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You’ve Come So Far, Don’t Quit Now – Running My 17th Marathon At Mesa-Phoenix

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Finishing with a savage kick- let’s finish this rainy parade of runners

On Saturday, February 10th, I completed my 17th marathon in 4:02:57 with a big kick and smile at the finish line.

I am very lucky when it comes to having good running weather, but on Saturday, the rain came down steadily for about three hours out of the four hours that I was running the marathon with zero stops for fear that I wouldn’t want to keep going.

My mantra during the entire race was to keep going and never stop, which I accomplished and felt good the entire time, but not as speedy as in other marathons. Yet, the farther I ran, the less interested I was in quitting, which reminded me of our teachers back in Romania, who used to repeat this phrase to us whenever they sensed that we were about to quit:

“You better keep going and not drown right when you’re about to reach the shore.”

As a child, I despised this expression, but as an adult, I appreciate it and practice it with my family, in my business, and in all the sports I do.

Why do I value this so much?

The answer is simple: “We don’t always see the shore, which is why we have to keep swimming, running, or whatever we’re doing.

A Short Course Analysis

My friend Youa absolutely loves this course, which is part of the Mesa-Phoenix Revel downhill course and is considered fast. She keeps hitting a PR every year that she runs this course, but she still needs to hit or break 3:30. Inspired by her and other runners, I signed up to run this marathon hoping to break 3:28:48, which is my PR at Mt. Charleston marathon, the fastest course I have ever run followed by Big Bear in Southern California.

Being a strong downhill runner, I figured that the PR could happen, even though I had a two-month training setback at the beginning of my marathon build-up due to my peroneal injury. However, January was a strong training month, so I was becoming even more hopeful until I got to run the course, and my inner monologue changed.

The start was delayed by 30 minutes, which meant standing in the rain and getting our shoes and clothes wet. After about 20 minutes into the delay, runners were allowed to start after about 20 minutes. I was still in the bathroom, so when I came out, I jumped to the start and started running with joy while trying not to run too fast my first mile. I only hit 7:59 pace in that first mile, after which I dropped in the low 8s.

The course was not crowded at all, which I liked. The course is supposed to be very fast in the beginning, after which there are two hilly miles from miles 5 to 7. During the course preview, we were promised all fast downhill after mile 7 till about 17, but I kept waiting for those downhills to appear and felt like Waiting for Godot, as all I got was a slight downhill and mainly flat course, which didn’t feel that fast to me.

I decided to settle at an easy pace and to take in all the spectators. To my great delight, I saw a family who held up signs written in Romanian just as I was thinking of my dear father who smiled and cried with joy through the raindrops that day.

I ran towards them and greeted them in Romanian, which made them cheer loudly for me. How awesome was that?

As I kept running in the cold rain, I tried to take in the scenery, but there was a long stretch of an industrial-type neighborhood – more than five miles, so I didn’t think the course was beautiful other than in the beginning with the saguaros dotting the road and looking eerie in the morning darkness. I always do better when the course is pretty like the London Marathon, which I consider the most beautiful marathon I have done so far with Big Sur following.

I didn’t know if it was me not feeling those downhills but at the end of the race, my good friend Tiffany Stratton Moreno and I found out from different runners that they also didn’t feel those fast downhills that were supposed to make this course speedy. Tiffany encouraged me to write a detailed race recap, as runners tend to perceive the course sometimes based on their PRs and not the true topography of the course.

Things that went well

My nutrition on the course was right on point. For this marathon, I followed the advice of many elite runners and took a Huma gel every 3 miles, which worked out very well, as I never hit the wall, but I also didn’t settle in my high 7s paces for whatever reason. It could have been running through the rain for so long, or simply not my day.

With the sparse scenery, I focused on the few but wonderful spectators, who were out there standing and cheering for us in the rain.

Every time, I shouted: “Like a savage,” they cheered loudly and laughed.

The fun interaction with the spectators kept me going – soaked with raindrops and the thrill of running another marathon – feeling good and even happy to welcome some fatigue but no real pain in my body due to my good training, a mixture of my own and coach Paul Carmona. I purchased his downhill advanced plan, which was very good and helped me run strong, although I will revert to my training plan next time and run a marathon six to seven weeks before running the marathon that I wish to PR.

Why? You might ask?

Because I am an advanced runner, know my body and all my three fastest marathons from 3:28 to 3:33 came six to seven weeks after I ran an easy marathon, except my first 3:30 Mountains to Beach marathon, which happened after I ran my first 50-mile race seven weeks prior. The marathon felt like a breeze!

Back to the Mesa-Phoenix marathon

As I ran in the rain that came down relentlessly and only stopped in the last mile of the marathon, I looked forward to inching closer to the finish line so that I could change clothes and celebrate another marathon.

The finish line of the marathon was slightly downhill, which helped me finish with my characteristic savage ninja kick and run at a 7:45 pace coming through the chute while shouting “like a savage.”

The spectators were having a blast and cheered me on as if I had won the marathon.

The marathon ended at Riverview Park, which is a large open space park with water features, playgrounds, and a stage, where they played music for us.

As soon as I crossed the finish line, my wonderful friend and Arete teammate Youa Xiong called me and we met up. To my great joy, she told me that she PRed for the fifth year in a row in this marathon, but due to the heavy rain we had, she didn’t hit 3:30 or faster, as she had hoped. She ran it in 3:33, which was so close.

“You seriously did amazing,” I told her while having someone take our picture.

Youa and I at the end of the marathon! Super proud of her! A shiny new medal and a PR!

My celebrations continued with my friend and wonderful roommate Tiffany. We even went on a short hike to see the Hole in the Rock by the Zoo, which was beautiful. My husband joked with me that apparently, I didn’t run hard enough if I was in the mood for hiking.

“It was just a short hike to get some blood flow into our legs,” I told Catalin, knowing that he liked to tease me.

Tiffany and I on our way to the Hole in the Rock- showing off our new shiny medals.

This marathon is still in the top 10 of fast marathons to run and it can be a good course on not such a rainy day.

A million thanks to the organizers of this Revel race for doing their best to make it a positive experience.

And when in doubt, remember that you’ve come so far, and quitting will feel like drowning by the shore, as my teachers back in Romania used to tell us. Let’s persevere!

Whether you’re interested in running or real estate, Running for Real Estate is a great place to learn more! Questions? Call 916–342–2446.

For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide you, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion and Morsels of Love, A Book of Poetry and Short Forms on Amazon, or any other of my books.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916–342–2446.

Also, mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount).

And if you like podcasts, please listen and subscribe to my Seeds of Sunshine, a mother/daughter podcast for more info on sports, fitness, and real estate.

Running for real estate with joy!

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Three tough Marathon Workouts that will make you a faster runner

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Bryn and I during our fun 20-mile run with 18x400m at the beginning of each mile starting at mile 2.

I have run 12 marathons in the last six years as a runner, and I am about to run my lucky 13th one in three weeks at London, where I am participating in the World Age Group Championships.

We all know how taxing marathons can be on our bodies and how strong we need to be to run a faster marathon or to achieve a PR (personal record). We also know that long runs are the holy grail of marathon training and that practicing our GMP (gross marathon pace) is super important in having a successful marathon, but how about speed, hills, and other workouts?

The number one myth that we need to get rid of is that a marathon is just about strength, stamina, and endurance. However, we should not neglect to do the weekly speed workouts, whether they are Fartleks, hill repeats, or track.

With these important workouts in mind, I will share with you my very three favorite marathon workouts that will turn all of you into marathon beasts! And speaking of beasts, this short form piece published by The Daily Cuppa matches my first hill workout. It was inspired by my Fair Oaks Chicken run 5-mile race this year, where I got first in my age group.

I Am the Beast

But not the one you think — or maybe that one!

CARMEN F MICSA·Aug 23

Photo taken by the author in Old Fair Oaks, CA

Just as Japan has a rabbit island, so does Old Fair Oaks, CA have hundreds of chickens and wild roosters.

However, let’s not get down the rabbit hole, or the chicken one, since this story is about the yearly chicken five-mile race. Runners not only race the roosters roaming the streets, but they actually have four infamous hills to climb: Grand Daddy hill, Hernia hill, the Beast, and The Last Gasp.

I ran this race for the first time and enjoyed running over hills, through rocks by the river single-track path, and on a gravel road.

As I finished the gravel section, one of the volunteers cheered on us to run strong on the Beast hill.

My response to him: “I am the beast.”

Workouts

  1. Hill repeats mixed with two miles of GMP. After a 2-mile warm-up, run 4X800m hill repeats ( I like to do Pennsylvania hill repeats). You can run hard uphill and use the downhill for recovery, or you can run pretty hard both ways with a full minute rest at the bottom. After the four repeats, run two miles at GMP pace, or faster on the bike trail, or a more flat surface. Then come back to the hill and finish the workout strong with another 4X800 meters. Cooldown for a total of 8 to 10 miles.
Running uphill in Ancil Hoffman Park with a smile. Photo credit: Bryn Mumma

2. A tough workout perfect for marathon training is the dreaded Michigan workout. This workout is a combination of fast track repeats on the track and tempo miles on a bike path. The paces will vary based on your fitness level and goals. To avoid injuries, start with half of the workout, or only do it as an advanced runner. My awesome friend and amazing training partner Bryn and I did this workout for the first time about a month ago. She is training for the Boston marathon and I am training for London. We were both surprised that we could still run our last 800m and 400m repeats fast and that the tempo miles didn’t feel too taxing or daunting.

The flying savage ninja – ha!ha! Photo credit: Bryn Mumma

3. And last, but not least, the 400m during your long run to break the monotony and to practice speed on tired legs. Bryn and I just recently did 18X400m starting at mile 2 all the way to 20. At the beginning of each mile, we ran 400 meters hard, but not as fast as doing it on track, but still hard enough that we ended up with some faster miles. It was a challenging workout, but it made our long run go by so much faster and our legs got some much-needed speed. Once again, this workout is pretty advanced, but it can be tailored for every runner since you can choose how many 400m repeats to do in each mile. The main goal is to shake up your tired marathon legs and to have fun with it.

These workouts seem daunting and hard, but doing them with a partner will make them more fun and less intimidating.

To sum things up, marathon training doesn’t have to be only about tempo runs, GMP mileage, and recovery runs. You can spice things up and have fun while training, and I guarantee you that your marathon results will be impressive, too.

Enjoy speed, hills, and mixing up workouts, as you might want to run more marathons when having so much fun. Happy feet, and remember that YOU ARE THE BEAST!

For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide and uplift you during these uncertain and crazy times, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion on Amazon, or buy it straight from my blog by clicking on my books link, which will take you to Amazon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book is going to Girls on the Run Sacramento chapter organization.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!

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Start 2021 Like an Olympian – Advice and tips for a brighter year from Olympian kim conley

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“I have become much more comfortable dwelling in a world where we’re not sure what’s coming. I can wake up every day and prepare as if I’ll be at the Olympic Trials this summer, but if that doesn’t come to pass, I can regroup and reset my sight lines.” Kim Conley  

Kim Conley doing a poised and focused track workout.


Are you hopeful for a brighter 2021? Then follow the wise, down-to-earth, and inspiring advice from Kim Conley, United States Olympic runner, who represented our country eight times, including at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games, and hoping to represent again this year at the Tokyo Olympic games. As Conley pointed out, we can be better prepared for 2021, if we follow three important tips and apply them to our lives:

  1. Becoming more comfortable with uncertainty.
  2. Being prepared and working hard every single day, as if we were going to the Olympic games, which to me, equates to early preparation prevents poor performance in everything we do, or as Sun Tzu said “every battle is won before it is fought.”
  3. Regrouping when things get canceled, or don’t go our way, and thus be ready for the next battle.

