Start Me Up - January 2022

Somehow more than six months have passed since I last sat down to write in this space. Some pretty great things happened in that time too: Kerrville Triathlon, DRC Half Marathon, Rockledge Rumble, the North Texas Turkey Trot, and Dallas Marathon Half. Maybe I will circle back and catch these sometime, but for now I am going to focus on more current times. I have missed blogging and I have decided to try to do monthly recaps in 2022 instead of individual race recaps. We'll see how this goes!

New Year's Day 

When you wake up to spring weather and January 1st is on a Saturday, you go and ride your bike! I hadn't been outside on my bike since late October so it sure felt great to hit the open roads with Mr K and Colleen. We had to take advantage of the mild morning because by nightfall temperatures had plunged to below freezing with a strong north wind. Insert cliche about Texas weather here....

Hotcake Hustle 10K

I had gotten away from running races even before everything was cancelled in 2020. I found myself in a pattern of racing one or two really BIG races each year and let many of the shorter, smaller races go by the wayside. Now that races are back, I realize how much I've missed them and I made it a goal to race at least once each month. January 8 brought the first race of the year: the Hotcake Hustle 10K. This is a longstanding local race, but I'd never run it before. The NTX Turkey Trot was the first 10K I'd run in years and my goal was to run it just a little bit faster than I'd run that race. 

I haven't done much speedwork, but I have been working on running steady, focused, and patient. The weather was in the upper 40s with a light rain - pretty good for running but pretty miserable for standing around before and after the race. I really enjoyed this course through Oak Point Park, especially after the turnaround in mile 4 because I knew that the there wouldn't be any more hills and that we would get a gentle downhill. This worked perfectly with my plan to keep things steady and controlled until mile 4 when I planned to let her rip. I got it done 5 seconds faster than the Turkey Trot so I took that as a win for the day. The biggest win, however, were the post race pancakes that I enjoyed with Mr K and Colleen.

Too Cold To Hold 13.1

On January 29 I ran the Too Cold To Hold half marathon at White Rock Lake. This was one of my favorite races back in the day and it felt great to get back to it after 7 years away. Where does the time go? Race morning was bustling as there was also a 5K and a 10K in addition to the half marathon and we saw many familiar faces. The weather was a perfect 35 degrees with big sunshine and very little wind. 

My plan was similar to the Hotcake Hustle - run steady through the first half and then gradually pick up the speed until mile 10 then let her rip. My goal was also similar: run just a little bit faster than the Dallas Marathon Half in December. This would be another step in regaining my running mojo, a process that I started back in November. I got off to a great start and ran smoothly and conservatively until the turn around just after mile 7. White Rock lake was simply gorgeous and it was easy to focus on the beautiful surroundings and just cruise. Once I got past the turnaround, I was able to focus on runners ahead of me to pick off while steadily dropping the pace. I was in such a good space mentally, it feels so good to break out of that negative headspace I had been racing in during the last couple of years. 

I executed this race exactly as I planned and crossed the finish line 2 minutes and 15 seconds faster than my run at Dallas Marathon half and over 6 minutes faster than the DRC Half in November. My comeback is well underway!  I also got to race in my Coeur Sports 2022 Ambassador Team kit for the first time. I feel fortunate for another year of racing on this team and I try my best to be a positive force on the race course. 

2022 Plans

What is coming up in 2022? I plan to run Cowtown Half in February and Grasslands Trail Half in March. That will take me into my favorite season - triathlon season - where I have some big plans. I'm super excited to be racing Musselman 70.3 in Geneva, NY this July! 

Several of my Coeur Sports teammates will be racing as well and I'm so excited to meet many of them in person for the first time. I will also be racing Kerrville Triathlon Festival 70.3 in September. 

I have been selected as a race ambassador for Kerrville Triathlon and I'm really excited to return to the Kerrvillle and "the most scenic triathlon in Texas"  You can join the fun - use discount code KennemerKerrTri2022 for $10 off your race registration. 

I couldn't ask for a better start to 2022! I'm looking forward to great year of training hard and racing happy. 

We now return to (somewhat) regular programming....

The last time that I laced up my shoes to race was March 1, 2020 at the Cowtown Half Marathon. I probably didn't have any business running that far on that day as it was only two weeks after my first ultra marathon at Black Canyon and I just wasn't recovered. I ended up walking the last two or three miles of the race with that same hip and knee pain that plagued me in the later miles of the 60K at Black Canyon. It was my personal worst half marathon time, but hindsight being what it is I'm really grateful to have been out there that day. I remember the crush of people during the post race celebration and laughing and talking with friends while being covered in sunshine. None of us had any idea what a stark contrast our world would be just two weeks later.

March 1, 2020 - my last live race

I kept myself entertained well enough during the remainder of 2020. I enjoy racing, but it is not the reason that I train and I stayed plenty active running, cycling, and swimming once the pools opened up again in June. I enjoyed having the fitness to go after any potential adventure or virtual race that came up. I rode my road bike all summer and ran trails once we started meeting up socially distanced in groups again. I signed up for TransTexas in July and I virtually ran and walked almost all the way across Texas before having to shut it down just a couple of weeks and less than 100 miles from the end. I ran the Dallas Half Marathon virtually on December 12 and had one of my strongest half marathons in a couple of years. I felt great, it was a great day - until later that night I noticed a tender spot on the top of my foot. Things seemed better until I went out for a run the following Tuesday morning and had to shut it down and limp home after 3 miles. It would appear that I had a metatarsal stress fracture, I found myself in an incredibly nerdy flipper shoe throughout the holidays and I did not run for 8 weeks.  

All smiles after my virtual Dallas Half - if I only knew

I've never been more thankful to be a triathlete and poured myself into swimming and cycling while I was not able to run. I joined up with the Coeur Velo live cycling workouts via Zoom and it was one of the best things to happen to my cycling fitness. See? There is always a silver lining if you keep your mind open! I'm still enjoying these workouts super early on weekday mornings and the structured long trainer rides on Saturdays got me through until the weather got nice enough to ride outside again. I am thankful for the community that the Coeur Virtual Cycling Club has brought into my life. The swimming and cycling kept my fitness nice and strong and I even got a little bit of a jump on training for my next big race - Ironman 70.3 in Des Moines coming up this June.

