Run Far, Not Fast

Things We Like!

2011-11-08T21:28:00.001-05:00

I like free stuff.

You should like my photo HERE!

Old Age Group, New Age Group

2011-11-06T20:13:00.001-05:00

Today is my 30th birthday. I ran a race yesterday as a 20-29 age grouper, and then another today as a 30-39 age grouper. This, to be honest, is about the only thing I dread about turning 30. People in their thirties are darn fast!

Admittedly, there are things in my life that I thought would be different by the time I turned 30, but then, life is unpredictable. My twenties were, in a word, tumultuous. So good riddance to the 20's. Bring on the 30's!

A while back, I was discussing with a friend of mine our varying career paths and how we were still young enough to guide them in whichever way we pleased. She's a couple years younger than me, so I had to point out "I'm going to be 30 soon!" to prove that if I wasn't too old, then she certainly wasn't. And to that she asked me an interesting question, "Do you think you've accomplished a lot before turning 30?"

I thought about this because I think that people very often create their bucket list and focus on the things they've yet to achieve rather than those they've crossed off. What a sad way to be. What about all the great things you've done already? So I started making a list of my pre-30 accomplishments, and not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I've accomplished a lot in my life.

I've been to 24 U.S. states including Alaska and Hawaii which are kind of the hard ones to visit.
And I've lived in 4.
I've been to 6 countries.
And 3 continents.
I've run 4 marathons and 8 half marathons.
I earned both my B.S.* and my Ph.D. which, even though most of the people I know have Ph.D.'s, and I grew up in a neighborhood that freakishly housed like 7 people with them, some people think this is a big deal.
I've learned some cool talents like knitting, crocheting, juggling, and making the Wilton rose.
I've learned some cool skills, which though necessary for my job, are still cool, like computer programming.
I've seen a bear, a moose, a wolf, a porpoise (sort of) and a sea lion. (OK, it's a little unfair that I saw them all in Alaska. That state is just SO much cooler than anywhere I've lived!)
I've seen a deer up close, like not so close that I could touch her, but within probably 12 feet, and she certainly saw me. We kind of had a moment. It was pretty cool.
I've met a professional athlete (Brooks Robinson and Dean Karnazes), a rockstar/group (The Barenaked Ladies), and an actor (Mickey Carroll, Clark Duke, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson).
I've seen both a solar (1994) and lunar eclipse (2003).

So I feel like I'm off to a good start to having a life filled with adventure and accomplishment, and gosh, I'm only 30. People are living well into their 90's nowadays. Here's to many more years of a life well lived!

*B.S. here stands for Bachelor of Science, not the other B.S., though I feel I'm well versed in that by now too.

Race Recap: Tussey Mountainback 2011

2011-10-25T20:45:00.001-04:00

This year marked my fourth year entering the Tussey Mountainback. For those of you not familiar, the Mountainback is a 50-mile ultramarathon and relay race located in Central Pennsylvania. For the past several years, they have been host to the USA 50 Mile Road Championships, which means everyone involved gets to witness some pretty amazing performances by some spectacular athletes. My first Mountainback experience was in 2008 and it quickly became a favorite of mine, not just because it's a beautiful area to run, but also because it's become one of the few times of the year I get to see my old friends in the Nittany Valley Running Club.

This year, I joined up with 3 of my friends to form a quad team meaning we would each have to run 3 legs. (Our quad team's captain and I have this horrible habit of convincing each other to do crazy running feats..don't even ask about our ideas for next year!) I had the easy rotation running legs 1, 5, and 9, which just to give myself SOME credit isn't entirely easy, but leg 1 in my opinion is the easiest of the hard legs, and I had the good fortune of getting it out of the way first.

At 10 am, I set out climbing this wonderful hill you see to your right. It's an 800 ft climb over 3.2 miles. I tried to take advantage of the flat pavement for the first 3/10's of a mile or so before hitting the hills where I knew I would slow down dramatically. Along the way, I noticed a woman wearing a pair of fantastic tights. They were gray with pink and white flowers or fireworks or some sort of splashy pattern. I told her they were fantastic, which I think she thought was a little weird because we were in the process of racing, so I didn't ask where she got them. Despite an extensive Google search, I have still not been able to find them! Let this be a lesson learned, there is never a bad time to ask about fashion.

Anyhoo, getting back to the race, I trudged up leg 1 getting slower and slower each mile and finally finishing averaging a 10:00 pace. That was pretty much as I expected, so I wasn't too disappointed, and I was more than happy to hand off to my next runner. Our van set-up was the most comfortable of any of my Mountainback experiences. I guess that's what happens when you only have 4 runners (one of which was always running) and a driver to worry about. We had a bench seat in the back with an explosion of clothing in the middle (this also made a good area for changing, which I did twice). The trunk was filled with far too much food for just 5 people, but it was comforting to know that if we got lost out there, we could probably survive for a few days. All-and-all, we were pretty chill between legs (or at least I was). We ate, drank, and peed pretty much at each transition zone. My teammate was knitting a pumpkin hat about which I asked her a millions questions because I'm trying to improve my knitting skills, and who better to ask than an expert.

My next leg was leg 5, a nice 500 ft descent over 3.4 miles. I changed into shorts for leg 5 as it was finally starting to warm up. I also opted for road shoes over my trail shoes, though even now that the race is over, I'm not sure which shoes are better for the dirt/gravel/rocky roads of the Mountainback. I grabbed the slap bracelet from my teammate and shot down leg 5 at a sub-7 pace (not something I generally do or can hold for 3.4 miles). Like leg 1, I got progressively slower in my miles, but I managed to keep each under 8 minutes. I flew into the transition zone at a brisk 7:26 pace (making an average pace of 7:37 for the whole leg). I was feeling great and only had one leg to go!

My final leg was leg 9. Like leg 5, leg 9 is largely downhill despite a brief hill for about a half mile at the start. I quickly learned that when you are running a leg, especially your third leg, you feel the hills a lot more than what they look like in the elevation profile. Lucky for me, it's a short leg at only 2.9 miles. The whole time I was running it, I was trying to catch a man in a red shirt. I'd say I significantly closed our gap, but in the end, he still had an edge on me. We darted into the Colyer Lake parking lot, him handing off slightly before me. As my teammate headed out, I reveled in the fact that I was done with my part and that it didn't include the 600 ft climb over 5.3 miles that was in store for him (and his third leg no less!).

My three teammates were awesome. We met about four years ago in the "beginner group" of the NVRC though even then, I'm not sure we should have been considered beginners. We each ran hard, admitting that we paced ourselves based solely on the length of the leg and not our total mileage for the day. But for the most part, we were out there to have fun, so there was no pressure on anyone to perform better than they felt up to. At the end of the day, we finished in roughly 7 and a half hours, though it didn't feel that long. That was only 18 minutes longer than our 2008 team when three of us were on an 8-person team. I'm super proud of us!

Learning terrible news....

Part of me feels a little guilty for feeling Sunday was such a wonderful day because the day was also marked with tragedy. I had to mull over whether I would post about it, but I feel like not mentioning it is like pretending it didn't happen, so here it goes.

The transition zone between legs 10 and 11 is the same as between 11 and 12, which means you get to hang out for a while, especially when, like me, your last leg was leg 9, so you can just chill and eat cookies for an hour. It was at TZ 10/11 that my team heard a rumor that a member of the Draft Challenge Relay (DCR), something I have participated in the past 2 years, had suffered a fatal heart attack during one of his legs. I sincerely hoped it was a misunderstanding as rumors tend to get distorted as they travel through the grapevine, but upon returning to the van, I quickly checked my email on my phone and discovered the rumor was true. I did not know the gentleman who passed, but my heart breaks whenever I hear of someone passing away during a race, and obviously, this man was quite close to home.

If you are not familiar with State College, PA, it's an unusual town to understand. With roughly 40,000 undergraduate students attending Penn State, it can hardly be called a small town, but even with the large population, there is a general feeling of unity. Ira Glass describes it in an episode of This American Life based on Penn State where he says, "They say 'We Are Penn State' in conversation to make a point. They're part of this club that they're really excited to be a part of." This attitude spreads to the surrounding town and certainly within the Nittany Valley Running Club. When I joined the NVRC in 2008, I was in midst of break up as well as trying to finally finish grad school. Needless to say, it was probably the most stressful part of my life to date, and I'm not sure if I would have made it if not for the friends I met running.

Because of this, I knew how devastated members of the NVRC would be having suffered the loss of one of our own. A couple of my teammates had met him during training and mentioned how very excited he was to be able to compete in the Mountainback as part of the DCR. The day following the race, the group listserv, which is usually buzzing with trash talk that quickly turns to bitching about this year's ringer, instead was filled with messages about what a wonderful man had been lost and ideas for the best way to honor his memory. I was reminded of the things that most drew me to this club as they quickly gathered to help each other come to grips with this terribly tragedy. They have shown such respect and compassion for this man, his family, and each other that it makes me long to find a group with such camaraderie more than ever. They are the reason that one of my first steps in the process of moving is finding the local running club, though what I've found is not all are like the NVRC. I feel blessed tonight to have met those that I have met: those who I hope will be friends for years to come, those who I interact with solely through facebook banter, and even those who have simply made an appearance.

