Race Recap – Stomp the Grapes 5k

August 8, 2016 by Meridith

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A little under an hour from my home, tucked away in the town of Egg Harbor City lies a winery that hold a special in my heart: the historic Renault Winery.

Nearly 15 years ago my husband proposed marriage to me in the gourmet restaurant; We hosted our wedding in its banquet hall 13 years ago in May. We’ve been back many times since then for festivals, wine tours, dinners, and brunches.

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But I’d never been there for a run before! When Chrissy (my long-time friend and running partner in crime) asked if I would be interested in doing the DQ Events Stomp the Grapes 5k at the Renault Winery, my immediate response was YES!

Chrissy and I have been on a bit of a training run hiatus for the summer months so I was really looking forward to meet up with her! As an added bonus, the Renault Winery is exactly the same travel distance for each of us, so it made perfect sense.

There was day of packet pickup which is always appreciated. We got our cotton t-shirts (originally the description said they were supposed to be tech t-shirts so we were a little disappointed with that change) and our race bibs.

We met up nearly an hour before the race began so we were able to take our sweet time and meander around the grounds for a bit.

We stared longingly through the gift shop window, which didn’t open until 10am – thankfully we were able to visit after the run!

And relaxed on the patio with a fan whirling overhead.

Relaxing on the patio with a fan whirling overhead.

It was great to take that hour to just nose around the area and catch up on each other’s lives. We wandered around, chatted with other runners, and eventually found our way to the starting area.

This wasn’t the start line but how much fun is Prohibition Alley? The Renault is one of the oldest continuous running wineries in the U.S.A.

It was a chipped course but there was no mat at the start so your time began when the clock did. We lined up near the back of the 250 participants and waited for our instructions. We knew that the course was an out and back and it was mainly going to be on a dirt trail.

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I haven’t participated in any 5ks recently so it was a nice change to get back to a shorter distance, especially in the hot summer months.

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However, I will say that this course was no joke! The dirt trail was sand, rather than compact dirt, so each step was an effort that seemed to slog on longer than it should. The humidity didn’t help either and while the trees gave us nice shade, the air was soupy.

I was a little disappointed because while the run takes place on the Renault Winery grounds, I thought we might be running a bit closer to the vineyards. This course didn’t have much of a winery feel. How can I stomp the grapes if I’m not near any grapes?

This was the only portion of the run near the vineyards – right at the very beginning and very end of the course.

The volunteers along the course were great and we made friends while we were running with people keeping the same pace as us. We pushed along, walking for little spurts but mostly running and reminding ourselves that it would be over quickly and then we’d be getting our reward of wine!

The finishers wine glass with celebratory wine. There was also a meal option for an additional $10 which we opted not to pre-purchase.

There were 3 wine choices and both Chrissy and I went with the Pink Lady. It was refreshing after a hot run! And we also got a chance to go back to the gift shop once it opened. For the record, I got Blueberry Champagne, a favorite among the wedding buddies back then and now!

You say banana, I say bah-na-na!

I’m already counting the days until Chrissy and I start our weekly training runs in Atlantic City again in the fall! I’ve missed this girl like crazy!

The fall races I’m registered for are in November: Run the Bridge event and the Philly Half. Who wants to make a bet that I’ll sign up for more in the interim? It’s probably a sure thing.

Hey, have we connected via all the social media outlets? Drop a note with your blog, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter links (click on the words to find us at each!).

Five Things to Avoid During the Jog ‘n Hog

July 20, 2016 by Meridith

I was a hot mess on Sunday morning. Which is pretty funny, considering that this was my 4th year in a row participating in the Jog ‘n Hog. One might think that I have things down by now.

Um, apparently not.

Team Scoot a Doot was comprised of myself, Rachel, and Christina this year. I adore these ladies and I was so happy that we were together for this year’s race.

However, we had a few false starts the morning of the race. There were a couple of times we thought we might be watching from the sidelines instead of participating! I’m not exactly sure how we so royally messed up but we managed to do it up big. Let me count the ways.

