A runner’s point of view: VIDEO

June 5, 2014 by vfreile

“You run really steadily with a camera,” my husband told me over the weekend. “That’s a talent.”

Uh, thanks?

But really, I was worried if I could pull it off, shooting video footage with a camera strapped to my noggin. If I was all over the place, it would make all our viewers green…but certainly NOT with envy.

As some of you may already know, I ran the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Rochester last week with a GoPro camera on my head.

Yep. That’s a video camera on my head

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO: Running the Corporate Challenge

I really wasn’t sure how it would go – and it very nearly didn’t since I managed to drain the battery just before the big race. Fortunately, I caught it in time, recharged and was ready to roll when the 3.5-mile road race started Thursday evening.

So this is happening. Go pro running @JPMorganCC @dandc #roc #rocrun #runchat pic.twitter.com/SkkTDWOKWc

— Victoria Freile (@vfreile) May 29, 2014

I tweeted the above picture out moments before I headed to the start line.

I’ve tackled the race, Rochester’s largest office party more than a half-dozen times in recent years. Held annually at the Rochester Institute of Technology campus, it’s a lot of fun.

Laughing my butt off with Jessica before the 2013 race.

I’ve run in 95 degrees and begged for water at both of the course’s water stops. I’ve raced it. I’ve paced other runners. I’ve run injured.

Oh yeah, and I ran in a monsoon. Looking at you, 2009.

With former colleagues Steph and John in 2009. You really can’t tell in this pic, but we are all completely drenched. And as a side bonus, my car battery died on the way home from this waterlogged race.

I know the course well, so was prepared and excited to take the Democrat and Chronicle’s readers on a tour. This year, the weather was perfect. It was in the 6os or so, with a light breeze and only a few clouds in the sky. I was ready to run.

Team Democrat and Chronicle

I headed over to the start line just minutes before the 7 p.m. and shot some footage of some of the 10,900 waiting runners. (It was way more packed than the below pic, which I snapped about 2 hours before the race started.)

The starting line; before the masses arrived.

I lined up with my friend Traci, knowing full well that I’d lose her in the first quarter-mile. Even if she wasn’t listening to a word I said, I felt better chatting up a storm with a friend nearby rather the talking-to-myself tactic I adopted partway through the course.

The second wave started and were were off. I repeatedly reminded myself not to dodge other runners and weave through the crowd as I’d regret spending that energy later. And really, it doesn’t get you any further ahead in the crowd, it only serves as an aggravation. Trust me!

Last year was the first year the race offered wave starts, a huge improvement from previous years when about 10,000 people started at all once. It was always frustrating, as people would line up inappropriately and you’d be dodging people left and right for the first full mile. The improvement was much appreciated.

I quickly conquered the lone hill on the course and chatted with a few strangers as I coasted downhill. I pulled to the side to film runners rounding a curve. I paused at the water stop – and as a result scared the stuffing out of one lovely volunteer, sorry buddy! But I got some great footage.

I talked to myself as I ran. I cheered for a few strangers. I chatted with (and scared off) several more runners.

I pulled the camera off my head repeatedly. I shot my own moving feet. I shot the people next to me as we ran side by side. I shot over my shoulder. I shot upside down. I repeatedly checked that the camera was operating properly. (it was, sorry Tina.)

I ran off the course repeatedly and filmed runners coming straight towards me. I shoved the camera back on my head and huffed and puffed to pass people as I ran toward the finish.

After crossing, I zipped to the side, behind one of the D&C’s photographers, and shot more images of finishers. Success!

Thanks for watching!

The final video was produced by my talented colleague Tina MacIntyre-Yee. She did an amazing job, as she always does.

Have you ever run with a GoPro? Would you? Have you ever run the Corporate Challenge… in the sun, wind or rain? Tell me about your experiences in the comments!

A Day in the Life: Vic

May 30, 2014 by vfreile

My newspaper used to do a monthly Day in the Life series. It was one of my favorite assignments each month as I got to learn all about people’s special stories.

