Me at the start of The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K
Place: Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: March 17, 2016
Time: 13:09
It took too damn long to get back to Frankfort, Kentucky for an actual race. It took way too long. But…yesterday…despite my own skepticism about being able to do this race and do it well enough to make myself not feel totally out of shape and defeated…I ventured out to Frankfort for what used to be the first race of the Frankfort Trifecta.
The Frankfort Trifecta is no longer a thing. It seems that the Frankfort Striders stepped in and created a HUGE race series that has something like 17 or so races…and I love Frankfort, but there is no way I can do all of that. So, I’m sticking to my Trifecta races (all three are still running…just not as an overall series…which is nice because it takes a lot of pressure off of me…having placed the 2 years I competed in all three races) and just hoping for the best at this point.
All that being said, the madness began last night. I was scheduled for 4 miles that day, so I ran 2.25 of them that morning, saving the remaining 1.8 and change for the race. I kept the miles easy so I would have some gas in the tank at the end of the day. BUT…it was also a gym morning so off I went, keeping my usual routine much lighter and easier. Same reasoning. And then…work. I stood for half of the day at my standing desk because, starting on Wednesday after work, my left hamstring had been sore and tight…and I figured that it had a lot to do with how much and long I sat on Wednesday. Trying to counter that, I did more standing than I normally would have on a sprint effort run day.
Oh…that’s the other thing…I…AM…NOT…A…SPRINTER. I never have been. I never will be. I have short legs that can move, but they need time to warm up and find their strides. 5Ks and shorter races are the bane of my racing existence, and yet, I know the importance of doing them…and so I do.
But, I digress.
Where was I? Oh yes…leg stuff. My hamstring was still a bit unhappy when I ducked into the bathroom at work to get dressed for the race. Cathy and I ducked out early to hit the road. Dinner had to be on-the-go…so it was vegetarian sushi. Figured it wouldn’t be too heavy before a race, but it wouldn’t have me feeling hungry just before doing it either. So…yay for that. We actually hit a few pockets of slow-ass traffic, which hindered our progress to Frankfort, but we got there. I had to make my mandatory stop at Kroger to use the facilities (if I can avoid port-o-potties, I do…because…PRINCESS!), and then continued into Frankfort to get to the race. We parked…noticed that the start line wasn’t set up where it usually was…but it was, instead, on the other side of the square. Interesting. So, I hiked that way…and realized that packet pickup was not in the building it normally was held in. Now…with only 10 minutes to race time…I was starting to stress out. IT WAS ALL DIFFERENT!
And then I found…my dear friend Linda. She just suddenly was there…a sea of people having parted ways…her back to me…standing on the corner. I went up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She didn’t know I was coming and gave me the biggest smile and hug. That helped.
A LOT.
I asked where packet pickup was now and she pointed to a table…then just went over there with me and got my race shirt, bag, and bib. I handed everything off to Cathy, who began to pin me up while Linda and I talked for a moment. But, you see, Linda knows EVERYONE!! So, I got introduced to a bunch of people and got the very fair warning to not run over any kids during the race. This is important, because this is THAT race where all the kids want to start up front and…well…some of them actually do belong up there, for sure. Some…maybe not so much, but you gotta love the enthusiasm. I promised her I would be very vigilant of the little humans. I wasn’t familiar with the course being run this way, but Linda quickly gave me an overview before everyone started to line up. There was a prayer and an Irish blessing (it DOES run on St. Patrick’s Day after all) and then we all moved forward and awaited the airhorn that would send us on our way.
It blew.
We took off.
Me after finishing The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, Kentucky
My legs felt tired and heavy from the start. The hamstring, much like in the morning, didn’t bother me while moving though, so that was good. My hip wasn’t aching…but, I raced hard on Tuesday…did 4 miles on Wednesday, and was now racing hard(ish) again on Thursday. Talk about giving these legs a bit of a workout this week. And all of this ahead of another big adventure this weekend. So…while I made a few surge attempts, the legs were sort of reluctant to get moving…even when I willed them to go a bit faster.
We turned a corner…turned again, stepping over a big hole, and took off up a hill…leading to the main drag that would take us up another (steeper) hill and then across a bridge and toward the state Capitol building. Close to the turn around point, we hit Mile 1. I didn’t look at my watch, I just kept going. I rounded the turn to now run on the other side of the road and headed back the way we came…down the long stretch…up to the bridge…then D-O-W-N to the main drag. At this point, you know you’re getting there. You’re almost done. It was basically straight on to the finish line.
I was slowing down, but I wasn’t having it. Linda was just slightly ahead of me…and then another woman…and me. I did all I could, minding my form, my hip, and my leg…to try to catch up, but it wasn’t having it. Once again, I lack that finisher’s kick that other people have. I even had people just up and sprint by me…as always. Frustrating when your mind is willing, but your body just isn’t capable. Between that and the strong wind that was blowing right into our faces…well…yeah. It was one of those finishes.
But…I crossed…and it was awesome. I felt good. I felt…incredible.
Cathy came over, waving the race sign, and said, “Shit, Twin…you placed!”
All that being said…I grabbed some water and ducked into an alley to do my plyometric exercises and stretches that I’m supposed to do after a run. See, I can behave. Well, I did half of them and got bored, to be honest, so I can semi-behave. We ducked back into the melee and I put my Boston Marathon windbreaker back on…because with the sun going down it was getting chilly.
Rebecca, Linda, and Me…all 1st place finishers in our age divisions at The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Cathy was right…I ended up taking first in my age division…and…get this…TYING MY TIME from 2014, when I ran this race last. I wasn’t expecting that. I was very, very happy with that performance, considering I was really struggling after that first mile. My Garmin said my first mile was in 7:01…so…I haven’t run that fast in…a very long time. VERY long. And when I do, I can’t sustain it. So, YES!! Happy. SO freakin’ happy because this injury has had me struggling to do this running thing for over a year. I’ll take a time of 13:09 and celebrate it!! Embrace it!!
The awards ceremony followed…the only hitch being that someone was being shown as winning female overall that wasn’t the actual female overall winner. So, they had to pause for a moment and go get it figured out. I had been chatting with Debbie Brown about my physical therapy and amazing physical therapist when this began and she went to go get it all straightened out. Because she’s Debbie. And she’s awesome.
So, once that was straightened out…the awards commenced. Overall winner was awarded to the correct, and super-fast, Roberta Meyer. For the overall male winner…it was Aaron Schaffner. It usually is. LOL!! He’s STUPID-FAST!! As in…blink and you might miss him. He was also in a Boston Marathon jacket…but I bet he ran his better than I ran mine. HA!
The rest of the awards for female runners was next…and I took first in the 35-39 age division with my time of 13:09. My overall pace was 7:04 for the entire 3K distance…so…that’s sort of impressive…for me…at this point in my running. It was pointed out by the announcer that I was also wearing a Boston Marathon jacket. Then he said, “Or is that New York.” Cathy said, “She has one of those too.” LOL!
True story.
Anyway…I stayed and cheered for the other winners, took a picture with Rebecca Atkins (1st female 40-44) and Linda [Word] (1st female 45-49). And then gave hugs and made my departure. I might have flailed happily as I was walking away, because this was such a huge boost to my confidence…even though my legs and brain aren’t quite working in tandem yet. They’ll get there.
I’ll get there.
Me with my age division award at the The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, Kentucky
So, the official results of The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K are that I finished in 13:09. I was 35/701 finishers overall. I was 9/466 female finishers. And I was 1/62 finishers in my division. I take nothing for granted anymore. Every run I am able to accomplish without pain or with minimal pain is a blessing. Getting through this week of harder runs, and really pushing and challenging myself has not only terrified me, but empowered me. I said it 2 years ago…and I’m going to say it again…Running is a gift, and I’m thankful I can do it again…even if it means slowing down for a little while to allow myself ample time to heal.
I’m looking forward (or so I am telling myself) to including a bit of speed work in my upcoming training…as well as continuing to focus on my hill repeats (because Frankfort hills are just…relentless!)…and, maybe I can finally figure out how to get that finishing kick. Until then…relentless forward motion…
“Don’t fear moving slowly forward…fear standing still.” ~ Kathleen Harris
Me crossing the finish line of The Leprechaun 2 Mile Run – Jeffersonville, Indiana
Race: The Leprechaun 2 Mile Run
Place: Jeffersonville, Indiana
Date: March 15, 2016
Time:14:36
Well…there it is. Another race this week. A short one. A sprint. But this is the most amazing part of this…
I have a new PR for a 2 mile race.
Granted, I think this is, really, the only 2 mile race I ever do…but still…a new course PR for me. I’m loving it. With this past year dealing with injury after injury and all the pain brought on by the torn hip labrum, I haven’t done a lot of running. I’ve done a lot of sitting. And I’ve done a lot of physical therapy. I’ve attempted to keep my fitness up by swimming (although I have REALLY slacked off doing that because I’m just NOT good at it) and spinning. And, to be honest, I hadn’t actually intended to run this race…but Matthew mentioned that he was running it when we were running hills last week at Iroquois together…and as my hill repeats were only 3 miles total at Cherokee Park this week (4 hills + 1 mile), I figured I could do a fast 2 miles instead. Works out to be the same level of effort, I would think.
So, after work, I went home and ate a quick dinner (avocado toast, because I needed something quick), changed into my running clothes, slathered on some sunscreen…and then headed out. I needed to be there before 6:15 since I wasn’t registered for the race. I had to do race day registration since this was sort of a last moment decision (I really blame Matthew, LOL!!). Getting there took a bit longer. We took a back route because I-65 was NOT happening. But, luckily there are various routes to Jeffersonville. We parked, got out of the car, and headed toward the 300 Spring building. I had to head over to race day registration and fill out the forms and my bib. But, I did…paid my $25 fee (okay…so hill repeats would have been free…)…and had Cathy pin me up for the race. Matthew, Laura, and Michael (from my running group) all found me at the table and we got ourselves pinned up. Michael, Laura and Matthew went out to run a warm up mile prior to the race. I did not. In fact, I stood around and watched people do their stretches and warmups…and eventually did my own…but the struggle is real on race days to get me to do these. I can’t help it.
The start of the race was getting close, and the DJ said that runners and walkers should head the couple of blocks up to the start. I began meandering that way, and had a group of people follow me. So…there was that.
As usual…there were a lot of collegiate athletes, top-of-the-ranks runners (both men and women) and kids who are track and cross-country stars. The people who have run for schools are amazing. I never did. I took up running when I was 30, so seeing these students kick ass is always so inspiring to me. I can never keep up with them, but they inspire! Matthew sneaked in next to me. I totally didn’t seem him arrive. I have to say, one of my biggest joys being back to running is the runs I get to do with my friends, specifically Matthew, since he and I trained through a lot of hot, humid days in 2013 together. He’s a strong and fast runner…and he helps me better myself every time we run together.
People who were running out and back to warm up came in and got in the cluster at the green tape that went across the road to mark the start of the race. The race was to start promptly at 6:30 pm. But they were ready to get started and at 6:27, Fred began making the instructions for the start. It was here that Tim, my friend Amber’s hubby, needed to retie his shoe, and just after he finished and stood back up…the whistle was blown.
And we were off.
And Matthew was gone. I don’t even know where he went. I lost him…but he was somewhere way ahead of me. Despite having done 2 miles earlier that morning and hitting the gym with my roommate, I felt strong from the start.
Short races are not my forte. I am not a sprinter. I am not good at running hard and fast from the start. I’m more of an endurance athlete. I like the build up. Two miles is my warmup…so these shorter races (through a 5K) are always a challenge for me. My muscles just don’t like to fire that fast for that long. But, 2 miles…I could do that.
This is not a difficult race at all. You simply run down the street until you reach this little island of shady trees, run around that and head back. On the circle around the tree, you hit the halfway point. The first mile of this race always seems to fly by. It’s not like there is a crowd out there making it feel easier, but I think the first mile just goes so quickly because I am so zoned in on my running. Especially these days…because I really need to pay attention to my form…and that sometimes means dialing back on the speed. But my hip was behaving, and when I made the turn, I felt good.
Of course, the second half of the race never feels easy. My legs were tired now…and I pressed on, really making sure to lift that right knee up and not rely on just my left side. All that focus takes energy and I felt like I was losing my pace. I reached the half mile remaining mark and pressed on…just hoping to get in before 16 minutes. I could hear the announcements, so I knew I was coming up to the finish chute. Women were to go in on the left side, men on the right.
Post-race with my friends, Matthew, Michael & Laura!
