It’s Time for a Break

This morning Jay and I got up at 5:05 a.m. to a dreary but rain free sky. The night before Jay and I decided that if it was pouring, we would roll over and go back to bed, but rain free meant we would make the effort to run the Pacers Parkway Classic.

(image from the 2012 Cherry Blossom Ten Miler)

By 5:45 a.m. we were leaving our apartment and headed to the Pentagon City Shuttle. By 6:35 a.m. we had arrived at the starting line at Mt. Vernon.

We quickly grabbed solar blankets, a coffee and hopped under a tent (where we saw Jess) when it down poured! Thankfully the downpour did not last long so we were able to squeeze in a bathroom run before getting into the corrals and running down the parkway.

Once we got started Jay and I decided to maintain a steady 10 minute mile pace. Neither of us had really trained for this race. It was his first one since coming home and my last one this spring. This race was a “fun one” with a little rain thrown in. We enjoyed running together, talking the entire time while still getting in a great workout.

(image from 2011 Disney Food and Wine Half)

Thankfully, it just drizzled the entire race. The worst downpour was when we walked to the car at the end (and the best time for the downpour in my opinion). I would dare say the weather was actually great for a race. It wasn’t too cool or too hot and the drizzle felt really good. The rainy weather only really affected us pre and post race.

One thing we both realized during this race was that it is a good thing that our honeymoon is forcing us to take a break from racing this fall.

(image from 2011 Marine Corps Marathon)

Yesterday, we bought our honeymoon tickets. They weren’t the price we wanted, but we took a lot of luxuries that I think makes the extra money worth it. I’ll share our plans, but for now just know Jay and I will be traveling in New Zealand and Australia for almost a month later this year :).

What was the best trip you ever took? or Where did you go on your honeymoon?

I hope to post a picture here and there while we’re on our trip, but I would also like to run a series of y’all favorite trips. If you would like to contribute, please send a description of your trip and no more than 5 photos to goingongoals [at] gmail [dot] com.

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Weekend

How was everyone's weekend?

Mine was jam-packed, a lot of fun but way too short. I kicked off the weekend Friday by volunteering at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Health and Fitness Expo. I love running races, so I try to volunteer at a couple races each year to give back to the sport I love. I felt like I had really slacked off this year, so I was super excited when I took one of the last volunteer spots about a month ago.

Friday evening I spent a few hours helping all my fellow female runners decide which premium shirt size fit best. Trust me it’s a BIG decision and obviously a very important job! I also met a lot of great people. All-in-all it was a great way to spend a Friday evening.

Saturday, I spent the day with my friend Lauren. We caught an early showing of The Hunger Game movie. As I have said before, I liked the movie but had a very hard time separating it from the book. This second viewing reinforced that I think they did a great job with the movie. Now that I know what was coming, when and how they were going to change the book to make it translate into film, I really like the film. I think I was almost in fan shock after the first viewing. This second time, I was able to put the book aside aside and enjoy the movie for what it is. Now I am a fan of the movie!

After the movie, we refueled at Moe's before SHOPPING, and shop we did. We hit up several stores for a wide array of clothing, groceries, household items and wedding crafts. Overall, I probably spent WAAY too much money but didn't buy too many unnecessary things. Ok, the magenta pants were probably unnecessary... but now I'll stand out at my Bachelorette party later this month ;)

Sunday, I ran the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. This is one of my favorite DC races. You get a great view of many of the monuments without committing to too long of a distance. Unlike last year, there were no pretty Cherry Blossom blooms during the race, but the monuments made up for that.

From a time perspective, I did well, beating my previous 10 mile PR (1:31:51) from this race last year by 9 seconds (1:31:42). But, unfortunately this race had a few issues.

The first issue was the corral system. I was placed in a corral further back than last year. This surprised me considering I gave them similar times. The later corral resulted in me running past many many runners for almost the entire race. I think once I reached mile 8, I started to find other runners who were running the same pace as I was. I think the corral system could be fixed if the corrals were smaller and released at 2 to 3 minute intervals.  

I am not sure if it was the corralling or the overall fullness of the race, but my other major complaint was the shear number of people. I spent the entire race playing people dodge and jumping on the curb (i.e. almost spraining my ankle).

Aside from those two things my last complaint is very minor and probably only irritated me because I forgot my watch at home. The start clock and mile one clock were not in sync (or I can run a 1 minute mile on a really crowded course). The mile markers past mile 1 seemed to make sense with what mile 1 was doing. This meant I had a pretty good idea of where I was time-wise on the course except for the first mile. When I crossed the finish line I knew from the clock that I had beat my previous PR (1:31:51) but I wasn't sure if it was by 1 or 10 minutes, little did I know it was actually by seconds (1:31:42)!