Race Recap: The Baltimore Half Marathon

2011-10-19T07:29:00.000-04:00

A while back I signed up for the Maryland Double. Part one of the Maryland Double was completing the Frederick Half Marathon back in May, and then you have the option of completing either the full or half marathon at Baltimore in October, though the caveat is that they must be completed within the same calendar year. Basically, you get three medals for completing it: one for each, then one for both. My training has been pretty erratic this year what with work, conferences, vacation, moving, etc., so I wasn't expecting big things from either race.

When I ran Frederick back in May, I started the race in the wrong frame of mind and ended up walking more of it than I would have liked finishing in 2:05:54. I was disappointed in myself more than anything. I could have run faster if I was just focused, and indeed I did run a 1:59:37 half marathon the following weekend.

Months have passed since Frederick, and now it was time for Baltimore. I was nervous about Baltimore for so many reasons, not the least of which was transportation to and from the race. I'm not a city kid, and I don't like driving in them. There were free parking lots located around Camden Yards, where the race finished, but since the half marathon started an hour and forty-five minutes after the full marathon, I figured those would be filled, not to mention getting to them around any road closures due to the race. So I decided to heed the advice of the race organizers and take the light rail into Baltimore. Having never done this before, I decided to give it a test run to the expo on Friday night. Friday night on the light rail is apparently not the best time for a woman to be traveling alone, and I was deeply wishing I had brought my pepper spray. Luckily, I made it home safe and sound and with enough faith that it wouldn't be quite so shady on race day.

Unfortunately, the light rail only runs every half hour on Saturday, so when I missed the 8 am train, I had to wait until 8:30 for the next one. I road the train with dozens of other runners to Camden Yards, where we arrived by about ten after nine. The race didn't start until 9:45, but I knew I needed to hustle to be comfortably in my corral at the starting line by game time. I rushed to gear check, and then down to the starting line area where I hopped on the port-a-john line. And then I stood there for a HALF HOUR. It wasn't moving...like at all. I really had to go, so I began searching for some place secluded to pee (you know my opinions on public defecation; it was that bad). There wasn't really a place to go, and unlike at MCM last fall, people didn't seem to be taking this option. Eventually I noticed one port-a-john that wasn't being frequented, and every time someone did use it, there was cheering from the peanut gallery. Even after hearing a man exclaim, "Oh my God!" upon opening the door, I decided I was willing to endure whatever trauma might be done if it meant emptying my bladder. Sadly, everyone else came to this realization as the same time as me, so a line quickly formed. Finally, I reached the front of the line just as the national anthem was being sung, and I was literally inside the port-a-john when I heard the countdown for the start of the race. Just awesome.

I darted out of the port-a-john and down the road to the starting line. Not realizing I'd have to cross the marathon course (and thus runners running) to get to the starting line, I was left a little perplexed until I saw another half marathoner also in her scramble to start, so I followed her. Having started in such a panic, it was no surprise that my first mile was finished at an 8:13 pace, which was about 15 seconds faster than I had planned. I had studied the elevation chart prior to race day and figured mile 3-7 were pretty much all uphill, so my plan was to do 8:30 miles for all the flat or downhill sections with the expectation that 3-7 would be really slow. I quickly learned there are a lot more hills than 3-7. I gradually slowed down over the course of the miles, first hitting a 9:00 pace, then 9:15, 9:30...If I made graph, it would show a nice even slope upwards (upwards being slower paces - and yes, I may have actually made this graph). The further we ran, the windier it seemed to get, especially while looping Lake Montebello where there were no buildings to block the wind. I started to slow at a water stop around mile 10 when a huge piece of cardboard flew off one of the tables and wrapped around my waist and legs. It was a good thing I was already slowing down. Not surprisingly that was my slowest mile.

I was ready for this race to be over. My feet hurt, my legs were tired, I was tired, and sometimes, even when you aren't particularly having a terrible race, you're just ready to be finished. And that's how I felt during all of my double digit miles of this race. I had the longest finish line kick of any race I've ever run and that's because I kicked at mile 12. The faster you go, the faster you finish I thought. It didn't hurt that the course was largely downhill from mile 12 to the finish line, but it was still an effort to force my pretty shot legs to pick up the pace. I cruised through mile 13 at an 8:21 pace. It was my second fastest mile in the whole race! (my panicky first mile being the only one faster) That last 0.1 miles felt just as long as every other mile in the race, but I was determined to keep going until I had crossed those mats and was headed to pick up my medal. I was a tad disappointed to see that 2:01 on my watch as I crossed the finish line because I like to keep under 2 just to say I can, but I know I ran the best race I could have that day, so I was pleased with my effort (or I can revert to the words of a man on the light rail home: "2 hours is a really good time for a marathon!").

I strutted my stuff at the after party with my two medals (one for doing the half and the other for finishing the Maryland Double) clanging together as I chugged down an ice cold Pepsi (sometimes I crave soda after a hard run. I actually had another later in the day too). It was a beautiful day to be outside, and even though I was celebrating by myself, which was not my expectation when I signed up for the race, I was glad to have run it.

My Non-Black Toenail

2011-10-15T23:24:00.000-04:00

I have no idea how many miles I've run over the years, but let's just say after 15 years and 4 marathons, it's been a lot. In all that time, I've never had a black toenail. I do, however, get blisters under my toenail, which in my understanding is basically what a black toenail is (only the blisters are blood blisters). Unlike with a black toenail, my non-black toenail (or NBT) will NOT fall off!

I first developed my NBT about 2 years ago when I was training for the Richmond Marathon, a marathon you may recall I did not end up running, which kind of makes this story even more aggravating. During my training, I had a blister form under the toenail of the fourth toe on my right foot. It was so far underneath that the only way to drain it was to clip most of the nail off and expose the blister. So I did. The toenail grew back, and then I got another blister under the same toenail. And so it continued. For the past two years, I've had to reclip that toenail over and over. I'd have no problem with this process except that each time the nail grows back thicker (a.k.a. grosser) and the skin underneath has become callous-like hard. Also, the blisters that develop have inched closer to the nailbed, which hurts like hell because the blister causes all this pressure on the nail to push it up, but the skin is still holding it down. This is particularly a problem because I like to wear compression socks after a hard workout, and it's mighty painful to slip them on over a very tender toe. After my latest venture (the Baltimore Half Marathon), I found myself literally clipping away pieces of nail under the skin. Maybe this is the problem. Maybe the trick with the black toenail is that you are just supposed to let it be under the nail falls off, but the NBT freaking hurts! I don't want to let it be. I just want the damn thing to fall off!

If my grandma were still alive, she's probably tell me to see a chiropodist. It's possible that a podiatrist might be able to somehow safely remove the NBT and maybe clean the dead skin off so I could start anew with a fresh new toenail, but I suspect that's a bit optimistic and it would probably hurt a lot. My previous experience with a podiatrist was in high school having a plantar wart removed from my toe where I had to go in several times so he could scrap away at the wart, during which he would say, "Does this hurt?" and I would say, "Yes," and he would continue scrapping away. I dreaded those very painful visits and have been glad to have avoided a similar scenario in the years since. Now that I do the paying instead of my parents, I'm not too keen on entering long treatment plans.

So now what? Has anyone else experienced the same sort of NBT I'm having? What did you do about it?

Hello October!!!

2011-10-02T01:49:00.000-04:00

I'm running the Baltimore Half Marathon in 2 weeks, and, well, I kind of only started training for it about a month ago. I'm trying to stay positive about the experience since the other half marathon I didn't train for, the B&A Half, ended up being my fasted half marathon for the year (yeah, all that trash talk about 1:49, that's probably not going to happen). Of course, the B&A Half is MUCH flatter than Baltimore (I'm told, though I've never run it before). I'm not expecting to break any records out there, but I was beginning to fear being able to finish the distance uninjured and being able to recover thoroughly in time for the Tussey Mountainback the following weekend. The past couple weeks, my long runs have been "OK" but they've made me suffer. I'm not used to hobbling around with calf and shin pain after a measly 10 miles.

But now, it is October...

The arrival of October this year seemed to have flipped a switch on Maryland weather. Whereas we were still seeing temperature of low-to-mid 70's the past couple weeks with the same bug breeding humidity we've seen all summer, the first day of October brings a beautiful running morning of 57 degrees! I headed to meet my running buddy, G, around 9 am this morning to head out on one of our favorite 10 mile loops. G is generally much faster than me, but after shattering her BQ time in March, she's been taking it a bit easier until Boston training begins. Also, she ran 4 miles before I met her, so I was able to keep up with her during the beginning of our run. Though neither of us had a specific pace goal, we also don't mind working on our speed during long runs. In particular, I've been trying to train for the first week of the FIRST training program aimed at breaking the 4 hour marathon. It has me running 13 miles at a 9:39 pace which I've done lots of times in a race, but not so much when I'm out by myself chilling on my long runs. Generally, for runs around 10ish miles, I run a 10 minute or so pace, and for runs closer to 20 miles, I run an 11 minute pace. It's been a source of frustration for me since you can see, I run a pretty consistent 2 hours or below half marathon, so why can't I run a marathon in close to 4 hours? So while the FIRST program has three intense workouts a week, two of which are focused on speed, I'm more concerned about getting my pace up for the long runs.