Coming back from a stress fracture is not as easy as they make it sound. I started limited running in February and slowly rebuilt from there. After a various tweaks and pains (not in my foot) related to a compromised gait, I finally started to feel like myself again. I wanted to put a race on my calendar and the Cowtown Half on May 8 worked out perfectly. It would give me something to aim for and would be a good benchmark on where my running is heading into the last block of training for my 70.3 in Des Moines.

After 60 weeks.....race day was here. I've run 13 miles more times than I can count, but I felt the familiar pre-race jitters as we drove to Fort Worth early Saturday morning. I was not expecting a fast race, but I was hoping for a healthy race. It would be my longest run since the injury in December and I just wanted to cover the distance without any pain other than fatigue. The course was modified from the usual course, we ran in reverse with some new sections that I'd never seen. The Cowtown Half is a challenging race to begin with, but they promised us even more hills in this edition.

Start lines these days are very anti-climatic. It is common for a race to give you a start time and you simply walk up and cross the line when it is your turn to go. Erik and I walked up together and then we were off! I watched him disappear into the distance as I settled into an easy pace to start the race. It was my hope to run a relaxed pace and then kick it up at the end if I had anything left. Spoiler alert: this did not happen. 

If felt so good to be running in a live race with other people! I made sure to thank every police office directing traffic and as many of the volunteers as I could. Miles 1-5 were my fastest then things started to slow down from there. I think that it was a combination of the humid weather, the strong winds, the course, and my rusty mental racing game. Sundance Square and the Stockyards are my favorite parts of the Cowtown course and we were through them by mile 6. I also noticed that I didn't feel much wind during any of the early miles, which told me we would have to face it eventually - likely in the later miles. And we did! I started to walk up some of the hills at this point, thinking that it would save me some energy for the flat stretches.

Around mile 9 we entered a park and it was my least favorite part of the course. The path was long and somewhat narrow, the air was heavy, and there just wasn't much to see. I think that this is where my rusty mental game started to get me as I lost focus through here. I was ready to be done! I was also reaching past my longest mileage in months and I know that my endurance isn't quite where it needs to be. I stopped to walk out a brief but sharp side stitch when my Coeur teammate Christa ran by and called out to me. It gave me a boost and I got back to it. 

There was one more long and steady hill to climb and I hiked up it with as much purpose as I could muster. It is amazing how much better I felt knowing that the hills were done and I was able to pick up the pace in that final mile. I found myself with a huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I crossed the finish line. I looked around and tried to take it all in and feel the moment. We have all been waiting so long for these moments that feel so "normal" to return. I will never take a start or a finish line for granted again. Not only were races cancelled for a year due to the pandemic, I was physically unable to run at all just a couple months ago. I am so lucky that I GET to do these things that I love so much! 

The post race hangout was not quite the same, but it was nice to see so many faces that I haven't seen in person for so long. I cannot say enough positive things about the Cowtown race officials and their attention to detail to provide a safe racing environment for us. I'm so appreciative that they made it happen despite the delay on the calendar and the multitude of other challenges I'm sure that they faced. It was the perfect "comeback" race for me and provided closure and a fresh start to the gradual return of normalcy. 

Next up - Ironman 70.3 Des Moines. My first 70.3 since 2018 and I can't wait!

Dallas Marathon Half: Celebrate Every Finish

The second weekend in December is Dallas Marathon Weekend and it will always hold a sentimental place in my heart.  I've run the half marathon every year since 2008 except with the exception of two years. In 2011, I became a marathoner when I ran the full 26.2 miles and 2013 the race was cancelled due to Icepocalypse.  However, the race has been a fixture in our lives for even longer as Erik has donned a dress and...ahem...enhancements...to "man" the Dolly Parton hills on the marathon course since 2002, long before either of us imagined that we would one day take part in the event as runners. It was also Erik's first marathon in 2008.

It is one of my favorite days in one of my favorite cities.  After years of experimenting with different start lines and course variations, I feel like this race is finally coming into its own.  The new start/finish line in the shadow of Dallas City Hall, with views of Reunion Tower and the Omni, just seems "right." I cannot speak for the marathon course, but the half covers everything from Highland Park to Deep Ellum and is challenging with the first nine miles climbing steadily uphill the entire way.

The weather always seems to be a story in this race too.  I have run in everything from 70 degrees and high humidity to temperatures in the 30s with beautiful sunshine to 40 degrees and pouring rain (that one makes for a great first marathon story!).  The forecast leading into the weekend was promising, but it ended up being around 60 degrees, foggy, and very humid for the 8:30 start (what is up with an 8:30 start for a marathon?) and it got even more challenging when the fog burned off and the sun came out mid-race.  I really felt for the marathon and ultra marathon runners who started in later corrals.

When I signed up for this race earlier in the year, my plan was to have done some solid speedwork so that I could run a fast-ish race.  Life happens and little quirky, quasi injury things happen and that speedwork just didn't happen.  I have also been focused more on learning to be a better trail runner as I prepare for Black Canyon 60K in February, my first ultra. I was in the middle of building miles and would not be going in with rested legs. I also knew going in that I was not trained for a fast road half marathon so I was prepared to get some miles and have some fun.

As I stood in the starting corral, watching the runners around me and listening to the announcers, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude that I have the ability and the means to run 13.1 miles because it sounded like fun.  Good health and good fortunate are no guarantees and I never take a start or finish line for granted. I'm also very grateful for this race each year because it benefits Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, which is an amazing children's hospital that serves patients who have complex orthopedic needs and neurologic disorders. They treat all patients regardless of the family's ability to pay and they serve many of the students that I work with day in and day out.

After a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, we were off and running.  One of the local television stations covers this race every year and I've managed to be a face in the crowd a couple of times so I always look for the cameras and wave.  When I spotted them I gave a smile and a big wave and I found out later I made the coverage again. It is the little things, y'all.

