Dreaming Big - My 2015 Goals

After spending some time reflecting on 2014, I've been giving some thought to 2015 in recent weeks. My goal since I started running was "run the Chicago Marathon". And since October 12, I've been goal-less. Well let's fix that. Why have goals? I've been reading "Hanson's Marathon Method" lately. "Goal of any sort narrow your focus and give meaning to your training". It's true. You set set the big goal and suddenly start dividing that into smaller ones. You see progress and that keeps motivating you. But without that, it's hard to find the motivation.

So I have a few. Let's start with the natural ones. Performance related.

1. 4:15 Marathon. (PR 4:28:47). 4:15 sounds like a lot off; almost 14 minutes. But I don't think it's out of the question. I feel like I have more in me.  I feel like with a more regimented training, that "more" can not just be brought out, but be better.

2. 25:48 5k (PR 25:49). I don't typically race 5k's. They're too expensive and I have trouble fitting them into marathon training schedules. That said, this one is going be 2 years old in May. I tried this fall but my best attempt was still 45 seconds off. More speedwork  Also finding a flat, uncrowded course. Those exist, right?

Now performance aside, there's a few other things that I really want to do next year.

3. Run more with friends. Our paces don't always line up. While we may have run on the same trails sometimes this year, I feel like I neglected them in some ways while striving to keep pace for my time goals. Sure we chatted before and after. But during, we were apart. I want to commit to running WITH them at least once a month.

4. Spend less on race fees. I ran a lot of races this spring to race in several states. I ran some incredible courses. But at some point, it was less about quality and more about quantity. I want to change that. There are a number of local races that are "must-do" for me. I'm a sucker for the CARA Circuit. There's some other destination races on my hopeful 2015 races. Looking at you Nashville! But I want to make sure that I'm not running a race this year just to get a medal. I want to give 150% each time I pin that bib on. I want quality from myself. And that only happens by reducing the quantity.

5. Finish a Tri!  I've hid behind the "I can barely swim" and "I don't have a bike" thing for too long. Well neither has changed. But I've also realized that those are just barriers I've put up. When Spring rolls around, I'm going to be bike shopping. And somewhere in between, I'm going to jump in the water. I don't have a race booked yet, but I'm going to give it a go! How hard can it be? (Famous last words!)

There it is. Raw and exposed. I plan to followup towards the end of next year on how I did.

What's you're goals for 2015?  Some of the above were inspired by others I've heard recently. So I'd love to hear what you're planning. Maybe that will give me an idea of something to shoot for in 2016!

A Few Run Lessons from 14

As my 2014 running season is pretty much over, I spent some time to look back on the year. I'll admit, I was thinking of a "things I'm thankful for" post. But when I really thought about it, those things really circled around a few lessons. And if we don't learn, we never progress, right?  So here's my top 6 from this year. Yeah I went all Buzzfeed (please tell me I'm not the only one that goes nuts with those lists of arbitrary length??):

Running groups are amazing!  Running was a solo thing for me until later in 2013. Then I started hanging out with the Bolingbrook Fun Run Club. This year, I also added in the Western Cook Running Club. What happened? I found people that were crazy enough to go out with me in pretty much any conditions, polar vortices included. I found people that pushed me outside my comfort zone. And I made and further established friendships with some of the sweetest, most inspiring, and incredible people I've ever met. Every runner has a story,  and some will blow your damn mind!

So are pace groups. This year I trained with CARA's summer marathon training program. Okay, so I missed way more than I planned on. But what I got was a group that ran my set pace with me through the long runs. When it was 35 and snowing. When it was 75 and blistering. And we did so 2.5 miles to each aid station on the training course. So many of those times I wanted to go faster. Or go slower --yes, walk breaks. But they kept me on pace all of those times and forced me to go that extra half mile to the scheduled stop.

Consistency yields results. I introduced a 6th day to the schedule this year. Tuesday were speed work. Wednesday's: Semi long. Saturday's: Long. Every week. And 30 minutes come off the marathon PR. Every one of those "I don't want to" days (yes, those DO exist in my world), were all part of that. You get what you put in. It's true.

So much has to go right to run your best race. Yes, consistent, quality training is important. But even when you train your best a whole list of things... Avoiding stupid injuries. Perfect weather. Having a well supported and well organized course. A lack of congestion on the course. Fueling. Sleep. It. All. Matters. And I'm not talking about just a marathon. I attempted to PR a few 5k's in recent weeks. I came close, but there was always something that got in the way. And think about what else could have been better, because something may have and you may be capable of that much more.

...That feeling you get when it DOES all go right, makes all the work so very worth it. True I had a big PR in Chicago. But I had so many "but this, but that" after. Indy was different. Indy was perfect. Indy I was able to say was right according to plan. And from there, I know that to get faster, all that's left is to work harder next time. But in that moment, pure satisfaction.

The only better feeling is helping others reach their goals. Pacing friends through their goal race. Cheering on others in person or virtually. And coaching (yeah, that happened...) a group of new runners towards a 5k finish. In every single one of those experiences, seeing the joy THEY had from completing their goals gave me so much more motivation than hitting 5 of my own.

