State #10

So I actually made a sign for #10, and then forgot to have Ryan take a picture of me before he left to get us lunch…hence the mirror photo.

Going into state number ten, I was really looking forward to the warm weather and where this training cycle’s efforts would take me.  I had never trained as hard for a race as I had for this race.  It was both exciting and scary.  What if I worked this hard and I didn’t see results?  What if I didn’t accomplish my A, B, or C goals?  I felt very confident going into the race, but also very unsure.  Training in the winter snow and freezing temperatures tends to slow paces and complicate speed work.  The past month my training paces had slowed due to ice and snow on the roads and sidewalks.  Even though my effort level felt greater than previous winter runs, my paces just said SLOW.  When I ran inside to try to do my weekly speed sessions I was able to maintain the increased paces my training plan called for, but it didn’t feel as easy as I thought it should.  I had put in more milage than ever before, around 520 miles, training for this race.

Ryan kept telling me I was in great shapes.  He said I had trained harder than ever before and was confident in my ability.  I discussed my goals with him and he thought they were all attainable.  C goal-beat my old PR (3:47:35), B goal-3:40 or faster, and A goal 3:35 or faster (qualify for Boston).  I was prepared that my A goal would take a perfect day…great weather, entertaining course, feeling good.  I knew the weather was going to be much warmer than what it had been in Wisconsin, which would make it feel warmer than the temperatures actually were.  I was looking forward to the warm temps after the race, but not during.

Race morning came and I had my typical bagel for breakfast.  I was nervous, but not as bad as I had expected.  Ryan drove me to the start and let me out a few blocks away.  As miracle would have it, the Phoenix Convention Center doors were open and the bathrooms were empty!  I hate having to wait in line before a race fearing you won’t get to the bathroom before the gun goes off.  This time no worries.

I found my corral and had decided a week or two before that I would do something I had never done before a race and had always thought insane before a marathon, warm up!  I’ve always thought 26.2 miles was plenty; why would you want to warm up for that.  I’d always used the first few miles for that.  The problem was I knew if I wanted to get faster, I couldn’t use those first 3-5 miles to warm up.  I needed to be on pace from the start, so I took off on a warm up followed by dynamic stretching.  Look at me practicing what I preach.  The other coach I coach track with and I are always getting on the kids to warm up properly before their track events.  Until this day, I’d been quite the hypocrite!  Looking at my time, I guess it does make a difference.  But that is getting ahead of the race recap.

I lined up with the 3:40 pace group.  My race strategy was to run with the 3:40 pace group until mile 13-18 depending on how I felt and then break away.  Marathon research says it is best to run a steady pace throughout the entire race.  With glycogen depletion and fatigue, the body usually slows by a certain percentage in the second half.  I know myself though, I always run the second half faster than the first.  I’m a negative split runner.  I couldn’t stray completely from what I’ve always done.  Today I just had to run the first half faster than normal, and still run the second half faster.  Today was a leave it all out on the course day.  I didn’t want to have anything left in the tank when I crossed the finish line.   I did make a mental note that I felt sort of hungry.  Was that bagel enough?

Course map!

During the first miles it was hard to stay with the 3:4o pace group.  The temperatures were in the upper 40’s and lower 50’s and my legs felt awesome.  I wanted to go faster.  Around mile 3 or 4 I decided to go slightly ahead of the 3:40 pace group so that if I was to start to slow down, they would come up behind me and I’d know it was time to get moving!  I wanted to run the first half of the race using as little mental energy as possible.  I knew the lasts miles would hurt and I would need to use my mental powers to stay focused and keep my pace.  My splits from my Garmin.

mile 1-8:02

mile 2-8:09

mile 3-8:20

My new RnR Arizona Marathon playlist was helping the miles tick by in no time.  Running towards the mountains and the palm trees were extremely helpful, too.  Not running in cold and darkness might have had a positive impact on the mental state and running mindset as well.  Early on though I noticed as every four miles came by and I took another GU, I felt like I needed the GU.  My muscles were hungry.  I decided to start my GU’s at mile 4 instead of my usual mile 5.  As soon as I took my GU I would forget about it, for now anyway.  I came through the 5k in 25:38 and the 10k in 51:42.

mile 4-8:21 (GU)

mile 5-8:23

mile 6-8:19

mile 7-8:20

mile 8-8:21 (GU)

mile 9-8:12

I’m in pink! Loved the scenic views on this course.

