I haven’t blogged on it yet…but it’s coming. I just need more time in my days to get my thoughts down.
Two weeks ago. And I have been taking my time returning to my training.
I’m not forcing myself to go out there for double-digit runs at the moment. I’m not forcing speed work on myself. I’m running by feel, fewer days a week than normal, not worrying over how long I’m out there or how far I go.
I’m recovering.
So many of my friends are shining in races. Some of them also had hard efforts in marathons. But, to me, it’s not about how many races I do…it’s about being able to do the number of races I register for…comfortably, without pain, without injury, without burnout…
I don’t wear race volume around my neck as a bragging right. I don’t care how many races I have run or of what distance each one was. Every finish is a victory. Every race is a victory lap for the training I put into it. And part of training…is taking the necessary time off to get my body strong, rested, and prepped for the next training cycle. I’ve done the whole rush into the next thing route before…and we all know how that turned out for me. So many people overlook the downtime and recovery…and I used to be one of them.
NOT. ANYMORE.
It’s so hard, these days, to keep this in perspective. Social media has a funny way of making you feel inadequate. Someone is always running more, running faster, running further, hitting goals you’ve dreamed of but have fallen short of for months/years. But, in the end, we can only do what is best for ourselves. No one else.
This past weekend, I was in Columbus, Ohio, visiting my friend Jenn and seeing Phil Collins in concert on Friday night. I had some late nights…I slept in each morning. And…I put in some miles each morning. One was mild and windy, the other was frigid and also windy (but less windy, I guess). I never once looked at my Garmin to check my pace. I just counted each mile beep until I hit the miles in my made-up plan.
Each run was solid and strong and amazing. I mean, I was having fun, even when the headwind felt like it was pushing me back. I got inspired when I hit up the Columbus Marathon expo, purchasing more things than I should of from the booth, and stopping by Noxgear to say HI to the people there…and get my hands on their new product, which hasn’t launched to the public yet. Watch my social media for more on that.
I ate well. I stretched. I foam rolled. All the self-care stuff that comes with recovering from a hard effort.
So while others are stocking up on medals and miles, I’m cheering them on, but not rushing to join them. I never want to be out for as long as I was in the past. And with these solid recovery runs coming so easy…I’m proud to say, I think this time, I’m doing it right.
The number of races I do is nothing compared to the number of races I will continue to do, simply by respecting this body.
Being a runner isn’t about the number of races I finish. I know plenty of real runners who aren’t even interested in racing. I love racing. It’s fun. But I don’t care if I’ve run 1 or 100 races…as long as I’m still enjoying it and listening to my body so I can continue to do it.
“There is no way you’re not going to Boston Qualify.”
“The only way you won’t BQ is if you get hit by a car.”
“Look at what you did at Dopey…this one will be easy!”
ALL. THE. WORDS.
And while I appreciate that people have confidence and faith in me…there were a few things I was contending with…
I didn’t have a coach or…technically…a plan starting in August, when marathon training was really getting heavy. I figured it out by turning back to an old training plan from 2013 and making adjustments.
I didn’t feel like I was in shape, personally, for my goal. After all, my longest run in my training plan didn’t go well at all. It ended with me walking my last 1.3 miles of it to hit the mileage and almost passing out thanks to the heat. Let me tell you, that really did little to boost my confidence at all going into the taper and the race itself.
I still feel out of shape.
And…disappointed.
With myself. With letting those who believed in me down. For not doing what others did that day. For feeling like an absolute failure every time I hear the success stories of those who ran the same race at me…but achieved their goals. For letting myself down.
Maybe I didn’t want it enough. Maybe running without my watch telling me pace and distance was a mistake. Maybe I didn’t spend enough time off my feet the day before. Maybe I didn’t fuel right that day or at dinner the night before. Maybe I didn’t wear the right thing for the weather. Maybe I didn’t fuel enough during. Maybe…maybe…maybe.
Excuses? Reasons? Justifications?
It doesn’t undo how much it hurt to know that I didn’t achieve a goal that I was told was going to be so easy for me to get this time. It doesn’t undo the fact that I ran a marathon in January an entire minute faster after running a 5K, 10K, and half marathon in the 3 days leading up to it. It stings. It hurts.
