Category: tales from the road

Race: Run For The Gold 3K

Place: Frankfort, Kentucky

Date: March 17, 2013

Time: 13:02

Take that…last year’s time.  I just beat you by 2 minutes and 21 seconds.  HA!

And I did it…when I really, really, really didn’t want to.

As I stated in my previous blog…the weather…got ugly.  Very, very ugly.  And it turned in a blink of an eye.  No warning.  No gradual recession back into the winter blues.  It went from 72 degrees and sunny on Saturday to a gross, wintery mix of snow, sleet, rain, and cold all at once…the following day.  That day…was St. Patrick’s Day.  And I was to head to Frankfort, Kentucky that evening…to run.

Also, as we all have come to find out…if I run in Frankfort, Kentucky…it will rain.  Whether it does so before a race, during a race, or following a race…there hasn’t been a run in Frankfort that I have attended where it hasn’t rained.  I. AM. NOT. JOKING.

Well, it seemed evident on Sunday that rain was happening.  Why?  Because starting really early in the morning, before the sun even came up, the rain began to fall.  Not a sprinkle…no…downpour.  It really soured my mood that morning.  After glancing at the radar, it looked like the rain was with us the entire day.  Here in Louisville, and certainly there in Frankfort.

*SIGH*

Well, you can’t change the weather…you just make the most of it.  And it’s not like I haven’t run in the cold and wet before.  I just…wasn’t feeling it that morning.  I didn’t want to do it.  I said as much to my roommate that morning as we were packing up my running bag with my running clothes to change into, as we were going to spend a good lot of the day in Louisville before heading to Frankfort.  There would be no return trip home.  So pack and go.  We’d get the required pre-race gluten-free pizza from Uncle Maddio’s for lunch.  And then…we’d do a bit of shopping and walking around at the malls.  Anything to stay inside as much as possible and out of the cold wet.  I decided I didn’t pack an appropriate top for the run, with this sort of weather, so we ended up heading to Dick’s where we spent, probably 45 minutes trying to find something that wasn’t expensive and would keep me warm in the cold wetness.  I found something.  And bought it.  As much as I didn’t want to.

By early afternoon, the rain had turned into sleet and snow.  Big, wet flakes were falling to the ground.  My mood was getting worse.  It was cold.  It was wet.  And I was still NOT feeling it.

So, what do I do?  I go get ice cream.  Now…I am lactose intolerant, and while I can take something to help with digestion, eating ice cream before a race is generally not something I would do.  But, as I told my roomie…I didn’t care at this point.  So, ice cream it was.  I ate my mint chocolate chip ice cream, which I topped off with hot fudge, before ducking into the bathroom at the ice cream parlor to change.  And that was when I realized…I had no sports bra.  I forgot to pack one.

Mood…just got worse.

We left the ice cream place and hopped back into the car to drive home, on precarious roads, so that I could get into proper chest-holding gear.  As I was gingerly walking across the slick pavement at my apartment, I asked my roomie if, perhaps, I needed to bring my YakTrax.  Why?  Because here the pavement was coated in slick slush.  I didn’t know what it might be like in Frankfort.  She agreed it would be a good idea to at least have them on hand.  So, after I changed into my sports bra, my new top, and threw the tech shirt I originally planned to wear over that…we were back in the car and now making our way through the driving rain and weather to…Frankfort, Kentucky.

We had rain the entire way.  Much suckage.

As always, we arrived in Frankfort with time to spare.  So, we parked in our usual parking garage and climbed the stairs to make our way over to where packet pick-up was happening.  I ducked inside and got my packet, which always comes in a reusable bag, complete with race bib, goodies, and my t-shirt.

Normally on St. Patrick’s Day there would be quite a festival going on, however, with the rain…that wasn’t happening this year.  Nothing was open.  Nothing.  Except the local coffee shop.  So, after we dropped a few items back over at the car and made our way through the cold rain, we stopped inside the coffee shop and took a seat in a corner.  At least it was warm and dry in there.  Cathy went to get us some water to wash down our pre-race protein bars with and returned with that…and a banana to split after the race.

As she was making said purchases, two very nice ladies came and sat down opposite us.  They were just really fun girls and I was glad that they were there to keep us amused and talk about crazy stuff with.  Seriously.  Some of the topics of conversation were…very different.

With about 30 minutes before the race, I finally was able to eat my protein bar.  Usually for this short of a race, I would split the bar, but technically…this and the half a banana would be dinner.  So…the entire bar was eaten.  I also normally would have done that further away from start time, but the line for drinks was long.  It took Cathy a lot longer to get through for the water and banana than anticipated.  So…I finished my bar, drank my water, and sat there for a little longer.

The rain suddenly…stopped.

It was still cold as heck out there, but it was no longer raining.  Were the weather gods finally smiling upon me?  Perhaps?

With ten minutes to go before the race, Cathy and I stepped outside with our new friends (this was their first race, btw).  Already people were lining up in pace groups, so Cathy gave me a hug, wished me luck, and I went to find a spot in between the 6 minute mile and 8 minute mile pace groups.

I mean…this race wasn’t even 2 miles…so it would be a quick one regardless.  No sooner had I found a spot in the small sea of humanity…that the starting pistol was fired.

Holy hell…the race was starting…and it was a little early.

Thankfully, my Garmin had found its satellites at that point because I hit it as I pushed over the start line and hit the course with the rest of the pack.  I guess I should just be thankful that we didn’t decide to linger a little longer.  This meant, however, I did absolutely no stretching to loosen up my muscles, which, I remind you, really dislike cold and wet…especially together.

Frankfort is a really great place to run, and I think that’s why I keep going back there for different races throughout the year.  The Frankfort Trifecta, however, is one of my favorite racing series to do.  And the Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K is the race that kicks it all off.  For the second year in a row, under very different circumstances, I now found myself running through the streets once again in this sprint out and back race.

Last year, it was about 74°F out during this run.  This year…it was 34°F…with a crazy cold wind.  It was SO chilly.  So, we’re talking a 40 degree difference between the past two years.  That’s crazy.

But…enough of that…I’m running here…

This is a very fast course, mind you.  It winds through downtown Frankfort, taking you up towards the Governor’s Mansion, but not around it as most races there tend to take us.  We turned around before making that loop.  It was a rather quiet run.  Thanks to the weather, there weren’t the normal crowds lining the streets that most of these races see.  The volunteers were out, and there were a few spectators shouting words of encouragement…but most people stayed nestled in their homes…and I couldn’t blame them.

The cold air was wreaking havoc on my lungs.  I could feel this rattling wheeze with each breath.  I was not liking that…but I needed to keep pushing.  I reached the bridge and ran down the hill, taking the roads back through the town, rounding the corner, and spotting that finish line up ahead.

I ran…I ran with everything I could find in me to cross that finish line.  It felt great, seeing the time on the clock, knowing that even though I was not really feeling this race…and with my mood and choice of ice cream before hand, lack of stretching, and just…general BLAH over the entire day…I just accomplished a new PR on this distance and race.  Awesome.  It actually felt great.

Soon after crossing the finish line…Cathy and I scurried back to the coffee shop to get hot apple cider before they closed.  Then we went to wait at the finish line and see if our new friends we made in the coffee shop crossed the finish.  They did.  And we went and congratulated them on a good race.

Results were being posted as we were hanging around…so we went to get the official results and…I placed in my division.  Second in my division.  Second…behind someone who finished 2 minutes behind me the previous year.  WHAT?!  Ah well…some people get faster…some people get even faster than the people who were faster than them last year.  Such is the life of a runner.  This now meant we got to hang out in the cold even longer now…for the awards ceremony.  I pulled my jackets out of the bag and finally got back into them to stay warm…and Cathy and I finally split that banana.  The awards were handed out…and I was in the 30-39 group.  Which…placing second in an age division that goes up by 10 years is beyond amazing.  I accepted that award quite proudly.  Maybe all I needed was a fast little run to lift my spirits.

Anyway, the official results of the Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K are that I finished in 13:02.  I was 38/423 finishers overall.  I was 2/69 in my division.  And the 30-39 women’s division was the largest overall for the race.  So…this felt good.  I didn’t think it would…but it did.

After receiving my medal, Cathy and I decided it was time to make the drive home.  No sooner had we gotten into the car, the skies opened up and the rain poured down again.  Good timing.  It stopped just long enough for the race.  Couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Except maybe a little warmer temperature.

Maybe next year…

Because, trust me…I’ll be running this one again next year!

Race: The Leprechaun 2 Mile Run

Place: Jeffersonville, Indiana

Date: March 12, 2013

Time: 14:42

Last year, this race was known as The Shamrock 2 Miler and if you will recall…it was a somewhat toasty 76 degrees at race time.  I was reveling then in the beautiful evening.  And cursing the heat after the race because…76 degrees is comfortable when you’re mulling about…but it warms up fast when you are running a race…especially a shorter one where you can give a little more sooner than you normally would.

This year, however, it was 53 degrees when I arrived, but we had serious winds going on.  Over 10 mph gusts (The Weather Channel said winds were gusting near 20 mph) were sweeping down the streets of Jeffersonville, sending my ponytails fluttering in its wake and driving a lot of the runners inside the 300 Spring building where packet pick-up was happening.  Honestly, last year after I got my packet, I headed outside…walked around…enjoyed the weather.  This year…I parked myself in a chair inside until it was close enough to race time to stretch.  I got to say “HI” to Dawn and Matthew who ventured by, so that was nice.  I love seeing friendly and familiar faces at the runs.  I even saw Derek from BlueMile as well.  I was still sitting and not stretching or warming up.

I’m not good about stretching when it’s cold.  Or when I’m cold.  Or both.  Seriously.

Believe me…I was not looking forward to stepping outside, but race organizers made the announcements that runners needed to start heading toward the starting line as the race would begin in 15 minutes.  Honestly, I need to get over being the ‘cold runner’ because there were people out there in way less clothing than me looking very comfortable and doing a few sprints to warm up.  No kidding.  Me…I was walking around with my arms crossed and shivering in the wind.  I am such a wimp when it’s even slightly chilly out.  I mean, I run in the cold pretty much every early morning I get up to do my training runs…but there is something about racing in the cold that just discourages me.  I can’t put my finger on it.

Anyway…Cathy and I ventured outside.  It was sunny and windy and I knew the start line was further up from the finish chutes that runners return to (women on the left, men on the right).  But no one else was venturing that way.  So I started heading there…and stopped…because I was by myself.  The race organizers, the Fast Freddie people, came to announce where the start line was and that runners and walkers should move that way, with runners, children, strollers and pets toward the back of the pack giving runners the space they needed at the front.

And now…the pilgrimage of runners began.  Heck, I could have beat them all there.  As it was, I was one of the first to arrive at the start anyway…just behind a couple of track teams.  Track teams are often encouraged to come out for this race as it is fast and flat.  But, dang, they always win everything.  LOL!  The high schoolers dominated this year, for sure…but I am getting ahead of myself.  As I was one of the first to arrive, I had a spot right on the green tape they placed across the road to signify where the race started.  I felt out of place standing up there at the front.  I normally avoid being up there because I am certainly not one of the fastest runners in this area and I never believe I rightfully belong there.  Everyone else was hanging back, and I was boxed in right there…so regardless of whether I felt like I should be up there or not…I was now up there.

I finally shucked the hoodie…even though I didn’t want to.  The wind was strong and chilly…but this was a 2 mile run, so at least I wouldn’t be cold for too long.  As it was, I had on my green compression socks, my capri running pants and an orange tech shirt.  I knew, being a St. Patrick’s Day themed race, that most people would be in green.  I was right…so I sort of stuck out more than others did.  We were told the race would start in about 5 minutes, so a few track members sprinted out away from the line to keep those muscles loose and warm.  Me…I don’t think I ever really loosened up my muscles or got warm.  But, that’s typical for me.  The sad thing was…it wasn’t really even that cold.  The wind just made it feel colder.

With everyone back behind the starting line, the race organizer got on the bullhorn and said that the race would begin with a “Runners ready…and then the blow of the whistle.”  He gave the verbal cue and then…whistle blow.

And the track team left me in the dust.  Honestly.  I was coming into this race having run twice the day before and hitting up the gym for a hard cardio and strength training routine.  So, tired legs…you betcha.  But, I never really let that get me down…or slow me down too much.  Not when it comes to racing.  My own training runs…sure…I’ll take it easy and slow and not worry so much on time.  But racing…no.  That competitive nature…not really with others, but with myself, kicks in.  Especially on races I have run previously…because I have a time I want to beat.

I admit, I pushed hard on this one.  It’s not a difficult course at all.  Basically, you run down the street until you get to the little island of trees, run around that, head back.  Last year, with the weather being warmer, people were out mowing their lawns…and it made for a difficult push.  This year…no lawn mower fumes or grass clippings to contend with.  Just run with all your heart, round that island of trees and come back home.  Simple.  I was pushing myself for this.  Why?  Because I needed a good, hard run this week and I had been taking it rather easy on my training runs.  My legs were tired, but I wanted to really challenge them.

The run out felt like it was over in a flash.  I saw runners heading back the other way as I was coming up to the bend in the road to take me toward the island of trees.  But there it was…the almost halfway point.  I circled the trees and passed the Mile 1 marker…ignoring the clock.  And that was when all of the runners had the fun (insert sarcasm) of running straight into that crazy wind.  I mean, this wind was strong.  And while we might have had it to our backs for the first half, we were taking it straight on now.