Ryan was playing #1 fan and photographer.  I saw him near mile 9 and then he was at the half marathon, but I didn’t hear or see him.  He has the photos to prove it.

mile 10-8:17

mile 11-8:20

mile 12-8:18 (GU)

mile 13-8:00

Halfway!

I came through the half faster than any race before, and it was my second fastest 13.1 miles ever at 1:48:43.  I was encouraged by this time.  I was also feeling like it had been a jog in the park so far.  I decided I would pick up the pace for now.  I was confident, but also nervous.  13 miles is still a ways to go.  I could crash and burn, but I had to take the chance.

Mile 13 began an out and back portion of the race.  I enjoy out and backs at times because you know exactly where you are and it is fun the see the fast and elite runners.  I’m always awed and humbled by the winners and elites of the race.  How people can run 5:00 minute miles for 26.2 miles is beyond me.  Watching them run by is both entertaining and a distraction from what I’m doing.

mile 14-8:04

mile 15-8:16

mile 16-8:03 (turnaround of out and back and GU)

Around mile 17, I knew it would be a challenge to hold on until the end.  I decided to keep my pace up while I was still feeling ok and hope to hold on in the final miles.  I saw a Marine running in front of me and kept telling myself to stay with the marine, stay with the marine, stay with the marine.  Soon he looked like he was struggling though and I knew I needed to pass him.

mile 17-8:05

mile 18-8:10

mile 19-8:03

The left turn after mile 19 mile marker.

Right after the mile 19 mile marker we made a left turn.  Once you hit mile 20 this is when the real race begins.  The first 20 are nothing in a marathon.  It is all about mile 20 and on.  I was getting tired, but told myself to just hold on, just hold on, you are on pace for a BQ (Boston qualifier).  I knew I had to keep the pace.  If I had a slow mile I would likely not be able to make up the time.  Just hold on.  As I said this, I noticed the temperatures were warming.  I hate hot weather running.  Just hold on!

mile 20-7:52 (GU)

mile 21-7:58

mile 22-8:01

Mile 23 was my demise.  I fell apart.  I just could not hold on.  I felt like someone had strapped a 75 pound pack on my back and was making me run through snow up to my knees.  I just couldn’t hold on.  I felt defeated, but told myself to just keep moving forward.  Put one foot in front of the other…It is funny the mantras we repeat to ourselves to keep our bodies moving in a forward motion.

I took my GU at mile 24 and I began to feel more energy.  My glycogen was gone.  That hunger from the start of the race was kicking my butt.

mile 23-9:07 (ugghhh!!)

mile 24-8:43 (GU)

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to meet my A goal.  I decided to hang on and run as fast as I could manage until the end.  I was hurting and then there were the only hills in the race.  Runners next to me were swearing under their breath asking if we really had to run up that *&%#ing hill.  I didn’t say it outloud, but I was thinking it.  And yes, we did.

mile 25-8:38

The last two miles were hard.  There were small hills, but the only for the flat course.  There was no spectator support until the very end.  Those were the hardest miles.  I just wanted to be done.

mile 26-7:55

I saw the finish and was happy ecstatic with my time even though it was not my A goal.

mile .2-7:38 (Garmin said I ran 26. 31 miles)

Ryan sneaking up on me!

I ran in the 3:30’s-YES!

I knew that I had bonked at mile 23 and mile 24.  Had that not happened, then I would have accomplished my A goal.   I also knew I left it all on the course.  I had nothing left that day.  I was 1:36 from my A goal and qualifying, but I had blown away my B and C goals.  I was 90% excited and 10% bummed.  I had ran a negative split by about a minute (1:48:43-1st half and 1:47:53-2nd half).  Next time, I hope to fuel better in the days before my race and the morning of. I hope to not finish in temperatures in the 60’s.  I will run the tangents. I will train harder. There will always be another race.  And I now have a renewed sense of determination!  I will accomplish my A goal!

I loved this course and getting out of the winter weather.  I always love the concerts at the finish of Rock n’ Roll races, too.  Andy Grammer was great!  After all PR’s or failures…you got to keep your head up!  (Andy Grammer-Got to Keep Your Head Up). It is amazing what a weekend away can do to rejuvenate the soul!

My support “coach”!

Enjoying the beautiful ASU campus and the glory of a new PR!

Fun medal!

