It was the best news I had received in a long time. I found out, as I was making my way to Minnesota, that I was chosen to be one of the 2017 Race Ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon.
I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am to take on this role. I absolutely love being an encourager and this opportunity gives me the chance to help people take steps to meet their goals at the Kentucky Derby Marathon or Mini Marathon.
Seriously…EXCITED!!
All that being said…if you register within the next two (2) weeks, you can take 10% off your registration by using the code:
KDFR4R08
When you register (see, I said when not if)…be sure to select my name – Karen Brady – from the “Ambassador Referral” on the application.
Just go here and register. Simple. Easy. Motivational.
Me crossing the finish line of the Minnesota Half Marathon – St. Paul, MN
Race: Minnesota Half Marathon
Place: St. Paul, Minnesota
Date: August 6, 2016
Time: 1:41:24
Two weeks ago, I had a plan. I was to run 12 miles…either around my grandpa’s neighborhood in Minnesota…or with my friend Julie (depending on her schedule) somewhere in the Minneapolis area. Neither came into fruition, because Southwest had that computer meltdown that literally grounded and cancelled flights that entire weekend. So, while my family was in Minnesota, celebrating my grandpa’s 95th birthday, I was still in Indiana…and Southwest was willing to reschedule for up to 2 weeks out. And after checking with my aunt and my grandpa about their schedules…I was rescheduled to visit now at the beginning of August instead. The rest of my family would be back in Alabama, but I would get a bit more one-on-one time with my grandpa, aunt, and cousins (and their families). So, there were pros and cons.
It just so happened that in my current marathon training schedule, my long run for that weekend was a 13 mile run. And, as luck would have it…there was a local half marathon running on Saturday.
Maybe this was meant to be.
There were a lot of things that compelled me to sign up for the Minnesota Half Marathon. For one thing…if I’m going to put in the time and miles, why not get a medal for it? Another reason…it benefited the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and a friend of mine is currently in Chicago at the Ronald McDonald House with her niece, who is being treated for cancer…and kicking cancer’s ass if I do say so myself. Also…there was an inline skating division. Yes…roller bladers were invited to also do the 13.1 mile course. I have never been part of a race with an inline skating division. So cool. OH…and the course…has you running right along the Mississippi River the entire time. Sounded perfect to me. And so…as a rather last minute decision, I registered and packed my racing gear in my luggage.
Caribou Coffee!!!!!
Upon arriving in Minneapolis, after a much-needed and fantastic stop at Caribou Coffee at the airport, my roommate and I got our rental car and headed out to St. Paul…down to The Running Room to pick up my packet. We arrived just slightly before they opened (let’s hear it for making good time!), so we went up the street and killed some time in CVS, before heading back down to the store and stepping inside. There was a small table set up with a laptop, some race bibs, and boxes of t-shirts off to the side. A young woman was manning the table and she asked my name, typed it into the computer, and grabbed the next race bib on the stack (2490), took a sharpie and marked the half marathon checkbox, and told me to grab my size t-shirt. That was it. Super easy.
French Meadow Bakery’s Gluten Free & Vegan Cornmeal Waffle
From there, we headed over to Minneapolis to hit up the grocery store (I was cooking 2 meals while there AND making dessert), and then get to grandpa’s house. We let ourselves in…and he was inside and very happy to see me there. We were, of course, already ready for some lunch. We invited Grandpa along, but he was tired from his trip earlier in the week that he took. So, Cathy and I packed up and headed out to one of our favorite places to eat while in Minnesota…French Meadow Bakery. I was cooking dinner that night for my Grandpa, aunt, my cousin Natalie, and my cousin Molly and her family (hubby and 3 kids)…and I was making BigMAC Potatoes. I normally do gluten-free pizza before a race, but since I was treating this as a training run, I figured it was fine to change things up. Who knows…maybe I’d stumble across something that worked better. Cathy ordered the Mac & Cheese for lunch and I went with the Gluten Free & Vegan Cornmeal Waffle (which is topped off with bananas, toasted walnuts, and a toffee syrup). Because…we all know how much I love breakfast. We devoured our food and did a little bit of shopping at the Electric Fetus (that’s a record store, in case you were wondering), a Half Price Books, and then went back to home base, as I needed to bake the Gluten Free Strawberry Streusel Bars that I brought ingredients (yep…I brought the last 2 jars of my strawberry jam to Minnesota for this) to bake specifically for the birthday peeps (my aunt celebrated her birthday a few days after my grandpa did). The dessert needed to cool for 2 hours, so I got it baking and then settled in to talk and hang out with grandpa for a little while. Eventually, my aunt came home from work and Molly & Co. arrived. Molly volunteered to make her famous green beans…and I was excited about eating them because they sounded SO good. I put Cathy on the task of rinsing, poking, and rubbing the potatoes down with a light bit of olive oil. We got them in the oven, since it would take about an hour to bake, and then I got to work on the lentils, which would make the “meat” portion of the vegan dish. Soon, we had everything cooked and we settled down at the table, where I walked everyone through how to assemble their potatoes. And we devoured them and half of the Strawberry Streusel Bars too. Vegan cooking FTW!!
The Olympics were starting that evening, so the opening ceremonies were put on the screen and while I foam rolled (and taught my cousins all about foam rolling and the stick!), I watched what Brazil was bringing to the world stage for these 2016 Summer Olympic Games. I was exhausted, as I had been up since 12:45 am to squeeze in all my stretches, warm up, and manage a short (2 mile) run and shower before my ride to the airport had arrived at 4 am. But, as the United States were walking in the E’s (Los Estados Unidos!), I was at least able to stay up and see Michael Phelps carry in the flag. Once that happened, I was in bed and setting 2 alarms for the morning routine for a race.
The first alarm came WAY too soon, but I got up, went through the first part of my race-day routine, and then climbed back into bed for about another hour. The second alarm was go-time…so I had to get up, get changed, eat something, and get to the race. I managed to get into my race outfit before checking the weather and discovering that it was currently 57 degrees outside. So, bra top wasn’t going to work. I came prepared with 3 different singlets though, so I grabbed my purple Boston one and slipped it on. That would do. Cathy was up just as I stuck a bagel in the oven to toast for her and prepped my oatmeal cup I brought with me.
So…basically I was doing EVERYTHING that they advise against in preparation for this half marathon. I forewent the pizza the night before…I stayed up late…I ate a big bowl of oatmeal pre-race (I usually have a serving of cereal before leaving for the race and then a banana 30 minutes before the race)…I was testing out Skratch as a form of fuel (as my current fuel has been giving me stomach cramps)…and I didn’t give myself any time to stretch, do my PT exercises, my dynamic warmup stuff, or my plyometrics…yep…I was doing it all wrong and just hoping for the best. HA! Good thing I wasn’t racing this.
Pre-race nap in the rental car
After we ate, I quickly brushed my teeth, filled up one water bottle in my fuel belt with water, the other with Skratch, and grabbed my banana. Then, we were off to the races. Via a detour. Where Cathy managed to get where we needed to be without even trying. Talk about luck! She got us parked in the parking garage the race site recommended to park in…with time to kill.
So…I took a nap.
No joke. I took a freakin’ nap.
Ah…my power naps are so…awesome.
After about 2o minutes, we decided to head on down toward the start line so that we wouldn’t feel crushed for time. One problem…we couldn’t figure out how to efficiently get down to the ground level over by the river. Hmmm…
The Minnesota Half Marathon has an inline skating division…HOW COOL!
After a few false starts and a lot of back and forths…and many stair wells and elevators, we figured it out and got down to where we needed to be. From there, we followed all the runners toward the start area. And I immediately ducked into the long lines for the port-a-potties. Apparently potatoes and oatmeal make me have to pee. I rarely make use of the port-a-potties…and the lines were LONG. Cathy found me in time to pass of my banana at 6:45 am…as the half marathon was to go off at 7:15 am. The inline skaters were sent of at 7 am. The bathroom lines had a TON of inline skaters in them and as the time ticked down and the lines barely moved…they had to move to the front or miss the start. Banana…bathroom…time to watch the inline skaters go before getting myself ready to run. There were some seriously incredible skaters who lined up…but the majority were casual racers. Still…it was pretty awesome to see them take off. Some were SUPER fast.
