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Notices tagged with instarunner
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Finished #RodeoValley 30k #trailRace in 5:10:43 on Saturday. In the photo I’m massaging a midsection cramp while power hiking uphill, and grinning because I knew I was almost at the top of the last big climb of the course.
First race post lockdown was exciting, fun, steady, strong, until a downhill trip (no fall) broke my momentum, strained the right leg/glute, and killed the appetite. Struggled and pushed thru remaining climbs to finish strong on the final downhill without injury, 26s longer than 2018.
Great starting with 50k runners Bryan & Eliza, and having pal Erika run me in the last 4 miles (also took this 📷) and share salty snacks, a needed boost.
Taking notes as memories resurface. Processing everything & how each section went, insights gained, and lessons learned.
#runner #running #instaRunner #trailRunner #ultraRunner #trailRace #grassRootsGear #NovemberProject #NPSF #Marin #MarinHeadlands #CoastalTrail #Hill88 #uphill #powerhike #50kTraining #50mileTraining #2021_219 #laterGram #noFilter
The night before: https://tantek.com/t5E51
2018 Rodeo Valley: https://tantek.com/2018/175/t1/finished-rodeovalley-my-first-30k
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The pandemic is not over just because you’re over it. Wear a mask. Get vaxed. Get boosted with a different vax. Stop indoor dining/drinking. Black Lives Matter. Trans rights are human rights. Housing & healthcare for all. There’s no Planet B.
Also, running my first race tomorrow since lockdown, @insidetrail #RodeoValley 30k!
Longest training stretch between races since I started running. Huge thanks to coach @CorrineMalcolm’s guidance for almost a year now.
Carving out little deliberate pockets of the past in the ever-changing present.
#runner #running #instarunner #trailrunner #ultrarunner #trailrace #grassrootsgear #novemberproject #NPSF #letsdothis #LFG #Marin #50ktraining #50mileTraining #nofilter
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🌃🌳 March 28th, SF distancing day twelve. Spent the day inside (except to move my car) until leaving 10 minutes to midnight for a night run.
Started tracking at Frederick & Ashbury, an empty intersection, lights out except the corner 2nd floor apartment(1). Empty to the East as well, up to the dark trees of Buena Vista Park, outlined by a gray sky above(2). Continued onward to spell NO FEAR on the streets (https://tantek.com/t55q1).
#run #runner #AshburyHeights #FrederickStreet #night #nightrun #midnight #darkness #empty #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_088 #20200328 #laterGram #noFilter
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🏙🌳 March 27th, SF distancing day eleven. Midday run/walk up to Corona Heights for another clear view of downtowns, San Francisco and Oakland(1). Later that afternoon a trip to Cole Hardware, limited to 15 store customers at a time(2). Inside, purchase limits on bleach, soap, paper towels, and gloves(3).
#run #runner #CoronaHeights #CoronaHeightsPark #ColeHardware #bleach #limit2perCustomer #limit1perCustomer #sign #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_087 #20200327 #laterGram #noFilter
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🌸 March 23rd, SF distancing day seven. Had a nice afternoon run to the Conservatory of Flowers and back. The flowers in the gardens out front were in full bloom. One week of sheltering in place.
#run #flower #flowers #poppy #poppies #ConservatoryOfFlowers #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_083 #20200323 #laterGram #noFilter
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🌳🌇 March 22nd, SF distancing day six. Later run than usual, made it to Kezar Stadium just after sunset on a mostly clear day(1). That morning I picked up brunch to go from Zazie, including a complimentary bag of their buttermilk pancake mix(2). It had been a week since I’d celebrated my birthday there, so much had changed already.
#run #runner #Kezar #KezarStadium #view #Zazie #ButtermilkPancakeMix #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_082 #20200322 #laterGram #noFilter
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🌁⛰🏙📰 March 21st, SF distancing day five. Ran up to Twin Peaks, North Peak, and South Peak for a clear view of Sutro tower, Mount Tam, the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco, East Bay hills, and tiny container ships & the Grand Princess still idling on the bay(1).
There’s a third mini peak south of the two official Twin Peaks, with a beautiful field of poppies(2). At the time I’d stopped to admire the poppies on the inside of the hairpin turn up to Twin Peaks(tantek.com/t55h1). Afterwards a post-run stop at Haight Street Market for a coffee.