RnR Arizona Marathon
Time: 3:36:36 (Garmin said 3:36:38/26.31 miles)
Pace: 8:16 (Garmin 8:14)
Overall: 444/3226
Gender: 94/1374
AG: 22/226

Chicago Marathon

A month after running a half marathon in Virginia Beach, I was signed up to run the Chicago Marathon. I had been looking forward to this race since I ran my first marathon. I love big city races because of the crowd support, awesome expos, and the great places to eat and explore.

I was hoping to train hard for this race and run a new PR. Fall training didn’t go as planned. This is largely in part because of coaching cross country and working to finish the last class I planned to take for a while. I had changed my mind on a PR a few weeks before the race because I was fairly certain it would no longer be possible.

Before I knew it race weekend was here. I was sooo excited and STRESSED! Friday night Ryan had a football game and I had to pack and work on finishing my class. I had to mail it out no later than Monday. I always seem to find myself in these situations. I got up Saturday morning and was again working away on my class. Ryan and I left Saturday around noon. The expo was open until 6:00. We would have six hours to make a four and a half hour trip. I brought the laptop along and was busy typing away at my final paper. This was not how I had envisioned the start of this weekend.

We got to Chicago just before 5:00, not the time you usually want to get to Chicago. Traffic was terrible. It took us a thirty minutes to go a few miles. Then traffic opened up and we were rolling again…for a few miles. When we were three miles from the expo and sitting in unmoving traffic, I started to panic. We had 30 minutes to get to the expo. Then twenty…then ten…then it was 6:00 and we were still sitting in traffic. I was near tears. If I didn’t have my race bib, I wouldn’t be able to race. I was looking forward to this race so much.

Finally over five minutes late, I arrived at a very empty expo. I was not allowed in. I was scared and in total panic mode, while trying to keep my cool. I saw others waiting near me, so I guess I wasn’t the only one. A friendly gentleman did escort us about fifteen minutes later to get our packets. I was relieved to get my packet and so lucky. I never thought it would take an hour and 15 minutes to go less than ten miles. EEKK! Lesson learned. Leave earlier! So much for getting to walk around and take in the excitement of the expo.

Next it was time to check into our hotel, get something to eat, and find me some GU. It was the first race I didn’t bring GU with expecting to buy some at the expo. At least we were in a big city! We were staying at the Hotel Sax. I loved this hotel! The decor was so my style and I didn’t mind the valet parking either!

We went out for a carb loading meal at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse. We splurged on an expensive meal after a stressful afternoon and evening. It was delicious and wonderful to catch up with the husband I don’t see so much because of school and coaching.

Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse-YUM!

With running late, having to get GU, and a late dinner it was close to ten when we got to our hotel. I went to bed around midnight, which was much later than I’d hope to get to bed, but what could I do? Race morning arrived and I was on my own with thousands of strangers walking to the start. I was so excited to see what the course had in store for me. The weather was perfect; 40’s and no wind. The sun was going to shine! I found my corral and anxiously began the waiting game.

Race morning!

The first few miles started like many races-filled with heart pounding, adrenaline flowing, jump up and down excitement. It is so hard to keep miles on pace and not take off on a sprint. I got my pace under wraps and just enjoyed the crowds, buildings, and perfect weather. We started next to the Magnificent Mile and Millenium Park, ran through the loop, past River North on La Salle Drive, and into Old Town.  Around mile three I saw Ryan and stopped for a minute to take off a layer and hand it off to him.

The course continued through Lake View East, where we turned South, running through Park West, Lincoln Park, and back through Old Town and River North. Then the course took us west through Greek Town and the West Loop (the half way point). At the half way point I was feeling great, but like I maybe was going out too fast. I had not been training for this pace, but I could not slow myself down. It was in Greek Town that I found the 3:50 pace group. I decided to stay with them for a while. The pace leader was hilarious. I was laughing out loud listening to him. At one water stop Gangham Style was playing and the pace leader was dancing with his pace stick and doing the dance with it. The whole group was having a blast.

From the West Loop we turned east and then west through Little Italy.  Near the University Village we turned south to Pilsen, and northeast into Chinatown. The changing neighborhoods and the pace leader’s stories where race savers since my iPhone i.e. music and GPS died around mile 17 in Little Italy. I chose to stay positive and enjoy the unique race atmosphere instead of panicking that I no longer had tunes or any idea my pace.