There was nothing out of the ordinary about the race itself.  I tried to set a steady pace and hang with it as long as I could.  I saw friends in the crowd along the way, including Santa Stude and Amy C. near Turtle Creek.  I always look forward to seeing the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers at the water stop near mile 7.  While there, I found myself in a conversation with Steve, who I usually only see during summer sunrise swims, then I suddenly remembered that this was a race after all.  Back to work!

My friend Jesse zoomed around me around mile 9 and asked if I was having a good race. He was moving so fast that I didn't see him again after that. I began to get tired of it all around mile 11, which was not surprising because I had not run that long at one time on the road since earlier in November.  The sun was fully out now and I noticed that my pigtails were so soaked that they were throwing sweat, good thing no one was next to me...eww.

It is almost a straight shot back to Downtown after passing through Deep Ellum and I caught a glimpse of Reunion Tower every now and again. I forgot to bring any nutrition and I was hoping to find some gels on the course, but there were none. One of my lessons from Ironman Wisconsin was that I need to take in calories on the run, looks like I have not learned my lesson well.  This is an area that I will be focusing on as I continue to train for my ultra.

The last couple of miles always take forever, but at long last I made it to the finish line.  I smiled as I took it all in and celebrated another finish.  It was a tough day with the high humidity and warm weather, but any day I can run 13.1 miles through a city I love and cross another finish line is a day worth celebrating. As I progressed through the finisher's chute I was handed a medal, a bottle of water, tamales, other random snacks, and a finisher's shirt.  Pretty sure that is the first time I've ever been given a finish line tamale and I hope that this is a practice that the Dallas Marathon keeps. I would run another 13 miles for a good tamale.

The sunshine and blue skies were the perfect backdrop for all of the post race celebrations. I took a moment to reflect back on the last twelve months. It was during this race last year that my plantar fascia rudely tapped me on the shoulder and told me that we needed to have a talk.  The beginning of 2019 was frustrating and there were days when I couldn't run a step, but I got through it and I grew as a runner in the process. As I reflected back on the race, I had a moment of panic wondering how I would be able to run 37 miles when 13 seemed like such a challenge.  But then I reminded myself that is what training is for and I have been working hard to prepare for Black Canyon 60K ever since.  I've been building miles weekly and training is going quite well.

So there you have it, another Dallas Marathon Half is in the books.  It was the perfect way to wrap up another year of running adventures.  Here's to a great 2020!

Tap...Tap....Is this thing on?

I always have the best intentions of blogging....then life happens and blog posts don't and you've heard this story before. I enjoy writing and I think it is important to look back over my stories from time to time so I'm going to make an effort to make this happen a little more often this year.  Deal? Deal.

So what have I been up to since Ironman Chattanooga and my last blog post? Let me get you up to speed on what has been going on the last few months.

Ironman 70.3 Waco - October 28, 2018
As I recovered from Ironman Chattanooga I was also ramping up for Ironman 70.3 Waco.  I wasn't so sure how this would go, but I took it easy for a week before dusting off the bike trainer and setting that ridiculously early alarm clock again. The training itself was not so bad, minus one awful trainer triple brick in the pouring rain. Rain. So much rain. That seemed to be the theme of fall training, we were barely able to get in Lake Grapevine the week before the race because the water was so high. Which leads us to race week and an deja vu all over again. Swim? No swim? Short swim in cold water? There was a ton of speculation in the days leading up to the race; however, in the end there was no swim.  How is it the year that I improved so much in swimming all of my swims would be canceled? Isn't that how it goes? I was really looking forward to doing a complete 70.3 because I felt like I had a great shot at a PR since I had improved at swimming and cycling since my last attempt in 2016.

I had a blast at Waco, so much so that I am strongly considering signing up again this year even though it will be just a month and a half post Ironman.  We had a great group hanging out in our bunkhouse, watching college football and the World Series, enjoying views, and cooking dinner in the countryside outside of Waco. It was just a fun, super relaxed vibe. It was also great to race so close to home because there were tons of friends on the course and cheering.

I had a couple of goals for the race here in Waco. I had the best day ever on the bike in Chattanooga, but I paid for it big time on the run so my goal was to still bike strong but not suffer so much on the run. My second goal was to make a quicker transition from bike to run. We had another time trial start and I focused on settling in and passing people as I needed to. The result was 2:51:43 and an average of 19.57 mph - a 20 minute bike PR over my last attempt. I also had a goal to transition quicker and I got in and out in 4:17, which is a huge improvement over all of my recent long distance triathlons. As soon as I stepped off the bike I could tell that I was going to have a much better run.  I knew that there were going to be some hills on this course and Cameron Park did not disappoint. I got hot and tired and slowed down a bit on the second loop and finished the run in - 2:20:32.  In all likelihood, it would have been a PR race for me but I will never know for sure. I am so glad that I did this race, not only did I meet my two goals for the day, but I was able to practice some of the things that I learned in Chattanooga.  That run was so hard, I'm glad that I was able to end the season with a better effort.

Dallas Marathon Half - December 9, 2018
Once I recovered from triathlon season, I focused on running.  I thought long and hard about doing an ultra distance race sometime during the winter, but sometimes the body has other plans.  I ran a lot in November, but always had a little bit of a nagging "something" going on in my foot.  Honestly, it had been an off and on thing for much of the year I was just always able to stretch and roll and make it work.  I ran three times the week of the Dallas Marathon Half and by Thursday my foot was super sore and I knew that it was not something I would be able to stretch or roll away.  I felt better with a few days rest and set out to run the half marathon.

I love this half course and I love being out with all of my fellow runners in Dallas.  It turned out to be a beautiful day - cold at the start with the clouds giving away to beautiful sunshine.  I started out super strong and it gave me hope for the day, but I began to feel sluggish in the middle miles and by the end I felt like I was working really hard for the paces. I ended up running 1:58, but it didn't feel like the usual effort for me. My foot was very sore by the time that I left the race and I could no longer deny that I had a case of plantar fasciitis.

