Bullet Points

How's that for an attention-grabbing title?!

I've been running! I've been reading running blogs! I just haven't been keeping mine updated. So many times I've sat down to spill the latest and am just too far behind to even start.

So, it's been decided. Some experiences from the past year will simply need to be shared. Others can be skipped. Posts must happen, though, and I have to start somewhere. Bullet points it shall be, followed by some stories from events passed AND current events.

At least I still look exactly the same. No tattoos, piercings or the like.

Since my last post, there have been crazy and/or awesome developments in my Running Life :

• My first Boston Qualifying time wasn't fast enough to get me into the 2014 race. (oops. That one wasn't awesome or particularly crazy)
• So I signed up for a 50-miler, instead.
• I had a heartbreaking DNS*
• So I signed up for a different 50-miler
• Along the way I did some Pacing/Training*

That guy didn't run. He cheered and drank chocolate milk.

• And secured a faster Boston Qualifier for 2015
• My kids and husband became more than spectators.

 

• I was lucky enough to find a fast, local running buddy. She lets me talk her ear off in exchange for training advice which she uses to beat me at races. It works.

  

Plus she has cute socks

• We ran a beautifully-paced, negatively-split, Personal Best(s) half-marathon, together...up until the last .20 miles where she sprinted off to beat me.
• I finally completed a 50-miler. The same issue that caused the previous DNS, threatened to end my race at mile 8.*

ow

• There was a lot of peer pressure and I signed up for a 100-mile race.
• I ran an even faster Boston Qualifier 3 weeks after my first Ultra. *

PRs make me do funny faces









 

• I sidled out of my comfort zone and successfully paced an even faster marathon.
• Team Shanghaied ran another Ragnar Florida Keys. And beat every. other. Ultra Team. That was a darned good weekend. *

  
• I completed a 100-mile race. Sorry for the bold type. It deserves it. And "completed" is somewhat of an understatement.*
• Three weeks later I ran the 119th Boston Marathon. It was worth the wait. Kind of.*

  

Which brings us all to one week, post-Boston. The *s indicate a juicy story to follow. I'll do my best to keep up with posts if you guys do your best to read my ramblings.

 

Deal? 



 

Chicagoland Spring Marathon Recap

(2013)

 

 

Spoiler # 2 : I have plenty of time to get my many four readers caught up on the past year of running and racing, before any new adventures will need to be re-capped.

 

A lot of the races I ran, during my Blogging Hiatus, were new to me, so I'd love to share my experiences. I also tried some new training, recovery and pacing experiences and would feel remiss in not sharing those, as well. So, if you've got some time, over the next few weeks, I've got some stories.

 

After I ran a Boston Qualifying Marathon in February, the horrific events unfolded at said marathon, in April 2013. One of the resulting feelings that surfaced was a pressing need to be at the 2014 start line of the Boston Marathon. I feared my qualifying time wouldn't be fast enough, with the huge influx of runners vying for the same experience.

 

I bit the bullet and registered for a May race, with the intent of running closer to the 3:35 range, rather than the 3:38:xx I qualified with. After a ton of research, I'd settled on The Chicagoland Spring Marathon in Schaumburg, IL.

 

May in Florida is already sticky and hot (like, 90 degrees, hot). May in Schaumburg is typically still "Spring-like" and much, much cooler. (For reference, this year's race day has a predicted high temperature of 60 degrees.)

 

 The course was flat, the number of participants was small and I'd even be able to visit with extended family. (Hi, Denny and Jill!! ) I don't like to splurge for race travel, but the need was overwhelming.

 

I needta run another one!!

 

I'd sufficiently recovered from the February race, so I just threw together a hasty few weeks of marathon "refresher" training. To date, they were some of my strongest workouts, ever. The weather was getting downright miserable, but my body was responding unbelievably well to the mileage and speed work. So much so, that I started re-thinking my sub 3:35 goal, and leaned more towards trying to knock out a sub 3:30.

 

Plus, (foreshadowing) the Illinois weather was going to be almost ideal for a marathon. While huffing and puffing through training in 80-85 degree morning runs, I was reassuring myself with the visions of the 60 degree race in Chicagoland.

 

My strong, speedy dad even jumped on board. He decided to fly up there with me and run the half marathon. What could possibly go wrong with this stellar Training, FamilyFun, Wonderful Weather Trifecta?!

speedy Dad

 

We didn't need too much extra time in the fair city of Schaumburg, so we flew out the day before the race. I normally pull the masses back into a ratty ponytail, throw on something pajama-like and fly in style. 

 

Sidenote: Have I reminded you, lately, about how lucky I am to have the husband I do?

 

A quick, pre-dawn glance in the mirror revealed that my go-to Fashionable Flier Getup might need a bit of tweaking :

 





"Good morning, Dad. Um. I'm going need a couple extra minutes"

 

That rush styling job resulted in a nasty flat iron burn on my tiny ear. Probably added at least 4 minutes to my finishing time, the next day. Or not.

 

Moving on.

 

Sleek hair, weeping, open wound on my ear, giddy excitement and tall, tight socks. The lucky traveling companion was my dad, not my husband, this trip. Aim to please : Bullseye!

because wearing long pants to cover the socks would be too easy

 

Lots of quality time spent together, waiting for our rental car, followed by a quick trip to the hotel. Dropped off our stuff and headed to pick up our race packets.

 

After following some really confusing verbal directions, along with chalk arrows, we ended up in an empty storefront. Well, of course your race number should be obtained by waiting in an oddly-split line in the middle of a creepy, abandoned building! Just like every other expo...

