Guest Post: 1-2-3 Blast Off!

December 6, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Today, our honorary Chick, Sara, is recapping her experience at the Space Coast Half Marathon in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of running in the Space Coast Half Marathon. Boy! What a fun race this was! According to their website it is the only space-themed marathon and half-marathon race on the planet. I am kind of a closet Star Wars geek (thanks to my husband), so I knew this would be a fun one.

The course for this race was breath taking. It was approximately 6.5 miles down the coast and back on a street lined with the most gorgeous homes on one side and then the intercostal on the other. It also doesn’t hurt to have Darth Vader standing on the corner cheering you on.

I would have to say the first 6.5 miles went pretty well. It wasn’t until the turn around that I noticed the wind was now against me for the last 6.6 miles. The wind gusts we so strong on a few occasions I felt like I was not even moving. I knew this was going to slow me down a little but I didn’t let it bother me. I turned my music on and powered through.

I apologize for the lack of fun photos. I came to this race on a mission. My mission was to do a sub- 2:15 half marathon. This was my second half marathon so I was definitely determined to PR at this race. My final time was 2:14:38. Yahoo! I did it! I PR’d by over 20 minutes. All those 5:30am running sessions with the fabulous Brooke paid off.

My finisher medal is big, colorful and glittery. What more can a runner ask for?

I also loved the beach towel we got after the race. Another unique aspect of this race is the virtual goodie bag. Instead of a plastic bag with a bunch of coupons, flyers…etc, they email you a virtual goodie bag before the race. There you can look through all the info and only print what you plan on using. I wish more races would go this route. If we are being honest here, I usually just throw the goodie bags out. This virtual goodie bag will help reduce waste and also make planet earth a little more greener.

Up next for me is the Glass Slipper Challenge in February at Disney. I am definitely thinking a sub-2:10 half. What do you think?

What is your favorite space movie? What running items are on your Christmas wish list?

Sara is a wife, mom, crafter and Brooke’s favorite running partner. She also PRs like a boss. You can find her at The Classy Crafter.

Race Recap: The Ugly Sweater Run

November 22, 2013 by writeitdownjess

If you want to destroy my sweater, whoa whoa whoa…

I’m sure most of the people who participated in The Ugly Sweater Run last Saturday in San Rafael did destroy their sweaters after they were done with this race. Or maybe they kept them because they love tremendously ugly things. My ugly sweater is buried at the bottom of my laundry basket. Mister Jess’s sweater will live in infamy forever (more on that later).

I digress.

The Ugly Sweater Run. It is the ugliest of races, but certainly a lot of fun! The concept is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll explain anyway: it’s a holiday-themed 5K that celebrates the glorious eye sore that is the ugly sweater. The uglier the better, in fact. From a participant standpoint, it’s a fun challenge trying to find the most offensive-looking sweater imaginable. No easy feat, let me tell you, but my girl Target came through. In fact, I found atrocious outfits for the whole family! Oh, what fun it is to dress in gaudy holiday-wear.

My outfit ended up looking a little something like this:

Unfortunately I was a dime a dozen on race day, at least where my sweater was concerned. Is Target a popular place to shop?

Our kids (furry and human) got in on the action too:

So mad.

But the real show stopper here was Mister Jess. Hopefully he won’t file for divorce when he finds out I’m showing this picture to all of you:

Yep. Target had this gem tucked into a corner. Kind of a no-brainer.

So, we got all gussied up, piled into the car, and made our way up to San Rafael.

I will note that when I signed up for this race, I saw “San Francisco” in the title and thought, “DONE.” I didn’t even bother to check that it was actually in the city, which was my mistake. I’ve found that a lot of races tend to say “hey, we’re hosting in San Francisco!” and actually mean “well, it’s kiiiiind of in San Francisco. As in the Bay Area. As in not in San Francisco.” But hey, no problem. We were willing to hop up to Marin for this unique experience.

I digress again.

We got to the Marin County Fairgrounds where the race was being held and were inundated with ugliness. There were ugly sweaters EVERYWHERE. And not just sweaters, but entire awful outfits. It was amazing. People were also decked out in the Ugly Sweater Run knit hats given out during packet pick-up the day before. Those are not ugly at all and will definitely be worn by me if it ever gets cold here this winter.

One of my favorites. Obviously homemade, obviously amazing.

If you look closely, there is a runner dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with a star on her head.

If you look closely, there is a runner dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with a star topper on her head.

About the weather: it was effing hot. Like, 70 plus degrees out, which is just a 100% nightmare when you’re dressed in wool. Or polyester. Either way, our running outfits weren’t breathable so Mister Jess and I basically started sweating as soon as we stepped out of the car.

Still we marched on. We made our way to the start line, where they were blowing fake snow out of a fake snow machine (is there a proper name for that? Dunno) and a pretty awesome emcee was pumping up the crowd. This was one of the smaller races I’ve participated in. I’m not the greatest estimator, I’d guess there were maybe 1,000 people there. It was a very enthusiastic crowd, though, so what we lacked in numbers we made up for in “woot woot”s.

Looks like Christmas, feels like Florida.

We stuck Le Pup in the BOB with Bug, which people thought was pretty hysterical. In fact, we were popular as a whole – ugly family-ed out, complete with Korean Santa (Mister Jess gave himself that title).

Ready to roll!

There were a few countdowns from 10, but one finally stuck and then we were off. The course was completely flat, which I appreciated given that I hadn’t run in…er, months. Mister Jess hadn’t either, but he still managed to run ahead of me the entire time. And that was with three flat tires on the jogging stroller. Yes, we were lucky enough to get flats on every single tire on the BOB. Not fun. For the dude, at least. Bug and Reily were sitting pretty, and I was basically just trying to keep up/not sweat to death/not think about how parched I was.

There was a photo op station set up not far from the start line, so we stopped there and opped (yay, a break! I needed it).

Under the blazing sun.

