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



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Day 18, Chapter One

Yes, it's okay to mix Adventrageous with Marathon Recaps. Also, in an effort to make this story more reader-friendly, it'll need to be broken down into a couple of parts. Short parts! Don't worry!

Chapter One : Fog, Smiles and Happy Feet

 

not from Marathon Morning, but you get the gist

 

A group of running friends, with The Husband as our fearless driver, met at our house at 4:00 am. We loaded up a 15-passenger van and drove to Jacksonville for the race. It was fun to have lots of other running stories and nervous goals to focus on, other than my own.

 

The time passed quickly. I ate the breakfast I'd brought, two hours prior to the start time, drank my water and coffee and enjoyed everyone's company. We made one group-necessary pitstop and parked with only some minor issues.

 

From there, it got a little hectic. I make it a habit to have everything done and be lined up nice and early on race days. I love and need to have those moments to calm down, reflect and ease into the day. Instead, I ended up jogging to the start right as they shot the cannon. There was an enormous cluster of people where I needed to be and I barely squeezed in to get over the starting mat. Yuck, but I shook it off.

 

At this point, I have to get some the Runner Geek talk out of my system. Feel free to skim if this doesn't interest you.

I was pacing myself for a 3:36 marathon. This gave me a nice, big cushion to get in under my actual goal of 3:40. When you look at my other marathon result, that goal just seems silly. However, based on my more recent half marathon time, every pace calculator assures me I can run a 3:30 marathon. While the 3:40 goal is ambitious, it's within my capabilities.

(I still believe that!)

I gave myself a conservative start, building slowly to some faster, early miles and then allowed some wiggle-room for the inevitable (for me) positive splits in the second half of the race. With this plan in mind, the first twelve miles went by like magical clockwork.

It was foggy and about 60 degrees at the start. I was nervous about the later heat being a factor, but the morning weather was pretty nice. The humidity was above 80%, the entire time, but I live in Florida. I can deal.

My entire body felt insanely perfect. No aches, no nagging injuries, no nerves. There was nothing but happy feet and smiles surrounding me. I was hitting every mile at exactly the pace I wanted. It wasn't difficult to maintain, nor did I even really have to think about it.

Everything was simply falling into place exactly as I had trained for.

I waved at the festive spectators. I saw The Husband and gave him a big smile so he knew I was right on target. I chatted with a lady with a similar pace goal and we took turns pacing each other. I faithfully sipped my GU Brew-filled, water. I completely deviated from my original fueling plan starting at mile 3...(oops. foreshadowing)

Between miles 12 and 13, my pace started to slip a teeny bit. My new pacing friend's did not, so I just kept her in sight and turned my ipod on. I wasn't too worried, though. I knew I'd see some running friends at the halfway point. One guy was even going to try to jump in and run with his girlfriend (and me, if I could time it right).  If I could just hang on a bit longer, things would continue to fall into place. The miles would undoubtedly be tough, but I was still feeling great.

Anything below a 1:50:00 half was necessary for a 3:40 finish. My 13.1 (halfway point) split was 1:48:55.

Absolutely no reason to panic.

Day Ten

Double Digits of Adventrageous! Woohoo! We are moving right along. If anyone says "you're almost there!", Misguided Race Spectator-style, they'll get punched in the ear.
 

Today's Topic : Ten Reasons I Run. I actually keep a running (harhar!) list, in my journal. These are just a handful, in no particular order.

•  I run so I can eat ice cream. Every day, if I feel so inclined.

hello, yummy friend!

• I run to make up for all the years I didn't.