The last mile of the race was a battle between gusts of wind and those little calm moments.  They were few and far between, but you work with what Mother Nature hurls at you, right?  I was recognizing buildings from the start of the race, so that meant I was close to the finish.  Up ahead, I could see the little glow of the red clock as it counted up the minutes each racer was taking.  I tried to push, but the wind was laughing at me.  Mocking me.  So, it was then that you just let up and have some fun with it.  I pushed as much as I could and ducked to the left to finish in the proper chute, crossing at the exact same time as one of the male entrants.  I was handed a card and my medal for being in the top 100.

Cathy hurried over to me to tell me I was just flying at the end so she didn’t get the finish line shot.  BUMMER!  I hate not having that shot…even if I am blurry.  I just want to see me at that line.  No such luck this year.  But, I did have an official new 2 mile PR…of 14:42.  Which…is good.  Yes.  It is good.  But I can’t help but wonder…if we had less wind…what I could have been capable of.

We moved back inside the building to fill out my card with my official time and information.  These would later be used for the door prizes…which we stuck around for this year, and of course my name wasn’t drawn.  If I leave…it’s always picked, LOL!  But it was fun.  I was coveting the Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt…but had no  money with me to buy one.  But now I was craving.  Damn late runs when I don’t get dessert.  So, we stuck it out for the door prizes, then took leave.  I said goodbye to Dawn and Matthew and congratulated them as well on great racing.

Official results of The Leprechaun 2 Mile Run is that I was finished in 14:42.  I was 37/171 finishers.  I was also 7/105 women to cross the finish line.  That…is awesome.  And I love doing this little run.  It’s a nice, short race that allows you to really push without having to pace yourself.  Can’t wait to do it again next year!

Race: Anthem 5K Fitness Classic

Place: Louisville, Kentucky

Date: March 9, 2013

Time: 22:41

Make a note of that time!  Please!  Because I just ran my first sub-23 minute 5K.  And that, my dearest friends, is something to celebrate!

This race was not easy.  Well, technically, it was…for most runners.  But most runners weren’t up past midnight the night before at a concert.  Pink was in town and I wasn’t going to miss that show for anything.  Knowing that I had the race that I needed to be up early for the following day meant, as I told my roommate, I was going to take this one easy.  Run at a comfortable pace.  Not worry about time.

And that was exactly what I did.

My alarm went off way too early for my liking on race morning.  I mean, when you crawl into bed just before 1 a.m., the last thing you want to do is crawl back out of bed at 5 a.m. to get dressed and eat something before driving into Louisville to run.  I mean, I love running more than a lot of things in this world…but I was not happy to be awake that early.

Oh…and my company decided they would sponsor me as a runner.  Bought me some shiny new running clothes and everything with the company logo.  I promised the company president that I would debut the uniform at the Anthem 5K.  The problem was…while the afternoon was supposed to be in the 60s temperature-wise…the morning was in the low 30s.  But, true to my word, I put on my compression socks, donned my new running skirt, and put on my new running t-shirt as well.  I laced up, threw on some arm warmers, and chose a BondiBand for the occasion: “Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever.”  It was painful being awake that early on so little sleep…which was why I chose it.

I managed to get just about everything done, including pulling my hair up and putting in my hair extensions, and then brewing some hot coffee, just before my roommate shambled out of bed about an hour later.  Yeah…I was moving slowly.  Hare I was not…totally tortoise.

Breakfast was simple.  My cup of coffee and a little bit of water.  And my gluten-free cereal with a bit of almond milk.  I ate that slowly and carefully, not wanting to just cause an unhappy stomach by eating too quickly.  I sipped on the coffee, got up, washed dishes and went to brush my teeth.

Getting my change of clothes together, I tossed it all in my run bag and threw on a pair of pants to wear over the running skirt so that my legs would be warm up until I really needed to stand at the start line.  My roomie pinned on my bib and I threw on my jacket and grabbed some gloves.  It was time to head out to the race.

Stepping outside I was already not fond of the fact that I was going to be running in a skirt and not something warmer…like my tights.  But, it was time to suck it up (gluten-free) cupcake and be a real runner.  LOL!  Okay…real runners come in all sorts of weather tolerances…and I just happen to dislike being cold.  I run in it…quite often…but it doesn’t mean I like to.  And today…no layers.  Last year, when I ran the Anthem 5K, I was in shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt with my running jacket over it.  I know…shorts made no sense.  I didn’t realize it was that cold.  This year…no jacket.  No long-sleeves.  Arm warmers.  I was all about the arm warmers.

Anyway, the drive to Louisville was easy.  We took the exit to get to Slugger Field and paid $5.00 for a parking spot across the street.  We threw a couple things in the trunk and then trudged into Slugger Field to find a spot out of the way and wait for the race to get close to starting.  This was what we do with every race that starts there…because it is usually on colder mornings and it’s nice and warm inside.  There were a lot of runners and walkers milling about, but I found a spot against the wall to stand and relax…and get some stretching in.  I tried not to half-ass the stretching as I wasn’t out in the cold…and I knew with the cold air, getting those muscles warmed up was important.  So, I did put some work into it.

I finally decided it was time to let the legs get a little acclimated to the air from the doors that were opening and closing that lead to the great outdoors.  So, I shed the pants and handed them to Cathy…who tried to figure out what to do with them and then decided to use them as a scarf.  Hey…it worked.

A little more stretching and we noticed more people were heading outside, so with about 15 minutes to start time…we headed that way too.

And ran into Kelsie!  YAY!  We gave hugs and stood around to chat for a little bit about the race and sunglasses and Disney.  Kelsie is so awesome, so I was happy to have run into her in the sea of humanity over at Slugger Field.  We wished each other luck, said to have fun, and went our separate ways.

There were a lot of people already lining up for the start of the race.  There were even more people waiting in line at the port-a-potties…but that’s rather typical.  Cathy and I started to maneuver through the crowd, working our way up to what might be a good place for me to stand while waiting on the official start of the race.  I stopped a good distance back…but Cathy told me to move up more.  LOL!  I guess she was feeling more optimistic than I was.  I ended up standing next to two older gentlemen who were some of the funniest people I met.  They said that they were here to make the rest of the 8,998 runners look good.  And they made jokes pretty much the entire time, save for when the National Anthem played, about 10 minutes before the official start.

I shed my fleece jacket…although not wanting to…and handed them over to Cathy.  She gave me a hug and wished me luck.  And then…she was gone.  Swallowed up by the throng of people on the sidelines.  We had discussed earlier that she would try to get a spot on the right hand side for the start and on the left for the finish…so I at least had an idea of where to look for her when I headed out and when I came in at the end.

I jogged in place, jumped up and down, did some butt kickers, and just did my best to keep those muscles in my legs loose and warmed up.  They were not feeling the cold air that morning…at all.

Now, apparently we had a wheelchair racer, who didn’t get an official start…but they did send him off before everyone else started.  And then…before I knew it…the countdown to the start of the 2013 Anthem 5K Fitness Classic was underway.  A airhorn blast…and we were off.

It took me a minute or two to actually get up to the starting line.  I started my Garmin as I crossed, noticed Cathy and gave a wave of a hand…and I was off.

Zen was the name of this race.  Like I said…I was running (literally) on very little sleep.  But, you know how it is with races…you just sort of get caught up in the moment.  You get excited…because everyone is excited around you.  There are people cheering on the sides, runners running at different paces, some talking, some blaring music in their ears, some just trying to keep up with the crowd.

And here I found myself zigging and zagging through all of these people for open spots.  I was moving forward.  Onward.  Ever onward.

Before I knew it…Mile 1 reeled by.  I was taking it easy…for me in a race.  The clock on the mile marker told me that much at least.  But I forgot that it took me about a minute or so to actually get to the start line and officially start.  I don’t think of these things when I’m running.  I used to focus on the music I listen to…but I’ve stopped wearing my iPod during races as well, finding that I actually do run better without music.  Go figure.

One mile down…two more to go.

I was feeling good.  I was still moving forward and even finding my little rabbits in the group of runners.  My little game to get my feet moving.  Find a runner…and tell myself I will pass them.  Then make sure they don’t pass me again.  This race was HUGE so there was no shortage of little rabbits for me to select.  And I continued to push onward.  I followed the crowd around corners, through the streets, and even up a tiny little hill, which didn’t even slow me down.

And soon…Mile 2 was behind me.

One more mile to go.  And I could almost taste the finish.  I’ve been working hard, while running, on strong finishes.  No matter if it’s early in the morning or on my longer runs, I always try to finish strong, even on tired legs.  Even on days I run twice.  Even on the dreadmill.  I do whatever I can to make sure my legs, when they are feeling the most tired, learn that on that last mile, I am going to work them harder than before.  Because while I am not a sprinter and you won’t see me flailing towards the finish line, I love that rush when I push just a bit more than I thought I could and cross that finish line.

The last mile took us down Main Street and back towards Slugger Field.  About halfway there I could hear the crowd…hear the music.  I could taste that finish line.  I headed under the overpass and I could see the finish line straight ahead.  I pumped my feet hard, I pushed, and it came closer and closer…

And as I crossed it, I paused my Garmin…just feeling good about that run.  Never once did I focus on time or pace.  Not once did I even dwell on it.  I ran this entire race by feel…and it felt amazing.  It was only then that I glanced down at my Garmin and noted the time.

22:42 seconds.  I double checked the miles…and my Garmin showed 3.14 miles.  HOLY RUNNING COW!

Cathy was easy to spot with the sign.  She was cheering and screaming at me.  I hurried over to her…and showed her my Garmin.  I was in shock.  I felt awesome.  I felt invincible.  I struck my finisher’s pose right there in the finish line area.  And then, we decided I should move through the crowd and get some water and a banana.  Cathy would meet me in the recovery area.

Which she did…as I was staring at bananas, trying to find one with enough green to make me happy but not be under ripe.  I am very picky about the state of ripeness of my bananas.  Trust me.  I asked Cathy for my phone, because I suddenly remembered that I signed up for runner tracking so I could get my official time just after finishing the race.  I pulled up my text messages and there it was…

22:41.  Twenty-two minutes and forty-one seconds.

Pardon the happy dance.

The Anthem 5K runs on a fast and relatively flat course.  Despite the cold air and a tired body, I managed to pull off my fastest 5K time to date.  And it was sub-23 minutes!  I felt like I was on top of the world.  A new PR…and I wasn’t even trying.

I don’t know if it’s because I love running so much and just forget, at times, that I am running.  But I once again had some wings on my ankles Saturday morning and I pulled a race time off that I never would have dreamed was actually possible…for me.

So, the official results of the Anthem 5K Fitness Classic  are that I finished in 22:41.  Still shocked.  I was 510/7800 finishers.  WOOHOO!  In addition, I was the 77/4,482 women finishers.  And, I was 18/737 in my age division.  I couldn’t be happier with these results.  I couldn’t be prouder.

I guess, sometimes, the key to having your best run is not to focus at all on the act of running.  Run with your heart.  Because, if you truly love the sport…if you are doing it for selfless, not selfish reasons, then…you just sort of get caught up in it.  And nothing else matters at that moment.  You just feel it…with every stride, every breath, every bend in the road.  The road truly does rise up to meet your feet.  A simple push, some forward movement, and before you know it…it’s over.  And it felt good.  It felt really good.

This race should not have gone this well for me.  But every moment of it…felt amazing.

And now I can’t wait to do it again next year!

(P.S. – I hope my sponsors are proud of me!)

Race: Disney Princess Half Marathon

Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Date: February 24, 2013

Time: 1:45:06

Just to get ahead of myself for a moment…let me start this blog off by saying that it seems the more the odds are stacked against me, the more I doubt my abilities, the better I do.  I don’t know what it is…but let this race be a testament to this statement.  Why?  Because I didn’t have any sort of expectations about this race.  I was at Disney World for the first time in my life.  No one honestly runs Disney for time.  And I knew my legs would be tired from all the fun stuff I would be doing in the days leading up to the race.  All that being said…I set a new half marathon PR at Disney World during this race and I couldn’t have thought of a better place to do it…and not kill myself trying to do it.

Now…onto the race report.

I was already in my happy place coming into this race.  Why?  Well, as mentioned before…I had never been to Disney World (or Disneyland, for that matter) before.  Coming in with this fresh take on everything meant I was ready to drink everything up and just absorb it all like a sponge.  So, upon touching down at the Orlando airport, we got a ride to our resort (Port Orleans Riverside), checked in, then immediately headed out to see what we could of Animal Kingdom in the remainder of the day before we had to be at the Animal Kingdom Lodge that night for our dinner reservation.

I had a blast that first day…ate really well at dinner…went back to the resort that night and turned in.

The following morning, I woke up early to get in a 2 mile run?  Why?  Because I had come from the winter wonderland of Indiana, and it was in the mid-60s outside at my resort as the sun was coming up.  Humidity was around 93%.  So, I knew I had to adjust myself to the temperature difference by working in small, easy runs on what should have been rest days leading up to the race.  Keeping them easy and not pushing would not use up energy and tire out my legs, but it would allow me to acclimate myself…which, to me, was more important at the moment.  After my run, my roommate and I ate some breakfast, packed up our bags, and headed out to catch a bus to Animal Kingdom.  From there, we jumped onto a bus to take us to the race expo, located inside the sprawling Coronado Springs Resort.