I am very proud of my finish, please don’t get me wrong. But it feels like such a let down because, while I wasn’t actively proclaiming my goals from the rooftops…I carried all these high hopes with me. They drove me. They pushed me. And in the end…I still came up short. By a bigger margin than it should have been.
And that’s a hard pill to swallow at times.
Still.
Even today.
I am okay with how my race turned out…but I’m not satisfied. And I’m not happy. I know, just like everyone who told me, that I have at least one more BQ in me. It just wasn’t this race. It wasn’t my time. And it’s okay for me to not be okay with it. But it’s not okay for me to dwell on it. Or to let disappointment hold me back.
After all…I still have goals to meet.
I am proud of every finish line because, ultimately, my goal is always to finish. Sometimes it feels easy…and sometimes it’s a struggle. I still believe every struggle and every shortcoming is a learning experience and something to grow from and improve on. So, while it didn’t happen this time…and perhaps might not happen next time, I’m driven and striving to get there and make it happen. I know it will. I’ll chip away until I reach that goal.
For everyone who believed in me then…believe in me now. I’m not done yet.
Tomorrow, I’m making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I’m homebound….
Sorry. I really am someone who can turn a statement into lyrics without even trying. It’s a gift.
For real though…I’m making my way up to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow. And…it may not be why you think.
Yep…it’s Columbus Marathon/Half Marathon weekend. And yes…I’ll be in Columbus. But I’m not racing. I’m not even registered for the races. Why am I in a city with a major event going on but not taking advantage of the chance to add to my race medal collection?
Because I’m seeing Phil Collins.
Yep…Sussudio…In The Air Tonight…You’ll Be In My Heart…used to head the band Genesis…Phil Collins.
And that’s pretty exciting to this girl who owned like…every album he put out growing up. I mean…I saw Rod Stewart & Cyndi Lauper earlier this year…and have Elton John next week…
How old am I?
HA!
I also get to hang with my friend Jenn…who it feels like I haven’t seen in ages. And Cathy is insisting on a trip to Schmidt’s Sausage Haus while we’re there. They are home of the 1/2 pound cream puff and a variety of sausages. None of this applies to me, mind you. But, don’t worry…I’ll eat a salad and/or some of the sides there. I won’t starve. And I’ll devour all the Pink Salad I can get my hands on at Jenn’s. YUMMY!
All that being said…YES…I will at least stop by the expo and scope out the booths and the vendors and wish people luck. I mean…I’ll be in town. I might have to do some shopping there too. The rest of the weekend…well, we’ll see what we feel like doing. I’m sure a few Half Price Books stops are going to happen for sure.
Can’t wait to hit the road tomorrow. And, yes…being me…I’ve packed a dinner so as not to have to stop. If the traffic gods are with us…we will have time to swing by Jenn’s house and drop stuff off before heading to the concert. Otherwise…we’ll see her afterwards.
Did I mention it feels like ages since we last hung out?
Time to get those Weekend at Jenn’s rolling again. It’s a good escape.
My Garmin Forerunner 935 sometimes expects great things of me…and other times blocks out the fact that I’ve been recovering from a hard effort and calls me “UNPRODUCTIVE” or tells me I’m “DETRAINING.”
Considering that it thinks I can cut about 2 minutes off my 5K PR, 2 minutes off my 10K PR, 5 minutes off my half marathon PR, and 13 minutes off my marathon PR (all of these cuts are on PRs that I set 4-5 years ago…which is sad, honestly), it should also understand the value of rest. I mean…high expectations there on race predictions…the best way to do that is to give this body the time it needs to get strong and happy again. You know what that requires?
REST.
And I’ve been doing so much of it.
Finally…just over a week later, my Garmin seems to understand me a little better…
That’s way better than being told I’m unproductive. I mean, I may not be piling on the miles, but I’ve been taking walks, returning to spin classes (that started this week!), stretching, foam rolling, strength training…all because I want to keep this body happy and healthy. Too many times I’ve rushed back into training and ended up sidelined with either a major or minor injury. I’m done with watching others achieve things I’ve dreamed of from the sidelines. Done.
So yeah, I have put recovery as a priority, where I might have really overlooked it before. I keep trying to work some extra sleep in, but that is harder for me to accomplish. I get to bed as early as I can when I know I have an early morning ahead of me. To the best of my ability, of course.
