{Grandad’s Half Marathon Race Report 2016}

Posted in Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

I knew I really wanted to run a half a marathon before the pelvic pressure or discomforts of running became too much this pregnancy. 16 weeks pregnant seemed like a great time to complete a half marathon. Not exhausted in the first trimester and not uncomfortable yet. I also needed an excuse to wear the PRO Compression Jailbird socks I’ve been in love with forever and haven’t worn.

Since I’ve been through this once before (pregnancy), it seems I’m having significantly less ligament pain and pressure on my pelvis than my first pregnancy. I’m so grateful for this and plan to take full advantage of this.

Admittedly, my preparation for this race was not what it should have been. In fact I didn’t sign up until the night before since I had been sick with a nasty cold and pink eye for the past week and a half. The first trimester was not full of activity for me as I felt so tired and sick and struggled with time management, too. I hadn’t run a run over 6 miles in 6 weeks, but felt like my experience running 20 half marathons, 14 full marathons and one ultra marathon would help me through.

I had run a steady buildup of long runs until March running 13 miles at 7 weeks pregnant. I did what you should do for any pregnant run during my race-listened to my body. I went much slower than my usual non-pregnant paces. I drank lots of fluids. I mapped out the restrooms before committing to the race. Bathrooms every two miles was a deal sealer for me. I could hydrate and relieve away! I said I had to be ok with needed walk breaks. Amazingly I only walked about a mile total during the half marathon.

For me running this half marathon was something I needed to do for myself while also taking care of the baby inside me. I knew going in it would likely be my last half marathon for the next year. Having a baby in October in Wisconsin means you won’t see much for races until April or May. That would also put me at six months postpartum, which is just a few weeks later than when I ran my first half after having Pierce. Six months feels appropriate given you train or up mileage prior to the race and your need to heal and work that pelvic floor.

One of the hardest things about becoming a mom had been letting go of running. I needed to do one more race before having another baby, but I also wanted it to set the tone for the rest of my pregnancy. Last time winter and being trapped inside for workouts combined with so much pelvic discomfort meant much less activity than I had planned for during my pregnancy.

This time I have spring, summer and early fall weather to help keep me going. I’m really hoping to have a very active pregnancy. Last time I was active, but not as much as I’d hoped. I feel the activity I did do helped me feel amazing post-delivery and helped me get back to activity much quicker.

Back to the race recap!

Miles 1 and 2 are run down Grandad’s Bluff. I personally don’t like downhill running a ton, so this wasn’t my favorite, but the views were great! These miles tick by fast! I of course drank a bottle of water with a Strawberry Lemonade Nuun on the bus ride (the best), and we waited forever to get off the bus so I only peed once before the race. We got off the bus at 8:00 which is when the race was supposed to start. It actually started at 8:10. As a result I made an early bathroom stop at mile 2, drank some water and was on my way.

Mile 3 I struggled to set into a rhythm. Around mile 4 things clicked. My body felt warm and the rolling hills were almost over. Miles 5 and 6 I felt strong. I had a GU and water at mile 4. I could feel it giving me some extra energy. During these miles you run on a paved bike path with lots of blooming trees nearby.

By mile 6 I had to pee again, but kind of forgot. I don’t know how this happened but it did. Mile 7 felt good, but by mile 8 I was thinking of a bathroom every step. I stared ahead in hopes of seeing that beautiful blue port o potty!! Otherwise I felt strong. I had another GU and water and Gatorade at mile 8 where I found a place to potty. I realized I was really sweating even though I felt great, so I decided here on out I would drink both water and Gatorade at every water stop.

Miles 7-9 are my least favorite as they take you around a residential area in La Crosse. Residential areas are not all that motivating to me, but it was very flat.

At the end of mile 8 my legs began to feel tired for the first time. I walked for a half mile and then felt good again. The rest of mile 9 and 10 felt pretty good.

Mile 10 gets a bit more scenic as you run on a bike trail again. At Mile 11 I took a GU, drank some fluids and used the bathroom for what I hoped would be the final time. I struggled with this mile, but felt ok.

Mile 12 and 13 I felt good for what I was doing, but I could feel hunger and fatigue coming. I was glad to only have two miles to go. At least these miles are scenic as you run along the river and downtown.

Pregnant running can take all the energy right out of your legs in a way that I’ve never really experienced when running otherwise. Luckily it only happened a few times, I’d walk a bit and then feel good.

