11 days until LAM

How am I feeling about the marathon today? I'm proud of my accomplishments. I had a great training cycle. We did a bunch of races in the past year. With family. With friends.

Rose Bowl Half	Apr 2025	13.1	3:09:49	14.5
CdM	Jun 2025	3.1	0:58:29	18.9
Cookie Mile	Jun 2025	1	0:11:08	11.1
Bimbo Global	Sep 2025	6.2	1:27:34	14.1
Mission Inn	Oct 2025	6.2	1:22:45	13.4
Clueless and Breathless	Dec 2025	12.66	3:05:04	14.6
Citrus	Jan 2026	6.2	2:08:54	20.8
Rose Bowl Half	Jan 2026	13.1	3:18:44	14.8
LA Marathon	Mar 2026	26.2	?	?

RBH 2025    44/47        3/18-6/7

In Summer    38/44        6/9-8/24

RunClub 6    27/32        8/26-10/19

RunClub 7    33/36        10/21-1/18

RunClub 8    21/22        1/21-2/24

Total            163/181 = 90.1%

My training was scheduled four days per week, and I count walks as well as runs. I skipped runs if I was sick or just feeling like asphalt. I'm not sure I'll do this many races next year. In fact, I haven't signed up for any except the Mission Inn Run. But I can definitely see myself doing the Citrus Heritage Run again. Rose Bowl I will do if I sign up for the Marathon / LA Road Runners again.

the ritual

As I was getting ready for my long run today, I started feeling a sense of appreciation for the ritual. It's so important not to skip any steps at all. 

I drink a cup of coffee while braiding my hair. It's important that my hair is in a protective hairstyle and I can do this quietly while others in the house are still sleeping. Also I use the toilet, to poop. 

I put my phone, headphones, and smartwatch on their chargers. Then I eat something, like a package of Belvita. https://share.google/w67B3NIJqyfyCcGKw

I start with preparing my groin area. Ride in Comfort with Chamois Butt'r Her - The Women's Choice for Chafe Prevention! https://share.google/AXXgVwbwpT5EpmNrl

Then, I put on shorts or a skort. Next I lubricate my ribcage. Any fold of skin, where skin touches skin, it's a good place to lubricate. Body Glide Anti Chafe 2.5oz | Running Warehouse https://share.google/hCdNtJJJbrdWAo1rV

I go all the way around my torso along the bra line. I do my armpits and the top of my arm. This entire ritual is based on evidence, covering all hotspots that have chafed earlier in the season.

I put on my bra(s), shirt, and arm sleeves. I put compression sleeves on my calves. Then, I turn my attention to the feet. 

Chamois Buttr 8 oz – Sports Basement https://share.google/18zdtP8BoUTy176WY

I check my toe nails to make sure they are not sharp. I slather a generous amount of Chamois Buttr between my toes, on the tops of my toes, on the bottoms of my toes, on the sides of my toes, on the arch of my foot, and on my heel. 

Then I put on socks and shoes.

Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Tab Socks - Black - Stan's Shoes https://share.google/kLUV8Ejhtm8OhFOJ1

I dress my wrists by adding the smartwatch when it's charged. I add some friendship bracelets and a sweat wristband to clip my GymBoss to. I use a Junk headband to cover my ears and headphones, then a hat or visor and sunglasses.

My husband said that since I'm big chested, I have had to take special consideration with my running outfit, maybe more than other people. I'm not sure if that is true, since anyone of any size can experience chafing. I practice fueling on all long runs. Even if I didn't get 20 miles in today, I still feel ready for the marathon. 

My new training strategy has been no runs over 5 hours. I guess I will let you know how it goes. The thought was, longer than 5 hours is doing more damage than adaptation. 

winter olympics

I had a crazy nightmare last night. I was at a base camp in the mountains. Staying at a bougie ski chalet. Having the time of our lives. Hot cocoa. Jacuzzi. Lush. Selfies. Fur coats. Glam. Good conversations with exciting strangers who also love active living and travel.

Then it dawns upon me. Why I am there. I remember that I registered for a 100 mile ultramarathon. In the cold. In the mountains. I have to stay in athlete housing. Bunks. I am the only female signed up for this race. There are only 12 people doing the race.

I take all my luggage and put it on a bunk bed. I try to sleep. I wake up and go to the bathroom. Someone had moved all my stuff to a different bed. I had to find it in the dark. The night before the race.

I got up to pee again and someone moved my stuff again and this time, like musical chairs, there were no more empty beds because more people had arrived in the middle of the night. So I just went down to the lobby. 

That's when I realized all the gear I packed was for California weather, not cold gear. I didn’t even have gloves. I had a light jacket, not even a windbreaker. I started to really panic. I started beating myself up for being unprepared. I started thinking there was a very real possibility I would die out there on the mountain.

When the other participants woke up, one guy offered me his snow pants and I got a parka and some gloves from somewhere. I thought I could still do the race. I might not finish, but I wouldn't die trying. Then I find out they make you strip down naked and have all your gear checked to make sure you aren't cheating.

Mind you, I'm the only woman. So there I am, a crazy Nebraskan-Californian with back rolls and saggy boobs and a fat ass... dancing in front of the judges and other participants and spectators. I wasn't embarrassed about my body, I was embarrassed that I was so unprepared. And I didn’t want it to reflect badly on me, women, mothers, Californians, Nebraskans, Americans. It was humiliating.

Besides being stripped naked, our gear was inspected. The snow pants that someone had "kindly" loaned me contained illegal, performance-enhancing valves, which the officials cut out. So my outfit ended up with holes in it, and almost ended up getting me disqualified.

So then I was left at the decision point. Run the race with all the holy gear, or quit before I start. Then I woke up.

I think it was about the Winter Olympics. And exploitation of women. And misogyny. And working in a male-dominated field. And feeling stressed about my training cycle. And the upcoming marathon. And generalized travel stress, like for a destination race. Like worrying about having forgotten something essential. And wondering what my next big challenge will be.