Dani Cakes

Colchester Causeway 15k

2016-06-07T09:13:00.000-04:00

Last month a coworker told me about the Colchester Causeway 15k. Would you believe that I had never run the Causeway in all of the years I lived in Vermont, even during my time running for UVM? I was curious about the race, especially since I had never ran a 15k, but didn't sign up for it until the day before, on Friday. Lately, it seems that once I hear about a race I can't get it out of my head until I run it.

Tom volunteered to watch Ella and cheer, so our little family headed out that morning. I've been slacking on warm ups, barely running at all, and certainly not doing any drills. Saturday was no exception. I wasn't as excited to race that morning, unlike the last two races. It didn't seem like a race, just a long run with a lot of people. However, I did approach it a little differently. Unlike the last two races, I knew that I could get through 9 miles and because of this I had a finishing goal time in mind.

The start was interesting for me: I was up with the lead men as we ran around a dirt trail at Airport Park before heading onto the causeway. Perhaps if the VCM had not been the week before there would have been other runners there to push the pace, but for the first mile I was right there with the leaders. Lately when I wear the watch I turn it to face the ground so that I can't see it, but I had to check my pace because it felt too easy. We were at a 7:00 pace so I stuck back with them until they finally started pulling away after the first mile.

Once we were on the Causeway it was a lot of the same ol' scenery. The morning was muggy and there was a fog in the air, so there wasn't too much to see except the open causeway ahead of me. This was probably the hardest part of the race, as the race was more of a mental challenge rather than a psychical one. All of the other ladies were behind me and there were a few men in front of me. I didn't feel like I had to push the pace, only maintain it.

Miles 1-5:

7:04, 7:07, 6:56, 7:09, 7:12

We turned around at mile 5 on the out-and-back course which gave me an opportunity to take my mind off of the rocks and gravel and cheer on the runners heading out. I calculated that I had around 2 minutes on the next female and figured that I would need to just hold onto my current pace. I wasn't sure if she was going to try a negative-split technique, where she could run back faster than she ran out. I assumed she wasn't going for that and that maintaining my pace would be enough.

Miles 6-9:

7:09, 7:17, 7:24, 7:16

These were lonely miles as the 15k runners were now behind me, there were no spectators, and there was only one man ahead of me, far off in the distance. I was so lonesome that at one point I began to cheer for myself out loud. Anyone would think that I was crazy but I figured that since I was doing it in my head I might as well say it out loud to keep myself awake.

Around mile 8.8 I saw my little cheering section - Tom and Ella! She was awake this time, unlike the first time I passed them while heading out at the start. I also began to pass some of the folks that were heading in from the 5k that started just after us.

Final time: 1:05:36

5th Overall, 1st Female

There were no awards at the finish, just food and socializing. My goal was to get around a 1:05, so I was content with the finish. It's interesting to think that in DC that was my 10 mile time. I know I haven't pushed myself anywhere near my max so the next race I run I will need to do it, to see what I'm capable of. I seem much more laid back about racing right now than I used to be, but plan to get in some actual speed work in now that I'm done teaching and will have time this summer.

Pump It Up 5 Miler Race Recap

2016-05-11T08:26:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday marked my return to racing when I decided last minute (on Thursday) to jump into the Pump It Up 5 Miler. I have done no speed training and I am truly lucky if I get out for 5 runs a week. Some days those runs are only 3 miles, but I am OK with that because hanging out with Ella is usually much more fun than going for a run.

Speaking of Ella, I was supposed to race a half marathon last month but Ella came down with a stomach virus (that I also came down with two days later) and we were up all night. I couldn't justify leaving her that morning and didn't run it. It seems baby sickness is becoming a prerequisite before races as Ella came down with a cold Friday and did not sleep well that night. Thankfully, Tom was awesome and was able to stay home with her that morning even though they (or he) wanted to be out there to see me run.

Pre-Race:
The race was held in town. I debated about running to the start as my warm-up but decided to drive. It was a gorgeous, sunny morning with temps in the 50s. I felt light and more like my old racing self during warm-up and thankfully got in line for the one port-a-potty early so I could continue with some drills and strides after.

I didn't have a plan for the race except to run at a faster pace than I have been. Tom and I are doing the VCM 2 person relay at the end of the month and I wanted to get in some faster runs to somewhat prepare for that race. I had some goals in mind for Saturday, but only in my mind. I didn't know how feasible the first two were: Plan A (dream plan): Run 34-35 minutes, Plan B: Break 37, and Plan C: just hit 40 - an 8:00/mile pace. I just had no clue what my body could do. I had only run 2 miles at a tempo pace (faster than 7:10) so this was going to be an adventure.

Race:
There were 85 runners and my plan at the start was to go out easy and at my own pace, then work into the race, hopefully finishing faster in the second half. It was an out and back on a dirt road, so we would see everyone in front and behind us. Interestingly, women did not line up in front of me, even though I was standing back from the start. Once the race started I ended up leading the women for a few minutes. I tried to keep a relaxed pace but felt pressure knowing that I had women right behind me. Finally they got the hint and took the lead and I stayed tucked behind the third place woman, now happy with the pace I was running.

Mile 1: 6:47

I was surprised to see how easily that 6:47 came for the first mile, but wasn't surprised at the time knowing I had run faster at the start. The second mile was more challenging as we entered the "rolling hills" portion of the race. The distance between the 2nd and 3rd place and me widened a little.

Mile 2: 7:25

In the third mile I began to catch up again to the 3rd place woman. I felt bad when she stopped at the turnaround to fix her shoe. Unfortunately, that must have offset her pace and shortly after that I passed her. At that point, my old racing self would have focused my eyes on the back of the 2nd place woman and made her my goal to pass. It was different this time: I had now reached the point where I had not run that fast for that long in about a year. I didn't know what was going to happen, so I didn't push it. I wasn't running an easy pace but I knew I was far off from my top speed.

Mile 3: 7:10

I had a few moments on Saturday when I began to feel tired only to realize that that feeling was NOTHING like what tired and the pain of childbirth was like. And while I'm on that topic - I never got to use the relaxed breathing techniques that I learned in my Hypnosis for Birth classes during Ella's actual birth because she came too darn quick for me to calm down enough to think. However, I am now putting those strategies to use while running and made sure to relax muscles that didn't need to be tightened and to take controlled deep breaths while running on Saturday. It really does wonders when I focus on these actions in the race and can regroup my thoughts and running.

Mile 4: 7:22

The last two miles flew by. I just kept thinking how amazing it was to be out there, how lucky I was that the weather was perfect, how my body seemed to be doing great with no speed training, and I began to feel optimistic for what the next few months of running could be like.

Mile 5: 7:07
Final Time: 35:53
3rd Female, 1st in AG

Since I didn't approach this as a real race, I didn't put forth a truly hard effort. I finished and wasn't tired and know that I have so much more in the tank to give. The race served its purpose. It gave me more confidence in my abilities and now I believe that my body is ready for faster paces and more regular running.

The last two weeks have really shifted my mind frame for running. Two weeks ago I had a New Mom Consult at Evolution PT because my body felt so off while running. While I could go into more details, the brief is that my right glute is weak, causing pain in my right quad. I also found out that my ab separation is closed, so I have resumed some modified core-work. All of this is good news as I am no longer afraid of damaging my body and I have exercises to do to make it stronger. This race also showed that my body is capable of handling more. I have resumed running very cautiously, and perhaps more so than I needed to, but I fully believe that it is better to be safe rather than sorry when starting to run after 4 months off and a child birth thrown in there.

Thoughts
I really enjoyed the race and will certainly want to keep doing this one in future years. I didn't mind the out and back and there was enough food at the finish to refuel before awards. The smaller race size (compared to DC) was relaxing and more fun. Oh - and the awards weren't bad either: I had to choose between Snowflake Chocolates or Poorhouse Pies, and while chocolate is almost always a no-brainer, the pies seemed to have quite a reputation.

And folks - Poorhouse Pies are amazing. I haven't been to their self-service pie shed yet but I seriously would have no problem going there once a week for a pie this summer to try them all. I picked the blueberry pie with streusel topping and wanted to eat the entire thing myself in one sitting.

Boston 2015 Race Recap

2015-04-24T05:53:00.001-04:00

When people asked how Boston went my answer went something like this:

"It was so fun and it was the easiest marathon yet! I got done and wanted to keep running!" That basically sums up the experience without going into the details that I have below.

Throwing out all race goals was the best thing I could have done, but looking back makes me a tiny bit bummed knowing that I was only 4 seconds off my PR with a 3:13:46. I trained all winter for 7:00 minute miles and I was hitting all of my workouts. I just happened to decide not to work going into this race so that I could fully enjoy it. I don't love marathons (just the training), so all I wanted to do was be in this one for the experience, a goal that was easily achieved.

Anyway, here's how the WHOLE day went down! Get ready, because it's going to be long.

Race Morning:

I was super pumped all weekend. For the first time ever I didn't care about the weather forecast. Normally I am the biggest baby when it comes to weather and should have freaked at the thought of rain, headwinds, and 40-something temps. But I knew that Monday's weather would be way better than my winter training or the time I ran the Vermont City Marathon two years ago, and that it wouldn't come close to the freezing cold 10 miler I did at the start of March this year.

Tom and I got up at 5:00 and I loved having him to get ready with. Normally it's only one of us racing (ok, usually me), so this was a new experience. I had my regular breakfast of toast and peanut butter and a cup of coffee and was ready in no time.

We ventured out of the hotel, me looking like a bum, but a warm one at that! After a quick uber ride we were at the bus loading zone, which was the most organized I've ever seen it. We checked in our bags and boarded the bus together. I was smarter this year and didn't drink any water on the bus ride knowing how bad I suffered in last year's ride.

Last photo before saying goodbye to my phone.

Marathon Village:

We were at Marathon Village on the earlier side since Tom was in the first wave. That meant that for the first time ever I was able to find a seat under the tent, a spot needed because it started raining as soon as we got there. We got warm coffee and tea, ate some bagel, Fig Newmans, and pretzels, and stayed warm and dry. Food rarely affects my stomach. What does affect me is being hungry. I had to make sure I was satisfied in the morning with easy foods that would keep me fueled. They did just the trick!

Tom's wave was called 40 minutes before mine. I was so excited for him and also bummed that I wasn't going to be able to cheer him on during the race. I wanted so badly to see him race.

It wasn't long before I had to go to the start myself. On the way I finished eating my Honey Stinger chews which I became addicted to before all of my tempo and strength workouts this spring. Go with what works, right?

The Start:

Another first this year: Getting to the start with more than 2 minutes to spare. As I got to my corral Sweet Caroline started playing for the crowd. That song has sentimental meaning to me, being the song that my mom, my bro, and I always sang in the car growing up. I couldn't help but feel like my mom was with me at that moment cheering me on. I knew it was going to be a good race.

Another note: I left my Garmin in DC on purpose. I'm done with my Garmin being off and not getting exact mile splits. It was relieving to have my old watch with me, which would force me to take my own splits.

