Reindeer Run 5k 2012 – Race Recap

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Jen

Jeff, Currie and I all took part in the 1st ever Reindeer Run 5k in Rochester, NY. I have a feeling this race is going to stick around as there were 1278 finishers today. What a great turnout for a new race! Jeff was 4th overall, I was first female, and Currie ran her little heart out. We had a great morning!

It was chilly, around 30 degrees, but no snow so no complaints from me! It was really good racing conditions for December in Upstate NY! We arrived at the race with about 40 minutes until race time. We got Currie and ourselves bundled up then went to find our friends who were going to watch her. We found them 15 minutes before the race started, dropped Currie off, and started our warmup. We only did about a half mile warmup before stripping down to our racing gear and heading to the start line. I didn’t want to run more than 5 miles today so this was fine by me!

I’ve never done a Christmas-y run, so I’ve never attempted running in antlers. I got the only antlers I could find at the store yesterday and they were quite bulky as you can see in the pics. I thought it was going to be really fun and not bothersome at all. Turns out, I ran almost the whole race arms above head, holding them on. (On that note, I think only my arms will be sore tomorrow!) I would have taken them off within the first quarter mile, but the first male and female to cross the finish line wearing antlers won a pair of Saucony Kinvaras so I was going to keep those darn things on the whole time, even if I had to hold them there the whole race. Afterall, winning shoes (or money for shoes) is my “thing”. I always say my race winnings support my running shoe purchases and they really do. I NEEDED those shoes.

The gun went off and I took off into the first female position. Sprinting felt strange, but good. The mile marker came quickly and I hit that about 5:40. My spot didn’t change much the whole race. I passed a guy, he passed me back, I passed him back. Besides that, I was always in the same spot. The second mile seemed to take awhile, but at the same time, I was shocked to see the 2 mile marker so quickly. I think I was just getting annoyed with the antlers at that point. The last mile went by quickly and before I knew it I was heading into the finish line. I ended in 17:55, 9th overall, first female. I got my gift certificate for my free shoes and my “toy trophy”.

Blurry iPhone pic of me accepting awards.

My trophy with a transformer (I think?) on top

I told Currie she could have my trophy. She was excited!

After our 5k, it was 2 year old Currie’s turn. She begged to sign up for the half mile race yesterday, and of course I said yes! She did great! She ran, hopped, pranced the whole way and came in towards the back of the pack. I have to say, I was proud that she passed at least 5 kids in the last 1/4 mile! Way to finish strong little lady! Jeff and I took turns running beside her and taking videos/pics. Here’s a little snippet of her finish:

Right when she was done, she said “Is there another kids race? I want to run again!” Do we have a distance runner on our hands?

Posing with the reindeer after the Reindeer Run!

Posing with the Fleet Feet Mascot!

Just under 2 weeks past California International Marathon and I’m feeling good. Now the races are slowing down for the winter and so am I. Back to easy running, 4-5 miles a day, continuing the marathon recovery.

I’m definitely glad I raced today and the whole family could join in the fun! Great day for all!

Call Me Crazy, It’s Time to Race!

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Jen

Well, it’s time to get off my “recovery high horse” and face the facts. I really want to race tomorrow. So forget about the last post where I said I’m just going to run easy every day for the next month. Tomorrow, I’m going to suit up in my Oiselle gear, lace up my flats, add some bells and antlers, and race the Reindeer Run 5k right here in Rochester!

I had convinced myself that I definitely wouldn’t race, and Currie and I would fully enjoy cheering for Jeff, up until yesterday afternoon. That’s when my dear friend texted me to say her husband was planning on running and she would be happy to watch her toddler, her newborn, and my little Currie at the race site so Jeff and I could both run. Wow. Brave woman! After asking her about 10 times whether she was SURE she would be ok, and after a night of thinking about it, I decided I NEED TO RUN THIS RACE.

So, I’m racing a 5k tomorrow! The first annual Reindeer Run 5k in Rochester! There isn’t a cash prize, but the top three male and female runners get some pretty rad trophies. Plus, the first place male and female who wear antlers the whole race get a pair of Saucony Kinvaras. Jeff will also be racing, and even Currie will be joining in the racing fun. There is a half mile kids race and she begged to run it. She even got a cool race bib!

Updates on all 3 of us after the race! Now it’s time to hydrate, buy some antlers, and plan our racing accessories!

Post Marathon Lazy Week-My Choice for Recovery

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Jen

Even though I felt like my body recovered from this marathon faster than ever, I still spent the entire past week being a lazy blob. I believe in total recovery for at least a full week post-marathon. I move as little as possible and eat as much as possible. I don’t do any type of exercise. I spend the week trying to gain some weight and see what it feels like to be inactive. It makes me really miss my usual active lifestyle and gets me fired up about training hard again.