We somehow thought that the race started at 9:30. Au cointreau, mon frere. It started at 8:30. It takes me approximately an hour to get there so as soon as Rachel realized our mistake and messaged us, I jumped in my car to head to Shady Brook Farm! The GPS estimated time of arrival was 8:10. Lesson learned: Pay attention to the race emails – don’t just make up times in your head.

Sorry sprinkles, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream, you’re taking a back seat this year. Cookies for toppings it is!
Hey, guess what?! The Ben Franklin Bridge was closed for the American Cancer Society’s charity bike event. You and I both know that’s a worthy cause so I didn’t get too upset. Thankfully I was actually paying attention, saw the bridge closure signs, and hopped on the Walt instead… which actually shaved 5 minutes from my arrival time. (Huh.) Lesson learned: Map out your route and look for potential road closures or delays before the morning of the race.

All roads lead to Jog ‘n Hog. Just not that one between the hours of 5:45-7:45.
Got to Shady Brook Farm with plenty of time to spare. My heart resumed its normal pitter patter. Found Christina, who got there first and got our bibs and shirts (love the laid back attitude of this race that makes it possible for her to do that!) and made us the CUTEST piggy ears ever. Rachel and her brother, Bob, rolled up minutes later. We were actually able to hang out and selfie/chat for a couple of minutes and catch up with the Jog ‘n Hog brothers, Brian and Andrew. It was all going to be okay! Lesson learned: Despite a few small freak outs, everything is better once you’ve found your friends (and are wearing pig ears).
We figured smooth sailing from here on out. As we approached the starting line we realized that there was no pace pig! My goals this year were to 1. Eat the entire pint of ice cream and 2. Beat the pace pig. But how can one be beaten if there isn’t one to beat? I quickly realized that I must eat the entire pint, no ifs, ands, or buts! Lesson learned: Be flexible and be prepared to eat all the ice cream.

This family’s costumes were on point!
Within the first 10th of a mile, Christina realized that her key had fallen off her shoelace where it had been carefully tied! Were the running fates mocking us? Maybe the 2016 Jog ‘n Hog was just not meant to be? We quickly turned around and headed back down the gravel path. Thankfully a very kind soul found the key! I tucked it into my SpiBelt for safe keeping and we were back on track. Lesson learned: SpiBelt over shoelace.

From there, it was smooth sailing! It was so great to spend time with Christina and Rachel, catching up with them as we motored to the ice cream station. They are both members of S.W.I.F.T. (Strong Women in Fitness Together) so I got to learn more about that and their plans to dominate Ragnar in a couple of months.

Uncle Dave’s Vanilla Beanie Ice Cream!

Thanks to the local radio station, the music was pumping in the ice cream eating station area and we was ready to go!

Thanks to Uncle Dave’s for this pic!

But first, Rachel and I had to figure out how to open the top of the ice cream (there was a pull tab, for the record). After we got past that obstacle, we were ready to dig in!

Bob held our cookies so we didn’t toss them as we ran. (See what I did there?)

Guys, I downed that pint of ice cream like it was my job! (That would be a rad job, actually. I digress.) I’m not sure how or why but I had the professional, Christina, coaching me and I was up for the challenge this year.

Done and done!

The path back seemed a lot longer than the one there (it wasn’t) and my cohorts took the time to run though the sprinklers, which I tried to take a picture of but it just didn’t happen. It was hot, there was sweat dripping in my eyes, and we were some of the last people to cross the finish line.

It was the best.

WEAK KNEES BRAIN FREEZE.

Many thanks to Jog ‘n Hog for the complimentary entries for me and mine. All opinions are my own and I’ll always share my cookies with you.

We’ll Make the Best of What’s Around

July 1, 2016 by Meridith

Hey friends!

We’ve been doing a lot of celebrating here at Scoot a Doot lately and with good reason. Good things have been happening in our lives and there’s really nothing better than seeing your friends do well and succeed.

A few weeks ago we were all excited to hear the news that Kyle got engaged to her boyfriend (now fiance), Clay!

At a Dave Matthews Band concert, no less!

We Chicks don’t get to see each other very often in person which is most unfortunate but three of us were actually able to get together this past weekend. Kyle lives in Virginia and I’m in NJ. Victoria’s local (to us) baby shower was her hometown of Lancaster, PA! Score!

