At the start of the week, I looked at my training program and saw I had a 10 mile run for the upcoming Saturday. I thought it would be more fun to do that training run in an actual race, so I started searching for one. I was lucky and found a 10K in Lawrence called the Nash Dash. I hadn't done this race before, but I thought it sounded fun! The course started downtown on Mass St, and went up on the University of Kansas campus, so I knew there would be challenging hills!
I decided to do 4 miles before the race and then do the 10K to get the other 6 miles in. I thought I might be crazy for doing it in that order, but I wanted to get it over with and not have to run after I had done the race. So I got there early, ran almost 4 miles, and then went to the start line! The great thing about this race was it didn't start until 8:30 and I'm not a morning person, so it worked perfect!
The weather was pretty perfect that morning. Not too hot and not too cold and it was nice and sunny. First off I ran 3.83 miles in 38 minutes and 55 seconds. My pace was 10:09. I honestly didn't mean to go that fast, but I was feeling really good. Then I ran the Nash Dash 10K, which was actually 6.29 miles according to my Garmin in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds which was a 10:06 pace. It wasn't a 10K PR for me, but it was pretty close! There were a few brutal hills, but that was expected when you're running on campus. The thing I didn't expect was for them to have us run up the steepest hill going up on campus. Challenging and hard and I was tired by the time I got to the top, but it felt good!
A thing they did at this race that I'd never seen at a race before, was they did a hill challenge. On that steepest hill they had a time mat at the bottom and at the top, so they could get everyone's splits just on the hill. They gave prizes for the fastest hill sprinters. I wasn't one of the winners (or even close), so I can't tell you what they got. But I thought that was a unique thing for a race that added an extra competitive element.
This is definitely a race I would do again because it's at a great time of year when the weather is really nice and it's always nice to do as many local races as possible!
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Rock 'n Roll Seattle 1/2 Marathon Race Report
After hearing about the Rock-n-Roll series, I have always wanted to do one of the races. This was also the year for our 1 year Anniversary and we had talked about going on a mini vacation. So, I started looking and we settled on Seattle for a few reasons. 1st and most important reason – my husband’s brother and his family live outside of Seattle and I had never met them and my husband hadn’t seen his brother for 10 years. They weren’t able to make it to our wedding, so we thought we would go to them. 2nd reason – we could use this trip as our 1st Anniversary trip. And 3rd reason – I could run the RNR Seattle half while we were there! So, we just celebrated our anniversary a little early (in June instead of August), I ran a race and we got to spend time with family. Very productive 5 day vacation! I’ll give the race report first and then post some pictures about the rest of our trip and all the fun things we did.
The race was on Saturday, June 25th and I booked our stay in one of the hotels that sponsored the race. This was the best thing I could have done! All I had to do on race morning was get up, get ready and walk out of the lobby and get on the bus. The bus then shuttled us to the start in Tukwila which was about a 25 minute bus ride. I’m not a morning person, so not having to worry too much on how to get to the start was a huge plus for me!
The morning was overcast and chilly, but not unbearable. There were tons of people doing the race – I think around 35,000 – 40,000 people! I was toward the back of the pack and there was a lot of waiting. I actually crossed the starting line about an HOUR AFTER the actual start time. That is how long it took for them to get through all the different corral starts! But, there were great people to talk to and great music to listen to while waiting to start, and it definitely made the rest of the race better. I didn’t feel like I was weaving in and out of people and I didn’t feel like I was running in a huge crowd of people. That was what was nice about the corral starts.
The scenery was beautiful! The spectators were amazing and encouraging! The bands every mile were great! Since the race started in Tukwila and finished in Seattle, we ran in little neighborhoods, ran by a lake, ran in non-populated areas, ran on major highways, and then finished in the city. It was all different areas throughout the 13.1 miles. The neatest thing was getting closer to the city and seeing the skyline getting closer and closer until you were there at the finish! The best thing about the whole race is that I got to see my husband on the course! He was about a mile from the finish line and seeing him so close to the end gave me the strength to finish strong! It was the first race of mine he’s been to and I loved seeing him supporting me on the course!
Everclear (one of my favorite bands from my college days) performed at the post race party and it was awesome to see them in person and hear some of their great songs! We hung around the party for an hour or so, then headed back to the hotel to rest a while before going to meet up with my brother-in-law and his wife. I did love my first experience with a Rock-n-Roll series race and can’t wait to do the Las Vegas one in December!
I wrote this blog post a month or so ago, but I'm just now getting around to posting it. Since writing this, I have actually finished my 2nd RNR event, but that race report will come a little later. Below are some pictures from the race and the overall trip!
I also wanted to add the website for the Rock 'n Roll Series events. If you haven't checked it out, you should! They have so many different sites all over the country!
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/
The view from our hotel room
The best salmon I have ever had!!! YUMMY!
All the fresh seafood at Pike Place Market!
David eating his crab legs!
David and I at the Expo
All the people waiting for the race to start
Start line!
Big blow up "rocker" at the 1st mile marker
Beautiful scenery to run through
Runners in their reflective gear in the tunnel!
Getting close to downtown
Even closer...
Finished!
Eating after the race and showing off my medal
At the post race party
Everclear performing at the post-race party
Overview of the post-race party while we were heading back to our hotel
Really neat bling!
David and his brother Travis before we went in to the Mariners game
Space Needle
View of downtown Seattle from the restaurant at the top of the Space Needle
Last picture of us before we had to get on a plane later that day. We had a great time in Seattle!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Fredonia Flag Festival 6K Race Report
On June 11, 2011 I ran in "The World's Only 6,147,777 mm Race." I'll get to what that means in a little bit. My hometown of Fredonia, KS has the annual Fredonia Flag Festival. Why does my hometown have a flag festival? Well, Fredonia has a 40 x 60 foot American Flag that flies on a 100 foot flagpole atop the South Mound. You can see the flag from miles away and it really is a gorgeous site! Sorry that the picture above is a little blurry, but you get the idea. Every year the Flag Festival raises money to maintain the flag (you wouldn't think a flag would cost a lot of money, but it's a big flag)! For the last 3 years, they have incorporated a race into the festival. I have ran this race the last 2 years.Now to the explanation of the 6,147,777 mm race. Why not a 5K? Well, to be creative, they decided to signify the date that congress adopted the American flag which was 6/14/1777, hence the 6,147,777 mm race and why the flag festival is held around that same time every year. The race comes out to be about a 6K and 3.82 miles is what my Garmin clocked it at this year. It was a nice, warm June morning and I ran with my friend, Sarah. Running with friends always makes races more enjoyable! Our time was 42:23 and the pace was 11:05 min/mile. There were 2 water stops along the route, which was really nice since it was pretty warm that day. They also had water and fruit at the finish line - bananas are my favorite after a race! It's a small race (about 20 people maybe), but the town is small too. I think every year they will continue to get more participants and it will keep growing!