Last week I was super successful with my recovery. I only walked on the treadmill one day to get my 3.1 miles in for the Race for Recovery. Other than that I did nothing. It helped that Jeff was out of the country and I was full time parent to Currie which left me little time to do any exercise anyway.

I went out and bought lots of crafty things like this gingerbread house kit and let Currie go to town on it. She says she’s going to be “an artist”.

Laziness felt good at first, and horrible by the end. I was itching to run or do some sort of exercise. On Monday, I finally got my opportunity. Jeff arrived home from Paris and I did 4 easy miles on my favorite out and back loop. No watch. No worries. Just a nice, easy, relaxed 4 miles. It felt awesome! I stopped by Starbucks on the way home and the barista gave me free coffee. Score!

The funny thing is, I was thinking on the run how the barista should give me free coffee because we spend so much money in that place. There’s something to think about for all of you The Secret (book) fans.

And that’s how this week will look. I will run every day, somewhere between 3-5 miles and all the running will be super easy. The next few weeks will probably look the same.

There is a new race in Rochester this year called the Reindeer Run 5k and I’m dying to do it because as you probably noticed I’m a little obsessed with racing. Also, I’ve never done a Christmas-y type race and I would love to run with bells and antlers and see how much fun (or annoying) those props would be. The race is this Saturday and I already told Jeff he can run instead of me. He gives up so much of his own racing for mine and since I’ll be less than 2 weeks post-marathon it’s not necessary for me to jump right back in! It should be fun cheering for Jeff and all the other local runners! As of Monday, they had 1,111 entrants for this brand new race. Pretty cool!

How do you recover post-marathon? Do you enjoy your lazy time or like to get back into it?

CIM Recap, The Real Deal

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Jen

Let’s get right down to it. It’s gonna be a long one. For lessons learned, etc, scroll to the bottom:

I woke up at 3:45am on race morning before my alarm went off with this cheesy message: “Let’s DO this!” Despite the forecast for the worst, I knew it was going to be a great day. I braved the wind and rain to get my coffee at the Starbucks on the corner of our hotel. The Starbucks was set to open earlier than usual for the marathoners, 4am, and when the employees saw the long line of people waiting in the rain for their cup of joe, they opened 10 minutes earlier. THANK YOU STARBUCKS EMPLOYEES!

Back in the room with my Tall Blonde, I ate a plain bagel with almond butter and drank a bunch of water. When I got dressed, I noticed the Oiselle tattoos I applied the night before were destroyed. That’s what I get for applying tattoos on lotion-y legs. Darn!

Jason and I left the room just before 5am so we could head over to the Sheraton, just a few blocks away, to catch the busses to the start. The marathon starts in Folsom and ends in Sacramento. It’s about a 45 minute bus ride to the start.

On the way out, we took another elevator mirror pic.

We got on the 4th bus in the big row of busses. They were playing Christmas music. Jason and I started singing along, then went to cracking jokes and laughing hysterically. We talked the whole way and kept the tone light. I had maybe 2% excited nervousness, 98% happy-go-lucky.

The busses were really hot and I was layered up in Oiselle outerwear so I had to slide my arms out of my funnel neck top and pull my pant legs up to my knees. Ahhh, much better. Time for another sibling pic! Jason seriously looks how he did in middle school in this photo!

After the blinding camera flash in the dark bus, I decided to check the weather at the start line. I took a screen shot. I don’t think I need to explain anything. You know we were going to be running into the wind and the race started at 7am…

When we arrived, we walk/jogged through the rain looking for the elite tents. We found them after 4 failed attempts. They had a lot of tents around, it was dark, and in the rain and wind, it was much harder to find than it would be on a clear morning. We went straight into the porta potties where the toilet paper was so moist it was swollen. Made for a soft, slightly damp wiping experience though, so that was cool…

When I got into the elite tent, and boy was I happy there was an elite tent, I noticed my Raynaud’s problem was starting.

I had cotton throwaway gloves but knew they would be soaked before the gun went off. Thankfully, I saw a box of latex gloves sitting on the table. I put them on over my “throwaway” gloves and ended up wearing them the whole race. It was the best my hands have ever felt during a race! Perfect temp! (Though I did rub my under-eyes raw during the race without knowing it. With the rain I was constantly wiping my eyes and I guess latex and sensitive eye skin don’t work well together.)

Ok, onto the real deal. Time to race!

