Running Journal - 2024-07-31 (Walking)

Time: 7:34-7:53 p.m. (19 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 75 (several hours before exercise)
Weight (street clothes): 85.46 kg (188.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.9 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,042 cal/day
Distance (running): 0.64 km (1.03 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 1,003.84 km (623.76 mi)
Calories burned: 83 kcal
Average heart rate: 79 bpm
Max heart rate: 88 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 28° C (82.4° F), Humidity 44% Wind: 19 km/h
Terrain: 16 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 29'21" /mile
Best pace: 9'55" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Just a recovery walking day. Random things I learned about or reviewed: selfie sticks with recording devices; "miles per week" (MPW) or "kilometers per week" (KPW). Also: "Heavy sweater" =  energy chews (every 30 minutes). Honey striker energy bar. Stryker energy gel (every 6k). Paracetamol (acetaminophen) with caffeine (29k). Using a metronome to time running cadence.
79Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Slightly sore
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, espresso (x2), Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz (x2), plain bagel with Just Jan's Spiced Plum butter, blueberries, Hershey's Miniatures (assorted, x5), plain bagel & Kirkland Signature Sous Vide Egg Bites (x2) & salsa, Kirkland cheese pizza with black olives & artichoke hearts (4 slices), Nature's Bakery Fig Bar - 2 oz twin pack (Raspberry), Samanco Fish Shaped Waffle Ice Cream Cone (strawberry),

San Francisco Marathon 2024 - Race Report Summary

Race Information

• Name: San Francisco Marathon
• Date: July 28, 2024
• Distance: 26.22 miles
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Time: 5:28:58
• Gender/Age: M47
  

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	4:40	No
B	Sub 5:00	No
C	Finish	Yes
D	PR	Yes

Splits

Mile	Pace	Elevation	Time
1	11:22	-12	0:11:22
2	10:32	-1	0:21:54
3	10:57	-5	0:32:51
4	10:20	1	0:43:11
5	10:33	0	0:53:44
6	10:56	37	1:04:40
7	12:24	194	1:17:04
8	11:06	-23	1:28:10
9	10:56	-10	1:39:06
10	10:24	-81	1:49:30
11	11:28	-64	2:00:58
12	13:45	181	2:14:43
13	12:26	-27	2:27:09
14	13:09	34	2:40:18
15	12:39	-133	2:52:57
16	13:34	58	3:06:31
17	14:32	125	3:21:03
18	13:19	5	3:34:22
19	13:32	-41	3:47:54
20	14:00	25	4:01:54
21	13:03	-138	4:14:57
22	14:13	-122	4:29:10
23	13:08	5	4:42:18
24	13:28	3	4:55:46
25	13:26	-26	5:09:12
26	13:32	3	5:22:44
0.22	06:14	3	5:28:58

Training

Jeff Galloway's 26-week full-marathon 4:40-time goal schedule, via "Marathon: You Can Do It!" (2010 revised edition). Cross-training: Stationary recumbent cycle.

7th marathon overall. First marathon since 2007 Big Sur. Ran 2006 San Francisco Marathon (5:45:05). Ran previously "To Finish" 🐢 First time-goal marathon 🎯

Under-trained unintentionally. Followed program assiduously (e.g., Tue = run 40-50 minutes). However, belatedly realized I had trained at too slow a run pace for the run/walk intervals. My misunderstanding. Fellrnr's wiki page "Galloway Run Walk Paces" helpfully clarifies I should have trained for a race-day run pace of 8:59/mile (when using 60-second walk breaks every 2:30), not the 10:15/mile run pace I had used. I had misinterpreted two sections on page 43 of "Marathon: You Can Do It!": 1) "For a time goal of 4:40, run each mile repeat in 10:15, using a run-walk-run strategy of 2:30/walk 30 seconds."; and 2) On marathon overall pace running: "...run 1-3 miles at 10:50, using a run-walk-run ratio of run 2:30/walk 1 minutes. This tells you what it's like to run at marathon goal pace." I had incorrectly mixed up the mile repeat "overall mile pace" (i.e., 10:15) as the run pace to use to get the "overall marathon mile pace" (e.g., 10:50).

Learned something! Correcting for the future. Not viewing it as a failure. Still finished and with a PR ✅ 🎉

Trained moderately with hill repeats early-on for 3 weekends, then on flats for remaining weeks. Have ready access to foothills. Given the challenging hills of the San Francisco Marathon, I might have scheduled more hill repeats on non-long run weekends.

Pre-Race

Stayed at Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Costco Travel & Citi 20% cash back - Digital Costco Shop Card promotional offer).

Bibs mailed (so we had them for the Saturday morning 5K fun run).

Saturday: Walked the 5K fun run. Event ran out of 5K medals; we have emailed to see if any chance to get them mailed to us post-event. Stumbled upon a post-shakeout event at Equator Coffee, got swag at the expo, then relaxed and watched Olympics. Took my 5K bib and forgot to take my Full Marathon bib, but expo Solutions Desk stamped my 5K bib so I was able to get the Double-Up challenge medal. Could have also gotten the Double-Up challenge medal at the post-race Challenges table. Two items had not arrived yet due to logistics issues: 1) I ❤️ SF tee shirt (via promo registration code SweetValentine); and 2) Bay Bridge (SF/ Oakland) Challenge medals. Staff instructed us to email customersupport at thesfmarathon.com to confirm fulfillment.

Food: Brenda's French Soul Food (lunch); Lunette Cambodia (dinner); hydrating with water & a Clif Bar (evening). Note: both were amazing but perhaps not ideal, per fat & salt. Mediocre sleep ~10:30-3:30 a.m. (Garmin sleep score = 60).

Corral C. Weather pleasantly humid & cool: 13° C/55° F and 92% humidity. Rehearsed my time goal: ~10:50/mile.

Race

Miles 1-3 (Starting Line to Marina Green)

Starting line ChronoTrack timing mats & FlashPoint stands read my bib at 5:26 a.m. Listened to Desean Terry narrate Raymond Arsenault's "Arthur Ashe: A Life". Dark. Crowded. A handful of homeless persons lie unmoving under blankets. A few clusters of spectators cheer. Avoid the cobble stones & embedded roadway rails if possible; the dark makes them slightly treacherous. The ChronoTrack hardware emits a high-pitched whine. Charter fishing boats with passengers prepare to depart. One boat captain's bushy white mustache and belly reminds me of a walrus. Civil twilight begins brightening the sky from 5:41-6:09 a.m., as I near Mile 3. We pass the 7-minute "The Fitness Court" public outdoor exercise gym. Someone appears to exit the herd and do pull-ups. 👀 WTF (probably not a race participant?!) .

Miles 4-6 (Marina Green to Golden Gate Bridge approach)

Run my best pace here, at 10:20. Sunrise at 6:10 a.m., as I near Mile 5--though the overcast sky mostly obscures it. A few runners publicly urinate along the side-trails & bushes. Mile 6 begins at the ocean, just before Torpedo Wharf, where people fished & huddled next to their poles. I found this section refreshing: ocean waves lapping, the smell of the sea, and cool humid breeze. Arrr. 🏴‍☠️ Mile 6 runs right up to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, then returns to Torpedo Wharf. This section has a bit of room for passing, but not much.

