10 Miles + 5K, Two Hells in One Race!

Yes, I'm running my first Half Marathon in April.

Yes, I'm darn nervous.

Hell, I've done the distance--well, close enough. 13 miles is my distance PR--but I've been running double digit runs since December--so the distance is not something I'm worried about.

What I AM worried about is my pace during this race. I KNOW that I will not treat this like my training runs. I KNOW that I will not be comfortable during this race. I actually think that I'm going to hate every bit of it.

I don't even want to see any race pictures from that day--I can tell you right now what they will look like. But I won't tell you, it's far too embarassing for me.

I know that the morning of the race will be Hell. I will be prepared, I will be there extra early. But I will not have slept (can someone drug me the night before so I WILL sleep?) the night before. I will be too nervous to focus. I will probably feel like I'm going to revisit my dinner from the night before. I won't feel like running.

I know that the race will feel bad, and I'll be too hard on myself about my pace. FINISH, FINISH, FINISH--that's all a first Halfer is supposed to worry about, right? WRONG. It's NOT all I will worry about. I will worry about finishing respectably, relative to ME.

I will probably cry at the finish. I might collapse. Who knows.

So that's why I'm nervous.

But you know what's funny? I'm MORE nervous about the Papa John's 10 Miler, which is coming up in 2 weeks. I've never raced anything beyond the 10K distance so this will be a learning experience for me. It will act as a test for my performance at the Mini, which will be two weeks after the 10 Miler. I'm so nervous that I'm going to SUCK at the 10 mile distance and I will not be able to have the confidence I need for the Half.

And well, the HM is really just a 10 mile race with a sucky ass 5K at the end. And you all know I don't really care for the 5K distance. It just hurts. (5Ks are Harder).

And I STILL don't know what shoes and what gear I'm going to wear. I'm crumbling!

Rodes City Run 10K Race Report!

This morning, I actually woke up before my alarm went off! Did my normal pre-race routine, got DBF out of bed (he apparently had been snoozing for 20+ minutes) and we drove down to the "Run the Ville" meeting spot across from Waterfront Park.

There was a total of 7 of us (my favorite number!) that met up in the dark parking lot, and we took off toward the start line, which was a little over a mile away. Because this race started downtown, we had to deal with a little early morning traffic and traffic lights. Two people in our group ended up getting stuck at a light and DBF and I told the rest of the group that we were going to wait for them, in case they weren't sure how to get to the start. The activity really picked up once we turned from Muhammad Ali onto 4th Street! It was pretty exciting with all of the runners standing around and the music playing!

Of course, as usual, I had to potty so I ran over to the port-a-pots. OMG last year the line was nearly non-existent. This year, it was incredible. I promised myself 10 minutes to stand in line and no more because Tom and Joey had promised to wait at a specific spot for me (Thanks Tom!) until I got back. I didn't want to take too long and put them in a difficult position. So I left without actually going to the bathroom, which goes against everything I hold dear! LOL It was an entertaining wait, though. Funny people in line to talk to and someone actually opened the door on a man in one of the Pots--he was a GREAT sport about it and when he came out, everybody cheered!

I made it back through the unbelievably massive crowds and somehow managed to find the crew. Within minutes, the race started and off we went--sorta. The crowd was so big that we actually had a little bit of that start fast/stop motion going on. I knew that I was going to have to subtract about 6 minutes from the clock time to have my actual time.

Once everybody started to spread out more on wide Broadway, I was trying to figure out what to do with the jacket I had with me--the jacket that I never intended to wear during the race (I never ran into any family or friends to actually have them hold it before the race). So when we started, I still had it and I didn't even have a good place to drop it because there were just too many people around. About 1/4 mile into the race, Joey and I were still running together and we saw a homeless man on the side of the road. I decided to run back to him and give him my jacket. Sure, it's too small for him but I figured he'd find SOMETHING to do with it. I'd rather him have it then the garbage can anyway.

Mile 1 was nice because I was with Joey for a good part of it. I tried to concentrate on finding a comfortable and challenging pace to run for the duration of the 6.2 miles. I found that pace and stayed with it for about 2 miles--there was a man that was running the same pace as me and we ran side by side during this time. I wish I could tell him thanks--he helped me to keep pushing myself--at least until we got to the first real hill and even though I wanted to push it hard, I stayed more conservative. The guy in the navy shirt ended up pulling ahead just a bit. And I never really caught up to him again. But thanks "navy shirt" man!