The quiet time to myself also gave me time to daydream about baby and life. Are you a boy or a girl? Just how crazy will life be with two kids 18 months and under? How great will the joy be to give Pierce a sibling? Will I still like my husband in a year? More importantly, will he still like me?

As I crossed the finish line I was relieved to be done and wanted a snack stat! I ate a banana and a small cookie from the tent and then we enjoyed some time at Riverside Park. Then we headed to Fayze’s for brunch and walked around downtown while we waited for our turn to eat. I highly recommend Fayze’s for brunch, but be prepared to wait if something is going on downtown.

On our walk we stopped at Addie Cakes for some cupcakes to enjoy later in the day. It was the perfect way to celebrate a half marathon finish!

Oh, and getting a caramel macchiato later at Starbucks really helped too. Dressing like your favorite drink is optional.

If you were looking for more race photos of the course, then you’ll have to check out my Grandad’s Half Marathon post from 2013. The course has not changed since I ran it three years ago. I felt I had enough juggling to do with my music, staying hydrated and fed and listening to my body, so I didn’t take any photos during this year’s race.

Overall I really enjoy this course and it does have many scenic parts. I still debate whether it is a PR course or not. Prior to the change in course I did run a former PR. The downhill is hard on the quads unless you are prepared and might hurt you later in the race more than the time savings at mile 1 and 2. Definitely check it out for yourself. La Crosse is such a fun town with so much to do as a couple and/or a family.

Lastly, this running for two tank is amazing. It is so soft and comfortable AND it doesn’t move, ride up or do anything annoying. Runner tested by me for 13.1 miles! I’ve also worn in on several other occasions with the same experience. A tad pricey, but it comes in a bunch of other colors and styles (yoga, barre, sweating, etc. for two). Check out For Two Fitness to see what they offer!! I ordered mine in my usual size and it has room to grow, too. (Just my opinions here, not compensated I any way to write this.)

Family, good food, running and relaxing sounds like a perfect day to me!

Grandad’s Half Marathon
Time: 2:17:23
Pace: 10:30 overall (9:30 running)
Overall: 695/1078
Gender: 372/680
Age Group: 79/161

11Oct2015

{Maple Leaf Half Marathon}

Posted in Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

Perhaps a million Saturdays ago now, the husband and I ran the Maple Leaf Half Marathon. I started this post shortly after and it has sat in my draft folder along with a half dozen other posts for months now. As much as I like documenting running on this blog there are bigger priorities now.

From a few months back!

We ran unprepared, undertrained and with over 5 months of accumulated sleep debt. You’d think this run was going to be terrible. I wasn’t feeling confident in myself or the run going in.

I’d biked 30 miles the day before my first postpartum half marathon on a school field trip on the Sparta-Elroy Bike Trail. It was my first time riding a bike in over a year. My first time running more than 7.5 miles in a year was the next day while running this half a marathon. I’d only ran a few times in the previous couple of weeks. Life just continued to feel crazy. Currently that has not changed.

The weather was perfect, the leaves starting to turn, and everything organized. We had a great run. It was really fun to catch up and the husband and I chatted it up the entire time. The miles flew by as the husband and I talked the entire 13.1 miles. No music, just conversation and catching up on our part. I could count on one hand the number of times we left our little man in the first almost six months of his life so this was big time!

The first few miles I was so uncertain and nervous for the end miles. I kept telling Ryan we need to not go out too fast, maybe we should slow down some.

Mile 1-8:41

Mile 2-8:45

Mile 3-8:45

Mile 4-8:51

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Seriously, I cannot explain this face. We all have those embarrassing race photos. This happens to be the only one taken during the race so I’m sharing it with the world.

By this point we were running near where my mom and step dad live. Knowing Pierce was there made me want to take a quick detour and check on him, but I knew it would probably be more upsetting for me to do that so I kept running on.

Mile 5-9:06

Mile 6-8:43

Mile 7-8:42

Mile 8-8:43

Around mile 9 I started to get a little tired. Luckily the turning around and heading back towards downtown had me optimistic.

Mile 9-8:59

Mile 10-8:54

Mile 11-8:38

As we neared downtown crowds of people lined the streets waiting for the Maple Leaf Parade to start. Most looked at us like we were crazy and were probably drinking already. Not a ton of cheering or music playing like I expected, but still encouraging.

Mile 12-8:33

Mile 13-7:29

Of course we picked up the pace for the last mile. I was honestly shocked about how good I felt running this half. I’m certain the combination of workouts during the previous months helped strengthen me overall (relative to being 5 months postpartum). 21 Day Fix workouts, Barre Classes, Yoga Sculpt and running were all helpful. Still it was an unexpected pace to finish at. The husband and I were pumped. Mama still has it…or had it. I’m not so sure these days.