Kim Conley sees 2021 as motivating, helping her stay on task with her training. When the Olympics were postponed and there were no races on the calendar, Conley enjoyed running and exploring the trails around Flagstaff, even though she lacked the normal structure to a training routine targeted to peak performance. After being able to do some racing in the second half of the year, Conley concedes that even if the major global events won’t happen, there will still be micro meets for which she wants to be prepared. For now, Conley is acting as if the Olympics will take place and preparing for the Olympic Trials in June. She will be racing a 10,000m in Austin, Texas at the end of February as an attempt at the Olympic standard, and in order to achieve these big goals, Conley has embraced some of the lessons that 2020 has taught her, such as:

  1. Be adaptable to life’s swift changes in a way that she has never been before.  
  2. Be prepared to be disappointed, such as a race being canceled at the last minute, which so many of us have experienced last year, but maybe did not embrace life’s disillusionment with the same equanimity and serenity as Conley.
  3. Be open to change and welcome it as a catalyst towards personal growth. For instance, one of the things that Conley changed in her training was to move to Flagstaff permanently in the middle of 2020, and thus train at altitude full time. Additionally, Conley stopped going to the gym, but instead, she uses the developed at-home strength routine based primarily around the KBox Trainer by Exxentric. 

Running around Flagstaff

And if you are wondering what a day in the life of an Olympic runner looks like, Conley was kind to give us an example of a heavy training day from the month of January:

Wake up ~8am

Breakfast of steel cut oats with collagen mixed in and coffee. 

~9am Prehab: I do a series of foot strengthening exercises (this is timed for when my body will have absorbed the collagen and is targeting it to where tendon and ligaments I stress during the routine).

~9:30 drive down the mountain from Flagstaff to a track in Cottonwood which is at about 3000ft of elevation. The lower elevation allows me to run my sea level race paces. 

~10:30am Track workout: 2 mile warm up; 6 sets of 1000 at 10k pace followed by 600 at 5k pace. 200 meter jog between everything; 1.5 mile cool down.

~12:30 drive home and drink a recovery drink in the car

~1:30 lunch

Afternoon is spent reading, writing, snuggling Smokey, and sometimes attending virtual meetings (I am a board member for the USATF Pacific Foundation and write the copy for email correspondence, web etc.). Conley is a huge reader and has a few books on her reading list, such as A Promised Land by Barack Obama, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, a novel set in Tucson, Arizona, where her next sea level camp will take place.

Kim relaxing with a good book after an intense morning of training.

~5pm 3 mile easy shakeout run on turf fields at NAU

Second run of the day!

~7pm dinner

~8pm watch basketball, eat some chocolate, drink tea

~9pm light massage work, then bed

One of Conley’s favorite workouts that is getting her ready for the 2021 competitions: the steady-state run, which is running 8 miles at marathon pace (based on current fitness, not goal pace), then a month later progressing it to 10 miles at a slightly faster pace. Conley thinks that this workout is not as hard as doing 5k/10k pace on the track, but it definitely makes her feel really strong. On top of these tough and focused workouts, Conley runs twice a day about three to four times a week. She also does her strength training twice a week to be able to run strong and stay injury free.

And last, but not least, Conley has some great actionable mental, physical, and emotional advice for us mortals to have a brighter and better 2021.

Mental: Write your goals down and actively do something every day that is bringing you a step closer to achieving a goal. 

Physical: Be proactive with your body’s health. Eat well and do strengthening exercises to keep your body able to handle the training load you desire. 

Emotional: Talk about whatever you are feeling. We are living in hard times and don’t get the same levels of human connection that we are used to and need. “It helps me to tell other people when I’m sad that I’m not seeing them, or to know that others also miss seeing their loved ones.” 

We wish Kim Conley to hopefully participate in the Tokyo Olympics this year and to put all her hard training to good use, competing at the highest level, representing the United States with pride. Happy feet, Kim, and thank you for inspiring the athlete and the human being in all of us.

To follow Kim Conley’s Olympic journey, feel free to connect with her on IG @kfconley, FB, Twitter, or check out her website www.kimfconley.com.

For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide and uplift you during these uncertain and crazy times, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion on Amazon, or buy it straight from my blog by clicking on my books link, which will take you to Amazon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book is going to Girls on the Run Sacramento chapter organization.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs), or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!



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Five Ways to Regain Joy in Running Without Racing

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Let’s be honest: when every single race we were supposed to run this year (I was supposed to run Tokyo and London marathons) gets canceled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, we get upset, frustrated, and even depressed when we feel that our training has gone to waste, even though we all know that our health and safety come first. Our inability to race this year seems unfathomable and surreal, as in previous years we have had way too many races to run and not enough time to properly train for all. And now that we cannot race, how about a shift in perspective? We have no races to run, or a very limited amount, mainly trails and small road races, but we finally have more time to train and to be intentional about the sport that brings us so much joy.

1. The Simplicity of Running

As some of you know, I became a runner in 2015 after having played soccer as a kid and competitive tennis for 20 years plus. However, as soon as I became a runner, I was hooked by its purity and simplicity. I didn’t have to plan my tennis matches by finding friends to play with. All I had to do is put my running shoes on and take off down the street from my house till I hit Ancil Hoffman Park, or what I call my slice of Paradise. What a simple way to experience the world as poetry in motion! What tremendous joy to let my feet take me places while feeling the gentle summer breeze against my neck, my arms that moved in perfect unison with the world, and my legs that, at first stomped around like a sumo wrestler, after which they learned to caress the ground and be gentle and quiet. Not only did I relish the simplicity of running and the tremendous joy that suffused my soul, but I also started writing poetry in my head and I continue to do so. I hope to publish my poetry book at the end of this year, so stay tuned.

Therefore, one way to deal with all the race cancelations is to go back to basics and to the simplicity of running by finding more time to relish our breath, stride, and euphoric feelings induced by running.

PC: Bryn Mumma, my friend and Arete team mate
The simplicity of running, but not so much of doing hill repeats- ha!ha!




2. Gratitude

In 2018 when my husband and I finished building our home, I threw a big party for the runners in the Sacramento community. Lisa Limcaco, one of my runner friends, brought a housewarming gift, a small decoration piece that said gratitude on it. She told me: “You always say how grateful you are in your posts, so I thought this would make the perfect gift.” I was grateful to Lisa for being so thoughtful, as well as thinking of me as someone who lives life with gratitude, as I never want to come across as ungrateful or entitled. To me, life is a constant opportunity to practice gratitude, not only during good times, but especially during hard and nebulous times. As Deena Kastor, who is the American record holder in the marathon, said in our Zoom meeting with my Arete team mates: “We need to practice gratitude, patience, and solution seeking.” Optimism, she added, helps us put the bad days in perspective quickly. And if you wish to become a more grateful and joyous runner, according to Kastor, then write three things you are grateful for every evening and you cannot repeat what you wrote the previous day. I also highly recommend reading Deena Kastor’s memoir memoir Let your Mind Run, which will transform your relationship to running and to the world around you.

Due to the precarious stage we are in with this pandemic, I feel gratitude can propel us forward, as well as make us more appreciative of our strong runner bodies and lungs. The fact that we are healthy and that we can run while others are fighting for their lives in hospitals, with some of them not making it, should give us the strongest dose of gratitude ever and dissipate any complaints about races being canceled. Racing will return one day and we will be even more grateful to run next to our friends and competitors, but for now we all need to find joy and gratitude for being alive and able to run.

Grateful to run faster even though I have no races in sight.

3. The Joy of Running

To me, running is pure joy as sweet and gooey as honey pouring down my soul every time I lace up my shoes to go on a run, solo or with friends, but in these times more solo. During our quarantine in March, I ran solo around my neighborhood for two months, missing my friends, but knowing that I had to do my part in flattening the curve of this contagious virus. I kept running through Ancil Hoffman Park and all the hills around my neighborhood, writing poetry in my head and composing a few rap songs. I started to relish the tranquility of my morning runs and found joy in my solitary running, because that was the only known constant in my life and it made me happy to be out in the fresh air, while social distancing. Not only does running make me elated and more content with life, but it also adds inner peace and the realization that we already have everything we need inside our souls to be joyous, as I expressed in this poem I wrote.

Jumping with joy during a solo run

Jumping with Joy

When I run around Ancil Hoffman Park,

my magic place and slice of Paradise

where I first became a runner

I sometimes stop running

and simply jump with joy

as my way to greet the day

on the trail.

To salute the sun

and kick up my heels

towards the Heavens.

4. Health and Nutrition

We all know that when we eat healthy and focus on eating more fruit and vegetables together with high quality protein, such as wild-caught salmon, organic chicken, and less processed foods, we have a better chance to beat Covid-19 and stay healthy, besides running stronger. One thing we can really do while not having to rush from one race to another is to focus on our minds and bodies by eating healthy and clean, avoiding processed foods, and paying attention to what our bodies need, especially when we demand so much from them when we run an average of 40 to 50 miles a week.

As our focus is to stay healthy and not catch this virus, nutrition plays a big role in our overall health, as studies show that runners cannot outrun a bad diet.

In my case, at the beginning of the year when running didn’t feel great, I had to reevaluate my vegan diet and decided that it was too restrictive and not giving me all the vitamins and protein that my body needed. Test results showed I had various vitamin and protein deficiencies, so I decided to adopt more of a plant-based diet and after adding wild-caught salmon and some bison meat, my iron levels have improved and my running has never been stronger. The moral of the story is that we all have different bodies and nutritional needs that are different for women and men and that having many bad runs can mean that our body needs more vitamins and nutrients, which is why checking our iron levels and thyroid is key for runners.

5. Freedom

The fact that most races have been canceled left us with sadness that we cannot run together and compete against one another, but it also gave us more freedom to work on our speed, endurance, or just to run for the joy of running. When not preparing for races, we can devote more time on proper rest and recovery, cross training (I have biked and done more strength training), and just rediscovering the main reason why we run, which is the ultimate freedom, as we stride through time and space. As a sports enthusiast, I have never felt as free as when I run, because running allows us to move freely and to be ourselves. Running is thus the ultimate form of simplicity, gratitude, joy, health, and freedom, and until we race again safely, let’s all hold these truths close to our hearts, because in the end, it will be worth it and we will come out stronger, kinder, and maybe even faster. And last, but not least, let’s wear our masks and show others that freedom also means caring deeply about one another and doing our part to protect our fragile planet.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!

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How to Train on Hills – The Secrets of Up and Down for a Stronger You and Racing Boston!

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“When you run hills, ideas surge their dormant heads and inspire you to pick up your mental pace.” Carmen Micsa, aka ninja

 

How many times do we see other runners brag that they had hills for breakfast and what does that mean to us runners looking to improve our form and racing times?

 

I just did this 16.8 mile run on Feb. 7th, two days before Valentine 4-mile race, where I PRed by 14 seconds, running it at 7:20 pace. My long run had various hills, which helped me practice my uphill and downhill running. My focus while running downhill was on keeping the legs under my body and not over striding. 
Photo Credit: A guy named Dave who was walking on this hill.

 

Hills Improve Our Running Efficiency and Form

 

After my Mountains 2 Beach marathon, which I ran in 3:30:59 in May 2018, I had a month of easy running, which for me due to my hilly neighborhood and love of hills, meant running hills short and long.  A few of my friends and running partners remarked that my form has improved and that I looked like a strong runner with very little upper body motion and great form. I seemed surprised until I read some articles about how hills make us stronger runners, as well as help us improve our running efficiency, economy, and our form.