I planned to run as much of the marathon as I could with my friend Mason. Mason was in incredible shape, but I figured I could stay with him for 16 miles and after that he would probably cruise along to a great finish as I survived the final 10 miles. That was the plan in my head anyway. When I went to the starting line, we immediately spotted each other, gave some “let’s get pumped up!” hugs, hand squeezes, etc, and got our game faces on. I also saw my Oiselle teammates Allison, Stacy, and Marci on the starting line. We all looked cold, wet, and focused.

The race was off and the first mile went by with no problems. (Other than the rain, which felt like sharp pellets in my eyes even though it wasn’t sleet or hail. It was knocking my contacts down each time it landed on them and I would blink to push the contact back in place. This continued the whole race.) I wore my Garmin so I could have splits post-race, but decided I wouldn’t look at it. With my training and the weather, I was just going to run by feel. The miles clicked by, Mason a step ahead of me most of the time. Sometimes we would run side by side, and maybe there was a mile or two where he ran behind me, but for the first half, we just ran, exchanged words, shared Nuun bottles, and enjoyed each other’s company.

I couldn’t help but feel so thankful for all the volunteers out on the course. What we were doing was EASY compared to their day of standing in the wind and rain, helping us achieve our goals. THANK YOU CIM VOLUNTEERS AND SPECTATORS! I also couldn’t help but feel thankful for Mason. His presence made me feel relaxed and comfortable, exactly what I needed the first 13.1.

At the half point, I looked at my Garmin for the first time. I saw we were right around 1:25:40, EXACTLY where we wanted to be. My calves started cramping, tightening, showing the first signs of failure at mile 11, but other than that I felt good. I was optimistic. Then I had a problem grabbing my “special needs bottle” at mile 13.3 followed by a problem picking up a GU from a volunteer and lost a good 10 seconds (I actually stopped trying to get both items and in the end, the GU flew off the course into the grass and I didn’t get it anyway.) I had a quick thought of pity for myself. I knew I would need that GU soon and I wasn’t sure when the next one would be available.

I snapped myself out of my pity party and continued on. Alone. In fact, other than passing a few people and a few passing me, I was alone the rest of the race. I usually had no one 20 meters on either side of me. I was alone with my thoughts.

On the flight to Sacramento, I had read Duel in the Sun and remembered reading about Alberto Salazar’s faith. He mentioned praying on flights, in the car, on his daily runs. Though I don’t remember ever praying on a run in my life, I spent many of my marathon miles talking to God. The prayers gave me strength, passed the time, kept me hopeful. I also thought about where my little brother was on the course. I imagined him running strong through the same elements I was facing. It filled me with joy. I had a feeling he was feeling as good as me. (Turns out, he was doing great!)

I don’t remember when I found the next GUs after missing the one at 13, but I think it might have been around mile 17. It was vanilla flavored and I had to stop at the table, ask a volunteer if they had any, and wait for her to get one and give it to me. A few seconds spared there were more important than minutes spent after a bonk. She gave me a vanilla flavored GU, and just like the one I took around mile 9, I took it without fluids. I just put a little squirt in my mouth, opened my mouth to the rain until it formed more of a liquid and swallowed it.

At mile 20, they had a brick wall poster on both sides of the street, like we were running right through the wall instead of hitting it. I was ecstatic to not have any feelings of hitting the wall. Around mile 21, volunteers were handing out GU again. I took 2 by accident. One was Espresso Love, the other was Strawberry Banana. I went with the caffeine and put the other in my back pocket. At this point, I knew I was going to make it. I knew I was going to be sub-3 (my goal) and I was feeling better than I have ever felt at that point in a marathon! The pain in my calves was getting more intense, but I knew it wasn’t enough to stop me from finishing happily.

The last few miles were just maintaining, trying to keep myself under 7:30 mile pace. Usually, by the end of a marathon, my pace slows drastically (hello 8:30 pace) and I just wanted to keep my miles as steady as possible, no slower than 7:30. I checked my watch on a few of the miles and saw I was just over 7 min pace and I told myself to just keep pushing.

With 2 miles to go, I knew I was going to be way under my goal of sub 3. I got excited. I joyfully ran the last few miles and couldn’t wait to see how Jason and Mason finished. Right when I crossed the finish line, Mason was waiting and we hugged! It was such a good feeling to know he had a PR (2:51!) and I ran my 3rd fastest of my 8 marathons (2:54!).

I was given a medal, offered chocolate milk (which I declined-lactose) and given the finishers blanket. Some people started asking Mason and me about the course. He, in a better state-of-mind having finished a few minutes earlier, knew we were being interviewed for TV. I had no idea until about a minute in when I saw the microphone. I assumed we were talking to race volunteers. I blame the marathon haze effects on the brain.

I found my brother in the Sutter House where they had the elites and found he placed 4th and got $1000! Woohoo! He took a picture of Mason and me.

