Slow Is Me: Headlands

Okay, last Headlands post. I didn't want to get into what worked/what didn't in my recap, or it might as well have been its own little book. Will try to keep this more concise!

Clothing:

My Blue Star jersey from North Coast. I actually really like the cycling jersey for running. With my pasty English skin it's nice to have extra coverage that isn't too hot for me. It kept me warm enough milling around at the start and in the wind, but not too hot when it got warmer. I need a real heat test in it but might be hard pushed to do that at this time of year. The UA compression shorts were great, with my black skirt over the top. The skirt was a bit flappy in the wind but never got in my way, and I definitely prefer to have it over shorts alone. Feetures with knee high batman socks over the top worked great for my feet, I was comfortable and blister free. I also got 'Holy Batfeet!' gaiters from Ultra Gam to be matchy matchy :)

Shoes:

Altra Lone Peaks - the original version. While not my very favourite shoe, they did a great job at this race, I had no blisters or hot spots, and my feet were comfortable all day (comfortable being a relative term in this context of course).

Custom stone coaster for finisher awards :)

Gear:

I had cheapy sunglasses that I have test-run in before since I knew there was little shade on this course and even when it's overcast there can be a lot of glare on the coast. However we got out of the car on race morning to discover that at some point either J or I had sat on them and broken the frame. This is why I have cheap sunglasses (though they usually get crushed in my saddle bags against a trailer partition). I had my normal-wear pair with me, but only wore them for a few miles since they kept moving around and were heavy. I never remembered to leave them in a drop bag so they stayed on my head all day. While I had my mp3 and headphones with me, I never used them.

I still love the Nathan Intensity hydration pack, although I've switched out the bladder to a slightly shorter hydrapak that still has the 70oz capacity with a bigger tube and more comfortable bite valve. I have yet to find a bottle that I'm happy with in the pocket yet, so I didn't carry one at this race.

Hydration/Nutrition:

I started my day with my mashed sweet potato, which seems to be working as breakfast for me as long as I eat it early enough. Other than one cup of coke, and a few cups of ginger ale, my only fuel was Tailwind. My pack was full in the morning, although I did start sipping on it while waiting at the start. I refilled three times during the race, with 70oz water and 5.5/6 scoops of Tailwind (Lemon) that I had in pre-portioned baggies to save time. I carried two single serving sticks in case I needed to refill before reaching my dropbag but never used them. If I hadn't got sick, this might have been perfect. I found, however, that I couldn't take in enough Tailwind to make up for what I lost, which also meant I didn't take in enough fluid either. I definitely need to find a bottle that I can have in my pack with some plain water to refresh my mouth with, and will continue my hunt for a real food source.In the second half I was taking one salt cap at each aid station. This was enough for this race, but I might have needed more if it was hotter. I don't think the Tailwind had anything to do with the sickness, and it was still palatable when I was unwell, enough that I could keep drinking at my normal rate, just not enough to play catch-up.

Training:

While my training got me through, and I felt I was on the right track, I don't think I had been building for long enough. I definitely need to add in speed work, which I knew prior to this but didn't think it was a good idea to start so close to the race and risk getting injured. Other than a few pick-ups during runs, it's a very new thing to me. Speedwork starts next week! I'm also going to continue working on my hill repeats. There was a huge improvement tackling the hills this time than back in March, so I just need to keep doing what I'm doing. Finally, I need to add in some occasional less hilly routes just so I get used to running continuously over longer stretches and maintaining an even pace, which will be key for my goal race in April.

Planning

While I didn't want to get bogged down in too detailed of a race plan, I think I loosely guided myself pretty well. I had some issues with early pacing, partly due to chatting with faster runners and not paying attention. My drop bags worked great, and my planned pack refills (miles 12, 25, and 38) were ideal. I remembered to reapply sunscreen during the day so while I got an interesting tan line from skirt to knee high sock, I didn't get any sunburn. I didn't really miss not having a crew, although I found out after that J and T had driven to Muir Beach to meet me but I had already gone through. They jumped in the truck and headed to Tennessee Valley where they were told they were in time to meet me, until I text T letting her know I was on my way back (and hunting for a cheer since I wanted to sit down and cry a little). They high tailed it to the finish line in time to see me there. I'm glad I didn't know they were trying to find me, it was one thing to not have a crew but to not see someone expected would probably have been really demoralizing. Thanks for trying guys!

Evil trail to climb post-50 in flipflops!

Post-Race

We didn't linger at the finish too long, just enough for some water and a single oreo. We ended up not eating until getting back to Petaluma. Appleby's Mac n Cheese with bacon and a hot chocolate was not as appetising as it sounded when I ordered it - I need to have a post-race fueling plan even if it's an extra bottle of tailwind to keep sipping on while driving. I scoffed a HUGE breakfast the next morning though (actually pestering the others to get up, and contemplated hobbling to the nearby Starbucks for a snack while I waited). We had brought bathing suits since the hotel had a pool, but never used it. On the way back we contemplated going to Boonville fair - hot and crowded - or stopping to play in Russian River. Needless to say the river won, and it felt so good to soak in the cool water for a while. It didn't take too long to feel 'normal' if not quite as bouncy. I needed more active recovery the week after (yoga Tuesday, gym [light weights] Friday); first run back was eight days out, and turned into a mostly-hike. Second run was really strong, and third (yesterday - two weeks out) was also great!

Next challenge is Woodside Ramble 50k, and tentatively Ordnance 100k in January!