Some people run with reckless abandon, but I love numbers and data. I don't run just to accumulate piles of numbers, but I do enjoy looking back at them to help quantify my journey. Without further delay, a look back at my numbers and goals for 2014.
Run 1100+ Miles in 2014.
As I've stated before, I don't see myself as the type of runner who would keep a daily run streak as it does not fit my training style or purpose. I have, however, managed to create a bit of an annual mileage streak for myself. Back in 2010 I completed my first ever 1000 mile running year. I really liked how this amount of mileage "felt" and decided to keep the goal for the following year. In 2011 I trained for my first marathon and my mileage got a slight bump up as a result and it put me in the 1100 mile range. Once again, this amount of mileage felt like a good place to me and I decided to see if I could maintain if for another year. I finished 2014 with 1160.7 miles which brings my 1000+ mile streak to 5 years and my 1100+ streak to 4 years. I do love me some consistency! I am up about 31 miles from last year, I think because I was able to balance high cycling miles and running miles a little bit better this year. I need to look back and find my all-time mileage total, I'm estimating that it is approaching 6,500 miles since I started this journey in the late spring of 2008. I focused on a strong base this year and I will continue that focus into the new year.
Become A Stronger Cyclist.
In 2013 I had goals to complete such challenges as the Shiner GASP century ride and back-to-back Grand Fondos at Tulsa Tough. I finished each of these challenges, although painfully slow at times, so I decided to work on becoming more efficient and mentally strong on my bike in 2014. I took some terrific indoor cycling classes with Coach Frank and Tri-Now Endurance in February and March and I attended their cycling base camp at Tin Star Ranch in the Texas Hill Country. I learned a great deal about cycling form and mechanics from Coach Frank and I attempted to tackle some small mountains out in the Hill Country. I felt like I was getting stronger, but decided to take it one step further by upgrading my bike to a Cannondale SuperSix named Johan (get it, Canon...Johan Pachelbel....har, har). The full carbon bike was much more responsive and I felt an immediate boost - and it might have just been mental! We took a trip back to Tin Star in late July and I was able to make it up some of the mountains that had humbled me so back in early March. I ended up with 1140 miles on my bike this year - an all time high! I am making it a goal to stay in the 1000 mile base range on my bike as well and to continue to grow in both abilities and confidence.
Run and PR a Marathon.
I train hard for and run one marathon a year, so I am certainly taking a gamble as I only have one shot at that personal record. This year we selected the California International Marathon in Sacramento, California on December 7. The shift in training schedule was nice as my highest mileage month was in November instead of August like the previous 2 years. I felt like I would have a strong race, but I don't know if I had that "PR feeling" during my training. The week of the race was one of the most challenging that I have ever had as we lost my beloved grandmother very suddenly the Sunday before marathon day. Marathons are emotional to begin with, but this one was a real roller coaster. I feel like I ran with a special angel on my shoulder that day and came out with 4:11:12. Certainly a time that I can be proud of, but short of my personal best by about 5 minutes. I'm not sure where we will marathon next year, but I like the late fall/early winter training schedule.
I ran 11 races this year, which seems to be the average for the last few years. I also did 9 bike rallies and 2 multi-day bike camps at Tin Star Ranch. Race distances include 1 marathon, 6 half marathons (life total of 48), 1 25K, 1 20K, and 2 5Ks. I got a nice trail half marathon PR at Grasslands in 2:12:43 - about 14 minutes faster than my previous record. I spent 104 hours training in the gym - mostly in boot camp and Pilates classes. The biggest news might have been that I learned to swim in August. I absolutely love it and I have swum approximately 26 miles since then. I am looking forward to attacking my first sprint triathlon coming up in March 2015.
