One step forward, two back

I wrote up a race report for Geist a couple of weeks ago, just to have blogger eat it in spite of my repeated clicks on "save now" and "publish post". I was so frustrated by that effort, that I didn't bother trying again.

Short version: Geist Half Marathon has a beautiful course, it was warm and humid that day, I had 6 miles of a great race, then 7 miles of misery and pain. The frustrating part is that the issue isn't even running-related, I think it was just bad timing that it even happened during the run. *sigh* It was the first race where I wanted to DNF. The only thing that kept me going was my stupid pride.

Unfortunately, I had the same problem this past weekend during a 10k. Again, the race was going well until out of the blue, GI pain and then spasms hit and I was barely even able to walk until it settled down a bit. If there'd been a support vehicle in sight, I would have DNF'ed it then and there. It was so much worse than what I endured during Geist, absolute misery. I was also registered to run a 5k an hour after finishing the 10k, but was so sick that I knew there was no way I could do the second race so I turned in both timing chips after the first race. I would think it was just "runner's trots" except I'm having the same issues after a taxing morning of dragging my butt out of bed and sitting on the couch. It doesn't make sense.

On a positive note: I'm on week 5 of P90X and very happy with the progress I'm making. This evening I did the Legs and Back work-out followed by Ab Ripper. I still can't do a single pull-up but I did almost every one of the reps on Ab Ripper! Way to go, Me!

May Happenings

Well, so far, so good on the P90X work-outs. I'm staying on schedule with the work-outs and haven't missed one yet. I try to do the work-outs in the morning, then my runs later in the day. The soreness is easing up, now I'm just stiff and exhausted! I'm seeing some progress already but I imagine that some of that is just because I'm learning how to do the moves and I'm not fumbling my way through so much. My body is still adapting to the extra demands that I'm making, at least I think that's why my legs are so wiped out. My legs have been in a constant state of fatigue all week, as in I get tired crossing the room or going up a flight of stairs. It's just adaptation though, right?

I ran in the Morgan County Fallen Officers Memorial 5k last Saturday. The race is one of the flattest in the area and I'd last run it 2 years ago. During the 2009 race, I remember it was incredibly humid and the air just felt nasty. The weather was just about perfect this time though, overcast, 58 degrees, and fairly comfortable humidity. I admit to being disappointed in my race though. In spite of better weather, keeping my brain in race mode, and not taking a single walk break, I ran the course 9 seconds slower than in 2009. Ugh, it's so frustrating! I know that I won't PR every race, but I get aggravated that I'm not improving. My goal for now is to stay healthy/uninjured so I can keep putting in the miles and the cross-training. Hopefully, keeping that goal intact will help the rest of my running to improve. On the plus side, I did see via the online race results that I placed 3rd in my AG (40-49). Even better is that the Mag7 does their season scoring based on the 40-44 AG and I was first in that division. Hooray for being in a weak AG!

Next on the agenda: Geist Half Marathon in 4 days. I've never done this race, so it'll be a new one for me. No expectations, just hoping to enjoy the day and not worry about pace for a change.

A New Leaf

Now that my goal race for the spring is over, I decided this was a good time to get some consistent cross-training underway. I always have good intentions about cross-training, but have trouble following through. Since I don't have the excuse of being knee deep in a training schedule or any significant job obligations (unfortunately...) I plan to stick to it. Today is day 4 of P90X and we started the morning dark and early with Yoga X. I'd forgotten how tough the first 40 minutes of that work-out is! I also forgot that it's a 90-minute routine. Oops, only had time for an hour, so I'll finish it later today. I still have to do the Ab Ripper that I was supposed to do yesterday (yesterday was Arms and Shoulders PLUS Ab Ripper, but I didn't allow enough time for 2 routines, oops).

I'm guessing that I'm going to be pretty sore most of the time for the next few weeks, but the payoff will be worth it. We're doing the Lean version rather than the Classic but I'm thinking I may try Classic next time.

I'm trying to get the kids more involved in fitness as well. That's not a new venture, but I'm trying a new tactic. Since hubby and I will be doing the P90X videos, I checked out a few videos for the kids from the library to try. The kicker is that the only way I can get the kids to do them, is to do the video with them! This means that in additon to my running and my P90X, I'm also doing things like Hip Hop Abs, Yoga for the Kid in All of Us, and Island Girl Tahitian Hip Hop!! Yikes! Hopefully, the kids will decide that the videos are enough fun that they will continue them without my help because I can't keep up with 3 hours of exercise every day for long!

2011 Flying Pig Half Marathon Report

Race morning: the alarm went off dark and early. Hit the snooze button and nodded off for a few minutes until it went off again. Ugh, that felt like a very short night, I was still so very tired! We dragged ourselves out of bed and ate peanut butter with a banana on a tortilla, then tried not to fall back to sleep again. We got all of our gear ready and left the hotel at 5:50 to make the short trek to the start line. It was still raining, as expected, but we had brought some of those cheap plastic ponchos to keep us dry. It’s always fun walking over to Paul Brown Stadium and seeing the crowds growing in excitement as you draw closer to the staging area.

This was the first year that the Flying Pig had Pig Pens, a.k.a. starting corrals. They had us staged based on the finishing times we had entered on our registration and the corrals went from A through E. Aaron and I were in D so we approached the starting line where A was and then still had a good ways to go to get to our corral. As soon as we entered D, we heard someone joyfully yell “The VICTORS!!!”. I wasn’t expecting such a welcome, but it was fantastic to see Erin Hazler waiting for us! We chatted for a bit, I complained that I wished I’d hit the bathroom one last time, and about then the race started. As we meandered towards the start line, I warned Aaron and Erin that I was going to make a pitstop if I saw a portajohn with a short line before we got to the start line. I found one and told them to go on. Of course, they waited.

The three of us ran together for the first stretch and it was good to have company. Usually, I run my races alone, it helps me to find my “zone” but this time I was appreciating the companionship. My stuffy head was threatening to move into my chest, so I was running with no real expectations other than to see how I felt and take it from there. The rain ponchos didn’t last very long, we’d peeled them off in probably the first half mile. It was only a gentle drizzle and it didn’t take long to get warm enough to want the ponchos gone. As we approached the Southgate bridge, I was pleased with how well I was feeling. Not strong, but at least my head had cleared up and I could breathe. Mile 1 in 11:46.

Since I’d taken the pit stop in the starting corrals, we’d gotten trapped in behind a lot of walkers. At some points, it was tough to even keep an easy jog going due to the traffic. In hindsight, it may be better to make a quick stop on the course than risk getting caught in walking traffic next time. At some point in this second mile, I realized that I’d lost Aaron and Erin as I zigged and zagged around walkers. Aaron ended up catching me again right around the 2 mile mark. Mile 2 in 11:05.

The third mile goes by the hotel where we stayed. Funny how until this year I hadn’t paid much attention to the geography to even notice how close we were to the course! It was raining a little bit steadier at this point, but with the visor on I only noticed it because I could see the raindrops hitting the puddles. It actually felt very nice. The third mile ends midway over the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, which I think is the steepest of the three bridges. Whew, always good to have that behind me! Mile 3 in 10:43.

Aaron was still running with me at this point and I thought he was doing very well. We walked a water stop in this mile, just a quick break and back to running. I don’t remember much else in this stretch, it’s a pretty boring part of the race, I think: nicely warmed up but not starting to get beat up by the hills yet, so it’s easy to just zone out for a bit. Mile 4 in 10:25.

In the fifth mile, Aaron started to fade a bit. We took a couple more walk breaks, then he sent me on ahead. I was torn on whether to go or not, but I decided at that point we were both ready to run our own races. Mile 5 in 12:13.

As the race continued onto Gilbert, I knew that we’d soon be turning to head up to Eden Park. I find this to be the toughest part of the course, the three mile stretch of steady uphill takes a toll. I was feeling ok at this point, but still trying to just take it pretty easy. Just before finishing the 6th mile, the course crosses over Eggleston. As we approached the bridge, we could see the leaders of the half as they were finishing mile 13 of the course! I said something to another runner about how sick that was as we admiringly watched them run by. Wow, I just can’t grasp how a person can run at that pace! Mile 6 in 10:34.

