I started this blog as a way to reflect (or rant) about the training for my first half marathon. Now that I have rocked my first half, I have decided that I will attempt to keep up with the blogging. Again, I'm not sure how often I'll update, but I will give it a whirl!
As you can see, I have changed the blog name to: Live. Laugh. Run. I figured this would be the best name to go with because I plan on using this blog as a way to talk about life and whatnot, along with running. And let's be honest, you can't talk about life and running without a little bit of laughter!
The Rock n' Roll St. Louis Half Marathon was October 23rd. I have done a race every weekend since then. I know, I sound so hardcore, don't I? I'm not sure what I was thinking when I signed up for all these races right after completing my first half. Maybe I did it right after I finished a long run and had runner's brain. Regardless, I did them and had fun, but also learned a few lessons.
Race Reports
SIU Army ROTC 10k
October 29th
1:02:48
This 10k was just six days after the half marathon. Um, yeah. I had never done a 10k before, so I thought after 13.1 mile, 6.2 would be cake. Ha! That week, Tim and I met up with Jaime to run the course because we had heard it was a bit confusing. During this little practice run, I ended hurting myself a bit. Close to mile 4, I started having sharp pains behind my right knee. I slowed down and just got through the run. The next day, that area was a bit tight, but not really painful or bothering me too much, so I just shrugged it off as fatigue.
Race day was pretty much the same. I was fine the first 3-4 miles, then the pain sneaked back in along with a bit of side stitch-- my favorite! On top of that fun, I was very much aware that I was dead last. Seriously, there were no other runners behind me and if I squinted, I could see 2 others way ahead of me. Oddly enough, I always have that coming in last fear-- I mean, how embarrassing! I wasn't too concerned about that for this one because there were only like 30 runners doing the 10k, not like 200. In the end, I caught up to the runners in front of me and came in only a few seconds after them. And of course, I smiled as I crossed the finish line! :)
Funny enough, my dead last finish was actually a 3rd Place finish in my age group! Tim rocked it and got 1st and Jaime killed her goal time and came in 2nd!
Annual 10 Mile Tunnel Hill Trail Run
November 5th
1:46:08 (Official Time)
1:45:12 (Garmin Time)
This was a great race! Tunnel Hill Trail is a converted railroad path that is now a popular bike trail. Tim signed us up for it and said that he just wanted to run it with me. Thank goodness! I was out of town for work for most of the week and actually got home pretty late the night before this race. Again, what was I thinking?!?!
There are a lot of things that I liked about this race. First, the shirts are super cute. Okay, so that really doesn't impact the running, but I like the swag. Seriously, race shirts, medals, free stuff-- it just makes the race experience that more fun! Also, they had a great post race spread. From soup to Oreo cookies, plenty of noms for everyone!
The actual run was pretty good. It was a bit chilly, but the sky was blue and the leaves were full of fall color. The first 5 miles were pretty easy going. Tim and I were running a steady pace just talking about my trip, etc. About halfway into mile 6, the same area behind my knee started hurting. I pushed through for another mile and then stopped to walk. Big mistake! Walking seemed to make me more aware of the pain! Super annoying stuff! I slowed down once again and just focused on finishing. The pain would subside for a bit then come back. Tim was super supportive during the whole thing and got me through it. We finished the race strong and although my leg was killing me, I am happy I did it.
I enjoyed this race because there are more folks like me running than there are real competitors. Sure, the "elites" were in front racing for a PR or placement, but the bulk of the people that were there seemed to be relaxed and enjoying it. I know some folks were surprised that Tim ran it with me because he is a bit competitive at these things. The funny thing about Tim is that he sometimes doesn't even care about time or pace, sometimes he just likes to run-- even at my turtle pace!
Women Together 5k
November 12th
30:27
Okay, I was super dreading this race. On Tuesday, Tim and I ran the course and it was terrible. My hamstring on my right leg was still tender and started hurting after about a mile in. Then, about a quarter mile from finishing, I got a horrible side stitch. Like, the side stitch that could kill all other side stitches. I was told by Tim and a physical therapist that my body was over compensating for my injury and to STOP RUNNING. But, but, but... what do you mean stop running? That is pretty much what I did though. I wrapped the leg and did a few exercises at work and just told myself that I will just have to see how it felt on Saturday.
I was thrilled when I woke up on Saturday pain free! Yippy! However, running was going to be the real test. Once again, Tim decided he would run with me. I told him that I just wanted to get through it and not worry about time. Which was easy to do because I forgot to turn my watch on! I happy to report that my leg never started hurting and although I did get a side stitch at the end, it wasn't terrible and I was able to push through. I was only 19 seconds away from 3rd place! So close! Oh, I have to give a shout out to Leah on her first run after being injured since the half. Glad to see you back out there running!
