I haven’t blogged on it yet…but it’s coming. I just need more time in my days to get my thoughts down.
Two weeks ago. And I have been taking my time returning to my training.
I’m not forcing myself to go out there for double-digit runs at the moment. I’m not forcing speed work on myself. I’m running by feel, fewer days a week than normal, not worrying over how long I’m out there or how far I go.
I’m recovering.
So many of my friends are shining in races. Some of them also had hard efforts in marathons. But, to me, it’s not about how many races I do…it’s about being able to do the number of races I register for…comfortably, without pain, without injury, without burnout…
I don’t wear race volume around my neck as a bragging right. I don’t care how many races I have run or of what distance each one was. Every finish is a victory. Every race is a victory lap for the training I put into it. And part of training…is taking the necessary time off to get my body strong, rested, and prepped for the next training cycle. I’ve done the whole rush into the next thing route before…and we all know how that turned out for me. So many people overlook the downtime and recovery…and I used to be one of them.
NOT. ANYMORE.
It’s so hard, these days, to keep this in perspective. Social media has a funny way of making you feel inadequate. Someone is always running more, running faster, running further, hitting goals you’ve dreamed of but have fallen short of for months/years. But, in the end, we can only do what is best for ourselves. No one else.
This past weekend, I was in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my friend Jenn and seeing Phil Collins in concert on Friday night. I had some late nights…I slept in each morning. And…I put in some miles each morning. One was mild and windy, the other was frigid and also windy (but less windy, I guess). I never once looked at my Garmin to check my pace. I just counted each mile beep until I hit the miles in my made-up plan.
Each run was solid and strong and amazing. I mean, I was having fun, even when the headwind felt like it was pushing me back. I got inspired when I hit up the Columbus Marathon expo, purchasing more things than I should of from the booth, and stopping by Noxgear to say HI to the people there…and get my hands on their new product, which hasn’t launched to the public yet. Watch my social media for more on that.
I ate well. I stretched. I foam rolled. All the self-care stuff that comes with recovering from a hard effort.
So while others are stocking up on medals and miles, I’m cheering them on, but not rushing to join them. I never want to be out for as long as I was in the past. And with these solid recovery runs coming so easy…I’m proud to say, I think this time, I’m doing it right.
The number of races I do is nothing compared to the number of races I will continue to do, simply by respecting this body.
Being a runner isn’t about the number of races I finish. I know plenty of real runners who aren’t even interested in racing. I love racing. It’s fun. But I don’t care if I’ve run 1 or 100 races…as long as I’m still enjoying it and listening to my body so I can continue to do it.
Tomorrow, I’m making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I’m homebound….
Sorry. I really am someone who can turn a statement into lyrics without even trying. It’s a gift.
For real though…I’m making my way up to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow. And…it may not be why you think.
Yep…it’s Columbus Marathon/Half Marathon weekend. And yes…I’ll be in Columbus. But I’m not racing. I’m not even registered for the races. Why am I in a city with a major event going on but not taking advantage of the chance to add to my race medal collection?
Because I’m seeing Phil Collins.
Yep…Sussudio…In The Air Tonight…You’ll Be In My Heart…used to head the band Genesis…Phil Collins.
And that’s pretty exciting to this girl who owned like…every album he put out growing up. I mean…I saw Rod Stewart & Cyndi Lauper earlier this year…and have Elton John next week…
How old am I?
HA!
I also get to hang with my friend Jenn…who it feels like I haven’t seen in ages. And Cathy is insisting on a trip to Schmidt’s Sausage Haus while we’re there. They are home of the 1/2 pound cream puff and a variety of sausages. None of this applies to me, mind you. But, don’t worry…I’ll eat a salad and/or some of the sides there. I won’t starve. And I’ll devour all the Pink Salad I can get my hands on at Jenn’s. YUMMY!
All that being said…YES…I will at least stop by the expo and scope out the booths and the vendors and wish people luck. I mean…I’ll be in town. I might have to do some shopping there too. The rest of the weekend…well, we’ll see what we feel like doing. I’m sure a few Half Price Books stops are going to happen for sure.
Can’t wait to hit the road tomorrow. And, yes…being me…I’ve packed a dinner so as not to have to stop. If the traffic gods are with us…we will have time to swing by Jenn’s house and drop stuff off before heading to the concert. Otherwise…we’ll see her afterwards.
Did I mention it feels like ages since we last hung out?
Time to get those Weekend at Jenn’s rolling again. It’s a good escape.
My Garmin Forerunner 935 sometimes expects great things of me…and other times blocks out the fact that I’ve been recovering from a hard effort and calls me “UNPRODUCTIVE” or tells me I’m “DETRAINING.”
Considering that it thinks I can cut about 2 minutes off my 5K PR, 2 minutes off my 10K PR, 5 minutes off my half marathon PR, and 13 minutes off my marathon PR (all of these cuts are on PRs that I set 4-5 years ago…which is sad, honestly), it should also understand the value of rest. I mean…high expectations there on race predictions…the best way to do that is to give this body the time it needs to get strong and happy again. You know what that requires?
REST.
And I’ve been doing so much of it.
Finally…just over a week later, my Garmin seems to understand me a little better…
That’s way better than being told I’m unproductive. I mean, I may not be piling on the miles, but I’ve been taking walks, returning to spin classes (that started this week!), stretching, foam rolling, strength training…all because I want to keep this body happy and healthy. Too many times I’ve rushed back into training and ended up sidelined with either a major or minor injury. I’m done with watching others achieve things I’ve dreamed of from the sidelines. Done.
So yeah, I have put recovery as a priority, where I might have really overlooked it before. I keep trying to work some extra sleep in, but that is harder for me to accomplish. I get to bed as early as I can when I know I have an early morning ahead of me. To the best of my ability, of course.
Remember…sleep, eat, rest, recover…and you’ll be set to give it your all when training kicks back in.
The last couple of months have been crazy-busy. Go-go-go-go-go. Do this. Do that. Travel here. Travel there. Work. Catch up on work. Work overtime. Cook. Gotta eat. Food is fuel. Train. Run. Run. Train more. More. Keep training. Run. Keep running. Still gotta work. This work won’t do itself. Oh…yeah…sleep. That’s kinda important too, right?
Needless to say…the simple things…those every day things that often fall to the wayside…well…they fell to the wayside.
I’m not just talking about my presence here on this blog or even online. I mean…making time to do something as simple as vacuum my apartment. Or dust the shelves. Or put away things from race expos and food expos. Or…just organize the apartment. And if you know me, you know clutter and disorder drive me crazy. It’s been pretty hard to breathe.
Today, that all came to a head. I woke up this morning and causally lingered in bed and played on my broken (aka: shadowbanned) Instagram account, hoping that it might be visible again. It’s not. Meh. I got up and did my stretches and exercises and worked in some foam rolling. And then…despite the light drizzle and nip in the air…I went out for a run. And I felt good. I smiled a lot. I didn’t worry over pace or speed or hills or flats or anything. I just did what my legs wanted to do from one mile to the next. My mind was on the numerous people I know who were tackling the Ironman Louisville today. I’ve been tracking them all day and it’s been both nerve-wracking and exciting all at once. Had the weather been less wet…I would have actually been out there cheering in person. But I honestly (for reasons to be explained in an upcoming blog) just couldn’t bring myself to do it today.
But, while using the app to track their amazing progress and great feats of athleticism, what I did manage to do was this:
Went for a short run in the rain.
Showered
Made breakfast for my roomie and I
Cut up and baked a large, organic kabocha squash (my favorite)
Went to Target to pick up my prescription
Went to the mall to just move around a little since weather was so shitty
Went to Meijer so my roomie could pick up her prescription and then we finished grocery shopping.
Organized the pantry at home (finally putting away the GFFAF Festival goodies/finds)
Organized the snacks/running fuel drawer
Laundry
Cooked dinner from scratch (delicious stuffed peppers)
Stretched
Foam rolling
Folded and put away laundry
Watched Top Chef (I’m catching up on all the seasons I missed since the upcoming season is in Kentucky (and some in Louisville))
And a lot of dishes and cleaning and prepping and all that in between.
The best part of the day though…had to be the impromptu dance party via Marco Polo with my friend Natalie. It was a good way to get shit done and yet…still keep a lighthearted and fun-loving perspective on it. It was so much fun. And we hit each other with some good songs. But my roomie and I slapped her with some Baby Shark…so we might win. HA.
I’m finally down on the couch and relaxing. Not ready to go to bed yet, despite feeling utterly exhausted. But that will come in about an hour. I’m so happy with how productive I was today and all that got done. I mean…my roomie even painted her pumpkins today. Cross that off the list too.