Then we continued on. At about the halfway point, there was a water station set up, which I gratefully stopped for. In addition to the water, volunteers were also passing out hot chocolate. An adorable idea, but I couldn’t even look at it. I imagine it’ll go over better in a place where it’s not 100 degrees with 200% humidity.

At one point, we were plodding along – or I was plodding; Mister Jess was bopping along – and a runner passed us and said “hey, Korean Santa!” Oddly enough, this gave me a small burst of energy. We were race-famous! Or at least we were to this guy.

The course was not entirely exciting. We ran along a dirt path for much of the race, and toward the end circled around a pond. I was getting tired. It was 150 degrees. Needed a drink. Took one from Bug’s sippy cup. Not my finest moment. Sweated. Took a break under the guise of releasing Reily from the stroller to “stretch his legs.” Followed him around a bit while he peed on every blade of grass. Sweated. Decided I needed to run the last stretch to the finish line. Picked up the pace!

Approximately 50 miles later (or 1.5, whatever), we passed through the enchanted forest – four blow-up trees that were being danced around by some dudes, one of whom was twerking – and then the finish line! So elated. So sweaty.

As if to drive the point home that this was a fun race not a race race, there was no clock at the finish line so I have no idea what our time was. Completely beside the point anyway. I signed up for this race to get ugly, not to PR!

Salvation!

We did it!

Overall, this was a great race. Well organized, fun, and FUN. It obviously doesn’t take itself seriously and wants its participants to do the same. Running is just an added benefit to what The Ugly Sweater Run is really about: dreaming up the most atrocious running outfit you’ll ever wear, and having the opportunity to post humorous selfies on various social media platforms.

Are any of our Scoot readers doing this race? Have you already done it? Are you as obsessed with Mister Jess’s Korean Santa outfit as I am? Talk to me in the comments!

The 2013 NYC Marathon

November 14, 2013 by vfreile

Ten days ago I ran through the five boroughs of New York City.

I still can’t believe it. I am a New York City Marathoner.

I wrote about my experience last week for work. I don’t want to create a carbon copy post for y’all, so I am sharing a tweaked version.

I arrived in Manhattan bright and early Friday morning and I was a disorganized and anxious mess. Normally, I’m quite organized and plan far ahead for my trips.

I forgot what airport I was flying into. I forgot to call my friend to tell her what time I’d be arriving at her apartment. I forgot my umbrella. (Oh, and I needed it. It poured. POURED.) I forgot band-aids and some other needed gear.

But alas, as the weekend progressed, I checked tasks off my to-do list.

– Go to the race expo and collect race bib without spending too much money. Check.

– Visit several NYC-based friends, hydrate and carb load. Check.

– Stay off feet and avoid walking miles at a time. Nope. Didn’t follow that rule.

I got my bib!

I was thrilled to meet some fellow Oiselle runners at the team brunch Saturday morning. Many of the women were running Sunday and others were local and planned to volunteer at a water stop late in the race. It was so nice to meet ladies I’ve been chatting with online for months. What an amazing group of women! I can’t wait to reunite with them.

Oiselle runners all excited for tomorrow’s race (pic from chief bird Sally)

My quads felt pretty tight the day before the race as I had walked about 5 miles on Friday. I logged another 3 miles Saturday. I stretched as much as possible. I sat in front of a diorama of a forest in the Natural History Museum to meditate for about an hour and then I read in a nearby park, ogling the stunning fall foliage.

Beauty on Manhattan’s Upper West Side

Stunning sky while dining OUTSIDE in November in NYC

As Saturday went on, I grew more and more anxious. A knot had formed in my chest, at times making it difficult to breathe. I was worried. I was nervous. I repeatedly questioned myself and my training. I wondered why I wanted to run such a difficult course with even more challenging logistics to get to the starting area. What was I thinking?!

I wondered how my leg would hold up, considering I had fallen down the stairs the previous week. I even considered a last-minute deferral. I quickly rejected that idea when I thought of all the months of training and all of the people who supported me day after day, run after run.

I knew adrenaline would see me through the race. I knew I would finish. But I wanted more. I wanted to run my best.

I slept fitfully the night before the marathon. It came in waves, the longest being about 2 hours. I actually got more sleep than I expected but was still wide awake when the alarm sounded at 4 am.

I rose, ate, dressed, chatted with my friend Kyle who was kind enough to come to Manhattan for the weekend to cheer me on.

I am excited to be awake. Kyle? notsomuch

I cabbed it over to the New York Public Library in mid-town where I caught a bus to the starting area in Staten Island, on the Varazzano Bridge. Runners have to make their way there before dawn. I arrived around 6 a.m.

About 3 1/2 hours later, I was finally running.

I had brought along many disposable layers and looked as though I was bundled up for a blizzard. I shed most layers just before I started running, though I quickly exchanged my hideous oversized sweatshirt for a running jacket that smacked me in the face after someone failed to toss it over the bus I was standing near.

I chatted with several other runners as we all tried to calm our nerves. One man was running his 5th NYC Marathon and had clearly over-caffeinated. He was a wealth of knowledge and advice, which he gladly shared with us first-timers.

Once the starting cannon (YES!) sounded – and scared the stuffing out of me – I was off running over the bridge. I didn’t want to start off too fast, so I kept reeling my legs back in.

To my left, I saw a beautiful view of Manhattan’s skyline. I told myself I’d be there soon. I moved forward among the masses, even encountering and chatting with a few folks I met while waiting in Staten Island.

I felt the bridge move with each stride as it carried only runners from Staten Island to Brooklyn. I shed my top layer.

Runners on the Varazzano bridge. Pic by NYC Marathon

Around the second mile, I realized something was off with my right foot, so pulled to the side, took off my shoe, adjusted my sock, retied and ran.

If something was wrong, I wanted to fix it early on.

The next few miles were uneventful. I tried to stick as close as I could to a 10-minute-mile pace. I didn’t want to go too fast, even though I felt strong. I knew I would pay for it later if I started out with a sprint.