I was only a few weeks out from my Rock-n-Roll Seattle Half Marathon, so my training plan had me running 10 that day, so I actually got up extra early and ran 6.32 miles before the race. Then with the 3.82 for the race, I got my 10 miles in for my Seattle training! Win-win situation!
This is definitely the smallest race I participate in, but I'm there to support my hometown and it's great to be able to run with my friends who I don't get to see all the time! I can't wait until next year's race!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Hospital Hill 10K Race Report
I'm a little late on some race reports, so I'm catching up. This race was on June 4th and it took place in Kansas City, MO starting and ending at Crown Center. This is a race that draws many participants and is always a favorite among runners in the area! I always get really excited about this race until I'm about a mile into it running up the first of many hills, and then I start wondering why in the world I signed up for it! It's not called Hospital Hill for nothing. There is a huge hill that goes right by the hospital and then quite a few other hills throughout the race. If you're looking for flat, this is not the race for you. Below is a picture of the Finish Line when I first got there. Not too many people yet, but then the next picture shows the crowd of people at the start line!
The great thing about this race is it is so well organized! They have great perks for the runners, great medals, great water stations, tons of support along the course and that is why people continue to do this race year after year. This was my second time doing the race and I did the 10K both times. They also have a 5K and a Half Marathon. I honestly don't think I could ever do the Half Marathon on this course because not only is the course hard, but it's usually pretty hot in Kansas in June. It's pretty brutal, but that is also what makes finishing that much sweeter! Below is a picture shortly after the start. We are heading toward downtown KC and you can see all the people way up there!
This next picture is in the last mile and there is actually a nice downhill heading toward the finish line. This was a nice sight after looking up so many hills throughout the race!
My 10K time was 1 hour, 8 minutes and 29 seconds with a pace of 10:51. Not a PR for me, but I wouldn't expect a PR on this course (for me at least). Here I am with my medal post race! I was ready to get in my car and turn the A/C on!
This race is still one of my favorites, regardless of the hills and the heat! And I will be doing it again in 2012!
The great thing about this race is it is so well organized! They have great perks for the runners, great medals, great water stations, tons of support along the course and that is why people continue to do this race year after year. This was my second time doing the race and I did the 10K both times. They also have a 5K and a Half Marathon. I honestly don't think I could ever do the Half Marathon on this course because not only is the course hard, but it's usually pretty hot in Kansas in June. It's pretty brutal, but that is also what makes finishing that much sweeter! Below is a picture shortly after the start. We are heading toward downtown KC and you can see all the people way up there!
This next picture is in the last mile and there is actually a nice downhill heading toward the finish line. This was a nice sight after looking up so many hills throughout the race!
My 10K time was 1 hour, 8 minutes and 29 seconds with a pace of 10:51. Not a PR for me, but I wouldn't expect a PR on this course (for me at least). Here I am with my medal post race! I was ready to get in my car and turn the A/C on!
This race is still one of my favorites, regardless of the hills and the heat! And I will be doing it again in 2012!
Monday, October 10, 2011
I'm Back!!!
I can't say that I'm back, because I was never really gone. I was just a little absent from the blogging world. I have quite a few race reports to write and I hope that making this post tonight will keep me accountable to actually write those reports in the next few weeks.
But for now, I'll leave you with these pictures of all my running shoes from old to new (minus the pair I ran in while training for my first half marathon back in 2008). I have ran through many pairs of shoes, but I can't bring myself to getting rid of my old running shoes. I still wear them when I walk the dogs or when I'm going to the store. And by looking at them, you can probably tell I'm a Saucony girl!
The oldest pair is in the lower right hand corner and they are Saucony Paramounts. You can see that I have 2 pairs of Paramounts - exact same shoe, different color. And I also have a pair of Paramount 2's. It's just hard to switch to a new style when you find one that works. But I eventually had to because they don't make the Paramounts anymore.
The Mizuno's took me through a half marathon, but I always go back to Saucony's! I have the Kinvara's, but they are only used on shorter runs. They are a little too minimal for me and I need a little more support. My newest and favorite pair (top left hand corner) are the Saucony Cortana's! They are so comfortable and they have tons of fun colors - it was hard to choose which color combo to get!
The way to tell how old my shoes are is if you can see the label in the sock of the shoe. You can't see it in the older ones on the bottom row, but you can see the label in all the newer ones on the top row! Looks like the top row need to get some more miles on them!
Anyway, enjoy my running shoes and hopefully it won't be another 4 months until I blog again!!!
But for now, I'll leave you with these pictures of all my running shoes from old to new (minus the pair I ran in while training for my first half marathon back in 2008). I have ran through many pairs of shoes, but I can't bring myself to getting rid of my old running shoes. I still wear them when I walk the dogs or when I'm going to the store. And by looking at them, you can probably tell I'm a Saucony girl!
The oldest pair is in the lower right hand corner and they are Saucony Paramounts. You can see that I have 2 pairs of Paramounts - exact same shoe, different color. And I also have a pair of Paramount 2's. It's just hard to switch to a new style when you find one that works. But I eventually had to because they don't make the Paramounts anymore.The Mizuno's took me through a half marathon, but I always go back to Saucony's! I have the Kinvara's, but they are only used on shorter runs. They are a little too minimal for me and I need a little more support. My newest and favorite pair (top left hand corner) are the Saucony Cortana's! They are so comfortable and they have tons of fun colors - it was hard to choose which color combo to get!