After they were out of the starting area, the half marathon runners were asked to line up. So, I hopped into the start area…just behind the 1:40 pacer. I had no pace expectations…just to run comfortably. It was a training run, after all. We were sent off a few minutes early, to be sure.
But I was off.
Me…heading out at the start of the Minnesota Half Marathon in St. Paul, MN.
This race was beautiful. The entire run is done along the Mississippi River. The roads are closed to traffic, so it’s just you, the runners, the river, and…the occasional struggling roller blader. This course was reversed from the years previous to help make the last 5 miles a bit flatter. You know what that means? The hills hit in the first half of the race. Some of these climbs brought some more of the novice roller bladers to a stop, or to a crawl (while clinging to the cement divider on the road), but I just worked my way up them. I’m still trying to get my spring and speed back when it comes to hills. That being said…I just adjusted my stride and pushed on.
We turned around just before Mile 4 to head back toward the start area, so any downhill we had, now was an uphill. There was a small amount of support out on the side of the road…but mostly I enjoyed listening to the pacers whenever they were around. OH…and the one guy who was totally flirting with this girl in the 1:40 group. He literally turned to her and said, “I like your pace!” Um…right…
Anyway…the run beside the river was quite pleasant…even though most of these miles were put in right in full sun. Yeah…I was regretting not just doing the bra top at this point. The singlet was light…but I would have been way more comfortable without the fabric.
At Mile 5, I decided to take a risk and try out some of the Skratch that I picked up samples of to see how it did as a fuel. By Mile 6, the pacer in front of me was telling the runners that were with him that it would be a good time to gu. LOL! One good thing about running so close to a pace group, was I knew when “the last hill” would be hitting. I let them go soon after Mile 8. This is also the point of the race where all the runners are sent past the finish line. Seriously…we had to run up the road for another few miles before turning around again. This is the second race I’ve done in Minnesota where we are sent past the finish area…like a tease…
This is me…running past the finish line area just after Mile 8. What a tease!
Cathy saw me and was screaming and cheering. And I gave a wave and continued on. Mile 10…more Skratch…but I was feeling a bit tired. So, I knew Skratch was not going to be a good fuel for my upcoming marathon. UGH. This means that I am back to square one on the whole nutrition/fueling thing. MEH. I had a backup Huma gel, but I was only 3 miles from the finish, so I stuck it out. Just before Mile 11, we make the turn and run back toward the finish area, this time…to finish for real. This involved a bit of a hill climb…and then it was just over 2 miles to hit that finish line.
With the gentle breeze coming off the river, I relaxed, settled into my pace, and just made my last couple of miles count. I could see the finish line ahead and started to pick it up as much as I could manage. And…I even managed to pass up another female runner right at the finish line. You see that line, you sprint, dammit. SPRINT. Even I do that, and I don’t sprint. I am not a sprinter. LOL!
Anyway…upon finishing, I was given my Minnesota-shaped finisher’s medal and took some time to walk through the recovery area. I was introduced to Aspire Sports Drink, which is made with natural ingredients and doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. It was AMAZING. I tried 4 of the 6 flavors. Only 35 calories per bottle too. Gotta love it. I eased out of my racing shoes and into my flip flops for recovery. And, after a bit of walking…Cathy and I went to get some coffee at the nearby Caribou Coffee (of course), before heading back to Minneapolis so I could change and then hang out with my friend Heather for some lunch and shopping that afternoon.
Me with the Mississippi River behind me…after the finish of the Minnesota Half Marathon – St. Paul, MN
So, my official results of the Minnesota Half Marathon is that I finished in 1:41:24, which is only 6 seconds slower than my finish at Derby. AND…my Garmin had this course at 13.25 miles exactly. Anyway, I was 86/1164 finishers overall. I was 16/640 women to cross the finish line. And I was 3/87 people in the 35-39 female division! Third in my age division. HOLLA!! Imagine if I had been racing this thing (but I know better…and I am SO close to my marathon this year!).
I had a lot of fun at this race. Not only did it benefit a great cause, but it was a fantastic way to work in a training run. Afterwards, I went and had delicious Mexican food for lunch and walked the Mall of America with one of my best friends in life…Heather…who brought along her 8 month old niece…and we had a blast. It was a perfect start to a perfect visit to Minnesota. Gorgeous course…challenging…and if you aren’t feeling up to the half distance, they also offer an unusual 6K distance as well.
On Sunday…my grandpa…my running inspiration…my road hero…one of my favorite people in this world…turned 95 years old.
I think everyone is aware of the computer outages that totally screwed over the entire flight pattern over the days that followed. Unfortunately…this meant…my flights…
…to Minnesota…
…for grandpa’s 95th birthday.
A recent statement on Southwest Airlines Web site said:
The computer glitch which occurred last Wednesday resulted in a backlog of flights that stranded Southwest passengers all over the country. It took a while for the schedule to get back to normal because flight crews had to be rearranged and rested, according to federal safety regulations. By Sunday, Southwest was still cancelling flights, but not as many.
Here’s what I really think went down…
Regardless of what happened…it really screwed my weekend plans over. I had been looking forward to this trip to Minnesota. The entire family (well…minus my brother, his wife, and his kiddliewinks) was going to be there to celebrate the big day, which fell on Sunday. I was making plans with my mom for cooking, making plans with my sister for shopping and coffee, making plans with friends there to have lunch, talk, run, hang out…
And then Southwest…oh…Southwest…you had to screw it all up. You had to kill my weekend…dead. Southwest…we are currently NOT on speaking terms…
*sigh*
It’s really disappointment. I know Southwest didn’t set out to screw millions of people out of their travel plans and vacations. I don’t blame the stranded/misplaced flight crews…
….but, let’s face it. It sucks. Mightily.
I’ll give it to Southwest, though, they were willing to work with me. First on Friday, after my flight all-out cancelled before I even left Louisville. And then, again, on Saturday after the flight in Louisville was delayed…and the connecting flight in Midway was…yep…CANCELLED. Of course, it didn’t cancel until after I would have been there, had I hopped that flight in Louisville. So, making the decision to NOT fly on Saturday was not easy, but it was a good call.
Anyway…the Southwest people rescheduled without any problem, hassle, or extra charge.
And…in two weeks…I’ll finally get to go to Minnesota to see my grandpa. Granted, it isn’t when the rest of my family is there…and it’s after the big event…but it will be good, quality time. I already intend to do something birthday related for him while I am visiting. I am SO looking forward to this!
That being said, Sunday went off well for Grandpa…who was surrounded by his children, some of his grandchildren, and most of his great-grandchildren.
Grandpa with Luella, Torin, Emery, Baileigh, Chace, and Landon – 6 of his 10 great-grand children!
I wish I could have been there! But, I am looking forward to some extra one-on-one time with one of my favorite people on this Earth!! See you in 2 weeks, Grandpa!!
And, Southwest, let’s not cancel on me this time, okay? Because I will make a point to get to Minnesota this time. One way or another…
I much prefer to be INSIDE the plane though. HA!! See you in a few weeks, Grandpa!
The mileage is totally going up as my race in early September creeps closer and closer. And as there weren’t any running plans being tossed around with the normal group I run with…I made plans to run with a couple of speedy guys in Frankfort, Kentucky on Saturday. We were doing 18 miles. And for the first 13 miles…we were running the Kentucky History Half Marathon course (which is hilly hell)…and then we were going to run to their neighborhood for the additional 5 miles.
This started off really well, and the first 13 miles went great. After that…it all came apart and went to hell. We started off this massive hill and it was just like…my legs didn’t want to move anymore. They were feeling fantastic up until that point. And this…this just killed me. Nothing messes with your head more than having a great run go bad. I felt bad, slowing down the speediest of the group, as he wanted to do the 18 miles at his MP, and I was running at least a minute slower than he needed to be running. When I hit the hill…it was even worse. The struggle…was more than real. It occurred to me that my September race was going to be way harder than this, and the fact that this course completely shattered my confidence I had been building up.
Top: Kentucky History Half Marathon Course Elevation Bottom: My September Marathon race
It was brutal and after I sent one of the runners on, and the other one never got past the 13 mile mark because he stopped to talk… got myself a bit lost and turned around in a city I really know nothing about. I might have cried a little. And ugly crying and a bad run make everything worse. SO…I ended up turning around, heading back toward downtown, and rounding off the mileage on my own. I got there, but it wasn’t pretty and I felt pretty defeated the rest of the day. But, on the plus side, I did get the mileage in and I stepped a bit outside of my comfort zone to do it too.