Around the 5K point, much of the crowd had thinned out. I saw some runners I recognized – a few ladies running for Every Mother Counts, an organization that supports safe pregnancies and childbirth for mothers worldwide. Among the women was supermodel Christy Turlington Burns, who was clothed by Oiselle, the same label I run for! Such a small world! I grunted a hello to the ladies – we had chatted earlier while waiting in our corral – and ran along. Several miles later, we greeted each other again. The group came up from behind me and cheered for me as they zipped past.

That’s one thing about runners – we motivate each other to do our best. We cheer for each other when we need it most.

The miles ticked by.

I waved to firefighters, police officers and cheering fans.

I smiled as I ran. That knot in my chest was long gone. It was just me and the road.

I reached the half at 2:08, the same time the winner crossed the finish line. I was thrilled with my pace, which to me seemed only possible because of the incredible crowd support.

I crossed the Queensboro Bridge, leaving Queens for Manhattan. I was loathing this part because I knew it was hilly and the crowds wouldn’t be nearby. You could hear runners’ feet slap the pavement and cars whiz overhead on the upper deck.

A faint buzz grew louder. I ran down the bridge ramp to the crowd, and nearly tripped as an overzealous runner cut me off. The volume was deafening as they welcomed us to Manhattan. I was grinning ear to ear.

We turned onto First Avenue and headed north for five miles. Around mile 18, several teammates screamed my name. I turned my head and waved, thrilled to have support when I needed it most.

I ran through the Bronx and back south toward Central Park. I was on pace and moving forward.

I slowed down on Fifth Avenue around mile 22, not far from Central Park. Those last four miles were the death of me.

I wanted to stop and walk. Badly.

A short time later, I saw several more teammates, all ladies I met the previous day at brunch. They screamed my name and told me I could finish, exactly the words I needed to hear. I picked up the pace and moved forward.

The park was on my right as I struggled uphill. The hills were small, but with 23 miles behind me they felt mountainous.

I passed two runners guiding a disabled runner along the course. He stopped to walk. They grabbed his hands and told him he was a star. The trio warmed my heart.

I turned into the park – where I unknowingly ran past my training partner for the second time. Two miles to go.

I’m not going to lie, those last two miles were the hardest. They were hilly and I only wanted to walk. I knew if I stopped, I wouldn’t start again.

I paused for water one last time, and only started running because someone shouted words of encouragement. I didn’t know that person. I didn’t turn my head to see who yelled, but I will forever be grateful that he (or she) cheered for a complete stranger at the moment I needed it most.

That last stretch along Central Park South. Pic by NYC Marathon

I pushed to the end, running past a screaming Kyle near mile 26 and rounding the bend at Columbus Circle into Central Park.

I sprinted uphill to the finish, grinning ear to ear. I did it – and with a personal best time of 4:26:04.

Success!

More than 50,000 people ran the 26.2 mile course on Nov. 3 and I was smack dab in the middle as finisher 26,594. I couldn’t be more proud.

One last shot after 26.2

Have you ever run a big-city race or marathon? Were you the kind soul who cheered me on? (thank you!) What’s your l0ngest race distance? Tell me in the comments!

A Tale of Two Night Racers

October 29, 2013 by beewhobabbles

We’re talking about one of our favorite subjects today- food! How to eat before running a night race, to be exact.

VIC:

It took me years to figure out the best way to fuel for a morning race or long run. So when I signed up for runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-miler, I knew I was wading into uncharted territory.

Sure, I’d be running in the dark. But I’ve done that before as I tackled many pre-dawn runs. Plus I knew the course would be well-lit and filled with Disney characters, so that wasn’t too much of a concern.

But how was I going to fuel? I was used to resting, waking and eating something small and settling – a bagel flat with peanut butter, a banana or a granola bar. So with a 10 p.m. race start, snacking the day away wasn’t really an option. Hydrating like crazy wasn’t a great strategy either, unless I wanted to spend my hours before the start repeatedly racing to a toilet.

I decided to eat a large lunch around 1 p.m. My meal consisted of a delicious mozzarella and tomato sandwich on foccacia bread, a light vegetable orzo salad and plenty of water. I also inhaled a bunch of bread. I nearly ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, but decided on the meatless option since I knew it would sit better in my stomach. Another option I would consider would be a very light pasta entrée (no gnocci, ravioli or alfredo sauce here!)

My theory on fueling with a meal on race day: the blander the better. Fewer frills on my plate means there’s less of a chance for an upset stomach.

(For the record, I ate an egg, cheese and turkey sausage biscuit and some fruit for breakfast that morning.)

I dined with friends at an eatery at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and we all consumed gallons of water. I hydrated well into the afternoon, but stopped cold around 6 p.m. I didn’t want to keep heading to the toilet.

Hydrating from the rocker

I attempted to nap around 4. That lasted all of 45 minutes. My roommate and friend Jen managed a two hour nap while I hydrated and chatted with friends in cozy rocking chair at our resort, Disney’s Boardwalk. I don’t think napping is vital, but laying down to rest, even just for a bit helped ease my brain about staying up until the wee hours of the morning!

Around 6:30, Jen and I each ate a bowl of instant oatmeal. I’ve eaten this in the past before many a long run and knew It would supply me with some much-needed energy in the coming hours. Jen and I also split a banana around 8:30 p.m.

When I head back to Florida next month for my next night race, I plan to utilize this strategy again. I’ll eat a large midday meal, the blander the better. I’ll nap – or try to nap the afternoon before the race. And I will eat some oatmeal 3.5 to 4 hours before the race is set to start. It worked for me in October! Fingers crossed that it will go smoothly too!

And this? I’ll be enjoying it after my run!

BROOKE:

Disney’s Wine and Dine half marathon was my first half-marathon back in 2011. It’s easy to find advice about fueling for a race online…but for a night race, specifically? Not so much. I remember googling different phrases to see if I could find anything on the subject and coming up empty.

Unlike Victoria, I still hadn’t figured out exactly what race day nutrition would work best for me, and I was extremely nervous about getting a belly ache during the race.