Anyone else have a busy and productive weekend? Anyone else cheering on friends at Ironman Louisville? Any suggestions to help me keep up with life…hit me up. Because my organizational skills are starting to wane. And that’s not like me.
But I can’t here. Not yet. Because…things haven’t been said on other platforms by other people that I can’t go into here…but once it’s out there…I’ve got blogs to write and things to fill all of you in on.
I’ve been on the road a lot recently. And I leveled up somewhere in there with a birthday too.
I’m very behind on this blog…and I realize this. I’m seriously going to make more of a push to be active and write about more than just my races. Because I’m not just passionate about running…but also food and travel and…just having fun. With friends.
Here’s a little run-down of things coming down the pike…
I went to Hawaii. Again.
I went to Disneyland. Again.
I went to Chicago. Again.
I got shadowbanned by Instagram. That’s a first. No again necessary. That being said…no one is seeing my posts right now and since I’ve built my account up since 2011…having it currently be unavailable to people who are not my friends is beyond frustrating. My visibility is nill and IG has done nothing to fix it…because I’m not one of their precious influencers. MEH. And how did this happen? I got hacked. On a Sunday morning. While headed to a run.
No joke.
SO mad.
So…if you aren’t following me on Instagram…come and give me a follow and check out my posts (like them, please!) and my Instagram Stories (I’m hilarious. Sometimes. HA!)
Thanks, lovelies. I also hope to start going back to some product (food and running related…YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!)…and I’m going to get serious about recipes and also progress with…just where I am…both in fitness and in life. Because…sometimes life is hard and things just get out of control. And it’s good to have a support team.
Thanks for sticking with me.
Blogs are coming. Daily. I am going to make this a priority again.
Paul, Me, Cathy, Debra, Melissa, and Adam at the end of The Color Run – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: The Color Run
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: June 9, 2018
Time: ?? (UNTIMED EVENT – my Garmin had 1:04:18 w/ stops to wait for friends)
It has been 5 looooooong years since I have done The Color Run. The only other time I have done it was in 2013 when my friend Marisa flew in from New Jersey to do it here in Louisville and I went along for the ride, sticking by her side the entire time.
And this time…this time I was taking it all in by walking it with a group of friends. And my roommate, Cathy, even got into it this time. We went to Target on our lunch break to find some cheap white shirts to wear to the race, both hitting the jackpot in the clearance racks…so that was winning. Our friend, Melissa, dropped by our office building on Friday after picking up our packets (which for us just meant race bibs because we weren’t feeling the extra $$ you had to pay to get a shirt we would never wear again). We made plans to all ride together and get good parking spots down near Waterfront Park the following day. This meant a decent bed time for all so we’d be up and ready to go that morning.
The challenge was…the early morning. I made sure that I had breakfast ready after I did all my physical therapy stretches. I even got coffee made for Cathy as that would be vital for her to function. Trust me…coffee was necessary. I made myself a cup as well because I wasn’t running today…simply enjoying the moment and the walk with good people.
The plan was to be at Melissa and Paul’s by 6:30 am. BUT…I always underestimate how long it takes me to physically put on sunscreen and make sure I have it lathered in good so I don’t become a lobster or crispy critter out in the sun. So…when all was said and done that morning…we walked out the door at 6:30 am and I texted to let Melissa and Paul know we were on our way. Luckily, they are only a short drive away and we arrived at their house before our ride, Melissa’s mom (also walking the race), arrived. I kicked off my old running shoes (I call them my rain shoes) that I was wearing and went to settle in and relax on the couch. Melissa and Paul finished getting their things together and we knew her mom was close, so we all headed outside to wait to pile into the car.
I saw a unicorn. You know this was happening!
We managed to get downtown and paid to park at Waterfront Park near Joe’s Crab Shack. We made the walk through the finish area, making haste to get into one of the first waves to get started earlier and, perhaps, to snag some free swag. We were in the 2nd wave to go through, and while standing up there waiting to go…I managed to catch some Color Run shorts (size 2X) and a Color Run t-shirt (size S). I asked Cathy to tuck them into my tutu, but she ended up just carrying them with us the entire way. We were sent off and I walked ahead with Cathy who has been working on her walks for a 5K. We knew that today wasn’t for time, but she wanted to see how her endurance was doing.
We actually walked by a camera as we made the turn to head out onto the road and start our 5K. We waved and smiled and waited for our first chance to get a little messy. We were ahead of our pack, so we’d pause and wait for them to catch up (Melissa’s mom is coming back from hip and knee surgery and doing amazing). We spotted the first color zone…PURPLE…and Cathy and I sprinted through. And the fun was just starting.
Adam, Paul, Debra, Me, Melissa and Cathy at the start line of The Color Run – Louisville, Kentucky
Sure…it was humid and warm, especially with the sun up…but we were getting messy and having a blast with our friends that day. And it was amazing. I talked Cathy into a small sprint around a corner to teach her how to “run the tangents” and she did great. But we were way ahead of our pack because of this, so we found a safe corner to wait and hopped back into the fun with them. We did this throughout the run, pausing before the color stops to let everyone join us to go through. Orange and yellow were next up, and we jogged through that too. This was set up in an ally way of sorts, and Paul joked about watching out for needles. HA! It’s not far from the truth in Louisville. We got properly doused in color and continued on the way.
Me with the rainbow wings!
It was starting to really warm up and we were now on the streets with little to no shade. But, alas, we just kept going. I mean…it’s June. It’s going to be hot and sunny. But now the sweat was mixing with the color and that cakes it on really good. Trust me…I think Cathy was scrubbing blue off her back for a week afterwards. The pink was next. Then blue. And we did the same. Except somewhere in the blue zone, Cathy went up to someone and said, “HIT ME!!” And they really layered her in the color. So, she learned if you tell them to hit you up…they will. She was a delightful rainbow of color at the end of that.
Cathy with the rainbow wings
This left the long haul back toward the finish line, which was back at Waterfront Park. The green zone would be last. But along the way, we stopped at Toast on Market to take photos with the wings and then Cathy stopped at Slugger Field to get a shot with the Louisville City FC signage. Apparently on the way to green, the Red Bull girls were out and Cathy saw a 10 year old rush by with a Red Bull screaming “I GOT ONE!” Lord, have mercy! We went through green…hit up the foam zone, and grabbed hands with our teammates and walked through the finish line together.
We were given our superhero unicorn medals and a color packet for the color throw at the end. We were definitely more interested in getting some water. And then we spotted the line waiting for the Steel City Pops cart…so Paul went to grab wallets from the car and we stood in line. He returned just in time. Popsicles all around. It was just what we needed. Mine was watermelon, for the record.
Cathy the Color Runner takes on Lou City FC!
After sitting around and cooling off as much as possible, we snapped a few photos before letting Paul and Cathy go do the color throw. Melissa, Debra, and I got in line to have the leaf blower blow some of the extra color off. Paul and Cathy joined soon after. And then we were off to KDF headquarters to check out the yard sale before heading home.
The Color Run is always a fun, un-timed event that is just…a blast. I smiled. I laughed. I danced through color zones. I got coated in color (and thankfully the blue came out of my hair this year). And I got to walk it with amazing friends. And I even got a t-shirt in my size at the start (thank you Cathy for carrying those for me), since I refused to pay extra for the actual The Color Run shirt. I think shirts should come standard with your registration fee and bib. But, that’s just the seasoned 5K runner in me.
I bet I’ll end up doing another one of these sometime in the near future. And I’m okay with that. It’s nice to have a no-pressure, fun time with no expectations or goals. Other than to…ENJOY!
And maybe become a rainbow unicorn in the process.
Me and Melissa with our superhero unicorn medals for finishing The Color Run!
Me crossing the finish line of the Geist Half Marathon – Fishers, IN
Race: Geist Half Marathon
Place: Fishers, Indiana
Date: May 19, 2018
Time:1:45:28
Oy. That was a tough one. Needless to say…my runs have not only proven to me that I’m sort of stuck at a certain pace or higher (MEH!), but that I am lacking in endurance, especially as the weather warms up. Also…as a point…I had to give up a fall half marathon I had been hoping to run, but this one was far enough of away from a goal race that I was good to go on this one.
Here’s the thing. I LOVE THIS RACE! For real. The Geist Half Marathon in 2014 holds my half marathon PR (almost 10 minutes faster than this time – 1:38:52)…and that was a difficult course. I think I was in much better shape then. HA! But…it was a goal this year to press on into a new race PR, specifically in the half marathon distance. This was supposed to go down at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon at the beginning of the month…but things went downhill quickly on that one and my goal slipped, rather quickly, out of my reach.