I know I'm far from the first person to encounter these. In fact, they're probably all pretty obvious. But when "obvious" hits you full on, you find yourself thankful for that lesson. Cheers to even more "obvious" in 2015!

Chicago 2014 - It was like...

This isn't really intended to read as a "race review", rather just my recap of what was an amazing weekend.

The marathon that wasn't, finally happened. As my second full marathon, I thought that so many things should be familiar.  And yet in the weeks leading up, my emotions were flying just as bad if not worse than my first.

The first was personally a huge achievement.  But my first wasn't Chicago.  It wasn't another major.  It wasn't the hometown race.  Being able to finally run the course that I dreamt of running for so long was quite simply unbelievable.  I say that for a number of reasons.

It was a personal dream fulfilled.  Simply being able to retrace steps that I took the expo last year, but knowing I was going to line up on that starting line... awesome!

It was my first race where I attempted to fundraise for a charity, Team LiveSTRONG.  One of my favorite parts of running a large race, is connecting to people that I would have never met otherwise.  Through LiveSTRONG I met several folks from Austin, some from St Louis, some from Chicago.  All with one common goal.  Different people from different walks of life, united for one purpose.  On race day, I wore a LiveSTRONG hat.  I didn't have my name on my singlet.  But I did hear so many cheers of "Go LiveSTRONG!" as I passed.  That helped so much at mile 7 and was a life saver at mile 23.  Thank you to my amazing donors for making that possible!

It was an experience that I was able to share with new friends in person.  LiveSTRONG was one part of that.  Random encounters with random people at the expo, on the course, at a random restaurant for dinner.  Typical stuff for any race.  Still always a joy to meet people who "have never been this far north before" and "wow, that's a lake?  It looks like an ocean".

And then there's Oiselle. My Flock singlet sat in the box it arrived in.  I pulled it out to try it on, but decided I'd keep it in there until the race.  I actually packed that box with it in my suitcase.  Being able to pull it out and wear it itself made me feel proud.  

I never ran track in high school.  I never did anything active in high school.  So for the first time in any athletic endeavor, I was racing for a team.  A team that churned out several PR's and even a few olympic trials qualifiers!  A team where some of those PR's were in my 4+ hr range.  A team that celebrates every athlete from the elite to the recreational.

Around mile 8, my shin started to nag me.  Along the course I ran into Beth at mile 12 with an awesome sign screaming her heart out "GO OISELLE!!"  What shin pain??  At 14: "oh that shin pain".  By 17, I was almost keeled over when came upon Oiselle Cowbell Corner where Cindi and Kelly were cheering along.  The pain didn't exactly go away, but something in that brief moment and the hug I got from Cindi made me pull it together and do a better job of putting the pain behind me.  My pace was far behind what some of the other birds put together.  But the love I felt was all the same.

It also happened that I ran across another one of my Flockmates somewhere around 20, Leslie.  I never met her before, but she was rocking the same singlet I had.  We didn't spend much time together, but we traded some stories for a half mile or so.

And when the race was over, there was an after party for hosted by a the PRS Jacksonville Running Club.  One of the members of the club, runs for Oiselle and invited all the other Oiselle birds to join in.  I met a good handful of people from their club, but a number of other Oiselle team runners as well.  We traded stories about the day, next races, and enjoyed a few beverages.  There was unity in that day, not division based on finishing time or running resumes.  The team spirit of these girls is such a beautiful thing, it's a team that I'm so happy to be a part of.

It was an experience that I was able to share with old friends in person.  Going into the weekend I knew that my plans would make it impossible to plan exact times to see friends that were also running.  But it was so crazy to run into so many people at the expo, at the CARA gear check on race day.

One event that I did plan was our Cancer to 5K team joining a shakeout run Saturday with Bart Yasso and Deena Kastor.  Our group wasn't huge, but it was great to share that marathon excitement with Rich and Aisha as they continue to prep for their goal race, the Hot Chocolate Chicago 5k.  Rich and I even headed to the expo together where he was wow'd by the size of everything.

And on the course, I saw  Crystal and a few others cheering at 13.  I saw Pat and others from the Naperville Marathon team managing an aid station around 15.  I know others from BFRC were there around 23, I just didn't see them.  My CARA pace team also decided to mostly run together.  I thought I had a faster day than that, so I ran ahead early but was able to spend a few with them --until some passed me later.

It was an experience that I was able to share old friends online.  Running friends pretty much dominate my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds.  So many of them I know were training for so long for this race --for many their first.  Seeing so many pics of commutes in, race outfits, course pictures, and of course everyone flashing their medal was wonderful!  Many of those people I didn't see in person over the weekend.  But I knew they were out there, on the same course I was.

And I had a HUGE PR!  The weather was absolutely perfect for a marathon.  GI issues were non-existent.

And the crowd was something else.  Some areas were WAY more packed than others, but there really wasn't ever a stretch without somebody cheering.  I cheered this race a number of times, so I had a small idea of that.  I heard stories from friends.  But, in all my races, I've never seen anything like that.  Especially for 26 miles.