Here is where a couple of women really just kicked it. I don’t have a finishing kick. I never have. By the end of a race that I am truly racing, I just never have any steam left in my legs. It was okay…it didn’t bother me…but people who can just put on those afterburners and pass up people right at the end…that’s a gift. My friend Kelsey does that. ALL. THE. TIME. Once I know I can trust these legs, working on finding a finishing kick will be priority.
All that being said, I crossed the finish line at 14:36…a full 6 seconds faster than my 2013 time (which I ran when I was in the best shape of my life…although we also had 20 mph headwinds that year). But a PR is still a PR, right? Right!
I’ll take it!
So the official results of The Leprechaun 2 Mile Run is that I finished in 14:36. I was the 19th overall woman. And that’s all I got until official results are actually posted. But this was a very fun run. I’m glad I opted to do this rather than hills.
Afterwards, Matthew, Laura, Michael, Cathy and I took a little stroll to cool down and stretch out the legs. A little bit of active recovery. And then we parted ways. It was a good night to race. My confidence is slowly coming back. Every little bit helps. Every little bit.
It’s the small victories that really bring me joy these days.
Three years ago, I ran this very same race with bronchitis…and did it 15 seconds faster. No joke. A part of me says, “Hey…you’re so close to where you were when you started marathon training for the first time!” (although even this finishing time is 2:24 minutes slower than my 10K PR (45:31), which I set in 2013 as well…when I was really in my best shape and racing form). The other part of me says, “You ran this better when you couldn’t even breathe!”
Welcome to the mind of a runner. And as someone who has come back after mostly a year away from the sport, I am in NO way disappointed with my performance. Not one bit. I lost a lot of strength and fitness in the time I was forced to take off. AND…as I will get to…this race was not perfect nor pain-free for me either. I think the excitement got the best of me and I pushed harder than I noticed or even intended.
All that being said…I ran in a road race…and I did better than I even anticipated.
I, actually, have no real time or speed goals for any runs that I go on, training, racing or otherwise. Why? Because, right now, I have to build my endurance, my fitness, and my strength back up. So, going into the Rodes City Run 10K…I merely stated that, if possible, I’d like to beat 50 minutes. If it happened…great…if not…I’d get there. I wouldn’t be disappointed either way.
So, Friday afternoon, I took my lunch break and headed down to Slugger Field to pick up my race packet…something that I haven’t done in way too long. It was scary and exciting, but I gave them my bib number (963) and got my shirt and bib and a gift card for a free Chik-Fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich (my roomie got this), checked out the new course (it was a loop this year, not a point-to-point…and then went back to the office to close out my Friday. Traditionally, I eat gluten-free pizza before a big race…but I had my meal plans worked out ahead of time and opted for my third round of potatoes that day…a healthy take on Take-Out Fries (think…In-N-Out Burger Animal Style). It was a 10K race…so I wasn’t really too worried about breaking tradition. I sort of hold that in check for the half and full marathon distance. For a 10K…I can go either way.
I called it a night early because I knew I needed to get up in time to do my PT exercises, do my dynamic warmup, and just attempt not to freak myself out. Recall…the last time I raced was August…and…HELLO STRESS FRACTURE. Well…this distance was twice that and I was pretty sore after hill repeats on torn up asphalt on Tuesday. Needless to say…I was a bit of a mess the night before and the morning of…I just put on my brave face and focused on the task at hand.
Since it was my first race back in…FOREVER…I opted to wear my Wonder Woman running outfit. Because…it had to happen. The start temperature was around 53 degrees, so I figured I could get by with a tank top and be comfortable. BEST. DECISION. EVER. I wore a pair of pants and a hoodie over my running clothes until about 15 minutes to start time. My roommate didn’t have the sign due to the possibility of rain that morning.
We arrived and parked with plenty of time to spare. I went ahead and ate a protein bar while we stood around near the start/finish area. Cathy (that’s the roomie) spotted our friend, Laura, and we called her over and talked with her up until about 15 minutes to start time. I told her to have a great run and went to get into the corral, moving slightly toward the front because…I’m more comfortable when there are fewer people in front of me at the start of a race. The national anthem was sung (quite nicely too!)…and then…we were off!
I felt good crossing that start line, even giving a wave in Cathy’s direction as I started off. I fell into stride with people around me, the little voice in my head telling me to not push too hard, to lift that right leg, and to listen to my body.
Needless to say, I sprinted through that first mile in 7:17…which is WAY faster than I have been running or capable of running on any sort of training run. I usually hover around 8:20-8:40 these days. Of course, soon after hitting Mile 1, we are sent up a hill…so this was a good way for me to ease into a more comfortable pace. It was still really early in the race, and I wasn’t here to race it, but more put in a “long” run, just with a bit more effort. The hill did its job, but thanks to my attendance to most of the hill repeat Tuesdays…I didn’t feel winded when I crested the hill. I felt strong and good. And the hip was still behaving. No pain…win. Mile 2 eased me down to a more manageable pace of 7:54. Thank you Phoenix Hill.
Another very exciting moment was hearing Harry cheer for me as I ran past. He was just outside of Cave Hill Cemetery. And not very many people knew I was doing this run. I haven’t discussed my racing schedule much because I am doing each run on a “as I feel” sort of thing. If I hurt…I’m not running. I’m done with this whole injury train. Just…done. So, that lifted my spirits…and I let my form go for a moment to raise up my arms and wave at him. Awesome.
Mile 3 was next, and my legs were ready to move again. I was in familiar territory, having run the outer rim of Grinstead and Cave Hill Cemetery a couple years ago when I was not inured and Blue Mile still had a running group that met on Mondays. It was comfortable and I felt comfortable coming into the halfway point. I managed that third mile in 7:36…which isn’t too shabby. I kept that same pace heading into Mile 4. But it was around hitting Mile 5 that my hip suddenly decided it waned nothing more to do with the speed I was somehow managing for this run. I had to slow up…which was fine. I’d been running hard(er) and strong for that much of the race. I was feeling good, save for a little muscle twing. Mile 5…I dialed it back to a 7:45.
Me crossing the finish line of the Rodes City Run 10K
Here was where my form really began to fall apart. I actually started to struggle. The reason…I noticed myself falling into that “limp run” that I had been doing prior to physical therapy. Visions of stress fractures began flashing through my mind, so I let go of the speed and focused really hard on my form. I was in the last mile…I would walk there if need be. But I WAS NOT GETTING INJURED!
The crowds were picking up now, so I knew that I was getting closer and closer. I still don’t look at my watch when I run, because if I focus on my pace…I start to psyche myself out. With that being said, I hit 6 miles in the 7:54 pace range (like when I had gone uphill at Mile 2). And the finish line was in sight. I pushed a little more, without letting my form fall apart again, focusing on balance and strength in my right hip. I surged a little…and crossed through the finish gate, hands up in the air.
Damn, that felt good to do again. I’m not going to lie. Cathy was screaming at me from the sidelines. And I paused my Garmin and took a glance. I was at 47 minutes and change. SO close to 48 minutes. Cathy walked over to where she could slip in and take my picture. I did my power stance, biceps flexed, and smiled. Then, one of the professional photographers came over and said that he had to get a picture of Wonder Woman. It made me laugh, but I obliged. I wanted to get some water, so we made our way over there. I downed two cups and then did my leg swings to help loosen the hip.
I felt good. Sore…but good. And I wasn’t limping. So, really it was just more of a muscle ache. That hip adductor still fights me at times.
Anyway…the official results of the Rodes City Run 10K are that I finished in 47:55. No PR…not even close…and still slower than the year I ran when I couldn’t breathe, but…for being out of the racing game for so long…THIS is such an accomplishment. To go from hardly any running for the past year to a 10K where none of my mile splits dropped below a 8 minute mile…WINNING! I was 424/5027 finishers overall, 82/2849 female finishers, and I was 14/430 in my age division. Seriously…I’m proud of what I accomplished here. And I did it without breaking myself!
I still am on the road to recovery and every day I go out to run is different. I’m so very thankful that my body game me a mostly perfect race at a time when I needed just that. Now…to fine-tune my fitness and get stronger.
Time to live up to my nickname of “Wonder Woman” and get this body fit and strong! This was only a test…
As you may have noticed on the side of my blog…or through my postings on social media (like my Instagram), for the second year in a row, I was given the opportunity to be an Ambassador for Nuun. I have been using Nuun since I began training for my first marathon, and I haven’t looked back to Gatorade or those sports drinks since. I don’t like the way all the sugar in those drinks messes with my stomach and body…so Nuun was a fantastic choice for me.
What’s even better is, just this month, they released their new and improved formula for their Nuun Active and Nuun Energy varieties. These tablets that you drop into your water now use a combination of plant-based sweeteners that help provide a balanced sweetness profile. This is obtained by using a combination of monk fruit extract and stevia leaf extract. Nuun Active and Nuun Energy also now include 1 gram dextrose (d-glucose), a natural, fast-releasing carbohydrate serving roles in the production of the Nuun tablets (in regards to tablet integrity), as well as its ability to bind sodium and water to help increase the rate of fluid and electrolyte delivery. In addition, both Nuun Active and Nuun Energy are now certified gluten free, vegan, and Informed-Choice (trusted by sport certified). The upgrade was, ultimately, done to help take your favorite hydration product, and make it better. With the addition of a non-GMO sourced dextrose, the rate at which fluids and electrolytes make their way to working muscles increases. And the use of plant-based sweeteners provides an ideal sweetness profile, without being too over-powering or sweet.
I know that got a little scientific, but it’s a big deal and those of us who are a part of the Nuun family are excited about these changes. Especially me.
Proud Nuun Ambassador
All that being said, as part of the Nuun Ambassador team and as a runner, once again, attempting a comeback from a nagging (1 year on February 16) hip labrum tear injury…I really wanted to participate in the Nuun Year Dash 5K/10K virtual race that was being held. I normally would have kicked in for that 10K distance, but I’ve worked too hard at getting back on the road to push too much, too hard, too fast. I stuck with the 5K distance, registered, and awaited the package with all the swag to arrive.
And it did…back on February 1. The actual event is taking place from Friday, February 5 – Monday, February 8…but my weekend is pretty packed and after my “long” run on Saturday (longest run since August when I did a 16 miler on leg with a stress fracture (which I wasn’t aware of at the time)) of only 8 miles, my hip might be done for. So, the training plan I am quasi-following had me scheduled for 3 miles on Thursday…so I figured I could run from my job to my home and tack on the additional .1 (yep…I live 3 miles away)…and that way I get it done (a day early, but still done). My roommate drove the car home from work…no worries, LOL!
At about 4:10 pm on Thursday, I went to go get changed, for the first time since August, into “racing gear.” Granted, this is a virtual 5K, and while there are prizes being awarded, the biggest reward to me, at this time, is the fact that I’m getting out there again and participating in group runs and…(virtual) races. I had no expectations for time or placement…I just wanted the distance. So, I stepped out in my bright colors (I’m always bright), my hair color, pigtails, and the provided race big. I knew I was going to freeze out there. It was around 33 degrees Thursday when I left work, and since the previous day had a high of 50, I didn’t think about the change in temperature when I packed my bag the night before. I put my Nuun Year Dash t-shirt on over my long sleeve tech shirt and hoped it would keep me warm for the (at least) 30 minutes I was out running. I got the provided race bib pinned on…left my stuff with my roommate to take home…and left the office just after 4:30 pm.
The biggest challenge, after my Garmin found it’s signal, which took forever, was going to be the stoplights and rush hour traffic. But this wasn’t the first time I’ve run home from the office…so…I knew what I was getting myself into. This is, however, the coldest it has been when I have run home from work, so there is that. HA!
I started by the YMCA and ran through the parking lot, around my building, up an incline, back onto Main Street, back toward the YMCA, managed to hit the light at the right time to cross the street and make the trek home. It was cold and windy…but the leg and hip felt good. I felt good. It had been ages, it seemed, since I ran home from the office. It was a blessing just to be able to do this. I was cautious, of course, trying to remember my training in physical therapy because the last thing I need to do is get another stress fracture because I am compensating for the hip. The run felt good, and when I caught myself favoring the hip and applying more time and pressure to the opposite leg, I fixed it immediately. I had to top at a couple of stop lights on the way, but once they changed and I made sure traffic was aware of me (I was in bright, fluorescent yellow pants…I’m hard to miss!), I continued on the route I had run so many fall, spring and summer days before. I probably got some pretty strange looks, being the only person out and running, wearing a race bib, but that’s part of the fun. I’ve never been normal…why start now?