The day’s weekend Wall Street Journal had a photo of a nearly empty Times Square, a scene previously only imagined in disaster movies (and Vanilla Sky). The headline article described how 1 in 5 Americans were now under orders to limit their outside activity(3).
#run #runner #TwinPeaks #view #CaliforniaPoppies #poppies #flowers #HaightStreetMarket #GussMarket #HSMCafe #newspaper #WSJ #WallStreetJournal #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_081 #20200321 #laterGram #noFilter
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⛰🌁 March 20th, SF distancing day four. Ran up to Tank Hill for the clearest views. Distant sights like Mount Tam and the Marin Headlands had sharper outlines, and crisper more colorful features. Even the Golden Gate Bridge seemed to shine a brighter reddish orange(1).
To the Southeast, a clear view of the bay itself, including tiny tankers, cargo ships, and the white outline of the idling Grand Princess cruise ship parked in the bay, behind bright views of city neighborhoods(2). Only a couple of others were up at Tank Hill park that day, observing distancing requirements in addition to the views(3).
Stopped by Haight Street Market for more supplies, noticed that they had suspended all self-serve food options(4), including their delicious soups(5). The cafe’s tip jar choices reflected reactions to only a few days of sheltering at home(6).
The day before (Thursday) the Governor of California had essentially replicated Monday’s San Francisco shelter-in-place order for the entire state, the first state to do so, which the Chronicle reported in large type(7).
The New York Times exclaimed in all caps: DOCTORS SOUND ALARM AS A NATION STRUGGLES above a map of the United States, with numbers of cases and proportionate red circles(8). Later that day, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York states issued their own shelter-in-place orders.
It would take two more weeks for most other states to follow suit.
#run #runner #TankHill #TankHillPark #view #views #HaightStreetMarket #GussMarket #HSMCafe #newspaper #newspapers #sign #ShelterInPlace #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_080 #20200320 #laterGram #noFilter
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March 19th, SF distancing day three. First run since my 50-miler. I had rested my legs, only brief walks for a few days, then longer walks, up & down hills. When that felt completely fine, I decided to try an easy run. First up to Buena Vista Park where the poppies were in full bloom(1), then over to Corona Heights Park, where the clean air provided very clear views of downtown San Francisco, and across the bay to Oakland too(2)!
Finished my run with a coffee from Haight Street Market, where they had just changed store hours to close earlier for sanitizing, and limited the first hour of opening to those 60+ years old and Instacart workers(3).
Scanning the newspapers while waiting for my coffee, the day’s headlines captured some of the concerns & fears(4,5,6).
As a visual palate cleanser after those headlines, here’s my almond latte in a paper cup(7), since they stopped serving in reusable cups two days ago (tantek.com/t5661).
#run #runner #BuenaVistaPark #CaliforniaPoppies #poppies #flowers #CoronaHeights #sign #signs #ShelterInPlace #CLOSED #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #SFdistancing #SF #SanFrancisco #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_079 #20200319 #laterGram #noFilter
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⛰🌁 March 17th, SF distancing day one. Cleaner skies made for an exceptionally clear view from the top of Buena Vista Park. Mount Tam, Marin Headlands, and the most red-orange I’ve seen the Golden Gate Bridge(1) from that spot. The purple flowers at the summit looked particularly brilliant(2).
Down on Haight street, several stores had closed per the sheltering orders, and posted signs accordingly(3,4,5,6).
Haight Street Market was still open, including the cafe. However, they had stopped serving coffee in personal cups(7).
#run #runner #BuenaVistaPark #GoldenGateBridge #sign #signs #ShelterInPlace #CLOSED #COVID19 #coronavirus #SF #SanFrancisco #view #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #2020_077 #20200317 #laterGram #noFilter
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🌸🏙☁️ A week ago today I ran my first 50-miler (https://tantek.com/t55b1), the hardest thing I’ve done. I knew I’d need 2 weeks of physical recovery. It’s also taken a week of mental recovery to start feeling like myself again.
The shelter-in-place and various cancellations have helped in some ways, provided challenges in others. I chose to sit still, breathe, do some yoga, eat deliberately, go for a walk every day, sleep as needed. Show up to commitments, keep in touch with close ones, love within my capacity to do so, toward others within their capacity to receive.
The past few days I’ve gone on easy runs too, culminating today in a run up to Twin Peaks. I stopped for a ground level view, appreciating immediate beauty(photo) before running up and over the peaks and returning back down the hill.
The physical healed the mental.