I decided this was a good point to take a gel since we would be hitting some hills soon. I had a tough time getting the gel down, but over about 5 minutes got the job done. I had taken another extended walk break in the process, more out of mental fatigue than anything. I need to work on not getting so wrapped up in how tired I’ll be climbing that hill! The crowds as you turn onto Eden Park Drive are some of the most enthusiastic on the course, so that provides a nice boost as you hit the steepest part of the course. Whew, too bad that I can’t bottle their energy for the whole hill! Mile 7 in 11:56.

I thought that I walked a good bit of this part of the course, but when I reviewed the Garmin data, it looks like I was surprisingly consistent. I don’t have any idea how, I really don’t. Granted it wasn’t fast, but when I compare it to last year’s race I was running it at almost the same exact pace through this part. Considering how crappy this cold had me feeling, that surprises me. We run by a wonderful overlook that gives us a view of the city and river below, almost at the top of the hill now and that provides a boost. Mile 8 in 11:13.

At this point, you aren’t completely done with the hills but the steepest parts are behind you so it’s easier to hold a pace. I know that the downhill is still a mile or so away but it’s getting closer! I feel my legs’ relief at the change in the grade, the fun is going to begin soon. Mile 9 in 10:37.

My feet are really starting to hurt, especially the outer toes of my right foot. It’s definitely worse on an uphill grade, so I walk a short bit on one uphill. The pain is pretty intense, but it almost goes away completely on level to downhill portions. I realize that the exact same thing happened during the Heart Mini in March. I’m not sure why, but I guess it’s just a conditioning issue. I’m glad that we’re almost done with the uphill, because I think the pain would be horrid if I had to keep going uphill. Mile 10 in 10:55.

Miles 11 through the finish are almost a continuous downhill. At this point, I probably have a permanent grin on my face as I visualize my feet turning into wheels. It makes me absolutely giddy, I love LOVE this part! I really feel good running now, in spite of my faster pace, it feels very comfortable. Mile 11 in 9:40.
Although the next mile is still downhill, the grade isn’t quite as steep. This is also the point where there is a short dogleg and for some reason, I hate that little portion. There’s just something a little discouraging about running all the way out just to have a hairpin turn and go back the way you’d come! Mile 12 in 9:53.

Time to bring it in home—last mile, give it all you got! I find out that I ain’t got much left, but I’m working with what I’ve got. I am definitely ready to quit, so I keep reminding myself that I can rest in just a few minutes but for now, keep running. It feels like I’m barely running, yet my Garmin tells me otherwise. Mile 13 in 9:50.

Ugh, last little bit! Keep going, crowds are cheering, my legs are really burning, just go, go, go… I hear a surge in the cheers and realize there is a marathoner coming up on my left. Holy cow, that man is MOVING! I don’t even pretend to hold pace with him, but I see a few other folks showboating and trying. And failing. Ha! I think he was the second place marathoner, absolutely mind-boggling how fast he flew by me! My Garmin is off on the mile splits, so it shows that I ran another 0.28 miles past 13. Last 0.28 mi in 2:42 (9:34/mi).

I get across the Finish Swine (ha), get my medal, grab a cup of water and head back so I can wait for Erin and Aaron to finish. Erin comes in, I madly scream her name but I’m drowned out by the rest of the crowd. A few more minutes, and here comes Aaron! Yes, I admit to getting a bit teary as I saw him approach but then I was too busy screaming my fool head off trying to get his attention. He didn’t hear me, so I took off running along the sidewalk and got to him just after he crossed the last timing mat. I’m so very proud of him! His training was hampered by health issues and he so easily could have changed his entry to a shorter race. I think that’s what I would have done, but he pulled it all together and got the job done!

My official time was 2:23:26. I’m actually shocked that I was only a minute off of last year’s time. While I ran the first half 2 minutes slower than last year, I ran the second half a minute faster than last year. It’s admittedly frustrating that I got sick when I did, but I guess that I’m still proud that I was able to do what I did. Since I wasn’t able to run the Pig the way I’d wanted to (healthy), I signed up to run the Geist Half on the drive home. I’ve got three weeks to get recovered and ready to go. I’m writing this report up on Friday and I am just now feeling good enough to try another run. The cold did move into my chest and Monday through Wednesday were pretty miserable. I think I’m on the mend, now to get ready for the next race!

Flying Pig: the Pre-Race Report

So as race day for the Flying Pig approached, I started my usual race-week obsessing: checking weather forecasts, what to wear, what to pack, and trying to figure out all of the other last minute details. I was feeling confident about this race. After having run 2 half marathons this spring, I thought that I was in a good place to run a course PR at the Pig. If I had a great day, maybe even a distance PR.

On Wednesday, as I prepared to turn in for the night, I noticed my heart was racing. It felt like it was going to thump its way right out of my chest and I thought that was odd. I felt fine in every other way, but when I took my heart rate it was well over 70. Uh oh. In the past few years of running, as my resting heart rate dropped into the low 40’s, I had noticed a very consistent trend. Heart rate over 65 = sick within 24 hours. I felt fine though and hoped that it was just a fluke.

Thursday morning: sore throat. An “oh my God, it feels like someone took a belt sander to my throat” sore throat. And a headache. And a very stuffy nose. Perfect. So I tried to drink extra fluids, took my vitamins, and tried to take it easy, although I still went to work. I ditched the Thursday night run so that (a) I could rest and (b) I didn’t expose my friends to my plague. All to no avail, by Friday morning it was worse and I was running a fever. Well, nuts. I’ve planned for this race for a year, I’m not bagging it now. Aaron was running his first half marathon and I was finishing this race unless someone had to pull me from the course. I can be stubborn that way, not necessarily smart, but stubborn. Unfortunately, my boss was in the hospital and I’d already agreed to work in his place. I popped some ibuprofen, warned the ladies at work that I was dragging, and had a hectic workday in spite of my exhaustion. I finally got out of work (only a half hour late), got home, threw a few last minute items in the bag, and we left for Cincinnati.

After we got to the hotel, we unpacked, and decided to take a little walk to get some munchies. The hotel is just a block off of the race route, so I saw a few of these on our trek.



On Saturday morning, we decided to run across the river to go hit the Expo. From our hotel, it's just a quick run over the Roebling Bridge to get downtown. Last year, the bridge was in the midst of being painted and prettied up, so it looks really nice this spring. No more tarps!




Originally, I’d hoped to do 3-4 miles very easy just to loosen the kinks. Since I was battling the head cold, we just ran the 1.3 to the Expo, walked around there for an hour, then walked back to the hotel. That was plenty, just the walking left me tired and I wondered if I’d overdone it. I enjoyed the Expo though, bought a few things from the vendors, talked to someone representing the Geist Half, visited the empty booth for the Carmel Marathon/Half (wish there’d been a rep there, I hear some folks landed tasty registration discounts there!), and got some vitamin/antioxidant samples that I took in hopes that it might help my cold. Oh, and got my picture taken with the Cheetah Pig. I’d spotted a picture of that one online and knew that I needed to find him. Then I hummed the Cheetah Pig song to myself all day. (Think Homer Simpson if you don’t know what song I mean.)



After the Expo, we still had some time to kill before we had to pick up the kids from Sara so we debated what to do. I finally decided that this was a good opportunity to give Aaron a preview of the race route. We had both run the Cincy downtown area enough that we skipped that part and picked up the course in Covington. It was really nice for me even, since I usually just blindly run the race and don't take the time to notice street names and to sightsee. We made it as far as the Eden Park Overlook before we had to cut it short to go meet-up with the family. We stopped at the overlook for a quick photo-op. Every time I run this race, I think I should get a photo there but I never want to stop. Finally, I have my picture! The view from here is gorgeous and I'm glad that I got to get my picture on a clear day.




The weather forecast had been predicting a rainy race for us and that showed no sign of changing. It’s getting to where I almost expect rain for Cincinnati races! Flying Pig 2010, Heart Mini 2011, and now Flying Pig 2011 would all be rainy races. Visors and rain ponchos for the start, we’re prepared. We went to the Reds game in the evening, which made for a late night even though we left in the 6th inning. Good thing that we didn’t stick around for the whole game: it went into extra innings! In fact, I was already half asleep when I heard the “BOOM, BOOM, BOOM” of the fireworks announcing the Reds’ win in the 10th. Next on the agenda: race day.

It's Spring! Wait, no, it's not...or is it?

Snow on March 30? Really?? I gave the weather a pass on Saturday when it snowed because, I don't know, just because. Today though, April is only 2 days away and it's completely inappropriate to be dodging snowflakes at this time of year! I protested the snow this morning with a nap, so there.