 

The rest of our goodies were being held at Dick Pond Athletic store...just past more weird chalk arrows and sidewalk drawings. I have to assume this wasn't their initial Packet Pickup plan. If so, the organizers may want to go back to the drawing board for a short while.

 





We grabbed our goody bags and some race day fuel.  I'm a bit hazy on the details. I know there was a cool water bottle. I still have mine. Other than that, I'm pretty sure there were just some flyers for local races and businesses.

This fella was next door to the store. He didn't sponsor, though. That extra "N" must've put him over his advertising budget.

 

We also received one of my all-time favorite race shirts. Neon green, long-sleeved, half-zip shirts, to be exact. Pay no attention to my reflection in the photo above. Why in the world would I be wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt? May, in this area of Illinois, is just plain chilly. Surely the Race Directors, in their infinite wisdom, wouldn't have handed out toasty, warm attire if it were going to be 80+ degrees on race day!

 

If you're not soaking up what I'm spilling at this point, I'll start to spell it out. It was not cool. It was H-O-...



 

After a bit of sightseeing (ps: sightseeing, for runners, is driving and stalking the race course. looking for elevation changes, amount of shade, etc), we went to Whole Foods. It was my first time in the fabled store, and neither one of us had ever dined there. With my eating habits, it was as dreamy as I'd imagined it to be. I loaded up any goodies I could bring home to the boys without melting or spoiling in my suitcase. Luckily they're pretty easy to please. For real.

"Mom texted pics of traffic lights AND brought us home Clif Bars?! Score!!"

 

We indulged in Veggie, Carbie goodness from the various DIY bars, at Whole Foods. As awesome as it is, I'm really glad there isn't a store within an hour of my house. I would spend way too many of our dollars there.

I don't know all the Blogging Rules. I remembered the one about If You Eat at Whole Foods, You Must Have Photo Proof

 

We didn't do any shakeout runs or really all the much extra walking. It was just a relaxing, stress-free day of easy travel and laughs. I couldn't have asked for better, prior to a marathon far away from home. Of course we called home and got caught up on everyone's days.

 

The more we talked on the phone, too, the less we could check our weather apps. The forecast was so, so not good. I laid out my Marathon Outfit, agonized over fueling and hydration and tried not to panic.

 

The Emergency Heat Warning email from the Race Directors threw a wrench in the whole "Not Panicking' plan. "Runners who have not trained in extremely warm climates should consider not running in the morning" " Those who have sufficiently trained need to adjust their goals, drastically" And the like.

 

Awesome.

 

I made the brilliant decision to NOT adjust my goals and just go ahead and pretend it was not too hot to run really fast for 26.2 miles. Remember, I had the aforementioned trifecta on my side. I flew all the way to another state for this race and it was going to be perfect, darnit!

 

The start area was right across the street from our hotel, so we didn't even have to wake up at an unpleasant hour. I had my standard, 3 hours prior plain bagel. I went back to sleep, and got back up a while later for coffee, water, and more Not Panicking. My dad and I gathered up our gels and Not Panicked our way all the way out of the hotel, through the humid, morning fog and into the starting area.

 

We had a few minutes to relax before finding a comfortable spot in the one and only corral. Even with the two distances, there were still less than 1,000 runners. My plan was to run the first half of the race in about 1:45. I wanted even splits, or slightly negative on the second half, if possible.

 

My fueling plan had worked so well for my last Marathon, I decided to follow it, again. February marathon : 30 degrees. May marathon: 80 degrees. See a problem with my logic, yet, 'cause I didn't. (face, meet palm!)

"My mom's #1 when it comes to race execution!"

 

I was feeling depleted by mile 4. (four!) The pace felt really easy but I was hungry and thirsty. I was carrying my small handheld bottle and ended up refilling it. A lot. I also took my first gel a bit earlier than I'd planned to, but it was too little, too late. (more on that, later)

 

We split off from the halfers at mile 8. My dad and I said something encouraging to one another before following our new paths.

Him: "Don't die of heat stroke. Your mother will be furious with me!"

Me: "You, either. My name's not on the rental car agreement!"

 

Or something along those lines.

 

By mile 9, I'd caught up to the 3:30 Pace Leader, as per my plan. He was running alone, already. When he turned and saw me close by, he looked right through me, and started encouraging other stragglers to catch up to him. I found it odd that he chose to ignore, rather than pep-talk me, but I wasn't there to make friends, anyway. I silently plodded along behind him, until he ducked into a park bathroom and a different pacer appeared. This new pacer had a handful of followers and was way more chatty than the last guy. However, he was not without his issues.

 

"Hey guys. We're going to bank some time on this shady part of the trail, 'cause the rest of it's going to be pretty rough."

 

In theory, that makes good sense. Pacing a group who has likely not trained themselves to run ~8 minute miles for 10 miles of a marathon, then suddenly drop the pace to 7:10 for the next few miles...notsomuch.

 

I took that opportunity to pretend like I was all alone on the trail, turn on my ipod, and focus on my even splits. That's the way I like to run, anyway.

 

The course starts on a highway, weaves in and out of Nature Preserve trails (paved. open to the public) for the majority of the race, and then ends up back on that same, burning hot highway. There were very little opportunities for spectating, so it was pretty quiet in between waters stops. If you're looking for a flat, scenic course, this is a good option. If you're opposed to dodging cyclists, demoralizing out & backs and sharp turns around a cone in the middle of a median, you may want to choose a different marathon. Course map

 

(I sound bitter. Under better conditions I might've really liked it. In fact, now that some time has passed, my dad and I have even tossed around the idea of taking another shot at it.)