This race is a beautiful one. You run through the gorgeous neighborhoods of Fishers, Indiana. You run the reservoir, which is stunning. It’s just fun. And…guess what…it wasn’t the race I expected, but damn…I had fun on this one!
Let’s start with Friday…
Sushi on the go from Dragon King’s Daughter
It was difficult to get away from work early as my roommate’s teammate took the day off at last minute, leaving her to cover for him. Our best chance was to escape around 3:30 pm. The plan was to place a call into Dragon King’s Daughter for sushi to pick up and take with us in the car. Sushi is great travel food, by the way! We got out, but our order wasn’t quite ready at the restaurant, so we waited around near the bar while they finished it up. I loved that they included a little take-away container of the gluten-free soy sauce for me. This is why I continue to return to Dragon King’s Daughter. This also proved to me that sushi is not the magic race food I was toting it up to be. Dang it. I thought I was onto something.
You failed me, sushi!!
The drive up to Indianapolis was uneventful and traffic actually wasn’t bad. Normally we hit bad traffic heading into the Nobelsville/Fishers area. Not this time. But it was getting late into the evening…we were after 6 pm and just now getting into the area to get to the expo and pick up my packet. From past experiences, we know that the expo has little to offer, but you have to walk through it in order to get your bib and then your race shirt. No biggie. We parked at St. Vincent’s Fishers Hospital and walked inside to the Visitors Waiting Area/Food Court entrance, which is where the expo was being held. It was raining at this point. Naturally. And we were supposed to be battling thunderstorms the following morning…but we were hoping that it would hold off.
On my way toward the back to pick up my bib, I heard someone say my name. I turned…and there was Jay…another Nuun Ambassador!! I love seeing familiar faces. We gave hugs and spoke for a moment, but then, I was back on track to pick up my bib number.
My first look at the GIANT half marathon medal at the expo
I was bib 24. I had to go to the very end. Why the low number? Because I was doing the offered 26.2 Half Marathon Challenge. What is this challenge? Well…the description said: Run another half marathon (or marathon!) in March, April, or May prior to Geist, and then complete the Geist Half Marathon on May 19th! I had done half marathons in March, April and May…so using Geist as the required last half marathon in the challenge was totally in my grasp. Why not? And it got me VIP Access post-race as well. It only cost $49 to throw my name into the challenge and that got me a 26.2 Half Marathon Challenge jacket, a special collector’s edition medal, the aforementioned VIP Access at Geist, and then two chances to win airfare, hotel and a free race entry to the March 2019 Publix Georgia Half Marathon in Atlanta. I’m pretty certain I didn’t win that…as I’ve never heard otherwise. Dang it. OH…the most exciting part of this was when I did go to pick up my race shirt, only to discover it is a tech material hoodie. I LOVE HOODIES!! Day…made.
Since the expo is really small, we had walked through it on the way to get everything…so we left right after getting the hoodie. Still raining. We were off to the hotel for the night, just a short drive up the road…the Holiday Inn Express Nobelsville.
Cathy’s hotel breakfast from the Holiday Inn Express in Nobelsville, IN
Check-in went smooth. Cathy unloaded the car while I got the key. Cathy spotted the free coffee and said when she brought the luggage cart back down she’d check for decaf coffee (her favorite nightly tradition). We unpacked the cart and she went to scope stuff out while I turned on the traditional Food Network for some Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives viewing while we relaxed and I foam rolled. I laid out my intended race clothes (the humidity was going to be stupid the following morning) and then…lights out.
Race morning dawns…and while I’m changing in the bathroom, Cathy turns on the weather. When I came out, she said, “The weather looks SO much better this morning.” She wasn’t wrong. The rain was now going to hold off until later in the morning. If I ran well…I could beat it in. That being said…the caveat was still that it was going to be 97% humidity during the race. That was going to be a sweat-fest for sure.
The Geist Half Marathon has a 7 am start time. That’s early. But I was grateful for it due to the humidity. We packed up our stuff to head out and noticed that the complimentary breakfast was open slightly early. It’s usually open at 6, but they opened up early for the runners. That was awesome. Kudos to the hotel. Cathy grabbed a light breakfast and I snagged a banana. She ate. And then…we got into the car and made it to the school where we always park the car and walk to the start line.
I was able to snag a 10 minute power nap…which just consisted of me closing my eyes. No real sleep actually happened. But then…I knew the walk to the start needed to happen. So, I got out of the car, tossed on my NYC Half Marathon jacket (in case the morning air was chilly) and we began the one mile hike down to the start line area. On the way, my NYC Half Marathon jacket was spotted by a nice guy (and super fast) runner named Tim. I know a lot of fast runners named Tim. We talked the entire walk and wished each other luck as we both went to find spots for the start. There was still a little bit of time ahead of that, so Cathy got a photo of me, still in the NYC Half Marathon jacket with the start line. Then…I handed it off to her and went to go stand and stretch in the corral. And lo and behold…I ran into a familiar face once again…JAY!! It was good to have someone to talk to and chat with at the start line. Normally I’m good making friends but here…built in friend! Love it.
Me and Jay at the start of the Geist Half Marathon!
We wished each other luck and then…the start of the 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon started all at once. And, with a wave to Cathy just past the start line…I took off at a comfortably hard pace.
My training plan wanted me to do this race in over 2 hours. I. HATE. THIS. ABOUT. MY. TRAINING. PLAN. Needless to say, I tossed that plan out the window that morning, because I was now playing “Beat the Thunderstorms.”
The air was incredibly thick with humidity that morning. Like…breathing through a wet towel kind of humid. So, before I even made the first turn after Mile 1, my pigtails were already damp and I could feel the sweat on my skin. This is not a PR course as it is (never mind the fact that this race holds my my PR half marathon time), but it was also not PR weather. Water stops were happening immediately for some. I carry my own fuel/water/electrolytes, regardless, so I only stop if it gets unbearable.
Here is what I love about this race. It’s beautiful. You get to run through the gorgeous neighborhoods in Fishers, Indiana near the Geist Reservoir. The 5K goes along a different course, but the 10K and Half Marathon runners are together for the first 3 miles of the race. It’s after we duck out of a neighborhood and turn onto Fall Creek Road that we get to take our first pass over the Geist Reservoir bridge. The 10K peels off to the left to go to the turnaround point, while the Half Marathon runners stay to the right and keep on pressing forward. It’s back into the neighborhoods and around part of a round-about. And around Mile 5, I remember high-fiving some children at the bottom of a driveway. It was fantastic. I was having a blast. There is something to be said, when you know your speed is down, but you can’t stop having a good time. That’s what this race does for me EVERY. TIME.
Running to the finish line at the Geist Half Marathon – soaked in sweat and humidity!
The halfway point came and I went ahead and took the HoneyStinger gel (everything new on race day! I had never tried these before) that I had randomly at home. I was out of my normal Hammer gels…so why not try it. I felt an immediate surge of energy, and I actually did pick it up. In the humidity though, it was short-lived. There were, thankfully plenty of water stations along the course and even some sprinklers/cooling stations that could mist water over you. LOVE. So, my pace didn’t start failing me as soon as it did at the Indy Mini…but this was where I did start slowing down, heading into Mile 9. And Mile 9 happens right at the base of a large hill. There were some women out there who were just amazing…very encouraging to the runners and just cheering them up the hill. Some people walked. I did last year, but my legs feel strong…just slow. I pressed up the hill. From about Mile 7-11, I was pretty much following a very strong woman who was just very steady in her pace. Rabbit, rabbit. I passed her, just after we crossed back over the Geist Reservoir and ran the last 3 miles of the course backwards back to the finish line/start line. At this point, if there was water, I was snagging it or running through it. I was pouring it over my head, knowing that in order to keep running and going, keeping cool was going to be key.
Fist-bumps for finishing…I chased this amazingly strong woman for more than half the race…I passed her in the last few miles. I love having someone push me to do more.
I knew I was running smart, but I was also trying to pick it up. I never once glanced at my watch to check my pace, because, honestly, I didn’t care. I felt better than I did at the Indy Mini…so there is that. The final mile is straight down the road, and when you hear the crowd and see that finish line…it’s just amazing. I did manage to pick my pace up for a strong finish. I crossed the finish line…arms barely capable of going up over my head…but I was done.
