So, I was fortunate enough to not have to do my entire long run on my own today. I had great company for the first 7 miles of my run. So, big shout out to Ron, who was a key part of keeping me on pace for the early half.
Let’s face it…it’s miserable out there.
Seriously, I’m not much of a sweater, but I had sweat pooling in my belly button. That is NOT an exaggeration. I was drenched. Another day of that good ol’ swimming pool feeling. Look, if I wanted to be soaked to the skin, I’ll hop in the pool…but I’m trying to run here.
Needless today…the first climb up Iroquois Park was tolerable. I was running with Rob, a meteorologist, and learning that lightning causes thunder…not the other way around. I love learning new things. So…for about 13 miles of my planned 24-miler…I was feeling good. So, I turned around at my 13 mile point to head back up to the top of the park again…and then…it all started to fall apart.
Only one word can describe how the rest of the run went…and it isn’t “RUBBISH” this time. Nope…
I don’t know if I should be blaming the new fuel I was trying, the heat, the humidity, or what. I usually do really well in the heat. But this humidity…it’s been insanely bad this summer. I’ve never sweat like this. I mean…my sports bra was a nice light lavender color at the start of my run. By the time I was done…purple. A jeweled purple of sorts. Like I said…I had sweat pooling in my belly button. WHO HAS THAT HAPPEN??!!
Needless to say, my second climb was less than stellar. It was just…awful. I wasn’t hurting…but I was struggling. I was thankful for some of the shade through that portion. I managed to get up the hill…around the top…and back down the hill with only a few stops to attempt to gather myself and find a second wind of sorts. I was downing water (once again) like crazy. And nothing…nothing was helping.
By Mile 21…I was done.
HIT…THE…DAMN…WALL.
I have NEVER hit the wall before. Not in a race…not in a training run. But this…this was one of the worst feelings in the world. My legs didn’t want to press on. My body didn’t want to go anywhere. I was just…done.
HIT. THE. WALL. HARD.
I was a mess. I was falling apart. And my shoes were squishy. YES! My shoes were squishy. Swampy shoes…for the humidity and heat and the sweat that I was apparently raining down over my entire body. I was just…DONE!
In fact, after my Garmin beeped over to 21 miles…I stopped. I stopped and drank the rest of my water (that wasn’t helping!)…and dug my cell phone out of my fuel belt and dialed my roommate.
And I just started to cry…
This is not an exaggeration. I actually used those two words…which I hate using…especially in regards to running.
The conversation went like this…
Me: “Where are you?” Roomie: “On 264…because things took longer than expected…” Me: “I am done. I can’t…I can’t go any further. I’m out of water…I’m dying. I’m dead.” Roomie: “Where are you?” Me: “Somewhere in Iroquois…I don’t know…but I’m dying.” *bursting into an ugly cry* Roomie: “I’m going to stop at a Kroger and get you some water and then come get you, okay?” Me: “How am I supposed to run a marathon when I can’t even do my long runs without dying?” Roomie: “These are horrible weather conditions.” Me:*more tears* “These are the conditions I’m probably going to be running in.” Roomie: “You don’t know that.” Me: *more ugly cry* “I do…I know…Can you grab me a Sprite Zero too? I really just want to throw up.”
Roomie: “See you in 15 minutes.”
And then…
And then I realized…I needed to get back to the amphitheater to meet her because…I was…as I said…somewhere in Iroquois. So…somehow…I managed to convince myself to suck it up (gluten free) cupcake and get back to the amphitheater at least. So…I did. 2 miles more and I called it quits. I felt horrible. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pass out or throw up. I managed not to do either…because I’m awesome like that…but it was just…it was bad. I looked bad. I felt bad. That last mile I had intended to run…wasn’t worth it. I had no desire to even attempt it. I walked around, hoping that would help a little…but ended up sitting down at a picnic table and doing my best to cool off.
The roomie got there soon after, and brought me the Sprite Zero. A few small sips was where I started because…liquids were not sitting well. Not even my water. So…yeah…I was in bad shape. She had water and coffee for me in the car for when I was ready for it.
Once I was certain I wasn’t going to get sick or die…I managed to snap a few photos…one badass pose and one with a Wrong Way sign…because this was the WRONG WAY to prepare for a marathon. My 18 miler, my 20 miler, and my 23 (should have been 24) miler…all sucked. Every single one of them. And this does not mentally help me prepare for the difficult race course awaiting me in 3 weeks.