 

I crossed the half-marathon (13.1 miles) mat at 1:45:08 and promptly came to a dead stop. What?! I can't recall doing that in a race before this one, but it happened and everything quickly unraveled. The first half hadn't felt awful, but it was getting HOT and I (later figured out I) totally messed up my fueling. I forced my legs to start shuffling, again, but was completely panic-stricken. The thought of chasing a PR, in the heat, completely alone, seemed laughable.

 

My thoughts of dropping out were overwhelming. It was really only logistics that stopped my from doing so, initially. Remember, we were way out on Nature Trails. How would I even get back to the start? By them time I reached an aid station, I still wanted to quit, but had found my Motivation to Shuffle Through It from other sources.

"You quit?! I can't even look at you, right now, Mama"

 

1. My husband was home, in another state, caring for our home and family so that I could run this stupid marathon. I refused to take that for granted by announcing that I hadn't even finished the race.

2. I had no cell phone, thus no way to reach my dad.

3. The money I'd dropped on this "redemption race?!" No way was I wasting it, entirely!

4. We had plans to meet up with our extended family for dinner. How embarrassed would I be to have their first experience with Jennifer As a Marathoner be : The Story of How I Didn't Earn a Medal.

 

I won't drag you through the play-by-play for the rest of it. Just know that I wasn't "brave" or "strong" for finishing a marathon when it was 80+ degrees and even some pacers were being carried off the course on stretchers. I was simply cheap and stubborn.

 

 The finish line was gorgeous. Having my dad waiting for me (and seeing the medal HE earned!!) was even better. The sprinkler system and free massages erased my tears. (yes. actual tears were shed over this race)

 

I had no appetite, but we wandered around the after-party, hoping something might look palatable. I think I choked down 1/2 banana and a few bites of a granola bar. I knew my finishing time (3:51ish), but we hung around the results board out of curiosity, anyway. I ended up in the top 50, overall, and somehow I managed to place 3rd in my age group.

 

That's a toughie to comment on. I sound like a jerk when I say "it's not cool, 'cause it was a crappy overall time". However, that's kind of the way it goes. Me being faster than everyone but 2 people, in my age group, is relative. It's almost like winning a race when there's only one participant. All of that having been said, I will always take pride in finishing a race AND collecting the spoils.

 

We asked around and learned that there wasn't an actual awards ceremony. You just had to show your bib to the high school volunteers and they'd hand over your "award".

 

Not only did I traipse around the finish area, soaking wet and barefoot, (see video at end for proof) I also proceeded to dive, headfirst, into a trash bin to retrieve the sweaty bib I'd tossed. Shame? What the heck is that?

The engraving appears illegible in the photo. I think they read: "Appallingly ugly Finisher's Medal" and "Equally Hideous Marathon Winner Medal"

 

My dad and I headed back to the room for some rest and much-needed (me, especially) cleaning up. After we looked respectable, again, we met up with his brother and family. They were awesome and treated us to dinner, so I introduced my cousins to Frozen Yogurt for dessert.

 

Yeah. They'd never been to a Frozen Yogurt shop. I will suck that up and still claim them as family, though.

"So, this cold stuff in the bowls. What are we supposed to do with it, again?"

Kidding, guys. I love you!

 

It was a rough day.

I did not even run a Boston Qualifying time, much less better my previous one.

I learned from the experience and treasured every. single. moment. Other than the "soul crushing heat" (my dad's spot-on description)

 

Thank you for skimming reading this mini-novel. I've got more! Lots more! Most of them will be shorter, though. Here's a teaser : I flew back to Illinois, for another race, a few months later.

 

And now....The Video. You may have to watch it more than once to fully appreciate all that takes place in the few seconds that are captured. Please note the following :

 

-My weird giddiness over that cold sprinkler

-My bare feet. In a parking lot.

-The struggles the other finishers are clearly dealing with, due to the heat.

-The pacer being assisted over to the cold sprinklers, by EMS personnel.

-Me moving 1/2 inch to allow someone else to share my precious water

 







 

 



 

 

 

 





The Race That Got Me To THAT Race

I want to tell you all about yesterday's marathon. In order to get us all caught up to that point, though, I feel like I need to recap The Melbourne Half Marathon, first. It was really one of the key components to my race, this past weekend. Also, I started this blog to have a place to tell my running stories. Soooo..here's another one!

I ran this half marathon, last year (pre-blogging days) and ended up with a disappointing (for me) finishing time. The course was very cool and challenging, though, and the city put on a great weekend of racing . When registration opened for the 2013 event, I signed up immediately. I wanted more pizza and free beer after the race redemption!

Fast forward a few months:
Minus the whole Jacksonville Bank Marathon debacle, my running and training had actually been going very well. I'd kinda tapped into a new Racing Mentality during The Shoelace Fiasco Race and felt like some really good racing experiences were about to be in my life. I got a teensy bit greedy and decided to try to double-dip with this race. I hoped it'd be a good gauge for some accurate goals for my upcoming marathon, but I also wanted a new PR.

Spoiler : It was both!

Here's the thing. Every time I sit to write this recap, it gets longer and longer. It was my 9th half marathon. It shouldn't have been such a big deal. But it was. It was a game-changer, for me.

a couple of options for Game Faces, on race day

Overly dramatic? Of course!