Jason forced me to eat from the breakfast buffet they had for us and I’m glad he did. Though I wasn’t hungry, I think it helped me recover quickly. After I changed out of my wet clothes and had breakfast, we got sibling massages. PAINFUL sibling massages. Nothing was fun about this, but we figured our muscles would thank us later.

After the massages, we went to our room to shower and hang a bit, then went to the elite room for some more food and drinks. An hour later we attended the awards ceremony where Jason was awarded with his check. He is pictured below with 5th place finisher, Nick Arciniaga.

A few points of interest, things I learned…

You know, I never wanted to run a marathon. The only reason I ran my first in 2004 is because I wanted to impress my new boyfriend who is now my husband. We both ran Seattle as our first marathon. I was more into heavy weight lifting at the time, was running 3 days a week, and said I’d never run another. Well, I did run a few more, as this was my 8th marathon and it was my favorite because I felt good the whole time. I’ve always felt like a mid-distance girl who is forcing marathons. Now I truly feel like I have a future in the marathon.

At first, I was shocked to run so fast given my short buildup and my half-hearted training, but thinking about it, I’ve been running all year so I was only lacking in workouts and long runs, but I had a great base. And I was in awesome shape last year which I know means something.

This marathon gave me the opportunity to do new things like fuel the way I have always wanted to – the way that always scared me with my sensitive stomach. I ended up taking a GU with caffeine 15 minutes pre-race, another GU with caffeine around mile 9, a GU without caffeine around maybe mile 17, and a GU with caffeine around mile 21. I drank a few sips of Nuun at 4 locations, took powerade and/or water at every station except the last one (so 16 stations) and my stomach felt great.

My mile splits were the most consistent they’ve ever been. Yes, they consistently got slower, but I never completely fell apart as shown below:

1: 6:09
2: 6:15
3: 6:10
4: 6:15
5: 6:20
6: 6:22
7: 6:29
8: 6:35
9: 6:42
10: 6:34
11: 6:34
12: 6:29
13: 6:31
14: 6:37
15: 6:34
16: 6:25
17: 6:30
18: 6:45
19: 6:49
20: 6:55
21: 7:03
22: 7:17
23: 7:08
24: 7:10
25: 7:00
26: 7:07
1:49

People always say don’t do anything new before the marathon. Well, here’s my list of old, normal things:

Oiselle racing kit
Shoes
Brand/amount coffee
Breakfast
Healthy
Confidence

And here’s my list of NEW things for this race:

Fueling during race – I will continue this in the future!
Crazy weather – I would prefer nicer weather and a tailwind!
Friend to run with first half of race – I would love this for the future!
Stayed in a hotel night before – This was nice, but I like my own bed.
Raced against super elites (there were big names, super speedy people running. I never felt so slow with a sub 3 hour marathon!) – Want to do more of this!
Training – Would definitely like a longer training cycle next time!
Actually got sleep, 10 hours 2 nights out, maybe 8-9 night before. – This was great!
Ran last half of race totally alone – It worked out ok but it’s nice to have people around.
Lots of laughs, much more than usual in days leading up to race – Would love to spend days leading up to marathon with my siblings for future races!
Completely cut out dairy in 3 days leading up to race – I will definitely do this in the future!
Latex gloves over throw aways – I will do this in the future!
Travel east coast to west – Loved the time difference. Getting up at 4am (7am) was easy!

So there you have it! A recap of the marathon that made me feel like a true marathoner! I can’t wait to see where I will go next with this distance!

Lead-up to CIM, in iPhone Photos

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Jen

I woke to this message on Friday, November 30th and smiled. I was just hours away from a weekend of fun with my younger brother. A weekend that would end with both of us running a marathon.

I looked at my little angel, gave her so many hugs and kisses as she slept, shed a few tears, and left the house.

I boarded my plane, from ROC–>ORD and was shocked to see people sitting in full rows all around me and the cabin doors closed with me in an empty row. How did I get so lucky? Beside me, across the aisle, was a tall dude who was sitting scrunched up by a mom, dad, and child-on-lap. I let him take the window seat in my row. I’m nice, but not nice enough to give him my aisle!

On my flight from ORD–>SMF, another miracle. On this “completely full” flight, my row had an open middle seat. Can you even believe this luck?!

After some “moderate to severe turbulence” according to the captain, I was on the ground and reuniting with my brother, Jason! Supershuttle pic! We were laughing so hard in the shuttle, giddy to be together again, that we had the dude beside us cracking up, even though he had no idea what we were talking about. Good times!

Dinner the first night was carbtastic – The Old Spaghetti Factory. I was strictly cutting out dairy, heavily consuming my favorite thing in the world – carbs, and hydrating all day.