I witnessed a grape fight in the cafeteria of an area high school, which made it into print despite pleas from an assistant principal.

I met a local vet who showed me the bullet that was his ticket home from Europe in World War II. (He proudly kept it, by the way.) And I even interviewed an enthusiastic autistic teen just days before he wowed the world by sinking six 3-pointers in the final four minutes on the basketball court during his only varsity game of the season. Yep, I’m talking about J-Mac.

Yep. DITLO has a special place in my heart. But still I wasn’t sure how to go about my own.

I couldn’t decide whether to share a weekday or weekend, so I went with my behind the scenes on a workday. After all, I know you’re dying to know what happens at a newspaper.

On days when I don’t run before I head to the office, I snooze my alarm until the last possible moment before I launch into my pre-work morning routine.

And what’s the item I can’t leave home without? You guessed it- coffee.

I make myself not one, but two travel mugs of coffee each morning.

I’m at my desk by 7:30, unless I’m called in earlier for an assignment or sent straight to a crime scene. I’ll regret saying this, but I haven’t been woken out of a dead sleep by an editor yet this year. I’m long overdue.

My home away from home: The Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. It’s in a pretty sharp old building in downtown Rochester.

I make calls and gather info for breaking news stories. Then I run over to court to get some more info, interview people and so on.

Headed to court, with a letter to mail to Meri!

I can’t take photos inside court, but here’s the view of from the front doors, just outside Rochester City Court.

That’s the Hall of Justice on the left. I spent lots of time there.

Sometimes I cover a news conference, as I did with this one about the lone unsolved homicide for 2014 in Rochester.

Family of a city man killed in January and Rochester police before a news conference.

As I worked Tuesday, runDisney announced their newest race – the Star Wars Half Marathon… And the interwebs exploded. Holy Moly! I quickly wrote about it for work before the workday was through.

After work, I hurried over to my salon to get my eyebrows waxed. I get defuzzed every few weeks and today was my day. Otherwise I could double as a wookiee for an upcoming race!

Waiting my turn in my fave pink chucks

After my appointment, I popped into a drug store. But first, traffic.

Jamming to my jams in a jam

Then I headed toward Wegmans to get a few staples – milk, yogurt, bananas. I also got English muffins. I am currently obsessed with them. Never heard of Wegmans? I live in the land where the popular grocery store is based, so I have more than a dozen stores to choose from. My neighborhood store is a mile from my house.

And yes, I go almost daily. Take my money, Danny.

Got yogurt?

Nanas! The greener the better.

Once home, I found that our new screen door was partially installed. Hubs and I live in a 190-year-old farm house in suburban Rochester. And an old farm house, while pretty damn awesome, also means a lot of work. This summer we are tackling some work that we had been putting off. This door was long overdue – the old one was literally crumbling and has been since we bought the house 9 years ago.

view out the new screen door

I was greeted by my two kitties, who turned on each other shortly I after I fed them. But hey – progress! Old cat has started fleeing the loft and stealing food from new cat. She’s tiny but feisty. I have the scratches on my hand to prove it.

Old cat strikes a pose. or pouts. Not sure which.

To help clear my head, I went for a quick run around dusk. Not my best mileage, but it felt good. (and I looked cute in some Oiselle gear)

Creepy leg shot, but I love the brill blue Big O burnout tank and poppy rogas. The bright colors will lift me out of any funk.

Each day is different and that’s so much what I love about my job. As I type this, I am working a split shift, and will run a local road race in the evening with a go-pro camera attached to me. You’ll hear about THAT next week!

I’m a true mobile journalist. Photo by Tina MacIntyre-Yee

How much coffee do you drink each day? Do you have a Wegmans store near you? Any suggestions on how to repair an old farmhouse?

Memorial Day fun – and then some.

May 26, 2014 by vfreile

I cleaned lobster parts off the ceiling yesterday. I also scrubbed little bits of lobster off the front door, the sofa and our kitchen cabinets.

You see, my husband smashed our big holiday weekend dinner open using a typical hammer. It was hilarious at the time, but as we I cleaned up, I found more and more stray pieces. Choice words were spoken.