Do I care? Nosiree

I fully acknowledge that plenty of magical factors were in place, this particular morning. The weather was optimal, for a road race. I was un-injured and very healthy, all around. The course contains two big bridges, but was otherwise flat and well-marked.

(source)

note: anytime the course map directs you over a big, blue area...assume you've got a bridge to climb

 

The Husband and boys were there to cheer* and I even had some friends from the running group to hang out with before we all started the race. Again, it was a pretty perfect setup. Here's the big difference between this race and all the others, though :

 

I set goal paces for every mile and forced myself to hit them*. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? You set a goal, and don't allow yourself to do anything other than reach that goal. In the middle of a tough race, that sort of logic starts to make less and less sense, though.

 

Number One: Racing Strategy finally "clicked" in my slow brain.

 

Number Two: It. Was. Easy.

 

I'd probably get a lot more admiration for reporting back that I struggled mightily for 13.1 miles, but managed to eke out a PR. Yes, it was hard work. However, it felt good enough that I started getting emotional at mile 5, because I realized, without a single doubt, I was going to blow last year's finishing time out of the water. That's how good this race felt.

 

Another indicator: My final mile was the only one where I slipped off the Goal Pace Wagon...because I couldn't slow down. It was my fastest. I was that really annoying person who sprints by the tired finishers, with tear-filled eyes, head held high and a huge smile.

 

I crossed the finish line, finally securing a shiny PR, and felt like I could've gone and run the entire course, again.

me and my (always faster) friend, Jennifer. No, I don't normally race shirtless. We can discuss, later.

 

By this point you're probably wondering why this post isn't titled: The One Where I Brag and Annoy Everyone.

 

My intent is, of course, to not do either. It was just an "a-HA" race, for me. I share in the hopes that it can help/inspire and also explain why I had the aggressive goals I did for my marathon.

 

1:39:28 Chip Time (1:44:36 in 2012)

(1:38:36 Garmin)

3rd F35-39

30th Overall F

98th Overall

 

As always, thank you for reading. Thank you for commenting, too, even if it's only to yourself. Knowing that there are people to share this kind of stuff with makes it that much more awesome, to me.

 

*In the extended recap, there would be details about vomiting children and how hard The Husband worked to keep everything together, that morning. I'm so thankful for him.

 

*Also included in extended recap, would be those actual mile splits and plenty of other race details



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Only Nineteen Left

As would be the case in a marathon, that phrase is far from encouraging. These posts aren't nearly as painful or sweaty, though. Ooh! Maybe I'll give myself a medal upon completion, too?!

 

a small part of my collection. Definitely needs a Blogging Streak addition.

 

Today's Topic : My Six Worst Running Experiences (in no particular order)

 

•  The final run before my Stress Fracture diagnosis. Read all about it in this post. The worst part? Up until the point where I was fighting back embarassing tears of pain, it was one of the most successful Tempo Runs I'd had in months.

 

soooo not worth it

 

• The attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. I have no post to bore you with, as it was prior to my blogging. In retrospect, the looming Stress Fracture might have had almost everything the teensiest bit to do with the failed workout. I warmed up for a mile and could not. complete. a single tempo mile. I was a physical and mental mess. We have all had failed workouts. This one was bad enough to stick in my mind as one of the most demoralizing training runs I've ever had. It was particularly bad because it followed...

• The OTHER attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. Yes, it was Summer. Yes, it was disgustingly hot and humid. Yes, I had nagging pain which eventually turned into a full-blown injury. At that time, in my training, though, none of those factors were able to erase the defeat I felt when I was unable to complete this speedwork. They were workouts I'd done before. The pace was slower than my 5k pace, for goodness' sake! Those runs lead me to question everything about my running, for the first time, ever. I know how dramatic that sounds, but I had never before had to wonder "why am I even putting myself through this?" Up 'til that point, running had been fun. Even when it was competetive, it was still fun, for me. Now, with a goal of "Marathon", everything began to unravel. It was a very dark time, indeed.

"ooh, how artistic! See how she uses the photo to simulate the shadow falling on otherwise happy times!"

 

• This 10k was so awful for so many reasons.

ugh

I was so excited about this race. It was the first in a set of races appropriately named Tour De Pain Extreme. The 10k was held in the morning, followed by a 5k the same evening and a half-marathon the following morning.

 

I realize that concept doesn't seem tempting to any most people.

 

I love 10ks, though, I love the idea of running fast after a morning race (the 5k) and would have a perfect excuse for why I sucked it up in the 1/2 the next morning. (uh...I just ran 2 races, yesterday...). In my usual form, I failed to peek at that above course map, prior to the race. Apparently, the "Extreme" portion of the title wasn't a fluke. There were four bridge crossings. In 6.2 miles. It was hot, hideous and such a disappointing start to the fun weekend I'd built up, in my mind. For the first time, ever, I didn't even look at the posted results, after the race. It was that bad.