Remedying this problem for our future generations by starting the boys out early

•  I run so I can later drive down that same stretch of the road and think "I ran that". Weird? Maybe. True? Absolutely.
• I run so I can feel like a real athlete. My lack of grace, skill, strength or natural talent in any other physical arena kinda limits me. It's cool, though, because I can run. I can even run for hours on end! Without passing out or vomiting!
• I run to clear my thoughts. You have no idea what intricate problems I can solve during my runs. Or, more often, what mind-boggling thoughts I can completely tune out during the time I'm smacking my feet on the pavement. Either way, it provides great benefits.
• I run to clear my sinuses. It's true! It's a great cure for a stuffy nose.
• I run for friends and family who want to and can't.

we all know someone's who has been here...or worse

 

• I run to stay in shape for racing. That may seem like double-dipping, but the two don't always go hand-in-hand. I love running. I love racing. I want to be able to do both for a very long time.

check out that blurry, heel-striking, happy lady!

• I run to show my boys how cool it is to have a hobby or passion that is also good for your health and well-being. Video Gaming just doesn't stand up to running, in those areas.
• I run to maintain my sanity. 

Today's share : Just in case I'm not the last person to stumble on this fun read, I thought I'd pass it on. I check it every now and then and get a little creeped out. It's like the contributors read my mind!

 

Tell me a reason you run :

 

Not a runner? Why the heck not?



 

 

 



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

Field Tripping

In the last few days leading up to my First Marathon,  I accompanied The Littlest, and his Kindergarten class on their very first field trip.

his first time on a school bus

We went to the Pioneer Settlement to visit stinky animals, watch a blacksmith at work and make long treks back and forth to the bathrooms. My legs and feet, already a bit stiff and sore from marathon training, were not enjoying the constant walking and standing. I transformed into : Lazy Parent Who Sits While Others Stand.

(I'm not sure if that was previously a "thing", but it is now)

proof. See my vantage point?

 

Any twinges of guilt were short-lived. I was still participating in and performing the necessary chaperone duties. There was just no need for me to be a martyr about it and sacrifice my well-worked legs, right before the race.

 

These types of situations have come up before, and will continue to do so.While running and racing most definitely do not come first in my life, I am passionate about them. Balancing running/motherhood/marriage/life naturally comes with plenty of difficult decision and overwhelming guilt. Here's how something like this boils down, for me, enough to let me sleep at night :

 

Will I skip an opportunity to accompany my children on a class trip, due to a race? Never

 

Will I be ashamed that I am sitting on my bum for the majority of said event? Absolutely not

 

Funny tidbit from that morning :

 

The sweet little girl, in my son's class, begging the guy in charge of the animals to let her pet "that really pretty chicken, in the back".

 

that IS a pretty chicken, indeed!

 

The poor man was mostly successful in his attempt to not laugh, while explaining how the peacock had snuck in the coop.

 

I was reminded of that fun day when I went with The Middlest to his class trip, today. We rode those fancy, yellow buses out to The Marine Science Center.

 

me, sneakily breaking the "no food on the bus" policy. No need to expose the group to my ever-so-delightful Hungry Runner mood

 

Neither of us had been, before, and it was very informative and hands-on. Good combo for second-graders.

the group I was in charge of. My son, appropriately, in the middle

 

Once again, instead of inwardly groaning about my sore feet, in regards to this weekend's race, I plopped myself down at every possible opportunity. Judge all you want, but I am a-okay with this decision. I still kept kids in line, pet snakes, opened juice boxes, iced boo-boos and dutifully transformed into a human, sweat and drool-covered pillow. Everyone won.

 

 

Today's funny:

 

"Mr. B, that turtle won't stop hugging the other one!"

 

 

PS : Upon reflection, I'm pretty sure the school has been plotting to sabotage my recent races.

 

 

 

 





 



 

 

 

 

 

 









That Day I Ran To Canada

...Eh

Two important notes before we begin/continue :
First : Part One of this saga can be read and enjoyed here.
Second : The oatmeal I'm eating, right now, has thirteen components. Beat that.

The Husband was kind enough to walk me to the bus that would take me to the Start Line, way back in the USA. My mom accepted the enviable task of subduing the rowdy boys in the hotel room. (thanks, mom!)
I skipped the line for the first bus, which already looked pretty full and hopped in line for the second. I'd been waiting less than a minute when a lady, about my size, picked me up by my shoulders to physically move me out of the line.

