Western States 100-miles - June 27-28, 2015 - coming up yet again!

Shavi is in yet again - WS 100 - the 100-mile trail race which is so hard to get in. Second consecutive year for Shavi to be running this race and his third 100-miler. We learned about this in Dec 2014 and he has started training for it on his own now in mid-Jan. Wishing him safe training runs and a great race ahead!

CIM - my first marathon - sub-5 hours

I swear I could not have run this without Shavi pacing me. Shavi who was himself injured due to a severe bad spasm couple of weeks ago decided to still pace me with the injury. It was tough on him but with my bad IT band and shin injuries, he knew I might not be able to complete the marathon in my goal time of sub-5 hours. I cannot be thankful enough to him for making me achieve my goal. I completed the race in 4 hours 57 mins. I was hurting bad during the race but after finishing, I was fine. Shavi had a hard time after the race because of his injury. Took him a few days to recover.

California International Marathon - CIM (runcim.org) is one of the very famous races in the US with a great course. So many local people are out on the streets in that cold morning to cheer the runners. The weather was good this time. It was not chilling cold or even cold, I should say. Little bit of sun and some clouds made it great. A bit colder and more clouds would have made it perfect for me :) There are around 8000 + runners running this race every year in December. This includes the relay runners also. It is an epic race and a fun family event in Sacramento.

I had trained for this race with Fleet Feet Fair Oaks where Shavi was coaching. Training is the hard part. I did several boot camp classes to build my core, way too early in the morning before the baby would wake up. It sure was not easy with non-flexible working hours and a baby. During the running training, I did a 21-mile training run after which I got injured. I had an IT band injury which restricted my movement. I was already having right shin issues for which I had been wearing the shin cap and running. The IT band injury starts from the side hip and goes down to the knee. It feels like the knee is also hurting but it is the IT band. Running uphill seems easier than downhill with the pain. I did everything that coach Shavi recommended after I got injured to recover - lot of foam rolling and stretching, less running and slow running, raising the feet, having ibuprofen to reduce inflammation, standing in chilled water of the pool for 20 mins, painful sports massages. It would feel better at times and worse most of the times. I thought I would never be able to run the marathon. From one of the running coaches, came another advise which helped me. I tried this before hand to make sure it will work on race day - 1 Slow release Tylenol + 2 advil - helped with the pain. I could not do my 2 more long training runs with the Fleet Feet group, making me more skeptical of doing the marathon. But as Shavi said - it is all in the brain. If I have done one long training run, means I know what to expect and so I should be fine and I was :)

During the race, there was no question of backing out even when it was hurting bad - the only question was if I will do it sub-5 hours. I will repeat my words - I swear I could not have done the sub-5 finish without Shavi. Thanks Honey! Last but not the least - thanks to my parents and in-laws for watching the baby when both of us were doing our training runs and the race.

Race for Arts 5K - PR for me: 27 mins 50 secs and for Shavi: 22 mins 55 secs

Race for Arts 5K on Aug 23, 2014 in William Land Park, Sacramento - Great race, well organized and very family friendly. We loved it and plan to do this race in Sacramento every year.

This was Shavi's first 5K. So, no matter what he PR'ed by completing it in 22 mins and 55 secs. He had not trained for it. Hope he can do close to 20 mins some day soon!! I am happy with my PR of 27 mins 50 secs. Even though running experts keep saying that the first mile should be slow and then keep increasing gradually, I somehow cannot do that - my strategy is different. My first two miles are faster than the third one because I am so energetic in the first few miles and then I sprint for the last few minutes on the 3rd mile. But thanks to Shavi for helping me train for fast running. Coming down to 27 mins 50 secs from 30 mins 30 secs after having the baby is great for me!

5K PR for me: 28 mins 27 secs

Having been wanting to do a sub-30 PR since a long time, I was very excited when I finally did it. Thanks to the training and tips from the husband! Two things that helped - he made me believe that I can run the entire distance without walking and without drinking water which I always thought I could not. He taught me to start normal pace, pick up towards the middle and sprint towards the end. I had been training for a sub-30 on hills (almost) and given this race course was a flat course, I could do well under 30 mins:) I was 82 among 350 women and 10th in my age category. My achilles had been hurting since a few days and I was thinking I will not be able to do a sub-30 this time but Shavi made me do a mile warm-up just before the race morning and he did not let me run the week prior since I was hurting. I guess the rest and the warm-up helped also.