Miles 1-4

7:47, 7:20, 7:17, 7:11

A two year old hamstring injury was starting to nag me in the two weeks leading up to the race. I think a massage triggered it. I only felt it for the first mile and never again. Perhaps it just needed to be warmed up or the slower paced miles cause it to be more aggravated.

The first mile was too slow for me and I knew it from the start. Last year's Boston time put me in corral 4 and I had trained much faster all spring. Instead of freaking out, I went with the slower pace and high-fived a ton of kids for the first few minutes. Why not, right?!

While my 7:47 first mile was not the 7:15 that I had hoped for I knew that it only meant for a stronger finish. It was about time that I went out conservative at Boston!

The next few miles flew by. I was happy with the splits I was getting: they felt effortless.

Miles 5-8

7:25, 7:10, 7:17, 7:24

Somewhere at this point we heard Sweet Caroline play twice in two different spots. By the second time all of the spectators and runners began to sing along. That was pretty special and probably one of my favorite memories of the race.

Maybe I was making it up, but there seemed to be fewer spectators than last year. I don't blame them one bit if it really was true. It was nasty out there. It rained on and off throughout the race. I didn't wear a hat, unsure of how the strong the headwind would be, so I got all of the water in my eyes. When the rain really came down there were times I had trouble seeing. Thankfully I was reminded of a particular run during one storm this winter where I had to stop every mile or so to get the ice off my eyelashes because my eyelids were becoming frozen shut. The rain was nothing compared to that cold and snow so I was on cloud 9.

I chatted with an older man at one point, and by older I mean, I hope I can still run a little bit when I'm his age. He was awesome! He first wanted to know if I was warm because he still hadn't gotten rid of his sweatshirt. Then he was a hoot telling me that he only races summer races in shorts, no shirt, and that he had done a trail race in VT last year. This opened up opportunity to chat and run with a nearby "Oiselle" runner that may not actually be with the "flock" but had the name on her singlet. We stayed together or within site of each other for most of the race. I actually began to really like the people I was running with, getting inspired by how strong they all looked.

Isn't it crazy 1) what thoughts you have in your head during a marathon and 2) how motivational little things can be in races? I always say this after coming back from race weekend: Being around runners is like being in Heaven. We get each other and we support each other, even when we don't mean to or plan to.

Gosh - I just love this sport!

Miles 9-12

7:15, 7:24, 7:24, 7:15

When I got to mile 16 and suddenly realized that there were only 10 miles left - or less than 1 hour and 20 minutes, party poppers and fireworks began to go off in my head. I just knew I wasn't going to bonk. I hadn't felt that good in a race ever before. I didn't have to force myself to play mind tricks, they came naturally. I just didn't feel tired at any moment and tried to keep my splits somewhat even.

Miles 13-16

7:23, 7:19, 7:26, 7:22

I decided to do what I had never done in a race before: use a port-a-potty. I had to go pee ever since the gun went off but held it. When I made the decision to go at mile 15 I was on the lookout for a bathroom for two miles. When I got to one, however, it was full. Dang! I wasn't going to wait, so I jumped back in the race.

Time cost in doing this: probably 5 seconds: there goes my PR that I didn't know I could get! In the words of Homer Simpson: "Do'H!"

The good news: I forgot I had to pee when the rain really started falling again in miles 18 and 19.

While it probably cost me my PR, it did give me a pretty cool opportunity to meet up with another runner who's blog I've been reading and Instagram I've been following for a few years.

At some point I was behind a man wearing a Saucony jacket. I had seen the female version of the jacket before on Michele's blog this winter. I began thinking about her at that moment and when the man moved out of my way for just a second I was able to get a view of the people in front of him.

Do you know who was right in front of him?!

Michele! I wasn't believing my eyes and I sped up to her to see if I my eyes were playing tricks on me. When I heard someone in the crowd shout her name I made contact with her to give her a thumbs up, saying she looked great (cause she totally did!)

After a hill and a few turns she caught up to me again - she was good at running tangents.

I had followed her training all winter and knew that she was doing awesome! She said she wasn't looking at her watch, but she didn't need to. When you run with your heart you always have a good race. It turns out that she finished the day with a 6 minute PR!!

Miles 17-20

7:31, 7:33, 7:21, 7:34

These hills. Piece. Of. Cake.

Every time I got to a hill I envisioned myself on Mass Ave down here in DC. I did all of my speed and tempo workouts on that street and if you haven't seen it, it has quite a few (potentially) killer hills. I designed my training with hills on purpose. I wanted to eat Boston's hills for lunch on Monday.

Guys, it worked. By killing myself for months I breezed through the marathon's hills. They were easy! I felt like I had won the Golden Wonka Ticket every time I started running one of the hills. The training paid off. It was the best feeling ever.

Miles 21-25

7:50, 7:17, 7:28, 7:10, 7:23

Last year I gave Tom a 5 minute sch-peal about the Citgo sign and my dislike for it when it appears, knowing that I still have 1-2 miles to go before the finish. Last year I saw it and had no emotions which was progress. This year when it appeared I was on cloud nine. I couldn't believe that the race was coming to an end. I felt so good. There still hadn't been a moment when I was tired. If I thought that my legs were beginning to get tired I was instantly reminded that they were nothing like they felt on my 10 mile tempo during the 66 mile week I put in back in March. They were doing great. I was doing great. I wasn't even cold with all of the rain!

Miles 26 and 0.2
7:13, 1:35

I like to dedicate miles throughout my race to particular people in my life. I don't think about it, they just come to me. On Monday I was having so much fun that no 'dedication miles' came until the last mile. At that moment I began to think about two of my student athletes in particular (L and S). That last mile was dedicated to those two girls, who inspire me beyond belief. Crazy - I know, but they have left an impression on me through their dedication to their school work and their athletics. They are XC and distance runners that take any challenge they're given and go for it. Having run so many races, I was super happy to run that last mile in my head for them.

When I turned that second to last quarter I started smiling. I always remember my first Boston, coming onto that corner thinking, "This. Is. Awe. Some!" I ran the rest of the race with a smile on my face. Hearing the crowd during that final stretch is always one of the best feelings.

Final: 3:13:46

Overall: 5490/26610

Gender: 604/12022

Division: 523/6011

Post-Race

I hadn't been cold at any point during the race but the second I stopped running my body began to shiver uncontrollably. I sped-walked out of the finish area. Yes. Sped-walked. I debated about running because my legs felt totally fine. In fact, immediately after crossing the finish line I crashed into a man who clearly had worked himself to the finish and was going too slow for me.

The photo doesn't capture the shivering going on

For a moment I had the crazy thought of "Oh! So this is why some people do ultra marathons? Maybe I should try an ultra if I can still walk fine after the last 26 miles."

The wind was pretty strong at the finishing area. I got my food, medal, and poncho as quick as I could and headed back to the bag drop off. Tom met me along the way and we taxied back to the hotel to shower. Our hotel, the Residence Inn at Seaport, was so accommodating, and let us shower in our room with a late checkout. I really don't know how I would have been able to warm up otherwise.

Tom's Race:

Tom will probably tell you that I talked him into running this race after he declared he would only run one marathon. It may not be entirely true, as he had to sign himself up, but he did SO AWESOME for his second marathon ever.

He finished in 2:44 with an 8 minute PR on a much tougher course than his first race! He was also 467th out of 26,610 finishers.

Maybe some day he'll post his own marathon recap on here (*hinthintcoughcoughyesTomIknowyouarereadingthis*)

Other Thoughts and Notes

Friends!

We got to meet up with a few friends over the weekend and a few others that we did not see did reach out to tell us that they would be cheering for us along the course. To be honest, I feared that they would totally miss us and that it wouldn't have been worth it for them to be out there.

That wasn't the case! I saw EVERY ONE of the people that told us they would be out there! Anna, Nate, Shelby, Will, Katie, Carrie, Glynna, Kelly, and Austin! They were awesome cheerers, made awesome signs (with wicked cool puns), and braved the cold and rain to come out to support us. That meant a lot in those moments.

The Nuun tent was also along one of the hills and were so energizing when I went by. I met the CEO this weekend at the meet-up event and I recognized him out there, cheering us on for that hill. I don't remember the hill at all, only the Nuun tent's enthusiasm.

Favorite Signs:

"Your gym teacher would be proud!" Actually, my middle school gym teacher would be proud! She was a runner herself.

bottom: Taken from Katie's Instagram

"There is no Walken" with a photo of Christopher Walkens' head in the middle.

College Kids:

When you're in a bad mood they can either re-energize you or make you hate life knowing they're out there drinking beer and having a good time while you're suffering. This time I thought they were hilarious and loved going by them. They were SO LOUD and so into it, especially after Heartbreak. That energy gets you going for the finish!

Nutrition:
I had a Honey Stinger gel at miles 6, 12, 18, and 22. I almost didn't take the last one. Once I was able to get my claw-hands to open each gel they went down SUPER easy. There was no after taste and I didn't scrape my mouth on the packaging like I always did with Gu. They are easily my favorite race gels and had zero effect on my stomach.

Now What?
So Boston is over. Five months of serious training and plenty more days of pondering and planning. I love this city every year. No matter how the race turns out, the people are awesome.

The excitement is over but there are plenty of other goals to go after. Tom and I are in Vermont for our next race, each running a half of the Vermont City Marathon. Once I can start moving my legs quickly again (maybe today or tomorrow) I'll begin a reverse taper and jump into the tail end of the Hansons Half Marathon training plan for the next month.

2015 Boston Training: March

2015-03-30T08:30:00.001-04:00

Here's a news flash: I'm no longer coaching track.

It's hard to be a teacher and a coach and to have dreams of running a decent race at Boston. I was at school most night after 6:00pm, standing in the cold for a few hours, and returning home tired before my own workout. I loved the kids and was always torn: do I sacrifice my workouts for them or do I sacrifice them for my workouts?

Eventually it became clear that perhaps for my own safety it would be best not to coach during the spring. My mileage ramped up this month and it would have been unsafe to be doing workouts up until 9:00 pm on the roads of DC, not to mention I just wouldn't function nor be able to motivate myself to run that late. I made the decision not to coach and in the last few weeks have been thankful on each of my runs that I gave myself some "me" time for once.

I nailed my training the last two weeks: 61 and 66 mile weeks respectively, with serious interval and tempo runs thrown in. I had to bribe myself to finish workouts on some days, starting them with completely exhausted legs. Often I had serious doubt that the workout was possible, but each one was. After two days of easy running my legs were always ready for the long run, and as a result, I'm feeling stronger and more confident for Boston.

2014 Monthly Recap - January through June

2014-11-26T10:23:00.000-05:00

At one point in my life I updated this blog on an almost weekly basis. I was doing a lot of running while trying to figure out how to be a teacher and a coach, and I was getting too little sleep. Fortunately, I came to understand a word, priorities, and made a few changes to make life easier.

Blogging had to be cut down in order to dedicate more time to teaching and coaching. Running is still happening (somewhat), but since it isn't my job, I can't justify spending more time on it to sacrifice what I get paid to do each day and for what actually matters in this world. The work I do every day makes more of a difference than the running I do.

There are some days that I wish I had more time to dedicate to running, but I am happy knowing that even if I can't get all of the running in that I want to, at least I have a job (coaching) that allows me to experience running every day. I get paid to think about running and wear running clothes. It could be worse.