I’m an over-thinker. I love to ponder something for days. Weeks, even. Discuss pros and cons with my husband. Make a list or ten. I’m true to my Libra ways in this respect. After googling and discussing and writing it all down, I decided to treat this race like I would a morning run. I’d eat a large lunch, then not have anything but water for about six or seven hours before the race. At that time, I’d have my small breakfast-y type that I was already accustomed to eating before a long run.

I had an early lunch- around 11:30 or 12 (I can’t recall the exact time)- a simple pasta with red sauce and bread. Then water, water, water. At dinner time, I had my toast (and coffee, which was part of my “morning” ritual) and I brought my banana with me to the race start.

This nutrition strategy worked well for me, so I plan to do the same thing in a few weeks. I have the fuel figured out, we’re working on costumes and I already have dates set with my girls. The countdown is on!

Have you run a night race? Did you take a pre-race nap? How did you fuel? Roll call! Who is coming to Florida in two weeks?

U Can Finish 5 Miler and 2 Mile

October 21, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Last Sunday, I skipped my long run in favor of running the U Can Finish 5 Miler & 2 mile with my friend and honorary Chick, Sara.

The race course is through the University of Central Florida campus and runners can choose to complete the five mile (as my guy did), the two mile or if you’re an overachiever like Sara and me (and you love collecting bling), you can run both races and earn a Distance Dare medal. Plus bragging rights.

I ran this race back in 2011, so I was familiar with the course. Most of it is on the streets through campus, which is nice because the runners can spread out. A small portion of each race is on narrower sidewalks in between buildings- this hits far enough in on the five mile that the crowds have thinned, so it isn’t a big deal. On the two, it’s a slightly annoying because you pretty much end up walking at certain points. Still, as UCF alums (Josh and Sara) and a fan by marriage (me), we were happy to be charging through Knights country.

Sara and I have been running together for about five months now, and at the beginning of September, I told her that I wanted help her run at a 9:30-9:35 pace for the race. This is faster than we usually run together, so we switched up our normal routine and met at the gym once a week to run at race pace. I knew we could do it, and I told her that I would stay with her no matter what (but we were SO reaching our goal. Maybe I’m a little bit bossy. It runs in the Chick family.)

We donned our (matching) gold and black outfits and met about 30 minutes before the race began. I hadn’t slept much the night before (little dude is still waking quite a bit) but having a clear goal energized me. The pumpkin spice coffee didn’t hurt either.

Ready to run!

This was my first race since having the baby, and it felt so good to be out there again. To get up before sunrise, pin a bib on my shirt, hear all of the garmins beep before the race began, and run with a big group of people. Coincidentally, my last race (at the beginning of my pregnancy) was a 5k on the UCF campus, at which I ran with Sara’s husband.

The first three miles were great- my legs felt good and I talked Sara’s ear off about a variety of topics; including the appropriate age to wear an embroidered t-shirt, our daughters matching Halloween costumes (PNK sorority monsters), and tailgating plans for the upcoming football game.

It was harder to keep pace on the last two miles. Before the race, we agreed that I would keep time, so I set up the virtual pacer on my (purple) Garmin 10. It beeps if you’re ahead or behind pace, so I knew how we were faring. We slowed a bit, then sped up, and I tried to give my friend some words of encouragement and hoped I wasn’t irritating her. She has strong legs and a solid running foundation. She’s a marathoner! She just hadn’t ever trained to run faster. I really wanted to see her achieve this goal because I totally knew she could.

Passing the site of Spirit Splash. During homecoming week, students are invited to jump in this fountain.

Passing Alphie on Greek Row. Sara and I are both diamond girls.

In the end, we crossed the finish line with an average pace of 9:31 (me) and 9:32 (Sara). We did it! I am so proud of her and I enjoyed every minute of racing together. She’s helped me stay motivated as I’ve gotten back into running shape- meeting me in the early morning or once our kids were in bed, so I didn’t have to do it on my own (because let’s face it- I’m one tired mama. If I didn’t have someone holding me accountable, I’m not sure I’d be half-marathon ready at this point.) I was happy to be able to give some motivation back to her.

Once we finished the five, we had some downtime before the two miler. I wanted to see Josh finish, so I started to walk back along the course. I spotted him about a quarter of a mile before the finish and jumped in to run alongside him for a tiny stretch- and give him some encouragement too. I’m less peppy cheerleader to him and a little more drill sergeant, but he sped up. Probably to get away from me, but hey, whatever works.

After J finished, we all met up with our families and had a quick snack. Race fuel has become a tricky business for me, because I recently got Invisalign invisible braces. (which are actually pretty visible, if you’re wondering.) The aligners have to be taken out if I want to eat, and then I’m supposed to brush and floss before putting them on again. For this race, I decided to drink some Gatorade between the two races and hoped that was enough for me.

We enjoyed our family time a bit too much and ended up dashing to the two mile start after it had begun. As a result, we ended up with the strollers, the walkers and the kids. It would have been fine (I stick to the outside of the pack anyway) except, as I mentioned before, a portion of this course is narrow. I don’t like running in a tight crowd, and Sara and I hadn’t agreed to run together for the two, so I took off on my own. I finished quickly, collected my medal and walked over to meet our families.

Family stretch!

Next up was the kids dash, in which my two girls, and Sara’s daughter and son ran. They got t-shirts, ribbons and Rice Krispie treats once they finished. Happy runners, everyone.

“I ran as fast as I could, just like you told me to, Mommy.” A, my oldest. Proud kids and proud mama here.

I’m glad to be racing again! This is a fun local race and I love that the entire family can participate.

Next up for me is Wine and Dine, and I think I’m going to do the OUC half shortly after that. Seems like I’ve been bitten by the racing bug again.

Speaking of wining and dining, here we are at a party last night. Don’t we clean up nice?

Have you ever paced anyone for a race? Are you peppy or commanding? Any upcoming races? Talk to me in the comments!

Returning from an Injury: Atlantic City 10k

October 15, 2013 by Meridith

Let me start by saying, at the beginning of last week I wasn’t sure I was going to run this race.

