2011 Year in Review ...

OK, I'm just going to say it 2011 was kind of epic for me. Like total awesomesauce. And honestly, I am kind of concerned that 2012 is going to have a hard time competing. I mean, how do you top your most fabulous year yet? It could be really hard.

Oh wait, I know, turn 30 and rock out your first 70.3.

But first, let's rehash 2011. In the past 12 months ...

• I killed my first 15K in 1:15:41 (8:07 pace), proving that given the right conditions, I am way faster than I think.
• Dilly turned 2.
• I turned 29.
• Dizzle got in trouble for the first and so far, only, time at school for kissing, not one, but two boys.
• I set a new half marathon PR at the Disney Princess Half (1:57:06) in the midst of the stomach flu. Minutes later, I met Ethan Zohn and was asked to join his Grassroot Soccer NYC Marathon Team.
• I ran 22 miles on my treadmill. And 60 miles in one week.
• We celebrated Doodle's 4th birthday.
• I ran the National Marathon and PR'd by over 33 minutes.
• I sent J and Dizzle to Disney for a Father-Daughter birthday weekend.
• I paced Dizzle to a mile PR and her first 5K finish.
• I crashed a mountain bike and separated my shoulder. Then, 10 days later, I had surgery to repair it.
• I watched my first baby turn 6.
• I ran a 5K in a sling.
• Dizzle, Doodle and I were featured in Runner's World.
• J and I celebrated seven years of wedded bliss.
• I went to San Francisco with G for our annual Girls' Race Weekend. We ran the San Francisco Half and hung out with some awesome West Coast Bloggers.
• I registered for my first 70.3.
• I ran Hood to Coast with the awesome ladies of Nuun Platuun.
• I set a new 5K PR and finished third female overall in a race that I didn't tell anyone I was running.
• I dyed my hair. PINK.
• I ran two marathons in a week. First NYC and then Richmond, where I PR'd by 2:56.
• I joined Team Tough Chik (and you can to until Jan. 7th).
• I challenged J to an eating challenge at the Dunkin Donuts Munchkin Run.
• I started 70.3 training and determined that I can, in fact, swim freestyle and I don't immediately sink to the bottom of the pool.
• I won a heck of a lot of cake.
• I showed my kids that it's OK to cry.
• We celebrated Christmas at Walt Disney World.

And those are just the highlights. So, what do you have for me 2012?

Richmond Marathon Recap ...

Location: Richmond, VA
Date: 11/12/11
Temperature: upper 30's @ start, sunny
Official Time: 4:12:52 (9:39 pace)
Garmin Time: 4:12:55 for 26.42 miles (9:34 pace), 2:56 PR
Place in Age Group (25-29): 98/281
Place in Gender: 562/1647
Overall Place: 1716/3787

The Good:

Pre-race Fun - From bagels on Friday morning ...

to the expo on Friday afternoon ...

to carb-loading on Friday night ...

marathon excitement was EVERYWHERE.

The Outfits - G, Pixie Green and I looked epic. As always.

No Pressure - There is something about running two marathons in six days that kind of takes away all the pressure from the second race. I knew that regardless of how fast (or slow) I ran, I could boast about the quick turnaround. And knowing that, somehow made it easier to run a consistent race.

The Course - I love this course. It's scenic and beautiful and the downhill finish is enough of a reason to run it over and over. But as a member of the Marathon Training Team (MTT), I ran the course so often that I knew it like the back of my hand. Talk about an advantage on race day. No surprises. No mental games. Just 26.2 miles and me.

Sub-2 Half - From the start, my goal for this race was to run with whoever I started with for as long as possible and then just finish, even if I walked the rest. I lost G pretty much in the first 10 feet of the race, but I was running with Jess and her sister Jodi (they both ran MCM two weeks prior).


We just decided to run whatever felt good. And somehow, as we approached the half marathon mark, we noticed that we were just going to break two hours (we crossed in 1:59:20) and that alone made the race a success for me.

PR Baby - Not exactly sure how it happened, but 6 days after running the NYC Marathon and missing a PR by 8 seconds, I finished this race with a 2:56 PR. It was awesome. However, I kind of wish my plan of "run a strong first half and then have fun with the second half", wasn't the plan I executed. When I caught G at mile 15.5, I decided I was just going to stick with her. Then she left me. And then I caught her again. It wasn't until mile 23 or so, that I realized that even with my eased pace in the second half, that a PR was going to happen for sure. Maybe I should have picked it up sooner.

The Last 2 Miles - Once I realized a PR was in the bag, I was re-energized. Add that to the fact that most of the last two miles are downhill and I was feeling unstoppable. Seriously. This is me at mile 25.5, looks like it could have been mile 1.5.

GBA - Like usual, our run group rocked it on Saturday. I'm proud of each and everyone of them. But, I am especially proud to be associated with G (who ran through illness), KC (who PR'd with a sub-4) and 3L (who BQ'd in her marathon debut). I love these ladies and am honored to have them in my life.

The Bad:

Un-GU'd - Although I started the race with four GUs attached to my race belt, all but one of them fell off while I was shedding layers in the early miles. Total Spi-Belt fail.