#run #runner #TwinPeaks #SF #SanFrancisco #poppies #CaliforniaPoppies #downtown #skyline #hill #hills #view #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #recovery #recoveryRun #noFilter
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Joined pals @BryanTing, and birthday lady @theRunetarian yesterday for the first ~16 miles of her 30 on the Skyline to Sea trail run. My first time on this trail, by the time we reached Big Basin, I felt both physically spent (on only 4hrs of sleep), and mentally exhausted from nearly five hours of navigating a new-to-me somewhat technical nearly all single-track trail. Learning from practice, finding limits from experience.
Bryan drove us down from San Francisco before dawn, to quite a dramatic sunrise and low fog on 280(2). We started ~8:15 under thick clouds and ambient white light in a quiet forest(1 📷 @theRunetarian #selfie). Two miles in we emerged onto a ridge (where there was a convenient bathroom), the mottled white gray clouds stretching out overhead to the ocean, contrasted by the fresh green grass from recent rains(3).
The scenery was beautiful the entire way, the trails narrow, the trees tall(4). Sometimes the trail would cut through a small clearing(5 📷 @BryanTing). Occassionally we’d see an odd or interesting site, like abandoned old cars from the road above, or old burned out tree trunks, cut-off and covered in green moss like giant chairs(6).
The trees got larger, thicker, as we approached and finally reached Big Basin park, surrounded by redwoods(7 📷 @BryanTing).
#run #runner #runners #running #trailRunner #trailRun #ultraRunner #SkylineToSea #CastleRockPark #BigBasin #forest #trail #trailsForBreakfast #optOutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #50mileTraining #laterGram #2020_018 #20200118 #noFilter
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Sunday 1 year ago: 15km (https://tantek.com/t4yV2), #Sunday yesterday: 16mi & 4500' the day after 12mi & 2400' (https://tantek.com/t54Z2). @BryanTing and I hiked/ran a double Dipsea, starting at Old Mill Park in Mill Valley up the legendary #DipseaSteps, onto the #Dipsea #trail through Muir Woods (with a brief detour to Deer Park Fire Road) up to Cardiac Hill(1), down to Stinson Beach(2, and 3 📷 #selfie by Bryan).
We took a quick break to eat at the Parkside Snack Bar, and then started our hike/run back. At one of the viewing spots just before Cardiac the clouds were looking particularly beautifully chaotic(4). Returning to Cardiac Hill, the sky was fully overcast, and rain clouds were visible over the ocean, some already dumping onto the water(5).
By the time we had climbed down and back out of Muir Woods and up to Panoramic Highway, the sky had cleared for us again, the sun warming us and lighting our way(6). We descended back down into Mill Valley, ran down the Dipsea steps to Old Mill Park, and finished where we started. 16 miles, not bad for a day two run.
#run #runner #runners #running #trailRunner #trailRun #ultraRunner #DoubleDipsea #Marin #MarinHeadlands #CardiacHill #StinsonBeach #beach #ocean #trailsForBreakfast #optoutside #fromWhereIRun #Sunday #SundayRunday #SundayFunday #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #50miletraining #laterGram #2020_012 #20200112 #noFilter
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#SFRC yesterday, 12 miles and ~2500' climbed. Beautiful day, started in Tennessee Valley Parking lot, just after 08:00. Marincello trail was lined with fresh green grasses(1) from recent rains. Alta trail’s forest pretty as ever(2). Noticed a spot on SCA trail where trees on either side framed the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance(3), before running to SCA look out point for a view of San Francisco, and the sun lighting up the bay(4).
At the peak of Slacker trail, I could just make out Rodeo lagoon, and Rodeo beach(5). Running down to the beach, the sun glistened off the water, backlighting a fisherman and a few surfers(6). On the Coastal trail climb, a seemingly unreachable cove, secluded yet visible from above, with an inviting beach(7). Hiking up to Hill 88, looked back down at Rodeo Beach(8). Returning on Old Springs trail, caught a view of Tenneessee Valley down to the beach(9).
Finished the SFRC loop of the week and joined friends at Good Earth for a sandwich.
