Great North Texas Santa Run

The Saturday following White Rock Marathon brought a new and unique running experience. The Great North Texas Santa Run benefited My Possibilities, a continued learning center for adults with cognitive disabilities in North Texas--a cause that is near to my heart. I could not have planned a more perfect run for a week after a cold and rainy first marathon. The race had a very lofty goal--to set a world record for most runners dressed like Santa Clause. Race registration included a Santa suit complete with hat, beard, and belt. We all wore race bibs, but they were just for show as there was no official timer or prizes. See--perfect low stress run after months of high intensity training!


What 1600 Santas Looks Like!


The Gift That Keeps Giving!

I knew several people who would be participating in the race, but didn't realize how hard it would be to find them when all 1,629 runners were dressed in Santa suits! Thanks to text messages and Twitter we were able to meet up with most of our friends and took lots of great pictures before the race. After participating in a group yoga pose (trying to set a record for number of Santas doing a yoga pose, of course!) we followed the gaggle of Santas to the start line....only to find that we were headed to the finish line. Oops!!


It is Lesley J!


Look Who Stopped By!

I'm so glad that we found Mark L. and his son Cairo near the start of the race because we had a BLAST running with them. I have never laughed so hard while running, Mark and Erik had all kinds of holiday puns going and Mark kept calling out to the other Santas. Poor Cairo (15 years old) was alternating between mortified and amused by his dad's antics. Erik and I planned to take this run super "easy" but ended up running the 5K in just under 28 minutes--pacing us at just under 9:00 miles. Not exactly "easy" but totally fun. The weather, incidentally, was PERFECT! It was in the upper 30s, sunny, and no wind and I am working really hard to not be bitter about that.....


Naughty or Nice?


Mark & Cairo

After the race we shared even more laughs and took more pictures. This run was a riot and I hope that it becomes a holiday tradition. Please consider this as my holiday greeting to you! I hope that you have a safe and wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends and all that you love most in this world!

White Rock Marathon: Beautiful Day

Wow…where to begin?! My experience at the White Rock Marathon was nothing short of amazing. I learned so much about myself and my incredible support system that day. I have run the half marathon at White Rock three times and I have always said that White Rock equals MAGIC and that held true again this year. There was the one year that I was exhausted from a weekend of playing concerts at the Winspear Opera House and woke up just hoping to finish the race….and I broke two hours for the first time, and then last year when I was dealing with some very frustrating hip pain…and ran my third fastest time ever. See? Magic! And it looks like White Rock brought magic again this year. When I work up that morning it was in the upper thirties and raining and I had no reason to truly believe that I would have FUN while running. Yep, you heard me…I had FUN.

The whole week before the race was filled with words of love, support, and encouragement from my friends and family. I remembered thinking that I should run a marathon EVERY week because I have not felt that much positive energy in a long time. I was very calm the whole week leading up to the race; I don’t think that I ever really experienced that “taper madness” that people speak of. I had no doubts that I would finish the race and I had no doubts that I would have a positive experience. I really did trust my training and I knew that I was prepared. The only thing that caused me slight concern was the forecast of rain, but Erik and my runner friends were so positive telling me that the rain was not really a factor and what a great day it would be for running. I really owe them a thank you because they had me believing that a little rain was nothing to freak out about.


Lunch at Taco Joint

The Saturday before the race was filled with friends and food. Several of us met for lunch at Taco Joint before heading to the race expo. It was a big moment when I got to go to the “full marathon” side to pick up my race bib. I have gone to the “half marathon” side so many times and I didn’t really think that I would EVER run a full marathon. The race expo was a blur—I didn’t get to shop very much because we ran into so many running friends (frunners) and had to stop and chat each time. I remember that I felt incredibly lucky to have made so many friends from running—what a great “problem” to have, right? We met some more running folks for a carb-filled dinner at Bucca di Beppo and then it was off to the house to prepare all of my stuff for the race.


The Full Marathon Line...it is for REAL

I was torn over what to wear as I tend to warm up pretty quickly while running, but I also knew that the rain would be a factor. I ended up selecting a long sleeve shirt and running tights over my compression sleeves with a beanie and some gloves. I went back and forth over wearing a jacket, but I have never run in one before and didn’t want to try it on this day. I tucked an 89 cent rain poncho from Academy in my shirt pocket before heading out the door. That 89 cent poncho ended up saving my tail.

I have to mention that SiriusXM radio has a great sense of humor—I heard “No Rain” and “Run To The Water” during my drive to Fair Park and the race starting line. It is things like this that make me laugh at the whole situation. I arrived a little bit later than I planned to and missed the group meet up, but was able to find Gretchen (my marathon race buddy) without too much trouble and we headed to our starting corral. I was thrilled because I saw Mark L, Felix, and Cairo go by on their way to the start. It was great to get a hug and encouragement right before the starting gun fired.

One of the things that I love about White Rock Marathon is how it is just ELECTRIC at the start—fireworks, music, EXCITEMENT! While many of the same effects were still there, it was a bit muted by the rain. Gretchen and I had to wait about twenty minutes to cross the starting line and while we were standing there it started to rain again. The timing of that rain saved my tail…it was then that I decided to get that poncho out of my pocket and put it on…and I didn’t take it off until I was finished and had the medal around my neck.


Meanwhile While I Was Running...

We got off to a good start, the corral system seemed to work well and we didn’t have to get around many slower runners. The rain got heavier a few miles into the race and I knew that it was just going to be something that we would have to deal with all day. I tried really hard to dodge puddles because I wanted my feet to stay dry for as long as possible. I tend to be blister prone and even though I had covered my feet in both Body Glide and Vaseline, I was still worried.

In my last blog entry, I asked for words of advice from experienced marathoners to a rookie. I really drew upon those words during the race and they even carried me at times. So if you were one of those people who shared your wisdom with me…THANKS…you don’t know how much I relied on it during the challenging moments. A common theme was “take it all in” and “smile, have fun” and that is what I did. If a band was playing, I sang the words out loud at the top of my lungs. I tried to look at all of the spectators and take in their faces, signs, and cheers. I knew that standing still in the cold rain was much harder than running. It meant a lot to have them there on a day like that.

Gretchen and I knew that our friends Corina, Marci, and Cassie would be cheering for us at certain points along the course and we really looked forward to seeing their faces along the way. They were dressed in bright yellow tutus (covered by rain ponchos) and were making lots of noise with egg shakers and a tambourine (think that they are friends with a music therapist?) and they called themselves “Operation Sunshine”. They will never know how much their presence helped me along that day. We also knew that Erik would be waiting at the Dolly Pardon Hills (mile 21) with the other Dollys and would be running in with us. The race course really showcases some of the best parts of Dallas and I love running through the Arts District and in front of the stately homes on Beverly Drive. Fall comes a little bit later here in Texas and the trees were beautiful shades of orange and yellow against the backdrop of Christmas decorations.


Operation Sunshine

Gretchen was an amazing race buddy. Early in the race she asked me what words she could say to me if and when I started to struggle. She wanted me to say “suck it up, buttercup” to her and I chose “you are stronger than you think”. We never had to use those phrases on each other, but I know that I thought about mine several times. She also had the race divided by her “9, 9, 9” plan (9 miles, 9 miles, and a little less than 9 at the end) and that really seemed to help. It really began to seem real when we got to the half marathon split…oh how many times had I taken that shorter route…but not today…today I was taking the long way. (Incidentally Dixie Chicks song “Taking The Long Way” came up on my ipod as I got ready to leave for the race). Around mile 11.5 we passed the RAW (Grapevine Runners) aide station and I saw so many frunner faces there. They were all so helpful and welcoming, again another bright spot on the road. Staci (Tini) was super helpful getting water and Gatoraide for Gretchen and me as we passed through. We passed Operation Sunshine again somewhere around mile 12 and I was still taking it all in, smiling, and having an awesome time.