Once the snow cleared and the sun came out, I decided to go visit the trail. I admit it, I didn't want to today. I was cold, I was grumpy, and I had no motivation. Bleh. So, I faked it. I put on my running gear and took off in the van to go run a couple of errands. The thermometer was reading 38, then the sun went back in the clouds. Seriously? I'm not a cold weather runner, but anyone who has run with me in the winter already knows that (and is probably sick of hearing about it). Give me 90 degrees and humidity any day over gray days and freezing temperatures.

I finished my errands and decided to change up the routine at the trail: rather than starting at a trailhead, I started in the middle. I decided that a little mind game might be in order just to get me to finish the planned 4 to 5 miles. I started at the parking area on That Road and went south. As I approached the roundabout at Church, I spooked a mourning dove from beside the trail but it didn't actually leave. It fluttered around overhead but stuck around. Hmmm, interesting. I decided to investigate on the way back.

At the roundabout I debated what to do: go back the way I'd come on the paved CCT or head north on the rail trail. Rail Trail won. I kept revising the plan as to how far to go on it before doubling back, finally decided just to take it up to Country Club and back. As I started the 4th mile, I realized that I had just hit cruise mode and had picked up the pace a good bit. It usually takes me 2-3 miles to get warmed up but it still surprises me when I look down and see the Garmin's evidence. Effort felt good, but I was coasting along at a 9:40 pace. Not a good idea with the IU Mini on Saturday, so I pulled back a tiny bit. Still felt pretty good though. It's nice to have runs like this again, it's been a year getting it back!

As I got back to the roundabout on Church, I started looking to see if the dove was still there. Yep, in fact, this time I saw two of them: the male nervously fluttering about and the female sitting on the nest. *big smile* That means SPRING IS HERE!!! So in spite of the yucky, gray, snowy day, baby birds are in the works. I was so excited about this that I actually went back to the van, grabbed the cell phone, and went back to get some pics. Thank you doves for coercing another half mile out of me: 5.5 miles today.

Heart Mini Marathon Race Report

So after finishing the Mag7k, grabbing some post-race munchies (Avers Pizza...yummm...), and getting my back taped up, it was time to head east. We cut it pretty close. By the time we got to the convention center, the expo was over and we had 20 minutes before packet pick-up was over. No problem--it took me just a minute to get my shirt, bib, and chip and I was done. I absolutely LOVE the shirt and the poster! I think I'm going to get a frame for the poster, if I get it back, that is. More on that later.



It was still early in the day (just after 4:00), so we went across the river into Covington to get checked into the hotel and then out for dinner. We debated catching a movie, but decided that we were both content with just having a quiet evening of watching basketball so I could get to sleep early. I managed to sleep through almost all the ballgame that kept Aaron up until almost midnight--I was obviously tired!

I didn't sleep well at all after about 2 am though. I'm always afraid of oversleeping on race days, so I set 2 alarms. I still thought I'd oversleep: either I'd set them for p.m. instead of a.m. (not that I've ever done that...ha...) or that I'd turn them off in my sleep. So, I kept waking up, double checking the time, triple checking the alarms, then back to sleep. *sigh* Finally, at 5:15, the alarms went off for real and the first thing that I did was check the radar. I'd been weather stalking every hour until I went to sleep and when I turned in for the night, it was calling for 10% chance of rain. I was horrified to see this when I checked in the morning:



Well, nuts. When I ran the Flying Pig last year, it rained, so this won't be my first rainy half marathon. I didn't have a garbage bag to wear, but at least I had my visor to keep the rain out of my eyes. Suck it up, princess, you won't melt. I got dressed, packed my spibelt, and choked down most of a mini-bagel. It would have been nice if I'd been able to eat more, but it just wasn't going down. The temperature was going to be about 40-42 for the race, a little chillier than I'd expected but I didn't think it'd pose a problem. I was wearing capris, a short-sleeved tech tee underlayer with a cotten short-sleeve over it, and arm warmers. I had a throw-away flannel long-sleeve that would keep me warm until the race started, hopefully it would keep me mostly dry, too. My worry was that I'd get wet and chilled before we even started, then it would be a battle to get warm again.

Aaron surprised me by deciding to walk me to the start in spite of the rain! That was a pleasant treat, usually I trek over the bridge into Cincy on my own on these race mornings. The company was much appreciated. Once we got to the staging area, I wanted to hit the port-o-let one last time, but the line was crazy long. I convinced Aaron that he really wanted a bagel from the coffee shop and I took advantage of his customer status to use their facilities. That saved me a good 20 minutes of standing in line AND it was warm/dry in there! It was just drizzling rain at that point, but still not something that I wanted to be in any longer than necessary.




The race was to start at 8 and I made it back to the staging area at 7:55. Aaron came with me and I started shuffling with the rest of the crowd. Once the gun went off, I handed him my "throw-away" and got a good luck kiss from him. He said he'd try to meet me at the finish, then I was moving. It wasn't until right before we got to the start line itself that I realized I was positioned with the 12:37 pace group. Eh, no biggie, hopefully it would help me to start slow.

I had decided that I didn't want to fixate on the Garmin and its paces for this race. I wanted to treat this as a long run, not as a race. I worried that if I was getting constant feedback on pace, it might lead me to push too hard too early. What I learned was that I'm not very good at judging effort: I started out too fast because it did feel very easy.

This was the first year for the half marathon at this race. The HM runners started with the 15k runners and we were going to run together for the first 8 miles. The start was at Fountain Square and we went east on Columbia Parkeway along the river. There were a couple significant hills along there and what wasn't hilly was rolling. The first mile though, was very nicely flat. I was running easy, just a gentle warm-up and I was aiming for a 10:40-11:00 pace. I could see the 11:30 pacer just in front of me, so I figured I was probably ok. I was surprised at the first mile marker when I was right at 10:40, I thought I was running slower than that! Since my warm-up usually takes about 2 miles, I knew I'd have to really focus on keeping my pace super-easy for the first few miles or I'd overshoot that pace significantly and run into trouble later. As I finished the first mile, the drizzle had let up and it was just overcast. It wasn't much after that when I took off the visor and fastened it to the spibelt.

As we finished up the first mile, we had gone through the first of the uphill segment. Starting the second mile, was a nice long downhill. At first, that's a relief. Then, you remember that the 15k course is an out-and-back. We'll be running this sucker uphill on the way back in. Ugghhh... Hit the bottom of that hill and back up we go. Mile two was all either that downhill or the uphill after it, not a flat stretch in it! So why did I run it in 10:36?? Crap, better try to slow down...got a long way to go! The 11:30 pacer was still in front of me, I'm glad that I wasn't relying on him to pace ME! Unfortunately, the next mile was mostly flat to downhill. My own pacing failed miserably and I ran that mile in 10:13. (Keep in mind my half marathon PR was an average 10:01 pace, so now I'm nearing race pace which I'm NOT ready for!!)

I think it was just after the 3 mile marker that I heard a bunch of cheering and wondered who all the spectators were. Then I noticed a car coming the opposite direction, horn blaring (accident? injury??). After it passed, I noticed the flashing lights of the police motorcycle escort--it's the leaders on their way back in! The wave of cheering that followed their progress was fantastic! We all cheered loudly for the first 4 or 5 as they passed, then we settled back into our own races until the lead woman passed by and we cheered her on, too. It didn't take long then for it to become a steady stream of runners and I tried not to think about them. "They've already hit the turnaround. Grrr...how much farther is it??" Mile 4 done in 10:28.

We turnaround at about the 4.5 mile point, more cheering, a short-lived pick-me-up. I knew that there was going to be a dog-leg on the course on the way back but hadn't checked it out as we went by. I didn't want to know, to be honest. I knew it was in the opposite direction as the river and that meant uphill. Around this point, I took off my arm warmers and pinned them to my belt. I'm glad that it's not raining anymore but even more happy that it's overcast. In spite of it being 40 degrees, I'm definitely warmed up. It's actually perfect running weather: cool enough that I'm not overheating, but not so cold that I need to bundle up. Mile 5 done in 10:32. I'm holding my pace, but it's still faster than my usual long run pace. I worry about that. If this were a shorter run, no problem but can I hold this for 13 miles this early in the year, especially since I'm still rebuilding? The mental game is starting.