I made the turn onto the road I live off of, with about 1.5 miles to go. There was a 4-way stop to navigate through, but I swore I saw my car (driven by the roomie) pull out just as I turned…so she would make it home to be my race photographer. YAY! I slowed slightly at the 4 way stop…then when I knew for sure all the drivers were aware of me, I crossed and made my way to the stoplight about a quarter mile further up the road. I had to stop again and wait for the lights…one to cross the road, and then the other to cross to the other side of the homestretch because that way I could just turn into my apartment complex and not have to dodge traffic to get there. Once that was accomplished, I had just over a half mile left. I made a small climb over a hill…knowing it was the last incline of the day…so I pushed a little more…then ran past the old cemetery…up the way…past a house with a barking dog…and toward my apartment complex. I half expected my roommate to be standing out there with the sign she holds at all my races and camera ready…but there was no sign of her. At all. My watch beeped for 3 miles just before I made the turn into the drive of the apartment complex. I took the turn toward my apartment building, and still no sign of the roommate. And then I hit 3.11 miles and…was done.
Me after completing the Nuun Year Dash Virtual 5K in my own city
After I stopped my Garmin and then started to walk to cool off, she rounds the corner, on her phone, still doing work, camera in hand…but the moment was done and so was I. I had her snap a few pictures (no official finisher photo this time) before calling it a day and heading upstairs for a nice hot shower to take the chill out of me. Because I was cold. I never really warmed up on that run, which is weird for me.
SO…while the official results have yet to be tallied, I can tell you this much…my official time for the Nuun Year Dash (Virtual) 5K is 25:38. I keep telling myself, I’m fresh to my comeback. Speed will (hopefully) eventually come back. For now, just be thankful for the time out on the road, and the ability to be out there running again. I’m really proud of myself for pushing it (a little) and for getting this run done…with perfect negative splits to boot! It’s hard, because I used to be so focused on my numbers and so speed driven, that this slow down hasn’t been an easy transition for me. I push as hard as my body allows sometimes, and while it’s not up to par with where I used to be, this is a fresh start…and I have to realize that with these limitations with my hip…I may never be pushing those 7 minute miles again. It’s not easy…believe me…there have been tears shed over this…but the best feeling right now…is my feet on that pavement again. Every run is a blessing. Even the slow(er) ones.
I am so proud to be a part of the Nuun Family and hope to continue to be an ambassador for their amazing (and new and improved) products. If you haven’t tried Nuun yet…I encourage it. It’s a great way to make your water count and to stay hydrated. Even on the cold runs. This race wasn’t against the others competing and participating, but against all the self-doubt, fear, and pain that I’ve dealt with for almost a year. This is definitely the start of, what I hope will be, a beautiful comeback.
Me at the start of the Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk – Louisville, KY
Race: Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: August 22, 2015
Time: 25:01
It is that time again and that time of year. Yep. My comeback.
*SIGH*
Okay…you know, I have to actually look at the positive on this one. The hip labrum tear could have been so much worse and if that had been the case, this race would have not happened this year. So…there it is. Not to say I wasn’t in full-on panic mode…but this race means a lot to me as it does benefit research for colon cancer prevention, a disease that took my Aunt Debbie. And so, yeah, this one is an important one.
The first thing you will note is that this year, this race has a new name. The Colon Cancer Prevention Project (or as Cathy likes to call it C²P²) renamed the race this year from the very long and awkward “Walk Away From Colon Cancer & 5K Run” to the “Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk.” I love the change, personally. And, despite what people have said, this race is not geared more toward walkers. There are a ton of runners that show up for this one, many of whom are some of Louisville’s best.
So…this is how it stands. I have been running at a very leisurely pace (comparatively to where I used to be) for just over a month now. I only run 3 days a week, 2 days during the week and one long slow distance run on the weekends. I’ve been working with a certified Coach, Linda Word, who developed a training plan that incorporates enough cross-training and cardio that is not running to keep me sane, at least. So…there is that. Am I happy about a 3 day running week…to be honest, I thought I would hate it. I really did. But so far, it’s been easy on my body and has allowed progress to really start to come through. I sometimes run faster…sometimes slower…than my prescribed 9:00/mile training pace. But it’s never by too much…and it varies on each day I run depending on how my hip is feeling.
So, after doing a 5K race in Birmingham a few weeks ago with my sister…where I stuck with her and got her to the finish line at her pace…this was the first official race back for me. As in…my coach gave me permission to push my pace if I was feeling good. And, I was both nervous and excited at the prospect. I think I was nervous up until the car pulled into the parking lot at Iroquois Park in Louisville. With all the health tents and the other booths set up for this race, I started to feel right at home. My favorite local food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory, was on hand as well with their gluten-free crepes and smoothies. They were the first thing I spotted as we drove in and it totally lifted my spirits. Funny how the promise of gluten-free food at the end of a race just makes you feel a little more confident about everything, right?
The morning was a little chilly, but I knew that it was going to warm up fast. I shed the tanktop I was wearing at the car, opting for being the sports bra runner that I am on warmer days. I think I was one of the few brave enough to do that. I don’t care that I don’t have nice abs (I’d love to have them!), this was more about being comfortable. And I am not comfortable in lots of extra fabric when it gets warm outside. Therefore, despite the low humidity and low 60s temperature…sports bra was it. And, I really didn’t get too chilly just mulling about before the pre-race programming. I went and said “HI” to Richard and Ashley at Sweet ‘N’ Savory and told them we’d see them after I ran. This meant my plans to go to my local gluten-free bakery were now…changed. I still went, to retrieve the allergen free toaster treats I had them hold for me…but not for breakfast as planned. Today, not only was I running to help raise money for colon cancer research and prevention…I was running for that delicious sounding peach crepe.
HA!
With that being said, I went over to the stage area where the employees and volunteers of the Colon Cancer Prevention Project were doing their opening ceremonies, talking about what research is being done in the fight against this curable disease, and then bringing out Louisville’s own “Semi-Colon” (aka: Caleb Payne, who had just returned from a 5-month journey along the Appalachian Trail) to speak a little about his accomplishment and how being a colon cancer survivor has changed him. Then, they did the survivor recognition, complete with cheerleaders this year. This is always such an uplifting and emotional ceremony.
And once the recognition was given for survivors and the top fund raisers and fund raising teams…it was time to officially kick some butt on the hills of Iroquois Park. Cathy walked me over to the starting area, where a crowd was already forming. For some reason, all nerves I thought I’d have were gone. I just took a couple of deep breaths…and received a good luck hug. She went up a little ways past the start with my sign…and I got into the crowd of runners near the front. I was up front the last time I ran this race, but I was nowhere near in shape or in any condition to run like that this time around. I was greeted by the amazingly fast, Lynn Riedling, and our little conversation and good lucks were all we had time for. She was off at the horn with all the other amazing runners, walkers, and survivors. I gave a wave to Cathy as I went past, being left in the dust by a lot of people.
But, hey, this was more about the race than the pace. And my hip was feeling amazing.
I will now mention that while my hip was feeling amazing, I woke up on Saturday with a rather tender ankle. No clue what happened with it as I didn’t turn it or anything. But…it was tender…and still is to this day. A little puffy. But, it didn’t really bother me while I was running, so that is a good thing.
Anyway…back to the race. One of the first things that happens in this race, or any race that starts at the amphitheater of Iroquois Park, is that you go up a hill. I wanted to push it, but also conserve some energy for…you know…pushing it more, especially at the end. Comeback races are hard. You walk a very fine line and it’s scary to push beyond it. But, as I rounded the corner and went up…up…and up in that first mile, my legs felt strong, and I even managed to pass a few people. That was exciting!
At least at Iroquois Park, where there are uphills there are downhills. If you are training for a hilly race, this is the park to run in, for sure. This was the simple loop, not the hard dash up to the top like I did back in January. And it was agreeing with me today. It was like something switched off in my body, and if anything was supposed to or going to hurt…it wasn’t. Not from the start. Not any of that. Warming up with walking and stretching probably helped, but here I was, feeling semi-fast…and really good as I moved past the first mile.
Mile 2 is the killer on this loop at the park. The downhills, I tended to ease up on my pace and let my legs and momentum carry me, because I’m just trying to run smart and happy these days. BUT…that being said, those uphills were my time to push and challenge myself. I also discovered that my hip does better on uphills than on downhills, currently. So…hey…good to know. Mile 2 is packed with uphills. Some small, some big, and one that just feels like it goes on forever. In my mind, I kept telling myself to focus on my form, push off my toes, and just to stay comfortable. And with all of that going on, my second mile ticked off, slower than my first, but hills do that to me, even when I try to push them a little.
Into the last stretch I went…and still feeling good, I picked up my pace again. Just a little. I also know that there is one last hill that gets me every time, near the end of the race. The first time I ran this race, I walked the hill. I haven’t walked it since, and I didn’t have to walk it this year. It does feel like it never ends though, and pushing it on that one is a mental challenge and a physical challenge. But I stayed the course. And once I conquered it…I knew it was time to finish this race strong.
And so, I just ran. I focused on my core, my form, and how my body was responding to each push-off from the pavement. Nothing twinged. Not once. I could now hear the roar of the crowd at the finish line. It is an amazing sound to hear at a little 5K, but this race brings it every time. As I came into the final stretch, I could hear Cathy screaming at me. “GO TWIN! GO!!!” She normally does this, but there was an urgency in the tone. Turns out, another female runner was hot on my heels, trying to pass me up. I didn’t know. I didn’t look. I just ran as hard as I dared and crossed that finish line.
My Garmin said 25:03. Not my best 5K by far…not even my best time at this race (I ran 2013 in 22:45)…but not my worst 5K time either. And definitely an accomplishment for someone who went for 7 months of no running (I don’t count the Boston Marathon as I ended up hobbling and walking most of it!) to easing back into a running routine that was made, specifically, to get me back out there without causing further damage.
Cathy came over and asked me how I was. I told her that I was fine…but the race was hard. She said I was about the 11th female to finish, so it was possible that I might have placed in my age division. Possible…maybe so. So, we walked around to keep my body loose and limber and then went and grabbed some gluten-free crepes from Sweet ‘N’ Savory. I got the Peaches crepe…which was SO amazing. It came with gelato, and they were kind enough to give me their dairy-free one. It was strawberry. I split it with Cathy. Cathy, for the record, got the breakfast crepe. I thought about doing that one…but eggs were not sounding tasty at the moment. Sweet peaches, however, did. YUMMY!! With crepes made, we went and settled in to eat, then move around a little more while waiting on the awards. This was where a gentleman spotted me and said, “I know you! I read your blog on this race!” HA! That totally made my morning. We stood around for a bit and talked about running and upcoming races…but it was nearing time for the awards, so we parted ways with well-wishes and all.
Long story short…I came in 4th in my age division. So, things are pretty much back to normal. HA! Missed it by a mile (or just under 2 minutes) though. Lynn, however, was listed as being 35 years old…which is not true…but it wouldn’t have affected my placement regardless. And in the end…I walked away with the satisfaction of well-run comeback (again) race.
Me after finishing (strong!) the Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk – Louisville, KY
So, the results of the Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk are that I finished in 25:01. No new PR…no course record…but a strong finish. I was 48/970 finishers overall, 11/577 female finishers, and I was 4/63 in my age division. I’m happy with these results, honestly. Considering how much I hate 5Ks (I am NOT a sprinter), it was a challenge just getting to this start line. I put in a lot of time, stretching, and tears to get to a point where I could race again, and this race certainly showed me what I was capable of…and where I can definitely improve.
And, as always, the Kicking Butt 5K Run/Walk is dedicated to the memory of my Aunt Debbie. Already looking forward to coming back and running it again next year.
So, on a hot and humid Saturday morning…I went out and ran for a good cause…and had a good time. Already looking forward to next year! It’s for a great cause…and I couldn’t imagine missing it. Not ever.
Me (on the left) and Karla (on the right) crossing the finish line at the Foam Glow 5K – Birmingham, AL
Race: Foam Glow 5K
Place: Birmingham, Alabama
Date: August 8, 2015
Time: 39:51
Everyone remembers their first 5K…or their first race for that matter. It’s special. You go in with your own goals and expectations, not exactly sure what to expect, and not exactly sure how you’ll do when all is said and done. The first race is an important one, I believe – no matter what distance it is.