While the numbers are fun, they do not tell the whole story. I could not do it alone and have run many of these miles with my best friend, husband, and training partner Mr K. We constantly push and pull each other and I could not imagine doing it without him by my side (or sometimes just in front of me). It is 100% his fault that I am swimming as he took the triathlon leap in 2014, completing his first Ironman 70.3 in early April. It was his gentle nudge that got me into the pool on that hot August day. It sounds cliche, but I fully believe that I have been given the best group of friends on the planet. It has been an honor to cheer them on, both in person and virtually, as they have managed to accomplish nothing short of the incredible. They push me (and sometimes pull me) and encourage me to go beyond what I thought was ever possible.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Dallas Marathon Half: My Victory Lap
I knew coming into this half marathon that it would not be about speed. I had just run the California International Marathon 7 days before and had not recovered enough for a fast half, but marathon weekend is one of my favorite weekends in Dallas and I was not about to miss it. I have run in this race 6 times (the half marathon 5 times and the marathon once). It would have been 7 times, but the epic ice storm of 2013 had other plans for us. I missed marathon weekend more than I thought I would last year and I was so happy to get back to work this year. I still can't believe that it happened and I gained a new appreciation for all of the money lost as I wandered around the race expo. So much merchandise with the race date and year on it - what a waste! As an incentive to get the 2013 runners to come back, they promised we could have our medals from last year once we finished this year. It is one of the most beautiful medals that I have and it certainly has a unique story behind it - I'm glad that they let us have them.
I had a pretty terrible race experience in 2012 - there was a traffic jam, a scramble to find a parking spot, a parking ticket, lost debit card and driver's license, and an awfully paced run on a hot and humid day. It would be hard for me to do any worse than that this year and I was ready for a "do over." I had a better plan for parking and arrived at the race approximately 2 hours before it started, that alone felt like winning to me! I was able to take care of all the pre-race business, drop my bag with the bag drop people, and find my friends in my starting corral with great ease. Keith, Ninja, Fiona, and I had a great time chatting while we waited for the starting gun. The Dallas Marathon brought in some huge names for this event - Ryan Hall and Meb were taking part in the relay, and Sarah Hall and Deena Kastor were each running the half marathon. I was hoping so hard that I would cross paths with them, but it was not meant to be. After the fireworks and the elite start, we were on our way. I love the start line of the Dallas Marathon - such an amazing energy! I could tell right away that my legs had no pep in them and I decided to settle in and enjoy the day. I was pretty thankful that I was not going for a fast time today because it was so humid and a little bit warm, the exact conditions that usually cause me to struggle.
I can't say enough about how much fun the half marathon course was this year. Due to construction and various City of Dallas issues, they have had to revise the course quite frequently. The 2012 edition of the half marathon course left much to be desired....pretty boring and with a mentally defeating mile out and back before making the turn for the finish line. The only highlight was running over the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, but the neighborhood before and after that was not very exciting. The 2014 course took all of the best parts of the previous courses and put them together. It really was like a parade through the best parts of my favorite city. As we ran out of downtown, a construction worker was standing on an overpass yelling his head off for us. I love the energy!
We headed out through Deep Ellum and over to Turtle Creek Boulevard. Several of my friends passed me during this section and I also spotted Heidi and Brian cheering. One of the reasons that I love this race so much are all of the familiar faces that I see along the way. It was such a stark contrast to the week before when I was marathoning in California and Mr K was the only person that I knew. After running up Turtle Creek we made the turn and headed into Highland Park - always a pleasure running on Beverly Drive and I'm so happy to see this area on the course again. The stately mansions are decked out in their best Christmas decorations and many people come out onto their yards to cheer. I spotted Heidi and Brian again somewhere during this part of the race, they were navigating the course like champs!
We were nearing mile 7 as we exited Highland Park and I had my eye out for Byron as I knew that he was working the aide station in the area. I found him at the end of the line and paused to chat with him. He reminded me that I needed to be running smart (which I was) and told me that he saw Ryan and Sarah Hall run by earlier in the race. It was a thrill to know that I was running the very same streets that some of the best American runners were running. That is the beauty of our sport - first place or last, we are all on the same streets, facing the same course.
I moved on from Byron and focused even more on having the most fun. The best part of the course had to be Greenville Avenue - one of the best spots in Dallas on any day with all of the bars and restaurants. Lots of spectators gathered on Greenville Avenue and some of the restaurants were open too. It provided a huge burst of energy and I made sure to take in all the sights and sounds as I ran this stretch. I called out to spectators in costume, I thanked volunteers, and I stopped to talk with friends. It was such a nice change from the structure and careful attention to pacing that marathon training brought for the previous 16 weeks. On this day I ran for the sheer love of running.
