Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k 2012 race recap

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March 2013 brings many things including “springing ahead”, leprechauns, and egg hunts. However, the one that I’m looking forward to most is the kick-off to race season, and more specifically the 2013 Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k. If you’re from the NJ/PA area, you’ve probably heard of or participated in this race. It’s a favorite in the area; it’s USATF certified, has chipped timing and substantial cash prizes (not that I’m anywhere close to getting a cash prize, but I’ll admit that the awesome medal does have a certain draw!). This year’s race marks the 16th year of the race’s existence and the 8th that it’s been sponsored by the Haddonfield Running Company.

I’ll be there, as will Chick Vic, and in his running debut, my husband, along with more than 1,050 other runners.  This was one of my first of twelve races last year (ever, really) so I figured I’d share a bit about the 2012 event to get pumped up for THIS year’s race.

What? You don’t see me? That’s because I was nowhere near those people.  They were going for cash. I was going for not puking and the medal!

March 17, 2012 was a perfect day for a race. Low 60s, nice relaxed atmosphere. My friend (and coach) Brandi, her husband Sean (with their daughter in the running stroller) and I started out near the back of the pack and steadily gained speed for the first mile. According to my Garmin, we did that in ten minutes.

Which was super fast for me and comfortable for them. So after that mile, I waved them ahead and fell into a far more comfortable pace. The best part of this race was the nice downhill in the second mile, it breathed life into my legs (even though that was my slowest mile at 11:11). Of course, as the saying goes… what goes down must come up. Or wait, is the saying the other way around? In any event, just before we hit the third mile, there was a HILL.

Now, I don’t know about you all but I’m not what one would call… a fan of hills. In fact, at that point in my running career, I usually walked them. I started walking this one but I could see the clock at the top of the hill so I said, “Aw, f- it!” and ran up the hill.

The last part of the race was on the main street in the town, which is very Gilmore Girl’s Stars Hollow-esque. I’m always a fan of the last half a mile of a race because there’s just something very motivating about the fact that I can see the finish line. The knowledge that there are people cheering me on near the end and also that I’m nearly DONE is a strong draw. And since I always want to finish strong, I throw myself into it. It’s just a good feeling!

There I am, in the home stretch, smiling and waving in my Running Skirt!

My final time was 33:01, which was and IS my 5k race personal record (PR). I actually don’t run that many 5ks and the ones I’ve done since haven’t been the most ideal conditions.  I’m hoping that the March 16 race will offer me a chance to set a new PR.  The fastest woman last year finished in a bit over 17 minutes, which is impressive since I basically took twice as long.  The male winner finished in 14:51. That’s pretty speedy!

While I don’t have any delusions of finishing in that amount of time, I do have a plan on being able to PR.

What is that plan?  Well, quite simply, I’m going to chase Vic through the streets of Haddonfield.  She’s faster than me but she’s graciously offered to stay ahead of me so that I can use her as a carrot to my rabbit. I tend to “store my energy” in a 5k, since I’m used to longer races.  And really?  I don’t need to do that with 3.1 miles.  So with her help, I’m hoping to go full out and use up all the gas in my tank (without going out too fast either – something that I fear). While ten minute miles were a bit fast for me last year, I believe I can conquer them now.

So I’ll put my fast playlist on while Vic leads me on a footrace through town.  Maybe I’ll pretend she has chocolate!  MAYBE I’LL GIVE HER CHOCOLATE TO HOLD AS SHE RUNS! I would say ice cream but that doesn’t make much sense.

Picked up the race packets for Saturday! And new kicks, which I’ll share soon. ;)

Last year, my oldest son Pooks participated in the kid’s race.  He’s sitting the 2013 race out since Jay and I are both running. However, he’s joined the Track and Field team in our town so he’ll be having plenty of time to run.

1/4-mile race for the kids – such determination!  By the way, he got nervous when he saw some of the fast runners puking in the chute at the end of the 5k… he thought he was going to puke too.  Thankfully, there was no puking at the kid’s race.  At least, not that we saw.

A proud finisher!

As of yesterday afternoon there were less than 250 spots available so if you’re considering the Adrenaline 5k, now’s the time to sign up. And hey, if you see us there, come say hi!

We’ll be in reporting back in few weeks with our recap of the 2013 Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k, our Philadelphia Chocolate Tours trip and, of course, City Sports for our giveaway winners!  And, who knows, maybe I can talk Jay into sharing his first race experience!

Do you go into races with a strategy?  Does it involve chocolate, chasing, or promises of money?

Breaking the Fast

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It’s the most important meal of the day. Some people eat it on the go; others eat it for dinner. Heck, some people even eat it at Tiffany’s (bucket list!). Whether you are in the ‘can’t start the day without a good one’ camp, or your on the ‘hit the drive through if you have time’ side, breakfast is something all of us at Scoot-A-Doot have been talking about (mostly on Twitter where we are like ‘Hey, I’m eating…AGAIN!’)

We thought we’d share with you what our breakfasts look like. And hopefully, you’ll all be awesome and share with us what your breakfasts look like. We’ll beg for recipes. We have zero shame.

Vic

I’ll be honest, I’m not the best about getting a solid breakfast in my belly before work each day. Most days I pour myself two large travel mugs of coffee (don’t judge me) and run out the door to make it to work on time. I guzzle one cup in the car and the second cup shortly after arriving at my desk. I then eat a banana, or greek yogurt, depending on what I have in my pantry.

