Category: race

Race: Republic Bank Big Hit 1/4 Marathon

Place: Louisville, Kentucky

Date: September 23, 2012

Time: 52:46

It was another chilly morning in the low 40s when I woke up at home to get ready for the Republic Bank Big Hit 1/4 Marathon.  I was actually pretty excited about this race.  I ran it last year…in 1:03:49.  It was held at the end of October last year, however, instead of the end of September.  They moved the date due to the bitter cold weather we had.  A lot of people initially complained, saying September would still be too hot for the races.  Boy…were they ever wrong.

The Big Hit race series is actually a double race.  Not only is there the rare 1/4 Marathon, but it runs with the 1/2 Marathon as well.  For over four miles, the races are together.  There was the split, where the 1/4 Marathoners turn left and the 1/2 Marathoners turn right around 3rd Street in downtown Louisville.  They still have a lot of race to go…while those of us in the 1/4 Marathon are coming into the home stretch.

A 1/4 Marathon is a 6.55 mile run, just over a 10K.  And I love this distance.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my half marathons as well, due to the challenge and the stress I have to work through to run them.  But when it comes to races, the 10K distance is one of my favorites to run.  This was another reason I was super-psyched to be out this morning at this race.  Not only that, I have been a part of the Big Hit race series now for the two years it has been around.  Both times running in the 1/4 Marathon.  Maybe next year I’ll do the half.  We’ll see.  It depends on my training schedule as I have a much bigger race that I’m prepping for that fall.

But, the journey to the race actually starts at the expo the morning before the big race.  While there is race day packet pick-up at this race, I prefer to have my stuff prior to the big day.  I feel a bit more together when I don’t have to go stand in line and then jostle everything around, trying to get pinned up and ready to run.  It’s race day.  I need to feel relaxed.  Eat my banana.  Stretch.  Talk to people.  Chill.  Zen.  Get in the zone.  So, Saturday morning after running a few important errands (local coffee, picked up my gluten-free birthday cake, indulged in gluten-free pumpkin doughnuts), my roommate and I pulled up to Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky and parked.  We climbed out of the car and made the stroll to the stadium, entering through the main doors and stepping inside.

Now, I love race expos.  I think they are a great way to showcase other races in or around the area, and get vendors in to sell products to the runners.  But…as with a lot of the races around here…this expo had next to nothing in it.  The local running store was there.  And Jam Active was promoting the fall Tap ‘N Run (which runs this weekend)…so my face was front and center on the promotional backdrop once again.  A few local companies were there…but that was it.  You know…I spend money at race expos.  This is a great opportunity for businesses and vendors and other races to get out there and promote.  That’s something I hope they work on for the future events.

Packet pick-up was a breeze.  My line was short…with only one other woman in front of me.  And…my bib number was the start of that line.  Number 2500.  It was funny.  I was asked what my bib number was and when I told them, the lady in charge of that line went, “AH!  Karen!  I feel like I know you.  I’ve been staring at your name all day!”  It made me giggle.  I told her that now she didn’t have to.  And she replied that now it was Kristen she’d get to stare at.  I collected the envelope with my timing chip in it and my bib.  Then I was directed over to the next line of tables which had the drawstring swag bag and the t-shirt pick-up.  One thing I also hope they go back to from the previous year is the women’s cut tech shirts.  I loved that option the previous year, but they weren’t doing it this year.  The shirts were back to being short sleeve.  And I signed up to get a small.  I got a small, but it’s still freakin’ big on me.  I find this to be an issue with most t-shirts I receive at races.  I am not built like a man…so the shirts just look strange on me.  Doesn’t matter though.  I still wear them proudly.  I collected my swag bag and shirt and then…I was done.  With no vendors to really walk through, my roommate and I headed home.

That afternoon…I did my new pre-race ritual…and went out for a belated birthday lunch (my birthday was September 19) with my roommate’s family.  I chose to eat at the Mellow Mushroom in Louisville as I knew they had gluten-free pizza.  And my superstitious athletic brain now has my consumption of pizza the day before a big race as linked to my fantastic finishing times I have had as of late.  The big races I ran after eating pizza (or something pizza-like) have me setting new PRs and turning out a great race.  The one recent time I deviated (pad thai before the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon), the race went horribly wrong.  So…pizza it is.  Until that fails me.  After a delicious couple of slices of Gluten-Free Kosmic Karma pizza…it was back to the apartment for presents and the most amazing gluten-free strawberry cake I have ever had, compliments of a local allergen-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café.  Even if you don’t have food allergies…check them out.  Their products are awesome!  When everyone left, I picked up a little and then settled in for a relaxing evening.  Because I know how high-strung I can be on race mornings.

And so, it was another early 4 a.m. wake-up for me.  I got up with my alarm and got out of bed.  The first thing I have to do is get dressed.  Even though I was home, I had laid out my clothing for the race the night before.  As the primary colors of the half and quarter marathons are orange and purple (the 1/4 Marathon is orange), I dug out my Frostbite 5K tech shirt (long sleeves) and my really crazy fun shorts.  Problem was, you couldn’t tell I had the shorts on when I wore the shirt, so I went to my regular running shorts instead.  I topped off the look with some fun knee-high socks and my running shoes.  The hair extensions were purple and orange that morning and my hair was properly put up in pigtails.  One of the BondiBands I picked up in Dayton was my headband of choice…it simply said, “iRun.”

When my roommate got up, I poured us some cereal to get something in our stomachs this early.  Then I grabbed a Luna Bar for her breakfast later and my banana to eat about an hour before the race.  This is another combination that seems to work for me.  No peanut butter this time.  No honey either.  Just the banana.  And, with that, we grabbed my race bag with my change of clothes, the sign, and away we went.

Since we left with plenty of time to spare, we had no trouble getting to Slugger Field at all.  That’s how it always works.  No worries though.  This just meant we had our pick of parking in the lot.  So we pulled in, chose a spot, and parked.  Grabbing our stuff, we headed into Slugger Field toward where the packet pick-up/expo was.  Packet pick-up for those who didn’t make it there on Saturday was open, but Cathy and I bypassed everything to claim a spot near the ticket booths (and a heating vent) to just sort of settle in until it was race time.  We dropped off our goods and I decided to hit up the bathroom at the stadium then because it would be empty…and they flushed.  As I’ve stated before…I’m a princess.  If flushing toilets are available…I use them before I even consider a port-a-pottie.  I know…princess.  I can’t help it.  I’m a germ-a-phobe!  So, I did that and made my way back, glancing longingly at the crew that was setting up the beautiful Finish banner across home plate at Slugger Field.  I told the Finish that I would see it soon.  Then, I hurried out of the cold and back into the heated interior of Slugger Field.  Just as I settled in, a text message from my friend Nikky came through.  She was asking about if I was wearing long or short sleeves.  I told her long sleeves but shorts (because…that’s how I roll…or run in this case).  She said she was going to layer up.  I told her I would see her at the end of the race, when we planned to meet up.