Celebrating with Kyle right after her big news and already in the midst of planning a wedding was awesome!

Then there is Victoria, who is expecting her little one! Guys, she is the most glowing pregnant lady ever.

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Thankfully she loves me and my hands because while I logically know the need for personal space, she was very gracious about letting me and our bestie, Kelly, lay our hands on her baby bump. A lot. Like, over and over and over.

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It was so good to be together with a portion of my tribe. The weekend was just what I needed: filled with love and laughter and cake! (And wine for those of us without child.)

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Twenty-five years of friendship equals many graduations, birthdays, a wedding shower, and now a much anticipated baby shower. It was truly so heartwarming to see all the beautiful and thoughtful gifts she received. The love that was felt in the room was strong.

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There are so many happy good things going on with us all right now and I’m loving every minute of it. Our distance can keep us apart a good majority of the year, when we are together it’s just as lovely as the last.

Tell me about the good stuff going on in your life right now! I’d love to hear it and celebrate your successes and triumphs with you.

Tuesdays with Meri: Summer Family Bucket List

June 21, 2016 by Meridith

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Ah, summertime.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m mostly at “SAHM” – stay at home mom. I say mostly because I have a couple of freelance jobs that I’m lucky enough to really enjoy from my own home/on my own time schedule.

As a stay at home mom, I get to do a lot of what I want during school days while my kids are off learning and preparing to take over the world with brilliant ideas fostered by their teachers. But during the summer, they are mine all mine!

Quite frankly, I don’t want their brains to rot over the summer. It would be oh-so-easy to let them fall into video games, tv shows, and the like. They are at the age where they would quietly do so and I’d be happy because hey, it’s quiet.

BUT NO! We need activities! We need thinking! We need creativity!

The last day of school was last Wednesday.

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After racing across the school to summer finish line, they came into the house to find our summer bucket list waiting. And what does every bucket list need? A bucket, of course.

I brainstormed with retired Chick, Bec, about what should be on our list to guide them in their picks. I wanted them to be fun but also achievable and not too far out in left field.

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Their picks were creative and thankfully, every single one is something that we can do sometimes over this summer. No saying no!

Of course, now that we’ve written them down, they want to do all of them. Immediately. But that’s not what the summer bucket list is about. It’s about spreading the ideas out over the summer and being engaged throughout the long hot months.

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But some are meant to happen right away!

My older son requested for his project that we make a garden (which also fits in nicely with a Boy Scout requirement) and my younger son requested to see his 1st grade teachers, Mrs. Tees and Ms. Harris over the summer. They are two of ~~his~~ our most favorite human beings.

Now, if you aren’t from my immediate circle of friends, you probably don’t know this; These two requests actually go hand in hand.

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Ms. Sonya Harris was a driving force behind the Bullock Children’s Garden and we’ve spent a good majority in the garden at my son’s school since its inception. She is our garden guru and also an amazing friend to our family. Two days after the end of school, she was at our doorstep, ready to visit with us and discuss our home garden!

(Never fret, Mrs. Tees will be making her appearance later on this summer!)

After Gabe got over the fact that HIS TEACHER WAS STANDING IN HIS HOUSE, he gave her the grand tour. We’ve only been in our new house a little over a month but we’ve discovered the new yard has a welcome surprise!

An added bonus - we already have a mint patch in our yard from the previous owners!

We have a mint patch in our yard from the previous owners!

Our flower beds are perfect for planting and we have a lot of yard space for our garden. One of the things that Sonya was quick to point out is that while gardens need tending they are also a lot easier than many people imagine.

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Since she IS a our teacher/friend, it only made sense that she assign us homework. There was no groaning after she said the word, either! She asked each of them to make a list of what they would like to plant in our garden.

This summer is going to be absolutely awesome and I know that the home garden will play a large part in our planning and activities! As we go along, I’ll be sure to keep you all posted on our plans as well as other events that come to fruition thanks to our bucket list.

Check out this awesome video from last summer in our community garden and you’ll see a couple of familiar faces!

What do you have on your summer bucket list? Have you planted a garden? What do you think we should we plant in our garden?