Mile 12 is where we hit White Rock Lake and that is where the challenge really began. Remember those words of advice that I drew from? Cat had a gem for me—don’t ditch your gloves before you get to the lake…remember that the “other” side is often cold and windy. She is pretty brilliant because the wind hit right on cue. My gloves were soaking wet by then and I wondered if it would be better to take them off, but I trusted Cat’s wise words and I’m glad that I did. Mile 12 is also where I started to have an unusual pain that moved from my hip to my hamstring to my knee and back….it was frustrating because I had NEVER experienced this pain before (and I haven’t since). Looking back it was probably caused from running on wet surfaces, jumping puddles, and wearing soaked, heavy shoes. The good news is that as long as I took time at the aide stations to stretch then the pain was very manageable. The bad news is that it added about a minute per mile from 13 until the end (frustrating), but I wasn’t about to let that get me down.


Somewhere Around Mile 12

White Rock Lake was the hardest part of the whole marathon. Erik and I have been coming to White Rock every weekend for our long runs for several years now—so I feel like I know every inch of the path. I knew where it would be windy and I knew just how far it was from one point to the next. It was during this section of the marathon I felt like Gretchen was dragging me and I worked really hard to not hold her back too much. Remember those words of advice—I kept drawing on them and “smile” was in my mind quite often during this stretch. Again, I looked at the volunteers and knew that they were having a much harder time that I was. Winfrey Point is a tough part of the lake for me and a constant thorn in my side. It is a half mile around that point and it is often the most extreme section of the lake (hottest in the summer, windiest in the spring, coldest in the winter, etc). Like clockwork, we approach Winfrey Point and the wind picks up and the rain comes down harder….and my ipod begins playing “Beautiful Day” Seriously? How could I NOT laugh at that!? Awesome Bono, just awesome.

We came off the lake around mile 20 and I stopped for a short restroom break. This was the first time I took off my gloves and I had trouble moving my fingers! I didn’t realize just how cold my hands had gotten. I was working hard to get to mile 21 because those are the Dolly Pardon Hills and that is where Erik would be waiting to run in with me. I also knew that Operation Sunshine would be there with dry gloves and clementines for me. I remember looking at Gretchen and saying “we have just run 20 miles girl!” In some way it seemed as if it had gone by so fast. I heard a spectator say “you are going to make it!” and I started to get excited about getting to that finish line…this was really going to happen!


At The Dolly Pardons-Mile 21

I was so relieved to climb that hill and see Erik, Operation Sunshine, and the Dollys waiting for me. I remember running up and saying “who wants to rub my butt” hoping that someone would be able to work that little ache/cramp out of my muscles. Erik was on it but it didn’t seem to help too much. Marci poked clementines in my mouth, shoved dry gloves on my hands (with hand warmers inside!) and we posed for a few pictures. Poor Erik was shivering and was ready to start running so that he could warm up. We lost Gretchen in the shuffle—she started to get cold when she stopped so she kept on moving. I could see her bright pink calf sleeves just ahead of us for the last few miles of the race.


Erik goes to work...

I never hit “the wall” during this race and I think that Erik was a huge part of that. Having him with me for those last five miles was just what I needed to lift my spirits, he knew just what to say and was so supportive. Frunners Liza and Vi were also nearby and it was great to see some familiar faces. I was still taking stretch breaks at each water stop, but my legs were feeling better as we went. The mind is a funny thing, isn’t it? I should note that I had not been watching my watch any during this race. Gretchen and I just ran a comfortable pace the entire time and we actually stayed fairly consistent. I spare you the long list of splits, miles 1-13 averaged just under 10:00 min miles and 14-26 were in the 11:15 minute range for an average of 10:39 for the whole race and a finish time of 4:42:49

The last five miles are a bit of a blur to me. I remember the beautiful houses along Swiss Avenue, the spectators, and the bands (one was playing Brown Eyed Girl) and focusing on Erik who was running just ahead of me. Soon enough I could see the buildings at Fair Park and I knew that the end was very near. Again, drawing from the advice given to me, I tried to take everything in and really savor the moment. I was about to be a MARATHONER! It was all pretty overwhelming and I started to get a quiver chin as we rounded the bend and entered Fair Park.


A Toast With Gretchen!

Erik peeled away and I went on to cross the finish line…I had done it. I will never forget that feeling as I let the tears come freely. Wow. “Do your best” my dad had said…and I did. The advice that I had heard the most during my training was “don’t set any time goals for yourself on your first marathon” and “finishing should be your only goal” and “run your first one for a good time, not a fast time.” I really tried to draw on that advice and quiet my inner perfectionist. Am I pleased with my time? Not exactly, but I did the best that I could on the day that I was given. That is something running twenty-nine half marathons has taught me. Do I know that I can do better? Heck yes! And I can’t wait to try again…and soon. But for now I will be proud of the fact that I ran a marathon, and I ran it as strongly as I could, and I have recovered well. I ran a marathon on a day when many people chose not to leave their houses because it was so cold and rainy.

I am a marathoner.

(Thanks again to Corina and Gretchen for the pictures!)

Marathon Week: Words of Advice from My Wise Frunners

As I was running my last long run on Sunday my mind wandered a bit and I thought about what I wanted to say in my blog this week. I am merely days away from my first marathon and I felt as if I should have something inspiring to say...you know, something that profound that would knock your socks off! That is when the idea hit me--why not let all of the experienced runners I know do the talking for me. I am so lucky to be surrounded by some INCREDIBLE runners. We are talking multiple marathoners, ultra marathoners, fifty milers, and some who will be taking on hundred milers in the next year. So I turned to the social media networks--Facebook, Twitter, and Daily Mile--and asked for their advice for a rookie/1st time marathoner. The responses were just fabulous, like I said--I'm lucky to know such diverse and experienced runners. I have sorted through all of the tips and tidbits and have found that most of them fall within a few basic categories: inspirational, practical, straight up running, and humorous.

Practical:
Bring toilet paper you never know when you might need it out on the course. I’ve seen races where they ran out before the race even started. Night before place everything you need out on the floor, especially if you are traveling. –Rodney

Bring a throw away sweatshirt to wear while waiting for the race to start. It will be cold before starting. –Mark L.

Lube everything that might rub. EVERYTHING. Most importantly – have fun. –Rick

1.Before the race, go to the port-a-potty. Then get out of it and go to the back of the port-o-potty line. Do it.
2. Don't plan on sleeping a lot the night before. Nerves are too much. Get a huge sleep two nights before and know that will be enough to get you through.
3. Plan out your celebration-i.e. ice cream with relatives afterward so there is no strain on your time. –Andrew

Straight Up Running:
Run SLOW! No time goals! –Libby

Goals are great, but deal with what the day gives you. If you see a goal slip away mid-race, re-assess and move on. A positive attitude will carry you a lot of miles…and a negative attitude can keep you in misery a lot of miles. If you have people coming to cheer, ask them to come around mile 16 or 20…at the finish line, you’ll have all the energy you need to cross, it’s those “wall” miles when a familiar face can make all the difference. –Lesley J

The start is key. DON’T go out too fast! The excitement at the start will be high, soak it in but don’t get caught up in it. If stressed in the later miles try to smile. You will do great I wish you well. –Byron

1) Be sure finishing is one of your goals. 2) Have fun! –Matt F

Your goal for this first should be to finish, nothing else. I’ve seen a few people set the marathon goal bar a little too high, only to come away disappointed. Use the first one as a measuring tool for your next. You’ll know what to expect then. –Marlon O.

Don’t let all the positive energy and excitement make you run too fast at the start! –Jeremy C

If you trained with walk/run intervals trust your training and do not skip the planned intervals, especially the early ones. Make sure your time goal matches your successful training runs. Pacing, patience, pacing, patience and do not start out too fast. Good luck! –Paula R

Go big, or go home! ….and stay with the pace you trained for, the temptation will be to run it faster, don’t. –Reece C.

