Viva Miami!

What a race. I had a disappointing finish of 2 hours and 28 minutes. It was well off my goal pace, but considering what I encountered, I was glad to finish.

I hung with an aggressive pace group for the first couple miles --- going sub-10 and 10 minute miles. Yay!  The pacer was an ultra-marathoner who was using this race as a training run for her next distance race.  There was a big group attached to her as she raced out of the start and over the causeways.

I didn't realize that the water stations wouldn't start until mile 3. I missed that critical info in the program.  Oops.  It was very humid in the morning (already in the 70's) and I was so thirsty. I grabbed multiple cups of water and gatorade at the first station and covered my shirt with water to cool off.  Luckily as we got closer to the beach it was nice and breezy.  It also started to sprinkle here and there which helped to cool everyone off.

I had a good run until mile 8 when a bad blister started nagging me. When I took my sock off after the race I confirmed that it was a nasty blood blister  Gross!

At mile 10 my right hamstring started contracting very badly. I've never had that happen before. I had to stop a couple times to stretch it out.  It was extremely uncomfortable and I lost a lot of time dealing with this.  A woman cheering on the sidelines for the Team In Training group told me that I was close to the finish.  She had this look of concern on her face when she saw me hopping by grabbing my leg.

The good news is that I was able to push forward and had a strong last 2 miles. I get jazzed up running through the cheering crowds. They really pump you up. I was psyched to turn the corner and split away from the marathoners. Man...how depressing it must be for them to see us racing toward our finish and they are only at the halfway point.

I ended up hooking up with one of my DC Road Runner coaches after the race. We showed off our spinner-rim medals. So Miami.

Under the cover of darkness

Here I am at 5am at the starting line. I flipped and flopped all night. I ended up going out in Miami beach for dinner at Gotham and didn't get back until close to 11pm.  The beach was packed with folks out for the weekend and Pro Bowl.

I woke up every 2 hours to drink water...convinced that I was going to be late. I must have checked my clock multiple times.  I am such a loser.  Luckily the starting line was literally across the street from my brother's house. Very sweet.

It was a fun start --- fun music, beach balls being tossed all around the runner corrals and cheering fans.

Welcome to Miami

Nothing like waking up to temps in the 70's and humidity.  I hear that a nice snow storm hit the DC area today.  So glad I'm here sitting in my capris and flip flops.  Above is a picture from my brother's balcony.  That's the American Airlines Center --- also the starting line for tomorrow's race.  Yay --- easy commute in the morning.

I headed over to the Convention Center this morning.  What a crowd.  I was able to cab over and get in, walk around and get out in a few hours.  The running community is such an interesting group of people.  I met some interesting small business owners who have found niche areas to sell their goods.  I think that would be a lot of fun --- finding a product, developing it, marketing it and then going out among the people to sell it.  

I'm just hanging out today --- resting, eating and getting my gear ready for tomorrow's EARLY start.  The gun goes off at 6:00 AM sharp.  I just watched the course video again to remind myself where certain key points are located along the race.  

Here's hoping for the best!

Here's to hoping I have everything!

The last week has been quite an experience. I've been in three cities in five days. I've packed and up packed more than I would have liked.

I was rolling around the house last night until 2am trying to get all my stuff together. I'm convinced that when I open my luggage I'll have a pile of t-shirts, socks and a prom dress. It was that kind of night.
I can't believe I was loading my ipod play list at 1am, but it was important. Gotta have tunes on the run.

Seriously, I am so tired. My eyes could shut if I let them.

Ugh!

I can't believe I over-scheduled myself so much this week. I just don't know if I'm coming or going these days.  I'm a bit worried about Sunday's race. I haven't drank enough water this week and I drank more booze than was advisable last night.   Now I have to get everything together for Florida tonight in advance of a full day of work-stuff tomorrow and a 6pm flight.

Ugh...ugh...ugh. I hope I don't forget anything.

