GLUTEN FREE ~ MEAT FREE ~ RUNNING FREE
It was an honor to sit down with Crystal and Tom O’Keefe for an interview about all things Peloton as well as my time in Germany, running the Berlin Marathon, and…Bradley Rose. This was one of the most fun interviews I have ever done.
Check out the episode on their YouTube channel:
You can also listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and other listening apps – you can find it by searching The Clip Out in your favorite app!!
You can also click here!
Race: Boston Marathon
Place: Boston, Massachusetts
Date: April 18, 2022
Time: 3:47:03
“The best gift in life is a second chance.”
Let’s hear it for a new course PR…by a lot! I mean…we’re talking 1 hour 20 minutes and 5 seconds difference in finish times between my 2015 Boston Marathon time and my 2022 Boston Marathon time. In 2015…I was running on a torn hip labrum. In 2022…I was healthy and feeling ready to run the course. What a difference 7 years makes, right?
But let’s not jump to the end before we start at the beginning.
On Sunday morning, I woke up in time to eat a bagel for breakfast, grab some coffee (while in Boston, get your coffee from Tatte. Don’t question it…just do it!), and get to Boston Common for the McKirdy Trained shakeout run. I wasn’t actually running, and to make myself behave, I wore jeans. BUT…I did want to go and meet up with other McKirdy athletes because…I love meeting people.
The first person I met…was Gabby. And it went from there. I had quite a few people come up to me and say that they follow me on Instagram. Enough to make my friend Heather laugh at how “famous” I am. With just over 4K followers on IG…legit not even close to Insta-famous…but it’s the thought that counts. I was in for the group shot, the trivia (I didn’t win either giveaway…dang it), and then got to take photos with my coach and the group of athletes she had there. And after that…I waved to the groups that were doing a shakeout and went to go back to my hotel room to grab the hat I bought at the expo because it was very windy and cold outside and I had a Swan Boat ride to go on.
The Swan Boats were a good way to be out in Boston but not on my feet. It wasn’t a very long ride. And it was cold. But it was fun. Afterwards, we darted over to do some shopping (and others not me because food allergies!) at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. After that, I knew I needed to go back to the hotel room to put my feet up for the rest of the day. My friend Heather and I did that, while Cathy went out to see a cemetery she had wanted to go back to from when we visited in 2015.
And so, I watched television, was amused by Heather’s shadow puppets on the wall, hydrated, snacked….and finally ordered dinner for delivery from Poke by Love Art. I ordered the Garden Special, as it was vegan. From things I have learned since then, I should have gotten extra rice and fewer vegetables that day…and honestly, should have been eating like that leading into the race since the day I landed in Boston. But I wasn’t familiar with a proper carb load until much later. I now know for later. Soon after dinner and some foam rolling…it was time to rest because the next morning was RACE DAY!!
My alarm went off at 6 am because that gave me a little over 2 hours before I had to get on the bus to head to Hopkinton. I drank a Maurten 320 at the hotel room while I got ready for race day. My roommate finished up her signs and pinned my bib on. Since I was in the Wave 3, my buses weren’t going to depart until 8:15 am. I used the bathroom a lot because I hate port-a-potties…but knew I’d have to use one at Athlete’s Village anyway. I had tried, tirelessly, to find people to ride the bus with, but never could nail down plans as others were in different waves or had other transportation.
Cathy, Heather and I made the walk over to Boston Common, expecting the buses to be loading up like they were back in 2015…but they were actually on the OPPOSITE side of Boston Common…and we figured that out by following all the other runners. Because when in doubt…
I stood outside of the security checkpoint for a few minutes to snag some photos, but it was getting close to 8 am…so I knew I’d have to go through. I lifted my trash bag and my throwaway items to show my bib and I was allowed to pass through. A girl behind me had a hydration pack and realized it was on the prohibited items list just as she was about to go through. I don’t know what happened after that…I was in and moving toward the buses.
Except they were still loading up Wave 2 (the white bibs). So, instead, I found a little curb on a corner and took a seat to stay off my feet. And that’s when my friend, Stephanie, who I met WHILE running the Monumental Marathon that qualified us for this race, found me! In this sea of people…she spotted my famous pigtails.
So, I now had a friend to ride the bus for an hour with…which was nice. She had a friend that she met at the Air BnB (I think) where they were staying. We took over the back of the bus and were able to chat and chill and get our nerves down together. The bus ride seemed so much longer than I remembered from 2015…but, honestly, there isn’t a lot I remember about that year. When we got there, we started to scout out where we could get a non-busy port-a-potty…and we spotted one across the road, but the volunteers wouldn’t let us go over there to them…so into Athlete’s Village we went.
On the way to the entrance, I was spotted by another BibRave Pro, and she took a selfie with me before hurrying on back ahead. My little group got into the village and spotted a parking lot that was lined with port-a-potties that had relatively short lines. We got into one and would hold each other’s gear while we cycled through. It was a nice arrangement. Then we settled down on the pavement to fuel (I won’t do overnight oats again as they were getting to the point where they were out of the fridge for enough time…but I ate them and hoped for the best), put on sunscreen (I had done this at the hotel…I now know to reapply), and ditch our throwaway clothes (I realize we could have kept these on longer…but didn’t remember that…so…we ditched them earlier than we needed to, but it was fine).
Stephanie and I were in the same corral, so we headed that way and decided to take advantage of one more bathroom break before getting settled into the corrals. We then got to our corral and waited for the start. We enjoyed seeing the people who lived along the start area out there day drinking and cheering all the runners on. Our wave was finally set off and we walked with the corral to the start line…and then we were off.
I thought like I was starting pretty chill. The start is always crowded and often means that there is weaving and dodging so as not to get kicked or pushed. My first mile was actually slower than it felt, especially being mostly downhill (let’s face it….it’s all rolling). My pace did pick up as runners…kind of…stretched out. Honestly, it was crowded and stayed crowded, but I felt like I had a little more space to move. I was so happy to be back on the course. Even when I had to go uphill before hitting the Newton Hills. I tried not to focus too much on my watch. The Boston Marathon was going to be run for fun…as I had an actual goal race later in the year. So, every mile ticked off and I didn’t look at my watch too much, but realize now I should have because apparently I was on PR pace for the first half. HA!