When mile 3 approached, I was a little tired but I felt confident to be at the halfway mark. When we turned the corner at KT's Restaurant, I saw several spectators and I was still hoping to see Mom someplace! I looked ahead and see her red coat on the corner--she's looking for me! I start waving but she didn't see me for a few seconds. I was so happy to see her there!!!! When I approahced the next water stop, I took some water in and walked for about 30 seconds to get my focus back. I got right back into it and continued to run as smoothly as I could.

The Mile 5 marker was the turning point for me in this race. My goal for this race was sub 1:05:00, a reasonable time for me, I thought. I was pretty sure that even though I just ran a sub-30 5K two weeks ago, I wouldn't be able to keep that pace for the 6.2 miles. I wanted a challenging but reasonable goal, and I thought that was it. But when I saw the clock time at mile 5, it read 54:xx. I subtracted my 6 minutes and thought--WOW, I COULD POSSIBLY RUN A SUB 1 HOUR 10K!!! It had NEVER crossed my mind that I would even be ABLE to do that, much less shoot for it. But when I saw that clock time, I said "*%&$ it! I'm going to try it!"

There was a group of guys holding up signs for 1-800-GOT-JUNK on the side of the course and when I passed them, I said "Do you guys take junk in your trunk?" LOL Then there were spectators with cowbells and although I knew I hadn't been the first to say it, I couldn't help but scream "MORE COWBELL!!" That interaction helped pump my adrenaline up enough and for about 3/4 mile, I felt fast and strong and even more confident in my ability to run this race faster than I imagined!

Mile 6 popped up and the clock read just over 1:04:00. I thought CRAP--there's no way I'll make it. I actually slowed down a bit--because I didn't think I could make it and also because I knew the hill at the finish was approaching and I wanted to conserve energy! Then I heard a man yell at his friend, "Oh yeah, you got this in under an hour! You could run this under an hour on vacation!" I thought to myself, "DAMMIT STRANGER MAN, YOU'RE RIGHT!" So I didn't let up. I picked it up. I started passing people. I turned the corner and cut a girl off. Sorry. I took off down the straightaway toward the finish and just focused on FINISHING FAST! I rarely sprint to the finish but I did the best I could today! LOL

When I crossed, I didn't even look at the clock time. I looked at my Garmin, which read 59:42. I don't have the official chip time yet but I know that it's going to be close to that, if not dead on. I was overwhelmed with pride for myself and I was just so happy! Unfortunately, there wasn't a soul that I recognized around there, so I was all alone with nobody to share that joy with!

Everybody from RTV did EXTREMELY WELL! Tom is increasing his speed and man, I'm impressed. Joe always finishes with a great time! Lee is the beast of the group, and he did great as usual! Joey came through with a GREAT time, thanks in part to Christian's support during the race. Christian did extremely well and man, we should all be soooo proud! I'm proud of everybody! I hope that our strong performances today help out with the overall team placement in the Triple Crown Team challenge! GO US! I think we'll place better today than we did at the 5K, honestly! We just know how to push ourselves! We also know how to push ourselves over to the Panera Bread for breakfast. We had a nice and relaxed breakfast--we started out quiet but we had good conversation as time went on. I felt like I was stuffing myself silly. LOL

Overall, another GREAT race and I'm so pumped up that I PR'd so well! I shaved nearly 15 minutes off of last year's time for this same race, and that sure does give me something to be proud of!

The Day After 13 Miles

So the morning after my long run of 13 miles yesterday, I wake up. I lay there, stretch out my legs and assess the way my body feels.

Turns out, it feels great. A teeny wee bit stiff, but nothing worth talking about. No pain (except for my foot, which is a lingering pain), no problems, no nothing. I was amazed at how great I felt. I remember when I first started running "long distances" last year at 5 and 6 miles. I felt soreness and stiffness for a couple of days!

My body is finally getting used to the stress of these double digit runs, and I'm sure my recovery-routine helps as well. I'm just excited to know that I can run 13 miles and still have a life that day and the following day!

Happy Sunday everyone!

All in a Day's Work--2 PR's today!