So, when I went on my little shakeout this morning, I had a little heart-to-heart with myself as I ticked off a couple of easy miles. And that is…my new focus…and I leave it to The Doctor to share it with you…
I get so down on myself and hard on myself regarding the paces I can hold, maintain, or even run at different points of the week. Right now, I need to just focus on the whole…running thing…and less on how much or little time it takes me. Let’s face it. A 7 mile hill climb at the start of a marathon is going to SUCK…and right now, I should focus on just prepping myself mentally as well as physically by simply setting the numbers and data aside…and basically…just running.
And with all that being said…the best thing ever happened this past week as plans for my September race started falling into place. One thing that is going to be entirely necessary is having people around to get me through what will likely be a challenging and…humbling race. And all the ladies that are traveling with me are on board. And I feel a LOT better about at least my post-race stuff thanks to that simple fact.
The gang is getting back together. It’s been way too long since the four of us have gone on an adventure. And I promise not to get my purse stolen this time…
Anyone else watching the Tour de France? I was watching it yesterday and was just blown away by the way these cyclists command that course. They are amazing and inspiring. Seriously, it does make me want to get back on my road bike…but ever since taking that spill and having so much trouble unclipping…I just haven’t felt like risking my bones and body in another potential fall. So, I’m watching all these athletes cycling like mad on the roads of France and they’re just…FLYING!
And I get on a bike and I feel like…
True story! Well, the only way to get better at something is to practice, practice, practice. I am going to look at getting my clips loosened…or possibly new pedals. We’ll see what happens after that. Fact of the matter is…I want to get back on my bike.
My other favorite thing this week…going over to Bryan & Michelle’s house on Friday night, eating Daiya pizza, watching Kung Fu Panda 3, drinking a little wine (Reggae Red Wine), and just having more laughs than I’ve had all week. Seriously…it was just the unwinding that I needed at the right time. And I love these two. Two of the best friends I’ve made since moving to the area.
And…SHE. BOUGHT. PIZZA. I. CAN. EAT! So much love! I was eagerly eyeing them in the oven ready to devour. We all know…pizza is my favorite!
I made Gluten Free and Vegan S’mores for dessert. I think Michelle now wants a kitchen torch (which is how I toasted said marshmallows)!
They were a hit!
Pizza party, Panda, and discussion of what a Chi Biscuit would include. HA!! God, I love my friends.
And that was pretty much my weekend! It was a decent week leading into the weekend. And when my Saturday night finishes up with dinner at Shalimar (mmm…Indian food!), it’s a good time.
Speaking of movies…last night I watched the movie Chef. It had been on my list for awhile, and all my friends kept telling me I had to see it. They were right. I loved it. It made me really want to go to culinary school. Maybe not to run a food truck…or…perhaps…to run a food truck. HA! If you haven’t seen it…get on Netflix and watch it. You will thank me for it.
So, that was pretty much my week. Sort of a bumpy ride…but more ups (mentally and physically, HA!) than downs.
How do you overcome challenges? Ever have a run fall apart on you? How do you mentally and physically recover? I want to know!!
Oh…it’s National Ice Cream Day…so…scoop up some goodness today!!
And let’s face it…the Olaf/Frozen/In Summer references don’t get old. Because…it’s Olaf. And Olaf is awesome. Anyone who says so has no soul.
Summer is H-O-T. HOT! So hot. And while I prefer to train in the heat…the one thing I do suffer through (like most other people) is the humidity. And being that I live in the Ohio River Valley…it’s pretty damn humid. Like…all the time. One morning, this past week, I got up to run and it was 84 degrees at 4 am. That’s not normal! And it’s not even July yet.
With all that being said, how about I highlight some of the things that made this hot and stormy week a little cooler…
1. Game of Thrones
So, last Sunday was, possibly, one of the best episodes of Game of Thrones. The battle scene, shown above, was one of the most intense and best things I have ever seen on television. Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow, was amazing in this episode and totally deserves to win some awards. I mean, he really had 100 horses charging at him. That is not CGI!! Unfortunately, my HBO Now stream was locked up (as was the rest of the world, apparently), so I ended up having to stay up an hour later than usual to actually watch the episode. I was NOT looking forward to spending an entire day off the Interwebs if I saved it to watch the following day. It was totally worth it, but damn, it through off the rest of my week for sure.
All that being said, tonight is the season finale! OMG!!! I hope HBO Now isn’t bogged down this week and that the finale lives up to this past week…because…DAMN!
2. Blueberry Picking
First of all…yes…I picked the blueberries pictured above. I went to Bryant’s Blueberries with the intention of only picking 5 pounds of berries…but the crop of Blue Crop berries this week were AMAZING! I mean…big and ripe and awesome. Oh yes…I was in a good place. So, as it was bound to happen…I got 10 more pounds. WORTH IT. These are the best blueberries I have ever had. Forget anything you get in the store. I don’t know if more jam will be in the future, but I think some blueberry bagels and/or waffles and/or pancakes will be happening. And blueberry muffins are definitely happening.
3. Louisville City FC…SOCCER BABY!! So, on Tuesday (which meant I did my hill repeats in the heat of the day…after 2 spin classes on Monday), and last night, I was at Louisville Slugger Field, not for baseball…but for soccer!! I am a season ticket holder to Louisville’s very own professional soccer team. In fact, last night’s match was broadcast on ESPN3. Which is pretty cool. We also had our highest attendance record to date, finally breaking that 10,000 mark. In fact, it was 10, 062 showed up for the match last night.
But, beyond that, after the match on Tuesday night, I got to get my picture with my favorite player this year, Enrique Montano (#20). I look horrible in the picture, as I still had my hat on (I hate hats), and I had been melting in that heat I had been speaking about…but this picture is…awesome! I love when the payers come over to the midfield section to meet the fans. And Montano is very good about that. Happiness.
If you’re local and haven’t made it to a Louisville City FC match yet…stop delaying. Our team leads our division…so we’re pretty awesome. It’s worth it
4. Fun Hair I don’t think it will last for long, but on Wednesday afternoon, I went to my hairdresser and we got a little funky with my hair. Teal. Yes…I dyed my hair teal. Not all of it, but quite a bit of it. The problem is, I workout and run quite often, so I sweat. And my hair, just being blonde, doesn’t hold color too well. So, I’m enjoying it while it lasts, but it’s already, sadly, fading.
5. Roadside Assistance
I’m not talking about AAA or the local trucks that stop and help out stranded drivers. Nope. I’m talking about a super-amazing project that I am a part of with some great friends of mine. One of my girls, Indy (aka: Jennifer), had a spark of genius about creating a project that centers around the songs released off of Peter Cincotti’s new album. Since Exit 105 was released the other day, Indy put together a Tumblr blog and posted a recipe already for a cocktail based off the song “Long Way From Home.” So from now until Peter’s birthday on July 11th, we’ll be developing and sharing recipes inspired by the songs on the EP. These will be shared everywhere we can think to post them, but will also be collected onto a Tumblr blog-http://exit105-roadside-assistance.tumblr.com/ Check it out!!
And if you are unfamiliar with the talent of Peter Cincotti…discover him…NOW!
Did you do anything amazing, fun, and/or exciting this past week? Ever dye your hair a crazy color? Got any fun plans for the upcoming 4th of July holiday?
HOLY HILLS, BATMAN!! Seriously…we’re talking some ELEVATION!!
Here’s the deal…when I first started back to running, my physical therapist, Katie, had me specifically working on…hills. Why? Well, when you come back form a hip labrum tear…the hip muscles remain weak. And…sadly…for me as I stare at that elevation chart…I truly understand why this was the first thing she had me working on. You see, by simply pushing off to run, your hip extensor muscles are working overtime. But they work even harder when you are running uphill. And guess what doesn’t want to fire correctly for me all the time since my injury and very slow return to running. You guessed it…the hips. They are weak from the tear for sure…and the time off…but the hip adductor, especially, was quite the issue when I was in physical therapy. Once some of the strength in my legs evened out and balanced…well…there was a bit more power…but…it’s nowhere near where it used to be.
Needless to say, hill repeats are now a part of my Tuesday routine.