Exactly a month ago, I injured my right quadricep muscle, right near the knee. Since then I’ve done everything to move the healing process along. Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. I’ve worked with my trainer (mostly upper body). I’ve visited a doctor and gone to Physical Therapy for two weeks. I skipped last week’s scheduled 5k because I wasn’t sure I was ready for it. But given that my leg has been feeling really good and I need to get back into running for next month’s runDisney Wine and Dine, I decided that I was going to give the 10k at one of my favorite race series a go.

To say that I was extremely nervous about it would be a vast understatement. Originally I’d planned to drive down to AC solo. However as race day drew closer, I started dropping subtle hints that I thought I might want my husband to come along for the trip. And by subtle hints, I mean bribery.

“You could GAMBLE while I run! Won’t that be fun, Jay? And I get a beer at the end of the race and I’ll give that to you. I mean, granted, it will be 10 in the morning but I’m a very good sharer. Hey, you can even drive!” I know, those are very convincing arguments and ones that could not be denied. Once I solidified my mom’s babysitting services, he joined me for both the expo on Friday night and race Saturday morning.

Just prior to the rain, we were having some entertainment.

The weather had been looking ominous the days leading up to the weekend. We were feeling the after effects of Tropical Storm Karen; the rain and wind had been bad in AC both Thursday and Friday and it wasn’t looking promising for Saturday’s race. And sure enough, soon after we arrived, the rain started. But as a wise woman always said to me, “You’re not made of sugar, you won’t melt.” Thanks for that, Gram.

Especially since the rain wouldn’t stop for the majority of the time we were running.

I ran on these boards during the April Fools half in both 2012 and 2013 so it was comforting that I knew the route. Prior to running I’d decided to follow the Galloway method with 3:1 intervals – three minutes of running, one minute of walking. Considering I hadn’t actually run for a month, I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

If I was hurting, I knew I could walk or just turn around. I planned to listen to any cues that my body was sending. Sometimes I push through pain if it’s just a cranky hip or a tweaked knee, but if my quad even gave a little shout, I planned to call it quits.

After the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and a quick countdown, we were off! Jay waved his “I’m so excited, I made a sign” sign and bid me farewell.

The rain was both a blessing and a curse. It forced me to put my phone in my SPIbelt and not be tempted to take pictures during the run, which I believe was a good thing. Jay was tracking my phone so he knew where I was at any given point in time, which was comforting. The curse, of course, was slick boards, wet glasses, wet clothes, and feeling like I was going to be blown away at certain parts of the race.

The out-and-back course is entirely along the boardwalk with the start at Bally’s casino. The rain really started pelting us about a half mile in. While the conditions weren’t ideal, I was just happy to be moving! I felt good and while I might have gone out a wee bit too fast (caught up in the excitement of the start and being able to actually run without pain), I soon fell into a comfortable pace with the intervals.

I “hung out” with my friends, Blue Pants Minnie Shoes, Pink Jacket, and Orange Hat the majority of the race; they were both doing intervals as well and we would catch up to each other throughout. I chatted a bit with them, mostly about the weather and Disney. Soon enough we were at the 5k turn around and a good amount of the runners peeled off, heading back to Bally’s.

I was totally jealous of those 5k runners, for the record.

Although, I suppose I shouldn’t have been TOO jealous. The wind was at our backs on the way out… the 10k turn around brought more wind and rain to the face.

Not so much fun.

I tried to curl a bit so that the top of my head was getting the majority of the wind, but it was difficult to run that way. The volunteers were out at the water stops with smiles and encouraging words. It helped to continue on and not just say “Screw this, Jay come get me.” That thought might have passed through my mind more than once. Also, I was singing “The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain” repeatedly to the tune of whatever song was on my iPod.

The mile 5 marker had a clock indicating I was slightly under an hour, which was promising. Promising in that I had arrived at mile 5, there was only 1.2 left, and that I was going to finish in just about the same amount of time of my last 10k.

Right around that time, I spotted Orange Hat a bit ahead. Orange Hat reminded me of my friend, Moe, who I’d run the April Fools half with in the spring. I was missing Moe hard at that moment (I always miss Moe, but more so in that miserable rainy moment) so I caught up with Orange Hat and said, “Let’s get this done” and we fell into pace together.

I fell back at one point, then she did. But we kept meeting in the middle, pushing each other to the finish. And finally, I saw the glass walkway that indicated we nearly were at the end! She said, “I can hear the announcer!” We picked it up a bit and brought it home.

You can see that I’ve spotted Jay and it’s the finish line and HOORAY, I can almost go inside and out of the rain. Because while I’m not made of sugar, my clothes were sticking to me and I couldn’t see very well (rain and glasses = muy mal), and oooh, I get a medal!

I wore my SKORA Cores for this race – was afraid they might slip on on boards but they were awesome!

After getting our medals, I walked over to Orange Hat to thank her for motivating me throughout the race. I then found out that her name is Emily and she and her family are attempting to do a 10k in every state! Go Emily! (And seriously, if you’re reading this, thank you again! You really helped me, especially in that last mile.)

Wore my Chicago Marathon hat as a shout out to Moe (who ran this weekend) and all the other marathoners!

I was able to maintain my 3:1 intervals the entire race and finished in 1:13. Given the disgusting weather and coming off an injury, I’m very content with that! If I can maintain that pace for the Wine and Dine half, I’ll be golden. I think doing the Galloway method helped me stay consistent throughout and that’s my goal for Wine and Dine too!

Tell me, have you come back from a “time out” from running? How did you get back into running? Do you do run/walk? Who will I see at Wine and Dine next month?

RagNapa!

October 14, 2013 by camoozle

The Ragnar Relay Series has this persistent deal where you can earn a double medal for doing certain races within the same year. It’s all very clever because even though I already have a Gold Rush medal for running the SoCal and Napa relays in 2011, I simply had to do it again! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for extra bling.

Plus, look at the pretty!