Listen to your body until mile 20, then it is all about your brain. Trust your training, follow your plan, don’t let anyone else try and change it. Don’t go out too fast, don’t change anything you have been doing, and SMILE when you cross that finish line. –Elizabeth M

You trained for a reason – stick with your pace/intervals/eating/clothing that you trained with. There are others faster/slower/running various intervals/ paces – that’s THEIR race and not yours. “Dance with the one who brung ya”…don’t ignore what has worked for you these last few months. –Mel K

START slower than your goal pace, then at the end run like a bad ass when you have something left in the tank (it feels so much better to finish strong). And the last 4miles of White Rock are essentially downhill. I agree that the last 6 miles are mind over matter. Good luck! --Robin D.

Nobody-nobody has figured out the best way to run the last 10k of a marathon. Don't set a time goal. Your only goal is to finish. --Andrew

The mythical "wall" everybody talks about is extremely mobile and never in the same spot 2 races in a row. At last year's Honolulu Marathon they decided to put it at the 16 mile mark. The year before they had it at the 20. What gives?!?! Maybe this year they'll have it at 26.3 miles. :) Serious tip: DON'T start off too fast. If anything, go slow to the point where you feel like you're doing something wrong. Adrenaline at the start is cool and all, but if you go out too fast it WILL bit you in the butt. –Jan J

Run the first 10 miles with your head, the second 10 miles with your legs, and the last 10K with your heart. (I read this somewhere...wish I remembered where...)

Run your 1st marathon to have a good time rather than to run a fast time. –Hal Higdon (my "coach" whose books and training plans I have been following)

Inspirational:
Tell everyone you know you’re doing the race. When mile 22 comes and you want to quit, you will think of all their faces. —Elaine

When you are feeling low, trust your training and smile at the crowd. But most of all, have fun!! –Marci

Enjoy the moment, it will be loud so take it all in! Wave and make eye contact with the people cheering, they will cheer harder! Don’t stare at the clock and sprint for the finish! Stay steady, look to your left and right and see the fans cheering for you! –Derek

Take time at the finish to enjoy the moment. You just did something pretty incredible – soak it in! Smile, cry, hug, accept praise. –Amy

Enjoy the ride. You can try for a time goal on the next one. You’ve trained so hard relish every step! Also, trust your training! --Corina

Don't stop when it hurts. Kick the sh** out of the wall if you encounter it. It's okay to cry when you cross the finish line. Remember you can rest when you are done. Have fun and be a super star! –Fawn

Keep your eye on the ball – the finish line. –Rebekah

Humorous:
How about, watch the marathon on tv while eating a big bag of chips with dip…just sayin’ --Jeff E

Stick to whatever beer you trained with. –Erik

Don’t trip. –Jaela

Cat’s White Rock Marathon advice:
1. Lube up any/all body parts that touch other body parts
2. Drink the beer at 18, eat the free food on Swiss Ave
3. Stuff a few tissues in your pockets; potties often run out of paper and you can always sell them to the highest bidder
4. Don’t toss your gloves too early, you may be cold on the “other” side of the lake.
5. Plan a pig out somewhere because the food at White Rock is pretty sad.

My favorite advice comes from Michelle B.--
Don’t run slow!! Run hard, you’ve trained like a bad ass, race like a bad ass!! You should cross that finish line knowing you left it all out there. You only get 1 first marathon, no regrets! (Seriously, doesn't that fire you up? Who doesn't want to race like a bad ass?)

Runners are very generous people and I appreciate everyone taking a moment or two to share their thoughts, support, and advice with me. I am so excited the marathon and can hardly wait for Sunday to get here. The training is done, the miles have been run (the hay is in the barn, as so many say)--hang on tight because the the ride is about to begin!

Oh and be sure to stop by That Pink Girlfor a peek at what Erik will be busy doing on marathon day. Hint...it involves BOOBS!!

Fort Worth Marathon 20 Miler: Dress Rehearsal for 26.2

When I was looking at my training plan and race schedule for the White Rock Marathon, I was very pleased to see that there was a 20 mile race on the exact same weekend that one of my 20 milers was scheduled. No doubt that I would approach it as a training run, but what a perfect chance to treat a 20 miler like a dress rehearsal for the real thing. I was so excited that I would be able to practice pace, hydration, and nutrition during race day conditions. I think that this was slightly brilliant on the part of the Fort Worth Marathon organizers.

The running weather gods were so kind (not) to us again. The conditions were slightly more favorable than they were for the DRC Half, but not by much. Temps in the mid-60s with a 10 mph wind and humidity. Oh well, the chances of marathon day weather being like this are high so I might as well be prepared. Erik had just returned from Montana the night before and was not running this race, but he was super supportive and got up and made the early drive over to Fort Worth. This race was fairly small so we had not trouble parking, getting my packet, and finding friends. I chatted with Derek and Robin while I waited for Elaine to arrive with my shirt. Some of us would be advertising the New Year's Double by wearing promo shirts for the race and Elaine was bringing mine to me. . Soon enough Elaine, Robin W, and Lesley arrived and we chatted for a bit and took a few pictures before lining up to start.


Elaine & I model NYD Shirts

I was amazed at how carefree I felt going into this race. It made me realize just how much I stress out about half marathons. I put alot of pressure on myself to run them in two hours or less and anything else feels like I have failed. There was no pressure on this race morning--heck, I was running 20 miles and that alone would be a huge success in my book.

I have working very hard on pacing during this marathon training cycle. I have read and heard the horror stories of runners who have gone out too fast and then have paid for it dearly in the later miles. I know that it will get hard at the end, but I don't want it to be because I went out too fast. My goal for the day was to hold a very reasonable pace somewhere between 9:40 and 10:00 minute miles. The humidity and headwind were telling me that something closer to 10:00 would be more reasonable and I made a goal to finish at or below 3:20. My usual half marathon race pace is between 8:30-9:00 so it is hard at times to run slower, but I know that it is important so I do it.

The race was an out-and-back along the Trinity Trails in Fort Worth. It was a fairly flat course, pretty at times but not the most scenic. We ran into the wind for the first ten miles so I was very much looking forward to the turn around point. Perhaps that would help me post some nice, negative splits. A couple of miles in and I had a strong feeling of deja vu...then I realized that we were running through the park where El Scorcho was run. It looked the same, yet different in the daylight.

The crowd support was minimal for this small race, but my frunners came through in a huge way! I somewhere along the way (before mile 10--maybe around mile 7?) I recognized a small but mighty group. Corina, Marci, and Stacy were there with funny glitter signs, cameras, and lots of cheers. It really made me laugh to see them and certainly put a pep in my step for a little while. They will never know how much that meant to me and I hope to return the favor someday soon!


Cracked up by cheer squad antics

This stretch was fun because the marathon and 20 mile leaders were starting to pass by me heading back the other way. They looked so strong and so fast, I can only imagine what it feels like to run that way. Finally I reached the ten mile turn around and commented about it to the runner next to me. She noticed my shirt and we started talking about the New Year's Double and North Texas Runners. Her name was Danielle and it turns out we had a couple of friends in common. She is also training for her first marathon and works in education as well so we had alot in common. We ran together for about four miles before she ducked off for a pit stop. It was really nice to find company with someone who was of a similar pace. I look forward to meeting up with Danielle in the future at North Texas Runners events. I also passed my cheer squad again while I was running with Danielle. Those girls were making me laugh so hard, they are the best.


Danielle and I get a laugh

I was past the half marathon mark at this point and still felt pretty strong. It was getting warmer out and I was starting to feel the effects of the humidity. I took my gels as scheduled and enjoyed water and gator aide from the aide stations. I have also learned that I love a fresh sliced orange during a long run and was thankful to find them at a few of the rest stops. I was also really enjoying the music from my ipod and found myself drawing upon it for pacing help and motivation. Never doubt the power of good music! I started to feel the most tired somewhere between mile 17 and 18. I am not sure if it was the heat and humidity or if I was getting bored from lack of scenery and crowds, or both. I poured water on my head at one aide station and that seemed to help a little. Mile 18 was my slowest with a pace of 10:24, but then I rallied and pulled a 9:46 in mile 19.