Photo-Op - As a member of MTT, we were scheduled to take a team picture at 7 a.m., one hour prior to the race start. Most days, that would be no big deal, but it was cold on Saturday. I arrived at 6:30 a.m. and by the time the race started, I couldn't feel any of my toes. And the worst part, you can't see me (or anyone I know) in the picture anyway.

The Ugly:

Wind - As you approached mile 24, a place I like to refer to as the "Lombardy Suckfest", runners were greeted with headwinds so strong that they threw you back a little. Not the time in the race to have a physical barrier like that.

NYC Marathon Recap ...

Location: New York, NY
Date: 11/6/11
Temperature: 52 degrees
Official Time: 4:15:56 (9:47 pace)
Garmin Time: 4:15:58 for 26.86 miles (9:31 pace)
Place in Age Group (25-29): 964/2818
Place in Gender: 5183/16928
Overall Place: 20701/46795

The Good:

The Outfit - Epic, as always.

The Swag - Not only was the medal great (love the skyline) and the shirt actually something I would wear, as a member of Team Grassroot Soccer, I was given loads of great swag, including a team uniform furnished by Nike (tee, long sleeve top, capris and shoe laces), compression tights from 2XU, more SoyJoy bars and Muscle Milk than I will ever consume and of course, some Bengay for post-race recovery.

Meeting up with friends/bloggers/celebrities - As you know, Ethan Zohn is a co-founder of Grassroot Soccer and joined us on the marathon team.

But what you might not realize is that five other cast members from this season of the Amazing Race were on our team, as well as, former Survivors, Anthony Sullivan (of infomercial fame, he also made the name tag for my race shirt) and Aaron Scheidies, a 70.3 paratriathlon World Champion.

(the creation of my name tag)

While in NYC, I was also able to catch up with Kim, my Nuun Platuun vanmate, Melody, Miss Zippy and Molly.The Course Support - I'm sure that if you know anything about the NYC Marathon, it's that the course support is awesome. And it is. There is never a moment when you are alone. Someone is always cheering for you. Pushing you. It is an amazing feeling and reason alone to run this race.

A new half PR - I raced the first 16 miles of this race perfectly. I was right where I wanted to be and when I crossed the mat at the half split, I set a new PR of 1:56:18. That right there, made my race for me. I felt great at that point and I know I can crush the half distance. But do I get to count this one?

No Wall - As much as my legs died over the last 8 miles or so, I never hit the wall. I didn't want someone to drag my body off the course. And I didn't want to stop. Some days you just don't have enough, I may have had legs of lead, but my head was strong.

Post-race logistics - Although the runners were funneled out of Central Park on what seemed like a mile long path, the finish line area was super organized. Every runner received a space blanket, medal and bag full of food. Easy and efficient.

Not Seeing my Mom - My mom doesn't live nearby, so she rarely gets to see me race. Fortunately, she does live close to NYC, so she and my aunt were able to come see me run. They were stationed near the 25 mile marker and although, I never saw them, they saw me. And knowing they were in the crowd (and that I would get to celebrate with them post-race) was awesome.

The Bad:

The Course - I loved this course and I hated this course. It is truly awesome to run through all five boroughs, but the bridges are KILLER and the last six miles are pretty much uphill at just enough of an incline to drain your legs. By mile 25, I was wishing for the downhill finish of the Richmond Marathon.

Crowds - The course was so congested with runners that I found myself doing a lot of weaving, right up until the finish. Due to this, I ran .66 longer than 26.2, a total bummer since I missed a PR by only 8 SECONDS.

8 seconds - Did I mention I missed a PR by 8 seconds? How about the fact that I lapped my watch at 26.2 and it read 4:09:16? Yeah, I'm a little bit bitter about that.

Weather - I know that 52 degrees and sunny sounds like perfect conditions to run in, but honestly, it was too hot for my liking. I would have much preferred 42 degrees, as I was crazy hot any time I wasn't in the shade, which was pretty much all the time.

The Ugly:

The Queensboro Bridge - At mile 16, this is the steepest climb on the course. It was also the only time I recall there being any wind. It was brutal. I'd like to erase that bridge from my memory.

so close ...

NYC Marathon - The short and sweet of it.

I finished.

I missed a PR by 8 seconds.

I ran .66 further than 26.2 miles finishing in 4:15:56.

When my watch clicked to the marathon distance it read 4:09:26, 6:22 faster than at National in March (which is all that matters to me).

I'm not even one bit disappointed.

I've got 5 days to recover before I tackle the Richmond Marathon on Saturday.

Full recap tomorrow ...

September Rewind ...

Nine months down, three to go. Here's my recap of September 2011 ...

Run Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 213/218.75 (an all-time monthly high)

Bike Miles Planned/Mile Rode: 0/0 (I've given myself a reprieve to focus on marathon training. Half Ironman training starts after Thanksgiving)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 5/5

Highest Run Mileage Week: 9/19-9/25: 56 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: none.

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 5/5 (with a post-surgery distance PR of 16 miles)

Current Book: Unless Curious George: Curious About Phonics counts, then none.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Lululemon. That is all.

Current Colors: Charcoal Gray and Purple

Current Drink: Grape, Lemon Lime, Strawberry Lemonade and Banana Nuun. I drink at least 64 oz per day.