Okay…I know that Boston is a net downhill and the Newton Hills are the famous hills (Heartbreak Hill for sure) are where you hear about the hills…but there are rolling hills throughout the first half of the race. I remember at one point, maybe around Mile 10, a woman in the crowd yelled, “WELCOME BACK TO THE APRIL BOSTON MARATHON!” It made me smile. I didn’t have the chance to do the fall Boston as I didn’t have a big buffer and didn’t sign up for the virtual, for many reasons, only to find out that virtual runners did get to go and run it in person if they had qualified…but whatever. It wasn’t meant to be in 2021 for me. That was a hard pill to swallow, I admit, and I avoided social media that day in October for my own mental health, but I was proud of my friends who did complete it. I digress…
I kept a pretty spicy (for me during a marathon) pace through the first half…but I could tell I was definitely running outside of my current ability at that time. I still felt good though…and I even felt a bit of a boost as I ran past my coach at Mile 14. She sent out a cheer in my direction and I flashed her a heart symbol with my hands (honestly, we started working together in early December…so she was a big help in getting me to this point). And on I went.
Honestly, I felt really good up until the first of the Newton Hills kicked in around Mile 17. My quads honestly felt so wrecked at this point from the downhills that the uphills were just not feeling good. And so…I opted to change over to a walk on the uphills and run on the downhills method. I was a little mad that I had to take the walks, but aside from sore quads…I felt strong and capable…so I kept going.
Heartbreak Hill was my slowest mile…because it was where I had to do the most walking. At the top there is a banner that tells the runners they conquered Heartbreak Hill. From here, we go back to a more downhill than up course…and I was okay with that, but my legs were sore…and now walk breaks were happening at the water stops along the way…if not at other points. I wasn’t mad though…I was proud of myself for continuing on.
I was moving forward, and the crowds were carrying me. I was trying to make sure I was drinking water at the water stops, and except for my quads screaming at me…I felt good. I knew that I had already achieved my goal…and that was to do better than I did in 2015. It was such a blessing to see the famous Citgo sign because now I knew I was close. Just over a mile to go.
The emotions really kicked in when I made the right onto Hereford. I made the climb up that hill, feeling a wave of emotions, because I knew that the finish line was around the corner (and down the road quite a way). I smiled. I cried. I turned left onto Boylston. My legs were so sore, but I pushed. I heard Cathy and Heather screaming at me from their spot on the sideline as I ran past them. I couldn’t take my eyes off that finish line.
Crossing that finish line was emotional. I did it. I ran through, stopping my watch after I was past the photographers. I started to tear up more. I had done something that I had dreamed about doing for 7 years. I was able to run the Boston Marathon on MY TERMS. No injury dictated how I ran this time. I got to run it the best I could on the day. And I was proud of that.
I collected my medal from a volunteer. I had wanted to find a certain one who was from the HardCORE group for Peloton, but I was so done at that point. I got wrapped in Mylar and started to walk through the finish line area to make my way through to get to the reunion area to meet my friends. Soon after taking a photo with my medal with one of the photographers…I stepped past and felt really light headed. I made my way over to one of the barriers and leaned against it.
BOOM. Immediately I had medical volunteers at my side asking me what was wrong. I told them I felt light headed and one put a wheelchair behind me and the other picked me up and legit settled me into it. Then I was wheeled over to the medical tent.
The people who took care of me at the medical tent were so nice. They transferred me from the wheelchair to a little cot and wrapped me up in Mylar to get me warm. They asked me my name and confirmed that I was 41 years old. One said, “Is that why you’re dressed like Rainbow Brite.” HAHA!! They did attempt to call my roommate on both her phone and mine, but since she didn’t recognize the number, she didn’t answer (D’OH!). They said they needed me to eat something and offered me broth (not vegetarian) and chips (not gluten free)…so they settled on a banana. I did slowly manage to eat it. And after that and some water, they did have me get up and walk around. I felt much better…so they put me back in the wheelchair and discharged me.
Finally, I got to go out to the reunion area where Heather and Cathy were eagerly waiting for me. I apologized and told them I had been in medical and we all hugged and started to walk back to the hotel. This meant we also forgot to take a bunch of photos of me with my medal, but just as we neared the hotel door, Heather remembered (bless her!). So we snapped a few photos of me on the sidewalks of downtown Boston.
After that, I went upstairs to shower and to put my legs up. We had a dinner reservation that night at Davio’s with Lydia, a childhood friend of mine and Heather’s. I wasn’t really ready to eat, but I knew I needed to, so per the usual, I just ate what I felt my stomach could handle at that time. I even split dessert. I was celebrating!!
Anyway…MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Next time the goal is to finish without the need of the medical tent at the end.
So…my official finishing time at the 2022 Boston Marathon was 3:47:03. I am ECSTATIC! It took YEARS to get back here and won’t take any of that for granted. Not one bit. I was 14808/24834 finishers overall. I was the 4980/10572 woman to cross the finish line. And, I was 942/1637 in my age division. Finishing and smiling the entire way was my goal for this Boston Marathon redo…and I definitely succeeded in that. So much fun. And, major props to the medical volunteers who were wonderful and took very good care of me while I was in their care. I already can’t wait to do it again next year…which…I have could use my Monumental Marathon time for again so I’m already accepted. So…let’s go have some fun again next year, yes?
Race: Fast Freddie’s Festive Five Mile Foot Feast
Place: New Albany, IN
Date: November 25, 2021
Time: 36:19
I realize that this race took place on Thanksgiving morning, and here I am, just 5 days post-Valentine’s Day and I am just now getting this post up. But trust me…life has been crazy and busy and just…exhausting. BUT…here we go.
First of all…NEW COURSE AND 5 MILE RACE PR!! I feel like I should have been shouting this from the hills after it happened, but the weather was so terrible that day. Legit a cold and rainy morning. And, I honestly didn’t realize I had a PR until much later that evening when I was putting up my Christmas tree. Didn’t register. It was only after my training partner asked about the race that I looked up my time and went to compare it to the past few years. This beat my former 5 mile race PR (let’s face it…there aren’t a lot of those in the world) from this race in 2017. I was only a couple of weeks off running the Monumental Marathon (got a BQ but a big margin), so I hadn’t thrown in any speed workouts and wasn’t really being guided by a coach because we had decided to part ways.