On weekends, when I have more time, I tend to make oatmeal (usually with bananas) or cereal. Sometimes I eat scrambled eggs. And lately, I’ve been turned onto protein banana berry smoothies, so they may soon take over my breakfast and afternoon snack spot as well.

Brooke

You guys, I love all the breakfast foods. Omelets (with spinach and feta), french toast, waffles with fruit and whipped cream, pancakes with butter and maple syrup, and always lots and lots of bacon. I love the entire breakfast experience- sipping coffee and reading the paper (or facebook), while savoring these amazing foods that were (hopefully) prepared by someone else. Sadly, those kinds of meals don’t happen often. (And usually, it’s breakfast at dinnertime.)

My daily breakfast is almost always some form of oatmeal. My go-to is plain cooked oats with a sprinkle of cinnamon, some chopped almonds, a handful of fruit and a splash of milk. Meri introduced me to whipped oatmeal, which is so much better than my boring hot cereal, but takes more time than I have right now. More dishes to wash too!

Since the little dude arrived, I’ve been eating instant oatmeal (gasp). My favorite is Three Sisters Dark Chocolate, because it is sweet, filling and it’s ready in two minutes. I eat my cereal while I’m nursing the babe, and shove some fruit in my mouth while I’m driving the girls to school. Not the most enjoyable breakfast, but it works for now. See why I save the pancakes and bacon for dinner?

Cam

Smoothies!  I heart fruit smoothies for breakfast.  I’m not a morning eater.  If fact, I’ve spent the majority of my life skipping breakfast.  Unless it’s a pastry.  But pastries aren’t “everyday” foods, or so I’ve been told.  Instead I go all natural and get my sweets from a fruit smoothie. I have very limited time in the morning and blending up a smoothie takes less time than toasting a bagel or driving through one of those heart attack factories.  My recipe for deliciousness goes something like this:

Kefir yogurt drink.  Usually vanilla, sometimes strawberry if I’m feeling spunky.
Frozen mixed berries, either fresh that I’ve frozen or bagged.
A frozen banana. I put them in the freezer when they start to go brown.  I’m not a fan of ripe bananas.
One scoop of protein powder.  This can be tricky.  Finding a protein powder that you like can be a chore, but once you find a brand that floats your boat, you should stick with it.
Whole Flax seed, because I like the texture that it contributes.  Plus, it’s good for your bowels.

I usually just eyeball the proportions and toss in a blender.  If the mixture seems too thick, I add some water to loosen things up.  My kids love it and we can drink it in the car.  It’s my favorite breakfast on the go!

Meri

Jess and I were talking about BBQ food the other day and I said something to the effect of wanting it, just not at 8:49 in the morning (when we were emailing).  Because while BBQ is delicious, it just doesn’t lend itself well to being eaten in the morning.  However, breakfast?  You can eat that all day long.

And I would.

Smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, omelets, scones, fruit, and BACON.  Yes, bacon.  I eat it occasionally.  And I love it.

Bring on the breakfast, brunch, brinner!

Jess

My idea of cooking is picking up the phone and dialing. I have zero skills in the kitchen, which is why I love breakfast so much. So many super delicious, ready-made options, and healthy ones at that. Look, Ma, I’m eating fruit!

My typical breakfast these days is a couple Nutri-Grain waffles (a little syrup in each square, thank you very much), a banana, and a tall glass of OJ. Get that all prepared – so easy, even a cooking-challenged lady like myself can do it – and then I shovel it all in my mouth before the baby wakes up from his nap. It’s simple, yummy and keeps my stomach full until second breakfast rolls around.

Bec

I am seriously a breakfast fiend. Most days it’s a healthy day smoothie (my absolute favorite is a Peach Pie Smoothie with chia seeds – frozen organic peaches, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, chia seeds, sprinkle of cinnamon, sprinkle of nutmeg, blend, YUM. I’m with Cam, I don’t measure, just throw in there what you think will make the amount you want). But I love a big Sunday brunch with eggs and bacon and potatoes and EVERYTHING. I just love breakfast.

Love.

In the winter, I’m big on oatmeal or a bowl of cooked grains (barley, quinoa) with almond milk and fruit. Now that the weather is turning warmer (I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER ABOUT THIS), I’ll be doing overnight refrigerator oats. If you haven’t tried these, I can not recommend them highly enough. Easy, make ahead, versatile, healthy and crazy good.

Also, I have recently redeveloped a love of Poached Eggs on toast. It’s so simple, full of protein and fiber, and tasty (even without the Canadian bacon and hollandaise).

Also, bacon. As often as I can get away with.

So, this is what we eat. If you want recipes for anything we mentioned, just let us know. We’re good sharers. And if you’re a good sharer and want to inundate us with recipes and ideas, we’ll be forever grateful.

Now, who wants to make me a cup o’ Joe?

Blog Kick-off Giveaway!

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Raise your hand if you like the chance to win free things!

Okay, good!  Now that we’ve got that sorted…

We are so excited about the start of this blog that we decided that we needed to do something for the people who are checking it out right off the bat! (That’s you, if you’re reading this!) Therefore, we’ve got not one, not two, but THREE chances for you to win a City Sports t-shirt. Up for grabs is one Boston shirt and two Philadelphia shirts.  They are super comfy and they’ve become sort of our uniform when we’re just hanging around.

You need pictures, don’t you?