The way to tell how old my shoes are is if you can see the label in the sock of the shoe. You can't see it in the older ones on the bottom row, but you can see the label in all the newer ones on the top row! Looks like the top row need to get some more miles on them!
Anyway, enjoy my running shoes and hopefully it won't be another 4 months until I blog again!!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Headbands and a Great Cause!
As some of you may know, I trained for my first half marathon through Team in Training. They are an amazing organization that raises money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society while helping people train for endurance events. I raised $3900 in 2008 while training for the Nike Womens Half Marathon in San Francisco. I had a friend in high school who lost his battle with leukemia and I ran in memory of him and the many others who have been affected by those diseases.
I was catching up on some blogs and came across a post about someone raising money through Team in Training. Bethanye has to raise $2500 and has started making her own no-slip headbands to reach her fundraising goal. Go check out her fundraising page HERE, and help her raise money for Team in Training! I ordered 3 headbands and absolutely LOVE them!!!
I was catching up on some blogs and came across a post about someone raising money through Team in Training. Bethanye has to raise $2500 and has started making her own no-slip headbands to reach her fundraising goal. Go check out her fundraising page HERE, and help her raise money for Team in Training! I ordered 3 headbands and absolutely LOVE them!!!
Monday, May 16, 2011
CEP Compression Socks Review
I entered a raffle a while back on Stephanie’s Running to Health blog HERE and ended up winning some CEP Compression socks! I was so excited because they have been on my “running gear I want” list! I ordered the lime green ones and I couldn’t wait for them to come in so I could try them out.
Before I ever wore them on any runs, I wore them after a few runs to recover and make my calves feel better. One night I showered after my evening run, came downstairs in my lime green socks pulled up to my knees, and sat on the couch to watch my shows. My husband gave me this look like, “What are those and why are you wearing them?” So, I explained to him that I was hoping they would make my legs less tired if I wore these. And they did!
The first time I wore them on a run was a couple weeks ago on an 8 miler. It usually takes me a good half mile to get warmed up and settled into the cadence of my run. I had to take a different route than normal because of road construction, and they had this bridge across a creek totally blocked off. I tried to see if there was anywhere I could get through, but not even on foot could I do it. There were some new small hills I hadn’t run on before with it being a new route, but I felt great. My legs didn’t feel heavy like they sometimes do on longer runs. I don’t know if it’s just in my head, but I think the CEP Compression socks were what helped me feel so good.
I am so glad I am a runner and learned about compression technology, but I would recommend compression socks to ANYONE! You don’t have to be a runner or an athlete to get use out of them. I sit at a desk all day long and sometimes that makes my lower legs ache. If I am wearing pants and boots, I will wear my compression socks also and no one ever knows. But, then my legs still get that good circulation throughout the day and they don’t ache!
The other times I would recommend them is when you are flying or riding in a car for a long amount of time, or when you are going to be walking around a lot. They just give your legs that extra support and circulation. You don’t realize how much these compression socks will help you until you try them out and see how much better your legs feel! When driving to OKC a couple weeks ago, I wore the compression socks on the drive so that when we got there my legs felt fresh. And then I kept them on as we were walking around. When Sunday rolled around, my legs felt great for the run, even though I had been walking around a bunch that weekend.
Check out their website HERE to learn more about the technology they use and the different products they have. You won’t be sorry! Here is a picture off of their website of the green socks I got:
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lawrence Half Marathon Race Report
Sorry, but this will be fairly long as it is my first half marathon race report since I started my blog!
On April 17th, I ran my first half marathon of the year and it was a perfect day! The race was held in Lawrence, KS. I got there early, got parked and got to the port-a-potty line. It wasn’t too bad of a wait, then I headed to the start to stretch and wait for the gun to go off. This is only my 3rd half marathon. I did a walking one quite a few years back and then did my first running one in San Francisco in Oct of 2008. I have done a full marathon since then (Oct 2009), but this was my first half since Oct '08.
We were really lucky on the weather that day. There wasn’t much wind at the start, no rain, and it was the perfect temp (around 45 – I can’t remember exactly). The sun was out and I was ready! I wasn’t doing this with any friends, it was just me, myself and I. I didn’t necessarily have any specific time goal, I just knew I wanted to PR. And that shouldn’t be hard considering my last half I completed in just under 3 hours, and I took advantage in that race of the photo ops (Golden Gate bridge, the ocean, San Francisco, etc). I stopped a lot to take pictures and I walked a lot with the knee issues I was having, so it wasn’t a fast race by any means!
I haven’t run with a pace group in any of my other races. This is mainly because I had no confidence in myself. I didn’t think I could keep up with them, and I didn’t want to feel bad when I thought I needed to rest, stretch, or walk a little bit. I am very competitive and I felt like running with a pace group would be setting myself up to fail (in my mind anyway). But, I was standing close to the 2:40 pace group while waiting for the race to start. At that moment, I made the decision to start out with that group and keep up with them as long as I could and to not beat myself up if I couldn’t do it. 2:40 would be a PR for me by about 20 minutes, so I knew I had some wiggle room in case I couldn’t keep up with them. I would have 20 minutes to work with to still get my PR. Well, in the commotion of the start and getting through the crowd and settling into a comfortable pace, I looked up and realized I was next to the 2:20 pace group. Okay, that’s fine, I will hang out with them and when I fall back off their pace, that’s fine. Well, it turns out that their pace felt very comfortable to me, so I went with it. The 2 pacers were guys and were very entertaining and encouraging, and the group was chatting (aside from me). I’m not a great chatter while I’m running, so I listened to their conversations and settled into the race.
Just about 1.5 miles in, I needed to pee. I kept telling myself it was just nerves and the feeling would go away. After all, I went right before the race. Well, around mile 5, I was still needing to and I saw a port-a-potty up ahead (never thought one of those gross things could look so welcoming)! So, I sped up a little to get ahead of the group and stopped at the port-a-potty. I had to wait on one person to finish up, I rushed in there and rushed out in pretty good time. I was so sad to have to leave the pace group because I was enjoying running with them, but I couldn’t ignore Mother Nature any more. I decided to see if I could catch up with them at some point (without killing myself of course). I could see them up in the distance (the course at that point was pretty straight and flat), and at about mile 8, I was back with the group! Wow, did that give me a boost of confidence or what? I didn’t know if I had made a mistake catching up with them: would I run out of steam a few miles after that? I had no idea, but knew I’d find out soon enough.