The 10K race bibs were silver and the Half Marathon bibs were gold…but since I was doing the 26.2 Half Marathon Challenge…my bib was silver with a low number. The woman who was going to give me a medal went to hang a 10K medal on my neck and I stopped her and said, “No…no…I did the half.” She was very apologetic, remarking that she thought all the half bibs were gold. So…volunteers were apparently unaware of the challenge bibs being a different color. It was quickly fixed and the GIANT Geist Half Marathon medal found it’s way around my neck. Then, the woman I had been chasing for most of the race came up behind me and we congratulated each other, thanked each other for the push, and fist-bumped. LOVE the running community.
Post-race massage therapy!
Cathy met up with me and we decided to head toward the after party area. We had time and the storms were holding off. On the way there, we ran into Tim again. He had a good race even in the humidity…so that’s fantastic. We high-fived and I went to head to the VIP area to get my additional medal and jacket (the medal is plexiglass and the jacket is sort of like a cheap wind-breaker/rain jacket…but it works!)…and then I went to get a massage. Apparently, I am a WRECK. I should really look into massages post and pre race because there were so many spots on my neck and shoulders and back that this poor massage therapist had to really work to get the tension/knots to release. I’ve always been told I’m a train wreck anytime I get a massage. They aren’t lying.
Drinking before 9:30 am at the Geist Half Marathon VIP area!
After I had my massage, I put my VIP Access to good use. I went over to the Oliver Winery booth and got a Mimosa to enjoy. I don’t drink much or often, but this was nice and Oliver wine is one of my favorites. It’s SO good. And I snagged the free beer for Cathy. We sat at a table, enjoying not moving for a moment…drinking before 9:30 am. It was great. There was a guy who was dancing…the entire time there. It was amazing. People would join him, he’d get people to join him. The music was wonderful. I was able to eat some fruit…it was good. It was definitely worth getting the VIP Access for this race. I really recommend it for anyone who has thought about doing this race or perhaps have passed on doing VIP in the past. I thought this was worth it. No disappointment here.
After a little while, we knew that if I was going to catch a shower before meeting up with our friend Greg for lunch that afternoon…we needed to get back to the hotel. We headed out to make the mile walk to the car. I called my mom during the walk to let her know how I did and we just chatted the entire way to the car. Back at the hotel, Cathy went to fetch me coffee and a luggage cart while I showered. She packed and got everything ready…and I had time to sit and use my foam roller while drinking coffee before we actually needed to check out and head on our way.
Coffee, Foam Rolling, and some Instagram Time all post-race!
It was nice to have time to relax and just…savor everything from the morning. I was still smiling. This is my slowest half marathon of the 2018 season thus far…and yet…I think this was the one where I had the most fun. I enjoyed every…humid…step.
We were heading to Hops & Fire to eat lunch with Greg. I got the exact same thing I got when I went here after the Indy Mini…the Vegan and Gluten Free Caprese Sandwich with Fries. And we all split an order of the Gluten Free Onion Rings. And then we hit up Half Price Books and a Comic Book Store before needing to hit the road to get home, unwind, give me time to stretch and then head out to the Louisville City FC soccer match that night back in Louisville. Busy day. But a full day. And a day full of smiles.
So, my official results of the Geist Half Marathon is that I finished in 1:45:28. I’ll take it. I thought I was having a better race than the Indy Mini…but I think the humidity got me more here, even if it happened later on in the race. Or my endurance has just gone to crap at the moment. Or a combination of the two. Who knows? That being said, I was 87/869 finishers overall! Top 100 this year. Also…this was half the finishers of number when I ran it 2 years ago. I hope the chance of storms just kept people away because this is honestly a great race. I was the 17/420 women to cross the finish line. And I was 5/74 people in the my age division! Inching closer to an age group award. In 2014, I was 4th. In 2016, I was 6th. This time I was 5th. One day…one day it will be my time!
Me crossing the finish line of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana
Race: OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon
Place: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: May 5, 2018
Time: 1:44:14
At the beginning of my training season, after Dopey in January and after I got over the flu, my coach asked me, specifically, for some goals this year. I laid out two. And one of them was to PR my half marathon distance, specifically at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon.
It was in writing. And I was actually starting to finally have a good training cycle, when, one morning, as you read in a previous post (and I swear I will blog about the saga…maybe…perhaps), I fell hard on a training run early one morning. It was a long run I was doing to beat the rain and storms that were supposedly coming. And…it took me out of any sort of strong training for the entire time leading into the KDF miniMarathon. I kept telling myself that this would actually work out for me in the end. My body would recover…and I’d be well-rested coming into this race, despite having a half marathon the week before.
Mind you…I took it very easy on KDF. I barely broke an 8 minute mile when all was said and done. So, my legs felt good and my foot was finally feeling good…but I haven’t been feeling strong or fast as of late. Keep in mind, the races I have been doing, I haven’t been doing at pace. This was supposed to be what makes me able to do this for goal/key races. So, I assured myself that the missed runs wouldn’t matter. I was ready. I could do this.
Friday morning came and I went out for an easy shake-out run for 30 minutes. Showered. Then began to prep breakfast for that morning. Melissa and Paul were coming over (we were all driving up together) and I was going to make us a hearty breakfast to get us through the Panel of Olympians (I won two tickets to it and Melissa and I were going to attend) that morning, the race expo itself, and whatever else we ended up doing afterwards until dinner time. The menu: Avocado Toast and Hash Browns. I used Simple Kneads Gluten Free Quinoa Power Grains Bread, smashed ripe avocado on each slice, topped it with some Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, then capped each slice with a sunny-side up egg. Served with some Ore Ida Hash Browns (with onions and peppers). It was perfect. We ate. We drank coffee. We eagerly discussed the events that day. And then…we were literally off to the races.
We talked…the entire time heading to the hotel. We were staying at the JW Marriott (I’m a princess…sorry, not sorry!) and we were going to check in and take things up to the room before heading over to Indiana Convention Center (we could do this via walkway, but why not enjoy the wind that day?) for the Champions Panel that started at 11 am (but they wanted ticket holders in by 10:45 am).
We pulled up to the hotel and while everyone else was unloading the car, I was sent inside to check into the room. And this friends…is where the tale truly begins. Because, upon entering the hotel, all wind-blown and looking like a hot mess…I notice someone in a race jacket holding a cup of coffee near one of the pillars at the front of the lobby. And my brain went…
MEB!!!!! MEB!!!!
This is where I lost all motor functions for a moment. I smiled at him and walked toward the line for the front desk check-in. I pulled out my cell phone to text my group, but I couldn’t get my fingers to hit the right numbers on my unlock screen. I did finally get there. I typed a simple message, “HOLY SHIT! MEB!” And I sent it. And just as it sent, Cathy came strolling in. At this point, Meb went to go talk to a group of runners in the lobby and I started pointing at him (his back was to me). She glanced over, did a shrug, then did a double take. It was awesome.
She told me to go ask if I could get a selfie with him. I’m not shy. So I did. I’m surprised I could now find words. I’m honestly not the type to get star-struck like that…but Meb is a one of my running heroes and I was..honored to be in a hotel lobby with him. Also, no one informed me that I looked all a mess from strong winds and car ride. But…hey…at least he looks good in the photos. I took a selfie and then someone took a picture for me. Both of which I look like a star-struck fool with really, really bad hair.
Hey…you never know when you’ll met your heroes.
He was so very gracious and generous and never once made me feel like I was inconveniencing him. And that’s one of the many things I love about Meb. After the photos in the lobby, Cathy and Paul sent Melissa and I on our way to get to the Champions Panel while they took stuff up to the room. Paul was on a business call at this point anyway. So…we braced ourselves for the windy walk to the Indianapolis Convention Center (we could have walked it inside, honestly) and went to get in line for the panel.
We were seated in the second row when doors opened. And as they brought in the Champions for the Champions Panel…they also introduced the woman who was conducting the panel, Indianapolis’ very own Lindsey Hein, the host of the “I’ll Have Another” podcast…which I am a total fan and listen to every week. So, I fangirled a little there and hoped to snag a picture with Lindsey afterwards…but we were escorted out of the room quickly and I never got to ask. Dang it. NEXT TIME!!
The Champion’s Panel was amazing. It started off with having us introduced to the Elite Ambassador and Special Olympics athlete, Andrew Peterson. His story and the way he told it was inspiring and tear inducing. Seriously. What an inspiration. From being told he could never do things…to being the second Special Olympian to qualify for the Boston Marathon…he is nothing but inspiring. What a way to kick off the panel. Then…they brought up the rest of them:
Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alexi Pappas, and Meb Keflezighi!