Tuesdays With Meri

June 14, 2016 by Meridith

Originally this post was going to be about the #communitybuild I participated in on Saturday, June 11th. It was a heart swelling in the chest moment when I saw everyone coming together for the greater good of our community and our children.

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And then Sunday morning happened.

There is a lot of absolutely horrifying, crazy acts of violence and scariness in the world. While I cannot and do not turn a blind eye to it, I also wonder how I’m supposed to approach it. As a mother. As a person putting words on a screen. As a human being living on this planet.

I wonder how to present things to my children in a way that they will both understand and also not fear living and going about their day-to-day activities. Because, quite honestly, I’m scared of the next. And the next. And the next.

When my 11 year old asks me “But we’re safe, right?” how can I respond truthfully without scaring the ever-loving daylights out of him? It’s a very helpless feeling when you don’t know the answers to the questions that your children are asking and when you’re asking yourself the very same questions.

I’m sad. I’m tired. I don’t know how many different ways I can say the same thoughts for similar situations without it sounding formulaic. It’s no less heartfelt but how can the repetitiveness sound anything but that?

With that in mind, I choose to focus on love. And I realize that might sound a bit hippie-ish but it’s what I can do right in this moment to feel like I’m doing something.

Originally this post was going to be about the #communitybuild I participated in. It still is.

It’s about the whoopsies that turned into my favorite heart, a watermelon. Because we are #fiberartists.

It's about spending the majority of a Saturday with a few people who mean the world to me and new people who also mean the world to me.

It’s about spending the majority of a Saturday with a few people who mean the world to me and new people who now also mean the world to me, because we shared this together.

It’s about the kids in my community having a brand new playground that has age appropriate equipment.

It’s about the kids in my community having a playground that isn’t vandalized and the amazing volunteers that made it happen.

This post is about making a community feel safe and having children know that they are loved, cherished, and appreciated for the amazing little people they are.

It’s also about my kiddos. Because when they feel that way both outside and inside the home, it helps them make good choices, now and later on.

When they ask hard questions that I might not know the answer to, they still feel assured and confident that we are doing everything we possibly can to make their lives filled with love.

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It’s about starting each day with a dance party, because despite the scariness and uncertainty in the world, there’s still a lot to dance about.

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Hug your family and friends and know that I’m hugging you, too.

Recipe Box: Healthy Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

June 7, 2016 by Meridith

The past month and a half has consisted of takeout food for me and mine. Sad, but true. With moving house and getting settled, it’s been less about being healthy and more about just getting things done.

However, now that we are finally getting things in order, it’s back to cooking nightly. Which is great because it makes our house feel more like home.

I found this Healthy Sesame Chicken with Broccoli recipe on Feed Me Phoebe last year while doing the Advocare 24 day Challenge. It’s become a standby for our family and it’s pretty awesome because it’s fake-out food. Meaning it tastes like take-out but it’s not!

Huzzah! Cheaper, healthier, and absolutely delicious.

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You ready for this?

Grab your ingredients!

Ones I usually have to buy at the store each time are:

2 cups broccoli florets
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 red pepper, seeded and dice
2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced (I don’t usually use the green parts, tbh, but you can do as you wish)

Things I usually have on hand in the house unless I’ve run out:

1 large egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
1 garlic clove, minced (I always “cheat” with a jar of minced garlic in the fridge)
3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (black or regular)
rice

Okay, so I always, without fail forget to get the rice going before the food and then about 2/3rds of the way through I’m throwing out curse words (quietly, because children) and rushing around to get the rice on the stove. So I’m going to put it right up here on the top. If you want to serve this WITH RICE, go on and get that going.

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I always also forget to read ahead with recipes. My bad! Therefore, my suggestion to you is this: cut up your ingredients beforehand. That means cube the chicken. Clean and chop your pepper. Take care of the scallions. Get all the little things out of the way ahead of time so you can just toss things into your skillet and cook when the time comes.

In a large skillet, cover the broccoli florets with 2 cups of water. Simmer over high heat. Cover and then cook for a few minutes. Drain in a colander. Rinse and dry skillet.

Whisk the egg white, cornstarch, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken and coat.

This was around the time that I realized I had forgotten the rice.