Despite the horrible race photo, we actually looked pretty strong at the finish!

I’d really hoped to run another fall half marathon, but it just wasn’t in the cards. It sure was a great comeback race and gave me confidence for fast times later on. I’d love to make this race an annual one. What a fun way to kick off Oktoberfest!

Maple Leaf Half Marathon

Time: 1:52:56
Pace: 8:38
Overall: 261/572
Gender: 98/301
Age Group: 17/39

After our race it was time for playing with Pierce, visiting friends and then mommy and daddy time after bedtime that night. I enjoyed my first Bloody Mary since before becoming pregnant. I held out for the real deal at Del’s Bar. It was worth the wait. Adult time twice in one day?! That is almost unheard of.

Sarah

21Sep2015

{A Start}

Posted in Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Training by sneaksandstilettos

Last week was a start. I finally felt more in a routine with getting workouts in. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t anywhere near the 30-50 miles a week I used to run. I think those days are over for a while. Improvement is a success right now. Consistency the goal. Starting my mission.

Monday-3 mile run with my boys.

Tuesday-3 mile run

Thursday-4 mile run

Saturday-Barre Class and Down Syndrome Awareness Walk

Sunday-4 mile walk

It was great to start a week with a run with my boys. It was rewarding to start a run when I didn’t want to in the evening and feel so glad and rejuvenated after I did. It was an accomplished feeling to start my Saturday morning out at barre class even though I could have slept in. All of these positive feelings began with starting.

Starting over, new, fresh, again, whatever you want to call it can be scary. But, not starting really seems so much more frightening. By having all those positive starts last week, it also inspired me to start something else that was so important to me before having a baby-running races. In the spirit of starting again, the husband and I registered for a half marathon last week. It is time to start running races again. Distance races.

I’d like to say training will be starting, but it is in less than three weeks. We will scrap together whatever we can to show up at that starting line on October 3rd. It will hurt and be great at the same time in a love-hate way only running can offer.

Of course all those exciting and nervous emotions have started to pop up and will only intensify in the days leading up to the race. I can’t wait!

On the food front I had another good week of mostly clean eating. If you don’t count the Oreo binge I found myself in after the husband brought Oreos home that is. Damn you, Oreos. What’s a dairy-free momma to do when she finds herself actually able to eat a sweet treat because it doesn’t have dairy for the first time in a long time. People talk about self-control. I used to have some.

Yummy New Recipes We’ve Tried Recently:

BBQ Chicken (we had ours with roasted potatoes and broccoli) (NOT 21 day fixed approved because we used store-bought bbq sauce)
Cilantro Lime Chicken (we eat ours on corn tortillas)
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal (I added chia/flax seeds for some extra omega 3’s)
Vegetable Egg Cups-Super easy and yummy to reheat.

Well, as much as she (I) can!

Start something new this week for you. Start something your future self will be proud of. GO!

Sarah

26May2014

{Med City Half Marathon}

Posted in Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

This past weekend was sunny and beautiful. To top it off we had plans to run a half marathon with a group of friends. This is honestly one of my favorite ways to run races despite not getting to do the group thing too often. Something about sharing in the race excitement/anxiety and the post-race party is more fun in groups.

Saturday night we stayed with friends in a town nearby Rochester to cut down on drive time in the a.m. Five of the six in the house were running the next morning. We fueled and hydrated (berry mojito-yum) with a yummy dinner and went to bed fairly early as the first wake up call was 4:30 a.m.

The next morning came in no time and we headed for Rochester. We parked at the finish and took the shuttle to Byron where the race would actually begin. There we met up with the rest of our group. Four of the eight had never ran a half marathon before. I always love being a part of other runners first races.

The first half of the course was on country roads and had lots of rolling hills. I was not aware of this ahead of time, but looked at the hills as practice for my 50k and challenged myself to attack those hills. One hill was affectionately referred to as “the beast” by runners near me. The hills really were not all bad and offered a good change-up for the muscles.

mile 1-8:26
mile 2-8:35
mile 3-8:10
mile 4-8:04
mile 5-8:15 (GU)
mile 6-8:00

Around mile 6 we started to near town. The country roads led us to the Rochester Trail system where we ran for several miles. At this point I was so glad for the 7:00 a.m. race start as the sun was beating down hard and there was no shade at all. Warm weather runs have always been a nemesis of mine, but I know my summer marathons are going to be hot so this will only help prep me. Miles 7-12 were mostly on the bike path trail.

mile 7-8:22
mile 8-8:17
mile 9-8:29
mile 10-8:15 (GU)
mile 11-8:20 (My legs felt like lead during this mile)
mile 12-8:20
mile 13-7:56

Mile 12 brought us back to the road where we headed downtown for our finish outside the Mayo Civic Center. At the finish I met the boys who had finished before the girls. Ryan ran a half marathon PR finishing seconds in front of me. Considering he ran his first marathon three weeks earlier and was still experiencing muscle soreness, I would say he ran a phenom race.