We ran the first half of this morning's run doing a 9:25-9:45 pace, which I was more than happy with. I was a little surprised at myself for being able to shoot the breeze with someone while maintaining a pace that I consider pretty brisk for a long run. We ended up walking a little bit into mile 6 to drink water and take some energy chews, so that was a pretty slow mile. After that, G wanted to stretch her legs, so I told her to take off. I still maintained the close to 9:45 pace that I was happy with for the next two miles, but I realized I was feeling really good. I could see G off in the distance and figured if I could pick it up a little, I could finish not too far behind her. So I did. I kept waiting for the twinge to appear in my shins or for my calves and quads to cramp up like they had in weeks past. But not this morning. I felt great. I ran my 9th mile in a 9:08 pace and was still going strong. When Dog Day Are Over came on my ipod, I was practically sprinting down the finish of my last mile. I thought it was more than appropriate since it seems that the dog days of summer have finally left us down in Maryland, and I can't complain because this paves the way for some pretty nice running weather for a while (until we hit winter and it's rainy, windy, and cold all the time). I finished my last mile at an 8:36 pace and averaged a 9:30 pace for the run. I was ecstatic that it was actually lower than the pace I'm expected to run my first week of the FIRST plan (and also that I ran a negative split!). Hopefully I can keep this up and keep improving as I move to longer runs.

As for Baltimore, I think I'm ready.

Here's some Florence and the Machine for your viewing pleasure:

Happy Running!

Runner Rant: Bad News for Women Endurance Athletes

2011-09-28T22:19:00.000-04:00

Supposedly it's everyone's dream to make a living doing what they love, and though I love running, I never dreamed of being a professional runner. I knew early on that I would never make it pro or even be at the level of collegiate athletes, so I never much worried about it. I still think (despite what you may think according to the infrequency of my blog posts) that being on staff at Runner's World would be just about the greatest job EVER, but in a way I'm glad I never had the abilities to be a pro-athlete. For one, I couldn't handle the pressure to perform well at EVERY race (though I wouldn't mind a sponsorship or two), and secondly, I couldn't handle the constant disrespect that women athletes STILL get in 21st freaking century!

It's been a particularly rough couple of weeks for female endurance athletes.

First, it was announced publicly last week that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) would not recognize a world record set by a women unless it was achieved in a women's only running event. Furthermore, this would be retroactive, meaning that Paula Radcliffe's INCREDIBLE 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon is no longer the world record since she ran that race with men. The so-called logic behind this new rule is that women should not be allowed to use faster men as pacers. Obviously, women (and some men) in tune to the running world are calling sexism. There are a couple of problems to point out. First, men use pacers too. Just check out this article where David Cheruiyot blames his pacers for not getting him a 2:10 finish at the 2008 Houston Marathon (which would have won him $10,000). So surely, in the interest of fairness, the use of pacers to break a world record would have to be banned across the board, not just for women where the use of men as pacers is pure speculation anyway. Which brings me to my second point, it is speculation. Anyone who races knows EVERYONE is your pacer: the people in front of you, the people behind you, the spectators watching you suffer or cheering your name, the man pooping on the side of the road that you just want to get away from. It ALL makes you run fast. To designate faster men as a woman's unofficial pacer (therefore making her ineligible for world records) is like saying you should only be allowed to race alone for your times to count. Though women's only events or events where the women get a head start are becoming more common, there are still a fair number of races, including big ones like Chicago, that still have a coed start. Therefore, the only consequence of this rule is severely limiting the number of races that women can compete in, which will in turn hurt the races that are used to having elite women compete, but haven't made "special accomodations" for them. And finally, this rule gives men FAR more credit than they deserve. Not only has the IAAF literally taken away Paula Radcliffe's world record (OK, she still has it, but it's her 3rd fastest marathon time), but they have also taken away her accomplishment by indicating she could not have done so without men. In caveman speak, this could be broken down as "Woman no good without man" which is pretty effed up. Paula Radcliffe's own legs brought her to that finish line faster than any woman before her. No one carried her. No one trained for her. But basically the IAAF has said because she raced with people faster than her, her times don't count. Glad that's not a rule in my life. I'd have nothing to list in my sidebar.

The bike I'd own if I was infinitely wealthy.

My second rant of the evening actually doesn't have anything to do with running, but rather women's cycling. As solo "see how far you can go" type sports, I always think cycling and running have a lot in common (just you don't need to drop a couple G on a bike to run). Cycling is an activity I'd like to get more involved in once I muster up the money to afford to buy a new bike (since some scumbags stole mine shortly after I moved to Maryland). But anyhow, I follow Trek Women on facebook, and they posted an article this week on the minimum wage for riders, namely that there is one for men, but not for women. I can't claim to know much about women's cycling or cycling in general, but it's comments like, "Women's cycling has 'not developed enough' for a guaranteed minimum wage for riders," that really irk me. Remember the battle not to long ago to make women's ski jumping an Olympic event. The reason cited for previously rejecting women's ski jumping from the Olympics was that the sport had too few competitors to become an event. Makes total sense except that how can people compete if they aren't allowed to compete?* How can a sport grow or develop if its competitors do not have the proper venue/equipment/financial means/etc to train and excel at that sport? And it's really not fair to blame a lack of competitors in a sport on a lack of interest. We, women, have some catching up to do when it comes to sports. It wasn't too long ago when women had no opportunities to become interested in sports, even on the secondary education level. Title IX** was only passed in 1972 barring gender discrimination in education, but even 17 years later when I was in school, boys were allowed to participate in "girl" oriented sports like cheerleading and gymnastics while girls were not so encouraged to join the football or wrestling teams (I have a sad tryout story about the latter, but I'll spare you). Even the track team, which was coed during the indoor season, practiced gender discrimination in that girls did not run the same distances or have as many field events as the boys. In my not-so-humble opinion, I find it rather unfair to open up a new sport to women and suddenly expect the same level of competition as the men. Opening up the opportunity to compete is great! Giving women the right equipment and financial resources to excel is wonderful! Allowing some time for growth is fantastic!

*I will concede that sports should probably be developed on a smaller scale before reaching the Olympics, but as I said, I'm not too familiar with women's ski jumping (or cycling), so I can't really comment on the participation of those sports on a more local level.

**I am aware of criticism of Title IX as I've discussed it previously on another blog. I'm really not interested in hearing yet another sob story from a spoiled rich boy about how he was deprived of some privilege he feels owed because some girls got to play a sport, so don't even bother commenting. It won't get published.

What I've Been Up To...

2011-08-07T19:43:00.008-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've blogged, but I've been REALLY busy. Here's what I've been up to.

First I went to Alaska

Then I went to Maine

And then I moved

So I haven't had much time to get in all that much running let alone blog about it. But I do have some exciting news!
That's right. I registered for a spring marathon! I made a pact to myself that I would not run a 2011 marathon due to the burnout I suffered at the end of 2010. The hope was that by 2012 I would feel rejuvenated and ready to face another marathon. And so I signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon in Washington D.C. on March 17, 2012. The Rock 'n' Roll series has taken over the National Marathon which has taken place every March for the past several years. I've never run the National Marathon nor have I ever run a Rock 'n' Roll event, so I'm both anxious and excited for race day. I've heard good things about National in the past, and the finisher's medal from last year was quite a beaut, so I hope that Rock 'n' Roll keeps up the high standards. And hopefully once the serious training begins, I'll have more to talk about.

Happy running!

Runner Rant: Public Defecation

2011-05-20T23:48:00.005-04:00

I've gotten a little behind on blogging, but I do have a double race recap coming up based on the last two weekends. Before I write that, I had to get something off my chest in the form of a runner rant.

It's no secret that runners live in a different world from everybody else. For the serious runner, all aspects of life are planned around running events...diet, dating, vacations...all play second fiddle to a big race. But something that has been bothering me as of late is when runners seem to think, "When I've gotta go, I'm just gonna go."

The first time I saw men peeing out in the open at a race was during the Chicago Marathon in 2006. We ran by a large park where there was a line of port-a-johns, but with nearly 40,000 people in the race, each one also had a long line. I noticed men lined up in the same stance all along the edge of the park, and not having seen this before, it took me a moment to realize what they were doing. Honestly, I understood why they chose this option. Long lines combined with easy access for them made for an easy decision. And even though it was a large park, and therefore there was no covering, at least they had the good decency to move away from the pack of runners. Still it made me uncomfortable, especially knowing that I was running this race with my then boss's 60-year-old husband who could have very easily been one of those lining the edge of the park (though I didn't see him).