As we approach the holiday season I find it nice to reflect on the year. I'll do it a little differently this time around - a month-by-month summary and then I'll conclude with my favorites of the year. Here it goes!

Overall running this year

Two summers ago I was hitting 200+ miles per month. I was running 60+ miles a week and saw some nice PRs in the marathon. That hasn't been the case this year. I've had much lower mileage each month, but I have focused more on strength training. As a result, I saw PRs in each distance this year from the 5K to the half marathon. I can feel a huge difference in my running form and strength.

January: 143 miles: Marathon training for Boston had started. It was cold. There were lots of snow days. I was miserable. It was to become the same routine for the next three months. I began to do weekly indoor workouts to get in some cross training and to save me from the cold. The track workouts no longer existed.

Layers can help to get out the door on cold, winter nights

February: 149 miles: Another month into Boston training, and a month in which my mileage should have picked up. It did, but only by 6 miles. More indoor training days and a dread for Boston developed. Boston simply wasn't feeling like a marathon I wanted to run. I had no internal motivation to do it, therefore, hardly any motivation to train, especially with more snow! I thought I had moved to a warmer climate, but we had a total of 8 snow days this winter!

An 8 mile run in our worst snow of 2014

March: 177 miles: Alas! Some more miles. The weather started warming up and the outdoor track season was in full competition. A switch turned in my mind during one run: I wouldn't focus on training for Boston. Instead, I was going to focus on the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler that I would run two weeks before Boston. I decided to follow my marathon training, but rather than thinking about Boston each time I ran, I focused on getting a PR in the Cherry Blossom. All of sudden I was excited about running again!

April: 129 miles and 2 races
I spent the first week of April in Boston at a conference. It was just what I needed to get excited to run Boston. I love the city and the buildup to the race had already started. I ran by the finishing line each morning before the city woke up. The first time gave me goosebumps.

I snagged a new PR in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler (1:05:47) that qualifies me for automatic, seeded entry into next year's race. The only problem is next year's race is ONE week before Boston. DANG!

Boston also happened. My legs had been sore for over a week from the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler and I knew I didn't have the miles put in for a PR at Boston. However, the weekend was one of my favorite marathon weekends: talking to Shalane Flanagan in the bathroom at the airport, having dinner with high school friends, eating brunch with college teammates, and then meeting up with Laura and other bloggers at the start. I paid for the lack of training starting at mile 14, but the amazing crowd support carried me to the finish line and I finished with a 3:20:36. I loved the weekend and had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when the race was over.

With the marathon done I could now focus on speed. I promised myself that I would do no more marathons for a few years. It made me happy to know that crazy training and hours from my weekend life would no longer be a problem. My new goal was to get a PR in the half.

May: 90 miles and 1 race
I was a little bummed to find out earlier in the year that Tom and I would not be able to make Vermont City Marathon work. With so many weddings this year, we could not justify another trip to Vermont.

My mileage was lowered as I focused on the end of the year teaching tasks and finished the season with the track team. A bunch of colleagues and students ran in the Capitol Hill 10K Classic, where I ran my 2nd 10K of all time. I finished with a 40:05 and a new PR. What surprised me about the race was hitting the 3rd mile below 19:00. I knew that I needed to get into a 5K to see what I was capable of. I hadn't run a sub 20:00 5K since college and knew that I was ready to do it.

June: 146 miles, 1 race
The end of the school year brought excitement for a summer filled with running and more hours to dedicate to wedding planning. My mornings became the same: Wake up, eat, run, eat, shower, wedding plan all day.

I managed to hit up a Father's Day 5K and nabbed a 19:18 finish. The race had that same 5k pain that I hate, the kind where you want to throw up and I almost did. I raced a silly race, going out too fast, and knew that if I raced a smarter race I could break 19:00. I was determined to do it!

Did you really make it down to the end? Congrats to you! I'm going to assume that 6 months is enough for one post and will write about the second half of the year in another post. For now, I'm going to enjoy these next few days of relaxation, food, and even some snow in this city of DC! Yes, snow! And for the first time in years I actually have some winter boots. I was probably the only Vermonter going to school in Vermont without some real winter boots, but I have finally smartened up!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Veteran's Day 10K

2014-11-15T13:18:00.001-05:00

It's becoming the same story with races now: Too little sleep and too little running during the work week. The week leading up to this 10k was hectic. Crazy hectic. It was the end of the quarter, which meant comments for 110 students needed to be written, I played my saxophone in the jazz band during the Fall Concert on Wednesday, and then we had our Fall Sports Banquet on Thursday. I love it all while I'm doing it, but then I get home at 9:00 and there's no chance for a run.

A co-worker posted this race in our faculty room in October and after hearing that it was a fast course I decided to sign up. For the last month this race was my focus on all of my runs. I wanted to break 40:00. I had good speed leading up to it and had just raced a new 5k PR two weeks before. However, after the crazy work week, I had to reevaluate what my goal for the race would be. On race morning I decided that finishing would be enough. A PR would be great, but I couldn't expect it, nor did I want to put my body in the pain that would be required to get it.

I'm not a professional so I don't have the time to dedicate to running. Sometimes I have to be OK with 12 or 17 mile weeks. When those weeks happen to fall in the week leading up to a race then I have to try my hardest to talk myself into racing by convincing my mind that I'm in better shape than I am.

The basin at 7:00 on race morning

Race morning started off in the low 40's, but it was sunny and not windy. This was a relief, especially since we were racing on Hains Point. Tom and I volunteered at a 10K there the weekend before and the wind was horrible. I would have cried if I had to race with the wind, and the weather for this 10k was just about perfect.

We met up with a few co-workers of mine before the start. It was awesome to see and be with familiar faces at the start!

The Race:
I did an extra long run for warm up by accident and didn't get in the drills in that I normally do. I was OK with this, considering everything else had worked out better than could be asked that morning. The gun went off and we were out. I knew I was cruising and was not surprised to see 6:15 on my watch for the mile 1 marker. A little too fast, but nothing to freak out about.

I stayed right behind two girls starting at the second mile, which I went through at 6:28. When mile 3 came (6:26) I was bummed that it wasn't a 5k. 5Ks feel so nice now and I would have been very excited to be done racing. This was my third 10K ever and I still didn't know how to race it.

I passed the two girls in front of me at this point. My fourth mile was strong. I felt strong and it flew by in 6:23. I started to feel the race a little more during the 5th mile, but held on, finishing that mile in 6:29. Tom was at the 5th mile marker and that is when two girls came out of no where from behind me. Good strategy, chicas. They knew just how to throw me off my focus. They looked strong and I wasn't feeling strong. I kept counting down the tenths of a mile, which is not a great way to stay calm.

I got to mile 6 with 0.2 to go (6:31) and felt the 10k-urge to vomit. So did one of the girls in front of me who suddenly stopped and pulled off to the side. I shut my eyes knowing that if I saw anything come up I'd lose my cookies too. She saw me at that moment and decided that finishing was more important than vomiting and hopped back into the race.

Once again, like the last race, I saw the clock tick its way closer and closer to 40:00 and could not make my legs get to the finish any sooner.

Tom's phone deleted all of the photos he took of us while running. The only photo that somehow survived is me after getting my award

Final Time:

40:04

New PR

9th Female

3rd in Age

(not including the overall winners)

I'm a little frustrated, but I know that a 39 will come with better training, more speed work on the track, and a better work week.

We hung out at the finish for some time and it was fun to be with friends. After the awards, Tom and I paid a visit to Thomas Jefferson.We had fun enjoying the peacefulness of DC at that hour in the morning.

It looks like the next race is a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Hopefully I'll get in some quality runs between now and then. It's nice not having to worry about a training program yet. That will come at the end of December as Tom and I both begin to prepare for Boston.

2014 Walk (RUN) to end HIV 5K Race Recap

2014-11-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

During my first year of teaching I made a bet with a student that if we ran a race I would beat him. He was an 8th grader back then, and at the time I figured we wouldn't actually race each other. Little did I know that he would come out to join the cross country team the following year. Nor did I know that I would get a chance to race him this year, as we both ran the Walk (I say RUN) to End HIV 5K two weekends ago.

Pre Race Summary:

Sleep the week leading up to the race was not the best. Too many weird dreams and waking up at 2:30 am.
I was eating too much Halloween candy. I bought it for the trick-or-treaters and made the terrible mistake of opening the bag to "test it" for safety concerns. Kids can't get bad candy can they?
My right eyelid was twitching constantly leading up to the race. Was it stress? Caffeine? Something else? No matter what, something wasn't totally right with my body.
I barely got any miles in the week leading up to the race. I probably got a total of 12 in.

Race Morning:

Woke up at the same I normally wake up for school, just so my body was used to doing its morning routine. It was nice to do my normal breakfast and know that I'd be OK for the 9:15 start time.
It was gorgeous: sunny and 50 degrees when we arrived at the start
I got in enough warm up but I felt sluggish during the slow-running warm-up portion. The drills at the line helped to wake me up.
I felt confident for a good race all week and all morning. The mental prep is key when hoping to run a good race or to win a bet.

It was really fun to be able to run in a race with all of my cross country kids for the first time. They were excited to be running a flat road race instead of the hilly and grassy courses they are used to. They were also really cute at the start when they did their traditional pre-race cheer, and made sure to change up the cheer to shout "Coach Svetlana", their nickname they gave me last year.

They all knew about the bet, of course, and it was awesome when the athlete I had the bet with walked up to the front of the line saying "If we're going to race then I need to start up here with you."

Race

Right before the gun went off I kept telling myself "6:10. 6:10. 6:10". I didn't want to go out in a 5:55 like the last two races. A 6:10 would be nice.

A few of the boys on our team went out ahead of me. I let them. I knew how to run my own race. I also thought that the boys would slow a little later in the race which would allow me to catch up. A few women also sprinted ahead of me at the start. I felt off and couldn't stay up with the, nor did I want to ruin the 6:10 that I knew I needed to hit. I didn't feel energized like my last few races, so I had no clue what was in store for me.

We got to the first mile marker: 6:14. Good. I was OK with being slower than 6:10. It gave me the confidence that I wouldn't die, but I knew that I also needed to push over the next two miles. Two of our kids were ahead of me still at this point.

After mile 1, the course took us in a new direction and the wind was blowing against us. Luckily I was able to get behind a few guys to draft for that portion of the race. Sometimes it comes in handy to be a female and the shortest one around.

The course was an out and back which allowed us to see everyone behind us as we made our way through the second half of the race. A lot of our athletes cheered for us, but I was way too focused to cheer back. I felt so bad for doing that. I could barely breath at that point, let alone shout out to them, and I was way too focused on the boys ahead of me.

I caught up to one of our athletes, the boy I made the bet with, at this time and together we made our way to mile two. We hit it at 12:25 - a 6:10 mile. GOOD! It was a good time for me, but an even better time for the kid I was running with, who hadn't run that fast of a this season. I was super excited to see our kids racing their way to a PR, but couldn't form a coherent sentence to tell them.

