I hope that I'm not totally crazy when I say that I've started planning my vacations around the local racing schedule. Does this make me a true die-hard runner or have I just gone off the deep end? Why can't I just rest and 'enjoy' my time away from the daily routine? Because running is no longer a chore as I truly enjoy the sport. I recently traveled to Tucson for a visit with my parents who just moved there last year. I ate plenty of Mexican food, drank margaritas, sat by the pool, went shopping and sightseeing, and still managed to conquer the 7.4 mile Sabino Canyon Sunset Run. Now I'm sure that the abundance of food and drink didn't make a positive contribution to my finishing time, but I didn't care! I just wanted to have fun running a beautiful race, and complete a challenging course with 'real' hills. (I used to complain about the 'hills' at the Noland Trail or the Carter's Grove Country Road.) I also wanted to share my experience with you to give you some ideas about racing while traveling.
Sabino Canyon is nestled in the southern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountain Range twelve miles from downtown Tucson. A paved road runs 3.8 miles into the canyon, crossing nine stone bridges over Sabino Creek, and rising in altitude from 2,800 feet to 3,300 feet at its end. Winding through the canyon, the road provides spectacular scenery-views of the creek, magnificent Saguaro cacti on the canyon wall, and towering rock formations. (Including one nicknamed "Snoopy Rock" because it resembles Snoopy sleeping on top of his doghouse.) The road was also the out and back course for the race.
After taking a day to recover from jet lag and dealing with my two-year old on a very long flight, I was ready to get moving. Fortunately, the owner of a local running store happens to live right down the street from my parent's house. So he gave us the inside scoop on his favorite running routes through the neighborhood, the best hills, and when to take advantage of the softer gravel path along the main thoroughfare. With my first run, I quickly realized that the hills, altitude and heat were slowing me down. But since I was out there to have fun, I got over it. The mountain scenery was breathtaking and inspiring, as the cacti and wildflowers were showing their spring blooms.
Before the trip, I decided that my heart rate monitor might help me out on
the hills. Since we don't have 'real' hills here in Virginia, I wasn't sure
that I would be able to pace myself efficiently. Ultimately, the monitor proved
to be a useful asset. During my training runs in Tucson, I identified target
ranges for warm-up time and flat stretches of road (of which there is very little),
small hills, and then the really big hills. While in Tucson, I did several training
runs that were 3 to 3-1/2 miles, and a 6-mile long run. My recovery days included
a power walk through the neighborhood, and a short hike through the foothills.
For the mind games, I had thought about the race before the trip, trying to
visually conquer the hills. But I really had no idea how steep and how long
the hills were until I started running in Tucson, and ultimately took the guided
tram tour covering the 3.8-mile trek into Sabino Canyon. Visualization is a
key element of success in any race. Traveling the actual course before race
day can really help with the mind games. While the race flyer described the
race as 'uphill' for the first half, there was some relief with brief flat stretches
of road and short descents to cross the bridges. The hardest part for me was
the last .7 miles of the climb. It was a continuous, steep, uphill grade. And
by that time, the faster people were passing me on their way down the hill-augh!
But seeing their relief of running downhill only pushed me harder to get to
the top!
Once I reached the turn-around, I was not only half way through the race, but gravity was handed to me on a silver platter. Fortunately, my knees didn't bother me on the descent and I was amazed at how much I enjoyed running downhill after the grueling climb. The final stretch to the finish line, just after coming out of the canyon, brought me spectacular views of the sunset to my right, and the city lights of Tucson to my left. The only thing better was my Mom and my daughter Sydney cheering me through the finish line chute. From there we went to a nearby restaurant for the post-race party hosted by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners Club-Mexican food, drinks, awards, prizes and more fun! (I even won some Ultimax socks.) What more could you ask for-a cool t-shirt, dinner, new socks, and fond memories.
P.S. I'm taking another trip in May, this time to my hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Well, guess what. I just happened to pick the weekend of the Green Bay Marathon, booked a room at the host hotel, and already signed up for the 5K race on Sunday morning that coincides with the marathon festivities. I can't wait!
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