Because I am that crazy

     For those keeping count at home...I have run three half marathons since the beginning of October. The Crawling Crab (PR race and AWESOME!), Monster Mash Half, the Halloween Half (trick was on me for this one) and now we have....The Virginia Running Festival Half a week after the Halloween Half. Have we discussed my sanity lately? No? Just to make sure we all understand, I also have the Richmond half next weekend and the Harbour Lights Half the last weekend in November...and just 'cause... the Striders Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, because you can never have too much of a good thing. That's six half's in two months. Most barely run one a month. Yep, I am that crazy, and I LOVE IT! I have even signed up for two marathons a week apart in March. Just to test my abilities and really see what I've got deep down. Who does that?! Me! -and a few other crazy people I know.
     The Virginia Running Festival was a nice race. I wasn't keen on my time, but I guess after the reality check of looking at my schedule above, it wasn't that bad for me either. I am not fast, I certainly can't qualify for Boston, but I have yet to be last. Fast is relative.
     This was a race I was on my own for. This always makes me a bit nervous. I do it not matter what, but I have to talk myself through the parking and the what if's just to calm myself down a bit. No way am I going to let nerves keep me from doing something I always enjoy. I hope someday my daughter gets the idea of not letting nerves or fear stop you from things you love and does it too. Being on my own, also means no or only a few pictures.
     It was a small race which meant short porta potty lines. This always screws me up. If I don't try right before, sure enough I will be looking for one on the course. This was no exception. For the four miles I kept looking...and not running well. The next 2 miles, I actually started looking for good bushes, but Newport News is a city and we were on a college campus...with LOCKED doors. What!? Another lady running with me asked the question I wanted to..."Where the heck are the bathrooms?". The volunteer said "I have no clue". Super. I finally got a porta potty stop at mile 7ish. Phew! Now I could run. The problem was, while I crushed the hills, it was too late to really make up any time, so screw it. It was a beautiful course, people were so friendly and now I could drink water. I just enjoyed the route we were on which took us back behind the campus through a very nice neighborhood along the river and through part of a park. It was very pretty.
     Finally reaching the end, I got my "Massive Medal" and they weren't kidding. Its almost as big as my head! There was plenty of pizza, but I headed out. I didn't know anyone there other then the girl I met at the beginning who also ran the whole Shamrock marathon. I waved and cheered for her as she went by. I hope she like the course too.

Halloween Trick

     I love Halloween. I love the crisp fall air, the cooler running temps, the crazy race costumes and all the spooky movies. I still watch Casper the Ghost every Halloween. It's time for candy and casseroles...YUM!
     Normally, I would run the Wicked 10k, but between Navy duty days and soccer games, it wasn't going to happen this year which meant the Halloween Half in NC was going to be all that much better. I had even promised to wear a costume. I know, right?! Treat in and of itself! I suck at costumes, so I had a little help from my friends, but still...me in a COSTUME. Halloween was definitely here.
     It was an evening race on a Saturday so I picked up my BRF in the morning and off we went to make packet pick up by 4pm. The race had a start at 6 and promised to be cold and rainy. What? I told you I was going. 'Nough said.
     We got there early and decided the little town was a bit...well...it looked like a small, poor town. (I am being nice here.) When we got our race bibs we didn't even have to wait and off to the hot spot we went...Walmart. Um, our first clue?
    We made it back to the race just in time for the rain to start. We watched the little kids run and looked around. At that point we were looking at placing in our age groups, there were that many people there. How awesome would that be? Thus, clue two. After the little ones raced (always adorable) more people had showed up and it was time to start, except no one could decide what side of the timing strip to start on...and we have clue three. The race director got us straight and off we went.
     Having seen the town, knowing we would run in the dark, I decided to run with my BRF, even if it made her mad and she totally turned me out. That was ok. We could run separate but SAFELY together. Right away the course went down a hill, which meant we were coming back up it. Rain and hills...it was a Kris race. We were off and running.

     The rain did let up only to be replaced by a cold, damp breeze, which as the sun set, started to make me really glad a had my hat to keep my ears warm. It didn't take more then a few miles to see this really was a crazy course. People were having a hard time navigating the cones. BRF pointed out something I had completely missed...no mile markers. Well, crap. I guess that's why we have  a GPS watch and part of why we would be glad to be running together later.