Somewhere around mile 9 the marathon took a left turn away from the half course and this is where I found my panda, also known as TPG. You might recognize her from the DRC Half a few weeks back. She jumped in and ran with me for a minute and so that she could snap a panda selfie - you can tell from my smile that I was having a blast. The last couple of miles were probably the least interesting on the course and we even covered some of the same ground that we did in the beginning of the race. I spotted Heidi and Brian one more time and turned my thoughts towards finishing. I did not have the usual "oh my gosh, when will this be over" feeling that I usually do during a half marathon - my sense of distance was still a little bit different after running twice as far the week before.
I could hear a helicopter and sirens in the final mile, a sure sign that the marathon winner was not too far behind me. I was having a blast, but I did have a goal to finish before the first marathoner. I could see a couple of TV monitors and I knew that he was not too far behind as I could see him passing the same landmarks that I had recently passed. Turns out he reached the finish line about 2 minutes after I finished my race. I crossed the finish line with a happy heart and a big smile in 2:12:29. This is about 15 minutes slower than a "typical" half marathon time for me, but I was quite pleased with it. I felt as if I had just taken part in a 13 mile party in running shoes. I was so proud of my city and of my fellow runners - it was a great day! Two years ago this race left me frustrated and disappointed, and one year ago the cancellation just made me sad. It is safe to say that I made amends with the Dallas Marathon Half today. I always said that the White Rock Marathon held magic, but that magic seemed to disappear when they changed the name. The new magic may look a little bit different, but it was magic just the same.
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| 2013 and 2014 medals |
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| In the corral with Ninja, Fi, and Keith (picture: Jessie) |
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| Happy Runner (Picture: Jessie) |
We were nearing mile 7 as we exited Highland Park and I had my eye out for Byron as I knew that he was working the aide station in the area. I found him at the end of the line and paused to chat with him. He reminded me that I needed to be running smart (which I was) and told me that he saw Ryan and Sarah Hall run by earlier in the race. It was a thrill to know that I was running the very same streets that some of the best American runners were running. That is the beauty of our sport - first place or last, we are all on the same streets, facing the same course.
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| Post Race Bling Pose with Mary and Keith (Picture: Mary) |
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| Favorite Race Picture Ever (Picture: TPG) |
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| Finish Line Smile |
Thursday, December 11, 2014
California International Marathon: On Angel's Wings
It has become tradition for us to pick out one marathon a year to train for and race. We tend to pick races that are out of state because I figure if I'm going to run 26.2 miles I want to see something new along the way. Also, Texas weather is infamously unpredictable and I just couldn't bear the thought of training for so many weeks only to get caught in an unseasonable heatwave. My first marathon and only marathon in Texas was here in Dallas, but I have travelled ever since. The last two years have found us marathoning in the Midwest both in Chicago and Milwaukee. This year we decided to head west to the California International Marathon on December 7 in Sacramento. I had heard so many great things about this race and it was a point-to-point with a net downhill (my favorite - see Milwaukee and the 3M Half in Austin) and was well organized and supported by the local communities. Being in early December, it often falls on the same weekend as the Dallas Marathon, but this year it did not and I jumped at the opportunity to run.
Both Chicago and Milwaukee were in early October and that had us training through the heat of the summer with our biggest miles coming in August. This year's early December race date provided a most wonderful shift from that training cycle. The training was not "easy," but it was "different" as our last 20 miler was with temperatures in the 40s and a strong wind. I think that we might have set a record for temperature extremes during a training cycle with temperatures in the 80s during the early runs and then 24 degrees for one of the last track workouts. As with any training, there are good days and bad days - remember, I was diagnosed with shingles the day that training officially began! I felt physically strong at times, but I don't know my mental game was as strong as in years past. By the time you get to your 4th marathon, you remember how hard they are and how much they can hurt by the end.
We were heading into "race week" when I received the sudden and shocking news that we had lost my grandmother (Granny Faye) the Sunday after Thanksgiving. She was my role model of strength, smarts, and humor and I was just devastated to know that she was gone. Granny Faye was a true matriarch, the center of our family, and I was not sure what we were going to do without her. It was a roller coaster week with my family - so much laughter and so many tears. Running was the one thing that felt "normal" in a week when everything else was just "off." Soon enough it was time for Mr K and me to head to California. We landed on Friday afternoon and enjoyed an evening wandering around Old Sacramento. Such a cute town! On Saturday we walked down to the race expo and spent some time on the Capitol grounds before spending the afternoon hanging out at the hotel. The race ends at the Capitol so it was super exciting to get a peek as the race staff was setting up all the finish line and all the other "stuff" that goes with it.
