The More You Know

January 19, 2015 by camoozle

Since I’ve started this journey to find my fit self, I’ve learned many many things. As a novice, I made mistakes. I’ve carb-loaded with beer and macaroni and cheese. I’ve ran a race in brand new shoes. I’ve overestimated the length of my running shorts and skimped on the glide. After running this weekend’s Disney Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland, I realized I’ve learned a few things. I also realized, many things left to learn I have (Yep, I just Yoda’d you).

Channeling my inner Yoda (who sounds a lot like Meri).

I can’t say I was feeling particularly confident. You all know how serious I am about training (please note sarcasm) and I’ve been nursing a sore ankle since last February. I’m beginning to think I’ve damaged it beyond repair because I’ve been waiting and waiting for it to get back to normal but it seems I’m stuck between 60-80%. Also, once again, I’m having problems with my feet and shoes. I’ve had a long lasting love affair with my Skora’s, but after last weekend’s Citrus Heritage 5K here in Riverside, I fear the sneaks have fallen out of favor. With only a week until the half, I was in no position to break in a new pair of shoes so I toughed it out at Star Wars. Because that is my jam, yo. As a toy collecting, merchandise wearing, video game playing fan, if anyone should participate in an Inaugural Star Wars themed race, it should be me.

Just a taste of my collection.

Despite this business, Meri persuaded me to make a plan. Plan you must, she said, like my own personal Jedi mentor. So I decided to do intervals. I mean, really do it. Like actually stop when my phone tells me to. And I went to bed early. And I didn’t drink beer the night before and I got up early and ate a great, healthy snack and I wore comfortable clothes, including a pair of bright green compression socks courtesy of my chick and Star Wars roomie, Vic. I biofreezed, KT taped, AND compressed my ankle. And guess what? I PR’d. That’s right. I never thought I cared about this until I actually beat myself. Yes, it’s true, I love beating myself. And now I feel like a whole new runner. The more you know…

I think I’m going to stick with this planning thing. I bought new shoes today. I know, I know, AGAIN? But I went and had my feet evaluated because during that race yesterday, all I could think about was how if my feet would stop throbbing, this race would be amazing. The race was amazing, the course was fantastic, the costumes divine, but my feet effing sucked. So Brooks, you’ve worn me down, waited me out, and here I am, putting my poor flat feet into your big, ugly soles. I also got orthotic inserts to try out and if they make a difference, I’m seriously considering having some customized ones made. Something has to be done or I won’t be able to run much longer. And we all know that CANNOT happen. I can barely stand the fact I didn’t do the Rebel Challenge this weekend. Every time I heard the clanging of medals yesterday, I was overcome with medal envy. Imagine if I could never again feel that sweet victory ribbon heavy with determination hang around my neck. No. Race I must. And so wear ugly shoes, I must.

They’re not so bad, right? And I can cute them up with socks, right? RIGHT???

2015 Walt Disney World half marathon recap

January 14, 2015 by Meridith

Fun fact: I’ve never run a Disney race twice.

I kicked it off in 2012, tackling Princess as my first half marathon and doing the 5k for funsies the day prior (and friends thought I was nuts). From there it’s been a whirlwind of the Castaway 5k, Tink, Wine and Dine, Disneyland 10k and half (again, with the nuts comments – they obviously don’t know many who have done Goofy/Dopey), and most recently the Walt Disney World half this past weekend.

Anyone who has run a Florida runDisney race knows about the dreaded early wake up time.

Anyone who has not run a Florida runDisney race but wants to… you may want to set your alarms now for 2:45am and practice that along with training. Because yes, that’s what time you get up for these races.

The struggle is real.

Extra, extra, read all about it. It’s COLD outside.

Brooke and I decided that we would be Newsies. We also decided that we would wear cute little tanks and running skirts. And then Mother Nature decided that she was going to throw a curveball at all of northern Florida and make it fairly chilly. Warmth took precedence over cuteness.

Sleep nearly took precedence over the race, if I’m being quite honest. Have I mentioned how early it was?

We stayed at the All Star Movie Resort, which made our travel to the start very simple; buses are scheduled non-stop starting at 3am. We didn’t check bags so we gathered our SPIbelts, food (wheat flats, almond butter, and bananas), and braced ourselves for the cold weather.

Donning our pajama pants and Brooke’s husband’s sweatshirts we found ourselves at the start village. Our dear friend, Ashley, was doing her first half marathon and our plan was to find her before the race. Attempts to track down Kristen and Suzanne were made, as I knew they were starting in our corral but to no avail.