I was doing my best to run a controlled race. My legs did not feel bad, but they also did not feel fresh during the race. This could be due to the full marathon three weeks earlier or it could be from my sporadic training since the marathon. Either way, I didn’t want to do anything to flare up the sore spot on my calf or to drain my legs before the 50k. I was surprised to run a 1:48:52 while running controlled. I did not put it all out on the course, nor did I want to. It was also very warm during this race (sixties at the start, upper seventies later) which I battled through like a trooper. I was definitely happy with my time.

What made me even happier though was my friend Katie who was running her first half marathon at this race. Her race was a long time coming and she had trained once before for a half only to not be able to run on race day. She had wanted this goal for a while and today was her day. I was so proud of her when she crossed that finish line. Her beaming smile all day said it all. That smile is so much the reason why runners run. The pure joy and personal satisfaction accomplishing a goal brings each person. Way to get it, girl!

The post-race food was amazing. They had every kind of snack food you could want. Bagels, bananas, oranges, granola bars, fruit snacks, carrots and dip, apples and caramel dip, chips, pretzels, and so much more. I enjoyed the yogurt, fruit and granola they offered and grabbed a Muscle Milk to try in Banana Creme, which I have previously always passed on as I thought it had milk in it. Turns out it is lactose free and a great recovery drink even for those who can’t enjoy milk pain-free. It tasted yummy, too.

After some post-race yum it was time to snap some photos, stretch and celebrate everyone’s runs! They had an awesome back drop perfect for just such an occasion.

The women’s shirts were an awesome pink color. The only big complaint I have about this race is they ran out of men’s shirts, so Ryan and another guy in our group did not get a shirt.

After a quick change into dry clothes in the car that also involved wet wipes and dry shampoo we were ready for the post-race party; it was awesome. They had a fun live bad and all-you-care-to-drink Grain Belt for runners. We stayed for a few hours listening to music, rehydrating, and sharing our race stories.

After our post-race fun it was time to shower, rest and relax before heading out for dinner and another live band with some of the friends who ran with us. What can I say? I LOVE live bands! It was a great end to a great day.

Post-race I have very little muscle soreness which means I ran this race just like I should have. Here is the weird thing though, my right hammy is a bit sore and the calf spot that has bothered me since I got a cramp in it during the Wisconsin Marathon is sore, too. Both are on my right leg. My left leg has litearlly zero soreness, tiredness or pain. The right leg is where it’s at. Has anyone else ever had this happen? What can/should I do? How do you get a sore-from-a-cramp-spot unsore? I’ve gotten massages from the husband, stretched and foam rolled with little success.

Med City Half Marathon (will update when they post official results)
Time: 1:48:54-Sarah 1:48:24-Ryan
Pace: 8:19-Sarah 8:18-Ryan
Overall: 165/864
Gender: 51/494
Age Group: 17/145

27Feb2014

{Friday Fab 5-Map/Photo Wall Art, Med City Half Marathon, Reading…}

Posted in Friday Fab 5 by sneaksandstilettos

This week has been super busy. Thank goodness I had some time last Saturday to hang pictures, read, and relax!

{#1-Map and Photo Wall Art}

I finally had time to hang photos from our travels around the U.S. I love how the wall turned out. Love, as in I stop and stare at it as I pass by! Photos on the bottom are from the south, photos on right are from eastern U.S., top photos north, etc. The open space is just waiting to be filled with photos of our trip west this summer!

{#2-Time to Read}

And enjoy the new wall art. It wasn’t as much time to relax as I’d hoped, but I took what I could get before my crazy week.

{#3-No Contacts or Makeup}

Relax time meant wearing glasses and no makeup. You will likely never see this bare face again. I wear makeup EVERYWHERE. Always have and likely always will. Props to those of you who don’t, but this girl isn’t that brave!