Strong Finish!

Eventually I found myself in the last mile and I began to focus on a good finish. I rounded the corner and saw Erik and my friends there and I worked really hard because I wanted to look strong in front of all of them. I also noticed that I was going to be close to that 3:20 mark so I sprinted it in with all that I could muster. Official finish time: 3:19:46 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!


Post Race with some of the gang

Overall I was very pleased with this race. I felt tired at times, but never like I couldn't go on. My average pace was just under 10:00, which was exactly where it needed to be on a warm and windy day. My mile splits were fairly consistent too with some negative splits in the back half of the race. I also felt like my nutrition was working well for me. Knowing that I can run 20 miles in race conditions has done a ton to boost my confidence. I have no doubt that the marathon will bring me great challenge and even some pain, but I also have confidence that I will survive. I feel proud of the work that I have done in training and I am looking forward to putting that training to the test. Next stop White Rock Marathon...and I can hardly wait!!


Thanks to Corina for the pictures!

DRC Half: Happy Half-A-Versary!

I am finally getting around to writing about the Dallas Running Club Half (DRC Half)that was run on November 6. This seems to be a very special race in the Dallas running community--it celebrated its 35th Anniversary this year and it was the first half marathon for many Dallas area runners, myself included. It is a favorite of mine because while it is one of the bigger area races, it still maintains a family-like feel. I went to this race alone (Erik was enjoying the wilds of Montana), but was surrounded by friends (frunners, if you will) the entire time.


All Smiles with Lesley

I had some big hopes coming into this race--because it was my 4th time to run it I felt very familiar with the turf. I have run very well here in the past and even clocked a 1:52:50 here last year. The course is not the easiest as it is fairly hilly in the middle (hilly by our flat Dallas standards anyway). However, these hopes began to shift a little bit as the weather forecast became more clear. I am starting to thing that we have somehow angered the running weather gods. I had beautiful runs during the week in temperatures that were in the 40s, but by the time Sunday came around it was 65 degrees and very humid again. This seems to be a pattern for 2011, maybe 2012 will bring us some better luck. I knew before we even started that a super speedy race was probably not in the cards (it was 50 degrees and perfect in 2010 when I ran that 1:52) as I am just not as fast when the temps and humidity creep up. It is all good though, right....gotta remember the big picture here....the "m" word...


Pre Race with EW & Mark O.

I ran into so many friends before the race and even smiled for a few pictures. EW and Mark O. are handy with their cameras and I found them at the bag check tent. I also ran into Lesley here as she was preparing to pace another one of her runners to a PR. I told you--one is never really alone when so many runners are gathered! I lined up between the 1:50 and 2:00 pace groups and listened to a beautiful rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner". Then the announcer proclaimed "we are the Dallas Running Club and TODAY WE RUN!" (call me a dork, but that gives me chills every single time) and the starting gun fired. The beginning of a huge race is always a little bit tricky and I just focused on making progress without tripping myself or anyone around me. My legs already felt heavy and I just focused on forward progress, good form, and a consistent pace.

Splits:
Mile 1 8:56
Mile 2 8:44
Mile 3 8:34
Mile 4 9:00

The first four miles are fairly flat and my pace seems to reflect that. It seems clear to me that the first four miles were when I was "adjusting my expectations" for the day, accepting this as a training run, and trying to settle in on a pace.

The biggest climbs and rolling hills came sometime between miles 4.5 and 8 and I feel fairly pleased with the consistency of pace for miles 6 thru 8:

Mile 5 8:47
Mile 6 9:08
Mile 7 9:07
Mile 8 9:08

This is when things really started to feel hard for me. I remember yanking of my cap(which I wore because light rain was in the forecast)and realizing that my sunglasses went flying. I had them on top of my hat in case the sun came out (thankfully it never did), but I had to turn back for a bit to look for my glasses--which were nowhere in sight! A kind runner behind me had spotted them and pointed them out to me. I had no idea what my hair looked like at this point, I just knew that it was a smothering kind of hot under that cap and I needed some fresh air on my head.

Mile 9 9:25
Mile 10 9:01
Mile 11 9:09

I tried to focus on how this was the third anniversary of my first half marathon (first one in 2008) and how far I had come as a runner. This was half marathon number 29 for me in just three years! I also tried to focus on how the increased workload of marathon training has caused my legs to feel extra fatigued. This half marathon was proving to be super challenging to me....reminding me that even though it was my 29th, it is still a long way to run and that I should always respect the distance.
I was taking a little more time at the water stops because I was feeling so hot, but snapped to attention when the 2:00 pace group passed me. I suddenly had a new focus--catch that group and don't let them get ahead again!! This is reflected in mile 12:

Mile 12 8:59
But I began to feel the fatigue again by 13...not so sure what happened here...
Mile 13 9:27
Needless to say, I couldn't keep ahead of that 2:00 group...but I dug deep and sprinted it on in past the finish line. I desperately wanted that sub 2:00 finish and I was so very close!

Official Time: 2:00:04

If you know anything about me, you know that I am a perfectionist and am my own harshest critic. Initially I felt very disappointed with my finish time not just because I finished just above 2:00, but because I had to work so stinking hard for that 2:00:04. However, I soon got over that and moved on with a few lessons learned...one, always respect the distance and two, focus on the big goal here (that "M" word again) 2:00 is not a bad time for a training run!

After I finished I stood and the finish line and was humbled by what I saw. Dallas is lucky enough to be a city with a chapter of the Back on My Feet
organization. BOMF is a great charity that "promotes the self-sufficiency homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem." As I stood at the finish line a BOMF runner came through--hugs were exchanged and tears were flowing. It was hard to contain my own emotions...what a powerful thing this running stuff can be!


Post Race with Cat & Daniel

I had a great time hanging out post race and ran into several friends including Mark L. and his son Cairo. Cairo is fifteen and decided to train for this half marathon with his dad. He had an amazing first run (sub 1:50 and beat his old man!) and will be back for more, no doubt about it! Read about Cairo and Mark's race here. I also ran into Texas Independence Relay vanmates friends Cat and Daniel and enjoyed a delicious Mexican food feast with them after the race. Like I said, one is never alone as long as there are frunners around!

There was little time to lick my wounds because a big marathon training milestone was coming up the very next weekend--the Fort Worth Marathon 20 Miler. Stay tuned...report coming soon!

(Thanks to EW, Mark O., and Lesley for the pictures)

Odds and Ends....

Hello blog...it has been a while since I have seen you! My lack of posting lately means that life has been busy--lots of good things going on in my corner of the world!!

The biggest news of the day is the feature of music therapy and yours truly on The Girl With Redhair blog. Amber does a blog feature on interesting and unique careers and was kind enough to feature music therapy. I am so proud of how the feature turned out and have been sharing it with everyone who will listen. You can find the link here. Thanks again Amber!

Last night I returned from a whirlwind trip to Atlanta for the annual American Music Therapy Association Conference. The conference started on Wednesday and continued through Sunday and moved at a dizzying pace. I can honestly say that my field is filled with the most innovative, creative, and energetic people on the planet. I am honored to walk among them, seriously. This conference had a constant buzz about it as we were expecting a special visitor on Saturday afternoon. As a result of some Twitter madness, Ben Folds came down from Nashville and joined our conference Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. What a treat to hear some words of encouragement from Mr. Folds! I was able to snap a few pictures and record a video clip and hope to share them here once things settle down a bit. And speaking of Twitter, I was thrilled to join in my first ever AMTA tweet-up! It turns out that I am a member of the two most active groups on Twitter--runners and music therapists (and some of us count ourselves in both groups!) and we had a HUGE turnout at our tweet-up. I am guessing that there were about fifty of us there at one point! It was really special to meet many of my music therapy Twitter friends in real life. We had a great time playing "I Spy" as some of us realized that we were in the same room with each other during some of the conference sessions. I am so grateful to be a part of a field that feels like family with annual conferences that feel like family reunions.

