Brrrr! When I arrived at the race site, I initially sat in my car contemplating taking a DNS. I thought about running inside the shelter, picking up my race bib and mug, dashing back to my warm car, and driving back to my warm house! But when I went inside the shelter, saw all the runners hanging out, smiling and chatting, I knew I couldn't leave. Time to suck it up! Afterall, it was 18 degrees and the wind wasn't THAT bad...yet!
We lined up for a cross country-style start. As we listened to the race director say that runners will be crossing a creek during the first mile, I glanced over to my warm car. Hmmm...I could just slide out of the crowd unnoticed and drive away in my warm, DRY car. But alas, I reminded myself I do not DNS (except the one time when I had rotovirus. Today I was healthy so no excuse.) A couple more announcements and we were off trampling through the fluffy snow. This might actually be fun. Could that be?
The creek crossing at a quarter-mile in caused an 8-minute log jam for everyone to cross. No biggie because this wasn't a "race" to me, but rather was a great excuse to run 6.2 miles with company. After about 20 minutes in, I was over-the-top happy. All body parts felt good and I wasn't going to die of frostbite. Good fun! The volunteers were great at water stops at 2.5 miles and 4 miles. Loved the ups and downs of the trail and enjoyed the beautiful view afforded to all of us on this snowy morning.
I crossed the finish line with a huge smile and gave out many thank you's to all the kidnd volunteers. We are lucky to have such an active running community here in Northern Ohio.
Post-race, I grabbed coffee and hot cocoa for my girls and we had great fun playing Country Dance on the Wii. What a great start to Sunday!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Break Over
I took a little break from blogging - mostly because I ran out of stuff to say...and stuff to do. I had injured my foot from my overzelous race schedule (you know, running 4 half marathons in 4 weeks) and needed a break. Ahhh, and let me tell you, I feel repaired and refreshed...and plumper (unfortunately). Five weeks of no running kind of adds a little sumthin' sumthin' to the waistline, which is going to require a little extra effort over the next few weeks to remove!
My foot feels normal again and no other body parts are barking at me. I even ran two pain-free miles the other night. And I've been enjoying cross training, which I started this week. Who knew 2 miles on the indoor track could seem like an endurance training event? Yeah, this girl! After 5 weeks of vegetation, I actually feel like I'm starting at ground zero. No worries, this week I've run, biked, and did the elliptical (what do you do on an elliptical anyway? It's not running or walking or stairstepping?). Tonight, I have yoga and and tomorrow is Zumba class with my daughter.
I never knew slowing down could be so fun.
My foot feels normal again and no other body parts are barking at me. I even ran two pain-free miles the other night. And I've been enjoying cross training, which I started this week. Who knew 2 miles on the indoor track could seem like an endurance training event? Yeah, this girl! After 5 weeks of vegetation, I actually feel like I'm starting at ground zero. No worries, this week I've run, biked, and did the elliptical (what do you do on an elliptical anyway? It's not running or walking or stairstepping?). Tonight, I have yoga and and tomorrow is Zumba class with my daughter.
I never knew slowing down could be so fun.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Slam, 'Bama, Thank You M'am!
The night before the race was the Go Daddy Bowl parade. My room was on the 5th floor so I had an awesome view of the parade. I grabbed a nice glass of Pinot noir from the downstairs bar and I was set for an evening of entertainment. It was so cool to watch floats go by, listen and see bands performing, and people watch from above. It was like a mini-Macy's Thanksgiving day parade.
I went to bed Saturday night feeling like the ice bath was the magic elixir for making a hilly run more tolerable. And I was sure that red wine had even more magical powers (don't all good reds have a little magic?!). But then I woke up Sunday morning to the uh-oh feeling of thrashed quads. Ooohh, this could be a long 2-1/2 hours. And it was.
Ran into Cheryl on my way to the start and so glad I did. Because of her, I got to hang out with a wonderful group of about 30 Marathon maniacs. The cult-like following of this group is so intoxicating. But before long, it was time to get this show on the run.