{#4-Date Night Pizza}

Monday brought an unexpected date night as I needed to buy some last minute supplies for the Science Olympiad kids I coach. The actual date was 20 minutes, but it was great to check in with the mr.

{#5-Med City Half Marathon}

Also a surprise this week was registering for this half marathon on May 25th in Rochester. A friend texted me earlier this week wanting to get a group to run together. I love racing (especially with others) so I was definitely in. It will serve as my last easy long run the Sunday before my big race-Chester Woods 50k!

Anyone have any fun, unexpected race plans that were a blast?

Happy Weekend!

31Dec2013

{2013 Goals in Review}

Posted in Uncategorized by sneaksandstilettos

Review of last years goals…
1) Cross train at least one day a week.

–>So spinning lasted a few months-until track started, I did start biking this summer and realized I like it, and I did start doing yoga…so I’d say that was mostly successful.

2) Beat my yearly half marathon number. Last year I ran 4. This year I’d like to run at least 5.

–>Even with my first DNF race ever (Dances With Dirt Half Marathon), I managed to race seven half marathons this year and earn an unintentional PR! Success.

3) Explore local races I’ve never done before.

–>In addition to getting to race in many places this year, I did try out 5 new races in my area. Loved doing that. Success

4) Continue lifting one to two times per week. I don’t like doing it, but I like it after.

–>Epic fail! Once I quit prepping for my PR marathon, so too ended the lifting. Other than a brief reinstatement while I was injured and couldn’t run, this goal was not achieved.

5) Do bodyfit five days a week.
–>See above!

6) Complete my double weekend (1/2 marathon and full marathon on Sat. and Sun.) in February with minimal setback in training.

–>Done! And with a positive experience that left me wanting to do it again.

7) Start making smoothies with veggies and fruits.

–> Juicer bought as anniversary gift. We tried many flavors and mixtures this year with many more to go!

8) Read more.

–> Not sure. I don’t think this happened. I sure had good intentions though. I have five books right now just waiting to be read.

9) Qualify for Boston.

Maybe if this had happened I’d have qualified.

–> Didn’t happen, but I came close (missed new qualifying standard by 1:36). In my second training attempt I badly sprained my ankle so there was not a second chance this year. I will accomplish this goal one day.

10) Enjoy the simple things.

–> Maybe?! Sometimes I did this, but far too often I get caught up in life and forget to slow down. Still a work in progress.

Tomorrow’s post…my 2014 goals. I’ve got some good ones!

31Dec2013

{2013 Running Review}

Posted in Uncategorized by sneaksandstilettos

In the blink of an eye 2013 is over. The below link pretty much sums up my running over the past 365 days. The photos below are a glimpse of the year that was 2013.

What did you do this year that you are proud of? Excited about? Worked hard to achieve? Where did your run that you’d recommend to others? I’m always looking for new routes and destinations to run.

3Nov2013

{Rails to Trails Half Marathon}

Posted in Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

Signing up for this race was a last minute decision. I’d been back and forth about running this race as I have a specific race entry fee budget to stick to, so I carefully choose which races to run. I also have a marathon in Kansas coming up on Saturday. Thursday night in my Twix coma after watching a movie far too scary for me, I signed up for the race. I blame the sugar.

Some of my sweet logic involved the following:
-The race is a low key event that allows you to show up, park, and get to the start line in minimal time.
-Ryan’s grandma lives in Norwalk and it would be a chance to visit her.
-I’ve walked, ran, and biked these trails since I was introduced to them when I met Ryan 11 years ago.
-I had actually ran this course a few years ago when they held it in the spring. This race was less than stellar for me as I learned the important rule of how many adult beverages are safe to enjoy the night before a race. Lesson learned and never forgotten. I wanted to redeem myself.
-I was also curious about how fast I could run if I started out fast rather than easing into the race like I’d been doing for the past six months. I did not train for a half (i.e. no speed work) and have been only running 20ish miles a week so I really wasn’t sure.
-I knew the course would be gentle on the legs with the old railroad beds.
-I anticipated some good fall colors.
-The weather looked to be near perfect running temperatures.

So maybe it wasn’t just the sugar?!

Saturday night we went to a haunted house (something I don’t do) and then we went out for Mexican with some friends. I enjoyed my delicious enchilada verde with a strawberry margarita. Ryan and I were the first to leave as I mentioned I was running the next morning and wanted to get plenty of rest. Someone proceeded to say “ohhhh, Mexican the night before a race. You’re brave.” Way to scare me even more. Let’s just say that is a myth. If you know your body, then you can eat whatever you like. Before your first few races DO NOT eat new foods!