I eventually pulled away and set my sites ahead of me to another boy on our team that was running with the two women ahead of me. I was afraid of pushing too hard at this point in the race to make myself throw up, but now know that I should have pushed harder. I kept getting closer to the lead ladies, but not fast enough. At some point I realized that I was totally letting myself trail behind them and that I wasn't actually in Race Mode. I needed to work, and this was my last chance.

With about 40 seconds left of the race I passed the two women ahead of me at the same time. Not having seen the any other females for some time, I starting to think I was in the lead - but definitely not positive. I saw the clock hit 19:01 just before I made it to the end and my first thought was that our lead boy was going to get over a minute PR for the day! I also realized that he was going to beat me and become the first boy on our team to beat me in a few years!

I also realized that I had made some mistakes in the race that cost me breaking 19:00, which has been my goal time this summer. The whole time I was racing I felt like crap and thought that I was going to get a 20:00. Everyone in front of me looked slow. I felt slow. I just thought 20:00 would be it for the day, NOT a low 19. I believe I could have pushed harder but didn't do it until it was too late. You live and you learn.

Final Time

19:09

2nd female
New PR!

I ended up winning the bet, but I am confident that if (or when) we race again, I will lose. This kid can beat me in every distance shorter than a 5K and by next fall, he'll take that honor as well! While I hate losing, this will be a bet I will be happy to see him win.

Thoughts:

This race was a PR, but am I happy with it? Not 100%. I was stupid:

I didn't fuel at all properly during the week.
I didn't pay attention to the watch and just went by feel - which was 'crappy'
I didn't push myself at all out there and never actually felt like I was dying.

The good news, however, is that every one of our athletes got a PR and some kids got HUGE PRs! It was so much fun to end my race and to turn around and watch our athletes finish their races with huge smiles on their faces. All of their hard work from the year paid off and it was fun to reward them with a fast PR on a fast course.

Also, I secretly really like running 5ks and 10ks in the city. It's fun to run the streets, in between the large buildings, and to see the sites like the Capitol.

Hitched!

2014-07-25T11:29:00.001-04:00

We had an absolutely gorgeous wedding day in Vermont on July 12th. What made it even better was that we were able to have so many of our friends and family spend the day (and for some, weekend) with us. When people ask what the best part was, I say it was seeing everyone we love with us on that day, some of whom we haven't seen in years.

Doesn't Tom look like a fancy stud muffin?

It was so hard to leave these awesome people. We were so happy to have them with us the entire weekend.

Our photographer, Margaret, was PHENOMENAL! As soon as we were engaged I knew that we had to get her. She paid attention to every single detail, gave us advice throughout the whole day, and managed to capture every moment in her beautiful shots! We could not and still cannot thank her and her sister enough!

And just like that the day was done. All of the planning and celebrating was over. We returned to DC and don't have any honeymoon plans yet, but after being together for 10 years, it's nice to step into this next phase of our lives.

=PR= Race Series: Run with Dad (minus the dad) 5K Recap

2014-06-16T16:31:00.001-04:00

I've known for a few weeks that I had a 5K PR waiting inside of my, but needed to get a race to find it. This weekend Tom and I each ran in the =PR= Run with Dad 5K at South Lakes high school. I woke up that day not as excited to run it as I was to run the 10K a few weeks ago. The 5K isn't my most favorite race. But fortunately, I didn't let that hinder me and was able to finish with a new PR for the day.

We arrived around 7 to get our bib and then went on our own ways to warm up. It's funny - people often ask if we run together. The answer is rarely. Tom's so much faster than I am, and I am so stuck in my ways. I warm up the same way each time and begin to freak out when it starts to go differently. I am so independent and need freedom to go on my own.

I felt great on the warm up: I got in 14 minutes of running before drills, and knew my body felt awake and ready. We met up again on the starting line, 5 minutes before the race, and found ourselves starting a little bit back. Everyone was ready to go and lined up before we had gotten there and it seemed impossible to get up front.

The start was a little chaotic. We ran 300m on the track at the high school before veering off and into the woods. It was slow, and there were a ton of people in front of us that didn't need to be right on the starting line. I jumped up with other PR running ladies, recognizing a few and knowing I wanted to be with them for the start.

I ran my first 10K last year at this school and was expecting to run a course very similar and was surprised to find us going onto the bike path in the woods. Rather than the open roads with little turning, we found hairpin turn after hairpin turn, as well as a constant variation in elevation. Instead of focusing on my body and on my pace I was constantly worrying about the people around me, making sure I didn't take a face plant as I turned a corner, and mentally battling how the course reminded me of some high school and college courses I had run.

There was a lot of passing during the first mile. Being a Father's day run, there were a lot of younger kids and teenagers that were running. These runners also went out with a very nice mile split, only to drop off in the second mile. I kept my sites on another PR team member right in front of me, not knowing who she was, but recognizing that she was a strong runner. My goal was to stay with her as long as possible. Little did I realize that she was definitely the first place woman of the race.

Mile 1: 5:56

Good. I met my goal mark for the first mile. Last year this split would have freaked me out completely. However, after hitting sub 5:50's on runs in the spring, I knew this was OK. My only problem came with keeping this momentum in mile 2, my weakest mile. This was the mile I struggled the most in trying to stay in the present, rather than having flash backs to races in college when we ran a similar course at St. Mike's.

Mile 2: 6:22

As I passed the marker and saw 12:18, I knew I had slowed, but couldn't do the math in my head. At this point, I was strictly running on feeling. I had only looked down at my watch twice. I knew if I wanted to break 19:00 that it would be close. So I tried to push harder.

5Ks, while much shorter than a marathon, take much more focus and a higher pain tolerance. They also require that the runner do some actual SPEED workouts before racing. I haven't done speed in weeks.

Everything was going great until I came out of the woods for the last time. I had just over a quarter of a mile left to run and made the mistake of looking down at my watch as I went up a hill. In that instance I began to dry heave. Ugh, not this again. I held it in, and kept up the pace. But it happened again. I had no choice but to slow down for a few seconds to stop it. Slowing worked, but my momentum was gone. While I love that there was a camera crew at this race to take free race photos, I hated that they would have been able to catch my lowest moment on film. I was also not ready to loose my breakfast while on the track, now knowing that I was the second place female after a man yelled it in the woods.

As I turned the corner I heard my name being called by the MC, then heard Tom's voice as he cheered me on. He knew my goal was low 19's, and based on his voice, I knew that I had to work hard to get there.

Final Time: 19:18

New PR

Second place female

I'll take that PR, but I'm not done. As soon as I finished I was ready to sign up for another, faster race! I need to break 19. I never thought I would have that as my goal, but I know it's in me. I just need to get on a track for a few weeks.

-----

I have been enjoying the opportunities that the PR Race team has given me this spring. I love being more involved in races and feeling like there is a purpose to my training. It's also been great to meet other runners on the team. A few of us went for a cool down run afterward and we discovered that two of us had lived in Vermont and had competed against the same runners in high school!

This race was also put on by PR Running. For the runners, there is a ton to offer: awesome tech t-shirts with registration, a lunchbox (for Father's day), a master of ceremony that was made for the job and makes it fun, food at the finish line, and terrific prizes that include gift certificates to be used at their store. I got $75 for second place, which means I can pick up some nice sneaks in a few weeks!

2014 Capitol Hill Classic 10K

2014-06-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

Back in the middle of May, a bunch of teachers from my school, parents, and students partook in the Capitol Hill Classic which consisted of a 10k and a 3k race. I had a major goal for this race and was confident that I could do it: Break 40:00 in the 10k. Better yet - break 39:00. I knew I could do this, but had not had good training after Boston (hello 14 hour work days!). I was also very stupid in the middle of the race and never actually looked at my overall time on my watch to see how I was doing. Lesson learned.

Final Time: 40:05

3rd Female

The race morning was PERFECT. It was in the 50's, sunny, and had no humidity. There was a breeze that felt great on the course, but was enough to force me to draft behind guys a few times. The 8:30 start let us sleep in and enjoy the morning a little before racing, and nutritionally I was set for the race because of the later start.

Tom and I were both running and we knew we had a good chance of placing based off of last year's results. The gun went off and 3 women immediately flew past me. One, a red-head, was a girl I remember seeing at the Cherry Blossom in April. I had some sort of feeling/memory of passing her during that race, so I was not worried about her speeding off at the start. My thinking: let her get tired, then I can reel her in.

The start took us by the Capitol and Supreme Court. I just love the races in DC because of the monuments we run by!

The first three miles flew by but my Garmin beeped about 0.1 to 0.2 miles before I actually got to the mile markers. I don't know why it wasn't lined up with the markers, but I should have really taken that into account for the rest of the race and checked my watch a few more times.

Miles 1-3

6:06, 6:09, 6:12

I felt confident and satisfied with those mileage times. I was also surprised to see 19:07 when I went through the 5K. My current, official PR in the 5K was a 19:41, which means I knocked off a significant chunk and need to get into an actual 5K in the coming weeks.

By mile 3 we were in the middle of nowhere, or so it felt. The beautiful homes, green streets, and shade that we had in the first half of the race was replaced with concrete, sun, and the parking lot surrounding the old stadium in DC. It felt like a desert, because we were the only ones out there.

As I was thinking how horrible of a place it was, a girl in purple FLEW by me. Where did she come from?! Her speed told me that she knew what she was doing and I was not going to catch her. I fell from 4th to 5th.

The fourth mile marker came: 6:29. Uh oh!

I knew I had slowed. But by that much?! Fortunately, I spotted the red-head in red. My mission became to catch her, and I was getting close. I got her before the 5th mile, and felt confident that my race to get her meant I picked up the pace.

Mile 5: 6:36

Oh no! This was not going the way I wanted it to, but I didn't dwell too hard on it. I actually felt fine and I was working at a hard effort. I had to keep reminding myself that it was only my 2nd 10k and I hadn't run one this fast before.

Now that I was in 4th I began getting closer to the 3rd place woman. At the same time, I kept playing cat and mouse with a man near me. It was good, as we kept pushing each other to get closer to this girl.

At around 5.5 I had a decision to make. I had never taken on someone like this in a race. I could keep going this speed and pass this 3rd place woman, and then hold on for the rest of the race. Or, I could play it safe, draft off of her, and then hopefully take her at the end. She knew I was coming, and I couldn't tell if she'd let me pass, only to pass me again and squash my mental game. Also, passing her would mean that I'd have to be on my game for the rest of the race, pushing myself to ensure she couldn't come back. Did I really want to do that?

Yes. I did. I wanted a PR. I knew that to get the PR I needed to get around her. If it had been a man I would have had no problem in my mind making this decision. He wouldn't have stood out. But to take the 3rd place female spot, scared me. I knew it. So I took her. And I kept running. I didn't want to look back. I also felt like I was going to vomit - a reaction that I need to control if I want to get faster.

My spring motto that I have to remind myself in each race: Running fast isn't easy. You have to work for fast times.

Mile 6: 6:22

Tom was around mile 6 cheering on runners, having already finished 10th overall. I knew I was close to the end, but hadn't look at my watch time and didn't realize HOW CLOSE I WAS to breaking 40. When I turned the very last corner and saw 39:57 on the official clock I screamed in my mind. OMG.... how could I be that oblivious to the time? How could I have been that close to a 39:xx and not realize it?!