Here, Cathy and I were going to meet up with Indy, who flew in from California to run in this race.  I adore Indy and was so excited to get to see her.  She was staying at the expo hotel, so she was already through registration (which she texted and said was ‘a breeze’) while I was still on the transport bus heading toward the resort.  Upon arriving at the resort, we now had to figure out how to, in fact, get to the actual expo.  Once we got into the resort itself, it was a matter of following the signs and people who were dressed up like runners.  Trust me…it seemed everyone felt the need to dress up like a runner to attend the expo.  And there I was…in my usual jeans and t-shirt.  I don’t know…I am a runner…so I just never feel the need to broadcast it.

As we neared the expo hall, I got out my signed waiver and proceeded to the very first booth of packet pick-up.  Awesome.  I was number 685, which meant I was in the first corral to be sent off, right behind the elites, which had only 31 runners who fit that description.  Getting my packet really was a breeze.  I told them my number, turned over my waiver, and handed them my photo ID.  Yep.  That was all there was to it.  They, in turn, handed me me my bib, gave me back my photo ID, and handed me a plastic bag with race info in it.  They told me that my t-shirt pickup was happening on the other end of the expo hall…so after getting my bib, I stepped out of the way, texted Indy, and let her know where I was.  She said she was standing in the midst of the chaos and madness of the Official Merchandise, so I went to go grab my race shirt and see what mayhem was waiting in the Official Merchandise booth.

Getting my t-shirt was easy.  A little tag on the bottom of my bib was taken off and I was handed the corresponding t-shirt size.  I loved this t-shirt.  It was a beautiful royal purple with Cinderella’s Castle on the front and the name of the race…and the fact that this was the 5th year it ran.  Seriously…the shirt was gorgeous.  But, as a superstitious athlete…I put it in my bag and carried it around.  You should never wear a race shirt before you actually run the race.  It’s bad mojo.  Trust me.

With my t-shirt now in hand I was able to check out the madness of the Official Merchandise booth.  Indy wasn’t kidding.  There was no rhyme or reason to the way things were moving in that booth.  People were everywhere.  Moving slowly.  Lines were scattered.  People were wondering where to get in line to check out, while other people were just trying to get to the official merchandise to look at it.  After fighting to get through a small portion of the booth, Cathy and I stepped aside…and that was when we spotted Indy.  We waived her over and gave hugs and commented on the extreme chaos.  I had wanted to get an official race pin…but the lines were crazy and nothing was organized.  Indy said to come back at night or on Saturday and it would be better.  She ran the Disneyland Half Marathon last year, so I figured she knew what she was talking about…so that was the plan of action.  We decided to head on out and check out the rest of the expo for a bit.

This expo was HUGE.  That isn’t an understatement either.  If it has to do with running or physical fitness…it was here.  I was in search of a couple things.  I needed (note, I said need, not want) a new fuel belt.  I had bought one prior to coming to Florida, but was only able to run with it on a dry run (no liquid in it).  That morning, when I went on my short 2 mile run, I put water in it and it flopped and I hated every moment of wearing it.  So, I needed something that would maybe stay put while I was on my 13.1 mile run on Sunday morning.  Also, I needed fuel…Sports Beans and GU.  And I knew the expo would be the place to find it.  I was very successful in finding a fuel belt.  The iFitness booth was there and I got one like the belt I wear on my runs around town, that doesn’t have a place for hydration bottles.  This one had two 6 ounce bottles on each hip…and promised a no bounce, no slide ride.  Without water in it…it definitely stayed put.  And since I liked the regular belt so much, I took a gamble and bought it.  That was $40 I hadn’t intended to spend…but it was necessary.  Cathy found a booth that had both Sports Beans and GU, and I stayed neutral with the Mandarin Orange flavors.  Yes…for both.  Because if there is one thing I learned over the course of learning what my stomach can handle while running…I do NOT mix flavors.  That is no good.

With all those purchase made, the rest of the expo was a lot of me pointing at cute things I wanted…staring longlingly at the Sparkle Skirts.  Really coveting some running shoes, socks, shirts, etc.  Wishing I were a millionaire.  Oh…and coveting more great running gadgets and gizmos.  I even went and got a small slice of Luna Protein bar because…it was free.  Definitely not a flavor I would normally get…but again…free.

At some point, we lost Indy…but she met back up with us and we finished up our winding path through the rest of the expo.  Then, we stepped out of the madness and into the hallway of the resort.  Two handsome men were dressed up like princes’ for photo ops, but the line was long and Cathy and I were scheduled to hit up Magic Kingdom that day and I was raring and ready to go.  So…we skipped out on that and Indy decided she would take advantage of it and wait in the line.  I had never done anything Disney so the park was priority for me.  We made arrangements to meet up with Indy and to Epcot with her the following day…and we parted ways for the day.

It was now 11 a.m. and a good chunk of the day was already gone.  So, Magic Kingdom was a whirlwind, but we rode the required rides, ate Dole Whip, and then hit up Downtown Disney for our dinner reservation that night at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.  After we ate, we wandered Downtown Disney for a bit, then headed back to the resort.  Where I collapsed in a tired mass and set an alarm to get up and run…to test out the new fuel belt early in the morning.

My alarm went off at 6:15 a.m., giving me ample time to get up, get dressed, get ready, put water in the fuel belt and head out to try it out.  Well…it was better than the one I brought with me, but it still jostled and moved and slipped up over my belly.  But…like I said…this one fit better and held better where I wanted it…and bothered me less…so therefore…it won.  Despite today definitely being a rest day…I knew that would not be happening.  I put in an easy two miles to see how the fuel belt would do, returned to the resort to eat breakfast, change, and then get to Epcot.  There would be no REST at all today.  NONE!

But…I wasn’t intending to take this trip easy on account of the race.

In true Indy fashion, upon meeting up with her at Club Cool, where Cathy and I were trying out the various types of sodas from different countries (China’s Watermelon Coke is AWESOME!)…and from there…we were on our amazing guided tour of all of Epcot that we could get through in the select amount of time we had.  After all, with race morning being early (I’ll get to that momentarily), we all had plans to turn in early and get some much needed rest (or at least try to…as I never sleep well the night before a race…no matter what distance it is).  So, we hit the ground running and got on as many things as we could from rides to little adventures.  And then…we decided it was time to eat something.  It’s the day before the race.  Carbs are a runner’s friend.  Unfortunately…the World Showcase at Epcot had very little for me.  But, this worked out for both Indy and Cathy.  Cathy stopped in Morocco and got the Lamb Schwarma Platter for lunch.  Indy went to Japan for sushi.  No gluten-free options for me, so we trekked it back to the main building where I hunted around Sunshine Seasons for some options for me.  I ended up getting the Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (definitely not ideal for a runner needing some carbs…but you go with what you have.  And beets are supposedly very good for runners, so that worked out in the end), which I ate as swiftly as possible so we could continue on our World Showcase adventure.  Indy said that if we got through America, then Cathy and I could finish up when we came back.  So, we had a goal.  And we reached it.  And around 5 p.m., we were saying goodbye and heading to our separate resorts to prepare for the early wake up call for race morning.

And then, the superstitious athlete in me stepped up and had a moment of panic.  Let’s put it this way…tomorrow morning I was going to run 13.1 miles and all I had for food was my gluten-free pastries that morning and a goat cheese and beet salad.  NOT what I needed for sustainability for a long run.  As we all know, my usual go-to pre-race food is a gluten-free pizza or something of that nature.  In a pinch, gluten-free pasta will do.  But pizza…that’s my magic pre-race food.  And here I was…almost back to my resort and none of the places on site with gluten-free pizza really in a distance to go and pick it up.  In fact, it was getting rather late at this point…and I was getting more and more bummed out and obsessed with the fact that I needed my gluten-free pizza.  I knew salad wasn’t enough.  I knew that much.

Once we returned to Port Orleans Riverside, Cathy went to go speak to the concierge…a nice guy by the name of Will…who she explained the situation to.  He understood and made a call down to the food court attached to resort and was told to send us down and ask for a chef.  We thanked him profusely and headed down that way.  We spoke to someone training one of the cashiers and he went to retrieve the chef for us.  Chef Wes appeared from the kitchens and Cathy explained that I was running in the race tomorrow and  usually would have a gluten-free pizza or pasta the night before.  Chef Wes said he could do either, and I asked if I could get a gluten-free cheese pizza made up.  He said he could certainly do up an individual size pizza and then walk it out to me.  To make it easy, Cathy just asked for the same thing instead of hunting around the food court for something to dine on.  With our orders in and Chef Wes working on my pre-race meal…I headed back to the room to shower and relax while Cathy waited on the food.  I had just settled in when she returned to the room with two pizzas in hand.  They weren’t your top-of-the-line, or best gluten-free pizza I ever ate…but it was a gluten-free pizza and at that moment, it was the best thing I had eaten all day.

With my gluten-free pizza consumed, I prepared to turn in later than planned, but earlier than I had been on previous nights.  Just before I settled in, my text message went off.  It was Jenn…YAY!  She was just texting me to wish me luck, tell me that the power of Dean compels me, and not to pants my poop.  It’s tradition.  It had to happen.  And that, believe me, put a lot of my nerves at ease.  It’s the little things…like jokes about runner’s trots…really.  Then, I proceeded to have a restless night.  My alarm…went off at 2:15 a.m.

Why so early?  Because the Disney Princess Half Marathon kicks off at 5:30 a.m. with the hopes that everyone will be through the parks by the time the parks are scheduled to open.  So…this was the set time and I was up and preparing to get ready to head out to the transport to take me to the starting line.  First thing was first, however.  Being that it had been so humid out, I went over to the door and pulled it open, finding the air to be heavy and moist.  High humidity.  Blech.  This meant I ditched the singlet I was planning on wearing and went with just donning my baby blue sports bra.  The color is important, my friends, because I was dressed up like Cinderella, complete with baby blue Sparkle Skirt and a baby blue BondiBand.  On went my compression socks, my running shoes, my Garmin, my Road ID…and then I began filling the water bottles on my fuel belt.  Once I had all of that done, I finally settled in long enough to eat my mostly frozen Greek yogurt (Chobani Banana, in case you were wondering).  I normally have cereal, but that wasn’t an option today.  Greek yogurt…good source of protein.  Couldn’t do any harm…despite having never eaten it before a race like this.  I prayed it wouldn’t upset my tummy.  With that, I put on the fuel belt, was lit up by two glow bracelets, put on my hoodie, and headed out the door with my pre-race banana to eat an hour before the race started.

Cathy and I made the trek from our room to the main building.  There was a small line to get on the race day transport bus.  Lots of tutus and lots of costumes were all around.  Some were really well done and clever.  The bus arrived about 5 minutes later and we all got on and filled it.  The line was much longer now, and we left a good number of people waiting on the next bus.  From there, we were taken to the starting point, a short bus ride toward Epcot.  The bus got us there and dropped us off…and from there we basically followed the sea of humanity as we moved toward the staging area of the race.

It was near the entrance of the staging area that the race organizers set up these beautiful stained glass backdrops for runners to take pictures in front of.  While they had Cinderella’s glass slipper, I wanted my picture taken with the castle.  So, I shrugged out of the hoodie and Cathy very kindly snapped the pic for me.  I think I look a little demented in it…but it was about 3:30 a.m.  I’m allowed.

From there, we began to shuffle forward just to find a place to settle for a moment.  As we were walking that way, one of the race volunteers was reading off some of the signs he could see.  Cathy held up the one I made that said, “Run Like It’s Almost Midnight…”  He read that one aloud.  Then she held up the other one that I made that said, “How Am I Supposed To PR In Glass Slippers?”  He laughed and said we should have taken that up with Nike.  Ironically…I wear Nike shoes.  Even more ironic…New Balance was the sponsor for this race.  Whoops.

We briefly made our way to one of the gates, which for some reason Cathy wanted to stop at to “get situated.”  At this point, I’m in race mode and I just want to get inside the staging area and mingle and…maybe find Indy.  Indy texted (or maybe she called…it was really early…) right as we were finally getting into the heart of the area and asked where we were.  I told her I was standing outside the entrance of the corrals and she said she was on the other side of one of the tents (in the VIP runner tent or something…) and would be right over.  Lo and behold…a few moments later, the crowds parted and there was my friend…dressed as Belle and ready to run this thing.  We hugged, carefully, as she was drinking some pre-race coffee.  (Proven fact: Having coffee an hour before a run can enhance your performance.  Might have to try that…).  I checked my watch and was still not quite at the hour before the run mark to eat my banana.  So we stood around and talked about anything and everything.  She talked about her breakdown the night before when she went to iron her costume and the iron melted part of the shirt.

Now…take note here…I still do not know how Indy was not dying during this race.  Running in 95% humidity sucks.  And I did it in a skirt and sports bra.  She was in a long sleeve shirt with a jumper over it.  I would have been stripping by Mile 1.  I’ll get to that momentarily…not stripping…but the actual race…but needless to say…with that sort of humidity, much like with the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon…I was drenched by Mile 1.  Not good…nor fun.  So, raising a glass of Powerade to my dear Indy for making it through the race in an outfit I would have collapsed in.