Last October, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon which you may recall I hated for several reasons, but one reason that I don't think I talked about was the amount of runners going to the bathroom wherever they damn well pleased. Both men and women were simply stepping off to the side NOT out of plain view of the rest of the runners and peeing right there. This bothered me. To me, it shows a complete disrespect to the surrounding community to just piss on their public land. Like most races, MCM had port-a-johns about every 2 miles I think, so it's not like they were scarce. And MCM had no prize purse, so even if you thought you were going to win (which 34,000 some people didn't), you weren't going to make any money off of it. You could certainly wait the few minutes in the port-a-john lines or, if it was a dire emergency, take a few moments to try and find some coverage.

Then last weekend, I reached my breaking point when it comes to witnessing public defecation by runners. I ran the first half of the Pocono Marathon Relay, much of which was on roads surrounded by trees. It started off similar to MCM with men jumping off to the side to do their business, but not really even pretending to hide from the rest of the running pack. Admittedly, the trees were a little bare, but hey, even a little effort goes a long way. So I'm in between the port-a-johns located at miles 6 and 8 when my stomach starts to give me the business, and I'm not too happy about it but know that I can hang on at least until mile 8. When I'm right around the mile 7 mark, I come upon a man leaning up against a telephone pole along side the road (notice, NOT within the vast forest of trees just to the left of him). And he was NOT peeing. That's right, I got an eye-full (and sadly nose-full) of an old man doing number 2 practically on the side of the road, shorts around ankles, grabbing a wad of the toilet paper he brought with him (so apparently this is not a rare occurrence) and wiping his not yet clean behind. I was so completely appalled I wanted to scream at him for doing so, but was also too shocked that someone would find this acceptable that I uttered a few swear words to myself and tried to hold my breath as he passed me after finishing his business but still smelling like poop.

So here's the message I want to send to every runner contemplating pooping in the wild: THIS IS NOT OKAY! If it were up to me, every runner who goes to the bathroom out in the open like that should be arrested and charged with public nudity and defecation. Not only is it unfair to your fellow runners who shouldn't have to stomach the view or smell of your poopy ass, but it's unsanitary and bad for the environment. You may think, "Hikers go to the bathroom in the wild all the time, so what's the big deal?" Hikers actually get educated about the proper etiquette for doing so. So for you ignorant runners out there, I found this resource online that advises about the proper way to do both number 1 and 2 in the wild. To sum it up, 1) FIND PRIVACY, 2) if you must pee, make sure it is not near any water source or plant life as you can contaminate the water and kill the plants, and 3) If you must poop, bury it. Poop left out in the open will attract animals who may eat it causing health problems that can then travel through an ecosystem. Some people chose to wipe with leaves, and if that's your cup of tea, bury those too. If you bring toilet paper like Poconos man, bring a plastic bag to carry it out.

Don't want to take the time to poop responsibly? Well tough shit! You're not Paula Radcliffe! (Unless you are, then "Hey Paula!")

Friday Favorites: Shoes (Earth Day Edition!)

2011-04-22T12:48:00.004-04:00

Since today is Earth Day, I thought what better way to celebrate than by doing another Friday Favorites featuring my shoes. What do my shoes have to do with Earth Day, you may ask. Well, I wear Brooks. The cool thing about Brooks as a company is that they are dedicated solely to running, managing to make great shoes and apparel, and yet they remain environmentally responsible. Brooks has created the first-ever biodegradeable midsole referred to as BioMoGo. The BioMoGo midsole not only degrades at a rate 50 times faster than a traditional Ethylene Vinyl Acetate™ midsole, but it BIOdegrades, meaning it is turned into nutrients for plants to grow and produces less waste in landfills. Super cool, right? And not just that, but even the box your shoes come in is environmentally friendly. The box is made from recycled materials and uses single color water-based dyes for graphics which uses less energy to print and does not emit any volatile organic compounds. So on to the reviews...

Best Road Running Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline

Brooks has now upgraded to the Adrenaline 11, which was named Best Running Shoe Update by Runner's World, but I stocked up on the 10 while I could, so I'm a little behind the times. I got professionally fitted for running shoes (something I recommend EVERY runner do) when I first moved to Annapolis, and I was put in the Adrenaline 9. At the time, I thought that particular store was just on the Brooks bandwagon, but since then, I've really grown to love the company including their shoes, shirts, and shorts. The Adrenaline are stability shoes which help me with slight overpronation, and also contain the BioMoGo midsole and DNA cushioning technology which adapts to a runner's size and stride. I've been running in the Adrenaline since that first fitting in September 2009, now on my 4th or 5th pair. I've found I've been able to put about 300-350 miles on each pair before the cushioning begins to breakdown and I need to buy a new pair. I think 300-350 is pretty decent for a pair of shoes, so I'm completely satisfied.

Best Trail Shoe: Brooks Cascadia

The day I got fitted for my Brooks Adrenaline, I also got fitted for my trail shoes. I had just finished a 10-mile trail run, had a trail half marathon coming up the following weekend, and my feet were THROBBING. I was put in the Cascadia and am again behind the times as I'm still working on my Cascadia 4 while Brooks has moved to the Cascadia 6. The Cascadia were surprisingly light and flexible while rugged enough to handle the roots and rocks of the trails. I ran in my Cascadia once before racing my first trail half marathon a week after I purchased them, and they were excellent. I had no blisters or foot pain following the race, and the only soreness I had in my legs was due to my severe under training for a trail race. I don't do that much trail running, so I'm still chugging away at that pair of shoes, but I do love them. Outside of the trails, they are also good for training on dirt/gravel roads or snowy sidewalks in the winter.

Best Light Weight Shoe: Brooks Green Silence

The Green Silence are the latest addition to my vast Brooks shoes collection, and Brooks' method for joining the minimalist movement. I've been interested in purchasing a light weight/minimalist shoe for track workouts, but after trying out several different types, I was beginning to think the barefoot running movement just wasn't for me. Then I tried the Silence. They fit like a glove the first time I slipped them on. They have an asymmetrical tongue so the shoe really wraps around your foot rather than fiddling with your tongue to get it perfectly centered. Like a lot of minimalist shoes, the heel to toe drop is reduced compared to your typical training shoe. The sole is flexible, but not so flimsy that you feel every little pebble under your foot. But the coolest thing about these shoes is that they are Brooks' most eco-frienhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdly shoe using 75% post-consumer recycled materials. A little info card comes with each pair of shoes explaining how recycled CD's, PET, and tires go into creating each shoe which also uses 50% less material than traditional manufacturing for this shoe. I've only run about 3 miles in these (doing a one mile warm-up, and then a 2 x (4 x 200 meters) track workout), but people have reported running 10K's and half marathons in them. In fact, Scott Jurek broke an American Record by running more than 165 miles in a 24 hour period wearing his Green Silence. So apparently they are some long lasting shoes. I'm pretty excited to wear them out.

So there you have it: my favorite shoes, all Brooks, and all eco-friendly. Happy Earth Day!

You know you're a runner when...

2011-04-16T08:47:00.001-04:00

...you have nightmares about missing the starting line of a race...and wake up in a panic.

Quick Hit: Running Skirts' Website

2011-04-07T12:54:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed I once again changed the design of my blog. I thought the previous background was too dark and unappealing to read. This one's not so personalized though. I'm still playing around with it.

Anyhow, you know who else recently redesigned their website? Running Skirts! And I think it looks fabulous. It's a HUGE improvement over the previous one. Go check it out HERE!

Race Recap: Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K Presented by MARTIN'S

2011-04-07T00:06:00.000-04:00

For the third year in a row, I competed in the Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K, this year presented by Martin's since Martin's Food Market bought the chain of Ukrop's stores in Virginia. Here's this year's race recap:

Packet Pickup/Expo:
I drove down to Richmond Friday afternoon, met up with my big bro, and headed over to the expo to get our race packets around 5. As usual, packet pickup was handled to a tee. I remembered my confirmation card containing my bib number that was sent to me in the mail, but the big bro forgot his. It was no problem as all the bib numbers were posted in alphabetical order so you could quickly look it up and write it down on provided post-it notes before heading over to packet pickup. My biggest rave of the Ukrop's race in the past has been the special edition reusable grocery bags featuring runners that is given in place of a cheap plastic bag that most races give. I was a little disappointed this year that the Martin's bag didn't feature runners, but instead fruit, and was a bag you can probably buy right in the store. A minor thing, I know, and I probably shouldn't even be complaining, but hey, they should know, the old bags were AWESOME. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my t-shirt was both NICE and already in my bag. In years past, I've gotten the wrong size shirt due to not being a local and only arriving at the expo the night before the race (despite that I pre-registered and therefore should have been saved a shirt in the proper size). Those shirts went on the Goodwill pile. This year's shirt I am ecstatic to wear. We perused the expo which has certainly grown in years to include such vendors as Brooks and Trek Bikes as well as featuring an appearance by Bart Yasso. I didn't buy anything (trying to save some money lately), but I did win a seat cushion by playing Plinko and a plastic cup with basketball (some people actually missed out on the plastic cup because they couldn't make a basket, but trust me people, you didn't miss anything).