I passed the line at 40:05. It was a minute and a half PR, but didn't feel great because I knew I can do better.

We stayed to watch the 3K, which had a ton of our students running in it. I didn't realize how big of an event this was. It raised over $80,000 for a school in DC! Talk about a successful fundraiser!

It was a good race (minus the desert) and was a fun morning to spend with co-workers and students. This race also showed me that I need to get signed up for a 5K soon so I can really see what I have in me for that distance!

2014 Boston Marathon Recap

2014-05-31T10:48:00.002-04:00

As soon as I got back from Boston I went back to teaching and coaching. Life is crazy for a few more weeks but I couldn't be happier to have it this way. Unfortunately, it means that I had little time, until now, to write about Boston.

As I trained for Boston this winter and spring I became aware quite early on that Boston was NOT going to be a PR race for me. I would have thought more about forgetting it if the bombing had not happened or if I didn't know that I might actually meet Laura while there. I went to Boston to experience it and got more out of it than I could have imagined.

The race weekend was awesome. And on race morning I woke up excited. I did my normal morning routine which includes my toast with peanut butter (minus the toaster), water (normally I drink almond milk) and coffee. Tom and I were staying quite close to the bus pickup location so our walk was no more than 5 minutes.

Laura and I had planned to meet and I'll be honest to say that I was a little nervous to be meeting other "strangers" (aka bloggers) that would most likely be there. But once we starting gabbing those nerves were gone and it felt as if we had been friends long before.

Our epic misfit looks pre-race

The morning weather was perfect: sunny and a little cool. Laura, Ashley, Sarah, Lindsey and I boarded the buses, opting for the back, and we chatted the whole way. The ride was going great until the need to pee kicked in and we quickly regretted drinking all the water we did.

Our time in Marathon Village flew by because most of it was spent in a porta potty line. That's the life of a marathoner sometimes! We had some time to chill before being called to our first wave. I know I'll keep saying that things were "awesome" but it really was awesome to share that whole pre-race experience with those girls.

Laura and I were seeded in the first corral of the second wave so we had to say goodbye to the others. We had a few minutes to hang out at the start and talked Saucony and running before the race began.

We were pretty close together for the first half mile but at some point I lost her. My goal at this time was ideally to run the first mile at 7:40-7:50, knowing that 1)I had pretty bad training this winter and 2) that the hills would kill me later and I'd rather save my energy for the end.

If I had had $10,000 that morning I would have bet that I was on pace for a 7:40-7:50. I am normally good about knowing my tempo based on effort. Sadly, however, when I crossed the first mile (which may not be accurate because I started my Garmin slightly before the actual start line) it read 7:20. NO! How can that possibly be?!

The next 3 miles played out in a similar fashion. Apparently I gained a lot of speed this winter and my new "relaxed" pace was faster than in the past. This wouldn't have been of any worry if I had actually done all of my weekly mileage and long runs, but I knew that it would catch up at some point.

Miles 1-5

7:22, 7:18, 7:25, 7:17, 7:38

If I was in shape I would have been SUPER pumped at these times!

I began to take water or Gatorade every 2-3 water stations and Gu every 5.5 miles. This was different than in my most recent races, where I try to space it out a little more, but I also hadn't run a warm marathon since the Boston Scorcher of 2012.

As we arrived into the towns with the bigger crowds I found myself watching the sidelines rather than focusing on my running. At a few points, the emotion of the event caught up to me and I could feel myself wanting to tear up a little. The atmosphere was quite spectacular. Tons of parents were out there leading their kids through cheers and of course, the college students were there offering their beers, high fives, and enthusiasm.

Miles 6-10

7:15, 7:26, 7:32, 7:25, 7:34

As we got close to the Weselyn girls I drifted to the center of the road knowing full well what was about to happen. I don't know how those girls keep their energy levels up for the whole day but that marathon would not be the same without them!

Miles 11-15

7:32, 7:19, 7:29, 7:28, 7:40

I won't deny that I was actually feeling too warm in this race. Some people thought we were crazy for thinking it was hot, but apparently I had adapted to the cold winter this year. This took a toll on my stomach which didn't feel the same after mile 13. Perhaps Gu shouldn't be my fuel brand of choice anymore?

I'm not sure if I hated mile 14 because other people had been talking about their dislike of that mile earlier in the morning, but when I got there, I felt a little bit of dread (especially about doing the math: 12 more miles...) Fortunately, I began to remind myself that I didn't come here for a PR. I knew that at one point my body would have to work harder because of the lack of training. I also knew that I wanted to enjoy this race, and not race it. I began to focus more on the experience and of what was around me, instead of on the dreaded distance that lay ahead.

My goal was to remain mentally calm and to walk away from Boston having had the full experience.

At mile 17, which was 1 mile further than I had run since November, I began to really feel the toll of my lack of training. This also happened to be around the time of the hills.

Laura caught up to me around mile 19. I was lost in my own world of thought when I spotted a green shirt speed by me! I picked up my pace to catch her. We chatted for a bit and she relayed that she had been hitting consistent splits. She was totally right - that girl was kicking out each mile at a consistent time! She passed me, looking great, and I held on for a while before losing site to her in the crowds.

Miles 16-20

7:25, 7:49, 7:49, 7:41, 7:52

In the past, Heartbreak Hill had felt easy for me. I thought that I would have no trouble with hills having run TONS of them in DC. But I guess you can't rely on that when you haven't fully trained (30-40 mile weeks just doesn't cut it for me any more). The hills didn't kill me, but I definitely did not enjoy them as much in the past. What I did enjoy, though, was seeing some friends from college (Anna and Will) at the top of Heartbreak! Anyone that is able to get my attention in a race is one good cheerer, so that tells you a little something about their enthusiasm!

Somewhere at this point I stopped looking at my watch. The loud crowds made it difficult to catch each mile. When I did catch it I noticed that I was beginning to slow, and I was OK with that.

Miles 21-23

8:12, 7:43, 7:54

Around miles 23 or 24 of a marathon I tend to go bonkers in my mind. Time slows down and the minutes drag on. Going into the race I knew that I wanted to focus on this section and make some changes. While they happened to be my slowest miles (24 to the end), I can say that my focus on experiencing the race eased my mind and allowed me to have fun. I kept telling myself that when I got my phone back I would get on Facebook and announce that I would be doing no more marathons. I seriously thought it would be my last, so that thought was my motivation to enjoy that time. Instead of counting down how many minutes before I could stop, I used that time to soak in everything.

I finally saw Tom and a high school friend, Kelley, at around 24.8. Again, you have to be good at cheering to grab my attention. They were just what I needed to get up over the hill and get past that darn Citgo sign that normally taunts me about how close I am, yet how so far I am from the finish.

I love the photo burst Tom took. From me in my zone, to then hearing my voice, automatically responding by waving, and then the realization that it was Tom and Kelley!

I haven't mentioned that at this point the crowds were non-stop cheering. They were louder than before, which had always been non-stop cheering as well. There were only a few spots along the entire course when we were left to our own voices, but for the most part, this race was heavily spectated.

Just like in my first Boston experience, it was amazing to turn right and then left onto Boyston at the end. The crowds are amazing and it is a perfect ending to the whole race. What was better was reaching the finish and hearing that Meb had won (I love him!) and that Laura was there! We hugged and celebrated, then got our goods before making our way back.

Miles 24-26

8:03, 7:56, 7:52, 2:33 for last 0.35 (according to Garmin)

Final Time: 3:20:36

The worst part of a marathon for me is the post-marathon walk. My legs cramp up immediately, as does my

gluteus medius. At one point I couldn't walk anymore and sat down to stretch. Laura and I took off our shoes and I discovered two purple toenails, another toenail with a blood blister under it, and big blister under one of my big toes. I had felt them since mile 5 and now knew why. You better believe I wasn't putting those shoes back on and we walked out of the finish and around Boston's streets barefooted. Yes, we got crazy looks from folks, but there are plenty more disgusting things than pavement people!

Laura and I said goodbye and I headed to the family meeting place to meet Tom and a former UVM teammate, Charlie. After changing at our hotel, our other teammate, Doug, joined us for a a Sam Adams 26.2 and a burger at a nearby bar before Tom and I had to jet to the airport (get it?! Jet? Airport?!).

The weekend was truly amazing. We got to meet up with old friends, I got to meet new ones, and the race itself seemed like a celebration for the city.

Oh - and that need to post to Facebook and claim my retirement from marathons? I didn't actually do it when I got back. And what do you know - I have been tempted a few times since to start training again. We'll see what happens in the future, but for now I'm focusing on shorter distances.

A Boston 2014 Reflection

2014-04-27T15:16:00.004-04:00

No race report here. Haven't had enough time. Just standouts from last weekend in my mind.

I remember last April 15th's afternoon quite well. I was about to finish teaching my last class when another teacher came in to ask if I had heard about the Boston finish. I hadn't. He showed me his phone and the headline. An explosion?! What was going on? Were my friends OK? Who would hurt runners and spectators? Why Boston?

I could not stop checking the news that night or the nights that followed. Having run Boston before, this run felt personal. Why did they attack our race? That beautiful city? Those souls?

I went for a run that night. My mind was uneasy. I needed to run because it felt right. It was my way of connecting with the event and to begin to process it. I couldn't control the news that was resulting, but running helped to calm me down. And on that run I knew that I would run Boston in 2014. I knew that I had to be there, to show whoever those people were that committed this act that you can't take us down.

___________

Last Saturday Tom and I stepped off the plane at Logan airport. I was already feeling the excitement from seeing the other runners in the DC airport in their Boston gear. We were a pretty fit flight, and while no one talked to each other about running, we all knew that we were heading in the same place.

As we stepped into the terminal - who did we see? Shalane Flanagan walking in front of us. I turned into a giddy 5 year old seeing the Easter bunny for the first time. We followed her as we made our way to ground transportation. She met up with her escort and made her way to baggage claim. I headed to the bathroom, because, you know, a runner likes to keep hydrated before a race.

While washing my hands I looked over to see Shalane walking up to wash her hands in the sink next to mine. Holy CRAP! Shalane was in the same bathroom as me! Here was my running idol - the woman who I had just watched on 60 minutes the night before. The woman who trained her heart out to win Boston. Right. next. to. me.

I leaned over and whispered, "Good luck on Monday!"

I knew I would never be the person to ask for a photo if I ever met a celebrity. I wouldn't want to start the photo-taking trend, and I wouldn't want to take away from their time. But I did want her to know that I knew who she was and that I was totally cheering for her.

God, I love that woman.

And what a great start to the weekend.

______________

Breakfast: it happens to be my favorite meal of the day. While I hate to miss it to run, I'll sacrifice it to run with a friend. Especially a former teammate.

Tom and I met up with our friend Doug, who has an impressive marathon time of his own (in the 2:20s). Our shakeout run brought us into Boston Commons and to the start line. Even at 8:30am there were plenty of people out there. Again, without talking, all of the runners knew why we were there. There was a special vibe and feeling of energy in the city that morning.