That being said, as the one hour mark was nearing, I hear an announcement that they were going to start loading my corral.  I was stationed in Corral A (the starting corral) due to my estimated finishing time.  So, now I had to eat my banana ahead of schedule…and not savor it…nope…I had to pretty much mash it down my throat and hope I managed to swallow because death by banana is definitely less dignified than death by dehydration due to bad outfit choices.  I gave Indy a hug, and wished her luck.  This would be the last time I would see her on this trip.  Then, I gave Cathy a hug and began to make my way to the entrance of the corral.  The volunteers checked my bib and let me through.

Beyond the tent, there was a sea of port-a-potties…all of which were getting hit up hard.  I am a princess…and I. DO. NOT. DO. PORT-A-POTTIES.  There.  I said it.  So…onward, ever onward with the crowd, up the way and the dark street toward where the corrals were set up.  There was a huge back-up near the corral area where another set of port-a-potties were set up…but we just sort of off roaded and went around.  And then…I walked up the line of corrals to the first one.  Corral A.  I stepped inside and began to meander about…trying to figure out about where I needed to position myself.  I finally just stopped moving and took up residence near the center, in the front third of Corral A…where some ladies were stretching…some were sitting to conserve energy…and some were dancing along with the Radio Disney guy who was leading a bunch of people in the Tootsie Roll, Gangnam Style, and so on.  I at least did the YMCA.  That is one dance I know I can handle.  But, mostly I stood around and drank in the happiness of the runners, the atmosphere…and realized that I was 5 feet away from Sean Astin.

Yeah.  Sean Astin.  The Hobbit.  Goonies.  That guy.  They were about to interview him, and he was positioned on the rail of my corral (he was not in my corral…but they needed him there for interview purposes.  Best part…he was wearing a tiara.  AWESOME.  Even better than that, when all was said and done on camera, he was more than happy to pose with people for pictures and the like.  I don’t carry anything with me on race day.  Only the necessities…which are hydration belt and my GU/Sports Beans.  No camera.  No iPod.  Nothing.  Minimalist.  That’s me.  But I did pump a fist in the air and shout, “GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE!”

Fangirl moment over.

Disney also brought up to the stage one of the runners who was doing the Princess Half Marathon…who was the last to finish at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in January at Disneyland.  Her story just made me cry.  There is this love of the sport that runners share, but even more…there is this appreciation for the sport itself.  And she really made me appreciate what it is that drives me to run.  She’s an inspiration…and I hope she surprised herself at this the Disney Princess Half Marathon.

Soon, the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella was brought up onto the stage and she set off the lone wheel chair racer.  It was as simple as Bibbity Bobbity Boo.  Fireworks went off and he was off and rolling.  NOT in a racing chair, mind you.  I know this only because I passed him on the course.  Amazing!

Five minutes passed and Corral A was ready to run.  The Fairy Godmother gave a wave of her wand and said the magic words.  More fireworks…and the corral was moving forward.  I shuffled those first few steps and then…over the start line I went.  I hit the button on my Garmin and took off with the lead corral, reminding myself to pace myself over the first half of the race.  While I’ve done quite a few half marathons by now…going out too fast is something even professionals do at times.  I wanted to run this one smart…because it was humid.  But…I also told myself to just go and have some fun.

It is a Disney race.  And, as I said before, no one really runs Disney for time.  Or…at least they shouldn’t.  Because they would miss out on a lot.

I really loved how organized this race was.  We were very spread out at the start, which was nice.  Big races can be a bit of a challenge with everyone jockeying for some sort of position.  I later heard some people complain about the crowded start…but in Corral A…you really don’t have to share the road with anyone else…but those you were corralled with.  That being said, Disney had a system that would alert runners when the course would narrow ahead.  This way you could adjust your position with other runners around you and continue on.  No big deal.

As I mentioned before…it was a really humid morning.  I was very glad I opted just for the bra top…because any more fabric and I might have been stripping it off and tossing it aside.  I hit Mile 1, not even looking at the pace time, because…I was doing this for fun.  My body was tired from being a first time visitor to Disney and wanted to do as much as I could whenever I could.  So, I wasn’t setting a goal.  Just to finish.  Just to have fun.  Just to soak it all in.  And speaking of soaking…the humidity was already hitting me hard.  My hair was drenched by Mile 1 and I could feel the beads of sweat on my skin.  Blech.  High humidity is awful to run in.  It just saps your energy faster than you can even imagine.

Here is one of the best parts of a Disney race.  Throughout the stretches of the course, there are characters out that you can get your picture taken with.  This is why a lot of people carry cameras with them on these races.  I gave a wave to each character I passed…but I did not have a camera on me.  Onward…ever onward.  Just…make a note…if you love photo ops…these races are full of them.

Much of this run is done on the highway, which they close for the race.  That is a lot of nothingness except pavement.  That’s where these character spotting sites come in handy.  It keeps things interesting.  Race officials had put up on the Web site that they preferred for people to not run with headsets on…and I’ve come to find out I actually run races better without my iPod.  I’ve started leaving it behind.  A year ago, I was bitching about not being able to listen to music…now…I choose not to.  Funny how things change.

Around Mile 3 there was our second water stop.  I took this opportunity to reach down and grab one of the bottles from my hydration belt.  I took a sip and went to tuck it back in…and dropped it.  Crap.  So, this now meant I had to go get it.  And I did.  Ah well…stuff like that happens.  You just roll with it.  I also want to mention that this belt didn’t want to stay around my hips either…but it wasn’t as annoying as the other belt I used.  And I’d every now and again push it down…only to have it ride back up around my waist.  I finally just got tired of fighting with it and left it up there.

The next couple of miles ticked off easily.  I was actually feeling good.  I think I was still smiling.  I was having a blast.  And the best part was now ahead of me.  Literally.  I was entering the Magic Kingdom.  And here, we make a circuit of the park and then run through…yes THROUGH Cinderella’s Castle.  That was the part I was really looking forward to on this race.  And as I rounded the corner I went into the back gate…and got to see all the fantastic murals.  This was my favorite moment, for sure.  The crowds around Magic Kingdom were so enthusiastic and just really got you going.  And as you came out of the castle…flashbulb after flashbulb after flashbulb was going off, making you feel like some sort of real princess or celebrity as the official race photographers captured your departure from the iconic castle, which was very quickly followed by an exit out of Magic Kingdom.

Back out onto the long, quiet highway to make my way back to the finish line, which was at Epcot.  At Mile 7, I drank some more of my water and really stopped fussing with my fuel belt.  I smiled at the characters I was passing.  It was still kind of dark at this point, but all of us who were running were happy to be doing it.  Darkness, solitude, and this amazing bond that runners share, no matter the race.  It was awesome.

Mile 10 ticked off and brought us to the exit ramp.  At this point, there was some daylight starting to make an appearance.  Finally.  I took the exit ramp as I do the hills I train on…fiercely.  At this point I knew all I had remaining was a 5K race.  And that really helps get you through to the finish line sometimes.

And sometimes it’s a Toy Soldier from Toy Story telling you that this is the last hill before the finish line.  All we had to do was get over it.  And could he get an “OORAH!”  Which…I did shout back at him as I rounded the corner.  That hill wasn’t bad.  But there was a steeper one just a ways up the road.  I took that one with the same power I put into the steepest hill around here when I run…and I passed up Pocahontas…finally.  I had been trailing her for a good portion of the run and in my mind…my goal was to get past her.  I managed.  Now I just had to keep her there.

Around Mile 12, we came to this little turn around where some Disney hosts were out talking to the runners, asking where they were from, commenting on costumes.  It was fun.  It was just what runners need at that stage of the race.  But I could also see that we were about to enter Epcot…and into the park we went.  I was trailing a woman dressed as Princess Leia from Star Wars (now a Disney princess) so I used her as my new rabbit.  Through the chute we went and into the park.  She was still just ahead of me and I wasn’t looking at my watch so I had no idea how much further I had to go.  But…I knew I was in the last mile, so I put a little more effort into it.  We ran around the giant Epcot ball…and that was about where I finally managed to pass her.  I could hear the finish line announcer.  So, I was close.  But it seemed every time I rounded a corner there was just more road ahead.

Finally though…there it was…the FINISH LINE!  I could hear Leia catching back up to me, so I decided to give it all I had.  I pushed.  I kicked.  And then…I crossed the finish line…just ahead of her.  I took a moment…paused my Garmin…and spotted Cathy up in the stands with the signs.  I pumped my fists in victory…the smile never leaving my face.

And here’s the kicker…

I wasn’t running for time…I was running on tired legs…for fun.

And I set a new half marathon PR.

In fact, I shaved two minutes off my previous best time for a half marathon.

Perhaps it was from running in the happiest place on Earth.  Or maybe it was Disney magic…or pixie dust.  Or maybe it was my dear friend Sandy, who passed away from cancer a couple weeks before…who I dedicated the race too.  Maybe she loaned me her wings for a while.  Because this finish was a huge surprise for me.  And I was just a wave of emotions as I meandered through the recovery area, getting my medal…then my box of gluten-free goodies…and some water, of course.

I made my way out of the finisher’s chute and toward the Race Retreat area, where I was to meet up with Cathy.  She was already there by the time I emerged and ran over to give me a big hug.  I finally stopped long enough to check the time on my Garmin.  And…if it was right…I ran one hell of a race.

Let me tell you this…when the results were posted later that day…my Garmin was exactly on as far as my time.

So…as it stands…my new Half Marathon PR was set at the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Disney World.  I ran the course in 1:45:06!!!  I still can’t believe that time.  But it’s in black and white on my race results and recorded on my Garmin.  Holy moley!  I was 152/22,721 finishers overall.  I was the 121/21,222 women to cross the finish line.  And I was the 22/3381 person in my division.  You do not even know how shocked I am with these results.  It still feels like a dream.  Disney magic indeed.

But I was running for fun…and sometimes that makes all the difference.

I had such a blast running at Disney World.  I already am anticipating running at Disneyland for the Disneyland Half Marathon in September.  And, now I’m totally hooked and just want to hit up every Disney race I possibly can.  But that will have to happen on a ‘what can I afford?’ sort of budget plan.

For now…I can’t stop smiling and thinking back on this race…on how good it felt to run it…despite the humidity.  And how amazing the volunteers and organizers were throughout the race.  I loved the energy from the cheering sections and the crowds along the course.  And I’ll never stop thinking of my run through Cinderella’s Castle.  If any moment was more magic than the rest…that was it.  That was my moment.  And then, of course, that spectacular finish.

Disney…you gave me one hell of a welcome…and one hell of a great race.  Thank you!  I promise…I will be back.

Race: Snowman Shuffle

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: February 9, 2013

Time: 27:00*

Yes.  That’s another asterisk.  Another proud moment that was made…a little less proud…by the simple fact that the race course was measured wrong.  I’m not saying I’m not proud of my accomplishment(s) in this race.  Not at all.  But it just seems a little…less…amazing when someone says, “Whoops…that wasn’t quite 4 miles.”

But, at least the race sponsors and those who put it on are being honest.  The course was to be the 4 mile course of the Snowman Shuffle, part of the Polar Bear Grand Prix, in Louisville, Kentucky.  This is the last of the three-part race series and it runs over the hills of Cherokee Park.  The scenic loop at Cherokee can be intimidating on its own, tack on just under 2 more miles to it…and it can seem like a huge challenge.

And, if you read my post prior to this one, you’ll know that…I was not feeling too good about this race.  Nor was I even looking forward to running it.

(*INSERT WHINY RUNNER MOMENT HERE, COMPLETE WITH FOOT STOMP*)

It doesn’t make it any easier to get out of bed on race morning when you really don’t feel like running in that race.  And I’m still not certain what brought on that mentality or that feeling, but, come race morning, I pried my sorry runner’s butt out of bed and started to get dressed for the race.  I knew it was going to be chilly out…but I really didn’t want to mess with layers.  So, I got out my red Nike fleece top that I bought before the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon and donned that, along with my compression tights and some nice wool running socks to keep my feet warm.  I chose some rainbow hair extensions to wear in an attempt to brighten my mood…and then, after trying to choose what headband to wear…I finally went with the one my roommate suggested the night before but I flat out turned down.  It reads: Vanquish the weak.  Hurdle the dead.  Arrive TRIUMPHANT.  I don’t know why I decided to go with it…but I did.

Now dressed, I spent my morning getting the rest of the stuff prepped for the day.  As with most Saturdays, it was going to be a busy one before and after the race.  So, I put dishes away, got my change of clothes and shoes together, got breakfast ready, started a pot of coffee, and opened the front door to step outside and confirm that it was, indeed, face-numbing cold out there.