Heat a splash of the vegetable or coconut oil in the same skillet and cook the chicken, about 2-4 minutes on both sides. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.

Add another splash of the vegetable or coconut oil in the skillet and stir fry your peppers and white scallions until lightly charred. Stir in the garlic and mix until fragrant. Add the chicken back into the skillet along with the tamari, sesame oil, honey, and sesame seeds. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

Add in the broccoli and green scallions (if you’re going that route) and mix.

Serve over rice and chow down!

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It is amazing! Tonight I’m making another favorite here in my house, Skinnytaste Mongolian beef and broccoli, which is similarly amazing and has the same fake-out effect. Yes, please.

What’s on the menu at your house? Got a link? Share it with me, I’d love to check it out!

Gimme a Gimmick – 2016 Jog ‘n Hog Entry Giveaway

May 16, 2016 by Meridith

We all have those races that bring us back to them again and again. The reasons vary. Some could be the course. Others are because of the crowd support.

And then there are others… others that promise something extra special.

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Like ICE CREAM!

Give me ice cream and I’m yours forever. Mix ice cream and running? Some might cringe. Me? I say BRING IT ON.

For the past three years I’ve participated in the Jog ‘n Hog, a gastronomical, mental, and physical challenge. Now in its 5^th year, the Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream Jog ‘n Hog which takes place at Shady Brook Farm in Pennsylvania, is going strong and so are its participants.

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When I heard from race mastermind, Brian (and tangentially his brother, Andrew) this year asking if we were interested in returning, I said, “SIGN ME UP!”

Each year, on International Ice Cream Day -mark your calendars, it’s Sunday, July 17– the Jog ‘n Hog takes place. As the name suggests, you JOG to the designated eating area, you HOG a pint or quart of ice cream, and then you JOG back, all while trying to beat the PACE PIG.

https://youtu.be/rN_y-O6czps

New this year is the (Whoomp, There It Is) TAG TEAM option. Aren’t a huge fan of mixing running and ice cream? You can now have a DE aka Designated Eater. Sign up with a pal and you can run while they eat. Or vice versa! Anything goes!

Joining me for the half jogger division are two ladies who are no strangers to the Jog ‘n Hog. Team Scoot a Doot is currently made up of Christina, Rachel, and myself.

Christina – “There are many things I love about the Jog n Hog–from the nausea in the July heat to the taunts of the pig to the soothing rhythm of jimmies swishing back and forth in one’s running belt–it’s just a unique race that is not to be taken too seriously.”

Rachel – “Two of my favorite things: running and ice cream. I mean, who doesn’t like sweating like a pig and then eating a pint of ice cream like a pig to cool down?”

We hope that you sign up because there is always room for more in our inevitable selfie shot(s)! The only thing we ask is that you share toppings with us.

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I think my goal for this year will be two-fold. 1. I think I can eat the entire pint. Christina is always really good at finishing her ice cream and makes me feel incredibly guilty when I don’t! So with her coaching, I know I can do it. And 2. Maybe I’ll actually beat the pig this year.

So, what do you say? Want to join in the fun? If you register before June 1st, you’ll save some moolah. Or you could try and win the giveaway!

Click the pic to enter!

The giveaway ends May 22nd, so if you’re not our giveaway winner, you still have time to register before the price increase on June 1. Thanks to Jog ‘n Hog for always being so great to us and our readers!

Philly’s Broad Street Run – It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

May 6, 2016 by Meridith

But I wasn’t snoring! I was running 10 miles.

This year’s Broad Street Run was unlike years past. Back in 2013 I wrote, If Broad Street Were Easy, It Would Be Called Your Mom.

Last year I talked my reluctant runner of a husband into running with me and my childhood pals.

But this time? This time it was all about reminding myself that I have it within me to do difficult things. We all need that reminder occasionally.

So, here are a couple of facts about my race.

My goal was to hit under 2 hours.

I did not achieve that goal.

Were it a different day, weather wise, I have no doubt that I could and would have. But it wasn’t a different day.

It rained. A LOT.

Rain. All the rain.

That was the disappointing part. Whomp whomp, poor me.

However, I DID HIT A PERSONAL BEST!