 

There is also a technique to running uphill and downhill:

 

  1. When we run uphill, we need to pump our arms and fists towards our chins, as if executing powerful uppercuts. Our legs don’t need to do much, as pumping our arms will do the climbing.

 

 

Running uphill, I lean forward and don’t use my legs very much. Instead, I do uppercuts with my arms to propel myself at a steady pace and not consume more energy than necessary. Photo Credit: A guy named Dave who was walking on this hill.

 

 

  1. When running downhill, we need to lean slightly forward, as well as exaggerate our kicking and pretend that we are kicking our own butts. Over striding downhill will result in fatigue, poor form, and possibly knee pain, as our legs need to stay underneath our gravity center.

RunningQuarrytrailMOV

This is a video I took while running on our beautiful Auburn, CA trails.

 

Specific Hill Repeats to Incorporate in all our Training Runs

 

According to Runner’s World, there are four types of hill running workouts to increase speed and endurance.

 

 

  1. Longer hill workouts      One way to practice hills is to do our long runs on a hilly course. I am lucky to live in a neighborhood where hills come in all shapes and sizes, so I run them often.

 

Valentine 4-mile race, which has some rolling hills for which I have overprepared this week, doing a 16.8 mile super hilly long run, since the main goal is running a strong Boston marathon. Happy to run and represent the Arete Women’s Running Club Sacramento Chapter this year, making me a happier runner to have the support of so many amazing women runners who strive and stride for more. Photo Credit: Heather Sims

 

 

2. Hills for speed

 

To increase speed, practice running 30-second hill sprints at 5% to 10% incline on any type of terrain nearly all out. At first, start with 5 to 8 repeats and work up to 12-14. Jog 2 minutes in between repeats. Always warm up and cool down when doing hill repeats.

 

3. Hills to improve the running biomechanics

 

To practice better biomechanics, find shorter hills and do 10-15 second sprints 5 to 20 repeats, depending on your fitness and running level with jogging in between.

 

4. Specific hill workout for hilly courses, such as Boston

 

When preparing to run a hilly course, do a 2 mile warm-up, do 6 to 8 hill repeats at an effort of 7 out of 10, then run 1 to 3  miles at GMP (gross marathon pace), followed by 1 mile to 2 miles cool down. I did this workout a few times, doing the Penn hill repeats out in Fair Oaks, or doing the Hazel hill repeats close to the Fish Hatchery followed by 2 miles at marathon pace. It is a hard workout, but it certainly prepares the body to run strong on a hilly course.

 

 

No description needed. Too much joy and exhilaration running through my slice of Paradise with hills of various inclines. Love running there and finishing the run with more hills, as it is my recovery hilly route.

 

 

I remember the year I ran my second California International Marathon we had a woman in our pace group from Florida who was cursing the hills as often as we ran over any kind of hill. She was totally not prepared for the hilly marathon, which is why you want to do your homework ahead of time and avoid hill disasters.

While hills are as good for runners as eating our veggies and fruit, Jack Daniels, PhD named world’s best running coach by Runner’s World, advises to gradually add hills to your training regimen in order to avoid injuries. He also recommends doing a 20-mile long run on rolling hills five weeks out from a marathon and to stay away from downhill training during the final couple of weeks before the marathon.

 

And now that we have our hill workouts cut out, here are some popular races with net downhill that give high hopes of securing a PR or BQ (Boston qualifying time):

 

Date / Race / Net Drop / Info
Oct. 3 / St. GeorgeMarathon, St. George, UT / 2,560 feet / stgeorgemarathon.com
Oct. 4 / Wineglass Marathon, Corning, NY / 220 feet / wineglassmarathon.com
Oct. 10 / WhistleStop Marathon, Ashland, WI / 510 feet / whistlestopmarathon.com
Oct. 11 / Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon, Susanville, CA / 1,100 feet / bizzjohnson.com
Oct. 11 / Steamtown Marathon, Scranton, PA / 955 feet / steamtownmarathon.com
Dec. 6 / Cal-International, Sacramento, CA / 340 feet / runcim.org
Dec. 10 / Tucson Marathon, Tucson, AZ / 2,200 feet / tucsonmarathon.com
Apr. 19 / Boston Marathon, Boston, MA / 450 feet / bostonmarathon.org

 

I am always busy during the winter months, selling my listings, or helping my buyers buy the right home, so please mention this blog and you will receive a free market analysis of your home, no strings attached.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

10 mile American age record, 5k American Age Record, Healthy eating and stronger running, Long runs, Marathon PR, Marathon running, Mental toughness, Mental toughness tips, Mental toughness tips for runners and athletes, Qualify for Boston, Runing stronger and faster, Running, Running keeps us younger, Running Marathons, Running Strong and Injury free, Running strong at any age, Running stronger and faster, Strong women runners, The joy of running, Training for your marathon, Women runners

Sacramento Masters Elite Runner Jenny Hitchings Advice on How to Run Strong and with Joy in Your 40s, 50s, & Beyond

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“Every race I do, whether it’s a success or a fail, I learn something.” Jenny Hitchings

 

Running Strong and with Joy at Any Age

 

 

Jenny Hitchings racing and winning the 2018 Susan B. Anthony 5K with a new age group American record of 18:05.

 

After having listened to Jenny Hitchings podcast on Rambling Runner during one of my mid-week long runs, I was totally inspired by her success story, her down to earth approach to running, her humbling attitude, but most of all by the fact that Jenny Hitchings seriously started running when she was 40 (I myself have started to run when I was 42 just three years ago, so that totally gave me hope that I have more to give and loftier goals to pursue) and that at 55, she has won Mountains 2 Beach Marathon and has set two American age group records in the Susan B Anthony 5K and Buffalo Stampede 10-mile races. Jenny Hitchings’ astounding success comes with hard work and a strong passion for running. To me, she embodies all the strong women runners out there who are willing to put in the work and not use the fact that they are 40 or 50 years old as an excuse.

 

Additionally, I believe that Jenny Hitchings’ American records show all runners young, older, male and female the following:

  1. Passion is the number one ingredient in life, running, and our careers.
  2. Dedication and determination are not just two words starting with the letter “d”; they represent a mental aspect of running that can propel other women runners of all ages towards greatness and satisfaction with their strong performances.
  3. Hard work is our way of reaping the rewards after being consistent in our training and daily commitment to achieving our highest goals.
  4. Joy comes from many sweaty runs – a sprinkle of satisfaction, inner peace and harmony that we runners learn to find when pounding the roads and the trails.
  5. Satisfaction is the frosting on the cake after all the hard work and follow through, which will show and make us shine when we hit that personal best, win our age group, or just win the race.
  6. Victory is the cherry on top, so to speak, when the running Gods place that symbolic victory wreath on our heads.

 

Running as Identity

 

To Jenny Hitchings, running is part of her identity.  Married to Andy, who runs a bit, but mainly loves to swim, Jenny is also a mother of two grown girls, Molly and Maggie. Jenny has lived in Sacramento for over 20 years, after moving here from Mill Valley. A running coach helping runners of all abilities, Jenny also coaches middle school cross country team and an elementary youth running program. Although busy with work and her family, Jenny usually runs six days a week, unless circumstances prevent her from doing this. A key ingredient to Jenny’s tremendous success is the fact that she always takes a FULL rest day. Her coach, Jenny Spangler, from Chicago gives Jenny her workouts, which tend to be one to two speedier workouts and a longer run during the week. Right now, Jenny’s weekly mileage is low 60s, but she will reach mid to high 70s as she approaches a marathon training cycle. Jenny has never been an extremely high mileage person, which is probably a quintessential element to staying injury free and running super strong in her 50s.

 

Jenny does most of her training runs on our beautiful American River Parkway, a place where runners, bikers, and walkers share the trails.

 

Running as a Passion, Joy, and Rival

 

Jenny Hitchings believes that running is a passion, a joy, an escape, a challenge, her own personal rival, and she is good at it. This multi-faceted aspect of running has translated into many successful races for Jenny.  “I always take away something from a race, which is probably why I continue to race, as I want to put the lessons learned from a previous race into action…or at least try, ” said Hitchings.

With that being said, Jenny Hitchings’ most impressive races have been:

1. Eugene Marathon, 2011. She was 47 (soon to be 48) and ran a personal best of 2:46:10. A bittersweet race, as she wanted to qualify for the 2012 Marathon Olympic Trials (a big dream). She ran her best race that day, but missed the OQT by 10 seconds. It was a very long 10 sec!! She is proud of this effort, as there were nay sayers and doubters out there, and she really wanted to prove some people wrong. She also wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, or at least try.

 

Barely missing the qualifying time for the Olympic trials by 10 seconds, a very long 10 seconds, and yet Jenny’s best and fastest marathon.

 

2. CIM (California International Marathon), 2015 – Jenny Hitching was 52 and ran a 2:49, breaking a standing 30 year age group course record of 2:51. She tried for a couple of years to do this, as she wanted this bad!! This was a race where mental toughness took over, or really helped.

 

Jenny running the California International Marathon with poise and determination.

 

3. Boston, 2015 – Jenny won her age group at the Boston Marathon in 2:52 – What a thrill! All the press she received following this race was more amplified due to the fact that so many people know and care about Boston.

4. Susan B Anthony 5k, 2018 – Jenny Hitching ran a PR of 27 sec to win the race and get an American Age Group Record in 18:05.

5. Buffalo Stampede 10-mile race, 2018 – Jenny Hitchings set another American Age Group Record and a PR, finishing in 1:01:20.

 

Advice for Women 40 years and Older to be the Strong and Passionate Runners that They Can Be

 

According to Jenny Hitchings, the most important word of advice for women 40 and older is consistency. Jenny pointed out that as we get older and our lives get busier or more full, it’s so easy for us to put our own needs and goals aside and focus on others, such as our families, friends, careers, our homes, pets, etc. However, as runners, women should have specific goals – small or big, which means that they need to fit the runs and training into their schedule and make it a priority. There can’t be excuses! “Have a sniffle? Get over it!” said Hitchings. To her, having a goal and working consistently towards that goal is paramount. Running here and there won’t work.

For women in their 50s, running is crucial, as it regenerates bone density, according to an article published by Washington Post.

Another specific advice Jenny Hitchings has for women 50 and older is to have their hormonal issues checked out. For instance, if women 50 and older are having sleep (the worst), mood, recovery, and motivation issues due to perimenopause or menopause, Jenny recommends that women talk to their doctor about how to get back on track and feeling more like themselves. Taking supplements that are good for your joints, bones, skin, etc., is also good. In addition, stretching, rolling, doing strength training, as well as getting deep tissue massages to keep things loose are quite beneficial and good for runners.

Injury prevention is key, since  most runners and athletes do get hurt at one time or another, which is why Jenny Hitchings advices runners to pay attention to the warning signs. Feel a niggle in your achilles? Should you stop your run? You know the difference between something minor or something that really doesn’t feel right. These little niggles can turn into full blown nightmares!

When it comes to nutrition, Jenny eats many things in moderation throughout the day. Although, she loves sweets, Jenny doesn’t eat large amounts in one sitting. She tends to eat things that make her feel good, but not creamy, fried, heavy foods that don’t sit well in her stomach. Jenny LOVES french fries, so this is an exception.