From a physical and mental perspective, I was prepared for this race. I felt good running and was glad I got up and went for it. Even though this race had issues this year, I am definitely going to try and run it again next year. You really can't beat the mostly flat course and beautiful sites!!

And now I have another pretty medal on my wall :) I had to buy it after regretting not getting last years!!

Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half

Well gang, I did it! I completed the USA Rock ‘n’ Roll Half!

To start let me bring you back to last night. I got home from work and immediately started relaxing and making dinner. I had a fantastic plate of pasta topped with Gorgonzola Cheese and a Blue Moon. YUM!

The best part of last night, I was in bed by 9:30!! This of course meant I was well rested to take awkward photos this morning of my running outfit (no judging!!).

As soon as I realized that my training was not going as well as I planned, I decided this race would be for fun. The best way to have fun, is get a fun outfit.

The best part of course was the socks!! Ok, they were probably the best part of the race. In the end, I finished so I am proud of that! Trust me, it didn’t come easy!!

The first 6 miles were honestly a lot easier than I anticipated!! They flew by and I started to wonder if I would be able to make my goal of a sub 2 hour half. By the 7th mile I knew that was wishful thinking! My hip started the ache and I knew I was in trouble.

As you can tell from my time I quickly slowed down after mile 10 (at least I know I am ready for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in two weeks).

As you can tell from my times, the last three miles were HARD. I would be lying to you if I said I ran the entire thing… I am actually glad I slowed down to a walk because it gave me time to take a GU and move my legs in a different manner. I think my body really needed the GU.

In the end, walking or not walking, I finished!!

Woohoo! I got myself a Rock ‘n’ Roll medal.

I think if anything I learned a very valuable lesson during this race: If you train well you will race well:: if you don’t train well, the race will be HARD!!! So, note to self – follow your training plan!!

Now time to carb load before my next activity, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Rock ‘n’ Roll

The Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half is tomorrow and I am ready!!

Yesterday after work I metroed from Virginia to the Armory and then back. Thankfully there were no lines at packet pick-up AND it only took me an hour and 15 minutes. I was very impressed, especially since there was a train malfunction.

The Metro ride gave me plenty of time to look through my packet. I am very excited to try the Peanut Butter GU they gave me. Fingers crossed that it is good!!

The Metro ride also made me realize that since I will not be meeting my original time goal, I might as well look cute. I quickly dropped into Target to pick-up this outfit to sport at the race.

Since I was all set for the race, the only other thing to do was carb (aka St. Pat’s). I think getting into character is just as important as getting some extra carbs. ;)

Have a great weekend!!

2011 Charleston Gobble-Wobble

First, Happy Birthday Steve!! As you may remember, last year my Charleston Gobble-Wobble post commemorated Steve’s first 5k and Birthday. This year Jay and I ran the Charleston Gobble-Wobble again and Steve was a proud spectator.

Last year, we both PRed, this year only one of us did… ok if you follow me on twitter you probably already know it was me, but please humor me as I start from the beginning.

I love running Turkey Trots on Thanksgiving, but I am starting to wonder if this race is no longer “for me”. To give the race organizers props, they did have signs up for runners to corral themselves this year, but as we all know self-corals are oxymoronic. The elites were the only race group that was regulated.  Every other corral had a good mix of running types, dogs, strollers and jeans. Some participants even started a block into the race.

Let me back up and say, that I know this is a fun run, but it was frustrating to be a more seasoned runner and see how many people who had no race etiquette. It’s just not that hard, run with your pace group, actually start behind the Starting Line and don’t run in large talking walking groups (who are wearing jeans) in the corral for runner hoping to finish in under 30 mins. ::end of rant::

Besides the rocky beginning, I did enjoy the race. Around mile 1, things sort of opened up and I started to find some more serious runners.  At this point I also realized that I was right on target to have the same time as last year. The second mile flew by as I ran around Battery Park and back to King Street. The final mile was also pretty easy since I knew what to expect from last year. This year I was smart and waited a little longer before sprinting to the finish. I swear you can see the finish line a good 1/4 mile or more before you cross.

It was about 85 degrees at last years race, this year it was perfect running weather. I was completely expecting the same weather as last year and had to wear my race shirt during the run. Fail. Also, apparently I am not a pretty sprinter… I’m the one all the way to the left.