Wrong way to train…or badass…the fact of the matter is…it’s not going as planned. Nowhere near. But, I guess when push comes to shove…at least I’m out there. At least I’m training. Slow. Fast. Hot. Face melting humidity. Sweaty-wet shoes and all. So…I hit a wall…time to learn how to bust through it and get to that finish line.
The taper starts this week…and my confidence isn’t there. I will get through this. I have 3 weeks to figure it all out. Fueling…running…heat…humidity…everything. And that wall. I never want to run into that again. SUCK! I’ve put in all the time and effort I possibly could…working through injury…and learning new limits because of it. Yep…time to get this body rested and ready.
So…this is it! The last long run before the big day. This is the make or break point. And, I’m really, really nervous about it. Every single one of my 20 milers (the 2 prior to this one), I have gutted out…alone. On my very own. And while this is nothing new to me, there is something magical about running WITH people. It just makes the miles seem a little less daunting…and even make them go by a little faster.
That being said…tomorrow…I once again am heading out without a training partner or running buddy…to do this one last long distance run before I start the taper…
And while I can only hope this last run will look and feel this smooth and effortless, the fact of the matter is…my long runs, as of late, anything over 13 miles, have been rubbish. And I’m not talking pace. I run these slower than my regular race pace…I’m talking about how I feel. Maybe it’s the heat and humidity. Maybe it’s the fuel (which I have started to change and experiment with as…my stomach cramps the last 18 miler and 20 miler were enough to tell me to quit). Maybe…it’s just me. I don’t know. But more than likely, my run tomorrow will feel more like some kind of combination of the following…
Seriously…those have been my feels for the last few long runs. I know some of it has to be the humidity. For real. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. It makes me feel better about feeling like crap at the end of it. Or feeling sick…ill…and just plain…BLAH! I mean, after my 20 miler 2 weeks ago, I almost passed out in the shower. So…my problem is 1 of 2 things (or more)…
OR…
I wish I could pinpoint it for sure. My nutrition has been on point for the most part…but I am in the process of trying new fuel for while I am running. GU started to give me issues. I don’t like chewing much while running…so beans were out of the question…and I tried Tailwind for awhile, but it started giving me stomach cramps. Like…horrible stomach cramps. Went to a running store and had Skratch recommended to me…problem is, it’s more for electrolytes than full-out fuel. So…it’s a version of NUUN. I tried it at the Minnesota Half Marathon and knew it wasn’t going to work for any sort of long-distance fueling. So, I’m going to give Generation UCAN a try. I have heard good and bad things. Don’t worry, I have a backup fuel just in case things go horribly wrong. We shall see. Here’s hoping. I have four weeks…FOUR WEEKS…to figure this all out.
I am FREAKING OUT!
MUST. REMEMBER. TO. BREATHE.
Sort of important to the whole…running thing, yes?
I am hoping, simply, to survive the humidity out there tomorrow. This past week had runs between 6-7 miles for 3 days of the week…wherein I ran well…really well…but when I stopped moving, I was soaked. Seriously, it looked like I had just climbed out of a swimming pool, I was that drenched in sweat. And I am NOT a big sweater. Yeah…that’s pretty damn humid. Swimming pool humid. BLECH.
Needless to say, physically, I rested today…I ate right…I hydrated. Physically…I’m ready. It’s the mental aspect that I’m struggling with more and more as my race gets closer. I start to doubt myself and when my last few runs have been anything but stellar…well…it just gets hard to believe you can really go the distance.
Really…I just need one…ONE…really good long run.
Tomorrow…I’m going to give it my best. Slow…steady…and climbing. If you see me out there on the hills…give me a wave and a word of encouragement, could you? I might need it.
Let’s climb. Let’s get it done. Let’s hope it all goes according to plan.
See you at the top! I hope! Ready or not (and I don’t feel ready)…the taper starts next week…so this has to happen…whether I finish it running, walking of crawling. Hitting the hills to mimic some of my marathon course.
Embrace the suck. Sweat it out. Push through it. Run. Rest. Repeat.
Be safe out there if your weather is like mine. Hydrate and take it slow and steady. If I can do it…you can too.
