A busy month this one is. This past weekend I did the SFR 400k workers ride and had a hard time because my body has been feeling drained of mojo, but after what felt like a very short week it was Saturday again and it was my best chance to squeeze in a ~26 mile run this month. In the evening I would be fulfilling my volunteer duties during the four hour (10:00pm to 2:30am) first shift of the final control of the SFR 400k. I better get my things ready and leave.

Very conservatively I ran to the Lombard@Lyon Presidio gate and then continued to do a small 5 or so miles on the trails before heading to the Golden Gate Bridge. This loop added more climbing than what I wanted but it was a nice break from running on the streets. I went up Arguello and then followed Washington to a place where there are stairs that connect to the Sand Ladder that descend onto Baker Beach. From the beach I came back on a connector to Lincoln and then continued to the bridge on other trails, very nice route that I usually do starting from Crissy Field. In my head I had added 2 miles to the route, so I would not need to run to the beach and back from the Tennessee Valley stables...

On my quest to do one self-organized marathon per month finding the time to fit it into my schedule has proven to be as hard as running the 26.2 miles. I had set aside Sunday March 20th to do it but when the weather forecast changed from Saturday will rain but Sunday would be *really * awful, I decided to change gears (and sport) and do a ride on Saturday and no activity on Sunday. So Saturday morning came and Greg, Robbins and I embarked on a wet loop from the Golden Gate Bridge to Tiburon and back, nothing special but just a showery ride with friends, after all Sunday was going to be horrible. What-do-you-know Sunday came and after an early morning shower the whole day was great, sunny, not much wind and temperatures in the 50's. It was too late for me, I had already made plans, no running for me on this day.

Next decision was how to fit a Marathon and a decent bike ride in the next week. I'll be doing the San Francisco randonnurs 400k brevet workers ride in two weeks so I need to put some good miles on my legs, hopefully on the weekend before, that leaves no weekend day open for a marathon. I think it would be too much to do both a 26 mile run and a ~90 mile ride on consecutive days. I needed to run during the week. We were having contractors working on our kitchen one day so I decided that was...

First I was sick then there was rain and the SFR 300k workers ride so this was the last chance for me to do run a marathon during February. I had gone for a short ride the day before and felt tired climbing Conzelman, a hill I can do with little effort most of the time, so I had some reservations about the marathon idea. Still I had to at least try before deciding not to go. Once more I was out the door and running at 9:00, the sun was out and it was a little cold, in the 40's, but I was prepared.

After just a few blocks I knew it was going to be a different experience than last time when I was tired from the start. I was actualy feeling pretty good. By the time I got to the North end of the Golden Gate Bridge, about 5 miles from our place, I was feeling very fresh and it was decision time, do the route I had done the previous time backwards (Sausalito Headlands GG Bridge) or do the headlands fireroads and stay away from Sausalito.I slowed down for a few seconds and then I remembered this little trail that is closed to bikes that goes from the parking lot to Conzelman, lets go that way. Once at Conzelman I saw the trail continued across the road so I went to check where this mystery trail (part of the Coastal Trail) that I see at least a few hundred times a year went. SCA trail! cool, I know where that is and it will keep me away from the road for a good while.

These hiker only trail climbs...

One more time I decided it was time to shake my comfort zone and go run for 26 miles. This time I knew more or less what to expect but wanted to try a slightly different route. I would, I thought, use mostly trails in the Headlands instead of returning on the pavement via Sausalito. The route was going to be, from our place in San Francisco, run on the streets the ~5 miles to the Golden Gate Bridge then cross the span go up Conzelman to Coastal trail take Bobcat trail to Marinccello down to Tennessee Valley then back via Miwok and Coastal to Conzelman and San Francisco. This course is a little longer, i think 27-29 miles but no traffic or urban noise for a long nice loop in the headlands.

So got up, ate a banana, had some coffee, an ensure and added Gatorade for the backpack. At exactly 9:00 I was starting to run. My stomach was not happy I think it was part due to the cold weather. By the time I got to the north side of he bridge I felt I was in trouble and may not be able to complete the run but I slowed the pace a little and...