In running news: it is now less that two weeks until my first marathon! I am officially in the "taper" phase of training where the runs become shorter and less intense and the goal is to rest up and prepare. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it! I owe you two race reports--the DRC Half on November 6 and the Ft Worth Marathon 20 Miler on November 13. There could not have been two more different races...the half marathon was very hard for me and the 20 miler was so much fun. I still can't believe that I have run 20 miles....twice!!

This is the week of Thanksgiving and I find myself grateful for so many things. I always say that I am leading a bit of a charmed life and I am reminded of this doubly during the holiday season. I hope that all of you are able to enjoy some good food and good times with your families this Thanksgiving!

Santa Fe Trail 5K

I was so excited when an email advertising the Santa Fe Trail 5K was delivered to my inbox a few weeks back. You see, I have suddenly found myself with an opening in my schedule on Thursday nights and have always wanted to go to one of those weeknight races that come up from time to time. This would be the perfect opportunity for me to celebrate my new freedom with a great run. I was also motivated by the promise of free pint glasses, a cool t-shirt, and an after party in the park. Sounds like a great way to spend a fall evening, right?

A wise runner once said to me that if you don't feel like you are about to die at the end of a 5K then you are not running it correctly. I rarely race 5Ks because I like to spend our race budget on longer races and I enjoy those distances more than a 3.1 mile sprint. But I also realize that 5Ks are really good to me and they are only going to hurt for less than 30 minutes and then then will be done. All this to say that every time I race a 5K I try to make it worth my time and set a PR (personal record). My current 5K PR is 25:01 and that was set on a perfect 45 degree morning last November on a beautifully flat course. I knew that it would be hard to top, but I really wanted to try.

My plans were complicated a bit by an unexpected thunderstorm the morning before. I was scheduled to run 8 miles that morning, but that was made impossible by the lightening and high winds. I would have done it that evening, but I already had boot camp on the schedule. So my 8 miler was moved to Thursday morning...that's right, about 12 hours before the race. Tough conditions for a PR, but that which doesn't kill you, right? The focus is on the big goal: marathon.

The race was at 6:30 way down in Dallas and I rolled up about 5 minutes before the starting gun sounded. Not my usual plan of arriving in plenty of time to loosen up and mill about. Oh well...no time to think....let's go!

I knew that to in order to PR I would have to run somewhere around 8:00 minute miles. The race started uphill (about 70 feet of elevation gain in the 1st half mile) and I questioned my PR plans immediately. I told myself to hang on through the 1st mile and then evaluate my pace. I gave myself permission to back off if I was not on PR pace, but if I was close I knew that I had to keep pushing. I was beginning to wonder when that mile marker would ever come (hello...they don't take this long in half marathons...) and stole a glance at my watch---.75 miles....umph....5Ks are so hard!

My watch chimed a mile and the pace read 8:12, just a little behind where I needed to be--but not enough to "quit" on my goal and I knew that the whole race could not be uphill. Fortunately the course seemed to flatten a bit after the 1st mile and while it was still challenging, it wasn't as hard as the first mile. I could see Erik just ahead of me and I focused on keeping him withing my sights.

Mile 2: 8:04--things are looking better and I have to keep on pushing (ugh). I'm still trying to keep up with Erik and I am noticing that I am starting to pass some people. I also notice that the course is heading downhill and I knew that this would be great for some negative splits. However, I was also starting to feel pretty tired and I was wondering how much longer I could hold on. Somewhere in this stretch I caught up with Erik and we ran together until just before the finish.

We rounded one more corner and I saw the marker for mile 3 and the finish line just beyond that. I felt like I was getting slower, but kept on pushing just in case. I knew that it was going to be so close and I dug deep for that final push. (I didn't know until later, but my pace for mile 3 was 7:37 and the last .1 was 7:27.) I gave it all that I could and crossed that finish line...

Official time: 25:05
9th out of 56 in my AG
8:05 Average Pace
I was just four seconds slower than my PR....oh so close!! I am not sure that I could have been four seconds faster, I gave it all that I had! I wanted to "quit" on my goal so many times and might have if I didn't have my watch telling me that I was on track for a good finish. Every time I run a 5K I tell myself that I should be doing more of them and maybe this time I will follow through with that. There is just no other challenge like it.

Erik and I had a great time after the race too--free beer, a live band, food trucks, running friends (frunners), and beautiful weather. It turned into such a nice evening and I am really happy that we were able to be out enjoying it. I must have had a huge endorphin rush from those three miles, because I kept thinking about running and how happy it makes me.

Tyler Rose Half: Every Rose Has Its Hills...Make That Thorns....

I have been so wrapped up in watching my Texas Rangers in their journey to the World Series that I have fallen behind in my blogging responsibilities. So yes, let's go back to October 9 and the Tyler Rose Half Marathon. Erik and I ran this race last year and had a really great time. We were even more excited this year because our circle of running friends (frunners) has grown so much and we knew so many people who were going. It has become an October tradition to pack up the pups, head out on Saturday afternoon, and spend the late afternoon and evening in Tyler.

I had a bit of a struggle in my last half marathon on September 25th so my goal for this one was to hold back a little bit and run a consistent pace. My marathon training plan had seventeen miles for that day (a new record for distance for me) and I wanted to be strong for all of those miles. It was hard for me to think of it this way because when there is a timing chip on my person I just want to go as fast as I can. Marathon training is teaching me all kinds of lessons!

Since we stayed overnight in Tyler we were able to sleep a bit later and enjoy a very short drive to the race. We had a great time talking with everyone and posing for pictures before the race. It was a little warm and humid that morning, but still much cooler than anything we ran in during the brutal summer months. Past experience told me that it would be a hilly run and it did not disappoint! I think that my Garmin showed 850 feet of elevation change and while that isn't a big deal for some runners, it is a challenge for us flatlanders here in North Texas.


Team K Ready To Run

Erik and I enjoyed running at a pace that was a bit more relaxed than our usual half marathon pace. There are some very scenic stretches of the race and we smiled at the locals who came out to cheer. There might not have been many of them, but they were very spirited. The hills were fierce but we took advantage a nice downhill and a bit of a lull between miles eight and ten. Somewhere around mile nine a nice race volunteer promised us that there were no more hills, and he should be ashamed of himself for telling us lies like that! The last three miles contained some of the biggest hills that we could climb. I found this to be somewhat discouraging as I was planning on heading back out after the race to catch those four extra training miles that I needed.

During the last mile Erik spotted our friend Warren up ahead of us. We kept with our steady pace and were soon able to pass him. Staying ahead of him was quite a challenge and required that we really push the tempo....the timing for this was horrible as we were in the middle of a couple of big hills. We both worked as hard as we could, but Warren regained the lead and beat us to the finish line by about three seconds. I honestly had nothing left to give at that moment and I am proud to say that the little push he gave us allowed us to record an 8:40 split for mile thirteen--our fastest mile of the race and it happened at the end on a HUGE hill. This brought me great joy as I had crashed during the last few miles of my last half marathon. Negative splits...now THAT is a good thing!


Finish Line--Can you find us?

We rounded one last corner and found ourselves at the finish line in the middle of the Tyler Rose Center. It really was a cool finish line and there were lots of folks standing around to cheer. I caught my breath for a moment, downed some water, and took off for my remaining four miles. I ran the couple of miles of the course in reverse and it was fun to cheer on friends and to hear spectators say "you are going the wrong way!" I was on the lookout for Corina and Lesley who were pacing some of Lesley's runners in the half marathon. It was a welcome distraction, giving me something to look forward to instead of dwelling on the number of miles or the big hills that I was climbing for the second time. I found them just before I needed to turn around and caught up with them after my turn-around. I ran with them for a little bit and got some great laughs from their conversations. It was so nice to have those friendly faces on the end of my run.


Corina Is Sunshine In Running Shoes!

