I have started volunteering to help out at some of the races I love so much. I volunteered at the Gold Nugget Triathlon and at the Run 4 Women so I decided to volunteer for a race that I would love to think I would be able to do some day....but it would definitely be a challenge! Grayson wanted to work on volunteer hours so he spent the day in the sun with me too. I ran this race two years ago when it was the Her Tern Half Marathon. This is a very pricey race but it has a boutique feel. They don't give a medal but a piece of jewelry instead. It ends with mimosas in the Delaney Park rose garden. It's an out and back course along the Chester Creek trail and ends with an uphill jaunt back in to Delaney Park. The atmosphere of this race is just so supportive. Women really building each other up. I do the early start to make sure that I make it back to the rose garden in time for the festivities. I knew today was going to be warm by Alaska standards and the air is still smokey from the wildfires to our north and south. I made myself relax and take it easy and through the wonder that was yoga, I actually felt great for most of the race but started to fade in the last three miles and really fade when I started to think about that uphill finish. It's amazing how we can psych ourselves out. My new tank from CVG got a little attention at the water stops and so I will have to remember to wear it when I need a boost. My running philosophy for this race was to be grateful and thankful. Every mile I chose someone to pray for or to think about when I felt my feet couldn't carry me any further. So here's where I see if you are still reading....see I did a thing. Thanks so much to the hill angels. The people who spend their day running us up the hill to the finish. I get picked up by one of them and through their encouragement I ran that second part of the hill. I didn't know it at the time, but that kick at the end...led to a PR. I have been running half marathons (off and on) since 2001. Today's race is the first time I beat my time from 2001....not by much, but I did it. It feels so good when your 40 something self is able to do what your 20 something self did but better. All the hiking, yoga, spin classes have been making a difference. Now if only I can keep the momentum up. Thanks to all the amazing runners I have connected with for helping keep me motivated!
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Race #2 - Green Day Gallop Back out with Emily again on the 17th to run the Green Day Gallop. This is a nice small low key race. We stuck with a 5K although there is a half and full marathon option. They ran out of shirts this year so definitely be sure to get to packet pick up early, or go to early packet pick up. I ran this race 2 seconds slower than last year and wonder how I use to run an 8K and a half marathon (Shamrock - Va Bch) back to back this weekend....well, I think if I was able to run year round I could pull that off; maybe next year. I am still happy with it as it is almost a six minute improvement over yesterdays race. I ran with my IceBugs but probably didn't need them for this race as the course was more wet than icy. I started out strong but my calves started burning right away. I think the IceBugs have a much lower drop than my standard running shoes. I ran a steady pace through the first mile and then switched to 3:1 intervals for the remainder of the race. I also had problems with my feet falling asleep today; probably due to the tight calf muscles. I was able to stick with this interval and ran a negative split for my third mile. I didn't catch Emily, but that's ok. We are out there to run our own race. Unofficial Garmin time: 40:38 One of the runners behind me said she was using me as her pace setter. I was very flattered. I am hoping for a good season this year and to break some time barriers as well as finish a triathlon or two. We will see how things go! Happy for the change and weather and to be out there again. Race #1 -Shamrock 5KWell, it wasn't my slowest 5K ever. I beat last year's time by 30 seconds but still walked a lot around the Westchester Lagoon and up the West High hill. Ran pretty much the rest of the race. There was no race strategy or goals this year. I even kept my watch hidden in my sleeves while I ran. I also took a lot more during race photos, so maybe I could have been a tad quicker! Love this years toboggan and pint glass. Thank you race directors for putting out prior years glasses so that we could restock. I bypassed the Franz cookies on the way out and back this year. I really couldn't tell you why this is one of my favorite races. I get easily lost in the large Skinny Raven crowds but for the most part everyone is so super friendly. It was a big bonus that I had Emily as a partner in crime this year. This race is all about getting back out there and having some fun! Commuted to Anchorage with Emily and Laura for the Frightening 4K. We all started out running together and then slowly broke off into our independent runs. With Laura and Emily pushing me I ran a pretty good race and I am definitely happy with it. The race is down a nice long hill....only problem is that you have to run back up it! Candy and costumes everywhere...and not the cheap kind of candy either. The good stuff was out at the candy stops! Grayson would definitely enjoy this race and if the weather is good I definitely need to bring him to this one next year.