Current Song: Story of Us - Taylor Swift

Current Triumph: That 3rd place overall finish and new 5K PR (22:04) earlier this month was pretty rock star. And yesterday's 16 miler at an average pace of 8:35 didn't suck either.

Current Goal: Stick to the training plan and crush NYC. And a new half marathon PR along the way ...

Current Blessing: I feel like my whole life is one big blessing and I am entirely grateful.

Current Excitement: Newport Half Marathon. NYC Marathon. Half Ironman training cycle. Christmas. My 30th birthday. Lots of exciting things happening in the next six months.

2011 Goals - Status Update:

Personal:

• Clean up my diet - I am tracking my food religiously at SparkPeople, survived my sugar detox and have been able to add a small amount of sweets back in without causing a total binge.
  
• Eat no more than 25 cupcakes - As of October 3rd - 21 cupcakes eaten
  

Financial:

• Pay off our consumer debt by the end of the year - Due to purchasing a new car, our debt repayment has slowed, but we have paid off over half of our consumer debt and are on track to be credit card debt free in 10 months. Plus, we are on track to have our student loans eliminated by February 2013, five month ahead of our schedule. And 10 years faster than if we let it go to term.
  
• Spend $0 on clothing - As of September 2nd - $178.50 spent - I caved and bought some stuff from Lululemon and a pair of jeans from eBay when my lone pair ripped.
  

Running:

• Run 2,000 miles - As of October 3nd - 1451.22 miles run.
• Run a sub 1:55 half marathon - Next race - 10/16, Newport Half Marathon
  
• Take 30+ minutes off my marathon - Completed - 3/26, National Marathon, 4:15:48, 33:50 PR.

ReeseStrong 5K Recap ...

Location: Mechanicsville, VA
Date: 9/17/11
Temperature: 55 degrees
Official Time: 22:04 (7:07 pace), 2:05 minute PR
Place in Age Group (25-29): 1/12
Place in Gender: 3/123
Overall Place: 23/234

As of Friday afternoon, this race was NOT on my schedule. Since I am currently in the middle of marathon training, it can be hard to fit in a 5K. But, due to the fact that a couple of my runs went over mileage earlier in the week, I only needed 5 miles on Saturday. I knew Earth Momma Mer was running a 5K and in the morning and I also knew the weather was going to be perfect for running fast. So, at 8 p.m. on Friday, I decided to race. The next morning, I woke up and headed over to the event to register, ran a one mile warmup and raced my tail off.

The Good:

The Course: The mostly flat course started with a slight downhill into a residential neighborhood that I have been fortunate enough to run in before. I had a rough idea of what to expect, including the quarter mile climb back to the finish.

My Pace: My goal for this race was to run around 7:30 per mile for the duration of the race. I had run a 7:41 pace for 4.14 miles at Hood to Coast, on little sleep and food, so it seemed simple enough. Right around the one mile mark, I glimpsed down at my watch and saw that I was at a 7:10 pace and that there were only 3 or 4 women ahead of me. At that point I decided that instead of watching the clock, I would listen to my body. If I felt like I could push it, I would. If I needed to back off, I'd do that. As long as no one with a ponytail passed me, it was all good.

The strategy worked. I hit my goal and I didn't check my watch until the finish.

My Placing: 3rd woman overall. 1st in the 25-29 age group. Pretty much the coolest thing ever.

The Outfit: I have to admit that when I got to the start in my new Lululemon skirt and purple SwiftSocks, the other people at the front of the pack looked at me like, "This is a joke, right? She can't possibly run fast enough to be standing with us." (Note the dude in the orange cap giving us the crazy eyes)

It was either that, or they were jealous of "The Quads." Not really sure, but either way, I think I proved that fashion and speed are not mutually exclusive.


My Finishing Kick: When I turned the corner into the finishing chute, I could see that the clock still read, 21:xx. A sub-22 was within my grasp, I kicked it into overdrive and my last .1 was at a 5:36 pace. That is just insane.

The Weather: 55 degrees. Overcast. Light winds. A runner's heaven.

The Bad:

Tired Legs: Since I didn't decide to run this race until 8 p.m. the night before, I hadn't had a rest day in the 5 days prior. And I was just 24 hours off a quick 9 miler. I had run 34 miles in the four days. I have to wonder if fresh legs would have made a difference between 22:04 and sub-22.

The Ugly:

Let's be honest, there was no ugly.

August Rewind ...

Eight months down, four to go. Here's my recap of August 2011 ...

Run Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 190/182.68

Bike Miles Planned/Mile Rode: 0/0 (seriously need to stop slacking on the bike)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 8/7

Highest Run Mileage Week: 8/22-2/28: 43.13 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: none. oops.

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 4/4 (with a post-surgery distance PR of 14 miles)

Current Book: Amazingly, I read one and a half books this month. While in Rhode Island, I finished reading Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich. And on my flight home from Seattle, I read The Long Run by Matt Long (thanks Tall Mom for lending it to me). Both books were awesomesauce. I highly recommend reading them ...

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Does my obsession with all things Nuun count?