This week's mileage total = 30.2 miles! That's a weekly total PR for me! Also, today, our running group ran a trial run of the route for next week's 10K and Tom and I decided to run it back after we finished it. We ended up getting a total of 13 miles in by the end of it and that's also a distance PR for me!

We had a great time running as usual! The weather was decent enough and it didn't start raining until the second half of the run--and it wasn't even a bad rain.

Running has really been a better friend lately. I went through a tough spell after all of the bad weather (ice storms) and after having some knee pain--running turned into a pure chore and in some cases, an unbearable chore. This week, my running has been strong, consistent and most importantly, it's felt great. I feel like myself again and I'm so happy!

DBF and I went to Swag's (one of our LRSs) yesterday to get some new kicks and DBF ended up with the Saucony ProGrid Guides.



I hope they work out for him! I've already warned him, I've read some great reviews on this model but not good reviews for Saucony's update with the Guide 2. I told him to see how they work for him but consider changing shoes even if they work since so many people feel they flubbed on the new version.

I ended up walking out of Swag's with what I expected--the Mizuno Wave Inspire 4. These are just an update of my favorite running shoe so far. Apparently, not much changed with the 4 and that's great by me!



I probably won't run in these until mid-April, since I bought them to get me into the Mini!! I have to buy some lime green clothes to match them! :) Yes, I'm a girl.

Happy Running everybody!!!

I've never had the desire to run a marathon...

But I've always said I'll revisit the idea once I've successfully completed the Half. I'll let you know how I feel about a full mary come April 26th.

I did, however, watch Run for Your Life: the Story of Fred Lebow and the New York City Marathon today and I enjoyed it. Lots of information I didn't know and great clips of some incredible people. It actually put a piece of the bug inside of me. I will more seriously consider it after the HM now. :)

I just wanted to say that and to reiterate how much I love my boyfriend, my mom, his parents and my running buddies and their families. What a great bunch we are! I don't know who wouldn't love us. LOL

Next up: Post-Mini-Marathon plans.

Happy Anniversary! Anthem 5K Fitness Classic Race Report!

Today's race marked my first anniversary of road racing! The 2008 Anthem 5K Fitness Classic was my first race ever and I was a nervous wreck. I not only had to deal with the nerves of race day but I was also consumed with all of the "rules" and etiquette of racing. I was pretty nervous but still very excited! Today was a MUCH different experience! Meeting with friends, meeting new friends, pre-race routine is down to a science and I just was able to truly enjoy the race this year!

Joey and I drove down to meet the Run the Ville Squad at our pre-determined meeting place and we got right into our warm up, which consisted of 1 mile weaving through the downtown streets. This was perfect though, because the race pretty much involved weaving through people the entire time. LOL

We all headed over to Preston St. because it was getting close to start time and the crowds were filling in. It was amazing to see that people. I heard 9,000-10,000 people were running in today's race. That's INSANE! They separated the walkers and I think that was INSTRUMENTAL in the fluidity of the race today. Yes, there was plenty of bobbing and weaving to do but it wasn't around walker and strollers and that made for a happy bunch of runners.

The first mile flowed as smooth as butter for me. I separated from Joey and started to weave my way through as I picked up my pace a bit. I felt SO STRONG!! I felt comfortable, even though I knew I was running a fast pace for ME. River Road was nice and flat and the sun was out and it was just beautiful this morning! Mile 1 popped up and my watch (chip time) was at 9:05. Great pace for me, that's faster than normal BUT I felt great so I stayed with it.

We took a turn at the Heigold House, which split the field right down the middle.



I noticed that people were starting to fizzle a little but I still had my SIZZLE so I kept a consistent pace. I still felt great so I didn't want to give it up. I saw the only sizable hill approaching me and had a quick inner debate because I saw so many people stopping and not being able to get over the hill easily. Should I take it easy or just go for it? I went all out. Knees up and elbows pumping and I got up that hill like a champ! Still felt great at the top, even if I was a little winded. Mile 2 split appeared after a couple of turns and I was at 17:52! That meant I ran the second mile in under 9 minutes! FANTASTIC.