Strength and cross training are not high on Jenny’s priority list, as she generally just runs unless she is in a recovery mode or injured. She does like to cross train by cycling on her Peloton bike.  Jenny also likes to see Tony Mikla at KIME Performance, for he helps her with stretching and strength work.

 

Jenny Hitchings’ Final Words of Wisdom for New and Experienced Runners

 

 

New Runners:

 

  1. Enjoy running, or you will never stick with it.
  2. Be patient, as it takes time to build fitness and feel comfortable.
  3. Consistency, motivation, and following a training program will bring you results.

 

Experienced Runners:

 

  1. Keep up the running.
  2. Make new goals.
  3. Challenge yourself.
  4. Follow your dreams.
  5. Mix it up and stay healthy.
  6. And to all runners – think about hiring a coach. Sometimes we all need a supplemental brain.

 

Hope you all enjoyed this blog and that you got at least one good lesson to apply to your running. For me, running with consistency, purpose, and joy is what will continue to help me improve as a runner. I will also choose not to worry about my age group and instead just run strong and reap the rewards. How about you, my runner and non-runner friends? What is one lesson you took away from this blog? What other lessons do you want to add for all runners of all ages and abilities? Do you have any specific running or coaching questions for Jenny?

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

Marathon PR, Marathon running, Runing stronger and faster, Running, Running and real estate, Running keeps us younger, Running Marathons, Running Strong and Injury free

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon- Race Recap, Big PR, and Lessons in Steadiness

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“Marathons just like a full moon are circular, radiant, and too grand to comprehend until we learn to run a little slower at the start, steady ourselves during the race, and race it fast at the finish line.” Carmen Micsa

 

I qualified for Boston for the second time with a better time and I had to ring the gong.

 

When I ran my first marathon the California International Marathon in December 2015, I was terrified inside, but did not show anything on the outside. How can anyone run so long? Will I need to stop and catch my breath? Apparently not! I ran non-stop chasing that finish line and barely able to walk afterwards. With Mountains 2 Beach as my fifth marathon, which I finished in 3:30:59, there came a huge 43-minute PR from my first marathon and a 10-minute PR from my fourth marathon. I had run five marathons, since I became a runner and I am happy to say that I PRed in every single one. I am a marathon enthusiast and consider marathons as my very favorite distance due to the fact that I have more margin to beat my previous time.

IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THE MARATHON – TOO MANY CREATURES AND RUNNERS WERE MOVING, BUT CARMEN WAS GENTLY STIRRING THE LEGS

 

On May 25th, 2018 my husband, our kids, and I drove to Ventura for my fifth marathon. I was happy that the marathon happened over Memorial weekend break, which meant my family could join me in my endeavor and give me their unconditional love and support. Due to the fact that my training cycle has been super busy with two 50K races and my first 50-mile race in April, my left calf muscle had been a little sore, which is why my coach Robert Ressl-Moyer and I have decided to take two days off before my marathon.  I swam and walked around Ventura on Saturday, the day before Mountains 2 Beach, while preparing my mind, heart, and legs. I liked this a lot and will try to apply for most of my future marathons, as I am one of those runners who doesn’t need to shake up the legs. A gentle going is all I need, since running fast from the start comes natural to me, but my favorite marathon strategy that both my coach and I thought was crucial is to start 10 to 12 seconds slower GMP for the first three miles.

 

Walking around the harbor while other marathoners from all over the United States (New Jersey, New York, Texas, etc.) and other countries (Germany, Mexico, Costa Rica, etc.) were running, felt great and allowed my legs to be fresh.

 

Getting excited before my marathon while keeping my goals in mind and believing in the big day. First marathon run outside of Sacramento and I was ready for a change of scenery and a different, faster course.

 

After lunch, my husband drove me to the Expo, which was quite small and easy to navigate to pick up my bib and other goodies.

 

 

To match the writing on the podium I stood on with my marathon T-shirt, I was determined and ready to have an extraordinary race the following day.

 

Runner 2263 and the course map behind me, which is not as downhill as it looks, especially after the half.

 

In the afternoon, I got to hang out by the pool ( light swimming and the use of the spa is always great for my body allowing it to relax and feel refreshed) with my wonderful friend Karen Clark, whom I met during the Parkway 20-mile race in Sacramento that we both run in preparation for the California International Marathon. We talked and ran at gross marathon pace for more than 10 miles and we became friends instantly.

 

In the evening, my husband found a great family Italian restaurant, where I ordered a plate of spaghetti with mushrooms and red bell peppers. The plate was huge and I could barely eat half with a little bread. My husband joked with me: “I thought you needed to carb load and you have barely eaten half of your spaghetti.” “Well, yeah! This plate is big enough to feed the whole family,” I said already making plans to save my spaghetti for dinner after the marathon. As a vegan runner, I don’t just rely on the day before the marathon to carb load; I typically do it over three days, which I highly recommend whether you are vegan or not. Adding more carbs and cutting out the protein means that you will replenish your glycogen in your muscles and not get slowed down by the protein that is hard to digest and is really needed after the race to repair and recover the muscles. I also ate a lot of beets the week of  the marathon to increase the nitric oxide and improve circulation to the lungs.

After dinner, I arranged my Fleet Feet racing singlet with my bib number, my Copper Fit shorts, and my fast Nike Zoom Vapor 4% Nike shoes, which are supposed to make one 4% faster in races and they delivered. I also organized my energy gels in my belt. We all went to bed at 11 p.m., as we had to wake up at 4 a.m., which was actually not that early in comparison with the runners who had to take the shuttle to the start line.

 

AT THE START LINE – LET THE FUN BEGIN

 

After a good night rest (I always sleep like a baby, or like a lizard, as I like to joke with my friends the night before races), I ate a morning round bread topped with a little honey, banana, dark chocolate, and a quarter glass of beet powder mixed with water for breakfast. After I ate, we left the room to meet with my friend Karen and her boyfriend David for all of us to drive to the start line.

We were able to find parking easily for David and my hubby to come with us to the start line and then meet us on the course. I used the bathroom twice before the marathon and I met with Marina and Joanie, my runner friends from Sacramento while waiting in line. I was calm and felt no excitement, other than the pure joy of running another marathon with some clear goals in mind. My calmness before races sure matched my dear father’s way of being in all situations. As a watchmaker, I felt that my Dad had some magical powers to control time and use every second judiciously, which is I was hoping he would show up and watch over me during this marathon as he had done it in other races. My father passed away at the young age of 53 of a heart attack caused by his type one diabetes, but he sure smiled upon me from Heaven, especially when I needed him the most, so I was hopeful and looking for signs.

 

My friend Karen and I at the start line. All ready for another marathon. Karen got to run Boston and Big Sur this year. So proud of her!

 


Meeting Laura, Karen’s friend. Three strong women ready to run!

The race was not too crowded. We were able to locate the 3:30 pacers and we positioned ourselves behind them to start a little slower. And then the countdown from 10 seconds to go happened. Off we went!

 

THE FIRST 13 MILES OF SMILES AND DISCLIPLINED, STEADY RUNNING

 

My legs felt great and wanted to run fast, but I held them back with the dexterity of a horse trainer taming a wild horse. I kept a close eye on my watch and did not allow myself to run under 8:10 pace for the first three miles of the race. Both my friends Karen and Laura took off from me, but I was not ready to chase a faster pace this early in the race. I needed to run smartly and stick to the master plan.  I relished the fresh cooler air (this marathon starts at 6 a.m.), the mountains that encircled the runners with warmth, the small wineries we ran by, the horses grazing with purpose and intent to make the best of their food, and the soft sound of my feet against the road.

 

At mile 6, we got to come back to the start line before heading down the mountains to the beach. My hubby took this pic of me and waved at me, smiling and cheering. I felt amazing, but did not try to go too fast on the downhills, meaning I held myself back once I hit 7:45 pace, since my goal was to finish with a 7:58 to 8:00 min pace.

 

This is a pretty and flat portion around mile 11 that we ran on a bike path. I was heading towards my husband to exchange my water bottle in which I had Scratch containing electrolytes mixed with water. My running and breathing were smooth, my legs, glutes, and left calf muscle were all happy and content. I was having a blast, but my dear father has not showed up yet, sending me a sign that he was there in spirit.

 

And then mile 12 arrived. A younger woman caught up with me.  I greeted  her, after which she said: “I have been watching you! You are as steady as a rock,” said Rozy, a woman in her 30s who used to live in Vancouver, Canada, but now lived in Southern California with her husband and their beautiful baby girl. I thought to myself: “Is she talking about me? Steadiness in pace did not use to be my strength. I was even told one time that I ran like a kid, doing fartleks, running slower, then faster. Yet, consistency is definitely key to the running economy and to hitting faster times. We started chatting and I realized that we were running at a 7:18 min pace, which was much faster than what I needed to run, so I told her. She said that it was great running with me and that she felt good, so she took off. I smiled and said good-bye. I kept on running and smiling. I passed the half marathon mark in about 1:43 minutes and stayed focused, while hydrating well, as it was getting a little warmer. I even took the homeopathic cramp little pills that they passed out at the Expo, as I did not want to take any chances.

 

THE MIDDLE MILES OF CLIMBING HILLS MORE THAN DESCENDING THEM

 

I felt great and kept on running till I hit mile 16 when I started to cry softly. It suddenly dawned on me that my father sent Rozy my way to tell me that I was as steady as a rock. Her kind words have become my mantra and I smiled big to the skies, realizing that my dear father had sent such a powerful message my way. How come I needed four miles to realize that my father was talking to me through Rozy? At least, I got it and my soul filled with joy and confidence that I would keep running strong and steady especially through the middle miles that were hillier and tougher to conquer, but I kept my pace. When things got a little tough, I kept reminding myself that I was as steady as a rock. These words will become my Mountains 2 Beach marathon mantra that I kept chanting to myself every single mile till the finish. My daddy was there! He did not forget me and showed me that patience, perseverance, and perspiration were key in life. Moreover, my dad  believed in me as always.

 

THE FINISH LINE WITH THE PACIFIC WAVES CRASHING AGAINST THE SHORE

 

Around mile 22, our Fleet Feet racing team mate Greg Anderson wan on the side of the bike path cheering. I was so happy to see him and immediately picked up my pace, especially because the 3:30 pacers were next to me, even though I ran ahead of them all this time. I kept going strong, but my gluteus felt the miles at this point in the game, so it was not as easy to keep the pace. Soon I came around downtown Ventura and the hills were steep this time, but I was resolute to keep pushing forward with a little over a mile to go and 9 minutes left on my watch to hit the magic number. A few runners walked the steep hills, but I kept going until to my left I could see the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the sandy and rocky beach. I picked up my pace, smelling and feeling the finish line. This time it tasted salty, but not from crying. It was the ocean smell that reminded me of all the beautiful places I get to run.

I saw David first and he took this great picture of me.

 

Photo credit to David. One of my favorite pictures in action. Who let the dogs out? I knew that if I made my 3:30 marathon goal time, I did not have any seconds to spare, so I pumped my arms and let my legs carry me to my 3:30:59 best marathon I have run since becoming a runner. It was awesome to see my husband and our kids cheering on me and taking pictures.

 

And then there was my sweet husband cheering on me and telling me that the kids were at the finish line. I kept pumping my arms and felt the lightness in my step. I knew I picked up my pace. Shortly I just crossed the finish line with the clock showing 3:32 minutes, which was not the correct time, since I started in the second wave. Alex and Sophia hugged me and took pictures of me. Soon I got a text message from my friend Mark showing that I finished in 3:30:59. I did it! How freaking awesome I felt that moment! My coach Robert Ressl-Moyer texted me and said that he was super proud of me! I could not have done it without his guidance, training, and all the progressive 10 to 14-mile long runs that turned me into the steady runner who had just run her best marathon with better ones to come.