I should also mention, that I ran this one, unofficially, last year virtual. It went virtual due to COVID, and since I run this route all the time…I didn’t officially sign up for the race. I, instead, ran it with my friends Melissa & Paul, who pushed a stroller on those crazy sidewalks and roads!
Woke up Thanksgiving morning to cold rain. It was still shorts weather though, so I couldn’t be too mad. This just meant that I stayed in the apartment until the very last moment. As I have mentioned in every blog about this race – the start line is basically at the base of my apartment complex. It’s the least stressful race of the year. It’s a one minute walk at most…but this year faster because rain makes me move faster.
I got down to the start line with just one minute to spare. Per usual, I let the elite runners that can run this in like 25 minutes in that first row and was somewhere around row 2-3 with the runners. I try to start as close to the start line, because while the race is now time chipped, there isn’t a start mat so the minute we are sent off…that’s it. That’s when timing starts.
I took off strong, getting passed by many but not caring, honestly. This happened every year, and for the most part, I catch up or pass at least half of the crowd. Besides, we immediately go up a hill and hills suck. But I honestly run this route a lot because it’s an easy and measured route…so I am at least used to the hills. This was a splish-splashy run for sure, and after going across the overpass I went down the hill and made my way to the stop light to turn and hit that first mile. It was faster than I anticipated, and was the fast mile of the day. After that, my legs remembered I hadn’t run fast in quite some time…but they worked hard.
Mile 2 is always where I settle in, and I did just that, running strong and doing my best to avoid puddles (because the game puddle or pothole is never a fun one!). I always feel like Mile 2 goes by fast. I think it’s more downhill and flat than uphill. But it was here and gone as I pressed on to Sam Peden Community Park. This is where I have to deal with THE HILL. It’s half a mile up to the top, where you sort of get a false flat. It was my slowest mile of the race…because hills are stupid. I climb this hill a lot in training, specifically in the summer, which at times was an ego check…but today my focus was on getting up it and getting to the next mile. I clicked it off…wand headed into the rollers of Schell Lane.
You start off with a downhill, but immediately go back up…then back down…then the hardest climb back up. This road is fun on Thanksgiving because the people who live in the houses lining the street come out and cheer. And even though it was POURING down rain…this still happened. And it made me smile. And when you smile…you run better, right? Sure. Lets go with that.
Turned onto Daisy Lane and get to go down a BIG hill. If I run UP the hill, this is my least favorite hill (which now I know is about 200 meters from doing hill repeats there). But running down is a nice speed boost and it levels out just as Mile 4 beeps on the watch. That flat stretch after that downhill always feels terrible, but the legs adjust. One more mile to go, and it’s the main road that I run (the opposite way, but still) every training run.
I was confident in my ability to keep the momentum going and I just pushed with whatever I had left. The 4-H Fairgrounds were in view and I made the turn to head into the finish line. Crossed it. I don’t even think I threw my hands up this year…I was just over being in the rain.
The award ceremony was happening much later, and with the rain and cold air, I didn’t want to stand in that any longer. My roommate agreed. I snapped a quick picture in the rain jacket she brought for me…and we headed out, crossed the road, and went home.
It was definitely still a different experience in 2021. No indoor awards ceremony because of COVID and a different place for packet pick-up. But it all worked out. And while it took me, legit, the rest of the day to realize I had a PR…I was super happy with the race, and just happy to be inside and out of the rain.
I later found out I placed in my age group. I contacted the race director, and while he wasn’t terribly happy that I didn’t stay for the awards (I host each year and usually can’t stay long after because cooking has to happen on a schedule…but he said if you don’t stay you don’t get the award…but I swear, I have picked up my mug in the past at the local running store), but he did deliver it to the local running store and I went and picked it up that day. So, I was thankful for that.
The official results of this year’s Fast Freddie Festive Five Mile Foot Feast was that I finished with an official time of 36:19…a new PR by 17 seconds. WOOHOO!! Still shocked that this race went as well as it did this past year. I felt highly under-prepared for it, but honestly, 2018, 2019, and 2021 have all happened post-Monumental Marathon. I was 81/431 finishers this year (this also means that everyone make’s the t-shirt next year). I was the 12th female to cross the finish line. And I was 2nd in my age division. You know…maybe going sub 36 in in my future? Will have to talk to my NEW coach. More on that another blog…sometime in the near future.
Race: Urban Bourbon Half Marathon
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: October 16, 2021
Time: 1:41:09
I finally returned to an in-person half marathon – and it only seems fitting that it was a local one! Hello, Urban Bourbon Half Marathon. This year, however, the race looked a little different. Because of COVID, the course and the swag that the race offered.
Packet pickup remained the same…being held at Slugger Field. This was a good, open space that allowed people to not be crowded in on each other. That was nice. I wore a mask as it was an indoor space (despite having just been boosted earlier that week), but most people opted not to. And, for the first time in the history of EVER when attending this packet pickup…I had to stand in a line. Normally I can walk right up to a table and get my bib number, wristband, and shirt. It was fine. I actually knew a few of the ladies working the tables, so it was fun to catch up while they strapped a wristband for the after party on me and assigned a bib number.
This is where my first complaint came. I thought the second line at the merchandise tent was to pick up the race t-shirt. Except it turns out that this time, we were only getting a UBHM buff in lieu of a shirt. Shirts were there to purchase, with the option of getting a phrase screen printed onto it. But the line was long and I didn’t want to pay extra for a race shirt. I usually LOVE the shirts for this race…and I did love a few of the options hanging up, but not enough to pay extra. I know some people don’t want the shirt and medal these days…but they are both things I look forward to.
Another big change was the race course. Normally this race traverses downtown Louisville and takes you into the beautiful (and hella hilly) Cherokee Park, before returning you to downtown. This year, the course ran over the Big 4 Pedestrian Bridge and into Jeffersonville, Indiana. You ran down to the Falls of the Ohio, before turning and heading back to the bridge and coming back across into Kentucky. It was fine…but those last couple miles winding up and down the waterfront were terrible. And it was a super windy day, so being right on that water with the wind wasn’t fantastic either. But I’ll get into that a little later.
Race morning. I woke up early enough to get dressed and eat something ahead of time. Then I got on my Peloton app, and did a stretch with Becs Gentry and a 5 min pre-run warm up with Adrian Williams. Then I mixed up my Maurten 160, brushed my teeth, let my roommate pin my bib on, and we were out the door and on our way across the bridge to Louisville.