Susan B Anthony Women's 5K race which was organized by Buffalo Chips club on August 9, 2014 was a very well organized race. They had excellent tank tops and some goodies as well. One aid station. The entire race and organization was not too crowded.

Perfect race. I will do it again next year, if I can:)

Proud of Shavi - Western States 100-miles nicely done.

Since the day that I had known that Shavi would be doing Western States this year, I was looking forward to it (NOT). It is a hard course plus such kind of races require lot of training. We both knew that with a newborn at home (which means sleepless nights) and crazy work, training would not be easy at all. Yet Shavi was determined to do it.

I have a lot of respect for such long distance runners. Not only because they run that far but because they undergo a lot of training which requires lot of perseverance, hardships and determination. As they say - it is all in the brain. To train the brain along with physical training is no way even close to easy. Shavi used to go out for a run when the temperature would be in 100s (Fahrenheit), wearing 3 layers of clothes and a jacket, gloves, cap. People on the trails might have been thinking that he has some issues probably, but we knew how hard it was to train for heat! He would go sit in saunas for couple of hours. Do hot yoga. And of course run almost all day on weekends. Ugh. He just went on one night training run, to figure out what all he needs for running during night. Extra, extra headlights and batteries, mosquito repellents, a light jacket etc.

I cannot tell what he really underwent while running the race but from the viewpoint of crew, I can tell what I was undergoing while he was running:-) The race started in Squaw Valley on June 28, 2014 at 5am. We were all there in Squaw Valley since Thursday evening. I drove back home late Friday, leaving Shavi there at the hotel.

Shavi had to be at the start line before 4am to check-in. The breakfast they gave was very minimal - cupcakes and coffee. The race started at 5am. The first 4 miles had an ascent with an elevation gain of more than 2550 ft. All uphill and then landing on your fours to cross a section to reach Escarpment. It was cold that morning, in early 30s. So, Shavi had to dress accordingly and then keep removing layers as it kept becoming warmer. He had drop bags at some aid stations and a crew who were there at few aid stations to help him.

Most of the aid stations are not easily accessible and are a pain to get to. Shavi's crew went to Duncan Canyon, Dusty Corners, Robinson Flat, Michigan Flat from where he picked the pacer, Foresthill and then Green Gate (from where he picked his second pacer).

I was monitoring Shavi online through ultralive but they take a little bit time to update the status. He was going pretty much at his planned pace in the beginning but then something slowed him down after Escarpment.

From the crew at Robinson Flat (mile 23), I got to know that his lower back was hurting a lot and knee was bothering him as well. I was a little concerned and wanted to go see him at the next aid station which was Dusty Corners but it would have been hard with the baby. The road to Dusty corners is 30-miles very winding and narrow road. Shavi had earlier convinced me against it, plus it was a 2 hour drive from Sacramento with no cell phone signal.

I just kept waiting to hear from the crew. It was almost 2.30pm when Shavi's second pacer texted me saying that Shavi was showing as "Dropped" on the WS website. I was almost in tears when I saw that. He was so well-determined to this plus with so much training he had put in and so much guilt that he had for ignoring the baby due to training, this should not have happened. Not sure what to do now, since I couldnt contact the crew at next aid station (Dusty Corners) where he was to reach at 3pm. There was no cell phone coverage out there. Scrambling here and there, I got another text from his second pacer saying that he is back on course. Seems like the "Dropped" status was in error. There were tears of happiness in my eyes!!!! I was so happy. I started packing stuff for being there at Michigan Bluff/Foresthill with Shavi's first pacer.

We reached Michigan Bluff (around mile 55) around 7pm even though Shavi was to be there at 8.30pm per what he told someone whom he saw on the trails. The message was communicated to me. The shuttle service to get to Michigan Bluff closes at 7.30pm. I was concerned if they would let us drive to MB. The parking is very limits in MB. You just park on the roads. They let us drive, telling us to come back after dropping the pacer. Fortunately, we found a parking spot up there. It was a little bit of uphill to drag the stroller from the parking to the aid station. The route to MB is quite simple - take a right on Michigan bluff road from Foresthill and keep going the narrow road for 3-4 miles.

Shavi was there at exactly 8.30pm. I saw him and was relieved. His crew had been massaging his lower back and he had kept going, taking it easy on his pace. I was relieved that the heat was gone now and he would have a pacer from now onwards.

Next place I went was Foresthill (around mile 62). I was amazed at so many people out there, helping the runners. I am at a lose of words for our running community. With a cranky baby (since it was almost 10pm), I did not know how to handle everything but there were so many people out there whom we know, who were waiting to help Shavi. Things became so much easier for me. Cannot thank these people enough.