Have a great long run. Who knows…it may go better than expected.
For the record, track and field starts up tonight…use that for motivation and inspiration!
“Fear is gradually replaced by excitement and a simple desire to see what you can do on the day.”
-Lauren Fleshman
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.
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!!
Like it or not…summer is here. This…this is the weather of my people!! Yes…I understand that I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota…but let’s ignore that for a moment and focus on the fact that…THIS is the weather of my people.
I love summer. Even the hot temperatures that slow me down when I’m out running. Goal this summer…to not be injured and out all summer. The past two years…that’s exactly what has happened.
NOT. THIS. YEAR. (I hope). So…with that in mind…
1. My fist humid, hot, sunny run… (IN SUMMER!!)
So, it only seems fitting that my first hot run back this year was done with two of my favorite people to run with…Tammy and Matt. We headed out early on Saturday, trying to beat as much of the heat as possible to get in our 15 miles. It was brutal (humidity-wise), but it kept me on pace and I had good conversations and we pushed through our miles that morning, finishing up just after 9 am.
This picture represents your brain on 15 hot, humid miles on hills. Whew.
2. Morning Running, Soccer and Dinner with my Sole Sister…(IN SUMMER!!)
I was THRILLED to have company on my Thursday morning run this past week. I am usually doing my (early) morning runs solo, but Natalie had this past week off for vacation and we managed to work it out so that we could run together one morning. The best option was Thursday…I had 5 miles on tap so she came over around 4 a.m. and we headed out, running together down to the YMCA and then back to the apartment. We had great discussions and enjoyed the last morning of cooler temps.
And then last night we put our season tickets to work by taking in the Louisville City FC (that would be Louisville’s professional soccer team…they play at Slugger Field and if you haven’t gone to a match, you’re missing out!) match. It was hot, but what a game. We were up in the 2nd half…until a late goal by Wilmington Hammerheads FC tied it up in stoppage time. And, while we put though a valiant effort to come back, we just didn’t have time. So we drew…2-2. MEH. But I’ll take a draw over a loss. Tonight, Natalie is coming over for dinner. I’m cooking up some Cauliflower Breadsticks and Smokey Zucchini Cakes. There will probably be peach wine too.
3. Cotton Candy Gapes…(IN SUMMER!!)
Nothing makes me happier than the return of Cotton Candy Gapes!!
If you haven’t tried these yet…you are SO missing out. These plump, juicy, all-natural green grapes (non-GMO too) is a new variety of grape that is brought to you by Grapey. These grapes actually do taste like that pink spun-sugar treat that you get at festivals and fairs. And I mean exactly like cotton candy. Cathy spotted these at the Whole Foods in Louisville yesterday, so this is my afternoon snack this week!! So excited. I do know that Kroger eventually started carrying them last year. Anyway, if you love cotton candy, but could do without all the stickiness and ALL THE GRANULATED SUGAR that comes in that fluffy treat…these grapes…will blow your mind. They will blow your mind anyway. Try them. Trust me.
4. Zootopia on Blu-ray…(IN SUMMER!!)
Well, I wrapped up the Disney Animated Movies In Order marathon viewing last weekend, but one more was just released. And it is one of my favorites. ZOOTOPIA! And you better believe I went out to Target on Tuesday and snagged a copy of it.
Seriously…I am Officer Judy Hopps. She’s totally just like me. I relate to this. You will too. If you missed seeing this one…or wasn’t sure what to make of it…trust me…you’ll love it. Redbox it, Netflix it, Buy it. But WATCH IT!
5. Louisville Says Goodbye To The Champ…(IN SUMMER!!)
Okay, I almost didn’t take on the “in summer” part there…but it’s the theme. Regardless, on Friday, Louisville, Kentucky put on a beautiful, memorable goodbye to The Greatest. Muhammad Ali’s procession, burial, and memorial was held in Louisville this past week and it was a memorable and beautiful event.
All week since he passed away, the Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville became a memorial to the late boxer. Now, I didn’t grow up watching boxing or knowing much about the sport. That being said, I do know a lot about Muhammad Ali. You can’t live in this city and not know much about The Greatest. I was able to watch the last couple hours of the memorial service after work on Friday and the speeches were amazing. Billy Crystal was fantastic when he spoke. I was tearing up during different speeches and admired how stoic the family members were. He was laid to rest in Cave Hill Cemetery. This city mourned, celebrated, and came together to celebrate the life of this hometown hero. RIP, CHAMP. RIP!
