The Ashlyn Dyer Foundation

One of the sponsors of the Presidio 10 Race is the Ashlyn Dyer Foundation. I didn't know about this foundation before running the race, but after learning about it I was compelled to research it and learn more.

Ashlyn Dyer:

On March 2, 2006, Ashlyn Dyer (27 years old) was the victim of a hit and run accident while running through the Presidio in San Francisco. Tragically, Ashlyn passed away 10 days later as a result of her severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

This is from an article on SFGate.com:

Sometime between 6:45 and 7 a.m., police say, a car sped southbound around a curve on Washington and struck Dyer, catapulting her over a fence and into a ditch. She lay there, face-down and unconscious, until a park worker found her around 7 a.m.

Although she was listening to her iPod, police believe she heard the car and turned around before she was hit. That's because even though the car approached from behind, she was struck on her right side, as if she had been facing the vehicle.

Police estimated that the driver was going faster than the 25 mph speed limit and said there were no skid marks or other evidence that the car had braked.

Ashlyn Dyer Foundation:

The foundation that has been established in her name has worked to improve the resources and research funding to support Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). You can learn more about the foundation here: http://www.ashlyndyer.com/

Here are 2 projects that are currently underway thanks to the Ashlyn Dyer Foundation:

As we approach the third year anniversary of her passing, we would like to make you aware of our new project, the Ashlyn Dyer Aquatic Center, a Neuro Rehabilitation Pool at Barrow Neurological Center in Phoenix, Arizona, in memory of Ashlyn. We have pledged $250,000 for this project, paid in installments over the next four years. We are proud and excited to have the naming rights for this aquatic center that will assist traumatic brain injury and spinal injury patients. We are hoping to break ground in March of next year.

We are also excited for the Ashlyn Dyer Memorial ICU Lounge and Conference Room remodel underway at San Francisco General Hospital. Jonathan Tsao, principal architect of Tsao Design Group in San Francisco, has generously donated his time and expertise for this project. Our goal is to make a family’s stay during a time of hardship more comforting through this remodel.

The foundation was also handing out orange shirts and hats at the race on Sunday in order to raise awareness of the foundation. I will definitely think of Ashlyn and the foundation every time I put it on and go for a run.

Presidio 10k Race Shirt

I almost forgot one of the most important parts of a race...the T-shirt! Here is a picture of the Presidio 10 race shirt. It is a white, short-sleeved cotton t-shirt. This is a picture of the back of the shirt. The front has a small logo on the top left. Pretty basic, but cute.

Presidio 10k Recap

Presidio 10k:
Sunday, March 29th was a beautiful day for a race - highs in the mid-60s and sunny. Kevin and I got up at 6 am to drive into San Francisco in time to pick up my race number and get to the start line by 8 am. We signed in right behind The Sports Basement at Crissy Field and went to the tents where sponsors were starting to set up. They already had a hot breakfast cooking for spectators and runners - breakfast burritos with mango salsa. There were thousands of runners competing in the 10k or 10 miler. But it never seemed overwhelmingly crowded. Much less hectic than some of the half marathons that I've ran in the past.

Race Course:
Basically an out and back from Crissy Field over the Golden Gate Bridge. Absolutely beautiful. Definitely on my list of favorite runs so far. The first 2 miles were on an uphill incline because you have to run up a hill to get to the Golden Gate Bridge and then the bridge itself isn't flat, so the first half of the bridge run has an incline. But the hills in the first half of the race means that the second half is mainly downhill, which made miles 4 and 5 very easy. The last mile ran down along Crissy Field again, right along the Bay. By that time the tourists had started coming out and Kevin said that a few tourists on rental bikes actually rode over the finish line by accident. The bike lane on the Golden Gate Bridge was closed for the run, so the first time you cross the bridge you have a beautiful view of the pacific ocean and on the way back you have the view of San Francisco and the Bay.


Putting on my official time tracker:



















Race Results:
6.1 miles - 55:13
349th out of 1269
35th in my age group
8:53 mile pace

Finished!



