Parking was super easy, as there were many options that were near both the start and the finish. Once we were parked, we stayed in the car for a few minutes before heading out, as I had to meet both the local She Runs This Town (SRTT) and BibRave people for pre-race photos. It was so much fun standing around and meeting and talking to friends and new friends. It’s one of my favorite parts of race day. And it was then that I realized…
I really missed race days.
Once photos were taken, race start was getting close, so everyone scattered to get into the corrals. I walked the long way around (I was anticipating a 1:45 finish)…and went into the corrals from the back instead of the front. Whoops. But it was fine. People were spaced out enough that moving up in the corrals wasn’t anything like 2019…where I literally had to elbow my way up to a spot further up in the corrals. So, that was nice. The Churchill Downs bugle player played the national anthem and soon…the starting pistol was fired…and we were off.
The start of the race is pretty fast. It headed straight down East Main Street, taking you out of the downtown area toward the waterfront and to the pedestrian bridge. You are heading into Mile 2 when you make the spiral climb up the ramp on the Kentucky side of the bridge. When you reach the top, it’s a straight shot across the river. The mile marker for Mile 2 was early on the bridge. I actually uncovered my watch because I had passed it and it had been longer than I expected to hear my watch beep. But the rest of the mile markers were pretty spot on.
The Indiana part of the run was pretty straight forward, and really damn flat. YAY! In fact, a good chunk of it ran the 5K course I did awhile back (which I didn’t blog about…but here we are…). You basically turn and run parallel to the Ohio River until you turned around at the Falls of the Ohio visitor’s center. It was somewhere heading out that way that the leader of the race passed going the opposite direction. He had so much space behind him. Legit…daylight. I said something to the effect aloud to the people running near me, but they didn’t seem to care about my statement. LOL! When the loop to turn around happened, the fun really started. It was at this point that, with the sun blinding me, I got SO MANY shoutouts from my friends who were racing and heading to the turn around point. I couldn’t see any of them, but I waved and woooooo’d accordingly when someone shouted my name. It was such a highlight of this race. We looped through a different section of Jeffersonville and then headed back to the bridge. This was Mile 6. I fueled here and started up the ramp to the bridge once again.
Crossing the bridge was easy. You can’t get flatter than a pedestrian bridge. The legs recovered from the climb and settled in. I was looking forward to the descent down the winding side back into Louisville. Because if you know anything about me…it’s that I love downhills. Downhill is my favorite speed. The small crowd at the bottom of said descent was amazing. Someone shouted out my bib number and told me I looked strong. Over half the race was done. Settle in. Run strong.
From here, ran up a road that was mostly open to traffic, save for a lane made with cones for the runners to run safely in. We turned and headed back on a road we had previously run heading to the walking bridge. But this time we turned and made our way up a small hill to run past Lynn Family Stadium, home of Louisville’s two professional soccer teams, Louisville City FC, and Racing Louisville FC. I’m a season ticket holder…that’s a second home, it seems.
The next stretch of race was hopping onto the Beargrass Creek Greenway. This was a shaded section on a narrower path. It had been closed for awhile, so I hadn’t run it in YEARS. But I remember enjoying it in the summer because of all the shade on those hot morning runs. You come out of there and turn right and head down a straightaway toward Mile 10. I fueled one last time before the final 5K push to the finish.
This is where it got a little crazy. The last 3 miles were on the waterfront…but this made for some confusing turns (they were labeled with yellow arrow things on the ground, but legit, some ladies just ahead of me almost went the wrong way). And no one was at the point to really direct. But, we all got it sorted and started along the path. In these last 3.1 miles, there were a lot of 90 degree turns and even some loose gravely, bumpy path. That being said, the local SRTT (She Runs This Town) chapter had some ladies at the last water stop that created a fun scream tunnel as we all came into the last 1.5 miles. That was a much-needed and appreciated pick-me-up that late in the race. I still felt amazing…so, I plugged into the final miles and before I knew it, we were turning to run up a hill and start down the straightaway to 4th Street, where the finish line was.
The crowed at and near the finish was great…and I crossed feeling amazing still and smiling. I smiled so much, because I have missed doing endurance runs. I realized, as I saw the clock though, that I was much faster than my marathon pace, and had kept it pretty steady on the final half of the run. A nice volunteer put a medal around my neck and I went to meet Cathy, grab a Kind Bar and some water and head to the after party.
The band hadn’t started just yet, but there was pizza and beer. I can’t have either, so I gifted mine to Cathy. She gladly enjoyed both of those things. We headed back to see about getting my medal engraved and discovered that I had come in 2nd in my Age Group. I rarely place in races that are half marathon or marathon distances. So that was a nice surprise. With the medal engraved, I went to stand in line to buy a t-shirt, but then opted against it.
I was getting chilled just standing there in the wind, and we had some errands to run, so we left as the after party was starting up to hike back to the car. Honestly, the years I have done this and stuck around to enjoy more of the after party…it’s a fun time. It’s a great time to meet back up with friends post-race.
In the past, age group winners were given a custom bourbon-themed award. This year they were given a voucher to get something from the t-shirt booth. Since I didn’t stick around, I never got mine and I was going to say no one reached out to me about it. But this week, I received an email from the UBHM asking those who weren’t able to stick around for the awards to email them and they would get us in touch with someone at the company. They did that, and I am currently still waiting to hear back from Fine Design (the company that did the merchandise). So we shall see if I hear back.
So, my official results of the 2021 Urban Bourbon Half Marathon are that I finished in I finished in 1:41:09. I was definitely running it faster than my coach wanted me to, but I never felt like I was pushing it. I felt like it was comfortable and occasionally comfortably hard. Maybe I am fitter than my summer running made me believe. I was 146/1755 finishers overall. I was the 31/929 female finishers. And I was 2/251 in my age division (which went 41-50 and not the standard 5 years). Very proud of the way I ran this race and how I felt the entire time. I dialed in my nutrition and hydration and felt amazing the entire time. While I am kind of over the Kentucky/Indiana combo races, I get why I had to happen that way this year. I hope to return to a more traditional course next year. Fingers crossed.
Race: The Parklands 5K Walk & Run
Place: Louisville, KY
Date: June 12, 2021
Time: 23:10
I raced. I raced in a non-virtaul, real life, in person race!
HOLY MOLEY!