Remember…sleep, eat, rest, recover…and you’ll be set to give it your all when training kicks back in.
As most of you who read this know…I’m an Ambassador for Noxgear.
You know…the cool, light-weight, light-up vest that you see me wearing in all my social media run pics (because running in the dark is the only time I have to run).
If not…you’re obviously not following me on social media and that should be remedied. I’ll post those links at the end of this. But the entire purpose to this post today is to say…
TOMORROW ONLY…
OCTOBER 16, 2018
There is a special Ambassador Sale going on at the Noxgear Web site. So if you’ve been on the fence about investing in the Tracer 360 vest or the Lighthound (for those of you with four-legged running partners who also need to be seen), or if you want to order some extras or get one as a gift…this is the best deal yet!
If you’re reading this…you’re in luck. You’ve found an ambassador! YAY!! *high fives*
To get that discount on Tuesday ONLY head over to Noxgear and use code: CELIAC
It’s the best deal around!! Happy Shopping!! Tell your friends!
#noxgearamb #noxgear #lightitup
And…if you’re not following me on other forms of social media…you can hit me up here:
The last couple of months have been crazy-busy. Go-go-go-go-go. Do this. Do that. Travel here. Travel there. Work. Catch up on work. Work overtime. Cook. Gotta eat. Food is fuel. Train. Run. Run. Train more. More. Keep training. Run. Keep running. Still gotta work. This work won’t do itself. Oh…yeah…sleep. That’s kinda important too, right?
Needless to say…the simple things…those every day things that often fall to the wayside…well…they fell to the wayside.
I’m not just talking about my presence here on this blog or even online. I mean…making time to do something as simple as vacuum my apartment. Or dust the shelves. Or put away things from race expos and food expos. Or…just organize the apartment. And if you know me, you know clutter and disorder drive me crazy. It’s been pretty hard to breathe.
Today, that all came to a head. I woke up this morning and causally lingered in bed and played on my broken (aka: shadowbanned) Instagram account, hoping that it might be visible again. It’s not. Meh. I got up and did my stretches and exercises and worked in some foam rolling. And then…despite the light drizzle and nip in the air…I went out for a run. And I felt good. I smiled a lot. I didn’t worry over pace or speed or hills or flats or anything. I just did what my legs wanted to do from one mile to the next. My mind was on the numerous people I know who were tackling the Ironman Louisville today. I’ve been tracking them all day and it’s been both nerve-wracking and exciting all at once. Had the weather been less wet…I would have actually been out there cheering in person. But I honestly (for reasons to be explained in an upcoming blog) just couldn’t bring myself to do it today.
But, while using the app to track their amazing progress and great feats of athleticism, what I did manage to do was this:
Went for a short run in the rain.
Showered
Made breakfast for my roomie and I
Cut up and baked a large, organic kabocha squash (my favorite)
Went to Target to pick up my prescription
Went to the mall to just move around a little since weather was so shitty
Went to Meijer so my roomie could pick up her prescription and then we finished grocery shopping.
Organized the pantry at home (finally putting away the GFFAF Festival goodies/finds)
Organized the snacks/running fuel drawer
Laundry
Cooked dinner from scratch (delicious stuffed peppers)
Stretched
Foam rolling
Folded and put away laundry
Watched Top Chef (I’m catching up on all the seasons I missed since the upcoming season is in Kentucky (and some in Louisville))
And a lot of dishes and cleaning and prepping and all that in between.
The best part of the day though…had to be the impromptu dance party via Marco Polo with my friend Natalie. It was a good way to get shit done and yet…still keep a lighthearted and fun-loving perspective on it. It was so much fun. And we hit each other with some good songs. But my roomie and I slapped her with some Baby Shark…so we might win. HA.
I’m finally down on the couch and relaxing. Not ready to go to bed yet, despite feeling utterly exhausted. But that will come in about an hour. I’m so happy with how productive I was today and all that got done. I mean…my roomie even painted her pumpkins today. Cross that off the list too.
Anyone else have a busy and productive weekend? Anyone else cheering on friends at Ironman Louisville? Any suggestions to help me keep up with life…hit me up. Because my organizational skills are starting to wane. And that’s not like me.