Meb, Alexi, Bill, Frank
The stories all of these athletes could tell about mental fitness, experiences in running, etc. I now have a major girl crush on Alexi for one thing. She’s a doll. Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers had tales to tell about the running community and running game back when they were at the top of the game. And Meb had lots of uplifting and insightful things to say. Alexi is training with Deana Kastor for her first marathon. And I’m currently reading Deana Kastor’s book. Full circle. Just…love. This was the way to kick off the weekend for sure. It was the day before Meb’s birthday, so we all sang Happy Birthday to him. So that was amazing.
After the panel dismissed the audience, Melissa and I met up with Cathy and Paul, who had already gone shopping through the expo area. So…now it was our turn. We went to pick up our bibs and race packets first before setting out to see all of the expo area and try not to spend too much money. HA!
Actually, because Newton wasn’t there (I really want to try on the Distance VII), I came out of it on the plus side. Cathy bought me my mandatory Bondi Band’s (this has to happen at every race or bad stuff happens!) and I was told I wasn’t allowed to buy any Finisher’s gear (which means, she got me something). And with those being the only restrictions, I just set out to see what was there. This is a great expo. Lots of samples of products, lots of vendors…all very relevant. Area races were present and promoting. And, while we paused for bathroom breaks, that was when Corey Queen found us!
He actually started sneaking up on me and got pretty damn close before I saw him and gave him a hug. He’s a ninja, that one. The five of us stood around and talked for a good while. We discussed races and being ambassadors and weather and just life in general. Seriously, if this weekend proved anything…it’s that the five of us could stand around and talk and not get bored with it. HA!
When we all finally decided we needed to finish seeing the expo and make Meb’s autograph session before heading to our dinner reservations. We did traverse the rest of the expo, killing time before standing around near the area the line would be forming for Meb. Currently Bill Rodgers was at the autograph table. So, we hung out until the volunteers at the expo came and put up some partitions and had us maneuver inside to wait for Meb.
Bill Rodgers and Me
Melissa asked me if Bill Rodgers book was worth buying, and I told her definitely. So she asked if she could get into the back of his line for an autograph. We had thought of doing this earlier, but Cathy had overheard one of the handlers say that he was just signing books…but the man ahead of Melissa had his Boston Marathon shirt so she looked at me and said, “Do you want Bill Rodgers to sign your medal too? He’s a four time Boston Marathon champion.” I took my medal from her and went to stand with Melissa. This worked out because it meant I could take photos with her and Bill and she could return the favor for me. Bill was awesome. He recommended to Melissa that she run Chicago Marathon and she told him she was this year. And he wouldn’t let up on how amazing the crowd support is there and how amazing the race is (everything I have touted all along) and as I was taking their picture, he apparently kept whispering “Chicago. Chicago. Chicago.” in her ear. HA! My turn. I brought him my medal and I told him my Boston story. When I told him about my hip labrum tear, he said, “That’s a bad injury. Did you have to have surgery?” I told him no. He said, “Lots of physical therapy.” I nodded. “So much physical therapy!” He signed my medal and graciously took a photo with me and wished me luck in Chicago this year too. Melissa and I went to duck back into our spots at Meb’s line.
Meb Keflezighi and Me
Meb arrived and we were seriously near the front of the line. Meb took his time with people, signing an item for each person. We sent Paul and Melissa up to him first and it was so amazing to see just the sheer joy in Melissa’s face as she got to talk to Meb and tell him how much he inspired her to run her first race. He was the best and gave her encouraging words and was so uplifting. He signed a photo for her and a quote for Paul, and they took pictures with him. Then…it was my turn.
I knew telling my story to Meb was going to be emotional to me. So, thankfully I had Cathy on hand to tell him about my path to the Boston Marathon and the injury that I wouldn’t let take me out of it. She also mentioned the hip labrum tear, and his eyes got wide and he said, “That is a BAAAAAAAAAAAAAD injury.” He’s not wrong. It was (and still his and will hopefully forever be…the worst injury I have ever endured). I laid out my medal and asked him to sign it for me. He said, “This is the first one I have seen of these today!” One of the professional photographers took photos as he signed it. And then we did the stand and smile photo ops. Honestly, everything you have heard about Meb is true. He’s very humble and very human and very generous. And uplifting. Man, I walked away from that table feeling like I had just met a rockstar. I had. I mean…for real.
We needed to drop off our race expo stuff, so we took the walkways back to the hotel. We dropped things off in the room (Melissa and I hadn’t been here yet) and then set back out to go to the Hard Rock Cafe and then make our way to dinner at Harry & Izzy’s in downtown Indianapolis.
Originally, I thought Cathy and I were going to split one of the gluten-free pizzas. BUT…she started eyeing other things on the menu. Pizza has been a good food for me the night before the race, but as I knew I couldn’t eat the entire thing by myself and it would be a waste of money to just eat half of it (I wouldn’t have gotten back to it after the race or anything), I went a very different direction. I ended up ordering the Oven Roasted Beet Salad (hey…beets are supposedly good for athletic performance), which consisted of artisan greens, local goat cheese (I asked them to go light on the cheese), candied walnuts, and had a tarragon vinaigrette. And then I placed an order for the gluten free fries on the side. It was super yummy and I devoured it all. I mean…you need to be fueled for the race, right?
Afterwards, we walked to the candy store, just for some fun, and then headed back to the hotel to charge Garmin’s, shower, lay out race day stuff, and finally, get some rest. I had Melissa help me pick between the two outfits I brought, a tank and shorts or a crop and a running skirt. As the tank and skirt were in Boston colors and my Boston Marathon medal was now autographed by Bill Rodgers and Meb Keflezighi, it seemed like a good omen.
We set alarms for 6 am. And race morning dawned and alarms went off. We went with the bathroom circuit that we’ve established since the NYC Half Marathon. I grabbed my stuff and went to change into my shorts and tank before coming out and allowing the next people to work their way through. I always use the bathroom one last time before leaving the hotel. I realized I didn’t eat anything leading up to this…or take in some water. So…that was that working against me. I did have a banana, which I ate as we made our way to the lobby, as we were 30 minutes out from the start of the race. I know better than to JUST eat a banana before a distance race. A shorter race it would be fine…but not for a half or full marathon.
We got outside and gave hugs to Melissa and Paul. My corral was in Wave 1, which was going off at 7:33 am. So, Cathy went to cut across to the other side, and didn’t think that there was openings to the corals on that side (there was), so we hugged and she told me to have a good race. And….I went to get into Corral B. I had to pause though, as the National Anthem was starting, so I did that before heading up to the actual corral entrance and ducking inside. I didn’t move too far up, but I got out of the crowd there at the back. In fact, I wasn’t far from a guy in a penguin suit. No joke. I also noticed a lot of other Corral’s in my corral. Like a woman who should have been in Corral L. Okay…
From my Instagram Stories on race day!
I felt nervous energy as the light breeze kept the start line cool. The humidity was higher that day than what I was used to running in and the start line was a gorgeous 54 degrees…but it was going to hit the 60s fast that morning. When Wave 1 was sent off after the wheelchair start, I headed over the start line, waved to Cathy and took on the streets, telling myself that it was going to be a good day. And for the first mile I felt strong. And was definitely on pace to hit my PR. But that didn’t last long. My endurance is shit these days and immediately, I dropped off that pace and that was the story of my race. A steady decline and a huge missed opportunity.
Mile 1 was clipped off at a fast 7:10 minute mile. But they got slower soon after that. Mile 2 through 4 were steady and still in a good range of where I could be to finish ahead of my goal. Or so I thought. I never once looked at my watch or the clocks on the course. I didn’t want to fuss over time on this race. I felt strong heading up W Michigan and really thought I was pacing myself well. But as I turned onto Main Street just around Mile 5, I could hear conversation behind me. Whenever there is conversation, there is a pace team. I had no idea which one, until they started pacing me for a brief moment. It was the 1:40 pacer. I was way behind my goal and I could feel my energy really fading fast.
“It’s not meant to happen today,” I said to myself, and then just set my next focus on finishing a strong race. The 1:40 pacer faded and I decided I would at least try to stay ahead of the 1:50 this time.
Heading into the track, the lugs on the bottom of my Newtons picked up a stone, so just after Mile 6, I pulled over to dig it out. It apparently fell out on its own just as I slowed. So, I jumped back into the race. The race track has always been the thing that slows me down. And it was no exception this year. I kept telling myself to relax, but the humidity had gotten the best of me and at this point, I was no longer sweating. You know what that means? I was now overheating. I also fuel on half marathons during the time I’m inside the track, where we weren’t allowed to take any sort of gel at the time. So…I waited it out and made my lap of the track. I could feel my legs slowing down, and at times just feeling tingly. Definitely not having a good race. I didn’t let it dishearten me too much, and I did pick it up for the part where I ran across the brickyard. Flashing devil horns, as always. Coming out of the track, I usually am able to pick it up, but my body just had nothing left. I started making stops at the water stations to pour water over my head. I took my Hammer Gel, but it was too late at this point. I was now just focusing on counting down the miles to the finish line. My training plan said to try to finish ahead of 1:44…it was going to be close.