Cowtown Half - February 24, 2019
I spent all of December, January, and February working through plantar fasciitis - running about half my usual mileage, swimming a lot, cycling some, and doing more strength training and high intensity interval training. I signed up for the Cowtown Half at the Dallas Marathon Expo and it was a goal of mine to be healthy enough by race day to run.

Cowtown is another one of those races that I never want to miss because it is such a great day of running and friends. Thanks Glenn and Muscle Activation Techniques at Live Free Fitness and lots of stretching and foot strengthening on my part I made it to the start line.  The weather has been pretty sketchy around here lately, but we were gifted with a beautiful, sunny, and cool race day. I ran about 15 minutes slower than my average half marathon time, but I had very little pain during or after the race.  I consider that a huge success! Being there with the crowds and the hype was just the shot of energy that I needed to start me back on my journey to rebuild my mileage.

Sooo....what's next?
We are headed to Wisconsin! Ironman Wisconsin on September 8 is the Ironman race of choice this year.  I'm really looking forward to training cranking up again, in the meantime I'm working on building a strong and healthy base so that I can reach some high goals that I will set for myself.  I'll do a few fun trail races between now and then - Grasslands Half in a couple of weeks, Coyote Run in April, and maybe Possum's Revenge in May.  Ironman Waco 70.3 is also a possibility as I had such a fun time at that race and I would love to be able to swim and get that PR. 

So there you have it, the quick version of what I have been up to since Ironman Chattanooga.  One of my many goals for the year is to blog more often - y'all hold me to it, okay?

3M Half: Always a lesson in the journey

The 3M Half Marathon in Austin is one of my favorites.  It falls within a few days of my birthday and makes for a great little weekend getaway.  The course is fun and fast, a point-to-point that starts in northwest Austin and ends near the Texas Capital.  The crowds are usually fun and supportive and the 3M swag bag is a thing of beauty - I never have to buy Post It notes, bandages, super glue, and Scotch tape anymore!

The couple of weeks leading up to the race were brutally cold in North Texas - we are talking low temperatures of 13 degrees and blustery wind chills on top of that.  Fortunately, I was able to avoid running on the coldest days, but the bulk of my training was done in freezing and below temperatures.  So naturally it was 66 degrees and super humid on race day - Texas has a great sense of humor that way!

The legendary 3M Half swag bag

I've had such great success at this race in recent years. My course record 1:50 two years ago and I ran 1:52 last year, so my goal was something in the low 1:50s.  My plan was to hang with the 1:55 pace group until around mile 10 and then take off on my own.  I love feeding off of the energy of a good pace group and letting them do the mental work while I just focus on running.  These pacers are great too, they've paced this group during this race for several years so they know the course really well. This strategy worked out great two years ago and I was hoping that a similar plan would serve me well during this race.

Mr K and I arrived in plenty of time and enjoyed some people watching before the race began, the announcer said that there were 7,000 runners, a record field for this race.  As before any race, I took a moment to be thankful for a strong body and mind that allowed me to do things like run 13 miles on a random Sunday because it sounded like fun. Make it count. Take nothing for granted.

We lined up behind the 1:55 group and when the starting gun sounded, I made it my job to stay right with them.  The start was very smooth and we started right on the pace as this pace group runs even splits throughout the race.  The roads were so damp, it looked like it had recently rained, but that was just the humidity.  Since this was my 4th year to run this race the course felt super familiar and I just focused on cruising with the pace group.

I started to feel like I was working harder somewhere around mile 7 and I could feel that my elbows were dripping sweat. I also noticed that my lips had that salty feeling and that told me I was probably not drinking enough.  This course has a net downhill, but there is a hill between mile 9 and 10.  It isn't steep, but it goes on for a while and it feels difficult considering we have been consistently running a slight downhill the entire time.  According to the pacers, we were ahead of the pace but they were allowing some cushion for that hill that would be coming up soon.  I was starting to realize that I was not going to be able to drop the pace group like I planned and my goal shifted to simply keeping up with them.

My heart rate was continuing to climb and climb and the pace group was inching away from me and when I saw the aide station just before mile 10 I knew that I needed to walk through it and regroup.  I was sad to see the pace group disappearing into the distance, but at that moment I just couldn't hang on.  My watch chimed mile 10 and I felt a bit discouraged when I saw that it said 9:19.  I had been clicking off the miles in the 8:30s-8:40s until now.  I felt like any chance for a decent time was gone, but I told myself to keep moving forward.  I was officially on board the Struggle Bus. I felt a little better when I saw mile 11 come in at 9:03, but I was still pretty sure that I was inching closer to a 2:00 finish.

I always finish what I start and I wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel just yet. I saw others walking and it looked so appealing, but I told myself to simply keep running.  I usually try to run the last mile as fast as I can (Last One, Fast One!) and this was still my plan, despite my frustration and fatigue.  The last mile of the race has some more downhill as it passes through the University of Texas campus so it makes for a natural LOFO.  I saw the 12 mile marker just about the same time that I saw the 1:55 pace group, about a quarter of a mile ahead of me.  Redemption was within my reach! I made it my job to catch that pace group, there could not have been a more perfect target for me in that moment.

They reworked the finish line this year and instead of rounding a corner and running up a slight hill, we rounded a corner and it was straight in front of us. It seemed like it was a mile away, but in reality it was probably less than half a mile.  The finisher chute was longer than most and I remember the announcer mentioning this at one point, I caught the 1:55 group at the beginning of this chute. Redemption would be mine! One final push and I crossed the line in 1:54:50.  I was surprised to see Mr K waiting there for me.  He tells me that he passed by me earlier in the race, but I never did see him - I was too focused on keeping the pace.

This wasn't the race I had hoped for, but more times than not, running is about taking what the day gives you and making the best of it. I figure that you can find a lesson in every race if you take the time to look for it. I'm proud of how I kept on fighting even I thought that my race was over at mile 10 and I'm proud of how I worked hard to catch the 1:55 group when I spotted them at mile 12. I have no doubts that I learned more from this experience than I would have learned if I had run a faster and mentally easier race.  This is a lesson that I can carry with me and draw upon in other situations when the going gets tough.  And that is what it is all about, isn't it? There is always a lesson in the journey.