It was in Chinatown I decided it was balls to the walls time. I felt too good to not pick up the pace and I ventured ahead of the pace group. When we reached Park Boulevard we were in the final miles. I knew I could make it! The homestretch was down Michigan Avenue with a finish in Grant Park. As we turned onto Michigan Avenue I started running as fast as I thought I could maintain. I was in so much pain, but my heart told me to keep going. I saw Ryan during this final stretch and he later said I looked not so good. On the final turn, I saw the time and thought I might be able to get a PR. I ran with everything I had. I could not have ran any faster or for any longer than I did. At one point everything went black, and I thought I’m going down before I get to the finish line. I made it, but had never experienced that feeling before. I can’t say it is one I want to repeat.

There were so many things I loved about this race. The course was really a tour of the city, taking runners through 29 neighborhoods. I loved seeing the changing neighborhoods, the millions of crowd supporters shouting and with signs, the music throughout the course, and a flash mob near mile ten. Running through parks, seeing Chicago walk ups like on the Cosby’s, and seeing my supportive husband three times made this race great. I suppose a new PR had something to do with it, too. The PR was only by seconds, but considering I hadn’t trained fully for it, I was happy.

State #9

A new PR!

After the race I grabbed food goodies and the complimentary beer, which actually hit the spot. I had to wait for a while in Grant Park for Ryan. Next we walked back to our hotel, grabbed some lunch, napped, and then we were ready for some exploring. We spent time in Millenium Park and walked the Magnificent Mile.

Then we visited the Chicago Theatre…



and headed to dinner at the Rock Bottom Brewery. Of course we had to sample several of their beers in the bar while we waited for a table to open up!

I liked the white ale and Ryan liked the red ale.

The weekend gave us lots of time to walk and explore! Oh, how I love Chicago! I definitely want to do this race again!

Chicago Marathon
Time: 3:47:35
Pace: 8:41
Overall: 7871/37421
Gender: 1779/16761
AG: 434/3662

Virginia Beach Half Marathon

In August 2012 Ryan and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. We wanted to go somewhere for a weekend to celebrate, and I thought what better way to celebrate than running in a destination race together while I get to cross off another state. We decided on Virginia Beach because neither one of us had spent much time on the east coast, we both love beaches, and the Verizon Music Festival was going to be taking place that weekend. There would be dozens of bands on the beach all weekend and we would have an extra day with Monday being Labor Day. We couldn’t leave until Saturday morning because Ryan had football and we had to be back for the first day of school on Monday.

Live music on the beach all weekend!

Life leading up to the race had been crazy, but the weekend away was a perfect way to celebrate five years and the end of summer. It felt like we were gone much longer than an extended weekend. We drove to Milwaukee after Ryan’s football game and when I was done working my shift at my other job. We spent the night across the street from the airport and were on our flight which left bright and early at 7:30 am. By 11:30 we were in our rental car and ready to explore.

Tunnels under the bay.

We decided to drive the Chesapeake Bay bridge, a 20 some mile bridge that creates a short cut over the bay by going over the bay and in tunnels underneath the bay. It was so neat to be driving on a bridge with water all around for miles and miles. After our little bay adventure we headed to packet pickup. I eyed up some compression socks, but since it was going to be way to warm to wear any extra layers I decided to save them for another time. I did buy a new Sweaty Band to commemorate our anniversary weekend race.

New sweaty band.

We checked into our hotel room and snapped a few photos before heading out to explore the boardwalk and beach.

That night we went out for dinner and enjoyed some delicious pasta and local beer. Then we sat on the beach listening to music for a few hours before calling it a night.

Race morning came, and it was hotter than we expected. The temperature was 80 degrees at the start of the race with 86% humidity. Ugh! We both hate running in the heat and humidity. We knew it would be like this, but didn’t think it would be quite so warm and humid. We both struggled through the entire race. We were drenched with sweat one mile into the race. We both slowed our pace, encouraged each other, and simply ran as best we could. Even locals in the race were discussing how hot and humid it was.

Running through the heat and humidity.

Luckily, the sun stayed behind the clouds for most of the race. Finishing on the boardwalk parallel to the ocean was great. There were some ocean breezes as we ran the long boardwalk mile.

Running the last mile on the boardwalk.

Time to cool down in the water!