Me running as fast as I could at this point to cross the finish line. I was ready to be done.
At Mile 12, I did glance at the course clock. It was where I should have been heading to the finish. But this mile does bring in crowds and cheers and the road lined with checkered flags, so my staggering pace started to slightly (not by much) pick up. I ignored the people handing out the leis and just kept pressing on. In order to finish, I just needed to focus on getting my legs to move. I forgot how awful crossing that last bridge felt, but kept going…feeling like I was moving through mud. As I was in the last quarter mile, I noticed medics near the curb and a young woman laying on the ground. They were radioing for an ambulance. I made the final push, seeing the finish line and could see Cathy with the sign near it. And I powered through, crossing at 1:44 and change. I missed the goal by seconds that I was supposed to aim for in my training plan. But I was just glad to be done. Meb was supposed to leave after finishing to head to Texas for his brother’s wedding, but he was at the finish line for as long as he could be, and he happened to still be there after I crossed. He gave me a fist bump, and it made me at least smile at a moment when I didn’t really feel like smiling.
I made my way through the finisher’s area, getting my medal and my bag that then had snacks from bananas and fruit to Clif Bars tossed into it. I got my photo taken at the backdrop and then headed into the Runner Reunion area where the after party was happening.
Normally, this is where Cathy would meet me at the letter X and we would take photos and head back to the hotel so I could shower and all that. But she wasn’t there. I had looked for her as I was coming into the area, but never spotted her or the sign. So, for the next 30-40 minutes, I was wandering around trying to find her, always returning to X, just in case she showed up there. I was really upset about my race and now this was upsetting me more…but I finally spotted her near the entrance to the runner reunion and came up behind her. She gave me a hug and my official finishing time – 1:44:14. I just decided to harp on her about not being at X and she admitted that she “got cocky” and tried to catch me before that point.
We went to take a photo before heading back to the hotel. I needed to drink water, but I wasn’t ready to. My stomach wasn’t loving anything at this point. The lobby of the JW Marriott had employees handing out water bottles (bless them) and cold towels. It was just what I needed. I went up to my room and Cathy went to pack up some stuff and make my BCAAs up while I showered and changed. We were going to check out, leave our luggage, and head down to wait for Corey, Melissa and Paul.
When our friends finished, we gathered together under a shady tree and just…voiced our thoughts that day. Being that none of us have really had humid or warm days to run in up to this point, we were all glad to have finished and sweat it out. I know Melissa and I were not happy with our times, and our coach, Linda, called to talk to us about the race. I don’t know what she said to Melissa, but Linda said she was looking at my splits and I just looked like I got tired.
Told you…endurance is shit right now. MEH! I told her I felt good up until Mile 5 and then it just spiraled from there. I was frustrated and disappointed, but she was very uplifting and positive about it. Did it make me feel better about it? Not really. But the positive affirmations did so much for my mental state at that point.
After Cathy, Corey and Paul shared a beer and a half (they were apparently VERY stingy with the free beers offered at the after party), and we passed the lemon blossoms I baked around…we decided to make our way back to the hotel. I needed to actually start the recovery process with some nutrition and Paul and Melissa needed to change before we spent the rest of the day in and around Indianapolis. This was where we found out that the guy who came to take our luggage gave us the wrong tag. And this is where we all freaked out because my backpack had my Boston Marathon medal in it and Melissa’s wedding rings were in her bag. But, Cathy went back to find the correct cart and we did have our stuff. We went separate directions to let them go to the Fitness Center to change and us to get some coffee. Nutrition after a race is important to recovery and coming back strong. Sometimes I don’t want to eat anything, but I always make sure I do.
I drank my protein shake and, while it wasn’t what I wanted, it would do for now until we would get dinner. Melissa got a coffee and Paul got himself coffee and a sandwich of sorts from Starbucks. We decided to head out…headed to Greenwood for Half Price Books, Strange Brew Coffee…and finally…dinner at Hops & Fire. After that…the long drive home…where we once again talked the entire way.
So, the official results of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon is that I finished in 1:44:14. It was definitely NOT the results I set out for or wanted. But you never know what will happen on race day. So, you learn from it. I was 1304/19,588 finishers overall. I was 224/10,403 female finishers. And I was 50/1438 finishers in my division! I am trying really hard to not let these results bother me. But I would be sugar-coating it to say that I was okay with this. I set out for a PR…and I didn’t come close. And yeah…I’m disappointed. But this just drives me to step up and try again. I’ve been chasing PRs for years now. Eventually one of them is bound to fall. Disappointed…yes. Deterred…never.
Me heading into the finish line for the KDF miniMarathon – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: April 28, 2018
Time: 2:05:03
Three weeks ago (and I hope to put up a blog about this, but time has been short and I haven’t had much time to get online while home (and I’m not home much these days) so it hasn’t happened yet), I was out on a training run. Nothing big. It was supposed to rain and storm that morning, so I got up early and headed out in the dark to get in whatever I could, if not the entire run, before the weather moved in. I didn’t go too far from my apartment, again, just in case the weather rolled in, but I was running on a bit of the sidewalk that I normally didn’t run. It’s near a cemetery, which is fine, but the sidewalk can sometimes be a path of treachery. That morning…it was. It was Mile 3.4 of my run and…
I fell.
I fell hard.
It was one of those moments that seem to happen in slow motion…but it probably played out hilariously fast and painfully. But it was early. No cars were on the road at that point and no one was hanging out at the cemetery gates or at the apartments across the street. My ankle twisted on…something. I don’t even know what…if it was a rock, a branch, the side of the sidewalk. I felt my ankle twist…I tried to compensate…but down I went…while heading down a hill.
Gravity…is a bitch.
I shook it off. Actually, I didn’t even pause my Garmin. I think it automatically paused. At that point, I could have cared less. I was a few weeks out from the half marathon I wanted to race (KDF was my warmup) so I needed to make sure I wasn’t broken. I popped up…looked at my feet (thanks headlamp), looked at my hands and arms…I was bloodied…but when I did this jog in place thing, nothing on my foot or ankle bothered me…so I kept going. And I finished the run, noting the scrapes on my knees, the road rash on my leg, and the gash on my hand from playing Slip-N-Slide with the sidewalk.
I took a shower…and went out for brunch (gluten free pancake FTW) that morning at North End Cafe and…after sitting, really started to feel my foot getting sore. But…I pressed on. Until I could no longer press on. Sitting for long periods of time or stopping my forward momentum became painful. At one point, I bought a bag of frozen edamame from Whole Foods (I already had frozen peas in my fridge, so I didn’t need more!) to put on my foot/ankle while Cathy (the roomie) finished up grocery shopping. By the time we got home, I was in tears and putting any weight on my foot was excruciating. Ice happened in 20 minute spurts the rest of the evening. I also had to bow out of the Louisville City soccer match that night because there was no way I was getting down the stairs at the apartment, let alone the stadium.
I told the roomie to go. And she almost did. But, in the end, she stayed with me. And ate popcorn and watched movies. For those who are curious…we watched Apollo 13 and then Coco (the new Pixar movie)!
All that being said, I woke up on Sunday and was able to walk. YAY!! I took through Wednesday off from running completely. I realized just as I was heading out that I was supposed to run Thursday, but it was early and I was suited up and it was a 30 minute run. And it all went well. Until my other foot started bothering me. I took more time off and called my podiatrist.
I was trying to make a long story short…so let me wrap this up. On the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby miniMarathon (it ran that Saturday) my podiatrist took X-rays of my feet and saw no fractures (but I have an extra bone in each foot!)…but I had some swelling in a muscle on the side of my foot I twisted…and my left foot (the one that now bothered me) had some stress reactions in the 2nd and 5th metatarsals. So…he taped me and told me to have some fun.
Good thing I wasn’t all-out racing this one.
My night before the race meal – Vegan Sushi from Dragon King’s Daughter – the Green Acres & Spicy Tofu Rolls
That Friday, I did a short test run and, while a little sore, found everything manageable…and my friend Leah was aiming for a 2 hour marathon, which would keep my pace in check, I figured I had a game plan and one that wouldn’t destroy me. That night, my roomie and I met up with our local BFFs…Melissa & Paul Nolan…for dinner. Our fuel of choice…Dragon King’s Daughter. I’ve been finding that the rice, avocado, tamari combination has been working well for my body…so my dinner was two Vegan Sushi Rolls…the Spicy Tofu and the Green Acres.