Here we have the ever-present LONG wait to the start happens.  While I like not feeling rushed when I arrive at a race, the hurry up and wait game gets a little old a lot fast.  Runners…you know what I mean.  So, Cathy and I just stood around talking, watching as the first few runners filtered in.  Soon…there were more.  All of them were doing pre-race routines.  The guy from Fleet Feet was giving out free massages with a roller and screaming at runners about putting Band-Aids on their nipples and using Body Glide (which they supplied) to prevent chafing.  It made me giggle.  A lot.  Runners were now filling up the interior of Slugger Field, some finding places to stretch out, or eat a power bar of some sort, or just meet up with the people they were running with.  It was nearly 6:50 a.m. now, so I handed Cathy her Luna Bar and I started peeling my banana to snack on and give some time to digest (I usually allot an hour) before the big run.  We chatted and after I finished the banana, I got up to throw away the peel and then begin my own stretches.  This definitely got me loosened up.  I did what I could to stay warm.  But it was inevitable…it was time to head out to the Start line.  That meant…stepping out into the 43 degree morning air.  I kept my hoodie on, of course, and away I went.

The morning was cold.  And as we walked with other runners towards the start line, we just sort of talked about the previous year and how much colder it was then.  So, this was a blessing in disguise.  The signs for the pace groups were up for the race, and I said I was going to hang out with the 9 minute per mile club.  Cathy told me to move up to the back of the 8 minute per mile group, so I did.  She was a bit more optimistic than me, apparently.  It was cold, so I told her I was just going to run a comfortable race.  Get warmed up and go from there.  My only goal was to beat last year.  Despite having a fantastic race at the Rock ‘N Sole Quarter Marathon in Milwaukee and setting a new PR of 54:52, I wasn’t confident I could beat that here…despite the flat course.  I started to let my Garmin search for satellites as Cathy gave me a hug, told me to have a good race, and went to stand on the other side of the Start line to cheer me on as I got started on the race.

The announcer at this race was great.  We had a bit of a delay with the start simply because the time clocks needed to be synched.  So, once that happened, he began the big countdown.  And then…as I started my iPod…we were off.  I crossed the starting line, started my Garmin, and flashed a peace sign at Cathy as I took off on the opening stretch of downtown Louisville street.  Despite the cold…I already felt good being out and doing the run.  I love races because I get to run with other people.  Even if we don’t say anything…the camaraderie is amazing and it does help with pacing.  I followed the people in front of me around a corner and through the first mile of the race.  I actually didn’t even hear my watch beep at me.  As I came through the first mile…I didn’t see a time clock or mile marker…but I did see a group of people up near the corner.  We were running back past Slugger Field and some spectators stayed out to cheer people through the first mile.  Cathy was one of them.  I spotted her and the sign when I rounded the corner.  It does make a huge difference to see your friends and family throughout the race.  Even if this was early…it made me smile.  And, with her telling me to “GO!”…I was through the first mile and heading into the rest of the race, feeling refreshed.

I headed into the second mile, this time seeing a mile marker and a time clock.  The clock was wrong…displaying the time for one mile…but that’s why I have a Garmin.  I really wasn’t interested in my time.  I was taking on this race with a very zen attitude.  I wasn’t going to look at my pace.  I was just going to keep it comfortable.  I could have pushed it.  I need to start doing that more, to be honest.  But not this race.  This race I was taking on with a whole new attitude than normal.  Let the pace set itself.  Run your comfort zone.  Push only if you feel the need to.  And that was how I did it.  Mile 3 was upon me in no time.  And then…Mile 4.  I didn’t see a mile marker or clock here either…but I might have just been zoned in.  What I did know was that the big race split was coming.  I needed to hang to the left.  And all half marathoners were going right.  So, I moved left on the road and sure enough, I could see a volunteer directing race traffic to the proper route, a giant sign behind her giving the split information as well.

I turned left and could see only a couple of runners ahead of me.  I think the majority of people taking part in the races were doing the half marathon.  And as I headed after them, I saw the marker for Mile 5 ahead.  One more mile and then the last .55 and I was done.  This is where I can always taste it.  And my legs felt good.  My feet felt amazing.  So, I picked it up a little.  Like I said, I would push where I felt I needed to.  I didn’t need to, but my run was feeling so great, I figured why not just speed up slightly.  So, down and around the downtown hotels I went.  Then, around a corner and toward Slugger Field.  It was getting real here.  I was so close…I knew I was close.  Mile 6 ticked off and I was heading toward the stadium.  I could hear the announcer as I pushed myself into the open area of the outfield wall and turned to make the run toward the finish line.  I rounded the left field area and hit the white cloth laid out across the baselines.  I sprinted down past third base and toward home plate, where the finish line was calling to me.  My time looked awesome.  It was at 52 minutes when I crossed, meaning, without even trying, I not only beat out (by a long-shot) my previous year’s time…but I also set a new PR for a Quarter Marathon…beating out Milwaukee by 2 minutes.

I felt amazing when I crossed that finish line.  I heard the announcer say my name as I was nearing the actual finish.  She said, “And here comes Karen…with her pigtails flying.”  I guess I’ll always get called out for my pigtails…but that’s my racing style…and it won’t change unless I drastically cut my hair.  LOL!  I received my finisher’s medal and continued on to where I saw Cathy, shaking the cow bell and waving the sign at me.  I threw my arms up in victory.  She said something like, “Holy crap!”  And then she told me to go get my stuff and to meet her at the end of it.  So, into the Race Recovery area I went.  I snagged another banana, an orange, some water, and a granola bar for Cathy…who I knew was probably hungry by now.  Then, I managed to cut the timing tag off my shoe on my own and head up the stairs to the top of the stadium to meet her.  I was bouncing with happiness.  I downed my orange and some water before posing in front of the Republic Bank Big Hit backdrop.

Then Cathy told me to go and get my results.  I did.  And when I was handed the slip with my name and time on it…I was shocked.  Not just by my time, but by the fact that it had me listed as 1st in my division (30-34).  I think I said, “Holy shit!” and passed it off to Cathy, telling her,  much like Geist…that was sure to change.  I nibbled on my banana and we headed down to sit on some chairs and wait for Nikky to finish up her run.  She said she would text me when she got done, but I was hoping to catch her as she came through the finish.  I missed her though because I got the text suddenly…so I told her to meet me at Results.  I went up to the table again and had them pull my results again…and I was still listed as first in my division.  Guess this time it stood.

Nikky found me and we hugged and congratulated each other on a good race.  We had a good time just standing around and talking.  I told her to come out to the BlueMile Fun Run’s on Monday (yes, Keith…I am coming back to those) and she said she would definitely consider joining in.  We discussed other races in the area that we are running.  And things we want to do next year.  It was fun to meet her in person, finally.  And we just easily fell into conversation, discussing anything and everything.  I got to meet her husband.  And after we talked and talked and talked…we all parted ways.  I wanted to go get into warmer clothes as I was currently still in running shorts and my lips were turning blue.  So, I grabbed my running bag from Cathy and ducked into the bathroom to change into jeans and my hoodie.  When I emerged, she was settled in near the Papa John’s area of the stadium where awards were going to be handed out.  And…as I won my division…I was getting an award.  The ceremony still had about 30 minutes until the start, so we cheered on the half marathon runners coming in for their finish.