On a side note, this 5k holds a bit of a special place in my heart. The proceeds go to The Women's Center, a facility that assists women and children in southern Illinois impacted by domestic violence. When I was a child, I spent a few weeks there after my parents had some issues. I don't really remember the details of why we were there, but I do remember being comforted by the people there and that there were a lot of other children there with us. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need a place like this, but sadly, our world is flawed and I'm just happy to be able to help them raise a little bit of money.
So, that gets me up to date on race reports. I am signed up for another 10k this weekend. My leg seems to be fine, so hopefully all will go well. I have gotten back into strength training, so that should help with avoiding injuries. I plan on just getting back to a running routine through the holiday season and then get back to a training schedule after the new year. I am signed up for one half marathon in April, but may sign up for another in February. Tim keeps asking me about a marathon, but I'm not so sure I'm ready yet! I think I need to do a few more half marathons before I commit to 26.2 miles! I can't even wrap my mind about that yet!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Thirteen Point Freakin' One!
Distance: 13 Point Freakin 1!
Time: 2:23:08
Wow. What an amazing experience. Running the Rock n Roll St. Louis Half Marathon was so much fun, it's hard to wrap my brain around everything I want to say about it!
We headed up to St. Louis the day before the race for the Expo and packet pick up. The Expo was a bit overwhelming because it was so crowded and a bit confusing. There were a total of 5 us racing and we all decided to try signing up with a pace team to help us during the race. Leah, Jaime and I signed up with the 2:20, which I thought would be good for me. I wasn't sure I could come in at the time, but I felt I was closer to 2:20, than 2:30, which was my initial goal when I started training. I figured that if I was unable to keep up with Leah and Jaime, at least I would have the pace team to distract me.
That night after we settled into the hotel room, I was so nervous! I pulled out all my clothes, got my shoes ready, chattered on and on to Tim-- which didn't really help him much because he was nervous about his first Full Marathon, too! I'm guessing that we only got maybe 4 hours of sleep that night. Ridiculous!
Tim and I woke up around 4am and stayed in bed talking. We were so restless and nervous! We were pretty wired and just waiting for the alarm to go off. At 5am, "Born to Run" came blaring out of Tim's cell phone. It was time to get up and get going.
After a small breakfast, we met up with everyone at the lobby. I was happy to see that my sister, Laura, was able to join us to see us take off! We headed towards the start line looking for Tracy and Jaime. As we got closer, we could hear the music and see the thousands of people already in the corrals. I had a brief moment of panic-- what the heck was I doing??!?!?
I really didn't want to leave Tim. I knew he was nervous and I just wanted to stay with him as long as I could. Maybe I just needed him, too. Either way, at a certain point it was time to go our separate ways. The corral wait wasn't too bad. We found our pace team easily and they had giant beach balls, music, etc. Heck, we even saw a smurf while waiting! It was a nice distraction before the start. At one point, they played "Beautiful Day" by U2. Again, I thought of Tim because this is one of his go to songs for running. When they released corral 7, I cheered him on and hoped he would have a great run!
So, Tim's corral was released, then Tracy's. Then, corral 13! I was pumped at this point and just wanted to get moving. We moved up to the start line and were released-- my first half marathon had begun!
I stayed with Jaime and Leah for the first couple of miles. It was difficult to stay with them because of all the people and the course had so many turns. We were way ahead of the pace team, so I figured I would just stick with them as long as I could and then get with the pace team at some point. I knew that Jaime and Leah were going to smoke the 2:20 time, so I just found a comfortable pace and enjoyed the atmosphere-- which was fantastic! I have never had so much fun during a race. All the cheerleaders and signs were great distractions and really motivating. It is so amazing that all these people came out to cheer on a bunch of crazy runners so early on a Sunday morning!
Some of my favorite signs:
Chaff Now, Brag Later
Run Like a Kenyon
Worst. Parade. Ever.
I don't know you, but I believe in you!
Toenails are overrated.
Just keeping swimming, swimming, swimming (My favorite- I hope Jaime saw it!)
Some of favorite cheerleaders/bands, etc.:
The Mimes cracked me up!
The guy that was hitting a cooking pot with a spoon (I saw him at 2 different spots on the route!)
The star-shaped arch that I ran through and the girls snapping photos.
The little kids that gave me high fives. (Awesome.)
The pirates at one of the water stations.
The guys giving out beer at mile 11.
The band near the end playing "Don't Stop Believing" right before I had to go up one more hill!
I could go on and on about things I saw during the race. There was so much inspiration all around me that it was almost overwhelming. One lady had a shirt on that said it was her first half marathon after beating cancer. I saw numerous shirts that said they were running for someone. Whenever I felt tired or questioned my sanity, I would look up and see a sign or a shirt that would remind that I just needed to keep on going.