Oh, and the hammer? It’s a bit…fishy.

Typically, hubs and I spend Memorial Day weekend tackling a season’s worth of yard work and chores. We clear out the flower beds. We till and plant our vegetable garden. We decided to skip the big gardens this year and focus only on herbs. So with less yard work on the docket, we had more time for fun!

We spent Saturday showing my cousin Keith and his wife Laura around Rochester. Stops at the Public Market and Ontario Beach Park were no-brainers.

Ontario Beach Park, from the pier. That’s right kids, that’s Lake Ontario.

We also visited Rochester’s Turning Point Park, and its impressive boardwalk over the Genesee River. This city park is one of my favorite hidden gems in the area. (It’s also one of my favorite running paths in the area.)

Laura and Keith loved the boardwalk

And of course we had to stop at the Genesee Brew House, where we had lunch, some beer and a brewery tour.

We enjoyed $2 flights at the brewery. Proceeds go to charity.

The view from Rochester’s High Falls, from the brewery, of course.

As hubs and I ran errands on Sunday, we found ourselves renting The Home Depot’s hourly pickup to bring home a new grill. (J loved his birthday gift this year!) I found myself in the bed of the truck holding onto the base of the grill as he rounded each corner. Yep, I was perched right next to the “no passengers in bed” sign. Oops.

Monday brought us to another lakeside park where we walked along Lake Ontario the second time in a weekend.

Hubs enjoys the view

We wandered, without really any predetermined plans, and those who know me best know I’m not a good wanderer. Like, Meri, I’m a planner. It’s something I’m working on. But this weekend, I went with it more than usual.

I agreed when he suggested we drive along the shoreline without a destination in mind. I agreed when he changed course and headed for the Erie Canal path, where we enjoyed some ice cream. And I agreed when I jumped into the back of the pickup for a bumpy but fabulous 9-mile trek to our house.

I’m getting better about living in each moment and enjoying them for what they are.

But I can promise you, cleaning up lobster bits will never be among them. Ick.

How did you spend your holiday weekend? Are you a hiker or a beach-dweller? Have you ever had Genesee beer? Tell me all about it!

Celebrating Virginia

May 13, 2014 by vfreile

I’m blessed to be surrounded by a family of smart, strong and motivating women.

Typically, I chat about my fabulous mother. But last weekend, I headed downstate with my in-laws to celebrate my mama-in-law Virginia, for her 50th birthday.

V and I joined the Sebastiano family about the same time and have lots in common. We always enjoy baking together, shopping, hiking, chatting and visiting, even if we do absolutely nothing when we join forces. She is a joy and has a pure heart. Thank you for being you, dear Virginia! Happy 50th!

From left, my father-in-law, sister-in-law and mama-in-law back in 2005.

Last weekend, my generous father-in-law treated Virginia and a few of her favorite family and friends to a weekend at Mohonk Mountain House, a stunning 150-year-old resort in New York’s Hudson Valley. I had a fabulous time with my family, and the outing really reminded me how lucky I am to have such impressive and strong women in my life.

We ate, we hiked, we rowed on the lake. We toasted Virginia, and we celebrated one another. And of course, we were pampered at the spa, which is apparently the top spa resort in the country! (We do things right in our family.)

Mohonk is a stunning setting for any relaxing getaway. It reminded me of the resorts of yesteryear, when emphasis was placed on family activities and spending time together. There are no televisions in guest rooms, and I only saw one on property – which was playing a family friendly movie each evening. A high tea was offered each day. Nearly every activity is included – minus spa treatments and anything involving horses.

Here are a few images from my weekend. If you ever have the chance to visit Mohonk, even for the day, GO! It’s incredible.

View from a hike around the resort. Wow, just wow!

The gang’s all here to celebrate Virginia (center, front row) The candle might give her away!

Me with my sister-in-law Lauren and Aunt Maria at dinner. We three shared a room and had a great time together!

I love this side shot of V and her sister Dot. You can feel the love and joy

Check out the view from our room/balcony.