The course was fairly flat, with a few small hills. Hills are challenging no matter what, but they weren’t the hills we would have had if the course had went on the University of Kansas campus like it was originally scheduled to. The race started out at Haskell University and stayed on the eastern part of Lawrence. We ran down Mass Street, but that was as far west as we got. As the miles passed, the group got smaller. There were probably 10 of us who started out running with the 2:20 pace group. After some people slowed down, and others had to take late bathroom breaks, it was just me, another girl and the 2 pace guys. 1 of the pacers dropped back to see if he could help some others catch up, so then there were 3. Then about mile 9.5, the other girl dropped back. It was just me and 1 of the pacers.
After mile 10, I thought I hit the wall. My legs started feeling hollow and heavy, my knees started aching some and as much as I didn’t want to, I took a few short walk breaks the last 3 miles or so. It might not have been a wall that I hit, but just a barbed wire fence, because my times didn’t reflect me slowing down as much as I thought I had. But I was hurting, but I pressed on. I fell back from the pacer, so I was alone for the first time. I also turned my music on for the first time and there were some good songs that gave me some momentum. I kept pushing, I hydrated at the water station, and I kept running. I saw the last turn that led to the finish and even though I was so close, I felt like I was so far away. The other pacer who had dropped back had caught back up, passed me and the 2 pacers were together again. I could see them and I saw them walk a while (probably because their pace had been a little fast in the last couple miles). The last stretch was on the Haskell University track – you had to run probably 220 meters on the track to the finish line. That was the LONGEST 220 in my life, but I was inspired by the people cheering, the big finish line, and I was really close to the 2 pacers. I kicked in as much as I could (it wasn’t much) and the clock above me said 2:19:39 when I crossed the finish! WHAT? I made it under 2:20? The 2 pace guys were there congratulating me since I had told them earlier what a huge PR it would be for me if I finished in 2:20. It was the best feeling! That I was done and had gotten a time that I never thought I could. It’s not fast for most people by any means, but for me, it was, and I felt amazing that I had done it!
I got me some food and drinks and then headed home to tell my husband about it. Some of you might be wondering why he wasn’t there cheering me on? Well, he had committed to going turkey hunting with his friend and his friend's 9 year old son. It was the boy’s first time turkey hunting and my husband was taping his hunt for him. We both have our individual activities and we support each other in those, it just so happened we both had stuff going on that morning. But he will be there cheering me on in Seattle in June!
I learned a lot from this race and hopefully can continue to learn more and improve in the future. Don’t think it didn’t cross my mind to sand bag this race a little so that I can continue to get PR’s! But I gave it my all and I will just have to train harder to get some PR’s in the future. The main thing I took away from this race and the training that went along with it was how important it is to train outside! This was the first training season where the majority of runs I did were outside. I never minded the treadmill before and did most training runs at the gym. This season was different in that I ran outside when the weather allowed it. During the winter when there was ice and snow on the ground, I ran on the treadmill, but the majority was outside and it makes a HUGE difference. On a treadmill, your pace is controlled, there are no hills, no pace changes, nothing. Totally different from an actual race. It’s not rocket science to figure out if you train in the same conditions as race day (you just can’t control the weather), you will be more prepared. But, I guess I just never thought about that before. After running outside so much, I kind of despise the treadmill. But, it is needed when you just can’t get outside to run.
Here are the official race results:
Time: 2:19:39
Pace: 10:40
Overall place: 510 (not sure how many people total ran in the half)
Division Place: 46/62 (Female 30-34)
Female Place: 228/350
Garmin: 13.35 miles at 2:19:40
Mile 1: 11:00
Mile 2: 10:36
Mile 3: 10:42
Mile 4: 10:22
Mile 5: 11:45 (potty break)
Mile 6: 9:35 (playing catch up)
Mile 7: 10:06 (playing catch up)
Mile 8: 10:28
Mile 9: 10:09
Mile 10: 9:50
Mile 11: 9:59 (I thought I hit the wall, but this doesn't show it)
Mile 12: 11:06 (I slowed here and walked some)
Mile 13: 10:21 (Starting to push to the finish)
Last .35 miles: 03:35
I still haven’t seen any official race pictures, so the ones my husband took of me when I got home will have to do. The first one is me and Bode with the medal around our necks. He was excited for me even if he doesn't look like he was!
On April 17th, I ran my first half marathon of the year and it was a perfect day! The race was held in Lawrence, KS. I got there early, got parked and got to the port-a-potty line. It wasn’t too bad of a wait, then I headed to the start to stretch and wait for the gun to go off. This is only my 3rd half marathon. I did a walking one quite a few years back and then did my first running one in San Francisco in Oct of 2008. I have done a full marathon since then (Oct 2009), but this was my first half since Oct '08.
We were really lucky on the weather that day. There wasn’t much wind at the start, no rain, and it was the perfect temp (around 45 – I can’t remember exactly). The sun was out and I was ready! I wasn’t doing this with any friends, it was just me, myself and I. I didn’t necessarily have any specific time goal, I just knew I wanted to PR. And that shouldn’t be hard considering my last half I completed in just under 3 hours, and I took advantage in that race of the photo ops (Golden Gate bridge, the ocean, San Francisco, etc). I stopped a lot to take pictures and I walked a lot with the knee issues I was having, so it wasn’t a fast race by any means!
I haven’t run with a pace group in any of my other races. This is mainly because I had no confidence in myself. I didn’t think I could keep up with them, and I didn’t want to feel bad when I thought I needed to rest, stretch, or walk a little bit. I am very competitive and I felt like running with a pace group would be setting myself up to fail (in my mind anyway). But, I was standing close to the 2:40 pace group while waiting for the race to start. At that moment, I made the decision to start out with that group and keep up with them as long as I could and to not beat myself up if I couldn’t do it. 2:40 would be a PR for me by about 20 minutes, so I knew I had some wiggle room in case I couldn’t keep up with them. I would have 20 minutes to work with to still get my PR. Well, in the commotion of the start and getting through the crowd and settling into a comfortable pace, I looked up and realized I was next to the 2:20 pace group. Okay, that’s fine, I will hang out with them and when I fall back off their pace, that’s fine. Well, it turns out that their pace felt very comfortable to me, so I went with it. The 2 pacers were guys and were very entertaining and encouraging, and the group was chatting (aside from me). I’m not a great chatter while I’m running, so I listened to their conversations and settled into the race.