A little bit after mile 7, Leah suddenly appeared at my side. She was having issues with her knee and told Jaime to go on ahead. I was happy to have some company at that point because I was starting to lose the pace team. We continued on together, walking the water stations (which were like Splashin' Safari-- water going everywhere!) and kept one another motivated. At one point, I was afraid we were being passed by the the 2:30 pace team, but was happy to see that it was the other 2:20 team. I felt confident that I would be in between the two times. At mile 12, I decided I had to just push through and get that race over with! The band that was playing right before the last hill was blaring "Don't Stop Believing." Talk about perfect timing! I got up that last hill and saw the finish line. Then, I heard Tim's parents cheering from the sidelines. It was awesome. I had done it. I had ran thirteen point freakin' one miles and still had a smile on my face!
I crossed the finished line and turned to watch Leah come in. That girl had a fire in her eyes. I could tell her knee was hurting her, but she wasn't about to let it beat her! I was cheesing so big when we got our medals. Seriously, I know it's silly, but that medal meant so much to me. I was just so darn proud of myself! Somehow in the madness, we were able to find Tracy-- she broke her previous time and came in at 2:10! At this point, we couldn't find Jaime, but we knew she had to be around somewhere. We eventually found her when we met up with everyone and that girl rocked that half in 2:17! We were all so pumped from our accomplishment!
It was now time to wait for Tim to finish. His mom had been getting text updates and we knew he was getting close. We went over to the gates near the finish line to watch folks come in. I saw some amazing runners that day. Some people came in looking tired, but strong. Others were barely moving. I was so worried for Tim. I was just hoping that he had a good race. When we finally saw him, I got teary-eyed. He had worked so hard for this. Getting up at 4am for training runs in the summer. Running in rain, heat, etc. He ended up finishing his first marathon in 4:04:28. I am so proud of him!
It really was one of the most fantastic days ever. Seriously, I wouldn't have wanted my first half marathon to go any other way. To be so lucky to be able to do it with some awesome ladies that are not only family, but super awesome friends, was just a bonus. Seeing Tim accomplish a goal that less than 1% of the population even attempt was amazing. Best. Parade. Ever.
So, now what? Well, I think Jaime has it all planned out for us! :) I cannot wait to run another half marathon. It was so much fun! Who would have thought I would have reached the point that I actually found running to be so much fun? Sure, training runs aren't always great, but all that hard work really does pay off in the end. And I really like the the big medal!!! :)
Thanks for everyone that read this blog and sent me well wishes, etc. Big time thank you to Tim's family for coming out and cheering us on-- it was great to see you all at the finish line! Tracy's girls made us all awesome signs that I will keep forever! Also, thanks to Laura for being a crazy person and coming to the race after traveling the day before. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful folks supporting me- thank you so much!
Time: 2:23:08
Wow. What an amazing experience. Running the Rock n Roll St. Louis Half Marathon was so much fun, it's hard to wrap my brain around everything I want to say about it!
We headed up to St. Louis the day before the race for the Expo and packet pick up. The Expo was a bit overwhelming because it was so crowded and a bit confusing. There were a total of 5 us racing and we all decided to try signing up with a pace team to help us during the race. Leah, Jaime and I signed up with the 2:20, which I thought would be good for me. I wasn't sure I could come in at the time, but I felt I was closer to 2:20, than 2:30, which was my initial goal when I started training. I figured that if I was unable to keep up with Leah and Jaime, at least I would have the pace team to distract me.
That night after we settled into the hotel room, I was so nervous! I pulled out all my clothes, got my shoes ready, chattered on and on to Tim-- which didn't really help him much because he was nervous about his first Full Marathon, too! I'm guessing that we only got maybe 4 hours of sleep that night. Ridiculous!
Tim and I woke up around 4am and stayed in bed talking. We were so restless and nervous! We were pretty wired and just waiting for the alarm to go off. At 5am, "Born to Run" came blaring out of Tim's cell phone. It was time to get up and get going.
After a small breakfast, we met up with everyone at the lobby. I was happy to see that my sister, Laura, was able to join us to see us take off! We headed towards the start line looking for Tracy and Jaime. As we got closer, we could hear the music and see the thousands of people already in the corrals. I had a brief moment of panic-- what the heck was I doing??!?!?
I really didn't want to leave Tim. I knew he was nervous and I just wanted to stay with him as long as I could. Maybe I just needed him, too. Either way, at a certain point it was time to go our separate ways. The corral wait wasn't too bad. We found our pace team easily and they had giant beach balls, music, etc. Heck, we even saw a smurf while waiting! It was a nice distraction before the start. At one point, they played "Beautiful Day" by U2. Again, I thought of Tim because this is one of his go to songs for running. When they released corral 7, I cheered him on and hoped he would have a great run!