All in all, I finished in 25:09, shaving 36 seconds off my time from last year. I have to say, I was happy. I definitely did not commit the time for speed work as I initially anticipated post-marathon.

Now, which race to run next?

2011 Marine Corps Marathon

Wow, I still can’t believe we did it and that it is already over! I have to say physically, I feel a lot better than I thought I would. Maybe I didn’t push myself as hard as I could have, but those last 5 miles were killer!!!

Okay, okay; let me start at the beginning. Jay and I woke up at 5:05 a.m. to eat, have some coffee, hydrate and hopefully use the bathroom. Thankfully, that all went without a hitch, which as many runners know is a huge relief.

We headed over to the race around 6:15 a.m. Even though it was freezing that morning, we decided to walk the 2 miles to the start line. I am glad we did as it kept us moving and kept us warm. About 1/2 way into our walk, we met a new friend, Erin. The three of us continued on and stayed together until the corrals.

Jay and I decided to corral with the 4:10 to 4:30 finishers. We knew this was a little faster than our pace starting out, but figured we would rather be passed than do the passing… AKA dodging.

Before we knew it, we were off.

Since it was so cold that morning, it took the first 3 miles for me to feel my toes. Yes, it was that cold! We were shivering at the start line even though we were in one big human mass.

Even though Jay and I had run 22 miles of the course, I was still surprised how hilly the first 7 miles are. I felt so relieved when we were finally running down M street and into Georgetown. At this point we were running pretty close to our goal pace of 10:25 min/miles.

The other piece of the race that made me a touch nervous were our spectators. My parents, brother and friend Val were going to try and meet us at 3 spots on the course. I made them a very detailed list of instructions, and my brother who lives in Foggy Bottom was with them, but I knew if they did not make it to the first meet-up I was afraid we would not see them.

Thankfully between mile 9 and 10 we saw them exactly where, and at the time, we had planned. It was so great to see familiar faces cheering us on with FANTASTIC signs. Mom definitely out-did herself!

Smiling from our support team, we continued on down Ohio Drive and onto Haines Point. I think Haines Point was the first time we started to drag. I usually do not mind that stretch, but today it just dragged on and on. The most noticeable difference in Haines Point is the lack of people.  There are no cheering spectators for about 2 miles of the race, and it was amazing to realize how much we were relying on those screaming idiots with posters.

*Side note: Jay’s favorite posters from the day included: ‘Run faster! Zombies are behind you', ‘Chuck Norris never ran a marathon’, and: ‘most Americans can’t run a 5k… we are the 99%, you are the 1%.’ Jay had a great time hollering at people and high-fiving everyone standing on the sidelines.  Yes, ladies, he’s taken.

Just as we were heading off of Haines Point we saw the 4:30 pacer. Ultimately, our goal was to finish, but the competitive nature came out and we decided that we would try to stick with the pacer until the 14th street bridge.

The pacer did wonders for us for the next 4 miles. The 4:30 pacer was really great, talking to the group as we went and got us through those 4 miles. She also was a great distraction as we missed my family at one of our agreed meet-ups (but somehow they managed to see Jay, above).

As we approached the Capitol Building we took a break and walked. Now, we trained walking though refueling with food. And prior to this walk, we walked to refuel with food, but this time it felt different, like maybe the wheels were coming off a little. Knowing we had our support team ahead, we turned the corner and started running again.

Just as planned, we saw my family near the Smithsonian metro. With a little hop in our step, we proceeded onto mile 20 and the beginning of the end; the 14th street bridge.

The bridge was the second time that I knew that we would make our ultimate to finish under 5 hours, but I could tell finishing closer to 4:30 was out of the question. At this point our pace dropped from about 10:20 to 12 min/miles. As we headed into Crystal City, Jay and I started walking a minute and running 5 minutes. We knew my friends Courtney and Lauren would be near the metro, so we made sure we ran by them and around the turn and back.

I am so glad that they spectated in Crystal City. We really needed the support at this point. Just imagine running mile 22-23 right by your apartment. It was so hard not to stop and run (ok, maybe hobble) home.

After seeing them for the second time, we started walking 2 minutes, running 5 minutes. This strategy slowed our pace to 14 min/miles for the last 2 miles. As we leave Crystal City, Jay tells me we have 38 minutes left until 5 hours. At that moment, I knew that we would make it in under 5 hours and that we COULD do this. Struggling, but never stopping we pushed through and finished in 4:55:11 and averaging a 11:15 min/mile.