"No, no!" She exclaimed. "You can't go on this bus. This Japanese bus!"

uhhhh...ok? A bit shell-schocked, I stumbled over to the next bus and wondered what nationality it was reserved for.
A volunteer was stationed at the bus doors, verifying that every person had their passport, before stepping onto the bus. He asked me, so I patted my pocket to double-check and then nodded.

"Good. First marathon, eh?"

Whaaa? How did he know? Dangit! That Japanese Bus Incident must've been a total giveaway.

The trip from Canada, to the US start, was pretty uneventful.

hi, USA!!

Oh, unless you count the part about where the idiot on our bus lied about having his passport and our entire bus had to wait at Customs for the issue to get resolved. Other than that it was a breeze.

Despite the frustrating setback, we arrived at the art gallery/holding station with plenty of time to spare. I relaxed, ate my bagel, sipped some electrolytes and felt surprisingly calm. Not as calm as this guy, mind you...

not dead, just napping (?)

 

Finally, I went outside, stuffed my jacket in my drop bag, hooked up my ipod, hitched up my arm warmers and found a little niche in the starting area. There were around 1,300 people registered for the full. There was also a Marathon Relay, though, so half of those people started with us, too. (the others were waiting at mile 13.1, where the Half Marathon also started)  They played both the Canadian and US National Anthems, pumped up the music and we were off.

 

The tears I'd been expecting never came. Instead, I thought my face was going to split from the smile I couldn't shake.

 

The temperature was just below 50F, it was sunny and cloudless with a very light breeze. This was exactly what I'd hoped for when I registered for a Northeastern, Fall race to reward myself for training all Summer, in Florida.

 

Miles 1-3 : We ran through a really pretty part of Buffalo. I kept my music off, as there was plenty of chatter, spectators and traffic to keep me occupied. I waved at all the families with their noisemakers and signs and thanked all the law enforcement and volunteers I could. I was carrying my big handheld bottle, filled with water and GU brew. It's what I trained with and felt no need to change this procedure. The cool air and earlier stomach troubles left me feeling a bit dehydrated, so I just sipped whenever I needed to.

Mile 1 Goal : 9:11 Actual : 9:10 I actually said "whoo-ha!" or something like that, when I saw the # on my garmin. The couple beside me looked at me like I was a nutjob.

Mile 2 Goal: 8:41 Actual: 8:42 For real? This whole pacing thing is a breeze!

Mile 3 Goal: 8:11 Actual: 8:25 After analysis, I think I know what happened here. I was still in a pretty large pack of people, who were keeping more of a steady 9ish mm, pace. All the weaving and acceleration I'd avoided in the 1st two miles needed to happen now. There was just too much traffic to do so.

 

Miles 4-6: No fatigue, whatsoever. I know the adrenaline and change (for me) in conditions made a huge difference, but everything felt absolutely perfect.

Mile 4 Goal : 8:06 Actual: 8:18 The end of this mile involved crossing the Peace River Bridge. I'd totally psyched myself out for it, having experienced other races with bridges o'death. By the time I was on the decline I  had to turn around to make sure I'd actually gone up the thing. It slowed my pace the teensiest bit, but was a total non-issue.

Mile 5 Goal: 8:01 Actual : 8:09 As planned, I had my 1st GU (complete with caffeine & inspiration from my sissy) after the 5th mile. I had a few seconds of nausea, trying to digest, but that's pretty common for me.

Mile 6 Goal : 8:01 Actual: 8:26 Bye-Bye NY, Hello Canada (eh)! The rest of the race would wind around the shores and parks of little rivers from Lake Erie. Near the 10k point, I got a little panicky, realizing I had 20 miles left.

 

It was, at that moment, that I decided to stop thinking, stop looking at my Garmin and enjoy this gorgeous course and amazing opportunity.