It has, legit, been…19 months since I raced all out in any distance. It’s been 16 months since I participated in an in-person racing event. And, wow, have I ever missed it! I never got nervous or felt like I needed to prove myself to anyone. I just wanted to get out there and run hard and have fun. I never once stopped smiling. Even when it was 80° F out at the start. I knew going into this that this wasn’t PR weather…at least not for me. So I was just going to push myself more than I would if I were doing speed work on my own and hope for the best. So, yeah…I wore that smile the entire time.
While the race did offer an option for race-day packet pick up, it was encouraged that runners stop by the PNC Pavillion at Beckley Creek Park on Friday to make race day a little less hectic and easier for everyone. I ended up leaving work a little early on Friday to make this happen. It took about 30 minutes to get out there, but the packet pickup process was smooth and easy. Louisville Running Co Owner, Michael Clemons, recognized me on sight (Cathy said some things don’t change…people just know me in this area) and made the process super quick, writing my start time (I went with the first wave at 8 am, hoping to run with fast people and hopefully have the coolest temperatures of the morning at the start) on the back of my bib before handing me a t-shirt and an envelope with race information and some goodies from The Parklands. Got back into the car for the ride home, and of course ordered my Magic Sushi for dinner that night.
I had to wake up early on race morning to not only get into my race outfit and gear, but to bathe in some sunscreen as well. If you think I’m being sarcastic, guess again. I wear sunscreen every time I go out for a run in the daylight. I never get a Garmin tan line like many runners brag about in the summer because, let’s face it, tan skin is damaged skin. So, on went the sunscreen…and then I ate a little something with my vitamins and then got to stretching. My roommate woke up soon after I finished that up and ate her breakfast while I made her some coffee and then went to make a few minor changes to my running outfit for the day. I brushed my teeth. I went to grab a banana from the kitchen. My roommate grabbed the donkey race sign (IYKYK). And we were in the car and making the drive from home to Beckley Creek Park in The Parklands. We got there and had absolutely no trouble getting parked. I ate the banana and took…you guessed it…a power nap!
I did eventually have to get out of the car, shed the t-shirt I was wearing to keep from freezing in the car air conditioning, and get a little acclimated to the outdoor temps that morning. We had about 15 or so minutes until the start of my wave. I should probably mention that the race was using a wave start, so a wave of up to 40 runners would go off every 5 minutes. Cathy and I went to look at the start and finish area so that she could get an idea of where she wanted to stand for the start and finish. While we were waiting, my friend Dennis, who talked me into doing this 5K, arrived. He was starting at 8:15 so he got to see me start and I got to see him finish. As I said, because of the heat and humidity that morning, I didn’t have an specific time goals, but told Cathy I would be happy if I came in around 23 minutes (my 5K PR was set in 2013 at the Pro.Active for Life 5K in Frankfort, KY).
Cathy suddenly alerted me that it was almost time for my wave to go off. I didn’t even realize how close to the start time it was. I still had to turn on my Garmin and get it ready to go. Luckily, it found it’s satellites pretty quickly. They made the call for the 8 am wave to line up on the left hand side of the street (making sure we understood that we were running out on the left hand side and returning on the left hand side). Michael Clemons went to get on the bike to lead the first wave out on the course. And the countdown from 5 seconds started, the horn blared, and we were off!
I legit just went for it at the start. I bounded over that start line and focused on just pushing myself. I knew I was going to be running with a lot of very fast, very talented people. I also know, from pacing a race that started in this park, that we have a few bridges that come at us in the form of hills, that aren’t exactly easy climbs. But I’ve also been running hills on pretty much every run I go on in training. There is no avoiding them around here, to be honest. I felt strong and confident and ready to just leave it all out there. I rounded the corner and was greeted with that very first hill. They do slow me down, but I kept pushing, because my specialty is, and will always be, that downhill. I gained some ground there and kept my feet turning over as much as I could. The second hill came in this first mile as well. There was a water stop at the crest of it, but I powered through, hitting that downhill and cruising through the first mile. I was slower than I had hoped to be at that point (I didn’t know until after the race because I don’t look at my watch…because I’ll stress out if I do), but I wasn’t dying in the heat. The run out to the turn around point was without shade, but it felt flat. I made the tight turn and started back toward the start. Halfway through.
It was fun to see the runners coming up onto the turn around point because we could cheer each other on. I knew that once I got back up the hill to the water stop, that we had to hop off the asphalt and onto the concrete of the Louisville Loop. I crested the hill, feeling the heat and fatigue setting in. But it was down a hill. And right at the Mile 2 marker, I passed the woman who was right in front of me. Did I mention that I love a good downhill? I figured she would catch me when things flattened out, but I never saw her again after that. I just focused on following the guy in front of me as we pounded down the concrete and baked in the hot sun.
One more hill. I struggled on this one. But I got up it and came down the other end, passing the guy that had been in front of me as I did so. Downhills are my jam! I turned the corner to head into the finish line. Cathy was screaming at me to run. I could hear the guy I just passed at the Mile 3 sign trying to get past me again. I don’t like getting outkicked at the finish line. It happens to me a lot because I usually just don’t have that finisher’s kick. But I found one more gear and managed to hit that finish line just before he did. Arms up in the air. Still smiling.
I got my finisher’s medal and went to drink some water while waiting for Dennis to finish. He knew the heat was going to be a factor today, but he was going to go for a PR anyway. I love that about Dennis. He will always just run as hard and fast as he can for as long as he can. No fear. No worries. It seems so easy for him. I envy that. I got to ring a cow bell as he came into the finish, not sub-22, but still sub-23. Win!
So, my official results of The Parklands 5K Walk & Run are that I finished in I finished in 23:10. I was 26/438 finishers overall. I was the 6/240 female finishers. And I was 2/27 in my age division. I couldn’t wait around that morning for the age group awards, so I’ll have to go and pick mine up next week at Fleet Feet. This was a good return to racing for me. This was a good confidence builder.
I can’t wait to do it again! And do it faster next time. I know I’m older. I know I have a problematic hip at times (thanks hip labrum tear in 2015). But I know I can get a PR in some distance this year. It’s time some of those old records fall.
Yep. I bought a Peloton. I had every intention of getting a cheaper bike and just using the app…but I did the research and decided I wanted the actual bike. It had everything I wanted in a spin bike. And, let’s face it…I missed my spin classes.