My watch hit seventeen miles and I headed back to the finish area to find Erik and the rest of the gang. There was a cold fountain just beyond the finish line and we all took our shoes and socks off and enjoyed the cool water for a little bit. I was so happy there in the fountain amongst the roses with my runner friends. These are the moments that I think of when the training gets tough.

Here are the numbers:
13.1 Time: 2:02:58
11th out of 96 in my Age Group
Avg Pace 9:23
Total Miles for day 17.11
Total Avg Pace 9:26

It is so interesting to me that my last half marathon was only about a minute faster and on a very flat course, but I went out too fast and crashed in the last three miles. This is a beautiful example of why it is important to start slow and get faster as the miles roll by.


Post Run with EW, Dana, & Elaine

I considered this one a success for several reasons: I ran my longest distance ever (and I didn't fall over from exhaustion!), I ran a much smarter half marathon and hopefully started some new/better racing habits, and I had so much fun with Erik and all of my Frunners. Last year this was my Sweet Sixteen half marathon and this year it is my number twenty-eight. I was challenged (again) by the rolling terrain in Tyler...and I can't wait to come back next year!

(Thanks, as always, to Corina and EW for the pictures. They are better than any race photographer!)

Third Quarter Running Report

The third quarter of this year brought some of the hottest and nastiest weather in Dallas history. For real, it was the hottest summer on record with 71 days of 100+ (usually +) degree weather. This was made worse by the fact that we never really cooled off below 88 degrees at night, setting records for warmest overnight lows. It was just plain gross around here and made running the last thing that I wanted to do some days. Opening the door and being smacked in the face with 88 degrees at 5:00 am is just plain defeating. I am happy to say that I ran strong through this quarter...but I know that I did my fair share of whining, complaining, and nashing of teeth.

So here's a look at the goals and progress for the third quarter:
1. Build a streak of 1000 mile years by running 1100 miles in 2011.
2. Build upon 2010's success by maintaining/surpassing Personal Records in each distance.
3. Build a streak of sub 2 hour half marathons by building on the half marathons that I completed in 2010.
4. Add variety into training and races by mixing in different challenges (distances, relays, multi-day events, etc.)
5. Run a marathon in 2011

1. Build a streak of 1000 mile years by running 1100 miles in 2011.
I tried my best to stay on top of my mileage this quarter, despite the heat, and I did a pretty good job. I ran 101.7 miles in July, 82.85 miles in August, and 109.38 in September bringing this quarters total to 293.93. That is a new record for quarterly mileage and is 26.5 miles more than the third quarter last year. September's total is a new monthly record for me and comes courtesy of marathon training. I am well on track to make and exceed my 1100 mile goal for the year. I might be a huge run nerd over these numbers, but it is just fun to see where smart and consistent training can take them!

2. Build upon 2010's success by maintaining/surpassing Personal Records in each distance.
Umm...yea...I don't really have any progress to report on this goal. I think that "maintaining" is the best goal over this quarter because of the heat and I did okay with that...mostly. I was within a minute of my 5K PR on a very hot July morning and I came within my usual 2:00 half marathon range on a hot September morning. We all know that the Hottest Half (my August half) does not count for time, that is just the deal I make with myself when I sign up for a half marathon in the middle of August. I thought that I would PR a 20K a couple of weeks back at Tour des Fleurs but the six miles of hills and high humidity meant that it was not my day to be speedy. However, I got a new PR for distance with the El Scorcho 25K in July. The good news is that fall is here and that is PR season for this runner. Bring it!

3. Build a streak of sub 2 hour half marathons by building on the half marathons that I completed in 2010.
Again, not too much to report on this goal either. I am thinking that I need to fire my goal writer for making these so darned hard! I am happy that I eeked out a 2:01 half marathon last weekend when the temperatures were just under 80 degrees at the start. Again, looks like fourth quarter is a great time to attack this goal!

4. Add variety into training and races by mixing in different challenges (distances, relays, multi-day events, etc.)
Variety and new challenges has been a focus of mine this year and I have really enjoyed mixing it up a bit. I added a new race distance this quarter--25K and I did it in the boldest way--at midnight!! Talk about getting outside of your comfort zone! I have also continued to seek out social runs, trail runs, and social trail runs. I continue to add challenges to my upcoming schedule--perhaps the one I am most excited about is the New Year's Double. That's right...I will be running a half marathon on New Year's Eve and another half marathon on New Year's Day!

5. Run a marathon in 2011.
Here it is....on August 22 I officially began training for the Dallas White Rock Marathon to be run on December 4. I selected a sixteen week training plan so I am nearly halfway through with my training. It has been exhausting at times, but certainly nothing out of my reach as a runner. October will be my biggest month of training and will include my first twenty mile run! Yikes! I have really been enjoying the training and have learned lots of good lessons so far. I am looking forward to the second half of my training.

So there you have it! Thankfully we seem to have survived the summer. October 1st came and brought with it beautiful temperatures with morning lows into the upper 50s/lower 60s. The fourth quarter and first quarter are my favorite for running and I am excited about all of the possibilities that lie ahead!

Let Me Tell You Something About Frunners

There is nothing like the friendships that I have forged through running. Corina, a running friend, calls them "frunners"...friends who are also runners. We became friends because we run, but we remain friends for so many reasons besides running. My frunners are the most supportive group of people that I have ever met--capable of forming a "Bubble of Love" around a fellow frunner in need (another Corina term) and this week I was fortunate enough to experience my own Bubble of Love.

The story isn't about running, but about music--my profession and a mainstay in my life since I started playing clarinet twenty-five years ago. I have been a member of the Metropolitan Winds, an all-volunteer wind ensemble, for ten years now. I have written about them a few times as my playing with them has had some close brushes with running. Remember that time that I ran a half marathon and then played two concerts...in the same day?? Or as recently as this July where I ran a very hot 15K and then performed in a matinee concert. This group and the experiences that I have had with the group mean alot of me and have for many years now. Did you know that I unknowingly delayed my Valentine's Day proposal because there was Met Winds rehearsal on Valentine's night and I didn't want to miss it. Yep, poor Erik had to wait one more day and propose to me on February 15...all because I didn't want to miss band rehearsal. I have been a loyal member for ten years, rarely missing rehearsals and only missing one or two concerts (because they conflicted with out-of-state music therapy conferences). I have loyally paid my dues every semester, bought tickets so my friends and family could attend concerts, and have made extra monetary contributions whenever the group has asked. I might not have been the flashiest player in the clarinet section, but I was beyond loyal to the group.

When we returned to rehearsals this September it was announced that they wanted to cut the size of the group by about twenty players. They reasoned that the band had not been playing up to par lately and that a smaller group of stronger players would be...well...better. The new ensemble would be selected via auditions that would be held a few weeks later. The very thought of an audition freaked me out. I am a strong section player but am not used to playing alone or auditioning since I have not done it since college. I had lost some of my clarinet mojo, you could say, but I took the audition music home and was committed to learning it so that I could have a strong audition. Fast forward to this week--I show up on Thursday night, wait around two hours to audition, perform the best that I could, and was told that I would be a first alternate to the section. The group had been recruiting for performers and had found some new and flashy players to take my spot. It was the first audition in my life where I didn't make the group, so I felt pretty shocked. Needless to say, I was heartbroken and cried as I drove home in the rain.

You might wonder where the frunners come in...well, I had been tweeting to them during this whole process. I expressed my concern about the audition and expressed my impatience as I waited so long for the audition. They cheered me on before and during and then checked in with me when it was finished. The outpouring of support was overwhelming at times...seriously, it would start me boo-hooing all over again to read some of their tweets. Running is alot like music and I think that they all understood the pain of putting your best out there and it not being enough. I would be remiss if I limited the support just to my frunners, Erik has been so sweet and supportive--he had a glass of wine waiting for me when I got home and has listened to me talk through the whole thing over and over. I have also felt the love from fellow musician-friends and my coworkers. It stinks that it takes a crummy situation to make you realize how lucky you are, but sometimes that is what it takes. Thanks to everyone who reached out to me, it means alot.