In fact, the only thing that really worked against me was my left limb.  But I managed to drag it along and finish with 4:33:15, a new PR by 22:30.

So what's next?  I wanted more out out myself but still very happy with how things ended.  I still feel that there's another 10 minutes that can come off that PR if everything goes right.  I'm going to walk a balance of recovery and training again.  Now with sights set on the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November - 2 weeks away.

I also registered for Country Music in Nashville in April and Rockford in May.

Yeah that "don't sign up for you next until until you forgot the last" thing.  Please....  Hello #3, #4, and #5!

But one thing's for certain, it's these reasons that I'll be back for Chicago 2015 and I plan to be faster!

Breaking Through Redux - Chicago 2014

Sunday morning started out by rolling over somewhere around 3:30 and realizing the Berlin Marathon was happening.  I really wanted to catch up on some sleep so didn't specifically plan to watch it.  But I took Twitter and found a stream in German.  After about 40 minutes of watching, I can say that my German is no better than when I started. But in that span of time, I witnessed history being made yet again as Dennis Kimetto smashed through the 2:03 barrier.  Shalane Flanagan's pursuit of the American women's record didn't pan out, but she still had a 48 second PR!  Not usually how I start a Sunday, but great inspiration to start the day.

At 8, I was out in Elmhurst with our Cancer to 5k crew for our Sunday group run.  Week 6 now as it happens to be.  The "intermediate" group ended up doing 30 minutes of straight running.  The "novice" group did a 30 minute 2/2 Run/Walk.  Both HUGE accomplishments when the goal is a 5k, still 6 weeks away!  Seeing the progress they're making also inspires me.  It's simply amazing to see people that had previously identified as "only maybe worked out a few times in the past year" not only stick with the program but now ask "what do you think if I ran from here to the finish instead of doing the walking part?"

Following our run, my next stop was Fleet Feet Old Town.  They held a seminar in preparation for the Chicago Marathon called "Breaking Through the Wall".  I attended it last year even though I knew Chicago wasn't going to happen for me. Much the same, the panel included a PT, a dietitian, a member of the CES training program, race director Carey Pinkowski, and two Olympians:  Meb Keflizighi and Deena Kastor.  Of course the discussion first started with what happened in Berlin hours earlier.  There was also talk of Deena's new world record and of course Meb's Boston win.  But the locus of the discussion was around tips for us make it to the finish line.  Lots of them are great advice for a first timer.  Nonetheless, good reminders for everyone else.  But there's one thing that really stuck with me; something that Deena said.

When I saw her in this same setting a year ago, there were but two words that really stuck with me:  "define yourself".  We all have the opportunities at any given moment to define ourselves to others and to ourselves.  We can chose to be mediocre or we can choose to be extraordinary.  We can "fit the mold" or we can bust right out of it.  Those two words are something that's weighed on me a lot this year.  They're something that's popped in my head during the tough times and the great, running related or not.

This year, her advice was this:  "I believe in a training, nutrition, sleep triangle.  But in the middle of that is joy.  As soon as you find your bliss, what makes you happiest, the success just comes."

3 years ago, I watched a local broadcast of the Chicago Marathon and became inspired to leave a sedentary life and lace up.  

2 years ago, this same race inspired me to run my first 13.1 on race weekend.  I parked somewhere by DePaul, followed Fullerton out to the Lakefont Trail and out and back toward Navy Pier.

Last year I recklessly did my own type of marathon training, and had to sit out.

But since then, I've finished my first.  And I discovered how to make it less of an individual pursuit.  Through countless pub runs at my local running store.  Through great people that I'm blessed to be able to call my friends that I've met in local running clubs.  Through organizations like Cancer to 5k and MyTeamTriumph.  I've learned to truly love the run.  I've reach a point where I HAVE found my bliss.

Chicago 2014 for me is more about an 18 week training plan.  It's about a 3 year dream finally coming true.  Its about celebrating the amazing people that have inspired me along the way, be they elite athletes, new athletes, or just someone that's wondering why I'm so enthralled with this sport.  It's about searching deep inside myself, and seeing yet again just how much I can push myself.  When you're this high, there's no need to break through the wall.  You just fly right over it.

I'm running the 2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon as a proud member of Team LiveSTRONG.  LiveSTRONG is committed to Cancer survivorship by offering programs and services to those affected by cancer that go way beyond their clinical treatments of this terrible disease.  My affiliation with LiveSTRONG was not for a post-close entry; it's simply something I wanted to do to try to raise something while I was training for this race.  I'm aware that there's many "great causes" worth of your donations.  But if you'd like to support me and Team LiveSTRONG, thank you!  And if not, your support on the course or remotely on October 12 would mean the world to me!

Soaring with The Flock

A little over a year ago, I started following (stalking?) a running apparel company out of Seattle named Oiselle.  "A French word for bird, it alludes to that feeling of weightlessness that most runners know and love. That sense of flight – when the legs go fast and the heart goes free." (About Us)  These people make some darn cute and functional clothes.  See for example the distance short with 2 (!!) zip pockets!