They came back to the apartment so that Cathy could tape up Melissa (who had been dealing with an achy Achilles since the blast of cold at the New York City Half Marathon). They left after that to check out the Balloon Glow and I got busy baking Lemon Blossoms for the finish line and to stretch and foam roll.
I made a point to get to bed at a decent time and got up with enough time to do my stretching routine, eat breakfast, wake up the roommate (because she turned off her alarm and her door remained closed), get her coffee, get into my race clothes (I have some new black running shoes, so I thought I would emulate Des Linden at Boston and wear all black…NEVER AGAIN!), put my hair up, got my number pinned on, and waited for Melissa & Paul to come pick us up. She had VIP parking and we had nowhere to be until that evening (Louisville City soccer…and they were coming with us anyway), so it worked out.
Leah, Jay and I – the nuun Ambassadors at KDF Marathon/miniMarathon
We got down to Slugger Field to park, with the aid of Melissa’s barrier pass and VIP parking pass. YAY!! We got parked and I headed toward the statue outside Slugger Field to meet up with my running coach, Linda (who was running this race ONLY because she wanted to keep my pace slower than I would run it on my own) and Leah, who we were hoping to pace to a half marathon PR at the 2 hour mark (her current PR is 2:15).
There were a lot of photo ops happening…and I thought I missed the nuun Ambassador one, but Leah is one of the ambassadors and the other one, Jay, happened by, so we went ahead and snapped a photo. YAY!! Linda wanted to get into the corrals, so I missed the KDF Ambassador Alumni photo…but…it’s okay.
We worked our way into the corrals, where Linda got us positioned about the back of Corral B. She thought we were up in A…but she was wrong (and I was right, HA!). We stayed there though…but we realize in hindsight we should have probably dropped back further for Leah’s sake.
The National Anthem was beautifully sung and they prepped the wheelchair race to go off with a cannon. That misfired. So we got a “Ready? GO!” situation there.
Oh my my!
The elites were to be sent off next. With a cannon blast. Which also misfired. So…no boom…but the “GO” shout-out happened. So exciting.
And then…it was time for the rest of us. AND…the cannon still misfired so no big boom for us either. And…we made our way to the starting line…the three of us together…and we were off.
Too fast, honestly, to start. Both Linda and I noticed immediately that Leah’s breathing was too hard and fast so we reigned it in after the first mile. We attempted to do that, but the crowd was carrying us along and while I felt we were slowing down, the reality of the Gamin shows that we weren’t…but we weren’t too far ahead of the pace. But heading into Mile 4, Leah started walk breaks. This was fine, we now had an unintentional bank to work with. When she was ready, we started up again. She looked defeated…but we did our best to lift her spirits…and when she needed to walk again, she said her stomach was starting to act up. YIKES!
In fact, somewhere near Mile 7-ish, we found some port-a-potties just beyond the water stop so she could make a stop. Linda and I ducked off to the side to wait, and this was where we met up with Tonya, another of my friends who was an ambassador least year. She said she was having tummy troubles as well and this was her third stop. I’ll discover that this was a common theme among people that day. Maybe it was the change from winter to mid-50s weather. Who knows? I felt good though…and when Leah emerged, we started to run again.
Me, Leah, and Linda in front of Churchill Downs during the KDF miniMarathon – Louisville, Kentucky
And then Linda and I lost her as we neared my favorite part of the race: Churchill Downs. We hopped up on a curb and finally found her again, making the dash to take a photo in front of the famous horse track.
This is my absolute favorite part of the race. Every time I have run it. And, true to form, I did yell, “RUN LIKE PRETTY PONIES!” as we were entering it. The run down the hill through the tunnel and up into the infield was easy-peasy for me. And I don’t like hills. I got to the top with Linda and we realized we had lost our third again. We pulled off to the side…no horses out training yet…and waited a moment. She got to us…but she was walking. I knew that the race photographer was around the corner, and I really wanted some good photos this year inside Churchill Downs…so we got her running again through there. My photos, for the record, were crap again. MEH! I just am not a pretty runner.
We were heading out of Churchill Downs after walking and I spotted the next downhill out through the tunnel and back up toward the road. I said, “Linda, it’s a downhill. I HAVE to run the downhill.” She told me to go on and I got to the top, stepped off to the side, had Linda catch me and we waited for Leah. We could tell Leah was upset and frustrated, and while we helped get her to the split…where she was looking for another stop, Linda asked her what she wanted us to do.
Me heading toward the finish line of the KDF miniMarathon (I passed the chick in pink at the end, LOL!)
And with that…we were off. Linda and I picked up the pace. Linda had originally wanted me to negative split this race (as I am horrible at finishing fast). So, we picked it up and ran a bit faster through Mile 10…then I held it steady through Mile 12. She told me to go on as she was going to slow herself down (she has the Flying Pig Full Marathon this weekend). And I made every attempt I could to pick it up and just FLY to that finish line. The 2 hour mark had just passed and I started weaving through the crowd, heading downtown via S 2nd Street before making the turn onto Main Street and heading the few blocks down it before the final turn and the finish line. I held on strong, just plugging away as much as I could. It’s hard for me to run slow and kick it in the end. My legs and body just don’t like to pick it up. So, this was a mental and physical struggle…but I was, honestly, ready to be done and off the course. I was also getting hungry because I was out there longer than I normally am. Is that weird?
I kicked it as much as I physically could make myself kick at that point. The song “Danger Zone” from Top Gun was playing, so that was motivational at least. And I crossed the finish line, happy that it was over. Linda apparently decided she didn’t want to slow down because she kicked it into high gear and was just behind me. I don’t know how she does it. She immediately said, “That was stupid.” LOL!! We went to get our medals and suddenly, Cathy was at our side!! Holy Moses. She somehow got into the finisher’s chute and walked with us around to get our water, our treats, and into the runner recovery area. Here we met up with some friends of Linda’s and then Linda went to get stuff from her car and try to catch one of her clients doing her first full marathon on the course. I went to Melissa and Paul’s car to change while Cathy went to get coffee. I needed coffee…trust me.
Me (I’m stylin’!), Britni, Melissa & Paul after finishing the KDF Marathon/miniMarathon!
After that, we went to meet up with Melissa and Paul, who were finished and waiting for us in the Chicken Garden near Waterfront Park. We ended up taking the long way around, but we got to them, and I immediately doled out Lemon Blossoms from my stash. I also delivered a container of them to the Moms Run This Town/She Runs This Town booth in the finisher’s area. WOOT! Mission: Accomplished. Melissa and Paul knew people who were out on the full course and waited to see them in. We, actually, ended up staying for the entire race…and didn’t leave until the last runner crossed.
Their friend, Britni, had almost an hour PR for her marathon time…which is amazing considering she almost died in a car accident the weekend before when driving home from Disney World (she did the Dark Side Challenge). And their other friend came in…and between all of us, we demolished the remainder of the Lemon Blossoms. Paul and Michelle Bolton found us too, and since Michelle is also a gluten-free runner…I passed on a few to her (as promised).
This photo makes my legs look so long! HA! Always finish…and finish strong!
After sitting around and letting everyone relax…we decided it was time to head out and head home (because showers needed to happen for sure). We walked Britni to her car and she gifted Melissa and I with our BB-8 figures she picked up at Disney. I still owe Melissa money for that, now that I think of it. HA! And then we made the walk back to Slugger Field’s parking lot, stopping to take a few photos with the finish line, while it was still up. After that, we needed to make our way back to Southern Indiana. We got back to the Nolan’s house and we transferred everything to our car, told them we’d see them around 4:30 to grab Indian food before heading to the soccer match that night.
So, the official results of the Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon are that I finished in 2:05:03 (my slowest KDF miniMarathon and one of my slower half marathons). I was 2517/8268 finishers overall. I was 965/4792 female finishers. And I was 195/748 finishers in my division. There was definitely no negative splits this time around. In fact…my first half of the race average a 9:13/mile and my last half was a 9:32/mile. Ah well…you win some; you lose some. It was definitely not the race I wanted or intended to run, nor did I hit any of the goals I had set out for this race, except not to blow myself up actually racing it. It does suck though…as this is the first year I won’t get a Top 100 Female Finisher award. Dang it.
And if that wasn’t enough excitement…the Indian food was amazing and something the four of us had all been craving…and Louisville City FC got the WIN that night. So…yeah…in the end…it was all good.