Current Colors: Pink and Orange

Current Drink: Grape Nuun. I drink at least 64 oz per day.

Current Song: Tonight, Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae (I sang this song over and over in my head during my Hood to Coast legs).

Current Triumph: I hit 1,200 running miles last week, crushed my first two legs at Hood to Coast and I've raised 105% of my fundraising goal for NYC (click HERE to donate). Things are total awesomesauce ...

Current Goal: Stick to the training plan and crush NYC. And a new half marathon PR along the way ...

Current Blessing: I feel like my whole life is one big blessing and I am entirely grateful.

Current Excitement: School starts on Tuesday. Enough said.

2011 Goals - Status Update:

Personal:

• Clean up my diet - I am tracking my food religiously at SparkPeople, survived my sugar detox and have been able to add a small amount of sweets back in without causing a total binge.
  
• Eat no more than 25 cupcakes - As of September 2nd - 19 cupcakes eaten
  

Financial:

• Pay off our consumer debt by the end of the year - We have paid off over half of our consumer debt and are on track to be credit card debt free in 10 months. Plus, we are on track to have our student loans eliminated by February 2013, five month ahead of our schedule. And 10 years faster than if we let it go to term.
  
• Spend $0 on clothing - As of September 2nd - $178.50 spent - I caved and bought some stuff from Lululemon and a pair of jeans from eBay when my lone pair ripped.
  

Running:

• Run 2,000 miles - As of September 2nd - 1215.47 miles run.
• Run a sub 1:55 half marathon - Next race - 10/16, Newport Half Marathon
  
• Take 30+ minutes off my marathon - Completed - 3/26, National Marathon, 4:15:48, 33:50 PR.

Hood to Coast Recap: Nuun Platuun ...

Location: Mt. Hood, OR to Seaside, OR (200 miles)
Date: 8/26/11 - 8/27/11
Temperature: variable
Official Time: 27:59:17 (average pace of 8:24 per mile)
Place in Division: 10/39 (Womens Open)
Overall Place: 311/1268

I am 100% positive that this recap will not do justice to the experience that I had at Hood to Coast. In fact, I'm not even sure that I can accurately express how monumental the entire event is or how amazing the Nuun staff is. You have to experience it for yourself. The great parts were fantastic. The good parts were great. And the bad parts weren't really all that bad. Even the lack of sleep and real food weren't horrible. I'd do it all again, right this very instant, if given the opportunity.

The Good:

Nuun: Not only did Nuun sponsor both Nuun Platuun and AfterNUUN Delite (think all race logistics taken care off, more Nuun than you could ever drink, wicked cute gear, etc), but the Nuun staff was AMAZING. They were friendly and welcoming, and at least in my van, put up with all of our crazy antics. I returned home wishing that Nuun was headquartered in Richmond, because it would be an awesome company to work for. (Note: I also wish that all my nuun-mates lived in Richmond. That would be EPIC.)

The numerous companies that hooked us up: In addition to Nuun, there were several other companies that showed Nuun Platuun some love. All of the SWAG we received, rocked my socks and it would be totally worth your while to check these fine companies out.

• Running Skirts
• Tommie Copper
• Moving Comfort
• RoadID
• 2Toms
• FlashBrite
• Buildasign.com
• GU Energy
• Jamba Juice
• Jenny Craig
• Jack Black Skin Care

The Course: Not only is Hood to Coast, the Mother of all Relays, but the views are FANTASTIC. Even the overnight legs (with the exception of those on gravel) were beautiful.

My Nuun-mates: Wicked Awesome. That is all.

Spreading the Nuun Love: As Nuun Ambassadors, it was our job to spread the Nuun Love during the race. At the major exchanges, transitions and even Quiznos, we handed out samples, applied tattoos and informed our fellow athletes about Nuun and all of it's awesomeness.

And I LOVED EVERY SECOND of it. I was totally in my element. And I couldn't get enough. It made me realize that I need a job that lets me engage with other people while working with something that I truly believe in. So, Nuun, if you're looking for someone to run your Southeast Sample Team, give me a call.

My First Leg (#11): I lucked out on the timing of my legs, with my first run starting at sunset. Talk about beautiful. And although it was slightly warmer than I would have hoped, I crushed it. When I finished the mostly flat run, my Garmin read 38:14 for 4.87 miles (7:51 pace). A new 8K PR by 44 seconds.

My Second Leg (#23): This leg shouldn't really be in the "Good" category. It should be in the FREAKING AWESOME category. 4.14 miles of small rollers, hidden in the massive trees of the Pacific Northwest on a very crisp morning. It was the single most perfect run of my entire running career. I ran fast and hard and could have kept going. I finished the leg 31:47 after I took off (7:40 pace) and hit the 4 mile mark at 30:47, 1:26 faster than I'd ever run 4 miles before. I wish I could have bottled up that leg.

Our Driver/Coach, Casey: Fueled with endless energy (without caffeine, by the way), Casey drove our van, recorded our splits, kept us realistic and optimistic from start to finish, and tolerated all of our insanity (and trust me, we weren't tame) without a SINGLE SECOND of sleep.

And as if he wasn't already awesomesauce, with just about 3 miles left in my last leg, he jumped out of the van and helped me and my suffering quad make it to the exchange. Total rock star.