Sunday morning was bright and sunny! Packet pick up was a breeze. I had a mental goal to run a 1:49. I wanted to run my second fastest time. I was going to run 8:30 for four miles, 8:20 for four miles, 8:10 for the last four miles, and the fastest last mile I could.

The horn sounded and we were off. This race is flat, but has some gradual inclines that will make you say to yourself “Why does this feel so hard all the sudden?” I expected this and tried to race through the feeling. It is sort of a confidence buster when you feel it early on though.

mile 1-8:20

mile 2-8:19

mile 3-8:23
It was around this point that I saw a friends mom who was handing out Powerade at an aid station. Funny how just a smiling face can make you smile. Smiling while running does make your perceived effort and pain seem less. Try it! You’ll be smiling a lot more when your running in the future. I also think it makes non-runners think you are even crazier. Definitely smile when running! 🙂

http://www.railstotrails.com (Source)

Mile 4 takes your through the 3/4 mile tunnel for the first time on this out and back course. Of course your Garmin will not be able to track you which is mildly frustrating when you have a time in mind. Personally, the tunnels always slow me down some. They were very well lit for being tunnels, but it is an adjustment to the eyes. I struggle with this anyways so I think it is more me than other people. The surface is also uneven at times and wet. My main focus was slow down a bit and DO NOT RESPRAIN your ankle. So I did just that. Running through the tunnels is a cool experience though.

mile 4-8:00

mile 5-7:24 (GU-Salted Carmel…YUM)

mile 6-7:51

Reaching the half way turnaround always gives me a surge in energy. The second half of the out and back was so beautiful. The trees still had their colorful leaves that looked like an arched canopy at times. The leaves were magically falling. I was starting to worry I was going way too fast, but chose to ignore the signs my body was sending me and push on. I readjusted my race goal to 1:47:something.

mile 7-8:00

mile 8-8:12

Before I knew it we were running back through the tunnel. I slowed my pace again giving my body a break and preserving the ankle. I planned to pick it up a bit when I got out of the tunnel.

mile 9-8:10

mile 10-7:50

I looked at my times and realized I had been running around 8:06 pace for the entire race. WAY faster than I’d expected. For some reason I just didn’t want to slow down. I wanted to run fast. I knew I had a chance to PR, but I had to hold on.

mile 11-7:42

mile 12-7:33

There was a whole lotta mental self talking going on for the last two miles. I so wanted to be done running, but kept telling myself I had a choice. I could cave to the rough feeling after working hard for the past 10-12 miles or I could hold on for one more measly mile. Come on! Don’t slow down. You will not be happy with yourself later on. Hold on!

I saw a familiar face or two the last quarter mile which was just what I needed. 150 meters from the finish was Ryan and his Grandma. I wanted to die, but we all know that is just a feeling. That doesn’t really usually happen. I crossed the finish line with a new PR. Totally unexpected until mile 10, but never the less exciting. PR’s never get old.

mile 13-6:45

I saw so many people I knew running today. I love to see others out there doing what I love, too. Several of them PR’d out there today, too! Enjoy the sweet taste of beating yourself and running faster than you ever have before. And really, congrats to all of you who ran! Each race is something to be proud of. It looks like eating lots of Twix bars and signing up for races is a good thing!

I’ll be rockin’ my Rails to Trails shirt in honor of my PR all day!*

Rails to Trails Half Marathon
Time-1:44:34
Pace-7:59
Overall-32/319
Gender-11/216
Age Group-2/28

*Yes, I am wearing navy capris, a black shirt, and a brown vest. This is a horrendous fashion sin I’ve never committed prior to today. Also, I wore this into Kwik Trip to get coffee after the race and felt no shame. Funny the things an awesome race will cause you to do.

23Oct2013

{Honky Tonk Half Marathon}

Posted in Race Reports by sneaksandstilettos

It was an early and cold start to the morning in preparation for the Honky Tonk Half Marathon. I woke up to my alarm at 5:45 a.m. tired and so cozy warm in my covers. You know the feeling; the air in your bedroom is cold and the covers are oh, so warm. It’s that amazing feeling where you never want to get up and feel like you could stay in bed for hours. Who are we kidding, I would actually never do that for fear of wasting my day, but sometimes I might spend 30 minutes slowly waking up. Well, hours for me this a.m. meant ten minutes. I checked the Weather Channel hourly forecast in hopes that it hadn’t actually gotten as cold as they’d said it would. It had. I scrolled facebook to see if there was anything super exciting in my news feed, although at 5:45 a.m. that is not usually the case. Then when I’d stalled past the point of leaving on time, I got up, showered, and got dressed for the race I wasn’t feeling so much.