Pre-Race Dinner:
We met up with some of the bro's college friends for dinner at Olive Garden. Naturally, every place was packed since along with the race, the 11th seeded VCU men's basketball team made the NCAA Final Four (kind of a big deal) to be played on Saturday. Luckily we didn't have to wait to long. Olive Garden seemed like the perfect choice for carbo loading as well as abiding by lenten restrictions (I keep Catholic during Lent). So I ordered the seafood portofino. BIG MISTAKE! Pasta before a race = good. Pasta in creamy sauce = not so much. My stomach was up in arms for the rest of the evening, of course causing me to panic about what it would feel like the next morning. Olive Garden, I love you, but not anymore before a race.

Race Morning:
I set the alarm for 6:50 on race morning since we had planned to leave the house at 7:50 for my wave start at 8:32. It didn't actually go off since apparently I set it to go off every day BUT Saturday instead of the other way around. Luckily, I heard my brother bustling around in the morning, so I still woke up in plenty of time. My stomach was feeling a little better, so I had a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (breakfast of champions). We suited up in our black and yellow in support of the VCU basketball team and took a few minutes to snap a few pre-race pics. The biggest disappointment of this race, I would say, is the lack of parking, but I acknowledge that there's not really much they can do about it. We rely on street parking which means you may end up parking a good 15 to 20 minute walk away from the start, which happened to us. Luckily, my brother gave me an old shirt as a shed shirt to keep me warm while we walked over. My stomach was starting to bother me, but I suspected it was just nerves and not my seafood portofino rearing its ugly head. Nevertheless, I knew I wanted to hit up the bathroom before I started. Waiting in line, I missed my wave, which really didn't matter because I could just start with another, but it made me kind of antsy. I ended up starting with Wave J.

Race Time!
I had debated about a feasible race goal pretty much up until the time I started. My most recent race was just a few weeks prior at the St. Patrick's Day 8K which I ran at an 8:08 pace. But I had done a lot of work since then trying to increase my endurance and speed. I knew I was not in shape to PR which would have require running faster than 47:27. I had hoped I was in better shape than my 49:15 from last year. So finally I settled on shooting for the stars. I decided to shoot for a 7:50 pace to put me well under 49 minutes. I started strong for the first two miles hitting both around 7:45, then I began to fade...and fade...and fade some more. I dragged my butt across the finish line at just under 51 minutes for a final pace of 8:08. Certainly, I'm not happy, but I'm also not that disappointed. Running is a constant learning experience. Obviously, the more experienced you get, the easier it is to read your body and know just how fast you are. But every once in a while, you hit bumps in the road, and you have to feel yourself out again. So I shot too high for this one race, but now I know. I'm still improving, and hopefully I'll be a little faster by the next race, but I probably won't shoot for a 7:50 pace again. The next 10K is only in a week and a half after all.

Reacquainting With An Old Friend

2011-03-28T00:05:00.003-04:00

This will be a quick post since it's already past midnight, and I need to get up in the morning for work. I meant to write something about my weekend and despite lounging around all weekend watching Netflix through my Wii, I never sat down and actually wrote it.

Last time I talked about my current running funk, and how I finally gave myself that kick in the ass to just get out there and run. I had three great runs early in the week because of it, but unfortunately got a bit derailed again once the weather turned from gorgeous spring back to gross Maryland winter. But all-in-all, I was very pleased with my short speedy runs of the week. Then this weekend, I had to tackle a different challenge: the long run. It's true that it was only a couple of weeks ago that I ran the B&A Half Marathon, so it would be a lie to say I haven't done ANY long runs in months, but it still feels that way because I barely trained for B&A. For me, running a race is a completely different frame of mind than doing a long run on my own. I manage to pull times out in races that blow my mind because I don't run anything even close to that in training. Running's a head game, and when you're in a race, you have all these other people to push you along. When you're alone, you have to keep yourself going. So this is the challenge I faced when I headed out on my 10 mile run on Saturday.

The temperature was brisk, in the high 30's with a windchill. I was nervous I would still be chilly in a long sleeve shirt, my Saucony jacket, and tights but actually by the end of it, I was a tad on the warm side. I brought my EMS brand hydration pack and Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews even though I don't usually need all that for a 10 mile run. I even threw my cellphone in my pack as I was being overly cautious. It had been a while, so I preferred the extra weight as long as it made me feel safe. I had set up a course including my two favorite loops through the Bay Ridge community and the Hillsmere community. Both have sections along the water with beautiful views and are low traffic so you can run along the side of the road instead on the sidewalks which around here tend to be a little rough (I still have the scars to prove it). Sadly, I haven't been down either loop in quite some time. I went out with an easy pace goal of around 10:00 per mile, but even that I didn't feel pressured to hit. I just wanted to feel good about getting the run in. It actually turned out to be a really great run. I felt like I had reacquainted with an old friend. I knew every turn and every hill, and along the way I reminisced about the adventures I've had along this route.

Last year around this time, I was running the Bay Ridge loop on the most horrendous windy and rainy day when I looked to the water and saw a wind surfer taking advantage of it. I was sure he must be crazy. Then last summer, as I was headed down the back section of Bay Ridge, I had a deer cross the street right in front of me. Then we stared at each other. Her from the woods; me in the road. And it was just a moment, but still an incredible experience to see such a beautiful creature up close. My Hillsmere memories are not quite as fond since Hillsmere always seemed to get tagged on to the end of my long runs for that last bit of mileage, and therefore was never easy. There was a hot day last April where I struggled to a halt with my running partner running circles around me. We were 4 miles from the end if I turned around at the point, which was shorter than the planned route, so either way, I had my work cut out for me. I finally had to send my partner packing and head back in my own time. I walked the whole way, which strangely didn't upset me in the least. I've have some REALLY bad runs that concluded in a great deal of walking, but for some reason with that one, I wasn't that upset about it. It was the day I decided, one run will not make or break me, and at least I get to enjoy this beautiful sunshine.

Nothing monumental occurred during my run on Saturday. No surfers, no deer, no long hikes back to the car, but it was still memorable for me. This was a new beginning for me. My reset button if you will. I finished 10.3 miles in just under a 10 minute mile pace with a fast start and a strong finish. There's room for improvement, sure, but this run gave me the motivation to do it.

Well look at that. That wasn't a quick post at all.

Bunk Funk

2011-03-21T23:09:00.002-04:00

I've been in a funk lately which has resulted in a lack of training. It's unfortunate, as my race season is officially under way. I already ran 2 races in March. I have 2 upcoming in April, and the Frederick Marathon on May 7th. I really dropped the ball on my first two races, pulling out OK times but certainly not what I'm truly capable of. In a couple of weeks, I have the Ukrop's 10k which I consider one of my important races of the year. It's a nice flat course where I miraculously pulled off a 47:27 two years ago placing me in the Wave C at the start for the next two years. That means, my time this year is especially important because if I slip slower than 48, I'm out of wave C. I think it's highly unlikely that I'll be able to break 48 on my current level of training since to be honest, I have no idea how I ran a 47:27 in the first place.

But this weekend I had the opportunity to get away from Annapolis and take a breather from some of the things causing my funk. I know I always spew crap on here about feeling rejuvenated from a running break and all that, but obviously you've seen that fades just as quickly as it comes along. So no more rejuvenation for this girl. I finally decided what I really needed was a good kick in the ass.

So when I got home yesterday from my weekend away, I decided it didn't matter how tired I was. I was going to get some miles in. I had a course in mind, but didn't know the mileage and didn't care about pace. I left home a little after five, which thankfully is now plenty light out, and headed to West Annapolis to run one loop of the Women's Distance Festival 5K where I placed 3rd in my age group last year. My splits were all over the place ranging from 8:45 to nearly 10:30, but I finished for a total of 5.3 miles. It was a start.

Today the objective was a little different. After popping in the remaining weeks of a Hal Higdon intermediate half marathon training program in my calendar leading up to Frederick, I was scheduled to run 4.5 miles. I drove from work to the start of the WDF loop. It's kind of the only local 5K course I know, so I want to be able to rock it by the time July comes around. Since the WDF course is just a double loop anyway, I felt running it 3 times would give me both my mileage and a little added muscle memory for the course. I ran the first mile in 9 minutes flat, but since I hadn't really set a pace goal, I didn't think much of it until I had already passed mile 2. Then I thought, "Hey, why not try to run 9's for the rest of the run?" So I stepped it up a notch tearing into the baby hills of West Annapolis and finishing miles 3 and 4 in 9:01 and 9:00. How's that for consistent, huh? I finished mile 4 at a pace bordering 7:45 (making up for some lagging on hills despite the elevation change for any one hill being less than 35 feet), so I decided to try and hang on for the remainder of my run. I wasn't entirely successful as my pace eventually dropped to 8:06 per mile, but consider the remainder of my run ended up being nearly 0.7 miles, I think keeping an 8:06 pace was pretty damn decent.

So there it is, kick in the ass accomplished. I'm hoping I can maintain this a little better than all my rejuvenations, but I think the fact that Spring has finally sprung will help keep me motivated until those hot summer days when we start worrying about heat stroke instead of frostbite. Tomorrow I have an actual tempo run according to Hal, so lets see how fast I can get.