 

Also worth noting, while marvelling at the view of Ontario, across the expanse of sparkly water, I encountered World's Biggest Downer. The runnerguy (appropriately dressed in black from head to toe) saw my relaxed smile and said " We still have SUCH a LOOONNNG way to go!"

 

Coincidentally, that's when I first turned on my ipod. Loudly.

 

Miles 7-10 I really didn't look at my Garmin during this stretch. I was running at a comfortable pace, fearful of my inevitable freakout I tend to get during races. The spectators were few and far between, as there weren't many places to park and wait during this stretch.

Mile 7: 8:37

Mile 8: 8:24

Mile 9: 8:29 The bottom of my left foot started aching and burning, at this point. It's been a troublesome spot, before, so I didn't pay too much attention. Other than that, everything felt dandy

Mile 10: 8:55 I took another GU (minus caffeine) at the 10th mile and noticed I was getting low on water. I jogged through the water stop to grab a cup and try to just pour the whole thing in my bottle. That was a fumbling mess, naturally.

Near the water, there were some pretty windy spots. I kept trying to get behind bigger people, but no one was really forming any sort of pack. I'd also hoped to try to latch onto someone at a similar pace, as I would've been able to talk and run at the speed I was going. No such luck.

beautiful...and windy

 

 

Miles 11-15 Somewhere in here, water stops started appearing every mile. Since there was only scattered spots of other cheering sections, I really welcomed this. Most were run by schools or organizations and they were very loud and encouraging. I started walking, through every other one. I wasn't feeling the need for walk breaks, but I needed to take the top off my bottle, pour in the cups and stockpile liquid.

Once I got my bottle full, I added my extra GU tab & enjoyed the fizzy, lemon-lime electrolytes. The little slow-downs were also, obviously, helpful in staving off overall pain and fatigue.

Bonus : the on-course photographer snapped away while I walked through one of the stops. I was not thinking pleasant words to him.  

Mile 11: 8:37

Mile 12: 9:09

I knew my pace was getting slower and was totally okay with it. At that point, I came to the realization that I just wanted to be able to tell The Husband, upon finishing, that I had done my best.

The strangest? coolest thing occured, about 10 seconds later. I came to a neighborhood where one of the families had written, in four-foot high chalk letters, "YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST" in the middle of the street.

 

Whoa.

 

Mile 13:9:03 At 13.1, there was a huge station where the relay runners met and it had been the start line for the halfers. I kinda felt like stopping, and calling it a day...

Mile 14: 9:01 Officially farther than I have ever raced!

I was feeling good, physically, but a bit lonely. There was a good chance none of my family would actually be able to get transportation to spots on the course, and would only be at the Finish Line. I bided my time by pretending other families were mine, and waving wildly at them while they looked past me for their loved one. Running a marathon = free pass to act like a lunatic.

Mile 15: 9:13 Took a GU Roctane, here, as they generally stick with me a bit longer. My tummy still felt great. I contemplated switching my music off, and turning on my audiobook. My poor ipod's been sweat-bathed so many times, though, the buttons are a bit iffy. I was nervous that if I messed with it, it'd rebel and turn off for the day. Music it was, then.

 

Miles 16-22 If it weren't for the constant, confusing signs (miles and kilometers markings were showing up for the marathon, half-marathon AND 10k by this point) and frequent water stops, these miles would've been pretty desolate. Yes, the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. Yes, the people stopping to vomit and/or otherwise relieve themselves in the woods was entertaining. Other than that, though, this was totally new territory for me.

Mile 16: 9:22

Mile 17: 9:26 Finally saw my loudly cheering husband, boys AND Canadian sister-in-law with her husband and sons! They were probably bursting with pride when they saw me walking through the water stop, pouring liquid everywhere.

the "action" shot The Husband got

 

The oldest ran out to hand me a handful of gummy bears. See, I'd told my other sis-in-law a tale of woe about another half-marathon I'd run. We'd been promised a Gummy Bear station, at mile 10 and I was devastated when none were to be found. Having heard my whiny story, she asked my family to be sure to give me the gooey treats when they saw me.