Just about 1.5 miles in, I needed to pee. I kept telling myself it was just nerves and the feeling would go away. After all, I went right before the race. Well, around mile 5, I was still needing to and I saw a port-a-potty up ahead (never thought one of those gross things could look so welcoming)! So, I sped up a little to get ahead of the group and stopped at the port-a-potty. I had to wait on one person to finish up, I rushed in there and rushed out in pretty good time. I was so sad to have to leave the pace group because I was enjoying running with them, but I couldn’t ignore Mother Nature any more. I decided to see if I could catch up with them at some point (without killing myself of course). I could see them up in the distance (the course at that point was pretty straight and flat), and at about mile 8, I was back with the group! Wow, did that give me a boost of confidence or what? I didn’t know if I had made a mistake catching up with them: would I run out of steam a few miles after that? I had no idea, but knew I’d find out soon enough.
The course was fairly flat, with a few small hills. Hills are challenging no matter what, but they weren’t the hills we would have had if the course had went on the University of Kansas campus like it was originally scheduled to. The race started out at Haskell University and stayed on the eastern part of Lawrence. We ran down Mass Street, but that was as far west as we got. As the miles passed, the group got smaller. There were probably 10 of us who started out running with the 2:20 pace group. After some people slowed down, and others had to take late bathroom breaks, it was just me, another girl and the 2 pace guys. 1 of the pacers dropped back to see if he could help some others catch up, so then there were 3. Then about mile 9.5, the other girl dropped back. It was just me and 1 of the pacers.
After mile 10, I thought I hit the wall. My legs started feeling hollow and heavy, my knees started aching some and as much as I didn’t want to, I took a few short walk breaks the last 3 miles or so. It might not have been a wall that I hit, but just a barbed wire fence, because my times didn’t reflect me slowing down as much as I thought I had. But I was hurting, but I pressed on. I fell back from the pacer, so I was alone for the first time. I also turned my music on for the first time and there were some good songs that gave me some momentum. I kept pushing, I hydrated at the water station, and I kept running. I saw the last turn that led to the finish and even though I was so close, I felt like I was so far away. The other pacer who had dropped back had caught back up, passed me and the 2 pacers were together again. I could see them and I saw them walk a while (probably because their pace had been a little fast in the last couple miles). The last stretch was on the Haskell University track – you had to run probably 220 meters on the track to the finish line. That was the LONGEST 220 in my life, but I was inspired by the people cheering, the big finish line, and I was really close to the 2 pacers. I kicked in as much as I could (it wasn’t much) and the clock above me said 2:19:39 when I crossed the finish! WHAT? I made it under 2:20? The 2 pace guys were there congratulating me since I had told them earlier what a huge PR it would be for me if I finished in 2:20. It was the best feeling! That I was done and had gotten a time that I never thought I could. It’s not fast for most people by any means, but for me, it was, and I felt amazing that I had done it!
I got me some food and drinks and then headed home to tell my husband about it. Some of you might be wondering why he wasn’t there cheering me on? Well, he had committed to going turkey hunting with his friend and his friend's 9 year old son. It was the boy’s first time turkey hunting and my husband was taping his hunt for him. We both have our individual activities and we support each other in those, it just so happened we both had stuff going on that morning. But he will be there cheering me on in Seattle in June!
I learned a lot from this race and hopefully can continue to learn more and improve in the future. Don’t think it didn’t cross my mind to sand bag this race a little so that I can continue to get PR’s! But I gave it my all and I will just have to train harder to get some PR’s in the future. The main thing I took away from this race and the training that went along with it was how important it is to train outside! This was the first training season where the majority of runs I did were outside. I never minded the treadmill before and did most training runs at the gym. This season was different in that I ran outside when the weather allowed it. During the winter when there was ice and snow on the ground, I ran on the treadmill, but the majority was outside and it makes a HUGE difference. On a treadmill, your pace is controlled, there are no hills, no pace changes, nothing. Totally different from an actual race. It’s not rocket science to figure out if you train in the same conditions as race day (you just can’t control the weather), you will be more prepared. But, I guess I just never thought about that before. After running outside so much, I kind of despise the treadmill. But, it is needed when you just can’t get outside to run.
Here are the official race results:
Time: 2:19:39
Pace: 10:40
Overall place: 510 (not sure how many people total ran in the half)
Division Place: 46/62 (Female 30-34)
Female Place: 228/350
Garmin: 13.35 miles at 2:19:40
Mile 1: 11:00
Mile 2: 10:36
Mile 3: 10:42
Mile 4: 10:22
Mile 5: 11:45 (potty break)
Mile 6: 9:35 (playing catch up)
Mile 7: 10:06 (playing catch up)
Mile 8: 10:28
Mile 9: 10:09
Mile 10: 9:50
Mile 11: 9:59 (I thought I hit the wall, but this doesn't show it)
Mile 12: 11:06 (I slowed here and walked some)
Mile 13: 10:21 (Starting to push to the finish)
Last .35 miles: 03:35
I still haven’t seen any official race pictures, so the ones my husband took of me when I got home will have to do. The first one is me and Bode with the medal around our necks. He was excited for me even if he doesn't look like he was!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Race Report - Leaping Leprechauns 15K
Last weekend, I went down to Dallas to visit some friends. I had a 10 mile training run on the schedule and knew that I would be more likely to get that training run in if I registered for a race. There was a Leaping Leprechauns race in McKinney, TX, the town I used to live in and they had a 1K kids run, a 5K and a 15K. I thought that would be perfect, so I registered and showed up Saturday morning, March 12th. I didn't get all dressed up in green or anything (I know, I should have been more festive). And I didn't get any pictures of myself at the race, but I promise I was there!