Breakfast after a run is necessary (even if you already had breakfast before). The three of us met up with another UVM Catamount, Aly, who also has her own fantastic marathon time. It was the first time since 2010 that we had caught up and we spent the morning talking running over eggs and french toast.

Now that's my ideal breakfast!

Being back with friends makes breakfast an even better.

______________

Sunday evening I got a message for Laura from Catching My Breath! I've come to know her through blogging and daily mile. We were starting in the same wave and wanted to meet up race morning. How freakin' cool would it be to meet someone I have come to "know" so well on race morning, someone who I had grown to respect and had seen hit PR after PR over the last month?!

_______________

Tom and I left the hotel on Monday and had to walk only 5 minutes before reaching Boston Commons. It was worth the few extra dollars to be that close to the start. It only took three years to figure this out (go with the Courtyard Marriot on Tremont if you plan to run next year!).

Laura said she was on a pink towel. I found her and officially introduced myself to her and three other ladies - Lindsey, Ashley, and Sarah . Here we were! Boston was really happening!

Boarding the bus was easier than in the past. We wanted to stick together and headed to the back of the bus. Rock on back of the bus groupies! Our morning was shared with stories, past races, and strategies for finding a restroom before the start. We discovered what a horrible idea it was to finish drinking our water bottles while still stuck on the bus.

That bus ride was the most fun Boston bus experience I have had to date.

______________

There were many folks already out to cheer us on our walk to the start. While our minds were focused on the possibility of finding a porta-potty, I did take note at who was around us. How could I think every cop? I couldn't. But right now I want to take the time - Thank you to every single person that came out there to support us. We are the crazies that are obsessed with running and you thankfully took the time out of your lives to cheer for us and to protect us. Thank you.

_______________

My goal was to be mentally strong at the end of this race as to not panic. What that actually did was made me live in the moment.

I kept watching the crowds throughout the whole race: looking at all of the faces, watching the moms with the line of kids and leading them in a cheer for the runners. In the last 6 miles of the race I heard tons of people scream "Go PR!" because of the PR that was on the front of my race bib. People were totally there to cheer on the runners. Everyone that had a name on their bib or shirt heard their name the entire race. People wanted to personally cheer us on and wanted us to know that they saw us.

While I ran I watched, and I tried to soak in the entire experience. In my mind, I wanted to be able to relive this memory forever. The support of the crowd was unlike anything I have seen and meant more than before. People were thanking us for running, but I wanted to thank all of them for cheering. I ran because of what Boston had given me in the past. It was my way of thanking the city. Yet, many of the spectators were out there to thank us. Without each other, this event would not be the same.

Boston was the event that brought together millions of people, not just in the city, but around the country and around the world. It was an honor to be part of this experience. I felt humbled. My pain was unlike anything that the victims had gone through. I didn't have any right to complain about sore legs in the days after the race, especially after passing wounded amputee soldiers, or the man who "ran" the whole thing on crutches. We all have our own stories that brought us to that race, but on that morning, we were all running it for the same cause.

This event brought out dedication from many. Many people poured their souls into this race, sweated for months in preparation for it. One horrible act sparked a fire in thousands of individuals that wanted to show that we are, no- Boston, is stronger than that act

When I turned onto Boylston, a place where I normally feel dread, I couldn't help but watch my left side the entire time. Normally in a marathon I dedicate each mile to someone I know. At that moment I realized that I had only dedicated one mile to my mom, and that for some reason I had forgotten to dedicate the rest.

But that was not correct. As I continued running down Boylston I knew who that race was for. That race was for the families of the victims from last year. It was for Krystal, Martin, Lingzi, and Sean. It was for everyone that helped in some way on on April 15th or the days leading after. It was for all of the runners that were there that day, like Shalane, Laura, Doug, and Aly, who had spent months preparing for this day. It was for the people of Boston who came out to support us.

On that day, Boston was Strong.

2014 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Recap

2014-04-16T20:13:00.001-04:00

*Warning* No coach would ever recommend a runner to PR in a race two weeks before running a marathon.

Don't be an idiot. Save your legs.

When I signed up for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in February I did it because I enjoyed the race last year and because I figured that I would use it as a TEMPO. Not a race. I wanted to get a PR or run a 1:09 like last year, but I told myself that I would not take it seriously.

However, when my winter training (or mind?) went to crap, I changed my spring priority race from Boston to the 10 miler. I know Boston will be off from the lack of training, and I wanted to have success somewhere.

It was a risk. I could get hurt. I could waste all my training by peaking at that race and suffer through Boston. And it turns out, that as I write this on the Wednesday before Boston, a full 10 days after the 10 miler, I still feel the effects of the race but am finally optimistic that my body will be ready for Monday.

While it took a week to get the feeling of tennis balls out of my super tight calves (thanks in part to the stupid decision to wear racing flats for the first time), I am super happy with my performance. And just like the Parks Half that I did last year, I was reminded that only my mind is holding me back. I have more to give, and I kicked up my running to a new level last weekend.

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler
Final time: 1:05:47

6:34 minute/mile pace

Tom and I were both signed up for this race. He was on a team for his work and I was racing for the PR Running Race team. I had also just spent 5 days in Boston at a conference, eating out and walking a lot. Neither of us knew what to expect for performances.

Our phone told us it was 33 degrees when we left the house last Sunday, but 39 by the time we made it to the Washington Monument. Fortunately, it was a gorgeous sunny day.

I was feeling hopeful for a good race, considering the "cold" temps actually felt pretty warm. My body was cooperating and my legs felt good.

When the gun went off I knew I was going out too fast. My first mile read a 6:18. Way. Too. Fast. I had thoughts of my 5K from last summer, which started off almost at the same pace. Oops.

I slowed a little for the next mile, but was faster than I planned to run. 6:38. Then a 6:29 for mile 3. After three in a row I knew that was my new pace. I decided to try to hold around 6:30 for the rest of the race. This was a pace that was totally quicker than I expected to be running right now, but it felt right.

I saw Tom once during the race as we headed out toward the Kennedy Center. He was pretty far in front of me and so focused that when I cheered him on I didn't hear his holler back to me for 5 seconds after mine.

Miles 4-7

6:28, 6:32, 6:35, 6:29

This section seemed like a blur to me. It went quick, but I knew it lead to the dreaded Hains Point at mile 6ish. Last year this area was brutally cold, but this year felt better with less wind.

At this point in the race, you tend to stay near the same people. I had apparently been following a guy in a bright yellow shirt the whole time and didn't realize it until I started to catch him. At mile 7 I remembered that I needed to trick my brain into thinking I just started a 3.1 mile race. This made me relax immediately instead of freaking out (which I had been doing) and I began to pass the man. My inner coach instincts kicked in and as I passed him I shared my advice. "We only have a 5k left!"

Why am I being friendly in a race? I think it's because I remembered how much I suffered at that same spot last year. It was horrible and I felt like dying. He didn't look like he was dying, but he was slowing and he admitted to me that he went out too fast. After a few minutes, he caught back up to me and passed me. I wasn't able to catch up to him for the rest of the race, but I was happy to know that he was able to pull himself out of the slump and keep going.

Miles 8-10

6:38, 6:37, 6:42

The wind picked up as we turned back on Hains Point and I could see the top of the Monument. The end was so close! Yet, it was still TWO miles away!!! Those two miles feel like they take the longest, no matter how much I pick up the pace. And while I thought I was picking up the pace, I was only picking up the effort level, which wasn't enough to overcome my slower miles at the end.

My weakness in races has always been my mind as I near the finish. The closer I get, the slower I want to go. Even though I may be able to see the finish, I want to stop. My mind freaks out, causing my body to tense, and I start to feel bad even though I may have been feeling great prior to it. The course signs that counted down the meters left only made it worse. I wanted to stop. I wanted to puke. But I forced myself to keep running though it to get to the finish. Why I can't run faster knowing the end is only 400 meters away, I have no freakin' clue!

For the first time in years, I almost threw up at the finish. I feel bad for the person who tried to tell me good job and patted me on my back as I was trying to keep my breakfast in. That was a poor move on their part but the pat may have actually saved me from tossing my cookies. Thankfully, I felt fine right after.

My time was 4 minutes faster than last year. Tom was also at the finish, finishing 8 minutes faster than me, with a 58:11 and a two minute PR. His team ended up winning for their division, and my PR team came in 3rd for ours.

Post race photo! And evidence that I need a phone upgrade due to the poor quality.

Once again, this was a great race and race atmosphere. The day was gorgeous, the people working the event were well organized, and we had a fun time with friends. It was a great tuneup race to get me in race mode for Monday, even though I totally should NOT have raced it so close to Boston.

Lesson learned.

And PR Earned.

Summer Berry Post-Workout Smoothie

2014-03-15T14:42:00.000-04:00

How many times have I talked about smoothies on this blog? Too many! And yet, I haven't actually posted a recipe of one.

Although the world already has enough smoothie recipes, I'll put up my favorite. In fact, a few weeks ago I was contacted by the editor at Run Washington to be part of an Eat to Run....Run to Eat piece in this month's magazine.

I've had to alter my eating a lot over the last few years. Sometimes it was by choice, sometimes by necessity (no dairy for me!). If I want to run fast, I have to eat well, and I have to be conscious about what I put into my body (but there's still plenty of room for improvement!).

Last summer I always had a smoothie after my workout so I could guarantee that I could run later that afternoon (if I had cross country) or feel good to tackle the next day's workout. I would crave smoothies during my track workouts, and they were the only motivation I had to get me though mile repeats in the 80 degree, humid heat.

The color gets me before the taste does. I fall in love with the deep purple every time. The blueberries are what do it. Go blueberry happy and be sure to add as many as you like!

Summer Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

1 small banana
1 cup vanilla almond milk (light)
1/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 scoop Vega Vanilla protein powder
4 small frozen strawberries

Optional: Spinach or half an avocado (however they'll turn the smoothie into a brownish-purple rather than the one seen above).

Steps:

Place banana and almond milk in blender. If using spinach or avocado, place those in as well. Pulse for a few seconds.
Add protein powder, then blueberries and pineapple. Pulse for 10-15 seconds or until liquefied.
Finally, add the strawberries and pulse on ice mode for a few seconds before switching to regular mode (these are harder on the blender at this point).
Pour and enjoy with a straw!*

*Trust me. You want a straw. Otherwise you'll spend the rest of the morning picking blueberry pieces out of your front teeth.

Boston 2014 Training: Weeks 8-11. February Recap.

2014-03-13T19:20:00.000-04:00

Bahh!!

That's how I feel lately. It's spring (awesome). But spring means outdoor track. Coaching season has begun once again! And since I take my job a little too seriously at times, I've pushed this blog aside to take care of professional duties first.

But alas, I feel the need to update on February. In a nutshell, this was the month in fragment sentences:

Winter. Cold. The Bottom. Frustration. Warm Weekends. Circuits. Yoga. Ex-nay on futture Spring Marathon-nay. Snow Days. 70 degrees. Happy. Cold.