The more I followed, I came to find that they're not just about the products but also about fostering a community.  They're about supporting women's running whether they're elite athletes at the top of their sport, like Kara Goucher, or whether they're just normal people that share #RunLove while also holding down a career and/or raising a family.

In June they launched something called "The Flock".  On the outside looking in, I saw a bunch of "birds" connecting with each other through Twitter and Instagram.  I saw them meeting up at various races, like the Magnificent Mile Half, flying in formation with Lauren Fleshman (also a large part of their team and a downright inspiration!).  Wish though I may, The Flock sold out soon after it launched.  

Until they opened up a handful of more slots last week.  So I signed up.  I was lucky --it sold out in 30 minutes!.  Did you catch that?  Not "qualified".  Not "selected".  Just "signed up".

What happened next probably won't be justified by my summary that follows. Strava and Facebook group invites for the team and listed as part of The Flock Twitter list.  I'm not overly active on Twitter or Strava.  But the Facebook group alone is pretty incredible.  100 women from the Midwest instantly posting introductions, target races, injuries they're fighting.  Also instantly being met with "oh so I am!  We should meetup before" and various forms of encouragement that heal the wounded  runner's heart.  Some have known each other for a while through Oiselle's competitive team, many were just pulled together in June or with this most recent offering.  This outpouring of support for each other is beyond words.  And not a bit of that has been based on how much each person runs or how fast they run *insert distance here*.  Because that's not the point.  It's to support each other achieve our own goals and to have fun while doing it; the epitome of #RunLove.

I can't say I've ever joined a "virtual"  running group before.  I really haven't seen a place for it with the amazing people that I've met IRL.  But I don't think I'd consider this empowering group "virtual", rather "distributed". The fledgling community and love that's coming out it is way more than a line of clothing, it's a way of life!  And this is just the beginning.  I'm so very much looking forward to being part of this awesome team!

One thing's for certain, I'm looking forward to rocking this in two and a half weeks in Chicago along with a bunch of my newest friends, doing what we do best:  going fast, taking chances. <3 

Cancer to 5k - Fall 2014: Calling Survivors and Volunteers!

Update:  Our city and suburban programs have had an incredible response from survivor participants!  What we're really needing now are experienced runners of all paces to serve as "race day sherpas" to come help our survivors during the training, and most importantly, help them finish on race day, Nov 9.  Let me know if you can help.

The Cancer to 5k Program that I was involved with during the Spring is coming back to Chicago this Fall, now with training available in the city and Western Suburbs!

What is it?

The program is free 12-week program for cancer survivors to train to run a 5k with the support of other volunteers.  Our goal race is the Hot Chocolate 5k on November 9 2014.  All survivor participants will receive:

• Free training and coaching!
• Free shoes from Running Away Multisport!
• Free entry to the Hot Chocolate 5k from RAM Racing!

When is it?

The 12 week training starts August 16, 2014.  Survivors will train with teams in either Downtown or West Suburban locations.

DOWNTOWN TRAINING LOCATIONS:Wednesday: 6:30 p.m.
Lakeshore Park | 808 N. Lake Shore Dr. | Chicago, IL 60611
Corner of Lakeshore Dr. and Chicago Ave.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m.
Montrose Harbor | 601 W. Montrose Dr. | Chicago, IL 60613
Parking is available alongside Montrose Dr. or Simonds Dr. Parking is also available in the parking lot east of Cricket Hill.
SUBURBAN TRAINING LOCATIONS:Thursday: 6:30 p.m.
Wellness House | 131 N. County Line Rd. | Hinsdale, IL 60521
Sunday: 8:00 a.m.
Prairie Path | 294 Prairie Path Ln. | Elmhurst, IL 60126
Northeast corner of Spring Rd. and Prairie Path Ln. (by the gazebo)

How do I sign up?

www.ulmanfund.org/cancerto5k/ or email laura@ulmanfund.org for more information.

What if want to help?

We need volunteers that can commit to running with us twice a week to help motivate the survivors towards the finish line.  You'll be overwhelmed by how rewarding this experience is!  Please use the information above to sign up

We also need help getting the word out.  

• Please share this.  
• Print the flier out
• Tell anyone you think may be interested.

We're looking forward to a great fall season and lots of chocolate. :-)

Cancer to 5K: Endless Inspiration

It was a cold day in February when I was looking over that week's CARA Connection, a weekly email of happenings in the Chicago Running Community and I came across a call for volunteers for a new program coming to the area, "Cancer to 5k". The program's goal was described as being "to reintroduce cancer survivors to being active". I had been looking for a way to give back and do so in a way that was exciting to me. Sure, I could have done any number of other things, but I love running (shock!). It's given me so much. What better way than to hopefully share that love with others.

For 12 weeks, save a few conflicts, I ran with a handful of survivors, our coaches, and a few fellow "sherpas". As a sherpa, my job was simple. Show up, run, encourage, and on race day just run with one or more of the survivors. Easy peasy. Except that those 12 weeks were frigid!!! Even when the weather started to break (like last week, LOL!) it seemed like for our runs, it would be cold. Some days it was a sunny 65 at home, and then 42 and windy on the lake. Our last training run was a balmy 55, if that.