We leap frogged with some cool ladies for a while.

 

My Kenyan fuel ceased to matter at mile three when it became a race of "don't get lost".

     Then the lights went out in Brooklyn. We were actually in Fayetteville, NC (I think), but you get the idea. Once that sun went down it actually got scary. We ran through dark neighborhoods with broken liquor bottles (I hope) and Cujo was trying to get out of his cage to eat you. Neighbors looked at us oddly. On what we thought would be the last leg, it was a dark, busy wet road and more than once I watched someone almost get hit. Real life Frogger. I was ready to jump on the hood of one rude car and probably get myself arrested. Come on people! We were sharing the road, so could you! Cones in the middle of the road with no direction were confusing and resultingly dangerous for everyone. THANK YOU to the cops who did help. We made it to the end and looked at our watch...12.36...WHAT?! A half is 13.1 miles. Where did we loose the mileage? We must have to go down the hill again. No? Towards the finish? Really? Ok, well at least there would be pizza and donuts. Final clue...
     NO DONUTS...NO PIZZA...just water (thank you) at the end and my medal. BRF and I looked around. Maybe we it was covered because of the rain...nope. There were the empty pizza boxes over my the awards tent. Turns out, they only had enough for the 5kers. We were done.
     I hated the shirt, the course and the lack of pizza. The hills weren't bad, I liked the medal and I, of course, enjoyed the company. BRF for a reason. We weren't the only ones with a short course. Others missed a turn due to lack of direction and ended up a whole mile short. Next time check the map you say...well, we tried. It wouldn't come up. Next time BRF will veto any crazy race idea's I have, and after this, rightly so.
     To cut them some slack, it was an inaugural race for the town, even if not for the company, who put it on in Miami and Atlanta quite successfully. A lot of volunteers didn't show, they did offer a discount for next year to those who ran and were shorted on mileage and they acknowledged the pizza count was a lesson learned, but honestly, I won't be back.

 

Somes days are good and others...not so much

     October 5th the stars aligned and I ran a sub 2:30:00 half. For some of you, that is really slow, but for me it was a huge accomplishment. Better yet, I ran a 2:24:14! It was over a 6 minute PR for me! It will probably never happen again, but at least I can say I am improving.
   Back the crazy train up to October 4th. My daughter and I ran the 5k together. For me, it was part of a running challenge to get 3 medals. The more bling the better, right? For my daughter, it was a matter of conquering 3.1 miles.
    We arrived early, numbers pinned on, ready to go. At the back of the pack at the last second, she has to go. Thank goodness we were 1) at the back of the line and 2) near porta potties. As we started walking forward, she made it back to me. We ran intervals at 2:1 and towards mile 3 probably did more walking then running, but she did it! I am proud of her for trying and for sticking with it and for accomplishing the goal she set herself.

We came, we conquered, we ate.

 

    When it was all said and done, we got our medals, she had a shiny new PR and then we had some YUMMY soup. J&A always puts on a good race and the after party food is delicious!

     The next morning, we got up early to drop my daughter off at a friends and off I went to the half. Clearly, I miss calculated how long it would take me to get there as there was no traffic, I got to park in front of the start and I pretty much had another hour of nap time. I even had time to settle my stomach and eat a little before the race. Such a thing is normally unheard of.

     Finally, it was time to hop out of my nice warm car into the chilly weather to meet the girls for a pre race pic. Everyone was a little chilly and had throw aways (an old shirt you toss once you warm up running). I did not and just sucked it up in my short sleeve shirt.

Group Pic.

 

Pictures done and off the porta potties, where I found the missing group member...

 

     I then lined up with my BRF. I never seem to run with her, but I love to start with her. Makes the race start with all those people easier to swallow, plus, she's funny! We talked goals real quick. She had splits her coach had handed over and I had two goals. Overall, I wanted to beat 2:30:00, better yet, I wanted to run 11:00/mile the whole way. We swapped the age old advice "Remember not to go out too fast", off went the gun and...we waited. Yep, those of us at the back don't hear the gun go off and then run. We creep, wait, creep some more, listen to the announcer joke, creep some more, and then get to run.