My trip to the Ren Faire this weekend has been pushed to next weekend, which is good…because I think I would have melted out there today. I want to get out and about at some point because I don’t do well just sitting around the apartment on a Sunday, but it will be in air conditioning.
Anyone else happy to have the warmer temps? What is your favorite part of summer?
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.
It was about…Wednesday afternoon…and I’m sitting at work…working (because, what else are you doing at work?)…and all of a sudden I just start to feel…meh. Welcome to the Ohio River Valley. The area of the country where air quality is horrible in the spring and allergies have me all…
Yeah…SUCK!
So, from Thursday on…the struggle has been real. I’ve gone from feeling really good to…meh…back to good all in a matter of an hour. But, this too shall pass, and yes…I will survive.
1. Bondi Band Compression Socks
On Tuesday, my Bondi Band Compression Socks arrived in the mail. All of the #BondiBandAmbassadors got a pair to test drive. I decided to wear mine out to hill repeats. Yep…hill repeats are back in my life…and they still suck. Why am I doing hill repeats? Have you seen the elevation chart to the marathon I’m running in September. They say to train according to your race. My race has HILLS FOR DAYS. I’m struggling with these. It seems I just can’t get the power on the uphills that I used to get. I hope, in time, this will change. But, it’s aggravating and frustrating when you’re one of the first people to head up a hill and get passed up by every one on the way to the top. Stupid hip.
Anyway…the point of this tale was to say, the Bondi Band Compression Socks (and they do sleeves) are comfortable and nice. And they come in fun patterns. I was secretly hoping for argyle, but I was sent the pirate ones. As I was born on National Talk Like A Pirate Day…this will do. Head over to Bondi Band‘s Web site and check them out. If you place an order, please feel free to use my discount code to get 10% off your purchase. When you checkout, use CELIATHLETE.
2. Meal Prep
Yesterday, I felt like a total rockstar. I got up…and muddled through a 14 mile solo run around my town because the usual suspects I run with were all doing the Barn Yard Dash up at Hubers. They were also winning ALL THE AWARDS! That being said…I had planned to do 16 miles in Frankfort with two amazing runners that my coach, Linda Word, also coaches. I had to cancel due to feeling like death in a pollen-infused bubble. MEH. So, I went out on my own, early, and got it done…before 8 am. Afterwards, I went to get coffee, breakfast, hit up the Farmers Market, do the rest of the grocery shopping, and then…I got into my kitchen and made ALL THE MEALS for this week. ALL THE MEALS. They are done and in the fridge…ready to go. Seriously. And this was all accomplished before 4:30 p.m. I think all the cooking and prep only took 2.5 hours at most. I’m getting the hang of this meal prep thing, I think! This also means that I have my entire Sunday to do whatever I want, instead of stressing out over making all the meals for the week, which is my usual Sunday panic/freak-out. YAY!
3. Future Sister Time
Karla & Landon at the Birmingham Color Run on May 28
Nothing will brighten my day more than a text or call from my sister. Especially when said contact means she is planning a trip up this way. This time, she’s aiming at bringing Landon up with her. Now, Landon is a bit of a soccer star there in Alabama, so I thought, if it worked with the schedule, doing a Louisville City FC match with them. I would, because I am an awesome auntie, spoil Landon rotten and get him a scarf or shirt or whatever he wanted. And food. And the match. I love seeing my sister and spending time with her and her kiddliewinks. I am SO excited. Now she just needs to dial in on a weekend. I can’t wait to spend some time with her. It’s never long enough, but it is better than nothing.
4. Runner Girl
Dean, one of the numerous friendships that I have made in the local running community here in Louisville, is quite the craftsman. He has gifted many a female runner with these amazing wooden Runner Girl’s that he makes himself. I was on the receiving end of one today at the Breakfast Club run (where I did 2 more miles than I thought I was going to do…quicker than I intended). She is hanging proudly off the rearview mirror of my car. Super special. This little gift meant a lot to me, for real. It’s the little things in life that mean the most to me. This was one of them. So, thank you, Dean, for this little token. It lifted my spirits after a hard week…and totally just makes my car look complete! I display her proudly!
5. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Warm Weather
I won’t lie. I would much rather sweat it out and fight through hot weather than step outside and run in cold weather. Warm weather is my friend and I love being out in it. But humidity…humidity and I don’t even talk. I can gut anything out in the heat, but add that sweltering, stifling humidity to it and I’m all…
Couple that with the allergy issues I mentioned above, and every run has just felt…so much harder. You know, it’s summer. And the past 2 summers I’ve pretty much sat out thanks to injury after injury after injury…and I have been wanting to gut out another summer of running. I’m weird…the heat doesn’t bother me much. I can go out in any dry (not humid) heat and rock a run that when I finish I’m all…
…but this week has just been humid. And my 14 mile solo run was not what I had expected nor wanted on Saturday. But I got it done…pain-free. So…if I have to conquer allergies and humidity all over again for the first time since 2013…I will. I can do this. And I’ll smile, even after a disappointing run…
Any day I am able to run without pain is a good day. Even when the run is anything but good. I’m thankful and blessed for each day I am able to do what I haven’t been able to do for far too long.
So, remember, bad runs happen. Keep smiling.
6. Stress Relief
This past Wednesday was National Running Day! YAY, RUNNERS!! And running has been quite the stress reliever for me. However, given the amount of time I had been forced to take off due to all the injuries…sometimes where activity was very limited, I lost a lot of my good habits I started to embrace back in 2013. And I have been really starting to get mad at myself for stress eating and just eating out of boredom. That being said, instead of doing the organized 4 mile group run for National Running Day (it’s okay…I dedicated 6 miles that morning to 2 friends who currently are injured and can’t run) on Wednesday, I was meeting with my sports nutritionist and she and I are focusing on a plan to break me of bad habits and what I do when I do get stressed out. I am already feeling a bit better about things and am working to do a few other things, nutrition-wise, that will help me in the long run (ha…punny). Stress is no joke…and it affects everyone differently. It puts me in a dark, unhappy place and I’m not happy there. Time to get out of it. I’m sure there will be days I fail…because I’m human…but I’m being proactive before this becomes more difficult and harder to fix.
What struggles have you been dealing with lately? How do you break yourself of bad habits? Did you do something for National Running Day?
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.
Yesterday afternoon, I returned home from work to find a package, delivered via UPS, sitting on my doorstep. It was from Louisville Stoneware. I hadn’t ordered anything and my roomie hadn’t ordered anything for me either. On the box, in black Sharpie, were the words Top 100 Female.
So, I hauled the box inside and opened it up. There was a roll of padding and packing material, which took me a moment or two to completely unroll and discover…a gorgeous tumbler made by Louisville Stoneware with the Kentucky Derby Festival logo on it (as well as the key sponsors of the race) and…on the reverse side…the words FEMALE DIVISION TOP 100.
When I ran the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon on April 30, I finished in the top 100 females. In fact, I was 95. WOOT WOOT!! And, apparently, this year they sent out these little mementos…little awards…to those that hit that mark. I am truly honored!
Considering how hit-and-miss my running has been with the return of the cold weather…and with how crappy the weather was on race day…this was a very nice, and uplifting, surprise!
And now…random thoughts I’ve had on my runs this week…
God bless the people who leave their porch lights on all night. It gives the morning warriors like me a little more light in a dark world usually lit by blinkie lights, head lamps, and maybe a street light or two.
WHY IS IT RAINING?!
Should I build an ark?
Wearing a windbreaker was a big mistake. I am sweltering. I am dying!
I. HATE. LAYERS.
I don’t think I’ll ever hit negative splits again…*sigh*
Rain?! Again?! Seriously?!
(*while running past a Starbucks*) I am awake and going before the Starbucks baristas. But if the cafe was open this early, I would learn to run and chug coffee.
ONE…MORE…MILE…(*tries to run faster…fails*)
Dammit…I forgot my mace…
Dammit…I forgot my Road ID…
It’s May, right? Like…mid-May?! WHY IS IT SO COLD! WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE NOVEMBER?
Fuck you, Mother Nature!
Don’t drink wine the night before a 7 mile run. Just don’t.
And…there it is. Now…off to the gym and then to suffer at work for another day. Is it the weekend yet? And, dammit, is it ever going to warm up?
The Celiathlete 