Moonlight 4 Miler Recap ...

Time: 7:45 p.m.
Temperature: 75 degrees
Humidity: 87%
Course Profile: Flat, except for the non-stop hills
Outfit: Totally cute


As I mentioned yesterday, last night was the Moonlight 4 Miler, a local road runners race with ice cream in lieu of race tees. I was really excited to run this race. To begin with, I love ice cream. And second, it was my first four miler - an instant PR.


The weather wasn't really cooperating yesterday. We were hit with a series of thunderstorms in the hour before race time. I was convinced that I was going to get there to find out that it was canceled. I arrived at the start just before 7 p.m. and caught up with Mrs. D in the parking lot. We snapped this quick picture (I didn't want to carry my camera in the rain) and headed over to pick up our race numbers.

Immediately after getting my bib, the skies opened and the race director commanded everyone back to their cars to wait out the storm. Here we are waiting in the car (Mrs. D, Earth Momma Mer and Me).


Just before 7:30 (the original start time), we headed back to the start area. Shortly after the 1/2 mile kid's race concluded, we were toeing the line. And it was steamy. Just standing there my sunglasses were steaming up.


Once the race started, we headed through the parking lot out to West Creek Parkway and did a series of two out and backs. The entire four miles was rolling hills with almost no flat sections. I started out faster than I had intended (Garmin clocked a 6:20 at one point) but I was feeling good. I decided that I was going to run hard, but comfortably and not look at my watch. All I wanted to do was run strong. And I did just that. With the exception of one woman, with whom I played a cat and mouse game the whole race, not a single person passed me after the first half mile.


As I was finishing, I knew I was in good position. Due to the layout of the course, I could see the leaders headed towards the finish and I knew there weren't very many women ahead of me. And from what I could tell, there weren't any other Athenas (yes, I weigh 151 and race Athena) ahead of me. So, I kicked it into high gear and crossed the line in 32:13.


I was super pumped. I was really hoping to break 35 minutes, based on the course and humidity, but I killed it. It was awesome. Then, after cooling down, stretching out my seized calves and eating some ice cream, I ran Mrs. D in (she did awesome in her first four miler).


At the conclusion of the race, there were a bunch of random prizes ranging from candy bars to a Garmin. I walked away with a new running cap. And the best prize ever - a FIRST PLACE finish in the Athena division (I was also 3rd in my age group and 15th woman overall). This is my sweet hardware.


How cool is that?

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Do you like running? And ice cream? Well, then you probably want to get yourself to Richmond today so that you can run the Moonlight 4 Miler with me this evening. I have been waiting for this race ALL YEAR. It is my first 4 miler (can you say instant PR?) and rather than race tees each runner is served Brewster's Ice Cream at the finish. Which is probably a good thing, considering it is supposed to be over 90 at race time.

2. I've got some other races coming up on my calendar as well. First, is MCM Mama's "Mama Goes Masters" Virtual Race. I am planning on running the 40K and hope to tackle it this Saturday. If that doesn't work, I'm going to try it again later in the month.

The other race on my calendar is the Pink Power Sprint Triathlon on August 22. Like 10 days from now. And I have a few issues facing me. To begin with, I haven't been on my bike since July of 2008, when I raced my last sprint tri. Oh, and did I mention that July 2008 was also the last time I swam. (To be honest, I didn't really train for that tri either.) Good planning, right? But, wait. It gets even better. That bike I mentioned, totally has two flats. And have I made any attempt to fix them? Nope.

But if nothing else, I am going to kill the run ...

3. Remember that Deshler Designs giveaway I have been running? Well, it's time for a winner. There were 151 entries and thanks to random.org, the winner is #24 ...

Rae from 5K Rae

Congrats! Please send me an email with your contact info to claim your prize.

Half and Half Virtual Race Report ...

This weekend, G hosted her very first virtual race. A half marathon and a half 10K. I chose the half marathon option since my long run scheduled for this week was 14. So, Friday morning at 5:30, G, Denise, Katye and I embarked on our ill-fated run ...

• It was wicked hot. 78 degrees. Major humidity. It was like running through water. I kept thinking we were running too fast, only to look at my watch and see we were running a 10:20 pace.
• Katye wasn't feeling great, so when we passed my house (at the half 10K) mark, she bailed. God, I wish I had joined her.
• I had some serious mental issues between miles 8 and 10. I didn't want to continue on. I was positive I would never be able finish another long distance race (sucky, considering I'm planning on an Ultra) and I really thought I was going to die.
• I didn't die, but I did get a major side stitch around mile 11. And I had about 2 oz of water left. Again, not fun.
• By the time we hit mile 12, I was feeling good again. And I was wondering what I had complained about. I left G and Denise to pick up my extra mile and sent them to the finish. G offered to come. I said no. I shouldn't have. Mile 13.1-14 WAS SO INCREDIBLY PAINFUL. I could have used some support.
• I finished in 2:19:12. It could have been better. But it could have been worse.
• We got some really cute pictures ...

Our Half and Half outfits. (Half one color, half another) ...

Our attempt at a self photo ...

Denise and I around mile 5 ...

calling it quits ...