Race Festival:
There were a lot of sponsors including: Sports Basement, Equinox Gym, Pop Chips, San Francisco Magazine....There was also a Bloody Mary booth, kegs of Sierra Nevada, and a live band. We headed back to Walnut Creek shortly after the race (to go back to bed), but it looked like people were taking advantage of all the free booze and the sunshine.

Presidio 10k Race

In order to keep up my momentum and stay in shape until the Summer TNT training season starts on May 30th, I'm going to try and run a handful of shorter races around San Francisco in the coming months.  The first one will be this Sunday in SF - The Presidio 10K or 10 miler.  I've chosen to run the 10K (a little over 6 miles) and work on speed rather than distance.  It's been a while since I've run any a race less than 13 miles, so I think that this will be a fun change for me.  It's supposed to be a beautiful course.  It starts down by Crissy field right on the bay and goes over the Golden Gate Bridge and back.  Plus there is a music festival that goes on during the running so Kevin will be entertained.  But hopefully I will be so fast that he won't be waiting too long.  I'll post pictures of the race on Sunday.

Here is the link to the race - http://www.presidio10.com/event/Presidio_10_Race.html

There is another race on April 26th that I'm thinking about doing at Big Sur.  The Big Sur Marathon is the main event, but there is also a 9 miler.  There is also a 3 miler that I would run with Kevin if I could get him to sign up.  We'd have to start training now, but he could do it.  The question is, will he? 

Nike Women's Marathon (San Francisco)

Hi everyone! Slight change of plans. I will now be running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on October 18, 2009. I'll still be running with Team in Training, but I'll just be running a different race with the Summer 2009 team, instead of the Spring 2009 team.

http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/category/events/nike-womens-marathon/

I'm switching my race for various reasons, but I'm so excited to have the Nike women's marathon be my first marathon! And don't worry, if you have already donated, all money will be rolled over to my new race. The Summer 2009 season starts in June or July, so if you haven't donated yet, you now have lots of time to save up :). 

I'll update everyone once my new training season begins. In the meantime, I'll be running various half-marathon and other races to keep me in running shape between now and the Summer 09 TNT season. 

Thanks again for your continued support! I really appreciate it!

Berkeley Fire Trails

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays we have group workouts, but Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays we are on our own for training (Friday is a rest day).  Yesterday we had a really hard circuit training track workout that just about killed me.   So of course, rather than take it easy today, I decided to run the Berkeley Fire Trails. 

I love running the fire trail.  It is the best way to release the stress after a tough day at work.  It is right beside my office, so I just drop off my bag at my car and run right from there.  Plus it offers some fabulous views of Berkeley, the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge (on 

a clear day).  It is a 3-7 mile run depending on how far you go.  The way up is all uphill (you are running up a mountain), but that just makes the run back a little faster.  The way up definitely is a killer, and about 15 minutes into the run you hit the "connector."  It is a very steep, approximately 30 degree slope, 200 meter segment connecting the lower and upper fire trail. The other day I saw a crazy ROTC student running up it with a log on their shoulders.  Most people are generally gasping for air once they get to the top of the connector.  Even the toughest runners are gasping for air at the top of the connector.

Here are some pics from the Fire Trail (I borrowed them from yelp because I didn't have my camera with me).  It's an absolutely beautiful run.

Lesson Learned

Don't skip a coached long run while training for a race.  Yesterday I skipped a coached run, and I paid the price.  On coach runs with TNT you get coach support and water stops.  Today I had to run 12 miles on my own (with extremely sore legs).   It was cold and rainy.  And my iRun application on my iPhone that tracks my mileage lost it's signal around mile 6 1/2, so I thought that I was on mile 6 for about 40 minutes.  Not good for your mental state during a long run.  I finished, but it wasn't pretty.  Lesson learned.  

Playing Hooky

I was supposed to do a 12 mile run with Team in Training on Saturday, but Kevin and I decided to take a quick day trip up to Northstar @ Tahoe for a day of skiing/snowboarding.  After all, cross-training is an important component of training for a race!  Plus, we had free lift tickets and the weather was perfect for a day at the mountain.  I did have a (very real) fear that I would fall and break my leg and not be able to run in the race, but luckily I survived with no injuries - except for 2 extremely sore legs.  I skied and Kevin snowboarded.  I tried snowboarding the last time we were up at Northstar, but found out that I have zero balance required for snowboarding and switched back to skiing on day 2.  I think that my tailbone is still a little damaged and it's been over a month!  Here are a few pictures from the day.  You'll notice that there are only pictures of Kevin because he was snowboarding and I wouldn't trust a snowboarded with a camera - they fall too much!