We spent a lot of time at the spa, and the gym, and we three also hiked a bit around the stunning property.

Horses! I need to stop laughing at this sign. I know I am misreading it, but I still find it hilarious. #imaybite

Row, row row your boat! Lolly and I shared rowing duties. We loved it so much we went out twice!

View from the water

Group outing on our final morning

Tell me about your favorite family weekend getaway! Where do you go to relax? Would you hike, row or hit the spa? Have you been to Mohonk? Tell me in the comments!

Failing to succeed

May 6, 2014 by vfreile

There are days when I can’t do it all.

No one can, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. And it surely doesn’t stop me from repeatedly falling short. If you’re anything like me, you see this as a failure.

Last week, I couldn’t make it to the post office before closing time – personal errand failure. I didn’t answer any personal emails until the end of the work week – time management failure. I couldn’t get a source to call me back or open the door for me – professional failure. I made a smoothie for dinner instead of a real meal – delicious, but still my latest domestic failure.

I’m hard on myself. I want to succeed. When I make a mistake or fail to follow through, I kick myself for days.

Caught in the act: pulling out my hair on assignment. Photo by Annette Lein

It’s normal to fail. I certainly learn more from my mistakes than when I tackle something correctly on the first go-around. I remember what I did wrong.

So let me share a few fabulous failures and flaws (and corresponding lessons) with you:

Never make an offer that you aren’t willing to follow through on. You’ve never been to “fill-in-the-blank-city?” Why don’t you come with me? Trust me on this one. Don’t offer to be nice. Don’t say it unless you mean it. Otherwise, the weird chick you met while volunteering at the thrift shop could commandeer your upcoming trip.

If something sounds off, it probably is. It’s ok to question people if you think something sounds wrong. My first big professional failure – a source flat-out lied to me. And I fell for it, in part because I didn’t want him to think I didn’t know the ins and outs of local politics. He knew I didn’t, and he took advantage.

It’s OK to ask for help. I love to bake, but I can’t get cupcakes right to save my life and I refuse to ask for help. As a result, I don’t even like to EAT cupcakes. Hmm. Maybe that’s actually for the best.

Speak up for yourself and your loved ones. If you don’t do it, who will?

My mother often will tell me that no one is perfect, that we all grow and evolve based on our experiences. Among her famous quotes:

I won’t make the same mistakes as my parents did. I learned from those. I’ll make new ones.

True enough, mom.

Now I want to hear from you. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a mistake? What advice would you give others?

Nike Women’s Half shakeout run

April 29, 2014 by vfreile

It was a last-minute decision, to head to the Saturday morning shakeout run the morning before the Nike Women’s Half Marathon.

I had an insane work week that kept me office both early and late for several days. But I knew I wanted to see several friends, so when Oiselle teammates Amy and Gabby suggested heading to Nike Georgetown for a team meetup bright and early, I thought it would be the perfect chance to visit with friends I might otherwise not see.

Birds and friends ready to fly, from left, Amy, Gabby, me, Jillian & Kyle.

Once in the store, we were all directed to the second floor, which I found odd since we were running outside and it seemed to create and extra unneeded step. So up we went and we were soon rewarded with two surprise guests – American long-distance runners Shalane Flanagan and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

That’s how close we were! The ladies share a few tips

Up close and personal

Flanagan, 32, just ran the Boston Marathon last week, besting her own marathon time by more than three minutes. Hers was the fastest time ever for an American woman on the Boston course. She told us that she ran Boston with the intent to win, and is proud to have come away with a shiny new PR and knowing that she set the pace that paved the way for other elite women to succeed.

Joanie!

Samuelson, 56, the first-ever Olympic Marathon winner in 1984, and has raced through five decades.

Both women also shared a strong message with the racers – strive to do your best. That’s a lesson that applies to every aspect of our lives.

Moments later, the pair revealed the Tiffany necklace each finisher would receive after 13.1 miles through DC. I purposely didn’t look since I wanted to be surprised once I finished running. We stretched and jumped around to warm up – and while tweeting I shared the above image with my Twitter followers.