But those 12 weeks were such a wonderful experience. Anyone trying to pick up running wonders "how can this be fun?!" and thus develops that sense of "crazy" that we come to share. But our survivors? They did that after and in some cases DURING their fight with that stupid disease. They did it to prove that just because they had incredibly bad luck, they could not just survive, but THRIVE. And they did it during that crazy weather!

Through those 12 weeks, I got to know this awesome group. Sure there was some talk about cancer, but we talked about weekend plans, trips some of us were doing, super important running stuff like the sub 5 Beer Mile, anything, everything. And we talked about that which they were all chasing, the finish line to their first 5k.

Well that day was Sunday. The race was the Northwestern Cancer Survivor's Celebration Walk and 5k. Race start temp: 74 degrees and 300% humidity. Yeah, it was hot. But what happened? They all finished. Minutes apart! One survivor even said how she had ran a 5k the day before to prove to herself she could do it, and then PR'd by 7 minutes on race day. I recall back to week 1 when I ran/walked with her at something like a 5 minute walk, 30 second run and she finished with probably a 14 minute pace!

Seeing anyone progress like this, is inspiring. Seeing this group do that was beyond inspiring. Each practice was a continual reminder that we ultimately are the ones that define ourselves. When life hands us something less than desirable, we can either play a victim and use it as an excuse for why "we can't". Or we can use it do something incredible. There were at least 5 cases of "incredible" left on that race course on Sunday.

(Photo: Cancer to 5k Training Program)

Cancer to 5k is returning Chicago this fall with goal race being the Hot Chocolate 5k on November 1. Training starts the week of August 10. If you're a survivor looking to challenge yourself, go sign up! And if you simply want to experience 12 rewarding weeks, go sign up to volunteer!

http://ulmanfund.org/cancerto5k

 

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#run50 - My journey so far and lessons of "run traveling"

What a long two months it's been! Yeah life kind of got in the way. Oops! Suffice it to say, I've covered a small bit if ground in the past two months.

One of my goals whe I started 2014 was to run in as many states as I could this year, ideally racing. The idea was inspired in part by the Fifty States Club. It was also inspired by travel I already had planned for this year. And why not? Running is a fantastic way to see a new area! I didn't have a set number but "10" seemed realistic and like a nice round number. As great of a city as Chicago is, out and back on the Lakefront Trail does get old after a while. I needed something fresh.

At the outset, I ran a full in California (1) followed by some recovery miles in Arizona (2). Of course I live in and thus quite frequently race in Illinois (3).

I started April with a work trip to Florida for a conference. Yes, my job sent me to Disney. Tough life. :-) Of course that meant Florida is on the map. (4). Of the runs I got in during my stay, none was better than a 5am run outside of Magic Kingdom in 73 degrees. It was finally a warm run, and there was nobody at Magic Kingdom at 5am, a stark contrast to 5pm later that day. The result was that I triggered motion sensing lights outside at the entryway. I turned the lights on at Magic Kingdom!

At the end of the work trip, I took a side trip to Kansas City for the Rock The Parkway Half Marathon. But first was a 6 hr layover in North Carolina. What to do for 6 hrs? Oh yeah.

For something like that though, I usually use a heat mapping tool to figure out where to go. Being a Garmin girl, the one the have on their Connect site is pretty nice, and no, you don't need to be a Garmin owner to use it. There's other mapping tools, available, but the heat map feature gives me a sense of comfort that I'm going to be running in perhaps a safer area.

The other part that I had to figure out, what to do with my carry-on. Sure I could have packed lighter. But in reality, no, no I couldn't. "Packing light" doesn't

North Carolina (5) added!

The thing about KC that I didn't realize was just how hilly it was! I recorded an almost 1500 ft gain over 13.1 miles! Also I learned, never listen to another runner say "it's all downhill from mile 10." Lies! Kansas (6) and Missouri (7) also are on the map!

Unfortunately the hills of KC plus my lack of preparation for such earned me a hip injury of some sort. I found that while running was impossible that the elliptical was just fine. I spent the next few weeks getting to know my local gym, the Indian Boundary YMCA really well. Fortunately Spring has take it's sweet time to get here so it really was perhaps a welcome change.

The injury seemed to heal in time for me to head to Indy in early May for what's billed as the largest half in the country. Indy's only a 3 hr drive away yet I've never been there! The race, the 500 Festival Mini Marathon typically has 30,000+ runners including many elites due to the flat nature of the course and the favorable conditions usually experienced in the Midwest in May. Though I also think part of the reason is that you get to run a lap on the Indiannapols Motor Speedway! Indiana (8) is on the map.

These travels have taught me, or rather reinforced, a few things about run traveling...