 

Photo credit to our son Alex Micsa. Crossing the finish line is like crossing the ocean: it takes time and practice.

 

Coming to the other side where all pain is left behind.

 

To my great joy, as I was looking for my family, I came across my new friend Rozy at the finish line who finished in about 3:24 minutes and felt great.

 

I will never forget Rozy’s words to me during the race: “You’re as steady as a rock.” I will also keep believing that she was the angel my dear father sent to me during the race with a very special message. So grateful to have met her and so happy for her outstanding marathon.

 

I expected to be hungry, thirsty, or needing to use the restroom, but I felt amazing and not needing anything other than to bask in the sun and my amazing race, while surrounded with the love and support of my family.

 

On the podium.

 

By the ocean right after the race with my husband and our sweet daughter Sophia. Loved that backdrop.

 

Needless to say, my body never felt so strong after running a marathon due to my amazing training or running up and down the hills back home. This marathon stole my heart and I highly recommend it with the caveat that there are uphill portions, too. Happy feet! To more running adventures.

Please share your amazing marathon stories and the wonderful friends you met during the race.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

How to run a 3:30 marathon or faster, Marathon PR, Qualify for Boston, Runing stronger and faster, Running and real estate, Running in new places, Running Marathons, Running stronger together!, The joy of running, Tips on training for a faster marathon, vegan running

Mountains 2 Beach – 10 Tips on Running a 3:30 Marathon or Faster

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“You are as steady as a rock,” said my new friend Roz, who ran next to me around mile 12 and who told me she was originally from Vancouver, Canada, but she lives in Southern California now.

 

Preparation for My Fifth Marathon

 

Although running helps me live in the NOW and stay grounded, the moment I accomplish a big goal, I am already thinking of the next PR and I jump into action to make that happen. Last year after running my fourth marathon The California International Marathon and qualifying for Boston with a 3:40:41 time, I immediately set my sights on a faster time and goal. I told my awesome coach Robert Ressl-Moyer that I wanted to run Mountains 2 Beach Marathon in 3:30 minutes, even though I was planning on running 50K races and my first 50-mile race in April before this marathon.

“Carmen, I will be honest with you and let you know that it will not be an easy task to accomplish after doing ultramarathons, but if someone can pull it off, that’s you,” he told me. “Besides after running a 50-mile race, a marathon will seem short and if you stay uninjured, you will build some great cardio.”

The winter running schedule was packed with long runs, a marathon training run on trails, and two back to back 50K races. To my great surprise and delight, I finished third female overall in my second ultramarathon race The Chanoako  50K, put together by Total Body Fitness,  which meant that I was ready to run my 50-mile race that I was training for by running back to back 50K races.

 

On the podium! A million thanks to my coach Robert Ressl-Moyer who prepares me for all my races and who waited for me two hours at the finish line. So lucky to have him as my coach and my motto in races is “Make Robert proud.”

 

My 50K races went smoothly, but my 50-mile endurance race took me 12 hours to complete running in heavy rain and mud. Yet, I persevered and recovered quickly, even though my left calf muscle was tight on me and hurt after tough workouts. I rolled, stretched, but the sports massage helped me the most to continue running and complete tough workouts and GMP (gross marathon pace) miles.  A million thank you to Natasha and Terasita with Active BodyWorks who worked on my muscles and made them happy the day of the marathon.

 

10 Key workouts, habits, and routines that helped me achieve a PR of 10 minutes at Mountains 2 Beach Marathon with my official finish time of 3:30:59 and a pace of 8:04 overall:

 

  1. Weekly 5:20 a.m. track workouts with ReMo Fitness led by our coach Robert Ressl-Moyer. My favorite workouts are ladders, such as 800, 400, 200, and my least favorite one is the Bart Yasso 800s. I did not make the goal when running them, but I knew I could sustain a pace of 7:50 to 8 minute during the marathon, so I did not worry.

 

Last track workout the week of the marathon went extremely well for me with my body starting to feel great. Although I was supposed to run mile repeats at 7:50 pace, I ran one mile repeat at 7:13 pace and felt like walking on clouds. It was smooth, effortless, and as coach Robert pointed out, my form and forward lean were great. That Tuesday,  I felt that my goal of finishing the marathon in 3:30 was definitely achievable. I was starting to get excited!

 

  1. Long progressive runs ranging from 10 to 14 miles. These were the absolute key workouts that helped me run Mountains 2 Beach as steady as a rock, as my new friend Roz remarked during the marathon. My focus when doing these workouts was to keep the miles seconds away so that I didn’t end up running too fast at the end, as my body was pretty tired from running six days a week, but resolute to achieve that PR.

 

I did not feel like doing a progressive run on my own that Thursday, but my friend Andrea Brizendine encouraged me to get it done. I also stayed focused on having super even splits so that I didn’t have to run too fast at the end;  it worked out.

 

3. Weekly strength training prepared for me by my coach and geared to make my gluteus stronger. He even designed workout A and B when I had to do them twice a week, but being so tired, I ended up doing about 10 minutes of Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell swings, planks, and so on. I also received a free hour coaching at CalFit and learned all about the machines that would work my gluteus muscles and make them happy. Running and strength training need to be balanced carefully, as a few of my friends and myself got injured from running too much and doing too much strength training. For this marathon, I was barely able to do my strength training once a week, twice with the shorter versions, but my body stayed strong all the way to the finish line. I also passed a lot of runners from mile 20 to the finish.

 

Learning how to use the machines at California Family Fitness. This one was my favorite.

 

My coach Robert teaches this strength training for runners class at the Dai Endurance studio in Sacramento, so I took the class and loved it.

 

4. Stretching, foam rolling, and doing Pilates class weekly were instrumental to my bouncing back quickly from one day to another to sustain 50 to  65-mile weeks. The gentle Pilates class was instrumental in allowing my body to stretch and be ready for more running. Kate Muir, our fun instructor, loved picking on me when she heard me moan and groan during different stretches. She said: “There is our runner friend Carmen. She can run 50 miles, but is so tight on this one.” Kate has been a passionate runner as well and was excited to hear about my running journey. Any time she drove towards the club and saw me run down the street, she would honk and waive at me.

 

I do Pilates once a week, as I love the combination of core exercises, stretches, and breathing techniques. I like it better than Yoga and highly recommend it. The Gentle Pilates class is easier on the body and includes more stretches, which made me feel like brand new after the class.

 

5.  Doing two of my long runs, a 20 and 22-mile run, on a downhill course running from Auburn to Loomis that replicates Mountains 2 Beach marathon closely. These runs got my quads strong and marathon ready. Although my 22-mile run went very well, as I hit my GMP for seven miles and finished strong, my 20-mile run two weeks before the marathon that was supposed to be 23 miles did not feel good, as my calf muscle hurt and was tight. With the shorter time to prepare for my marathon after my 50-mile race, I only did a half marathon at 7:50 pace race, where I placed third in my AG, one 18-miler, one 20-miler, and one 22-miler. I loved that I did not have to do too many long runs. I feel that a combo of 16, 18, 20, 22-mile runs suit me and prepare me well for the marathon. Although I bounce back quickly after running a 20-miler (I take a day off to swim, stretch, use the foam roll, and do Pilates), I feel that less is more when it comes to the long runs, especially because I do another mid-week medium run of 12 to 14 miles. I have done five 20-mile runs before to prepare for marathons and did not feel that they helped me as much towards the end of the race. The progressive runs and practicing my half marathon pace that made my marathon pace feel easy were quintessential to my ability to maintain a strong pace at the end of the marathon and pass a lot of runners.

 

My failed 20-mile run from Auburn to Loomis on the MandaRun course, where I had set my PR the previous year running the half marathon in 1:41:21, which also qualified me to run New York City marathon this year. That day my left calf muscle and my gluteus were quite angry at me,  so I had to stop about eight times and only hit one mile at GMP pace. Yet, I stayed positive and did not worry about this long run on tired legs.  I knew that on race day, with fresh legs, I would rise and shine ready to run from Ojai to Ventura.

 

6. Swimming, using the spa and sauna as recovery and conditioning tools. My body loves the water and I feel like a mermaid in the swimming pool, regenerating my tired body and preparing it for more mileage.

 

Water is my therapy and favorite recovery.

 

7.  Eating and hydrating well. There are no shortcuts to these two. Also as a vegan runner, I made sure to up the intake of protein on my heavy days of running, by eating beans, tofu, and drinking 20-gram organic protein shakes.

 

Carbs are great for runners and any athletes! My vegan pizza made with Trader Joe’s crust. Super easy to top with yummy veggies.

 

8. Sleeping 6 to 8 hours a night. Sleeping regenerates our bodies overnight and allows us to train harder. We should all make it a priority. Even when I had to wake up early for our Tuesday morning track workout, I made sure I took a 30 to 40-minute nap in the afternoon, especially if I didn’t have appointments with my clients.

 

9. Being in tune with my body and shortening workouts if my calf muscle was tight. For instance, my last two long runs got shorter, as I had to run 20 miles instead of 23 with about eight stops during my long run and only one mile at GMP. The last 14-mile long run was reduced to 12, although I felt much better on this run, especially because I ran with my friend Tracy who kept me good company. Most runners would have agonized about a failed long run with only 1-mile at GMP, but I knew in my heart how much better I performed in races as opposed to training runs, especially solo runs, so I continued to believe in my goal and ability to keep my 8 minute pace, or lower for the entire marathon.

 

10. And last, but not least, being on the Fleet Feet Sacramento Racing team. My coaches and teammates inspire me to reach higher and higher. We are all proud to represent Fleet Feet in races, as well as give back to the community by volunteering.

 

The three musketeers as we call ourselves. Adam, Andrea, and I after running Urban Cow half marathon.

 

Super Sunday 10K race with my Fleet Feet racing team mates- 2018.

 

As I look back to my training for my Mountains 2 Beach marathon, I can say that it was quite a ride that started in December of last year after I ran California International Marathon and continued with many long trail runs in the weekend, two 50K races, my first 50-mile race that took me 12 hours to complete because of the poor weather conditions, and my returning to speed and road running at the beginning of April three days after completing my grueling 50-mile race. Will I recommend this to anyone? Heck no! As a matter of fact, don’t try this at home- ha!ha! However, if you have the chance to run a 50K race (31.2 miles) two to three months before a marathon and you are comfortable running on trails, I highly recommend it.

7 Reasons to run a 50K race as one of your long runs for your marathon:

 

  1. It builds great cardio.
  2. It builds tremendous confidence to run a marathon and be strong at the end.
  3. Trail running works different muscles in your body and makes you stronger.
  4. Although you will run slower on trails, all the hills and challenging terrain will make you stronger and faster on the road, especially if you keep doing your speed workout at least once a week during the trail running season, which for me it is in the winter.
  5. Trail running is so beautiful and allows your mind, body, and soul to recharge from all the pounding on the road.
  6. Meeting new friends and having company for the long runs, as I belong to a few trail running groups, such as Trail Mix, Trail  Running Adventures.
  7. Recovery after a 50K race or long run is the same as running a 20-miler just one day, as the soft trails are gentler on your body.

 

I hope you can take away at least one tip that you can implement into your running and that you will always reach for more while appreciating the journey to the runner you have become today. Follow your heart and be open to the miracles and meaningful coincidences that running brings into our daily lives. One step at a time! One breath at time! We all have different journeys, but they do share one thing in common: running miles with big smiles!