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Vic, hanging out on her porch, drinking a beer.  In her City Sports shirt.

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Meri, in her City Sports Philly shirt, hanging out on top of Runyon Canyon.

We tend to go with the men’s cut shirts but there are also women’s cut available and we’ll gladly pick one of those up for you, if you’d rather!  We’ll sort out the details once the winners are selected. Bec is our MA representative and will hand pick the Boston shirt, while Vic and Mer will be heading into Philly… JUST FOR YOU (and a chocolate tour!).

So what do you need to do?  It’s easy!  Click on that link below that leads to Rafflecopter and our spiffy sign up form.

Supremely awesome Scoot a Doot blog kick-off Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway runs from March 5th, 2013 – March 11, 2013 at 11:59pm EST.  You can return each day to gain more entries through tweets and Facebook posts. If you win, you provide the size (by 3/15/13), we get to choose the color and which city you’ll be receiving. This contest is not sponsored by or associated with City Sports (we just like them a lot).

Also, do you like our new look?  Our graphic designer, Sara, created it especially for us!  We feel very grown up now!

When a Race Goes Horribly Wrong

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The Pittsburgh Marathon was meant to be MY race.

But little went as planned on May 6.

I trained long and hard last spring for my third marathon. I dodged snow plows, braved whipping winds on frigid, single-digit days and completed two 20-milers, one at a 9:40 minute/mile pace, my best yet. I actually paid attention to my diet and adjusted accordingly. I was ready to race.

But on race day, instead of celebrating a 26.2-mile journey, I was weeping in the shower.

I know it sounds bonkers, crying over exercise. But that’s how it panned out.

I headed to Pittsburgh the day before the race with two good friends, including my trusty running partner Gary. Early May in Pittsburgh was unseasonably hot, we realized as we walked to the expo from our downtown hotel. We took this as a sign to hydrate even more.

The highs reached into the 80s both days we were in the Steel City. It was sunny and humid, without a cloud in the sky.

I woke up race morning feeling fresh and ready to run. I ate, dressed and headed to the lobby with my running partners Gary and Audra.

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We bid our loved ones farewell and walked to the starting line.

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It was go time. I was antsy before we started running, but attributed to nerves.

There were other signs, however, that it was not my day.

Clue number 1: It was warm at 6 a.m.

Yep, it was hot and humid before we even started. Weather Service stats place the temp around 75 before we even hit the pavement. I struggle with speed in warmer weather. We should have adjusted our planned race pace to reflect the day’s forecast. But we were excited and knew we were well-prepared.

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Clue number 2: I felt like crap at mile 5.

I figured my energy would kick in several miles down the road. Some days I’m just not feeling it until I’ve logged a few miles. I just hoped the boost wasn’t too far off. Unfortunately, it never came.

Clue number 3: I stopped talking.

I’m typically a Chatty Cathy when running with my pals. I stopped contributing to the conversation shortly after mile 6.

“I knew something was off when you went quiet,” Gary said later.  “It’s not like you to be quiet for so long.” No offense, he added.

Gary and Audra kept asking if I was ok, I grunted affirmative answers. Audra checked if I wanted to walk and I declined. But I should’ve listened to her suggestion. There’s absolutely no shame in walking and it really may have made a difference.

Clue number 4: I couldn’t get enough water.

I grabbed multiple glasses of water at several hydration stations, dumping most in my mouth but some on my head. Gary handed me a drenched bandana to cool me down somewhere around mile 8.

Clue number 5: Things started turning purple.

That’s when I really started to take notice that something was wrong.

I’ve been overcome by the heat on training runs before and know that when start to see colors it’s time to listen to my body. That’s when I called it. This marathon wasn’t happening for me.

“Guys,” I grunted shortly before mile 10 and the turnoff for the half-marathon course. “I need to cut it at the half. I might make it 5 more miles but another 16 just isn’t happening.”

It killed me to say it. But I knew it was the right call. I knew if I dropped, they’d stop too. The last thing I wanted was to take my running partners down with me.

“You do what you have to do,” Audra assured me. “It’s ok.”

Moments later, we reached the split, I turned left with the half-marathoners and walked across a bridge that spanned the Monongahela River. Marathoners were running across the westbound lanes, and I veered toward the concrete barrier, prepared to climb over the wall, find my friends and to return to my rightful place in the race.

I stopped and shook my head. I couldn’t even run across the bridge, let alone another 16 miles.

I burst into tears.

I walked a half-mile or so before I started running again. I wanted to throttle anyone kind enough to cheer me on, assuring me I was running well and almost done. I wish.

Those last few miles were rough, I walked then ran and walked again. I finally saw the finish line and headed there as fast as possible. I grabbed a bottle of water and drained it.

A volunteer handed me a medal. I tried to dodge it, but it was plunked around my neck despite my protests. It was the least of my problems.

I made my way over to the family reunion area, where I fortunately located Gary’s wonderful family, who were surprised to see me, but took care of me nonetheless.

Two hours later, I was thrilled to see Gary and Audra finish the race, but teared up since I wasn’t with them.

Some runners tell me I need several factors to align on marathon day. I had trained properly – check. But the weather was not favorable. It was a good 25 degrees warmer than what I’d hoped for.

I should have heeded the warnings. There were so many things I could’ve done differently that may have allowed me to at least complete the race

But I didn’t. Life’s full of lessons, isn’t it?

Since May, I’ve completed two more marathons and am planning to run another in the fall. Can’t keep this runner down.