     The first mile went fast. Too fast. I was at more of a 10:00/mile then an 11:00/mile, but what the heck, and I kept going. Sure enough, about mile two my left leg started to hurt. I was compensating for the stupid right ankle I hurt at Rock n Roll the month before. It was my sign to slow down. I walked a bit to get rid of the tightness and got into a good groove. I turned off the intervals so I could no longer see my pace and just ran. About mile 8 I started passing people I knew. Hmmm, they must have stopped for water, stopped to walk off a cramp or maybe...something. I kept going. The course had changed from last year and it was prettier then before. No stinky fish factory, a little less gross and more pretty. It wasn't crazy humid and there was plenty of water. There is a hill right before you hit the water and another at the end of the race that is an over pass. I love hills. They are tough, make my legs and lungs ache, but I love them. So I bent at the waist, dropped my shoulders and pulled up my head. Almost there, don't stop, don't slow down, just keep going.

     I crossed the finish and saw the clock. I knew I was ahead of the 2:30 pacer, but I also knew I was behind him when I started so I had to be close. I would see the official time when it posted later. I got my medal and then hurried off to get my daughter. Later, when I checked the time and saw 2:24:14 I almost fell out of my chair. Wahoo! Way to go me! Unfortunately, I have to do it again and now that I have beaten 2:30:00 I have to beat 2:20:00. Note to self, miss calculate travel time in your favor, run a fun 5k the day before, make sure the weather is very cool, eat breakfast and just run, you will have an awesome race.

     Easier said then done.

A couple of weeks later, the girls and I were off to Dover, DE for the Monster Mash half. I was cranky the whole time. Well, except while actually running,

 

Monster Mash guy

     We got our packets the night before the race at Dover Downs. The Monster guy was there to welcome us and those guys where there to photo bomb. Easiest packet pick up EVER! The race director even came over to give us a personal hello. Better yet, the shirts weren't gross yellow/green. Then it went down hill. Dinner was a pain with what we were told was a 20 minute wait. Ha! It took even longer to get to our food. Maybe they plucked the chicken out back first? By that time, we were too tired to gamble and off to bed we went.

 

     It was a fairly small race and had some cryptic instructions about not walking the first 4 miles. What, the Monster will step off the speed way and come get us? No, but the traffic might. The first part of the race was through route 13. A MAJOR road, and we ran right in the middle of it and crossed it. Thank goodness for the men in blue helping out. Even if they were cranky that they had to be there in the first place.

     You could tell it wasn't going to be a PR from the start. I just wasn't into it. It was a nice course, there were friendly people and it was actually some nice quiet reflective running in some places. But I wasn't feeling the push to break time records so I just tried to enjoy it. This got rid of the cranky for a while. I do very much like running. Crazy, my friends say, crazy, the posters say. Whatever, I like my crazy.

 

Quiet roads in Dover, DE

 

     By the time the race was done, so was I. I got a really cool spinny medal though! and COFFEE! They gave me FREE ICED COFFEE! They must have known I was coming. Oh wait, I was on the registration list. Okay, so I am not really that funny, but try to laugh a little. Besides, I do like coffee and now Delaware is checked off the states list.

 

 

Running for the Soul

     Sometimes you just need to run. When the people find all the right buttons to really hurt or make you angry you need to run. When the day has been so amazing you think you will never receive such an amazing gift again you have to run. When tears start to run down your face and you don't want to uncurl from the fetal position you have to run. It's the piece that makes your soul whole. No matter the hurtful words, the animosity, the frustration and hopefully combined with the joy, is the amazingness of the run to make it all okay; to put the world back on an even keel and move forward. Always remember, all of us are amazing and we all deserve to be recognized as such. Be you. Run.

Country Running

Fall is finally here...ok, at least the Virginia version of it. This means you can run and not leave a trail of sweat pools behind you because the humidity not only saps your speed but makes others question if you went running...or swimming. This also means a back to school schedule, more races and my favorite, cool crisp air. However, before the weather gods decided it was time for soccer and football, we got one last good wallop with the heat and humidity. Rock n Roll Virginia Beach broke heat and humidity records, I nearly broke my ankle. Bird in Hand was a week behind it an we somehow thought that in PA it would be cooler. Hahahahaha!