That night, as I was brushing my teeth, I looked down into the sink. Do you see what I saw? I called Jason into the bathroom. He saw it right away too. Sign #1 this was going to be a great weekend!

We went to bed by 7pm (10pm for us!) and I slept around 10 hours. That hasn’t happened in… hmmm… ever? At least in my whole life as a parent, and my whole pregnancy…

We were up and at ’em around 5am and went for our pre-race run. We had some great sibling discussions!

After the run we enjoyed a $20 hotel buffet breakfast and we definitely got our money’s worth. Runners can EAT. We threw down plateful after plateful and stayed for quite some time. Jason took his coffee 1/3 cream, 1/3 sugar, 1/3 actual coffee (HA) and I took mine black as usual. A few funny things happened at breakfast, but for the sake of not embarrassing Jason or myself (anymore than I already do on this blog), my lips are sealed. More belly laughs.

After breakfast, Jason and I went to meet my friend Mason to talk marathon strategy and then hit up the expo. I had to take a mirror shot of us outside the elevator.

At the expo I was able to meet up with some Oiselle ladies who were also running! It was SO NICE to meet a few new teammates and see some who I haven’t seen for awhile! I didn’t bring my camera, so no picture but I wanted to mention it here. After the expo, I went to the elite suite to hang for awhile. This was the view of Sacramento from the suite on the 26th floor. 2622 to be exact.

We snacked a bit up in room 2622.

We did not partake in the liquor, wine or case upon case of beer that was just waiting to be consumed.

I dropped off my “special needs” or Nuun bottles to be placed on the “elite” tables. I can tell you that it’s really nice to have your fuel-of-choice waiting on a table for you on race day. I can also tell you it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s much nicer, for me, to be able to grab fuel and fluids from a volunteer’s hand, than try to grab my bottle in the midst of 30+ others. Even if yours are unique (mine definitely were), the process of going to the table, searching for my own, and grabbing it without knocking over anyone else’s is somewhat stressful for me. Plus, I only take sips at a time so I feel wasteful. Big thanks to Nuun for the race day hydration!

How sweet and innocent do I look here? This is the “microfiber, wicking and breathable, seamless, multifunctional headband/neck gaiter” (their words, not mine) given out to marathoners at packet pickup. I was going to wear this to the restaurant the night before the race, but Jason vetoed that one.

And we went back to The Old Spaghetti Factory for our pre-race dinner on Saturday night. It was really crowded already at 4:30pm so we ordered the food as takeout and enjoyed a nice dinner in the hotel room, on our beds, and watched some football. By 7:30pm it was lights out, and we fell asleep shortly after.

For all the curious minds out there, I think there will be another “iPhone photos” post showing race morning and another post where I tell you all the details about the race. Until then…

Tell me about some cool things that have happened to you before a race (the smiley face in my sink water is my favorite unexpected detail from the weekend). How often do people really get a whole row to themselves on an airplane these days? Do you like the window, middle, or aisle seat (who’s going to say middle, right?)

Sisters In Sport, 2nd Check-in + Marathon Snippet

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Jen

Oh boy. What a weekend! In case you don’t know, I ran California International Marathon on Sunday. Every time I think about the race, I remember another thing I want to share with you all. For now, here’s a quick recap, more info in another post.

I raced my 8th marathon in drenching rain and heavy winds (against us on the point-to-point course the whole way) and finished in my 3rd fastest marathon time 2:54. I had a 7 week training cycle, with 4 races and 2 long runs along the way. I tried new things on race day, and they all worked out in my favor. I never hit the wall, fully enjoyed every minute, and came out hungry for more.

My speedy friend Mason and I were interviewed by the local CBS station immediately after I crossed the finish line. Watch below to see my strange facial expressions, how I looked when I crossed the finish line, and how my race-day french braids held up.

Before I post the full marathon recap (another day) I want to revisit my Sisters in Sport goals update for November. First, a little refresher. When I got my current Believe I Am Journal at the end of September, running a 2012 marathon was the LAST thing on my mind.

Notice my end goal of successful LATE 2013 marathon? Turns out, I accomplished part of my huge goal, just a year early.

When I made my goals and started logging workouts in my journal on October 1st, I told you I was working to build my hip/glute/hamstring strength – just a little piece of the end goal puzzle. Then in mid-October, a crazy week led to a few crazy ideas and the next thing I knew, I was signed up for California International Marathon.

After signing up for the marathon, the end goal (successful late 2013 marathon with sub 2:43 time) remained the same. The little pieces of the puzzle along the way remained the same as well. I was just throwing extra running into the mix.

October hip/glute/hamstring goals were proudly met. November goals of continuing the October routine and adding core, drills and additional hip exercises started out great for the first two weeks! Then, taper weeks came and strength stuff fell to the wayside, as appropriate!