My best time before this year at Broad Street was back in 2013 and that was in 2:04:48. This year I finished in 2:03:35. Not too shabby!

The race is point to point, starting near Central High School and finishing right inside the Navy Yard. As such, I always park at the nearby stadiums and take the Broad Street line (free on race day with a bib). This year I traveled in solo and planned to run alone, but knew that I would be very lonely leading up to the race.

And that’s where two rays of sunshine came through! I met up with Jenna and Julie, two of my fellow Team runDisney pals. Since all three of us were traveling to the start line solo, we decided it would be great if we could meet up prior and keep one another company.

Jenna, Julie, and myself. Only the finest plastic ponchos will do for Broad Street.

Arriving at the parking lot at 6:30, I soon found Julie (and her parents) and from there we met Jenna. The trains were one right after the other so we were able to jump right on and head to our corral.

The rain only seemed to worsen as we traveled underground and when we emerged from the stairwell, we quickly realized that there was no way to easily move around the sea of ponchos and umbrellas. Our plan was to meet up with other friends for a group picture but it was a no way, no how situation.

broadstreetrain

Waiting for the race to start was pretty miserable. Being in the last corral on a beautiful day isn’t bad. Being in the last corral in the rain is exactly what you’d imagine. Socks and shoes quickly get soaked, you get poked by umbrellas, and you can’t really hear people when you have plastic surrounding your head.

But it is a heck of a lot better with friends. You can laugh at yourself, question your sanity, and realize that you’re surrounded by other people who are literally just as crazy as you are. Plus, I kept reminding myself how the kids handled the rain during the Color-A-Thon.

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Eventually we started inching our way up to the start. I ate my first Gu as we shuffled forward. I had my phone in a plastic baggie, in my Spibelt, under layers of clothes so I knew I wouldn’t be taking pictures on the course. It was survival mode, and by that I meant both myself and my phone.

From the get-go I knew that I would run the first mile straight and then fall into my 1:1 intervals. As such, I said goodbye to Jenna and Julie and set out to get it accomplished. We crossed the start line 57 minutes after the race started.

Fun fact, the winner this year finished in 48 minutes. We were still at the start line when he crossed the finish. Crazy!

The first mile was not as fast as it could have been. I usually bank my time to give myself a cushion for later on. However, my muscles were cold and stiff from standing in the rain for over an hour.

My pace was consistent throughout the race. In fact, I hit the 5 mile mark at 1:01:30. My 5 mile race a week before was 1:01:48. I tried desperately to pick up the pace the second half the race to keep the under 2 hour dream alive. I was running faster but walking slower during my walking intervals.

Oh, and I was sporting my poncho the entire race. At some point it spun around so that my hood was in the front and I couldn’t figure out how to turn it around. My mind apparently just stopped working and I really couldn’t figure it out so I left it.

Blame it on the rain that was fallin’, fallin’.

I have no pictures at the finish line so you’ll just have to trust me when I say, I was very happy it was over.

And happier still after I changed out of my wet clothes and got a beer in my hand!

Let’s talk some other good stuff… I was blown away by the amount of support that was out there. The people of Philly really do love to love and the amount of people that lined the streets with cowbells, pots and spoons, signs, and even children doling out the high fives was still more than I’ve seen at other races on bright and sunny days. There were bands playing and the amount of people at City Hall was comparable to the other two years I’ve done this race.

Just as impressive were the volunteers who were out there getting it done like it wasn’t even raining. They cheered loudly as we came through. At mile 7ish there was a volunteer chanting “Don’t stop, get it, get it!” over and over and the enthusiasm was contagious.

It. Was. Awesome.

Not everything is going to be easy and this race was a good reminder of that fact. Attitude has much to do with success and while I didn’t hit my exact goal, I’m very proud that I got out there, ran in the rain, and gained a shiny new PR!

I can and I will.

What’s really exciting for me is when I returned home from my race, my 11 year old told me he wanted to start running with me again. That is a really big deal! It’s been nearly a year since we’ve run together and while I do this for myself, I also do it to be a good example for my children. Needless to say, I can’t wait for tomorrow.