Then…awards were given.  Three deep in each division…and then for overall men and women (three deep).  When my name was called, Cathy made a lot of noise.  I went up to receive my certificate to pick up my engraved bat once it was ready.  I can’t even express how surprised I still feel over that division placement.  I am just amazed with how I just set out to run a comfortable race and then ended up having my best one yet.  My actual award had to be custom made…so I have to wait to receive it.  But it will be next week.

The official results of the Republic Bank Big Hit 1/4 Marathon have me finishing in 52:46.  I was 54/486 finishers overall.  I was 13/322 women runners to cross the finish line in the 1/4 Marathon.  And I placed 1/58 in my age division.  Not only did I just set a new PR for a 1/4 Marathon, but I placed first in my division too.  This means that next week, I get to head down to Fleet Feet and pick up a custom engraved bat with my name, time, and division placement on it.  It was so unexpected to even place in this race.  I am still shocked…and thrilled.  Maybe all this hard work I’m pouring into my training is paying off.

For a race well run…I went to the North End Café in Louisville and treated myself to a delicious (and BIG) gluten-free pancake.  Just what the race doctor ordered.  Post-race carbs always taste the best.

And now…I’m ready to hit up this race again next year and see if I can do even better!

Race: Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Place: Dayton, Ohio

Date: September 15, 2012

Time: 51:58

I just want to start this entry off by saying that I was completely surprised by how efficiently and wonderfully this expo and race was put together and run.  Honestly.  It only makes me want to return next year (and run the half marathon instead of the 10K).  Honestly, one of the best organized races I have participated in.  So much fun.  I enjoyed every moment of this…including the expo.

Which is where the story begins…

Cathy, Jenn and I left Columbus, Ohio shortly after noon on Friday to drive to Dayton for the expo.  This was very important as it was the only time I would have to pick up my race packet.  So…we made a concerted effort to get there in enough time to peruse the expo, get the packet, and see what else was happening.  I knew one important fact about this expo and that was that Dean Karnazes (THE Ultramarathon Man) was in attendance and if at all possible, I wanted to meet him.  The Web site for the race didn’t have an appearance schedule up, so there was no guarantee that this would happen…but in the back of my mind…I was hopeful.

The expo itself was amazing.  The entire top floor of The Nutter Center was filled with booths that held vendors, other races, and a bunch of freebies.  I love big expos because I absolutely love taking in every bit of it, seeing what other races are out there, talking to vendors, and finding the Bondi Band booth to add to my growing collection of bands to wear on race days.  The last couple of races have had some pretty disappointing expos.  That changed here.

The three of us made our way around the circuit of booths, taking a peek at different tables, seeing what merchandise was out there, and just following the signs to packet pick-up.  This just happened to be on the other side of The Nutter Center and down the stairs to floor level.  Packet pick-up, however, was simple.  Just show your idea…tell them your bib number (12051) and you’re golden.  You get handed a packet with your race bib in it and are sent across the way to retrieve your t-shirt.  I somehow ended up with a Medium…so it’s really big on me…but…it still rocks.

As I was in line, Cathy and Jenn went to find seats in this section off to the side, because for once in our lives…we had good timing.  Dean Karnazes was set to talk at 3:30.  And it was around 3:00 p.m.  YAY!  I was stoked.  So, after I gathered all my stuff for the race, I went to find them in the seats and join them.  Poor Jenn got stuck sitting next to another creepy “friend” who pestered her the entire time.  Sorry Jenn.  I don’t know why that always happens to you!

Soon, the man of the moment was there.  The announcer was trying to kill time and didn’t realize Dean had already shown up…so when he was finally clued in…he made the big introduction.  And I was hooting and hollering because…Dean Karnazes is just awesome.  And I count him as one of my running heroes.  And here he was…about 30 feet or so from where I was sitting.  My first thought was that he looks smaller in person than he does in “UltraMarathon Man” (the documentary he did about running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days).  That was my last rational thought because then he started talking.  And I was hooked from the first word, which I believe was “Hello!”  LOL!  But…his talk was extremely informative and entertaining.  And we got to see him attempt to mess with the AV equipment as the sound was malfunctioning.  Then the microphone wanted to give lots of feedback.  It was sorted…and he got the hang of it.  Let me say this…the man is an absolute doll.  Very humble.  And yes…he is every bit as super human as he sounds.  But nothing short of awesome.  He said he had to run to the airport to catch a flight to Wisconsin, but after he finished talking, lots of people went down to the table to see if he would sign something.  I happened to have his book “50/50 Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!” with me and went to go stand in the line.  He began signing and doing a few pictures, then said that people with books were to step forward because he promised he would sign all the books.  I was never happier to have a book of his with me.  So, I got into the much shorter line and even scored a photo with him.  He signed it: “Karen – Good luck on your first marathon! –Dean”  I was telling him about how I was training to run my first  marathon next year…hence the message.  For the rest of the night, I was on cloud nine.  Seriously.

After the expo, we went to get checked into the hotel, then head out to shop at Half Price Books before hitting up a place for dinner.  I had scouted out Find Me Gluten-Free and found a place called Sinfully Gluten-Free to try out for dinner.  They had a small, but versatile menu.  So, we arrived there and all placed orders.  I got the pizza sandwich (no pepperoni, of course, for this vegetarian) with fries.  Cathy got the chicken tenders with fries.  Jenn got an 8-inch cheese pizza.  They make everything to order, so it does take a moment for food to arrive.  And that’s fine by me.  When it did, I dug right in and was so happy with my sandwich.  I even stole a piece of Jenn’s pizza and…absolutely loved it.  Perfectly safe meal before a race.  That’s what I am talking about.  I love piece of mind when it comes to meals before a race.  Afterwards, we raided the place for baked goods (I got LOTS of gluten-free cookies and a brownie, and while we were there, the three of us split one of their lemon bars – which was like eating a lemon cheesecake…SO GOOD!) and finally called it a night and headed back to the hotel to unwind and get ready for bed.

Now, the hotel had made an error with our booking.  We had put in to have a room with two double beds, but we ended up in a room with a king size bed.  The couch did pull out, so we arranged for Cathy & I to crash in the bed and Jenn took the hide-a-bed.  Cathy offered to trade with Jenn, but she maintained she would stick it out on the hide-away for the night.  We called down for sheets and get the bed set-up after playing around online for a little bit.  We knew we were going to have an early morning, so we called it a night around 9:30 p.m.  I set my cell phone alarm for 4:45 a.m. and then crashed out.  I never slept so well before a race before…but I was out like a light.

The alarm sounded that following morning and after scaring Jenn half to death, I shut it off and shambled into the bathroom to change into my race clothes (which I had laid out the night before) and then eat my cereal to at least get something in my stomach pre-race.  We all took turns in the bathroom, packed up our stuff, then went to check out of the hotel.  The hotel happened to have take-and-go goodies out for runners and families of runners, so we all snagged something.  I grabbed a banana and an orange.  Cathy snagged a banana.  And Jenn grabbed a bagel (which was itty-bitty…but a bagel nonetheless).  From there, we made the short trip toward the Air Force Museum to attempt to find parking and make our way to the starting line.