 

•  This 5k. Other than the quickie Genuine Mile race I'd done, it was my first post-injury race. I was so happy to be in racing shape, again, and had set my expectations way too high. I was simply not as ready as I'd hoped I was. It was so discouraging and, for the first time, made me question if I ever wanted to race a 5k, again. After some time, I was able to shake off the race, but it still haunts me, a bit, when I look at my upcoming race calendar.

somehow, the bands on the course had the oppostite effect of "motivating me"

• And, finally, my first 18-miler. Again, pre-blogging days, so there's no link to an overly-dramatic and blurry photo-filled post. It was supposed to be a "long, slow day". My furthest distance, to date, had been 16 miles, so I thought it would be totally do-able. Five miles in, I had the first inklings of panic, about the heat and the way my body was feeling. When, at seven miles, I realized that I would have to finish out fourteen miles, just to get back to my car, the full-blown nausea and defeat set in. (it was an out & back, paved trail). I remember hating the lucky people on bikes. I shot desperate looks at anyone who passed, hoping they'd offer me some sort of solution to this situation I'd gotten myself into. 

  I stumbled to my car, at mile 14 and ripped off my sweat socked socks & shoes. I literally had to wring them out. A frustrated, whiny phone call to The Husband somehow provided the kick in the butt I needed. I shoved my blistered, wrinkled feet back into my shoes, and set back out to finish out those four miles.

Luckily, the experience provided me with a comprehensive list of "What Not to do on Long Run Days".

Bottom line :

To acheive runs that leave you feeling like this:

 

 

 

...sometimes you have to go through ones that make you look like this:

 

 

In lieu of Today's link sharing, you get the above picture.

 

You're welcome! 



 

 





 

 



2012 WHM St Petersburg Recap

How's that for a catchy title?

I ran this as my second half marathon, last year and really had no complaints, other than my less-than-stellar performance, obviously. With registration being capped at 5,000 and the race itself designated towards Women, it appeals to a lot of first-timers. I was excited to register for the event, again, and forced gifted my sister and sister-in-law (ish) with their very own entries. (their first half-marathons!) Soon after, another friend bit the bullet and decided to make it her debut, as well, so it became An Event.

aren't they cute?

Side Note: I am way more proud of their training and race than I am of my own. However, that's their story to tell. If they want to share it with the world, they need to start a blog.

 

The Site & Pre-Race: After your register for a Women's Half Marathon race, you receive email updates. I think I got them once per month, or so, and then a bit more frequently as the event neared. They contain updated information, special promotions and offers, training links, etc. You definitely feel "in the loop". The final emails contain extremely detailed last-minute instructions, your confirmation sheet, bib number, etc. The company does a good job of keeping the participants pepped up and informed, in my opinion.

 

Travel : We only live about 2.5 hours away from St Petersburg, so we drove down Saturday night and stayed at one of the host hotels. There are plenty within walking distance and many others that offered a free shuttle to and from the race. We stayed at the Renaissance Vinoy both years. The hotel had made some improvements, decor and service-wise, and we liked it even better this year than last. The room was spacious, amenities were above average (free toothpaste, even!) and it was less than a mile from the hotel to the start line. 

 

Saturday: the boys worked on a word search

I worked on my water-chugging skillz

Locale: The race is located in a tourist-friendly spot. The Pier, Salvador Dali Museum, Museum of Fine Arts and tons of local shopping and restaurants are all within walking distance. There are even horse-drawn carriages for those who like that sort of thing. (more on that later) We didn't take advantage of anything other than restaurants, but it was peaceful and scenic walking through the parks and streets to transport our family from place to place.

you have no idea how many attempts there were at a decent pic of the 4 of us

 

 

Bonus : cool, nearby, playground with rock climbing wall for the kidlets to play on while my sissy and I went to the ...

 

Health & Fitness Expo/Packet Pickup: There is no race day packet pickup, but the expo is open Friday and Saturday. It's pretty typical : hand the friendly volunteer your confirmation sheet, receive cool personalized bib, move to another (short!) line for your well-stocked goody bag, another for your (very nice) tee shirt and then proceed to wander the expo at your leisure. The volunteers were all very efficient and happy-looking. The Expo, itself, featured tons of vendors and a couple freebies. Publix (supermarket) was a major sponsor and handed out cool little cart/refrigerator clips and coupon organizers. There were some drink samples and long lines for free headbands, but we were a bit limited on time, due to our large group.

 

I forgot to take a picture of the contents of the bag, but it included a Luna Protein Bar, a Perform (like biofreeze) samples, very little in the way of race flyers, the latest issue of Women's Running magazine, some sort of Vitamin powder/mix and probably some things I've forgotten.

 

love the shirt. love the re-usable canvas bag. love the random lego.

 

 Dinner : We ate at this restaurant because we'd done it last year and liked everything about it. It's a cool, local place but nice and loud so no one notices your wild children. The food and service are above average and it's all decently priced, as well. I had some crusty bread, one pre-race Stella Artois, tons more water and a Garden Veggie Pasta dish. (carb-loading at it's finest)

 

Cheers to my old lady hands and the chance to run together!

 

 

The Husband was kind enough to secure reservations for all 15 of us to dine together

fun/weird fact: we had the same waiter we did for our pre-race dinner, last year

 

We all split and headed back to our hotels to get kids to bed and try to sleep, ourselves. While I was tossing and turning and trying desperately to shut off my Race Mode brain, the menfolk went out for a Frozen Yogurt Eating Contest.

 

I was receiving play-by-play texts of the action

 

Race Day: I  got up at about 4:45 am for a quick bagel, PB, honey, chia and raisin breakfast. I kinda choked it down, as my nerves were starting to kick in.

My sis-in-law(ish) and I were at the same hotel, so we met for an early cup of coffee and calming conversation. I'm not used to having friends being with me on Race Day mornings. It was such a necessary and wonderful addition to the day. We finished getting ready and met back downstairs to walk to the Start Line, together. There were more than enough "facilities". There were even tables set up with tons of waters, bananas and muffins.