Just before we get to the 6 mile marker, we hit the dogleg and oh.my.god. is it a hill. We're talking Winslow Hill material but longer. I'm walking and I don't even care! I know that I can walk this hill at least as fast as I can run it. A woman passes me at a slow jog and she's singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall". I laugh and tell her that she's got the right attitude! She keeps singing and trucks on ahead. I use the opportunity to start on a gel, I think that there's water at the 6-mile mark. As soon as I hit the top of the hill, I move back into my run and pass most of the folks who passed me on the uphill. As we move back to levelish ground on Columbia, a man passes me and says "Was that hill supposed to be some kind of a cruel joke or what?", we laugh over the cruely of it and get back to business. Mile 6 in 11:29.

I keep looking for water at this point since I've taken in about half of my gel packet and had ditched the handheld bottle that I brought with me. I don't want to finish the gel and have no water, but there's no water in sight. Oh, yeah...I remember as we pass the empty folding tables that the map DID say the 10k water stop was ONLY for the 10k walkers that would be coming through in a couple of hours. *sob* I just wanted to take my gel to relieve the fatigue that was starting, if I don't have water with the gel, I'm courting GI disaster. Ok, save the rest of the gel until the water is available. Mile 7 in 10:39.

My mind starts to check out at this point. I know that we're soon going to have the 15k split from the half course. I start questioning my decision to run the half. I'm not ready, I've been running too fast for my conditioning, what if my back starts hurting, a multitude of excuses why I should follow the 15k'ers. This is the worst part of the whole race: the decision of whether to stick to the half or cut it short. Mile 8 in 11:01.

I continue to debate what to do. I'm walking a lot, granted, there's that bugger of a hill to climb up, but still...I know it's a mental battle right now and I also know that I'm letting it get the better of me. Why should I back off of a training run? I knew from the get-go that I wasn't racing this, not aiming for a PR. Even if I do walk the rest of the course, I need to see this through. At mile 8.6, they start moving the half runners to the right lane. I move over. Ok, that's good, I'm physically going the right direction. At mile 8.7, we split off for real. Almost immediately, my mood starts to move in the right direction, too. At this point, we're taking a ramp on the interstate, first down, then steeply back up. Ugh, I do walk that uphill part (oh, my right foot is starting to really hurt...that's new...) but then back to my run. I finish mile 9 with a 11:40 overall pace. That'll prove to be my slowest mile of the day.

We zig-zag a bit through downtown Cincinnati as they move us to the road that'll get us to the bridge over the river into Newport. That part's mostly a blur other than the part where we're passing the half marathoners that are coming back in to the finish. Lucky punks. The other thing that I remember is seeing a bunch of trash cans but there was no water stop. Huh, there are dozens of GU packets all over the place though. Apparently it was a GU stop and they ran out before I got there. Fantastic. Not that I wanted one (I still had my own and actually never used any other than that first one), but if I'd wanted one it should have been there. Hmmph. As I pass the smiling young man at the 10 mile marker, I raise my hands over my head and yell "Only 3 more miles to go!" Yes, I'm genuinely thrilled by that! He sends me on my way with a "good job, way to go" and I finish the 10th mile in 10:36.

At this point, the runners have really thinned out. I actually worry that I might lose sight of the runner I'm following at a turn, but it's very well marked and the runner isn't THAT far ahead. This is the first half that I've run where the crowd got so spaced. We approach the Purple People Bridge to cross the Ohio and enter Newport. The bridge is pretty interesting. Apparently it used to carry traffic but now is strictly pedestrian (and purple), it's almost park-like with benches and potted plants. I'm a little bit disgusted though that 15k'ers and half marathoners who are done are using it for their cool-down. I know it's not meant to be discouraging, but at that point, I really didn't want to be reminded that a lot of folks had finished an hour ago. Mile 11 in 10:45.

I'm actually enjoying this part of the run, it's starting to drizzle a bit again but that doesn't bother me. My hands are incredibly cold and stiff though, every so often I try to warm them by tucking them in my armpits. It's too hard to run that way though, so it doesn't last long. It doesn't work anyway. I consider putting the arm warmers back on, it's starting to get chilly again. I'm so close to being done that I don't bother. The course takes us by and around the Newport on the Levee shopping area and then down along the riverwalk. It's really nice here and I'll have to remember this for running in the future. I'm not being passed at all now, I feel pretty good but I see other runners really starting to fade. We head back across the bridge to Cincinnati again, I walk the uphill on the bridge and finish mile 12 with an 11:12 pace.

Now the rain really kicks in. Ugh. I'm glad that it wasn't like this the whole race but wish that it could have held off a bit longer. I was already dealing with cold hands (why didn't I bring gloves??), now that I was wet I knew that I wouldn't be able to get the arm warmers on to warm them. It was nice to run through underpasses because at least it was a brief respite from the rain. Hurry up and finish though, then you can warm up again. Strangely, I can't remember much from this point (uphill? downhill?) other than seeing the rain. I didn't put the visor back on because my hands weren't working well and I didn't want to be fumbling with the belt to get it off. Just finish, almost done. Mile 13 in 11:01.

As I approach the finish line, I'm hearing the final strains of the national anthem and I realize that the 5k must be getting ready to start. The 5k'ers are staged in the facing lanes of traffic at the finish line and the national anthem ends just before I hit the finish line. I must say, it's pretty freaking awesome to have a couple thousand runners cheering you in at the finish!! Yeah, they were probably cheering for the anthem, but I think a few of them were cheering for me. ;) I managed that last 0.1 at a sub-9 pace but I forgot to turn off the Garmin so that's all that I know.

I finished the course with an official time of 2:21:57 for an overall pace of 10:51. I was 1359/1674, 66/100 in my division. Aaron met me at the finish with my throw-away flannel, I was so glad to see him bring it!! He had to button me into it though because my hands were numb and I couldn't work the buttons. The only post-race refreshments that sounded good were the orange slices and the chocolate being passed out by the angel from Ghirardelli. Oh, my, that was the BEST chocolate EVER! I heard that there was coffee but I couldn't find it, probably wouldn't have set well anyway. I scored a goetta sandwich for Aaron. *gag* Even if I liked that stuff, I don't think I'd want to eat it after a race. He liked it though. :)




Now that I've had a couple of days to rehash things, I'm really really happy with how I did. I wasn't planning to do this run until about 2 weeks ago, I didn't have the proper training plan to be ready this soon, yet I still managed my best Cincinnati half marathon time. This course is good prep for the Flying Pig (more rolling hills in this one, I think) and I beat my Flying Pig times from both 2009 and 2010. It does excite me to think about what to expect after another month of training for this year's Flying Pig, not to mention the IU Mini. It's good to see all of the pieces coming together. After last summer/fall off of running, it's about time!

Oh, and that poster that I love so much? I left it in the hotel room. Gah! I realized it an hour after we checked out as we were on our way home. I called, they hadn't cleaned our room yet, and it should be on its way to me in the mail. Fingers crossed that it gets to me in frameable condition!

Now, for some much needed recovery time.

Magnificent 7k Race Report

Hooray, spring racing season is now in full swing! Granted, the weekend's races were meant to be approached as training runs, but I still love the environment and energy of a race. I'd really taken it easy during the week since I'd managed to tweak my back on Monday's easy run. My lower back had been nagging at me ever since, the only time it didn't hurt was when I was standing or lying on my side. Perfect. I still was optimistic that I might be able to do better than I'd planned with the extra rest, as long as I didn't push the issue with my back.

On Saturday, I was up bright and early to help out with packet pick-up for the first Mag7 race of the year: the Magnificent 7k. My job was easy enough: give out t-shirts (which were awesome!) and bibs to the folks who were pre-registered. Easy-peasy. Aaron had decided to sleep in since he had me to get his materials picked up, but we didn't realize that parking was going to get sparse by the time he arrived. Luckily for him, I just took his bib to the starting line and he got it with just a minute to spare.

My plan for race day was to take it pretty easy. Since I'd be doing a half marathon the next day, I knew better than to push the pace and race it but I really didn't have an actual goal pace. I was just going to "run easy". I'd forgotten how hard that is to do in a race situation! Aaron had forgotten his Garmin in his rush to get the car parked, so he had no idea of our pace. I looked down midway into the first mile and thought "oops...no way we should be running a sub-9 pace, let's see how long Aaron can keep it up though if I don't tell him". We actually held onto it for a good bit and did the first mile in 9:10. Unfortunately, that's a lot faster than I meant to be running the day before my half!