Just before I got my go-ahead to return to running, I found out via a phone call that my sister had taken up running. She goes out a couple times a week with her Couch25K program and her group of ladies…and runs. She will tell you she’s not fast…and she struggles…but she loves the company and the way she feels (despite some knee issues, which I helped clear up with KT Tape and getting her into proper shoes!) after she runs. She was training for a 5K with her friends. YAY! The only thing that was difficult for her was that she’d be pretty much running it on her own. Her pace is a little more deliberate than the girls she runs with, so she is often left to run on her own on training runs, and the race night would be the same.
When I got cleared to run, it also turned out the race coincided with a weekend where I had nothing else planned. And so…I talked it over with her, signed up for the race, and made arrangements to be in Birmingham to run WITH her at the race. I gave her the rules…her race, her pace. I’d stick by her side the entire time. She was more than okay with this. And, just to be cutesy, we started working on matching running outfits so we could be twinsies too! She ordered the shirt and I picked up matching shorts, knee-high socks, and said she had to have pigtails in, as that is the hairstyle I am best known for when I run. HA!
So, in the weeks leading up to the 5K, I was slowly adding on the minutes, then the miles to my runs. I had topped out at 7 miles in my friend’s very flat neighborhood the weekend before, and was a little sore afterwards, but nothing that really slowed me down. After work on Friday, I grabbed dinner (gluten-free peanut butter & jelly with grapes and a piece of dark chocolate) to eat on the road, and the roomie and I piled into the car (which was stuffed with my mountain bike that was just sitting on my balcony and that my sister could get some use out of) and made the trek down to Birmingham, Alabama…arriving a little later than planned (it took the roomie 30 minutes to use the bathroom at a gas station, I kid you not!), but getting in. Of course, I was up late just getting caught up with my parents (my mom had just recently broken her hand), but we were all winding down regardless. I climbed into bed around 11 p.m. CST (that’s midnight my time!) and set an alarm on my phone to wake me up at 5 a.m. so that I could get dressed, stretch, eat a little something and then get outside as it was getting light out to fit in the 8 miles ahead of the 5K that my coach had me scheduled to run.
I did just that…and it wasn’t easy. My parents’ neighborhood is just…HILLS!! So, I ran the first two miles easy and got warmed up, then wound my way through their neighborhood up to the walking trail. And there was where a majority of the run took place. Just as I was cresting the top of the start point, I heard a rumble, which, I thought might be thunder, but I was so close to the road, it could have been a car too. I figured it was a car…and I was off.
I was also wrong. It was thunder. And rain soon followed. And I was, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere, on this paved path that ran through Helena, Alabama. There is something about me running at my parents house and having it rain on me. It happens…all the time. Must be the Frankfort (Kentucky) affect. And if you don’t get that reference, you haven’t been reading my blog long enough (it storms/rains/precipitates every time I run in Frankfort, KY). So, I kept going, made it back to the start, and was greeted with a gorgeous rainbow flying high over a church. It was awesome. And I took a picture before winding my way back to their house for the last mile of my run. I ducked inside, took a shower, ate some breakfast, stretched…and then my sister came over with her kiddliewinks.
And it all got chaotic and fun. Karla (that’s my sis, btw) and her boys all tried the gluten-free strawberry breakfast cake I brought with me (my parents devoured it too!)…then we made a run to the grocery store for some necessities for the race and for lunch. Back home, where we got everyone ready to go and eat lunch at my roommate’s favorite spot, The Depot, in Pelham, Alabama. My mom and I had veggie burgers we prepared at home with some gluten-free pretzels. It was the big meal of the day as the race was at night and I didn’t want to run on a full belly. After lunch, my dad, Cathy and I hit up 2nd & Charles (bookstore), then made our way back to the house so that Karla and I could start getting dressed.
And that’s when the rain returned. Big monsoon as she and I climbed upstairs to my room to get into our matching running outfits. We checked the weather and it looked like it was going to pass…so that was good. After we got dressed, I put her hair in these tiny little pigtails, then did my own, strapped my Garmin onto my wrist, and we went downstairs so that Cathy could work some KT Tape magic on Karla’s troublesome knee. This was where I got to play with the cutest baby girl…as my sister’s youngest isn’t quite 1 yet.
With everything in order, and Karla’s hubby (that’s Bryan…who once ran a 5K with me) told me he approved of the tight running pants I selected for his wife to wear, we were climbing into their car (as in Bryan, Karla, Cathy, the two boys, and me) to make the over an hour drive to Talladega Speedway, which is where the race was actually being held. Well, we were dropping off vehicles at Cracker Barrel and then carpooling to Talladega. The boys needed some dinner, so it was Happy Meals at McDonalds (Cathy got one too!), and then…to the parking area of the race.
The Sole Sisters…and no, we didn’t actually plan to line up by shirt color. That just sort of happened!
Parking was super-easy, but expensive. A whole $10. Really?! Cathy footed the bill and Bryan got us parked right on the end of one of the rows. It would make finding the car in the dark a whole lot easier, for sure. We were some of the first ones here, as in of the group of ladies running, all of whom my sister trains with at some point. Two others were there before us, and Karla got us to where they were and introduced me to them. So, now I knew Margie and Lauren…(and yes, we were asked if we were twins!) and the rest were all a blur as they all began to arrive prior to the start. My sister and I decided to eat our protein bars early (that was our dinner), and split one if we got hungry between then and race time. After I devoured my bar, I actually got to meet up with a friend of mine (who I used to work with), Julie Hayes, who was walking the 5K with a friend of hers.
As the rest of the group arrived, along with the ring leader, Jenn, we departed for group shots and then…the most important part…hitting up the big foam pit.
Yep…after all…this was the Foam Glow 5K. And you can’t have a Foam Glow 5K without foam and blacklights. The sun was only just beginning to set, so the blacklights weren’t on yet…but the foam was being shot out these giant cannons. It was a lot of fun, stepping inside the staging area and just getting blasted with this soapy, foamy mess. The kids (most of the ladies brought their families!) absolutely LOVED it. I loved it. What a blast. After getting foamed up pretty good, it was back out to the group to get any last minute touches to our outfits. Jenn gave each of us the little bright yellow stripes under our eyes. We were now ready…for the race.
Until my sister’s 8 year old son went missing. YIKES!! He separated from the rest of the kids, who had all come running back to where we were from the foam. Karla was, naturally, in a panic so I went to the foam pit to find him. And I did, relatively quickly, getting him back over to his parents and saving the day! With that bit of hysteria out of the way, Karla was now in a good place to enjoy her first 5K and her first race. Whew.
And that was that…the sun had gone down…the wind had gone away, and the ladies in the crazy bright tank tops with the words, “We Don’t Sweat, We Glow!” on them all started toward the start area. The race was going off in waves, it it felt like only 20 people were going at a time. Once we got closer, we realized that wasn’t the case, but at least 10 waves went off ahead of us, and we were relatively close to the front. Karla, myself and Margie were actually corralled ahead of the rest of our group, so we ducked under the rope and rejoined our group. The group ahead of us was off…and we moved forward.
Karla looked so calm. She was smiling. She was joking around. She was relaxed. That was awesome. And, then, with a small countdown…the emcees at the race sent off our wave. And Karla was leading us off. She fell right into the pace, getting a little sucked into a first start with all the excitement, but that’s fine. That’s okay. We hit the dark course and she looked like a pro, already dodging and weaving through any more deliberate runners or the walkers that went ahead of us. I even told her she was already running like a pro. And, to take her mind off of the task at hand, I would frequently bother her with inane questions about how she felt, how her pace felt, how her knee felt…
At one point, I thought that the race people were sending us up the stairs to the speedway itself, but it was just people doing photo-ops. Karla kept us on course and we headed into what was going to be the first (of three) Foam Zones. This was a bit refreshing as the night had grown humid and the wind had died. So, the first one, we bounded through together and kept on trekking. Karla asked about distance and my 1 mile beep went off on my watch. I let her know that the beeps meant we hit a mile, so she had 2 more of them. She didn’t look amused.
Me and Karla in the big Foam Pit following the Foam Glow 5K – Birmingham, AL
This course was not easy. You pretty much get sent up a hill near the start, which is fine, but when it’s dark and you’re not expecting it…yeah. Well, I was there with Karla to give her some hints about how to properly run hills (Lord knows I’ve run my share of them!), such as push off on your toes, power up them with your arms, and take shorter steps. She listened and did really well. And when we got to the top, I congratulated her on a job well done. As we headed toward Mile 2, I hear “GO KAREN AND KARLA!” and it’s Julie! We threw our hands up in the same way (not planned…twinsies, you know!)…and continued on. At the halfway point, they were handing out water bottles. I asked Karla if she wanted water and she shook her head and said she just wanted to keep going. I snagged one just in case and we were back to bobbing and weaving and avoiding treacherous pavement on the dark path (seriously…some lights on the course would have been nice!). We hit the second Foam Zone and Karla, putting safety above all, decided to walk through the soapy sludge. Good call. The instant she was through, she picked her pace back up and we continued on. We were coming around the back part of the speedway, I think, and she slowed a little just to catch her breath. I handed her the bottle of water and she took a sip. Then, she passed it back, took a few breaths and picked her walk back up into a run. She was really making me proud. The second mile beeped on my watch.
One more mile. I told her as much. And the path seemed to be getting more treacherous. Karla twisted her ankle twice, but kept on going. I tripped on uneven pavement…but somehow, we were managing to stay on our feet. We were hitting up the final Foam Zone, which we walked through again, and when she picked back up to her run, I knew we had to be getting close. I checked my watch…and I figured from the pace she had been running that she had about six minutes left of the race.
“Six minutes,” I told her. “You can do anything for six minutes, right?”
“YES!” she said.
I taught all the girls my Power Pose for the end of the race! Foam Glow 5K…DONE!
Jenn caught up to us as we were nearing the Mile 3 mark, giving Karla a firm smack on the ass. We were so close. I would give Karla minute increments on how much longer she had…and I heard some walkers repeat it. They’d be out there a bit longer since they were walking (hehe). I told Karla that when we saw the finish line, we were going to sprint for it and cross it together. Well, I could hear the music at the finish, so we were definitely getting close. With encouragement, Karla lifted her head and put on her game face, focusing on her form and getting to that finish line. The blacklights were in view. The music was pumping…and I reached out and took her hand. For the last .1 miles, we ran together, holding hands, until we crossed that finish line. I paused my Garmin and there it was…Karla’s first 5K race…her pace…DONE…in a fantastic 39:15.
I gave her a huge hug and told her how proud I was of her. Those of us who were done stood around and took some fun pictures, drank lukewarm water, and just had a jolly good time. We were waiting on the remainder of the group, and once they crossed…it was after party time.
The husbands and kids were already living it up at the after party. Bryan was covered in foam when I saw him next. And that was exactly where the rest of us were heading. It was humid and hot and sticky, and the foam pit was cooling, a bit messy, a lot wet, and a whole lot of fun. I have never been so soapy in my life…and I love a good lather as much as the next girl. I hurt from smiling and laughing so much. I’d get all this foam sprayed all over me…manage to shake it off and wipe it away, only to get plastered from another canon on the other side of the staging area.
Honestly…it was a blast.
And afterwards, as things were wrapping up, the ladies returned to the cooler where I had packed Pink Salad for everyone to enjoy as a treat post-race. We were messy, soapy, and happy. We enjoyed our refreshing treat, which Karla graciously scooped up for everyone, and then…we all departed to head home. I had so much fun meeting these wonderful ladies who have drawn my sister into my world of running.
And I felt incredibly special to have been able to run her very first 5K with her.
Karla’s eldest son was spent, and he fell asleep on the way home, just after our gas station stop for some cold water. Her youngest was playing his Nintendo DS, but he was fading. As we pulled into Cracker Barrel, we said our goodbyes…and I once again told Karla how proud I was of her and how much fun I had. I was leaving early Sunday morning to head back to Louisville…so this was our goodbye.
I have to say…despite the path not being lit, the crush of walkers with the runners, and the uneven pavement…despite all of that, I had such a great time. Being able to run with my sister in her first race meant the world to me. She told me, “I’m slow.” And I told her…it didn’t matter. All-in-all, she had a great pace, and looked like a natural out there. I was truly blessed with the opportunity to see her through this run, meet the ladies who she goes out and runs with, and just have a fun experience that didn’t have me freaking out or tense prior to the start. There is something to be said about doing things with people you love.
Karla…Thank you for letting me take part in the Foam Glow 5K with you and allowing me to accompany you on your very first 3.1 mile run. Keep on running. I am so proud of you and can’t wait to see how you improve and where this road takes you!!