But I can’t here. Not yet. Because…things haven’t been said on other platforms by other people that I can’t go into here…but once it’s out there…I’ve got blogs to write and things to fill all of you in on.
I’ve been on the road a lot recently. And I leveled up somewhere in there with a birthday too.
I’m very behind on this blog…and I realize this. I’m seriously going to make more of a push to be active and write about more than just my races. Because I’m not just passionate about running…but also food and travel and…just having fun. With friends.
Here’s a little run-down of things coming down the pike…
I went to Hawaii. Again.
I went to Disneyland. Again.
I went to Chicago. Again.
I got shadowbanned by Instagram. That’s a first. No again necessary. That being said…no one is seeing my posts right now and since I’ve built my account up since 2011…having it currently be unavailable to people who are not my friends is beyond frustrating. My visibility is nill and IG has done nothing to fix it…because I’m not one of their precious influencers. MEH. And how did this happen? I got hacked. On a Sunday morning. While headed to a run.
No joke.
SO mad.
So…if you aren’t following me on Instagram…come and give me a follow and check out my posts (like them, please!) and my Instagram Stories (I’m hilarious. Sometimes. HA!)
Thanks, lovelies. I also hope to start going back to some product (food and running related…YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!)…and I’m going to get serious about recipes and also progress with…just where I am…both in fitness and in life. Because…sometimes life is hard and things just get out of control. And it’s good to have a support team.
Thanks for sticking with me.
Blogs are coming. Daily. I am going to make this a priority again.
Nothing is ever a perfect fit for everyone. Nothing. Just because something suits one person doesn’t mean it will work for someone else. That’s just life. No two people are exactly the same…and that means not everything will work the same for every body.
And that, my friends…is only the beginning of the changes that have been spinning through my life.
Let’s start with the biggie…
In a time where everyday runners…and weekend warriors are seeking out help through means of a coach…my coach and I have parted ways.
It was a mutual thing…in the end. I was extremely unhappy with the way her plan had me running and the lack of mileage that I was putting into my training. Running for time instead of distance is not something I enjoy doing. When I marathon train, I want my 20 mile runs so I know…I can get there and then…hit that last 10K. And I just wasn’t anywhere near that. Halfway through training and I never once got over 13 miles. And it was eating at me. And the volume and length of the speed work days was overwhelming…where I’d have to get up at 2:30 am just to fit it in and, honestly, every Sunday night, I’d end up in tears over it. And no training plan is worth that sort of misery and unhappiness. I’m not an elite athlete…I don’t win cash prizes for running…I’m not a sponsored athlete…I run because I enjoy it. Because it’s fun. And it wasn’t fun anymore. And I wasn’t enjoying it. It was stressing me out more than it was helping me to decompress. And that means…it’s totally upside down.
I value what I learned from her in the years I had her as my coach, and while I respect that the plan she had me on got her the BQ she really wanted…it wasn’t working for me. My body wasn’t reacting well to it. I wasn’t getting better with it. In fact, I felt it was only breaking down the progress I had made prior to starting it.
And so…she called me…and we decided it was better for both of us…to just be friends.
It’s so much better now.
So…where does this leave me with my training? That’s a very, very good question. This was NOT an easy transition to make. And I’m still adjusting while trying to convince myself that I’m not too far behind on my fall marathon training. That fall marathon is coming up fast and I’m still just…uneasy over it all. I feel unprepared, undertrained, and just…lost sometimes.
My roommate had me dig out my first ever training plan for the marathon distance, from 2013, when I was training for Chicago. She made a few adjustments to it, loaded it up on my Google Calendar…and that’s it. That’s what I got for the next 7.5 weeks. No pace requirements (although I’m focusing on keeping those long runs at a slower pace to not break down my body and also…to get me used to long periods of time on my feet). I do the speed sessions, which are broken down into intervals I believe I can nail and not stress over. I just go and do it…and whatever is my best that day is what I can give. And without the stress…I usually do better than anticipated. As for long runs…my roommate gives me only one bit of advice…
HAHA. Well…sort of. Basically this schedule was worked up to help me grow in confidence, in endurance, and, eventually, in speed. So…her advice is always…just go run. However I feel.