As we finished that pleasantly flat first mile, we could see hills. HILLS? Hmm, I could swear that I'd heard this was a flat course. Ah, well, nothing you can do, just run the course given to you. I did tell Aaron that I was going to walk the steepest parts of the hills. No way was I going to risk tweaking my back at this stage. I didn't wait for my back to hurt or my legs to fatigue, I just walked once we entered the steep parts. There were two pretty good sized hills in the middle of the course where I walked a minute or so on each, but otherwise, I tried to keep a consistent effort. We ran mile 2 in 10:15, a much smarter pace for us.

As I remember it, from mile 2 to the turnaround and back was a pretty level stretch. Rachel was guarding the turnaround for us and I made sure to get a high five out of her. Hooray for cheerleaders! I'm very sad though that her cowbell was a casualty: it got run over not once, but twice. By the same driver! Jerk.

After the turnaround, Aaron told me to go on ahead. He wanted to take a walk break and when I slowed to walk with him, he waved me on. Ok, no need to tell me twice, I was feeling pretty good at that point. I ran most of the uphills on the way back, once I was warmed up it didn't worry me quite so badly that my back would protest (it didn't). Finished mile 3 in 10:21 and I was back to the flat portion of the course. I was still trying to run easy, but also keeping my ears open for someone coming up behind me: I didn't want to race but I also didn't want to lose ground to a possible AG competitor!

The crowd where I was had thinned out a good bit at this point. I may have passed a person or two, but also was passed (not a woman in my AG though!) by a couple folks. No biggie but as I got to the last 3/4 mile, I refused to let anyone else around me. I'd hear footsteps and take it up a tiny notch until I heard them back off again. Right before we got to the school, I noticed that the speed limit sign was reading off our speeds as we went by: it kept flashing between 5 to 6 to 7 as various runners went by. I thought that was pretty funny and had to chuckle. I finished mile 4 in 9:51.

No exciting sprint to the finish, just tried to hold the pace (maybe did try to increase my stride turnover a little) and run through the finish. I forgot to turn off my Garmin, but by my calculations I did the last 0.35 mile in 3:21 (9:34 pace). My total time: 43:06 for an average 9:54 pace. Not bad for a "training run", now I'm anxious to race a 5k though! I did manage to get an AG award: 3rd of 4. If I'd been in any other AG, I wouldn't have stood a chance! I better get my butt in gear if I want to hold my own this year.




After the race, I had Dr. Mandy Smith tape up my back. I've heard good things about the rock tape and figured it wouldn't hurt, hopefully it would help me to get through the half marathon on Sunday. Aaron and I got some pizza, I collected my participation award for the 2010 season (Mace--so don't sneak up on me!) and my surprise AG medal and then it was time for us to hit the road so I could get to packet pick-up in Cincinnati. Fun!

Weather stalking

Racing season is back and so is my obsessive weather stalking. As races near, I find myself first checking 10-day forecasts, then weekend forecasts, until finally my ultimate in forecasting is available: the hourly forecast. Aaaahhh, I know it's almost time to toe the line when I see the hourly forecast reaches the time when I'll be at the starting line. Tomorrow I'll be volunteering and running at the Mag7k here in town, then we'll head to Cincinnati for the Heart Mini Marathon. Even though neither one is a big goal race for me, I love the excitement of a race. Two in one weekend? Awesome!

Ready for Spring!

I feel like I don't have much to report, but since I've not updated for a while I'll give it a try. My running is erratic: 8 miles one week, then 22 a couple of weeks later. Motivation is lacking right now, but I'm not sure why. Even today's spring-ish 55 degrees feels chilly to me. I'm so very ready for spring and some warm, sunshiny days. The cold, gray weather just sucks the life out of me. Remind me again why I live in the Midwest? This Florida-born gal thinks that 80 degree temps are ideal running weather! By the way, the picture above was taken at the BARA Photo Scavenger Hunt a couple of weeks ago. We had a list of items/places/people that we needed to photograph and this was the one that went with the caption "I can't believe that we all fit in here!"

I've added a few more races to my spring plans, so you'd think that would add a little boost to my motivation. In just over a week is the Mag7k, should be fun but it's more an opportunity to have fun with the local runners, get a little pizza, and find out what fabulous participation prize I'll be taking home! In April I've got the IU Mini (4/2) and the Indianapolis Komen Race for the Cure 5k (4/16) on the schedule. Both of these are sentimental races for me. The IU Mini 2007 was my first half marathon and I've not been able to run it since. I'm excited to finally revisit this race even if it's a different course and got to preview the course last weekend. It'll be a tough one for me, time to run some hills! The Race for the Cure was my very first 5k and the reason that I started running in 2007 in the first place. I know that I never expected to continue running once it was over, but so glad that it gave me the boost that got this habit started. I ran my 5k PR of 27:27 in 2009, but I don't think I'll come close to that this year.

The last weekend of April/first of May will be a busy one for our family. We'll head to Cincinnati on Friday, April 29 to get ready for a fun weekend of Flying Pig events. The kids are training for the 5k which will be on Saturday, while Aaron and I will be running in the half on Sunday. This will be my third Pig HM and Aaron's first. I do plan to improve on my Pig PR, which if I get my act together shouldn't be out of reach. I think that running the IU Mini is a good route to get me ready, so I'm optimistic. Of course, my previous times weren't anything exciting. In 2009, I ran a 2:30:13 just 24 hours after running the Indy Mini and in 2010 I finished in 2:22:29. My HM PR is 2:11:27 but I think that's going to stand until at least this fall. We'll just see what happens.

Then the crazy stuff starts to happen. Somehow, I've allowed myself to be talked into running not one, but two relay races this summer. I missed out on running Red Eye last year with all my buds, so I have been planning on doing that one since last July. Then along comes another local relay in its inaugural year and we decide to do that one, too! June 3/4 is the Cork'n Run Relay. That one is a 200-mile, 12-person relay that starts in Starlight, IN at the Huber Winery (beautiful...went there for a wedding last summer) and then traverses southern Indiana as we visit wineries on our trek northward. We'll be running through Salem, French Lick, Bedford, Nashville, and then ending in Indianapolis at the Vintage Indiana Food and Wine Festival.

The second relay will be July 23/24 and is run here in Bloomington as 2 loops of a 50-mile course. Our teams are still being finalized, so I'm not sure who I'm running with but we'll be paired up with another team that has similar paces. That'll be helpful since that means we'll be running in pairs, reassuring especially once it gets dark!

There will definitely be some Mag7 races in the mix somewhere but until I know my work schedule, I'm going to hold off on registering. I'm trying not to even look at the schedule too much out of fear of getting my heart set on one and then being stuck at work instead! Fingers crossed that it all plays out well though. I had my best fall season after a summer of Mag7 races, it looks to be a good training strategy for me.

Tonight: Track workout with BARA!

Novartis 5k Race Report

The pre-race stuff was chaos, so by the time I got my chip and finished the last-minute sign-in, I only had time for a 1/4 mile warm-up before they were calling us to the start line. Oh, well, it's just for fun anyway. I can't complain, it was a free race.

It was super-humid (literally, the weather report was 100% humidity) and the start was a zoo. As usual, in spite of the announcer asking slower runners and walkers to start in the back of the group, I nearly ran over the walker who was one step in front of me. Because the race was run on the golf-cart path of the golf course, there was very little room for passing. I was able to get around a few of them in the first 100 yards, but then we got boxed in by hedges on one side and a water hazard on the other. I saw one kid nearly fall in the pond as he tried to pass there--oops!

The lack of a good warm-up really hurt me, then I went out a bit too fast as I tried to get around the slower racers. The first mile was on goal pace but then I started to have breathing issues. I ended up walking a short spell to get that back under control, then picked it up again. It was a struggle and overall, I'm not happy with how I raced mentally. I think physically, it wasn't too bad considering my current conditioning but I need to keep my head in the race better.

I did compare my time for this race to the last time I ran it and I was well over a minute faster AND in better condition that year (2008). I'm hoping that bodes well for spring training this year. Time will tell.