The Whole 26!

Thank you Danielli for the fabulous new header for The Whole 26!  Such a cute sketch!  But if you saw me after the long Saturday runs, you would have known to draw me with buckets of sweat pouring off my face.  Not just cute little droplets.  Some girls glisten.  Some girls sweat.  

Night Run

Today's training run was at 6:30 pm at Heather's Farm Park, which is right by our house.  The trail doesn't have lights, so I finally gave in and bought a headlamp so I don't run into a ditch.  Now I'm the ultimate running nerd.  I bought the Petzl Tikka Plus after reading a few running discussion boards online.  It's pretty lightweight and is really bright.  I highly recommend it.  I bought mine at Sports Basement and got 10% off with my gym membership, so it was only about $32.

Today I ran with one of the Team in Training veterans who has run a ton of marathons.  He is much faster than me (runs a 4 hour marathon), so I had to push myself pretty hard.  We ran 5 miles in 40 minutes and had a huge hill right at the turnaround point.   I almost didn't make it because of a last minute work meeting, but I'm really glad that I did.  If I had missed it, I probably would have gone home and eaten Thin Mints instead (I love Girl Scout cookie season).  I'm very bad at self-motivation.  I need the team to keep me going.

My legs are still sore from Tuesday's hill sprints so I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's rest day!  Then we have a long run on Saturday.  I think that we are doing 11-12 miles, but hopefully it won't be as hilly as last Saturday!   And on Sunday I can FINALLY sleep in.

30% Off Banana Republic, Gap & Old Navy!

30% Off - 4 Days Only - March 12-15, 2009

Get 30% off during GAP, Inc.'s Friends & Family event. They're calling it Give & Get because for every purchase you make, they'll give 5% of the amount you spend to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and in thanks, you get a 30% discount on your total purchase.

Get Your Coupon Here: http://www.gapgiveandget.com/np/lls.html

The coupons can be used as many times as you choose to shop! It can be used at Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperline. Share it with all your friends, family and contacts - as widely as you can.

This little black shirtdress is on sale for only $74, and then you would get an additional 30% off of that! And you'd help stimulate the economy and save lives. Not bad. Even better, take the 30% that you saved and donate it to my fundraising drive! And just as a reminder, you can donate online by clicking on Krissie's Fundraising Page on the right, or just click here.

Rock n' Roll San Diego Marathon - May 31st, 2009

It's official!  I've finally made the leap and committed to running a full marathon....something that I've always said I would NEVER do.  I will be running the Rock n' Roll San Diego marathon on May 31st, 2009.  I've run 7 half-marathons over the past few years, and after every single one I have sworn that I would never run the whole 26.2 mile marathon.  Maybe that is because I never actually trained for my half-marathons.  This time is going to be different.  This time I am training with Team in Training and am raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I actually signed up for the Spring 2009 team about three weeks into the season, so I am a little behind my teammates in terms of training and raising money.  But hopefully 3 months is enough time to raise $2,900 and train for a marathon!  

Here is the training schedule so far:

Mondays - Easy run

Tuesdays - Track workout or hills

Wednesdays - Cross-training

Thursdays - Trail run

Friday - Day off (best day of the week!)

Saturday - Long run

Sunday - Cross-training

Last Saturday we did a 9 mile run (very hilly!) in Martinez.  This Saturday is a 10 mile run in Walnut Creek.  Each Saturday we will add another 1-2 miles until we get to around 20 miles.  I've never run more than 13 miles and I'm afraid of what lies beyond 13.  Most of my teammates have never run more than 5-6 miles, but I think that I'd rather be in that position.  I know what 13 miles feels like (ouch), and I remember how tired I've been after every half-marathon.  I just can't wrap my head around how I am going to go another 13!  

****$2,385 dollars left to reach my goal.  Every dollar helps!  Click Here To Donate****