This does not thrill me…nor do I enjoy having to do them, but you’re supposed to train for the race you are running and obviously…mine has quite a lot of climbing involved. I may not like it, but I gotta do it.
I’ve gone out to run hills twice now. Last week, I thought I did pretty good. I am slow on the uphill climbs…especially the steeper it goes, but I could keep up with the group of 5 that came out to do them. So, that was good. This week, however…this week all the local hill climb elites were out or something because they were all…
And I felt like I was being left in the dust. I was lapped on EVERY hill. Seriously. And I was pushing as hard as I could manage…I just wasn’t getting the power. So while they are all up, up and away…I felt like I was more…
I might be able to leave them in the dust with horizontal running, LOL!! I know, the more I do it, the better I will get at it. It was a very humbling, and at the same time, frustrating experience. I ran hills from winter into spring and was hoping to see a bit more power and strength for having done so…but it’s not there. Not yet.
Maybe one day I will know what it is like to be that runner who sees a hill and can just…
But for now…I’ll be huffing and puffing and pushing as hard as my legs can push to get me up each steep incline, only to turn around, jog easily to the bottom…and do it all again. The only way to get better…is to keep doing it. The only way to get stronger…is to never give up.
Find your strong, friends. And do something that scares you.
Sometimes the hardest things in life to do is to branch out of the norm and try something new. However, the only way to grow, to experience, and to become…is to step outside of your comfort zone. I certainly did that a couple of times this week…and it’s not easy…it’s quite scary…but it’s helping me more than I can even see at the moment.
As the holiday weekend is shifting into gear, and I have an extra day off from work, I’m trying not to focus on everything I’ll have to attempt to do to stay caught up at work the four days I’ll be there, and instead focusing on a few things that I get to enjoy while not working on Monday.
YAY!
So…with that sort of attitude in mind…here are a few things that have made this week amazing.
1. Clipping Into A Road Bike
Me on my 2nd attempt at riding – 5 miles – before I took my first (of many) falls.
I made huge progress this week with riding my road bike. BB-8 has been sitting against the wall of my room in the apartment…but I wasn’t able to ride him until I had him properly fitted. And I had that done last week…and was eager to get on the bike and ride. It’s scary, using clipless pedals on a bike outside. But, my first attempt was twice around the parking lot without any issues. I was feeling confident on Friday night. And then on Saturday afternoon, I headed back out…deciding I’d still keep to the parking lot, but aim for mileage. So I did 5 miles. In my last mile…I was making a turn, and a car came out…and I panicked. I attempted to brake and forgot that I was clipped in, so I tried to put my foot down, was stuck, tried to unclip, but was now off-balance and BOOM…down I went. Totally crashed down on my right hip and side. The right hip is the injured hip, but, I thankfully have some nice padding there and just came out of it with a bit of road rash on my elbow and lower arm, a scraped up right knee, and a bit of a bruised ankle. I was fine…more embarassed than anything. The driver, a young 20-something, stopped and hopped out of his car, asking me if I needed help, but I was already unclipped and pulling myself back up. I told him I was fine and I took a few deep breaths, clipped back in, and finished my ride. After that, I had enough for the night.
2. Finishing up the Disney Animated Movies In Order Movie Marathon It took two (2) years, but last night, Cathy and I finished up our attempt to watch every single Disney Animated Movie (available on DVD or Blu-Ray, or for purchase to view on Netflix/Hulu/Amazon) in order from their theater release date. We started with Snow White over two years ago and last night wrapped it up with The Good Dinosaur. Zootopia comes out in a couple of weeks, and we will watch that after I purchase it, but as of last night…we completed our bucket list goal of watching every single Disney (and later Pixar) animated feature, including a few hybrids like Mary Poppins, Tron, and Tron: Legacy. It was a lot of fun revisiting some films…and realizing they were either better than I remembered (Oliver & Company)…or worse than I remembered (The Sword & The Stone)…and some I hadn’t seen yet and was surprised I liked (Planes and Planes: Fire & Rescue). Next up, after we view a few movies we have been meaning to watch, but had Disney taking over our lives…Spielberg movies. YAY!
3. Strawberries…Strawberries For Days…
Jars of my homemade strawberry jam…processed and ready for giving away!
On Sunday morning, I ran in the Run For The Berries 5K up in Starlight, Indiana. I love this race, and hadn’t run it since 2013 due to other commitments (2014 Buffalo Marathon) and injury (all of 2015). One of my favorite things about this race is the big bowl of strawberries I purchase after running. This year, I turned in an amazing time (not a PR), clocked a new fastest mile (6:48) and conquered some hills. I came in first in my age division as well…which was exciting. But one of my favorite things to do after the 5K and scoping out the festival is to drive over to Huber’s Family Farm and buy a LOT of strawberries. I got enough to use with my yogurt bowls, my PB&J Breakfast Bowls, and to make some homemade strawberry jam. YUMMY!! I do love my berries!!
When you are a Celiac, simple pleasures like soft pretzels don’t happen every day. In fact, they happen very infrequently. Unless, you live near my local allergen-free bakery here in Louisville, Kentucky. Every Wednesday, Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, on Frankfort Avenue, host Soft Pretzel Wednesday, offering three varieties of pretzels each week: Salt, Cinnamon-Sugar, and Everything. And, every week they are amazing. But there was something so delicious about this past week’s pretzels. They were the perfect size. They had that perfect crust on the outside and chewy center in each bite. Serious pretzel perfection. I was one happy lady!
5. The Monkees So, it’s Memorial Day. And after my morning run and a little bit of final grocery shopping for stuff I realized I needed but forgot to put on the list, didn’t realize needed to be on the list, or just didn’t buy enough of something. So, while working in the kitchen and around the apartment, Cathy and I threw on the DVDs of The Monkees. I can still recite the episodes from memory…that’s how much I watched these. HAHA!! Seriously, you don’t get nicknamed Monkeegirl in school without having The Monkees to thank for it. It’s been amusing to revisit these episodes and just…relax and enjoy the holiday off of work. Their latest album was released on Friday…I haven’t gotten out to FYE to purchase it.
On Sunday morning, Cathy & I met up with Amanda & Richie (that’s Cathy’s sister and brother-in-law) at the Outlets of the Bluegrass in Simpsonville, Kentucky for some shopping and hanging out and just escaping real life for a moment. Amanda said she needed help finding shoes for her maxi dress and I found her a cute, strappy pair. I finally replaced the Sketchers that I use as my airport shoes/spin class shoes (they slip on and off), I purchased a new sports bra, Amanda found some shorts, Richie got some shoes and shirts…it was a successful day. And then…we went to one of my favorite places to eat…Tazikis Mediterranean Grill in Louisville, on Shelbyville Road. LOVE their food. And they do a good job with food allergies…when they remember to prepare the dish properly. The past two times, they have had to remake my dish…but it gets fixed. They are normally much better than that. If you haven’t eaten there yet…you need to. Check to see if there is one in your area! Healthy, amazing food. I love their Dolmades Plate (the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves done gluten-free) and Cathy, Amanda and Richie got their favorites…the Lamb Gyro. I love good times and good eats with good friends!
7. Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck & Steel City Pops
Gluten Free The Eccentric Crepe from Sweet ‘N Savory and a Strawberry Lemonade Popsicle & Pineapple Popsicle from Steel City Pops
On Saturday, after the Strawberry Festival and before heading to Annie May’s for treats for that evening and the following morning, Cathy and I stopped by the Fleur de Flea at Waterfront Park. The main reason…Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck. It’s under new ownership, but the crepes are still being done 100% gluten-free. And they are using all of Richard & Ashley’s recipes. The new owner, Brandon, knows the importance of keeping things gluten free as his wife is a Celiac. So the truck and recipes are in good hands. Brandon was on his own when we arrived, only one of his crepe stones functioning, and his help not having shown up yet. Service was slow, but as always, worth the wait. He was doing the best he could with what he had, for sure. I got one of my favorites…The Eccentric. OM NOM NOM!! And afterwards, while we normally would get the gelato, I had heard so much about Steel City Pops, we decided to try them out. Cathy got the Strawberry Lemonade popsicle and I went with the Pineapple. OMG…I’m stopping by the store on Bardstown Road and buying a bunch of flavors…these were phenomenal. All natural…gluten-free…vegan…and amazing. LOVE helping out local businesses!