And my only goal at the moment is to get through it all…uninjured. Because when I’m usually working on this sport alone…that’s what happens.
Me after finishing the Bluegrass 10,000 – Lexington, Kentucky
Race: Bluegrass 10,000
Place: Lexington, Kentucky
Date: July 4, 2018
Time:48:47
It seems like this race has become the July 4th tradition for the moment, as this is the second year in a row that I have run it. I actually felt like I was in good shape leading into this race, but you might note (had you gone back to look at last year’s Bluegrass 10,000 race review) that this was run 2 minutes slower.
And that, friends, seems to be the story of my life this year. Big effort with no payoff.
I know…not every race can be a PR…but guess what? I haven’t had a PR in any distance since either 2013 or 2014. They all still stand. None have fallen and these days I’m starting to come to the realization that they just might never be beaten.
And I’m not exactly okay with that.
But, that’s a rant for another post. Going into the Bluegrass 10,000, I was aware that this was not to be treated as a goal race, nor was I to run it like one. In fact, my coach’s specific instructions was to stick with the 8 minute pacer for the first part of the race (that part is the uphill part) and then run it in at the end. It seemed like a good plan of action, especially since the heat and humidity going into the July 4th holiday was insane. We were in heat advisories and warnings. Physical activity in such conditions was pretty much frowned upon. But this is basically a 42 year tradition in Lexington.
Adjust goals and plans and roll with it.
The weather on the 4th of July in Lexington: check out that humidity and dew point!
My friend, Melissa, was lining up as a pacer that morning, so she had to be in Lexington at some ungodly time of the morning to get her Pacer shirt, her pace stick, and instructions from Linda (our coach). Last year, we all rode down together and then spent the afternoon around Lexington…so we did the same this time around. Just at an earlier hour in the morning.
She and her husband headed our way before the crack of dawn that morning. En route, I got a text message regarding Sharpie markers. She wanted to write the paces on her wrist. So, Cathy went back up to the apartment and returned just as they were pulling into the complex to pick us up. We got into the car, said good morning, and began our journey down to Lexington, Kentucky.
The drive down was filled with conversation with our upcoming journeys/travels (we’re like travel BFFs now too). We hashed out a few things, discussed options, and just overall got excited about it. When we got into Lexington, Melissa made her way to the parking lot that Linda directed her to park in. We pulled up in a shady spot (this was the best parking spot, ever!) and piled out of the car. Melissa needed to meet up with Linda, so she and I hustled that way, me toting my Owyn Vanilla Protein Shake to have as fuel since I had nothing else with me for that and breakfast at 4 am wasn’t happening.
We found Linda and got our race packets and shirts sorted. Melissa was handed her pacer tank and she changed into that and went to stand with the group of pacers for the official photo!
The start of the race was still a little while off, so we just sort of stood around and talked. Cathy got Melissa taped to help with the Achilles pain she had been dealing with and she ran off to get in the line for the bathroom. Linda grabbed her pace stick to stand in the road so people aiming for that pace could start lining up. Cathy and I moved further up and she left me with, as the plan said, the 8 minute/mile pacer.
But this is where it got a little crazy. Yes. Before the start. I’m minding my own business and doing a few dynamic warm-up moves when some women slid in just ahead of me. I heard them call a friend over and say, “We’re not running an 8 minute mile, but if we start back there, we’ll get boxed in.”
And this is the downside of not having a good corral system because I ended up moving further ahead of the pacer just to be ahead of people who had that mindset. The National Anthem was sung beautifully and I squeezed into a spot and got ready for the cannon fire to send us off. And as we made our way to the start line…the crowd began to do that slow jog thing until the start mat was there. And as I went to hit the button on my Garmin to start it, the person directly in front of me stopped the little shuffle and immediately began to walk. I ducked around them without running into them, only to have this happen four more times. I was beyond frustrated. I did manage a small wave at Cathy as I passed by…but then I needed to focus because the 8 minute pacer took off and I was getting left behind.