My roommate’s alarm clock actually went off 5 minutes earlier than she told me it was going to, so I wasn’t prepared.  This meant I now scurried back to the kitchen to get her cup of coffee poured, because she has to drink everything at room temperature.  Too cold, she hates it.  Too hot, she hates it.  So…yeah.  Picky does not even begin to describe her when it comes to a temperature level on her food.  I pick on her all the time about it.  I got the vitamins for the day sorted and placed on the table.  Then got milk into her cereal and almond milk into my gluten-free cereal.  And I settled in for a quick nibble on brekkies.  And I mean quick.  The goal was to get to Cherokee Park by 8 a.m.  And I was going to run the garbage down to the dumpster before leaving, still had to brush my teeth, and needed to drink my own coffee (which I prefer hot…thank you very much).  So…I managed to do all of that while she finished up her coffee.  Including running the sack of garbage down, to which I realized that my car had frost on the window.

UGH!

Kicking it into high gear, I hurried back into my room to use the bathroom and brush my teeth.  I swished mouthwash around while I zipped up the bag with my change of clothes in it.  And then made sure I had the KIND bar that she and I were going to split about an hour before the race.  I know from past experience if I don’t eat something about 45 minutes to an hour before the race, I’m usually famished at the start or about halfway through.  I’ve started taking steps to avoid having that happen.  We hurried down to the car, where I proceeded to scrape frost off all the windows.  Then I hopped inside and we began to make the trek over the river to Cherokee Park.

The start of the race was up at Hogan’s Fountain.  That’s normally where races at Cherokee Park start, although sometimes they change it up (like for the Frostbite 5K) and start at the rugby field.  I prefer the rugby field because we knock out all the hills within the first two miles.  But…I hate hills…so that’s my entire reasoning behind that.  So, we made it through the winding road that runs the Scenic Loop of Cherokee Park and actually managed to find parking that wasn’t too far away.  We were lucky.  The area began to fill up fast.

As we got out of the car and tossed a few belongings into the trunk, I opened up the KIND Bar, because it was now time to finish breakfast, and broke it in half and we both devoured it as we made our way to packet pick-up.  I was already unhappy and miserable in the cold, but I put on a happy face and greeted the kind volunteers who were helping with packet pick-up.  They handed me my number and my backpack and I grabbed some safety pins.  I was number 2900 for this race.  Awesome.

And instead of standing around under the shelter to pin up and hang out…my roomie and I high-tailed it back to the car to sit in the heat for a little bit.  Why?  Because, as I said before, I. HATE. THE. COLD.

So, sitting in the car with the heater going at least made it tolerable.  We watched as many running groups ran around the Scenic Loop prior to the race.  We even saw a few people running some hills with race numbers on.  I hear that short runs do a body good before short races in warming up muscles, but I didn’t want to expend energy that I didn’t need to before hitting the hills at Cherokee Park.  So, I sat comfortably in my warm car and that was that.

Until about 15 minutes before the start of the race.  My roommate said it was time to get my number pinned on and head up to the start line and stretch out.  She was right.  When the weather is cold, stretching is vital.  Muscles that are cold and un-stretched when engaged in running can lead to injury.  So, as one of my goals is to be injury free this year…stretching had to happen whether I felt like doing it or not.  So, Cathy pinned my number on me and we hiked back toward Hogan’s Fountain, passing by Dawn and Matthew along the way and exchanging brief greetings.

I actually did get some stretching in.  Good stretching…not my usual ‘I’m too cold to really stretch so I’ll just half-ass this’ kind of stretching.  I really wanted to get my leg muscles warmed up.  As well as my core.  So, I did some hip circles, knee circles, some high knees, some lunges and the like…until they announced the race would start in about 10 minutes.  Cathy took my jacket away from me at this point, so I went ahead and got into the starting area with some other runners who were making their way there.

And so the chilly wait began.  I remembered about 4 minutes before the race to let my Garmin find the satellites, which it did.  Whew.  So glad it wasn’t going to take forever like some mornings.  More and more people began to fill in and soon we were all huddled together at the start.  I noticed another person who recently found my blog and gave a wave to Kelsie as she lined up on the other side.  And then…we were given our final instructions and…with a Take Your Mark…whistle blow…we were off.

I decided the night before that I was just going to go into this run with a very zen attitude.  After all, I wasn’t feeling it.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  No explanation…no reason…just did not want it.  I think it was the cold air, but I should be used to that by now, yes?  Anyway, with that sort of attitude, despite having my Garmin set and running…I promised myself that I wouldn’t even look at it.  I would just…run at whatever I felt comfortable with, push if I felt I needed to, back off if I felt I needed to.  Focus on my own run and not the timer or the pace.

And with that in mind, I headed down the first hill and into the first mile of the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler.  As I made it down the hill and around the straightaway, I knew that we were about to hit a side road and run to a turn around point before coming back and getting back onto the usual Scenic Loop part of the run.  Being prepared for that, and just as we headed down that way, Mile 1 ticked off.  I heard one of the runners behind me say, “That was sub-7.”  But…I didn’t pay that much attention to the comment, my brain completely shutting down and just focusing on my own footfalls, my breathing…and nothing more.  I chose not to listen to music on this run because I’m finding that at times I’ll slow my pace to the beat of the music.  When I run without it…I’m more consistent and…yes…even better.

Hitting the point where we turned around, I headed back the other way and passed by the stream of people heading our direction.  I heard some of them say things to their friends who were ahead of me, offering encouragement.  I love hearing that.  Just goes to prove you don’t have to be fast to be an awesome runner.  You just have to be supportive and have a good attitude.

Hitting the Scenic Loop again, Mile 2 ticked off and I was feeling better than I thought I would.  But the hills were about to hit.  First at Dog Walk Hill, then at the hill leading back up to Hogan’s Fountain.  So, I mentally prepared myself for this as I continued to make my way through Cherokee Park.  The first hill at Dog Walk hit and this one feels like it just goes on forever.  It’s not a steep climb, but it is constant, and does continue around a couple of turns before leveling off at the top.  Somewhere in here Mile 3 hit and I knew that the last obstacle would be the steep climb on the hill back up to Hogan’s Fountain.

Down the hill I went, expecting to make a journey out onto Eastern Parkway to round the statue and come back in…but the race signs directed us right to the last climb and the last hill.  There is something very sadistic about having a hill there at the end…just before the finish line.  But this is where you either find your strong or you step to the side and walk.  I do not walk.  So…I dug deep and started up the last stretch.

As I was climbing, I saw one of the finisher’s heading the opposite direction.  “Just a half a mile left and you’re done!” he said.  Half a mile.  I could do this.  I could.

The climb felt like it went on forever.  I could feel that I was slowing down.  Legs were getting tired.  But…I pressed onward…as I so often make myself do on these hills.  And as I made it to the top…there was a photographer right in the sunlight, so I almost didn’t see him.  I avoided a collision and hurried now toward the finish line.  I could hear my roommate screaming at me to go…just run…and so…I did.

And I crossed the finish line, feeling…amazing.  I saw the clock.  It had just ticked over to 27 minutes.  I was in shock.  I was elated.

I stopped my Garmin…and noticed that it was reading 3.7 miles…not the 4 miles the route should have been.  Hmm…

I figured it would be sorted out and I went to go get some water and a banana to nibble on while we waited for the awards.  It was still very cold, so I got my hoodie and fleece from Cathy and snuggled back into those, zipping up against the frigid air.  As I was walking around, Kelsie finished and found me and we stood around talking about running, about being gluten-free, about the treadmill, and other such things.  Including blogging.

After a long while and a lot of shivering in the cold, the final person crossed the finish line.  This meant that the results could now be tallied and we would be given awards, if we happened to place.  There was a chance I had, so I stuck around.  And was freezing.  But I wasn’t alone.  Dawn and Matthew were also hanging out with us, also freezing, and also trying to act as wind breakers for each other.  That’s what runner’s do.  But with the laptop now in place…River City Races was prepared to give out the awards.  This was when the big announcement about the turn around point being in the wrong spot came.  So our 4 mile run truly was a 3.7 mile run.  All of us who thought we set a new PR…now knew for certain we hadn’t.  But…awards were still to be given and that immediately commenced.

This was actually kind of amusing because all of the people who braved the cold air to hang around for awards were all wearing gloves, so when names were called…the clapping sounded so much like a golf clap, it was funny.  But we all applauded the efforts of the runners who placed.  And it turned out I placed 2nd in my age division…to which Cathy, Dawn and Matthew all cheered.

And Kelsie even placed second in hers…so Cathy and I gave her a big cheer for that as she went to get her medal.

We hung around for the rest of the awards, and finally went to climb into the car.  We were on a mission for brunch…at my favorite allergen-free bakery.  I was going to change clothes there while Cathy placed the order.  And from then on…I was hoping to get warm and stay warm.

So, the official results of the Snowman Shuffle 3.7 Miler are that I finished in 27:00, which, had it been a 4 mile run, would have still been a new PR.  So, that’s good to know.  I just don’t know what that time would officially be.  So, if I ever run another 3.7 mile race…I have a time to beat.  I was 71/727 finishers.  WOOHOO!  In addition, I was the 12/401 women finishers.  And, as mentioned before, I was 2/72 in my age division.  I couldn’t be happier with these results.

And…even more outstanding was…the runner who mentioned the sub-7 thing at Mile 1…was absolutely correct.  My first mile in the Snowman Shuffle was run in 6:49…my first ever sub-7 minute mile.  So…I take that away from this race…feeling beyond proud and a bit surprised that I managed that.  The rest of my miles were sub-8 minute miles, so that’s pretty awesome too.  Yeah…I’m proud of myself.

As for the overall standings for the Polar Bear Grand Prix…nothing is official yet…but as of last night, I was third overall for the women’s open division.  That being said, I just looked again, and while still unofficial, I no longer hold that spot.  Instead, I am currently at 1st in my age division.  So…for a moment…I was on the verge of getting an overall spot…but I fell from glory.

Ah well.  You win some, you lose some.  I’m okay with this…in the end…I proved a lot about myself as a runner this year.  Since I ran this race last year, I improved on my time in each one.  And I also discovered that many of my fellow runners are much better sprinters…made for those shorter races.  But when the extra miles get added beyond a 5K…I seem to best a lot of them.  Distance is my thing.  I do not like 5K races.  I love the longer ones.  So…this just helped proved why.

Despite everything…I truly did enjoy running this series for the second year in a row.  We had rain on the first race, beautiful weather for the second one, and face-numbing cold for the third one…but in the end…I saw what my hard work over the year has brought to each and every run.  And I hope to see only more forward progression as the year goes on and other races and series are run.

Maybe one day I’ll win some sort of overall placement.  Or maybe…I won’t.  It doesn’t matter…because even when I don’t feel like running, I find myself and I find my joy in the run.  And that’s what happened at this race.

And it was magic.

Race: Frostbite 5K

Place: Louisville, KY

Date: January 12, 2013

Time: 23:45

I ended my racing season last year with a new PR…and in return, I began my 2013 season with a new PR.  How’s that for symmetry?

Needless to say…I shocked myself with that time.  I honestly did.

The night leading up to the race was, as usual, restless.  I wasn’t thinking about running…I just was having a difficult time staying asleep.  This actually has been happening most nights these days and I don’t really have a reason for it.  It just…is.  So, when my alarm was set to go off at 6:00 a.m., I was already awake and dressed.

My running outfit of choice for this race…is not what you would expect from a race called the Frostbite 5K.  It was to be 61 degrees at the start of the race…so I was dressed in a new running skirt and a singlet for the run.  Knowing that this was taking place in Cherokee Park, I donned my “Beat The Hill” BondiBand and laced up my shoes.  On went my Road ID and my Garmin.  I was ready…and tired.

And I hate being tired on race day.

My roomie’s alarm went off at 7:00 a.m.  I had cereal prepped for each of us for breakfast and had a Lärabar Über for us to split about 40 minutes before I took off on the run so I wouldn’t be starving at the start or in the middle of the run.  Nothing messes with your concentration more than hunger pangs.  We were out the door in record time for us and heading over the river to Cherokee Park to hopefully find decent parking and hit up packet pick-up.

Well, the parking thing was a bust.  Despite arriving over an hour prior to the start of the race, we were parked all the way up a winding hill near the rugby field in the park.  It was a hike down to packet pick-up, where I received my race bib, my safety pins, and the long sleeve tech shirt I got for being one of the first 1000 to sign up for the run.  Awesome.  And then…the hike back up to the car followed to put the t-shirt away, tuck away our bags, and get pinned up.  Not so awesome.  But, we managed.  I looked at it as a warm up if nothing else.

Pinned up and now ready for the run, Cathy and I braved the descent down the hill once more and decided to take a walk up the road.  We thought it would be okay, as it seemed the police already closed the park.  But, alas, it was not.  The police moved their vehicles and traffic began to flow through once more.  So, we headed back to where the start line was being set up, found a spot for her to position herself for the race, and I started a few minor stretches.

At some point, we did split the Lärabar…and thankfully it was quite tasty.  We ran into Tammy and Paul Marvin, who we happen to find at most of the races we go to, not just in Louisville, but also in Hershey, Pennsylvania and New Albany, Indiana.  Love friendly, familiar faces.  We always have a nice conversation with them and it’s always nice to greet them, wave, and wish them luck.  It seems to be a good omen to see them at the race.  And they say they always look for my sign, which is awesome too!

I got in a little more stretching and then shed my hoodie before finishing that up.  It was then that I thought I felt some sprinkles of rain on my arms.  I asked the roomie if she felt it…but said she didn’t.  I swore I could still feel it…but maybe I was mistaken.  She gave me a hug and wished me luck and I went to join the slew of people lining behind the start line, which also doubled as the finish line, for the race.  I got my iPod Nano tucked into the pocket of my shirt and found a good spot to stand when the rain came.