Sunset, foam, and blacklights – FOAM GLOW 5K – Birmingham, AL
Me crossing the finish line of the Capital City Stampede 10K and 2 Mile Walk (I did the walk) – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: Capital City Stampede 10K Run & 2 Mile Walk
Place: Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: June 13, 2015
Time: 29:47
Racing was not on my mind on the morning of the Capital City Stampede 10K Run & 2 Mile Walk. I was, sadly, not participating in the Frankfort Trifecta Run/Walk Series this year, due to this nagging hip labrum tear that just won’t stop bringing me down. I missed the Run For The Gold 3K in March due to my hip. Then, I missed the Pro.Active For Life 5K in April because…of the hip and because BOSTON MARATHON!
But…here I was, up bright and early, before the sun came up, drinking coffee and getting ready to head out to Frankfort, regardless of not being able to run. Why?
Because one thing this series has taught me is just how wonderful the running community of Frankfort is. Seriously, I feel like I actually live there, so many people recognize me or know me. It’s like a home away from home. Even the guy at Cool Comfort, the running store there in town, knew who I was when I stopped by with Linda (my running coach) after the race and some time chatting at the coffeehouse. I said it once, I’ll say it again…the running community in Frankfort is one of the nicest, most genuine, wonderful groups I have been around. And I have run in a lot of different places in many different races. None have been so open and welcoming as Frankfort. From the first race I ran there, I’ve never been made to feel like I didn’t belong or that I wasn’t a part of the festivities, just because I drive down from Louisville to participate in the race there. They have been with me and asked after me through my injury and rehab…and I love to call them my running home away from home.
So, there I was, arriving just moments before the start of the Capital City Stampede on Saturday morning to cheer on the great people of Frankfort as they made the trek through the streets of the city and to leave it all out on the course and a very humid, very sweaty morning. I was there in enough time to get hugs and talk with a few people, and I went to pick up my packet and the packets for the previous two races I was sidelined during. The call to lineup to begin the race happened, and I set down my race packet and just turned to look at the starting area, now filling up with runners of all different shapes, sizes, and speeds.
I had forgotten how much I loved that feeling…up until that point.
Cathy told me a little bit later that I was standing there with the saddest look on my face. It must have been true because all of a sudden, with like, one minute to go…she says, “Do you want to pin on your bib and do the two mile walk?” I nodded almost immediately. “Yeah…yeah I do.” So, she pinned me up faster than ever and I began to walk toward the starting line. I moved past all the speedy folks, catching Linda and telling her I was going to walk it. She lit up with a smile. So, I stood with the walkers at the back for a total of maybe 5 seconds when the starting horn went off. And there I was…watching runners run up the hill to circle the Capitol building…and I strode, quickly, mind you, right behind them. As I crossed the starting line, I threw my hands up in the air and smiled at Cathy, who took a picture. And so…there I was…walking a race.
There is such a different perspective from the back of the pack. Honestly. I got to see runners taking up the back for the 10K…but not caring that they were in the back. They had one thing on their mind…making it to that finish line. I circled around as the hill leveled off and then, rounded to come down the other side. This was a nice downhill and naturally my pace picked up. I decided, at this point, why not try a little easy jogging. And so…I did.
I won’t lie…it wasn’t pain free, but it wasn’t anywhere near the levels I had at Boston. I was mobile and could stay mobile. At the end of the drive, Melissa, the race director was yelling for the 10K to keep going straight and the 2 milers to turn and go down to the cone just beyond the parking garage. I was too busy looking over and telling her that she didn’t see me doing this that I forgot to turn, so I doubled back because, yeah, not 10K ready, not even at a walk at the moment. I was behind a couple of ladies, but not by too much. I figured I’d just follow them. This is the part of the 10K race that is very desolate. No one really around to cheer. You go down this hill and out to the parking garage for the Capitol. I actually passed the second person ahead of me in the walk (I was back to walking, mind you), and headed under the parking garage. I expected to see a cone there, but it was not in sight. So…the woman in front of me kept going, and so did I. She finally reached the 4 mile marker and turned around. She commented that she was already at 1.6 miles. The rest of us just sort of did the same thing. People coming the other way after I made the turn asked about where I turned around and I told them at the 4 Mile mark, so they kept on trekking that way too. It wasn’t too long after I made the turn that I saw the pace car coming down the hill. The lead male in the 10K was already coming this way. Holy crap! I cheered from my side of the road as he passed by. And then I kept that going for everyone who followed, including Nate, who was in 4th place, I think…who called me out by name when he saw me. The first female was next, although without a rider to pace her through. I knew Linda wouldn’t be too far behind her. I kept on working my way back, picking up the pace at times, toward the parking garage. I hadn’t reached it yet when I saw Linda coming.
She eased up her pace, opened her arms when she saw me walking the other way, and gave me a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re here!” she said to me. I almost cried. Seriously. She’s in the middle of a race and she took a moment to do that. For me. I thanked her and said that she was doing great and to keep going! She did.
I went through the shady garage and began my climb up the hill. As I did, cheering on runners the entire time, I saw Melissa jogging toward me. As she neared I said, “There was no cone!” She said she heard and she was going to figure that out now. Ah…the joys of being a race director.
I came up and around the corner to the road that would take me back to the turn back onto the street with the finish line. I could see the police cars ahead. I picked up the pace a little again. And as I rounded the corner, I figured, “Hell with it!” And for the last stretch up to that finish line, I jogged. Easy. Light. Not hurting, just uncomfortable. And as I crossed that finish line, I threw my hands up in the air to celebrate. I admit, even doing the walk, it felt really damn good to cross that finish line.
I grabbed some water and cheered for the walkers coming in behind me. And then, the runners as they began to come in. I had moved up to the line and was clapping and cheering when Greg, one of the Frankfort running peeps, came up and said, “Last year, I followed you for most of the race.” HAHAHA!! He’s right, but he passed me up at the end, but not without encouraging me to keep going to and push hard for that finish. I remembered him. Because he encouraged me, a complete stranger that year, to push on and try to be the woman ahead of me. See what I mean about the people in Frankfort? So, we chatted and cheered and I kept an eye out for Linda. With the humidity, full sun, and the heat, runners were slowing their paces…which is very smart.
When we saw Linda come around that corner, Greg, Cathy, Nate and I were just screaming for her. She came barreling across the finish line, looking fantastic. We stayed around to chat and cheer some more…and I wasn’t going to miss seeing these amazing people collect the awards for their hard-run races.
I have to admit, though, it was really, really weird when the top three finisher awards for the 10K were given out not to hear my name. It was doubly weird to not hear my name when they announced the First Female Open Winner, as I’ve taken that award the past two years. But I clapped and cheered for the people who did take those awards. They earned them. They trained and totally deserved them. And, yes, I was proud of them…even if I didn’t know them. Linda, once again, took first in the Masters division. And Greg and Nate both placed as well in their age groups. It was phenomenal. And, we had one really loud cheering section in our little corner of the Capitol stairs. When the team awards were handed out, Cool Comfort won first and Linda told me to come and be in the picture.
And the thing was…I didn’t feel like I wasn’t a part of the team. It was very nice of them to include me.
Afterwards, Linda, Cathy, Emily, and I went over to the Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe, where we got something to drink, and in some cases something to nosh on after the race. I sipped on an unsweetened tea and handed Linda over a jar of the blueberry jam I had made the night before. We chatted for a little while, about so many different things…and afterwards, as we left to go over to Cool Comfort, I rode with Linda and we discussed her becoming my coach.
The biggest thing for me is going to be slowing down my training runs. Or, as it was put, “You need to slow the f*** down.” I can’t argue. I knew that was going to be the case and I promised I would work on my pacing in my runs once I am back to being out on the road. I was given some samples of Sword to try…and soon…I was heading back to Louisville, because we had a rental car to pick up as Cathy had to drive to Atlanta on Sunday to try out for Jeopardy.
So…here it is…with the missing cone for the turnaround, I walked 2.54 miles in 29:47. I was 2/43 walkers overall. I was 2/35 women to cross the finish line in the walk portion. And, finally, I was 1/5 women in my division doing the walk. Not that the walk gets awards, I just looked up the stats because that’s what I do.
You know, this felt good. It didn’t feel great. It wasn’t amazing. But it was good. Since this race, I’ve returned to physical therapy, where I was told I should NOT be doing any sort of running at this point. Not even short jogs. So…I’m back to not running at all for at least 2 weeks. But Frankfort, as always, welcomed me with open arms, and really did a lot for my confidence that morning. It had been awhile since I smiled that much. It was just what I needed. A good walk, in a good place, with good people.
Yeah…that’s what it’s all about.
This comeback kid is on the brink of another comeback. So, stay tuned…
“This is the story of how I died. Don’t worry, this is actually a very fun story…”
So…here is the preface to this. If you saw and read my previous post, you’ll know that I’m injured. Not because of over-training or pushing too hard or running too fast. This is all about body mechanics. A torn labrum in the hip is, actually, a very common injury in women in their thirties. And, for me, because I am active, this happened sooner rather than later. It just seemed to happen at the worst possible time. I have a tight lower back…which started the problem. I have short and tight hamstrings, which added to the problem. This was a cocktail for injury that had been building, then something finally gave. My anterior labrum tore. Small tear. But, mother of Meb…it hurts to move. Like, literally move.
But I’ve never been good at timing things.
*SIGH*
Anyway…the basic gist of the weeks leading up to Boston is…I did no running from early February. In fact…every bit of activity ceased due to lower back pain. Lower back pain soon became hip pain. And I immediately went to see the top sports orthopedic doctor in the area. He got me into physical therapy…where I was given stretches and even tried dry needling. Relief came and went and I found myself back in the doctor’s office with a week to go to Boston. He sent me in for an MRI. NOT an experience I ever want to have again. That was the Tuesday leading into Marathon Monday. Wednesday morning and the rushed results were brought up and delivered to me in my doctor’s office…torn labrum. SUCK. I had him scrambling to find something for my tears. He gave me a paper towel. We discussed some options for healing and he said…I could TRY to walk/run Boston. He sent me for a Cortisone shot and wished me luck. That night I had the most epic meltdown ever. I have never cried so hard and so long in my life. There was no calming me down. I dreamed of the day I’d run in the Boston Marathon, and while I could still participate, it wasn’t going to be the experience I envisioned. And I was struggling with accepting that. I was broken. Mentally and physically…shattered.
“I learned, for example, that running injuries can be caused by being female, being male, being old, being young, pronating too much, pronating too little, training too much, and training too little.” ~Amby Burfoot in The Top 10 Laws of Injury Prevention
Me with my race bib at the Boston Marathon Race Expo
Thursday, the Cortisone shot from the day before was causing more pain than anything, but that soon subsided. Thank God, because I was certain something was wrong. I got through work, went to a soccer match, then came home and packed things up for Boston. Late bedtime…then into work…then off to the airport. Boston bound.
We got in late in the evening and stayed the night at a hotel near the airport. My friend Heather joined Cathy and I in the hours before midnight, having caught a late flight out. We got a few hours of sleep and in the morning, got up to head to our actual hotel in downtown Boston, get some coffee, and get to the race expo.
Sorry…I don’t function without my coffee. And the Starbucks on Tremont was giving out free tall coffees to any Boston Marathon runners. So for Saturday and Sunday, I got a free Blonde Roast coffee. Thanks, Starbucks!
We hopped the T to head to the John B. Hynes Convention Center, where the race expo and packet pickup were being held. This was the most organized expo I have ever been to. Seriously. Our bags were checked when we stepped into the center itself, and then we followed the directions of the volunteers and the signs toward where I would pick up my race packet. I had my Runner’s Passport (which came in the mail) with me and I went up to my designated number area to receive my race bib. Now, I wasn’t actually allowed to post the bib itself on social media because last year people swiped bibs that were posted and ran with them. Seriously. So, we took pictures, but nothing went up. After that, I went to get my race packet (which had LOTS of goodies and my shirt inside) and then we headed down to the expo.