Have you ever had a race not go as planned? 

Couch to Carbs

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And so it begins…

C25K, Week 1, Day 1

Time 30 Minutes, Distance 1.30 miles, Pace 23:05

Sunday mornings in New England have recently been a complete snowfest. If you don’t live in a snowy area, you should know it makes a handy dandy excuse for not doing what you’re supposed to do. On Saturday, the forecast was calling for overnight snowfall. Yet, when I awoke Sunday morning, the roads were clear and my car did not resemble a small, white ski slope.

My reaction? ‘Quick, find another excuse!’

The original plan had been to get my run in while my daughter was volunteering for Special Olympics (9:00 AM). This made sense, since it’s AT MY GYM. BUT… I needed to get a few things at the store and I desperately needed a Starbucks Vanilla Blonde and I needed a few minutes to sit in my car and play Ruzzle (i.e. lose at Ruzzle). So, I moved running to the afternoon, while my son was at swimming lessons (1:00 PM).

This was fine, and equally convenient, since swimming lessons are also at my gym. SCORE. Did my errands, brought my daughter home, picked my son up from his sleepover. He said he had an upset stomach and I could see the beginnings of a cold. No matter, I’d go a bit later after I did my grocery pick-up (between 2:00-3:00 PM). Score.

My husband and daughter had an errand to run, so I was going to bring my son with me to the gym (to read in the ‘chill out, kids’ area). But his cold kept getting worse, so scratch that, I’d start dinner and then head to the gym once my husband was home (somewhere between 4:00-5:00). Score?

Dinner started, everyone’s home, I’m dressed in running clothes (which feelsl odd, since it’s been so long) and I head out the door to find… it’s snowing. Of course it is.

And that was when it hit me. I’d procrastinated this all day because I was nervous. Now, it was my last chance for the day and New England had handed me the perfect excuse. It was snowing! I couldn’t be expected to risk my life just to get this run in, could I? It was already after 5:00, and getting dark fast, and…and…and…

Screw that.

It was barely snowing, and even as nervous as I was, this was a commitment I made and some part of me knew that if I took this one excuse, I’d find a million others the next time.

Fast forward one hour and I left the gym. Sweaty, disgusting, already a little achy, and pleased as punch. My pace was worse than ever and I smelled like a camel, but I did it. Couch to 5K, Week 1, Day 1 was in the bag.

SCORE!!!

C25K, Week 1, Day 2
Time 30 Minutes 26 Seconds, Distance 1.50, Pace 20:17

Lawd, I did not want to run Tuesday. Like, at all. Nor did I want to stick to South Beach. Lots going on and emotions at an all time high made me want to dive headlong into a container of ice cream and my couch cushions.

I was trolling Twitter, which is always a good place to find excuses. Instead, I found this post by Holly, a woman who has lost over 200 pounds and just ran her first 5K.

You guys, I was SO inspired.

I read a few more posts, crying more than once, and continued to feel more and more inspired as I read. Holly’s story is amazing.

Then, I did something I’ve never done before. I sent off an email to a perfect stranger. Because I wanted Holly to know that not only had her story touched me so deeply, but that it had made it easy to make the choice I needed to make. (She answered too! Such a sweetheart!)

I hit send and headed to the gym. Because, as I said in my email, food wasn’t going to make this bad day better and exercise wasn’t going to make it worse.

It was a good run. A damn good run, for me, for Week 1 Day 2. I let my natural inclination to push a little more take over, increasing both my run and walk speeds.

And it felt…good. Really good. I remembered that running does something for me, something other than making me stronger and fitter. It makes me a little saner. That mindless focus on propelling my own body forward gives me a much needed break from the constant THINKING I do the other 23.5 hours a day (yes, even when I sleep).

Some days, I’m not going to make that choice. Some days, I’m going to opt for the oh-so-alluring ice cream/couch combo. Some days, I’m going to let the emotional rollercoaster plummet me into a black hole of blankets and a bag of Cheetos.

And some days, I’m going to say screw it all and just run.

C25K, Week 1 Day 3
Time 30 minutes, Distance 1.38 miles, Pace 21:44

And some days, it’s just a run. No magic, no epiphanies. It’s just a run. And that’s okay.

Tell me about your first C25K week?? Pretty please?

In non-running news, my relationship with South Beach Diet has proven, once again, to be a three night stand as opposed to a lifetime love affair. Not really shocking. I did make some amazing recipes (Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai, White Chicken Chili) that I will add to my healthy meals arsenal.

Here’s the thing. I like carbs. Not just the horrible, bad-for-me, empty carbs, but the good, healthy, complex carbs too. Can I handle a meal without carbs? Sure. And I do, regularly. Can I handle weeks or months without carbs?

No. No I can’t. Nor do I want to.

So new plan this week. I’ve got so much going on at home and the next few weeks are going to be more emotionally draining than any I’ve had; I think I’m going to employ some ‘do what you can’ mentality. I don’t have to be perfect, I don’t have to make the best choice every second. I just need to do what I can and let that be enough.

Or, I’ll start doing Weight Watchers again because it’s my default. I just know that eventually I’m going to show up at a meeting and confetti is going to rain from the sky when they say “Bec, you have signed up for Weight Watchers more times than anyone on Earth” and then they will hand me a free toaster.

And I will use it to make toast. With carbs. Because I can.

See you guys next week!