1. Carry it (or wear it) on. Ok, so this is like the golden rule of traveling for your run or traveling for anything. If you have some so drastically important that you don't want to trust to the luggage gods, keep it with you. For me, having the peace of mind to know that my shoes, race day outfit, Garmin, etc will make it is a giant stress removed when I already have pre-race jitters.
2. Take it with you. For me this has been my no-bake energy balls. I put them in a ziploc and bring them along. Don't chance race day to something new. Plan ahead.
3. Map it out ahead of time. If you're planning on running your own route, check out heat map tools available to make sure you're running in a safe area. Of better yet, ask a friend. Or better yet, run with a friend that knows the area. At very least, less time planning the route before you get there is more time enjoying wherever you're going.
4. Find a race that coincides with your other travel. Two sites that I've used quite extensively are Running in the USA's calendar and Marathon Guide. If you're going to be somewhere over a weekend, give those a look and see what's happening nearby.
5. Enjoy the scenery. I don't try to hold back, but I "run travel" to see a new area. And if that means that I stop and let myself take a picture or two or thirty, I do it. That means that I try not to compare those times to my PR's and feel bad about my performance. Of course if I can do that AND PR, win!
6. Study the scenery. Well, elevation and weather. Don't assume that "just a half" is equal to what you're used to at home.

So that leaves me with a whole two states away from that "10" for this year. If goes as planned, I should have that done my mid June, adding Wisconsin and Michigan as 9 and 10. And then I still have 6 months left! I've got less planned travel in the rest of the year and other states are much harder to get to than the border states. But hey who knows, right?

Have you tried to run in new areas?

What's your run travel goals?

Any rules of run travel that you live by?

 

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The Shamrock Shuffle and Why I Run...

I stand a day removed from the Shamrock Shuffle. If you've never done it, it basically boils down to this...

• Same organizers as the Chicago Marathon so much of the same course
• Over the top publicity (30,000+ runners), also like the Chicago Marathon
• The first major race of the running season in Chicago.

That last point is debatable. ;-) Big races aren't for everyone. And they're not for any area or organizer. But there's something to be said for hitting your pace and being amoung hundreds of others hitting that exact same pace at the exact same moment.

This was my second year running it (I'm only 3 years shy of my first 5k). I would have loved to get a PR. It didn't happen. But I was only slightly upset about that. And that was only at first. As I thought about it more, I was kind of happy. I felt like, despite the lack of PR, it was a good race for me. Part if it was because my pace seems to be coming back towards some of my fastest times that I ran last summer. But a larger part of it comes with something bigger...

A question that's often asked of a runner and often answered a million different ways, "why do you run". With 4AM wakeups on hot summer days, with the countless race fees, with the time spent training when I could be doing ____, it's something that I definitely have asked myself a lot! The thing is, the answer is almost always different.

Mizuno is asking that question right now through their Mezamashii project. They're collecting and publishing some downright amazing stories by everyday people of why they run. Mezamashii, by the way, is Japanese for "eye-opening" or "brilliant".

Why do I run? To get away from things. To think. To enjoy nature. To see places. To challenge myself. All of those have and continue to be reasons. But lately, there's been one theme more than any other...

Because I have met and continue to meet some amazing people! It's true, runners are happy people. It's also true, happiness is contagious. And I like being happy! I would most definitely call these experiences "brilliant"!

Last year's Shamrock Suffle, I had a faster chip time, sure. But this year's Shamrock Shuffle I had a much better race experience since I was able to do it with friends. Now maybe next year I can combine those two together.

 

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Recovery

The past few weeks have been interesting as I recover from my first 26.2. I've been following the Hal Higdon Intermediate Recovery plan. Yes, I trained on Novice 2. I guess I'm looking at this as my switch to the intermediate program. Well, did I say I’m following it? I meant kind of following it. Hal’s plan calls for Zero Week and then 4 weeks before a “celebratory” race. I had to cut out a week in order to make the Pulaski Day 10k fit in on March 1. That turned out to be Week 2.

Physically, a few things really stood out for me.

A week removed, I did an easy 10k on the treadmill. Peanuts compared to what I just did a week before. And 4 miles in, my legs felt sooo heavy. I’ve heard that happening to others, but have never experienced it for myself.

The following week I ran a 30 min tempo run. Outside of the taper, this was my shortest run in a long time and it really allowed to focus on form and on pace. Like REALLY focus. The result: a short run that I enjoyed simply because it gave me a new way to appreciate the run.

Sunday - “45-75 min” long run - I did 80 minutes (8 miles). This was supposed to be with a group. I didn’t get out the door fast enough so it became a run around home. I think here I really feel like the mental recovery took over. It was my longest run in the state since November. It was my longest “cold” run this season. And it just so happened to be of a very similar distance to a training run on a very similar path that I did last fall where I sustained my stress fracture. That place where I experienced a moment of adversity was now a place where I celebrated a moment of triumph.

Yes, I felt mental recovery kick in right at the finish line on February 2. But that’s more like euporia I think. As I really think back on it, I think about how long and hard I worked to get to that point and the physical demands to get both there and through it. I think about the time that I’ve dedicated to making it possible. I think how insurmountable that seems when you look at the big picture. And yet I did it.