The walk from the start village to the corrals is about a mile or so and while I found it daunting during the Princess half (remember, that was my first half ever), this wasn’t bad at all. The flow of traffic was smooth and we were able to get to the corrals with no issues. Our walk consisted of us geeking out over Universal’s Harry Potter world and books in general.

These are my people!

Ash, Brooke, and me

Soon we had to split off and go to our separate corrals, so we gave hugs and high fives to Ash and her friends before heading to corral J.

Thanks to social media, Brooke and I knew which skirts Kristen and Suzanne were wearing so we spent a good long while walking around the corral, peering at people’s legs. Yes, indeed. Sadly, we didn’t find them (but hey, it was a way to pass the time).

The earlier corrals began to cross the start line and we both shimmied out of our pajama pants, tossing them into the collection boxes. We listened to the announcers banter and watched the fireworks at the start of each corral.

Before long, it was our turn!

Our plan for this race was to HAVE FUN and I would say we succeeded! We thanked volunteers left and right. We ran when we felt like it. We walked when we felt like it (or when the course narrowed and there wasn’t much of an option). We cheered for other runners.

We pulled to the side and took selfies.

This course is the exact same as Princess so we knew what to expect. But honestly, my feelings toward this race couldn’t have been more different. My first half, it was all about getting through it. This? This was just about having fun and spending time with my friend. I didn’t hurt. I didn’t push any limits. I just had fun with Brooke.

The park is always crowded, as you can see in this video. There are people cheering and there’s not much room to navigate if you want to go faster than the people in front of you. What’s a courteous runner to do? Just roll with it. Soak it up, enjoy the moment, and smile.

It was “snowing” as we ran into the castle.

If you’re a middle to the back of the pack runner, realize that you probably won’t get that awesome running shot of you coming out of the castle. I know for me, it was slightly disappointing when I first ran a Disney race. However, there are photographers stationed right in front of the castle if you want to stop and grab pictures with the castle in the background.

Brooke was hoping that this train would bring us to Diagon Alley. It does not. Sadly.

Miles 7-11 are what I like to call “the boring miles.” You exit Magic Kingdom and it’s lackluster. I feel like Disney could do something MORE in these miles to make it less tedious. I said that 2 years ago during Princess and I’m saying it again.

That’s not to say that the boring miles only pertain to runDisney, it’s really true of any half marathon. They are just sort of ho-hum, are we done yet? miles. For the record, the answer is no. You’re not even close to being done.

Which is why when you run into Kristen and Suzanne, whom you’ve been looking for the entire time, you basically lose your ever-loving mind and make loud squealing noises!

They spotted my hair and hat and we spotted their SKIRTS. How cute are they?

We hung out with them for about a half mile (I’m guessing – my watch was set on kilometers so I wasn’t exactly knowledgeable of anything in the distance department) before I pulled to the side because I had something in my shoe. It was so wonderful to see them and it definitely made those “boring miles” way more exciting!

Since the race is mostly on access roads, it’s hard for spectators to get out to the more remote areas. That’s why I totally have to give kudos to this guy! This was mile 10, just before going up the access ramp.

Brooke and I kept chugging along although we were straight up speed walking at this point with the hopes of finishing up faster. Right outside of Epcot there were people cheering and it was wonderful to hear my name being called. Only LATER did I realize it was Bonnie! OH MY GOODNESS, I love that girl!

When you hit Epcot, you hear the same thing over and over. “The finish is just around the corner.” But we knew the course and we knew that it was NOT. You have to wind your way through Epcot a little before that corner finally comes. However, this is how you know the corner is really the actual corner and not a fictional one.

That’s right! There’s a gospel choir! You can hear Brooke WOOing them, like a good Woo Girl should.

Then, and only then, can you expect to see the finish line around the corner.

This is the moment that you’ve been waiting for for 13.1 miles. You take it in. The crowds cheering. The people in front of you holding hands. The far off sound of medals clanking.

The sound of Brooke as she exclaims, “WAIT! Is that Minnie Mouse?”

Why, yes. Yes, it is.

The finish was wonderful. Filled with great medals and snacks because runger is a real thing. Oh, and banana phones.

W stayed at the finish area, snacking and stretching, so we could meet up with Ashley after she finished her very first half marathon. Mark my words, next time we are running TOGETHER.

Different races have meant different things in my life. Some are for PRs, others are for fun with friends. This one, and this weekend in general, was therapeutic. It was good for the soul and exactly what I needed.