From earlier this spring!

I really wasn’t ready for running in pants, layers, and a headband. You see, it seems it wasn’t so long ago that this was an everyday thing. That’s because last winter lasted FOREVER and EVER, Amen. With snow flurries still flying in early May and a cold, rainy June I am just not ready for winter running yet. Fall is my favorite time of year to run ,but it seems we are already in colder than fall temps. It was 28 degrees when I woke up-not acceptable. But, what can I do. Put on my big girl running tights and suck it up I guess.

Enough complaining already! Or is it. I was in a grouchy mood on the drive to Wisconsin Dells. I pulled off the interstate and realized I was almost out of gas, but really didn’t have time to stop for gas, so I took a chance and pulled into the parking lot with 40 minutes before the race began. Because I’d payed extra money to pick up my packet race morning, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to get my race gear, use the bathroom, and get to the starting line on time.

The race was low key, fairly organized, and there was no waiting in line for restrooms or navigating through crowds. Aside from logistics, I was not really sure how I’d run. I knew I was treating this race like a longish training run, and that I had only run one 8 miler since the Big Cottonwood Marathon 5 weeks earlier. The 8 miler had been awesome, but sometimes one run is great and the next one is terrible.

The race started on time and headed downhill. I remember thinking that uphill finishes are my favorite-NOT. Like I said, I was kind of grouchy. The fall colors were beautiful though. Around mile 1.5 we had gorgeous views of the Wisconsin River and fall colors near the Wisconsin Dells River Walk.

It was actually cloudy during the race, and I didn’t feel like taking pictures, so I found this one online. It really looked like this though fall color and all. (http://www.flickriver.com/photos/27847413@N00/sets/72157625219745538/)

A mile ahead we turned onto the main street of downtown Wisconsin Dells, crossed the Wisconsin River, and then turned down a country road with rolling hills and lined with trees showing their colors for the miles leading up to the half marathon turn around.

mile 1-9:18

mile 2-8:22

At mile two I made a mental note that it seemed there would be a lot of uphills on the way back. Still grumpy! Probably good I was alone at this race. I would have been nobodies cheerleader.

mile 3-8:55

By mile three I was not crabby anymore. Imagine that; running improves your mood. I’m feeling a little sassy as I right this report as I had such a great day doing all things active and fall. There were great views of the water, rocks peeking out of the hillsides, and tree lined roads.

Ditto with this photo (dell.com)

mile 4-8:16

mile 5-8:47

At mile 5 I took my first GU, a new flavor I had never tasted before, Salted Caramel, but had ordered just for my fall races. This may be my favorite GU ever. It might have been the fall flavor, the colorful leaves, and cool temperature. Or it might just be these are awesome. Imagine eating a rich caramel; sweet with a hint of salty. It was divine. Cam from Modern Family would be so proud of my word choice.

Soon we hit the turn around for the half marathon. It is often at this point in a race that I encourage myself to pick up the pace. I also couldn’t believe that we were already half way.

mile 6-8:48

mile 7-8:29

mile 8-8:20

At mile 8 I was hoping for some water, but the water stop was out of cups. I knew I’d survive, but I felt bad for those full marathoners who would hit that water stop at mile 21. If those volunteers didn’t replenish the cups, then their lives might be in danger.

Getting high fives from the kiddos!

mile 9-8:06

mile 10-8:24

Mile 10 had water AND cups. We climbed the hill and rolled back down (not literally). We then made the turn back down the main street of downtown Wis. Dells before turning back towards the start.

Once I saw the River Walk and the 5k turn around, I knew that I was going to feel good the rest of the way.

mile 11-8:18

mile 12-7:46

Mile 12 was uphill, then a slight downhill, and then uphill before flattening out for the last 100 meters. Poor marathoners. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

mile 13-7:11

This out and back course had rolling hills, with some that were of medium size. I hate to say this to hill haters out there, but I really didn’t notice the hills. Even though I rarely train on hills, I’ve always considered myself a good hill runner. I always pass a large number of people without much of an increase in my perceived effort, and almost never see those runners pass me in future miles. Today was no different. I ate those hills for breakfast!