Yesterday, my little sister said something that stuck with me. I was trying to convince her to join my running cult ... I mean, running hobby. We were talking about doing a half marathon when she said, "I could never do it." To which I replied, "I didn't think I could either. But now, I run marathons." And then she hit me with it.

"Yeah, but you get an idea in your head and you just do it. I'm not like that."

She's right. When I decide that I am going to shoot for something, I make sure that I accomplish it. Failure is not an option. I've always been that way. But, it got me thinking. Is a drive like that what differentiates runners from non-runners? Or the obsessive runner (like me) from the recreational runner?

I've mentioned it here before, G and I gave ourselves a tag line after a run where we let our drive to finish win out over our common sense.

G and I are "Runinspired: Runners first. Logical thinkers second." (Our shirts are in the works)

I ALWAYS finish the run. If the schedule calls for 10, I am running 10. Not 9.92. It's just how I roll.

My obsessive nature was proven yesterday during my six miler. I had just eaten a HUGE lunch (with dessert) and it was 90 degrees out. Feeling guilty about lunch and knowing I had to get my run in at some point, I headed out without really thinking about how my body was going to handle all that food.

I started running and was feeling fine. Until about mile 1.5. Then it hit me. I was going to vomit. So, I stopped. Sipped some water and composed myself. I started running again and made it another half mile before I was vomiting on the side of the road. This pattern continued until mile three, when I decided I was going to walk a tenth then run half a mile until I got home. It worked, but I was on the verge of vomiting the whole time. It was rough.

The kicker was that I was running a zig-zag course. And even at the three mile turn around point, I was less than a half mile from home. I could have cut the run short at any point. But I just couldn't. I just kept thinking about what my sister said to me. That I decide to do something and then do it, no questions asked. I knew I wasn't really sick. I knew that I had just eaten too much and tried to run too soon. And since I knew that finishing the run wasn't really detrimental, except maybe to the front yards I yakked on, I kept going. I didn't quit. And it will make me stronger. If I can run through vomiting, I can run through mental fatigue and self doubt. Getting through the tough spots is what makes you a champion. But, I'm sure to most people, I just looked like a lunatic puking on the side of the road ...

Like I said, I'm a runner first. A logical thinker second.

8 miles in Key West ...

Yesterday morning (after sleeping in), I ran eight miles. I started outside with views like this ...

But it was HOT. And even with sunblock, my skin was burning. So, instead of suffering in the elements, I met up with J for the last three miles of my run on the treadmill, which could have been horrible. But it wasn't. I got to run with my hubby. In a room with the air conditioning set on 68. With a view that didn't suck ...

It doesn't get much better than this ...

what happened to relaxing?

Back a zillion years ago, when J and I didn't have children, we used to spend the weekends relaxing. I distinctly remember Sundays where we never got out of our pajamas. Eight years and three kids later, well, that doesn't really happen anymore. Instead, our weekends are spent rushing from one activity to the next. And this weekend was no exception.

I, being the thoughtful and loving wife that I am, made sure that my long run was completed on Saturday, letting J sleep in on Father's Day. So, at 5:51 a.m., I arrived at G's for a 10 miler with a group of runners who are much faster than we are. It was a great run (GI issues aside) with some great company. I'm really looking forward to the next few months of training with them.

After the run (and my attempt to rectify my GI issues), I headed home to get Dizzle and Doodle ready for their dress rehearsal for ballet. Aren't they cute?

In between dance numbers, I got a call from Shelly, who was in town racing the XTERRA 21K.

I called her back when we got home from rehearsal and made plans to meet for lunch. So, J, the girls and I met up with Shelly and her crew at Baker's Crust followed by a visit to a local running store. We had a great time. Shelly and her family were super nice. Our kids got along.

It was pretty much the perfect meet up (and I am really hoping we can get everyone together again).

After lunch, we rushed home and got ready for the recital. The girls were adorable and hysterical. Dizzle could not have been more expressive up on stage and Doodle, well, Doodle is a character. Instead of dancing next to her prop (a rubber duck), she proceeded to stomp on it. Needless to say, I was laughing the entire time. I cannot wait until next year.

Then on Sunday, J slept in and the girls and I made him breakfast in bed. J got up and headed out for his long run (he's training for the Richmond Half Marathon) and I played games with the girls and my sister, Angie Pants, who surprised us with a visit. In the afternoon, we attended Dizzle's BFF's 5th birthday party at a minor league baseball game. It was such a great party and Dizzle and Doodle were having a blast, but Dilly was in TOTAL MELTDOWN MODE. It was in the upper 90's and she did not want to be held by us. At one point, she choked on her drink and spit it on the back of the person in front of us and then a few minutes later, she kicked that same person in the shoulder. It was time to leave. We had made it through the party (the hour and a half before the game) and one inning. Dizzle was able to stay with another family, but the rest of us headed home. I don't think we will be headed back to another game anytime soon. Well, maybe J and I will, but only if someone is volunteering to babysit. Wait. You know, if you're volunteering to babysit, I'm not going to a baseball game. I'm going to go somewhere and sleep. Like, I did before I had kids and weekends were relaxing. I'm just saying.