There was no championchip timing, no D tag or Bib tag. It was old school. Everyone started at the same time and you tore off the bottom of your bib and handed it over to the volunteers. And that was that. Sometimes it's nice to just run - no technology, just you and your shoes.
The course was not terribly scenic. It's kind of hard to describe Mobile. I had these great expectations that it would be full of beauty and azaleas. Well, since the azaleas are not in bloom, it just looked...well...like anyplace else. Not good, not bad, just another town.
The course snaked in and out of various neighborhoods, some beautiful, some not so much. It was flat, which didn't add to any level of excitement. There weren't too many people on the course cheering either. The one thing the race had going for it was the charity/cause. The people served by L'Arche made plaques for those of us that did the back-to-back races as well as handmade the medals. It was a very nice touch and I actually felt my money went to something good and decent, unlike the Rock n Roll Vegas race, where the money wasn't used wisely or for a kind cause. That's an interesting point, come to think about it. Should races always be of the fundraising sort? Or is it acceptable for race to be a big business? Hmm...haven't really thought about that.
The first 5 miles I ran with a 70-ish year old marathoner from Georgia. He shared fun stories about when his dad first took him to the Marriott Battle House (where I was staying and, historically, was the battle command center for General Andrew Jackson) when he was a little boy. He had brought his grandaughter with him on this trip to make it special. He shared with me that he almost always has a podium finish in his age group because it's not as competitive when you're in you're 70s, but that the 60s age group was terribly competitive! Around mile 8 I ran with a nice lady whose husband had left her 6 months ago with two young kids so she took up running. She was delightful actually and I enjoyed her company for a mile or two. Around mile 11, I ran alongside a 12-year-old who had an old Garmin - I think the 101! He told me this was not his first half, but he did ask me how much longer did he have to go. I swear, I think kids are programmed to ask that question!
I finished the race in a relatively decent time considering it was my second race in two days, and enjoyed a yummy small cup of ice cream with chocolate syrup. I sat briefly on a bench by one of park fountains next to lady from Mobile. She told me that the humidity about did her in (87%). I told her I was from Cleveland and was not ready for these conditions - mid 60s with awful humidity, but the ice cream sure did make everything better!
All in all, a great weekend. I knocked out two states, visited two interesting towns, racked up some mileage, chiseled my quads (a girl can dream), met some wonderful runners, and had a fun experience.
Finish time: 2:41:27 (and Garmin clocked this race at 13.41 miles).
Now please pardon me while I whine going up and down the stairs!
I went to bed Saturday night feeling like the ice bath was the magic elixir for making a hilly run more tolerable. And I was sure that red wine had even more magical powers (don't all good reds have a little magic?!). But then I woke up Sunday morning to the uh-oh feeling of thrashed quads. Ooohh, this could be a long 2-1/2 hours. And it was.
Ran into Cheryl on my way to the start and so glad I did. Because of her, I got to hang out with a wonderful group of about 30 Marathon maniacs. The cult-like following of this group is so intoxicating. But before long, it was time to get this show on the run.
There was no championchip timing, no D tag or Bib tag. It was old school. Everyone started at the same time and you tore off the bottom of your bib and handed it over to the volunteers. And that was that. Sometimes it's nice to just run - no technology, just you and your shoes.
The course was not terribly scenic. It's kind of hard to describe Mobile. I had these great expectations that it would be full of beauty and azaleas. Well, since the azaleas are not in bloom, it just looked...well...like anyplace else. Not good, not bad, just another town.
The course snaked in and out of various neighborhoods, some beautiful, some not so much. It was flat, which didn't add to any level of excitement. There weren't too many people on the course cheering either. The one thing the race had going for it was the charity/cause. The people served by L'Arche made plaques for those of us that did the back-to-back races as well as handmade the medals. It was a very nice touch and I actually felt my money went to something good and decent, unlike the Rock n Roll Vegas race, where the money wasn't used wisely or for a kind cause. That's an interesting point, come to think about it. Should races always be of the fundraising sort? Or is it acceptable for race to be a big business? Hmm...haven't really thought about that.