Running with legends at RunDisney’s 2013 WDW Marathon Meetup

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In January, I was lucky enough to be selected to attend RunDisney‘s Walt Disney World Marathon Meetup, held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios the Friday morning of Marathon weekend.

A friend dropped me at the park’s front gates shortly before we were asked to arrive for a 3-mile run around the theme park. After we were greeted and changed into white 20th anniversary RunDisney T-shirts, three members of the original Disney gang passed through the gates – Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

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A group of 100 or so extremely excited runners lined up to pose for pics. And while in line, I made an awesome new friend, Amanda. She and I together raced Goofy (he won) and chatted as if we’ve know each other for years, not minutes (love ya girl!)

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Goofy won!

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Racing Donald Duck!

Soon, we were greeted by a slew of running heroes – Joan Benoit Samuelson, the first female Olympic marathon winner in 1984; Jeff Galloway, former Olympian and master of the run-walk marathon method; distance runner Des Davila; Bart Yasso, Runner’s World’s chief running officer; running legend Bill Rodgers. Dick Beardsley, a TV and sports personality; and Adriano Bastos– now the 8-time winner of the Disney Marathon.

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Being in such company was a bit overwhelming to say the least.

We were split into two groups:

–          9-minute milers with Des Davila, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Adriano Bastos

–          12-minute run/walk group led by Jeff Galloway, Bart Yasso, Dick Beardsley and Bill Rodgers

I had planned to try to the run-walk group, but when I realized I’d have the chance to run alongside some of my running heroes, I jumped at the chance. I knew I may never have that opportunity again.

Soon, we were off! I fell into step next to Des Davila and we chatted as we ran – about past races, favorite marathons, injuries and life. It was so nice to chat with her and run with her and she was so down-to-earth and lovely.

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Des running down the main drag at Hollywood Studios

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shooting while running

I fell off pace midway through the run – I later learned we were running 8min/miles and I AM NOT that speedy!

We paused in the middle for a photo op:

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Can you see me? Des and Joan are also in this pic. Also in the pic are new friends I made at the meetup, Kelly and identical twins Malinda and Leah.

And while there, I asked Joan if she would be willing to take a photo. She agreed.

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Pic by Des Davila!

As for the run itself, we ran around the park, in between rides, and into the back lot area, past a whole slew of props, including through the studios tunnel, which is part of the back lot tour. Because we ran before the park opened, it was empty and quiet, which was a bit eerie since Disney parks are always packed.

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This is one of my fave pics from the meetup and is of Des and others running past the old MMC soundstage. I couldn’t resist.

We ended our run at an outdoor venue where the Lights, Motor, Action stunt show is held. They fed and watered us and soon we sat down to hear what the experts had to say. They offered great tips on wellness, strategies for the weekend races, the importance of listening to your body and more. They also all decided Des would win any footrace held today.

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Photo: RunDisney, the panel discussion, that’s Galloway on the left

A few more stars popped by to say hello.

Former NFL player Eddie Mason spoke about the importance of having a strong core (hello kettlebells!).

N’SYNC’s Joey Fatone told us how he signed up for a 5k race, then offered to run Goofy Challenge in place of his wife, who broke her foot.

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Ladies and gentlemen, meet Joe

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Photo: Courtesy RunDisney. I just asked Joey why he likes to run, Joey’s answering. Can you see me? haha

Comedian Drew Carey, who is injured so opted not to run, told us about why he charged his lifestyle –“I started running to be healthier, see my kids grow up.” Amidst what seemed to be a standup show, he also offered some very valued Price is Right advice: Let the Plinko chip fall from the middle of the board.

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 Drew Carey with RunDisney’s Bob Hitchcock right behind him!

After the chat and some giveaways (fantastic Disney-themed New Balance sneakers, RunDisney  bags and entry into next year’s marathon) we had the chance to chat with and meet some of the speakers.

Here are a few more pics from the event:

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With Des after our run

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From left, Bart Yasso, me, Dick Beardsley and my friend Jenn Lazzaro

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Yup- me and Joey, He’s super nice.

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Adriano Bastos shows me his Mickey tattoos. He has one for each Disney marathon win. Guess he will soon be getting another!

It was an incredible experience and am so thankful for RunDisney for the opportunity to attend. I made some incredible new friends and reconnected with another. Thank you!

Brawn over Braaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinsssss

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It’s the beginning of a new year, which means it’s time to plan my runcations for 2013!  It’s such a trying task, figuring out which new races I want to try and which of my old favorites I’m going to repeat, and keeping them all within my race budget.  There’s so many choices!  I’m packing my schedule with lots of new blood, but there’s one race I absolutely must do again.  Apparently being chased up a zombie infested hill, sliding into a pool filled with body parts and then shimmying under an electric fence is my cup of tea.

Last October, I participated in the Run for Your Lives Zombie 5k and obstacle course in Temecula, CA.  I couldn’t pass up the chance to participate in a real life zombie survival drill.  How else could I test my apocalyptic survival tactics?  I mean, sure, I’ve obliterated hundreds of zombies in simulation via Left 4 Dead, but how could I know for sure if what I’ve learned from The Walking Dead and World War Z could be put to use in a real zombie apocalypse scenario?  Plus, they promised beer at the finish.  Um, sold!

I signed up to run with the 10 am wave with my neighbors and fellow zombie enthusiasts, Sharon and Justin.  My sister, her husband and cousin also registered to race later that afternoon.  We got there nice and early, decked out in our warrior gear, and we were greeted instantly by a welcoming committee.

