Run like the wind! Or at least into the wind.

Saturday was The Wall 30k, traditionally held three weeks before the Mardi Gras Marathon (now the RnR New Orleans marathon).
This was also my virtual run for Sherry - although sadly, her bib barely made it, after being battered with wind for 18 miles. 
As I TMI shared, there was a complicating factor to this race...major GI distress. I don't know what's up with my stomach, but I am still feeling bleah! So rather than choose one of my three options, I decided to run by effort and tummy.

View of the river from the course

I jogged to the start - the race moved from ugly and awful Destrehan to the Audubon fly, slightly over 1.5 miles from my house - and ran into my friends Celeste and Jill, both fast girls. Celeste and I have run together before, but she's generally a lot faster for me.
Even on the jog over, I was noticing the heavy winds. Once the race started, I realized just how tough this run would be. The course is an out-and-back on the top of the levee. The levee is the windiest place in the city: it's elevated and it's on the water. In Saturday's gusts, it was unbelievable! We had a headwind at first, and I was glad - it meant a tail wind on the return.
There was a 10k and a 30k option for the race, and once the 10k turned around, the race thinned. I realized I wasn't close enough to any pack of runners to draft. I made a move around mile 5 or 6 to try to join two guys ahead of me and share drafting duty. Unfortunately, right about then they spread out and I never could catch either one (except I did on the back half, when it didn't matter anymore). So I ended up by myself in crazy wind. I can't describe the misery, but my splits tell the story: they vary from 6:56 to 7:36! A spectator told me I was lead female at mile 7ish. I pushed into the wind, because I didn't know who was behind me. I was trying to tire the competition out early and take it easy in the tail wind on the way back. My thinking was that if I built up enough of a lead early on, it would be too difficult for anyone to overcome that later.
Near the turn around I verified I was lead female, and I also saw a quite large group a minute or two behind me: Celeste was leading. I made a mental note not to let them creep up later on!
Miles 7.5-9.3 were a terribly windy section that really made it hard to even stay upright, so I knew I'd get a big break after I turned around and got a tail wind. Sure enough, parts of the return leg were a lot easier. However, there was a section at miles 13-14 that became very gusty and turned into a headwind again. That was the toughest section to me, although my splits weren't terrible.  I felt ok (thank God my tummy was relatively calm, so glad I had that Imodium in the medicine cabinet), but I will say that fighting the wind is exhausting. You pour in so much energy that you're just plain tired. It was hard to recover from that, but my strategy worked: no one gained on me after the turn around.
At mile 16, I did pass one runner, one of the guys I'd tried to join earlier on. By now I was back in a very familiar area: this section of the levee is a section I run as part of my regular ten-mile loop. I felt like I was "home" and sped up. My speed was also helped because for the last mile, the path dips off the levee to street level, and is shielded by office buildings (actually, where my husband works!). It was a blessed break from the wind off the river. I knew I'd run a negative split - there was no other option thanks to the wind - and my last two miles were 6:59 and 6:56. In no time, I was in sight of the finish, and finally that run was over! My time was 2:13:30 gun.

Yay! Finish line!

Thoughts from The Wall:
- I saw many people in the back of the pack struggling. I kept thinking, that was me two years ago! I wanted to stop and tell them, keep at it! Running gets easier, I promise!
- Wearing head phones when it's windy is pointless. You can't hear a thing.
- I did two gels for that distance and it worked well. This was also my first time trying Hammer gel; I liked that it was less sweet and I handled it well given my upset stomach. Plus, Hammers are really cheap!
- I thought about everything under the sun to distract myself from thinking about my stomach.
- I am a little disappointed in my pace - around 7:08 Garmin pace - because I think my 30k pace should be faster than that. But factoring in the wind I'm not that upset.
- I do not actually know what one is supposed to do with a finish line tape. Slow down? Ram into it full speed? Move ones arms out of the way? Luckily no one caught the awkwardness on camera.
- I like that I've been winning clothes! Winners got plaques and shorts. Unfortunately the shorts are quite large and a weird high-cut style, but it's still a nice idea.
- Nothing tastes better after a long run than beer and king cake.

How I train: Racing

Day three of how I train...
Today let's talk about races. After all, they're kind of why I run.