Run the Vineyards 5 Miler

April 27, 2016 by Meridith

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This is the race that almost wasn’t for me. I signed up on a whim after seeing friends talking about it on Facebook and promptly forgot that I signed up for it.

And then remember.

And then forgot again.

And then got an email about the event and re-remembered.

To say I’ve been a little preoccupied would be an extreme understatement. We’re selling our home. We’re buying a new home. Our entire family was in the best wedding of 2016 (not biased, just saying). And oh yes, I was a chairperson of the Color-A-Thon fundraiser at my kiddo’s elementary school, which was held on Saturday.

Anyway, what was I saying?

Oh yes, Run the Vineyards 5 miler was one that sounded really great when I signed up for it but then with all that’s going on, I was second-guessing my decision.

But… packet pick-up was at my favorite local Running Co., the race was held practically in my backyard at Heritage Vineyard, and some of my favorite local friends were going to be there. Not to mention the best part, WINE AT THE END. Hello. All the second-guessing was for naught. I was in!

Brandi and Kate LOVE this race and were the ones who suggested I check it out. Thanks girls!

When I heard that it was partially road but mostly trail running, I got a touch of the nerves. Beat the Blerch NJ showed me just how much of a trail runner I am NOT. I really didn’t want a repeat of that experience. Kate and Brandi both reassured me, multiple times, that it wasn’t going to be anything like that which helped calm me down.

The race had about 600 runners, which felt like the perfect amount. I strategically placed myself among what I hoped would be similarly paced folks and hoped for the best. My goal was to run the first mile and then fall into 1:1 intervals, 1 minute walk/1 minute run.

Thankfully, I actually got my corral placement right because within the first mile, there wasn’t much room to do a lot of bobbing and weaving. This area was all dirt/grass trails and the smell of farm animals wafted through the air.

Soon we turned onto paved roads, which lasted for 2-ish miles. I loved this portion of the race because it was right near the house that we are moving into in just a few short weeks!

It’s really easy to forget just how beautiful New Jersey can be, but runs like this help you to remember.

FullSizeRender (8)

Soon after we saw the Heritage Vineyards sign, we took a turn off the road and actually through rows and rows of vineyards. There were volunteers placed along this portion of the route to make sure we didn’t take a wrong turn.

Tell me more about this wine you speak of.

As a wine (drinking) expert, it was really neat to see all the different grapes and signs for each.

I ran without music, something I’ve been doing more of recently, and just took in the sights and sounds.

We weaved through more of the vineyard and by this time the field had spread out a bit so there was plenty of room to open up with running.

And also take pictures without risking myself or others.

Did I mention the fact that I was feeling really good the entire course? Pushing on the run intervals, I was able to keep a pretty consistent pace. I had a goal of finishing in an hour, which would put me at a solid 12 minute mile. It’s not my best but it’s given the terrain, I figured it would be achievable.

I was warned about a hill near the end of the race. I don’t feel like you can get the full grasp of the angle from the picture, it was definitely a bit more intense than the other hills throughout the course.

I kept going with my 1:1 intervals and motored up the hill. Eh, it felt like I was motoring anyway.

After this there was only about a half mile to go before the race was over and the majority of it was downhill, so I picked up the pace a bit more and crossed the finish line at an hour… and one minute. I missed my time goal by one measly minute. Figures!

Immediately after crossing the finish line, I ran into more friends; another perk of a local race. Friendly faces everywhere!

I got my finisher’s “medal”… a wine tumbler! Of course, I took advantage of my wine ticket.

Jersey Blue

Busy Bee Brandi had to leave for another engagement but Kate and I planted ourselves on the ground and enjoyed our wine while catching up with one another. It was a Good Day For A Run, for sure, and I can’t wait for another.

You can find me this Sunday running with 40,000 of my closest friends at Broad Street in Philly. What race do you have next? How’s training going? Have you ever chaired a fundraising event?

When the Weather Doesn’t Cooperate: 2016 Atlantic City April Fools Half

April 6, 2016 by Meridith

There’s a new hashtag circulating for Atlantic City: #thisisAC

After this weekend’s race I would like to add an asterisk that reads #thisisAC *but please don’t base your opinion on the weather this weekend.