A post from Hal Hidgon via Facebook really summed this up:

“And often they can apply what they learn in finishing a marathon to other challenges that present themselves in life”.

I was with a friends a few weeks ago that I hadn’t seen in quite a while. When asked how I was, I could genuinely say, “I’m good. No really, I’m good.” I’ve come to realize that I have the strength to finally move past things that have been insurmountable and finally feel like those are finally behind me. “Recovery” from a marathon so often focuses on the physical recovery and the mental recovery as it relates to being able to return to normal training and racing. But when it’s your first, it seems recovery from all your mental “marathons” also happens. :-)

Pictured

The spot where I realized my injury last fall. Now where I reflected on how greatful I am!

MY path. First time this winter that I did it snow covered. Yep, I'm allowing myself to be a bit reckless. :-)

Yeah... Good luck with that...

 

 

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First is Always Best - My last few months and Race Report of the 2014 Surf City USA Marathon

The past few months

It was a little over a year ago that I completed my first half marathon, the 2013 Miami Half. Very shortly after that I developed a "what's next?" mentality and registered for the 2013 Chicago Marathon. And of course, like a young reckless runner, I was "training" for it (and other spring and summer races) almost immediately after I signed up. So I went about 2013 racking up a lot of PR's and then fall happened. My knee reminded me that I am human, three weeks before the Chicago Marathon.

I still picked up my race packet and hit up the expo at McCormick Place where I met Dean Karnazes. He signed a poster with a quote of "first always is best".

Well, I knew that wasn't going to be Chicago and once I got over the pity party, I asked myself what went wrong. Well a few things came into view.

1. Too much. I had crammed a number of races of different distances into my summer training schedule. That's fine if they align to my schedule, but many didn't. I was too focused of the near prizes of a new medal and a PR and lost sight of the long term prize of finishing the full.
2. Too fast. Not just in these races but even during daily training, I was pushing hard. Every run became a drive to push harder. There was no focus, just "go hard".
3. Depriving my body. I had the long rung carb loading thing down, but my diet was severely lacking in calcium and protein. Those two things are KINDA important...
4. Cross training?! Completely absent, save for the occasional yoga class.

So I changed a few things. Most majorly, I started to take a proven training plan seriously. I went with Hal Higdon's Novice 2. That also introduced me to cycling. Well to be fair, I did cycling as part of my recovery. It was more about integrating that, some elliptical work, and some weights into my schedule and not just solely running. And I started eating better. My morning banana was supplemented with peanut butter toast. Greek yogurt at lunch. Almond milk. And a multi vitamin and calcium supplement.

Around that same time, I asked myself "when/where". My first though was the end of January. Then I found the Surf City USA. Marathon. A large race (18,000 between the full and half) and a history of 5 years so it sounded like a safe bet. Oh and in Huntington Beech, CA in January. This girl is a big fan of winter vacays and a bigger fan of destination running. But could I do it physically?

Well I was comfortable that my ability to cycle, about a month after the injury, meant that maybe I didn't need a full 18 weeks as Hal's plan called for. I tested this with my first two long runs being done on the elliptical. Much of my first 2 weeks back in training were spent that way. No, it's not the same. But it's a heck of a "plan B" and I'm sure beats pool running. No I never tried, but don't think I could do it... I then figured I could fit back in at week 6 just fine. I tested that further by getting a real long run in outdoors. It all went according to plan. So just before Thanksgiving, I booked everything. I was in training mode.

With the Chicago winter this year, that meant a LOT of miles (including my 20 miler) on the treadmill. Some indoor tracks. And when I could handle the cold, outdoors. Perhaps the worst part of being taken out of a good part of the fall is that I felt like I never acclimated to the cooler weather. I froze on nearly every outdoor run! But I kept on everything I relaxed my pace on the runs with a simple goal of "finish".

Living in Chicago, I love Love LOVE running that lakefront. When I'm confined to The Mill, Spirit of the Marathon on Netflix on the iPad is good in a pinch. I think I have the entire film memorized now. :-)

The Days Before

Finally race week was here. During my last week of taper I was hitting really awesome paces for me at short distances. I felt ready. But wow did I feel nervous! Even so much that I added an extra cross training day right before I flew out just because I was worried that my schedule put me at week 18 a day early.

Pacific Coast Highway, 2 days before the race

So onto the race. I went to the expo (a huge tent on the beach!) on Friday evening. There was a crazy long line for packet pickup but then a volunteer mentioned that was for the half. Their half was 15,500 runners. The full was 2,400. So I went to the full "line " -- I just walked right up to the table and got my stuff! To be fair, there was an impressive bunch of voluteers that made packet pickup just flow. Many others that ran the half commented as much. And waiting in line on the beach? There are WAY worse places to be. ;-)

Inside the expo that had an impressive bunch of merchandise. It of course wasn't quite as fancy as Chicago that had theirs and a number of custom shirts by Nike but it was MUCH cheaper! The vendors were what I was most impressed with. It wasn't any one vendor in particular but when you run in one area all the time, you see the same people pushing the same stuff. So it's nice to see something different. Perhaps those that were there are at all So Cal races too. It was also fun to see a lot of other races in So Cal. They likely won't happen in 2014 for me, but maybe next year. I always like brainstorming a future vacation while on a vacation.