Bon Voyage

What a send off from the trainers at the gym. As luck would have it, I had The Sarg. He promised not to kill me, but ensured that every minute counted. Lots of planks, jumping (I told him I have no vertical skills), wall sits and ab work (my flabby/weak spot) and push ups and even some rowing. I actually like rowing!
It always feels better...once it's over.

It's nice that folks have taken an interest in me. They ask how the running is going and wish me luck on my next race. I look forward to sending them an update after Miami.

Just like a tourist

What a great Saturday Long Run!  Since I have the Miami half-marathon next Sunday, I joined the modified Saturday Long Run group and only ran 9 miles vs the regular group that ran 11 miles.  It was fun to run with a different group of folks and get to know them. 

The bonus was that the coach that is charge of the modified run is also going to be running the race in Miami.  I took the time to ask her advice about the race, as well as what goal pace I should aim for.  She is a bit faster than I am and is aiming to try and break a 10 minute mile pace.  She thinks that I should go for that too, but I think that may be a bit aggressive.  Maybe I'll try and hang with her for  awhile and see how it goes.  I think it is more realistic to aim for a 10.5 minute mile pace.  My big issue is to focus on going out strong in the beginning since I have a tendency to hold back and then surging at the end.

It was a beautiful day in DC --- highs in the 40's and a bright sunny day.  We headed out of Adams Morgan and instead of staying in Rock Creek Park, we ran the monuments....which really is one of my favorite routes.  There is nothing better than seeing all the monument and tourists.  It is such a high to run by the White House, the U.S. Treasury, a bunch of the museums, hit the Mall and then circle the Lincoln Memorial.  It's a great way to pass the time.

The weather was so good, many runners were out taking advantage of the pleasant temperature.  There was a moment on one of the paths that a very large wave of elite level guys passed me.  I swear that there must have been a height requirement for these guys.  They were all 6 ft or taller.  You could almost feel them zooming past you.

I had a great run.  This group runs a bit slower than I'm used to so I pulled it back for about 3/4 of the run.  Once we hit the last 2.5 miles, I kicked it up and headed for the finish.  The Calvert Hill was still a beast, but I pushed myself to put my head down and just keep going.  Man...hitting that hill at mile 8 of a 9 mile run is a spirit killer.  Once you kick it's ass, you do feel a sense of accomplishment.  It's funny to see every other runner and biker struggling to get to the top.  At least you are surrounded by folks who are all cursing the same thing.

The soreness from earlier in the week has improved and didn't nag me throughout the race.  Of course, the klutz in me got the best of me when I got home.  I somehow stepped off a curb in an odd way and bruised the side of my foot.  Geez, I just can't catch a break.  Hopefully it won't be an issue on race day.  Too bad I can't wear sneakers to work.

Wow...can't believe in a few weeks I will be Miami.  This time next week I will have already crossed the finish line.  It was really cool that after our run, the runners in my group all wished me good luck in Miami.  It was very sweet.  I really don't want to let myself and them down.  13.1 miles...here I come!

A bit sore

I feel a bit banged up after the JFK 20k. Nothing too serious, but I was a bit worried I may have a mild ankle sprain. I can easily walk and keep weight on the ankle. It just feels a bit off. I've been icing it regularly, which should help.

I decided to rest for the last few days. I went to the gym this evening to do an alternate cardio workout. I decided to test my foot by running 2 miles too. It felt ok. Not perfect, but not bad. I'm curious as to how this will all play out.

Inspiring stories from the run

During the JFK 20k there were a few moments that gave me that extra bump that pushed me forward.

First, as we headed out for our run, the 5k runners lined the path and cheered us all on. It’s always surprising how much some encouraging words can really make a difference. There are many times that a cheer heard during a race --- even the generic “let’s go runners!” --- can really charge me up to just keep going.