#run #trail #AltaTrail #SCATrail #SlackeTrail #RodeoBeach #CoastalTrail #Hill88 #OldSpringsTrail #TenneesseeValley #runner #runners #trailRunner #trailRun #ultraRunner #Marin #MarinHeadlands #trailsForBreakfast #optoutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #50miletraining #laterGram #2020_011 #20200111 #noFilter
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⛰🏃🏻♂️ First #SFRC of the year today, 13.5 miles ✅ Finished first full route since #ECSCA, and longest run since too! It was a struggle TBH, leg muscles still tired from Tuesday’s Tam PR (tantek.com/t54M2), and an intense Thursday Baptiste yoga class. Thanks to #running pal Whitney for keeping us going!
Beautiful day, mostly blue sky, brilliant #sunshine lighting up a clear sky(2). Ran up Fox trail to views of the Pacific Ocean among green Marin hills on either side of Tennessee Valley(1).
Almost missed a pretty purple salamander on Coastal Fire road(3) on the way down toward Muir Beach with a mix of blue & green waters(4). It was quite muddy on the descent, thick, sticky mud which we had to carefully step through & around(5).
The climb up Dias Ridge was quite a slog, alternating running and walking. Whitney waited for me at the top of the ridge line where we captured photos of dramatic clouds above and passing in front of Mount Tam(6 📷 Whitney). I looked back to take in one more view of the Pacific Ocean(7) before continuing eventually onto Miwok, back to Tennessee valley and to our start.
#trail #runner #runners #trailRunner #trailRun #ultraRunner #Marin #MarinHeadlands #MtTam #MountTam #MtTamalpais #MountTamalpais #50mileTraining #optoutside #fromWhereIRun #NeverStopExploring #InstaRunner #noFilter
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🏅🏅🏃🏻♂️🏃🏻♂️We did it. 3:22:19 @thenorthfaceECS #TNFECS #ECSCA #halfmarathon #Sunday
Dad’s first #halfmarathon #trailrace. My first the day after a 50k.
Clear sky, sunrise start(2). My dad and I jumped into start wave 8. We started in the middle of the pack, passed through the arch, and the struggle began. After a brief jog out of the field and part way up the Marin City suburb street, my legs dropped to a walk before even reaching the first trail.
I power-hiked off to the right as best as I could, letting all the eager runners pass. My dad started to pull ahead. I encouraged him, just reminded him to look behind him every 30 seconds or so and keep me in sight.
Pacing dad become chasing dad.
We reached the Alta Bobcat intersection and saw a friendly group cheering us. Among them one of them recognized me from yesterday, and asked didn’t she see me yesterday, I said yeah I did the 50k, and am pacing my dad today, motioning in front of me with a grin. This seemed to catch her attention, and she ran up to catch us.
She ran up ahead to my dad and asked if she could interview him. He had just taken a photo of me(3). After her interview she ran back to me and introduced herself, Brianna (who I’d later find out was @brisacksy from LA, mutual friends with @jussnessinaround! Small world indeed).
The race leaders, having finished their down-and-up loop, passed us on the way to the first aid station. We reached the shady forest at the top of Alta trail and I almost caught my dad again.
At the Alta station we topped off our waters, and headed down the moderately steep Rodeo trail. Memories came flashing back from ECSCA 2014 where this very trail was the long downhill of the marathon relay, my first 10k trail race.
Passed a few runners on the way down. Started to close the gap with my dad a few times, yet he kept pulling away. Finally caught up at the second aid station at the bottom of the downhill, and we started power hiking our way up the Bobcat trail.
I hadn’t felt hungry until then, and since this was the last big uphill I tore open a Simple Energy packet and ate it.
Finished our Rodeo Bobcat trails loop, once again hiking up to the top of Alta trail and down through its shady forest. My dad once again turned to take a photo of me(4).
Topped off my water at the Alta aid station where one of the station volunteers warned us that we were behind pace for the cut-off.
Even though technically we were about 5 minutes behind that cut-off checkpoint, I was a little annoyed at being told (hoping my dad didn’t hear it and get discouraged), as having just ran the mostly downhill subsequent six miles the day before, I knew we would easily make it to the finish before the four hour cut-off.
Onto SCA trail we went. Single-track and a bit rocky, it’s the most technical part of the ECSCA half marathon course. Being more familiar I took the lead and my dad followed, til he caught up to me on the brief uphill where you get a great view of San Francisco, the bridge, the bay, and the 101 Freeway. Back to the rocky descent I started to close in on him again.
A race volunteer directed him down the left turn towards the bridge. I’d almost caught up and he took off down those stairs, opening up a bit of a lead again. This was it, my last chance to actually catch him before the Golden Gate Bridge. I focused as I had the day before and started leaping downward as quickly and deftly I could, passing others in pursuit of my dad who had somehow also picked up speed. Caught him on the last switch back, and we crossed the road together onto the brief bit of trail before the bridge.