Race day came early and at 5:00 am we loaded the big yellow buses that would take us to the start line in Folsom. Mr K and I had kept ourselves mostly on Texas time, going to bed super early and waking up super early on Saturday. Our plan worked brilliantly as the early alarm did not feel all that early. As promised, the start line area was well organized and there really was a line of porta potties a quarter mile long! We were treated to a stirring rendition of The Star Spangled Banner with the best bluegrass twinge, I love it when that happens! I found myself to be a little teary at the start, I think that I was just filled to the top with all kinds of emotions from the week. There was not a pace group that really fit my needs, so both Mr K and I lined up behind the 4:00 group. This race is such a known Boston Qualifier that the pacers were identifying who was attempting to qualify and giving them special instructions for getting in just ahead of their cut off time. Pretty cool!
Miles 1-6.2
I decided to run mostly by feel, since there was no pace group and the 4:00 group took off a little too fast for my comfort. In these early miles I watched the mile markers and tried to get to the next one with a consistent time. There were rolling hills in the first half of the race, so some of the miles were faster than others. The scenery was beautiful in these early miles - mostly rural with the occasional resident coming to the end of their drive to cheer. One of the best parts of the race was how much of the road we had to ourselves - the whole road during the early miles and then the entire right lane for the duration of the race. This might have been the first marathon I've ever run where this is the case and I really appreciated it. Mr K slipped away from me in the very early miles and I thought of him occasionally, hoping that he was having a good race. I started to look forward to the 10K (6.2 mile) mark because I assumed that there would be a timing mat there. I knew that my friends and family were tracking my progress at home and I always get a boost from them. Sure enough, there was a mat and I crossed 10K in 57:08 with 9:12 average pace - feeling good!
Miles 6.2-13.1
I didn't stop at any aide stations until after mile 7 when my handheld needed a refill. I was focused on getting to the halfway mark. I wasn't looking at my watch too often in this section, just keeping an eye on time so that I would know when to eat a gel. I tried to keep the pace relaxed and consistent while taking in the scenery and the spectators. The terrain became a little less rural and started to look more suburban and there were some good hills too, but each uphill was rewarded with a nice downhill. Some of my favorite spectators were during these miles, including a guy on a bike with a James Earl Jones type voice telling us all how good we looked and to be proud of how far we had come. I saw a few llamas too, right up on the sidelines with the spectators. How cool is that? I crossed the mat at 13.1 in 2:01:41 with 9:18 average pace. I was right where I wanted to be at this point in the race - and I had high hopes for the second half.
Miles 13.1-20
I stopped at the aide station after the 13.1 mark to top off my handheld again. Then I saw Mr K ahead of me soon after the halfway mark and I ran behind him for a while before catching him around mile 15. We leap frogged for a mile or so and he asked how I was feeling - the fatigue was starting to catch me a bit by this point and I said "I'm tired!" My plan was to not stop again until around mile 20, but I found that I needed a few more breaks in this section. Everyone talks about how hard mile 20 of a marathon is, but I find that I consistently struggle in the miles between 16-20. I think that I am like a horse to the barn after 20 with the end in sight, but 16 is far enough to be tired but still too far from the end. I rarely run with music, but I turned it on after mile 13 and really tried to use that as a distractor as the miles began to pass more slowly in during this section. I felt pretty gross as I came into the aide station around mile 18 - shaky, winded, and thirsty. I took my time there and made sure to get some electrolytes. According to my watch that mile was 10:50 and was by far the slowest of the race. Thankfully I rallied for a few good miles after that. I crossed the mile 20 mat in 3:09:06 with 9:28 average pace - slowing down a bit, but still moving forward!