Getting a team together for Napa was no easy feat. Ragnar changed their website and it is ruining my life. I had the hardest time finding runners to fill our team. I had to search on Facebook by posting on the Ragnar page and the Napa page that the ninjas were in need! I was still searching for runners up until the week of the race, which has never happened during any of my races as Captain. Finally, Facebook and my new fella, Ian, came through in the end. A full team we did have.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Bringing a new, only recently declared, boyfriend along on a 200 mile relay might be the death of a budding relationship. But if you think about it, Ragnar is a huge indicator of character and/or the ability to follow a theme; two factors that are huge when I consider a prospective love interest. Besides, if we can survive Ragnar and not hate each other in the end, this thing might actually have a chance.

We’re cute.

So Ian, the new dreamboat, Amy, the RIPPED chick and climbing buddy, and myself all piled into the van for the eight hour drive up to San Francisco to meet the rest of our team. Some veteran ninjas were running, Josh, Crista, Dana, and Greg. Shanta’, Paul, Dru, Amy H., and Becca were our new ninjas.

The first time I ran the Napa course was the inaugural year. I was eager to check out the changes to the course. The biggest change was a new start line location. The race started at Golden Gate Park. Google severely mislead me to believe our drive time was about twenty minutes shorter than it actually was so after picking up Josh and Crista, we raced to the start. Normally, you’re supposed to be there an hour early to check in and get your stuff. Yeah, we were there just 15 minutes before our 7:30 AM start time! We rushed through the gear check and the safety meeting, and got Josh all pinned up seconds before he took off.

Runner 1 ready to take off!

I was in Van 2, so it was time for us to rest. Or rather, make ninja stars and play at the beach. I was runner 7 this time, which is, by far, the best running position. Not only do you get to start off the race for Van 2, but you’re the first one done! Instead of sitting around waiting anxiously for my turn, I knocked out my 4 miles out and was ready to play. A tagging I shall go!

This is how ninjas train.

These first legs were pretty enjoyable. We were all feeling pretty good and ready for real food by the time Amy K. passed on to Van 1. We traveled to the next major exchange in lovely Santa Rosa and decided to find a restaurant. We ended up eating at this cool pub and taking in some electrolyte recovery drinks.

Waiting for Crista!

Here she comes!

Finishing up my first leg.

And Ian finishing up his first Ragnar leg ever!

Normally, the night run is my favorite. However, about an hour before we were supposed to start running, it started to rain. And not just a nice, misty sprinkle, but a torrential downpour. I have horrible vision and neglected to procure any contact lenses before leaving for Ragnar. And I swear, Santa Rosa has the most poorly lit streets in the world. You can see where I’m going here, right? It’s like the perfect storm. I had to take my glasses off because they kept fogging up and my head lamp was illuminating nothing but the rain drops. All I could see was the streaks of light reflecting off the rain. I was running much slower than normal because I was afraid of slipping or running into something. I must have been over-focusing because after awhile, I noticed there weren’t any other runners in sight. And I hadn’t seen a Ragnar sign in about fifteen minutes. When I got to the end of the street and there were no directions as to where to go from there, it hit me…I was lost. At 2 AM. In the dark. In the rain. And I couldn’t see. This totally crushed my spirit. It was the first time ever I wanted to give up in the middle of a race.

Preparing for the rain!

I started walking toward this gas station on the corner, thinking I could ask for directions. I notified my team that I had indeed gotten lost and that I wouldn’t be arriving as planned. I pulled up the map on the Ragnar site, (Thankfully I had service! Yeah, smart phones!) kicking myself for not downloading the pictures earlier. I asked the cashier which way I had to go to get back to the course and he pointed me in the right direction. When I saw those blinking butt lights, I jumped for joy. Overall, I ran about a mile over the intended 6.6 mile leg. Which wouldn’t have so bad if there hadn’t have been a ginormous mile-long incline at the end. Which I mostly walked. By the time I handed off to Ian, I was cold, tired and cranky.

I don’t remember much more about the night runs because, with a gentle nudge by the crisis averting boyfriend, I curled up on a bench and passed out. This was also the first time I got a decent amount of sleep at a Ragnar! We didn’t have to run again until about 10 AM, so I was rested and ready to finish up my legs. It was still pouring down rain but Van 1 came in ahead of schedule.

Supporting our Runner!

My last leg was an easy peasy 3.1 miles on a beautiful trail along a river. The rain turned from downpour to a lovely light shower just as I started running. There wasn’t a one mile to go marker on this leg so when I neared the exchange, I was actually really bummed. I wanted to keep running! But my turn was over and now it was time to play!

Me and Amy playing in the grapevines.

The rest of my team finished up easily, running along the vineyards of Napa. It seemed like everyone turned on the speed and before I knew it, we were crossing the finish line. It was a Ragnar of firsts, the first time I got lost, the first time I actually slept, and the first Ragnar with a new beau. Who impressed the heck out me, I might add! This is the beauty of Ragnar, even though I’ve participated in this series a whopping 8 times, it never gets boring.

Double Medals!

N.W.A. Napa 2013

Guest Post: Life’s A Beach Triathlon

October 11, 2013 by beewhobabbles

This past Saturday I conquered my first triathlon! It was called the Life’s A Beach Triathlon and was held at Daytona Beach, Florida. Despite its laid back name, this race was anything but easy in my opinion. I figured it would be a good starter triathlon to see if I even liked the whole swim, bike, run thing. I have been doing the running thing for a few years now and made my marathon debut last January at Disney. After completing my first marathon I realized that distance was not my favorite. Honestly, it was so boring! After mile 18 I just wanted it to be over with. But after doing many types of races I now know what I like and what I don’t like. I like smaller, local races and ones where I am entertained. I love races with obstacles and funny themes. I run to have fun and be in shape and I am not out to prove anything to anyone. This race appealed to me in so many ways and I had been contemplating a triathlon for a while, so it was impossible to pass up.