I recommitted to my run this past April and signed up for a running coach who I knew from the Chesapeake Bay Running Club in Maryland. She is also a military spouse and a pt so I knew she would understands the rigors of moving and schedules that mil spouses and working moms endure. I have fell short of most of my goals but have just started seeing consistency in my weekly runs. She also includes important strength workouts and much needed hip flexibility routines into my scheduled. My Garmin watch records my runs and they are uploaded into a training app for her to review and send me guidance on. This works great for accountability because there is no faking data. My long runs have been going well so I was really excited to run the Double Up...a 5K followed by a 10K. I new that getting back to the finish of the 5K in time to make it to the 10K start would be close. I thought I would have about five minutes to spare. Parking and commute to the APU campus was a breeze. I got there about 45 minutes early and at that point there were no lines for the port o potty or packet pick up. I got my number pinned on and was ready to go. I was nervous before the race. So back in the port of potty line with just enough time to make it to the start. We had a stressful evening (growing a teenager). I could feel the tension and didn't sleep well. I decided my goal would be to run the first mile and then role into my standard 5:1 run/walk rotations that I had used for my training runs. If this proved too much I would go down to a 3:1. Well, I ran the first mile at a pretty good clip and then the inner mean girl excuses started to rolling into my head. It was hot and humid (yes 68 is hot in Alaska). I didn't have any music or pod cast ---race rules said no headphones, although every other runner appeared to have headphones on. I had reset my watch because I wanted to see mile splits not 5:1 splits. Then around mile two I rolled my ankle on the trail where tree roots had broken up the pavement. Gah....on set the walk, nursing the ankle led to torsion on my knee. Excuse, excuse, excuses.....I began to think that I would just stop after the 5K and go home. Skip the 10K all together. My confidence was shot. I knew at this point I was about 4 minutes behind where I wanted to be and it would be tight making the 5K start. Coming up the hill to the finish I was pretty certain that I wasn't going to do the 10K. Then for some reason I reflected on a new instagram page I'd been following - Gary from @outrunyourexcuses a gentleman who has gone from 400lbs to a 100 mile finisher in 4 years. His motto: #nomoreexcuses. Why does the inner mean girl rule? She was giving overtime in this race and so every time she spoke I tried to #nomoreexcuses her right out of my brain. As I ran downhill to the finish of the 5K; I knew I would start the 10K and what I start I finish. Besides, my car would be difficult to retrieve until the race course closed. This was a legitimate reason to power through right? No excuses let's get this done! I was about 50 yards from the start when the gun went off. I stepped to the side and walked in the grass up the hill to the timing mat as the 10K runners went by. I powered through hit the turn around and was one of the last runners to start. Then I noticed there were actually a handful of runners who were still coming up the hill to the start. Luckily the course starts out downhill so it is somewhat a motivator and a boost to get going. I made it to the Elmore Road out and back before the lead runners finished that stretch so I got to see them go by. I tried to convince myself to do 5:1s, when that didn't work I went to 3:1, and then immediately to 2:1. Ankle was still testy so took it to 1:1 and 1:30:1 or vice versa. Just keep going. I see sawed back and forth with a couple who had passed me during the 5K. She was power walking at about my running pace. I also seesawed back and forth with an older gentleman, who cracked a joke about the possibility of seeing bears on the course. I told him I would run ahead and distract the bears if he had a phone and would call 911 for me. The humor and discourse with the other runners gave me power and I was able to catch a few people. Around mile 3 I heard music and caught a new mom (go you!) running and pushing a jogging stroller with her phone playing some tunes. I used the music to pull me through the next couple of miles. I was thankful for the one water stop at mile 3.75 when I could dump a cup of water over my head. The music and the water helped my intervals become more consistent....until we hit a non paved portion of the trail. Excuses began to creep back in...my tired feet don't like running on rocks; I had outpaced the stroller music, my ankle didn't like the rocks, there's a big hill coming....am I last? I pushed up the hill, ok well I walked up the hill, I wasn't given up and then it was an easy 1/4 mile downhill to the finish. My worst 10K pace ever...by like 10 minutes, yet I finished when I hadn't even wanted to start. Root beer floats for finishers were luke warm but the cookies, water, and oranges were just right. The course wasn't bad, I just was in a bad mood. The Special Olympics did a great job of having athletes out at all key turns to cheer us on. I admire those volunteers that stick around and cheer everyone on...even those of us that are just handing on trying to finish! Thanks Skinny Raven for the race. Hopefully I will be in a better mood and do better at the Anchorage RunFest Skinny Raven Half! Two weeks to go!