Miles 7-10 (Golden Gate Bridge - Northbound & Marin Headlands - 1st Half)

Mile 7 begins near the ascent to the Golden Gate Bridge roadway deck. I welcomed my interval walk breaks. My hill training did help here--I remember to increase turnover, lean forward a bit, do not over-strain the hamstrings, etc. But let's not kid ourselves--this segment sucks. In contrast: what a thrill to run on the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉💜 I miss running on the roadway itself. The sunrise briefly became indirectly visible--its rays passing through a gap between the bottom of the clouds and the top of the horizon--warmly illuminating and reflecting off the waves. Far below, birdlike specks skim the waves. Vehicles honk their horns; runners wave in return. I never had an issue with over-hydration--if anything, I was possible under-hydrated. Mile 9 ends on a glorious downhill. I bombed down it. My quads (and my big toes in incorrectly-laced shoes) paid the price, but--at the time--it felt so worth it. Mile 10 continues the wonderful downhill, with two moderate hills in the middle. I ran my 2nd-best mile pace here: 10:24. This mile segment represents the north-most portion of the race, almost beginning the approach to Sausalito, but instead turning back at East Road.

Miles 11-15 (Marin Headlands - 2nd Half, Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, Presidio)

Mile 11 was the last mile I consider reasonably near my goal pace, at 11:28 (-38 seconds). It was overwhelmingly downhill, but I was paying the price for going downhill too fast. I slowed down to rest the pain in my big toes 😝 Painful lesson. Running along Horseshoe Bay and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge took my breath away. 🌉 I think this may have represented the Wear Blue Mile, with roadside photo board displays of service members killed in action, and a group of people with American flags cheering at its conclusion. Mile 12 begins with the steep ascent to the southbound roadway deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. Organizers bill this as the Garmin Hill Climb Challenge: ascend 171 feet over a--congested--half-mile. I finished it in 7:22, mostly walking this segment along with nearly everyone else. Mile 13 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge: Iconic from this side too! Love the Marin Headlands 👀 Looking at northbound pedestrian sidewalk, I saw streams of runners. Initially, I felt elated--"look how far ahead I am"! Only later would I reflect and learn they were the 1st-Half marathon runners, with staggered 7:00-7:22 a.m. starts from the Crissy Field Sports Basement. 🙃 I started crossing the Golden Gate Bridge southbound at ~7:40 a.m., so it's likely I was mainly watching roughly Mile 3 of the 1st-Half Marathon runners. Loved the refreshing cool and humid ocean air. I passed the halfway point: Mile 13.11 with an unofficial split per Garmin/Strava of 2:28:09, ~8 minutes behind goal pace ✅ While crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I also experienced the 1st (of a few) 1st-Half Marathon pace bicyclists aggressively verbally clearing a path for elite runners. The runners were amazing to watch as they glided by. Knowing they had not come as far does not diminish their pace. Humans are amazing. Mile 14: At the hydration tables, I took Nuun, water, and--for the first time--Chargel. Another calculated risk--continuously fueling was not something I had done enough thinking about. During my long runs, I stopped every 10 miles at home, or at convenience stores for hydration. I had neither option now, so out of necessity I started fueling with what I had. The Chargel was semi-liquid with what felt like boba drink jellies. It was easy to squeeze and consume. The energy surge did help. Mile 15 continues the extended downhill all the way to the end of the Presidio. How I wish I had had the toes & quads to bomb down this hill like I did in the Marin Headlands!

Miles 16-20 (Richmond District, Golden Gate Park, & Haight)

The uphill toward Golden Gate Park begins just before mile 16. Leaving the lush Presidio and entering residential areas with 2-3 story Victorians clearly signals the 2nd "city" half has begun. The 1st "bridge" half is now in the rear-view mirror. I listened to my audiobook. I vaguely remember hilly asphalt canyons rolling between buildings. Volunteers waved traffic through. One volunteer sang and danced in-place. Regrettably, as I reached Golden Gate Park my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds reported "battery low". 😝 Turns out they have ~3.0-3.5 hours battery life. They recharge quickly in the charging case (which I did during long run breaks at home), but I did not have it. My muscles felt sore, but not injured. I can work with that! Mile 17 started with the calming Rainbow Falls ☺️ This was uphill and my pace slowed, but as I made the conscious decision to slow, my mood continued to improve. I had determined to accept my cooked status and enjoy the race. Slow = good mood = want to run the race again ✅ On JFK Drive, I ran past public art displays and roadway painted art. At the end of Mile 17, at the corner of JFK Promenade & Blue Heron Lake Dr, I think this was where one booster had a poster board with illustration "Tap here to Power Up"--he was really over-the-top and his friends cheered as people punched the sign. Mile 18 goes around Stow Lake. I barely remember it from 2006 (too tired!). This time, I slowed down and enjoyed it: ducks, paddle-boats, trees, etc. The asphalt path narrows, but stays flat. Another official race pace bicycle passed by, verbally telling runners & walkers to stay right and make way for 2nd-half marathon front-runners, who had staggered 8:30-8:46 a.m. starts from Murphy Windmill. This was the 2nd-Half Marathon Mile #3-4. I also observed stampedes of runners passing by. I'm guessing these were respective staggered waves of 2nd-half marathoners going for time goals. This seemed irritating for both them and slower runners, as the latter drifted left instead of staying right. The 2nd-half marathoners zipped past at-speed, threading any available gaps, narrowly avoiding collisions. I stayed right and tried to respect them, but despite this a few risk-takers dashed around me on the right shoulder. 😛 Mile 19: Back on JFK Promenade. Pedestrians scramble to cross between runners. At some point around this time, I came up with a strategy: using my Garmin watch & heart-rate monitor, I can observe and manage my heart-rate via three zones: 1) Blue (Easy: Comfortable pace; conversational); 2) Green (Aerobic: Moderate pace; optimal cardiovascular training); and 3) Orange (Threshold: Fast pace; forceful breathing). I decided to adapt my run/walk--running when blue (~125 bpm) and walking when orange (> 145 bpm, I think). My body did feel cooked, but I found myself relaxing, recovering, and enjoying the race more. Mile 20: I loved taking the time to go through the bohemian Haight: Jimi Hendrix mural, bookstores, coffee shops, etc.

Miles 21-25 (Haight-Ashbury & Subsequent Areas)

Just 10K distance left 🙂 Mentally I have felt OK: I know I have trained and done the work, so just counting the miles as I slowly progress. I have done 10K. I can visualize the route I take near my house...but I also know how much time it takes. 😛 Mile 21 is nearly all downhill. More runner valves: race volunteers swing long banners in tandem across the intersection, shunting runners one way or another, for traffic control. It feels just a bit disconcerting to get cut-off from the pack and shunted onto a deserted street, like I'm about to get whacked 😅 Once reaching the Mission District and beyond, my brain got bored. A volunteer in an inflatable T-Rex costume handed out cups at the Golden Gate Running Club aid station (Mile ~21.5 near 229 Guerrero St in the Mission District) 🦖💯 Another unofficial aid station had people offering small homemade pancakes. Sadly, I observed one partially-eaten pancake discarded in the roadway just around the corner. Later, I overheard a male runner say to their female running partner: "I think it might have been a mistake to start drinking this can of beer"; they replied "Why don't you just chuck it?". Friends, he did NOT chuck the can of beer.🍺 I thanked an elderly Asian couple who were cheering-on runners--the connection I felt when I saw the way their faces lit-up at having someone say thank you back to them. 😊 I tried frequently to clap and also verbally thank boosters for taking the time and energy to pump us up. Near the end, I belatedly recognized how mind-numbing it must be for hydration volunteers to say "electrolytes" or "water" or whatever it is they provide, for hours at a time.