Now we are in December, and while I don’t want to give up the incredible strength routine I’ve been following, I am in marathon recovery and think I need to switch focus for the month of December. I’m going to focus on an entirely separate part of my goals page, my sleep.

I really need this much to feel great and perform my best.

For the past 2 years, I’ve been running on empty, never getting enough sleep to feel rested. While I have enjoyed my extra cups of coffee, I know I really need to sleep more. And maybe it’s a little sad that I need to make this an official goal in my journal to get there, but that’s what I have to do. I’ve identified all the little obstacles to achieving the 8 hours of sleep a night goal, and I’m actually feeling good about getting there, even with the holidays approaching.

I want to end this post by sharing a few things the journal has helped me with this month, aside from the stated goals:

Visual cues – I have never been one to summon specific visual cues while racing. Since getting my Believe I Am Journal and reading fellow Sisters in Sport blogs, I used the Ninja Stars cues with great success. During my Turkey Trot, and a bit during my marathon, I focused on the words “Strength, Courage, Wisdom” in their ninja star glory and imagined throwing them right onto the shirt of the person ahead of me, pulling myself right up next to them, and then past them. I was in shock over how effective this tactic was! In the words of Yo Gabba Gabba “Try it, you’ll like it!”

Strength, Courage, Wisdom Ninja Stars

Positivity pages – That’s not what they are officially called, but that what it is to me. A large section of the back of the journal consists of totally blank, and lined blank pages where you can dream. It’s just extra jot-it-down room and I really enjoy this section. I love filling these pages with positive ideas that I want to revisit often, especially before tough workouts or races. The journal tends to live in my purse so I can write down a few quick words here and there that help me later.

So there you have it! November goal recap (not so hot), December goal plans (optimistic about it), and quick marathon recap (woohoo). Expect more details about California International Marathon in my next post!

CIM Marathon Week!

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Jen

It’s marathon week! Ah! It’s strange because it doesn’t seem like marathon week at all. In the past 2 years when it’s been 2 weeks out from the marathon, I’ve been so ready for taper. I’ve enjoyed the buildup, the workouts, the whole process, but when taper came, I was SO READY. This time, I’m feeling like I don’t really deserve down weeks. But, it’s marathon week and it’s definitely time to relax.

Here is my long run recap from the past 3 weeks. After my peak long run of 21 miles, I followed up the next Sunday with 12 miles (as part of a warmup, 6k XC race, and cooldown), then this past Sunday I did 10.5. I was going to do 12 again, but being with family for Thanksgiving, I cut it down a little. I figured it didn’t really matter what I did, so might as well do what felt convenient.

This week I’ve taken it super easy. 5 miles every day. 5 miles on the treadmill tonight, with 3x half mile pickups. I didn’t know the pace because I’m not versed in mph-to-min/mile-conversions, but it felt super comfortable. Which it should, since it was only 1.5 miles of faster running. So my workout this week is completed.

The treadmill is usually the dreadmill for me. It was actually ok today.

As a side note, I usually despise the treadmill. Today it was rather enjoyable. I give credit to 4 things. 1) I told myself it was going to be the WORST. RUN. EVER. The low expectations set the treadmill up for success! 2) Katie always writes about making treadmill workouts more enjoyable by switching up the pace. I did that and it made the time fly. Thanks Katie! 3) Molly has been doing lots of treadmill runs and is also on the 7 week marathon training plan. I thought of her and the 4am runs she’s done this training cycle. 4) Michele has been doing lots of treadmill running, especially with a toddler and newborn baby at home. She fits in the runs when she can and has been getting after some solid runs and a speedy time trial 5k. Definitely motivating!

So back to this week’s training. Tomorrow will be 4-5 miles, Friday will be a travel day and I may or may not do a few miles when I arrive in Sacramento. Saturday will be 2-3 miles easy. And on Sunday, this 7 week experiment will come to a close.

Jeff and me before our first marathon, Seattle 2004. I can’t figure out how to make the picture bigger!

I’m so excited! I’m also 1% terrified. 99% of me thinks this is probably the coolest thing I can do to end 2012. I keep thinking of how I was injured in 2004 when I ran my first marathon (hit by a car while running). I was training heavy in the weight room, but only running 3 days a week. I finished with a BQ, 3:25. What will I do this time? I really can’t wait to find out!

Positive thoughts for me this weekend, please! Thanks buddies!

Columbus Turkey Trot 2012 Race Recap

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Jen

Oh wow! It’s been a week since I last posted! That’s what happens when there’s a holiday and birthday party and I’m driving around Ohio trying to see everyone in my family.