The Mental Gymnastics of Running

I have been trying to do most of my runs indoors for a few weeks, but it's not just because I'm avoiding the cold. I have a strategy. In 14 days I'm going to be running a 5k and I am doing what I can in a very short time to get ready for it. The catch is that the race will be in Florida and I learned the hard way what happens when I train in freezing temperatures and then attempt a race in warm/humid conditions. It may really be a physical issue of acclimation, but I suspect the mental side may be just as much a factor for me. So, I rationalize that if I do most of my runs indoors, I'm going to have at least one little thing in my favor at the race. Is there really that big of a jump in training in 20-30 degrees and then racing in the 70's? Maybe, maybe not, but I'm hoping for a little bit of the placebo effect. It'll at least eliminate that excuse if I am unhappy with my race day effort.

That's just one of the ways that my mental games can affect my running. During Sunday's 7-mile run I wanted to quit about a mile into it. Honestly, one mile. How sad is that? I was tired, I didn't want to do it, it was late because I'd procrastinated all day long until it was dark, blah, blah, blah. Good or bad, I ended up back at the Y running more laps on the indoor track. Bad because it had been a beautiful day and I'd missed running in the sun. The good part of it was that I was able to break up my run into nice little bite-sized pieces. Just one more lap, just one more lap, just one more lap...repeat about 40 times and I'd "just one more lap"-ed my way the full 7 miles.

I think that the mental side of running is where I need to focus most of my effort this year. I'm not fast and I am not too optimistic about changing that, but I can be better. I just need to keep my brain in the game and the legs will follow.

Trying again

Wow. I have neglected this site for a LONG time, but I am still running. I did go back and grab a few race reports from 2010 to add here, it'll give you a little something to get you caught up with what I'm doing these days. Short version: I've now completed 7 half marathons, 2 marathons and more 5ks than I care to admit to. Next race on the schedule is a 5k in 2 weeks at a conference in Orlando.

I originally started running with one of the "Couch to 5k" type of programs in January 2007. That was the last time I followed a 5k-specific training plan. Ever since then, I've just worked the 5k races into my training schedule for half/full marathons. This time though, I decided to give the 5k some real training. Will it result in a PR? I doubt it, since I'm still rebuilding from last year's injury and more than 3 months off of training. I'm still optimistic that it's a good way to work on my conditioning before jumping into half marathon training and I enjoy the speedwork outside of the context of marathon training. Speedwork's not so horrid when you aren't doing it on the heels of a 17-mile long run 2 days prior!

Spring 2011 plans so far include the IU Mini Marathon on April 2, the Indianapolis Komen Race for the Cure 5k on April 16, and the Flying Pig Half Marathon on May 1. As for marathons, I think I'm going to take a break from those for a while so I can concentrate on improving at shorter distances. My 5k PR is 27:26 (2009) and my half marathon PR is 2:11:27 (2008), I'd like to get both of those improved before I revisit the idea of marathon training. I really like the 5k and the half distances and they don't have such a huge impact on my family life. Not to mention, I can do multiple half marathons within a short timeframe or even on a whim. A marathon? That's about like adding in a part-time job for 4 months!

I got 2011 off to a running start by meeting up with several folks from my running group on New Year's Day morning. We went for 4 to 7 miles (I was in the 4-mile group) and then met back up for a pitch-in breakfast. It's always fun to have a social hour after a run and what a great way to start the new year! As a little bonus, I was able to pick up my "award" from the fall training season. I'd missed the actual presentation at the season-end party, but Mel was kind enough to bring it to the New Year's Run. I'm not certain, but I have a good idea that my race morning outfit for the Indy Monumental may have had something to do with the award. ;)

2010 Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon

I ran the Inaugural Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon in ’08, my first marathon at the Monumental in ’09, and then today’s half to keep up the streak. The injury that kept me side-lined for the past few months really threw a wrench in my hopes to PR this year, but I wasn’t going to miss the race in spite of that. My longest run since the Flying Pig in May was a 7 mile run last Sunday, so I knew that I wouldn’t be running the whole race. And I knew that I shouldn’t run it even if my mood changed on race day: I’ve spent this much time recovering so my biggest goal for the day was not to trigger a relapse.

Fortunately, my friend Vinnie was going to be race-walking the half also, so we made plans to start together. Over the past week or two, my plans changed from walking the first 6-7 miles, to walking 5-6, to play it by ear but definitely walking the first few and running the rest. I hoped that by having the goal of walking the beginning portion, it would keep my ego from taking over and me doing something stupid (like “if I’ve run 9 miles, surely I can run the rest…”).

Race morning brought cold weather and I really had no idea how to dress for a race walk. I decided to err on the side of caution and risk overdressing, since I could always shed more layers as I warmed up. I probably looked ridiculous in my fleece and long skirt, but I was nice and warm in the starting corral! We met up with most of the other IRC folks in the Marriott lobby, got a pic, then we all took off for our respective places. Vinnie and I settled in around the 12:00 min/mile group and waited for the start. I peeled of my long, warm skirt (revealing my oh-so-sexy capri tights over my hot new argyle running skirt) and we shuffled toward the starting line. Yeah! It’s time to GO! Here is a picture of me in my starting outfit at home the day before, just so you can all appreciate my finely honed sense of fasion.



Vinnie and I kept our walking pace between 12:06 to 12:33 min/mile for the first 4 miles (I still wonder if she was holding back for me, that woman is speedy!). I was nicely warm now and had shed the fleece layer, feeling good and strong and we’re passing some of the slower runners with our race-walk pace. As we passed the 4-mile point, I told Vinnie that I was going to make a stop at the next port-o-let station and for her to go on ahead at that point, I was going to go ahead and run from that point. So much for walking the first half, huh? ;) That mile (including the rest stop) clocked in at 14:13, I lost almost 2 whole minutes there. Grrr…maybe less coffee next time.

I picked it up a little bit from there, nothing aggressive with my pace, just enough to bring it to a slow run. I tried to keep things around the 11:00 mark but by the time I finished the 10th mile, it was getting harder to do so I started some walk breaks and revised my goal to just keeping my pace below 12:00. While I wasn’t having any pain, fatigue was definitely a factor. I suppose that’s to be expected with as little running as I’ve been able to do since May, but still disappointing in its own way. Miles 6-10 were pretty strong but 11 through 13 were in the 11:45-11:55 range (looking back, I guess that’s still pretty consistent). As we came through the downtown, I walked probably half of mile 11: I was tired, losing focus, and it was hard to keep running when I knew that this wasn’t a “race” for me. I wanted to do well, but without the motivation of “racing” I kind of had the “what’s the point” attitude nagging at me. Oh, well, got my mojo back in time to put on a better show of it as we went through Monument Circle and into the home stretch. Somewhere in there, I heard someone yell out “Christy, nice skirt” or something to that effect…I still don’t know who that was! Fess up if it was you!

It was AMAZING to see the elite marathoners as they finished mile 23, merging with us at mile 10. Those guys were FLYING! I missed the winner, but saw several of the other leaders as they zipped by me. Unbelievable and very impressive to see. This was also where I saw the lovely Melissa, thanks for coming out to cheer us on! It was great to see a familiar face among the spectators. I will say that (other than the cheering from Melissa) the crowd today was a bit of a letdown after the enthusiasm of the Chicago Marathon. I suppose that I’ve been spoiled. It would be nice if Indy could generate that kind of a spectator crowd, but I know it’s unlikely to happen.

I’m glad that I remember how the course finishes, even with that it feels like the finish just doesn’t come as quickly as you expect it to. Another turn? Really? I think we should be done by now! It also didn’t help that my Garmin had a finishing distance of 13.3 miles, but you have to run until you cross the finish. As I prepared to enter that very last turn, I spotted Aaron and I waved madly to get his attention—yay! He jogged along beside me until the crowds got in his way, then I was left to finish that last stretch on my own. I heard Mary yelling for me at the turn and then I took it up a couple of gears and sprinted (if you can call it that…) the last 0.1 miles. I again heard someone yelling my name (I think it was Mary Jane and Darrell), but I was intent on kicking through to the finish so I didn’t track down the source. Thanks, MJ and Darrell! Finished with a time of 2:38:24 for an overall pace of 12:06.