Getting in wasn’t too difficult.  Traffic was still light at this point, so we followed a stream of cars through a gate and just went where we were directed.  We parked and then began the very, very, very long hike from the area we were parked in to the starting line.  It had to at least have been a mile, if not more.  Because every runner wants to hike that far before running in either a marathon, half marathon, or 10K race, yes?  Anyway…we managed.  I got to bypass security since I was a runner, but Cathy and Jenn had to have bags searched and get wanded down before entering the race area.  But once we were through, we made our way past the finish line and to the start area of the race.  It was still dark.  And…yeah…it was about 43 degrees out.  I had packed my running skirt and a tank top, so thankfully I had arm warmers with me.  Or I might have been a little colder than I was.  As it was, I kept my hoodie on for as long as I could before the start of the race.  But as the sun began to come up and the 7:30 a.m. race start crept closer, Cathy took the hoodie from me.  She and Jenn went to go find a spot along the start area to watch for me and I started to line up with the marathoners and other 10K runners.

At the Air Force races, the marathon and 10K head off together.  They split at mile 3 and go separate directions.  The half marathon starts an hour later at 8:30 a.m.  The opening ceremonies were done.  The national anthem was beautifully sung.  And then the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flew over the start line.  It was SO cool.  I was grinning like a fool.  Then…the wheelchair participants were sent off 5 minutes ahead of time…as well as the blind runner who was doing the marathon.  And soon…the marathon and 10K racers were off with the shot of a gun.

I was actually through the starting gate faster than anticipated.  Jenn luckily spotted me and got a picture of my back as I ran past.  Cathy totally missed me until Jenn pointed me out.  That’s what happens with bigger races and all four of the race events for the Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K were SOLD OUT!  So, it was pretty big.

And so…I was off.  Sans music, by the way.  I mention this because I normally run races with my iPod Nano.  But Cathy didn’t pack it.  She thought she had…but it was left at home in the gym bag.  So, I ran this one completely without my tunes.  I have run without music at races that don’t allow headphones, but this one had no restrictions…so I was a bit bummed about that.  But…you know…you just get over it and get going.

The chilly weather was a nice change of pace, since the last big race I ran was the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon in the 90% humidity that nearly killed me.  Once I got moving, the chill didn’t feel so cold.  I was still glad I had those arm warmers on, but very glad I didn’t pack the long pants.  The skirt was perfect.

The first mile of this race felt good.  I took it easy.  I decided I was just going to run this one easy.  Not push too hard.  And I just sort of paced myself for the first mile, leading up to this long, steep incline that lasted from just before mile 1 to around 2.5 miles.  Seriously.  This is not an exaggeration.  For a moment I never thought it would level off or start any sort of descent.  But, with the hill behind me, I was now making my way to the split where the Marathon runners go one way and the 10K runners go the other.  I was on the wrong side at first…so, I quickly changed lanes and got into the proper side to make my turn into Mile 3.  I was almost halfway there.  I made a point not to look at my pace or my time.  I just wanted to run what was comfortable.  So…that’s how I kept it.

Mile 4 brought us back to the Air Force Museum.  We were about to lap the museum.  And as I hit Mile 4.5, I could hear them announce the winner of the 10K, followed soon after by the first female and 2nd place overall.  Awesome.  I was now feeling the excitement.  Mile 5 ticked by and I knew that I was down to the last 1.2 miles.  I pushed only a little…because I was determined to pass a woman who passed me up long before.  She pushed too hard too soon, and I sort of saved some for the finish…so I passed her and just kept on going.  I could hear the announcer, saying names of the finishers, talking about groups finishing together.  Now it was getting real.  I ran closely behind two guys as we rounded into Mile 6, and the Finish line came into view.  That is an amazing sight no matter how long or short the race is.  I pushed a bit more, feeling my tired legs.  One of the airmen on the side cheering the runners on said “WOOO KAREN!  YOU GO WITH YOUR PIGTAILS!”  It made me smile.  And so I pressed on and blew across the finish line, waiting before I stopped my Garmin.  I have learned.  LOL!

I walked through runner services, receiving my finisher’s medal from a very handsome airman, who also shook my hand and congratulated me.  For the first time ever, I was handed a “space blanket” to wrap around myself to keep warm.  This made me stupidly happy for some reason.  Go figure.  I stopped to get an official finisher photo in front of the backdrop, then went through the area where bananas and chocolate milk and bagels and pizza were being offered.  I snagged a banana and a bottle of chocolate milk before meeting Jenn and Cathy outside of the runner services area.

We hugged and I snacked on my KindBar I brought with me.  Then hurried over to get my results from the tent.  I was hoping it would give official stats, but it only spit out my time.  As I wandered back over to where Cathy and Jenn were waiting, I glanced at my time…and thought I might have set a new 10K PR.  I had Cathy look up my time for the Rhodes City Run (my fastest 10K to date) while I finished snacking.  When she said my time, I jumped in the air, pumping a fist with an exclamation of “FUCK YEAH!”  I was a little excited…because I beat my time by almost 3 full minutes.  Beyond happy.  For real.

We stood around a little bit longer, then began to make our way back toward the Air Force Museum.  Cathy went to see if she could find out what my placement was (that was a negative).  So while she was gone, Jenn and I cheered on more 10K runners coming around the curve to head for the finish line.  It was then we saw the first wheelchair racer in the marathon come in.  It was SO cool.  When Cathy joined us, we went to the museum, checked out the gift shop, and then headed out to grab Starbucks and return to Columbus for the remainder of the weekend.

The official results of the Air Force Marathon 10K have me finishing in 51:58.  I was 120/1233 overall.  I was 25/711 women runners to cross the finish line for the 10K.  And I placed 25/96 in my age division.  I couldn’t have been happier with these results, honestly.  I was just elated with them.  And I set a new 10K PR!  Thrilled!!

The way this race was run, the people, the setting, the amazing atmosphere, the organization…all of it was awesome.  And I do hope to make it back next year…perhaps to try for the half marathon instead.  I had a great time and loved every single moment of my race experience.  If you are looking for a well-run race…consider one of the Air Force races in Dayton.  It’s totally worth the trip.

Race: Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: August 25, 2012

Time: 25:49

It was early in the morning when my alarm went off prior to my first race back from injury.  Let me tell you…I was ready to be back to it.  After doing a fun mile run (my local running store hosts the BlueMile BrewMile at local breweries/pubs) to test out my new orthodic inserts on a short run and…get back to running with others, I was hungry for this race.  And I woke up feeling really good, really rested, and ready to take on the hills of Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky.  This particular park is known for its rather large hills.  I’ve run there a few times and every time…the hills kick my ass.

That Saturday morning…I was feeling quite confident.  I found a little saying on Pinterest as I was relaxing prior to eating some cereal and heading out to the park.  It said:

Turn a setback into a comeback.

It was spot on how I felt about this race.  As I mentioned in the previous blog, this is the second time that I’ve run the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run.  Last year…I was coming back off of a stress fracture and horrible runner’s knee.  This year…a torn plantar fasciitis.  Honestly, my goal is to run it next year without making it a comeback race.