Funny story: Shalane retweeted my picture! I was beyond excited. (it’s the little things.) Sadly, while I was jumping around, I bumped the account to one I rarely use. So if you follow Shalane Flanagan on Twitter…. look for HeardviaScanner. It’s one of my alter egos.

The TWEET:

.@ShalaneFlanagan & @JBSamuelson at @nikedc for @runnikewomen shakeout run! #werundc amazing! pic.twitter.com/RU7FZvJHvE

— Heard via Scanner (@heardviascanner) April 26, 2014

A better shot! From left, Amy, Gabby, me, Jillian, Kyle and Anya

We headed outside, posed for the above pic, found our pace groups and set off for a 2-mile run around Georgetown. That is, everyone but Amy and me who were on a mission to locate our names on the participant wall outside the store.

Found me!

Because of our photo op, Amy and I were a bit behind. I nearly took out a photographer (oops! Sorry man!) as sprinted forward together to find our friends

Amy and I found every one of our friends and chatted as we ran. Thanks so much for an amazing run, my dear!

When we returned to the store, loads of Nike employees were on hand, cheering us in and treated us to some delicious Jamba Juice!

Celebrating with Jillian

Then Kyle and I went shopping.

She’s excited!

It was so great to see friends from across the country and to loosen up my legs for Sunday’s race. I’ll leave you with my fave image of my newest treasure, the Tiffany necklace,

Ms. Tiffany goes to Washington. (and the White House)

Here’s more my race experience but stay tuned on scoot for Meri’s take on the day!

Do you typically run the day before a big race? If yes, how far do you go? Have you run a Nike race on either coast?

Chick Chat: Scoot runs DC

April 25, 2014 by vfreile

For the second time in less than a month, several Scoot a Doot chicks (and honorary chicks) are gathering for a weekend of food, fun and fitness.

That’s right, three short weeks after we ran the boards in Atlantic City, the chicks are headed to our nation’s capital for yet another 13.1-mile jog, the Nike Women’s Half-Marathon.

So it’s been months since we learned we’d be heading to Washington D.C. to run with about 20,000 fierce women. Brooke, Meri and I will be joined by a slew of amazing friends. (honestly, too many to name but we’re excited to see each and every one of you!)

Anyway, here’s what we three chicks are looking forward to this fine spring weekend:

I can’t believe this weekend is finally here. When we agreed to try the lottery for this race, my back-up plan if we didn’t get in was to go for the Broad Street 10 miler, and I was already attempting to convince my husband to run it with us- I was that certain that we wouldn’t get in. Needless to say, I am more than a little excited to be heading up to DC in a few days.

My plan for the race is to run at a comfortable pace and enjoy the sights. I’m not feeling any pain during my runs this week, but I’m not up for attempting a PR either (which would be unlikely anyway). It’s a nice flat course with lots to see- I’ll definitely be carrying my camera.

Beyond the race, I’m really looking forward to a weekend away with my husband, doing some shopping and seeing my girlfriends. Oh, and THE FOOD.

Having lived so close to Washington, D.C. my entire life, you would think that I would have visited there more than a handful of times.

That would be false.

I’ve driven through (on the way to and from Florida) quite a few times but haven’t actually spent much time in our nation’s capital. Therefore, I’m really looking forward checking out the sights while running and hopefully I’ll be able to do a little sightseeing besides the race, too.

The biggest challenge of the weekend won’t have anything to do with the race (I hope!) but rather being able to see everyone I’d like to see. I’m driving down on Friday evening. On Saturday we’ll be heading into the city. Sunday the race begins bright and early, and I’ll be back on the road on Sunday afternoon.

Whirlwind trip, for sure! With a race this big, there are so many friends running and I hope to be able to connect with them all. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to spend time with everyone!

Race plan? You chicks are funny. I just learned yesterday what time the race starts (7 am for you kids following along at home.) I know the course starts and ends in the same spot, that there’s some sort of tunnel and lots of landmarks on a route that friends keep telling me is flat and fast. More than that? I really haven’t thought that far ahead, which is incredibly unlike me as I AM A PLANNER.

