Too Hot To Handle 15K: Adventures in SLOW

Sunday was another one of those days where running and music collide. It started bright and early with the Too Hot To Handle 15K and continued with a matinee performance at the Meyerson Symphony Center with my wind ensemble, the Metropolitan Winds, and ended with me in a lump on my sofa.

When I noticed that the Metropolitan Winds concert would be a matinee performance (unusual for the group) I considered not running Too Hot To Handle because I knew that the schedule would be very hectic. However, Too Hot To Handle is a favorite of ours and a tradition as well--not to mention the great race swag (nice tech tank and a sweet running cap). This is one of the bigger races and that means that it is a great opportunity to meet up with running friends both old and new.


With Mark L. Pre Race

The alarm sounded at 5:00, of course, I checked the weather--I'm not sure why I bother these days because it will be the same from now until mid-September. Yep, 83 degrees at 5:00 am...survival is the name of the game today. Erik and I arrived at the race and spent most of our pre-race time in the potty line. It looked like most of the other race participants were there too so it gave us a good opportunity to chat with some friends. We lined up with the rest of the crowd and were on our way and I immediately thought "I'm so not feeling this" my body felt heavy and slow from the very beginning. We held a good pace for the first couple of miles, but began to slow a bit as we went. I really think that our running speed was pretty good and consistent, it was the stops at the water stations that slowed the overall pace. We really took our time to get a good drink and spend a bit of time under the sprinklers. I have never poured water on my head during a race...until now, and it felt so refreshing as it rolled down my spine.

We crossed the finish line several minutes behind my goal for the day and I was so thankful to be finished. At the finish line they were handing out towels that had been soaked in ice water. I had to brace myself for the cold as I put the towel over my head...oh my! I am pretty sure that this is the best idea ever for a hot weather race.

Total Time: 1:32:35
35 out of 102 in Age Group

My summer mantra is "miles are miles" but I found it hard not to be disappointed in myself after this race. I ran the same race 5-6 minutes faster last year in the same kind of weather and this is likely a new personal worst for the 15K distance. I know that I am capable of running faster, but I felt that it was more important to try to stay cool and hydrated...that and the whole concert thing---that takes some energy too and I didn't want to be a zombie on stage. I signed up for this race as a chance for a focused run before El Scorcho next Saturday and El Scorcho is still my main goal for the month. Running in the heat is no joke and I know that I am not a great hot weather runner. Case in point: I ran this same course 13 minutes faster in January at Too Cold To Hold. How many days until the first freeze?


Smiling With Elaine Post Race

We spent some time talking with friends and cooling off in the shade and then it was time to rush home. In an hour's time I transformed from my running look pictured above to this:



I spent the afternoon performing American music with my colleagues in the Metropolitan Winds. It is always a thrill and an honor to take the stage at the Meyerson....and I realized that this was my 10th anniversary concert with the group...how is that even possible? We had a great crowd and I was happy to look out from the stage and see my mom and dad, brother and sister-in-law, and Erik in the audience. Making music is a wonderful thing to do, but it is even better when you can share the experience with family and friends. Erik took this picture during the concert, you can see me on the end of the top row on the left side-above the harp.



There isn't any reprieve from the summer heat--next up El Scorcho 25K. What is El Scorcho, you ask? Pure craziness....a race that starts at midnight at a park in Ft Worth. At 15.5 miles it will be my longest race ever and it will be filled with friends, tutus, blinky rings, water guns, and a showdown between the Ninja and Drum. I. Can't. WAIT!!

(Special thanks to Mark L, Mark O, EW, and Erik for the pictures)

When Music and Running Collide...One Amazing Weekend

Unfortunately I didn't have this blog during the second weekend of December 2009. I wish that I had been writing then and had captured the weekend as it happened. For now I will have to rely on my memory to explain just why that weekend was so magical to me.