Finish

The SF Giants had opened their gates for the afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies, and I passed attendees queuing. Medics assisted someone on the ground onto a stretcher, shielding them from view with blue tarp 😥 The course ran around the stadium, with orange safety cones separating the raceway from attendees. Little acts of kindness: Near the end, one woman kindly stayed with her companion, encouraging her to go as slow as she needed to in order to finish. 💜 I think I timed my last running interval about as well as I could--I was able to run continuously and smile and enjoy the moment. Finished with a new PR for the SF Marathon, and my #2 marathon finish overall 💯 I felt much better than in 2006--afterward I had felt so exhausted I had to sit doubled-over in the nearby YMCA locker room before showering. As someone else mentioned, my post-race Garmin training readiness = 1 😅

Post-race / Reflections

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
  
• Hotel & logistics
• Audiobook
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed slightly sore Achilles & muscles night before
  
• On-pace 1st-half marathon (2:28:09), ~8 minutes over target 2:20:00 time
• Watch charged and only drained by about half
  

Improvements:

• Charge phone to 100%
• Adjust training to properly target 10:50/mile race pace
• Review fueling for continuous marathon goal distance
• Earbuds capable of 6-hour+ run time (or carry charging case, or bring spare pair)
  
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
  
• Protect toes on downhills:
• Heel-lock lacing
• Other (?)
  
• Shorts with more pockets (?)
• Move ahead in the Corral chutes to find my pace group
• Pace: Review course hill locations and determine how best to conserve energy (e.g., negative split)
  
• Race your pace; the courses overlap with runners from different races (namely, Full Marathon overlaps with 1st- and 2nd-Half Marathon)

Running Journal - 2024-07-30

Time: 1:59-2:30 p.m. (31 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 103 (several hours after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 84.01 kg (185.20 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.4 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,021 cal/day
Distance (running): 4.02 km (2.50 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 1,003.84 km (623.76 mi)
Calories burned: 333 kcal
Average heart rate: 131 bpm
Max heart rate: 154 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 25° C (77.0° F), Humidity 58% Wind: 23 km/h
Terrain: 128 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'14" /mile
Best pace: 12'29" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: 1,000 kilometers year-to-date 🥳 First maintenance run after the SF Marathon. Did 2 of the 4 things I should always do--skipping two due to shorter time/distance: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Body felt OK. Quads still tight. Felt a slight pain in my right knee & calf, but it went away.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Slightly sore right calf & knee, sore quads
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz (x2), banana, Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz (x2), Tropical Fields Peanut Butter Mochi (15g; x2), handful of tortilla chips, leftover wrap (x0.5), leftover turkey sandwich (x0.5)

2024 San Francisco Marathon Swag

 

Spread out swag from the 2024 San Francisco Marathon

List (some free, some not):

• Full marathon finisher medal
  
• Microfiber towel
• Cotton tote bag
• Technical finisher shirt
• Golden Gate Bridge hoodie
• Dawn bought a SF Marathon light-purple long-sleeve shirt with thumb holes
• Chargel (1 of each flavor)
• Colgate Plaque Pro Release toothpaste
• Suntory headband & can cozy
• Sweet T's Granola
• Hanover's Pretzels (handed out to finishers) 

Not shown due to items not ready for pickup at the expo/post-race:

• SF/Oakland Bay Bridge Challenge Medal
• I ❤️ SF t-shirt
  

Running Journal - 2024-07-29 (Walking)

Time: 6:08-6:42 a.m. (34 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 89 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (street clothes): 83.19 kg (183.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.2 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,008 cal/day
Distance (walking): 2.20 km (1.37 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 999.82 km (621.26 mi)
Calories burned: 282 kcal
Average heart rate: 76 bpm
Max heart rate: 89 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 20° C (68.0° F), Humidity 73% Wind: 30 km/h
Terrain: 20 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 24'54" /mile
Best pace: 24'54" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Just a walking day to exercise the legs.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Sore quads, bruised left toenail
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (12 oz), Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz, banana,

Running Journal - 2024 San Francisco Marathon 🌟

Time: 5:26-10:54 a.m. (5 hours 28 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: N/A (forgot)
Weight (street clothes): 85.73 kg (189.00 lb) [note: carry-over from Friday; no scale available]
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.9 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,047 cal/day
Distance (running): 42.73 km (26.55 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 999.82 km (621.26 mi)
Calories burned: 3,369 kcal
Average heart rate: 139 bpm
Max heart rate: 166 bpm
Weather at start: overcast/fog 🌫️ 13° C (55.4° F), Humidity 92% Wind: 11 km/h
Terrain: 1,342 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'29" /mile
Best pace: 10'19" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Beautiful but hilly: the SF Marathon is not a Personal Record (PR) course. 

This represents my 2nd SF Marathon (first was 2006).

Pre-Race

Race gear laid out the day before

 

Selfie of sparsely-populated Corral C behind me, near Mission Street looking away from the Starting Line (5:02 a.m.)

Corral C filling up, near Mission Street looking toward the Starting Line in the far distance (5:10 a.m.)

Asleep around 10:30 p.m. Awoke at 3:30 a.m. Sleep was interrupted (Garmin score 60). Showered. Brewed a coffee using the in-room single-serving pod coffee maker--weighed the risks of how nasty/unclean it is. Ate a Clif Bar (peanut butter crunch). Shaved. Did the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ The night before I had laid-out everything. Had already pinned the bib to my 2006 SF Marathon Finisher shirt. Getting ready went flawlessly. The repetition for the last 6 months really made this multi-step process relatively routine. Had the idea to switch my Android phone Battery Protection setting from Maximum (stops charging at 80%) to Basic (charges to 100%). This allowed it to get to maybe 85%--should have thought to do this overnight; noting for next time. De-cluttered: put credit card, license, and room key card in the back pocket of my shorts. In the front pocket I put my phone and a Clif Bar (oatmeal walnut). Briefly woke Dawn and said goodbye, then looked out the curtains at The Embarcadero. The lobby was alive with a low hum of energy, with runners and supporters making their way to the starting line. I arrived in Corral C (near Mission Street) around 5:00 a.m. Lots of people working through emotions of excitement/anxiety while waiting: stretching, talking, jockeying to get closer to the starting line. Rehearsed my time goal: ~10:50/mile. Masked with a BreathTeq KN95 due to the crowd and the COVID-19 summer surge (only one?). Put in my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds and queued-up my audiobook: "Arthur Ashe: A Life". Stayed on the right to give room to take walk breaks. Weather was pleasantly humid & cool: Google reported 13° C/55° F and 92% humidity. Unlike Saturday 5K Fun Run, there is no amplified music and no American national anthem. Above us, a window illuminates someone standing with their hands on its sill, watching. Another window is opened and I think I see movement of elbows, but it is too dark to be sure. I spy a race pacer holding a 5:20 (12:12min/mi) sign. Disquiet--am I too far back? Too late to change now. Around 5:15 a.m., we begin to hear quiet amplified voices. After a moment, the crowd shuffles forward a moderate distance. We hear the talent (a man & woman) speak a countdown, then we cheer the next wave as they start. This repeats once or twice more. Finally, at about 5:26 a.m., they release everyone remaining in Corral C. The race officially begins for each of us when the ChronoTrack timing mats & FlashPoint stands read our bib chips as we shuffle across the starting line.