I am, most definitely, a runner first and foremost. But this season of Covid-19 has brought about a lot of downtime for me. While I was certainly not over training or doing too much…some old niggles and injuries reared their ugly heads. This meant a trip to physical therapy…up to the point my insurance company refused to pay for anymore. UGH. But, I got back to the road and soon…my body was starting to feel itself again. I was starting to get stronger. My speed was coming back (when I opted to push it…which hasn’t been much since the start of the pandemic, to be honest). I wasn’t training for races…and I never all-out push a virtual race because there are no closed courses and things are just…different.
But then, one early morning when…I headed out for a run and my headlamp wasn’t charged. It had been the week prior (which I hadn’t had to use it much due to having time off work for a staycation (because Berlin was no longer happening). Not having to be in the office at a certain time meant that I could run in the daylight. I love doing that now. But the following week, I was back to my office and back to dark runs. When the headlamp wasn’t working I figured I’d be fine. I run these roads all the time. But less than 2 miles into my run, on a dark side road nearby…my foot hit a rock I didn’t see in the road, twisted, and down I went. I didn’t get too scraped up…but my ankle sure was sore. When I got home, my ankle was pretty shads of purple and swollen. Ice, compression, and time off…and a call to my orthopedic doctor. They put me in with their podiatrist…and sure enough…Grade 2 sprain in my left ankle. Good times.
It was that week that my roommate finally agreed to get the bike I had been asking for…every day…for over a year. That’s not a joke. Every. Day. With the pandemic still going, and the likelihood that we will be going back to the gym not looking promising…she couldn’t find a reason to not go ahead and get the Peloton. With winter coming…we’d need something to do in the cardio department if the roads and temperatures were not good for running. We are already doing strength training…but now we also have that option on the Peloton app as well.
Peloton had just put out the new Bike+, which meant they discounted the cost of the regular model. We also figured out that if we got it with the accessory pack that came with shoes, headphones, and weights…without the mat…and bought the mat separately…we’d save another $40. And, my friend had a referral code that got me another $100 off. (I now have a referral code so if you’ve been considering a Peloton…I got your back and will put it at the bottom of this blog). Because we opted for the older model, we also had the bike delivered within 11 days of ordering. No long wait at all. LOVE IT.
So, the bike delivered and we got it placed behind the couch (where it may or may not stay…we’re still playing around with it). My friend, Deana, who has been praising the Peloton bikes for awhile, texted me and wanted to do my first ride with me. She had a Prince ride picked out and I was here for that! So, I got home, got changed, and hopped on the bike for the first time. Clipping in was difficult at first, but I now have that figured out. I still struggle a little with clipping out, but I’ve managed to do it successfully twice. While we did the Prince ride (Warm-Up, Ride, Cool Down, & Stretch)…Deana was texting me with tips, and lots of information about different instructors and rides that she really enjoys. Immediately…I was hooked. I couldn’t run at the moment…but now…now I could at least ride.
I have done over 50 rides since October 13 when I got the bike (the warm up and cool down rides are counted in that…and I do one of those anytime I get on the bike). With so many different types of classes and instructors…you really don’t ever get bored. I even got talked into doing the October PeloFondo with some friends of mine…and so one day I rode 50 miles…only 5 days after getting the bike. If I haven’t been a regular at spin classes 2-3 times a week since 2014…this would probably seem excessive. But…I’ve been using indoor cycling as cross training for A LONG time now. Just this week, I went ahead and did my FTP Test so that I could work within specific power zones should I so choose. And I will retest in a couple of months to see if my fitness has improved any.
Honestly, I don’t know where I would be without my Peloton bike right now. I am going to be easing back into running, but I have no intentions of letting that bike sit. Nope. I am still going to use it…and the app. The app, by the way, has a huge selection of workouts that go beyond cycling. There is running, yoga, walking, boot camp, strength training, meditation, outdoor guided runs and walks (I have done a few of those), etc. I even have started doing 5-10 minute meditations before bed…which has really helped me settle in and get some restful, deep sleep.
Why did I wait so long to do this?! Peloton really is a lifestyle…and I’m so happy to be a member of the Peloton Family. While I have only had the bike almost three weeks, I already feel like I have gotten my money’s worth. I even have started to put together my favorite classes and instructors (but I’m still working through them). That will be for another blog.
So, my Peloton is named Flynn…that IS a TRON reference for all you 80s nerds out there (I am obviously one, HA!). And if you have been wanting to pull the trigger on an indoor bike…you might as well get the Cadillac of indoor bikes, right? No buyers remorse here…I’m one happy girl.
If you have been wanting to pull the trigger on getting a Peloton for yourself…please get yourself $100 off by using my code:
Disclaimer: I received a pair of Knockaround Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
If you know me well, you know that I am very particular about my sunglasses. I have a head that, sadly, doesn’t play nice with hats and eye wear all the time. So, I am not one to dive in and blindly try something that I haven’t had a chance to put on my face to see if I like it or not.
But…this time…I did.
I was given the opportunity to try out a pair of Knockaround Fast Lane Sunglasses. And, in doing so, I was taking a chance that I would look like a complete dweeb in the process. But, hey, these are crazy times…might as well live a little, right? I made a point of selecting the brightest, most colorful pair I could find in the Fast Lane selection: Neon Summer.
These came into my possession JUST before the world shut down. Literally. I opened up the tiniest shipping box I had ever received and inside were these beautiful, bright glasses, staring right back at me. Literally. As the lenses are mirrored. Not just mirrored, but mirrored in this gorgeous aqua color. I was a fan of the bright neon pink frames with the loud and proud yellow arms that screamed “CHILD OF THE 80’s” like you’ve never imagined.
As someone who is a child of the 80’s for real (like…born in 1980), this made me beyond happy. And…I immediately had to put them on. I was already getting that nervous feeling…because I didn’t want to fall in love with a product that didn’t look good with my face shape.
BUT…they looked great!! The felt great. I wore them home that day from the office. And then the following day…I was stoked to take them out on a run to see how they held up to my road running adventures.
Here’s what I love about Knockaround Fast Lane Sunglasses…
As you can tell, I went into this wanting to hate the sunglasses…but quite the opposite happened. Instead…I found a brand of sunglasses that I love to wear. In fast, I have already ordered two more pairs. One was in their big (Stay) Home (You’re Not) Alone 40% of sale…which also included the option of using the BibRave Discount as well. So, I bought a pair with the colors of my local professional soccer team.