The course was more hilly than I thought it would be, but it was a nice challenge. No killer hills, just quite a few smaller ones. The weather down in Texas was obviously a little warmer than what I was used to, but I couldn't complain because the sun felt great! The race was small. It was put on by the Stonebridge Racers, a great community of runners there in McKinney. They raffled off some prizes after the race, so that was neat. I won a coupon to Road ID that I can't wait to use!
I finished the 9.3 miles in 1 hour 33 minutes and 9 seconds. That was an average pace of 10:01 minutes/mile. I guess you could call it a PR for me since this was the first 15K I'd ever competed in. I was 110/169 overall and 7/21 in my F 30-34 Age Division. I was proud of how I raced it and I walked through the 2 water stations, but other than that, I ran the whole thing.
I had a great rest of the weekend with my friends and then headed back to Kansas on Monday. I started feeling sick Monday night and just got progressively worse on Tuesday. I still feel sick almsot a week later, but I finally did get out and run 2.5 miles this afternoon. I didn't feel great doing it and it might not have been the best thing to do, but I needed to run for my mental sake! I think I'll head to the dr tomorrow to see if they can help me because I really need to feel better so I can get my running schedule back to normal!
The course was more hilly than I thought it would be, but it was a nice challenge. No killer hills, just quite a few smaller ones. The weather down in Texas was obviously a little warmer than what I was used to, but I couldn't complain because the sun felt great! The race was small. It was put on by the Stonebridge Racers, a great community of runners there in McKinney. They raffled off some prizes after the race, so that was neat. I won a coupon to Road ID that I can't wait to use!
I finished the 9.3 miles in 1 hour 33 minutes and 9 seconds. That was an average pace of 10:01 minutes/mile. I guess you could call it a PR for me since this was the first 15K I'd ever competed in. I was 110/169 overall and 7/21 in my F 30-34 Age Division. I was proud of how I raced it and I walked through the 2 water stations, but other than that, I ran the whole thing.
I had a great rest of the weekend with my friends and then headed back to Kansas on Monday. I started feeling sick Monday night and just got progressively worse on Tuesday. I still feel sick almsot a week later, but I finally did get out and run 2.5 miles this afternoon. I didn't feel great doing it and it might not have been the best thing to do, but I needed to run for my mental sake! I think I'll head to the dr tomorrow to see if they can help me because I really need to feel better so I can get my running schedule back to normal!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My Run is coming to the Big Screen!
I have been an athlete all my life and a true runner (who enjoys running) in just the last few years. We all know there are tons of sports movies out there! The majority of them are about football, basketball or baseball. I love sports movies of any kind, but I'm extremely excited about seeing My Run! And it's not a running movie that I'll have to rent, I can actually go watch it in the theater on the big screen! And this isn't just a regular ol' movie, this is an inspiring documentary that will be in theaters only one night: March 31st.
I could write what it is about in this post, but I really encourage you to visit the website HERE and watch the trailer. And you can also check to see if it will be playing in a theater near you. I am lucky that it is playing where I live and can't wait to see it!
Also, you could win a pair of tickets to the movie by heading over to Sara's blog: "Words to Run By" HERE to enter the giveaway. But hurry, you only have until midnight on Thursday the 10th to enter!
I could write what it is about in this post, but I really encourage you to visit the website HERE and watch the trailer. And you can also check to see if it will be playing in a theater near you. I am lucky that it is playing where I live and can't wait to see it!
Also, you could win a pair of tickets to the movie by heading over to Sara's blog: "Words to Run By" HERE to enter the giveaway. But hurry, you only have until midnight on Thursday the 10th to enter!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Dear Ol' Man Winter: GO AWAY!
Yesterday afternoon, I ran 6.25 miles outside in shorts and a t-shirt. It was somewhere around 60 degrees and it was amazing!
And this is what it was like tonight when I got home from work:
And this is what it was like tonight when I got home from work:
Seriously? Snow again? Don't get me wrong, I love the snow for a very big reason: snow skiing! But if I'm not skiing, I don't really want it here. A couple snow storms during winter is fine, but I've had enough of it this winter! And I think it's even worse because we've had some really amazing and beautiful days. I feel like Spring is teasing me with nice days here and there where I can run outside. And then it is taken away! But, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just make the best of it.
A couple days ago, it was a little colder, but I was still able to run outside. I had some new gear that I wanted to try out, so the colder weather was perfect. Here I am after my run:
Yes, I realize that nothing about my outfit matches (even my husband pointed that out to me)! The bright orange Vizipro jacket, the black and yellow Livestrong shorts, the black and blue Amp Pro2 tights and even though you can't see it, I do have a bright pink Sweaty Band on. But, it wasn't about matching. It was about trying out my new jacket and my new tights. The company I work for is owned by the same company that owns Saucony. The fitness center at my office is appropriately named the Saucony Center. And at Saucony, they run! And they have great shoes and great gear!
I wanted to try some of their compression tights, so I chose these HERE. It was only a 4 mile run, but my legs did feel great and the fit is really great as well. And then I got this jacket HERE that I have been eyeing for quite some time! It is really lightweight and it is water resistant, so it would be great if it is raining. It does come with a USB_LED light, but I didn't take it with me this run. The ViZiPRO line is so visible and is just an extra safety measure for running outside. I do run on the sidewalk when I can, but sometimes I can't avoid running in the street, so the better cars can see me, the safer I am! And the reflective strips work great, as you can see in the picture!
So even though my outfit didn't match, I ran at a faster pace than normal. So "Yay" for the new gear! And I can't wait for the weather to get nice so that I can hit the pavement again!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Back on campus!
No, I'm not back in college, but I did go back to the campus of the University of Kansas because it was an amazing 75 degrees this afternoon! I don't live in Lawrence, but I really wanted a change of scenery, so I thought running on campus would be perfect!
This was the view out of my sunroof (when I was parked of course) and it was so beautiful outside!
Here is a view of the Campanile. The following pictures are from my cell phone, so they aren't the greatest quality. And I did stop running for a few seconds while taking these, but I wanted to at least capture this run with a few pictures and share them with you! I enjoyed being out in the nice weather and being on campus again.