The Memories/Inside Jokes: There were so many moments that I want to share here, but it would be futile. Anyone outside of our van, or perhaps our team, wouldn't really "get" what happened or how hilarious the members of Nuun Platuun are (Note: We created new words and laughed until it hurt). But, I will say that I cherish EVERY SINGLE SECOND of this journey and would highly recommend that EVERYONE run a relay at some point. All of the "hard parts" are worth it.

The Bad:

The Weather: It was unseasonably warm. Like Virginia warm. Enough said.

My Disorganization: I am a little OCD. I pack and I repack. I rarely forget things. But the biggest mistake I made during Hood to Coast was not packing each outfit in Ziploc bags. I felt like I was constantly digging for and losing things.


Minimal Interaction: Going into this event, I assumed that both Nuun teams would be hanging out all the time. But, in actuality, I barely saw anyone from AfterNUUN delite and I didn't really get to spend a good amount of time with Van 1 of Nuun Platuun until the post-race party. It was one of those logistical things about relay races that I just didn't consider.

The Ugly:

My Third Leg (#35): During my first wicked awesome leg, I tweaked my quad. THE QUAD. Immediately after, I said to Jess that I felt like I had pulled a lot harder with one leg than the other. I tried to loosen up the quad during our "rest" period, but when I started leg 2, it was still sore. But then, I crushed leg 2. Unfortunately, I also crushed my quad.

Seven hours later, when I was about to start my third leg, it hurt to get out of the van. I planned to run as strong as I could, but I didn't really know how it would go. The first 4 miles were great. I was averaging an 8:38 pace. And then the climbs came. And my quad failed. I ended up walk/running the next two miles, before Casey convinced me to push it to the finish.

I handed off to XL MIC, after 8 miles and 1:19:57. She ran to the finish line and I ran to the medic tent. (Note: I'm better. Not 100% better, but better than I was).

Missing the Finish: As soon as I got back from the medic tent, we headed out to try to make it to the beach to see XL MIC finish. We made it like half a mile and hit bumper-to-bumper traffic (something that occurred pretty much the whole race). It took us over two hours to make it the six miles to the beach. Such a bummer.

Our Van Guest: Don't ask. Let's just say, our "guest" was a total fail.

Thanks again to all of the wonderful people at Nuun for allowing me to be a part of this EPIC event. I've already got it marked down on my calendar for next year. I'm grandfathered in, right?

potential ...

In case you didn't realize, I live in a sauna. A sauna named Virginia. It is at least somewhat warm, year-round. In fact, as long as you are running during daylight hours, it's very likely that you don't need to own a pair of running tights.

In some ways, this is awesome. I can almost always get outside for a run. I'm never afraid that I am going to get frostbite and if I time my runs correctly, there is almost no chance of heat stroke. (Unfortunately, it can be really challenging to run at 3 a.m.)

The major problem with the warmth of the area is that I never get an accurate gauge of my running "potential."

Think about it. Numerous studies have shown that runners perform best when the temperatures are between 41 and 55 degrees. Do you know how many days fall in that range in Virginia? About 6.

Thus, I have run very few times in "ideal" conditions. In fact, it's rare that I race when it is cooler than 60 degrees. The two times I did in recent history, I ran wicked fast. Like a 33:50 marathon PR fast.

Recently, though, I have felt like I just can't find my speed. I am currently training for a sub-4 marathon, but most days I struggle to hold a pace that would just give me a PR. I know that this is mostly due to the fact that the average temperature when I run is around 78 degrees with 70% humidity. That take a toll on your pace. And your confidence.

Honestly, I was feeling unsure about my ability to run strong during Hood to Coast. My final leg is the longest of any on the course (8.09 miles) and I will be running it alone. Without an iPod. On close to no sleep. And above all, I don't want to let my teammates down.

So, yesterday, I set out on a run in Rhode Island. 6 miles in much cooler temperatures with little humidity. I left the iPod at home and hoped to mimic what my Hood to Coast legs will be like.

Mile 1 felt easy. 9:24.
Mile 2, I knew I was going to run 8 instead of 6. 9:05.
Miles 3 and 4, piece of cake. 9:01. 8:49.
Turnaround, then mile 5. 8:50.
Mile 6, couldn't believe there were only 2 miles left. 9:00.
Mile 7, Spotted a deer, a fox and DEM. 8:51
Mile 8, I so have this. 8:50.

Do you know what my goal marathon pace is?

8:50.

Do you know what 8:50 felt like?

Conversational pace.

Confidence restored.

San Francisco Half Marathon Recap ...

Location: San Francisco, CA
Date: 7/31/11
Temperature: 54 degrees
Official Time: 2:04:09 for 13.1 (9:29 per mile)
Garmin Time: 2:04:09 for 13.26 (9:21 per mile)
Place in Age Group: 208/1067
Place in Gender: 569/3547
Overall Place: 1565/6255

The Good:

Lululemon Pre-Race Shake-Out Run: On Saturday morning, G and I met up with our buddy Bart Yasso (and 40 or so other runners) for an easy 3 miles hosted by Lululemon.