 

Running strong towards the finish of M2B marathon with a big smile on my face. Running with joy!

 

Please comment back what other tips you have for running faster and steadier marathons, as well as which of the tips you will incorporate in your own training for a chance of winning a $10 Starbucks gift card. Everyone who comments on this blog will be entered into the drawing. Winners will be announced on June 15th! The clock is ticking!

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

 

 

50K race and third woman overall, 50K trail race, Chanoako 50K, Long runs, Runing stronger and faster, Running and real estate, Running keeps us younger, Running stronger and faster, Sacramento real estate, Sacramento spring market, Sacramento spring real estate market, The joy of running, Third Female Overall, Ultra runner, Ultramarathons, vegan running, Vegan ultra runner

Third 50K Race, 30 mins PR, and Third Female Overall- Tips and Thoughts on Running Ultras

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“As long as you can run, jog, walk, crawl, hop and skip for many hours, you are an ultra runner.” Carmen Micsa

 

Two weeks after I had completed my second 50K race with a 48-min PR from my very first ultra marathon the 2016 Folsom Gold Rush, my coach and I decided that I was ready to run another 50K race, the Chanoako 50K, which was new this year. With my American River 50-mile race approaching in April, I needed another long run, so after my new trail runner Tracy Bedwell told me that she would be running Chanoako 50K,  I jumped on it. Organized by Total Body Fitness, the Chanoako 50K did not have major elevation gains, but it had technical terrain in some spots. Nonetheless, I told my coach that my goal was to break 6 hours in this race. He believed that I should be able to do it. I was excited about my new challenge.

 

The Start Line

 

My sweet husband dropped me off at the start line at the Auburn Overlook from where we would run all the way to Granite Bay Beach by Folsom Lake. The weather was perfect with cloudy skies, but no rain or wind. The temperatures in the low 50s perfect for a long run in short sleeve. My coach Robert Ressl-Moyer was also running the 50K . It was wonderful to see him at the start line and later on have him cheer on me at the finish line.  I felt particularly more motivated to break 6 hours and run a strong race. Moreover, I knew I could do it due to the focused and personalized training schedule that Robert created for me – feel free to check out his website and maybe take your fitness and running to the next level. I was also happy to see my friend Tracy Bedwell who had the same goal to break 6 hours. We even talked about running this together and pushing each other. However, at mile 2, we got separated and had to run our own race. In racing, we need to be flexible. If it works to run with a partner, we do it, and if not, we need to keep moving.

 

At the start line of my third ultra the Chanoako 50K with my amazing coach and Fleet Feet Sacramento racing teammate Robert Ressl-Moyer.

 

The first mile of the race, I ran it a little fast at 7:43 pace, since it was all downhill, but then I slowed down in the 9s and 10s. I felt exuberant and confident about today’s race for some reason. I even got myself a new pair of compression pants, as I knew I would need the support and wanted to wear something new in my race, which brought me good luck in past races when I ran with a new water bottle, new arm sleeves, and so on.

 

The trail and the lake competing for the runners’ attention. I always love running by the lake, or the river, even though I only take a quick glance, as I need to pay attention to my feet.

 

The Race and My Thoughts While Running

 

The undulating trail unraveled in front of me and helped me gain momentum at times, while slowing me down when the terrain was steep, uneven, or rocky. I felt good running at a steady pace between 9 and 10 minutes, which gave wings to keep running until I reached the next aid station, and then the next.

I have learned that the 10-mile mark during a 50K race is crucial, as it feels like the first big boulder that we move out of the way to reach the finish line. I always say to myself: “I am third way done with my 50K race. Running strong! I got this!”

As I passed the 10-mile mark, I also started to pass more runners. I worked hard on staying focused on my form, since my right knee started to hurt me from breaking a little too much on the downhill. I kept running and staying within each mile. I also paid attention to the course and followed the pink ribbons to make sure I remained on track, for who wants to add any more distance to an already long race? Around mile 15, I passed a younger woman after I kept seeing her running in front of me. I felt strong and steady.

From miles 15 to about 24, I have developed my race mantra, which is different for every race depending on how I feel and the conditions in the race. This time, I came up with one word that kept me running up and down the hills: UNSTOPPABLE. I kept telling myself that I am unstoppable, so that I don’t get any ideas that I needed to quickly stop when my legs, gluteus muscle, or my knees had their own ultra running story to tell.  I also kept assuring myself that I was mighty and strong, which reminded me of my co-ed soccer days with my husband before our kids were born. Our friends used to call me “mighty mouse,” as I was fearless and always ready to score from a great pass.

The advantage of running this race was that we were running my next race American River 50 mile in reverse. I knew the terrain from all the wonderful training runs with my trail runner friends from Trail Running Adventures and Trail Mix. I also knew that I had to run carefully when I got to the meat grinder, which is called that for a reason. Capable of grinding feet, muscles, and joints, the meat grinder could not grind my spirit, I told myself, feeling, or more exactly pretending to be in control of the rocks, large steps I had to hop on, twists and turns, roots, and steep terrain. I did not take any chances, so I slowed down to a shuffle around there. I even saw the race photographer, as I was carefully keeping my balance and moving forward. I gave him a big smile pretending the meat grinder and I were best buddies.

 

The exhilaration of trail running. The meat grinder cannot dampen my joy and my desire to break 6 hours in my third 50K race. The lake background and the constant views made this course my favorite.

 

The gentle downhills helped me out, but the steep and rocky ones made my legs quiver with doubt in my downhill abilities. I even admitted to myself that I was not a strong downhill runner, but did not let that truth smear my rosy image of me finishing this race under 6 hours. Another constant concern I had during the run was the snacking on time without losing energy. The race was super well-organized and the owners of Total Body Fitness always put together the best races. However, when I realized that I would get no bananas, or other fresh fruit during this race, I turned a little grumpy, for I love eating bananas during marathons and ultra marathons. My friend and awesome training partner Andrea Brizendine made fun of me when I recapped the race for her and said that maybe that’s the reason I ran faster, as I wanted to get to the real food at the finish. Great point! Having relied mainly on Cliff gels, shot blocks, dry fruit, and some pretzels kept me running to fill up my stomach with the real deal at the finish.

 

The Finish Line

 

The last 6 miles of the race were a combination of levee running, which was flat and rocky, but helped me run a little faster, running around the parking lot of Beal’s point, and up and down hills around Cavitt in Granite Bay, CA, where I tried to shift my focus from the steep hills to the gorgeous homes towering over the lake and winking at the trail. My Garmin watch and Strava were telling me different times, but I knew that I had to keep running strong to finish under 6 hours.

My goal to break 6 hours was starting to become attainable. It was not just a phantom anymore; it started to crystalize. At this point in the race when I passed the 26ish marathon distance, the miles just came and went, buzzing around like butterfly wings, without me keeping too much track of them. The hills, trails, and my legs were the real time keepers, so things shifted to my interior monologue. I  uncovered the simple truth that ultra running is a long meat grinder, as well as a joyous triumph at the end when you forget how you piled up 31 miles. Running ultras also feels like running on top of clouds at times when things go well and you feel the “unbearable lightness of being,” or simply running in Dante’s Inferno –  punished to eternity.

I kept running and stayed focused on my form to finish strong.  As I reached the parking lot at Granite Head Beach, I remembered the finish of other trail races, as well as my triathlon. I started to speed up to get to the finish line. Will I finish under 6 hours? I was so fortunate that my body has this wonderful extra bounciness and energy at the end of races, so I started to work on my final kick for the race. As I ran down, the straight and flat path towards the finish line, I saw my coach Robert in the distance. He was cheering for me – visibly happy and excited. I knew that I had to switch gears and kick it higher.

“Go, Carmen!” my coach cheered for me with all his being. “You got this!” “Go, go, go!” Although he took my video running to the finish line, I posted below the video that my friend Monica Davis took of me, as she kept still a little better than my coach -just saying – ha!ha! Emotions, joy, bliss, infinite gratitude.

Chanoako50K_Thirdfemale

I heard other friends cheer for me and there was nobody coming behind me, so when the announcer said my name, I crossed the finish line with a big smile and looked at the race clock. It showed the final race time of 5:59:20. Yet, my official time was 5:56:29 –  even better.

“I made it under 6 hours,” I told my coach.

“Yes, you were also third female,” he said with a proud look on his face.

“In my age group?” I asked.

“No, third overall.”

I was ecstatic. I hugged my sweet husband who was waiting for me. We took a few pictures. What a feat! Two weeks after running Salmon Falls 50K I was able to get a 30-min PR, run under 6 hours and finish third woman overall in a smaller and beautiful Chanoako 50K race. We are capable of great things when we believe and work hard!

 

My sweet husband Catalin who always waits for me at the finish line of long races. He also drops me off and fully supports my running.

 

My coach Robert Ressl-Moyer won the race in 3:56! Yet, he made me feel as if I won the race. He is the most encouraging, knowledgeable,  and wonderful coach!

 

On the podium with my friend Tracy Bedwell, who finished second, and Mandi Kruse, first female overall! Trail running is about making friends and celebrating our victories together. A million thanks to my coach Robert Ressl-Moyer who prepares me for all my races and who waited for me two hours at the finish line. So lucky to have him as my coach. My motto in races is “Make Robert proud.”

 

After the awards, I was happy to eat pasta and salad. My body felt great and I could not have been happier with my race. My gratitude goes to my wonderful family, our sweet kids, Alex and Sophia, my mom whom I dedicated this race to, my awesome Fleet Feet racing team, and all my friends and running partners. It takes a village to raise a runner and I could not have done this on my own!

My coach was happy with my running two 50K races just two weeks apart, because they had taught me to run on tired legs and be well-prepared for my first 50-mile race, the American River 50, the second oldest 50-mile race in America.

How about you? Have you ever run a 50K race? How about a 50-miler? Share your experiences here.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

Long runs, Marathon PR, Marathon running, Runing stronger and faster, Running, Running and real estate, Running keeps us younger, Running Marathons, Sacramento real estate, The joy of running, Training for your marathon, Ultramarathons

What does Running Marathons/Ultramarathons and the Myth of Sisyphus have in common?

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We all know how much dedication and hard work running a marathon or ultramarathon require. This year, I am training for two ultra marathons, Salmon Falls 50K and AR50 mile, which is my first 50-mile race. I also have to log in 50+ miles every week to run these races strong and not get injured. Every single week, I start adding my check mark next to the miles I ran all the way to Sunday when I write in the total mileage with a big smile and satisfaction of a work well-done. Then Monday comes along and both my paper schedule and my Strava running app stare back at me with a big 0 MILES. No big deal, right? I just need to start over and enjoy the cycle of life and the joy of logging in the miles week after week till race day and then find another big boulder to roll uphill just like Sisyphus.

 

Sisyphus and his rock.

 

In his book The Myth of Sisyphus Albert Camus sees the futility of Sisyphus carrying the boulder up the hill over and over again as a triumph, for Sisyphus knows himself to be the master of his days. Are we thus runners the modern Sisyphus logging in our miles through our smiles? Are we looking at our running as a huge reward and not a punishment as in the case of Sisyphus? Is there joy, satisfaction, and a sense of hard labor achieved at the end of climbing a hill, where we are rewarded with breathtaking views?

 

The views at the top of a steep hill that I climbed with my trail running friends Rob Schmidt and Nicola Elliott.

 

Climbing a steep hill on the lake loop around the Folsom trails – no boulder, although it felt like we were carrying one.