Miles 1-3 (Starting Line to Marina Green)
Earbuds in and listening to Desean Terry's voice narrate audiobook "Arthur Ashe: A Life". It's dark. Runners herding. Too crowded. Too slow. I break-out past the orange safety cones and onto the concrete sidewalk. Here I can at least have a chance to run/walk my 2:30/1:00 interval 10:50/mile pace. 1st mile ends a bit before Pier 39. A handful of homeless persons lie unmoving under blankets. A few clusters of spectators cheer. There's the Exploratorium; it's been years since we last visited. I'm feeling physically OK--no sign of the sore right Achilles from Saturday. Mile 2 runs through Fisherman's Wharf, ending just past the Hyde St & Beach St Cable Car turnaround. I spot the now-shuttered shops we passed on Saturday while pajama shopping. Avoid the cobble stones & embedded roadway rails if possible; the dark makes them slightly treacherous and it would be a shame to get injured if avoidable. Another ChronoTrack timing mat keeps us honest. The ChronoTrack hardware emits a high-pitched whine as we pass. They are well-advertised and gated, so no excuse not to go over them. People run with selfie sticks and small recording devices. Charter fishing boats with passengers prepare to depart. One boat captain's bushy white moustache and belly reminds me of a walrus. Around the end of Mile 2, at 5:41 a.m., the 29 minutes of civil twilight begin: the overcast sky begins lightening considerably. Mile 3 runs through Fort Mason. I hear ocean waves lapping. A 65-foot hill at Aquatic Park Historic District bottlenecks everyone into a shuffling mass. I take advantage of patches of earth to go around, but it represents a calculated risk: it is still moderately dark and falling may end the race with a sprained ankle. 😛 We pass the 7-minute "The Fitness Court" public outdoor exercise gym. Someone (maybe not a race participant) appears to exit the herd and do pull-ups. 👀 WTF.

Miles 4-6 (Marina Green to Golden Gate Bridge approach)

Mile 4 features the illuminated Palace of Fine Arts monumental structure 💜 Lovely. Marina Green, boats in the harbor, Little Marina Green, then the approach to Crissy Field. This was my fastest mile of the day, at 10:20. ⚡Around the end of Mile 4, at 6:10 a.m., the sunrise occurs--though the overcast sky obscures it. Mile 5 runs along Crissy Field, which we walked through during the 5K Saturday fun run. I think there was an appreciated hydration stop. A few runners publicly urinated here along the side-trails & bushes. Mile 6 begins at the ocean, just before Torpedo Wharf, where people fished & huddled next to their poles. I found this section refreshing: ocean waves lapping, the smell of the sea, and cool humid breeze. Arrr. 🏴‍☠️ The sky was lightening, but with the sky overcast there was no visible sun. Mile 6 runs right up to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, then returns to Torpedo Wharf. This section has a bit of room for passing, but not much.

Miles 7-10 (Golden Gate Bridge - Northbound & Fort Baker - 1st Half)

Mile 7 begins near the ascent to the Golden Gate Bridge roadway deck. From asphalt (Long Road) to packed-earth (Battery East Trail), it rises ~200 feet at 3-14% grade for a mile. It does level out near the top. I welcomed my interval walk breaks. My hill training did help here--I remember to increase turnover, lean forward a bit, do not over-strain the hamstrings, etc. But let's not kid ourselves--this segment sucks. In contrast: what a thrill to run on the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉💜 I miss running on the roadway itself. Mile 8 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge, for one gloriously picturesque mile. The sunrise briefly became indirectly visible--its rays passing through a gap between the bottom of the lifting fog bank and the top of the horizon--warmly illuminating and reflecting off the waves. I disliked running in the pedestrian walkways: it was hopelessly congested, and various industrial poles & structures made straight-line running impossible if on the right. Still--this is the raison d'etre of the race for many, the pièce de résistance, if you will, the gros fromage 🧀. Far below, birdlike specks skim the waves. Vehicles honk their horns; runners wave in return. Despite the congestion, this mile was only -16 seconds off pace, at 11:06. Mile 9 exits the Golden Gate Bridge, then loops through the parking lot of the H. Dana Bowers Rest Area & Vista Point, where hydration tables waited. At some point I began accepting cups of Nuun electrolytes, despite Galloway's caution that once started, they should be used at each subsequent aid station--and also the risk of nausea over time (apparently studies testing the formulations involved cyclists instead of runners & the digestion differs because it shuts down for runners and not cyclists). Many stopped to use the portable toilets along the way, despite the lines. I never had an issue with over-hydration--if anything, I was possible under-hydrated. Mile 9 ends on a glorious downhill. I bombed down it, passing hundreds of shufflers. My quads (and my big toes in incorrectly-laced shoes) paid the price, but--at the time--it felt so worth it. There were three lanes lined with orange safety cones: 1) Left-most: single-lane controlled vehicular traffic; 2) Buffer space; and 3) A lane for runners. Lane #3 was hopelessly congested. There was clear visibility, no oncoming traffic, and plenty of buffer, so I felt safe. At the bottom, I slowed and rested my burning quads. Mile 10 continues the wonderful downhill, with two moderate hills in the middle. I ran my 2nd-best mile pace here: 10:24. This mile segment represents the north-most portion of the race, almost beginning the approach to Sausalito, but instead turning back at East Road.

Miles 11-15 (Fort Baker - 2nd Half, Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, Presidio)

Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, looking toward Presidio; at left and just visible, 1st-half marathon runners stream northbound (~Mile 12-13; 7:42 a.m.)

Mile 11 was the last mile I consider reasonably near my goal pace, at 11:28 (-38 seconds). It was overwhelmingly downhill, but I think I was beginning to feel pain in my big toes--so I slowed down to let them rest. 😝 The mile segment has sweeping views and various white-painted buildings, along with the perfume of eucalyptus trees. Running along Horseshoe Bay and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge took my breath away. 🌉 I think this may have represented the wear blue mile, with roadside photo board displays of service members killed in action, and a group of people with American flags cheering at its conclusion. They have blue shirts & a white boot-print logo. Mile 12 begins with the steep ascent to the southbound roadway deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. Organizers bill this as the Garmin Hill Climb Challenge: ascend 171 feet over a--congested--half-mile. I finished it in 7:22, mostly walking this segment along with nearly everyone else. 😛 Its ascent reminded me of the approaches to the Hazel Avenue bridge from the American River Trail in Sacramento--but much more difficult. At the top I paused, hydrated, then continued. The southbound pedestrian walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge was still congested. However, it mattered less: miles 6-12 had taken a toll on my toes and quads. I was happy to coast. Mile 12 was ~3 minutes off pace (13:45). Mile 13 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge: Iconic from this side too! Marin Headlands 👀 Looking across the bridge to the northbound pedestrian sidewalk, I observed streams of runners. Initially, I felt elated--"look how far ahead I am"! Only later would I reflect and learn they were the 1st-half marathon runners, with staggered 7:00-7:22 a.m. starts from the Crissy Field Sports Basement. 🙃 I started crossing the Golden Gate Bridge southbound at ~7:40 a.m., so it's likely I was mainly watching roughly Mile 3 of the 1st-Half Marathon runners. During a walk break I took a photo and sent it to Dawn to let her know all was OK. Loved the refreshing cool and humid ocean air. I passed the halfway point: Mile 13.11 with an unofficial split per Garmin/Strava of 2:28:09, only ~8 minutes behind goal pace ✅ However, the nagging feeling I was "cooked" took hold. My quads/gluts & toes needed rest. I also felt somewhat hungry. I had started eating a bite of Clif Bar every mile or so. While crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I also experienced the 1st (of a few) half-marathon pace bicyclists aggressively verbally clearing a path for elite runners. They were amazing to watch as they glided by. Knowing they had not come as far does not diminish their pace. Humans are amazing. Mile 14 exited the Golden Gate Bridge and began the journey through the lush Presidio. At the hydration tables, I took Nuun, water, and--for the first time--Chargel. Another calculated risk--continuously fueling was not something I had done enough thinking about. During my long runs, I stopped every 10 miles at home, or at convenience stores for hydration. I had neither option now, so out of necessity I started fueling with what I had. The Chargel was semi-liquid with what felt like boba drink jellies. It was easy to squeeze and consume. The energy surge did help. Most of Mile 14 was about 100-feet uphill over a half-mile. It ends on the beginning of a long downhill. Mile 15 continues the extended downhill all the way to the end of the Presidio. How I wish I had had the toes & quads to bomb down this hill like I did in the Marin Headlands! Instead I shuffled down at a cautious 12:39/mile pace. That feeling of disquiet about being "cooked" turned to resignation. I needed to ration my remaining resources to traverse another half marathon. One runner jumped the guardrail and used a packed-earth trail on its opposite side.👍🏼