It was a super way to see some of San Francisco by foot and to spend some time with our West Coast blogging buddies, including Aron, Katie A., Rad Runner and Alyssa (They are all wicked cool. Be jealous).Afterward, we headed to the Ferry Building (basically my favorite place on the planet) for coffee and some delicious vegan donuts.Yum!

The Location/Views: San Francisco is an awesome city and the race course offers some amazing views. This is a shot from Vista Point, mile 7.5 of the race.

Plus, how many people can say they have run across the Golden Gate Bridge? Not many. And that experience makes running this race an experience not to be missed.

Race Logistics: The San Francisco Half Marathon is hands down the best run race I have ever encountered. From expo to finish line to post-race shuttle, everything went off without a hitch. Plus, the race tees and medals were sweet. I know of quite a few races that could benefit from adopting some of the procedures used by this race.

International Running Flag of Friendship: I got the chance to add to the International Running Flag of Friendship during this race. Here I am with my flag ...

If you don't know how the IRFoF works, each participant runs with a small flag of their choice and then it is sewn onto a larger collective flag. Then after you're done, it gets passed along to another person. I think it's a cool concept to unite runners from across the globe.

Miles 1-10: G and I had been told by more than one person that after mile 10, the course was "fairly flat." We took that to mean that the major climbs were before mile 10 and then after that there would be "rolling" hills. Um, no.

We crushed the first 10 miles. We were on pace to get G her sub-2. We flew over the bridge. Even the monster hill at mile 10 didn't break us. Then the downhill at mile 11 helped us gain back whatever we had lost on the last climb. If it had been "fairly flat," we would have been fine. But we were spent. We executed our race strategy perfectly. Unfortunately, our race strategy didn't match the course ...

Running with Kim: G and I were fortunate enough to meet up with Kim and her hubby, S, before the race.
It was awesome to see her again and to log the first few miles of the race together (we ran You Go Girl! last September on Team Will Run for Ice Cream). We had a blast spending time with them and I think we are uber-close to getting them to visit us for an East Coast race ...

The Weather: 54 degrees. Overcast. Light Winds. Can you really beat that?

Our Outfits: G and I wore the Team Sparkle Traveling Skirts for the race.

And like usual, we were wicked cute and got about a zillion shout-outs along the course ...

The Bad:

No Sub-2: After crushing the race through mile 10, our legs died. And so did a sub-2 half. But G did walk away with a PR, so it wasn't a total fail ...

The Ugly:

Miles 11.5 - 13.1: After a mile long down hill from 10.5-11.5 (which trashed my quads), we thought it was supposed to be "fairly flat." Instead, we were faced with a mile long climb up to Golden Gate Park. My legs had NOTHING left. It was soul crushing. We should have known though. This was a sign at the expo ...


Our Post-Race Attire: G and I planned to spend the day in San Francisco after the race (we stayed in Berkeley). So, we packed our bags with clothes to change into. Except that we kind of didn't bring pants or new bras, which left us walking around in wet clothing. Fortunately, we hadn't gotten rid of our pre-race "throw-aways," giving us something to wear. Unfortunately, we looked like two homeless people walking the streets ...

Three Things Thursday, crazy edition ...

Crazy Funny - Do you know what happens when my kids get a hold of J's iPad and go rogue? It looks a little something like this ...



Or this ...



Yes, that is what I have to deal with on a daily basis. My house is always that loud. I think this just goes to prove that my children are insane (Note: We found 30-40 other little gems like this on the iPad when these were discovered.)

Crazy Far - Three miles into yesterday morning's run, I ran my 1000th mile this year. Not bad, considering I only logged 16 miles in May, thanks to the crash. 2000, I'm coming for you ...


Crazy Awesome - G and I are headed to San Francisco today! I'm pretty sure it's going to be EPIC. If you want to "run" into us and don't think you'll be able to find us in the sea of runners at the start of the race, we will be HERE. I'm sure it will still be crowded, but it might be slightly easier to spot my red hair. (Note: We are in Wave 3 on race day.)

As for the race, our goals are pretty basic.

1. Have Fun
2. Get G her sub-2 half.
3. Get G her sub-2 half and a PR for me (1:57:05 would do that).

Piece of cake, right?

perception ...

Perception is a funny thing. You can put two people in the SAME EXACT position and get two VERY DIFFERENT takes on the situation. And generally speaking, neither take will be 100% correct. We all have our own bias and beliefs and misconceptions that affect how we view the world around us.

Take me, for example.

When I look at myself, I see a strong, driven and confident person with just a dash of adventure.

But when some people look at me, they see an unapproachable, competitive and cocky person with just a dash of crazy.

Are they completely wrong? No. I can be all of those things.

But, am I completely right? Probably not. No one likes to admit their flaws.

Usually, other people's misconceptions about me don't bother me. But for some reason, when it comes to how I am viewed as a runner, all those misconceptions get under my skin.