So where am I headed from here? I have no intention of filling in as first alternate. If they can't offer me more after ten years of loyal support then I will find another place to share my talents. I'm going to take this time and focus my full attention on marathon training and then I will begin to explore new performance opportunities in January. It is important to me that I play my clarinet somewhere because it is a big part of who I am. Will Thursday nights be hard? Probably so, I have spent most of my Thursday nights for the last ten years at rehearsal. I have made some wonderful friendships in that group and I will miss seeing all of those faces. But I am moving forward too, I have already signed up for a 5K on a Thursday night in a couple of weeks and I am so excited! I always wanted to go to some of those random Thursday night races, but never could because I had rehearsal. I have even considered getting some Thursday night social runs together, how fun would that be? Hill training, anyone? Trail runs? Speedwork?

As I drove home, I heard a favorite (and fitting) Green Day song on the radio. These lyrics really hit home that night:

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Heels & Hills & Him Half: Holy Crash-o-la Batgirl!

The great thing about races is that they never fail to teach you some kind of lesson about yourself, your training, or your mental capacity--just to name a few. This Heels & Hills & Him half marathon was no exception. I felt so good coming into this race and felt so strong for 2/3 of the race...then the wheels came flying off in grand fashion!!

I had a good week of moderately paced training runs (although came in with fifteen miles on my feet which is about five more than I am used to thanks to marathon training) and I even had a day off from boot camp due to class being cancelled. So I thought that I was ready to rock out on a race course that was very familiar to me (I think that this was my fifth time to run this course) and was the home of my personal record (PR) in May 2010. Erik always lets me have this race to myself and I told him to head out for his usual Sunday long run instead of waiting around a couple of hours to cheer for me. I arrived at the race, parked with ease, ate my breakfast, listened to some music in my car, and headed over to the start area. The best thing about any of the Heels & Hills races is that so many of my friends are there. While I arrived by myself, I was never really alone (except maybe during the last three miles, but that is for later). It was great to visit with friends, smile for some incredibly dorky pictures, and get focused on the race.

I have not mentioned a major factor in the day yet and that was the dreaded summer heat. It was already 77 degrees when I woke up and I am certain that it had to be near 80 when we started. Cooler than many of our recent summer mornings, but not the weather that makes for running with ease. I have grown so weary of using the heat as an excuse that I decided to totally put it out of my mind. I was just going to run at a quick pace that feels good and I would deal with the heat later (mistake #1). I had used the heat as an excuse for a slower pace all summer and I just decided that I was done. Apparently the heat did not agree with my plan...these races have a way of humbling you!

I always have a goal of finishing a half marathon under two hours and that was my plan again today. I suppose that my "A" goal would have been to hit 1:55 or better, but I am always happy with a 2:00 finish since it has become sort of a benchmark time for me. I started the race just behind the 2:00 pace group with the intention of gradually pulling ahead of them. I felt like I got a good and comfortable start, it wasn't crowded and I didn't have to worry about maneuvering around other runners. I passed the 2:00 group within the first couple of miles and was feeling strong and very confident. I could see running friend Mark L. about 50 yards in front of me and he was setting a great, consistent pace--making him a great "rabbit".

I paused for a brief moment at each water station (there is no way I can drink and run...tried it, not pretty) and made sure to get some salt tabs and gels down at the appropriate times. It felt hot but it wasn't anything that I haven't felt before and it wasn't overwhelming and therefore had not crossed my mind as a factor to consider.

Average pace:
Mile 1 8:49
Mile 2 8:39
Mile 3 8:49
Mile 4 8:50
Mile 5 8:47
Mile 6 8:35
Mile 7 8:57

The turn around on this out-and-back course is at mile 7 and I was feeling pretty good and was on a good pace for a finish somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:55 (7 miles in 1 hour is always a good indicator to me and I hit it in 1:01). It was starting to heat up a bit and I was very grateful for the wet towel that the volunteer handed to me. It was here that my pace started to fall off just a little bit and I lots sight of Mark L, my rabbit. I passed TIR teammate Mel's water station twice in this stretch and she reminded me to hydrate well at her stop.

I was still feeling okay, but I knew that the trip back would not be as easy. I felt that I was slowing off the pace a bit and my goal was to keep up with the people around me. I passed several runners in the first half of the race and some of them were starting to catch me again now. This section of the race is fun because I get to see alot of friendly faces on their way out. It was a great distraction to search for friend's faces in the crowds and call out to them as we passed each other. Out-and-back races are not always my favorites, but this is a great benefit of this kind of race.

Mile 8: 9:06
Mile 9: 9:07

It was clear that my pace had dropped, but even by slowing I knew that I could still finish below 2:00 and meet my top goal for the day. I started to feel a little bit icky and began to take more time at the water stops to make sure I got plenty of fluids and was able to pop a salt tab when I needed. This really shows up in my pace over the last miles.

Mile 10: 9:52
Mile 11: 9:50
Mile 12: 10:00

Oh my goodness....would this race ever end? The last 3 miles of this race have to be the longest I have ever run. At this point there was no shade and the race was entirely on hot concrete. Somebody make it stop!!! I don't think that I have ever really experienced "the wall" before...until this exact point. My legs felt like heavy concrete blocks! One more mile...

Mile 13: 10:15 (holy smokes!)
But then something magical happens when that finish line is in sight. The mind is a funny thing and sometimes it tricks you into thinking that you are done....and then you see a finish line....and you run the last .22 miles in an average pace of 8:12. Hello! I could have used some of that a mile ago!

I have never been so happy to see a finish line and I'm not quite sure I have ever been so grateful to see a bottle of cold water. But my running wasn't finished....remember marathon training is here and I need a couple of more miles left for the day. This is when my rabbit, Mark L., happens by and I mention these miles to him. Turns out he is heading back out on the course to cheer on some first time half runners from his work. So I tagged along with him until we found his friends and then followed them in to the finish. It was really cool to be a part of the end of their first half marathon. I realize that I take so many things for granted after finishing twenty-seven of these half marathons. If you are ever looking for inspiration, head back out to the last couple of miles of an endurance race on a challenging day...it is amazing!!

Marathon training is teaching me so many lessons about running and what I am capable (or not) of doing. There seems to be a big lesson every week and this week it was that I can't expect to build my mileage base and all-out race at the same time. I ran 30.85 miles this week--a new personal record for weekly mileage! I now know that it is unreasonable to train more than I ever have and then come on out on a hot day and expect race magic. See these things are humbling and teach me so many lessons!

So here are the final numbers for the day:
2:01:39
6th out of 47 in my age group

While I didn't meet my goals for the day and I sorta crashed and burned at the end, I am not going to feel ashamed of my efforts. I ran strong for nine miles on a hot day and finished 17 minutes faster than my half marathon in August (which never counts for time because it is crazy hot in Texas in August). I am happy to say that I am still learning lessons....even in my 27th half marathon. That right there is something to be happy about.

What's next? I am enjoying a step-back week before the next big mileage push in marathon training. This means that I only have to run somewhere between 11-13 miles for my long run this weekend. I am looking forward to some laid back miles after two very challenging race weekends in a row.

But look out....in two weeks we are heading to Tyler for the Tyler Rose Half Marathon. This was a favorite from last year, but who knew Tyler had so many hills? Looks like number twenty-eight will bring its own set of challenges.

Tour des Fleurs 20K: The Hills Are Alive

The Tour des Fleurs is one of my very favorite races of the year. You may be wondering what makes this race so special? While it is still "officially" summer on the calendar, this race is cooler than most recent races and marks the beginning of the fall racing season. It is held at the beautiful Dallas Arboretum and we get to walk through pumpkin and mum lined pathways on the way to the arboretum lawn and the start line for the race. The Tour des Fleurs is a HUGE race that is remarkably well organized with tons of vendors on the lawn giving out all kinds of free food and drink samples. The race schwag is always very nice--this year a pretty periwinkle tech shirt (however, noticeably missing from the finish line was the favorite TDF race hat). And the best thing, we always have lots of friends at this race.