Miles 16-20 (Richmond District, Golden Gate Park, & Haight)

The uphill toward Golden Gate Park begins just before mile 16. Leaving the lush Presidio and entering residential areas with 2-3 story Victorians clearly signals the 2nd "city" half has begun. The 1st "bridge" half is now in the rear-view mirror. I do not remember much from mile 16. I listened to my audiobook. I vaguely remember hilly asphalt canyons slouching through building silhouettes. Volunteers waved traffic through. One volunteer sang and danced in-place. Regrettably, as I reached Golden Gate Park my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds reported "battery low". 😝 Turns out they have ~3.0-3.5 hours battery life. I stashed them in my front pouch, removed & ate the rest of the Clif Bar, and hoped I would not lose them when accessing my phone. The loss of my audiobook narrator companion disappointed me. It did not change my mood: I still felt cooked, but optimistic at finishing. My muscles felt sore, not injured. I can work with that! Mile 17 started with the calming Rainbow Falls ☺️ This was uphill and my pace slowed, but as I made the conscious decision to slow, my mood continued to improve. I had determined to accept my cooked status and enjoy the race. Slow = good mood = want to run the race again ✅ On JFK Drive, I ran past public art displays and roadway painted art. At the end of Mile 17, at the corner of JFK Promenade & Blue Heron Lake Dr, I think this was where one booster had a poster board with illustration "Tap here to Power Up"--he was really over-the-top and his friends cheered as people punched the sign. I would do the same on the way out. 💯 🔥 Mile 18 goes around Stow Lake. I barely remember it from 2006 (too tired!). This time, I slowed down and enjoyed it: ducks, paddle-boats, trees, etc. The asphalt path narrows, but stays flat. Another official race pace bicycle passed by, verbally telling runners & walkers to stay right and make way for 2nd-half marathon front-runners, who had staggered 8:30-8:46 a.m. starts from near the Murphy Windmill. My Full Marathon Mile 18 was the 2nd-Half Marathon Mile 3-4. I also observed stampedes of runners passing by. I'm guessing these were respective staggered waves of 2nd-half marathoners going for time goals. This was irritating for both them and slower runners, as slower runners thoughtlessly drifted left instead of staying right. The 2nd-half marathoners zipped past at-speed, threading any available gaps, narrowly avoiding collisions. I stayed right and tried to respect them, but even a few people passed me on the right shoulder. 😛 Mile 19 begins near the exit of the Stow Lake loop. I made sure to go out of my way to punch the poster board and power up. 😅 Just past this point was the 1st-half marathon finish line. Lots of tabling & support for finishers: water, bananas, etc. The de Young Museum was on my right but I missed recognizing it. Pedestrians scrambled to cross between runners. Mile 19 ends near the Conservatory of Flowers, though I also missed looking at it. 💐 At some point around this time, I had an insight: with the heart-rate monitor, I can observe and manage my heart-rate via three zones: 1) Blue (Easy: Comfortable pace; conversational); 2) Green (Aerobic: Moderate pace; optimal cardiovascular training); and 3) Orange (Threshold: Fast pace; forceful breathing). I decided to adapt my run/walk--running when blue (~125 bpm) and walking when orange (> 145 bpm, I think). My body did feel cooked, but I found myself relaxing, recovering, and enjoying the race more. At a pedestrian underpass, a barely-upright baby teetered and played with a rail of the heavy metal gate, closely monitored by their dad. Mile 20 zig-zagged, then exited Golden Gate Park onto Haight Street. I loved taking the time to go through the bohemian Haight: Jimi Hendrix mural, bookstores, coffee shops, etc. 

Miles 21-25 (Haight-Ashbury & Industrial areas)

T-Rex hydration volunteer with Golden Gate Running Club (Mile ~21.5 near 229 Guerrero St in the Mission District; 9:48 a.m.)

Just 10K distance left 🙂 Mentally I have felt OK: I know I have trained and done the work, so just counting the miles as I slowly progress. I have done 10K. I can visualize the route I take near my house...but I also know how much time it takes. 😛 Mile 21 is nearly all downhill. More runner "valves": race volunteers swing long banners in tandem across the intersection, shunting runners one way or another, for traffic control. It feels just a bit disconcerting to get cut-off from the pack and shunted onto a deserted street, like I'm about to get whacked 😅 Once reaching the industrial areas, my brain got bored. A volunteer in an inflatable T-Rex costume handed out cups 🦖💯 Another station had people offering small homemade pancakes (sadly, I observed one partially-eaten pancake discarded in the roadway just around the corner). Overheard: a man saying "I think it might have been a mistake to start drinking this can of beer" to his partner, who replied "Why don't you just chuck it?". Friends, the man did NOT chuck his can of beer. One woman accepted a conical paper cup of Gatorade from a mother tabling with her family on the curb. I thanked an elderly Asian couple boosting runners as they passed by--the connection I felt when I saw the way their faces lit-up at having someone say thank you back to them. 😊 In fact, I tried frequently to clap and also verbally thank boosters for taking the time and energy to pump us up. Near the end, I belatedly recognized how mind-numbing it must be for hydration volunteers to say "electrolytes" or "water" or whatever it is they provide, for hours upon hours. I struggled and walked a lot in these miles, running until my heart-rate monitor indicated I was hitting orange, then relaxing until blue. This seemed to work out. 

Finish

Celebratory selfie with Dawn 💜 after exiting the finish-line gated area (11:08 a.m.)