100/110 in Women's Double Up Time to get caught up on my posts from this year. Not as many as in years past but lots of scenery and spent New Year's Eve running under the lights. So here's a recap of the races that rounded out my not-so-fast year. 29 July - Running Free 4Miler 12 Aug - Derby Dolls Dash 20 August - Skinny Raven 1/2 Marathon and Anchorage Mile (19 Aug) 23 Nov - Turkey Trot 9 Dec - Colony 5Kish 31 Dec - Resolution Run Running Free 4 Miler....Hills and a Little Off Roading
Derby Doll Dash 5KThis was an unplanned spur of the moment race. I think I am just seeing if I can push through the plantar fasciitis, even though I limped back to the car after last weeks race. I am glad I did this one. It was a really small races, and I even won an award for the craziest outfit (and sadly wasn't even trying). I learned a lot during this race: 1) 5K in Alaska, doesn't mean it's all a road race. 2) Derby girls know how to have fun 3) There's an exercise group called kangaroo ing? Impressed by these ladies running in their roo shoes, I don't think I could even stand in them! They were a great group and this was a small race that I will support again if timing works for it. Free race photos on their FB page. Skinny Raven 1/2 Marathon and One Miler Day 1 - Packet Pick up and Anchorage Mile This day just seemed a little off. Packet pick up was nearly empty and I got there way earlier than I needed, but 1 mile around Delaney Park....yes! I ran in the slow heat, which felt like the right placement for me. It was great to meet and reassure other runners who were running their first long races the next day. I ran one of my fastest miles, probably something to do with people watching you run the whole way and/or just being relaxed. By the time I got home my foot was seething in pain from the plantar fasciitis. I could barely walk, but made the decision to go back and run the half the next day. I added new orthotics to my shoes to see if it would help. This was also my first race to start to get plugged in with the RWB chapter. I met Tina at packet pick up and she saw my RWB headband and introduced herself. Day 2 - Skinny Raven 1/2 Marathon Best port-o-potty line EVER. After years of DC area races and never knowing if you are going to make it through the line before the race starts. The lack of line for this port-of-potty caused me to fall in love with Alaska races all over again. I have been stuck in that line or in the potty when the National Anthem started on multiple occasions so this is a much welcomed difference. The National Anthem was sung by an RWB member and then we started off on this chilly rainy day. Race conditions had been near perfect for the miles, for the half, not so much and my motivation quickly weaned. My foot, however, felt better after some icing and the half than it did from the mile...so that's a promising sign. I ran a while with a fellow Back of the Packer and then met another Back of the Packer (FB group) at the finish, who wouldn't let me give up and pushed me through.
Turkey Trot - Alaska StyleIcy streets and chilly weather dominated this race. The coldest conditions that I have every run in. Even so, I was slightly over dressed with tights, hiking pants, a long sleeve t, my cold weather UA jacket, and an UA swacket. Gloves, hat and ear warmer finished off my ensemble. My fingers and toes were the only things that over chilled and wool socks were purchased after this race as well as running gloves. I started the race with one of my teaching pals who was home for the holiday. I knew he would leave me in the dust and I struggled to stay up right for most of this race. About every five steps I'd slide. My biggest oops happened right in the home stretch as I entered the convention center to finish the race, about five steps before the carpet I went sliding pretty good but was able to catch myself. Otherwise this would have been a catastrophe. My plantar fasciitis is still bothering and I struggle to walk after the run, but was happy to not break my tradition of running a Turkey trot. I do miss running with my family back home though! Colony Christmas 5kish
Northern Lights Resolution RunPlease excuse the abundance of pictures. G-man decided that he wanted to run this race with me, and I was able to sign him up at packet picket on Friday. I am thankful that I signed him up early as the race start ended up being delayed by 10 minutes due to late registrations and packet pick up. Parking for this race was about a half mile or so from the start. There are port-o-potties available and propane heaters positioned around the Atwood Center court yard. The light stations were really cool to run through. This was the slowest 5K that I have ever run. Partly due to the abundance of pictures and partly because a lot of this race takes place on snow pack which is difficult to run on. We were fortunate though that the weather warmed up to the upper 20s for this race. Poor G was slightly over dressed and his cleats wouldn't stay on his shoes. I thought he was ahead of me, but when he caught up with me I had one little frustrated kiddo. We talked about how this race was for fun and not the conditions to push a PR. I ended up carrying his cleats, and then my head lamp which kept bouncing off my head. We did a little running, a little shuffling, and some photo ops but made it through and there were still plenty of people behind us. We stuck around for the after party (or what was left of it when we finished). G had a lot of fun trying to catch a prize, but we were a little disappointed by the fact that the hot chocolate was all gone by the time we finished. We were able to download race finish photos for free today so that sort of makes up for it. Oh and today I am so sore, running through snow at the back of the pack is tough. I missed my New Year's Day work out. |
JK McDowellLong time back of the pack runner, science lover, Christian, educator, and mom. Archives
July 2019
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