The street was crowded so my dodging and weaving to try to catch back up to the pacer I was supposed to hang with. It was chaotic and stressful…but I caught up…and managed to weave through the first few turns that happen within the first mile of the race. I pulled slightly ahead and stayed there, figuring on the hill that I would be overtaken (wow, do I have confidence in myself or what? HA!). That being said, I had said I would use the water stops in this race instead of carrying water with me. I normally don’t during a 10K, but with the heat advisories in effect, I had considered it. Guess what. I came up a hill and rounded a corner, and totally didn’t see the first water stop until I was already past it. I decided then I would do my best not to miss another one.
Herein was the beginning of the climb. From about Mile 1.25 through 2.88…you’re on a steady uphill. I took it for what it was…a hill…and I’m trying to get more comfortable on hills. So, I just pushed it. If there were water stops…I took a sip and poured the rest over my head. It was all about trying to stay cool. I remember, at one point, thinking, “Had I run the Buffalo Chase 5K, I’d be almost done.” That was the state of mind I was in at this point. And it was early. This climb did eventually lead into a short downhill to the turn around point…which meant…uphill to start going into Mile 4. I kept on with my sip and pour water when it came to staying hydrated and cool. It was working, despite knowing my pace wasn’t what I had hoped it would be.
That being said, heading into Mile 5…everything is downhill. So that’s a nice way to finish up. I hit the last water stop heading into the finish and immediately poured water over my head. My immediate thought was, “I should have drank some of that first.” But I was close enough to the finish that I didn’t let it weigh on me too much. I ran past the start point and headed down to the finish line. I felt like I couldn’t push myself any harder and felt relieved to cross the finish line and be done with it.
Melissa pacing it into the finish of the Bluegrass 10,000 – Lexington, Kentucky
I snagged a couple bottles of water and slowly meandered out of the finisher’s chute to go and find Cathy, who was sitting on the bleachers near the finish line. We were going to cheer in people and then, of course, cheer in Melissa as she led her pace group to their finish. It was hot and I was a sweaty mess, so I stood for much of in the shade until Melissa was due to arrive.
We spotted her and cheered loudly. She was eagerly encouraging a little girl to cross the finish line ahead of her. It was super amazing and I think that finish really made her race.
She hung out in the finisher’s chute with the other pacers…and I tried to get back in there, but was denied. It’s fine. The signs said “No Re-Entry,” so I didn’t fight it. I just went and sat on a bench until they made their way out. We found a table to sit for a moment, was given some free roasted corn, and then made the hike back to the car.
Linda met up with us again there, where I handed her the jar of jam that I had brought for her (I made some homemade blueberry jam with some local blueberries a friend picked for me). We stood around and talked for a little bit, but then she went to get on the road and we went to head to Half Price Books, change, shop, and then head to lunch at Bella Notte.
Spending the 4th of July with friends is the best way to spend the 4th of July!
For those of you keeping score…yes…I ordered what I always order. A House Salad and the Gluten Free Pasta Arrabiata, as always. And it was super delicious. We stopped off at one more Half Price Books before heading home for the day to get the rest of the stuff accomplished on a Wednesday afternoon before returning to work the following morning. Holiday over.
So, the official results of the Bluegrass 10,000 are that I finished in 48:47…once again in humid conditions…once again with walk breaks at the water stops. Pure survival there. I’d really like to make my 10K PR topple one day…but this was a good 4 minutes slower so I’m not feeling too confident about that happening anytime soon. I was 343/2877 finishers overall. I was the 59/1435 female finishers. And I was 5/242 in my age division. Ironically, I was 5th (out of a slightly smaller group) last year too. Weird. I mean, I’ll take it.
Melissa, Debra, Cathy and Me after finishing the Marengo Underground 5K (Firecracker 5K) – Marengo, Indiana
Race: Marengo Underground 5K (Firecracker 5K)
Place: Marengo, Indiana
Date: June 30, 2018
Time: 23:53
Want to know what is fun to do on a very hot, summer morning? How about run through a cave? A nice, chilly 56 degree cave? Sound like heaven? Well…it definitely is. I promise you that.
I was talked into doing this race by my good friend, Melissa. Her husband was out of town on a trip and they had run this one the year prior to this one and had a lot of fun. I figured it was something new and different…and I had nothing else going on that afternoon…so why not? Bonus: Melissa’s mom was going to walk it and I talked Cathy into signing up to walk it as well. HA!