Races: I run a lot of races because they give me a goal to work for. Who cares if that makes me a moron. I like to schedule them close enough together that I don't have to start training all over again and I've always run better at my second race.
I feel like full marathons are my best distance, but I don't know if that is really true since I almost never run any other distances. I will do the occasional half, but short distances don't appeal to me. I know I am definitely a distance type because I generally underperform at short distances. For example, I have never run a 5k under 21 minutes! (Edit - have run under 20 now). And not for lack of trying, either! I've noticed that if I use the Mcmillan calculator to estimate my race times, I will always outperform at the marathon distance and underperform at shorter distances.  Meanwhile, if I attempt to do speed work at my extrapolated "5k pace" or "2 mile pace" I struggle to complete the workouts.

Training plans: I am not good at following training plans. I prefer, instead, to stay at half-marathon shape all the time, and build up to a marathon over the course of 4 to 6 weeks. However, I do usually use a training plan as a general guide, although I often jump in half-way through. I used training plans for my first two marathons, and they were not tough enough. They didn't challenge me, and they didn't have enough long runs or mid-distance runs. This is probably because they were beginner's plans and just had too much time off.

Sorry. I doodle a lot.

This is a plan I downloaded for the Louisiana marathon and sorry, I don't remember where from. As you can see, this one I started at week 7, since it actually included THREE marathons - two of my three 20+ milers were replaced by marathons. I did a lot of hand-correcting, and I was very liberal with this plan - it called for very high mileage (including a 28 mile run) and I cut almost every week down. Then I lost it completely around Christmas, when my husband took over my desk to put up my new computer, and it just resurfaced in a stack of files yesterday. Lot of good that did.

Recovery: After a long or hot run, I love love love club soda. Club soda and eggs are all I want. I actually rarely have carbs after a race or run - unless it is race beer, which is a good club soda substitute - but sometimes I will make toast to soak up egg yolks or put scrambled eggs in a tortilla. I don't do anything specific for my muscles to recover; I do like to walk around a lot the same day to shake out any stiffness. I am rarely sore after a race - or ever, really. I don't take days off after a race - I get out and run the next day. Like I said, not a fan of days off.
When I was a jogger I ate what people told me to eat (carbs), but now I eat what I crave.

Marathons: I have done ten marathons, and I don't claim to be an expert. But here's a general idea of how I run a marathon.
For training, like I said, I jump in in the middle. I stay ready to do 13 on any given day, so generally my first long run will be 16 miles. I might do one, two, or three 20's and kind of decrease mileage the week leading up to the race.
I have the very worst race preparation ever known to man and I've pretty much just assumed that something will go wrong pre-race. I will have a dinner of hot wings and wine, have the busiest 9-hour work day of my life the day before, stay overnight with friends who never go to sleep, be late to the start, have a dead ipod or watch, whatever. Not one single race has started out well, and that's just my life. Like I said, it's complicated.
Race morning I give myself two hours to get up, have a little oatmeal, get ready, go to the bathroom, and make it to the start. I don't warm up before the race because I just don't know how. I heard someone last week say they were going to "stride it out" before the race and I had no idea what she was talking about.  I bring music since I think having a beat helps me in later miles, although I'm happy to talk to other runners until I start feeling like a pile of crap.
I would love to say that I pace well and negative-split, but I'll be honest here. I've never negative split in my life. I start too fast and those last miles hurt! (Oddly, miles 20 - 26 are my favorites. I feel like I'm almost home and it's mentally easier for me than, say, mile 16 or 18). Once in awhile I hit the wall - twice this season - but I am ok with that. As long as I started adding glucose early enough, I can push through it.
I am a big fan of cheering others on the course. Anyone out there is working hard and could use the encouragement, and it distracts me a little! So I'm pretty generous with the clapping, high-fives, and shouted encouragement. I always talk to people I pass, too, if it's a spread-out race: I'll tell them they look good, hold the pace, etc. I feel kind of mean and guilty passing people! Is that normal?!
Another distractor, besides cheering others on, is running tangents. I am a very good tangent runner and rarely go much over the race distance by Garmin (even in large RnR races I will be at 26.3 max). Tangents are like a game: I will think, "See that corner up there? Run a straight line to it". Then I reach the corner and pick the next object to make the shortest line.
When I get to mile 25 I always tell myself I will sprint and I never do. I am too exhausted. But those last fractions I'll hit it!