The 1st birthday girl and my little lady sitting on my lap.

Thanksgiving was great for us, so much fun with both the in-laws and my family! We ate things like this for 3 days straight:

Pumpkin, pecan, and sugar cream pie

Now we are back in Rochester and I’m trying to get unpacked and repacked since it’s MARATHON WEEK!

The main point of this post is to give a little update on my racing. On Thanksgiving morning, I ran the 5 mile Turkey Trot in Columbus, Ohio. It starts on Lane Avenue near the running store Frontrunner and runs through The Ohio State University Campus, around Ohio Stadium and back up Lane Ave to finish where you started.

Given my running history you may assume I do a Turkey Trot every year, but this is actually only my second year of racing on Thanksgiving! I really enjoy starting the day this way and hope to continue racing a Turkey Trot every year.

I’m going to try to make this quick with some bullets:

Got to race an hour before start & immediately used porta potties. They were in the worst shape (dirty, wet floor) I’ve ever seen this early in the day. Got a laugh out of the graffiti (is this considered graffiti?) on the soap dispenser.

Sex way? Sex wax? Either way, what does it mean? Wait, if you know, don’t tell me!

Felt awful on the warmup.
Saw an OSU cross country teammate right before the race started. We hugged and quickly took our places.
First 2 miles nice gradual downhill. Felt great, effortless. Also knew I had to do those same 2 miles gradual uphill at the end.
Kept passing dudes the whole race, was first woman from the start. Actually used some Believe I Am journal cues and they REALLY worked. More on this in another post. #ninjastars
Uphill didn’t feel bad. I felt pretty darn comfortable the whole race, kept waiting to feel the real race pain. In hindsight, was upset I didn’t run harder the last mile!
Finished 1st female, 28:19, 5:40 pace. I was 20th overall. I was about 40 seconds ahead of female #2. Got pie and a trophy plus a bunch of food.

Oh, and immediately after I crossed the finish line, a woman from Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio took my picture for their Facebook page. I thought I should share my cold, yet sweaty, glory below.

Just crossed the finish line, trophy placed in hand before they even took my racing bib tag. bing, bang, boom!

Whole Foods was right across from the finish line so I went in to get my recovery started. I was excited to see Vega One. Unfortunately all they had in individual packets was Natural flavor. No thank you. I want to recover, but not enough to drink that straight up with water.

I love every flavor of Vega One EXCEPT natural. And that’s all they had in individual packets!

So I tried something new-to-me: Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator in Tropical flavor. Pukey-looking when mixed in bottled water, but ok tasting and did the job. Yes!

Vega Sport Recovery in Tropical flavor against a backdrop of my goosebumpy legs. Looks nasty, tastes ok.

Went to coffee shop with Jeff.
Immediately had coffee (again) with a different friend who ran OSU cross country with me, at her house. Made my day!

We took some weird pictures. We have a history of weird pictures together. Most are better kept in private.

Finally, it was home to shower, change and feast. I wore fitted clothing which is quite a daring thing to do on Thanksgiving!

Got ready really fast, just went with the wet hair look until it air dried. Yes, if you were wondering I wore the same scarf almost every day while in Ohio. You can only pack so many things!

So there’s the race and my Thanksgiving in a nutshell!

Tell me about your Thanksgiving! Would you wear tight fitting clothing to feast? Any strange porta potty stories?

ShowerPill to the Rescue!

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Jen

Many of my days involve a morning workout with no shower until the evening. Here are two common scenarios:

I get started on my run later than expected. I get home the second Jeff has to leave for work.
I have a morning and evening run on the schedule, and I don’t want to take a shower until my exercise is completed for the day.

I always have something planned within 30 minutes of finishing my run. Because of that, I’m usually rushing around, spilling coffee everywhere, trying to get Currie and myself presentable enough to face the world and our day. I must admit that many days, I change clothes, throw on some deodorant, and hope the little lady naps so I can shower before 9pm. I go through the day feeling grungy, grimy, just plain dirty.

I recently found dry shampoo which has been a wonderful solution for my hair. As far as my body goes, I’ve been known to use baby wipes (flimsy, sticky, tiny) or a wet washcloth (not exactly doing much) to clean up a bit. Just a few days ago, a little thing called ShowerPill came into my life and I’m in love!

Cue heavenly music

What is a ShowerPill? Well, it isn’t a shower and it isn’t a pill. It’s an Athletic Body Wipe that comes in a convenient little package that you can take with you anytime, anywhere. Each ShowerPill is:

An individually wrapped Athletic Body Wipe, conveniently packaged for on-the-go use.
Thick, durable, 9×8 inches of body-freshening goodness
Germ killing, but safe on sensitive skin (like mine) infused with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E.
Dries quickly on it’s own, no extra drying, no residue, no lingering scent.
Very light scent that reminds me of something from my childhood. I can’t think of what it reminds me of, but it’s very pleasant.