Yep.  Another wet race, it seemed, was upon us.  I sighed, removed my earbuds and walked my iPod back to where Cathy was standing, handing it over as I won’t run in the rain with it without my waterproof arm band to tuck it in.  And I wasn’t expecting rain this early (nor were any of the other runners) so I didn’t have it with me.  With the rain coming down in a light drizzle, I headed back to where I was standing and sandwiched my way between a couple of people for the spot I had originally staked out as my own.

It was here, in the rain, just before the start of the race, that I bonded with a few runners over the weather.  Most of us had endured the Reindeer Romp in the pouring rain and now, it seemed, we were about to undertake the same sort of weather in the second race of the Polar Bear Grand Prix.  Joy.

And as the race was started off with a “On your mark…get set…GO!” shouted from River City Races director (who didn’t have her bullhorn that morning), we all took off in the drizzle past the rugby field and the people standing around to cheer everyone on and headed for the first turn, which would immediately take us up the “never-ending” hill…Baringer Hill (known by all who go there as Dog Hill or Dog Walk Hill).  It was actually nice to have that out of the way so early, believe it or not.  My legs were fresh so I could push myself a little more without tiring out my legs too soon in the run.  It was about here that the rain completely stopped.

Go figure.

With that said, it was down a hill, then around the corner on the Scenic Loop to head up the other major hill in Cherokee Park, the one that leads up to Hogan’s Fountain.  No problem.  It was still early in the race.  Not even 2 miles in, so my legs were feeling good.  I felt like I was moving at a slower pace than usual, but I was feeling okay.  I was moving.  I was passing some people and keeping up with others that I sort of tagged to attempt to keep in my sights.

Down another hill and through the park we ran.  I know the Scenic Loop like the back of my hand.  It was interesting starting at a different point, but my legs know this terrain.  I run it often with my fun run group and sometimes on Saturday or Sunday when my roommate and I feel like getting out and moving.  I’ll do my long training runs there and she goes for a walk.  I was feeling good.  Still not feeling like I was moving swiftly, but I knew I was tired…so I wasn’t going to push too much.

Then, it was down a side road.  Here was the 2 mile mark and I watched as a woman in front of me began to walk.  Another runner, who had started at the front of the pack, shouted at her to keep going…she was almost there.  It is always nice to hear that sort of encouragement.  And the woman who began walking began to run again.  At least for a little while.  She returned to walking and I passed her and her encourager before we hit the turn around point.  With that done, it was back down the road on the other side, and finally back out to the scenic loop.

This was the home stretch.  I knew the rugby field was about .3 miles away, so I began to run a little bit harder…as much as I dared.  I never want to be one of those people who push too much and come short at the finish.  I want to be someone who tries as hard as I can…pushes as much as I dare…and come out as best as I can.

And wouldn’t you know it…I hit Mile 3 and pushed on for the last .14 miles of the race, coming across the finish line and catching sight of the clock just as I did so.  I paused my Garmin and moved out of the way of the runners who were behind me.  My roommate hurried over going, “You just ran sub-24 minutes!”  She was right.  I saw it when I crossed the finish line on the clock and my Garmin told the same story.

What in the world?  I honestly didn’t feel like I was moving that swiftly.  And, as I try to maintain these days, while I run with my Garmin, I try not to look at it during a race, less I obsess over my time and totally add unnecessary pressure.  I suddenly couldn’t stop smiling.  I didn’t care about anything else…I just ran my first 5K in under 24 minutes.  That never happened before.  And I was pretty damn proud of myself for finally achieving that.  A lot of early morning runs, time at the gym, yoga, and core work went into making that possible, I am certain.

With the race field being as big as it was, we weren’t completely sure that I placed, but decided to hang around for the awards ceremony regardless.  I grabbed a banana and some water and we went for a short stroll down one of the paved trails at Cherokee, before turning around and heading back.

As we found a clear spot to stand, and while we were just sort of talking, two local runners came over.  Dawn was the first to introduce herself.  She said she read my blog.  This, actually, made me really happy.  She introduced me to Matthew, who was with her, and who I had previously met as we ran together in the Mile2Mile run from the BlueMile store at the Summit to the one in the Highlands.  It was nice to stand around and talk with people prior to awards.

Once the final walker came in…it was award ceremony time.  We stood around and clapped for every name called for the overall winners as well as the age division winners.  One girl in the 20-24 age division limped up to get her award and them limped away.  I’ve been there, done that, and made  a sad face as it happens.  Here’s to a speedy recovery.

And then…something surprising happened.  My division was up and first place was called.  Then, for second place…I hear my name.  Oh. My. God.  I placed third in the Reindeer Romp and now second at the Frostbite 5K.  I couldn’t believe it.  Cathy, Dawn, and Matthew all cheered, which made me grin like a loon when I went up to accept my medal.  I had already been all smiles for my new PR…but now I was all smiles even more…because with the field as large as it was, I honestly didn’t think I placed at this race.

I love surprising myself.

So, as it stands, the official results of the Frostbite 5K are that I finished in 23:45, which is my new PR for a 5K race.  SO stoked!  Especially since this was done on hills (thankfully early) and while dead tired from a restless night.  That being said, I was 132/1020 finishers overall.  NICE!  I was the 20/539 women finishers.  And, as I mentioned, I was 2/74 in my division!  I am still so surprised by these results I feel like I need to pinch myself to convince myself I’m not dreaming.  Once more, I can honestly say all the hard work and dedication I’ve been putting into my training runs and running in general is paying off.  I am improving.

And here’s to hoping that the trend continues.  As it stands, as far as the Polar Bear Grand Prix overall results so far, before the final race, the Snowman Shuffle, I am holding 3rd place in the Overall Female Open Winners category.  While this is exciting, I am trying not to dwell on it less I put so much pressure on myself I set myself up for failure.  My goal for the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler is to go out there and have fun and just run it as best as I can.  Winning awards isn’t why I do this.  I do this simply because I love it.

Race: Santa Hustle Half Marathon

Place: Indianapolis, IN

Date: December 16, 2012

Time: 1:47:48

Oh…yes.  You totally read that time right.  And let me tell you…my finish at that time was as much a shock to me as it may be to you reading this.  Because…let’s face it.  When it comes to long distances I am not fast…but I can (under good conditions) normally endure and still have some kick at the end.  So finishing a sub-1:50:00 half marathon was a huge freakin’ deal for me.

But I am once again getting ahead of myself.  It is always best to start at the beginning.

And that, my dearest friends, starts on Saturday…the day before the race.

It was going to be one busy day, I figured.  I woke up that morning and did an easy 1 mile run down and back from my apartment.  Why did I run the day before a race?  Normally I wouldn’t have…but I’m doing this Runner’s World Run Streak thing where I run at last a mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.  And I haven’t broken the streak yet.  I wasn’t going to let my taper be the death of it.  So I promised only 1 mile (normally I say that’s not worth lacing up shoes for and push out 2 miles…but not on race weekend) and took it easy on my legs.

With that done, I came home, changed, and packed up my run bag and my duffle for an overnight stay and then worked on putting everything into my running bag.  Now…here was the thing.  I wasn’t exactly sure how to even pack for this freakin’ half marathon.  And here’s why…

The weather was awesome that weekend.  A little chill in the air due to a strong wind, but not too bad for mid-December.  And the Weather Channel was predicting clear skies the morning of the race…with a high of 54 degrees that day.  That’s relatively warm for a December morning, yes?  The only hitch…was going to be the strong 14+ mph winds on race morning.  Hmmm…

I decided winter compression tights weren’t needed and left them behind.  I was going to be receiving a shirt to wear during the run itself.  So…the big question mark was what I was going to wear on my lower half.  I packed a few options…my capris and two running skirts.  As I had been having a little bit of an issue as of late with a very sore and tight left calf muscle, Friday night I ventured over to one of the local running stores and was sized for, and purchased, my first pair of compression socks.

Normally it’s not a good idea to try out new items of clothing on a race, particularly a long one like a half marathon…but I didn’t really have a choice this time.  It was going to happen.  So, the compression socks were packed, along with my other normal running socks in case I put the compression ones on and hated them.  You never know!  I packed my GU pack and some Sports Beans, my water bottle, and a headband for the race.  Made sure my shoes were ready.  And my roommate and I packed up the car and headed to Indianapolis.

From experience, we have learned the value of staying in the city the night before a big race.  While Indianapolis is only a 2 hour drive, this saved a 4 a.m. wake-up to drive from our home to the race, find parking, and get totally stressed out (and perhaps show up late) as is what happened the year prior to this one when I was running in the Santa Hustle 5K in Indianapolis (the half marathon was added this year!).  So, we decided to splurge and stay at the host hotel…the J.W. Marriott.  The deal runners were offered on rooms couldn’t be beat.  Besides, I’m a Marriott Rewards Member…might as well use it.

So, we made the easy drive this year the day before and checked into the hotel.  Our room was awesome.  We were on the 15th floor and were overlooking White River State Park, which just happened to be the start and finish point for the half marathon the following morning.  Awesome.  A room with a view.  And what a beautiful view it was too.  We hauled our bags up to the room and settled in briefly before heading back out to hit up the expo, which was actually at the J.W. Marriott in one of their expo spaces.

I have to say…as of late I have been quite disappointed with the race expos that I’ve been hitting up prior to half marathons.  There has been next to nothing at quite a few of the last race expos that I’ve hit.  Suck.  Well, this one had to be one of the smallest (the Louisville Sports Commission being the absolute worst this year) with only a few vendors and races in attendance trying to vie for our dollars and our participation.  So, it took me under 5 minutes to walk in, get my race packet and head out.  With this being a race run in various cities, I sort of expected a little more…so I was disappointed.

I left with my packet, my tech shirt, and all of my money, and headed back up to the room.  We were supposed to meet up for my traditional gluten-free pizza pre-race meal at Harry & Izzy’s with our friend Greg…but we still had plenty of time before that happened.  So, we decided to hit the streets and do some shopping.  Cathy and I hit up Hard Rock Café for a new pin for my collection.  We then went over to Monument Circle and checked out the Civil War exhibit that was free to the public.  That was pretty cool.  And then we still had hours to kill, so we went to the mall and walked around some before deciding it would be okay just to go hang out in the room.  It was getting a little chilly out and relaxing sounded like a good idea.  I was supposed to be resting my legs…and here I was using them for all I was worth.

That’s typical me.

We did receive a call from Greg saying he was going to head to Harry & Izzy’s…so we headed out ourselves.  Got to the restaurant, got seated (after about 4 attempts prior to that with tables not being ready as we were there between the lunch and dinner turnover).  With a table now provided, we were handed menus and left to wait for Greg.  He showed up soon after and before we knew it…we were feasting on delicious food, having great conversation, talking about plans…and even enjoying dessert.  My gluten-free pizza, in case you were wondering, was topped with caramelized onion and mushroom…and it was delicious.  I followed it up with lemon sorbet.  Mmmmm.

We said our goodbyes and Greg, who was heading out of town the following morning, wished me luck on the race.  We departed back to the hotel where we watched a couple of cooking shows and I got my clothes out for the next morning…opting for capris…although I would continue to go back and forth on that even the following morning.  We turned in at a decent time…and I had a rather good sleep, only waking up a couple times to check the clock.  Finally, with only an hour before my alarm was set to go off, I got up and went ahead and got changed into my racing clothes.  With the wind still a factor, I chose the capris still, then climbed back into bed to just rest until the alarm went off.

When it did, Cathy was up to get ready and I was getting us the first part of our morning breakfast that day.  I had Corn Chex with me and Cathy had a granola bar.  We ate those and lazed about in the hotel, watching the Weather Channel.  I also made sure Cathy taped up my feet as my podiatrist had shown her.  I wasn’t about to run 13.1 miles without my feet properly supported.  I think he would have had a conniption.  With that done…I looked at the temperatures again…looked at the capris…really thought about putting on a running skirt…then decided, once again, that the wind would be chilly so capris would be the way to go.  That decision made, I began to slip into my compression socks for the very first time.

Now fully suited up…and with an hour to go to race time, I ate my banana, strapped on my fuel belt with my water and my GU pack and Sports Beans, and down to White River State Park we went.  It was a brisk morning due to the wind, but not bad temperature-wise.  And the walk made for a great warmup.  That being said, the first thing Cathy and I noticed when we set foot on the bricks at White River State Park was how slippery they were.  Super slippery.  We made our way over the bridge and to the pace corral that I was choosing to run in, which this time was an 8 minute mile.  Ambitious, perhaps…but that’s where I put myself.  It was still rather sparse as far as runners go, but it was still at least 30 minutes before go time.

I did some stretches in the corral area, getting a kick out of some of the 5K runner/walker outfits.  There was a guy dressed up as Santa pushing a cart that was done up to look like a chimney.  Which…is awesome.  And one couple made their jog stroller up to look like a sleigh.  Some people get really creative.  I did notice, however, that many of the serious half marathoners opted out of the Santa tech shirt and were just in regular running gear.  It’s too bad…because these are the people who did come in first and it would have been nice to have the winners in the official race shirt.  I mean, they don’t require you to wear the shirt, hat and beard, but at least wear the shirt.  It’s all in the name of fun.  I mean…this is the Santa Hustle after all.