 

Somehow, in the dark crowd, (and after numerous port-a-potty trips) we found the rest of our group, plus some extras, and hung out 'til it was time to go to our corrals. The race started, on time, at 7:00 AM with plenty of energy and excitement. The sun was finally out, but it was still nice and overcast. The weather was actually pretty darned perfect, for a Florida race. (minus the wind)

 

The Course: I loved the fact that I was familiar with the course. I was able to break it down into sections : "1 more mile 'til we circle the lake...Tropicana Field at mile 11"...etc. My only complaint is that we torture our knees and hips with a brick/cobblestone section. Twice. Last year, a big group scooted over to the sidewalk, but no one was venturing over, this year, that I saw.

Besides that, the only "obstacles" were the giant piles of horse poo (see. told you there'd be more about the carriage rides!) and the incessant, debilitating wind on The Pier. Pretty sure the race director(s) haven't much control over those annoyances.



There were lots of areas for spectators and the crowd support was really good. Another nice feature of the layout : We pass one little area, three times. (it doesn't seem monotonous...for real). This means our family could basically stay in one spot, with a couple minor adjustments, and see us several times.

 

There were plenty of well-manned water and gatorade tables, live music, big cheering sections and lots of beautiful scenery. (pleasantly vague recap? That's my specialty!)

 

My Goals: With this race being sandwiched between my 1st and 2nd marathons, ever, I wasn't sure how fast I'd actually be able to run this race. I was perfectly content to stay with my girlies and enjoy their race, with them. When I realized that I was actually going to be in good shape to "race" it, though, after the marathon, I adjusted my goals, somewhat.

 

A Goal : 1:35. A stretch, for sure, but it doesn't hurt to dream, right? It wasn't entirely far-fetched and I firmly believe I WILL see this time, one day.

 

B Goal: Sub 1:40 and/or a PR. According to Garmin, my best half marathon finish is 1:40:06. I choose to stick with the (stupid) race results, though, so it's 1:42xx. With those times in mind, it would be difficult to PR and avoid a sub 1:40, so I kinda lumped those together. Spoiler : I found a way to screw that up...

 

C Goal : Beat my finishing time from the 2011 race. At first glance, this seems easy, given that I beat my 1:45:35 finish, the following month (Dec. 2011), by over 3 minutes. However, the last half-marathon I raced produced a horrific (for me) 1:49xx time, so I wasn't necessarily brimming with confidence...

 

I huddled up with the 1:35 pace group but was immediately let down. The pacer, who I'm sure is a very nice gentlemen and a speedy runner, never even acknowledged any of us. The other ladies didn't really talk to each other, either, so it was more of a "every girl for herself" sort of feeling, rather than the encouraging camaraderie I was hoping for. My plan to hang on as long as I could, with this group, was definitely foiled by the fact that the pacer didn't seem to notice or care if any of us were running with him, or not.

 

In addition, we were told the 1st mile would be a slow 7:30ish, and that we'd eventually ease into the 7:14 average pace needed.  When mile one clocked in at 7:08, I was frustrated and panicking.

 

I dropped back, right around the 5k point (after seeing my cheering section...thanks guys!!) and turned on my ipod.

 

Call it a cop-out, but my decision to keep the pace group in sight, and make sure the race was actually a fun one, felt like the best thing I could've done, at that point. It's not anyone's fault, but my own, that I didn't stick with that 1:35 pace group, but it just wasn't the experience I'd been expecting.

 

I never really got terribly fatigued. My hips got a bit achy, and I definitely felt like I was in "race mode", but there wasn't any point that I felt discouraged or like I needed to walk. Night and day experiences from last year to this.

I didn't carry a water bottle, but forced myself to take a couple cups along the way. I had a GU at the 10k point and am pretty sure I had another after mile 10. For some reason I didn't really have much of a fueling or hydration plan. Couldn't even begin to tell you why that would be. Either way, it worked. I didn't feel nauseas, hungry, empty, sloshy or dehydrated.

 

Maybe no plan = good plan?

Here's what is NOT a good plan : trying to type an extensive Race Recap while your children are home and there are one million things you need to be doing other than typing an extensive Race Recap. Holy cow, I just want to be done with this!

I'm sure you're thinking something similar...lets wrap this up.

I realized, at the 10 mile marker, that my sub 1:40 goal was not likely going to happen. Looking back at my splits, miles 8 and 10 were my downfall. Eight was due to the epic Runner vs. Wind Battle around the pier, Ten, I have no explanation for.

I lacked focus, as usual, but had so much fun I could've cared less. At one point, I realized that I probably shouldn't be able to smile and high-five as much as I was, if I was hoping to reach my lofty goals. In the end, fun 13.1 miles won out over hard-fought ones.

I maintained my pace from 11-13.1 and finished with a huge, happy, weepy smile knowing I'd finally beaten a personal record, in a race.

I don't know how to steal photos from this page , but you're more than welcome to view my race day pics. (search for bib #1035 and click on my name to see them) Most are funny/dorky, but note the 2nd one. That happy shot was taken at the END of my fastest 13.1 miles, ever.

No room for regrets with a finish like that.

The Finish/After Party: Runners are corralled through an area to receive water, gatorade, packs of muffins, pretzels and bananas. Medals are hung, photos are taken and then you're out with the non-running family and friends.
Tent-folk offered massages, Publix gave away cookies (the line was too long for our tired legs, though) and there were high-top tables to relax and enjoy your snacks on. We brought our own entertainment/beverages and tried to out-complain each other with how sore we were. The walk back to our hotels was particularly unpleasant. Apparently we all, at one time or another, tried to convince our spouses to figure out a way to get a vehicle to us.