Texted with Dawn as I approached the finish. The SF Giants had opened their gates for the afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies, and I passed attendees queuing. Medics assisted someone on the ground onto a stretcher, shielding them from view with blue tarp 😥 The course ran around the stadium, with orange safety cones separating the raceway from attendees. Little acts of kindness: Near the end, one woman kindly stayed with her companion, encouraging her to go as slow as she needed to in order to finish. 💜 I think I timed my last running interval about as well as I could--I was able to run continuously and smile and enjoy the moment. I saw Dawn in the crowd--whew!--and she captured video of me passing by. Dawn was the first person to tell me my time--a new PR for the SF Marathon, and my #2 overall 💯 I felt much better than in 2006--when afterward I felt so exhausted and wiped-out I had to sit doubled-over in the YMCA locker room before showering. Note: this is one reason why I never got around to a contemporary write-up of the 2006 SF Marathon. While in the exit area, I ate 2 bananas, got a free bag of granola, collected my medal, and exited to hug Dawn. We got a finisher blue hoodie at one pop-up tent. At the Challenges pop-up tent the staff were friendly but due to unforeseen circumstances the SF/Oakland Bay Challenge medals had not arrived yet. Dawn fed me tortilla chips from a bag a vendor had distributed. I forgot to mask while in the crush of runners. 😛 Garmin training readiness = 1 😅

Follow-along mile-by-mile video journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdfXTMmpkwE

Post-race / Reflections

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
• Hotel & logistics
• Audiobook
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed Achilles & muscles
• On-pace 1st-half marathon (2:28:09), ~8 minutes over target 2:20:00 time
• Watch charged and only drained by about half
  

Improvements:

• Charge phone to 100%
• Adjust training to properly target 10:50/mile race pace (i.e., 10:15/mile or faster to compensate for 1:00 walk)
• Review fueling for continuous marathon goal distance (i.e., without assuming access to convenience store/home)
• Earbuds capable of 6-hour+ run time (or carry charging case)
  
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
  
• Protect toes on downhills:
• Heel-lock lacing
• Other (?)
  
• Shorts with more pockets (?)
• Move ahead in the Corral chutes to find my pace group
• Pace: Review course hills & determine if better to Conserve energy on the hilly
• Race your pace, if the courses overlap with different races (e.g., Half Marathon & Full Marathon)
  

Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Sore legs but especially gluts, bruised left toenail, bruised right pinky toe
Foods eaten today: Pod coffee maker coffee (forget the exact blend; 8 oz), Clif Bar - Oatmeal Raisin Walnut & Peanut Butter Crunch, Chargel gel drink (180g, x2 - Apple, Strawberry), Nuun Hydration electrolytes (4 oz, x10), Taqueria Las Vegas - Jumbo burrito with shredded chicken, tortilla chips

Running Journal - 2024-07-27 (5K Fun Run - San Francisco Marathon)

San Francisco Marathon - 2024 Double-Up Challenge Medal

San Francisco Marathon mascot Sebastian the Seagull interacts with two children on Saturday, July 27, 2024

5k fun run (we walked) today in San Francisco Crissy Field. Awoke at 5:00 a.m., yogurt from Safeway for breakfast. Parked near Broderick & Jefferson, then walked to the start. Weather was misty with a cool breeze. Fingers went partly numb. Dawn collected her technical shirt. The first runners started at 7:10. We were probably the fourth or fifth batch of runners to start. We hung to the side and avoided runners zooming past. After about a mile the walk became peaceful. Enjoyed watching walkers with dogs. Some kids struggled: One boy protested by intentionally dragging his body against a concrete barrier; another boy insisted his father carry him, then immediately spurred him on: "Faster!" This was the first time we explored Crissy Marsh and areas. The turnaround was a bit before reaching the Golden Gate Bridge. We finished just under an hour. The organizers had run out of medals, but we got a tote bag and towels with the SF Marathon logo. Snacks were pretzels and water. As we walked to our car, we watched the kids queue for a 1k dash. The seagull mascot above was interacting with kids. Afterward, we drove to Fort Mason--initially to get coffee at Equator Coffee. When we arrived we joined the celebration in progress and helped ourselves to free coffee and pastries 😋 ☕ Puma was giving away cow bell rattlers. Garmin tabled with our watches. We got a donut and more coffee, then walked to the expo at the Fort Mason Pavilion Center. En route, I realized I had left my marathon bib at the hotel. 😝 Thankfully, the solutions desk gave me a stamp so I could collect my Double Up Challenge medal. The other SF/Oakland Challenge medal I think I collect after the marathon. The expo was busy. Dawn purchased a shirt with thumb holes. Collected free products: toothpaste, alcohol-free beer, energy drink, etc. Next we drove to Fisherman's wharf area to shop for pajamas. On the way we found ourselves near curvy Lombard Street, so once again has a fun drive down it. Shopping was uneventful. Dawn found pajamas. For lunch we went to Brenda's French Soul Food: red rice & beans, beignet flight, and ham Benedict. Ate back at the hotel while watching 2024 summer Olympics: beach volleyball and cycling time trials. Tonight is pasta dinner and hydration, relaxing, and tucking in early for Sunday.

Running Journal - 2024-07-26

Time: 9:09-9:39 a.m. (30 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 77 (several hours after exercise)
Weight (street clothes): 85.73 kg (189.00 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.9 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,047 cal/day
Distance (running): 3.70 km (2.30 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 957.09 km (594.71 mi)
Calories burned: 282 kcal
Average heart rate: 116 bpm
Max heart rate: 134 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 22° C (71.6° F), Humidity 73% Wind: 9 km/h
Terrain: 13 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 13'02" /mile
Best pace: 13'05" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Penultimate maintenance run ✅ Did 2 of the 4 things I should always do--skipping two due to shorter time/distance: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Ended the run feeling hardly bothered. Cooler weather has arrived. It still felt warm, mostly due to the lack of breeze. Packing and getting ready for the weekend. Running slower felt easy, almost pleasant. 😅 Still feeling a bit dizzy. I am still thinking it is tension-related, due to upper shoulders & neck. Focusing today on staying relaxed and taking it easy. Hydrating, etc. Saturday is an off day, so may or may not post much about it. We will be walking most likely in the 5K race. At some point we will visit the expo, and then (?)
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Dizzy, bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz, banana, leftover chicken fajita (x0.3), leftover Sandwich Spot sandwich (x0.5)

Running Journal - 2024-07-25 (Off day)

Time: 12:28 p.m. 
Resting heart rate: 71
Weight (street clothes): 84.37 kg (186.00 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.5 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,026 cal/day
Distance (running): --
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 953.39 km (592.41 mi)
Calories burned: -- kcal
Average heart rate: -- bpm
Max heart rate: -- bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 29° C (84.2° F), Humidity 43% Wind: 13 km/h
Terrain: -- ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: -- /mile
Best pace: -- /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Penultimate off day 🐢 Working instead on relaxing and decompressing as much as possible. Ibuprofen, skipped coffee, hydration, etc. Seems to help--while I felt dizzy when I awoke, it seems...less than on Wednesday? Did Epley Maneuver exercises last night before bed and this morning. They sort of helped, but not completely. Definitely feel the room spinning when I turn left (and not really when turning right). This Reddit thread indicates it most likely represents an issue with the left ear. Some terms: cervicogenic (starts after neck movement), BPPV (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo--disorder of the inner ear). Switching topics: I am feeling excited with less than 72 hours to go until the SF Marathon. The days keep ticking down one-by-one. All seems to happen so quickly. Friday: last maintenance run. Saturday: Off day; 5K & expo (morning). Sunday: Race. 👀 Normal day-to-day rhythm interrupted by necessity to organize, prepare, pack. It will feel "real" on Friday night, I think. 💜
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Dizzy, bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), Samanco Fish Shaped Waffle Ice Cream Cone (strawberry), leftover tandoori chicken wrap