As for the foot/ankle situation…they can be little twingy at times, but seem to be on the mend. I also am still allergic to the tape adhesive, so I’ve had to remove it for the next few days and will tape it up again for the weekend. All-in-all…I’m on the mend and looking forward to my next race.
Maybe this time I can fly.
It all depends on these feet…the weather…and just, overall, needing those perfect conditions for the magic to happen. It will. Whether it’s the next race or another one. If anything the past few years has taught me…and this whole running slower thing as well…is patience.
OH!! I also learned that people look for me at races wearing bright colors or a super hero costume, so none of my friends who were out cheering saw me that day. And those in the race thought they saw me and then said, “But that person was in all black so it couldn’t have been you.” Guess what. It was. Go figure. I was trying to get my Desi Linden on and instead I got my race ninja on. Even Cathy told me I wasn’t ever allowed to wear all black to a race because I wasn’t easy to spot coming into the finish line. Live and learn, friends.
Cathy and her three runners – Me, Melissa & Paul, displaying our bling at the Louisville City FC soccer match that night.
I am a runner. An average middle-of-the-pack runner.
Or so I thought.
That is…until I got deeper into the running community. And I realized…I’m a bit of an anomaly in this particular fellowship. Maybe I’m not so average.
Maybe I am actually a black sheep. A unicorn. I’m feeling more and more like a star trying to fit into a round hole (as my roommate so blatantly put it awhile back when I took a moment to whine about this very subject).
I am a runner…that didn’t run as a child. No cross country or track in high school. Basically my running in my non-adult years was the bases of a softball field. IF I was fortunate enough to hit the ball. I wasn’t much good at hitting. I was a damn good catcher though. Maybe squatting was more my thing.
I’m digressing. Back on track…
I am a runner…that will never have some inspirational Transformation Tuesday photos. If anything, my pictures tell a very different story. I started running just after being diagnosed with Celiac. My body was depleted of essential nutrients that it stopped absorbing. My pictures show someone going from being tiny and maybe fitting that “fit” standard all social media aspires to…to someone with a little bit of meat on her bones and muscle tone that isn’t as defined because my body is healthy. Maybe the scale tells me things I don’t like…but I feel strong and I feel healthy…and that beats a number on the scale anytime.
I am a runner…that didn’t start running to lose weight, maintain a certain lower weight, or to make my body smaller. In fact…the more years I’ve run, the more I’ve weighed. I keep hoping it’s muscle and not the desserts I love so much. HA. (It’s okay, though, if it actually is the desserts because we all need to live a little!)
I am a runner…who didn’t take up running in place of other habits such as smoking or drinking. I never took up this sport to replace some demon I was battling or some habit I was dispensing of at the time. It was never my rehab.
Nope. Much like Forrest Gump…one day, I just felt like running.
But what I have discovered is that this isn’t your typical running story…and in a sense, it has left me feeling like quite the outsider in a truly diverse community. And it’s perplexing how I can be surrounded by great people…and yet still find myself running alone more times than not. How is it that in a community that has every shape and size of person…I just don’t fit?
I think social media recently illuminated this light bulb and got me thinking on this particular subject. Good or bad…the gears started turning in my head.
Awhile back…when lots of Transformation Tuesday posts were still fresh in my head…my local MRTT/SRTT social media post showed a pic of two of the chapter leaders and invited everyone to tag their BRFs (Best Running Friends). And this is where it all clicked with me. I have this great community all around me…and yet…I do 90% of my runs alone.
And this wasn’t always the case. When I first started running, and after a big bridge repair happened and made going over to Louisville a lot easier, I started running Monday nights from a new running store in the Highlands of Louisville. It was the Monday Fun Run and I showed up, the girl from Indiana, who didn’t know anyone there…and afraid I’d be running alone and get lost…had people to run with for the first time. My first run, I met Courtney, who was kind enough to run with me and guide me around the Loop at Cherokee Park, because I was certain I’d get lost as I didn’t run in Louisville unless it was a race…and that’s marked out…and…and…she was awesome. And she put up with my RunKeeper clicking off my pace and miles from my pocket…because I didn’t own a Garmin yet. Courtney and I are still friends…and this store brought so many more people into my life. Especially when I started training for marathons in 2013. That Monday group invited me to come and join them on their weekly long runs as I dove into marathon training for the first time. A large group of people met up at the running store (the store is gone now) every Saturday morning for long runs. All paces. All levels. Everyone welcome. As someone who met this group by taking a chance, I decided it would be a much more fun way to train. I love running with people. And from there…I gained a lot of friendships and running buddies. I ran fast…I ran slow…but I always had someone to guide me through the process and take me the next mile week after week after week.
And keep me from getting lost in Louisville. (I actually do get lost…a lot).
But…these days I feel like I’ve lost all of that. Many members of that group no longer run together. Some have health issues that prevent them from participating in the sport anymore or for right now. Some have just taken to training solo. Some have outgrown the group because they’ve gotten superhuman speed or are doing triathlons so their focus has to be on other aspects. Some are battling injuries. Some are taking time away…for no other reason except that they want to explore other hobbies that they enjoy and need time to do.
And all of that is fair. And fine. We all have our own goals and aspirations and restrictions and limitations.
I am always game to run with people, but as someone who is known as one of the “fast” runners (I’m really not…but thank you!), I feel like everyone feels intimidated and doesn’t want to slow me down.
Insert my coach saying, “PLEASE…SLOW HER DOWN!”
The great thing about running is that it can be an individual sport, but it can also be a team sport or a sport that you can buddy up or form groups and make the miles tick away as you please. Where I see so many groups out there running together, I feel like my training and my so called “speed” have left me more isolated than ever before. And it sucks. It sucks, because I am such a social person, and I love the social aspect of training with people and running with people, because that can be far more entertaining than waiting on the next beep from the Garmin watch, or simply getting lost in the sound of my footfalls on another empty road or my breathing as I run, perhaps, a little harder than I need to be for a training run…because my mind is now focused on nothing more than finishing another solo run. It’s definitely more rewarding.
I probably sound like I’m whining…
I guess…being someone without a past in running, or someone who has dropped weight, or someone who has overcome addiction…I guess it just makes me a bit more of an outsider. And, yeah, sometimes I’m jealous. People with stories are the people who inspire others. No one gets inspired by the girl who just one day decided to run instead of walk…and has had to battle back after some pretty bad (and always poorly timed) injuries…time and time again…because people usually give you the, “Oh…I’m sorry you got injured…again.” look or tone or whatever. I don’t like being the person who gets told, “you’re so injury prone,” or that “You shouldn’t do that because it will make you get injured again. You’re always getting injured.” There was a time where that didn’t matter…but now it’s so ingrained in my head that I feel like pushing the limits in running will just lead to injury. Funny how people can change your way of thinking…and make you feel like less of a person, even if that isn’t their intention.
Yep…I have been injured. What runner hasn’t? But, it seems that in the time I have had to take off from running was when my community crumbled and scattered and all that’s left are a few bits of the foundation…and, God, am I ever thankful for them. Because, I’ve not had an easy time of it, regardless of what people think. When you’re told by both your orthopedic doctor and your physical therapist that your body just isn’t built for running…but this is the one sport that you’ve actually been able to show up for, enjoy, and, sometimes, even be good at…well, stopping is not an option.
Not yet, anyway!
Through all of this…the very struggles that make elite runners feel human…is where I have felt the most lonely. My comebacks have been slow, steady, and silent. My setbacks have been disappointing to myself and to those I felt were counting on me to show up every weekend and run some miles with them. It’s all a very internalized struggle that just recently showed me how very different I am from most people I know who are runners.
But I’m not an outsider. I’m one of them. I just came to it differently. I fight for it differently. I do it for different reasons. And sometimes…when I’m digging into another mile on a long training run, I need to remember MY WHY.
It’s not always easy being an average girl, with an average build, who runs a rather average speed, an average amount of times a week, who has been pretty basic her entire life…with an average story…feeling anything but average in this life these days.
I’m okay with being average. Just…tell me there are more out there like me. Because I’m looking for you!
Two weeks ago…I ran a marathon.
Guys…
Normally, this is where Cathy would meet me at the letter X and we would take photos and head back to the hotel so I could shower and all that. But she wasn’t there. I had looked for her as I was coming into the area, but never spotted her or the sign. So, for the next 30-40 minutes, I was wandering around trying to find her, always returning to X, just in case she showed up there. I was really upset about my race and now this was upsetting me more…but I finally spotted her near the entrance to the runner reunion and came up behind her. She gave me a hug and my official finishing time – 1:44:14. I just decided to harp on her about not being at X and she admitted that she “got cocky” and tried to catch me before that point.
The Celiathlete 