Runner Girl

Race Signs (courtesy runtothefinish.com)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:55:00 +0000

10 years since my last race. Hello, old self...

Albuquerque, NM

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:11:00 +0000

First the stats:

Duke City Marathon, Albuquerque, NM October 18, 2009

309 Marathon runners. Male winner finishing time 2:39:51, Female winner finishing time 3:14:17. 1,414 half marathon walkers & runners, out & back event. Here's a review of the race in the Lubbock Examiner.

I have to say there are some states I've enjoyed (WA, CO, UT, CA) and some I haven't (OR and NM). The course in OR was around the shipyards, docks, power plant and major downtown construction. NM wasn't bad, but it is a very local race. I miss pasta, and there was none to be had. The New Mexico Marathon also happened September 5th & 6th in Albuquerque, so having two races close together is a little much for the area.

I went to NM trying to squeeze in the last half marathon of the year. My foot had been bothering me so didn't move as fast as I wanted to. As I write this I'm waiting for the results of a bone scan to see if I have a stress fracture. The only think that got me out of my funk was an 84 year old guy walking the half marathon, yelling at me that I was going to fast. In the end, Mr. 3005, your yelling was just the attitude adjustment I needed. Sigfrid Hellstrom from NM, thanks for your props. I'm going to start running more once my scan results come back....

Park City, Utah

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I ran the Park City Marathon & Half Marathon on Saturday, August 22, 2009. 500 people ran the full marathon, and another 700 ran the half. Race started at 6:45am, and I swear I was going to freeze. The day before the temps had been in the 100's, so I stepped out of my hotel at the race start in shorts and a tank. Duh. I guess I should be used to the mountain weather (really cold in the am, hot during the day), but I hadn't quite processed the whole thing. Went back upstairs, grabbed a jacket, and made it in time for the race. As I waited for the start I struck up a conversation with two girls from Texas in town to run the race. We got to compare some good notes on races (this one: small), chip timing (the race was pretty funny about where to line up....when they started the timing device for the full marathon folks they were running around with a bullhorn telling the half runners not to cross the start or it would trigger their chip. This all while they pulled the large, inflatable start to a different point for us to cross) :-

The race was at 7,000 feet, but wasn't that hilly. Since it was an out and back, the only true hills started a mile before the turnaround. Bad on the way up, but great on the way back. The course was a little strange at first for the half runners. We did a one mile loop around the Newpark Hotel area, then on to the course. The course was really pretty, though, and ran through a nature preserve.

After the race I headed to the Utah Olympic Park across the street with the kids, my sister, and some nieces to go watch the ski jumpers. I can't believe how cool it is to watch them go off the ski jumps into the 750,000 gallon pool with full ski gear on! Had a great time and would go back again in a heartbeat.

Everything's Coming Up Roses - OR

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:18:00 +0000

I stood at the start line at the Race for the Roses this last Sunday, listening to two men giving each other a bad time about who would finish first. "It really isn't fair", their female friend said. "You are in two different age groups". Want to get motivated? Here were my new friend's times:

Dick Carroll - Age 84, 3:03:34, 14:00 pace

Dave Harrison - Age 79, 2:08:09, 9:49 pace

Some race details:

* 2,131 finishers

* Race route is through downtown Portland, close to the convention center. Compared to the race around Mercer Island, WA two weeks prior, a little more industrial than I would have liked, but the Portland area is beautiful.

* The race had a 7am start, and by the finish it was 71 degrees. I've been lucky with balmy weather!

My favorite part of Portland? The Nob Hill area. A little funky, a little artsy, and home to my new favorite cupcake place, Saint Cupcake. If you are in the area, make sure you stop in!

Get your Rear in Gear - WA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:05:00 +0000

March is Colon Cancer Awareness month, and to honor that noble cause, I ran the Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon for Colon Cancer Awareness. I've tried a few versions of this post, but there's no way to make it pretty. Lack of training and a bad stomach will catch up with you, even if the conditions are beautiful and you have great company. Would I run the Mercer Island Half Marathon again, though? Absolutely! (and I might have to to redeem myself....read on). Let's just say there is a bit of irony in this post given the charity that hosted the event.

First, the good news. T & her sister C gave me a tour of beautiful Mercer Island, complete with a shopping trip to Nordstrom's. Found a great pair of shoes that I'm kicking myself for not buying. We stayed in the lovely Residence Inn Seattle/Bellevue.

This is mostly a local race, which was evident when we arrived at the incredibly new but quiet Residence Inn. I think that's the first (and probably the last) time I'll sleep in a bed that has never had another guest sleep in it. I don't think we saw any other out of town guests at the hotel, although this was supposed to be the "official" hotel for the race.