After that, I felt better than I normally do during any given point of a 5K but I was starting to tire out a bit. I slowed down a little bit so that I could finish stronger rather than faster (plus my stomach wasn't feeling the best all morning, and especially not after stepping in vomit and seeing everyone around me barfing!). I truly felt the worst during the last 3/4 mile or so of the race but I wouldn't give in to any thoughts of walking. I just tried to keep running consistently. The crowds really picked up as we ran further down Main St. and it was such a great atmosphere. Everyone was supportive and cheering and that is always great! I looked over and saw bright yellow and realized it was my teammate, Lee. He had finished up and was running back for a cool down. I was happy to finally see someone familiar!

Eventually, I heard someone say "THERE IT IS!" and I looked up and saw the Finish Line about 500m ahead. I glanced at my watch and saw 27:xx and wondered if I would be able to make it there in 2-3 minutes! I heard someone on the field tell her daughter to "look straight ahead, don't look up at the finish line" and I thought, "Good advice." I just locked onto the white cutoff T-shirt on the man a few steps up from me and kept running solidly.

As I got closer, I heard cheers and screams but didn't know if they were from people I knew or not--I didn't care. They helped! Through the finish into the chute--29:19 on my watch. Great time! I was VERY excited and almost a little emotional and I would have allowed myself to feel those things if I didn't feel like barfing. I didn't--but I thought I was going to.

Overall impression of the race today--excellent. The route changes were FANTASTIC, the separate start for the runners and walkers was brilliant and it was just an overall success, in my opinion. I will continue to run this for as long as I can, as it's my first ever race AND a great race overall.

Did I mention they had cinnamon crunch bagels again this year? They actually had Chik-fil-A biscuits too but I somehow managed to miss them! What a bummer!! Tom, Joe, Lee (Team Run the Ville), Joey, my mom, Joey's parents, and Joe's wife all went for breakfast at Panera and had another nice time.

I want to add that I am totally impressed with Lee's running and I think he's an awesome guy--glad you were able to drive down and hang with us. You rock! I love my "running club" homies! I couldn't ask for anything better!

I pick Redford and Clooney...

I'm watching Season 1 of 30 Rock. Jenna was asking Liz to choose between Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Redford. Between Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Clooney. That's my non-running related contribution for the day.

Back to business. Here's a little pictorial history of this morning's group run:

Yes, this is Southern Parkway. No, this is not what it looked like during today's run. :)



This is Eastern Parkway looking at the Preston intersection. That's White Castle on the left.



Here's Cherokee Triangle...at night!



This morning, we went on a good run through a portion of our city--Iroquois Park to Cherokee Park. I had a great time and even though I think we were a little less chatty than normal, I have to say today seemed to be a more comfortable, more fun and more inspiring run than in a long time. I feel great! I've said before that I really enjoy being out when there are other runners. There's such camaraderie in the running community and it just makes me feel great to pass a runner or a group of runners. And yes, wave. Speak. Smile. Do something to acknowledge my existence in the Running World. I'm not special, no. But I deserve respect, and we're sorta in this together, even though we're doing it separately. I digress.

What made this run stand out from other long runs:

1. There were a couple of funny moments that had me laughing so hard that I didn't think I could keep running.

2. Our "group" just gets better and better.

3. Great route! I'll definitely do that again--as long as I have some company.

4. Denny's. This wasn't necessarily positive. I could smell the pancakes and I could taste the Moons Over My Hammy. I really wanted to eat there.

Solid run, comfortable pace and good company! Feeling pretty good after my ice bath, warm shower, Panera Bread breakfast and a good nap!!!

Nathan Speed 2 Fuel Belt Review

I actually own this model in blue--it looks great! Today was my first run with it and it actually went better than I expected.

Size:

I typically wear a medium pant, but I went with the small belt and it fits reasonably well over my running gear. I would suggest suiting up in your favorite running gear and taking a measurement to get an accurate fit.

Comfort:

As most users say, the belt is only slightly noticeable when you first put it on and start running. Admittedly, I forgot about it after a few steps, which is just what you want. Also, the velcro strap and the limited stretch waistband provide a secure fit without being too tight.

Bounce/Ride:

Zero bouncing. I did have one problem with the belt, however. It started to slide upward during the run, forcing me to adjust it frequently. In fairness, however, this was only a small inconvenience when compared to the great benefits of this belt.

Pockets:

The pockets are sufficient in size--I comfortably carry cash, keys, chapstick and a gu packet or other type of fuel. Cell phone would also fit.

Overall, this is a great product and I definitely recommend it. The 2 bottle (10 ounces each) belt is sufficient for someone completing long runs around 2 hours, depending on your hydration needs. Highly recommended.