Toward the halfway mark, I saw a co-worker running along. What’s telling about her story is that she has been working hard to achieve a qualifying time for the SunTrust half-marathon. She has been going out regularly for the last few months running races of all distances to get that allusive qualifying time. Her persistence after so many times “just missing” the cut-off is inspiring. So many of us would just give up, but she just keeps putting herself out there and tries. I cheered her on as we passed one another and I am crossing my fingers that she was able to finish with a qualifying time.

Finally, I was again inspired to see a blind runner and her guide racing. It is truly incredible. The blind runner wears a yellow vest announcing to the rest of the field that she is blind. Her guide runs at her side with a tether, each holding an end in their hand. They were kicking ass on the trail. Go Runner Go!

Overachiever or Just Plain Stupid

Today, as part of our half-marathon training, we were scheduled to run the JFK 20k out of Georgetown on the C&O Canal. I really have come to hate the C&O canal path. Though the mileage was 12.4, we were only supposed to use this as a training run and just run 10 miles. Check out the route below. It was an up-and-back. We ran out to Bethesda and then turned around and headed back to DC. I had no idea going into the run that on the way out you run a consistent 3-4 grade incline. Who knew?



As I got to the 5 mile turnaround point marked for our training group, I decided to go a little further...and then a little further...and then this dude said the turnaround was just over this ridge. I decided to just go for it since I was so close. Unfortunately his idea of just over the ridge was MUCH different from mine. Let me tell you ---- there is a BIG difference between 10 miles and 12.4 miles. I ended up walking for a minute at the 10 mile mark and again at the 11 mile mark. I was tired and a bit lonely. Since so many folks used the race as a 10 mile training run and turned around early, I was in an area between the faster runners and the stragglers. Being by yourself really sucks and even more so if you don’t have an iPod.

I am glad that I was able to get my miles in and feel more confident going into the Miami half-marathon. I also was able to use my new Garmin and start to get used to using it efficiently. I loaded the data and started reviewing it this afternoon. It’s so cool to see your splits, the elevation and overlapping your heart rate on top of these figures. Fascinating.

Overall, I was not pleased by my time or endurance today, but I have to keep reminding myself that this was not a race. I didn’t run it as a race. There was no strategy. The goal was just to stress my feet and muscles to get used to the distance.

I’ll start tapering tomorrow as I get ready for the warmer weather and flat course in Miami. Here’s to hoping that I am able to improve my half-marathon time.

Snazzy Gadget

I've now completely embraced the gadget age. I got a Garmin. I've been eyeing one for quite some time now, but just couldn't get over the hundreds of dollars these gizmos cost.

As luck would have it, I received a gift card for Christmas and I used it to get my Garmin. Yay!  It's no surprise that everyone seemed to get a Garmin for Christmas.  You should have seen us all out on our run playing with our gadgets and talking like total nerds.  If there is a way to turn any sport a bit nerdy...I seem to embrace it.

After much research, I decided on the 305 version. It's a generation behind the fancier and smaller new 405 version, but the reviews I've seen all noted that the 305 is the better device. The two main differences are: (1) the 305 is a bit bigger and (2) it doesn't wireless synch your data when you come in from a training run. The fact that it was 200 bucks cheaper was another deciding factor.  I really was eyeing the version that is waterproof to 50 meters but it was SO much more.  I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much money on a gizmo.

Unfortunately, I messed up the settings the first time I tried it out and it never properly acquired satellites which meant that my Garmin was like a lost puppy on my Saturday long run. I was so bummed.  Luckily I had an army of Garmin-wearing runners who were able to tell me all my stats once we wrapped up our run.

I tested it out today with the heat rate monitor. OMG...it I so cool. I downloaded my info when I came in and it tracked my: (1) calories burned, (2) distance, (3) time, (4) pace, (5) elevation, (6) showed a line graph comparing the elevation and my heart rate and (7) it linked to Google Earth to show my exact route.

Wicked cool. I'll have to play around with it a bit more. For now...I feel pretty snazzy with my cool new gadget on my wrist. 