Week 8 Total Mileage: 32 miles

Week 9 Total Mileage: 31 miles

Two days of cross training (weights and yoga)

Week 10 Total Mileage: 49
(Ironically this was the week that 10 inches of snow dumped down on DC and I had snow days).

Week 11 Total Mileage: 38
1 day of Yoga
30 Minutes of a cardio/strength circuit

New Focus

All of this lack of running (I should be running 50-60 mile weeks) left me FRUSTRATED about Boston. I'm at the point that when people ask about Boston I either 1)shake my head and walk off or 2)laugh. I'm definitely going for the experience, but a PR won't be part of it.

However, my attitude is turning around. I'm running the Cherry Blossom 10 miler two weeks before Boston. At first I said I would take it as a training/tempo run, but secretly knew that I'd end up racing it once the race started. Then I realized, hellooooooo - why have a slow, mopey spring when I could actually race this race to see what I'm capable of?!

That revelation was all I needed to turn my mind around and become excited about racing and running again. I am totally in shape for a 10 miler. I'll do a few longer runs for the marathon but this spring's "race" will be the 10 miler with a marathon on the side.

The Winter of Snow Days

2014-03-03T21:21:00.002-05:00

We had snow day #7 today.

That means another day of no running because I'm a wimp.

I have an update for the month of February but need to add a few things and finally press submit.

There's been bad. There's been good. There's been track practices. And there's been snow.

The post will come. Patience.

So will spring.

DC Eats: La Tasca

2014-02-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Holy Smokes - I just discovered a large number of unpublished posts that I wrote LAST SUMMER! Ugh! Why didn't I ever publish? Who knows? Why am I going to publish them now? Who knows?

Let's travel back a few months ago to a hot night in July. It was a friend's birthday. A friend that I've known since elementary school. In fact, we used to be neighbors and did a skit on Dolly and James Madison when I was in 6th grade. She lives just outside of DC so we get to see each other a few times a year. Anyway, her (now) fiance threw together a birthday evening for her at a tapas restaurant in Chinatown, called La Tasca.

I think I had heard mixed things about the place but was so excited to try it out. On that evening, we were able to get unlimited tapas for $35/person. Yes, pricey, but it gave us the ability to fill out bellies with delicious food.

If there's two things you need to know about this place it is that 1) they like their garlic and 2) they like their salt. BIG time.

The first thing I always order at a Spanish restaurant is their croquetas. That allows me to accurately judge each restaurant. La Tasca's were awesome - and a bit different: Chicken and pork croquetas served with a garlic aioli. Not traditional to Spain - but so good nonetheless.

Next: the albondigas. Say it with me - Al- BON-di-gas! These were the beef and pork meatballs. Another winner in my book. I followed these with their pan a la Catalana: an airy bread with a tomato, olive oil, and garlic bread. The menu forgets to mention that SALT is another ingredient in it, as that was the most powerful part of the bread. This was a dish I ordered for breakfast while in Spain, but enjoy it for dinner here. Someone ordered bacon wrapped dates which were good until you were just about finished with it, and then the date TOOK over your mouth and all you could taste was the sweetness of it.

Tom arrived late and was a little daring with his ordering. He got 'pulp a la gallega' which is actually octopus with paprika and potatoes. I ate more of it than he did. The 15 year old version of myself would have been appalled at what I did, but I liked it. My taste buds have become much more adventurous over the years.

Then came the tortilla. I've stopped ordering these at restaurants in the US because they normally aren't that good. However, since we had unlimited tapas, why not try it....

It was seriously the best tortilla I have ever had. I wanted to take a photo, but I wanted to eat it more, and ultimately my tongue won out.

We haven't been been back to La Tasca, but I there is nothing that would stop me from going back. I love living in a diverse city full of different cuisines and originally planned to do more DC Eats posts like these when I moved down, but honestly have enjoyed the food too much to document it.

Another DC Snow Day

2014-02-13T15:23:00.001-05:00

We're on our FIFTH snow day of this winter! I swear - we have had more of them down here in DC than we did in two years of school in Vermont! It's been a crazy (and cold) winter.

Tom woke up excited to get out into the snow. We bundled up and made our way to a local bakery to enjoy warm drinks and a cinnamon bun. Not a lot was open, so the bakery became like a little meeting spot for local folks.

This afternoon we met up with a friend and ran down to the monuments. I knew that friends and monuments would be the only way to get me out the door today. Since the roads were cleaner than the sidewalks, we found ourselves running right in the street at times. Today is probably the only day you can run in the streets near Dupont and NOT get killed by doing so! Few people were out on the roads and the streets were still pretty messy.

It's been interesting to compare the differences in winter storm preparation between DC and VT. While downtown, we saw a parade of 5 dump truck-plows drive by to plow one street. If there's ever a snow warning the sidewalks are coated with salt beforehand. And I mean, absolutely coated to the point where they are now white sidewalks.

Only a few folks had ventured out to the monuments - which made it incredibly peaceful and allowed the guys to have snow ball fights when they pleased.

Wind-Skiing at the Washington Monument. When you don't have hills, you make due with what you've got!

The snow is wet and there's a lot of water on the streets. After getting our shoes wet enough times on the way down we gave up on trying to avoid puddles and began to jump through everything.

Our way back home Rock Creek was a bit more challenging. We had to make our own path at times but it was beautiful nonetheless.

This was EXACTLY the type of run I needed to break away from the mid-winter funk I've felt over the last few weeks. We had fun and got to explore like kids and forget about any training cycle! We're supposed to get a few more inches tonight so who knows what tomorrow's run may bring!

In Brief

2014-02-09T21:12:00.004-05:00

While I had a running-filled weekend with some speedy runners that served as motivation to get my butt in gear, I once again did not have the best week of training. Each time I'm on a run that is not going well I automatically sigh a heavy sigh, knowing that I have to come on here to report another week of (what I think of) failure.

For my own sake, and perhaps yours, as a reader, I decided not to post a weekly recap for this week of Boston training. I'll write again when there is sometime positive to share.

Running Reflections

2014-02-03T18:51:00.000-05:00

In yesterday's post I alluded to me not listening to an ipod when I run. I tried it during my freshman year of college, but became so distracted by the music that I didn't focus on the run at all. For some people, that may be the whole point of using an ipod. It gets you through the miles. I totally get it. But that isn't me.

For me, running is like a form of meditation. I use it to process my day after work and sometimes to prepare for the next. I let my brain wander on the run and am sometimes amazed at what it will bring up.

Like tonight....

It's 37 degrees out, now dark, and damp. When I started my run the weather reminded me of running in Vermont, which is frequently at that temperature and weather conditions. I was reminded of fall days at UVM when I was training for cross country.

That feeling then reminded me of one of my favorite professors, my calculus professor, who I took classes with during my entire first year. I looked forward to his class each day. He made it fun and the class felt like more of a high school class (small enough to joke around and get to know people) with the rigor of a college course.

One fall day, very similar to that of tonight (cold and wet), I had to go to Professor D's office to make up an exam from a class I missed (most likely due to XC). The clouds were covering the sky and when I walked into the math house that was home to his office, it was dark inside with no lights. I wasn't sure if I was in the right spot as no one was there to greet me and there were no signs.

However, I could hear the faint sound of jazz music coming from upstairs. After a couple of moments I realized that Professor D's office must be upstairs, so up I went. As I climbed the stairs of what must have once been some family's house, I became more confident that the jazz music was originating from his room. There was something comforting in finding out that one of the coolest professors at UVM was interested in jazz and that his office was beginning to remind me of Ron Burgundy's "rich mahogany" office.

While there was no leather bound books or mahogany, there was a feeling of intelligence when I walked into his office. It was a place of thinking. Of knowledge. I remember working on my test in the hallway and stopping to ponder what it was like to work in such an environment. At that moment, I realized that Professor D lived the life that I wanted to envision every college professor living. In an office full of books, dark enough to hide from the outside world, but unique enough to elicit great thoughts.

After reliving this memory in my head tonight, I thought of the man, Professor D. He was so personable and accommodating, especially when my mom got sick the following spring. To this day, I randomly think of him, and wonder how he's doing. I haven't spoken to him since my sophomore year of college, but find it amazing how one person can touch another's life and make a lasting thought.

I'm not sure why I've held on to the memory of that fall day or why it even means so much, but I do know that there's no way my mind would have remembered it tonight had I been blasting Katy Perry on my run.

In our age of constant entertainment and technology bombardment, I take relief knowing that I can go out for a run and give my mind a break. I don't think we give our minds as much freedom to think and process as we should do.

Some people ask why I run and there are many reasons: to stay in shape, to see how fast I can run, to challenge myself, to learn more about myself. I also say that I run to remember. I run to reflect. I run to process my day. And perhaps, what all of this running does, is keep me a little more sane. A little more grateful for the things I have in my life.

How I D-Y-I-ed Christmas

2014-02-03T05:35:00.000-05:00

I totally understand that Christmas happened well over a month ago and that it seems a little silly to post this, but I wanted to share some of the DIY gifts I made this year. .

Personally, I love homemade gifts more so than the store bought one. I would rather receive a gift that was made from the heart rather that a fancy-schmancy $100 gift. They also tend to be a lot of fun to make!

Last summer I started canning. My purpose was to give out the can as Christmas gifts. Guess who totally forgot to bring them up to VT with her? This girl. To quote Homer Simpson: "D'Oh!"

For the ladies on my list, I made soaps and lotion bars. So easy and quick to make!

For my brother, I downloaded Instagram photos of his motorcycle and of the truck he restored last year and had them printed on photo paper. I used decoupage to put them onto tiles, sprayed them with an acrylic sealer, and vwa-lah - had creative coasters! PS. My bro takes that absolute best photos on Instagram. He really knows how to set up a shot.

My final homemade gift was a simple, clay ornament with the initial of the recipient. Of course, I totally did not take a photo (that would have been the smart thing to do), but if you're interested in them, check out the website I used for inspiration. I bought white, air-dry clay at Michael's, some red ribbon to hang them, and used letterpressed cookie cutters to cut and press the cookies. After a little sanding, they were ready to go.

Boston 2014 Training: Week 7 Recap

2014-02-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

This training cycle feels so different from the last two cycles, so much so, that I don't actually feel like I'm training for something.

I absolutely love summer running. Give me 90 degree running weather any day over 30 degree weather. I'm serious. Training in winter is absolute torture for me. I have only done 1 track workout, and haven't gotten in over 40 miles for a week yet.

The worst part about this training cycle is that my heart isn't in it. It hasn't been from the start. There are days when I just can't talk myself into getting out the door. Maybe I need a training buddy. When I lived in Vermont I almost always had a weekly run with a friend or two during the winter. I couldn't stay home. I had to go run. We had made plans and those plans got me out the door on Sunday mornings or cold nights. And I always had fun on them. Running with a friend was the only way I seem to tolerate winter.

On Thursday of this week I had a bad run. Mentally, it was the worse since college. I kept thinking of Jerry's (from Ben and Jerry) quote, "If it's not fun, why do it?" I was not having fun. In fact, it felt as bad as the day I quit track my sophomore year. I vowed not to go out the door unless I knew there was a chance I would enjoy the run. It was in the 20's, the wind was blowing, and I hated every moment.