I took Friday off and drove up for the 5k Friday night. There was also a spaghetti and pizza dinner. After getting my numbers I headed to my motel, which promptly tried to over charge me and then after hammering that out they told me my room wasn't ready. Really?! They even had a sign up that said check in from 2-4. It was 3pm. THREE PM. Sigh. Fine. I would go drive around to see what there was to eat in case the spaghetti wasn't good. Finally I got to check in and got ready. For the record the travel thing was MUCH more fun with done with my running friends, among whom sarcasm has become a science.

Back to the race start where I met up with my BRF. It was a much cooler evening then we had seen in VB at the Rock n Roll. I was really looking forward to running in cooler weather. Especially since I saw where we were going to run. BEAUTIFUL!

As we walked over to the sketti dinner tent, my BRF's husband noted that there were signs in the potties and were they ever CLEAN! Right there- SOLD. It can't be a bad race with potties that clean! Then he read the sign...Go Long Go Deep. Ha! Turns out there were motivational signs in each one! See, even race support appreciates good sarcasm. Now you know you are among runners.

After cooing about how ADORABLE the little Amish kids were, we made our way to food. (Please don't take offense; they were Amish and really were cute- no sarcasm intended or implied here.) We hemmed and hawed about eating before a 5k and decided to just go light. The dinner proceeds were supporting the local fire department. Always a good cause to support. Now here we have to stop. I LOVE pizza. One of the many reasons I run is so I can eat said pizza. It isn't often I meet a bad pizza. (fast food pizza from Pizza Hut and Domino's are excluded from this- its fast food- yuck.) This pizza was BAD. The crust was hard, the sauce kinda tasteless and the cheese cold. My pizza bubble had been burst. However, others assured me the pie was delicious.

Finally it was time to run. Down the road, through the corn stalks to grandma's house...or at least to the finish line. The 5k was the precursor to gorgeous. I love seeing the outdoors when I run. Streams, mountains and all. I don't like running on uneven paths though. So 5k and done. It was fun. Not a bad run, but I discovered from the hills made my ankle hurt from where I had folded it in half the week before at Rock n Roll. "So don't run on it- duh!" Said no runner ever. It wasn't bad. I made arrangements to get my friend in the morning for the half and off we went to our respective sleeping arrangements. Once showered and having said good night to my kiddo I discovered to my dismay- NO Dallas Cheerleaders were available on my tv! This motel just gets worse and worse. I even checked for bed bugs, just in case.

Next morning up early for the half. Cinderella would have been singing at the sunrise, until she realized even her straight hair would curl in that humidity. I went to get my BRF and it was a pretty ride, even in the creeping hours of the morning. Corn fields, barns, and trains. Once I got a couple of blocks from the town center there seemed to be no one else on the road. It really was amazing country. Picked up the BRF at the trains (yes, she stayed in a real train) and headed to the race. The race directors had warned up to bring our patience so we had gone early. Turns out they were so efficient it wasn't needed and we got a front row parking spot. SCORE! Better yet, we had time to watch the balloons and the run come up.

It was time to line up. The air was humid but not too warm. If it stayed that way it would have been a perfect race. Mother nature had other ideas. The first few miles were great, but that was enough time for the sun to come up and make the humidity feel like running in a wet blanks. Throw in some hills and no shade and you found your self looking for some kind of shade next the corn stalks. My garmin breakdown said  was on pace for a PR...until the sun came up. Then my pace also had a breakdown so what can you do but just enjoy the view. Course support was amazing. They weren't loud but they had hoses, plenty of water and even coolers of ice for you, some of which I dumped down the back of my shirt. Even the camels came out to say hi.

Upon finishing in my second worst time we were given lucky horse shoe medals. LOVE THEM! I have already signed up to Rock n Roll (its a local race, how can you say no)  next year and am really hoping this one won't be on the same day so I can run it again too. Everything about this race was wonderful. It had hills, wonderfully friendly people, great race support, amazing countryside and really cool medals.