But…technically it was a comeback.  And I promised my podiatrist, my mom, my roomie, and my friends who cared that I would take it easy.  I had ever intention of doing that.

My roommate and I arrived at Iroquois Park about an hour before the start of the race.  I grabbed my Cashew Cookie Lärabar, my iPod, and my iPhone and we locked up the car and started toward the amphitheater.  When we rounded the corner, we were in for a shock.  People were everywhere.  There were lots of booths set up for the health fare and such that accompanied the race.  One of Louisville’s food trucks was there as well.  The giant 10 foot colon was inflated and inviting people to walk through it.  And the crowd was awesome.  So many people were milling about, checking out the booths, seeing what was being offered, and talking with those around them.  The atmosphere was uplifting.  And at the 30 minutes pre-race mark, I cracked open my Lärabar and nibbled on it.  It was right around this time that the executive director of the Colon Cancer Research Project, Andrea, welcomed all the runners, walkers, and teams.  And she introduced other speakers, who proceeded to give short speeches.  Then…they called all the colon cancer survivors in attendance up to the front.  It was so moving.

My roommate said she was going to head up toward the start line to get a spot, so she hugged me and wished me luck before setting off.  And a moment later, the organizers told the runners to head toward the start line, as we were to lead the line of people so the walkers would be safe and not get run over.  U2’s “Beautiful Day” was playing over the loud speaker.  And I was taking steps toward that starting lineup.  And that was when a slight bit of fear set in.  I felt like I was about to hyperventilate.  It was all in my head.  I knew it was fear of getting hurt again, not being able to do this for awhile.  I really wanted to get past this fear I had of the one sport I have ever found joy and love in.  With a few very deep breaths, I set my iPod, focused on Bono’s words as he sang, drew meaning from that, and then listened to the race director give instructions on how we were to navigate the course.

Then…a moment later, I hit start on my iPod and we were sent off with a whistle.  With a deep breath and a slow exhale, I flashed a peace sign to my roommate as I stepped over the sensors at the start line…and was off.

Navigating Iroquois Park at a decent pace is really not hard.  Especially since this race starts us going uphill and has us end going uphill.  Yeah…it is evil.  So, I just worked on running a smart, good race.  It was warm out, so I wanted to take that into account when I set my pace.  I also didn’t want to push too much at the beginning and have nothing left for the hill I knew I’d face near the end.  Most of this run was actually done going uphill.  There were some downhill parts, but mostly uphill.  Trust me…it is possible.

My first mile ticked off and I was actually running better than I anticipated.  I felt good.  I was able to breathe without laboring too much.  I tell you, the two weeks I spent not running due to injury had messed with my fitness levels.  I felt so out of shape when I returned.  And running slower is not easy for me to do.  But I understand the importance of doing it…for the benefit of my heeling foot and to prevent further injury or further aggravating an injury.  I wasn’t too worried about my pace.  My goal was simply to come in faster than my comeback time from the previous year, which was 30:52.  It holds the distinction of being my slowest 5K race I have ever run.  I was already off to a better start, despite my initial trepidation.  I think a lot of that was all in my head.

I focused a lot of attention on the uphill climbs.  I had people pass me, but I didn’t  care.  I was not ready to push like I used to, and fight up that hill.  I was having enough of a fight trying to do so without straining a tendon.  With a half marathon coming up the following weekend, I didn’t want to do irreparable damage on a 5K.

Before I knew it, Mile 2 was in front of me and I was holding a decent enough pace, even passing some of the people who had passed me up on the hills.  But they caught me again as that steep hill hit.  I knew it was coming, and I had managed to conserve enough energy to propel myself up it at a slow, steady, decent pace.  I didn’t care who passed me, I was getting up that hill safely.  And that’s what I did.  And when it leveled off, I could see the edge of the parking lot coming up, and that meant I was almost to the finish line.

I didn’t look at my watch or waste any time.  I just kept on running.  I wasn’t sure exactly how much further I would have, but soon, I could hear people.  And then I saw my roommate waving at me, cheering for me.  The finish line was right there.  I just had to get over the line.  And according to the clock, I already smashed my previous time from the year before.  I crossed, breathing hard, and immediately heading over to the cold water being offered.  I grabbed a bottle and Cathy came over and found me, already telling me how well I had done and that she couldn’t believe I ran it in sub-26 minutes.  I surprised myself.  And I felt good…if not breathless and really hot.

Afterwards, I worked my way over to the Earth Fare tent where I received a banana.  I love a banana after a run and this tasted so good.  We settled in at one of the picnic tables and I went to go get more water from another booth.  While there, I found orange slices and grabbed one.  I ended up splitting it with Cathy…then went back and got one more for each of us.  Crazy delicious.  It was just what I needed.

After a few moments of re-hydrating, I decided to go and look for a friend of mine that I used to work with, who was supposed to be walking at this event.  I stood around, cheering on those heading to the finish line, hoping we’d cross paths.  But I never saw her.  And when I look at the official results, I don’t see her name on there…so I guess she didn’t make it to the race that day.

After the finish line was taken down, the awards were to be given out.  Even if I know I’m not getting anything, I tend to stick around and cheer for those who do.  And it was to my extreme shock that I ended up placing 3rd in my division.  I happily went up and received my medal for that honor.  I couldn’t have been happier.

Talk about turning a setback into a comeback.  I’m really tempted to take that medal in and show my podiatrist.  Maybe I will.

So, as it stands the official results for the Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run are that I finished in 25:49, was 72/684 overall, and 3/54 in my age division. Totally pleased!!!  How could I not be.  I missed two prior races due to not being able to walk leading up to this, was very nervous and tentative in my training runs…and then…I manage to surprise myself.

It was a great morning for a great race.  One that benefited a fantastic cause that is near and dear to my heart.  Next year, my goal is to run this race without having to make it a comeback from injury race.

Race: Grand Slam 4 Miler

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: July 21, 2012

Time: 34:22

I admit…this is a race I probably ran better than I should have.  When I say better…I mean faster.  Because, from previous postings in this blog you will note that I have had some issues with my left foot.  I have done much to make sure that I would be in form to run this weekend…including not running all week leading up to this race.  But, alas…I woke up this morning and I still had minor pain.  So, I hobbled myself over to the drawer where I keep my running gear, pulled out the athletic tape, and wrapped it up to give it some extra support.

In hindsight…I’m glad I did that.

I was already upset this morning because my foot was still bothering me, but, you just suck it up buttercup and do what you can with the cards you are dealt.  I grabbed some water from the fridge to begin some morning-of-the-race hydration and got breakfast ready.  Easy.  Cereal.  With unsweetened almond milk.  My normal pre-race brekkies.

However, this was two hours ahead of race start time, so I knew I would burn through the cereal and be hungry…probably by the start or at least by the middle of the race.  So, inside my gluten-free drawer of protein/granola/fruit goodness, I emerged with a Truebar by Bakery on Main.  It’s a chewy, gooey fruit and nut bar.  I had never had one before and…ooops…this one was flavored with chai…so it had a bit of a spice to it.  Not what you want pre-run…but that will teach me to read labels before just grabbing and hurrying out the door to the race.