I went home with the baby after seeing Shavi at Foresthill. He took what he needed, did not change shoes which I thought he would. He kept going in pain - back pain, knee issues, blisters and what not. I reached home around midnight.

I was monitoring him online plus I kept hearing from the pacer who had his cell phone with him. Shavi had to stop quite a bit because he started getting blisters and lot of chaffing. He had to pop the blisters every now and then. And even with all those hardships, I saw online that Shavi had started picking his pace even more. From his 30-hour finish, he was moving to 29-hour finish which sounded incredible with all those pains. At Green Gate (around mile 78), where he reached around 5am ish, he got dropped his first pacer and picked the second one. To get to green gate is a steep 3-mile hike from parking. Not an easy aid station for the crew. Shavi kept picking up his pace. I kept getting texts from his pacer and all others who were out there cheering, telling me about Shavi's progress. What a sleepless night that was! Looking at so many other experienced runners who had dropped did not make anything easy either.

With the baby, I reached the finish line at Auburn High School around 8.45am. It is always like festivities going on out there. From mile 99 (Robie point - the last aid station), I got lot of texts when Shavi reached there. It is almost a 15-min uphill hike from there to the finish. A group of our runner friends and his crew ran him in to the Auburn High School track where the race ends. We (the baby and I) ran with him through the track to the finish line. What a glorious moment it was. I sure felt proud of him!!

His hard training had paid off. He was there at the finish line with his little baby, smiling and feeling proud of his blisters, swollen feet, broken toe-nails, so much chaffing and all the aches. Not bad for running 100 miles. What say!!!:-)

He finished in 28 hours and 43 mins. The race has a cut off time of 30 hours. Thanks for making us so proud of you, husband!

6K Uphill challenge run - Squaw Valley - June 27, 2014

After every half mile, I wanted to turn back. This is the initial course of the Western States 100-mile Endurance run: 2550 ft climb in those initial ~4 miles. Brutal is the only word.

This run is organized every year by Montrail, a day before the Western States race. It starts at 10am and is limited to first 200 people on a first-cum basis. Not that if you are not registered, you cannot run up there, but you do not get the swag like the water bottle etc. Well, it is more of a hike for most people, since it is all uphill. Beautiful views and totally worth it.

Coming down is not easy either. I love downhills but this one isn’t easy since the slope is quite a lot. They have free trams for the race participants from the top which take you down but I preferred to run back. Going up took me 1 hour 7 mins while coming down was 25 mins.

Once I did this, I was glad I did it and I was worried about Shavi doing the Western States 100 miler the next day. It got me a very tiny little taste of what Shavi was going to endure next day.

The adventurous endurance run - Shavi's first 100-miler in scorching July 2013

Even though it has been almost 11 months of the 100-mile run, everything is so fresh in the memory, as if it was just yesterday. With the upcoming another 100-miler for him in a few days, I finally thought to post this blog of his first 100-miler in July 2013.

TRT 100 miles - Shavi's first experience running a 100-miler race was awesome and grueling. We knew that it was never going to be easy, even when he was training hard for it. We knew it would bring us long lasting memories and great stories and so it did.

What a journey it had been for him since the day he signed up for TRT on January 1, 2013 at 2am from his iPhone, drinking cocktails, celebrating new year's in Monterey. It sounded like a great idea at that time, and boy was he in for a surprise. The training that goes into running a 100-mile run, the sacrifices that the family makes for you, the lack of social life because you sleep before the sun goes down to wake up at 3 am on weekend mornings to run 10 hours, is no less humbling than the race itself. Shavi surely has a long list of people to be sincerely thankful of who motivated him during the last 7 months of the race, and kept him going.

The race itself was way brutal than he expected, thanks to the heat, lack of altitude training, UV index of 12+. Surprisingly, the two things that he was most worried about (fatigue due to lack of sleep, and tight/achy muscles) was never an issue. He did have some blisters, stomach issues and other heat related issues.

In Shavi's words: "I would have not been able to keep moving forward if it were not for my crew and pacers: My sister, Anu who traveled all the way from D.C. to support me and Ruchi who had more confidence in me finishing than myself. My running buddy, Keith who hiked up to Tunnel Creek TWICE and stayed there middle of night for hours to see me come in multiple times, also 'crewed' my pregnant wife, Ruchi when he was not crewing me. My other running buddy, Antonio who paced me for 30 miles knew exactly when to talk and what to talk and when to shut up He kept me going through the night from dusk to dawn. And my ex-running coach from Sacfit, Ken who paced me for the last 20 miles when I was as exhausted as I could have been, helped me recover from my stomach issues and kept me going in the brutal heat."