The first 5 miles I ran with a 70-ish year old marathoner from Georgia. He shared fun stories about when his dad first took him to the Marriott Battle House (where I was staying and, historically, was the battle command center for General Andrew Jackson) when he was a little boy. He had brought his grandaughter with him on this trip to make it special. He shared with me that he almost always has a podium finish in his age group because it's not as competitive when you're in you're 70s, but that the 60s age group was terribly competitive! Around mile 8 I ran with a nice lady whose husband had left her 6 months ago with two young kids so she took up running. She was delightful actually and I enjoyed her company for a mile or two. Around mile 11, I ran alongside a 12-year-old who had an old Garmin - I think the 101! He told me this was not his first half, but he did ask me how much longer did he have to go. I swear, I think kids are programmed to ask that question!
I finished the race in a relatively decent time considering it was my second race in two days, and enjoyed a yummy small cup of ice cream with chocolate syrup. I sat briefly on a bench by one of park fountains next to lady from Mobile. She told me that the humidity about did her in (87%). I told her I was from Cleveland and was not ready for these conditions - mid 60s with awful humidity, but the ice cream sure did make everything better!
All in all, a great weekend. I knocked out two states, visited two interesting towns, racked up some mileage, chiseled my quads (a girl can dream), met some wonderful runners, and had a fun experience.
Finish time: 2:41:27 (and Garmin clocked this race at 13.41 miles).
Now please pardon me while I whine going up and down the stairs!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Southern Hospitality in Mississippi
Although this race will stand out as the hardest half Marathon that I've completed, I had such a great experience.
The course, the volunteers, the runners and the hotel all made this one of my best race experiences.
Packet pick-up was a short walk from the hotel with only a few vendors. I much prefer smaller expos so I can get in and out and off my feet. The schwag included an awesome shirt with the loudest design (but still neat), a blues CD, and a harmonica. A harmonica! How awesome! Well, it was awesome until 2 hours of listening to my 4-year-old learning how to make sounds with it (but it's still awesome no matter how loud and shrill).
Previous to this event, I had been a loyal Hilton member, increasing my status with each stay. However, after this weekend and staying at two different Marriotts, I think I'll be switching my loyalty. They simply did everything right. But more on that later.
The night before the race, I joined two other runners for dinner at our hotel. Really enjoyed the conversation, learning about different races, the good and the bad. After dinner, I had a relaxing night changing into my pjs, slipping into bed, reading SELF magazine while HGTV was on in the background. Pure bliss!
Up and early for the 7am start. I was meeting the girls in the lobby so we could walk up together. Found our various paces in the appropriate corrals and listened to the Star Spangled Banner - blues style. Then we're off!
The first mile was already giving me a good taste of Jackson, Mississippi hills. Yikes! Right before mile 3, I saw the coolest sight - a house with over 100 birdhouses! I thought about taking a picture, but I feared that if I slowed down, then there was a chance I'd never start back up!
Between miles 3-6, i was treated to some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen. Kept wondering if John Grisham lived nearby. It just felt like scenes from his novels.
I cannot say enough good things about the amazing hospitality and the kind and friendly volunteers. This town seriously tries make you feel their love!
The hills were challenging-ascents and descents equally difficult. In spite of that, I had no knee or hip pain. I even gave away my biofreeze packet to someone having a bad bout of knee pain. It was funny actually. The guy I gave my biofreeze to asked if he should take it with water. I quickly said, "oh no, it's a topical ointment. You rub it in." A near crisis averted!
Finish line was a wicked uphill for the last half mile. That kicked my ass! Finishing at the capitol was cool. Seeing Trent Lott at the finish line would have made it even cooler. His family name is everywhere in Mississippi! The post-race food had all sorts of yumminess, but my stomach was not giving me the green light to adventurous eating-red beans and rice just didn't seem like the right move! I think it might have been the heat and humidity, and I had not experienced these weather conditions since August! I did grab a couple cookies, sat on the lawn and enjoyed being treated to some fantastic sounding blues music. Oh the medal, it a large record with a blue guitar. Heavy and awesome!