Aren't my people awesome?!

I felt so bad that my Canadian family had driven all that way to see me walk/jog by for 10 seconds. Spectating is a thankless job, for sure.

Mile 18: 9:29 Seeing some of my family had given me a huge mental boost. I was still so nervous about the seemingly inevitable wall , though. It seemed so much safer to just maintain, at this point, and hope for the best. I had sneaked a peek at my watch, though, and was suddenly focused on how do-able it'd be to finish with a sub-4. That became my sole thought and focus.

Mile 19: 9:21

Mile 20: 9:19 Knowing I only had 10k to go made me feel cautiously giddy. I kept evaluating and was amazed to discover how great I felt. Granted, I was tired and sore but nothing alarming or out of the ordinary, at all. The left foot was becoming more of an issue, but I consoled myself with the thought of shoving it in a bucket of ice, at the finish.

Mile 21: 9:34 Officially farther than I'd ever run, before. This thought was met with panic, but quickly squelched.

Mile 22: 9:28 Taking my fourth, and final GU was thrilling. We had moved out of the more scenic area, and into the city, though. I was having a bit of trouble zoning out and was starting to notice so many other marathoners walking.

 

Miles 23-26.2 (or .45, if you ask my Garmin) I'd hoped to speed up for the final 5k, but was still pretty much gripped by fear. Since I hadn't hit any sort of wall, it had to be coming any moment, right? I was terrified to increase my effort, for fear of totally crashing.

Mile 23: 9:45 My slowest mile. I'd done some spotty math and knew I'd only have to maintain a 10 mm pace to get in under 4 hours. This suddenly didn't seem so easy.

Mile 24: 9:44 Seriously?! I finally come up with a goal I'm totally hungry for and I'm not going to make it?! Then, I saw a familiar form running towards me. As per usual, my dad knew where and when to be. I was surprised that I was able to converse with him and was oh-so grateful for the distraction and comfort he offered. I turned off my ipod and most of my brain.

Mile 25: 9:21 This goal was NOT going to slip away, now. I'd wanted it for over a whole hour! The husband had been able to get to this part of the course, as well, (regular Houdini, eh?!) and joined my dad and I.

Another plus to a smallish marathon : No one minded my bandit pacers.

My dad took my sweaty water bottle and made his way back off the course to try to make his way over to the finish line. The poor husband, in jeans and long-sleeved shirt, was doing his best to encourage me and try to decipher my ever-so-attractive grunts and babbles.

Me: "Sub 4. (grunt) Just wanna (grunt) under 4 hours"

Him: "Not sure what you're saying but you sure look pretty" (or something like that)

I was so freaking tired at this point and so upset that they'd actually made the final mile another 14 miles long. (seriously. that thing seemed to go on forever!!)

He told me he was so proud of me. I, in the final mile of my first marathon, insisted on starting an argument.

"You're not allowed to say that 'til I finish!"

At that point, he told me I "had this" and made his way back off the course.

 

I knew, in that moment, that he was right.

 

I was about to finish a marathon. In under four hours.

this being the finishing view didn't hurt

 

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mom, sister and niece. They were shaking cowbells and yelling wildly. I couldn't even smile or wave, though. All I could focus on was that finish line.

 

Mile 26: 9:03

.45: 8:17

 

When I came through the finisher's chute, the announcer yelled out my full name, city and state. That warranted my first-ever Hands In the Air, dorky-feeling finish.

Gun Time : 3:58:50

Chip Time : 3:58: 24

16/74 F35-39

72/476 F

 

I took a couple steps forward to get my medal and the gasping sobs began. Granted, they were happy convulsions, but pretty nasty, nonetheless. I hobbled around, looking for faces I knew so I could tell them I was going to grab some ice. We all reunited, hugged and I was able to congratulate my sissy on her awesome, first-ever 10k, too.