Matthew and me at the Boston Marathon Race Expo with our Runner’s Passports
The official merch was the first area you are shuttled through. All the Adidas goodness (I love Adidas!) you could ever want. I already had purchased (so I would be guaranteed to have my size) my jacket, but I picked up a little (okay…a lot) more, and also a few things for some friends. So…I have a lot of Boston merchandise. But this might be my only Boston. This was one expensive trip and marathon to do…and that was another thing tugging on my heartstrings…all this money and I couldn’t even perform the race the way I wanted. Life…is not fair at times. But, I was here to make the most of it. With those purchases made, my friends and I ventured further into the expo. I round one corner and immediately see familiar faces – Dawn & Matthew from my running group. Matthew was running too and we were in the same corral and wave too. But he was there to run it and I was there to…survive it. Definitely not the plan we had going into this. We took pictures and talked and eventually parted ways to check out the different booths, merchandise, and expo stuff. We finished up at the expo and took the stroll down to the actual Finish Line on Boylston Street. That…gave me chills and sent my heart fluttering. I touched the line. I sat on it. I goofed around a bit, hoping that the way I was currently feeling would hold through Monday afternoon. After we wrapped that up, dropped by Trader Joe’s for some water and snacks, then strolled back to the hotel to drop things off. Our room was ready now, so we got our key and ventured up and…took a load off. My friend Jenn had landed in Boston at this point and was grabbing a bite to eat before joining us at the hotel. This meant…time to relax for a little bit.
Jumping for joy at the Boston Marathon Finish Line
When she arrived, I left to go and bring her up to the room. We let her get settled and rest for a few moments before getting our stuff together and embarking on a Boston adventure. This meant, we took a stroll. Through Boston Common, down some streets, over to the water, up through neighborhoods…until we got to a T stop and hopped it to go out to visit MIT. From MIT…on to Harvard. And that night, I was meeting up with a my best friend from my childhood…the girl I met the day I moved to Big Flats, NY…Lydia…who worked and lived in Boston now. We were hitting up John Harvard’s Pub & Grill for dinner and a lot of catching up. I hadn’t seen her since high school. It was a lot of fun catching up over dinner (I had a beet salad, for the record!), before we decided to stroll through Cambridge for awhile. We ended the evening talking over coffee at a local coffee house until last call. Then, we parted ways and headed back to the hotel to cycle four girls through the shower. I think I finally got to bed around 12:30 a.m. And I had an early morning alarm set.
Why? Because I needed to get back to the expo. I discovered that Sunday morning is the best time to go. It is deserted. We all had a variety of missions to accomplish at the expo, so we split up. And…I ran into Geri and Dan from my running group. I hadn’t seen them in a very long time and we talked and I was told not to hurt myself…more. HA. We snapped a picture and went on our different ways for the day. After we polished off the expo for a second time, we hopped the T back to the hotel to leave things in the room. And then…we were hitting up Boston by doing the Freedom Trail. I know…you’re supposed to rest your legs the day before the race, but…I was here to see Boston. And this was a great way to do it! We stopped into church yards, churches, saw the site of the Boston Massacre, and so much more. We grabbed lunch at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, each scattering to get whatever sounded good to us. I got a salad (again), Heather got a prime rib sandwich, Cathy got a bread bowl of clam chowder, and Jenn got lobster bisque. We ate, then did some more shopping and site seeing, before winding our way out to Beacon Hill. Here, it was still too early for dinner (in my book), so we strolled around and ended up stopping into three different local chocolate shops and making purchases from each. Chocolate score! It was very spontaneous of us and very fun. We then made our way back to our dinner destination. A very tiny place called Upper Crust Pizza (which came highly recommended by two locals I know), due to the fact that they have gluten-free pizzas.
Heather, me, and Lydia – Big Flats, New York reunited!
Cathy and I were prepared for what to order when we got here. We got down a menu for Jenn & Heather in case they wanted to split a pizza…but they ended up each doing 2 slices each. Cathy and I, however, ordered one of their signature pies…The Charles Street, which is described as “a local favorite combining portabella mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and fresh garlic.” We asked them to go light on the cheese. It was awesome. And Cathy said the gluten-free crust (which I could tell was white rice flour based) was better than the regular crust. It was just what this marathoner needed the night before the run. After that, back to the hotel for showers, some pre-race night prep and then…lots of chocolate.
We settled in a bit earlier this time, but I was pretty restless the entire night. Very little sleep. I don’t think I was alone. While the rest of my room dozed…I tossed and turned and went over things in my head. Sleep would have been nice. When my alarm went off, I was the first up and into the bathroom…time to get dressed for race day.
Me, highly under-dressed for the weaher for the 2015 Boston Marathon
So, let me now preface this by saying, when I packed for Boston…the weather reports were saying it was going to be about 50 degrees at the start line. After I arrived in Boston, the forecast began to change…and change some more. We were now looking at 42 degrees at the start with 16-20 mph winds and…yep…100% chance of rain. Needless to say, I actually forgot the shirt I was going to wear to this marathon at home. Literally…it was still hanging in my closet. I also had nothing to wear to the start line to toss. I realized that when I was packing…so I ended up bringing one of my warm blankets from home and wrapping that around me for the 2-3 hour wait at the Athlete Village. What I ended up wearing was was my Marathon Maniacs singlet and some arm warmers. That was going to have to do. I mean, I could have bought something to wear from a running store, but I hate not testing my clothing out on runs. No chafing allowed. Running skirt, compression sleeves, toe socks, and my Newtons. I put my hair in pigtails, but had to buy them under a hat, with the impending rain. I hate running in hats…so I was not a happy girl.
Cathy, Heather, and Jenn all took turns in the bathroom and I was a complete spaz, trying to get everything else in order to head to the buses to take me to Hopkinton and the start line. I had made arrangements with my friends Matthew and Jodie to meet them at the Starbucks across from Boston Common (the bus loading spot) the day before. When I had everything on, including the throw-away gloves with bear head mitten tops (a last minute CVS purchase), we all headed out. I was carrying my banana and cereal (because I didn’t want to eat too early), and had my fuel belt stocked with GU and my water and Nuun. We stepped out of the hotel and into the chilly, windy morning. And we headed for Starbucks.
I spotted Jodie the minute I stepped inside and we gave each other huge hugs. Matthew was still not around. We waited for as long as we dared, but we had a narrow window for our corral’s bus time and we didn’t want to miss it. I texted Matthew to say we were heading for the buses, and then handed off my phone to Cathy. They walked us over to Boston Common, to the security check point. We gave hugs all around and then Jodie and I stepped on in. And we ran into Matthew. HA! Perfect. We headed past most of the bus loading docks because those were filling fast. We just kept going down further and further until we hit a shorter line. And that was our shuttle. We stepped inside, took seats near the back, and settled in for the ride. As the bus pulled away, we spotted Cathy and the rest standing on the side of the road holding up a sign that read: “RUN LIKE SOMEONE IS SHOUTING GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS!” FUNNY! A lot of people got a kick out of it. I waved…and the journey began.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” ~Mark Twain
It felt like the longest bus ride of my life. Matthew and I talked. Jodie and I talked. We mostly looked out the windows and anticipated our arrival at Hopkinton. Nerves were high. Excitement was high. And for me, I was trying to figure out how I could do this race. It wasn’t going to be pretty. When I got the last-minute word that I could run/walk it…I put it out there that I’d love to have some company on the journey. So many people said they weren’t running this one for time…but for the experience. No one stepped up to take me up on the offer, and I don’t blame them. I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s time, expectations, or experience. But all those times I smiled and said, “No…I don’t want/need/…”…that voice inside my head was pleading, “Please…someone get me through this…someone…say you’ll stick it out with me.”
Heather, me, Cathy and Jenn on race morning before stepping out into the damp cold that would plague us the rest of the day
Anyway…we disembarked at Hopkinton and made our way into the Athlete’s Village. It was a city of tents and small vendor stations for Gatorade, bagels, and the like. Unlike NYC, this time, I had my banana with me and the rest of my cereal to polish off. I ate some of it on the bus there. Timing is key. And I also needed to take my Mobic for my pain (I know…this is not a good idea, but it was necessary!). Matthew, Jodie and I immediately got into the lines for the port-a-potties. We met some great people behind us and chatted with them for awhile. We took our turns and then went and found shelter under one of the tents to get off our feet and just try to wrap our head around the experience. The tents were alive with chatter and they had their phones. I was wrapped up in my blanket and poncho, huddled in to keep warm. It was a very breezy morning and I was really regretting my “suck it up, cupcake!” attitude with the start line weather and wishing I had some sleeves on my shirt. The red corral (or the one that goes off with the elites) was already being loaded up. I waited until about 30 minutes before we’d have to be in the corrals to eat my banana. Then, after sitting for a bit more, trying not to tighten up from shivering, the three of us heard the white bibs were being put in their corrals all the way through Wave 8. We were Wave 8. We got up…and we headed that way.
Me and Jodie before the Boston Marathon
My heart was pounding as we stepped through the different checkpoints with the volunteers. The Mylar cape I had made out of the wrap they gave us to help keep warm at start village was wrapped tightly around my legs. My blanket and poncho adorned my upper half. I was keeping it all in place until 5 minutes before leaving. And I did. Matthew branched off to go find a bathroom again and Jodie and I continued on. We found a spot in the crowd and stood there and shivered, joking around, checking our shoes, and just mentally preparing ourselves. I knew Jodie was going to kill it. She’d been doing amazing things in her training. And she’s super fast. Hell, she qualified for Boston running a marathon in rain, thunder, lightning, and hail. YES. HAIL! She was badass and this race had nothing on her. We finally convinced ourselves to ditch our warm gear…tucking the clothing and blankets and poncho into the bags for donation or handing them off to volunteers. The Mylar went next. And soon, we were shivering with the rest of them.
Our wave was sent off and for the first 1/4 mile, I hung with Jodie. The first part of Boston is downhill and she was trying not to go out too fast. I finally let her go and settled into a pace I thought I could maintain for a little while. Not going to lie, each step was painful, but I could tolerate it. Matthew caught up to me before I got through the first mile. He said, “Well, Karen…we finally got to run a marathon together.” I laughed and told him to enjoy his run. Everyone would be smoking me this time. I soon lost him in the crowd ahead. And then…there was me.
I actually maintained a decent pace (not great…but under the circumstances) for the first 10K. After I hit that though, I started needing to incorporate short walks in with the running. I didn’t want to…but I needed to. I have a torn labrum in the hip…I was hurting. But…I still managed. I maintained small walk breaks with running through the next 5-6 miles. Each move was starting to hurt more and more. Thankfully, there was a great crowd, and I took all the cheering and high fives I could get. Around the halfway point is where you hit Wellesley College, and you can hear the screaming from about a half mile away. It’s insane. There is a reason that area is called “The Scream Tunnel.” The women of the college were out and cheering, just like the rest of Boston, despite the horrific weather and cold. There were a couple of women who had no tops on and were covering up with cardboard signs. Craziness. But that was such a rush. You read about it…but to experience it…that’s another thing. At about Mile 15, I slowed again, and this was where Tammy, from my running group, tapped me on the shoulder. She looked at me and asked, sincerely, how I was doing. I told her I was hurting. She asked if I needed anything and when I said no, she pulled out, glancing back a couple times at me. When I ran into her Annie May’s Sweet Cafe back in Louisville the following Wednesday, she gave me a hug and said she should have stayed with me.
Mile 16, I managed a small surge of speed, but after that, my body was done. It literally hurt to run. Walking was easier, so my walking became more of what I was doing. I had 10 miles to go…and I was determined to get through them. There were people who would call out to me from the sideline, my race number or “Maniac” for the Marathon Manaic singlet I was wearing. They said encouraging words to me. Wrapped an arm around me and told me to keep going. That I was doing good. Instead of tackling Heartbreak Hill…I had to walk the entire thing. My heart was breaking because I had dreamed of taking on these hills. I had a medic stop me around Mile 22 to ask what was wrong. I told him I was doing Boston on a torn labrum and that I was run walking. He asked if I was okay. I nodded. I was freezing. But I was moving. I had a few runners tell me FMP…Forward Moving Progress. Every little bit made me keep pushing because every synapse of my body wanted to quit. I am not a quitter, however. If I cross that starting line, I’m going to cross that finish line. Tears were pretty much part of the race outfit by this point. The rain was coming down. The cold, icy winds were blowing, and I was walking. WALKING…the Boston Marathon. My heart was breaking more than my body was at this point. I was so disappointed and angry…emotions were just bubbling over. Another medic on the course came to walk at my side and asked if I needed a Mylar blanket or anything. I shook my head and sobbed a “No.” I said, “I”m almost there…I just need to get there.” He wished me luck. I had two Marathon Maniacs come up to me and take pictures with me. They were just so uplifting at that moment. I was told I was adorable.