Deep Recovery

After yesterday's distance and bone-chilling temps, I decided a slow, steady and short approach was just what the Dr. ordered. More importantly, after yesterdays debacle with the Garmin I needed to test it out.
I ended up doing a slow 2 mile jog down the path. My Garmin worked. What a cool little gadget.

This winter running thing is tough. When your muscles are numb and barking at you to just stop already...it's hard to just keep putting one foot in front of another.

Welcome to 10 Miles

What a way to welcome double digit mileage...temps in the low 30's and ice/snow still covering parts of our path.  Everyone's back from break and hunkering down for some serious training runs since we're now past the halfway point.

As you can see from the map, this was quite the route. We headed up 16th Street toward Maryland and turned down into the Park once we got close to Walter Reed. Unfortunately one of the faster groups missed the turned and ended up logging some extra credit. Bummer!

The slog up 16th street is MAJOR. It's a consistent and irritating accent for 4-5 miles. To top it off, there were still icy/snowy patches which caused us to be extra cautious.

We all welcomed the turn down into the Park where the hills were more rolling and the overall path was more varied. Wow...the Park is just so beautiful. It's quiet, but for the sound of the rolling water and your feet pounding down the road.

At mile 9 we turned the corner and there it was --- my nemesis --- the Calvert Hill. Drat. I thought we weren't doing it today. One of my fellow runners and I just looked at each other and pushed forward. Our goal as always is just to get to the top without walking or hitting the wall. This week, we beat the hill again. Doing all this hill work sure better pay off come race day.

After our run we gathered at Starbucks to warm up and plan for next week's JFK 20. It's a club race, but we're using it as a training run. Those of us running Miami will begin tapering and pulling back our training. That means we'll only run 10 miles next week vs the full 20k.

Just another day in the wheel

Yesterday, I again decided to hit my work gym for a 3-mile run. It actually wasn't that crowded. I clearly arrived between two big waves of health enthusiasts.

Though the treadmill can be boring, it was more welcoming than going outside. Brrrr.

Getting in a run was a nice way to step away from the work-related drama that I had to deal with today. Geez...some days I can't believe the stuff that comes my way. I'm a fixer, a referee, the hard-ass, the person to commiserate with, a therapist and a sprinkle of common sense.

On a separate note, I'm REALLY excited to have FINALLY ordered one of those fancy-dancy GPS Garmin watches. I got a gift card for Christmas and after some research found a version that meets my needs --- keeping track of accurate time and distance in a very user friendly way.

Tick...tock...it'll be here in a few days.

Lead weights

That's what my arms feel like...lead weights.

I headed to my gym tonight for some strength training. I should have know it was going to be an interesting session when Sid asked. "Hey, do you want to go hard core?" That was a mistake. My confidence at the start was quickly broken by multiple modified sets of planks. Wrapping up with some bear-crawls capped off the evening.

The combo of strength training, step-mill, rowing machine (which I really like) and elliptical machine were intense!  I literally was dragging my gym bag behind me as I headed for the bus.

Windy City

What a morning!  I woke up to emergency notices that there were high wind warnings in the DC area --- 45 mile an hour winds. I was less concerned with the high winds and more concerned with the sub-freezing temps.

Instead of our lovely 9 mile route through the park that we did last week, we headed out toward Georgetown and the C&O Canal. Ugh. I'm burned out from running that route so it was a tough 9 miles. The chilly temps (in the high 20's) and the strong head winds made for a challenging --- both physically and mentally --- run. It didn't matter which direction we turned we were almost always running into the wind. Needless to say, we all felt like mobile snowmen. Throughout the run you heard lots of grunts and groans and everyone tried to just power through.

This route also meant that the hill I dread the most awaited me at mile 8. Brutal! This week I beat the hill.

After a shivering ride home, some food, a hot shower and a good long nap I'm back from the dead. I'm not sure what the biology is, but running more than 8 miles causes the near immediate need for food and sleep. Guess it's called exhaustion.