Now it’s time for me to move on to some serious rebuilding. Over the winter, I’ll probably aim to run 2 to 3 mid-week runs of about 4 miles and keep the long run around 5-7 miles. I’m hoping that by February, I’ll be ready to get into some speedwork and in better shape to start training for a spring half. I am thinking that I’ll stick to half marathons for a long while: I prefer to race that distance, the training isn’t nearly as time intensive, and I’d like to work on developing something closer to speed. Happy with my outing today, although it was my slowest half ever, it was also good for me right now. Congrats to the other runners, we had some very impressive PR’s out there today!

10/10/10: Chicago Marathon

Considering I wasn't going to participate at all two months ago, then decided I would try to walk with Erin C. as much as I could before I failed to keep up the minimum pace (15:00 min/mile), I'm thrilled that I not only finished, but finished faster than I thought that I could.

Started out the day dark and early. I couldn't choke down much for breakfast, but managed to eat a banana and a couple swallows of coffee. I was surprised how nervous I was considering I wasn't "racing"! We headed on out to the starting corrals after a quick group picture and dropped off out stuff at gear check. I needed to visit the port-o-lets already (poor planning on my part, I thought we were going to stop at a coffee shop on the way...oops). The lines were crazy long, even crazier slow. We waited a long while, then most of the group decided to give up and go on to the starting corral. FINALLY made it to the bathroom at 7:25 (race started at 7:30), then ran to the corral and found the gang. That was luck!

As we passed through the corral to the start line, there were tons of spectators, several photographers, and way too many gatorade bottles full of what I don't think was gatorade... Oh, well, high five the spectators, ham it up for the photogs, and try not to think about the mystery liquid!

Erin C. and I started out with an easy run for the first 3 or so miles, then walked most of the next 23 miles. Sometimes we'd pick it up to an easy run for a quarter to a half mile, but mostly we walked. I had a huge lift each time we spotted the IRC cheerleaders--Rick, Jon, Kenya, and Corey are FANTASTIC!!! You couldn't help but smile and get energized when you'd see them!

I think we were at about the 6 mile point when I saw that the race alert flags had gone from green to yellow. By the time we were 10 miles in, the flags were red. Yikes. It was definitely hot and folks were hurting. At that point I was so glad that my game plan had been to walk, because at least I had a chance of hanging onto my goal (finish in under 6:30:00). If I'd been running, I don't think I would have been any faster. We saw folks being removed in stretchers at almost every aid station. Scary stuff.


Erin C and I saw Erin Hazler at about mile 18, she was having cramps so I gave her a salt tablet and then we went on at the water stop. Shortly after, Erin C. went on ahead when I needed a pit-stop. At about the 23 mile marker, someone came up behind me and grabbed my left hand. Hazler was back!! :) We stuck together and finished together, which was total awesomeness (anything that she's involved in is awesome by its very definition).



Summary: I loved the course, loved the spectators, awesome race support in the way of water/wet towel at the finish, the weather was absolutely horrid. The people of Chicago were incredible though--for the rest of the weekend, we were fielding congratulations and well wishes from complete strangers. I felt like a rockstar. :)

2010 Flying Pig Half Marathon

So my goals going into this race: 1) Improve on last year's finish of 2:30:13. 2) Have fun. 3) Don't burn up on the hills in miles 5-9. I figured that number 1 goal should be just about automatic since this year it wouldn't be my second half marathon in 24 hours. Number 2 goal should be attainable as long as I don't do something stupid, like fall, forget my timing chip, or oversleep. As for the number 3 goal, since I felt very under-trained on hills I was planning to walk a good bit of the uphill portions and make up time on the downhills.

Race forecast was calling for heavy rain. In spite of me checking the forecast every hour for 5 days that never changed. Oh, well, nothing I could do about it so just prepared myself for a wet run. Woke up to learn that the forecast was correct. I got up, ate a little, then donned my clothes and a trash bag to walk to the start. I got to the starting area at about 6, the race was to start at 6:30. Last year, I got stuck in the very back with the walkers so this time, I made my way to the starting area without hitting the restroom one last time (that would cost me 90 seconds later on). I stood in the starting zone with all the other brave water-resistent runners (the rest were hiding in Paul Brown Stadium). It was a rainy rainy wait. As in a complete downpour, complete with thunder and lightening, the lights even went out for a couple of minutes. Runners cheered, we're a strange lot, aren't we?

I found the 4:30 marathon pace group and waited for the start. I figured that was a good place for me and if I felt good, I could always build from there after the hills. The starting gun finally fired and we're off! Well, a couple minutes later and we were off! For the first mile, I took it easy, time to warm-up. It's raining pretty good at this point, sure glad that I have my visor. At one point, all of the runners in front of me divided to evade a puddle. Seriously? You're soaked to the core and you don't want to run in a puddle? Screw that, SPLASH! If you're already wet, the puddles are half the fun! Finished the first mile right as we hit the Taylor Bridge into Kentucky. Mile 1: 11:01

A good bit of the 2nd mile is the bridge, it just seems to go on forever! Finally get over the bridge and we're in Covington. Don't remember much more, still raining pretty hard. Mile 2: 10:18

I think this portion of the course is pretty dull, thank goodness there were spectators. I can't believe how many folks braved the rain to cheer us on! Awesome! Finish this mile right as we prepare to cross back into Ohio on the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge. I started to take my first walk break here but got vertigo because the bridge was bouncing due to all the runners! Eek, better to run it! Mile 3: 10:33

Started out the 4th mile by complimenting a lady on her kokopeli-like runner girl tattoo. Like! I'll have to remember that tattoo...just in case I need another, you know. Another boring monotonous section, but no spectators to distract me. Blah. At least it wasn't uphill. Mile 4: 10:26

Was I sleeping? I don't remember a thing about this mile other than seeing a lady in front of me peeling off her tank top that was under her t-shirt. I don't know how she did it (a) on the run, (b) without taking off the t-shirt, (c) with it soaking wet, and (d) never missed a step. I would have ended up in a bloody heap with my own clothing strangling me. Mile 5: 11:00

Aaah, now begins the hint of the uphill portion. It's gradual here, you don't really notice it until you realize that it's taking more effort to sustain the same pace. Starting to see more spectators so that's a nice pick-me-up. I'm still feeling good, surprisingly so but I know the work is about to begin. The rain has stopped for a bit. We see the leaders of the half marathon at this point as they are headed back into the downtown finish. I'm in awe! I take a quick walk break for a gel and to get my ipod revved up, I'm going to need both to help me motor through the hills. Mile 6: 10:15

Once you turn the corner onto Eden Park Dr, you see what you're in for. Thank God that this is where the spectators seem to be the thickest because you really draw on their energy to get you up this hill! I got to high five a singing Elvis in here (or maybe that was in mile 8?), that was a hoot. I walked a minute or two in here, trying to save a little strength for the rest of the uphill. Mile 7: 12:18

Not feeling too badly through here, better than I'd expected. Suddenly, I realize that's it--the big hill is done! I was waiting for the really bad part, holding my pace back because I remembered it as being so much worse and it was rather anti-climatic. That was both a boost and a downer--I was holding back to save up for something that wasn't there! The uphill isn't over, but the steepest portion is. Mile 8: 10:54

Starting to get a wee bit uncomfortable when I spot a port-o-let with only 2 people waiting! I detour over, lose about 90 seconds waiting/going and then I'm off again. Funny thing is, this is the exact stop I used last year. The folks there will let you use the indoor facilities at the church, so I'm guessing that's why the line was so short. Keep that in mind if you run this race! Now we are in another area very popular with the spectators, lots of crowd support here. We also say good-bye to the runners going on to do the full marathon. I give them a cheering "Go, Marathoners!" and a few thank me and wave before they go on their way. Today, I'm really glad that it's them and not me with another 17 miles to go! Mile 9: 11:54

This mile begins with the last of the uphill grade before we begin the serious downhill finish. It's a pretty steady wall of spectators from here on. Right before we finish the 10th mile, I see an ambulance loading someone. Never did hear what happened. We also pass the walkers as they are going into mile 6 and Eden Park's uphill. Whew, glad it's not me! I'm almost DONE and we're finally cruising downhill now. Wheeee! Mile 10: 11:00

Oooohhh. This. Feels. Good. I love LOVE LOVE this portion of the course. This is why I come back--the downhill finish. OMG, nothing like it in any of the other half marathons I've done (not that I've done that many, but still). I feel like I've sprouted wheels. I kick into a sub-9 pace (it feels fantastic at first!). Unfortunately, my tummy isn't liking the speed so I slow down a bit to settle it down. Mile 11: 9:50

Still heading downhill, crowds getting louder and thicker. I can't believe folks are out on a day like this! I love this place! We're heading back downtown, I'm euphoric. Mile 12: 9:47

The downhill grade tapers to almost flat (still net downhill though), legs are letting me know that yeah, this has been work but they can hold on a bit longer. I pass three official photographers, all working with their cameras but NOT taking pictures. *cuss, cuss* I never seem to get a decent race photo, I think they're avoiding me. Aaron and I ran this last bit at the finish of yesterday's 5k, that helps me get my bearings. Ready to pull out all the stops for a strong finish, ready to be done. Mile 13: 10:00

I kick it in and give it my all for that last tenth. I imagine that the huge cheer going up is for ME and ME alone. I am passing a lot of folks here, no reason to hold anything back now. I get across the finish line, grab my medal, then realize that I haven't turned off my Garmin (oops). When I review the data, it has recorded 13.3 miles with the last 0.3 miles at a 9:22 pace. Once I map it out, the last 0.1 mile was done in 47 seconds or at a 7:50 pace! I didn't know I had that in me, much less at the end of a half marathon!