I hope everyone has been enjoying their long weekend, spending time with people that mean the world to them, and eating amazing things!! And I hope everyone took some time to remember those who fought and died for this country that we live in and the freedoms we enjoy!
Me crossing the finish line of the Run For The Berries 5K – Starlight, Indiana
Race: Run for the Berries 5K
Place: Starlight, Indiana
Date: May 28, 2016
Time: 22:24
There are a lot of things people run for. For some…beer. For some…donuts. For some…pizza. For others…wine. For me…FRUIT!! I love fruit. There is nothing quite as amazing as a giant bowl of cold, wet watermelon after a hot summer run. In fact, this is my favorite thing to eat in the summer after I run…whether it’s a short weekday run or that long slow distance on the weekend!
So, trust me, whenever the Run For The Berries 5K rolls around every year…I’m always eager to take part. Why? Because strawberries…EVERYWHERE. Yes…I will run for berries. Hell, I’ll run for any type of fruit, honestly. YUMMY!! And while you don’t get any for free, there is nothing better than rewarding yourself after a hard run with a big bowl of strawberries and a cold frozen strawberry drink.
I wasn’t actually signed up this year for the Run For The Berries 5K in Starlight, Indiana this year. Like I said, every race has sort of been a last-minute decision thing due to the hip issues and how I never know exactly how I’m going to feel from one day to another. I haven’t actually participated in the Run For The Berries 5K since 2013 (when I was in my best racing shape…and at my fastest). In 2014, I was in Buffalo, New York for the Buffalo Marathon, and last year I wasn’t running anything…at all. I was a miserable pile of non-running self-pity and hurty hip things. So, it was nice to come back to this one. This is my fourth time running this local 5K and I will always do it whenever I am able.
Today…despite some slight twinging in the hip first thing in the morning…I was going to do it. I filled out the registration form at work on Friday and had it all set to go in the morning. Cathy offered to pay my $25 registration fee because…bills…bills have been plaguing me recently and I am slightly broke at the moment. So that was awesome. So I got up early (4:00 am) to get my PT stretches, dynamic warmup, and some plyometrics in prior to the race. I did my core work as well. And then made a dash (in the car) up to Kroger because I needed a pre-race banana. This is not a want…this is a NEED. I went ahead and grabbed a few other necessary groceries while I was out. Got home just before 6:00 am. Cathy and I had some cereal for breakfast with some coffee (for the kid and adult in each of us) and proceeded to keep saying we needed to get off the couch and get moving, but neither of us really making an effort. Ah well. The good thing was, any tenderness or soreness in the hip had worked itself out…so I was feeling good.
Teeth were brushed and I put my hair up in pigtails and got out my Bondi Band of choice. I went ahead and put some water in my Kara Goucher water bottle and popped a NUUN tablet in it for some electrolytes before Cathy grabbed the sign, the race bag, and we headed out for the race.
We left early, because Cathy wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for her to get lost on the way there. We don’t go up that way often, but, there are signs that point the right way. The drive there was gorgeous with the sunrise and the beautiful houses out in the country. It’s always a nice ride up to Starlight. We followed the signs to the little field we always park in at the race and got situated into a spot.
Pinned up and ready to run the Run For The Berries 5K – Starlight, Indiana
From there, it was into the main hall of the Strawberry Festival grounds to get officially registered for the race. I went up to the table with cash and the form already filled out…got my race bib (#180) and was given a t-shirt in the size I requested. The shirts were gray this year. And back to being in tech material. YAY!! I got pinned up, went to use the bathroom, and then we meandered around the grounds for a little while to kill some time. On the way out, I saw Renee from my spin class heading in. She wasn’t feeling good, but was running with a friend of hers who is training for her first triathlon. So, that’s really fun. We chatted for a moment and then she went to register and I went to meander, waiting for my good friend, Michelle, and her little boy, Liam, to arrive.
And then I ran into my friend Amber, whose husband Tim was running (and was 2nd male overall) in the race. Amber and I both have been dealing with hip labrum tears. She had surgery on hers…I didn’t. We’ve bonded over this. I’ve met a lot of good friends through having to sit out of running…and it has made me better for it. Amber and I are going to start riding bikes together once I get more comfortable on mine. YAY! Her kids were anxious for her to come and join them…so we parted ways and she said she’d cheer for me at the finish.
I love my friends.
We saw a lot of the fast runner people doing their strides and warming up prior to the race. So we headed that way so I could stretch. I think I did a quad stretch on each leg and called it a day, HA!! I’m so awful about stretching. We were all starting to move up to the orange cones that marked the start of the race. It was at this point that Michelle and Liam showed up, just in time, which made me SO happy!! We waved and they went to stand with Cathy just beyond the start point. Our race organizer got on the bullhorn and started to give some information about the race. Like male runners at the finish will have white cards to fill out; female runners will have pink; walkers will have yellow. OH…and if you are registered as a walker…and you run down a hill…you are now a runner. It made me laugh. And everyone else. Then…we had to wait for HIS Garmin to find satellites. He did…and the count was given. On your marks…runners set…and then the horn.
Total game face on at the start of the Run For The Berries 5K – Starlight, Indiana
I took off…giving a nod to my cheering section. It was total game face though. Which is not like me, LOL!! Seriously. I’m so laid back but…game face. The first mile is a series of rolling hills…nothing too major. I was running comfortably, but speedy. I could tell I was speedy. In fact, at one point, I was thinking…”Wow…I’m ahead of Lynn.” And the moment I thought it, she passed me quite easily, not even breathing hard. HA!! That will teach me. Anyway…I was having a nice run…no pain…feeling good…not worrying over anything but holding steady and preparing for the hills ahead. Mile 1…perfectly measured…my watch beeped right at the marker. Turns out…it was a new fastest mile for me… I just wasn’t aware of it at the time.
Zen racer. I never look at my watch or obsess over pace. I run better when I don’t know.
I made the turn onto Engle Road and started into the second mile. I loved this part of the run because, soon after making the turn, I scooted past a cute little girl running with her dad. She was saying something about how what she loved about today’s run was she was running with older people. I turned my head and said, “You’re doing an amazing job!” She thanked me and said, “How old are you?!” She was aiming for first in her age division. HA!! I told her I was 35 and she was relieved. She was in the 14 and under group…and definitely under 14. That was an ego boost. This mile also brings in more rolling hills, but a few more downhills than uphills. We ran past Hubers Family Farm and continued down Engle Road. And then I made the turn into Mile 2. This is where the water stop is, but I just kept on running.
Because right there…RIGHT THERE…on Hill Road…is THE HILL. It’s like my friend, Amber, said later on Facebook…it’s not just the hill but WHERE the hill is in that race. At this point, your legs are tired and this hill is HUGE. I mean…it’s a steep, steep climb. So, I did my best to run up it, still lacking the power and strength that I used to have. I’m working on that…kinda. I’ll be working on that more. Hills might slow me down…my legs might not be able to maintain a fast pace for a long period of time…but maybe soon they will. It all takes time. And I’m sometimes impatient, LOL! After the hill, it’s just a few rollers and a couple of smaller climbs to the finish. You actually finish this race going uphill.
I could see it in the distance and I attempted to pick up the pace, but my legs were shot for the day. The best I could do was just focus. I had runners pass me up as I got a bit closer…which always pisses me off…they were all men…
I don’t always drink a frozen strawberry drink after a 5K…but when I do, I’m at the Strawberry Festival!
I heard Cathy and Michelle and Liam all shouting and cheering. And as I ran by, I hear Amber yelling, “GO KAREN!” I really do have awesome friends. So, I pushed…and I saw I was in the 22 minutes…but it ticked past my 22:02 PR…and just ticked past the 2013 finish time of 22:19. But only by six minutes. I was tired, and hot, and a sweaty mess when I stopped…but I was so happy with that run. It was challenging and it was amazing and I came out of it without any pain. Not even a twinge.
I was handed a pink card at the finish showing I was the 8th woman to finish. Cathy said I definitely placed in my age division. We thought that in 2013 too, and I ran it faster, and didn’t…so I wasn’t going to hold my breath. We took some pictures and then meandered over to the festival to get a nice, cooling frozen strawberry drink. And our big bowl of strawberries (Cathy & Michelle got strawberry shortcakes). We went and took a seat at a table. Liam went to play on the slides and we sort of hung out, enjoyed our strawberry treats, and found a lot to laugh and talk about.