I finished getting ready for the race, got my number pinned on, and made sure I had my iPod and my Garmin.  Then it was out the door because who knew what traffic going into Louisville would be like.

The ride to Slugger Field in Louisville, Kentucky was easy.  Seriously.  No traffic hold-ups.  No problems.  The biggest issue of the morning was deciding on whether to park in the street or a lot.  We finally chose a lot that was labeled as Private, but all the runners seemed to be parking there regardless.  We are lemmings.  We followed what everyone else was doing.

The tables were just getting set up for race day packet pick-up, and we had just about an hour before the race started.  Cathy and I headed into Louisville Slugger Field because I wanted to use the restroom…you know…one with running water and toilets that flush (PRINCESS!).  With that done, we went back down to street level and stood by the gate where we talked and I began to stretch.

That’s when Keith showed up.  I know, because we had arranged that he would text me so we could meet up before the race.  So, his text came through and I told him where we were standing.  Moments later…there he was.  It is so nice to know another runner in the race.  This is the second race that Keith and I have been able to line up together in.  The other was the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon.  I see him on Monday’s at my fun run at BlueMile in the Highlands of Louisville too.  Keith and I have a lot in common, so we were fast friends after I joined the running group.  Now it’s a matter of me being able to get to Louisville in time to make the fun runs on Monday.  But…that’s a different rant.

We stretched, talked running shoes, and races we were thinking of running or have already signed up for.  We’re both running in races next weekend…but different ones.  He’s doing the Waterfront Challenge 5K Urban Obstacle Run while I am doing The Color Run (basically, I get paint powder thrown on me in this race…awesome!).  So, different races.  But, we talked about other options coming up that we both were interested in doing.  It really made time fly and before we knew it…we were being asked to line up as we had 10 minutes to race start.

I gave Cathy a hug and she wished me luck and told me to take it easy.  I agreed.  And she went to go get situated for the start of the race while Keith and I chose a good spot to start…sort of near the front-middle of the pack of runners.  There were just under 500 finishers in this race, so it was a decent size, although both Keith and I thought there would be more people.  I prepped my Garmin and my iPod and the announcer said that we would get a “Runner’s ready…” And then the horn.

That’s exactly what we got.  And we were off.  The slow trot up to the start line was easy.  It was when I crossed the start line and, as usual, went to take off, that my foot began to bother me.  Right there.  With the first step.  I was so not happy with that.  In this instance, it meant that I had to shorten my stride and figure out a good way to land without repeating the incident from the Activate America 5 Miler back in 2011.  I slowed my pace and was doing this strange hobble, step sort of run.  And that’s how it worked…for four miles.  Mile one was easy, it seemed.  But then as the second mile came on, there were some inclines.  Those were particularly hard on my left foot.  I didn’t power through them as I usually try to…I just tried to keep a good pace without pushing too much.  Mile 3…same thing.  Mile 4…same.  My entire goal was to not be limping across the finish line.  This also meant, despite knowing the finish line was right ahead…no all-out pick-up-the-pace and get there sprint at the end.  None of that.  I just…kept on at where I was and that’s the pace I crossed at.

I was handed some water and the man who handed me the bottle stopped me so he could read my headband.  Today’s race headband said, “Find Your Happy Pace.”  I love that saying…and for today’s race I found it very appropriate.  I made my way over to where Cathy was standing and we began watching for Keith.  He had stuck with me through the first mile…but after that I lost him.  I knew he wouldn’t be too far behind me.  And I was absolutely right.  When we saw him round that corner, both Cathy and I started shouting and cheering him on.  And as he crossed, I went to go high-five him…and we both grabbed water and made our way over to the curb to sit and relax…and try to cool down.  While the morning was a lot cooler than it had been, it heated up fast out there.

We sat there, discussed the race, our paces, and how we felt we did.  We re-hydrated.  I took off my shoe and unwrapped my foot, giving it a bit of a massage before easing it back into my running shoe.  Finally, we decided that we would move on as all of us had things we needed to get done that day.  For me…first stop meant brunch at Wild Eggs.

Anyway…as we got up, Cathy and Keith began to meander off.  I went to take a step and just stinging, hot pain went through my foot.  I was paralyzed right there from it.  I tried again, and had the same result.  I was stuck…and they were walking away.  Cathy did turn around and came over to help me move.  She let me cling to her as I got moving.  And once I got moving, it hurt, but at least I could keep moving.  It was when I stopped…or sat for long periods of time that the pain would start up when I stood up or tried to move again.

But…I was a trooper.  We got to Wild Eggs and I was going to go in and put our names in…but my Sketchers I changed into were worse on my feet than my running shoes.  So, after Cathy parked and helped me get inside…we got our names in and went to the bathroom so I could change out of my running clothes and into street clothes.  I made a decision to do what I never do…and that was just wear my running shoes today.  Why?  They are stability shoes…so while it still hurt…my foot could at least tolerate me standing, walking, etc. in these.  So, the rest of the day, I had trouble getting going after sitting at a table or in the car, but once I was up and moving…I was fine.

Upon arriving at home though and after making a grueling climb up the stairs to my apartment…I went to take off my shoes.  And that’s when the issues started.  I could hardly put weight on my foot.  It was excruciating pain when I even tried.  So, I crawled out to the living room and went to put some items we had purchased away.  When I couldn’t stand up to do it…we decided something was wrong.  So…my foot has been up and becoming friends with every ice pack in the apartment on rotation.  And I’m taking it very easy and downing Ibuprofen.  It doesn’t hurt to press hard on my foot or anything…only for me to put my weight on it.  SUCKS!

So…I’m down for the count for the time being.  I’m hoping that resting it and taking it easy will make make it easier to move around on.  So, cross your fingers and send good heeling thoughts my way.  For now…I’m off to soak my feet in Epsom salts.  Here goes nothing…or something…like healing.

That being said…my official race results are that I finished the Grand Slam 4 Miler in 34:22.  That’s way better than I thought I would given my injury heading into the race.  I was 139/489 overall and I was 5th/38 in my division.  Not too bad for the injured girl, yes?

Now…to get back into running order.  The sooner…the better.  Because…seriously…ow!

Race: The Great Buffalo Chase 5K

Place: Frankfort, KY

Date: July 4, 2012

Time: 25:01

Okay…I’m going to admit it.  I’m more than a little ticked at the official results for The Great Buffalo Chase 5K race.  Why?  Because according to my Garmin, I finished at 24:59, as opposed to the 25:01 I’m listed under.  But…what can you do?  You have to go off the official, even though I started my Garmin when the air horn blew and stopped it after I crossed the finish.  Whatever.  It wasn’t going to be a new PR anyway, but I’m sort of protective of that sub-24 minute I set.  I’ll let it slide this time as it was around 86 degrees out and extremely humid that morning.

Happy 4th of July!!  Get out of bed early, despite dealing with neighbors setting off fireworks (during a ban) into the wee hours of the night, and get in the car to get to Frankfort, Kentucky.  That was what happened.  The full moon was still shining down on us as my roommate and I stepped out into the heavy, moist air that morning and packed up the car for our little sojourn to Frankfort (again).  I was more than a little tired and was nowhere near awake as we drove to Buffalo Trace Distillery, the start and finish of the annual Great Buffalo Chase 5K.