With race time getting close, the announcer, a local Indianapolis DJ began going over some course information.  At one point he said that there was only one water station between Mile 7 & Mile 8…but he meant GU station.  And…he pronounced it G-U instead of like “goo.”  We runners all laughed and said, “He’s not a runner.”  It was funny.  With all the safety precautions out of the way, they moved the corrals up…and we were getting prepped to head on out.  And just as quickly as we had moved up…we were sent on our way…at exactly 9:00 a.m.  How’s that for timing?

I took the first part of the race easy as far as getting out of the park.  The bricks were very slick and the last thing I wanted to do was take a header into the pavement.  Either way you slice it…that doesn’t sound like fun.  And to be injured so early in a race would not due for me.  Nope, nope, nope.  So…I ran with my head here…meaning I took an easier pace…made sure my footing was sure…and  once I hit the asphalt of West New York Street, I was free to pace myself as I pleased.  Mile 1 was just ahead at that point and I was right in line with a runner who was definitely trying too hard too soon.  His arms were swinging hard and he was just pushing with all his might.  I wanted to say, “Dude…it’s only the first mile…chill!”  But, I just ran my race.

By Mile 2 however, I was cursing my decision to wear capris.  I warm up…fast.  And now I was burning up in my long sleeve tech shirt, my compression socks and my capri pants.  In fact, every bit of skin, save my face and my hands was completely covered.  And it was in the mid-50s out as far as temperature went.  I ran in races in much cooler temps in running skirts and short sleeve shirts (or even a singlet at one) and here I am covered head-to-toe.  I should have known better.  Yeah…I wasn’t happy.  As I came into Mile 3, the sun was coming up and I knew we were going to warm up.  I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and just did what I came to do…run.

The first half of the course was fairly simple and relatively flat.  There were a few small inclines, but nothing more than running over a bridge or the like.  I didn’t stop at the water stations as I had my own water and often had to remind myself to drink it.  The first candy stop on this race (the Santa Hustle Race Series offers candy and cookie stops in addition to water stops) showed up between Mile 4 and 5 and I ignored it.  Running is no time for candy…and I wasn’t sure I could eat it anyway.  Nor would I want to eat candy with so many miles still ahead of me.  I think a lot of runners were bypassing the candy, actually.  I mean…when you’re going 13.1 miles…chocolate might not sit right and why take the risk of not finishing due to a candy stop?  Not this girl.  Nope.

I made my usual internal marking of the halfway point as I ran through 6.55 miles.  I normally do this just so I know that I’m halfway there.  I’m doing good.  I’m getting there.  As I came into Mile 7, there was a Cookie Stop, which I again ignored and kept on going.  The GU station was also here.  I thought about grabbing some GU, but I had yet to even touch the one pack that I had on me.  I need to get better about fueling on the run.  I tend to ignore it because I feel good…and I wonder how much better I might do if I actually fueled properly.  And with my goal to run a marathon next year coming, I need to seriously work on that.  I might be able to run a half marathon on cereal and a banana…but a marathon…I’m thinking…NO!  Anyway, I passed it up and here was where the race sort of merged with a bike race that was going on.  I’m not kidding.

There was a race official that directed runners to stay to the right and as we are running toward this massive hill (and probably the only massive hill in Indianapolis), bikes come zipping up past us on the other side of the dividing tape.  Bikers hop off their bikes to run up this muddy incline as we runners take the road, around the bend, and up…up…up.  Oh. My. God.  Having a hill like this so late in the race is just plain evil.  But…I crested it.  Got a comment about my determination from the officer blocking the road at the top, which made me smile…and away I went.  Not downhill.  Not really.  Minor.  Nothing compared to the incline I just climbed.  But, it wasn’t up…so that was nice.  Just past Mile 8 a child was sitting on the ground and his dad was there.  The boy was clutching at his leg, so I think he may have stumbled.  The dad was on his cell phone, probably trying to get one of the ambulances on the course to head that way.  They seemed to have the situation managed…so I kept on going.

The next couple of miles felt relatively easy.  At Mile 10 I told myself all I had left was a 5K, and only then did I glance at my watch.  I was making good time.  Really, REALLY good time.  Like…better than the Hershey Half Marathon time.  If I could at least maintain my pace…I could possibly set a new PR for a half marathon.  So…I pushed on, passing up another of the candy stops and making my way back toward White River State Park.  The run was starting to feel harder now…I think the hill took a lot out of my legs.  But…onward ever onward.  Just after Mile 11, I was back in White River State Park, making my way down the sidewalks and into the last couple of miles.  And here was where some issues cropped up.  I noticed I was passing quite a few people who were walking.  I glanced quickly as I passed and noted they were wearing the red bib numbers of the 5K runners/walkers.  So, here we have half marathoners coming in at the same time as the 5K walkers.  YIKES!

I dodged who I could on the narrow paths and started into my final mile.  The last cookie stop was easily passed up.  I was tasting the finish line now.  As long as I could get through the obstacles of walkers, who would spread out across the entire path, making it hard for the half marathoners running for time to get through and pass, I was doing good.  I did the best I could in the space I was offered.  I even high-fived a little girl who held up her hand, and I rarely do that.  But…this was all about having some fun and I was in my last mile!

I started over the bridge at White River State Park, seeing the race photographers and flashing a peace sign and a smile.  Then, onward because I now knew just how close the finish line was.  I wasn’t sure Cathy would be able to spot me in the runners/walkers coming in, but she did.  She was waving my sign and shouting at me as I dodged some more 5K walkers and crossed that finish line.  I had noted the time when I crossed and when I paused my Garmin, I had to look again.  I was a good 3 minutes under my previous half marathon PR.  REALLY?  Because this race felt a lot more difficult than Hershey.  But…that’s what it said.  I received my Finisher’s Medal and began looking for my roomie in the throng of people at the finish.

Cathy came running over…”WAS THAT 13.1?  WAS THAT 13.1?”  I showed her my Garmin to indicate that it truly was.  And we both just screamed.  I made my way through the recovery area, picked up some water and a banana, and went to get my finisher’s photo taken.  Then…I found Cathy…got a hug…and was handed my protein shake.  I downed it and began the walk back to the J.W. Marriott so that I could hit up the shower, pack up, and head out to lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, where I would get a delicious gluten-free veggie burger of some sort.  I couldn’t wait.

The official results of the Santa Hustle Half Marathon are that I finished in 1:47:48, a brand new PR for a half marathon.  That is how you end a racing season, my friends!  YAY!  I was 138/941 finishers overall.  I was shocked to find out that I also placed THIRD (3/76) in my division.  I placed in a division at a half marathon!!  I was so excited and pleased.  Of course, by the time I figured this out I was already done eating lunch and the race had packed up.  I drove back to the park though, just in case.  The volunteers with the race were still there packing up, but said that the post-race stuff was already loaded up, but that they would mail me my award.  I was okay with that.

And so…there is a crazy year or running races in the books.  And I went out on a very high note.  Nothing like rounding up a year of racing with a new PR on a half marathon.  That being said, I did e-mail the race organizers about the problems with the finish and the half marathon runners and 5K walkers coming in around the same time.  So, maybe that is something they can improve on next year.  For now, I’m still smiling about this finish.  Awesome!

My next half marathon is in February…and I’m already training hard for it.

Race: Reindeer Romp 4K

Place: Louisville, Kentucky

Date: December 8, 2012

Time: 19:02

Welcome to the kick-off race for Louisville’s infamous Polar Bear Grand Prix.  I was able to participate in the Grand Prix last year and had a blast running the different races through the winter months (one race in December, one in January, one in February)…and through varying degrees of weather and temperatures.

It looked like that was going to hold true this year for the first race of the series.

The Reindeer Romp 4K is the lowest mileage of all of the races.  A 4K race (that’s 2.48 miles…but my GPS had me at 2.55 when I crossed the finish line) that runs the scenic loop of Louisville’s Cherokee Park.  We ducked out onto Eastern Parkway though near the end to loop the statue and re-enter the park before heading up toward the finish line.

Yes…up.  Remember, Cherokee Park is hilly!

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

On Friday, I was constantly checking the weather forcast.  All I knew was that we were supposed to get rained on this weekend.  A lot.  Yep.  Ugh.  Now, I do love running in the rain.  I run some of my best runs out in the rain.  But…I also have a 10 mile run for training to fit in this morning (and it’s supposed to rain!) and I was hoping to return with dry shoes.

Mother nature had other ideas.  But…at least it was only 53 degrees out.  That at least meant I could wear shorts or a running skirt.

That morning I woke up and heard the rain.  I think I might have cussed a little under my breath, but went through my usual routine of getting ready for a race.  For the most part.  I pulled out my running skirt and one of my short sleeve tech shirts.  Decided that I could run this race in cotton socks and got out my green and red striped knee-socks for the holiday spirit.  My hair extensions were green and red as well.  And, as this is one of my winter races, I opted to wear my new snowflake BondiBand.  I was a mish-mash of spring and holiday colors.  But…that’s how I roll.

It was still raining after I polished off my breakfast and started to get a change of clothes together in my running bag.  I sighed, pulled on my hoodie (so I would have a hood to keep my head dry) and my roommate and I headed out the door to get to Cherokee Park.  I never made it to packet pick-up at Fleet Feet Louisville on Friday, so I had to get my packet, my Polar Bear Grand Prix knit cap, and my Reindeer Romp ornament at the race.  Which, normally isn’t a problem.  We park at the park, I get my gear, we walk it back to the car.  No problem.

This morning…there was a problem.  The race started at 9:00 a.m.  We pulled into Cherokee Park at 8:00 a.m.  One hour prior to the race and already the lot near the shelter where packet pick-up was being held was parked up.  And all along the side leading down the hill was already parked up as well.  No room in the park for the little Corolla.  So, my roomie and I circled back through the park and I said we should just go out of the park on Eastern Boulevard and park there.  So, we did, finding a spot a good ways up…but at least parked.

This, of course, meant that we now had about a .7 mile walk up hill to get to packet pick-up.  It was sprinkling rain, lightly, so it was still a damp hike.  I was at least getting warmed up…though not the way I would like.  I didn’t want tired legs for sure.  As we were hiking up, cars were lining the entire pathway.  A traffic cop, who entered the park, got on her loud speaker and alerted drivers they could NOT park there…as it was blocking the flow of traffic and the race came through here.  Those who were still at their vehicles moved them.

We reached the top of the hill and headed to the shelter.  Off came my hood and I went to go get my race bib, hat, and ornament.  I got them without any issue and then had to find my roomie, who had wandered off somewhere in the shelter.  She saw me looking for her and waved her arms.  Keep in mind, most runners and their families/friends were all under this shelter to keep as dry as they could before the race.  I got my number pinned on and stood around for a couple of minutes before getting my stretching done.  Between the parking craziness and the hike up, it was 30 minutes until race time.  So, it was best to get warmed up now.

With 10 minutes to go to race time, the rain had stopped and I made my way out toward the starting line.  It was humid out with a light breeze.  Not cold at all.  As I found a spot near the front of the corral, I spotted my roommate in Hogan’s Fountain.  Of course.  I waved and she attempted to snap a picture around a freakishly tall man who wandered into the shot.  That always happens!

And then…the skies opened up into a nice downpour.

Oy!

Well, I guess rain is the new cold.  Because it was relentless.  Before the race even started I was soaked to the skin.  Joy…oh, joy!

And then, moments after the rain started, we were off.

I crossed the start line, started my Garmin, and took off down the hill to run a route I know by heart – the Scenic Loop.

There were a lot of runners this year at the race.  Much more than last year when I ran it.  That was evident.  And I felt like I was doing a good job, running.  Keep in mind, ever since last week, my left foot has been twinging at me.  I think I strained a tendon or something.  The fact of the matter is…it doesn’t always like it when I move.  So, I was trying to keep that in mind as I was running.  But when it didn’t even hurt with each pounding my foot took to the pavement, I figured…why not push some.

Mile 1 ticked off in 7:10.  I was moving faster than I thought.  And that’s good and bad.  That’s good, because I’m teaching myself to be somewhat competitive and actually try to move up to my capabilities during a race.   That’s bad because the second part of Cherokee Park is the one with the steep hill ascensions that are definitely no walk in the park (or run, haha) to get over.  So, when I hit those…my pace did slow, but not too much.  For that, I am proud.  I was even passing people on the hills.  WOOHOO!!  I made it up Dog Walk Hill, feeling the energy I had to put into that in my legs, which were screaming at me.  But, it was downhill, out to loop the statue and hit Mile 2 on the way back in.  I ran that one in 7:45.  And I still had the last hill to conquer.

Normally when I run the Scenic Loop with my fun run group at the local BlueMile store, this hill is the first one we take on.  It’s not as steep as Dog Walk Hill…but it does go up.  And if a race is run in Cherokee Park, it’s the last hill that takes you up to the finish line.  Yes…you do finish going uphill.  I’ve run plenty of races in Cherokee Park…but this hill always kills me.