The race website gave me a 6.8 mile split at 1:16:09 (11:08 pace) and that I was in 5063rd place. I officially finished in 2:22:29 for a 10:53 overall pace and 4677 place. That means that I passed 386 runners in the last half, not to mention a pretty significant negative split. :)

Not sure what's up with my official time. My garmin recorded 13.3 miles in 2:22:08 and I forgot to turn it off at the finish line until after I got my medal. The official time is quite a bit more than that, so what's up?? Unless the first 3 timing matts missed me and there was another one lurking in there that tagged me? I remember wondering which matt was the "official" one as I came across the finish, must have been the very very last one!

Lessons learned: I need to train on hills more and not be so intimidated by them. I held back way more than I needed to because I thought that I wasn't prepared for them. I think that my strong pace at the finish tells me that I could have kept a more even pace and not been as badly affected by the hills as I'd anticipated. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the day, I'm happy with how I ran the race (even though it was very conservative), and I think next year I'll be ready to work the course to my advantage. As it was, I improved my course time by over 7 minutes from last year. Not sure that I can PR on this course, but I'd like to give it a try in 2011!

2010 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race

After last week's failed long run (8 miles cut short to barely 6 because of the hip pain), I took the whole week off. I had hoped to get in a run or two, but the pain was persistent and I thought I better save it for race day. We did do a lot of sightseeing though, probably not the best way to rest up! I did make a point to keep up with icing, stretching, and ibuprofen.

On race day, I woke up early, had a cereal bar for breakfast and took the Metro to the Mall to join the hordes of runners converging at the base of the Washington Monument for the start. The weather was gorgeous--cool enough that I wore a throw-away long-sleeved tee for the start, a light breeze, and clear skies. Nice! I immediately went to wait in line for the port-o-let, just because. After waiting with a couple thousand other folks for half an hour, they started the race while I was still way in the back of the line. No worries, I'm in the 4th of 6 waves so I figured the folks starting ahead of me would start heading to the start line. Nope, they were determined to wait it out. I waited...and waited...they called my wave...they started my wave...and waited. When they called for the wave after mine, I gave up and took off at a jog for the start. It's not like I HAD to go, I just wanted to be sure, you know?

I jogged up to the mob of folks heading for the starting line, it was a lot like the start of any other huge race: walk, crowd, and press toward the starting line then ease into a jog right before you hit the starting mat and spend the first 1/4 mile trying to get to a run. I was planning for the first mile to be a warm-up anyway, a chance to feel things out with the hip and get a gauge for what to expect. About 0.6 mile in, I heard a loud cheer go up in the crowd ahead of me. TV cameras? Fans? Nope, it was the elites and their motorcycle escort--they were already 4.5 miles in and on their way back to take the loop out in the opposite direction! Incredible! As for me, the hip is already being cranky. Damn it. First mile in 10:16.

During mile 2 I was starting to worry: the hip was hurting worse, my lower back had joined in, and I just wasn't feeling like the effort was easing up like I wanted it to. Yes, it usually takes me 2 miles to warm-up but I thought the excitement of race day would speed that up. We're running along the Potomac and over the Arlington Memorial Bridge, so the scenery was gorgeous even though the cherry trees weren't in bloom anymore. We ran by the Lincoln Memorial but it barely registers until later. Oops, I wanted to take it all in! Time to toss the long-sleeved tee, I'm working up a sweat now. There's a hairpin turn right before the 2-mile marker at the Kennedy Center--awful tight turn for a race! Skip the first water break, it's crazy congested and I don't really feel like I need it. It's "only" 10 miles after all. Mile 2 in 10:18.

Not much to say about mile 3 besides I'm starting to feel the effort ease a little. This pace feels comfortable and I notice that the jostling of runners is easing as we all settle into our respective paces and groups. Mile 3 in 9:50.

Mile 4 started with an oops as I look down at my Garmin and realize that I'm putting out an 8:48 pace--yikes! I dial it back and realize that the hip is a non-issue for the moment and my back has eased up a little too. Good. Feeling good. There's another water stop that just about brings me to a dead stop, what a bottleneck! I grab a cup of water at the last table and take a couple sips on the run, just enough to quench the dry throat. Mile 4 in 9:39.

Mile 5...I guess I was there...all that I remember is another stupid hairpin turn. Whose idea was that anyway? At least I saw it coming and was on the inside of the turn. That meant I got to march in place and wait to move for a second. Mile 5 in 9:48. My official 5 mile split time is 50:50. My Garmin is reading the miles short...or is the course long??

Somewhere during mile 6 we must have passed the Jefferson Memorial but I have absolutely no recollection of it. So much for this would be a good way to see the sights! Mile 6 in 9:55.

Mile 7 starts to feel like work again. I bypass another water stop, but the congestion just about brings me to a walk in spite of my attempts to stay to the outside to get around everyone coming to a deadstop to grab water. Grrrr...why do they want to get water at the very first table? They have several tables set up with water and Gatorade, don't everyone friggin stop at the very first one! Yes, getting a bit irritable at this point. Mile 7 in 10:14.

During mile 8, I just want to be done. Two of the toes on my right foot feel like they're breaking off (is that the grating of bones that I feel?), my hip is acting up again, and I'm tired. I'm really tired. Keep running, keep moving. I tell my hip that I really don't care what it has to say about all of this, I'm running and it can just complain away because I'm not having it. If I can't run for 3 weeks, I am running TODAY and that's that. I'm chanting "pain is weakness leaving the body". Damn, I sure have a lot of weakness. Mile 8 in 10:13.

Mile 9 is hell. My hip really hurts. Now the ball of my right foot hurts too. I think there's a rock in my shoe, so I stop to get it out. Nope, just getting a blister. Oh, well. Shoe back on and back to running. Damn it, now the hip is really tight. Stop, stretch it out, back to running. How much further is this mile anyway? Shouldn't we have finished mile 9 by now? I swear, we were able to see the Washington Monument a while ago, where'd it go? It's at the finish, I just want to see the Monument again because I know I'm getting close when I do. Mile 9 in 10:32. Stupid walk/stretch stops.

Hey, this is the LAST mile! No reason to hold anything back now. Earlier in the day I saw another runner with a shirt that read "Leave Nothing in the Tank". It's time to go. Pain is weakness leaving the body is my mantra. Screw the hip, damn the foot, this is MY race! Some way, some how, I dug deep and found a gear that I thought had already been used up. Over the course of the last mile, my pace got faster. Then a little bit faster. Then I got a real surge for the finish. My Garmin read the 10th mile at 9:53, but it also said that there was another 0.15 after that. My pace for that last 0.15 mi was 8:58 and I was passing runners right and left for that last stretch. That. Felt. Great. :)

Final time: 1:41:42. When I signed up for the race, I put my goal time as 1:40:00. When the hip injury wasn't letting up, I told Aaron to expect me at the finish line at 1:40 if I had a perfect day, maybe more than 2 hours if I was in pain. I am thrilled beyond words that I ran what I did in spite of it all. In the past 3 weeks, I took 2 weeks off trying to heal the hip. I think if things had gone better in the training, I would have surpassed my original goal but I'm very happy with what I did on this day.

I love this course. LOVE it. Flat, gorgeous, and in spite of the stupid hairpin turns and congestion, I'd love to run it again.