I walked these sidewalks more times than I could ever remember while in college and it was so great to be back on them again running. It was around 5:30, so there were still lots of people out and about and I had to be careful when crossing the streets with all the traffic. But people driving on campus are used to always yielding to pedestrians, so it was no trouble.
Below is Fraser Hall. If you go to the top of this building, you are at the highest place (in a building) in Kansas. I am not quite sure if that is still the case after they built the Oread Hotel on campus, but at least while I was in school it was. And I had a few classes in Fraser and went to the very top floor to look out the windows a couple times. It was pretty neat!
And below is something new that I hadn't seen before. I did stop to read the plaque in front of it. I can't remember all the details because I skimmed over it, but some artist creates these all over the country. It should be there about 2 years before the tree branches decay and they have to haul it off. It was too neat not to take a picture of it!
And I had to capture one of the many STEEP hills leading to campus. This picture doesn't even really catch how steep it is. I didn't make it running all the way up and even while walking (hiking) up it, I was breathing harder than I do when I run! I had already went down this exact hill and was coming back up when I took this picture. While going down, I couldn't even run fast (make up some time) because I thought I was going to slip from it being so steep and there being sand all over the sidewalk from all the snow we had! Challenging, but different scenery and route for me today!
University of Kansas sign by the Student Union as you're entering campus.
And below, the best place on campus - ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, home of the KANSAS JAYHAWKS! After some challenging hills, some awesome weather, seeing many people, and having time to think back on the time I spent here, I had the most fun 6 miles I've had in a long time! I thoroughly enjoyed this run with it being a change of scenery and the scenery being a place that I hold very dear to my heart! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!
This was the view out of my sunroof (when I was parked of course) and it was so beautiful outside!
Here is a view of the Campanile. The following pictures are from my cell phone, so they aren't the greatest quality. And I did stop running for a few seconds while taking these, but I wanted to at least capture this run with a few pictures and share them with you! I enjoyed being out in the nice weather and being on campus again.
I walked these sidewalks more times than I could ever remember while in college and it was so great to be back on them again running. It was around 5:30, so there were still lots of people out and about and I had to be careful when crossing the streets with all the traffic. But people driving on campus are used to always yielding to pedestrians, so it was no trouble.
Below is Fraser Hall. If you go to the top of this building, you are at the highest place (in a building) in Kansas. I am not quite sure if that is still the case after they built the Oread Hotel on campus, but at least while I was in school it was. And I had a few classes in Fraser and went to the very top floor to look out the windows a couple times. It was pretty neat!
And below is something new that I hadn't seen before. I did stop to read the plaque in front of it. I can't remember all the details because I skimmed over it, but some artist creates these all over the country. It should be there about 2 years before the tree branches decay and they have to haul it off. It was too neat not to take a picture of it!
And I had to capture one of the many STEEP hills leading to campus. This picture doesn't even really catch how steep it is. I didn't make it running all the way up and even while walking (hiking) up it, I was breathing harder than I do when I run! I had already went down this exact hill and was coming back up when I took this picture. While going down, I couldn't even run fast (make up some time) because I thought I was going to slip from it being so steep and there being sand all over the sidewalk from all the snow we had! Challenging, but different scenery and route for me today!
University of Kansas sign by the Student Union as you're entering campus.
And below, the best place on campus - ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, home of the KANSAS JAYHAWKS! After some challenging hills, some awesome weather, seeing many people, and having time to think back on the time I spent here, I had the most fun 6 miles I've had in a long time! I thoroughly enjoyed this run with it being a change of scenery and the scenery being a place that I hold very dear to my heart! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Melting Snow, Sunshine and a Long Run
I have been dreading my long runs that are coming up. Not the runs themselves, but where the runs were going to take place! I was dreading running 10+ miles on a treadmill in a stuffy, hot gym! I did run 8 on a treadmill a few weeks ago and I actually felt great. But I also know that feeling great in that situation might not have been the norm.
I was getting excited last week when the weather forecast for the weekend was supposed to be really favorable and warm for this time of year. My training plan was calling for a 10 mile run on Saturday and I was planning on running outside in the sunshine. But due to being at a car dealership most of the day, that didn’t happen. It was a good day though because we got my husband a new truck! When I got home, I did have time for a short run, so I still got out in the sunshine and did a couple easy miles.
When Sunday came, it was even warmer than Saturday, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I headed out for my run at about 10 am. I had an idea where I would run, but the route came together as I went along. Those are my favorite ones. The route I decided on took me on some major hills that I wasn’t expecting, so my 10 mile run turned into a rather challenging, hilly endeavor! But, I would take every one of those hills over a run on the treadmill any day!
Living in a small town, you have to get creative with the longer runs. I mostly had to run on the streets because not everyone had shoveled their sidewalks, and the snow hasn’t fully melted. I would try the sidewalks and would end up having to go to the street anyway, so I just gave up on the sidewalks all together. I had to try to dodge the many water puddles, but after a while, I gave up on that too. I kind of felt like a kid again just splashing through the puddles! The backs of my legs were all muddy when I got done (yes, it was nice enough I wore shorts)! I felt amazing and finished my 10 miles in 1 hour, 41 minutes and 41 seconds. My pace was 10:10 which was way better than what I was expecting, so I was very pleased with that. Maybe it was how fast I was able to go while running down all those hills!
I plan to enjoy this nice weather as much as I can! I also know that living in Kansas means we probably aren’t fully done with winter, but I’ll take the warmer weather any day I can get it!
I was getting excited last week when the weather forecast for the weekend was supposed to be really favorable and warm for this time of year. My training plan was calling for a 10 mile run on Saturday and I was planning on running outside in the sunshine. But due to being at a car dealership most of the day, that didn’t happen. It was a good day though because we got my husband a new truck! When I got home, I did have time for a short run, so I still got out in the sunshine and did a couple easy miles.
When Sunday came, it was even warmer than Saturday, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I headed out for my run at about 10 am. I had an idea where I would run, but the route came together as I went along. Those are my favorite ones. The route I decided on took me on some major hills that I wasn’t expecting, so my 10 mile run turned into a rather challenging, hilly endeavor! But, I would take every one of those hills over a run on the treadmill any day!