 

• I didn't run into any, dreaded, race-day disasters. No wall, no potty breaks, no hunger, no dehydration, no vomiting, no debilitating pain. I had a fueling plan, executed it pefectly and felt amazing.
• Could I have made it hurt more, in the middle, and ended up with a better result? Who knows. I found a groove, stayed in it and avoided any crashes. For that, I am grateful and can look back on this race with nothing but joy.
• My one regret : not being able to find someone to run and chat with. That would've been a great boost
• I am totally and completely addicted to the marathon. Next one's in 8 weeks. Stay tuned for that action.
• My family & friends/support system is the best. Hands-down.

 The next post will break down the actual race structure and weekend, if anyone's interested. Teaser for Part Three :

 

Niagara Falls International Marathon : Where ice cubes are more precious than gold

 

Thank you all for reading (or skimming) about my race. I love other people's recaps and hope there's some useful tidbit in here. Since I already posted the post-finish pic, I'll leave you with the goofy one leading up to that one. Enjoy :

luckily, The Husband decided to take another shot after this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fast-Forward Friday

When I realized today's date, I knew Throwback Thursday would have to step aside for a new edition, this week. Also, it's my blog and I can do whatever I want. So there.

Next month, on this date,  I will be trying desperately to keep running in my first, Full, Marathon!! If you've read any of my brief running history, or (are lucky enough to) know me in real life, you would understand that this is not actually some life-long dream I'll be fulfilling.

I registered for the race on April 29th, 2012. Before that date, I was only about 20% sure I even wanted to go through with this craziness. That 20% had been rolling around in my brain for approximately one week. Prior to that I really had no desire to run that distance. Ever.

I recently completed seven half marathons, in seven months.

raise your hand if you want me in charge of your race calendar! 

Each one actually confirmed the adamant"I will NEVER run a Full Marathon" thought I'd had since I'd started running.

However, a culmination of little, seemingly insignificant incidents turned that"maybe, someday..." spark and turned it into an insatiable wildfire.

I'm glad I don't have the ability to actually fast-forward to October 21st. I don't mind the wait. Don't get me wrong. My excitement about this race is there. It just happens to be jumbled up with a plethora of other feelings that are not entirely excitement.

It's kinda like the days leading up to your birthday. You're looking forward to celebrating it, but you don't actually want to be older.

It's also a bit reminiscent of being a month away from giving birth . So excited!! Can't wait!!...but, also, not entirely ready to face that day and all the pain that will be associated with it.

all-inclusive photo of my birthday with aforementioned children

 

So, I'll settle for some mental fast-forwarding while I continue to plan and train for this epic (for me) event. It may or may not end up being my only marathon, but it will always be my first. I won't be able to pause that moment where both of my feet cross the finish line, but I will be able to rewind those unforgettable memories, whenever I want to.

 

In one month.

 

Throw Thur

This Throwback Thursday is a recap of my first half-marathon. See how the title only contains half the words? Get it?! More examples of my enviable sense of humor...

I can vividly recall the conversation we had, while walking to my first 5k race. She and I adamantly agreed we had no desire to ever race a distance further than 3.1 miles.

"Well, maaaybe a 10k". I finally conceded.

She half-heartedly agreed, but that was it. That was the ultimate cut-off.

Fast-forward six, whole months 'til I ran my first 10k :

the following month I ran my second 10k

I hate to brag, but impatience and obsession are qualities I have mastered. Why I couldn't be content to run a few 5ks, every couple of months, for a few years is beyond me. It's not even as though I was excelling at that distance and needed more. I just needed more. Now!

My incessant chatter about running and races had fueled and awakened the dormant runner in my dad. He'd run Track as a speedy youth, but had long since retired.

middle row, 3rd from left. you're welcome, dad!!