• When you see me in my skirts and socks, I am NOT mocking your sport. And just because I look cute doesn't mean I don't take running seriously. - I am a runner with drive and passion and fashion sense. These things are not mutually exclusive.
• When you see me running with my posse, laughing endlessly, I am not goofing off. Just because I have managed to combine friendship and running doesn't mean I don't train my butt off. - I am a runner who runs 6 days a week, 2000 miles a year and is constantly striving to improve. I just bring my friends along for the ride.
• When you hear me talk about pace and PRs and placement, I am not asserting that I am better than you. Or even that I am trying to be better than you. - I am a runner who is competitive with no one but me.
• When you tell me I am too fast (or slow) for you to run with, you are wrong. There is no such thing. Pace is relative to the individual and the workout. Chances are we can find a common ground. - I am a runner who will always run with anyone who asks. No matter how fast or slow.
  
• When you tell me that I'm crazy for whatever the reason (mileage, 2 marathons in 6 days, eating habits, doing something you "could NEVER do"), you are lucky that I don't punch you in the face. I am not superhuman. Or even extraordinary. I'm not doing anything that thousands of other people don't do every day. I am not doing something that you couldn't do if you tried. - I am a runner who sees the value in pushing past self-imposed limits and sets goals (sometimes lofty) to make that happen.
  

Just to set the record straight - I AM A RUNNER. End of story.

Dismap Swamp Stomp Half Recap ...

Location: Chesapeake, VA
Date: 4/16/11
Temperature: Mostly Cloudy, 59 degrees, 88% humidity, 8 mph winds
Official Time: 2:00:21 (9:11 pace) for 13.1
Garmin Time: 2:00:22 (9:09 pace) for 13.15
Place in Age Group: 18/70
Overall Place: 316/805

I usually write my race recaps in a GOOD, BAD and UGLY format, but not this time. Mainly because I am having a hard time seeing much other than the "ugly". Well, except our outfits. Those were definitely good.

Leading up to this race, I was feeling confident, both in my training and my ability. I know what I am capable of. I just needed to execute. It seemed simple. But, it wasn't. Not because of my training. Or the course (which was exactly what I expected). Or the weather (although, it was more humid than I'm used to).

I failed to execute because of me. It was 110% my fault. There is no other place to lay blame. I completely lacked focus. It's like I showed up to the start and forgot that I was, in fact, racing.

Don't believe me? Well, here's a list of my failures from Saturday.

• I forgot my pace band. Then, after going back to get it, I forgot it again in KC's car - which we weren't taking to the race.
• I forgot my ID at home. Thankfully, we didn't need it for packet pickup.
• I left my hand held water bottle at home. Inside the pocket of my hand held was my GU, meaning I also left my GUs at home. And there were none on the course. There was also no Powerade or Gatorade, just HEED, which I have never tried. And wasn't about to in the middle of a race.
• I got a cramp at mile 8 (we were still on pace for about a 1:53 at that point). I sent KC on (she ran a 1:54) and I tried to shake it off. Instead, I shook off my motivation and drive.
• At mile 10, I walked through a water stop and when I started running again, my lower leg seized and I couldn't flex my foot. My thought was not how to push through, but rather, "I should probably just DNF right now." My focus was gone.
• I lost one of my Yurbuds mid-race. This did not at all affect my performance, but it did frustrate the heck out of me.
• When I got back to the car to get changed, I realized that I had failed to bring underwear, socks, shoes and certain feminine hygiene products - all which I needed post-race.
• Back at home, I washed my race clothes with food in the pockets, proving that my lack of focus was not exclusive to the race.

Saturday was just frustrating for me. And not because of my finish time or missing my goals. Six months ago, I would have been seriously pumped about a 2:00:21. What really bothers me is how UNPREPARED I was. It was so atypical of me. And I'm not entirely sure why it happened. Although, I have my suspicions. And it's a six-letter word - S.T.R.E.S.S.

Dismal Swamp Stomp Preview ...

Tomorrow is my "A" half marathon for 2011 - Dismal Swamp Stomp. I have been looking forward to this race for two years (for some reason I couldn't run it last year). The course is a notoriously fast and flat out and back. This chart is deceptive. There all of that bright yellow is 0% incline.

Everyone I know who has ever run it has told me it's a PR course. And I want my 1:55. The thing is, I KNOW I can run a 1:55. But, I THINK I can run much faster. I've just been too afraid to admit it. So, yesterday, I asked around (via Twitter, Facebook, text), if I should play it safe and get my 1:55 or if I should run the race I think I am capable of and pray I don't bonk.

The overwhelming consensus was - RUN THE PACE YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN.

So, that's what I am going to do. And hopefully, if something goes awry, I can hold on to that 1:55. With that said, here are my goals for Saturday.

A: Sub-1:50, more specifically 1:48:00 (perfect day, perfect race, perfect everything)
B: 1:54:59 or better
C: A new PR - 1:57:05 or better.

I'm excited and ready. And thanks to everyone who helped me pick out an outfit, I will also be dressed. In this ...

13.1 here I come!

3TT: pieces of awesome edition ...

1. Remember this picture of me on Sleeper?

Well, apparently my friends saw my suffering and are helping me upgrade. Earth Momma Mer's husband couldn't take my use of towels as aerobar stand ins, so he passed along the set he had purchased and didn't like. I installed them on Wednesday and I LOVE THEM.