Do different races hold different meanings in your life? When is your next race? Anyone entering the Broad Street 10 Miler Lottery? The next 5k I’m registered for is the Adrenaline Run 5k. After that it’s the Atlantic City April Fools Half. Will I see you at either of those?

Not Gonna Half A** My First 1/2

January 5, 2015 by Jennifer

Today is a BIG day for me. Exactly fourteen weeks from today, I will be in Atlantic City with a few of my fellow Chicks, laughing and eating and giggling and running in the AC April Fool’s Half Marathon. It will be my first half, and I really want to have a strong race. It’s important to me that I’m able to keep up with Mer, Vic, and Cam because it’s not often that I get to run with my girls. I registered for the race many moons ago, determined to train safely over ten months. I stuck to that over the summer, but then the fall semester started up and training was replaced with homework.

Blahhhhhh.

So here I am, fourteen weeks out from my first half marathon and not nearly where I wanted to be. Same old song and dance, right? YUP. Not for long, though, because this girl has a plan.

Jenn’s First Half Training Plan:

Start Training in Earnest. I found a fourteen week half marathon training plan from Women’s Running Magazine that I think will work well for me. I’m super excited to start it, and even though day one (today) is a “rest day”, it is SO ON tomorrow. The plan offers enough flexibility with the strength training and cross training that I can pick activities that I enjoy like rock climbing and vinyasa yoga. Yay for variety! Without variety, I know I would fail a few weeks in.

Eat healthier. Notice I didn’t say eat clean or diet. I’ve accepted that there are few things in life that I just cannot and will not give up. My life without any bacon, chocolate, or those blasted lemon poppy seed scones the local store bakery sells really couldn’t be called life. What I need to practice is moderation.

I’m like Rick Astley with these things.

Also, I could do a better job of satisfying my demanding sweet tooth with healthy alternatives like the chocolate chip chia seed energy bites from Gimmesomeoven. I made them yesterday and my husband called them “balls of yummy goodness.” I was forced to tell him to back off my chocolate fix. It was about to get ugly.

No Bake Energy Bites Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Stay Motivated This is likely the most difficult aspect of training in any sport. The strategy I chose was to carefully plot out my goals and the plan for achieving them. I created an achievement board, a training calendar outlining the 14 week plan, and organized a cork board to act as a half marathon command center. I was sure to highlight the reasons why I enjoy running such as the sense of accomplishment after a race and how it helps me burn off negative energy. I also broke up my goals into to smaller more manageable segments because I have a tendency to overwhelm myself with the BIG picture.

Board of awesome!

Accept My Limits I discovered this fall that running in cold weather aggravates my asthma too much. The treadmill at the office gym and I are soon to be quite well acquainted. I can’t continue to let asthma hold me back eight months out of the year. I HAVE THINGS TO DO, LUNGS! I am terrified of getting bored on the treadmill early on in my training. Audio books are definitely on tap, and I’m going to try to learn meditation running. I’ve been wanting to read “Running With The Mind of Meditation” for a while now. Anyone have any experience with this technique?

Read to Achieve!

That’s it, that’s my plan. Admittedly, I’m sort of winging, but it’s my plan nonetheless. More importantly, I want to hear your go-to training strategies, as well as what you feel doesn’t work for you. Please share your wisdom with me, I’d be so grateful! I might even make you some balls of yummy goodness.

How do you stay motivated? Do you have a favorite training workout? Do you have to hide your chocolate stash from your husband like I do? Let’s trade hiding places in the comments!

Mission Inn-Possible!

November 12, 2014 by camoozle

Since I began this wild and crazy ride called runcationing, I have completed five half-marathons. However, I have never ran a half in my actual city or even county of residence. Through each of these races, I’ve had Meri, my mega-motivator, by my side. On a whim, I signed up for three local races in the Run Riverside race series. Why? For the medal, of course! For some reason, I decided that one of those races would be a half-marathon. I felt ready. I felt confident. I had kicked ass at the Hometown Heroes 10k last month.

Supporting Riverside’s Boys in Blue at the Hometown Heroes 10k

It wasn’t until the weekend before that I realized Meri wouldn’t be there to dance with me or bribe me with laffy taffy. In fact, I wouldn’t have anyone with me. I would be spending three freaking hours by myself. Running.

What the hell was I going to do with myself? Would I even be able to finish this on my own? As we all know, I’m the least self-motivated person on the planet. I excel at procrastination. It’s my superpower. Did I train for this half? I think we all know the answer to that one. And yet, I woke up on Sunday at the crack of dawn and got myself downtown to the start.