As glad and proud that I DID IT, I ran a marathon, it is a little disappointing to see our great pace slow about a minute per mile because that last five miles were so rough. Maybe I’ll just have to run another?

The irony of it all, is I told my parents we would cross right at 1:00 p.m., we crossed the finish line at 1:00:34 p.m. Yup, that is pretty good guestimating, if I do say so myself!

Overall, I can say I truly had a lot of fun running the race and training for it. Marathons are a huge time commitment (we started training in June), but I believe that if you are willing to work for it, almost anyone can run (or run/walk) it.

It is amazing how much a person can change in a year. This time last year I was in pain and struggled over the 14th street bridge as I completed the Army Ten Miler and overcame IT band issues. I never thought I could do a marathon. After lots of hours running, lifting and stretching. I did it! And all it takes to become a runner is to get out the door.

One more thing off the Bucket List!

And snazzy new jackets too :)

Happy Halloween everyone!

We are MARATHONERS

I promise to post a full recap once I have all the photos, but tonight I just wanted to stop by and say WE DID IT. We are marathoners!!!

Baltimore Half Recap

Hi guys! Sorry I have been a major slacker in the blog department this week. I try to blame it on tapering, but deep down I know I have just been lazy.

Despite scaling back this week, I managed to have a great BodyPump class. I am sad I will have to drastically scale it back or even not go for 2 weeks. I was really starting to make major progress. I guess I have something to look forward to post marathon. :)

I also managed to have a great 4 mile run this morning. I only intended to go for 3 miles, but I felt great. I love those runs where you just get lost in the activity. It felt so refreshing!!!

Kind of like the Baltimore Half Marathon.

Last week my left leg was very tight and I started to feel the onset of IT Band syndrome. Since I have been down THAT road before, I stretched a lot last week and went on shorter runs.

As you can imagine, I was very worried that I was having issues so close to the marathon. I fully intended on finishing the Baltimore Half, but I knew for the sake of my goal to complete a marathon and not injure myself, that this race would not be for overall time, but pace.

Thankfully, my body cooperated last Saturday and I finished the Baltimore Half with a 10:15 min/mile pace (2:13:15). I was very proud of this time knowing I did not push myself. I came in a mere 10 minutes after my Disney Food & Wine Half time.

The race actually really helped my confidence. I felt good the entire race (well except after the swig of beer, bad idea). I really enjoyed this race as I took the time to really enjoy the spectators, the views, the hills and even the wind.

As I crossed the finish line I felt good. My heart rate immediately dropped to its resting rate. I felt like I had just completed a normal training run and I felt like I could keep on going and going. I knew I was ready for the marathon!
 

Jay on the other hand flew through the Baltimore Half finishing in 1:58:37. As sad as I was that I did not get to run with my favorite running partner, I was very proud of him. We both completed the race at our own pace, accomplishing our own race goals. BUT you better believe we made a pack to stay together on marathon day!!

I still WANT to finish a half marathon in less than 2 hours, maybe even in 1:50. Looks like I have a goal for the USA Rock N Roll ½! And without marathon training, I know I can do it!

How or when do you know you are ready for a race?



Disney Food & Wine Half

Sorry for the disappearing act! I was a little busy this weekend enjoying my time at Walt Disney World.

Jay and I arrived Friday evening and promptly went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as Cowboys. This party was a fall break tradition for our friends in college. It was fun to relive the memories with Jay. I am fortunate enough to visit Orlando a few times a year to visit my friend Charlotte and for work. But poor Jay hasn’t been to Orlando or Disney in three years!

Saturday after sleeping in, we spent the morning hanging out with Charlotte at the pool, going to the Food & Wine Half expo and watching the Gamecock’s game… and no, I don’t want to talk about it :(

I was very impressed with Run Disney. We went through the expo seamlessly and could instantly tell this race was well organized.

At 7 p.m. Jay and I headed to the Start line at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

The race started at 10 p.m., but all runners had to be at the race start by 8 p.m. I was a little worried that we would not know what to do with ourselves for 2 hours, but Disney did not disappoint!

They had Chef Mickey available for pictures, a dancing DJ and race coverage in several locations including the half marathon leg two relay lot.

Before we knew it, we were lining up in our corrals. This race was a nice little boast to Jay and my running confidence. Of the 10,000 runners, we were placed in the first corral and among the first 1500 runners. This allowed us to cross the official starting line seconds after the clock started.