As a kid, my family went to DC all the time as my eye doctor was there. (Yes, I’m blind as a bat. Yes, I’ve had five eye surgeries. Yes, there’s so much scar tissue in my eyes that Lasik surgery or contacts are both bad ideas. And yes, we really drove to DC several times each year to see my eye doctor.) But as a result, we spent a lot of time visiting DC landmarks, including all sorts of monuments, museums and of course, The National Zoo.

You may know I was just in DC last month to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA marathon and 1/2 with my friend Traci. We had a blast but spent little time on the sights outside our mileage.

This weekend, I’m sure some sightseeing – and LOTS of eating – will occur and I am itching to wander around the Mall and amidst some cherry blossoms, the weekend will hopefully include lots of quality time with a few of my favorite chicks.

Might we be seeing you in DC? What’s your favorite thing to do in our nation’s capital? What can’t we miss? And good luck to all the runners!

Here comes the spring running duds

April 15, 2014 by vfreile

Little darling, it’s been a long, cold lonely winter.

Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here.

Aside from a shot of a favorite Beatles’ tunes, I can say with authority – Here Comes the Sun! Finally, that bright and shiny orb in the sky has returned. Of course we all know what that means…SHORTS AND RUNNING TANKS!

Some Oiselle spring14 faves: fresh green distance shorts and three friends tank and my beloved big O burnout tank in brill blue paired with my old rogas.

I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself, however, because while recent temps in Rochester surpassed the 80-degree mark on Sunday and Monday, today’s forecast includes a 50-degree downturn and my least favorite four-letter word.

SNOW

On April 15

Sigh. Mother Nature, stop it already. You’re drunk.

If your winter season was anything like mine in upstate New York, then you’re absolutely ready for some consistent springlike weather (read: average highs in the 50s.) You’re over subzero temps and running in snowdrifts.

And you’re definitely over strapping studs to your feet to keep from falling on the ice.

So what do you wear in this in between weather? (besides crooning my favorite Beatles’ ballad…)

Layers my friends. Lots and lots of layers.

And there are oh-so-many pieces to choose from with capris and shorts, shirts and tanks and arm warmers all in my arsenal.

Once the temps hit the 50s or higher, I typically start wearing running shorts or skirts. Depending on the heat, though, I may wear long-sleeves or short sleeves. It’s not quite warm enough for me to jump to the tanks, unless I’m rocking them under a long-sleeve tech shirt like I did on Saturday, which hovered in the 60s for most of the day.

That way, I can always peel off the top layer and tie it around my waist while I finish my run.

Gone are the knit caps. Gone are the gloves. It’s rare the arm warmers make it more than a mile since I overheat quickly.

I also tend to use some of my (many) race tech tees as an early spring outer layer, typically wearing some sort of tank underneath, just in case I judged incorrectly and overheat.

Meet my favorite long-sleeved tech tee from my first-ever marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon. I love the course map on the back and the weight of the tee.

Here are a few of my fave spring combos:

NYC Marathon tech tee with old capris – I wear this on cooler days.

Feeling hot, hot hot in Oiselle flyte tank with roga shorts!

You can’t miss me in this old race shirt from the 2013 Haddonfield 5K. The brighter the better!

Sometimes you just need to add a shot of color. A bright yellow Oiselle Feather Trials hoody is among my post-run faves.

There are SO many ways for me to mix and match my piles of clothes — and these pictures are just a mere few. I wanted to post a pic of ALL my running clothes, but hubs can never see that photographic evidence. My head would roll!

But I want to see what YOU wear when you run in the spring! Tweet me a picture via ScootaDoot and tell me about your favorite springtime running duds.

What are your favorite running tops and bottoms? Tell me in the comments!

2014 Atlantic City April Fools half

April 8, 2014 by vfreile

We came, we ran and we were crowned, sashes and all. It was a true Scoot a Doot invasion of Atlantic City!