Meri and me after my first half. I was told by a psychic that day that my soul mate's name would begin with a "M". Coincidence? I think not.

After my first half. I was told by a psychic that day that my soulmate’s name would begin with an “M”. Coincidence? I think not.

Riverside, CA has an awesome downtown area centering around an old hotel, the Mission Inn. I’ve lived in the area and use to walk downtown to get fresh produce at the farmer’s market, or to pick up a book from the used book store. I’ve spent some nights dancing or listening to bands in one of the many bars and lounges. Every year, the place is lit up for the holidays with vendors, Santa, and even an ice skating rink. It’s a place where I’ve spent many a day and night. However, I’ve never ran a race here!

Mission Inn Festival of Lights

The best thing about running in your hometown? You run into people you know everywhere! I had my fella drop me off at the start so I wouldn’t have to park because parking sucks downtown. I picked up my bib and chip and got all pinned up and made my way to the start. Where I ran into some friends! We chatted and compared compression socks and stretched. You know, all the stuff friends do when they’re getting ready to run 13.1 miles.

And then we were running.

I had bought this new headset, you know the fancy kind that’s also a hands-free headset and I had downloaded this HIIT interval app for my phone. For some reason, the volume on my headset kept going down. On its own. I’d turn it up and the damn thing would mute again, like it was possessed or something. I spent the first 3 miles trying to figure out what was wrong with my phone. Was it the app? My music player? I couldn’t figure it out until I realized my headset was the only thing that was new. The little button thing that you push to make it a headset was malfunctioning. So I ripped it off. Yep. I had to break my headset. Because this was more logical than spending 10 more miles with just my thoughts.

I took this pic just for Bec because I know how much she loves this quote.

Once I figured this out, my music worked like a champ. So I reset my interval timer and waited for the buzz. This worked for a good five more miles. Then it just stopped. I was running for what seemed like forever and when I checked my phone. It had reset. Well, now I would never be able to trust this app again. And trust in my interval app is very important! I would have to find an alternate strategy.

Girl Talk to the rescue! I don’t know if any of you are familiar with the artist, but he’s this guy who mixes a bunch of popular songs from all different genres into one continuous stream. The songs blend into each other, like one long epic mash-up. It’s my favorite running music. I just started counting music changes. After 5 music changes, I would walk for one until it changed again. Then it was back to running. The music kind of lends itself to intervals perfectly because the beat also changes often; there’s a definite up and down in the rhythm.

Right around this time, I saw more friends! The course had a portion of out and back running along a bike trail. So I got a good look at all those peeps up ahead of me and it was nice to see familiar faces.

After I made the turn around, I started to overheat. It was hot. And my hamstrings were cramping up. I hydrated with powerade and water at every water station, but between miles 10-12, there wasn’t a water station in sight. This was also where the course meets up with the 10k course. Dozens of fresh runners started passing me up while I limped on. I kind of wished I had worn my bib on my back, so they knew I was running funny for a reason.

*Side Note: Telling a runner “You’re almost there, don’t give up!” is the equivalent of asking a pregnant lady if she’s having twins or telling someone they look tired. I know you mean well, avid race watcher/volunteer, but just don’t. Because your idea of “almost there” and my idea of “almost there” after 13 miles is completely different. Just saying.

But I made it! And my guy was waiting at the finish. This was literally the best thing in the world to see. Because that meant the car was near.

At the finish!

Have you every done a hometown race?

Wineglass Half Marathon & tube sock mittens

October 8, 2014 by vfreile

I’ve wanted to run the Wineglass Half Marathon in upstate New York since it was launched back in 2011.

Wine, a (mostly) downhill race course and a glass medal.

That’s a no-brainer.

But it never really fit into my fall training schedule – until now. It was well worth the wait.

I ran the 13.1 mile course from Campbell to Corning morning with much of my running group –Traci, Gary, Ray, Mark and Andy.

Most of us decided to skip the two-day expo in at the Corning Museum of Glass and instead, wake up insanely early to hit the road from Rochester well before dawn. I loved that race organizers allowed us to collect our bibs at the start line and our goody bags at the museum after the race.

It was still dark when we drove the 90+ minutes south, dropping Mark at the highway’s Bath exit so he could log an extra 5.5 miles before the race. We parked near the finish line in Corning and, after a waiting in a lengthy line of shivering runners, hopped a bus to the start area in Campbell.

This was the first year runners were required to travel by bus to the starting lines – previously, runners were allowed to park near the start and return post-race. We were among the last to reach the starting area, but race organizers waited until everyone arrived before kicking off the race, even though it meant starting our run about 15 minutes late.