Miles 20-26.2
We are on the home stretch now!! I heard someone cheering for the 4:10 pace group and a backwards glance told me that they were not too far behind me - and gaining ground quickly! I felt tired by now, but was able to hold a steady pace in the mid to upper 9s. We crossed the American River around mile 22 and when I paused at an aide station around mile 23.5 the 4:10 group passed me. My mind for details gets foggy by this point in a run, but I do remember doing the YMCA somewhere in here - and it brought sweet relief to move my arms differently! We nearing downtown Sacramento and we passed some neat looking neighborhoods during the closing miles. I thought about Granny frequently during this race, but I really felt like she carried me during those last few miles. I could feel myself getting emotional towards the end, but I had to choke it back a bit as it made breathing harder. One foot in front of the other, getting closer now! The crowds in the last couple of miles were much bigger and loud and that made me smile so much. It was a huge relief to round the corner from 8th Street onto the Capitol Mall - the finish line was within my sights now! I don't remember much about the finish itself except I crossed the line and immediately burst into tears, so much emotion packed into a single week. I accepted my beautiful finisher's medal from a sweet-faced kiddo and staggered over to the curb. I checked my phone and saw my official time - 4:11:12.
I found Mr K and we recovered a little bit, talked to some fellow finishers, took some pictures, and enjoyed the energy that a marathon finish line brings. It is always a fun to share battle stories with other complete strangers who ran the race - like we have a common brotherhood at least for that day. We passed by that intersection of 8th Street on our way out and decided to stop a bit a cheer for other runners as they rounded that bend. Seeing their expressions as they caught sight of the finish line for the first time was something that I will never forget. The best part of a marathon is not the elite finishers, but the final few. Their smiles filled my heart to the very top - I love running because of moments like this. We stayed until the last person finished and then we headed for our hotel a few blocks away.
I've thought about my race a great deal in these days following it - the good, the not so good, and the reality of it all. Three years ago I ran my first marathon on a miserably cold and rainy day. I did it in 4:42:49 and I assumed that I would be faster in my second one, but also that I would be a solid 4:30 marathoner. I was really happy with that thought too...then I ran Chicago in 4:10. I was beyond thrilled, but also worried that it might be a fluke. Then I ran Milwaukee Lakefront in 4:06:28...and I knew that it was not a fluke. I was hoping for a new PR, as I do with each marathon attempt, but it was not meant to be. I will never take running a marathon for granted and I'm very happy to see another solid time that I can be proud of. I discovered this quote when I was contemplating my first marathon: You should run your first marathon for the right reasons, because you'll never be the same person again....Bill Wenmark. I still believe this to be true, except remove the word first - every marathon will change you. If you listen carefully, the marathon will teach you a great deal about yourself. I'm thankful that I can keep learning and keep growing with each attempt. Where will next year take me? That is yet to be discovered!
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| I love me some symmetry |
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| Obligatory Pre-Race Hotel Room Picture |
I decided to run mostly by feel, since there was no pace group and the 4:00 group took off a little too fast for my comfort. In these early miles I watched the mile markers and tried to get to the next one with a consistent time. There were rolling hills in the first half of the race, so some of the miles were faster than others. The scenery was beautiful in these early miles - mostly rural with the occasional resident coming to the end of their drive to cheer. One of the best parts of the race was how much of the road we had to ourselves - the whole road during the early miles and then the entire right lane for the duration of the race. This might have been the first marathon I've ever run where this is the case and I really appreciated it. Mr K slipped away from me in the very early miles and I thought of him occasionally, hoping that he was having a good race. I started to look forward to the 10K (6.2 mile) mark because I assumed that there would be a timing mat there. I knew that my friends and family were tracking my progress at home and I always get a boost from them. Sure enough, there was a mat and I crossed 10K in 57:08 with 9:12 average pace - feeling good!
Miles 6.2-13.1
I didn't stop at any aide stations until after mile 7 when my handheld needed a refill. I was focused on getting to the halfway mark. I wasn't looking at my watch too often in this section, just keeping an eye on time so that I would know when to eat a gel. I tried to keep the pace relaxed and consistent while taking in the scenery and the spectators. The terrain became a little less rural and started to look more suburban and there were some good hills too, but each uphill was rewarded with a nice downhill. Some of my favorite spectators were during these miles, including a guy on a bike with a James Earl Jones type voice telling us all how good we looked and to be proud of how far we had come. I saw a few llamas too, right up on the sidelines with the spectators. How cool is that? I crossed the mat at 13.1 in 2:01:41 with 9:18 average pace. I was right where I wanted to be at this point in the race - and I had high hopes for the second half.