This weekend marked my 5th April Fools Half Marathon. Forget about 13, apparently 5 is the unlucky number when it comes to the Atlantic City Race Series.

The normal pleasant conditions that I associate with this race were MIA. With steady rain for the 7k/11k and the gale-like winds for the half marathon on Sunday, racers were not dealing with what we would call “ideal weather”.

And to think when we got our hats, we were worried that we might be too hot in them. Not so much.

Chrissy and I had our normal text conversations going the whole week prior, discussing weather, outfits, changes to outfits because of the weather, plans on what to do if one of us blew away, etc. We had a couple of windy training runs in Atlantic City but nothing that quite prepared us for Sunday’s half.

What did help us prepare for the half was doing those weekly training runs in AC. Honestly, I’m so very glad that we were able to do that because it did help us know our way around the casinos, boardwalk, and gave us an overall idea of what to expect.

However… we were not planning on the heavy winds and really, there’s no way TO plan for something like that.

So you can do one of two things:

1. bail
2. run, smile, and keep a positive attitude (as you’re getting sand in your mouth and pushed all over the course like a rag doll)

We went with option number 2, of course.

#finsup

It was a little disorganized prior to the start. I’ve grown accustomed to this; the host hotel has changed more than once over the years and packet pickup is always at a different location from year to year. However, it’s still challenging to figure out exactly where to go. Runners rely on runners and we were all following each other around the Resorts Casino, looking for packet pickup.

Close to 8am, we made our way outside to get ourselves acclimated to the colder air. While heading out I overheard a coordinator saying that they were pushing back the start time 10 minutes.

The blow up start line was not out, due to the high winds. The race director also cautioned us to watch for blown over cones on the course.

I’m not exactly sure why that happened but the extra minutes went by fast. There was a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and then we were off!

I don’t have many pictures from the course because it was pure survival mode out there. Plus, I was afraid my phone might blow away. But a big highlight was seeing Hollie (FueledbyLOLZ) being escorted with a cyclist as first female. What does it even feel like to run that fast? I’ll never know.

I was on the lookout for music on the course so I could break out a little dance solo, as Jenn has done previously. Click the picture to see her little jig.

https://www.instagram.com/p/1002ChpuDY/?taken-by=scootadoot

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With the wind, it made things difficult for musicians to be out there. So I was very excited when, at mile 6 or so, I heard the sweet wail of the bagpipes played by Piper Rick. Chrissy grabbed my phone and I geared up to do my very best bagpiping dance moves. Click the pic to see!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDvzVaTpuBf/?taken-by=scootadoot

Sadly, you will never get to see my bagpiping dance moves. I’m truly sorry for that.

The winds were not hitting us directly from the front, or pushing us along from the back, but rather coming sideways. Which meant that we were getting literally swept off our feet both out and back along the course.

It was… not fun. There was never a point in the race that I thought, “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” It was mostly just gritting our teeth (and the sand in our teeth).

I kept thinking it might get better. Alas, it did not get better. The only better was when we were finally done and we were able to not be in the wind anymore.

But through it all, Chrissy and I stuck together and looked out for each other. The conditions were miserable; we were not happy. But we did it and I’m so glad that we did it together. Once I got home ~~I was ready bed~~ I was looking on Facebook and found that I had shared this image a year ago, to the day.

Thanks Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Via Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

We adjusted our sails yesterday. And while admittedly, it was not perfect, we did it anyway.

Plus, we got some pretty awesome bling.

It spins!

And also awesome drinks.

drinks

So while yes, #thisisAC, I hope first timers to the race don’t get scared away by the ridiculousness that Mother Nature threw at us this weekend.

Because this is also AC!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDBSXJepuEk/?taken-by=scootadoot

This was my first race of 2016 and my thought is when you start with the toughest conditions, it can only get better. Right? Right! A few days later, my body is still hurting although slowly but surely, I’m feeling back to the status quo.

Did you #doAC this weekend? Run another race? I heard Syracuse was brutal (Bonnie had frost on her brows!), and the Philly Hot Chocolate 15k ran out of medals. What races do you have coming up? Next up for me is the Vineyard 5 miler and Broad Street 10 miler!

Scootadoot

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Author Archives: Meridith