The Mile--Honesty is Humbling

If I slowed down, it would have been even worse!

One of my recent goals has been to determine my mile time. I know I ran a mile in just under 10:00 last summer but I didn't push hard intentionally. I've just wanted an initial point of data to reference in the future as I progress. I planned on running the mile today so I decided to head to the track after work, with a Plan B just in case the track was locked or in use. When I got there, the track wasn't being used but the parking lot was. I decided to not fight through the kids and I drove to the neighboring park.

What are all these green things along the entrances to the park, I wondered? Then I saw the sign--PARK TEMPORARILY CLOSED. *sigh*

So I drove to the next closest park, which was about 5 minutes away. That park was open but definitely not a good, flat place to test your mile. But it was the flattest place I had access to at that moment so I worked with it.

This is where I'll confess. I have no idea how to run the mile. I know it seems like you'd just go out there and run and be done with it but my Running gut (not a fatty gut, the soulful gut) tells me there's much more to it than that. After all, there are techniques for running other distances. Why would the mile be any different? But since I don't know "the rules," I winged it the best I could on that semi-hilly concrete loop.

I warmed up for 1 mile, amazed at how smooth and graceful I felt. I was sharing the path with two separate groups but they were respectful of my space, as I was of their's. After the warmup, and some stretching, I took off to run my mile. I'll admit, I started too quickly. I started to feel a burn in my quads and tibialis anterior (muscle in front of shin). I was actually shocked at how quickly I felt the burn. This proves that this was a FAR different workout than I'm used to. Even my speedwork doesn't feel this way--not so early in the workout, at least. I couldn't help but imagine the differences in body type between a sprinter and a distance runner. Amazing.

So anyway, I mentioned I started off too quickly. Well, I did. And I burned out but kept running. I reached the 1/2 mile in 3:59 and kept going. But I just couldn't maintain a pace worth anything. I burned out quickly and ended up having to walk a portion. Totally NOT what I thought would happen. Totally NOT the way I wanted it to go.

Geezy, my Garmin 305, beeped at the 1 mile mark. I was happy it was over but disappointed in my performance. However, I'm very glad to know the time now, even if it's not necessarily the best, or even the most accurate. It's just good to have something to work from and a way to measure my improvement.

And trust me, improvement is coming.

Sugar and shoes...an update of sorts

Today is Wednesday, which I typically refer to as "Long Day at Work, Speedwork and No Time for Myself Day." Today though, I decided to do things a bit differently. I hurriedly got my work done and cut out of work about 45 minutes early. Though I truly DID intend to get my workout in, when I got home I decided against it. I just don't feel rested or 100% strong and it seems like lately, there's just always a nagging pain. Right now, it's my left knee and ITBS. I just haven't felt 100% in a long time and this is new to me. Even after my long runs a couple of months ago, I would recover in a day (after a new distance) and feel pretty good. I feel like I might have increased the pace too soon, as I increased my distance very safely. But who knows--every body is different. I have to remind myself that just because I'm CAPABLE of something doesn't necessarily mean I have to do it. It's hard to remember that when you're having fun and feeling good at that moment--and when you want so badly to see improvements.

On the other hand, I'm a runner, right? Are these pains something I'm just "supposed" to live with? I can't accept that. I went so long without having to live with it, why start now? So I'm revising my plan--for the Mini, I have a soft goal of sub 2:30:00. I will continue to follow my training schedule, as it's been VERY beneficial for me. But I will no longer push my pace much faster than scheduled. I want to be healthy. I want to run many more races than just this April's HM. I want to be strong and feel good and run for many years.

As for the Mini--I've been contemplating what my choice of shoe will be. Right now, I'm leaning toward buying a new pair of Mizuno Inspires--they've been a sturdy and comfortable running shoe for my foot. I'd like to try a new shoe but I'm running out of time for experimentation.

Now to sugar--I REALLY have been wanting to cut down on my intake of refined sugar. It's SO hard to do this! For those of you who have overhauled your diet or who have significantly cut down on your intake of sugar, let me know HOW you did it, WHAT you replaced it with and how it made you feel. I just can't imagine doing this but I KNOW it's something I need to seriously do. HELP!!!!

So happy running everyone, keep in touch and have a good rest of the week!