And then I customized another pair…and those are going to be on their way to me in no time. The moral of the story is…big things come in little packages. If you’ve been searching for a good pair of sunglasses for your runs, walks, hikes, or maybe a future trip somewhere…you can’t go wrong with Knockarounds.
And if the Fast Lane style doesn’t speak to you, they have numerous other shapes and designs…and an option to design your own!! WHAT?! Yep…customize your own pair of sunnies!! Now we’re cooking with gas!
Head on over to Knockaround‘s Web site and go find your perfect pair…or design your own. But…I’m a forever fan of living my sunniest days…in the Fast Lane.
Want to hear what other people are saying about the Fast Lane’s? Let a few other BRP’s shed some (sun)light on the subject:
“Disclaimer: I received a pair of Nabee Compression Socks to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!”
If you know me…you know that I don’t leave for a run, whether it’s one mile or 26.2 miles, without wearing compression sleeves or socks. I’ve been doing it since 2012 and it’s been a part of my running uniform ever since.
I didn’t think there was a brand out there I haven’t tried. And then…Nabee Compression Socks were sent my way. Fun fact for these days of quarantine, social distancing, and honoring our health care workers…Nabee Compression Socks were invented by a nurse. Don’t immediately think that these socks are only for nurses, however. These socks are also perfect for athletes, frequent fliers, as well as servers, teachers, speakers, performers, or anyone else who spends a good amount of time on their feet. They offer two different levels of compression too, starting with 15-20 mmhg up to 20-30 mmhg.
I had a lot of different fun colors and designs to choose from, but I really wanted to represent my Irish routes. I got the Shamrock socks (20-30 mmhg compression). I LOVE them…and I wear them even though St. Patrick’s Day is long past. Shamrocks are good year round, and let’s face it…we could all use a little bit of luck these days.
My first impression after taking them out of the packaging was just how SOFT these socks are. Usually, compression sleeves and socks tend to have this feel of stiffness to them. But these made me really excited about getting them on my feet and legs. These socks also have a seamless toe and added arch support for running! They feel good. But I definitely wanted to put them to the test.
So I took them out for long runs. I took them out for short runs. I wore them for recovery runs. I wore them for speed work. And I never stopped loving the way these socks felt and how I felt wearing them. And yes…I even wore them for recovery! I had many nurses comment about them when I would post on my social media, so I hope they took advantage of the one time discount that they gave to BibRave.
I know I did!! Yep…I loved these socks so much I went ahead and ordered another pair!! I went with the Celebration Socks this time, which had fun stripes of white, electric blue and hot pink. They were SO me! I didn’t have to order another pair, but I am SOLD on these. They are not just fun and fashionable, but they are effective and…above all else…comfortable!
If you have tried compression before or been on the fence about trying compression, I would definitely send you to Nabee Socks. Honestly, the company is great…and the product they put out there is now one of my favorite parts of my running gear!
Want to give Nabee Compression Socks a try? Use “BIBRAVE20” and get 20% off your order. This code is good for ONE TIME ONLY!! Also, Nabee Compression Socks is currently donating 2 pairs of their socks to frontline healthcare workers for every pair they sell. There’s a little bit of extra motivation!
See what other BibRave Pro’s are saying about Nabee Compression Socks:
Disclaimer: I received a Handful Y-Back Bra to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
One thing any woman will tell you is that finding that perfect sports bra that is a perfect mix of style, fit, and work with whatever your activity and activity level is might be one of the most difficult things to do. At least, for me it has been a challenge to find a sports bra that won’t leave me chafed around the middle.
And then…Handful came into my life.
The first thing that drew me to Handful was the support they give to Breast Cancer Warriors and Survivors. My mom battled breast cancer last year and came out on the other side as a beautiful survivor. Handful gives 12.5% of revenue from their Battle Cry Pink bras year round to YSC® (Young Survival Coalition) in recognition of the 1 in 8 women (12.5%) who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. And, for any woman who loses a breast to cancer, Handful provides FREE pad sets that can be stacked and used as prosthetics in any of their pocketed bras.
And if that isn’t amazing enough…Handful prides itself on the Fashion, Function, Feel, Fun, and Fight in their products. This is what they call their High Five and it is the foundation of their company and products.
When my Handful Bra arrived in the mail on a Thursday and I couldn’t wait to open it up and check it out. It would have to wait for the test runs that weekend, as Friday’s are always my rest day.
First impressions:
So, I had to wait a day before trying out the bra, but that entire weekend I was going to put it to the test. I had a 10 mile run on Saturday, and a 16 mile run on Sunday. This would be a good way to put this bra to the test.
My findings:
There is no doubt that Handful has become my favorite bra in my lineup. In fact, I’m tossing my old ones and ordering a variety of these so that I exclusively wear them. That’s how impressed I am with it. And, of course, in honor of my mom…I’ll definitely be getting quite a few in Battle Cry Pink!
See what other BibRave Pro’s are saying about the Handful Bra!
Stephanie / Vanessa / Mai / Danielle / Montana / Kim / Lissa
I don’t know how I made it through these last 20 weeks, but with that said…race week has arrived. I’m both nervous, excited, anxious, and calm. How is it possible to feel all the things and remain sane? Well, the vote is still out on that whole remaining sane thing. HA!
This was definitely a week to turn it down. And my coach gave me specific instructions that he didn’t want me to take a complete back seat this week, but I could move or change whatever I needed to going into it. I didn’t change a damn thing. I did, however, knock my recovery runs down one mile and made sure to keep that pace nice…and…easy. The last thing I wanted was to go into race morning with lactic acid hanging around in these legs. NOPE NOPE NOPE!
As I mentioned previously, my coach does an untraditional taper. He does lower mileage (although I was in the 60s, 50s, 40s for the last three weeks)…kinda. He makes a lot of it all about that speed work. Getting those legs to fire…right at the end of a run…when they are the most exhausted. But this week really didn’t have too much on it. My longest run was 7 miles, and that was the ONLY one that really had a speed element to it. And it was a 4 mile fast finish. Other than that…strides on the last day I ran before the race. But I’ll cover all of that in this week recap.
It’s race week…let’s go!
Monday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.
