to stop to walk at mile 5, which was ok by him, as he had planned to do the same. I was exhausted, but I was glad I did it. Consistency is the key and I felt stronger than I did a month ago, which is good because I have been feeling pretty low as seen by my last few posts. I just have to keep running at least 4 or 5 times a week in order to get to a comfortable baseline to begin training with for American River. Running Peter’s Canyon or any trail is not easy, but I know I am getting better at running them with each passing day. I may silently curse trail running, but some of the best moments in life must be worked for.