Melissa made plans to come and pick Cathy and I up around 6:15-ish so we could make the drive to Georgetown to pick up her mom and then head out to the caves to get our packets, use the bathroom, and get ready to run. In the years prior to this one, this race usually hosted around 500 people. This year…1700 signed up and almost 1500 people finished. You know a race is a good one when it pretty much triples in size.
I had actually looked at a few of the previous year results and it looked like, if I had a good day, I could be an overall female finisher. But when I heard about how many people were turning up this year…that thought immediately got pushed to the wayside. Which was fine by me. No pressure. Just go have some fun.
I think the morning was a comedy of errors. Melissa left the house without her inhaler (and she has asthma, so that is kind of necessary). I thought I had forgotten my sunglasses (I realize that 2 of the miles I was covering was INSIDE A CAVE), but it turned our I did actually have them. I mean…we were hot messes. The ride to pick up her mom and to get to the caves was just a lot of talking (this is usual for us) and joking around, and listening, because friends sometimes just need to be heard. It was a relaxing morning overall. When we arrived at Crawford County Middle School, we were directed into the parking lot and then onto the grass near the school. We parked and went to go pick up our packets inside the school.
After we snagged our bibs (mine was weirdly a much lower number than the other 3 people with me) and even chatted with the race director about the race (this is how we discovered how big it had gotten), we went over to the bleachers to pin each other up. Once we were numbered, we went to get into the (at the moment) small line to use the flushing bathroom inside the gym before taking our stuff back out to the car and sitting down inside the car for a little while…to rest our legs, stay cool, and relax before the race.
We did get out about 30 minutes before to eat something small (fuel your runs, friends!), and hopefully get back into the bathroom line. The line for the port-a-potties and the line for the flushing toilets were CRAZY long. We stood in line inside and Melissa even went on a hunt for another bathroom (because a school HAS to have more than one, right?). But after 20 minutes, announcements to get to the start and line up were being made and Cathy came and, being the good race mom she is, ushered us out of the bathroom line and toward the start line.
On the way, my friend Wendy spotted me and called me over. Her daughter was running it (and she kicked some butt too), and we started talking. I know her from my spin classes and we were just catching up. HA! Cathy eventually wandered back over and told me that I really needed to get to the start line if I was going to get a good spot in the crowd. So, I caught up with Melissa and her mom and we all hugged and wished each other luck.
After a short wait at the start line, where there were children up front (which is usually not a good idea…but some can hang, I get it…but still…for safety, it’s often asked that kids move back so as not to get trampled), a lot of red white and blue tutus, and a lot of people running together (you could tell…they were dressed alike), I made myself comfortable a few rows back from the timing block at the start and eagerly awaited the start. Melissa came up to wish me luck and move a traffic cone back further for my own safety (see Dopey Challenge – Disney World 5K story for that)…and I wished her luck…gave her a hug…and prepared to make a sprint (and we all know…sprinting is not my thing).
It was a HOT morning. Humidity was high. Dewpoint was high. And it was close to 80 degrees at 9 am, which is definitely a late starting time for a summer race. The air was thick and heavy, but the mood was excited and so alive. The race announcements were made, discussing how the cave was a comfortable 56 degrees inside, but we had a mile outside the cave, and then we were inside for 2 miles of it and then back out for the dash to the finish (probably about .25 miles). Simple enough. After a few moments, and the lead car in place…we were off.
The Entrance to the cave we run through (Photo: WHAS11)
The first mile was a scorcher. There were small rollers to go up and down, and I actually pressed pretty hard in this mile (it felt harder than it was thanks to that heat and humidity). I passed a lot of the kids that had lined up at the start. I got passed by a few women and that didn’t surprise me at all. But I also passed a few too. We rounded a corner onto E Pleasant Avenue. As you near the end of this road and go to turn left to head toward the cave, you pass by the finish line area. So you know…that’s how far you have to come back when you emerge from the cave. I crossed the railroad tracks and pressed on, my watch alerting me of the first mile just before I hit the entrance of the cave. I didn’t check it…I dove into the darkness.
And was hit with the cold. It was like entering a refrigerator. But after the heavy humidity outside, it was actually very refreshing. I was expecting to hit this part of the race hard…however…I failed to account for the darkness.