(In case you were wondering, that LOFO checked in at 8:19.)

Cowtown Half: #workharder

Cowtown Half is one of my favorite races and it is a highlight of my racing calendar.  I haven't missed a year since my first time running it in 2009 and boy, do we have some stories together! That first time is still one of the coldest races I've ever run. Then there was the year of the terrible traffic, when I kicked Mr K out of the car on the freeway so he could get to the marathon start in time.  Two years ago there was snow on the ground and I hit the "peak" of my running plateau.  And then last year...the year that I ran 1:49:55 and after five years got that 1:50 monkey off my back.  It really has been the best of times and the worst of times, all rolled into one race.

I didn't really know what to expect this year as I had a strong running base, but had not done any consistent speedwork.  I certainly had not been working as hard as I was last year when I had that magical race day.  The Cowtown isn't the easiest course, but I knew that anything was possible - a glance at my race history confirmed that.  The weather was just perfectly chilly and the wind was fairly low, so I decided to give it a shot and see what happened.

When in Cowtown...

One of the reasons that this race is one of my favorites is because I get to see so many of "my people" there. Mr K and I were in corral 2 and we got off to a smooth start, I love it when that happens.  I also love it when they play Bruno Mars as I run out - showtime!!  Mr K slipped away fairly quickly and I went about the business of settling into my race.  Cowtown is a favorite because it always seems like such a community event.  I spotted Stude (The Encourager) around mile 2 and he shouted "Last 4 Fast Four, MK." I gotta tell you, this bit of encouragement might have saved my race because I'm not so sure I would have pushed as hard without the reminder.

I passed the first 5K in 27:29 with an average pace of 8:51 and I saw Marlon somewhere after the 5K mark.  I met Marlon years ago on Daily Mile and then later in person when we were in OKC for the half marathon.  He was running the marathon and went on to have a strong day.  I stuck with him for a little bit as I know that he is such a strong runner and would set a consistent pace, but eventually I lost sight of him.  Not long after that I spotted Jessica (of @JessRunsBlessed fame).  She had a great day too!

I have a fever.....#cowbell

The 10K mat was somewhere in here and I crossed it in 55:14, average pace 8:53 - nice and consistent.  I saw Ninja just before the turn on Exchange Street.  It was just for a split second, but it was so nice to see one of my tribe and I knew that he got up early and made a long drive to be there to cheer everyone on.  That always lifts my spirits!  That turn on Exchange Street is my favorite part of the race, it is hard to top that view of the Stockyards and the crowds there are so spirited.  It passes by way too quickly and then it is back to work.

I was running pretty even splits, but I just wasn't "feeling it." It was like I couldn't quite settle into the race and lots of little things were annoying me.  My pace slipped a little bit in here and I worked to refocus before we got to the big climb up the Main Street bridge.  I knew that as soon as I got over the hill it would be time for "last four, fast four." Years ago I discovered that the easiest way for me to get up that hill is to run it one lamppost at a time.  It is just so much easier to focus on the increment right in front of me rather than look all the way to the top.  I think that is a great metaphor for life too!  About halfway up the hill I spotted Tini who gave me a huge cheer and a big high five - she is the best!

Mr K had another strong day! (Pic: Andy W)

Now it was time to get to work on a strong finish, time to focus and see if I could save my race.  My pace had started to slip a bit before the hill and I knew that this was my chance to regroup for a strong finish.  As I passed the split for the marathon I was thankful that I was not running the full and I sent all my best wishes to my friends who were - gooooo Sandie and Drum!! I got to mile 11 at 1:37:58, averaging 8:54.

I know the end of this race well - slight up hill to mile 11, then a big downhill, cross the long bridge and then another slight downhill to mile 12.  The last mile of the race is like torture because you can see where you stated at the Will Rogers Center, but you have to go a mile around to the other side where the finish line is.  Four turns to the finish, I could hear the announcer and I could taste the finish line.  Why is it that this part feels like it takes days?

I finished in 1:55:12 with an average pace of 8:47.  That "last four, fast four" insured that I would have my second fastest Cowtown in the nine times that I had run it.  It always takes me a few days to process a race.  I walked away from this one with a new respect for the PR I ran there last year.  Hard work pays off and I earned that one - no fluke, no luck, just putting in the miles and the intensity.  I felt like I ran the best race I had for my current level of training, but I also feel like I have a faster half in me if I just work a little harder. You want to run faster? Work harder. You want to be stronger? Work harder.  There was a whole lot of good on this race day, but the best thing to come from it was a new commitment to work harder this spring.  My fire was relit, time to focus and embrace my new mantra.....work harder.

3M Half Marathon: Finding Some Mojo

The 3M Half Marathon in Austin has become one of my favorite January races.  It falls near my birthday, so it has just naturally become a part of that celebration.  We have a good little group who travels for the race too, so it is also a good weekend in Austin with friends.  The race itself is great with a fun, point-to-point course that starts in north Austin and ends in front of the Texas State Capitol.  It might be the best finish line in Texas!  And because the race is sponsored by 3M, the swag bag is legendary - packed full of useful 3M products (hello post it notes and super glue!).

I wasn't really sure what to expect from myself at this race.  I am starting to realize what a special year 2016 was with PRs in almost every distance and course records at almost every attempt.  I ran 1:55 in half marathons in November and December and I had not done much structured speedwork since then.  My hip had been a bit cranky off and on during the last month....and on and on it goes....isn't it funny how we can talk ourselves into or out of just about anything?  The mind can be our biggest obstacle or our biggest ally.