Running Journal - 2024-07-24

Time: 10:02-10:32 a.m. (30 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 104 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 83.64 kg (184.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.3 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,015 cal/day
Distance (running): 3.88 km (2.41 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 953.39 km (592.41 mi)
Calories burned: 313 kcal
Average heart rate: 132 bpm
Max heart rate: 165 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 26° C (78.8° F), Humidity 49% Wind: 6 km/h
Terrain: 39 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'29" /mile
Best pace: 12'29" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 1/10 (slightly stinky)
Comments: Penultimate maintenance run ✅ Did 2 of the 4 things I should always do--skipping two due to shorter time/distance: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Woke up again today with extreme positional vertigo. One bout caused me another elevated temperature, enough to break out in sweats. 😰 Stayed in bed and felt better once I was up and walking around. Seem to feel it most of all when I bend forward while sitting, or roll side-to-side while laying down. Room spins for a few seconds. 🥴 Ran without issue. It was hot again by mid-morning. 🥵 Not much of a breeze. Last night I skimmed the 2024 SF Marathon athlete guide. The race begins at 5:15 a.m. I am in Corral C (last to start & slowest), so I start around 5:26-5:30 a.m. 🐢 Weather forecast looks perfect. I am completing 2 challenges: 1) Double Up (run on Saturday & Sunday); and 2) SF/Oakland (Bay Bridge)--run both Oakland & SF marathons. I can collect the medals after the race--since I did bib mailing--or at the Health & Fitness Expo and Bib Pickup (Fort Mason Festival Pavilion). The pre-printed bibs we received have the appropriate challenges visible in that bib section (kudos to planners). Starting line is just before Market on Embarcadero. Finish line is close-by, near Howard & Embarcadero.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Dizzy, fever, bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz,

Running Journal - 2024-07-23 (Off day)

Time: 4:26 p.m.
Resting heart rate: 61
Weight (running clothes): 84.73 kg (186.80 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.6 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,031 cal/day
Distance (running): --
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 949.51 km (590.00 mi)
Calories burned: -- kcal
Average heart rate: -- bpm
Max heart rate: -- bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 34° C (93.2° F), Humidity 28% Wind: 19 km/h
Terrain: -- ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: -- /mile
Best pace: -- /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Woke up feeling dizzy. OK to walk around. Mid-morning, had coffee and sat down at counter to have a snack and felt nauseous & dizzy. Lay down and sweated through a mild fever. Rested for about an hour or so and felt almost normal again. Rest of the day feeling almost normal. Hydrating. I stayed up past midnight, so maybe just not enough sleep? Or slept in awkward position? 🤔 Disquieting. Tested negative for COVID-19 using both an antigen & molecular test ✅ Feeling re-assurance about that, at least. Hot today, and cooling in the days leading up to the SF Marathon. Looks like weather this Sunday will be almost perfect--overcast, high 50's-low 60's F. Welcome news. Giving myself lots of rest today.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Dizzy, fever, tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), Otter Pop - Alexander The Grape, leftover garlic chicken bowl, Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water - Lime (12 oz), Samanco Fish Shaped Waffle Ice Cream Cone (red bean), cheese bagel & Wholly Organic Smashed Avocado (2 oz), 

Running Journal - 2024-07-22

Time: 7:01-7:41 p.m. (40 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 107 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 83.01 kg (183.00 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.1 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,005 cal/day
Distance (running): 5.28 km (3.28 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 949.51 km (590.00 mi)
Calories burned: 423 kcal
Average heart rate: 131 bpm
Max heart rate: 159 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 29° C (84.2° F), Humidity 41% Wind: 16 km/h
Terrain: 26 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'13" /mile
Best pace: 11'40" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Week 26 (of 26) begins! ✅ Did 2 of the 4 things I should always do--skipping two due to shorter time/distance: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Right glut (butt) is hurting tonight off and on. Took ibuprofen. Initially thought today (Monday) was an off day as usually a cross-training (XT) day. However, it is tapering week before the marathon, so today is 40 minutes, and Tuesday is off. Due to work, I delayed the run until late afternoon and it got hot. 🥵 A breeze helped, as did shade. I slowed on the way back. Still does not feel real I am running a marathon on Sunday. I have run two marathons already in the last 2 months, but this represents one I have trained for. Two more maintenance runs and then the race. 👀
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Right glut strained
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (24 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, Nature's Bakery Fig Bar - 2 oz twin pack (Raspberry), Pacific Organic Creamy Tomato Soup (16 oz) & toasted cheese sandwich (x1.5), Otter Pop - Sir Isaac Lime, tortilla chips, Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water - Lime (12 oz), Samanco Fish Shaped Waffle Ice Cream Cone (red bean),

Running Journal - 2024-07-21 (7-mile Long Run)

Time: 9:41-11:02 a.m. (1 hour 21 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 98 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 82.55 kg (182.00 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.0 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1,999 cal/day
Distance (running): 11.28 km (7.01 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 944.23 km (586.72 mi)
Calories burned: 937 kcal
Average heart rate: 136 bpm
Max heart rate: 167 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 22° C (71.6° F), Humidity 59% Wind: 6 km/h
Terrain: 121 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 11'31" /mile
Best pace: 11'13" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 1/10 (slightly stinky)
Comments: Remembered 3 of the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Weather was pleasant--bit humid, but relatively cooler. Slept pretty well the night before. Ran without stopping for hydration. Seemed OK. Took a detour at the end and explored an apartment complex & nearby park. Cricket players used a baseball infield for their pitch. Tennis players affixed their tennis bags to the chain-link fence with a carabiner. Shoes crunched on broken rectangular window glass. Ran past the corporate artwork again and nothing happened--no amplified warning message like last time. Traffic was calm and minimal. A nearby defunct hotel now has wooden covers over its 1st-floor windows. I enjoy running by the manicured, empty corporate campuses. Welcomed: humidity and smell of grass, or the woody smell of mulch. This represents the last long run before my first 2024 marathon next Sunday.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Right big toe slightly numb
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz,

Running Journal - 2024-07-20 (Off day)

  This was just an off day. Recording for completeness.