I decided to just give it all I had.  I was just under half a mile to the finish line.  Push.  Get through it.  See how you do.  So, I began just pumping my legs to get up this incline.  I passed a couple of people, including one guy who pulled off and started walking.  The woman in reindeer antlers (who passed me at the end) encouraged him by saying “Keep going…you’re almost there!”  She was right.  I could see the shelter.  Hear the crowd at the finish.  And there was Hogan’s Fountain.  The hill leveled off and I started for that finish line.  The woman in antlers passed me up right there at the end, but I finished…and finished as strong as I could manage on my foot and in the driving rain.  I paused my Garmin and attempted to catch my breath.

I should note the woman in antlers wasn’t even breathing hard.  I shake my fist at her.  Runners who can just run a race easy and finish that early frustrate me, because I have to work so hard for it.  But…alas…

It was a good, wet, romp in the rain that morning.  Cathy came bounding over and I asked if we could get under the shelter so I could at least attempt to start drying off.  Note to self: pack a towel in the race bag.  Seriously.  Do it this time.

We headed under the shelter where most of the other finishers were loading up on water, bananas and apples.  I grabbed some water and took a seat on the bench near the snacks.  I grabbed a banana and refueled a bit after that run.  Cathy thought I might have placed in my division because I was at least in the top 15 women to come in.  So, we decided to hang around for awards and see what might come of it.

Now…this literally took forever to get to.  We had to wait for all the walkers to come in.  And by then, it was still raining, but now a wind had kicked in and I was getting cold.  There I was, sitting around in super drenched clothes…

I finally asked for my hoodie to at least put around me in an attempt to stay warm.  That helped a little.  And since she wasn’t using it, my roommate put her hoodie over my legs.  It helped…a little.  No sooner had that been done, but the race directors came over to hand out awards.  They did the overall males first, then all the division winners for the men.  So, the females were up last.  I shivered through much of the award ceremony.  My division was up.  And, lo and behold, I took third place!  I was actually shocked.  While my time was a big improvement on last year’s time…I didn’t really expect to actually place.  So proud of that.

So, the official results of the Reindeer Romp 4K are that I finished in 19:02, my new PR for a 4K race.  On hills, in rain, with a sore foot, no less!  YAY!  I was 104/796 finishers overall.  My roommate definitely called it by saying I was in the top 15 women to cross.  In fact, I was 15/429 women finishers.  And, of course, I landed 3/67 in my division!  All of this in the driving rain this morning!  NICE!  I am so proud of my accomplishment on this race, besting last year’s time and even placing in my division.  I’m improving as a runner…and I love seeing the results.

So, this morning I have a 10 mile long run to do…before getting some stuff done in town.  Then I need to clean up the apartment and prep for a holiday dinner here tomorrow.  Lots to do…and only a Sunday morning and afternoon to accomplish it in.  Oh, and it’s supposed to rain this morning too…so my long run might be…interesting.  But it has to be done as I have a half marathon next Sunday.

Looking forward to the Frostbite 5K in January now!  Polar Bear Grand Prix…we are off to a famous start!

(Ticker currently not updating…but I am at 1035.1 miles so far for the year!)

Race: Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast

Place: New Albany, Indiana

Date: November 22, 2012

Time: 38:24

A week ago, I had gone out on a five mile run, taking the route that I’ve been doing a majority of my five mile runs on…the route that the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast happens on.  And each time that I have run it, I have come up close to…but not quite beating my fastest five mile time to date, which I set back on June 16 at the Activate America 5 Miler in Frankfort, Kentucky.  I told Cathy, that morning after I got back from my run, that by next year, I hoped to run a five mile race in under 40 minutes.

She told me…I’d do it long before then.

And I laughed.  No…I literally shook my head, laughed, and went back to making breakfast.  I think I underestimate myself…

Fast forward to…Thanksgiving morning.

Now, most places on Thanksgiving have Turkey Trots and Drumstick Dashes and other fun Thanksgiving themed runs.  Here in New Albany, Indiana, we have the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast.  Which, doesn’t sound like a typical Thanksgiving run…but trust me…this happens to be THE Thanksgiving run.  I participated in it last year (finishing in 44:48), making it my first official running of this New Albany tradition.  And also lead me to discover that this is, without doubt, the least stressful race that I compete in all year.

Why?

Because it starts and finishes at the Floyd County 4H Fairgrounds…which just happen to be located across the street from my apartment complex.  On Thanksgiving morning, I can sleep in a little.  Get up in enough time to eat some cereal, change into running gear, stretch, and then step outside and walk across the street to mingle with the crowd a little, stretch some more, get accustomed to the weather (last year, I was in long pants and a jacket…this year…shorts!).  After I finish, I can just meander back to my apartment, hop in the shower, and finish getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner without feeling rushed or stressed.  Best race, logistically, for me.

And that was exactly how my morning went.  Cathy and I walked out the door about 30 minutes before the start of the race.  Already, our apartment complex’s main drive was filling up with parked vehicles of runners who were showing up for the race.  Trust me…this is no small happening.  Last year 880 people participated in the event.  This year, they were expecting a record number of runners…and the area didn’t disappoint.  The Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast brought out 960 finishers this year.  HUGE!!

And somehow, within those 960 racers, plus their friends and family who came to cheer them on…I get found by the people who spotted me in Hershey when I was there for the half marathon.  They saw the sign, once again.  Turns out they were also at the Hot Chocolate 15K as well.  They even looked for my sign…but didn’t see it.  SO funny!  I really need to get their names at the next race I participate in and see them.  Only seems right.

Anyway…it was in the mid-40s on Thanksgiving morning, so I decided I would wear shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt.  Actually, I toyed with the idea of a short sleeve tech shirt and probably would have been just fine in that.  But it was a bit chilly at the start of the race.  I just tend to warm up faster than I think I will.

Soon after I shucked my jacket and finished a few stretches, runners were already making their way up to the line of white tape that crossed the entire street that we start on.  It was just before the drive leading to my apartment complex.  Like I said…I use this route on my five mile training runs, so I felt really prepared to tackle the myriad of hills that this course would offer at different points.  Feeling so strongly about the run, I actually moved pretty far up (not in the front, mind you, but a few rows back) near the start line.  All around me, runners were talking about their plans for the day, or upcoming runs, or what they were going to have for Thanksgiving.  It was just a really good vibe and I could feel the electricity of the crowd.  It can really lift a runner up when those around them are having a good time as well.

Soon, the announcement about the start of the race was being made over the bullhorn.  Now, this is not officially a closed course, so as a personal choice, I didn’t run with my iPod or headphones.  I do believe I run better when I have my music, but I am a safety first kind of person, and while there is a police presence out there helping with traffic control…the fact that there is still traffic and vehicles that pass by, I choose not to listen to music on this run.  I didn’t last year either for the same reason.  Despite this, there was so much commotion and conversation going on with all the runners that I couldn’t hear what was being said anyway.  All I know is that the front line of runners hunched down to take their marks…so it was almost go time.

A horn sounded.  And off we went.

So, last year when I ran the Fast Freddie for the first time, I ran this route for the first time.  What I didn’t know then was how hilly this course is.  When you drive it in a car, you don’t even realize it.  But when you are racing up these inclines and hills…yeah…you suddenly take note of them.  I remembered this…and this past year have embraced running some of this course to get used to the hills.  When New Albany installed sidewalks down Grant Line Road, I could now run the entire route, safely.  And by doing so, I trained my legs not to fear those hills, but to power up them.

Within the first mile, we tackle one of the steeper ones.  This one actually comes within the first half mile.  It is so close to the start of the race that it’s enough to strike fear into some of the first-timers.  Runners are sent up an incline leading to a bridge that crosses over the highway.  I’ve done this portion of the run more times than I can count…coming from both sides of the bridge.  I do not fear this hill.  I use this as a challenge as often as I can.  And on the Fast Freddie, despite my legs being a bit cold from the slight chill in the air…I powered up it just as I would have in a training run.  I ran down the rest of Green Valley Road to the turn onto Mount Tabor.  Here we tick off Mile 1.  And it was there that I noticed the clock said 7 minutes and some-odd seconds and I knew I had gone out fast.  Faster than my training runs even.

Going into Mile 2 is a mostly flat course, with just a couple of minor, rolling hills.  Nothing that is too challenging to say the least.  It is probably the easiest of the miles to run.  The entire length of Mount Tabor Road is run, and then racers are directed onto Grant Line Road.  Here, we pass by Mile 2 and make our way to Sam Peden Community Park.  We turn onto Alex Thorn Drive and we encounter a water stop, just outside the fire department.  I bypassed it, aiming to tackle the incline leading into the park.  It doesn’t look like much…but it is quite tough to get up.  I know…I do it pretty often.

Mile 3 is halfway through the park.  Last year, this was where a horrible side stitch got me and I had to slow my pace a little until it passed.  I didn’t walk though.  This year, I flew by it without an issue at all.  I was no longer even looking at the clocks, I was just running.  Like I said, I made a point to run this course often.  The park is one of my favorite places to run anyway…especially on weekend mornings before a lot of people are up.  It’s quite and peaceful.  And with the small, rolling hills, a little challenging without being too hard.  But after Mile 3 we hit the most difficult portion of the run.

Runners leave Sam Peden Community Park via Schell Lane.  Schell Lane offers a nice variety of hills.  Not small rolling inclines.  No.  When I say HILLS, I mean HILLS.  And we get just over a half mile of them.  It’s nice, because you start off with a slight downhill.  But then you meet your first uphill.  Not much of a downhill follows that and then it’s back up a hill.  Here you do get a downhill run, but the next (and last) huge hill you run up is quite steep.  On my training runs, I always congratulate myself for reaching the top.  No…I really do.  I did the same during the race.  It’s not easy running Schell Lane.  I always tell myself when I get to that portion that it just means the worst part is almost over.

As a reward, as you head into Mile 4, you get a nice downhill run on Daisy Lane.  I love this part.  The downhill gives my legs a little bit of a reprieve, because I tend not to push on the downhills, just let myself go with the momentum, while keeping some control.  I don’t want to get injured, so I try to reign in the urge to just fly.  It levels off though and the rest of Daisy Lane means you really have to push.  But, at the end of Daisy Lane, you come back onto Green Valley Road and soon you only have the last half mile to go.

That is an amazing feeling.  If you are familiar with the area, then you know that last half mile doesn’t take too long to run.  It’s just past the Catholic cemetery, and from there, you can even see the Floyd County 4H Fairgrounds.  The finish line awaited.  So, I pushed a little more.  I pushed because last year I had so many people passing me and this year…I didn’t want that.  I pushed because I knew I could.  I’d done it before.  I’d done it countless times.  I knew every up and down of this stretch of road better than any other in New Albany.  Every outdoor run ends with this portion.  So…I ran my heart out.

I turned into the 4H Fairgrounds and could see my sign near the finish line.  Cathy was cheering me on.  I noted the clock at 38 minutes.  I was doing so much better than even I anticipated.  I gave it my all and crossed the finish line in 38:24.  I paused my Garmin and continued through the chute in the order I finished, handing off the bottom of my race bib and rounding through only to spot Cathy already waiting for me on the other side.  Biggest (and best) surprise was that she brought my water bottle with her.  She apparently saw me off, took stuff back to the apartment, grabbed some water and was back at the finish line to cheer me on.  See…it really is the least stressful race of all year.  She’ll agree with me on that in a heartbeat.  She handed me the water and took my card I was handed to fill out for a chance to win prizes in the raffle.

We decided to stick around for the raffle as well as the awards…because, despite it being Thanksgiving…I love doing that.  I grabbed a couple of extra water bottles, took a short walk, then went inside the main building of the Floyd County 4H Fairgrounds.  There were only a few people inside, so we went over to look at the records and past winners.  Then scoped out the cool trophies for the top finishers.  It was fun.  I finished all the water and we got to see the top three men and top three women get their awards.  Raffles were handed out.  I spotted Santa and got my picture taken with him.  And then age group awards were given.

Afterwards, no stress of trying to get out of a parking lot and get on the road.  We simply walked across the street and headed back to our apartment building.  From there, I took a quick shower and got to work on the vegetable dish I was bringing to Thanksgiving dinner.

Later that afternoon, the results were up on the page.  I immediately pulled them up and got to share that moment with my roommate and her family.

Official results of the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast are that I finished it in 38:24!  Yes…my fastest 5 mile time to date.  And yes, my roommate earned the right to tell me that she told me so when it came to finishing a 5 mile race in less than 40 minutes.  I figured I could do it, I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.  I was 173/960 overall; 7/79 in my division.  Results for just the women runners haven’t been posted yet.  I am surprised, to say the last.  When last year I was ranking 437 overall…jumping up to 173 is a TOTAL improvement.  In my division last year, I was 18/78 runners.  When I can compare results like that…I really can see how my training, and my podiatrist (since my injury) have helped make me a better runner.  I’ve been running outside more.  I’ve been diligent with my miles and listening to my body.  I’ve come back from a crippling injury and become a fighter and a stronger runner due to it.

And on Thanksgiving…I had reason to give thanks for the chance to be able to run…and the gift of the run.  And I’m thankful for all of you…who cheer me on either at the races, or over the miles and the Internet.

For as long as I live in this area, I intend to make the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast a Thanksgiving tradition.

And maybe…just maybe…I’ll keep on improving.