We started at 6 am from Spooner Lake State Park in Nevada. The race authorities provided good shuttle service from the parking to the start line for both runners as well as their family. Shavi's crew (my sister - Anu and me) was more than ready!

Spooner Lake at mile 0 - the Start Line: Easy for the crew to reach the start line. Ample parking space from where the shuttle starts. Arriving a bit early is the way to go, just to make sure you do not miss the shuttle. It is a 5-min walk to the start line where the shuttle drops inside the park. Good shuttle service.

Hobart at mile 6: This was too early in the race. So, I decided to skip going here plus it wasn't easily accessible for the crew.

Tunnel Creek at mile 11: Skipped this aid station too as this was a steep hike.

Tunnel Creek at mile 17.3: The runners come through this aid station three times in one loop of 50-miles. Very well equipped aid station.

Bull Wheel at mile 20.3: No easy access for the crew here as well.

Diamond Peak Ski Resort at mile 30.3: This is the first point where I saw Shavi and which was easily accessible. There is plenty free parking at the resort and great waiting area. Shavi looked great at this point.

Tunnel Creek at mile 35.3

Hobart at mile 40.3

Snow Valley Peak at mile 43.1: Skipped this aid station as well since I was going to see Shavi in another 7ish miles.

Spooner Lake mid-way at mile 50.2: This was the next point where I saw Shavi. Since it was the same place from where the race started (TRT is a 50-mile loop through which the runners go twice). This was the first point to pick a pacer. Shavi picked his pacer Antonio here. At this point, Shavi was having some heat issues and stomach issues. His weight had dropped quite a lot, per the weight check point. This was because he had been unable to eat anything except for chocolate milk which was keeping him going. Thanks to our friend, Keith who volunteered to go up Tunnel Creek to give him chocolate milk. I was pregnant at that time and could not climb that steep hill for going to Tunnel Creel. Tunnel Creek is not an easily accessible crew point. It has around 1.5-mile steep hike and it would almost be night at the time when Shavi would have needed us at Tunnel Creek. Shavi changed his shirt and shoes here and checked on other things that needed a refill. He had been alternating between his back-pack and hand-carrying bottles. That relieved him a bit from his back ache. Carrying the back pack for 100 miles is no joke! We always had all his stuff ready before hand. For example, his back pack would always be re-filled with his power gels, charged mp3 player, new bandana, more vaseline etc.

There were lot of people at this aid station, crewing for their runners and volunteering. Shavi sat on his chair at this aid station for good 10-15mins. It was soon going to be dark. Shavi took his flashlights (with an extra one in his backpack and some batteries), handed over his sunglasses to me and took off. I went back to the hotel with my sister. Needless to say, we had a sleepless night that night.

Hobart at mile 56.2

Tunnel Creek at mile 61.2: Even though I did not go to this aid station, our friend Keith went and got me these amazing pictures.

Tunnel Creek at mile 67.5

Bull Wheel at mile 70.5

Diamond Peak Ski Resort at mile 80.5: I was going to see Shavi here again. He was to pick his second pacer, Ken Press, at this point. He was little delayed that his expected time but we knew this since we saw him at his half-way point. Shavi was smiling here, feeling much better than when I saw him last. At this point, I was quite confident that Shavi would complete his race.

Tunnel Creek at mile 85.5

Hobart at mile 90.5

Snow Valley Peak at mile 93.3

Spooner Trail Head at mile 100.4 - the Finish Line: What an awesome finish!!! With a smile on his face, Shavi crossed the finish line. Unbelievable! He almost sprinted the last 7 miles. He said his second wind made him run faster during the last miles, giving him extra energy. Cannot be more proud of him!

More from Shavi: "Of course, goes without saying, I could not have done it without Ruchi. I am sure the last 2 days were more mentally and physically brutal on her than they were on me. I could not have been even able to line up at the start if it were not for her consistent support, motivation and care that she took of me during my training."

"Thanks to all you friends who followed me and cared for me and cared for Ruchi while she was worried 'sleep'less. It means a lot to me."

"I wish to dedicate my first 100mi bling to my Naani (Maternal Grandma) who taught me how to walk, when the doctors said I may not walk."

Needless to say, being 6-months pregnant, I could not have crewed Shavi all by myself, without Anu's support. A whole big thanks to her from coming all the way from East Coast!!