I was ready to put the ShowerPill to the test on my double run day. Here’s how it went down, in picture form:

Sitting in my own version of Pigeon Pose post-run, ready to rip into the ShowerPill

Open up!

Where should I start?

The face, definitely the face first!

Getting a little race (ha), we’ll end with this shot.

Of course a real shower is always best, but for times when I really need to freshen up and don’t have time (or not near a shower) I have to say I’m 100% satisfied with the ShowerPill! It was the perfect size, cleaned my whole body, left no residue, left no scent, was extremely durable, and made me feel clean until my second run 11 hours later.

ShowerPill is having a Black Friday Sale on Amazon from 11/23-11/25 for Buy two (2), get one (1) FREE! You just place 3 boxes in your cart and enter the code SPFRIDAY to receive the 3rd box free. I will definitely take advantage of that deal from the comfort of my couch, pajamas (or running clothes) on, coffee in hand!

All opinions on this blog are ALWAYS my own. I was given the ShowerPill samples through my relationship with FitFluential and truly love the product! I hope you do too!

USATF Niagara XC Championships – Race Recap

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Jen

Today I laced up my spikes for the first time in over 10 years and ran the USATF Niagara Open XC Championships. I was 2nd overall woman and very happy with my race.

Freshman year, Ohio State, 12 years ago! It was totally cool to wear your bunhuggers that high. And you aren’t a college student without a belly ring. And it’s hard to tell but I had a big booty back then.

I wore the same shoes I last raced in at Ohio State, spikes still intact, ready to go. Until this morning, I forgot that the shoes were 1/2 size too small. I really had to cram my toes to get the shoes on. I’m happy to report I didn’t get any blisters or black toes! Whew!

My old Nike Jana spikes from 2001 got me through the race.

It was 29 degrees when my Currie alarm woke me this morning. Today was the first time we paid babysitters to watch Currie while Jeff and I both raced. I was feeling super guilty about it until the girls arrived and Currie was happily showing them around. Score! I felt much better when no tears were shed. Off to the race we went.

We arrived with an hour until my race was supposed to start. We went to the lodge to use the restroom and someone made an announcement that the race would start 30 minutes late. Within 5 minutes, another announcement was made: “the race may start on time or it may be 30 minutes late, so be ready for both.” Hmmm. It actually didn’t both me other than wanting to get back to Currie.

Always want to get back to this little cutie.

We did a warmup and used the real restroom (my friend convinced me to use the restroom instead of a squat in the woods!) By the time I got back, it was 5 minutes until race start, which was going to start ON TIME! I figured I wouldn’t be doing any strides. Whatever. I was going into this race with excitement and I didn’t care. Then, an official told us we had another 3 minutes so I got a few slippery, muddy strides and got to the line. My conclusion – I would DEFINITELY slip on this 6k course. It was going to happen. No doubt. (Spoiler: I didn’t fall, but 2 of my friends did.)

The race started, and I went out conservatively. Junior Olympic races were going on all morning on the same course and it was pretty sloppy by the time we got started. I was in the chase pack for the first 1k, then I moved up to the lead pack. By the 1 mile mark, I was in 3rd. I gradually heard people falling back and I knew I would most likely finish top 3, which happened to be how deep the prize money went. I settled in until approximately the 4k mark, somewhat content with my 3rd place status.

SOMEWHAT content. I started thinking, honestly, “what a loser attitude!” Content with 3rd? That’s just not me. Maybe that’s a me of the past, but not the current me, not the future me. I told myself I would catch up to 2nd place, (who was maybe 10 meters ahead) and pass her hard. Then push hard for another minute and see what happened. I had to make an effort. I had to get uncomfortable.

I passed her. I gradually increased my lead over 3rd place, but wasn’t sure I was definitely going to get 2nd until the last 800 meters. I finished maybe 10 seconds back from first place, and maybe the same in front of 3rd. These are just guesses since I haven’t seen results or times. I was told by the course setup team that the women’s course was long. And it was muddy, slippery, sloppy so I’m not too concerned with my time. I was happy to be back on an XC course, and proud to snap out of my “3rd place is ok” mode.

In the end, I won $150 for 2nd woman. I remembered how XC courses are really different from road racing. It’s like running on slippery pillows. You can never get in a rhythm as you are always sinking in the ground, slipping, jumping, climbing. I also remembered how much FUN it can be. I’m out of practice right now, but I can see myself doing many more XC races in the future!

How was your weekend of racing/running? Have you run XC? Like it? Hate it?

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