Saturday morning was shakeout day. That was 2.5 out and back down Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. I had never been to the area before but was in love with the sunrise, the mountains, the palm trees, the warm weather (and yes, I'm calling 50 degrees warm So Cal residents!). I was only slightly remiss when I actually went to the Newport Beach pier later that night that I took the path I did. But it was still amazing compared to where I've been running in recent months.

Saturday night dinner was Farro fettuccine with a bunch of veggies at Il Farro in Newport Beach. It was such a quiet restaraunt. Perhaps that's due to so many places around there. Following my pre-race tradition, dinner was accompanied by exactly one adult beverage. In part, that's to help me relax; in part because that's what works and I don't like messing with what works. Superstious? Absolutely. I'm a runner. I capped that off with an amazing sunset at the Newport Beech Pier and then it was off to bed.

Race Morning

Having had two incredible nights of sleep, I was awake at 3:50 for my 6:30 start. I had planned to be out of the hotel by 5 to make it somewhere to get my coffee fix. Fortunately, a couple that was also running and staying at my hotel had talked management into setting up the continental breakfast 2 hours earlier! To eat, I did what I always do... Banana and energy balls. I made them before I left and packed them. I think perhaps only my shoes were more important than those in the things I packed. Well, carried on.

I was on the road by 5:15. And I arrived, parked, and was on a shuttle bus all by 5:30. So not Chicago... It took a few minutes to get the starting area, gear check, and hit the bathroom. But even after all of that, I STILL had 30 minutes!

Flush Toilets! Why don't all races have these at the start?!

The view before the race :-)

20 minutes before I started my warmup. 10 minutes out, I was corralled and ready. This was really happening!

The Race

I was in the second full marathon wave heading out. The race features both a full and a half with the half starting an hour later. The half and full share much of the same course (up and down Pacific Coast Highway) but the full makes the remainder of the distance up with a bit through a local park, a trail, and a paved beach trail. Not going to lie, going in I was kind of thinking the up and down PCH was going to be monotonous. NOT! The course they had, the weather, and the scenery were all kinds of amazing!

About to enter foreign territory!

Of course any race is not possible without an amazing cast of volunteers. This race was no different. In fact that's something that really stood out for me. There were so many incredibly young kids! They were cheering, singing, and shouting. Signs and supporters always push me to go harder, but these kids were unreal! I truly wish that many other races allowed them.

As the course continued on, my other surprise was the hills. Ok, they weren't anything major but definitely more than I was expecting.

Also, along the way, the half runners joined in. This jostled me for a bit as various pace groups came up on me. The 1:30 group comes to mind the most. In the words of a guy that was running with me "it was almost like a swarm of bee's". At one point, I think I tried picking up pace and running with the 1:45 pace group. That lasted about 20 seconds, LOL!

The last 6 miles, along the beach, were challenging not just because it was it was the last 6 miles, but because there was a headwind coming off the ocean the ENTIRE WAY. Despite that, I didn't feel a wall. At all. I know my pace dropped compared to what I was doing at the beginning, but I didn't feel like I had to stop. Well until I stepped on a blister that had formed, somewhere around mile 23. Ouch! I still didn't come this far to let that hold me back. "Just a 5k left. I can do this!"

What a beautiful pier! Or what I thought at mile 24.

And I did. 4:55:45 (Garmin). Sub 5! Truthfully, I was this past summer I was thinking I could do Chicago in Sub 4. Yeah I was delusional. I changed my focus this cycle to be "I just want to finish". I was trying to keep a decent pace and somewhere in the middle my mindset was "yeah I think I can do sub 5".

But time didn't really matter, I am now a marathon finisher! Everything you hear about the feelings and emotions of finishing your first... They're all true. There were tears. And in that moment I realized that had worked so hard for was finally achieved. I realized that the struggles I had gone through to get here were so far behind me. I realized that I have the strength to do that for a lot of things that have been gnawing at me.

Outside a coffee shop later that day. "We got this!"

Important purchases that afternoon.

Running a Marathon is Crazy. When do we go again?

In hindsight, I know I lost time taking off some layers that I used for the first mile. I know there were other parts where I could have gone faster. Could I have sustained that? Maybe.

For now, I'm taking a bit of time off to recover. And by "off" I mean a 20-25 mile base. Hal Higdon's Novice 2 plan got me here. And it's his recovery plan that I'm following right now. That should culminate right into race season and I already have a fair number of shorter distances (halfs mainly) scheduled in the next few months.

I'm going to try getting into Chicago again. Though the lottery they instituted this year should make that a few more degrees of stressful. If that falls through, maybe I'll end up in Long Beach this fall!

In any case, I'm trying to work on adding strength training. I also would like to drop a few pounds. I think the combination of that along with some smarter runs, not just just "run for x miles", should help me to break 4:30 this fall. Yes, that's almost 26 minutes off. Crazy? Maybe. But then so is finishing.

 

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