I had a wildly successful race here last year, like crazy successful.  I finally busted through my half marathon PR of 6 years - it was such a perfectly wonderful day.  I couldn't believe that I did that and I went on to PR again a month later at Cowtown.  See? It was such a special year! My race plan worked out beautifully last year, I ran with the 1:55 pacers until mile 10 and then I took off on my own ran the last 3.1 miles like a 5K.  I was hoping to use a similar plan again this time, however, I was not expecting to get close to my time from last year (1:50:59), but I was hoping to break through that 1:55 streak that I had going on in recent races.  Then, right on schedule, I got a message from Stude (The Encourager - remember him?) reminding me to treat the last 5K like a LOFO (last one, fast one).  "Be fierce, MK."

Race day weather....I could stop right there, right? Fortunately, we were spared the warm and humid temperatures that have plagued us lately....so, bright side there.....but the wind was another story.  I woke up on race morning and looked outside and the hotel pool looked like a small ocean.  The wind was blowing hard, directly from the west.  As luck would have it, the course runs mostly south and a little southeast with just a few turns to the west.  Mr K and I found ourselves in the slowest restroom line ever and had to hustle a bit to make it into the corral.  I ended up starting between the 1:50 and 1:55 groups, so the part of my plan that involved the pacers was out the window.  Mr K slipped ahead to the 1:45 pace group and ended up beating them to the finish line.  What a huge day and huge PR for that guy - he broke 1:45 for the first time!

I spotted this pre-race - a good sign!

The goal for the first couple of miles is to get a nice and steady start and to settle in both mentally and pace-wise.  I have gotten in the habit of running by feel, only getting my paces when the miles chime on my watch.  I tend to watch my heart rate more to make sure that my perceived effort is matching up with the real thing.  I was happily surprised when the first couple of miles came in the 8:40 neighborhood and I made it a goal to keep all my miles under 9:00.  Since this was my third time to run this race, I felt fairly familiar with the course and I just focused on taking one mile at a time.

I hit the 5K timing mat at 27:15 and an average pace of 8:45.  Off to a great start!  I felt more thirsty than usual and hit the water stops more often than in previous years (I only had 1 stop last year).  I assumed that this was a side effect of the wind and the humidity was pretty low that day too.  The course was winding in and out of the wind - sometimes there was a tough headwind, sometimes a crazy crosswind, and sometimes a sweet tailwind.  I tried to keep it even when running into the wind and then haul ass when I had it at my back.  Since it was a west wind, I looked forward to running towards the sun (sun in your face, wind at your back was my mantra).  I was just thankful that we were not running a westbound point-to-point course!

Spoiler alert: There was delicious Lockhart BBQ with these people (Pic: Dewberry)

This course has a sweet net downhill, but there are several hills in the race.  They are nothing huge, but after trending downhill, they probably just feel bigger than they are.  Much like with the winds, I worked to keep it steady running up the hill then I ran the downs as fast as I could.  I crossed the 10K timing mat in 54:36 with an average pace of 8:47 - holding nice and steady!  I'll blame the extra two seconds on the wind.

Post race with Drum (Girl is faaaaaast)

The crowds are probably the best between the 10K mark and the 10 mile mark.  The course takes us through some neighborhoods and people really come out to cheer.  The Beef Team has a huge cheering section somewhere in here too and they always provide an extra boost.  I continued along, focusing on one mile at a time (I still use that advice Meb gave me last year).  My plan of keeping my miles under 9:00 was working out nicely, in fact 8:49 was my slowest mile and that came in mile 3.  I just kept plugging along, keeping a strong pace but also preparing for my 5K LOFO at mile 10.

I got to 15K in 1:21:40 and an average pace of 8:46 - consistency is the name of my game!  I was mentally preparing for a fast finish when I spotted a sign that said "Nasty Women Run Faster." Hell yes they do!  That had to be the most perfectly placed sign ever because it gave me just the boost I needed to finish strong!

Best race sign ever (Pic: Mama C)

Soon enough, mile 10 chimed on my watch and I picked up the pace.  I had no idea how fast I was going, I didn't look at my watch for that entire mile.  I was running hard and my heart rate was up where it should be - nothing left to do but put one foot in front of the other.  I was very pleasantly surprised when my watch chimed at 7:59.  Just two more to go, MK!  I got a little bit of an assist with a nice downhill in the next mile.  I was looking ahead and picking out people that I wanted to pick off while trying to keep my mind quiet.  Uncomfortable? Yes.  Impossible? No.  Around the corner and through the University of Texas campus and another mile chimes - 7:54. Yeeehaw!!  I was doing it!!

Racing ain't pretty, y'all.

The end of this race is tough because there is a slight uphill right around mile 13.  It is hard enough on a regular day because it might as well be a mountain after all of the downhill in the proceeding miles, but it was a real doozie on this day because it took us right back into the headwind.  That little hill is probably less than a quarter mile, but it feels like forever.  My watch gave me a very encouraging 7:52 for that mile - just turn the corner and sprint to the finish line now!

My favorite finish line in all of Texas

I crossed the finish line in 1:52:11 (avg pace 8:33).  I ran this one only 1:12 seconds slower than last year and out of 60+ halves I am pretty certain that it is my third fastest.  I wasn't expecting a PR, but I also wasn't expecting to be so close to my course record.  It was just the race I needed to show me that last year wasn't a fluke and that I am right where I want to be.  The bit of mojo I have been missing has been recovered and I'm ready to work hard for some big goals coming up in 2017.

Dallas Marathon Half: My Favorite Day In My Favorite City

Marathon weekend is one of the best weekends in Dallas, Texas.  It isn't the Boston, New York, or Chicago Marathon - but Dallas, with all of its quirks and flaws, does a pretty good job showcasing the city and welcoming runners on race day.  This has been a favorite weekend of mine for many years, way before I even knew that I would be a runner someday.  Mr K and his cousin Brock have been the driving force behind the legendary Dolly Parton Hills water stop for more years that we have been married.  The Dallas Marathon (formerly White Rock) became even more special to me when it was Mr K's first marathon in 2008 and my first marathon in 2011.  I have run the half every year since 2008 except for 2011 when I ran the marathon and 2013 when it was cancelled due to the great ice storm that had us all "entombed in ice." The race has changed names once and the course and venue have changed more times than I can recall, but it seems as if the race is finally starting to find its groove.  The current half course is my all time favorite, it starts to trend downhill a bit after the halfway mark and it highlights some of the best parts of the city.