I knew this race was going to be bigger than most in the Frankfort area, because cash prizes were being waved.  BIG cash prizes.  Like…come in first and win $3000.  Yeah…like that.  So it was no surprise to arrive to a line of traffic, some very fit runners, and the ‘Kenyan”-types (who basically won it all).  Sure, I had dreams of winning that cash for myself, but…I’m not that fast of a runner.  I was looking at the previous year times and the winner came in at 16 minutes and change.  At 16 minutes, exactly, I was at Mile 2.

The other plan was to just run the hell out of this race.  Just push myself as hard as I could possibly manage and find out just what I can do during a 5K race.  I sometimes feel I just glide through and don’t really challenge myself at races until that last mile.  If I did it more during the first part, I might actually see some progress.  But the heat, humidity, and excessive heat index took away that option as well.  The best thing to do was to just run a smart, good, fun race.

And that’s what I ended up doing in the end.

But…we’ll get there.  First…upon arrival, I headed to the Visitor Center of the Buffalo Trace Distillery to get my packet.  The line in there was rather crazy, but it didn’t move too slowly.  It might have taken about 10 minutes total to get through the line and get my packet and t-shirt.  I snagged a sip of water from the water cooler before heading out to get my number pinned on and head out to stretch out my limbs, not just from the morning car ride, but to prepare for the race.

There wasn’t too much time to do that though.  No sooner had I started that the race director was on a bullhorn telling runners to head to the starting line as the race would be starting in 15 minutes.  Wow.  Okay.  Minor stretching done…both Cathy and I started to trek toward where the start would be.  We had a lot of people behind us too as well as in front of us.  Big race…you betcha!

No time for niceties at the start line either.  I got a good luck hug from my roommate and went to find a place in the mass of runners lining up.  I went back a little way, then realized there was no timing chip on this race…so I moved up as close as I dared and stayed there through the announcements and the instructions on our start.  I got my Garmin working on finding its satellites and then worried with my iPod.  I got both prepped just in time, because we heard “Runners ready…”  And then…an air horn blast sent us off for the race.

This was a relatively flat out-and-back 5K race.  There were some very minor rolling hills, but no steep inclines to sap your energy.  Instead, the heat would do that.  So thank God we only had to deal with one and not both.

The first mile of the race is around the warehouses buildings located inside the distillery grounds.  They took extra precautions to cover up tracks that run through there so no runners would trip or get their foot stuck.  I appreciated that effort.  After hit the the warehouse area, we head out onto the roads and begin to make our way around the beautiful ponds via the roads around Buffalo Trace Distllery.  Mile 1 came and went and I was making better time than I anticipated.

As I made my way toward Mile 2, we ran over a rolling country hill and headed back in toward the warehouses.  And this is where it gets evil, friends.  The race actually rounds back around two warehouse buildings, which leads runners right past where the finish line is sitting and waiting.  The crowd waiting there was awesome and shouted out support for everyone as they began to make their way back around and out of the parking lot to head back the way we all came and back toward the distillery one more time.

As I was making my way into Mile 3, I was nearing the end.  And as I ran over a bridge, I passed a young boy who was wheezing heavily in the heat of the morning.  I asked if he was okay and he said he’d be fine.  At his wave to continue on I went.  And I pushed it as much as I could toward the finish line.  Like I said, it was hot and heat just saps me of any push at the end.  I gave it what I could muster and crossed that finish line.

As I mentioned, there were no timing tags on this race, so we had to stay in line and hand over the bottom part of our race bibs in the order we came in.  I stopped my Garmin watch as I crossed the finish and it read 24:59.  But…official results had something to say about that.  But after I handed over my number, I made my way over to where there was some ice cold water waiting, grabbed a bottle and downed it.  I was dripping sweat from the heat and just needed to cool down.  But I had places to be, unfortunately, so no time to really cool down and dry off.  I grabbed my running bag and went into the bathroom to try to mop myself down and get changed.  I managed.

More water was downed as I came back outside and then I posed with the buffalo statue.  Racers were still coming in.  An ambulance pulled up as we were preparing to leave.  Apparently a female runner pushed too hard in the oppressive heat that morning and they were coming to check on her.  Cathy and I bid adieu to the race and headed out for the rest of the day in Lexington, Kentucky…which involved gluten-free pasta for me for lunch at a local Italian place and a showing of The Amazing Spiderman at the movie theater there.  It was a good day.

It took an entire day to get the official results, but they were finally posted.  So, officially, my results for The Great Buffalo Chase 5K are that I finished in 25:01 (2 seconds off of my official Garmin time).  I was 129/612 overall.  And I was 6th in my division.  Not too shabby given the heat that day and how tired I was at the start of the race.  I was really hoping to just run a hard race and push myself, but with how hot it was, I had to run it smart and save that experiment for another time.

And already…I hope to go back next year and do it again.  Fantastic race.  I had a blast.

Race: Rock ‘N Soul Quarter Marathon

Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date: June 23, 2012

Time: 54:52

Apparently, last year, the Rock ‘N Sole Half Marathon didn’t work out so well.  There were multiple hospitalizations, intense heat, and problems all around.  But for this year’s race, they hired a new race director, changed the start time, had more volunteers, much more water, and added two races – a Quarter Marathon and a 5K race.

I could have run the half marathon, but being as I just ran one at the beginning of the month, when I was eying the Rock ‘N Sole race, I figured it was probably better to stick with the quarter marathon (that’s 6.55 miles).  Besides, quarter marathons are rather rare, are a good distance, and it would fit right into my training for my next half marathon in September.

With no hesitation, I signed up.  And this meant taking Friday, June 22, off from work and driving all the way from my home in Southern Indiana to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  My roommate and I decided to work it like it was one of your gym mornings, get up early, grab some breakfast at home, pack some snacks for the road, finish packing, and hit the road by 6:30 a.m. at the very latest.  We hit the road at 6 a.m.

The drive up was long, but we put on the iPod and made it work.  Somewhere in Chicago we dove into our GoPicnic boxes for lunch.  And around 12:30 p.m., we were checking into our hotel in Milwaukee.  Happiness.  Soon after dropping off our luggage, we were hitting the road to downtown because I needed to hit up packet pick-up at the expo, which was happening at the Italian Community Center.

That expo was small as well, but larger than the one for Minneapolis.  I walked straight back to the packet pick-up desk and got my bag that contained some goodies, race information, my bib, timing chip, and my shirt.  The race excitement was definitely building now.  It was feeling real.  While walking around the expo, I was gifted with free socks being handed out by the main sponsor, BMO Harris Bank.  Sweet.  I eyed a few items at the expo, but as usual…lots of window shopping, no actual shopping.  With all that done, and the expo fully explored, my roommate and I headed out to do some exploring and shopping in Milwaukee.

A few stores, some frozen custard, and a stop back at the hotel later, we were dressed in jeans and out of our travel-in-the-car clothes and heading out for dinner.  Cathy found this great restaurant called Transfer Pizzeria & Café.  And what made it so great, aside from the ambiance and amazing staff?  Gluten-free bruschetta, gluten-free pizza, and a gluten-free brownie for dessert.  Perfect ending to the night before the race.  Carbs, dessert, and good times.  It was back to the hotel afterwards to settle in for the night because the morning was going to be another early one.