The next night I went out. And it was 10 degrees warmer. And I enjoyed it slightly more. And right now it is 56 degrees. Today was so much better than Thursday all around. I love running, but only when I want to do it.

Total Weekly Mileage: 38 miles

Monday: 40 minutes circuit videos and 1.2 mile run
The morning started off gorgeous (goodbye gloves and mittens) but it was drastically colder when I got home. I stayed inside and did two videos: a dance video for a cardio warm up and then a 30 minute circuit training video. After that, I made my wobbly body go for a brief run.

Tuesday: Day off. It was 17 degrees, not including the windchill. You know the drill.

Wednesday: Day off. Too busy at work and didn't get home until 7:30.

Thursday: 7 miles at 7:18 pace
Started out fine. Even raced with a guy who left at the same time as me (I lost him at some point), but when I got to the 3 mile mark my mind gave up. I was done with running.

Friday: 7 miles at 7:43 pace
Warmer weather (30's) made it bearable. Took it slower and it felt like torture. I know I need to run slower on easy days. But get this - I actually fell! I tripped over my own feet because I was too slow in the beginning. GAH! I got super excited at one point because I could actually smell MUD! I didn't realize that I actually haven't smelled anything on a run in months thanks to the coldness. Bring on spring and the blossoms!

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:33 pace
Sun! Warmth! A happier run this time.

Sunday: 14.3 miles at 8:12 pace
Ran the same route I tried out a couple weekends back and was constantly reminded of all of the past springs when I was training for track or for Boston. Snow was on the ground but it was warm enough (56) to go in a t-shirt. I enjoyed this run much more than Thursday's, especially when I got to pockets of warm air.

__________________

Some random thoughts from today's run:

I discovered that I really don't like seeing runners with ipods. I don't know why it bothers me so much. Something about them being tangled in the wires and having to carry something around with them. You might be able to guess that I don't own a portable music-playing device. Running is about freedom for me.
People who have more spring in their step than movement forward make me tired to watch.
I actually get a pain in my stomach when I see someone running to catch a city bus. I have to turn away when I know that they aren't going to get it. I hate to see the look of failure on their face, especially when they put in so much effort to run after it.
Every time I run by a squirrel I am afraid it is going to run in the road and get hit by a car - all because of me. Thankfully, it hasn't happened yet (*knockonwood*).
Every day I count how many Punch Buggies I see while running. I got up to 4 today, which is pretty low considering I ran 14 miles. Normally I come back and try to punch Tom but he argues that he has to be with me at the time in order for them to count.

Winter Wonderland

2014-02-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

I frequently take photos wherever I go, but neglect to ever do anything with them. I always plan to put them up on the blog or to make a yearly book of photos with blurb.com, but never do it.

Before we get into spring, I thought it best to take a few moments to share photos I took while in Vermont for Christmas.

My brother had recently bought a new camera and we both wanted to capture the beautify that ice storm left on my dad's property. We went out each day to capture some shots, but the camera never did quite capture the full extent of what our eyes saw.

(Side note: we grew up on 40 acres of land and each time I go back home I love to walk around it. Be prepared for a photo overload!)

A cold Christmas morning

Blue skies

Twists and tuns. Everything frozen in place

The weeds and remaining plants were bent into ice-covered arches. It felt like we were entering a magical world as we made our way up to the top hill.

Pines drooped with the weight of the ice. Birch trees bent over, not able to hold themselves up.

Smash game: Jump onto the weeds and watch them break. Try to capture it on camera. After 5 attempts, this is the best we got.

Our snow-covered driveway

As I snapped this shot a pine branch behind me broke and fell. I caught the last second of it reaching the ground, but my brother managed to catch the whole thing with his camera. The weight of the snow brought many trees down that week.

A winter wonderland

While I packed up the car, nature gave me one more thing to be thankful for.

Some wonder why people would choose to live in such a cold climate. It is the winter days like these that makes one appreciate our world.

Boston 2014: Week 6 Training

2014-01-26T16:10:00.002-05:00

When we moved to DC a year and a half ago everyone told me that the summers down here were going to be crazy hot. They also said that I would enjoy the winters a little more because they wouldn't be as cold.

And I was silly enough to believe every bit of what they said.

Last Monday it was a beautiful 54 degrees down here (awesome). The next day we got 4 inches of snow, two snow days (from school) in a row, and brutally cold temps in the teens and twenties for the rest of the week. Vermont winter weather found its way down here.

Total Weekly Mileage: 38

Monday: 6.35 miles at 7:50 pace
We had a mini teaser of spring which made me excited to go on a run for once. I hit up a route I don't often run on and it was full of other runners enjoying the weather. It made me realize how I need to do a run down by the monuments or by Arlington Cemetery at some point. We've been here long enough and I still haven't done it!

Tuesday: 8 mile Tempo at 7:10 pace
I woke up early even though we had a snow day and got outside before the snow actually started falling. It was windy, but I knew that the run needed to be done. The run felt decent and running at this pace doesn't require as much effort as it used to.

I'm supposed to be following the Hanson plan which requires track work on Tuesdays, but I've only done it ONCE during the last 6 weeks. Track work is crucial, even for marathon training. This I do know. But it's the last thing I want to do on a windy, cold day. Therefore, I often tempo it up if I can't do a track workout, and try to throw in a few minutes of harder running here and there.

Wednesday: Off. Snow day!

Thursday: 6 miles at 7:44 pace
Today should have been a tempo day or at least a day filled with more miles. But it was 19 degrees with a windchill making it 5 degrees out. I got home while the sun was still up and didn't waste any time changing into my running clothes. Normally I stay inside when I see temperatures like that but apparently the inner Vermonter wanted a challenge and wanted to go outside. Runs like these make me think I'm really crazy.

But I discovered the secret to cold-winter running that I had neglected while I've been down here. Dress in layers. Many layers. I had two long sleeve shirts (with wicking fabric) and my two running jackets on. I had spandex on which were covered by another pair of running pants. Sub-20 degree temps are the only time I wear hats, and this time I added the hood of my jacket on top to keep out the wind.

I was toasty. I was comfortable. I didn't mind the cold at all. Dare I say that I had fun out there?! A British woman called me a "hard core runner" as we waited at an intersection. I just call myself crazy. I came home happy to have gotten the miles in, without having to go to the gym, and without complaining to myself like I normally do.

Friday: Off.
A dinner party meant no time for running.
Dinner with awesome co-workers > winter running. By a long shot

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:40 pace
Another cold day (29 degrees). Nothing to report except that a weird leg pain that I've had for 3 weeks was bothering me before the run and didn't seem to get better with the run (like it usually does). My body feels out of whack, like I'm pinching a nerve or something. I've considered going to the docs, but I know that the first question would be, "have you iced?" I think living in my apartment is the equivalent of icing. I'm cold enough without needing an ice pack!

Sunday: 10 miles at 8:02 pace
Weekend running is so much more enjoyable because the sun is up. I also get to procrastinate all day before finally going outside. Felt comfortable on the run but had to keep reminding myself that Sundays are for slow running.

____________________

The goal for the coming week is to foam roll every day. Maybe that will help with the leg pain.

The second goal is to do arm workouts on Monday and Wednesday.

Third goal: quit being a baby. Get out and run.

Boston 2014: Week 5 Training

2014-01-20T15:59:00.000-05:00

It seems like I'm starting to get in the groove of training. Only problem? Sickness! It's winter and I work in a school. While I haven't gotten a full-on cold *knockonwood* I was fighting off getting one the whole week. Headaches, sniffles, all that jazz. Running probably helped keep it away but it also made me tired. Fortunately, by Sunday I was feeling back to normal and ready for the long run.

Total Weekly Miles: 38

Monday: 6 miles at 7:34 pace
I finally was excited to get out running today because it was 57 degrees! Hello shorts and a speedy night run!

Tuesday: Off.
I didn't feel like running. Sometimes you have days where you know it isn't going to work and today was one of them.

Wednesday: 7.5 miles at 7:40 pace
Went out thinking I was going to be running a tempo run, but my body refused to cooperate. This was when I realized I was fighting off the cold. I had a headache all day and the first two miles were torture. But I talked myself out of turning back when I started thinking of all of the bloggers I follow. Thinking of all of their accomplishments over the years inspired me to keep running. There have been too many times where I've felt like crap on a run only to turn it completely around a few miles later. And that's exactly what happened.

At miles 4 things were going great and I had forgotten about the first two miles. But I started to have to go pee and to go pee badly! This run, which was supposed to be a tempo run, morphed itself into a mental training run - which is probably just as important as a tempo run. After all, it is your brain that will give up before your body does! Fortunately, I made it home in one piece but opted not to do the additional 1/2 mile that would have brought the daily total to 8.

Thursday: 6 miles at 7:02 pace
Right before I left for this run I noticed a dollar bill peeking out from under my orthotic in my shoe. I took out the orthotic to find 3 more dollars! I had forgotten that I had put them in there the night before NYC and they've gone on every run with me since! (I usually pack a few dollars when I run a marathon just in case something prevents me from finishing).

Once again, I tried to do a tempo run on this night. If I'm lucky I can do tempo runs up and down my streeet and barely hit any red lights. My speed will be at the perfect pace that will allow me to run through every intersection. This was not the case today. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I hit a red-light at every or every-other light.

The purpose of a tempo is to run at that pace for a sustained amount of time. Since that wasn't going to be possible, I changed my workout to an interval workout, running at 400m pace between each stop light. I had two miles of warm up pace before I started the workout, and finished without a cool down (yeah - not the best choice). I was super pleased because I made it back into my apartment with one minute to spare before the start of a webinar that I had to be on!

Friday: Off.
My body was done after the workweek. Even though I changed into my running clothes when I got home, I could not force myself to get out of the door.

The solution? We went to a UVM alumni gathering and then hit up DC Pho in Chinatown for some amazingness. They have my favorite Pho of DC and it was the perfect dinner to combat the cold.

Saturday: 6 miles for Meg at 7:23 pace
Today's word is wind. Wind that blows so hard that it takes away your breath. Wind that blows against you for the first 3 miles of your run. Wind that then blows with you for the last 3, making you run a negative split. Wind that only comes in winter and brings coldness down from the north. Wind that makes you want to get the run over as quick as possible so you can go back inside and warm up.

Yet while there was wind, I didn't complain. I ran the miles for Meg and her family and thought of them throughout my run. It is always unfortunate to hear of a life being taken so soon, and even worse when it is due to drunk driving.

Sunday: 12 miles at 8:11 pace
I had a super sunny start to this run which was a relief compared to Saturday's windy run. I explored a new area of town to change up the scenery which eventually led to one of my regular running routes. It was so nice to escape cars and traffic for a while and only be with runners and bikers. This ended up being the longest long run since NYC and my body was happy the whole time.

_______________________

I am cautiously optimistic that I have still retained some of my fitness from the fall and am not feeling horrible lately on my runs. While last week was a positive week compared to the one before, I'm still not near my ideal weekly mileage goal. Looking ahead at the weather forecasts for this week only makes me sad: snow and 20 degree temperatures. It might be time for me to suck it up and go to a gym for the week to make sure my butt keeps running!