 

Lesson from the first hill

 

Before climbing this hill, our friend Rob asked us if we wanted to take the steeper route, or the flatter one.  I deferred making a decision to Nicola, who said that she always makes herself do the hard things that she is not so fond of, or as good at in order to get stronger and better at things. Life’s wisdom while running, I thought to myself grateful for the moment of joy carrying ourselves up the hill. Unlike Sisyphus, our actions had meaning, purpose, and satisfaction, knowing that we didn’t have to keep running up and down the hill. We could just relish the breathtaking views on top of the hill and continue running until we achieved our mileage and called it a day.

Lesson from the second, longer, and much steeper hill

 

During our 22-mile run, my friends and I climbed K2 hill in Auburn twice, which is a long steep hill comprised of five sections, as my awesome ultra runner friend Keather Kehoe, who ran 45 miles that weekend, explained to me. It felt long and hard the first time we did it, but the second time, it felt much easier, which reminded me that our attitude towards the difficult things we do is everything. This bad-ass hill taught me this: it is easier to accomplish hard goals when you surround yourself with like-minded people, you surrender to the task at hand with joy, and when you feel confident that you have what it takes to conquer challenges.

 

This long, steep hill brings many trail runners to despair. Hiking up the hill replaces running in most cases.

 

Experiencing a sense of joy, pride, and satisfaction during my climb of K2 famous and infamous hill.

 

 

Despite his scorn of the Gods, Sisyphus had a tremendous passion for life and an intense hatred of death. While carrying his boulder up the hill, Sisyphus knows himself to be the master of his days, which is how I feel as a runner, too. After I get my run done, whether it was a short or long one, I triumph and revere in all moments of joy and desperation when tiredness sets in. I also smile remembering the man with the rock, as my friend Rob calls him. We saw him recently at the end of our run. He was walking across Sunrise foot bridge with a big, heavy rock that he hurled around from one hand to another. He made me think of how we all have to restart our days carrying our rock with the same joy and gratitude that he displayed.

 

Just like Camus’ essay concludes: “The struggle itself is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy,” so does my journey as a runner continue with elation, resilience, perseverance, and hope for a bright future, in which I can carry my boulder up and down hills and mountains with the purpose of getting stronger, happier, and healthier.

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

Works consulted:

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/camus/

Long runs, Marathon PR, Marathon running, Progressive runs, Qualify for Boston, Runing stronger and faster, Running and real estate, Running and Spirituality, Running keeps us younger, Running makes you smarter, Running Strong and Injury free, Running stronger and faster, Sacramento real estate, Swim, The joy of running, Triathlon Training, Uncategorized, vegan running

17 Life Lessons I Learned from Running in 2017

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“Running is like a blooming rose – each petal encapsulating its own beauty amidst thorns. Running is also peeling off the layers of life one petal at a time to achieve the ultimate magic.”  Carmen Micsa

 

At the end of each year, there is reflection and remembering all the lessons we have learned.

 

Physical Fitness Lessons

 

  1. When your first injury as a runner strikes, learn to let your body heal through cross training, such as swimming and biking.

I consider myself pretty fortunate to avoid injuries, as I do have a decent form and I am good about listening to my body if something hurts me during a run. However, this year I got my first injury that sidelined me from running for almost two months after doing a tough track workout with my Fleet Feet Sacramento Racing team. We did mile repeats and I felt great during the workout. However, when I returned home, I was visibly limping, which is why my husband asked me if I got injured. I replied that I felt great during my track workout and that it is probably just temporary. I was wrong: I had peroneal tendonitis, which hurt my foot when I walked, so I had to take time off and heal using acupuncture and my new best friend the TENS machine, which is short for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

 

Although my tendon was not completely healed, I have decided to race my favorite 5K race the ZooZoom Run. I finished second in my age group, but at the end of the race, I was barely able to walk. I knew I had to listen to my body and start healing and take time off from running. Poor decision to run the race.

 

2. Let aqua jogging be thy medicine!

Although we runners believe there is no such thing as swimmer’s high, swimming is one of the best methods to recover from an injury. I did different pool jogging intervals to keep my cardio fitness up and the tendon loved the gentleness of the water. http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/cross-training-101-swimming-for-runners_82017

 

 

I was lucky that my California Family Fitneess club had the hydro-fit belt that helped me do pool running, gave me joy, strength, and helped me heal my tendon.

 

3. Biking is another great cross training method for runners. 

Biking is extremely beneficial to keep your cardio level up, as well as one of the favorite with injured runners, but I have decided to continue biking as cross training when not injured.

 

Preparing for my first triathlon. Combining swimming, running, and biking is quite fun and challenging. I have also enjoyed doing bricks workouts, such as biking followed by running.

 

4.  Getting injured can help one put perspective on things, as well as become more adventurous in trying other athletic endeavors, such as a triathlon. 

After I healed from my injury, I gained a new perspective on things and learned to appreciate swimming and biking, which is why I have decided to do compete in my first triathlon on Sept. 9 organized by Total Body Fitness. To my great delight, I finished third in my age group, doing very well in swimming, OK in biking, and outstanding in running.

 

I finished third in my age group, even though I did my very first triathlon. Yet, the highlight was the discovery that I can have stamina and strength to swim, bike, and run.

 

5. Learning to trust our bodies after an injury and come back stronger. 

It took me almost a month to regain my speed and confidence in my ability to run strong and continue to get PRs in all my half marathon races, my marathon, and my 10K. At first, I tried to stay away from track workouts, but I realized that I needed to continue my running journey with passion and confidence.

 

Running together with my friend Andrea Brizendine helped me bounce back from injury and made me look forward to my runs.

 

6.  Learning to respect my body and to strengthen it with key workouts and specific exercises to avoid future injuries. 

 

One of the best exercises to strengthen muscles are kettle bells thrusts. My gluteal muscles often hurt after long runs, so I knew that I needed to do specific exercises to keep strong and be a better runner because of weekly strength workouts.

 

7.  Learning to trust your body when running higher mileage weeks in preparation for a marathon.

Getting my own coach to prepare me to run my strongest marathon so far was the best decision I made, as Robert-Ressl Moyer, a top ultra runner and winner of many 50k races, taught me to trust my body when running between 50 to 70 miles a week. He helped me get my body stronger by having me do a few easy runs after every tough speed workout, which kept me healthy and uninjured through California International Marathon.

 

Running strong and faster with the help of my amazing coach Robert Ressl-Moyer.

 

8.  Running fast on tired legs is not a myth!

With the help of my coach, I have learned to finish my races with negative splits, meaning running faster at the end.  The main workout to help me accomplish this were my weekly progressive runs for the first month I trained with him to get me to run faster on tired legs at the end of our workout.  I succeeded to negative split the Urban Cow half marathon finishing with a 3-minute PR in 1:43:56 with a 7:56 pace, The Mandarin half marathon finishing in 1:41:21 with a 7:45 pace another 2:30 mins PR only a month later after running Urban Cow half marathon, and the California International Marathon, where I had a 7-minute PR and qualified for Boston for the first time.

 

My awesome friend and training partner Andrea and I after finishing a smooth progressive run together.

 

Boston-Bound at California International Marathon, where I finished my fourth marathon in 3:40:41.

 

Mental Fitness Lessons

 

9.  Dig deep literally means just that when you use your mental toughness during your training runs or races. 

Digging deep as a runner, or a human being on the quest of achieving a big goal means just that. Although I am not a gardener, I find this expression to represent physical and mental strength when digging a hole, but more importantly, the strength is imperative to dig one’s way out of the hole. As runners we have to find that inner fortitude to run strong through the pain when our bodies rebel against us. My revelation came during the middle miles of my fourth marathon that I ran on Dec. 3rd, 2017. I was getting really tired and my gluteal muscles were sore and hurting. I slowed down by 30 seconds from my goal marathon pace of 8:16 and I was even thinking that marathons are not my cup of tea and why was I insisting on abusing my body like that. I even wanted to stop and use the bathroom, but I decided to harness my mental strength and focus on good form technique, and running the best I could to Loehman’s Plaza past the 20 mile point. Sure enough after that my body stopped hurting, or was it my mind overwriting the body? I started to run at 8:14 pace and felt rejuvenated and confident in my ability to finish strong.

 

I was able to run part of the CIM with my wonderful friend Karen Clark who ran ahead of me during the middle miles. I managed to catch up with her around mile 22 when my mental strength helped me dig deep and get out of the pain hole that slowed me down.

 

10.  Find another gear. 

How do runners differ from bikers? They just don’t have as many gears. Nevertheless, once we allow our brains to process and transcend physical pain, we become stronger and able to find faster gears that we did not know existed and were available to us. The way I learned to access my faster gears was by finishing many key track workouts with a few 200 meter repeats on tired legs. The first time I discovered that I could run super fast at the end of the workout on tired legs, I felt like a legit athlete.  Running strong at the end felt like pulling a rabbit out of a magician’s hat, since the pain had disappeared and allowed the legs to do their thing.

 

My super fast and supportive team mates Genevieve Clavier and David Pai made me look forward to our 5:20 a.m. Tuesday workouts, when we all gave it our best and felt as if we were hanging off a precipice, but somehow managed to stay in control of our tired legs and finished the workouts strong.

 

11.  Overwriting our doubts and mental weakness.

I was doing 800 meters on track with my awesome team mates, when my body and legs rebelled and started to slow down. My coach who was timing us noticed that I slowed down, so he said: “Your legs are not tired; it’s all in your mind.” I smiled and tried to process that statement. My next 800 was stronger, and the last one was the strongest. I had to simply overwrite my brain that was giving wrong signals to my body. All of a sudden, I found renewed energy in my running and knew I could do it! I felt in control of my body, thoughts, and managed to subdue the doubts that were creeping up like tiny spiders ready to weave their web of lies around my tired legs that were capable to give more that morning on track. Positive thoughts and reinforcement are an important tool for runners to have when needed.

 

Doing track workouts with friends is always more fun and motivating.

 

12.  The power of visualization.

It is essential to visualize our goals and even more important to let our friends, our social network and media know about our goals, so that they can keep us accountable. Besides visualizing our goals, it really helps to repeat to yourself what you wish to get out of a race. For instance, when I ran the MandaRun half marathon, I kept telling myself that I wanted to finish with a 7:45 pace, since my pace during my Urban Cow half marathon was 7:56. During the race, I felt great and the speed was effortless, but I kept pushing myself to run a little faster than 7:45 to account for slowing down on a few hills. To my great surprise, I finished the half marathon in 1:41:21 with a 7:45 pace. I was elated and surprised that I finished third in my age group, as half marathons are harder to place. This was my first time finishing in the top three at a half marathon and felt that repeating the magic pace numbers worked well for me. The brain and the body were focused on the same goal and worked as a team!

 

Showing off my two medals that I earned at the Mandarun half marathon. First time getting an age group award for a half marathon race.

 

Spiritual Lessons

 

13.  Jumping with Joy.

To me running is the perfect harmony between body and mind. In order to celebrate that inimitable feeling, I often jump with joy suspended between Heaven and Earth and rejoicing in the runner’s high.

 

No description needed. Too much joy and exhilaration!

 

14.  Running is divine.

I have enjoyed doing trail runs for the change in scenery and for the divine beauty I see all around me. Just like we need to break up the monotony in running and run trails instead of road all the time, it is the same with life. We need to find the divine in various activities, in the people we meet, and in the ordinary that we can easily transform into extraordinary. The divine is within each of us and once we learn how to access it, we will feel our hearts expand with love for others and ourselves.

