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.