This guy is pretty famous.

I was pretty much on my own on race day as none of my immediate friends were running the half, which was fine with me, I enjoy disappearing into a crowd sometimes.  December in Dallas is unpredictable, at best, and we have seen all kinds of weather for this race.  It wasn't too bad this time - in the 50s - but super humid and with some pretty strong winds.  The race has associated itself with some running super stars over the last couple of years and Meb, Deena, Desi, and Ryan were here again.  It was a special treat when Meb said a few words to us before the race began, he is one of my favorites!  The National Anthem was sung by a Dallas police officer and it reminded me of that terrible night in July.  I made my heart happy to see these same streets filled with so many people and such vibrant energy.  Good will over come, y'all.

It was my third time running this course so I felt familiar with it and put a good game plan into action: get off to a good start, stay steady through the hills in the middle, pick up speed until the end, run the last mile hard.  I have gotten into the habit of racing largely by feel and just checking in with my watch when the mile splits chimed.  My first mile was the slowest before settling into a pace in the lower 9:00s - perfect start.  The timing mat for the first 5K is just before uptown and I hit it at 28:28 (9:10 avg).

I love Dallas. 

There is a nice downhill just after mile 4, heading down Turtle Creek, but then the next 5K through Highland Park is the hilliest section of the race.  It is also one of the most beautiful sections of the race.  The trees were vibrant with fall colors and the stately homes on Beverly Drive were beautifully decorated for Christmas.  The sights are almost enough to keep my mind off the hills...almost.  I knew that I wasn't going to be flying up any hills here, the plan was to stay steady on the ups and conserve energy for the final few miles.  I crossed the 10K timing mat somewhere in here at 56:33 (9:03 avg) - picking up speed and almost halfway done!  K2 and Jessica were working the RAW aide station around mile 7 and it was nice to see some familiar faces and get a quick hug from K2.

The next section of the race takes us down Greenville Avenue and it is my favorite part of the race. I'm certain that the spectators here are having more fun than me, the energy there is terrific!  There was also a live drum line, pretty sure I would be more efficient if one of those followed me through life.  And any day that I can high five a Mavs Maniaac is a good day in my book.  There is also a mental boost here as I know that the hills are done and it is literally downhill from here.  The 15K mark is somewhere after Greenville and I hit it at 1:24:23 (8:58).

I made the TV broadcast again! (Thanks for the screenshot, Lulu!)

The hoopla of Greenville starts to fade pretty quickly, but there was a good crowd around the marathon split.  I was feeling pretty thankful that today was not my day to take that left turn.  The streets looked wet from the heavy humidity and the wind heading back towards downtown was pretty strong.  The final three miles or so back to the finish are probably my least favorite of the course.  The scenery isn't pretty, the crowd is sparse, and I'm just ready to be done at this point.  Who knew that the random mariachi band playing "Feliz Navidad" could pick me up so much at mile 10 of a race?   The race planners must know what a beat down this section can be because they had installed speakers blasting upbeat music through this section. I probably looked like a crazy lady screaming out "so good, so good, so good" during Sweet Caroline, but it sure helped me power through those desolate miles.

My race plan was to run the last two miles as fast as I could, so I was both looking forward to and dreading mile 11.  The fast finish and LOFO (last one, fast one) plan always sounds like a great idea on paper, but isn't all that pleasant when the time comes to execute the plan.  But no guts, no glory - right? Mile 11 felt like it took roughly 100 years, but in reality it was closer to 8 minutes and 13 seconds.  Last mile, it's go time MK.  I almost always feel like I'm failing miserably during LOFO because it is just that darned hard.  The race finish line was within sight of the Reunion Tour and I desperately searched for it on the horizon.  Mile 13 came in at 7:54, bringing my pace from 15K to the finish to 8:19. Finally the finish line was within sight and I glanced at my watch and saw that I could get in under 1:56 if I just kept pushing.  I crossed at 1:55:53 - a course PR by a few seconds. Another solid day of running, I'll take it!

After the race I found a spot on the lawn and enjoyed a free beer while listening to Hard Day's Night, local Beatles cover band.  I enjoyed watching the happy runners mill about and I soaked in the good vibes and energy.  Running is my favorite, Dallas is my favorite, it was a good day.

DRC Half: 8 years. 60 half marathons

The DRC Half is one of my favorite half marathons of the whole year.  The course is beautiful, many of my friends are always there, the weather is usually starting to get a little bit nicer, and it is just a great way to kick off my half marathon season.  It was the first half marathon eight years ago and I haven't missed one since.  I'm a sucker for tradition, after all. I wasn't all that sure what to expect from the running itself.  I had a super strong triathlon season, but I hadn't really done any speed work since Kerrville 70.3 at the end of September.  This seemed like a great opportunity to have a fun day of running and get back into race mode.  It would be a great chance to establish my "base" and see what kind of goals looked realistic for the upcoming winter.  My goals for the day were to run by feel and aim for negative splits and a fast last mile.  I ran this one in 1:58 last year so I was hoping that I could come in a little bit faster than that.

We arrived super early and I had a great time catching up with so many friends before the race.  It almost seemed like a party - an odd early morning party with many people wearing spandex - gotta love runners!  We ran into the Bahas early on and I was happy that Karen shares my pre-race porta potty obsession -haha! I love the beginning of a race, there is so much happy energy and right out of the gate I spotted Drum and Stude (The Encourager).  Drum was out on her bike to cheer on Sandie who was going for a huge PR (spoiler alert: she killed her race!) and Stude was recovering from a broken collarbone so he was stuck on the sidelines cheering this time.