Meet my new friend.

Meet my new friend.

Gurl, your calves are lookin' good!

Gurl, your calves are lookin’ good!

After we checked in and got our goodies, we set about putting on our flags.  Each runner wears a belt with 3 red flags attached to it.  At the end of the race, if you still have a flag, you live.  If you don’t, you die and are consumed by ravenous flesh eaters.  Easy enough?  I was determined to survive.  Mainly, because I’m addicted to medals and I was deathly afraid I wouldn’t get a medal if I didn’t live through the race.  We were herded past the decontamination zone aka Vail Lake and into dark, smoke-filled corrals labeled  “Appetizers”, “Main Course”, and “Dessert”.  We chose Dessert, obviously.

The course started with an uneven, uphill dirt path that was far more brutal than I expected.  At the very top of the hill, we encountered our first zombies.  I expected lumbering and lunging but I did not expect speed demons!  Yep, these zombies were chasers.  I found this highly irritating and completely contradictory to my knowledge of zombie lore.  I had my first flag snagged by a zombie that was far more athletic than I was.

My sister and brother-in-law. They’re standing in front of the initial climb aka the hill from hell pre-race.

Eventually, we discovered that if we traveled in packs and pushed our flags to the back, we were less likely to get singled out.  It was almost as if the zombies went after runners who still had all their flags, or the runners who were trying really hard to evade the zombies.  At one point, due to some fancy footwork and nimble maneuvering on my part, a zombie who was chasing me fell.  I thought he’d just fall back into his post and wait for the next onslaught of runners.  No such luck.  He chased me down for a good five minutes before eventually snagging my second flag.  I was shocked and dismayed.  Zombies don’t have vendettas!

In addition to mudpits, zombies fields, and dusty hills, there were two buildings that we had to climb through.   The first wasn’t so bad, it was smokey and dark and riddled with electrical wires.  If you stuck to the sides, you could make it through unscathed.  The second building was a maze.  A zombie infested maze.  Zombies hanging from the ceiling, reaching through walls, and stumbling around corners.   It was terrifying.

Yolo...Unless you're a zombie.

Yolo…Unless you’re a zombie.

I didn’t lose any flags in the house, yet by the time I got out and over the four foot walls, I was exhausted.  The next part of the race was a field of moguls laced with hordes of zombies.  One zombie was offering hugs and you know what, I took one damnit, and I gave that sweet little zombie my last flag.  At that point, I just wanted to be dead and done and run the rest of the race in peace.  I learned a lot about my survival instincts that day.  And it wasn’t impressive.  In fact, I’ve revised my zombie apocalypse plan from “hunt and peck” to “hide and wait”.

Interestingly, when you’re out of flags, the zombies ignore you, but I was still worried about getting that medal at the end.  So I found a nice zombie priest who was ‘saving’ runners and he granted me a pity flag.  Which I promptly rolled up and put in my bra.  Because that’s how far I will go to get a medal.  Shame… I have none.

Turns out, it didn’t matter, though. After bruising my shins and thighs climbing splintered walls, sliding into a pool filled with floating chunks of flesh and crawling on my belly under an electrical fence that did indeed deliver shocks, I crossed the finish line.  While there were two corrals, one for survivors and one for the dead, everyone got the same medals.  And because I definitely wasn’t racing for a time, it made no difference if I lived or died.  I finished and that was awesome enough for me.

That's the decontamination bath behind me.

That’s the decontamination bath behind me.

So awesome, if fact, I did the whole race again with my sister, Sarah, her husband, Shawn, and our friend Amy.

The second time, I started without flags.  I was mainly along for the ride.  Or as bait.  I ran ahead to distract the zombies so the living could get past.  It worked like a charm.  And the best part was searching the course for beer coupons that had been torn from bibs.  A word to the wise… tear those coupons off before you belly crawl through the mud!

After finishing the second race, we rinsed off in the lake and changed into dry clothes.  By this time, the beer garden was hopping and a band was performing on the stage.  We collected our swag, a pretty nifty tech tee, stickers and a thumb drive in the shape of, you guessed it, an actual severed thumb.  Best race swag ever!

Yes, that’s a severed thumb drive.

Something we didn’t know ahead of time but I thought was pretty cool is that you could camp at the race site afterward.  A ton of people were dragging in their tents and ice chests to party after the race.

Beer is better than brains.

This year the race in SoCal is at Glen Helen and I’m planning on camping at the site after the race.  Runners also have the option to be zombies. In previous years, you had to run the race the year prior in order to be a zombie but now you can register as a zombie and run the race on the same day.  That’s a pretty sweet deal.  You can also register to just be a spectator or volunteer.  All in all, this was one of the funnest, most terrifying and challenging races I’ve done.  It was anxiety-provoking and fear-inducing, just like a good zombie apocalypse should be.

Are you ready for the walkers?  Would you survive the outbreak?  There’s only one way to find out.

Use coupon code RFYL13 for $5 off any 2013 Run For Your Lives Zombie Run registration. And remember, tear those beer coupons off before crawling.

Too sick to run

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A nasty virus is going around and of course, late last week it interrupted my life.

I started feeling a bit under the weather Friday and by Sunday afternoon I felt like death.

A hacking, uncontrollable cough led to my lungs feeling ablaze. I think I actually got an incredible ab workout with my coughing fits. I’ll spare you the nasty details, but oof. I haven’t felt that awful in a long time.

