Hell Run take 2 - 9.29.12

Who hasn't updated this blog in more than a year?  This girl.  So--don't expect a lot of details.  Would you read them anyway, I doubt it.

This was the second time my hubby and I raced this.  I knew there were hills.  I knew there was mud.  I knew there was the god forsaken rope wall.  I did it anyway.

I didn't have  plan.  Just finish without blowing a knee.  I told Jason not to wait on me this time.  He handles hills better than I do, never mind the obstacles.  I wanted him to run his own race, so we split up right away.

All went well.  I didn't see Jason again until I got to the last obstacle.  A 20' wall that you had to scale with a rope.  Fortunately, Jason tipped me off to use the side of my foot for support (a 2" x 4") rather than my toe so it was easy.  There once on a photo on FB, but it's gone now.  

The Swag

The Details

My bib: 2038

181/266 overall

My chip time: 47:00, 14:56 pace

Lungevity 5K - 11.12.11

When picking up my packet for the Columbus Half Marathon , I ran across Breathe Deep, a fundraiser 5K raising money for lung cancer.  I was instantly drawn to it, since I lost my mother to lung cancer back in Feb. 2007.  My BFF, Sara, who was with me turned to me and said "I'll do it with you". 

As long as my schedule allowed, I was in.  My boys would be with me.  Ever since Marie did a 5K pushing her trips, I had to try it.  Competitive? Maybe.  More like "I want those bragging rights".  Maybe this:

yeah, just a little :)


The race went fine.  Nice warmish day in November.  We didn't know the route before we started, but boy were those ittle bitty hills killers.  Even not pushing 100 lbs would have been trying.  I remember those during the Giant Eagle 5K.  I've haven't had a lot of experience with running with a stroller, well, I had run once with it.  But, it was only 3 miles, right?  


I forgot about the stress of having 2 little ones around.  Snacks, drinks, toys, potties.  I spilled my drink in their stroller trying to get it down a flight of stairs to get to the start line.  Then Keegan didn't want to sit in a wet seat.  I was instantly stressed.  I grabbed a shirt (sorry, Sara) and threw Keegan in.  We took off and immediately went up hill.  I heard behind me "already?" and it made me laugh out loud.  We had no time to warm up.  Speaking of warm, I overdressed.  I wanted to take my jacket off so badly, but I pinned my bib to both sides of the zipper.  Amateur.  Just one more reason I need a different fuel belt, so I can never touch a safety pin again.  Also, I was running with NO powerade since I spilled it before we started.  Insert panic.


Everyone passed me made a comment.  "Wow", "that's hard", "you rock", and my favorite from Sara's hubby "can I get in?".  I held my pace and was after a 40 minute finish.  I squeaked in.  Barely.


There were 2 other strollers in this race, including my friend Vicky, which also lost her Nanny (grandmother) to lung cancer.  Overall, the race wasn't too bad.  We dropped one toy, one drink, and got a little nascar at Mile 3 and got into the wall :)  But, we recovered.


Here are the photos from the day:

Team "Running on Memories" missing Vicky and Courtney.  

See the guy on the right?  That's Sara's father in law, Sam.  He was so inspired when he watched us run the half, he signed up for this race, trained for 25 days and placed FIRST in his age class.  He has never run a race before this day.  YOU ROCK, SAM!  

Balloons let off in remembrance.  Note: our balloons left early.  twice.

Vicky & Parker

The Details

The Course:

My bib: 1340

My chip time: 39:52, 12:50 pace

My Garmin time: 40:29, 12:32 pace, 3.23 miles

64/73 overall, 46/48 female.

My splits:

1 - 12:25

2 - 12:33

3 - 13:00

4 - 11:03

I look forward to doing Breathe Deep again.  This is a new race and I would love to support lung cancer research while running.  Next Race: BREATHE DEEP NEWARK on May 12, 2012.  Who's in?

See ya on the run!

Beerathlon 5K - 7.16.11

I had been looking forward to this race for quite a while and I almost missed it.  Jason had to have a last minute surgery.  While outpatient, I wasn't sure if he'd be able to be left alone the next day.  I guess you can tell, I left him.  

This 5K started at Buffalo Wild Wings on Bethel Road, Columbus, Ohio.  Mid-July, hottest week of the year, 7 o'clock, no shade, street race.  Recipe for disaster.

Here we are before the race:

I ran at what I thought was a comfortable pace. I often watch my Garmin but don't do a whole lot of adjusting, I just like to see where I am, every 2 seconds.  Just 1/2 mile in, it took a major pep talk to keep going.  It was hot, the sun was beating in our face, no sign of shade in site.  

Just like every other 5K, everyone seemed super fast.  Again, I started off too fast.  While I carried Powerarde and used sportbeans prior, this race was the hardest ever, ever, ever.  The only glimmer of hope to finish running was a property owner in the area turned his sprinkler on into the street.  Those drops were 2 seconds of heaven

I crossed the finish line (uphill, thanks Ultra-fit) and was greeted by Sara's Mother in Law and our friend, Marie.  I'm not sure what I said, but I remember "it's too hot" and "I want to cry".   I also wanted to go back and finish with Sara, but I didn't have it in me.  What support would I be if I could barely walk?  I needed something, but I wasn't sure what.  I settled for a granola bar and gatorade.  While choosing my recovery meal, I missed Sara's finish.  Of course I did, I felt terrible.

While I was pressed for time, we managed to get a beer.  I mean, it had "beer" in the title, it only seemed right!

  

The Details

The Course:

View Buffalo Wild Wings 5K in a larger map

My bib: 575

My chip time: No Chip!!!  Gunstart, handed a card at finish.  Totally weird if you ask me.