Shut Up + Run: HOKA One One Shoe Review and Giveaway#c9078072696866262139

Shut Up + Run: HOKA One One Shoe Review and Giveaway#c9078072696866262139

Virginia Beach Rock n Roll is Labor Day weekend every year. Every year the weather is miserable, yet suckers like me still sign up to run (or walk or crawl) for a tee shirt and some bling every year. Better yet, we pay for the (dis)pleasure of doing that. Takes a special kind of crazy. This year the day before there was a breeze, it was over cast and cool, at least by Virginia Beach summer standards. A real teaser. You start to think maybe, just maybe the weather will be nice. That plus the bonus of it only being $45.00 dollars to sign up for the next year and you are suckered in again. They should offer tattoos instead of tee shirts.

My daughter and I had signed up for the Mile of the Beach run which was the intro run the day before the half. Why? For more bling of course. A medal to run the mile, a medal for the half, and an extra one to prove just how crazy you were to do it in the first place.

The mile on the beach was no joke. Less then a quarter of the way in, the loose sand got the best of us and my daughter and my calves quickly realized we weren't running the whole mile. After some whining, walking and chin up talks we made it to the finish, where my daughter promptly informed me, we were never, EVER doing that again. For once AGREED. That being said and done, we headed down to the water where some friends waited and spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon chilling on the beach. This is how Labor Day weekend should be spent.

Next up was the half. Up at 4 a.m. because running in the heat and humidity isn't enough, you have to get up predawn just to get there to do it. Thank goodness for funny morning friends. My stomach can't handle a lot that early so no breakfast and very little coffee are not a good way to start a race. However, my running friends are just as crazy as me and a whole lot funnier. One of said friends noted we took up half the shuttle and the rest were probably wishing they had grabbed the next one. She was probably right, but smiles and laughter are a great way to start a race. One of the many reasons I like starting with my BRF even though we don't actually run together anymore.

So I got up, cussed the alarm, cussed the weather, cussed the fact that I had signed up in the first place, got in the car and drove to the shuttles 45 minutes away, finally thought I was awake enough to have it semi-together and I stepped in the only hole to China in the whole lawn walking from my car to the shuttle. Really?! The darn shuttle wasn't that far from my car! That hurt. Took a deep breath and decided it didn't hurt too badly, I could walk on it, therefor I could run on it, and over to my friends.

Once on the shuttle, it is another 20 minutes to the race start, which is why you have to get up so early. The race doesn't actually start until 7 a.m. but they close the roads, so no in or out except for emergency, shuttles and race workers. Once there we met others in my Moms Run This Town Group (which BTW is the most awesome group of women you will every meet. I make new friends at each race).  Obligatory picture taken, and then off to find bag check and stand in line for one last potty. My group and I made it to the start and jumped in early (I know, race shame on us, but the amount of people there were getting to me), which in the end made my finish deceiving. Because we started in front of the 2:45 pacer and finished in front of the pacer, it didn't match my Garmin. For a few seconds I thought maybe I had done better than I thought. About that time the math fought through the humidity to burst my bubble. It was weird to physically finish in front of the pacer yet still be a few minutes behind on the chip time.

Before I had finished mile 1, the humidity was so bad, I was dripping sweat. Mile 5ish I had to stop to potty since I was making sure to remain well hydrated given the heat and humidity. I took salt and Nunn and managed to avoid a headache, but I didn't beat my time from last year. The humidity was just too much. Its like running with a hot wet blanket thrown over you. YUCK! I beat 3 hours and didn't pass out so I am counting it as a personal win. I know I am faster then that. I also know I can't beat heat and humidity. I am a northern girl at heart. I can adjust forever and still prefer to run when its super cold rather then super hot. Maine girl all the way.

Swiped from Rock N Roll website

Once done, we were to meet a D for done. So I met a few of the girls, who told me where I could go get my stuff and extra medal. Off I went saying I would be back. They waited but had to go after that. My ankle was throbbing, a heat headache was coming and I was miserable standing in the direct sun. I needed something wet and cold and to get off my ankle so after waiting a bit more and then wandering to look for my other friends I finally went home, but not before stopping for an orangeade (orange juice and ground up ice slushy). It was probably my savings grace. Cold and it put back some of what I had lost in the heat and sweat. One the shuttle back to the car and home. Boy did I stink! Thank goodness so did everyone else. I don't have a lot of pictures because I was so hot and sweaty I didn't take the time to stop and take any. The ones that were taken, I just look nasty in. Next week is Bird in Hand. A fun race in PA with my BRF in cooler weather. I should have pictures of that one. Next year Rock n Roll, next year.