My training had been lagging before Mercer Island. I got stuck on a flight two college boys with either raging hangovers or nasty cases of the flu. The guy next to me on the flight went to the bathroom on the flight and promptly passed out. When he came back (20 minutes later, with help from the flight attendant), he had a cold compress on his neck. Luckily he didn't pass out my direction for the rest of the flight, but I was ready to jump out of my seat at a moment's notice if he started to look bad. I went back to talk to the flight attendant, who said he was burning up. Maybe I can trace my stomach problems to being stuck next to someone sick, or I could blame my truly horrible performance on just bad preparation. Either way, I didn't set any PRs.

The course had quite a few rolling hills, especially miles 0-5. For someone who has been (lazily) training on flats, not a good way to start out. I had hoped to get a head start with the walkers who started out at 7:30am. I figured if T & C went with the runners at 9:05 we'd be done at the same time, but they wanted to start at 7:30am. My stomach had been doing flips the night before, and after the first mile, it started doing cartwheels. T, aka "Miss Positive" starting doing running leaps while she & C passed up the walkers, waving and smiling (and pulling real estate brochures) while they passed everyone else plodding along. For me, it was downhill from there....

By mile 9 I was passed by the first runner. I started to send text messages to T that she & C could go home, shower, and come back to get me by the time I'd get there, but I just kept getting happy but demanding texts back that said "RUN". Love it!

Some stats from the race (Half Marathon portion):

Half Marathon Run participants: 1,620 Avg time: 1:59:12

Half Marathon Walk participants: 212 Avg time: 3:31:38

Thanks to C for hosting, and for both ladies for your wonderful family stories! Now if I could only have gotten a picture of the three of us in front of the giant colon at the pre-race expo.....

2009 Races remaining

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Park City, UT (8/22/09) Park City Marathon & Half Marathon

Albuquerque, NM (10/18/09) Duke City Marathon & Half Marathon

Every time I think this is getting too time consuming, crazy, or just a bad idea I watch video of people running the Lewis & Clark Marathon in Missouri during Hurricane Ike. Instead of thinking they're crazy, I'm thinking it looks like fun......

Denver, CO

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:22:00 +0000

Yesterday (October 19, 2008) I ran the Denver Half Marathon. I flew in on Saturday morning, had dinner with a friend I haven't seen in ages on Saturday night, ran on Sunday morning and flew home later that afternoon.

What a great day! With 8,000 participants, beautiful weather (starting at 55 degrees Fahrenheit, ending at 71 degrees) with minimal 12 mph winds, it was a beautiful day to run.

I've tried to run in Tahoe (elevation 6,000 feet), but somehow the 5,280 feet didn't seem as bad. It also might have helped that my friend lives in Morrison, about 40 minutes outside of Denver, and the elevation at her place is 7,516 feet (according to Google Maps). This was an amazingly flat course, which also didn't hurt!

Thanks to a good group of friends for the encouragement! Tina, Sheila, Grace, and Katie, I don't think I can tell you how much it meant to hear you cheer me on from a distance ;-). I'm going to try and talk you all into joining me for one of my out of state adventures soon.

Last notes...since I wasn't able to stay, I missed what will hopefully be a post-race routine...checking out a great spa or restaurant. Apparently the Brown Palace Hotel nearby has a fabulous spa that I'll have to go back and visit next time I'm in town.

I am in the planning stages for 2009! I'm looking for half marathons in Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada and Montana. Any recommendations? Click on the comments link below this post....

Getting Started

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

It all started as an attempt to get in shape and support a friend who had been diagnosed with Leukemia. I talked a group of girlfriends (mostly non-runners) into running our first half marathon for Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. What turned out to be a lark has morphed into a goal: run a half marathon in all 50 states. Why? More on that a little later.....

For you accomplished athletes, this might not sound hard, but I'm what John Bingham, Runner's World columnist, would describe as a Penguin. When I run, I look awkward, and after seeing post-race photos for my first half marathon, I'm investing in a few baseball caps to hide my ridiculously tragic race hair.

I have no illusions that I'll be on the cover of any running magazine. I probably won't place in the top of my age group. I don't know if I'll ever decide to do triathlons or marathons. What I do know is that I'll look better, feel better, and will have an easier time keeping up with my kids, including my 11-year old son who tells me he can beat me at anything athletic. In the end, after 50 of these, I'll probably be able to run faster than he can. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll decide to join me as he gets older.