The Tour des Fleurs offers a 10K and 20K distance and I have always chosen to run the 10K distance in past years. I chose 10K because it is hard to find many 10K races and the calendar always brings the Heels & Hills & Him half marathon the following week (choosing not to save my best for the half distance). It is no secret that 20K is not a favorite distance of mine--at 12.4 miles it is all of the work and pain of a half marathon without any of the glory (Erik named it the "whipping with a t-shirt"). I have only raced 20K two times in my running career and neither of those were stellar races for me. However, marathon training has brought me to a new era in my running life and my training plan called for a 14 mile long run that week. So here we are....I have officially become one of "those people" who keep on running after crossing the finish line. If I am going to run 14 miles, I might as well run 12.4 of them in a race and get all of the above perks.



The weather was cooler than we were used to, but still warm and very humid. We got a very rare soaking rain on Friday night and while it was so nice, it just made very steamy Saturday morning! By the end of the race, I looked as if I had jumped into a swimming pool--not a dry thread on me. My legs felt very tired and heavy from the moment the race started. I learned a marathon training lesson right there--if hoping to be speedy on the weekend long run, one should hold back a little bit on the weekday training runs. I had a great week of training runs and boot camps leading up to this race--and I could feel it. Oh well, onward we go!

The first six miles of this race were around White Rock Lake and were mercifully flat, but the second half of the race was a whole other story. I was just starting to feel a little bit more loose and strong when we hit mile six, but I knew what was coming my way next. I had heard the stories of how tough this 20K was and I was familiar with some of the territory that it would cover (the DRC Half covers some of the same ground), but I was in no way prepared for what was about to come my way. Erik and I hung together for this race and averaged a strong 9:16/mile pace for the first half of the race. The second six miles were a different story--turn a corner, run up a hill, turn a corner, run up a hill....over and over. It seemed that the hills got bigger with each corner that we turned. The downhills became an opportunity to recover rather than make-up time. Our average pace fell to 9:50 in this half of the race and I was thankful that each time a mile chimed on my watch the pace would show up under 10:00...funny how goals change with the terrain. It was reassuring to check the results and see that many of the strong runners that I admire most averaged approximately a thirty second drop off between the 1st and 2nd half of the race. Those hills were no joke!


Relaxing Post Race

After one last hill we made our way back to the lake trail and wonderfully flat ground for the last half mile or so. A big kick at the finish and the race was done...mostly...I grabbed a bottle of water and took a few minutes to regain my breath...and then I headed out for another 1.6 miles. I had no idea that it would be so hard to run after the race was finished. Not physically hard--I didn't feel too bad physically, but it is mentally hard to keep going once the race is over and you know that your friends are kicking back and enjoying themselves on that big green lawn. I gave myself permission to run the last 1.6 as slow as I wanted (short of walking) but ended up running them at about a 9:15 pace. I think that I was just ready to be finished and hanging out in the beer garden!

Here are the official stats:
Official Time: 1:58:28
Official Avg Pace: 9:33
29 out of 98 in my age group

And we know that no race lines up exactly the same with my Garmin, so here are my stats for all 14 miles:
Total: 14.08 miles
Total Time: 2:12:08
Avg Pace: 9:23
Elevation Gain: 390 feet

After the race I had another new experience--the ice bath. I didn't want to do it, but I am sure glad that I did. I woke up feeling like a million buck on Sunday morning, not a single bit of soreness after a hot race that included almost six miles of hills.

And now it is the weekend and I am looking forward to another race. Tomorrow is a favorite of mine: the Heels and Hills and Him half marathon. I have run this course four times before and have had some really great times here, including my current half marathon PR. The course is very PR friendly and I hope that the weather will be nice tomorrow morning. I will have to run on past the finish line again this week--this time the schedule calls for 15 miles. My longest runs ever have all been in the 15.5 mile range, so I will be approaching a distance milestone. I reigned in my training runs and boot camps this week and feel much more rested than I did last week. I am hoping for a great run. Stay tuned!

(Special thanks to Mary Lawrence for the pictures!)

Remembering September 11, 2001

There has been so much media coverage this week about the events of September 11, 2001. I was amazed at how much seeing and hearing the footage from that day rocked me to my very core. I had no idea that so many thoughts and feelings would come rushing back. I have been thinking alot about how my own experience played out on that day and what a big role music played in my processing of the event.

I was in a somewhat unique position that day as I saw seven music therapy groups on four campuses that day. The 2001-02 school year was the hardest one I have experienced due to an exceedingly heavy caseload and this day was a prime example of that. I got most all of my news from the radio in my car that day and I wasn't able to see a TV until almost noon. When I walked out of my apartment on that beautiful morning the world was pretty normal and it seemed as if fall had arrived, but by the time I started my car the events of the day had already started to unfold. I remember going to my first school where my teacher and her students did not know what was happening. I didn't want to tell them so I conducted my group in an ordinary fashion--it was a relief to me to have a little bit of "normal" on what would be an extraordinary day. By the time I got in my car to go to my second campus, the first tower had crumbled and I think that the second fell before I got to my second school. The news of the crash at the Pentagon was also coming in by that time. I was working in the direct flight path of DFW Airport and I remember sitting in my car watching plane after plane head into the airport. Everyone felt so uneasy that day and lots of parents were coming to pick their kids up from school and only a few of the afternoon students came to the preschool classes that I was working with. I remember looking at the classroom calendar--they were putting a paper apple with the number of each date on it during the class calendar time--and seeing the apple with the 11 on it...thinking that 9/11 would forever hold a significant place in history.

My day continued in the same manner with trips to two more campuses. I felt insecure and very alone that day as I traveled from place to place. I love the freedom that my job allows, but I was craving the company of others on that day. My last stop was at a high school, they had a blood drive scheduled for that day (just a coincidence) and had to stop taking donations because they ran out of supplies...people were wanting to help in any way that they could.

I finished my day at the home of my clarinet student for our usual Tuesday lesson. Alan was probably about an 8th grader at the time--a very bright student who was a joy to teach. We could hear the news coming from the TV in the other room, but neither of us spoke of the it. Making music was the most comfortable and normal thing that we could do. Looking back, I realize that cancelling the lesson--or any of my groups that day--was never a thought. Making music was seemed like the most natural thing that we could do that day and for that I am grateful.

I lived near Addison Airport at that time and had grown very used to the sound of commuter planes landing all day and into the night. When I first moved in it was a little unsettling and maybe annoying. However, I longed for those sounds in the days following 9/11. It was just so quiet...too quiet.

Lots of images stand out in my mind from that day and the days that follow. Who could forget the Congressmen standing on the steps of the Capital and singing God Bless America? Or when baseball came back to Yankee Stadium? Or Dan Rather crying on the David Letterman Show? I found myself lost in my work during those days--my students could not grasp what was going on in the world so things seemed pretty "normal" when we had our music therapy time together. I could almost loose myself in our music and fun and forget what was going on in the world. The innocence and trust in their eyes reminded me that we had such a responsibility to be strong for them.

Erik and I were supposed to fly to Nashville at the end of that week for a family wedding. Needless to say, we would not be catching any flights--I didn't see a plane in the sky until that Saturday when we were already in Nashville. It was an amazing time to be out on a long road trip, something that I will never forget. We saw flags and banners hanging off of random overpasses on interstate highways and patriotic messages written on cars and trucks. The radio stations were all playing fairly somber music and the DJs spoke in hushed tones. There was a feeling that we were all looking out for each other on those crowded highways.

There was an incredible spirit that arose in our country in the days following 9/11. I was sad that it took such tragedy to bring about such a great unity, but I loved it. People were taking the time to look out for each other and we stopped taking our time together for granted. I hope that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 will bring some of those feelings back to us and that we will take the time to reach out to our fellow man. I think that would send the loudest message to the terrorists...you can knock us down but we will just emerge stronger in the end.