Me running down Boylston Street toward the finish line of the 2015 Boston Marathon
The mental struggle at this point was more than the physical pain. I’ve run with pain before. But knowing that time was ticking away and this race, this race which I had wanted so bad…which I earned…was slipping away…I was WALKING my Boston Marathon…it was more painful than the present limp in my stride. I saw the famous Citgo sign…and I knew I had just over a mile to go.
In my head, as I walked as fast as I could, I said that when I made the turn onto Hereford Street, I would run that hill and then run as much as I could manage…but RUN…down Boylston Street to that finish line. And when the time came, that’s what I did. Mind over matter. Finish this race strong, even though it was the most disappointing, hardest race I’ve attempted. I pushed up the hill on Hereford and rounded that corner to Boylston. I started down the stretch, immediately catching sight of Cathy, Heather and Jenn, who were SCREAMING for me. Not at me…but for me. I made a heart with my hands, and waved…and then focused on that finish line. It felt, literally, like it was 100 miles away. It hurt to make that dash, if you could call it that, but I didn’t care. I was running across that finish line. And when I crossed it, the tears just came down. The rain is a wonderful thing at moments like that. I was shivering. My lips were blue. I couldn’t feel my fingers at all. If my hip hadn’t hurt so much, I probably wouldn’t have known if my legs were still attached.
But I finished.
From there, I hobbled through the finishing area. It actually took a good long while to get to the place where the volunteers were handing out medals. I was shaking and shivering, but I bowed my head as someone slipped it around my neck. I didn’t ever want to take it off. A little further up was the Mylar poncho, which I was helped into. It did little to help. My body temperature was very low. I was then handed some water and a bag of recovery food stuff…and I hobbled along, following the signs that would take me to the family reunion area. It was a long, hard, cold walk. Along the way, I had about 5 volunteers stop me to ask if I wanted to get into a bus to get warm. I was suffering hypothermia at the finish line, but I was so focused on getting to where my friends were. I said I was going to meet my friends and get to my hotel. They let me go.
Sometimes, the best thing you can see after a race like that is smiling faces. I got hugs all around and congratulations. They told me how proud they were of me. And I just cried. I just…couldn’t stop. I wanted to get to the hotel, so we started to walk that way. I could barely walk, and Heather offered to carry me. I told her I’d be fine…I’d just be slow. I was beyond slow. It seemed to take forever and the rain and wind weren’t helping. But I got back to the hotel…freezing…sore as hell…and up to my room. I got my gear off, got out of wet clothes, and took an amazing hot shower. After changing and settling in on my bed…I answered texts and Facebook messages…I called my parents, who backed out of coming, and my sister. I tried very hard to let the accomplishment shine, not the disappointment I was feeling. I think I managed well enough.
We celebrated with cups of wine (Heather & I went high class with paper cups!) and a piece of chocolate. We toasted to the Boston Marathon. And then…Heather had to leave to catch a flight. Hugs were given. Cathy fetched me some ice…and we settled in for some peaceful relaxation in a warm hotel room until we wanted to get dinner.
So…in the end…The Boston Marathon wasn’t the dream race I had hoped to have back when I qualified a year and a half ago. Everything went wrong along the way. My body fell apart months before the actual event. And I did everything I could to get to that start line without further damaging myself. Yes…I am a finisher. I am proud of myself for not quitting. I am proud of myself for perservering. I am not proud of that marathon finishing time. I am not proud of how much I walked. I am proud for finding out just how fucking strong I am. THIS…is Boston Strong. This limpy-gimpy, frozen, crying soul at the finish line…is BOSTON STRONG!
So…with it all said and done, I hobbled my way through to a finish time of 5:07:08. I was 25262/26610 finishers overall. I was the 11262/12022 woman to cross the finish line. And, I was 5608/6011 in my age division. Yeah…you can bet these statistics don’t sit well with me. I actually didn’t want to post them. But, you know…this is a race I won’t forget. I struggled. I cried. I limped. I walked. I would have crawled if it came to that…if it got me to that finish line. But I finished. It is my worst, and yet, most memorable marathon. It is my greatest and my worst moment in the years I have been running. This is, by no means, the race I wanted nor dreamed of. I can only hope that, one day, I’ll get a redo.
“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” ~Jack Canfield
I find out on Wednesday how my doctor wants to work on getting my hip back into running form. I want whatever will be the best for me in the end, with the least amount of downtime, and the best option to get me back out there, running stronger than before. Please…keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I have a feeling I have a long road ahead of me.
It’s no secret anymore…nor was it after runners crossed that finish line on Saturday…the Charleston Marathon ran…long. Yes. Long. My Garmin showed me running exactly 26.69 miles when I crossed the finish line. It has been all over the news about the marathon that went long when the lead car took us down the wrong road and added, according to the official measurements on the tangents, an additional .1918 of a mile to the course. (Yep, I was almost exactly .5 over! But you take the official measurement of almost .2 miles).
Anyway, the race directors of the Charleston Marathon have adjusted all of the finisher’s times to reflect what would have been had the course not gone long. So, my new official time for the Charleston Marathon is:
3:39:05
I am very pleased with this result, as I was when I finished on the longer course. I went into this race not to race it, but to use it as a training run. Time on my feet. No goals. No must-hit time. Just relax and run. Magic!
Me crossing the finish line of the Charleston Marathon – Charleston, South Carolina
Race: Charleston Marathon
Place: Charleston, South Carolina
Date: January 17, 2015
Time:3:40:54
First race of the year. Why not make it a marathon, right? Right! Actually, I had this one on the radar since last year…so, I was very excited to finally register for it (which I did late…like in December…whoops!). I already had a place to stay (thanks Janet Dailey!) and two amazing tour guides (shout-out to Richie and Amanda!) who spend as much time as they can in Charleston, South Carolina, taking out any sort of travel apprehension because…they know everything! So things were definitely falling into place.
The only thing that wasn’t was, naturally, my foot. It had been doing so well, but the week before the race, my plantar fasciitis decided it wanted to flare up again. Not the foot that caused me issues this past summer. Original foot. The one with the plantar issue to begin with. I think I need to get some new shoes…because I have worn the hell out of both pairs that I am wearing currently.
Anyway, I’d continued to train, easing up on pace and doing my speed work slower. And it seemed that after the first two miles, it stopped hurting. I didn’t tempt fate though…just did what I could while maintaining my training. Foot was no bueno…but it wasn’t knocking me out. Nope. I could still run. Granted 7 treadmill miles is definitely different from 26.2 miles on the road (tready running is VERY different from road running…and I prefer the road!), but for now I’m keeping speed work inside on the treadmill. Most of my runs leading up to this marathon have been indoors due to the extreme cold. Call me a wimp, but once the temps fall below 20 degrees, I don’t consider it safe for my body to be out running, even if it is a couple of miles. My longest run leading into this race was back before Christmas…14 miles…after that, nothing went over 10. Not the best way to train, but I think subconsciously, I was ignoring the fact that I signed up for a marathon.
That’s what happens when you deal with a debilitating injury for 3 months. You get…a little nervous. Nevermind that I ran the TCS NYC Marathon back in November. I have a goal this year to make it out injury free. I’m doing what I can to maintain that goal. So, definitely under-trained for this one, for sure.
On Friday, I got up and did an easy 3-mile shakeout, still babying the foot. I wasn’t worried about speed. I went outside and just did 3 miles. Home, shower, breakfast, finish packing, and then Cathy and I went to work. We weren’t there long. Only for a few hours, to close out accounts and enter as much as we could before the clock hit 10:30 a.m. Then, we were out the door, to the bank, and then on the way to the Louisville airport. Parked the car, headed inside. I checked my bag, praying that it would get to Charleston as it had all my race gear in it (I know…never do that, but I had no choice!), and we got into the security line. I was randomly selected to do TSA Pre-Screen…which meant I got the shorter security line, didn’t have to take off my shoes, my hoodie, or remove my laptop from my backpack. LOVE IT! Cathy was not as fortunate, and it took her quite a bit longer to navigate the regular TSA security line. But, she eventually made it through. We got to our gate and she went to grab some loaded baked potato soup from Chili’s and grabbed me a fruit cup. We ate lunch and polished it all off just before we had to board the plane. Good timing! Our first stop was Atlanta…ugh. We were also boarding in Zone 3…and had a feeling Cathy would have to check her bag due to lack of overhead space. She did…but at least she got to do it for free. It would meet us in Charleston as well. With that done, we hopped on our flight and found our seats.
First stop…Atlanta. Very brief stop at that. We had long enough to get off the plane, go to the train, take it from A to B gates…find our gate…go to the bathroom…eat a snack bar…and then get ready to board. At least we had time for that. We took our seats, took flight…and read until we hit the runway at the Charleston International Airport. The airport was really small for being an international hub, but we made our way to Baggage Claim…got our luggage than headed to Enterprise for the rental car. Longest line ever. For real. It took us longer to get a rental car than it did to do anything else in any of the airports that day. None of the other car rental places had lines, but we had already reserved a car with Enterprise, and we trust Enterprise. So…we stuck it out. Finally, it was our turn and we ended up with a Hyundai Elantra. We went out to retrieve said car, piled our stuff inside, and made our way to Burke High School for the Health & Fitness Expo and Packet Pick-up. It took us about 15 minutes to navigate to the high school, following horrible Google Map directions. But, we made it…parked…and had to walk all the way around the building to get inside the area where the expo was being held.
That being said…we made it. I immediately headed over to the packet pickup for the full marathon. I got out my wallet to show my ID and was just asked for my bib number. This was sent to me via e-mail earlier and was really easy to remember. I replied with “Bib 113.” And they got it down from their system of hanging bibs and handed it to me. No ID check or anything. They said that the t-shirt and bag pick-up were across the auditorium. Awesome. I went down to the end of the table to scan my chip and ensure that it was, indeed, functioning. Then…off I went to retrieve my race shirt and bag. The bag only contained some pamphlets for local businesses and races. The shirt was white with a painting of Rainbow Row houses on it. Gorgeous. I tucked the shirt inside the bag and then went on the hunt for some GU. Luckily the Fleet Feet booth had some for sale, and I snagged 2 Strawberry Banana, 1 Triple Berry, and 1 Mandarin Orange. I had one with me in my luggage…so that would do. After I left, I spotted the rack of CEP Compression Gear…and had noted that I had forgotten my recovery socks…so I went to see if they had anything in my size. They had a pair of black and grey CEP socks…so I went back to the Fleet Feet booth and purchased those as well. HA! They were getting my money for sure. With that done, Cathy went to see where she could get shuttle tickets to get from the start to the finish and then from the finish back to the start (runners got to do this for free)…and I went in search of my NYC Marathon Hard Core Runner buddy, Jennie. We met up near the Community Coffee booth and had hugs all around and discussed how the weather would be chilly, but after NYC…eh…this was nothing. We talked about running, families, training, outfits, and even our injuries. She was doing a run/walk method due to an issue with her back. We hung around and talked and Cathy returned to steal my phone and place a delivery order with the Charleston Mellow Mushroom for a gluten-free and vegan Cosmic Karma pizza for that night. She returned and we talked a bit more with Jennie before we all said goodbye. Cathy and I needed to hit up the local grocery store (and race sponsor), Harris Teeter, for some things for the hotel room (fruit, water, yogurt) and then get to the hotel before the pizza did. So, we left the expo and then headed to the grocery store, following even worse Google Map directions. I got out my cell phone and directed her.
Me with Jennie at the Charleston Marathon Expo! So great to meet one of my Hard Core Runners!
We made it to the Harris Teeter and started loading up a basket with bananas, apples, Greek yogurt, water, and a Sprite Zero. After I run a marathon, it helps calm my stomach. It’s the only time I drink soda anymore. We checked out at the grocery store and hopped back into the car. And went the wrong way to the Lodge Alley Inn, where we were staying. So, we turned around, and just as we pulled up in front of the hotel on East Bay Street, Mellow Mushroom’s delivery guy called. He was outside of the hotel. I told him we just pulled up and he met me on the corner. We did some shady (not really) dealings and I gave him money and tip for the pizza and thanked him very much. Cathy wasn’t sure what to do with the car now that we were there and put on the blinkers and left me standing there with the pizza while she went inside. It took her about 5 minutes…and here I am with a car that was definitely not parked well and all that…just waiting. She returned, said we were good to go, and the valet met us with a cart to put our luggage and groceries on. He then took the keys and went with us up to our room on the third floor. We got inside…got things put down…and gave the valet a tip. He left to go park the car after unloading our stuff. And I put away what needed to go in the fridge. Then, as it was nearing 7 p.m…I said, “Can we eat pizza now? It’s getting SO late.” I don’t like to eat too late when I have a race. I like everything to be digested. So, we went into the living room, turned on Diners, Drive-In’s & Dives, and dove into the pizza. I think I devoured it in record time. It is so much better at the restaurant. With it getting a little cooled off on the delivery and the wait for the room, the crust got a little soggy. MEH. Oh well…I ate it. Fuel for the following morning.