And then we were off! One of the amazing things about this race was how quiet it was. The first mile out of ESPN Wide World of Sports and on to Osceola Parkway was so quiet we could hear all the runners feet hit the ground and the insects chirping. It was quite a change of pace from running in and around DC.

The quietness was quickly forgotten once we started to pass all the Disney entertainment including characters, bands and representatives from each Epcot country. Plus before we knew it, we were running through Animal Kingdom!

It was fun to run through the parks, but not exactly what I expected. They were so much quieter with runners in them at night than they are during the day with all the tourists! The Disney employees were great, cheering us on and warning us of course hazards. I have never felt so aware of my surroundings! Speed bumps, hard turns, hills, you name it we were told about it. I felt like every employee had some piece of advice or encouragement.

Our time in the first park flew by and then we were back at on Osceola Parkway and greeted by our next surprise. Charlotte came out to cheer us on! We had no idea she was going to come out and were so excited she did! A friendly face truly travels a long way!

After we passed her, Jay took a potty break while I kept a slower pace on the right hand side of the course. Believe it or not, we have been successfully able to find each other this way. We maintained around a 9:25 pace for most of the course except the potty mile where our pace slowed to 10:05. Not bad, if I do say so myself. Plus we did manage two 8:30 miles, the second mile and the last one.

After catching up, we headed into Hollywood Studios for a fun back-stage look. My favorite part was running by the costuming area! Our time in Hollywood Studios felt a little longer than Animal Kingdom. Leaving the second park, we knew we were almost there and were on familiar ground from earlier.

To get to ESPN Zone to watch the Gamecock’s game with Charlotte, Jay and I took a bus to Hollywood Studios and walked on the footpath to the Beach Club. We were pleasantly surprised to see the last few miles of the course were the exact route we had previously traveled on! Knowing where and how far you are going relieves some of those race jitters.

Just as quickly as it started, it was all over! We were officially half marathoner’s! Proudly wearing our new race medals!

Our official race time was 2:03:38. Just 3:38 shy of our 2 hour goal but 100% satisfied with the race.

Feeling accomplished, we quickly changed and headed to the after party where we wined and dinned!

Met a few characters, rode a few rides and had an overall good time.

Reflecting on the whole experience, I had a great time and will highly recommend Disney Races. I thought that I got what I paid for even though Disney races are a little pricier than most.

With all that being said, I would not recommend this race to anyone wanting to experience Epcot or the Food & Wine Festival for the first time. The park is not at full swing at the after party which takes away from its charm. Realistically you only have 2 1/2 hours to enjoy the park, food and wine. Jay and I were not very hungry and couldn’t consume a lot of alcohol post race. If I had never been to this festival or park, this would have taken away from my experience.

Since Jay and I have been to Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival numerous times, we had a very laid back after party plan. We only did our “must-do’s” and then it was time to go. That being said, we enjoyed our last of the Caribbean, our margaritas, the Rose & Crown pub and our two favorite rides (Mexico and Norway).

What race did you enjoy, but would not recommend to others?

 

Which race did you run in preparation for another?

This was our first half marathon and was a training race for the Marine Corps Marathon at the end of the month. Only 26 more days!!!

Crystal City Twilighter

It was hot hot hot in DC this weekend! What better way to celebrate the 100+ degrees temps than running a 5k?

Saturday evening my friend Courtney and I ran the Crystal City Twilighter. I had heard great things about this race and loved that it was literally right outside my front door.

I was very impressed with how well the race was organized. We received an e-mail a few days before the race instructing us to drink plenty of water the day of the race.

At the race, the organizers had plenty of cold water, mist machines and ice sponges. While the temperature was not enjoyable, it really was not bad, especially once the sun went down.

Courtney and I stayed together the entire race and beat her goal time of 36 minutes by 3 minutes! We also finished very very strong, sprinting across the finish line!

Do you notice anything funny about my race stats?

Yes, apparently I traveled all the way from Anchorage, CA to compete. When I went to look up our race stats I double even triple checked that this was in fact me. But the bib number doesn’t lie!

After the race we met up with friends and scoured the post race party. We were a little disappointed that we only got one beer :( but were very happy with the amount of loot we walked away with. I got Muscle Milk, fruit and lots and lots of mini Lara Bars. I probably went way overboard with the Lara Bars, but they are the perfect size for long runs.

We finished the evening with some champagne for Courtney. Unfortunately most of the champagne I picked up from my grandmother’s apartment was not good. At least we got one good bottle!

How have race organizers impressed you? Have you ever attended a race that was not very well organized?