Happy Running!

The Reverse Chronology of Kate

2011-03-17T20:43:00.008-04:00

I browse a number of different blogs throughout my week, which is cool because I learn about a lot of different things and also develop inspiration for this blog that isn't necessarily stolen from other running blogs. Recently, I stumbled across Jason Kottke's About page and was inspired by his "A reverse chronology of my life" section. It's something different from the current ABC trend going around right now, and it's not as easy as you think to come up with a significant event for each year of your life, especially those for which you don't remember. Try it and you'll see. I gave it a shot, and I thought I would share with you all so you get a glimpse into my life. Here goes:

The Reverse Chronology of My Life
2011: Hardly started, hoping it gets exciting.

2010: PRed in the marathon at Frederick, 4:36:55. Also the first time I recorded over 1000 miles for the year.

2009: Defended my Ph.D. Finally done with school! Moved to Maryland.

2008: First time to Europe. I’m officially hooked on international travel. Who cares if I get plane sick?

2007: First time flying overseas. Went to Japan for a conference…and…it…was…AMAZING!

2006: Miss Tootsie Roll came into my life. Best dog EVER!2005: Ran my first marathon, Baystate, in 4:51:38.

2004: Thought about quitting grad school, but didn’t. Perseverance and running go hand-in-hand, right?

2003: Graduated from UMass and moved to Pennsylvania for graduate school. Didn’t know what I was getting into.2002: Changed my major to Chemistry just before the Spring semester. This would become my career.

2001: September 11, 2001. The world as we knew it would never be the same.

2000: Voted in my first presidential election. Thanks to the Electoral College, my vote did not count.

1999: Graduated from high school, my last time running as part of a team. Went on to UMass for college: the land of hippies.

1998: The year of PR’s. PRed over and over during the Spring Track and Fall Cross-Country seasons. It was a good year.

1997: My second brother headed to college, and thus, I became an only child.

1996: Joined the Indoor Track team at my high school and fell in love for the first time…with running.

1995: Saw Die Hard for the first time, became a fanatic, convinced my dad to take me to see Die Hard With A Vengeance in the theater since I was not yet 14.

1994: 7th grade. My Social Studies teacher used to give word searches for extra credit. I got really good at word searches.

1993: Went to Camp Fowler for the first year. I often talk about how running has shaped me into a person I’ve very proud to be. Truth be told, it wasn’t just running. Going to Camp Fowler changed my life by helping me connect with both God and myself. Five summers at camp make up some of my fondest memories. (And yes, I realize this picture has a timestamp from 1997. Clearly, it was not taken during my first year at camp).1992: Was allowed to go to the movie theater without parental supervision for the first time. Went to see Encino Man with my neighbor who I hardly knew. It’s a wonder I ever went to the movies again.

1991: My friend, Josh, taught me how to be a suck up. It’s a skill that would take me through life.

1990: “Where’s Buddy?” was the shit.

1989: I had my very own bully. She used to steal my pencils and told everyone to stay away from me after I missed school for 2 days with strep throat. For some reason, I still went to her birthday party.

1988: Met Brooks Robinson at the Polish Community Center in my hometown. People are always surprised when I tell them I’m an Orioles fan (since I’m from New York), but see, proof that it’s been this way since I was 6 years old.1987: The fast food chain Hardee’s gave out Dancin’ Singin’ California Raisin figurines in their kids’ meals. I loved them!

1986: We moved from Guilderland to Guilderland (new house!). I went missing briefly during the move only to be found in a pile of blankets in my parents’ closet. Apparently, I’ve always loved a good nap.

1985: I had the coolest 4th birthday party. We made He-Man and She-Ra cutouts with felt.

1984: I don’t remember much of 1984 except that I’m pretty certain it wasn’t as dystopian as George Orwell described it. I’m sure I was preoccupied with such things as going pee in the potty.

1983: The game Root Beer Tapper was released. I used to play this for hours on end on my uncle’s ColecoVision in his basement, probably not when I was 2, but certainly later in life. If I could get this on my Wii, I’m sure I’d get addicted all over again.

1982: I was a witch for Halloween. See. 1981: I was born 3 days early on November 6th at 3:01 pm, 20 minutes after my mom arrived at the hospital. She'd been through this twice before, so she decided to get lunch first.

Runner Education: Lingo

2011-03-07T23:35:00.013-05:00

Sometimes I forget that things that are second nature to me aren't to everybody. For instance, when I discuss running goals with my friends, it never occurred to me that anyone wouldn't know what PR meant until finally one of my friends spoke up and said she had no idea what that means. So I decided to start a series of "Runner Education" posts, not to be pretentious, but to inform newbie runners of things that us vets take for granted. Of course, there's so much to learn, that I'm sure these posts will constantly get updated, so make sure to check back.

First up: Runner Lingo.

The Runners
Bandit
Someone who runs a race without properly registering (ie. someone who didn't pay).

Cheater
Someone who cuts a course short, has someone run in his/her place, takes performance enhancing drugs, etc.

Elite
Runners who may be world class, olympians, or sponsored by some corporation. Some races include specific time standards for elite runners. Essentially, elite runners are really really fast.

Jerk
(1) Someone who urinates/defecates along the course because he/she can't be bothered to use the port-a-johns.
(2) Someone who intentionally pushes and shoves other runners.
(3) Someone who is rude to volunteers who have donated their day to support our venture.
(4) OK, this list could go on and on, just don't be one!

Kate
The coolest person you will ever meet.

Sandbagger
A fast runner claiming to be slow for some bunk reason (ie. injured but not really).

Racing
Corral
Sections at the starting line of a race to guide runners into starting according to predicted pace. Typically, faster runners start in the front while slower runners start in the back.

Pace
Speed at which you run, generally given in minutes per mile.

Relay
A race in which the total distance is completed by multiple people who each complete only a portion of the total distance.

Wave or Heat
Races that have an excessive amount of entrants will often use multiple start times known as waves or heats so that smaller groups of runners begin at once rather than releasing a mass of people.

The Abbreviations:
BQ
Boston Marathon Qualifying Time (current times can be found here).

DNF
Did not finish.

DNS
Did not start.

PR
Personal Record (aka Personal Best). This is your fastest time for a particular distance.

R/W
Run/walk - It common for some runners to alternate running and walking to complete a desired distance. Notation such as 5/1 R/W means alternating running for 5 minutes with walking for 1 minute.

The Gear:
Bib
The race number given to you at packet pickup. Your bib should always be worn on front unless otherwise stated. I've only had to wear a bib on the back during biathlons when we were given a bib for both our front and back.

Garmin
A super fancy expensive watch that tells you distance via GPS and sometimes heart rate depending on the model.

Race Packet
Race goodies (aka swag) given to you for registering for a race.

Singlet
Runner's tank top made of quick dry fabric.

The Distances:
K
Kilometer = 1000 meters

Mile
Approximately 1600 meters or 4 laps around a standard track. Actually ~1609 meters.

5K
5000 meters = ~3.1 miles

10K
10000 meters = ~6.2 miles

400 meters
1 lap on a standard (outdoor) track = ~0.25 miles

4 x 400
General form for track workouts. This means run 4 laps on a track with walking/jogging breaks between each lap.

Pikermi
A half marathon (13.1 miles). Personally, I don't like the term Pikermi, so I stick with half marathon.

Marathon
26.2 Miles. If someone says they are running a marathon, do not ask how far. They are all this far.

Ultramarathon
Any race longer than a marathon.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm definitely open for suggestion. If there's something you think should be added or something you heard and don't know what it means, leave me a comment, and I'll add it to the list.

Happy Running!

Race Recap: B&A Trail Half Marathon

2011-03-06T16:44:00.008-05:00

You may recall that the half marathon is one of my target race distances for 2011. I'm gunning to break 1:49 which is my current PR in the half. So you may have assumed that when I signed up for the B&A Trail Half Marathon several months ago and downloaded the advanced half marathon training program from Hal Hidgon's website that I would, you know, train. If you assumed that, you'd be wrong. Over the last 18 weeks (the number of weeks since MCM), I averaged about 13.2 miles at a 10:17 pace. I did bump it up during the last two months by averaging about 20 miles/week, and I guess I had 2 long runs with a 7 miler about a month ago and a 9 miler the week after that. BUT, that was about it. If I was tired, I didn't go running. If it was cold, I didn't go running. If it was windy, I didn't go running. Hal's plan pretty much went out the window.