It was 4 a.m. when my alarm on my iPhone began to go off.  I got out of bed, grabbed my race clothes, and headed into the bathroom to change.  Cathy turned on the Weather so we could see what we would be dealing with while I ate a serving of gluten-free cereal and she had a breakfast bar.  We finished up, glad that it was in the low sixties currently and no rain was moving through, got our stuff, and headed downtown to the start of the race.

We arrived early so we could park in one of the free lots.  We did get a spot in one with no problem.  It wasn’t the one we were aiming for, but, hey…it was a spot.  We grabbed the race bag and she got my sign and off we went.  We could see the finish line from where we parked so now we had to make the walk to where the race was starting.  It was a bit of a haul, but it wasn’t too bad.  There were only a few runners currently mingling and standing around.  Most people out there were volunteers.  And as we neared the start line, which was in front of the Milwaukee Museum of Art on the lakefront, the sun began to come up and we had the most spectacular sunrise over the lake.  It was fantastic.

So, we settled in on a bench and about an hour before the race, we had the rest of our breakfast.  A granola bar for her and a banana with peanut butter for me.  This gave my body time to digest.  This was the same thing I ate before the Mini Marathon in Indianapolis…so I knew it would work out.  Then, just as suddenly as the sun came up…it disappeared.  And this thick wave of fog began to roll in off the lake.  It was a blanket.  No joke.  The sun was completely gone and it was getting difficult to see too far in front of you.

It was kind of great though.  I’ve run in heat, sun, snow, rain, cold, lightning…never fog.  First time for everything.  As 20 minutes to race time approached, the fog was even heavier.  There were much more people around now and we all began our tradition of stretching and warming up.  Everywhere you looked, runners were preparing for whichever race they were running.

The Half and Quarter Marathons were starting together at 7:00 a.m.  The 5K would start at 7:20 a.m.  So, around 6:45, the announcer began to tell runners to get into their corrals because the race would start promptly at 7:00.  I gave Cathy a hug, and she wished me luck, and off I went to Corral G…my short-term home at the start of the race.  At first, runners were scarce in the corrals.  No, the fog wasn’t hiding them, they were just still making their way here.  But soon we were lined up, listening to the National Anthem, and being told that at the top of the Daniel Hoan Bridge was our first water stop, but due to the fog…we couldn’t see it.  So, we were to listen for instructions on where to be so we didn’t run into volunteers, tables or whatever.  Yay, fog!

And then…the countdown began and we were off.  Well, it took about 2 minutes to get from Corral G to the start line.  Not too bad considering.  And then, I hit start on my Garmin as I crossed the start line…and away I went with the group.

It was rather quick getting to the bridge, which was to offer spectacular views of the Milwaukee skyline, Lake Michigan, and the Summerfest grounds.  But…we saw fog.  Ah well.  And, holding true…running up exit ramps…sucks.  They are a lot steeper than they look, trust me.  And about halfway up, my iPod shut off.  So, I had to mess with that and get it working, which meant I wasn’t really running my best.  But I got it sorted and back on track, and picked it up a little.

They were right…you couldn’t see the water station as you crested the top.  But they had volunteers funneling runners through so that we all got in and out safely.  Once we got past there, it was a breeze.  Mile 1 was already behind me and I was making the push for Mile 2.  The fog was beginning to become less dense, and the sun was making a play at coming back out.  Mile 2 arrived just before we headed down the ramp to run a stretch of road.  Mile 3 was at the top of the other exit ramp as we began to make our way back across the Daniel Hoan Bridge.  There still wasn’t any visibility of the downtown, the lake, or the Summerfest grounds, but running in the fog was an adventure.  However, with the sun breaking through, the heat of the day was starting to get felt.

Somewhere between Mile 3 and Mile 4, a man running in the half marathon stumbled and fell.  I mean, took a hard crash down on the bridge.  Runners stopped to help him up and make sure he was okay (I love the people in my sport!), and he shook it off and started back at a slower pace.  He looked okay and seemed fine after that fall.  That…is only a good thing.

Mile 4 kicked by us and soon we were heading off the bridge and into the downtown Milwaukee area.  I felt great.  This race felt great.  I was keeping a good pace because I wasn’t completely exhausted yet.  I was heading into Mile 5, feeling better than I did the previous 5 mile race the weekend before.  It was awesome and I was having a great time.

Mile 5 marked the split.  Quarter Marathon runners kept to the right to turn and head into the final 1.5 miles of the race to the finish line.  Half Marathon runners continued on for 8.2 more miles.  I made the split and was now running in downtown.  We were guided through this beautiful area between the lake.  With the sun out, it was a fantastic view.  And I was loving it.  Better yet, my legs were feeling strong and I was feeling better than I had on a longer race run in a long time.  Mile 6 was here and I was moving really good.  I knew I had just over a half mile to go.  Normally I ride this out until I can see the finish line…but like I said…I was feeling good.  Taking a risk, I picked up the pace.

The finish area was not in sight yet, but I could hear the announcer.  So, I knew I was getting close.  I came around a corner, and was heading down the street…then the course took another turn.  There it was…the finish line.  So…I decided to just put my all into the finish.  Finish strong.  That’s what I had every intention of doing.  I pushed hard, I found the strength, and I tore it up to the finish line.  I even remembered to stop my Garmin.

I saw Cathy up in the stands on the side of the course where all the 5K runners were coming in.  She was screaming and waving her sign.  I gave a fist pump of victory, not even looking at my time.  It just felt good.  The race felt good.  I knew I had run it well.  I made my way through runner’s services, receiving my finisher’s medal, water, some snacks, and getting my Finisher photo taken against the banner.  Then it was into the Summerfest grounds to find Cathy.

It only took a moment to spot her, waving my sign at me from a shady spot.  I hurried over there and finally checked my watch.  If the official results were close to what my Garmin said…then I really tore this race up.  That being said, I headed over to the results tent and got handed my ticket.

Official results of the Rock ‘N Sole Quarter Marathon are that I finished in 54:52. I was 171/1917 finishers overall. That…my friends…is AWESOME! I was 59/1309 women to cross the finish. And I was 12/228 people in my division.  You know what the most amazing part is?  That I beat out my last Quarter Marathon time by almost a full 10 minutes.  I was shocked.  Stunned.  And I have to admit, the time and effort I’ve been putting into my training for these races is really starting to pay off.  I can see the difference in my running.  I have never felt that amazing at that point of a race.  And when I look at my split times for each mile…for the first time ever…I ran a negative split, doing the second half of my race faster than the first half.  In fact, my last two miles were my fastest, which averaged out to a pace of 7.4.  Holy crap!

To say I am proud is an understatement.  I am amazed.  I am elated.  And I’m still in awe.  What a great race.  I had a good time and I really found my stride.  I learned to push myself beyond what I figured was what I could handle and discovered there is a lot more left in me than I thought.  I finished strong, had a good race, and hope to come back for it again.