I had an incredible time Sunday at the Atlantic City April Fools Half Marathon and even came away with an unexpected prize – a new PR.

I’d been flirting with the idea of running this race for ages, as Meri has run it for three straight years and repeatedly raved about her experiences. So when she suggested a Scoot girls’ weekend centered around the half, I quickly agreed, registered and ultimately booked a flight.

Race morning, we arrived at the host casino Revel, which is at the far north end of the Atlantic City boardwalk. We were able to zip through the casino bathrooms and drop our bags at gear check without even waiting in any lines.

The chicks and friends in a pre-race #SuperSelfie (Clockwise from midnight:Bec, Cam, Heather, Meri, me, Anne and Brooke)

As you may recall from last week’s Chick Chat, I had absolutely no race plan. But since the course was flat as a pancake, I decided to chase down that PR.

I went for it. And because I was a woman on a mission – I did it.

I lined up with Brooke as we decided to start off together. Once the race began, we both sprinted off, starting a wee bit too fast. We were excited, and a bit chilly, and we bolted. B and I had agreed to run our own races and to push it, so off I went.

That first mile was around an 8:30 min pace, which I knew I couldn’t sustain. So I pulled back to around 8:40-8:45, where I stayed for most of the race.

Much of those first three miles for me were focused on my surroundings and running along the boardwalk. I spotted the hotel where I’d stayed for a beach weekend back in the 90s and the spot where I went for a good friend’s bachelorette party a few years back.

And of course I spent many miles of the race thinking about the board game Monopoly. Park Place, Connecticut and Baltic avenues. Each road sign brought waves of childhood board game memories.

But I was overwhelmed with the need for a bathroom early in the race. So as I increased my speed, I also scanned the horizon for a well-placed bush or portajohn.

And there it was, just before the third mile marker. I ran down a ramp and off the boardwalk and hopped into a portajohn attached to a construction site. A quick in and out and I returned to the boards, sprinting to try to reclaim my lost place in the race.

I spotted Brooke as I ran and caught her. We chatted a bit and she told me that I looked strong and to keep going. Thanks for the vote of encouragement, B. It’s exactly what I needed to hear.

The first 4.5 miles of the out-and-back course were on the boardwalk. What a view! And yes, there was an occasional breeze.

We veered left and off the boards at Washington Avenue and spent the next few miles on Atlantic Avenue. Because of the nature of the course, runners heading south could watch the race leaders zip by as they headed back toward the finish.

I was closing in on mile six as my Oiselle teammate Hollie zipped by, dueling for the top women’s spot with another woman. I screamed out her name and yelled “Fly Birdie!” as we exchanged a mid-race high-five.

Hollie and me after the race. She placed second overall with a PR of 1:23:23

I passed the iconic historical landmark Lucy the Elephant as I ran south and soon reached the halfway mark and turnaround while still on that 8:45 pace. Once I started running north I spotted a slew of friendly faces, many of whom shouted out to me as I pushed through a nasty side-stitch that developed on the return leg.

I slowed a bit to 9-minute-miles for miles 9 through 12. I focused on my breathing and pacing with an awesome lady who told me she was running her first half and trying to keep pace with me. How fortunate!

I took off on mile 12, just near Caesar’s Palace. A drunk passerby said something about Botox or blow jobs, I really couldn’t tell which but it made me laugh and motivated me to move faster. I picked it up knowing that I was about to beat my best time, set last year in Rochester.

I nearly hurled after I crossed the finish line, a sign that I truly left it all on the course. (I didn’t, for the record.) My official time was 1:57:25, an 8:57 pace. I’m thrilled!

My shiny new medal on the Atlantic City boardwalk

I had a fabulous time at this race, which is a super-fast course. We really couldn’t have had better race weather. And I had a wonderful time with the Scoot chicks and friends for a long overdue massive girls’ weekend. I cannot wait until the next one.

Three bestie birds, all decked out in our matching feather trials hoodies.

Have you ever run a race on a boardwalk or along the beach? Where do you go on your girls’ weekends? What’s your beach of choice?