You can’t do the Run For The Berries 5K and not eat a big bowl of strawberries! FOR REAL!
It was taking a lot longer than I remember to get to awards, so we decided to go hit up the booths at the festival. Cathy bought me this amazing crocheted Wonder Woman doll. This woman knits there fantastic dolls from Disney movies and other things. There was only one Wonder Woman doll. It was meant to be mine. There was also only one Captain America doll. Cathy went back and purchased that while I got her a purple star crown with blue and purple ribbons to wear. Seriously…we really are adults. Liam got his face painted for the first time and did a fantastic job sitting there while it was done. Then we went to watch Liam play some games and I purchased a thing of strawberries with a salted caramel dipping sauce. THIS. WAS. LIFE. CHANGING. I love salted caramel and was the first person to get this dip that day. I am so glad I did. It isn’t a combination that I ever considered. There were the usual suspects…chocolate and white chocolate. But you wave salted caramel ANYTHING at me…and I am buying it. THIS WAS AMAZING. I’m in love.
I posed with a lot of stuff today. Someone needs to make me a spokesperson. LOL! This is the knitted Wonder Woman doll!
As Liam finished up his games, the announcement that the awards were going to be given out was announced. We made our way over there and saw all the male awards handed out first. My friend Amber’s hubby, Tim, won 2nd overall male, because he’s stupid fast…and amazing. And then the female awards were given out. And I was announced as the first female in my age division. WOOT WOOT!! Considering I didn’t place the previous time I ran..and ran it faster, this was a nice surprise. Exciting stuff. Cathy, Michelle and Liam all cheered loudly as I went to receive my award, this cute little pint glass thing.
And that was a wrap for the day. Liam wanted to go check out the bouncy houses and Cathy and I needed to go grocery shopping and hit up a few spots in Louisville. So, we parted ways and I went home to shower and change.
As it stands, the official results of the Run For The Berries 5K are that I finished in 22:24. Not a PR…but I clocked my first mile in 6:48, which is awesome. Now if only I could maintain that sort of pace. But these legs just aren’t there and aren’t ready. Maybe one day. Maybe not! Either way…super proud. I was the 8th female to cross the line and came in 1st in my division. If the official results ever get posted…I’ll update this accordingly.
Me after finishing the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, IN
Race: Geist Half Marathon
Place: Fishers, Indiana
Date: May 21, 2016
Time:1:42:13
I’m not going to sugarcoat this in any way. A part of me is very, very happy with this race result; the other part of me is beyond disappointed.
I know…I know…I shouldn’t be so hard on myself, but it’s hard…when this race is, specifically, your PR half marathon. And I ran that PR 2 years ago…back when the course finished up a hill and around a corner. In fact…my blog from 2 years ago recounted said finish…
I had been hearing tales of the “hill at the end” and wasn’t sure what to expect.
It was…KILLER! I thought Chicago was evil for putting a hill at Mile 26 of the marathon. This was the half marathon equivalent. Not only do you climb this hill…you then round a corner and the finish line is right ahead. So, with legs screaming at me…I got up the incline and took the turn…and there it was…the finish.
Ah…the good old days when nothing ever hurt. I was able to run free without all the stretching and warm ups and cool downs and all that stuff that takes a lot of my time away from my morning routines. I shouldn’t grouse about it. I’m back to running. And I’m happy about that for sure.
To be honest, the week leading into this race was not my best. Back on Sunday, I went out to eat and ordered something off a “gluten sensitive” menu. I normally don’t risk any sort of “sensitive” menu when it comes to gluten…but I’d eaten here before, so I figured it would be safe. NEGATIVE. I was glutened. And it really altered my mood and my energy levels. Top it off with the nasty cold snap that came through and ALL. THE. RAIN. Seriously, I was getting really tired of running in the rain this week. My hip has been unhappy with the return of the cold weather and with the dampness too. BAH. HUMBUG! AND…sinuses! My God, this area is HORRIBLE when it comes to allergies. And it started to hit me last week…and…oh yeah…tying to breathe on runs has been less than stellar.
So…while I was looking forward to Geist…and the new half marathon route (no more finishing up a hill!)…I also wasn’t feeling my best leading into it. And that sort of had me down in the dumps. Even though I knew there would be no shining PR in this race, a part of me, deep down, was really hoping to pull something off.
It was not meant to be.
All that being said, Cathy and I made the drive up to Fishers, Indiana, on Friday. We left work about an hour and a half early and hopped in the car. This drive always takes forever. Seriously. It’s just north of Indianapolis, so navigating all the traffic to get there is…well…frustrating. But, we managed to get up there without too much of a delay, but were quite happy with the decision to leave early, as by the time we got to the expo, it was already almost 6 p.m. Damn rush hour traffic.
Regardless, we got to the hospital where the expo is held and stepped inside. Before anything else, we both made a dodge for the bathroom. That was a long trip, and we downed a bottle of PACt Cranberry Lemonade. Anyway, once that was taken care of, we stepped back out, looked up my bib number at one of the convenient stations, and rounded a corner so I could pick up said bib. I was number 1541. And there was a small line…and one guy working. There is always a line. It wasn’t too much of a wait with the few people ahead of me, and soon I was being handed a bib. I stepped out of the room where I was handed a black reusable bag and we meandered further into the reaches of the expo to find the shirt booth.
I picked up my long sleeve shirt and after that…we made the short trek through the expo. I kept expecting to see a running store represented…because the weather changed and now it was looking like rain at the start and I needed a visor or a hat. But…nope. There was one booth of headbands, and the rest were like…attorney offices, Orange Theory, and a Chiropractor. Not much for your race day shopping needs. I was a bit bummed out about that. Thankfully, there was a Dick’s Sporting Goods just up the street. So, after checking the race map and then giving one small glance around to make sure we didn’t miss anything…we were off to Dick’s.
Dick’s was a bit of a mess. Finding the hats/visors was a task in and of itself for one thing. Cathy finally tracked them down…on a little hanger thing. I picked up an Under Armor pink visor…that way my pigtails could still fly free. We went to check out and the cashier was the S-L-O-W-E-S-T human being in the face of retail. Seriously. This guy was in NO hurry to do anything.
Wow…I am really taking advantage of caps abuse on this blog. But, seriously, we were standing in line for about 15 minutes while he rang up 2 pairs of shoes and a jacket that a lady was purchasing. Seriously. SERIOUSLY!! And there was another person in front of me to go. Luckily another cashier opened. And I was starting to wonder how long it would take for him to ring up my visor. The answer…about 5 freakin’ minutes.
At this point, I’m hungry and we’re coming up on 6:45 pm. This is now about an hour later than I like to eat on the night before a race. MEH! We had, at the last moment, changed our mind on our restaurant of choice for gluten-free pizza, and went over to Brixx Wood Fired Pizza…mainly because they had vegan cheese…and Cathy never likes to assume a place that doesn’t have a build your own option would allow a build your own or a cheese-less option. I say…they would. But nonetheless. We got to the small shopping center that Brixx was located in…and there was not a parking spot to be found. Not in the lot and not in the parking deck. We turned around in the parking deck and went back out, tuned around, and suddenly, there were 4 spots. GO FIGURE! We parked…and walked over to Brixx. I checked in with the hostess station and they said it would be a 20 minute wait. That meant it would be about 7 pm by the time we were seated…and we still had to order and eat. UGH. Nothing stresses me out more than eating later than I like on the night before the race. They took my phone number and said they would text me when my table was ready. So, Cathy and I took a short walk up the street…and then we went and sat down outside until a spot cleared up in the lobby area inside. We moved in there…and not but 5 minutes or so later, I was texted. We were seated just around the corner from the hostess station.
Gratuitous picture of Brixx Wood Fired Gluten Free and Vegan Artichoke Pizza
And our waiter, BTW, was adorable. He had the cutest smile with dimples. He was dark and handsome and tall…for me…maybe not for Cathy. I wanted to steal him and take him home with me. Cathy and I had it narrowed down to two of the veggie pizzas…either the Wild Mushroom or the Artichoke. We asked Hot Waiter for his opinion, and he said Artichoke. So…Brixx Wood Fired Gluten Free and Vegan Artichoke Pizza….order in.