Living in a small town, you have to get creative with the longer runs. I mostly had to run on the streets because not everyone had shoveled their sidewalks, and the snow hasn’t fully melted. I would try the sidewalks and would end up having to go to the street anyway, so I just gave up on the sidewalks all together. I had to try to dodge the many water puddles, but after a while, I gave up on that too. I kind of felt like a kid again just splashing through the puddles! The backs of my legs were all muddy when I got done (yes, it was nice enough I wore shorts)! I felt amazing and finished my 10 miles in 1 hour, 41 minutes and 41 seconds. My pace was 10:10 which was way better than what I was expecting, so I was very pleased with that. Maybe it was how fast I was able to go while running down all those hills!
I plan to enjoy this nice weather as much as I can! I also know that living in Kansas means we probably aren’t fully done with winter, but I’ll take the warmer weather any day I can get it!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Childrens TLC Groundhog 2011 Race Report
My 2nd race of 2011 is complete! And even though it was my 2nd race of 2011, the actual type of race was a first for me. It was underground in tunnels in Kansas City! My friend, Miranda over at Living Locally told me about it a while back and I had never heard of an underground race (check out her blog - she posted a couple pictures of the race and tunnels)! Immediately I knew I wanted to do it. There was a 5K and a 10K and I decided to do the 10K. I had been battling a cold all week and I didn't get in all the mileage earlier in the week I wanted to. So, I didn't know how it would go.
First of all, I knew inside the tunnels it stayed around 68 degrees all year round. I didn't want to over-dress. So, I decided to wear my new running skirt that I got HERE. But I also didn't know until I got there how long I would have to walk outside to get to the entrance to the tunnels. It was quite a ways and it was really COLD and windy! I'm glad I brought my compression socks and my Nike long sleeved running shirt with me. So, I put my long sleeved shirt on under my short sleeved shirt and I put my compression socks on so that at least my calves were covered. I also didn't know what it would be like in the tunnels and I was going by myself. I didn't want to have anything extra because I didn't know where I'd put it. So, needless to say, I froze on the long trek to the tunnel. And I could have brought a little bag and left it in the tunnel. Other people were doing that. So now I will know for the next time I do this race.
I was very lucky to find Miranda, Sarah and Heather amongst all the people. It really is a miracle we found each other! Miranda and Sarah did the 5K which started at 9 am and Heather and I did the 10K which started at 10 am. The 5K race had to finish before we started because the 10K course is actually just running the 5K course twice.
I am a solo runner. I always have been. I get anxious when I run with other people because I definitely don't want to hold them back. But it was nice to have Heather to run with! We ran together the first half of the race. Because the race is in a tunnel, the air was pretty stale. And with the cold I was still battling, I was having a hard time breathing. So, when we got water at the water station, I had to walk a little ways to get my breath back, so I told Heather to go on and I'd see her at the finish. She definitely helped me to push myself the first part of the race even though I was slightly uncomfortable. I finished strong and was proud of myself for pushing through and still getting a 10K PR. This is only my 2nd 10K, but a PR is good nonetheless. Here is the race report (I didn't have my Garmin because I wouldn't have gotten satellite signal in the tunnel and I didn't even have a watch, so I don't have the time by mile):
Mile 1 (they did track and post this for us): 10:28
Being in a tunnel and having the race sold out, it was pretty difficult at the beginning to get through and around people.
Total 10K time: 1 hr, 2 min, 1 sec
Average pace was 9:59
I was 781st out of 1160 runners in the 10K (there were 3500 total runners for all races combined). In the Female 30-34 age group, I was 73rd out of 132 runners. I was pleased with my performance and I would definitely do this race again with what I know now and hoping I would be completely healthy next time!
I didn't take my camera to the race, but I had my husband take a picture of me when I got home. There is a picture of me with my dogs and then me sporting my new running skirt!
First of all, I knew inside the tunnels it stayed around 68 degrees all year round. I didn't want to over-dress. So, I decided to wear my new running skirt that I got HERE. But I also didn't know until I got there how long I would have to walk outside to get to the entrance to the tunnels. It was quite a ways and it was really COLD and windy! I'm glad I brought my compression socks and my Nike long sleeved running shirt with me. So, I put my long sleeved shirt on under my short sleeved shirt and I put my compression socks on so that at least my calves were covered. I also didn't know what it would be like in the tunnels and I was going by myself. I didn't want to have anything extra because I didn't know where I'd put it. So, needless to say, I froze on the long trek to the tunnel. And I could have brought a little bag and left it in the tunnel. Other people were doing that. So now I will know for the next time I do this race.
I was very lucky to find Miranda, Sarah and Heather amongst all the people. It really is a miracle we found each other! Miranda and Sarah did the 5K which started at 9 am and Heather and I did the 10K which started at 10 am. The 5K race had to finish before we started because the 10K course is actually just running the 5K course twice.
I am a solo runner. I always have been. I get anxious when I run with other people because I definitely don't want to hold them back. But it was nice to have Heather to run with! We ran together the first half of the race. Because the race is in a tunnel, the air was pretty stale. And with the cold I was still battling, I was having a hard time breathing. So, when we got water at the water station, I had to walk a little ways to get my breath back, so I told Heather to go on and I'd see her at the finish. She definitely helped me to push myself the first part of the race even though I was slightly uncomfortable. I finished strong and was proud of myself for pushing through and still getting a 10K PR. This is only my 2nd 10K, but a PR is good nonetheless. Here is the race report (I didn't have my Garmin because I wouldn't have gotten satellite signal in the tunnel and I didn't even have a watch, so I don't have the time by mile):
Mile 1 (they did track and post this for us): 10:28
Being in a tunnel and having the race sold out, it was pretty difficult at the beginning to get through and around people.
Total 10K time: 1 hr, 2 min, 1 sec
Average pace was 9:59
I was 781st out of 1160 runners in the 10K (there were 3500 total runners for all races combined). In the Female 30-34 age group, I was 73rd out of 132 runners. I was pleased with my performance and I would definitely do this race again with what I know now and hoping I would be completely healthy next time!
I didn't take my camera to the race, but I had my husband take a picture of me when I got home. There is a picture of me with my dogs and then me sporting my new running skirt!
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