Posing with my homemade mittens on the bus. I felt brilliant for coming up with this one. No worries on tossing these “gloves.”

And Sunday was chilly – just 33 degrees before we started running, so the extra throwaway layers we brought along were vital. And me? I decided to take it one step further with my lovely tube sock mittens. I created thumbholes and kept my frigid fingers toasty for much of the run.

In the mass of 3,000 half-marathoners milling at the start, Mark and I somehow spotted each other near the 2-hour pacers. The race began moments later as we chatted race strategy.

We were off.

The first few miles were crowded and hard to get a good pace going – but rather than weave around other runners, we hung back and waited for it to clear, then we bolted. Side by side, Mark and I settled into our race pace and decided to just run how we felt. We’d aim for sub 9s for as long as we felt strong. If we hit a wall, we’d slow down.

Time really didn’t matter to us. We were just there to run.

As our feet slapped the pavement, we both felt fantastic. We chatted as we ran, high-fived most children we encountered, thanked numerous volunteers and police officers and cheered for other runners. We even pointed out different picturesque spots along the course, many with colorful fall foliage over waterways.

Sometimes everything comes together on race day. Sunday was one of those days.

Around mile 11, Mark noted that we were on pace for 1:57ish finish (which is my PR) and I decided to pick up my pace to try for an even better time.

We spotted a running friend in the last mile and Mark encouraged me to sprint to the end as he ran in with our friend. I did. I pushed. I pushed hard.

I sprinted that last 1/4 mile, gritting my teeth as I crossed the finish on my unsteady legs.

DONE! I appear surprised to see a camera at the finish. HA! And I still have the mitten-socks on.

Success! I finished in 1:56.37, a new Personal Record by nearly a minute. But better than that, was running with friends, who were all pleased with how they fared. Traci also ran her fastest half-marathon time. Way to go, lady!

Celebrating our finish. From left, Mark, Traci, me, Ray and Gary

After the run, we each received a coveted glass medal. And we were treated to post-race goodies, including my fave chocolate milk and Wegmans chicken noodle soup.

Post-race we also had the chance to take a nice warm shower at the Corning YMCA (I did, ah!) before we collected our goody bags from the still-running expo. I was initially worried that I wouldn’t get the correct shirt size by waiting until after the run to collect my items. Not an issue.

Highlights in the bag included the race shirt, (Asics! Women’s cut! Long-sleeved! Huzzah!) a small bottle of bubbly and a wine glass. (Note, I meant to take a pic of this and got distracted. I’ll share one later.)

And if you want to read more about how others fared at Wineglass, here’s my work blog on Sunday’s race.

Have you ever run a race after skipping the expo? What’s the coldest temp at a start line that you’ve faced? How did you cope? Tell me in the comments

Goofy Giveback: I’ll take one of those, please!

September 25, 2014 by Meridith

Earlier this month, runDisney announced that they were going to take a certain amount of Goofy Race and a Half Challenge registrations (that’s a half and a full marathon for those who don’t speak the runDisney lingo) and split them, giving runners the option to sign up for the previously sold out half marathon and full marathon.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS0MrzKnQvA&w=560&h=315]

Since participating in the Dumbo Double Dare I’ve been sort of bummed that I didn’t have another Disney race on my dance card. The Goofy Race and a Half Challenge still had room; however, I already decided that I’m not quite ready for a full marathon… let alone a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday.

BUT THEN, the Goofy Giveback came along and the wheels in my head started turning! I’m sure this surprises exactly no one.

What’s a girl to do? I wanted to sign up. But should I? How would we swing it? Could we make it happen?

From what I hear, winter is going to be capital W-I-N-T-E-R this year in my area. It was pretty rough last year and I slowly but surely lost my mind. I know that I’ll need something to keep the blues away in January. Plus there’s running in costume! And race selfies! And my favorite characters!

Well, needless to say, Christmas came a little bit early for me this year and I’m now registered for the half marathon. Isn’t that the MOST? To say the least!

What’s more is that I’ll be running with Brooke, which is always beyond words in terms of fun. She is the best cheerleader and since she’s coming off of her injury and I’m fairly consistent with my training at this point, we might even be able to pull a PR for me.

To say that I’m super excited for January would be an understatement! I’m actually looking forward to winter, which is a rarity for me.

Have you taken advantage of the Goofy Giveback? The half has sold out (as of earlier today). The full is at 91% so if you’re interested, act now. Or, if you want to do the Goofy race and a half challenge, don’t delay because it’s 98% full!