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When I arrived at the race I went straight away to the transition area so I could set up my bike. I was there early so I was able to snag a spot on the end of one of the racks. In my transition area I had 2 small towels, running shoes and socks, shorts, shirt with bib number already attached, a bottle of water for washing my feet, sunglasses, headband and my helmet. I had practiced my transitions the night before. I set everything up in my living room and practiced the order in which everything would go on. This was extremely helpful and took a lot of anxiety away from race day.

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After everything was set up I headed to the marking tent where they take a sharpie marker and mark your body with your race number. My race number, 198, went on my upper left arm and the front of my left thigh. They also mark your age on your calf. Fantastic! Now everyone knows I am 33.

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With every race there is always a possibility of being injured. Since this race was located at the beach, we were told beforehand about the possible dangers of swimming in the ocean. The first one was sharks. Fun! This is why I signed up for the second wave for my start time. I figured the first wave of people would scare anything away in the ocean. Smart huh? The second was a flesh eating bacteria that was found in a river south of Daytona. I didn’t have any open wounds so I figured I was good there. I was also wearing swim goggles and had no intention of opening my mouth in the water. Yuck! The last danger was being stung by a jelly fish. Every time I think about jelly fish I think of the Friends episode where Monica gets stung and Chandler has to pee on her to make the sting go away. Out of all the threats I figured this one would be the most probable. There were jelly fish washed up on the beach all over the place, so I knew they were out there. So despite all these risks I charged on and was determined to complete my first triathlon.

Swim: This triathlon started off with an “anything goes” swim for 200 yards. People had all kinds of flotation devices out there…noodles, rafts, inflatables and fins for their feet. Personally I wanted to do the race without any aides. I practiced once a week at the pool swimming laps and am very comfortable in the water, so I didn’t feel the need to have any swim aides. I lined up with my wave on the beach and as soon as they sounded the alarm I was off into the water. The first thing I noticed was the temperature of the water was perfect. I was worried it was going to be on the cooler side but it wasn’t. I was about halfway done with my swim when I felt the sting. I was swimming parallel to the beach when a huge wave crashed right into me and I felt the stinging on the right side of my torso, back and arms. I could not believe it! I got stung by a jelly fish!! I knew immediately that’s what it was. I finished my swim strong and made my way to shore. After we got on shore we had to crawl under some nets and then head on to the transition area to get ready for the bike portion. Even though I got stung by the jelly fish I did not feel like I needed any medical attention so I just kept going. (Later on when I told my mom about this, she was not happy with me, but you know how moms are.)

The first transition, also known as T1, went very smoothly. I stood on my orange towel and used the bottle of water to wash all the sand off my feet. This was a tip I got from my friends that were also doing the race. They had done this race before but down in Sarasota, so they were able to give me some great tips. After washing my feet I slipped my socks on, then shorts, then shirt, running shoes and lastly, helmet and sunglasses. I then had to walk my bike down to the beach and as soon as I hit the sand I was off.

Bike: The bike portion of this race was a 5 mile ride IN THE SAND! Because of the sand they insisted we use a mountain bike instead of a road bike. This was another reason this race appealed to me. I already had a mountain bike so my equipment costs were minimal. It was 2.5 miles down the beach and 2.5 miles back. No training in the world could have prepared me for riding my bike in the sand. I tried to ride as close to the water where the sand was more compact and easier to ride on. A few times a wave got me and my shoes and socks where completely water logged. There were tons of jelly fish all over the beach so I made sure I ran over a few to get my revenge for the one that stung me. (Insert devilish laugh.) I just passed the water station and was on my way back when I realized I had my bike in 7th gear (the hardest gear my bike has)! I quickly changed it to 2nd gear and flew the rest of the way back to the transition area. At the end of the bike portion I saw my family cheering me on. They were waving, jumping up and down and screaming my name. It was awesome!

The transition from bike to run, also known as T2, was a little easier. I just had to ditch my bike and helmet in my spot and make my way to the start of the run course.

Run: The run portion of this event was a 2 mile run on the beach with obstacles. To start off we had to weave through some plastic flamingos. About a mile into the run it started raining. I honestly don’t know where the rain came from because it was a bright, sunny day at the beach. The rain felt amazing. It helped wash away the sand and salt water off of me. Next on the course were some tunnels we had to crawl through and last was jumping over lounge chairs. The course was two laps, so once you finished lap one you had to do it all over again.  After doing the two laps the only thing that stood in my way of the finish line were stairs, 2 hurdles and the limbo. That’s right…the limbo. This race certainly did have a sense of humor. I crossed the finished line with a time of 1:16:03 and proudly accepted my medal. Victory!

I DID IT! YAHOO!!! I conquered my first triathlon! I absolutely had a blast doing this race. It was fun and I liked switching between the different types of events. It kept me from getting bored and the time flew by. I think the next step is for me to find a used women’s road bike and work toward a sprint triathlon.

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P.S. If anyone is wondering how to treat a jelly fish sting, put an antibacterial ointment on it three times a day and it should heal in a few days. The only thing you really need to worry about is if the spots get infected. And for those of you who don’t know, here is what it looks like.

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Sara is a wife, mother, triathlete, etiquette expert, and creator of adorable tooth fairy pillows. You can find her at The Classy Crafter.

runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-miler

October 10, 2013 by vfreile

Saturday’s race was like none I’d tackled before.

For starters, we ran at night. We also tackled 10 miles in Florida’s heat and humidity.

But what really “made” the event? I ran, skipped and sashayed with Cinderella’s evil stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella.

That’s right! The zippy ladies bickered, hurled snide comments at Cinderella (and each other and some other runners) and chased each other, with me in tow. And they looked amazing!

Let me rewind. Last week, I headed to Walt Disney World for runDisney’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-miler.

I spent a few days in the parks with friends, visiting with our own Brooke and my dear friend Jen.