About 15 minutes or so later…the pizza was arriving. There was enough time to snap a picture of it before we both just sort of pounced our our half and devoured. I mean, we were starving at that point. The combination of the herb-marinated artichiokes, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, basil pesto and the vegan cheese was just what we needed. Our waiter was right…it was amazing. And gone in record time. HA! We paid and left…dropped by a Kroger for post-race watermelon, pre-race bananas, and some water. Then, we finally went to the hotel to check in and settle in for the night. Normally, this is where we settle in and watch Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on Food Network, but this hotel didn’t get Food Network. In the end, we ended up watching Say Yes to the Dress…which is as addictive as ever…and we stayed up way past the usual pre-race bedtime.
I had alarms set as usual. The first alarm went off at 3:30 am. I got up and turned it off…went to take my medicine and use that bathroom. Then climbed right back into bed. The second alarm went off at 4:45 am. I hauled myself out of bed, turned it off again, and went to go get changed into my race clothes and slather on some sunscreen. Buy the time I was finished with that, I was making sure Cathy was getting out of her bed and getting herself ready to hit the road to get parked and to the start. This race starts at 7:00 am. Love an early start.
Oh…but guess what…that rain that was supposed to be out before start…was here. Pouring down rain. UGH. No wonder my hip was acting up that morning. I hadn’t bothered to look outside. At that point it was still dark. But, Cathy did look outside and grumbled about wet and rain and my spirits fell. I know some people don’t mind running in the rain, but I become a much more cautious runner when that pavement is wet. Last thing I want to do is slip and go down. Also, I don’t mind if it starts to rain on me when I’m out there, I just really hate starting a race in the rain. But, you can’t help what Mother Nature throws at you. Another rainy run. Um…yay? I think I had done my share of them leading up to this race. Regardless, I put the visor on and got my race bib pinned on. I threw on a jacket and we were out the door…banana in hand…fuel belt slung over my shoulder. Made a quick dash across the parking lot to the car and we were making the short 15-20 minute drive to the school to park the car and then hike…about a mile…to the start line. We were actually ahead of schedule on departing the hotel, so, I attempted to nap on the way…but that wasn’t working out. The trip was rainy and pouring and it just made my spirits fall and my hip hurt. MEH! Cathy parked, and we had about 30 minutes to start time. This left me a few minutes to once again attempt to nap. Still wasn’t happening. Instead, we looked around at everyone else sitting in their cars, hoping the rain would lighten up. It did…right as we needed to get of the car to make the hike to the start.
Me attempting, and failing, to nap before the race…and also avoiding getting out in the rain…
We were not alone. There were steams of runners and spectators making the long walk toward the start line staging area. I have made this exact hike every year that I have run Geist…even the 5K. They were not doing shuttles this year like they have in the past. Thankfully, the air was just a little damp with a mist…the rain had let up. We got to the start with very little time to spare. There was time for a start line picture, a hug, good luck wishes, and Cathy was off to find a spot just beyond the start gate and I was in the corrals, moving as far forward as I could manage. I ended up getting locked in in Corral B…near the 1:55 pace group. No sooner had I got locked into that spot, the race was off…and we were running. No time to stretch or do any of my dynamic warm-ups. That…was it.
So, I crossed the finish line, scanning the line of people for Cathy. Due to the weather, the sign was not with her, but I saw her, gave a wave, and continued into the first mile. This is the first time we run across the reservoir. There is a bit of an incline leading into the turn to hit the first mile, and a teenager said to his buddy, “This hill is going to kill me!” And then said, “There was one year they sent us up a hill to finish.” I pointed and said, “Yeah…2014. It was 2014.” See, they will never live that down. Never ever. I made the turn after Mile 1 and started in through the neighborhood tour. This is a short tour, and due to the wet weather, there weren’t too many people out on the driveways to cheer like in past years. That was kind of a bummer. I love having some crowd support. Ah well…it is what it is. These neighborhoods boast gorgeous homes and, when the weather is better, families that come out and cheer on the runners that invade their neighborhoods.
Before Mile 3, you are back out on a main road and heading across the reservoir once again. Just beyond the reservoir was the turnaround for the 10K. This is also where the race used to end back when I was doing the 5K. I did it twice, and this was the final turn toward the finish back then. So, that sort of made me smile as I ran past. I cheered on the 10K runners who were booking it back to the start to hopefully win the race. Exciting stuff. And then, the half marathoners were on their own.
This portion of the race is a combination of commercial and residential…and just gorgeous scenery. There are businesses…and more gorgeous neighborhoods, and people standing on the corners just to cheer people on. The race volunteers were positioned throughout the various points, so there was always a voice at some point calling out to you. I was exchanging spots with a guy wearing a Boston 2015 shirt…he would lead, then I would, then he would…this went on for the entire rest of the race. And after a climb, I had a runner catch up wearing a Marathon Maniac singlet. I called out, “HEY MANIAC!” He wasn’t too talkative with me though. He was with this nice older man who told me he had a beer riding on this race. He was running here and a friend of his was running in Colorado. HA! So, I made some friends along the route this time around. It was nice, especially when they were talkative, because it took my mind off of the hip…which was still not feeling this run one bit.
I do want to give a shout-out to the guy who was just beyond Mile 9. There was a steep hill ahead, and he was at the base, calling out every race bib number and telling that runner that they were doing great, looking great, and that there were less than 4 miles left. Seriously, he was amazing. What he was doing was something every runner needs, especially when the struggle is getting real.
Just before Mile 10, we make a turn out of the neighborhoods and are back on familiar turf. We are back near that old finish line area…right where we cross the reservoir. Mile 10 was just beyond where the turn around for the 10K was marked. I pressed on, the humidity from the rain and weather starting to really exhaust me. Turn a corner, and now we’re running the opposite way through that first neighborhood. There were some rolling hills through this, so we were hitting them again, just backwards. My legs were pretty much done with hills. They were slowing me down more than they should have, which only pissed me off. But now the hip wasn’t wanting to fire, so you just do what you can manage at that point. Mile 12 was at the corner before you round for that final trek toward the reservoir again.
Me crossing the finish line of the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, IN
I picked it up because I saw a female ahead of me, and I was now playing games to get myself to that finish line. I passed her, and that was a good feeling. I told myself to keep going, and not let her sneak up and catch me. She never did. I could finally see the finish line…which was such an uplifting feeling. I tried to put on the afterburners to sprint in like so many people can…but it wasn’t happening. I just pushed as hard and moved as fast as my legs could manage at that point…and ran across that finish line. I could hear Cathy screaming at me. When I crossed, I received my medal and felt this wave of emotion wash over me. This race was an important one to me, and I had some expectations…some desires…and, sadly, the race wasn’t the way I envisioned or imagined it would go. That being said, after receiving my medal, I had one of the guys who had talked with me come over and high five me. Cathy came over and as I was about to take my victory shot, the guy in the Boston shirt came over and high fived me as well and said said that I kept him on an amazing pace for the race. That was a nice feeling.
Cathy took the picture and I changed into different shoes. I keep forgetting to pack extra socks again. D’oh! After the shoe change, we decided to hike over to the runner recovery area and see what was there. We were in search of the massage tent, and we found it. YAY! But, after standing in line for 10 minutes, we were told that we needed to fill out a form. So, a bunch of us runners went to fill out the paperwork and get back into line. It was another 50 minutes before they even got to me. At this point, I was cold and had Cathy pull my jacket back out. But, the wait for the massage was worth it. This massage was very thorough and felt amazing on my achy body. Amy was my massage therapist and she did a great job. While I was getting worked on, Cathy went to get my official race results…and after that…I called my mom and spoke with her on the long walk back to the car. The long, cold, walk back to the car.
After that, it was just a short drive back to the hotel, where I hopped into a hot shower and warmed up and cleaned up. I changed clothes, checked out, and we were off to grab food and then coffee. Then…the trip home.
So, my official results of the Geist Half Marathon is that I finished in 1:42:13, which was faster than my NYC Half Marathon, but slower than Derby and Indy. I was a little bummed out with my time here, but I had a lot to contend with going into this and during this race. That being said, I was 103/1601 finishers overall! Almost in the top 100…how about that??! I was the 20/557 women to cross the finish line. And I was 6/185 people in the 30-39 female division! Can’t argue with those status right?!