Or, were you a planner and signed up when registration opened? In other words, who should I look for in January?

Race recap: hotter than hades at the Bird-in-Hand half marathon

September 14, 2014 by vfreile

Rough.

With one word to describe the Bird-in-Hand half marathon, this lone thought keeps topping my list.

It was a warm and muggy morning, with pre-dawn temps well into the 70s. Humidity was 96%. Oof.

An Amish family of runners at the race site

After an insane work week earlier this month, I headed to my hometown to run the rural road race for the second straight year. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is Amish country. Home to many in the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish and Mennonite community. Many in the county’s Amish community love to run and have a growing reputation as strong competitors in running circles. And this annual race is organized by that growing running community.

I drove to PA with my running pal Ray and connected with the lovely Kyle and Christina for our big Saturday morning run – the Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon.

We headed to the race site in rural Lancaster County early Saturday morning amidst the fog and were treated to a stellar sunrise.

Ah, Lancaster

We arrived early so we could all mentally prepare. When Kyle suggested we run intervals together – I immediately agreed. Repeated cycles of five minutes of running and one minute of walking sounded like a brilliant way to tackle this muggy 13.1.

From left: me, Kyle, Christina and Ray

As we prepped to run and lined up at the start, we spotted a few ladies pinning each other’s race bibs on their dresses. That’s right – many of the Amish run in their everyday clothes, including hair coverings. And sneakers.

Let’s race, ladies

Soon enough, it was go time. Kyle and I ran together, and we were thankful to stick to our interval plan. Dozens of people passed us each time we walked those first few miles.

Among them, we repeatedly encountered an Amish man running with his young daughter. We cheered each time we saw them, noting how fantastic their joint venture was.

Seriously, I love this duo.

By mile three, I was drenched. I’m talking soaked to the bone. Kyle and I stopped to walk at least twice each mile.

Around the turnaround at mile five, Kyle waved me on. Her legs were heavy, as she’d run a 20-miler just 6 days prior.

I pushed ahead, passing folks as I ran, then watching them pass me by when it was my time to walk.

The next hour was such a challenge. I was overheated. I wanted to stop, but I didn’t. I stuck to Kyle’s plan, even though I was now running solo. I listened to her voice on my head. I didn’t want to let her down by walking too long, or running too slowly .

Running through the corn(fields)

The race itself was a stunning, but hilly course through the cornfields and farmland in Lancaster. Every mile or so, Amish kids manned water and Gatorade stations, and alerted runners to the beverages in four-part harmony.

Amish and Mennonite families cheered us along, many while also doused us with water from garden hoses and sprinklers.

With the heat and humidity, race organizers added about a dozen huge coolers filled with ice along the route. Each time I spotted one, I grabbed a handful, ate a few cubes and shoved ice down my bra.

I sounded like a maraca as I ran on.

As I ran on I saw lots of horses, cows and goats. There were loads of farms, fields and even a half-dozen one-room schoolhouses and horse-drawn buggies galore.

Around mile 8, I hoofed it up a hill and spotted something out of the ordinary.

um, what?

Am I hallucinating, or is that a pair of camels?

Turns out, I said that out loud as another runner answered, informing me that yes indeedy, camels were hanging out along the side of the road.

I spent the next few miles wondering why. I learned more the following week when I found an article about a camel dairy farm in the Lancaster paper’s news archives. Did you know you can milk them? Yup. But apparently they are not incredibly willing participants.

By this point of the race, I was passing people left and right. Please don’t get me wrong. I certainly wasn’t speeding. My running time was just a 9-minute-mile pace. I’d just started walking far earlier than most, so I had more in my reserves as we all pressed on. (Thank you Kyle!!)

We cut through a farm on a gravel toad, where I tripped over a cornstalk and nearly landed flat on my face. Somehow I caught myself and moved on. It was along this stretch that cups of Rita’s Water Ice were distributed. So happy! The sugar rush added some pep to my step.

The last miles were tough. I’d been seeing occupied ambulances whiz by and volunteers and medics helping collapsed runners along the course. I was concerned about hydrating properly and making it to the end.

As it turned out, more than 50 of the 1,700 registered runners suffered heat exhaustion. Some even went to the hospital. The high for the day was 91.

I didn’t walk that last mile. I just wanted to finish. When I rounded the final turn onto a grass field and sprinted (eh, as much as I could muster) to the finish, I heard an announcer share finishers ‘ names and hometowns.

I never heard my name, but I couldn’t have cared less. I was done.