Then this morning came the B&A Trail Half Marathon. For clarification, the B&A Trail is really just a bike path, not a trail. A trail half probably would have killed me on this level of training. The forecast was ~50°F and raining this morning. Could have been worse; could have been better. As I drove up to Severna Park (the race start), No Rain came on the radio, so I took it as a premonition that we would have clear skies for our race. It started raining about a minute after the gun went off. I took off at a brisk but not killer pace, and finished the first mile just under 8:30. My goal pace was to run the first half in 9:00/mile, then either hold or drop down to 9:30. At 8:30, I felt pretty good, so I stuck with that pace. People act like the B&A trail is so perfect for running or biking or rollerblading (if you're still into that) because it's pancake flat. I guess that's sort of true because like the B&A trail, pancakes tend to be a little thicker in the middle than at the ends. Yes, that means the B&A trail is literally uphill both ways. I managed to have a strong first half averaging between 8:30-8:45 miles. After the turn around at around 6.5 miles, there is a long steep hill that was the beginning of pain for me. I finished that mile in over 9 minutes and never fully recovered. I was still pretty proud of my performance, averaging 8:45-9 minute miles for the second half except for mile 12 which was close to a 9:30. The last two miles for me were BRUTAL. I was hurting, and it was no surprise since I hadn't run over 9 miles in 4 months. To make matters worse, the Striders forbid use of earbuds in all their races. So I didn't even have music to distract me from my suffering. I was glad with my decision to follow the rules when I heard several people reporting they were threatened with disqualification for wearing them. I finished in a respectable 1:55:01 sans earbuds in rain and wind with some major chafing going on where my shorts started to ride up. I'm taking it as a successful spring board for the rest of the year. 1:49 should be threatened. I'll be shattering it before the year is out.

Overall, I was pleased with the race experience. Since I volunteered to help set up yesterday, I knew there would be tons of food at all the aid stations. The crowds were friendly and enthusiastic despite the rain. There was even an Alice in Wonderland-themed water stop where all the volunteers were dressed as characters from the story and someone had drawn a sign of the infamous potion bottle with the words "Drink Me" that made Alice so tiny. I've seen themed water stops before, but generally people just throw on a few grass skirts and call it a luau. These people went above and beyond, so that was pretty awesome.

At the finish I got a medal, a pin, and winter hat which was much needed because, having left my warm clothing far away in my car, I was freezing and eventually began to turn blue. I was a little bummed that my blueness kept me from seeing all my friends finish, but I hope that if they knew how far away I parked, they would understand why I didn't return after getting warm clothing from my car. The race shirt was a good quality Under Armour shirt, which as we know goes a long way with me. And finally, I got 5, count that FIVE, compliments on my new Helly Hansen baselayer shirt while I was running. The things I'll do for a compliment...

(Pictures to be posted once I can steal them from Brightroom)

Running in Groups

2011-02-28T20:25:00.006-05:00

I've been working on this post for several days which is something I rarely do. Mostly I just ramble on. But for this one, I wanted to be able to reflect on my actions and attitude, and then express what I'm feeling while doing my best to not offend anyone (which I'm sure I failed at). But I've been having a problem, and I needed to get it off my chest.

I hate to call myself a loner because that sounds so antisocial, and I don't consider myself antisocial. I love spending time with friends and family, but I also like my alone time. Let's be honest, as wonderful and supportive as people can be, they can also be judgmental and aggravating at times too. So sometimes, I think, everyone just needs to step away and be alone. I suppose this is why running was such a natural fit for me. Running, as much as we can compete on teams and participate in groups, is an individual sport. You can't depend on anyone else to get you through a race just as you don't have to worry about anyone holding you back. We each have our own abilities and our own goals, and as much as we race each other, we all know that really the race is against yourself.

I ran solo for 9 years after I graduated from high school. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I re-joined team running and also found myself interested in competition again. I was on the brink of making my most difficult yet necessary life-changing decision, and I was in desperate need of a distraction. It turns out group running as an adult is quite different from my experiences as a teenager. You don't necessarily bond as quickly as you do as a team. You meet all different types of people: students, teachers, parents, grandparents, single, married, divorced, democrats, republicans, experienced, newbies, fast, slow, etc., etc. You each have different abilities and with that different goals, and suddenly talking about those goals can become a touchy subject. I was lucky when I joined the Nittany Valley Running Club back in 2008 because I met a couple of ladies around my age and who I considered to be roughly my speed (although they might not agree). So we ran together often, even on the days we didn't have scheduled group run, and they became my best friends during a year that had the potential to be quite hellish. The NVRC as a whole encompasses all abilities of runners. It has runners who can run a sub-5 minute mile to runners just starting out. And they support a lot of racing opportunities. So as I trained with my friends for this race or that, I sincerely hope they were never offended or felt additional pressure when I mentioned my own personal race goals because I wanted them to feel just as comfortable sharing their goals with me. That to me is how runners support each other.

Unfortunately our small group disintegrated almost as fast as it was created as engagements and graduations took us each in different directions including taking me to Maryland where I just haven't seem to have found my fit. I'm not in a college town anymore with plenty of grad students all experiencing the same sort of life speed bumps as myself. Instead I've met people older than me, younger than me, married or divorced, parents or people who don't want to be parents...it seems like there's no one like me: young, single, but thinking about the future. It's also been difficult finding people with my same level of competitive drive, which I consider to be somewhere between wanting to conquer the world and not having a meltdown when I don't.

So I joined a running group in the hopes of rebuilding what I had ever so briefly back in Pennsylvania. It's an unrealistic expectation ever to think you can just recapture the past with new players, but this is brand new territory for me. I've been trying to find a compromise between training for my own goals while not offending anyone by running faster or farther than they can (that's not to say I'm the fastest in the group, but people are rarely offended by those that run slower than them). A compromise does not exist. An engineering professor at Penn State once profoundly stated, "If you want to run faster, you have to run faster." If you hold back in training, you won't excel at racing. That's just how it is. And quite frankly, in running, like every other sport, there is always someone better than you. To take offense at his/her acknowledgment of this fact as well as your own is wasted energy.

As far as I'm concerned, there are only 2 rules when it comes to running:

Do your best
And don't cheat

A running group that supports you to follow both of these rules is probably a wonderful group. One that doesn't is probably worth moving on.

Friday Favorites: Socks

2011-02-18T21:35:00.014-05:00

Socks seems like a funny thing to be particular about, but I am. The wrong sock can chafe, slip, or bunch and ruin your whole run. So after many years of running including the old days of running in *gasp* cotton socks, I now have my favorites.

Best Everyday Running Sock: Feetures!
Feetures! come in many different lengths and two weights. Personally, I like the Feetures! Original No Show w/ Tab. The original has a medium weight which I think provides a little bit of cushioning on those long or hard runs. The No Show helps prevent unsightly tan lines, but the tab keeps the sock from slipping down into the heel of your shoe. They are made of 74% iWick Polyester, 23% Nylon, and 3% Lycra Spandex which wicks the moisture away from your foot keeping you cool and dry and, to an extent, odor-free. Finally, the midfoot is slightly compressive which keeps the sock snug in place. My only complaint is that on those really chilly days, my Feetures! just aren't warm enough. So that brings me to sock #2.

Best Cold Weather Sock: Icebreakers
Like my Feetures!, the Icebreakers come in a No Show length, which even during the winter, I prefer. They have a lot of similar features to Feetures! such as extra cushioning and tightning around the midfoot to keep them snug in place. Unlike my Feetures!, the Icebreakers are made of merino wool (it should be noted that I think Feetures! makes a wool sock, but none of the stores around here sell them). I bought my Icebreakers when I was finally fed up with my toes freezing on those teen degree days, and I was so pleasantly surprised. They keep my toes toasty warm from start to finish. At $17/pair, they aren't cheap, but after finishing a cold, rainy run, I felt it worth it to even buy a second pair.

Best Recovery Sock: Running Skirts Compression Socks and The Recovery Sock
It only takes waking up at 3 am to all the muscles in your calf contracting so tightly it makes you nauseous once before you realize, "I need to do something about my calves". So I decided to try out some compression socks. I know that CEP makes a good sock, but it comes at quite the cost, so I went on a search for a cheaper sock. I was already a fan of Running Skirts for their skirts, so I thought I'd try out a pair of their adorable compression socks. I suspect that they are actually CEP's in disguise since they use the same roman numeral sizing scheme. I bought the white pair with runner ladies on them, and so far have been very happy. In fact, I've been so happy that I just order their brand new purple-hearted compression socks and can't wait for them to arrive. Of course, for guys, these socks probably won't work so well. So for them I recommend The Recovery Sock. They have all the same benefits at the other compression socks, but for a cost nearly half the price.

For those of you who haven't already jumped on the compression sock bandwagon, the theory behind compression socks is that the compression helps increase circulation in your lower leg and helps deliver more oxygen to your muscles therefore quickening your recovery time. Some people wear them to run in, others to recover, and yet others for both. I generally stick to slipping them on after my long runs since I find I get too sweaty running in them. Since I started wearing them, the cramping in my calves has significantly subsided. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to sleep in them, but it's been known to happen. Even just wearing them post-run but before bed has seemed to have helped my overall leg health. For anyone with calf or shin problems, I highly recommend getting a pair.

Happy Running! And Happy Recovering!

Striders Series Race #1: Valentine's Day 5K

2011-02-15T17:51:00.008-05:00

The Annapolis Striders hold a race series every year composed of 8 races. In order to qualify, you have to run at least 6 of the 8. The 8 races vary in distance (5K, 10-mile, 10K, 1-mile, 8K, 26.2K, 5-mile, and 15K) and terrain (road, cross-country, and track), so it's really an opportunity for runners with varying strengths to compete. And though a lot of running clubs hold race series, such as my beloved Nittany Valley Running Club up in PA, this one simply ranks you against other participants in the series. So while the NVRC running series awards runners points for overall and age group awards at specific races, I only need to worry about the 11 other runners in my age group who are currently signed up for the series.