I know what you might say…”But you run in the dark all the time!” And…you’re not wrong. The difference is…when I run in the dark…I know those roads and sidewalks. I know where there are holes and potholes and dips and lifts in the pavement and cement. I didn’t know anything about the cave…except that it might have this dusty, loose gravely sort of layer to run on. For the next mile…it was solid. But the twists and turns we went through were dark and at times, it was hard to see the runners doubling back. That being said…LOVED that temperature. Even in my cute little crop top.
So, I pushed it cautiously. When in training and not running a goal race, you don’t do anything stupid. Injuries, as I know, can take you out for the rest of the season, so I pulled back on the pace enough to feel comfortable in the dark cavern. But I kept moving. And I kept picking people to try to chase down. This lasted as long as it took to get just past Mile 2 inside the cave when that loose gravel dusty and uneven ground…became a reality.
The inside of the cave we run through for the Marengo Underground 5K (Firecracker 5K) – Marengo, Indiana (Photo: RunSignUp)
I think the words, “Not today, Satan!” actually exited my lips as I really eased back and took each step with a bit more caution and care. No twisted ankles or busted up knees or broken bones. Nope. Not on my watch. So, this meant I had quite a few people pass me up, but I felt good, and safe, and when I got back to the solid ground, picked it up again.
The exit of the cave was in sight, and I popped out, just as Melissa’s mom was about to head in! She gave me a cheer. I went to lower my sunglasses, but they had fogged up, so squinting was now happening. My watch hit Mile 3, so it was the final stretch to the finish line. But this is when that cool air from the cave dissipates and you get the heat of the day back. It was like an oven…a slow burn that just got hotter and it made it very hard to get back to pushing that pace. I headed over the railroad tracks and there was Wendy, and she gave me a cheer as I headed through the finishing chute. I could hear people coming in fast behind me, so I kicked it as much as I could (I have no kick)…and crossed the finish line.
There was water soaking in some kids pools so I went and snagged a bottle. It was still warm, but it was wet and I was grateful for it. I went and stood with Wendy and we cheered in her daughter. She went to go and find her and I waited there, cheering, and soon, Melissa was on her way in. I gave her loud shouts of encouragement and she went into the finish line. She returned and brought me more water (which I needed) and we chatted a bit about the race, standing in the shade, until she spotted Cathy.
As Cathy crossed the railroad tracks, we cheered her in and she picked up her pace to jog it into a strong finish of 48:15…for her first officially timed 5K. WOOHOO!! Cathy snagged herself some water and I went to gather her up so we could cheer in Melissa’s mom. At one point, a train came through and cut off some people heading into the finish. Some even thought about trying to beat the train, but thankfully didn’t take that risk.
Soon after that, Debra was on her way to the finish line. She finished and we went to meet her and find some spot in the shade to wait to hear the overall and age group winners. I knew I was out for those, but award ceremonies are fun. We cooled off with waters and cheered the super fast winners. Now that this race has grown, perhaps they will consider going to the standard 5 year age group divisions, instead of the 10 year range they are currently using. When your race is 500 people, that makes sense. When it’s almost 2000, not as much.
Afterwards, we went to take photos with the giant flag before making our way back to the car to head home and get on with the day. THIS…friends…was a totally different and fun 5K to run. We all had a blast. And we really loved the reprieve from the hot day by running through a dark, chilly cave.
So, the official results of the Marengo Underground 5K (Firecracker 5K) are that I finished in 23:53. I actually thought I would have been able to do better. But my splits were 6:54, 7:53, and 8:13…which is actually laughable. My fastest mile was actually in the heat. I think the darkness and then the uneven and soft/rocky surface through me off. Or…maybe I’m just not a good 5K runner. It’s frustrating…but this was not a goal race. That first mile though!! If only I hadn’t slowed down so much in the cave. Safety first. I was 90/1463 finishers overall. I was 25/928 female runners. And I was 10/250 in my age group.
Running in a cave on a super hot day is fun…and challenging. And this little race is starting to go places. I hope to be back.
Also…not a lot of photos for this one. We were all running so there was nothing for that finish line. And no official photos of me at the end.
Two weeks ago…I ran a marathon.
Guys…
The Celiathlete 