Cathy’s sister and brother-in-law, Amanda and Richie, stopped by after we finished eating to make sure we were settled in. We stood around and talked for awhile, but Amanda said she knew we had an early morning. She said she would try to make it down to the finish, but no promises. I told her no worries either way. Hugs all around and promises of lots of site seeing after I ran. I went to brush my teeth and get into my pajamas so I could climb into bed and zonk out for the night. I didn’t sleep well that night. I kept worrying that the two alarms I set to wake me up for the race wouldn’t go off. And, at some point, Cathy had gotten out of her bed and turned the clock down because it “emitted too much light.” So, as I was tossing and turning, I went to check the time and couldn’t find it. I thought she unplugged it and was now pissed because I couldn’t reassure myself that I wouldn’t oversleep. UGH! The alarm went off a bit later…I got up…did my usual first alarm stuff…then climbed back into bed for less than an hour. More tossing and turning. Second alarm. Up to change and get ready for the race. I never felt so tired and unenthusiastic in my life. I grumbled a bit at her after I woke her up so she could get ready about the clock thing. The next few nights, the clock was left untouched.
We were up…and I ate my serving of cereal, as I often due on race morning. She had a breakfast bar. I filled up my water bottles with my water and electrolyte drinks, tucked my GU packets into pockets, and got pinned up with my race bib. It was 36 degrees that morning and I went back and forth on wearing a tank top or a short sleeve shirt. Given it was in the 30s, I opted for the shirt. I made sure my anklet with wings on it that my mom and dad got me for Christmas was on my ankle, then put on my hat, gloves, and coat. I was as ready as I was going to be. Grabbing two bananas for the road, we headed out. The valet had our car ready and we got inside, heading off to the start line, near where packet pickup was at Burke High School. We parked in one of the nearby parking lots with over an hour in time to spare, so I leaned the seat back and took a nap. Seriously. I was grumpy and tired and my foot had been bugging me slightly, so I said, “Screw it…I’m napping.”
Me taking a nap before the Charleston Marathon
No argument from Cathy, although she took a picture on my phone and put it up on Facebook. HA! She made me open my eyes around 7:15 to get out, stretch, eat my banana, and get acclimated. So…I reluctantly peeled myself out of the car. It was chilly, but not too bad. I walked over to the starting area where runners for both the marathon and half marathon were clustering. Some were being interviewed on camera. Some were talking with friends. I handed Cathy my banana and did some actual stretching. Especially with the foot…although it really didn’t help. Meh. Then, at about 7:30, I ate my banana and then continued to stretch until I decided I was done with that. We then looked around at all the runners, noting that most of them were doing the half marathon. I saw some great running tights that I now need to find and purchase for myself. And I noticed a guy near where I was standing who was going to go running in…sandals. Ouch. But, hey, to each their own.
The announcer said we were getting close to go time and that there were 49 states and 7 countries. The holdout state who didn’t show up…Hawaii. Naturally. Cathy said she was going to go get her spot to watch the start…so she wished me luck and I went to move further back into the pack. My goal for this race was to run it smart, run what I felt, and to run the entire way. With the foot acting up as of late though, I wasn’t sure how much of this I could accomplish. In the end, it’s just about crossing that finish line. No time goal for me…just to run well. I was also dedicating this race to a friend of mine, who I won’t list by name, but simply call her out by her first initial – N – who is going through a rough patch and I wanted to just run this for her.
The Charleston Marathon benefits the arts, so two students of a local school of the arts beautifully sang the National Anthem. And, moments after that…we were told to get ready…and GO!
We were off!
I started my Garmin as I crossed the start line, flashed a wave at Cathy as I ran by, and joined the very crowded start for an easy pace. It had to be an easy pace…which was good. Everything at the start was just crowded with both the marathon and half marathon runners, that it was just a slow start. Perfect. This kept me from going out too fast.
And that sort of set the pace (literally) for the remainder of the race. With one little glitch. After perfectly hitting that first mile, something went wrong. My watch beeped heading into Mile 2…and it was .25 miles further down the road that the mile marker stood. Um…perhaps they were getting a perfect 26 mile marking? I was trying to figure it out, but my brain wasn’t wrapping around it. Ah well…sometimes this happens and it fixes itself later on. I just kept on going. Miles 2 – 3 were spent on the beautiful coat line, with the palmeto trees, the battery, and the gorgeous mansion houses. I was just loving the scenery. Beautiful morning and a beautiful run.
Miles 3 – 9 were all spent on King Street. The first part of King Street being the shops and stores that you would find around most downtowns. There were clutches of people there to cheer on runners. I even noticed a Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams shop just before my watch beeped to Mile 5. I love Jeni’s…
Ahem.
The other half of King Street was more industrial and a lot quieter. Once all the people and the shops were passed…and the houses gone…there was only the industrial district. Granted, there were race volunteers, police, and even entertainment scattered throughout, but much of this was definitely out of the way and going to be a bit of a lull in the small crowd that had been spectating before.
Just before Mile 10 there was the split for the half marathon and full marathon happened. This was slightly confusing as the race official said, “Split after the water station.” It meant…right after the water station. I was running along and both half and full marathoners were weaving over to get the water/Gatorade…and quite a few of us thought that the turn was up ahead where the half marathon continued on. But a race volunteer saw my yellow bib and said, “Full marathon turn here…RIGHT HERE!” Sharp pivot and off I went in the correct direction where some orange cones were set up. This was sort of a gravely area that gave way to broken pavement and then made a bit of a turn to an area that was an old Navy base. It was really fun to run in an area where all the signs said that proper identification was needed to enter. HA! This section of the run was pretty brutal…just because there was no one out there. Up until you make a turn to head out to Cooper River Marina. There was a group of cheerleaders out there as you headed onto the marina. This section was hard because about 3/4 of the way up the marina, there was a sign that had you turn around. Pinpoint turn. One of those turns my friend, Natalie, hates. I hate them too. This totally messed with the cadence and pace I had at the time, but I turned…and then took back off the other way. As we came off the marina, our time chips were read off. This was supposed to be around Mile 11.9…but as we know…I was ahead of the mile markers.
As I was around my halfway point, I saw Jennie, heading toward the old Navy base where I had just come from. We high-fived as we passed and I told her she was doing great. She was. And I hoped I would get to see her at another point. With this being said, let me point out that at this point, we have runners running one way and then the other way…in the same area…without cones up to keep the groups apart. In straightaways, like this part…it was fine. But when you’re trying to make turns on the tangents…this made for a right mess. Seriously. You had runners going opposite ways trying to occupy the same area. It was messy. Just before my watch beeped for Mile 15, we rejoined the half marathon route and headed up towards North Charleston.
Me heading into Mile 18 of the Charleston Marathon – Charleston, South Carolina
Just before Mile 16, we branch off once again from the half marathon runners. The half marathon runners kept going straight. The marathon runners turned left onto McMillan Avenue. Now, Cathy had said she was going to try to catch me somewhere between Mile 17 and Mile 18…so I started looking for her as my watch hit Mile 17…and then further up the road…the Mile 17 marker was standing. There were a few clumps of people here and there…but not many. But as I was heading into Mile 18, there she was…under a bridge with a small clump of people. She started yelling, “GO TWIN! GO MY SON!” It was awesome. As she snapped a picture, I flashed some thumbs up and she said, “Come on…look happy!” LOL!! But, it turned out to be a great photo. And as I was heading out she shouted, “SEE YOU AT THE FINISH!”
So started the miles of looping through neighborhoods and schools. No…seriously. It was just this back and forth through turns and twists and it was just mind boggling. As I was heading into Mile 19, I saw runners come back my way, which meant…more doubling back was ahead. I heard the photographers complaining about having a race that criss-crosses like this. And I totally saw the validity in their point. It just became chaotic at points with runners occupying the same space, once again, going different directions. So, we wound up and around these roundabouts, of what I think they call Park Circle. As the miles ticked down, we ran past Academic Magnet School. So many twists and turns and out and backs. It was dizzying. Thank goodness for the arrows to direct us the correct way.
It was about Mile 22 that my pace started to slow. And it wasn’t that I was tired. It was that my foot started to act up. It had behaved for the most part all the way up to that point, but now each step was starting to hurt. I wasn’t going to give up. I was four miles away and hadn’t walked yet. I was doing this thing. So, I gritted my teeth, literally, and just focused on getting to that finish line. Mile 23 was much the same, and I eased up a bit more. Mile 24 felt like it had a bit of a downhill to it, but I slowed up some more, while still keeping with my plan to run the entire race. The course turns back toward the old Navy base and to the Noisette Park. This area was stunning, with views of the Cooper River, huge houses, the old base, etc. We were back on the same course as the half marathon runners. And there were a few still out there. Two miles. I told myself two miles.
Before I knew it, I was making a turn and being told that I had one more turn ahead to the finish. My watch had long since beeped Mile 26. I had no idea how much further I had to go, but I knew I had to be almost to the finish line, which was located in front of North Charleston High School. There was a definite crowd down here. And as I spotted one more final turn, I saw Cathy right on the corner, screaming for me to GO! I dug deep, and pushed it. That finish line was right ahead. And as I crossed that finish line, I threw my arms up in the air and just…took in the moment. I had finished my 9th marathon! Charleston Marathon…done. I paused my Garmin and moved through the chute to obtain my medal. I grabbed some water and made a turn and saw Cathy heading my way. She gave me a hug and told me how well I did. I told her I was hurting really bad. But…I felt good. I checked my Garmin…26.69 miles it said.
We meandered out of the crowd toward where the after party was happening. Runners were given free beer (not my thing…for obvious reasons) and free shrimp and grits (also not my thing, for obvious reasons). I went to go elevate my feet and call my mom and dad to tell them how I did…but as we were heading that way, I said we needed to get my official time at the results booth. We doubled back a little and went to do just that.
And there it was…3:40:54.
Me after finishing the Charleston Marathon – Charleston, South Carolina
BRILLIANT! I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy with the time for my first Ultra Marathon (HAHAHA!). Well, it was my first marathon I went into feeling semi-ready. The only problem was my nagging plantar fasciitis, which I only aggravated in those last 4 miles. But hitting that finish line still feeling strong was an amazing feeling. With my official results now listed, I went to get my feet up and call my parents. Cathy went to claim the free shrimp and grits, which she said were watery and not all that good. She picked out the shrimp and ditched the rest. After I got off the phone with my parents, I was ready to head out. Amanda hadn’t made it to the finish…but after a shower and a change of clothes, we were all heading out for some sushi and then sight seeing. So, Cathy and I hopped onto the shuttle bus to go back to the start where the car was parked. I was moving slow, each step a little painful. But we got on the bus and found a seat. We were near the emergency exit and when we sat down, the seat pretty much sank. Leave it to us. Also, apparently after hitting a hard bump, the lever lifted up on the emergency door and the buzzer and alarm started sounding. Cathy managed to get that turned off eventually.
We were returned to the start line and I hobbled with Cathy’s help back to the car. I settled in, turned on the heat, and she drove us back to the hotel. I got cleaned up, Amanda came over, and we went out for the rest of the day. It was an amazing day. I couldn’t have asked for a better time.
So, the official results of the Charleston Marathon are that I ran 26.69 miles in 3:40:54. I was 112/1230 finishers over all. I was 26/580 females to cross the line. And I was 10/464 in my age division. I am over-the-moon with these results. I felt so good (save for the last four miles) for this entire race. And I feel it’s because I’ve taken a step back on the intensity of my training. I am resting and recovering better. It’s been awhile since I felt I could even do that. It was a great confidence booster.
Later, it came out that the lead vehicle took a wrong turn after Mile 1 and that’s what tacked on the extra .25 miles to the race. The race directors at the Charleston Marathon are remeasuring the race and adjusting everyone’s time to the 26.2 miles. But that might not happen until next week. So stay tuned for a new official time. Regardless…I’m damn proud of my performance and how I did on this run. Long, slow distance. Gorgeous scenery. Not perfect…but not bad either. It was great to run in Charleston. What a fantastic way to explore this historic city.
And N…(you know who you are!)…this one was for you!
The Celiathlete 