Not sure what it was but SeaWheeze reinvigorated me. For all things sweaty.
Running included.
And this coming from the person who was ready to speed-walk/SnapChat the entire thing.
Seriously. Peep that photo - me at the start line doing just that, speed-walking/SnapChatting. It's fine. #noshame
Anyway, SeaWheeze was a blast (have I mentioned that?) and I was able to run it with quite the crew. I felt like I'd been missing that run/race camaraderie honestly. It was so refreshing to be around runners who were pumped to race and run and talk paces, race-morning rituals and... post-race brunch (which may have only been me.) AMANDA THANK YOU FOR MOVING TO SAN FRANCISCO AND BEING MY SWEATY SPIRIT ANIMAL.
But SeaWheeze wasn't all puppies and rainbows - it was physically hard AF. I'm not in half-marathon shape and miles 9-13 were absurdly difficult and felt like they were never-ending. Mentally I'm able to push through anything (I could totally make it on Naked and Afraid - regardless of what boyfriend says with my 1-hour tapout) but physically my legs were done. I hate that feeling. HATE IT.
So now we look forward.
2016:
I have 1 remaining registered race on the books for 2016: The Giant Race.
I've run this half a handful of times (fun-fact: the 2011 Giant Race was the first time I ever went sub-2 in a half-marathon training for CIM) and it's a lot of fun. It's flat, starts/ends at AT&T park, and full of Giants fans. Debating doing 13.1 vs 6.2 (10k) with Amanda. But we're peer-pressurers soooooo....
North Face Endurance Challenge: I've never done a trail run and always wanted to. Also I convinced a good friend Jane to sign up in about 10 seconds. The 10k option feels like a good jumping off point in the Headlands. My main motivation for this is that you get actual food mid-course. Like PB&J and M&Ms. Why the hell have I spent the last decade road-racing with disgusting packets of Gu?
2017:
Eugene 1/2 Marathon : Getting the (SeaWheeze) band back together for a flat + fast spring half-marathon in Oregon since our goals are mainly to : crush 13.1 miles and be able to wine-taste afterwards.
SeaWheeze: No-brainer. Back to the Pacific Northwest we go.
TBD Triathlon : I grew up as a competitive swimmer - and swam against Natalie Coughlin a time or two (or 12, and lost every single time). 50/100yd Butterfly whaaat? While my racing days are long gone (clearly Nat won that battle, I hear she's doing well or something in the swimming world), I love to be in the water and I'm incredibly confident in my swimming abilities. I know I can run. Biking... well I'm damn good on a SoulCycle bike and I'm starting to ride my road bike more. A tri is something I'd love to tackle. Start with a sprint and see what happens from there.
Target: HITS Napa Valley Sprint Tri (I will not lie to you it's mostly because it's close, it's in wine-country, and who doesn't want their post-race meal to be in Calistoga or Yountville and then to lie by the pool all day long with some buttery chard?)
So that feels realistic and doable.
This isn't the part about here's how I'm going to train because... frankly I'm really good at coming up with big training plans and failing to complete a single workout. I've got time to think through that.
What I'm planning to do?
- Yoga/Pilates will play a big part
- You'll hear more running talk in these parts (since currently the baseline is about zero)
- Adventures in biking (will Kristine navigate the mean SF streets without injury to herself or others? Unlikely.)
- May be time to bust out the Speedo, swim cap and goggles and hit the water
Let's be clear: by water I mean the pool at Equinox. Aquatic Park? Comical.
I saw the video of the baby Great White Shark joyfully swimming there.
Homie don't play that.
Let's sweat.