In the end, we made it, changed clothes, re-fueled and headed home.

that little circle in the middle is a removable charm. Mine will soon become a necklace

 

If you've made it this far, welcome to The End!! I love having an outlet to share my racing experiences. I love, even more, when people take the time to share them with me. Thank you for your encouragement, support and comments.

 

As a reward, I'll make my next post considerably shorter.

 

ps : I've gotten some feedback that people have had difficulty leaving comments. I changed some settings and am hoping that helps.



Small Ones Are Sweeter

Anyone who can give me the source of that title wins a double, internet high-five from yours truly.


Women's Half Marathon (St Petersburg) 2011 : 1:45:35 (97 out of 4033)

Women's Half Marathon (St Petersburg) 2012: 1:41:37 (51 out of 3165)

(note : those totals include the men who raced. Their times are included in the results but they're not eligible for awards)

Big ol' PR from last year's race. My fastest Half Marathon of all (by a little bit).

I'll take it!! Happily, even.

It was such an awesome experience for special reasons I can't wait to share with you. I'll recap the whole thing, this week.

("YYYEEESSS!!" you're all thinking)

This accurately sums up the general mood of the entire race weekend, though.

hard-earned Cheers

Niagara Falls International Marathon Stuffs

The first two parts of My First Marathon Recap can be found here and here. This post is more about the actual race setup and weekend. Fun to learn about and especially useful for people like this sweet girl who is planning to conquer this actual marathon!

I have a dangerous habit of RRUI (Race Registering Under the Influence). The kids get tucked in bed, lunches made, dishes done ignored and it's time to settle down at the ol' PC to start scanning race calendars. More often than not, sleep deprivation, paired with an adult beverage, leads to some sketchy decisions and morning-after panic. This marathon, though, was carefully chosen and researched.

Not a tough sell with a finish line like this

The Niagara Falls International Marathon options include a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon AND marathon relay. Sounds like a cluster, huh? All events are capped at reasonable numbers, though, (1,500 for the full) and it's been held, annually for many years.

The Site:
The website could be better. Info is found in odd spots and there are entire omissions (race results, for example). Beyond that, though, they do provide a ton of links for participating hotels and transportation. This was perfect for out-of-towners, like ourselves.

Travel:
We went with a shuttle service that picked us up from the airport, stopped and waited for us at customs and then took us directly to our hotel. It was cheaper and way less stressful than renting a vehicle for our family of five. Every rep we spoke to, including our driver, was extremely friendly and helpful.

Locale:
We checked into the hotel and went to grab a late lunch. This was when we discovered the big Niagara Falls Downer. Being the vacation spot it is, everything was waaayyy overpriced. Convenient? Yes. Restaurants, Casinos and shops were plentiful and all within walking distance. However, due to all the tourists and crazy Canadian sales taxes, a plate of pancakes at IHOP was $20.

the free ice cream cones made everyone happy, though

 

Health & Fitness Expo/Packet Pickup:

With some free time after our mediocre-tasting, $100 lunch, (yeah for vacation!) we decided to hit up the expo. Note : For this race, go to the expo Friday. Avoid going Saturday at all costs. When my sister popped into Canada, Saturday, for her surprise visit, we went back to the expo to get the stuff for her race. The lack of lines and quiet excitement were replaced with tons of people and claustrophobia-inducing chaos. Blech.

 

The bib pickup was quick and painless. Find your bib # on the wall, get in the appropriate, well-marked line and get your color-coded bib, complete with name. (I love personalized bibs!!) You then walk through a little hallway to activate your chip and proceed into the expo.

 

If you're running in the Full Marathon, you have to show your I.D. or passport at the expo to actually get a bib. You're  rewarded with a cute, red, maple leaf stamp on your hand.

 

I carried my first marathon bib as though it were a precious newborn kitten as we walked around to check out the different vendors. (No! Don't put it in that bag! You might scrunch it!) There were a lot of different companies and plenty of free samples and giveaways. For the small-ish number of entrants, it was a pretty well-stocked expo. Girls were even walking around passing out tiny cookies with the race logo on them.

the boys were SO pleased when I told them these were now "souvenirs" and mustn't be eaten

 

Marathoners were given giant, clear goody bags (as they'd double as drop bags for the race). I believe all other distances got standard-sized bags. Each distance featured a completely different shirt, too. Mine was long-sleeved and neon yellow. My sister's 10k one is short-sleeved and black. None of the shirts have any sponsor logos on them, either. This wasn't something I'd seen before and none of the volunteers seemed to be able to explain the reason for this.

 

We killed at least an hour at the expo, stopped by The Falls for a few quick photos and then headed back to the hotel to see what treasures that giant bag contained.

yes, I had a ratty ponytail. No, I wasn't even running that day.

 

goody bag delights displayed on sensibly patterned hotel room carpet

 

That's my fancy shirt in the upper left. There was also a full (not sample) sized bag of whole wheat pasta and totally addicting Werther's Caramelts. It also included some tasty bars, a snack pack of almonds, liquid tea mix, biofreeze, and a ton of the standard race flyer, coupons, pens, etc.