My Garmin time: 33:10, 10:33, 3.12 miles

108/179 overallThere were more runners, but they didn't turn in their time.  Let's just say I was faster than them...

My splits:

1 - 9:50

2 - 10:56

3 - 11:07

4 - 1:15

Race Packet goodies:

Another Super cute tech shirt to add to my collection!  

See ya on the run!

MoveMMore - 6.19.11

My BFF and new running partner, Sara, just completed the Couch to 5K running program and was ready for her first 5K.  Our other BFF, Marie, was on board too.  Even though it was Father's Day, all of our hubs were in full support.  

Sara chose this as her first due to some personal ties to Myeloma, I loved the idea that the money raised went to the James.  Unlike some bigger fundraisers, money sent to the James stays local.  If you'd like to read more about MMore, visit them here.

Here are few photos before the race.  

We got our shirts from HERE, a shop set up by the authors of a book that has inspired all three of us run, Run Like a Mother: The Book. 

Close up intended to show the shirts, not just a boob shot.

Here is Marie giving her girls a pep talk before the race.  Yep, she ran with them.  Yep, she's a little crazy.  Yep, I wanna do it with my 2 guys.

I love this shot of Sara finishing her first 5K.  It wasn't easy, the weather was not fun.  The terrain was challenging.  She is flanked by her husband and myself, there is no way she would finish this alone.  Marie and her trio were at the finish line chanting "go Sara go".   Who needs more motivation than that?

Here's Marie finishing.  This wins picture of the day for all I'm concerned.

Had I created this post soon after the race, I would have remembered some of the details.  I do remember some.  The race was hard.  We started in the back, then was forced to weave in and out of walkers to get up to our pace.  We started way to fast, all that green lane passing caught up to us.  I was sucking air at .61 miles and took at least another mile to feel as if I wouldn't die.  I carried powerade in a handheld, which was a lifesaver for me.  In these high temps, I need to remember to do that even on short runs. 

Overall, no complaints.  This wasn't a PR for me, nor did I ever set out for it to be one.  I'm happy with my pace and would have been happy at a slower pace and not nearly killed myself {by accident} due to bad pacing. 

The Details

The Course:

My bib: 213

My chip time: 31:43, 10:14 pace, 3.1 miles 

My Garmin time: 36:27, 10:32 , 3.46 miles

{I circled back to finish with Sara and restarted when I caught her}

13/47 female in my age group

118/151 overall

My splits:

1 - 10:10

2 - 10:37

3 - 10:00

4 - 5:39

Race Packet goodies:

Another Super cute tech shirt to add to my collection!  

Now, the reason I was glad this post wasn't done sooner.  A few weeks after the race, I was wearing my tech shirt running with my boys in their jogger in my neighborhood.  A car passed me and turned around to stop me asking me "did you run?".  I thought, is he kidding, I'm about to die and my face it beet red.  He meant, did I run for MMore.  He is a survivor that lives in my neighborhood.  Still fighting, but surviving.  He was so appreciative that we took the time to participate in this successful race.  More than $40,000 was donated to the James on behalf of MMore and I couldn't be more delighted to have contributed.  It feels good to give, feels better when it's personal.  Before he drove off, he kept saying "that made my day".  No sir, it made mine.

{someone help me with this sign off}

2nd Annual Shamrock Run & Walk - 5.21.11

3 weeks post half marathon and I decide I need to do something, like, now.  I didn't sign up for MIT this go around, but convinced Vicky we needed to do a race a month {at least}.  I have the need for speed {if you consider a 10 minute mile speed, if not, we may not be able to be friends}

This race was close to home for me, located in Newark, Ohio.  The weather was warm, but not too hot.  Conditions were good to be a great race.  Here's the course map:

We knew right away the race was going to be small.  Not bad, just small.  I wasn't nervous or even anxious like usual.  I wanted to be faster, but wasn't planning on killing myself.  I was just going to run and see how it went.  Plus, I had a big day planned to go to the zoo later.  If you read my family blog, you know we go to the zoo a lot.

The ages and experience of the runners were all over the place.  Everyone came out of the gate flying.  I looked over to Vicky right away and said "we're going too fast".  I was intimated.  Everyone seemed to be so fast.  I was getting passed left and right and felt so defeated.  I decided right then and there that this was my race to win.  I couldn't worry about anyone else. 

Vicky and I split up right away.  That's runner code, if you feel great...go ahead.  We'll see you at the end.  I was neck and neck with a man all of 80 years old and he was kicking my ass.  Talk about a blow to the ego.  Then the reminder "he's been running forever, you'll get there".

True to form, half mile into the race and some people starting walking, then they continued with their annoying pace of sprint-walk-sprint.  I don't know if it's annoying to anyone else, but I'd rather look at your butt one time {likewise I'm sure}.  

The course was all road, through a residential section, and mostly flat.  I kept a consistent pace and felt fine.  I remember thinking that I would love a sip of water, but they were handing out whole bottles.  Well, a girl was standing by a cooler full of water, but I was not about to wait for her to open the cooler, get a bottle, open it, hand it to me.  I could suffer.  I decided then that my fuel belt was necessary, even on shorty races.

The Details

My bib: 18

My chip time: 32:27, 10:28 pace, 3.1 miles

My Garmin time: 31:54, 10:38, 3 miles {had to re-boot}

5/6 female in my age group

17/25 female 

44/57 overall

My splits:

1 - 10:14

2 - 10:38

3 - 10:59

4 - 10:18

No photos to share, but here's the t-shirt:

Although it's not a tech shirt, I do love that it proves I'm not a couch potato {anymore}.  All in all--not bad.  

Plus, a PR to boot!!! 

{insert cool sign off here}