I guzzled water and chocolate milk and ate a banana before I tripped over Ray in the field and encountered my mom. A few minutes later, we heard Kyle ‘s name announced as she finished the run.

The hot air balloon launch at the start. This never gets old.

My time was 5 minutes slower than last year, when conditions were far more ideal. But I placed in the top third, compared to last year when I was solidly in the middle.

It wasn’t my best race by far. But I’m so proud of how all three of us fared – each about 15 minutes off our PR paces. But given the conditions, we ran smart and made it through without injuring ourselves. So to us, the race was a success!

We’re done! As Christina said, the race was so brutal we lost a whole human. Not to worry, she finished uninjured!

Despite the sizzling conditions, I love this small-town race and would do it again in a heartbeat. Plus, you get a handcrafted medal made from a horseshoe. I nearly tipped over – again – when an Amish girl placed it around my neck.

These miles marked my first double digit run this month for me toward Scootadoot’s Million Mile Run. And NEWS! This month, starting today (9/15) at midnight, Volvo is matching funds of donations to Alex’s Lemonade Stand for up to $30,000!

The number 30 is significant because every hour, 30 news cases of cancer affect children under the age of 20 worldwide.

That means any donation given during this period will go TWICE AS FAR!

If you wish to donate, check out our team page – We’ve raised $800 for pediatric cancer halfway through September!

Have you run a race in less-than-ideal conditions? How did you cope? Did you ever not finish due to overheating? Have you heard of this race?

I’m doing what? When? How? Where?

August 26, 2014 by writeitdownjess

I realized last Sunday night that I am running a half marathon THIS Sunday morning. Directly after that, I realized that I have done nothing (other than training) to prepare for this. I have a vague idea of when my flight leaves the Bay Area and arrives in Orange County. I kiiiinda know where we’re staying (what’s the name? No idea.) I semi-know that the weather is probably going to be pretty warm. Sort of. I definitely do know that Meridith and I will be watching Outlander together, because we are both obsessed. But that is one of the few things I unequivocally know. Otherwise?

I am just Not. Prepared. At all.

Paralyzed by Idontknowitis. Very serious.

So, I started freaking out a bit. Making lists. Making plans. Making playlists. Painting my nails (very important.) I’ve gone on a couple short runs, but is this the right thing to do? I don’t know. I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING.

And it dawned on me: I don’t know what to do because I’ve never done this before. I mean, truly, this is like new frontier type stuff for me. And realizing that helped take some (not all) of the panic away.

That said, I am still completely in the dark about what my week-before-running-my-first-half-marathon-oh-god should look like. I want to know. I want to make sure I’m not missing anything. Should I be running or not? Should I be taking it easy? Eating a lot of carbs? Eating no carbs? Stretching? Upping my water intake?

I know I always ask you lovely people for advice, but…well, I’m doing it again. Because so many of you have done this! And I want to do it right. I like doing things right.

So please, tell me: is there anything special I need to do before the race on Sunday? Is there anything special you do before your races that I should adopt? And finally (maybe most importantly?), what songs should I add to my half playlist?!

Happy Running Day!

June 4, 2014 by beewhobabbles

Happy National Running Day! I’m not running, of course. To make matters worse, I wore my sneakers for a little (okay, a lot) longer than I should have on Sunday and ended up with some pain around my ankle on Monday. Since then, I’ve been in the boot for most of my walking time, and now I feel ready to ease back into sneakers. Again. I should have been more diligent but now I know a little more about what my foot can handle. This injury stuff sucks.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about running, and also trying not to think about running. Sara sent me a text last week to tell me that the Gasparilla half-marathon registration opened soon, and it was quite a low moment for me. I can’t even walk in sneakers for more than four hours right now, so obviously, I’m not registering for any more races until I’m running again.

That said, I know I will run again. Tendonitis is a common injury, and not super serious (don’t tell my doctor I said that, omg.) and I feel whiny and I hate that- I have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and an 18 month old- I hear enough whining during my days without having to listen to my own. Setbacks happen to all of us and the best thing for me to do right now is take the time to heal, and remember that there’s always another race. There are more sunrises to see while on my morning run, more things to chat about during my long runs with Sara, more shoes and patterned pants to buy and many, many more runcations with my Scoot chicks.

School is out down here and I’m in full camp mom mode with my awesome kids. I’ve been looking forward to this since Spring Break because I love creating activities for them (on Monday, we painted rocks to make tic-tac-toe game pieces) and I love taking them on field trips (yesterday- the library and a picnic at a local playground). I think they’re the coolest. I’m planning to take a little break from blogging because I have a lot going on during the day, and most of it is mommy/kid stuff and not exercise stuff, which makes me both happy and sad. I’ll still be reading blogs, of course, so please link yours below.