In addition, SpeeDee informed me that she will come over today with a new seat for me. Actually, two. And whichever one fits, I get to keep. My very bruised back side is beyond grateful for this gesture. I am a lucky girl. My friends are freaking amazing.

2. I am racing my "A" half on Saturday. I feel that unless we get a crazy hot and humid day on Saturday (which does happen in VA), I think this is my best attempt at a sub 1:55 at least until the fall/winter. The course is perfect. I'm running with KC and I'm ready to go. The major issue right now - I have NO IDEA what I am wearing. This is so unlike me. Throw out some color suggestions or something ...

3. I have decided to register Dizzle for her first 5K on April 30th. I am going to run it with her and we plan on implementing a 4:1 run/walk ratio. I'm pumped for her. I know she will do awesome and since there are only like three other kids in the 5-9 age group, she could walk away winning her age group. At least that's my goal ...

unorthodox ...

When training for my first two marathons, I followed plans that peaked at 36 miles per week. They were fine plans. I'm sure that lots of people did well with them, but for me they were a total fail. In both instances, I ended up seriously injured and barely made it to the start line. At that point, I swore off marathons FOREVER (obviously, that didn't stick).

For me, marathon number three wasn't on the schedule. I was registered for the Indianapolis Half Marathon and I was tagging along with G on her training for the Richmond Marathon. I had zero intention of doing anything but building my base. But then, FOMO (fear of missing out) set in. I was consistently running more miles than I ever had before. And I was injury-free. I figured I might as well switch my registration from the half to the full at Indianapolis. So, that's what I did.

In the eight months since making that decision (two complete marathon training cycles), I have built my base from 25 miles to a peak of 60 miles a week. Since January 1st, I have run 622 miles (44.4/wk). I have cut my marathon time by 51 minutes. And I have done ZERO speed work. Honestly, it's not that I planned on skipping all the speed work. I was just more focused on building my endurance. And the key to endurance is a large base.

It's clear that things were working. The plan that I was following played to my strengths. But then I came across this article in the January issue of Runner's World. It described the Hanson Brothers marathon training plan which peaks with a 16 mile long run. Yes, 16 miles. But, their plan also included something I have failed to execute in the past - SPEED WORK. Lots of it. So many aspects of this plan seemed crazy in relation to what I had been doing, but at the same time I was completely intrigued. (Note: the weekly mileage is very similar to the plans I have designed for my last two marathons.)

I decided right then that I would use this strategy for my next marathon (NYC). I mean, what's the worst that could happen? I've had horrible marathons and I've survived. And since my goal for NYC is to HAVE FUN, I really had nothing to lose.

So, I got started on drafting my plan. I based it roughly on the plan in the article, but extended it and swapped some things out. And this is what I came up with ...

I'm really excited about it.

Starting next Monday ...

I will be running six days a week.
I will commit to speed work.
I will stick to the paces. Slow runs slow. Fast runs fast.
I will cycle three days a week.
I will put my faith in the plan.
I will pray for the best.

Wish me luck!

VA 529 Kids Run Recap ...

This weekend was the Ukrops Monument 10K and VA 529 Kids Run. And although I opted out of the 10K, I did hit up the expo to pick up Dizzle's packet and to chill with G's BFF Bart Yasso and Mark Remy (author of The Runner's Rule Book and Executive Editor of RunnersWorld.com)


You know, it was your standard 10K expo. Except for the celebrities. And the fact that it was the best expo I've ever attended.

But, this is not my recap, it's Dizzle's. Like I mentioned on Thursday, Dizzle had two goals for this race.

1. Win.
2. Run a sub-12 mile.

The thing was, Dizzle didn't exactly train for this race. She's probably run a total of three miles since January. Maybe not the best training plan when you have such lofty goals. But, I was confident she could accomplish both.

However, the race was not officially timed, so it was hard to concretely say whether or not she won. She did inform me that she had, in fact, beat all of the other five-year-olds. And I trust her. Really, she has no reason to lie.

The thing we could determine was if she ran a sub-12 mile. I wore my Garmin and ran the entire race with her. During the first tenth of the mile, she was tripped and fell hard. But, she got back up and kept going. With less than a quarter-mile to go, she told me she needed to catch her breath. I told her she was fine and to keep running. She did. And when we crossed the finish line, my Garmin read 10:46. A 1:22 PR for Dizzle. And she was pumped.

But, don't take my word for it. I interviewed her post-race so that she could tell you herself ...

Me: Did you have fun?
Dizzle: I did have fun.

Me: What was you favorite part?
Dizzle: My favorite part was winning a medal.

Me: What was the worst part?
Dizzle: The worst part was when I had to go home because I wanted to go on the pirate bouncy and I wanted to get more food. (Obviously, the post-race festivities were a big hit.)

Me: Would you run another race?
Dizzle: Yes, because I like to run and win medals.

Me: When will you do your next race?
Dizzle: I don't know, maybe like in May.

Me: What is your running goal right now?
Dizzle: My goal is to not stop running ever.

Me: Do you want to run a marathon?
Dizzle: Maybe. I think I would like to do that next October.

Me: Do you know how long a marathon is?
Dizzle: No.

Me: Take a guess.
Dizzle: Long.

Me: Exactly.