It was a nice assortment, for sure. (my sister got all the same stuff in her 10k bag, too)

 

Race Weekend Extras:

Saturday morning held an opportunity for runners, and their families, to get together for a short run. This is followed by a (free!) breakfast at Planet Hollywood. I ended up skipping the run, as it was rainy and I didn't want to get my marathon shoes soggy. We did, however, walk the mile (in beautifully cold weather) to the restaurant for the group meal.

 

The volunteers who'd set it up were so friendly and accommodating. The race director was there, as well, and seemed more than happy to be answering all the questions runners had for him. There was a well-stocked spread of fresh bagels (assorted varieties), cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, tons of muffins, bananas, coffee, juices, waters, hot chocolate and teas.

 

Bonus : Planet Hollywood was *just* close enough to the US Border that our cell phones had reception!

 

Before we left, the volunteers insisted we load up with extra goodies. This turned out to be perfect, as the bagel I stashed in my pocket ended up being my race-day breakfast. Upon their urging, the boys each grabbed another bottle of juice and we took a leisurely, scenic walk back to the hotel to enjoy the indoor, heated pool.

Bagel in pocket: yes. Banana nestled under arm: check. Ratty ponytail: mmm hmmm

 

One thing lacking from the expo and/or goody bags : any sort of written instructions. Most other races I've participated in, especially half-marathons, provide you with some sort of last-minute or race day reminders. There was nothing. We had to rely on the website. With our spotty internet access, this proved to be tricky and increased my stress levels.

My advice : print as much info as you'll need before you go.

 

Race Day :

The marathon & marathon relay runners get bussed (from one spot) to the US starting line. All the other races actually start in Canada and every distance shares the same, scenic finish line. Of course, if you're already in the US, you can simply drive to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

I'm pretty sure there was no parking, though, so you'd have to be dropped off. I'm also sure there was no race day packet pickup, so that'd need to be done the day before, as well.

 

Due to the unusual setup, the buses leave between 7:00-7:45 am, but the race doesn't actually start until 10:00 am. They need to allow time to get through customs and get everyone transported on time. When it runs smoothly, though, this can mean waiting for over two hours for the race to begin. Not fun, but it could've been worse.

 

Plus : We were able to wait inside the art gallery (no standing outside shivering!)

Minus : We were not allowed to bring food or drinks in there

Plus: Indoor bathrooms!

Minus: Three stalls (I later learned there were also a ton of port-o-potties outdoors)

Plus: Comfy seats in the auditorium/holding area

Minus: I fell asleep, briefly

Plus: There was some really lovely artwork on display

Minus: There was also some really hideous, lewd pieces

 

About 15 minutes before the start, I made my way outside to the buses where you could drop your bags. There were quite a few and they were designated by bib numbers. The line was short and efficient. I was able to wear my (ugly) jacket right 'til the end, too.

 

The Course:

The course was well marked, but there weren't really very many opportunities to get lost, anyway. Most roads were completely closed for the runners. There were never any traffic issues, so it must've been well-controlled. A majority of the race is run on a scenic parkway, in Canada. That's also closed to traffic for the race.

 

The water/Cytomax stops were plentiful and well-manned. I detailed that a bit more in the 2nd part of my recap. I noticed some port-o-potties on the course, but have no idea how many or where they were, exactly. Had I needed one, at some point, I'm sure I would've paid more attention to this detail. 

 

There were lots of spectators in the first few miles, but that was all through downtown Buffalo. Once we got into the more nature-ish areas, it got a bit lonely.  

 

The Finish/After Party:

The finish line was jam-packed with excited spectators. That, combined with the loud music and announcer made it very cool. I was quickly given a medal, shiny blankie and water bottle. The advertised "bag of food" was nowhere to be found. Boo.

I didn't see anyone else walking around with them, either, so I don't think I just missed the table. I'm pretty sure I saw a table with a small number of bananas and granola bars, but nothing stood out as : Come Get Your Tasty Post-Race Food, Here!

I had no appetite, anyway, so I didn't really care, at that point. My sole focus was on finding ice for my rapidly swelling left foot.

 

I hobbled over to the Medic Tent and was greeted with concerned-looking paramedics. I quickly assured them that I was fine and just needed some ice.

 

"Are you injured?" one asked. "No, no...my foot's just sore and I wanted to put some ice on it." I responded.

They directed me to the massage tent and told me I could get ice for "that sort of thing" there.

I limped aalll the way back to that tent and repeated my request. The man directed me to some young volunteers, in the back, who were instructed to give me a "handful of ice" to wrap up in my foil blankie.

One girl proceeded to open a cooler (full of ice packs) to show me that all their ice cubes were nearly melted.

It was, at this point, that I offered to buy a handful of ice from them. I also made the (apparently crazy) suggestion that they just let me use one of their ice packs. The girls assured me that they couldn't possibly do either and watched me shuffle back out of the tent.

Eventually, my husband went back to the medic tent and used his no-nonsense tone with them. I'm way too nice, in these situations. One of the guys sneakily slipped me an ice pack (for real. it was like a behind-the-tent, shady drug deal) and told me to tell anyone that asked that I'd found it on the ground.

 

My advice: BYOI or don't swell. Post-race ice is just simply too risky and precious to count on as an option.

 

I hope I've given off the impression that this race is awesome and that I'd recommend it 100%. I'm sure I'm slightly biased, as it was such a big deal to me. Beyond that, though, it really did provide for an amazing experience and every part we encountered (not including the Ice Fiasco) ran like clockwork.

My Medal Model

Feel free to ask me any other questions I didn't cover