All plans, including race training, went out the window.

Lots of herbal tea, water and vitamin D3 was consumed. And now that I’m starting to feel better, I’m wondering when I can hit the road.

I am training for two half-marathons in April and want to get back on track as soon as possible. My last run was Thursday – a zippy four-miler that felt fantastic. I skipped my long run last weekend, hoping I’d feel better and be able to tackle it early this week.

That obviously didn’t happen as I’d hoped.

So my plan? Wait until Saturday. While I don’t particularly want to take a week off of running, I know it’s the right call to let my body mend before exerting more energy.

So we’ll see how I feel this weekend. I’d like to get at least 6 or 7 miles in. But I have to listen to my body first.

How do you adjust your training plans following an illness?

2012 Atlantic City April Fool’s 1/2 Marathon (and 7k!)

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Being born on April Fool’s day has a few disadvantages.  There’s always the same tired jokes. And there was that time in high school when my friends decided to each bring me Mylar balloons so that by the end of the day, I had about 20 balloons with which I was knocking people down in the hallways.

But then I met my husband in college; one of the first conversations we ever had was about birthdays.  And that’s because we share the same one! Being born on April Fool’s day was looking up.

Another cool fact about being born on April Fool’s day is that there are actually RACES that revolve around the fact that it’s April Fool’s day.  Let’s all get crazy and run on April Fool’s day!

Last year, I ran the inaugural Atlantic City Marathon series half marathon on my 35th birthday with fellow Scoot a Doot chick, Cam. I was obviously the seasoned half marathon runner with preciously ONE half marathon under my belt. Chick Bec was signed up to do the 7k and there was an 11k on the same day as well. This recap was written after the race on my personal blog but I’ve freshened it up to share on Scoot a Doot.

We arrived in Atlantic City the afternoon prior to the race.  My house is less than a hour away from AC but we decided to relieve some stress and get a room at one of the hotels associated with the race. There was no expo for this race but the packet pick-up was quick and easy.

Cam and Bec showing off their numbers!

We raced over to the Tropicana (where we were staying) from Bally’s (host hotel) to check in and get ready for our carb loading dinner… only to find out at the front desk that the “only room they had with two beds was a smoking room.”  That wasn’t going to fly and after sorting that out, we wound up in a large two bedroom suite, which was greatly appreciated.

Shuffling the rooms took a lot longer than anticipated but once we got situated, we went to Carmine’s for our carb loading!

(This is when we were able to breathe again at a normal rate.)  (I think the bread basket in front of us helped immensely.)

We had a delicious dinner and then made our way back up to the suite where Bec took a bath in this amazingly huge tub and Cam and I decorated our One More Mile race shirts for the next day.  Already we could tell that we wouldn’t be sleeping much because our neighbors were pretty rowdy.  We had WOO GIRLS on one side and the Bruce Springsteen fan club on the other.  I wish I were joking but alas… we were serenaded at 4:40 in the morning with a very repetitive rendition of Born in the USA.  At that point there was really nothing to do but laugh.

Despite the non-sleeping, we were up at 5:20 to get ready for the race.  Cam did a kick-ass Katniss braid in my hair and they both sang Happy Birthday to me, with bits of Born in the USA thrown in for good measure.  It was very lovely.

We drove to Bally’s (since we wouldn’t have time to check out after the race) and wandered around a bit before the race.  Met an interesting, still-drunk-from-the-previous-night guy who dubbed us “running nerds” – which was pretty awesome.

Saw a great sunrise over the water and just tried to calm nerves.

Look at these nerds!

I told Cam that I would stick with her and go at her pace throughout the entire race, take pictures, and just have a good time with it.  The race coordinators said they’d gotten a lot of calls about not being able to get to the site by 8am so they were pushing back the start to 8:15.  Honestly, it might have annoyed some but it really didn’t phase us one bit.  More time to dance and be silly.

There were close to 2,000 people running the 7k, 11k, and half marathon with about half of those doing 13.1 miles.  There were no corrals or placements to start, just the start line and the open boardwalk ahead of us.

The race was on the boardwalk for about 3.5 miles, then turned onto the streets of nearby cities.  It was an out and back and honestly, running on the boards was much more forgiving than running on the asphalt.  Being that we don’t get to run on the boards regularly, it wasn’t something we went into the race knowing but something we looked forward to once we got back on the boardwalk.

Throughout the race I would run ahead of Cam and then turn back to take pictures of her coming up, like a rock star!  She had her very own paparazzi.

When we discussed the night before what Cam was hoping to achieve from this half, her goal was simple – TO FINISH.  She didn’t have a specific time goal in mind and she just wanted to run and run HAPPY.  And I could fully support this mindset!

So of course, we stopped for pictures along the way.

The first five miles were happy and feeling good.  The asphalt was sort of a bummer on the legs but not on the spirit.  There were bands and radio stations throughout the entire course and lots of great scenery to look at.

There were eight hydration stations along the route – four in total that we hit there and back.  The turn around was a bit past mile 7 and around that time I called my husband just to check in and see how his birthday was treating HIM.  Yeah, I was THAT GIRL on the cell phone while running. I think I get a pass because it was my birthday.  Right?  Maybe?

SO VERY GORGEOUS, right?

Around mile 10, Cam started telling me that she was ready to be finished.  And I told her that was fine, she’d be done in about… forty minutes or so.  She really loved me then.