We headed to the race expo on Saturday, a self-inflicted move made in part to keep myself from spending too much money. (It worked!) There, I ran into pal Kelly, who runs Sparkle Athletic with several girlfriends. We started chatting, and before I knew it, I had agreed to run with Kelly. She assured me she wouldn’t be racing the 10-miler, which I greatly appreciated since the run fell the week between my two 20-milers in my training for NYC next month. (We won’t even delve into how crazy fast Kelly is…)

Fast forward to Saturday evening. I checked my bag, hit the port-o-lets and bid my friends and travel partners farewell. (They had all planned to race the event. So I took myself out if the mix as to not to be tempted to go too fast.)

The gang: Aaron, Jen, Ray and me

I entered my corral and quickly found my racing partners Kelly and Carrie. I’d love to give you a play-by-play of the run, but truth be told it was all a blur!

Fireworks signaled the start of the 11,000-person race, and scared the bejeezus out of me to boot. Our happy group set off, including the lovely Krissy (an Oiselle teammate) and Megan. We parted from Krissy quickly since she’s a speedy speedster.

I’d love to be able to share a detailed run down of all the quips, zings and silliness we encountered on our run, but the race went by in a flash!

We laughed, we ran and we laughed some more. We stopped for each and every character stationed along the 10-mile course, and yet the entire race flew by. I didn’t even look at my watch until our last mile through Hollywood Studios.

The gang’s all here, with villains from The Lion King.

“WHY ARE YOU SO FAST?” Drizella yelled to Anastasia around mile three. “What’s wrong with you and how did Cinderella trick us into this ball? It’s the worst. There aren’t any princes.”

Off with our (gulp) heads!

Posing with Megan and Jafar (pic from Megan)

As we ran, the stepsisters graciously adopted me as a third and hurled “insults” my way as well. Anastasia (Kelly) repeatedly yelled out my name as we ran and as she hit the pavement, searching for a prince. Drizella (Carrie) accused me of being a mouse-sympathizer (aka, one of Cinderella’s friends). They chased each other, screaming and “cheered” for others as we ran.

“Move it people! There’s a ball to get to!”

I unwittingly started a game of tag just after mile four. oof! We dragged other runners into the game, laughing all the while. We heckled our way through the trail area as we entered the Wide World of Sports complex. We were thrilled by the bounce of the complex’s track and were spooked by several ghosts who weren’t ready to let us leave after posing for a photo.

“This is the worst champagne ever!” Anastasia yelled after downing a cup of lemon-lime Powerade at one of many water stations along the course. She hurled the cup with gusto and stomped forward. “The water?! Is it from Figi?”

The stepsisters also repeatedly reminded volunteers and supporters to cheer for all the runners. And they certainly let crowds know when they weren’t living up to their duties.

Don’t mess with us

I can honestly say I’ve never had such a fun time running a road race. Carrie after the race said she couldn’t recall ever taking her race character so seriously before. She also giggled that they drew me into character as well.

Thank you, Kelly and Carrie, for an incredible run! I laughed so hard I nearly cried and I loved every moment, even in the crushing unseasonable Floridian heat. Can’t wait until my next runDisney event!

We did it!

Have you ever run a night race? Have you chased others, or heckled running partners, along a course? Do you know which villain I portrayed?

PR!

September 26, 2013 by vfreile

I’ve been chasing my best half-marathon time for nearly two years. Finally, last weekend I smashed through the barrier.

Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait.

I actually never intended to race the Rochester half marathon last weekend. I has planned to use the course as a 13-mile training run as I prepare to run the NYC Marathon in November.

But I couldn’t find my training partner at the start of Sunday morning’s race. I lost another in the crowd near the toilets. Fortunately, I ran into colleague and friend Ben, who had trained for six months to run his first-ever half marathon.

We agreed to at least to start the course together. I told him I’d drop back if I felt like I was pushing too hard.

That was my plan, anyway. But it never happened!

We set off at a decent clip. Our first mile was around a 9:15 minute pace. I assume our second was the same. I stopped looking at my watch for a few miles and just ran.

Ben and I chatted for much those first 5 miles – about his training, his family, my family, the supportive online running community and racing strategies. When I looked at my watch again, I saw we’d just finished our fifth mile at a 8:50 minute pace. And our sixth, seventh, AND eighth!

The miles were ticking by. We both felt fantastic!

We pushed each other along as we ran. Ben brought a handheld water bottle with him and I grabbed liquid at each water stop, took a swig and sprinted to catch Ben.

I sure didn’t want to let Ben down on his inaugural race, so I matched his pace. My lungs were clear, my legs felt strong. Onward!

Around mile 10, with a 5K to go, I realized that not only was I going to set a personal best time, we were on track to break the two-hour mark. This milestone was a long time coming for me, as I’d aimed for and missed it more than once over the last two years.

My dearest friends have witnessed this – more than once, my bid for a sub-2 half ended closer to the 2:05 or 2:10 mark because I started out too fast.

But not Sunday.

We zipped past runners along the river path. We enjoyed the view of Rochester’s skyline from the University of Rochester’s river campus. We cursed the slight ramp that led us up to the Ford Street bridge.

That last mile flew by. As we ran down South Plymouth Avenue, the wind pushed us backward. I grunted. Ben grinned.

“Let’s finish this thing,” he said to me as we approached Frontier Field. We stepped up our pace and sprinted in to the finish.

As we crossed, I could see the clock had a number that began with a “1.” Success!

Vic at the finish (photo by colleague Kris Murante)

I finished in 1:58:45 – my personal best half-marathon time by exactly FIVE minutes. That previous PR, set in October 2011 in Toronto, needed to come down.

Hey, if its going to happen…why not go big?

I wholeheartedly believe that Ben and I were meant to run together Sunday morning. We tripped into one another at the start. We fell into a steady pace easily and at times, ran in sync, our feet slapping the pavement in perfect rhythm.

Congratulations to us both! I can’t wait to see what our next race brings.

Perfect conditions at today’s @ROCMarathon! finally ran a sub-2 half & PRed by 5mins! @oiselle_team #oiselle pic.twitter.com/6ofDR0LRyy

— Victoria Freile (@vfreile) September 22, 2013

Everyone loves a PR! Tell me about yours in the comments!

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Category Archives: Race Recap