Last year, I only ran one race of the 8 (which was actually 7 because the first one got canceled due to snow) because I didn't know about the series until it was far too late. I ran the Dog Days of Summer XC 8K with some of my Fleet Feet friends and ended up being automatically entered into the series for being a Strider, and I came in 1st for that race (for the series, not at the race). You can check out that recap here if you are so inclined. Looking back, I'm fairly confident I could have placed in the top three in my age group had I completed the whole series, possibly even won. So this year, in the wake of that missed opportunity, there was no doubt I had to at least give it a shot. Unfortunately for me, two really amazing runners moved into my age group this year, which brings me to this weekend's recap.

The first race in the series was on Saturday: the Valentine's Day 5K. I consider the 5K one of my strengths so I was disappointed that it fell so early in the season when the cold weather has kept me from really working my tail off to get that time down. It was much colder than I expected, and I truly regretted forgoing the wool socks for your average feetures. I didn't really have high expectations for the day, but I really wanted to come in under 24 and set myself into a decent position in the series. I tore up the first mile in 7:30 which put me in a perfect position to finish well under 24 minutes. Unfortunately, I just didn't have it in me that day. I couldn't get loose or warm, and I had no gauge of the course re: turns, hills, etc, so I slowed dramatically over the next two miles and finished in a sluggish 24:36. I was super disappointed with my time, but just hoped it was enough to put me in a good starting position in the series.

I waited around with a friend to see the awards even though neither of us felt we may have placed. Like other runners in the series, we were really scoping out the competition. There is nothing that makes you feel better about having a bad race than realizing you never had a shot to win anything anyhow (well, other than NOT having a bad race). The overall female winner was 25 years old (my series age group is 25-29) and finished in 19:36. The top three women in the 20-29 year race age group (age groups for the race were 10-year, for the series is 5) all finished in 20 minutes and change. Damn! I couldn't run that fast if I was being chased. So at least I knew I didn't miss out on any glory due to just having a bad race. The overall female winner and the top winner in my age group are also both in my series age group, so I know that I have no chance of being first or second unless one or both of them end up not completing the series. Unfortunately, I found myself in 4th place in the series (out of 12) after race #1. Being my typical self, I did have to do some race stalking and found out the runner ahead of me finished the 5K in 24:09. With wishful thinking that she was not also having a bad race, I think I should be able to claim spot #3 throughout the series. I have my work cut out for me though. I have to miss race #2 which is a 10-miler (a race distance I'm perfectly capable of doing well in), and the 1-miler and Metric Marathon will both be struggles for me (not enough speed for a mile and Metric is a hella hard course).

Just to be clear, I'm not as psychotic as maybe these rambling come across. I like to compete as motivation to run faster, and in all honesty, I wish I knew my competition better. I think it would be fun to be pushed by a little friendly competition. Well, it's only February. I have a whole season to start kicking butt.

You Know You're A Runner When...

2011-02-10T23:30:00.002-05:00

You notice how good your lipgloss looks just to realize that's from drinking fruit punch G2.

My Relationship with Running

2011-01-31T21:23:00.003-05:00

People are passionate about sports, probably more so than any other hobby. I mean, you never see people cussing or crying over a knitting competition, but God forbid you disturb a man on football Sunday. And the passion grows when it involves a sport actually being played rather than spectated. Runners are a misunderstood kind. How can a man run for hours on end running 10 or 30 or 100 miles and actually enjoy it? We all have our pre-race rituals to psych us up. And we can talk running statistics all night long regardless of a mathematics background. But when does this passion turn from "hobby" to "relationship"?

I read this article today on Athleta Chi and it finally made me think. A relationship with running has become a common theme in my life recently as several members of my running group have declared running his/her girl/boyfriend. OK. I get what they are saying. Runners get a satisfaction out of running that is hard to explain to the non-runner. We really, truly, honestly love it. We pour our hearts and soles into the pavement or the trails. There is no doubt that a kick ass run after a terrible day is he best way to sooth the mind and numb the body. Just like the love of your life, the thought of life without running is no life at all. But is running my "boyfriend"?

It's true, on a bad day, I can turn to my running. I can pound out the miles at a pace faster than I've ever run before and suddenly my stress melts away. I'm happy when I'm running. I feel like a more centered person. I feel confident. All aspects of a healthy relationship. But when I have a bad run or a bad race ("a fight"), running never apologizes. Running doesn't care if I run one day or the next. It doesn't need me. Some of my friend appreciate the fact that running carries no expectations. But that's not really what I look for in a relationship. Running will always exist with or without me. And when I'm in a relationship, I want it to care about me as much as I care about it.

So no, running is not my boyfriend. Running is my hobby. It is my passion. It is my way of life. But I have no illusions about what it can really do. In fact, it does nothing. I do all the work. I cause the good. I feel the bad. It's a wonderful thing and a terrible burden. And that is why I love it. That is why it makes me centered. I get to decide how much I want to put into it without risking anyone's feeling getting hurt. It's not the end-all, be-all. So it's cool if others want to marry running, but personally, I'd like to leave that door open for someone more of the human persuasion.

Runner Nutrition

2011-01-26T19:33:00.006-05:00

I've never had a weight problem. For this I am thankful in part to my genetics and in part to my love of running (which by looking at the rest of my family could also be genetic). I've always assumed that I understood good nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are good for you. Oreos not so much. I just didn't care. I like to eat out. I like cookies and cake. I have a weak spot for McDonald's chicken nuggets and Dunkin Donuts vanilla creme donuts. I always figured, when I had to start actually making an effort to control my weight, it would be no problem. Plants good. Sugar bad (oh wait, sugar comes from a plant).

So it turns out I was wrong. After a series of running interruptions, cake decorating lessons, and just general bad eating habits, I finally had to start thinking about my weight. I set out at the beginning of December to lose 7 pounds to get back down to what I consider to be my ideal running weight. Starting in January, when my only coworker moved to North Carolina, I stopped going out every day for lunch. I brought a Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meal for lunch and apple sauce, fruit, or yogurt for an afternoon snack instead of my usual candy bar. I brought a Nalgene bottle filled with Propel each day, which I know is still sugary, but probably better than buying a bottle of cherry coke. I figured this would be good for both my wallet AND my stomach. Since early December, I've lost 3 pounds. And what's worse, I'm CONSTANTLY hungry.

So I joined a gym. I figured, if I have to pay $60/month, then I better use it (there goes the good for my wallet). I started using the different cardio equipment, lifting weights, taking yoga, and even sitting in the sauna to sweat it out (which as a runner is probably not the best idea, but it certainly helps clear congestion). Yup, haven't lost a pound since I joined the gym.

I'm beginning to think maybe I don't know as much about nutrition as I thought.

Things I think I know:

A good diet is a balanced one. I'm not a fan of fad diets, and as a runner, I have no intention of giving up my carbs Dr. Atkins!
Junk food should be limited. Although, I do think it's OK to indulge once in a while for sanity purposes. Just don't over do it.
Even healthy food can be bad for you in the wrong portions.
Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones are not the only way to eat healthy. I'm pretty lazy, so this is the route I tend to go.

Thing I don't know:

What constitutes a balanced diet? What should my ratio of protein to carbs to fruits to veggies to dairy to fats be?
What are proper portions? And will they be large enough that I feel full or can I train my body to not feel hungry after eating smaller portions?
And finally, what are some quick, healthy meals that I can prepare myself in place of my Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones meals?

So I am currently in the market for a good diet and nutrition book. I'd prefer one geared towards athletes since I think a lot of books are gears towards people aiming to lose weight without consideration of how many calories they are burning daily. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Blog Redesign

2011-01-15T15:20:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to redesign my blog for a while now putting some of my html/photoshop skills to work. Lucky for me, I waited so long that blogger upgraded their template to be much more user friendly without conforming to the same design that every other blogger uses. So it didn't take as much effort as I expected to do the redesign. Along with the new background, I've updated the "Race Stats" page so that the most current year is listed first, and I've added a brief "About Me" section. I was finally able to make the main blog flow with the data section of the blog so they look more uniform. I know the design is pretty simplistic, but I'm still quite happy with it.

One thing I debated on was changing the title of my blog. Anyone who knows me personally or has been a reader of my blog knows that I actually put quite an emphasis on my race times, so "Run Far, Not Fast" seems contradictory. Truth be told, I don't consider myself a fast runner. And when I came up with the name of this blog, my focus was all about getting the mileage back up to marathon distance. It had been few years since I'd run a marathon, and for me, the quest to run 26.2 miles seemed much easier than running a 6:30 mile. So therefore, my mission was running far, not fast, and hence the blog title. Even though now my running is focused on both running far AND fast, I decided not to change the title. I've been blogging on Run Far, Not Fast for almost two and a half years. I'm not sure if I could get used to a new blog title.