Big Pre-Race Smiles (Pic: EW)

I settled in and tried to find a steady pace that felt somewhat challenging, but also one that I could hold for a long time.  I started near the 1:55 pace group and they quickly slipped away from me in the first mile.  Mr K also slipped away from me very early in the race and he went on to have a killer run. The first four miles are mostly flat and I held a very reasonable pace in the low 9:00s.  I knew that most of the hills came in miles 4-9ish and I just wanted to run them as evenly as possible and then push for a fast finish around the lake.  I love running downhill and focused on picking up the pace whenever these opportunities arose.  I was surprised to see my pace trending faster in the hills and reasoned that running the downs fast must be paying off.  Miles 5-9 ranged from 8:30-9:03 with the slowest mile coming on that big, dumb hill that comes as by the dam as we returned to the lake.  It doesn't matter how many times I run that hill, it is just tough and probably always will be.

Coming in for a one-armed hug (Pic: Stude)

My plan was to start to pick it up in the last three miles since it is the home stretch and I know that section well. I saw Stude cheering somewhere between mile 11 and 12 and I paused just a second for a quick, one-armed hug. In mile 12 I saw Ninja and Drum, I love seeing familiar faces along a race course! My negative split plan worked out too and I had a beautiful splits on miles 10, 11, 12 (8:57, 8:43, 8:38). I knew that the last mile was my signal to give it everything that I had and I was quite pleased to see 7:52 when my watch chimed.  It still blows my mind a bit that I can run those paces, especially at the end of a half marathon.

I love it when I look like I'm running! (Pic: Llama Race Pictures)

As I rounded the bend and approached the park with the finish line and I saw 1:54-something on my watch and I made it a goal to cross the finish line under 1:56.  Mission accomplished: 1:55:57 and 8th in my age group.  I felt really happy and very pleased with my race - not a bad place to start my winter half marathon season!

Post Race Beer Garden Hang Out #tradition (Pic: Rico Photo)

I will never forget running this race for the first time eight years ago.  It was my first ever half marathon and the longest that I'd ever run. I finished in 2:25 and I was just so darned proud of myself because I never dreamed that I would ever do something like that.  It would probably have blown my mind to think that I would do fifty-nine more of them (and counting!). I had no idea what I was in for when I ran that race all those years ago.  Running has brought so many people, places, and experiences into my life over the years.  It has also taught me that I am capable of working harder than I imagined and that I am stronger than I think.  I can't wait to see what the next eight years holds!

Grasslands Half: The Trail Is Calling

I wish that I had more hours for swimming, biking, and especially running because the first thing I would add would be more time on the trails.  I almost always have a blast when I am out there, but I just don't get to do it often enough with all of the other races and training that I want to pursue.  I do make time every March, however, to run the Grasslands Trail Half Marathon.  It was my very first trail run back in 2010 (and what a day that was!) and I have only missed one year since.  The conditions have varied wildly with each year: rain, sleet, ankle deep mud, hail, heat, and sand to name a few.  Two years ago, the trail was nearly perfect and I ran my course/trail PR.  When I saw that we would have optimal trail conditions again this year, I knew that I had a shot at keeping my 2016 PR streak alive!

Spoiler Alert: This guy killed his race! (Pic: Mark O)

Texas weather is all over the spectrum in March - while it was warm for St Paddy's Tri just 6 days before, it was around 40 degrees on the morning of Grasslands. I love running in sunny and cool weather, so this was about as close to perfect as one can ask for.  We all shivered a little as we waited for the start, but I don't think that anyone was complaining.  Mr K and I started together, but he was out of sight before the first mile was done.  He is so strong on the trails, much more of a daredevil than I am, and he had went on to have a heck of a race that day with a time of 1:56:51!  I decided to settle into my own groove instead of chasing him, which is good because I don't think that I could have kept up that day.

Post race with Mark O and Stude (Pic: Jesse S)

My pace was consistently in the mid-9:00 range all the way through the race with a few outlier miles here and there.  I ran alone, occasionally passing (or being passed by) another runner, and it was pretty awesome.  There is something overwhelmingly peaceful about running through nature on a beautiful day while saying precious few words to any other humans.  I really should do this more often.  

I knew that Lesley and Shama would be manning the aide station at mile 10, so I focused on getting there and then running strong for the last 3.1 miles of the race.  The weather really was perfect and the trail was in just about the best condition I have ever seen it.  The race directors, Chris and Anne, have done a great job putting this race on the last few years and I know that they must have been thrilled with the weather after the mudfest we all endured last year.

Mile 10 aide station (Pic: Llama Race Pictures)

I was greeted with a hug and big smiles from Lesley and Shama when I reached the aide station at mile 10.  They topped off my water bottle and sent me on my way, telling me how strong Mr K looked when he ran through there a little bit earlier.  Just a 5K to go!  There was a girl who I'd been following the whole race.  At times she was probably a quarter mile ahead of me, but the longer the race went the closer to her I got.  My course PR was 2:12 and a glance at my watch told me that I was on pace to come in faster than that if I just kept running strong.  I was expecting to see Stude somewhere in the closing miles of the race and he did not disappoint.  The end of this race is such a mental beatdown because the trail loops around the parking lot and right by my car.  I was thankful that Stude was there to distract from my impatience for the finish line.

I was getting closer and closer to the other girl, but I honestly didn't think that I could catch her as Stude suggested.  Once we got off the trail and back onto a little more paved surface I gave it my best shot and found myself pulling ahead of her!  I slowed up just a bit as we hit the finish line and she caught me.  We ended up in an exact tie with the time of 2:03:39 - good enough for about a 9 minute trail PR and tied for 5th overall female.  How fun is that?! My 2016 PR streak continues - what a year! Of course, now I wonder if I could have found another 3:40 seconds out there for the sub 2:00 finish.  Either way, I felt terrific about my run and I had such a great day on the trails.

My pacer is more fun than your pacer!

The post race hang out is always the best at trail runs.  There is BBQ and camp chairs and lots of good people.  Grasslands also has a marathon and a 50 mile race, so there are plenty of runners to cheer for and support as they pass through the start/finish area between their loops.  The sun was shining so brightly, it was just a beautiful day.  Signing up for Grasslands is always a shot in the dark, but I'm always rewarded (some ways more fun than others) for taking that chance.