Today, I’m going to share some of my favorite running photos with you, in celebration of our favorite sport.

With Meri, before the Rothman 8k in 2011

Running with my middle babe at the Disney Princess kids races in 2012

Happy at mile 13 at my PR race, the Melbourne Beaches half marathon in 2012

It’s not often we get to run together! A beach run with my husband last summer.

Post- UCF 5 miler with my family (we all ran a race that day except the boy!)

Wine and Dine with Meri and Lisa (who had a huge PR that night). Love these girls!

New Year’s Day run with my girl, Dorothy, who is blurry because well, we were running.

Before the 10k portion of Disney’s Glass Slipper Challenge. I miss my running time with Sara almost as much as I miss running.

A friend gave me some advice many years ago- to hold onto a memory, to really be able to pull it back into you mind, you should take a mental picture. Focus on the smell, the sound, the scene before you. How you feel. This isn’t easy to do during a race, because your body is so tired, your mind is thinking of everything, or nothing, or that pain in your whatever…it’s almost impossible to soak in a single moment in time for later recall. I carry my phone in my hand to snap pictures, but my mind does a decent job, occasionally.

I will never forget how I felt after I crossed the finish line after the Melbourne half in 2012- partially because I had achieved the sub-2, and also because I was breathing pretty poorly and worried I was going to pass out. (Later I found out I had bronchitis. Oops.)

I will always remember the joy of crossing the finish line with Mer at her first half marathon. It was such a tearful, happy moment.

My friend Danielle ran my last run of the RW Holiday 2013 streak with me, and went a lot farther, mile-wise, than she planned to because she wanted to help me get to 100 total miles. I don’t remember what the weather looked like, or what we wore, but I remember how grateful I felt for her friendship.

Watching Anne finish her first half-marathon in April is probably my favorite running memory of 2014. I felt high all day because of it (okay, a little bit was due to my own race. But mostly hers. Seeing a friend believe in herself, and achieve something they’ve worked so hard for is magical.)

I can’t wait to get back out there and make some new memories. Share one of your favorites with me?

In Pictures: Disneyland Half Training, Day 1!

May 1, 2014 by writeitdownjess

In my post last week, I asked for advice on half marathon training programs and got some amazing advice. Which, let’s be honest, I was totally expecting because you all are the shizz. So, thanks to your advice and specifically to Juliana for hooking me up with a runDisney plan that is perfect for me, I set out Tuesday night to conquer Day 1. I put Bug to bed at 7, laced up my sneaks, and hit the city streets!

As a runner (I use that term loosely) (for now), I love and hate training in San Francisco. Quite obviously, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Truly. I couldn’t ask for better scenery. But the f&%king hills, you guys! Oy vey. My runs are usually planned around avoiding the steepest ones, but inevitably I always end up having to climb at least one. Still, my run last night was more of a fast walk, so the hills were conquerable.

And because San Francisco is so stunningly gorgeous, especially last night when it was in the low 70s at twilight, I had to snap some pictures and share my route!

Ready to rock with Weezer!

Excuse the blurriness of the above picture. I took it fast because I was afraid a neighbor was going to catch me selfie-ing.

Forget Weezer, Britney was the name of the game.

These are the kind of hills I like: the ones that go down. But seriously, look at this steep-ass hill.

Runners! Hello, fellow runners!

I love these houses. They could be mine for a mere something-million dollars. I like to dream whilst I run.

Now, I will admit to making a pit-stop at two places: Walgreens, so I could get some water, and Bob’s Donuts, to pick up a donut for Mister Jess. I was wondering why he was so eager for me to go running until he said, “Hey, while you’re out…” But I am so committed to my training that I didn’t even get a donut for myself.

How ~~stupid~~ awesome am I?

Mmm, donuts.

A hill going the wrong way.

Another hill going the wrong way. What’s with all of these up hills?

And finally, after about 40 minutes, I arrived home safe and sound from the streets of San Francisco.

Celebrating with my friend, the creepy cherub.

I even had enough energy for a Katy Perry dance party in the elevator. Gotta love those endorphins!

My next run is tonight – another 30 minutes – and then Saturday I’ll run 2 miles. While 13.1 still feels incredibly daunting, I’m excited to have a plan in place. I’m ready to rock it!

Do you have a favorite route you run? Do you prefer out in the world or indoors? What’s your favorite donut? Tell me about it in the comments!

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