Returning to the hotel, Marriott showed me they really know how to treat its customers! They handed out towels at the lobby entrance for returning runners and had gatorade and ice water displayed in large glass containers (the ones that usually have water with cucumber or lemon slices). Such a great touch!
As soon as I entered my room, i hopped into an Ice bath before I could talk myself out of it. Such a smart move considering I had another half marathon race in the morning!
Finish time: 2:36:33 (a little slow, but it was challenging and I had so much fun!)
While I was sweating in the heat and humidity, my little princesses were enjoying ice skating at Snow Days at Progressive Field. Love this picture they sent me post-race!
And now I'm off to Mobile, Alabama!
The course, the volunteers, the runners and the hotel all made this one of my best race experiences.
Packet pick-up was a short walk from the hotel with only a few vendors. I much prefer smaller expos so I can get in and out and off my feet. The schwag included an awesome shirt with the loudest design (but still neat), a blues CD, and a harmonica. A harmonica! How awesome! Well, it was awesome until 2 hours of listening to my 4-year-old learning how to make sounds with it (but it's still awesome no matter how loud and shrill).
Previous to this event, I had been a loyal Hilton member, increasing my status with each stay. However, after this weekend and staying at two different Marriotts, I think I'll be switching my loyalty. They simply did everything right. But more on that later.
The night before the race, I joined two other runners for dinner at our hotel. Really enjoyed the conversation, learning about different races, the good and the bad. After dinner, I had a relaxing night changing into my pjs, slipping into bed, reading SELF magazine while HGTV was on in the background. Pure bliss!
Up and early for the 7am start. I was meeting the girls in the lobby so we could walk up together. Found our various paces in the appropriate corrals and listened to the Star Spangled Banner - blues style. Then we're off!
The first mile was already giving me a good taste of Jackson, Mississippi hills. Yikes! Right before mile 3, I saw the coolest sight - a house with over 100 birdhouses! I thought about taking a picture, but I feared that if I slowed down, then there was a chance I'd never start back up!
Between miles 3-6, i was treated to some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen. Kept wondering if John Grisham lived nearby. It just felt like scenes from his novels.
I cannot say enough good things about the amazing hospitality and the kind and friendly volunteers. This town seriously tries make you feel their love!
The hills were challenging-ascents and descents equally difficult. In spite of that, I had no knee or hip pain. I even gave away my biofreeze packet to someone having a bad bout of knee pain. It was funny actually. The guy I gave my biofreeze to asked if he should take it with water. I quickly said, "oh no, it's a topical ointment. You rub it in." A near crisis averted!
Finish line was a wicked uphill for the last half mile. That kicked my ass! Finishing at the capitol was cool. Seeing Trent Lott at the finish line would have made it even cooler. His family name is everywhere in Mississippi! The post-race food had all sorts of yumminess, but my stomach was not giving me the green light to adventurous eating-red beans and rice just didn't seem like the right move! I think it might have been the heat and humidity, and I had not experienced these weather conditions since August! I did grab a couple cookies, sat on the lawn and enjoyed being treated to some fantastic sounding blues music. Oh the medal, it a large record with a blue guitar. Heavy and awesome!
Returning to the hotel, Marriott showed me they really know how to treat its customers! They handed out towels at the lobby entrance for returning runners and had gatorade and ice water displayed in large glass containers (the ones that usually have water with cucumber or lemon slices). Such a great touch!
As soon as I entered my room, i hopped into an Ice bath before I could talk myself out of it. Such a smart move considering I had another half marathon race in the morning!
Finish time: 2:36:33 (a little slow, but it was challenging and I had so much fun!)
While I was sweating in the heat and humidity, my little princesses were enjoying ice skating at Snow Days at Progressive Field. Love this picture they sent me post-race!
And now I'm off to Mobile, Alabama!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Do You Read Fitness Ads, Too?
This article was posted by Lava magazine on Twitter a few days ago appealing to me both visually and good writing. I also enjoy advertisements in triathlon, cycling and running magazines, so it was nice to see a focus on their messages and cleverness. Enjoy.
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