December 13, 2009 had been circled on my calendar for quite some time. Early in 2009 I set a goal to run a half marathon in 2:00 or less. The year proved to be quite challenging to me as I dealt with some injury-like issues, which turned out be mostly shoe related (a story for another day). I was unsure, at times, if this was a goal that I would ever reach. Things started to look up in September when I finished a half in 2:01 and they looked even better in November when I finished the DRC Half in 2:00:26. My last chance for the year would be at the White Rock Half Marathon on December 13. The White Rock Marathon is a special one to Erik and me as his Uncle Chock served as chair of that race for several years. Erik has manned the Dolly Pardon water station for about 9 years now and he ran the full marathon, his first, in 2008. I fully intend to run the White Rock Half every year, it is that special to us.

The weekend began to look even more interesting earlier that fall when I got our wind ensemble schedule. We had been given an extraordinary opportunity to perform on four holiday concerts with the Turtle Creek Chorale in the brand new Winspear Opera House. There would be four concerts: Friday 12/11, Saturday 12/12, and TWO concerts on Sun 12/13. At first glance I decided that I would just miss the afternoon concert on 12/13...but we were told that it was all or nothing--play every concert or none at all. There was no way that I could pass up such a special opportunity--the Turtle Creek Chorale is amazing and a chance to play in the Winspear was something that I only dreamed of. I decided then that I would do it all...play 4 concerts and run a half marathon in the span of one weekend.

The weeks leading up to the concerts were quite hectic. Not only did I have the usual holiday obligations, but there were several extra rehearsals for the concerts. Of course, none of these rehearsals were close to home and I spent many hours driving up and down the tollway. I was in awe of the Winspear, I felt like such a grown-up musician! I only dreamed of things like this when I was a high school band student in Denison, Texas.

The concerts began on Friday and we were full speed ahead from that point. Saturday got even busier as I managed to cram yoga, a high school football game (state semi-finals for the Yellowjackets, no way I was missing that!), and a concert into the day. It was late when I got home that night and even later when I got to bed. I was not used to having that little sleep before a race and felt exhausted when the alarm went off early on race morning. As I stumbled around the house, I began to see my 2:00 goal slipping away. I was telling myself that it was okay if I didn't make it, that sometimes there are challenging circumstances that are out of my control. The morning was foggy as I headed south on the tollway yet again. I remember laughing to myself about how a musician's lifestyle and a runner's lifestyle really aren't a good match...musicians stay up to the wee hours and runners get up in the wee hours!

The running gods must have been looking out for me that day. I found a parking spot with no problem and had plenty of time to eat, listen to music, and get ready to go. As soon as I walked up I ran into Ben and Liza, friends from my little running group. They were doing the full marathon that day--a 1st for Liza and she was nervous. The race got off to a very organized start thanks to the corral system.

Early in the race I passed within sight of the Winspear, I remember looking at it and thinking how cool it was that I would be playing there later in the day. The race was just about perfect: perfect weather, amazing crowds, familiar scenery. I could not have asked for anything more. I am certain that I was smiling every step of the way. I knew that I was on a pace to break 2:00, I just didn't know by how much. Imagine my excitement when I crossed the finish line and saw 1:57:18 on my watch. A new PR by 3 minutes!!

I flew into the afternoon concert on a cloud...I suppose my runner's high was still in full effect. That concert was very special because my parents, brother, and his wife were in attendance. I'm sure that I wasn't looking so great by the second concert later that night, and I was never so happy to drive north on the tollway and go home. I am also not sure how I made it through the remaining week of school following that weekend. I'm pretty sure that I could have fallen asleep at any given moment and I don't know that I was the most patient or effective therapist for my students. I'm not sure how I did all that, but again it taught me that I am capable of more than I ever imagined. I was even more flattered later in the week, when my mother-in-law sent me a Wonder Woman bracelet. I remember that weekend every time that I look at it.

I have been thinking about that weekend lately as I have another weekend of music and running ahead. On Sunday I will run the Big D Texas Half and I will play a concert with the Metropolitan Winds at the Meyerson on Sunday night. I am hoping that I can recapture some of that magic and approach my PR time again. I have not been close to that time since White Rock...could it have been the music? Is there something magic about the combination of my two passions--music and running? Stay tuned...