 

After racing a few 5ks, he had jumped right into the half-marathon distance just a few months later. (thanks, genetics!) While I still had a healthy respect for any distance over 6.2 miles, his excitement and successes were definitely contagious.

 

Then he talked me into trying the running group he'd joined.

 

Turns out Impatient/Obsessive Runner + Like-Minded Locals = Best Thing Ever!

 

Approximately 4 days into this new venture, for me, the half-marathon went from "no way never" to "I must do it. immediately". After a frenzied internet search, I settled on this race. It was about 12 weeks away, so I'd have the perfect amount of time to train. The race was also in the town where I'd grown up and I loved the nostalgia of that. The field wouldn't be enormous and the temperature would be cooler, in Florida. This was it. My, idyllic First Half-Marathon was staring right at me from my moniter.

 

I was sweating and giggling when I submitted the registration, but my husband's calm confidence and support settled my nerves....

 

So much so, that I instantly realized there was no way my impatient little brain could wait 12 weeks for this race. (how many of you saw that coming?)

 

With wild eyes and flying fingers, I submitted another entry for the Daytona Beach 1/2 Marathon. Who needs ridiculous things like training, waiting or common sense?

 

As I've shared, in addition to being impatient, I am also really "thrifty" as well as generally clueless so my preparation and training for the race left a LOT to be desired. However, I did somewhat follow a (free) shortened training plan, so the distance wasn't seeming as impossible to me. With my (less cheap) husband's encouragement, I also bought some calf sleeves (the day before the race) to counteract the effect of the 2 bridge crossings involved in the course. 

 

The husband and boys would be my cheering section. I didn't want to inconvenience the rest of my family for this pre-dawn, longer-than-a-5k, race experience, so I discouraged their attendance and told them all I'd give them a full recap.

 

The (very early) morning of the race, I ate some carbs, drank some gatorade, got sick about 6 times and left the house with my little family.

 

Wait. What? Getting sick so many times that you're left pale, shaking and utterly empty isn't standard race prep? whoops...

 

The race starts on the actual Daytona International Speedway. It's pretty darned cool. The boys were very excited to get to play around on the steep banks, while I tried to not vomit (again) before the start. It was still dark, the first few miles, but the Speedway was all lit up.

 

In my impatience, I went out way too fast, skipped the first few water stops, panicked and was seriously considering quitting less than three miles in. I have never had such a desperate, hopeless horrified feeling, while running.

 

Then I saw the most beautiful thing in the world. My husband, ever thoughtful, had secretly coordinated with the rest of our extended family, to have them all along the course. Every other mile or so, my weary brain recognized people I loved. People who loved me enough to wake up at an ungodly hour, navigate closed-off streets and stand in somewhat sketchy sections of town for a really long time. They held up their handmade posters and made as much noise as they possibly could. Just for me.

 

It was the one and only reason I finished that race.

 

Totally depleted of fuel (1/2 of a GU and 4 sips of water are not enough, I later learned) I crashed many, many times along the course. I found myself walking over the last bridge. Walking was never part of my training. I was so frustrated and disgusted with myself. There was nothing in the entire world that I wanted more than to be DONE with this nightmare.

 

While I should've been relieved to see the final mile marker, I had to hold back a disgusting mixture of dry heaves and tears. There was no way I could run another whole mile. This may sound ridiculously dramatic, but it was real and it was ugly.

 

Then, to my right, I saw my dad. He'd fought and wound his way, purposefully, back to that exact spot and put his running shoes on. He hopped right onto the course and ran beside me.

 

As he talked and joked to distract me, our pace picked up. The desperation tried to creep back in, but my dad's presence and strides kept it at bay. As we rounded back onto the racetrack, I told him, breathlessly, "I would have never made it that last mile, without you." He told me I absolutely would have and hopped back off the track as the finish line came into view.

one & only race photo I've ever bought

 

 

I may have some seriously annoying traits, but I am blessed enough to have a spouse and family that see past all that and love me, still.

 

Thank you.