Apparently there were enough of us running the half marathon that The North Face was able to reserve the West side sidewalk on the bridge just for racers. It was pleasantly warmer than the day before, with a nicer Pacific Ocean view. Once again the concrete path was no fun to run on, so dropped down to a power-walk, swinging my arms forcefully for extra forward momentum. My dad pulled away again, and took another photo(5).
Only near the end of the bridge did I start running with another racer who wasn’t sure where she was going. We realized we needed to cloverleaf under the bridge back towards the finish. Race volunteers where there to direct us yet again. I had my whistle ready, the warm sun had really brought out the toursts.
No need to use the whistle, we were able to get past the tourists with some kind requests or yelling out “on your left!”. I saw my dad enter the sweeping downhill path toward The Warming Hut. Last chance to catch him, so I pushed extra hard. He paused briefly and whistled for me, seeing me approaching he kept going. By the time he reached the steps I was mere feet behind him. As he hestitated for the tourists, I launched down them as I had the day before.
Last chance to build up a lead before he’d catch me again on the flats. At the bottom of the steps, race volunteers were once again stopping traffic so we could crass. Dad caught up to me on the gravel path to the field, and we stuck together for the remainder. Tight right turn from the gravel onto the Crissy field green to the finishing chute. Told my dad to step carefully and look out for the gopher holes.
With mere yards to go we grabbed hands and raised them up as we crossed the finish line(6) under bright blue skies.
We finished in 3:22:19 with almost 13 miles, and just over 2000' climbed. Easily beat the four hour time limit. Walk in the park. Like a typical Saturday morning SFRC run. Sore feet but otherwise I felt fine. Nothing else hurt.
My #50miletraining has begun.
Epilogue: Afterwards we walked around, loosening up our legs. My dad grabbed a seat and elevated his legs. I walked a bit more to round up my total distance to an actual 13.1 miles half marathon (We’d only ran ~12.8 miles at the finish line), and also just to savor a moment reflecting on back-to-back race days(7).
We picked up our drop bag with clean clothes and extra layers, though we’d already dried off in the warm sunshine. I decided to check The North Face merchandise tent, felt I’d achieved enough of a feat to pick up something to commemorate. They had a nice “coordinates shirt” with the latitude longitude of the race finish, however were out of medium and large sizes.
I found a plain medium blue sports shirt and asked them to add the coordinates, as well as 50k & 13.1 Finisher heat decals on it. While they were preparing it I pulled out my second red ECSCA t-shirt from packet pick-up and asked for the same double finisher decals. Took a shot the next morning with my #ECSCA2019 #medals for #medalmonday(8).
Still feels surreal that I finished both races, and felt fine. I can only imagine how unfamiliar it might feel in the future, when the memories fade.
I know I have a long hard training cycle ahead for my first 50 miler, with its own ups and downs. When I'm feeling down or having doubts, I’ll be putting on one of these shirts to remind myself of what’s possible.
#runner #WorkHardDreamBigDoCoolShit #InstaRunner #TrailRunner #UltraRunner #GrassRootsGear #NovemberProject #NPSF #LetsDoThis #2019_321 #20191117 #latergram #nofilter
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⛰🏃🏻♂️ This is it. #50ktraining & waiting just under a year for tomorrow’s 2nd chance @thenorthfaceECS #ECSCA 50k #trailrace. Good luck to everyone #trailrunning #TNFECS 50mi 50k marathon & relay!
Canceled last year due to smoke, I ran the course a week later (https://tantek.com/t4xf1 after rains cleaned the air) unsupported and it was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
Fitter & a bit lighter this year, I feel trained, though not as much as I’d like to be (September & October travel made it tough). Yet I know these trails, and I know my body. The air is clean this year, and the weather is looking good.
I’m focusing on finishing healthy in the course time limit to make it official. Going for smoothness over speed. Looking forward to starting with so many friends from near & far and seeing even more at Crissy field.
#ultra #ultramarathon #runner #running #workharddreambigdocoolshit #instarunner #trailrunner #ultrarunner #grassrootsgear #novemberproject #NPSF #letsdothis #nofilter
Previoulsy: my most recent (22 mile) long run: https://tantek.com/2019/307/t1/sunbeams-glitter-fern-creek-footbridge