Running Journal - 2024-07-19

Time: 8:00-8:45 a.m. (45 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 95 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 83.19 kg (183.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.2 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,008 cal/day
Distance (running): 6.12 km (3.80 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 932.95 km (579.71 mi)
Calories burned: 488 kcal
Average heart rate: 125 bpm
Max heart rate: 164 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 18° C (64.4° F), Humidity 72% Wind: 0 km/h
Terrain: 39 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 11'53" /mile
Best pace: 11'13" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 1/10 (slightly stinky)
Comments: Remembered 3 of the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Listened to an audiobook. Did not sleep 100%, so felt not fully recovered. Overall was OK. Humid, but relatively cool. Ran faster on the back end. Nothing unusual happened. Watched freeway traffic and local traffic. In the background, my partner tested negative for COVID today, which means I am suspending use of the Flo Mask Pro. Will continue to test and resume masking if the testing turns positive again.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (8 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz, banana, cheese bagel with shredded rotisserie chicken, Peet's Cold Brew Oat Milk Latte (20 oz),

Running Journal - 2024-07-18 (XT - Stationary Recumbent Cycle)

Time: 11:19-12:09 p.m. (50 minutes)
Resting heart rate: 81 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 83.19 kg (183.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.2 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,008 cal/day
Distance (cycling): 6.36 km (3.95 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 926.84 km (575.91 mi)
Calories burned: 318 kcal
Average heart rate: 78 bpm
Max heart rate: 95 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 21° C (69.8° F), Humidity 69% Wind: 7 km/h
Terrain: -- ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: -- /mile
Best pace: -- /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Cross-training day on the Star Trac 4-RB Recumbent stationary cycle in the little community gym. The overhead lights & fans turned off after a bit again. Envisioning configuring the Leviton sensors to maximize their detection angles & timer. Just me in the gym today. Listened to an audiobook. The difficulty level felt light: 15, then 18. I wish the cycle had heart-rate monitor metal grips on the lower handlebars--keeping my arms elevated is not my preference. Also, I am not sure if I have ever gotten an accurate heart rate detection using the metal handlebars. Weather is warmer today but still pleasant.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, Safeway deli veggie sushi tray (white rice, avocado, cucumber), blueberry raisin bagel with fruit preserves, Samanco Fish Shaped Waffle Ice Cream Cone (chocolate), Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz, banana,

Running Journal - 2024-07-17

Time: 9:24-9:44 a.m. (20 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 94 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 83.82 kg (184.80 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.4 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,018 cal/day
Distance (running): 2.64 km (1.64 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 926.84 km (575.91 mi)
Calories burned: 206 kcal
Average heart rate: 118 bpm
Max heart rate: 158 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 17° C (62.6° F), Humidity 75% Wind: 8 km/h
Terrain: 23 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'13" /mile
Best pace: 12'32" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Tapering in weeks #25–26. Ran 20 instead of 25 minutes (misremembered), but otherwise all was well. Felt a bit tired after the harder run on Monday. Listened to an audiobook. The commuting vehicles all line up at the stoplight. Ran past the collection of items a homeless person assembled in the light-rail pedestrian underpass. Felt sore at the beginning, but after warming up felt a bit more flexibility. Weather today feels amazing.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit sore
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (8 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz,

Running Journal - 2024-07-16

Time: 12:05-12:50 p.m. (45 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: 114 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 82.55 kg (182.00 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.0 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1,999 cal/day
Distance (running): 6.69 km (4.16 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 924.20 km (574.27 mi)
Calories burned: 556 kcal
Average heart rate: 139 bpm
Max heart rate: 165 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 22° C (71.6° F), Humidity 56% Wind: 11 km/h
Terrain: 39 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 10'50" /mile
Best pace: 10'44" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Felt pretty good. Ran aggressively. Remembered 3 of the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Weather was glorious. Listened to audiobook. Held phone to play a mobile game. Good to feel in perhaps the best physical conditioning in my life.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Right knee a bit sore
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Equator Pure Black Cold Brew Coffee (8.5 oz), Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, spicy spinach Indian & Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice Medium Grain - 7.4 oz & bagel & slice of American cheese, Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz (x1.5), Otter Pop - Louie-Bloo Raspberry, Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water - Lime (12 oz), poppyseed bagel & turkey slices, Tropical Fields Peanut Butter Mochi (15g; x1), negroni

Running Journal - 2024-07-15 (XT - Stationary Recumbent Cycle)

Time: 2:42-3:32 p.m. (50 minutes)
Resting heart rate: 77 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 84.01 kg (185.20 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.4 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,021 cal/day
Distance (cycling): 3.44 km (2.14 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 917.50 km (570.11 mi)
Calories burned: 214 kcal
Average heart rate: 74 bpm
Max heart rate: 86 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 24° C (75.2° F), Humidity 54% Wind: 21 km/h
Terrain: -- ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: -- /mile
Best pace: -- /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: The pedals on the Star Trac 4-RB Recumbent stationary cycle in the little community gym are only big enough for my front feet. The old Vision Fitness R2750HRT stationary recumbent cycle (c. 2009) was better in this regard. The overhead lights & fans turned off after a bit, and waving my arms did not re-activate them. 😛
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (16 oz), banana, Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Drink Mix - Chocolate - 16 oz, spicy spinach Indian & Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice Medium Grain - 7.4 oz & bagel, Ito En Oi Ocha Cold Brew Matcha Green Tea - 16.9 fl oz (x1.5), Hershey's Miniatures (assorted, x5), raspberries

Running Journal - 2024-07-14 (Mile Repeats x12)

Post-run selfie 📸

Time: 8:30-12:51 p.m. (4 hours 21 minutes total; ~1-2 miles warmup and 2h 15m 14s running) 
Resting heart rate: 122 (15 minutes after exercise)
Weight (running clothes): 81.37 kg (179.40 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 23.7 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 1,981 cal/day
Distance (running): 20.92 km (13.00 miles)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 917.50 km (570.11 mi)
Calories burned: 1,672 kcal
Average heart rate: 139 bpm
Max heart rate: 158 bpm
Weather at start: sunny ☀️ 17° C (62.6° F), Humidity 80% Wind: 8 km/h
Terrain: 255 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 11'16" /mile
Best pace: 10'53" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 1/10 (slightly stinky in spots)
Comments: Mile repeats x 12, plus at least 1-2 miles of warmup & cool down. Overall 2h 15m for 12 miles, which if I can do it on race day would mean my personal best. Each mile-repeat was separated by at least 5 minutes walking, and I also took extended 10-15 minute breaks after miles #5 & #8. I guess on race day I will just power through? Today I took 30-second walk breaks, but during the race I think I will take 1-minute walk breaks? Cooler today, so started well after sunrise. Remembered the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ Note: skipping the moleskin now that I have properly-fitting shoes. Listened to audiobooks. Ran 2:30 and walked for 30 seconds. I reached the Coyote Creek Trail (part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge) and avoided geese, watched baby ducks. Between mile repeats, I walk for 5-10 minutes. Took a panorama photo of the bay. As I did so, another runner shuffled past. Instead of following & overtaking them, I ran back the way I came. I was carrying Dawn's phone for a mobile game. The "angry chair"--a patio chair we have observed--was not occupied today. Instead of stopping at the convenience store, I just ran home, finishing 5 1x-mile repeats. Had a GU gel & Gatorade. Returned Dawn's phone. Changed shirts. Headed out again for the remaining 7x 1-mile repeats. The weather was still pretty good, though my legs felt sore from running at marathon pace. After 3 miles, stopped at the convenience store and had a Gatorade. Then ran the last 4 1x-mile repeats home. When running it felt OK, but felt sore when walking. Celebrated with K on the Go. This marks the end of week 24 (of 26) ✅ In non-running news: mid-week, Dawn tested positive for COVID-19. She is OK and on Paxlovid. I have tested daily for 4 days and so far still negative. Masking at home with a Flo Mask Pro. So far so good 💜
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Sore upper gluts
Foods eaten today:Kashi GO Original Cereal with nonfat milk, Chromatic Coffee Company - Heart's Delight Cold Brew (8 oz), K on the Go - Mint Mojito Latte, GU Chocolate Outrage Energy Gel, Gatorade Gatorlyte Electrolyte Beverage - Glacier Freeze (20 oz), Gatorade Zero Sugar Thirst Quencher (Glacier Cherry, 12 Fl Oz), banana