Speaking of hills, the downhills which I had previously not loved in the past-ain’t no thang! After running down a freakin’ mountain last month, I could really tell how much better I was at running downhills. Either that or my pain tolerance has increased to new levels after the pain cave of an experience I had those last 6-8 miles running the Big Cottonwood Marathon in Utah. Maybe it is some of both. Regardless, hills seem a lot easier than they used to.

I came through the finish, accepted my belt buckle medal, cowboy hat, and banana and water. There was a free beer ticket that came with our race entry, and growing up in Wisconsin I learned that you don’t pass up a free beer even if it is only 9:55 a.m. I’d like to say this is the earliest I’ve ever enjoyed the barley pop, but we all know that’s not the case. I mean some Badger games start at 11:00 a.m. and required tailgating starts long before that. Then there is the Oktoberfest parade that begins at 10:00 a.m. You wouldn’t want to bring beer that went bad to the four hour long parade, so you’d obviously test it ahead of time.

After drinking up my one whole beer and enjoying the live country band for a few, this cowgirl was onto greener pastures. I had plans that involved Pumpkin, Spice, and Latte followed by a hike.

A photo from my post-race hike.

I really enjoyed this race course. The country roads in the fall were scenic and the hills were surprisingly a breeze. I’d recommend the race to anyone who lives near or far. The morning logistics were simple with plenty of parking and a warm place to stay inside with restrooms and food/drinks to purchase. The belt buckle medal is unique and the free cowboy hat a fun touch to fit their theme. I’m not sure where exactly the theme fits the Dells, but yeehaw.

Aside from the race there are so many fun attractions in the area that it is a great race to make a weekend of. With nearby shopping, hiking, and family friendly fun (indoor water parks, Knuckleheads, etc.) there is something for everyone. Literally everyone if you consider Cruisin’ Chubby’s, too. I did’t consider this though.

Honky Tonk Half Marathon (RunKeeper said 13.56 miles)
Time-1:52:30
Pace-8:35
Overall-88/505
Gender-35/355
Age Group-6/69

21Oct2013

{Motivation Monday-It feels like the first time…}

Posted in Motivation Monday by sneaksandstilettos

Two weekends ago when running the Glow in the Deke 5k with my best friend I got to experience the race from a perspective I haven’t been in a while…for the first time. My friend ran her first 5k without stopping to walk or take a break. She was someone who had been a non-runner just months before. I’m talking someone who always said she HATED running. I was sooo proud of her!

While running with her I reminisced over what it felt like to run two miles and three miles for the first time. It reminded me of what it felt like to run when a couple miles was the most I’d ever ran, and when I finished my first half marathon, and 16 miler, and 20 miler, and marathon. And guess what? The feeling is the same no matter how many miles you run. Anytime you run a distance you haven’t before, the pride you feel when you hit stop or cross that finish line are the same. You feel so accomplished, prideful, emotional, excited, and tired.

“At mile 20, I thought I was dead. At mile 22, I wished I was dead. At mile 24, I knew I was dead. At mile 26.2, I realized I had become too tough to kill.”

My friend shared how she felt emotional as she came around that last corner of the track thinking about how she was finishing a distance she had worked hard to complete. I didn’t tell her, but those emotions are not just something she experienced. Stand at the finish line of most races and you see it in people’s faces and body language-emotions. I once read somewhere that a marathon finish line is a melting pot of emotions, and I couldn’t agree more.

Some people are running for others who can’t, in memory of a significant person in their life, to overcome, to succeed, to move on, to start new, to test their limits, and for reasons we can’t begin to understand. Running races and finishing new distances makes you feel real and raw in a different way hence the wide range of emotions. Take two minutes of your day and check out the raw emotions this amazing photographer caught at the finish of this year’s Twin Cities Marathon earlier in October. I promise it is worth it; I teared up and couldn’t stop smiling at the same time!

Many a times I’ve fought back tears when crossing the finish line whether it is a new distance, an especially challenging race, or being so overcome with joy and pride at something I worked so hard for. Many times these emotions are strongest the first time and we forget the feeling of being a new runner. It was great to be reminded of those challenging days when you never knew how a run would feel or if you would survive it.

I loved being around other runners who seemed to be new to running, too. I was overcome with pride for them. Seeing others do something I love and watching them experience it in a positive way makes me so excited. While most of us wouldn’t want to go back to the very first time we ran (or a first time at a distance), this week run for the first time. Run a new distance, a new route, with a new friend, or at a new time. Take a run around a route where you first began to run and reminisce of over those first miles where you became a runner one step at a time. Take those first steps or celebrate how far you’ve come!

“The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race.”