So, Tim's corral was released, then Tracy's. Then, corral 13! I was pumped at this point and just wanted to get moving. We moved up to the start line and were released-- my first half marathon had begun!
I stayed with Jaime and Leah for the first couple of miles. It was difficult to stay with them because of all the people and the course had so many turns. We were way ahead of the pace team, so I figured I would just stick with them as long as I could and then get with the pace team at some point. I knew that Jaime and Leah were going to smoke the 2:20 time, so I just found a comfortable pace and enjoyed the atmosphere-- which was fantastic! I have never had so much fun during a race. All the cheerleaders and signs were great distractions and really motivating. It is so amazing that all these people came out to cheer on a bunch of crazy runners so early on a Sunday morning!
Some of my favorite signs:
Chaff Now, Brag Later
Run Like a Kenyon
Worst. Parade. Ever.
I don't know you, but I believe in you!
Toenails are overrated.
Just keeping swimming, swimming, swimming (My favorite- I hope Jaime saw it!)
Some of favorite cheerleaders/bands, etc.:
The Mimes cracked me up!
The guy that was hitting a cooking pot with a spoon (I saw him at 2 different spots on the route!)
The star-shaped arch that I ran through and the girls snapping photos.
The little kids that gave me high fives. (Awesome.)
The pirates at one of the water stations.
The guys giving out beer at mile 11.
The band near the end playing "Don't Stop Believing" right before I had to go up one more hill!
I could go on and on about things I saw during the race. There was so much inspiration all around me that it was almost overwhelming. One lady had a shirt on that said it was her first half marathon after beating cancer. I saw numerous shirts that said they were running for someone. Whenever I felt tired or questioned my sanity, I would look up and see a sign or a shirt that would remind that I just needed to keep on going.
A little bit after mile 7, Leah suddenly appeared at my side. She was having issues with her knee and told Jaime to go on ahead. I was happy to have some company at that point because I was starting to lose the pace team. We continued on together, walking the water stations (which were like Splashin' Safari-- water going everywhere!) and kept one another motivated. At one point, I was afraid we were being passed by the the 2:30 pace team, but was happy to see that it was the other 2:20 team. I felt confident that I would be in between the two times. At mile 12, I decided I had to just push through and get that race over with! The band that was playing right before the last hill was blaring "Don't Stop Believing." Talk about perfect timing! I got up that last hill and saw the finish line. Then, I heard Tim's parents cheering from the sidelines. It was awesome. I had done it. I had ran thirteen point freakin' one miles and still had a smile on my face!
I crossed the finished line and turned to watch Leah come in. That girl had a fire in her eyes. I could tell her knee was hurting her, but she wasn't about to let it beat her! I was cheesing so big when we got our medals. Seriously, I know it's silly, but that medal meant so much to me. I was just so darn proud of myself! Somehow in the madness, we were able to find Tracy-- she broke her previous time and came in at 2:10! At this point, we couldn't find Jaime, but we knew she had to be around somewhere. We eventually found her when we met up with everyone and that girl rocked that half in 2:17! We were all so pumped from our accomplishment!
It was now time to wait for Tim to finish. His mom had been getting text updates and we knew he was getting close. We went over to the gates near the finish line to watch folks come in. I saw some amazing runners that day. Some people came in looking tired, but strong. Others were barely moving. I was so worried for Tim. I was just hoping that he had a good race. When we finally saw him, I got teary-eyed. He had worked so hard for this. Getting up at 4am for training runs in the summer. Running in rain, heat, etc. He ended up finishing his first marathon in 4:04:28. I am so proud of him!
It really was one of the most fantastic days ever. Seriously, I wouldn't have wanted my first half marathon to go any other way. To be so lucky to be able to do it with some awesome ladies that are not only family, but super awesome friends, was just a bonus. Seeing Tim accomplish a goal that less than 1% of the population even attempt was amazing. Best. Parade. Ever.
So, now what? Well, I think Jaime has it all planned out for us! :) I cannot wait to run another half marathon. It was so much fun! Who would have thought I would have reached the point that I actually found running to be so much fun? Sure, training runs aren't always great, but all that hard work really does pay off in the end. And I really like the the big medal!!! :)
Thanks for everyone that read this blog and sent me well wishes, etc. Big time thank you to Tim's family for coming out and cheering us on-- it was great to see you all at the finish line! Tracy's girls made us all awesome signs that I will keep forever! Also, thanks to Laura for being a crazy person and coming to the race after traveling the day before. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful folks supporting me- thank you so much!
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