I love that even in taper, my coach trusts me with “Choose Your Own Adventure” runs. Knowing that this is race week, I really wanted to make my primary focus recovery. I want to hit that start line feeling fresh and ready. I was stressing over the forecast a little too much, because it looks like this will be my coldest marathon I have run. Thanks to Canada and this arctic blast that is attacking our nation. HA! Anyway, I woke up to weather JUST above freezing. So it was a long sleeve, capris kind of a run. I didn’t wear my Dunkin’ Donuts hat…don’t know why. I just didn’t. And the legs did a little shakeout. They felt good for a Monday. I opted to do 4 instead of my usual 5 miles…and somehow snagged some negative splits in the process. I called it a day. No personal training. Just my normal PT stretches. I didn’t even do the additional hip strengtheners this week, not wanting to accidentally tweak something. Simple. Basic. Got it done.
Tuesday: INSTRUCTIONS: 5-8 MILES WITH 3-5 MILE FINISH AT MARATHON PACE – GOAL 6.5 MILES – EASY DOES IT UNTIL THE FAST FINISH AT THE END
I woke up on Tuesday morning to 50 degree weather. Yep. From 33 degrees Monday morning to 50 degrees on Tuesday. Fun times. I knew he gave me the option of 8 miles…and if this was training on a normal week and I was feeling good…I might have pushed for it. BUT…it’s taper. It’s race week. I don’t like half miles…so I rounded up to 7…and I opted to go right in the middle with that fast finish, doing 3 easy miles and pushing pace on those last 4. It felt hard. It shouldn’t have felt hard. But, I did at least get it done. My sinuses were having a fun reaction to the yo-yo temperatures, so that was fun. Other than that…I took it for what it was. Finished as strong as I could for the day, then went inside to shower and just do my usual stretching. Keeping it nice and easy. Oh, and I went and voted. Because that needed to happen!
Wednesday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.
Second verse, same as the first. My only other “Choose Your Own Adventure” run for the week. Happy to have had 2 of these. I opted to do 4 again, unless I just wasn’t feeling it. That’s the glory about these…I control them. I did make a note to back off on pace and just let the legs work a little less. My last 2 miles were much quicker than my first 2 miles, but that’s because it took me 2 miles to feel warm. Isn’t that fun. OH…did I not mention that the temperature dipped back down to just above freezing again? Another morning with 33 degrees. Oh…joy. And the fact that I went from a warm apartment to run and it took me 2 miles to get my legs going was a bit of a concern. I just tried very hard not to let it get into my head. I did my stretches twice that morning. And I foam rolled before work. After work, I had a sports massage and I was so thankful for that. Basically all that is holding me back right now is the weather.
Thursday: BASE FUN 4-8 MILES + 4-6 STRIDES – GOAL 6 MILES – EASY OVERALL EFFORT
It was another rainy Thursday morning. Just like last week. UGH. MEH. BLAH. I originally had thought about just doing the run on the treadmill, but I can’t do strides on the tready. Nope. So…I opted to just go and get it done. It never stopped raining on me…but thankfully, we were back up to 50 degrees. WHAT THE HELL WEATHER?! So, I definitely didn’t want to push anything. Not even the hills I go up and down. This was one of my slowest training runs to date. And some of it might have been fear of slipping on the wet pavement and falling. I won’t lie. But I really just wanted it all to feel super easy. It didn’t. I blame the rain. But, I did get in 6 miles. See…I was given the option of going up to 8…but I really am doing JUST what needs to be done this week. I reset for strides and pushed those legs on some short sprints…then went inside to take a hot shower, stretch, and get to work. I met my friend, Melissa, for coffee after work…and she gave me my start line pep talk just in case she couldn’t get that out at my start line. I appreciated it. Went home to eat dinner. Was supposed to pack. Didn’t pack. Went to bed by 8:30…because I really wanted to get some quality sleep knowing that I probably won’t sleep much on Friday night.
Friday: REST/RECOVERY DAY!
Thank God for small miracles. I woke up at normal time…of course. I didn’t set an alarm. I just woke up. So I lounged and dozed and finally got up at 5 am. I showered. I stretched. I was thankful to not have to do one single mile today. I was thankful that it was 26 degrees outside and I got to stay inside, stretch, hydrate, and sit under my snuggie, working on this blog. That’s what I did. I eventually made breakfast and my roommate and I got to packing…pretty much every option for any scenario on race day. I still don’t know what I should or want to wear during the race. We haven’t had weather this cold yet here…so I am at a total loss. Not to mention, I have never run a marathon or a long distance run in temperatures like this. It doesn’t sound fun. It’s producing a lot of anxiety…but we’re working through it. We had to wait for Dragon King’s Daughter to open so I could order my “magic sushi” to take with me to Indianapolis. Then we hit the road to get up to Indy, check into the hotel, and hit the expo. The rest of the time, I was going to spend in the hotel…rolling, stretching, and keeping myself off my feet. I wanted to feel good Saturday morning.
Saturday: CNO FINANCIAL GROUP INDIANAPOLIS MONUMENTAL MARATHON
Goal: Qualify for Boston – needed 3:40 time.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Finished in 3:35:13.
More to come in actual post race recap! This girl is going back to Boston in 2021! This is my second fastest marathon…EVER. This beats out my 2nd marathon, the Marshall Marathon, by about 42 seconds. Super proud. Super sore. But my day didn’t end with that finish line. Then I went and sat outside in Indianapolis for the USL Eastern Conference Finals between the Indy Eleven and…Louisville City FC. We won. In overtime. It was a long day of being cold.
Sunday: REST/RECOVERY DAY!
I just can’t sleep the night after I run a marathon. I was up until after midnight, watching Mindhunter (finished Season 2) and was still NOT tired. I tossed and turned all night. Finally got up and decided to finish this blog. Will take a short 20 minute walk on the hotel treadmill this morning before grabbing breakfast, packing, loading up the car, and heading out for some shopping and lunch (you know I’m going to Woody’s). Then, the long car ride home to Louisville, where I still need to buy groceries, meal prep, and all the usual stuff. This coming week will bring my 20-30 minute walks (just like I did post Glass City Marathon in April). I want to get back to spin classes…all the stuff I stopped doing when marathon training took over my life. Looking forward to this recovery time while I make plans for 2020, which now doesn’t need to include a marathon!
The Celiathlete 