 

Serendipity and divinity.

 

The divine nature of  wild flowers.

 

15. Running is finding God in nature.

Even though we need to watch our feet and pay attention to each step we take on the trails, I always rejoice in connecting with God during my runs. This year, I saw a cross in the sky right before Easter and I teared up thinking how much God loved us and how much I enjoyed discovering and talking to God during my runs through nature.  Then on Christmas Eve when I ran the Foresthill Divide Loop with a few wonderful friends from our racing team, I stopped on the trail enthralled to discover God’s Temple.

 

I took this picture on Good Friday before Easter this year. At first, I thought it was just the evening sky right before sunset, but when I looked at the picture on my phone, I was in awe to see the clouds forming a cross in the sky. I cried, prayed, and wrote a poem about this divine apparition in the sky.

 

 

The light filtering through this old, mature bent over tree stopped me in my tracks. I felt God’s infinite love for me and all mankind. This deep spiritual connection filled my heart with love and gratitude for the existence of a higher BEING and for being ALIVE and closer to GOD.

 

16. Running is transcendence. 

Whenever I run, there is a calmness descending over me that transcends any worries, crazy thoughts, doubts, or fears. Moreover, running becomes my way of transcending time and space and propels me in the NOW.

 

I love bridges, as they connect two ends, two worlds, two souls, two hearts, and many transcending moments in time.

 

17. The Zen of Running.

 

Running is controlling the shallow and deep breaths into a rhythmic breath, which I call the Zen of running, for it gives me inner peace, calmness, and composure to be the best human being possible. I also feel serene when I enter the Zen realm and know that no matter how difficult or long the run is, I will end up overcoming pain and come out cleansed and elated.

 

This art reminds me of the Zen of running, of breathing and living a meaningful and joyous life.

 

I am humbled to share what I have learned from running in 2017 and hope to hear your stories, too about your ultimate running experiences. Please share any special moments and lessons  you have learned during your runs. Namaste!

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healthy eating and stronger running, Long runs, Marathon running, Runing stronger and faster, Running, Running and real estate, Running keeps us younger, The joy of running, Training for your marathon, Uncategorized, vegan running

What the Beets? Why Every Athlete Should Make Beets Part of Their Weekly Menu

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When it comes to endurance events, such a running a marathon, biking a century ride, doing an Ironman, and so on, most athletes reach out to energy drinks and caffeine before the start of their events. But what if we can replace the above-mentioned with beet juice instead and boost athletic performance even more?

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Jaclyn Schmidt

My picture during Urban Cow Half marathon on Oct. 1, 2017, where I had a big PR, finishing in 1:43:56 with a 7:56 pace. I felt amazing during the whole time and the Super Beets powder that I mixed in my water and drank it before the race sure kept me steady and strong.

 

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2009 found that individuals who drank beet juice experienced up to a 16% increase in endurance compared to those who did not. Also according to Jacqueline Ritz, founder of the Paleo Mama blog, beets fight cancer, lower the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, increase endurance in athletes, and they are also an aphrodisiac. Being a high nitrate vegetable, beetroot, the red bulbous part, has become the super food for runners, cyclists, and other athletes. What if you don’t like beets and don’t wish to eat it, but still want to reap some benefits in increasing your endurance? There are many products on the market, such as this powder I buy from Wholefoods.

 

I have used this before races and my running felt effortless. I just mix a scoop with water and take it about an hour before the race, or a long run. Love it!

 

How high nitrate foods enhance our performance:

 

Another thing you can do to benefit from high nitrate vegetables is to eat more spinach, arugula, radishes, celery, lettuce, parsley, and rhubarb. Talking about nitrates, Amby Burfoot, the author of In Beet Juice We Believe published in the Runner’s World, explains how our body processes beets and turns them into a superfood. Burfoot points out that beets get their endurance power from helpful mouth bacteria that convert the nitrate in beets to nitric oxide, which appears to be the miracle substance. Nitric oxide can substantially lower blood pressure and somehow extend endurance. I guess we runners should not need too much more convincing regarding beets, which are good sources of folate, manganese, potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber, since we all try to avoid the famous “wall,” when our body rebels and starts hurting.

 

Ways to eat your beets:

 

  1. My favorite one is borscht.

 

 

Best borscht I have ever had made by my awesome friend and best training partner Andrea Brizendine. She added quinoa,  carrots, potatoes, and onions to it. I gobbled it up with whole grain bread and hummus. Delicious! It also makes me run longer and stronger! Isn’t this what we runners want?

 

To try this recipe and cook the same vegan borscht that my friend Andrea shared with me, please go to https://natashaskitchen.com/2013/05/18/easy-superfood-red-borsch/

So easy to make and so healthy! For a quick glance at the ingredients needed to make this,  see below.

 

Ingredients for Superfood Red Borsch – vegan style:

 

12 cups reduced sodium veggie broth
1 medium or 1/2 large onion, peeled and cut in half (ends removed)
3 medium potatoes, sliced
1/4 cup quinoa
3 medium beets, peeled and grated
2 good handfuls of chopped kale leaves
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup sliced carrots
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash
3 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

 

2. Roasted beets, which I cut up, drizzle with olive oil, wrap them in aluminum foil, and roast them in the oven till they are tender.

 

3. Beet salad, which I used to eat as a child and liked its sweet taste. To make this salad, I cut up the beets and boil them till they are soft and tender. After they cool off, I remove the skin and grate them. I mix them up with a little salt and pepper and drizzle red wine vinegar on top. I keep the beet salad in a glass container in the fridge and eat it with roasted potatoes and other meals that go well together with this salad.

 

Credit recipe goes to my friend Cristina Nagy.

 

How about you? How do you like to eat your beets? Any special recipes you would like to share? No matter how you choose to eat, or drink them, one good thing could happen: you will BEAT your race PR with the mighty BEET!

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

 

Biking and Running for Stronger Body, First Triathlon, First Triathlon- Do's and Dont's, Perfect workout for strong running, run, Runing stronger and faster, Running, Running and real estate, Sacramento real estate, Triathlon Training, Vegan Biker, vegan running

Swim, Bike, Run – Why Every Runner Should Do a Triathlon!

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It’s been more than a month since I have completed my very first triathlon The Women Only TRI put together by Total Body Fitness. To my great delight, I finished third in my age group mainly due to my strong 3-mile run at the end, when I passed more than 20 women. The running was definitely my forte, but I loved the swim and biking, too. The best part about The Granite Beach Triathlon held close to my home was that my body felt stronger and not too tired all throughout the race.

 

Arriving at least an hour early before the triathlon starts gives you a good spot for your bike and plenty of time to prepare.

 

I did not read much about preparing for my first triathlon (read some great tips), but have received free training and amazing advice from Dusty Dustyn, the head coach of Women’s Cycling Program at Total Body Fitness, Bill Driskill , one of the owners and founders of Total Body Fitness, Tiffiny Ferrell, one of the awesome swim coaches , and running coach Henry Hawkins, who gave me the best and hardest track experience that included squats, lunges, push-ups, and dips in between our 400-meter repeats.

 

SWIMMING

 

During my training for the triathlon, I have practiced my swim more than the biking to feel confident in the water and not too slow. Once my swim portion started, the Folsom Lake waves lifted and cradled me against them. My swim turned into a negotiation with the lake and its brownish water. As I chopped the waves next to other triathletes’ arms, legs, and bright swim caps, I realized that less was more, so I relaxed into my strokes. Soon, my elation grew when I realized that the swim felt effortless.

 

Photo credit: Charlie Joyce. My good runner friend and real estate client Christina Joyce  and I right before the start of our swim. She told me that I inspire her and that since I was doing the TRI, she also decided to sign up. Good peer pressure, right?

 

My body turned into a vessel of joy, hope, and determination. My arms were in unison with the underwater world, carving and parting the water, as if slicing a cake in even portions. The waves made by all the women swimming around me turned into my self-propelling device, which made my swimming relaxed and easier than I had expected. My only worry was the second white buoy and the turn towards the shore. After I passed the buoy, I deviated a little, but made my half a mile swim in 24 minutes. I used my slippers to run faster to the shore,  just like Total Body Fitness experienced trainers taught us when we practiced our transitions.  I still could not believe how fast and effortless the swim portion had been. Was my swim a levitating, floating dream, or was I really done? The cheers from the spectators and the calling of my number by volunteers meant that I was done and that it was pedal time!

 

BIKING

 

The transition to biking took a little longer than 2 minutes, because I quickly changed into my running shorts to avoid chaffing. I used the towel as a shield, while avoiding any wardrobe malfunctions. I also put my racing team T-shirt on top of my wet bra after which I quickly put my socks on last – they were already rolled up, which was great advice from one of our Total Body Fitness instructors. I was trying to get out of the transition area as quickly as possible. I still managed to take a bite of my banana that was in my small triathlon bag and grab a fruit bar to eat on the bike . It seemed that everyone around me just hopped on like grasshoppers hunched over the handlebars of time on their super fast bikes. Finally, helmet on, I took off and promised myself to catch some of  these fast transition women on the hills.

I started to pedal and felt the rush of freedom that comes from having a good clip on your bike. The hills showed up fairly quickly. I knew that they would be my friends and that I would pass a few women on  the hills. Although I felt stronger than many women on the hills, I still felt nostalgic thinking of my dear father who bought me the first bike and taught me how to ride it when I was seven years old back in my home country Romania. Soon, I was riding and crying not because of the hills curving and bending in a maddening rhythm that cooler September morning. I was crying when I realized that the gaping hole in my heart was still there along with my longing for my dear dad, who once again was smiling upon me from Heaven. I started to sob when I realized that my father was there with me, guiding me gently upon the hills that seemed to multiply, especially because we had to do the same loop twice. I even worried that I went too many laps, but when I reached the volunteers the second time, they flagged me towards the finish of the bike portion. Yay!

 

RUNNING

 

After I set my bike on the rack, I dumped the clip-on shoes and put on my Nike Wild Horse trail running shoes with elation and renewed energy. I took a quick bite of my banana and ran as quickly as I could. My legs were not tired, or sore, so I knew that I had to catch up with as many women who were already running as possible. One of my friends and volunteers took my picture while speeding towards the trails. I needed to push hard, since the running portion was only three miles. Soon, I heard myself saying: “on your left,” quite frequently. By the time I reached one mile and some hills came up, I had already passed more than 10 women who were ahead of me. I kept going strong and focused on passing as many runners as possible. I felt great and so happy to finally get to my favorite portion of the triathlon. My feet felt the dirt, the earth, the roots, the rocks, and they were happy. By the time I reached the finish line of the run and the triathlon, I knew that I had done fairly well and that I had chances to finish in the top three in my age group.

 

At the end of my triathlon elated and happy that I conquered a new challenge.

 

I was right! I finished third in my age group during my very first triathlon. I knew the run had been my forte, but my swimming and biking have also come together for me. I had conquered a new challenge and discovered a big secret: triathlons are much gentler on the body than racing a half marathon, for instance. The body gets worked differently during the three events. As long as one has enough determination, grit, and positive attitude towards triathlons, there will be a successful and happy ending.

To TRI, or not to TRI, runners? That is the question! You guessed the answer: to TRI for stronger bodies and minds, to live life in a challenging and meaningful way, and to say that you tried the TRI and have succeeded!

 

A collage of joy during my first triathlon. Many thanks, Total Body Fitness for putting together such a great event.

 

 

Veni, vidi, vici, or I came, I saw, I conquered! I was proud of finishing my first triathlon, making new friends, and even placing in my age group.

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!