Please don’t get me wrong, I am very proud of my accomplishment and this finish. I think that it’s hard, when you return to your PR race, to not be a little disappointed when a new PR doesn’t happen. I was so close when I ran the 500 Festival a few weekends ago…so I had some hopes that this race would get me a PR that I’m searching for this year. It wasn’t meant to be…and that’s okay. It will happen. I don’t know when or where…but it is bound to happen. I just have to keep running safe and strong. It was just not meant to be this year. But…this is still my favorite half marathon. It’s beautiful and challenging and just…fun. And this year, I got to talk to and meet some of the people running it with me. Those are special friendships forged during the grind.
Will I be back? Of course. The race is one of the best…and that’s why I keep coming back. Hopefully next year, the circumstances will be better.
I know, I have been horrible about these weekly posts about good, shiny things with rainbows and sprinkles and all that lot.
But the truth is…
…I’ve been busy.
Like…very busy. On the road, racing, cooking, baking, seeing friends, living life…
That sort of busy. The kind of busy when I get home on Sunday from finishing up any and/or all grocery shopping and errands that were ignored Friday night and Saturday due to time constraints or whatnot…and I really don’t want to do anything except sit and veg, foam roll, and watch Game of Thrones.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But…I do like my little roundups of what has been going on…so here’s one for this week. I’ll try to be a bit more consistent…
So, what have I been doing? Well…where to start?
1. Back-To-Back Weekend Half Marathons
Me running toward the finish line of the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon (in the rain, but still smiling) – Louisville, KY
Okay…I know, when coming back from a year off of injury, the last thing I should be doing is racing back-to-back long distances, right?! Well…technically…not in my case. My PT and I have discussed the importance of mileage as I attempt to build myself back up to a marathon distances. I already transferred my bib for the spring one that I signed up for, and have made someone a very happy racer to have that bib and chance to be part of a marathon I have been dying to turn. That being said, my training continues and last weekend, I was scheduled for a 16 miler…and this past weekend 13 miles. It just so happened that last weekend was the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Mini Marathon race. I signed up because my friend, Deana, encouraged me to do so. With 16 miles on the docket, I got up and ran 3 ahead of the race and then completed the last 13.1 miles in the rain…with lots of people and a medal at the end. A couple of months ago, I signed up for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon up in Indianapolis. I ran this one back in 2012, and this year, Meb Keflezighi was not only sending off every wave of the race, but he was running from the back of the pack to the front. HOW COOL!! So, I signed up and went up to Indy this past Friday night to race on Saturday morning in the humidity. That being said, I had my first completely pain-free race and came within 1:06 of matching my PR time for a half. I never did get to meet Meb though. He started just after I finished…and I beat his time. Something tells me that he wasn’t here to all-out run this one, though, LOL! So, I’d say my return to running has been smart, slow, and steady. It’s been fun having races on the schedule again. I am not running any races this year for time or for PRs…just for fun. And that’s making a big difference in how I approach going into them. But it is nice to see that my fitness and strength haven’t gone to hell in the forced year off.
2. Captain America: Civil War I am totally #TeamIronMan. My roommate is totally #TeamCap. So, we have our own little Civil War as it is. That being said, today we went to the movie theater and saw Captain America: Civil War and it was everything I expected and more. I hate seeing a divided Avengers…but I love where they took this movie. I loved how everything played out and how they are setting up for future films on the way. If you haven’t seen it yet…GO. Do not hesitate. Do not pass GO or collect $200. (Monopoly reference there, LOL!) Buy a movie ticket (I know they are expensive…but OMG…WORTH IT) and sit your butt down in a movie theater seat with popcorn and a drink and just…ENJOY IT!
#TeamStark forever!
3. The AlterG Treadmill Welcome to the spaceship!! That’s what AlterG tweeted back to me after I blogged about my experience running on an AlterG Treadmill. First of all, this is forever happening. Seriously, I am going to pay for package minutes to run on this thing because it is going to mean I can train like I need to and take all the pounding off my body and come out of it faster, stronger, and injury free. It’s totally worth it. After getting to take a spin, as it were, and test it out…I can see why so many elite runners make use of the AlterG when recovering from hard races and/or from injury. This machine has forever changed my way of training and recovering. I am very fortunate that my physical therapist office has one to use. Seriously…life changing. Regular treadmills tear me up. This one…I could fly…so fast…and when I was finished…nothing even twinged at me. LIFE CHANGING!
4. NuttZo I posted week or so ago about the Spring Sale going on with NuttZo. I’m a #NuttZoAmbassador and decided I would take advantage of said sale. If you missed out, I even offered my ambassador code for a 20% discount. Stay tuned, as I am certain more sales will be headed this way. That being said…I purchased the big jar of the Chocolate Power Fuel and then one of each of their available varieties: Original Peanut (Smooth), Original Peanut (Crunchy), Chocolate Original Peanut (Smooth), Chocolate Original Peanut (Crunchy), Power Fuel (Smooth), and (my personal favorite) Power Fuel (Crunchy). If you are unfamiliar with NuttZo…you’re missing out. Nuttzo is a medley of seven organic nuts and seeds…all combined to make a healthy, omega-rich, organic nut butter. I love being a product ambassador for this amazing nut butter. It’s pricey…but it’s worth it. Take a chance and try it out! You can find it in local stores or find buy it in their online store. #NuttZoFanatic #NuttZoLove #EatNuttZo
5. Re-reading the Harry Potter Books I blame the upcoming release of a movie, the new book coming out, and the fact that the best time I had in Universal Studios a few weeks back was at both Harry Potter Worlds. All of that has spawned me to revisit the entire book series. In fact, I just wrapped up the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and will be starting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this week. SO looking forward to it. This re-read was a long time coming. Been meaning to do this for awhile.
6. The new Goo Goo Dolls album, “Boxes” I have been a fan of the Goo Goo Dolls since…well…forever. No joke. I was with them in their punk music days, and then stuck with them when they went mainstream rock. I love their music. And, somehow, they sneaked an album out on me. Seriously. But after my race on Saturday, I went and picked it up. This album is AMAZING. I have listened to it all the way through at least 4 times this weekend. If you haven’t heard it yet…listen to it…purchase it…enjoy it. Nice to have some new material from them.
7. Repaying an Act of Kindness
So, just before the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon…like…Thursday morning (the race was Saturday), my Garmin 620…died. It refused to charge, hold a charge, or turn on. I was not a happy runner. I posted about it on Facebook and had a lot of beautiful souls offer to let me borrow their watches for the race. But, one of the race ambassadors, and a lady I came to know and count as a friend during the whole Norton Training Program for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Mini Marathon, Melissa, offered just to give me one. It was a no-frills watch. In fact, it was the original Garmin I had before I got the 620, so I even knew how to work it. She didn’t ask for me to pay for it, she just said she’d give it to me. So, in order to repay her, I do what I do best…I made her Lemon Blossoms, picked up a soft pretzel from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, and delivered them to her that Wednesday around lunch. It was nice to talk for a moment about our upcoming plans, and she and I are going to take a run together soon. I love having someone join me on my morning runs. We’ll have a good time. This woman has a big heart and a beautiful soul. I am so happy I got to know her.
8. The Return of Sweet ‘N Savory Food Truck
So…a month or so ago, I went online to find out when Sweet ‘N Savory would be returning to Louisville to serve up their amazing gluten-free crepes. I know they had mentioned they had their first event planned for April, so I wanted to be in on it. But, what I found instead was a message that the owners were pursuing their first love…training horses, and would not be returning. I was happy for them, that they were making a good living and doing what they love…but selfishly, I was sad because their crepes and their gelato were like none other. Well, this weekend while I was on the road, I saw messages about them being in Louisville and serving. Turns out, they are under new ownership. The new owner is Brandon Lutsch, who is very familiar with the importance of gluten-free foods as his wife is a Celiac. I am going to go and introduce myself once they have their May calendar up. I hope to become as good friends with them as I was with the original owners, Richard and Ashley! I can’t wait to get my hands on a crepe!! I’ve been crazing!!
And that’s a wrap for these past few weeks. Logging off for some decaf coffee and some Game of Thrones.
Have you eaten anything fun, new, and exciting? Do you have a favorite food truck? Have you ever done or been a recipient of a random act of kindness?
It was the best news I had received in a long time. I found out, as I was making my way to Minnesota, that I was chosen to be one of the 2017 Race Ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/Mini Marathon.
The Celiathlete 