What better way to cool down than in the ocean water after the race. We then walked barefoot, shoes in hand to our hotel, with waves splashing up on us the entire way. We both felt sick from the heat and humidity. Each of us had rockin’ headaches, so we took a quick nap. The nap turned into a two and a half hour event, but was much needed. We both felt much better afterwards. The rest of the day was spent on the beach and enjoying our favorite ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s.

Despite the heat and humidity, we enjoyed the entire weekend. The race ended up being my slowest half marathon, but I thought I did remarkably well considering my disdain for hot weather running.

Happy Anniversary!

Virginia Beach Half Marathon
Time: 2:04:59
Pace: 9:32
Overall: 1971/10958
Gender: 702/6217
AG: 132/1125

Fargo Half Marathon-May 2012

I had been planning on signing up for this race when we went to good friends’ wedding in November. I had been talking about the race and some other friends said they were interested in running the race, too. As we enjoyed more drinks at the wedding the number of people who said they wanted to run increased. It was interesting to see people jump on board, committing to run their first or second or third half marathon.

By the time race weekend came the numbers had dropped. There were only three of us. Some had legitimate excuses like coaching baseball tournaments or recently birthing a child, but others not so much. Oh, well, the three of us that did run had a blast. We now have jokes about knowing where to stop to pee, lactose intolerance, Carly Jepson and Call Me Maybe, and Brady’s fingernails. Admittedly, I had “dropped” my commitment, too. I had originally signed up for the full marathon, but life just got in the way and I had to switch to the half. Even the half might have been interesting as I only had ran three times in the month before the race.

The two guys I went with were from Minnesota, so we met there and headed across the state of 10,000 lakes. I had never been to North Dakota before and I could not get over how flat it was.  You could see forever.  I just couldn’t grasp what people said until I saw it for myself.

We arrived in Fargo Friday afternoon and headed to the expo at the Fargodome. The packet pickup up was more than I expected, the shirts were awesome, and we got neat race bags. I splurged on some new running gear that the local Fargo running store was selling at the expo. That night and we enjoyed a prerace meal at Olive Garden. Shortly after dinner we realized we had no safety pins to pin our race bibs onto our clothes. Either we missed that part of the packet pickup or they were not in our bags, so we set off on what we thought would be an easy search for safety pins.

Apparently we were NOT the only ones with no safety pins. We were met by a couple dozen people at Target also searching for safety pins only to find out by Target workers they had sold out an hour ago. Our next stop was Walgreens. Again, we were met by several other people looking for the same thing. Inside we were lucky to get the last package. It is often the little things that turn into big things when it comes to pre-race stress. In the end it all worked out fine.

Race morning arrived. I was well rested and excited to run what I’d heard was a fast and fun course. I opened the curtains of my hotel room and the biggest, darkest storm clouds greeted me followed by lightning. To add to it the wind was whipping and it was raining. Oh, joy! I had not packed rain gear. I got ready to go while watching the Weather Channel, a prerace necessity. I met the guys at their room ready to run. By this time it was not raining anymore, but we were in the middle of a horseshoe shaped storm system. We decided to abandon the shuttle plan and drive to the race in case it was delayed. Traffic was jam packed giving me plenty of time to add my name to my race bib, and we made it just in time.

There was only one way we wouldn’t get rained on-if the storm system moved north, not northeast, northwest, west, east, or south. Luck was on our side when the horseshoe shaped storm moved NORTH. It was dry, overcast, and cool for the entire race-just the way I like it! The course was flat and fast. There was fun entertainment sprinkled throughout; finishing in the Fargodome with your picture on the jumbotron was pretty cool, too. I had a lot of fun knowing friends were running the race at the same time. I don’t have friends or family who run, so it was the first time I had done a race with friends.

I was not in shape for a PR and with my RunKeeper app getting all messed up I wasn’t sure my pace for most of the race. I was just looking to have fun with friends at this race, which is exactly what I did. Tooch ran a great and fast race as he usually does. It was super exciting to be a part of Brady’s first half marathon. His goal was under 2 hours and he was bummed to miss his goal by seconds. His Garmin didn’t match the race time or else he said he knew he would have met it. He thought he had two minutes to spare. So frustrating, but the good thing is he had fun while he was doing it. That usually means more races are in the future 😉

Fargo Half Marathon
Time: 1:56:13
Pace: 8:52
Overall: 1610/5758
Gender: 623/3554
AG: 128/632