And then?  Around mile 12 we found DEATH.

And that made Cam EXTREMELY happy.

At about 12.75, I bid Cam adieu and sprinted the rest of the way so that I could get a picture of her crossing the finish line and earning her first 13.1 medal!

Bec took this one of me coming through the end.

AND HERE COMES CAM!!!

My girls were both VERY HAPPY! (Cam swore she needed to get in the Atlantic Ocean.  Bec and I, both east coasters, opted out.)

Bec texted me when she finished her 7k and then I kept her posted throughout the rest of the half and let her know when we’d be coming through.  She got to rest and people watch while we finished up.

Our MEDALS!

All in all, a great race.  It felt really good the entire time and it was so much fun.  If I do another race in AC, I’ll probably opt to stay at my house and just drive there super early in the morning because I didn’t sleep a wink the night before.  But really, since I wasn’t pushing myself or going for a specific time, that didn’t hinder us a whole lot.

It was the perfect way to spend my 35th birthday!

Updated to add: I’ll be running this race again on April 7th, 2013!  There are still spots available so if you’re interested, make sure you check out AC Marathon series and sign up because the price goes up in a couple of days.  And, of course, I’m going to have to eat my words because I will be spending the night down in AC again. The host hotel this year is Revel, which was just built in 2012.  Looking forward to continuing my April Fool’s half marathon streak and sharing my experiences with you.

Couch to 40

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Saturday mornings are my happy place. My husband is off at work (hug your mailman!), my teenage daughter is sound asleep and my ten year old son is watching something that makes me ponder if wine can be considered a breakfast food. Even that cats are napping. All of this adds up to me having a little bit of what every mom I know craves.

Quiet time.

Saturday mornings are when I prep for the upcoming week, do laundry, grocery shop (online – Peapod pick-up, you are my life now), and get mentally ready for what’s to come. And now, I’m adding something back into the mix.

Blogging! And talking to you guys! *pats lap* *passes out cups of coffee*

Last year, I was going to Weight Watchers on Saturday mornings, and after my meetings, I would come home and blog on my personal health blog (insert shameless plug – http://undertwoby40.wordpress.com/). Weight watchers has long since been abandoned, but when Meri asked me to be part of Scoot a Doot, I was hit by just how much I’ve been missing the opportunity to pour my thoughts into a blog post and clear the clutter in my head.

So, here we are!

And what will this Saturday morning posts consist of, you might ask?

EVERYTHING!

Okay, well not everything, but lots of things. Couch to 5K, first and foremost. And cooking (South Beach Diet friendly, at least until I tire of that). And Zumba. And what it’s like to be a healthy person trapped in a morbidly obese body. And my overall plan for the next 650 days.

Wanna get started? Let’s do it!

Couch to 5K – If you’ve never heard of Couch to 5K, it is a training program intended to get you ready to run a 5K in 9 weeks, even if you’re currently a couch potato (which I am, once again). You start out slow, running a minute at a stretch and then walking in between the runs. I almost said ‘running only a minute’ but if you’re fairly sedentary, running for a minute is no joke. When I first started C25K last year, I couldn’t run a minute. I had to start at running 30 seconds and work my way up. But that’s kind of the best part of the program. You make it your own. So whatever you can do, you do. And you push yourself, but not the point of injury. It’s a fantastic way to build up your endurance and show you just how much you are capable of.

I’m starting again tomorrow. Last year’s efforts were met with success, and then success met with me, and the end result was…not what I had hoped. But I did get things out of that experience. I found out that I can run, and that I actually enjoy it. I found out that I prefer running outside, unless it’s disgustingly hot and humid. I found out that when I stopped running, I missed it. So, for at least the next nine weeks, I’ll be doing a weekly recap. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday are my running days, and I’ll be throwing in a couple Zumba classes during the week.

FOOD – I’m such a foodie. I really do love food. Good-for-me food, bad-for-me food, you name it. I love to cook, especially for other people, and I have a collection of cookbooks that could land me on Hoarders in a hot second. I’ve tried a lot of diets, and I tend to get bored rather easily. For now, I’m doing South Beach (low carb, low fat). When I get tired of that, you guys can help me pick something new, deal?

650 Days – And then I’ll be 40 years old (hold me?). I’ve made a commitment to use the time between now and then to really transform myself, physically, and to make sure I am the best damn 40 year old I can be. Because if I have to turn 40, and it turns out I do, I think I should at least get to be a hot, fit, fabulous 40.

While the plan to get there is definitely a work in progress, I’ve got a goal. Under 200 pounds by my 40th birthday. It’s achievable, which is key. Most of the time, my goals fall along the lines of ‘to fit into the pants I wore as a high school freshman (150 pounds difference) in the next six weeks’. This time, I’m going for realistic. I’ve got a lot of weight to lose to get there, but I can get there. The other part of the goal is to run a half marathon on or before my 40th. I think that achievable, too. But since I’ve yet to RUN a full 5K, this may be slightly cart before the horse. Still, having things to strive for is never a bad thing. And, at some point, time TBD, I plan to do a SheRox triathlon. Preferably in Bermuda with a bunch of my girlfriends (ladies, who’s with me??)

So that’s a lot of talk about where I’m going. But, I think what’s even more important than knowing where you’re going is knowing where you are.

Where am I?

I’m in my happy place. Which, at least for today, because we have to start somewhere, is the couch.

<3 Bec