Miles 13.1-20
I stopped at the aide station after the 13.1 mark to top off my handheld again. Then I saw Mr K ahead of me soon after the halfway mark and I ran behind him for a while before catching him around mile 15. We leap frogged for a mile or so and he asked how I was feeling - the fatigue was starting to catch me a bit by this point and I said "I'm tired!" My plan was to not stop again until around mile 20, but I found that I needed a few more breaks in this section. Everyone talks about how hard mile 20 of a marathon is, but I find that I consistently struggle in the miles between 16-20. I think that I am like a horse to the barn after 20 with the end in sight, but 16 is far enough to be tired but still too far from the end. I rarely run with music, but I turned it on after mile 13 and really tried to use that as a distractor as the miles began to pass more slowly in during this section. I felt pretty gross as I came into the aide station around mile 18 - shaky, winded, and thirsty. I took my time there and made sure to get some electrolytes. According to my watch that mile was 10:50 and was by far the slowest of the race. Thankfully I rallied for a few good miles after that. I crossed the mile 20 mat in 3:09:06 with 9:28 average pace - slowing down a bit, but still moving forward!
Miles 20-26.2
We are on the home stretch now!! I heard someone cheering for the 4:10 pace group and a backwards glance told me that they were not too far behind me - and gaining ground quickly! I felt tired by now, but was able to hold a steady pace in the mid to upper 9s. We crossed the American River around mile 22 and when I paused at an aide station around mile 23.5 the 4:10 group passed me. My mind for details gets foggy by this point in a run, but I do remember doing the YMCA somewhere in here - and it brought sweet relief to move my arms differently! We nearing downtown Sacramento and we passed some neat looking neighborhoods during the closing miles. I thought about Granny frequently during this race, but I really felt like she carried me during those last few miles. I could feel myself getting emotional towards the end, but I had to choke it back a bit as it made breathing harder. One foot in front of the other, getting closer now! The crowds in the last couple of miles were much bigger and loud and that made me smile so much. It was a huge relief to round the corner from 8th Street onto the Capitol Mall - the finish line was within my sights now! I don't remember much about the finish itself except I crossed the line and immediately burst into tears, so much emotion packed into a single week. I accepted my beautiful finisher's medal from a sweet-faced kiddo and staggered over to the curb. I checked my phone and saw my official time - 4:11:12.
I found Mr K and we recovered a little bit, talked to some fellow finishers, took some pictures, and enjoyed the energy that a marathon finish line brings. It is always a fun to share battle stories with other complete strangers who ran the race - like we have a common brotherhood at least for that day. We passed by that intersection of 8th Street on our way out and decided to stop a bit a cheer for other runners as they rounded that bend. Seeing their expressions as they caught sight of the finish line for the first time was something that I will never forget. The best part of a marathon is not the elite finishers, but the final few. Their smiles filled my heart to the very top - I love running because of moments like this. We stayed until the last person finished and then we headed for our hotel a few blocks away.
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| My second "race medal in front of a state capitol" picture |
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Marathon Training: California Dreaming
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| Week 1 was a hot one! |
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| Week 2: Thank goodness for clouds! |
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| Week 3: Sometimes your run goes well...and sometimes you have tacos. |
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| Week 4: Sweet relief |
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| Week 5: I became that person who runs a 20K in the middle of their long run |
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| Week 6: We ran this many miles today -first 20 miler of training! |
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| Week 7: A powerful storm blew over some big, old trees on our route |
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| Week 8: Sometimes you feel like an Ace and sometimes you fake it until you make it! |
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| Week 9: Beautiful views at Winfrey Point |
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| Week 10: It is awesome when your training run turns into a race with Erin |
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| Week 11: Ever have a panda cheer for you at a race? Didn't think so! |
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| Week 12: A selfie of a selfie whilst straddling the line between Kentucky and Indiana |
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| Week 13: Brr!! The last 20 miler brought a stiff wind! |
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| Week 14: Beautiful fall scenes on a rainy day at Arbor Hills |
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| Week 15: Last long run done in our happy place. Focused and ready. |
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