So what tricks do I have for successful marathons? 
- Well, the biggest change I've made is having confidence going in. I literally cried after my first marathon, I was so miserable. I was slow, injured, and in agony. That didn't help me much going into marathon number two! But as time goes on and I have more races under my belt, I know what's coming and I can judge my own fitness for the distance. I am a very reasonably confident person. That is, I'm good at knowing what I can and can't do and being quite confident about it. I usually call my races like pool: I can tell you the night before that I will run a 3:15 or a 3:30. When I hit the tough later miles, I remind myself that I am in the shape to run a 3:30 marathon, and it is well within my ability. I reason myself out of the low-glucose panic that can set it around mile 18.
- I've gotten better at fueling. This is entirely a personal thing, so do what you have to do to stay fueled! But I will tell you two things that have helped me:
1. I underfuel for regular long runs. This is partly because I'm cheap and Gu is pricey, and partly to encourage my body to convert fat to fuel in an attempt to go longer on a tank of energy on race day. And to get rid of my Armenian butt (it's not working).
2. I follow a set-in-stone fueling rule during races: If I'm between miles 13 and 22 and I feel a surge of energy, I immediately take some fuel. I know that this is a sign that I've moved from blood glucose to secondary sources of fuel like muscle glycogen, and while I feel good now, I'll crash soon if I don't supplement. This usually hits at mile 16 or 18 for me. Last race I couldn't stomach the gel I took at this point - it nauseated me immensely - and sure enough, I hit the wall.
- I start in the right corral. Like I said, I have a lot of confidence in both what I can and what I can't do, and one thing I can't do is conserve energy while passing slower runners. I get caught up in bunny-hopping and the next thing you know, my first mile was a 6:42 and I ran a good bit over 1 mile to get around people. All my bad races were ones in which I started too far back. The corrals are there for a reason, and being correctly corralled at the start is safer, faster, smarter, and more polite to other runners.
- I set a general finish time or pace goal. No more of this, "I just want to finish" crap. And you know what? It is crap. If you set that as your goal, well, then you can do better than that. You trained hard for your marathon, and you know how you're doing. Set a reasonable goal and work for it. ANYONE can "just finish" a marathon. Challenge yourself to a goal, work for it, and beat it at your next race!


Tomorrow we wrap up with some odds and ends and the mental aspect of training.
And then this weekend I will get to some questions!

Into single digits!

3:09:36. Today I ran in the "3's and single digits" for the first time!

And I won one of their art prints. I kind of like it, except for the purple pelican. 

Old Man River Half Marathon

In pictures...

At the start - 5k and half marathoners starting together made for a slightly crowded start

I tried not to start out too fast since the 5k crowd was pushing the pace. I kind of felt crappy for this race - cold and hungry and tired.

I ran with my (much faster) friend Celeste for the first 8 miles.

 Celeste's last half marathon was a 1:29, so she was kindly holding back and sticking by me early on. I lost her at a water stop and she ended up finishing ten seconds ahead of me in 1:30:16, which is slow for her!

Quite possibly the worst finish line picture ever! 

I finished in 1:30:26, a PR and first in my age group. Celeste was first in her age group, too!
My revolting face should tell you that this wasn't just an easy run for me. You know how some days just aren't your day? I felt like that. Cold, hungry, grumpy, etc. And my cute Santa socks let my feet slide around like crazy, so I could feel blisters forming on the tips of my toes.
Total let-down: there was nothing at the finish but bananas and oranges (I hate bananas and oranges are too hard to eat) and I was starving. This was big for a local race - 900 people - so I thought that was odd. And last year they had a pancake breakfast!

This was a good race for me to get under my belt because I have never run a long distance under 7 min/mi pace. That seems too fast for me - it's all mental - and it's good just to have done it once so I can get over that mental barrier.
Do you have running mental barriers, too? Like, "I'll never break a 2 hour half" or "I couldn't run double digits" or "Girls don't run sub-20 min 5ks"? For me it's seeing a pace under 7 - scares me! What's yours?

Running the extra mile: Baton Rouge Beach Marathon recap

This weekend was another PR for me, 3:22:18, which I am happy with. This is the first time I've run marathons back to back weekends, and the course was slightly (mildly) hilly. And that time is for 27.2 miles!
As you probably assumed from my last post, I got off course during this race. I'm not going to go into details, but let's just say I need to be more observant ... and police directing traffic are not course officials, so don't ask them for directions!
But the extra distance and messed up time, although not thrilling, doesn't really bother me. Remember, this race simply took the place of a long run, and I am very happy with my time and pacing for the race. My overall pace was 7:26 min/miles for all 27, but if you exclude the slow mile when I was lost and back-tracked (I stopped, looked around, asked directions, etc) my pace would have been 7:23. 
And even with that slow mile, I hit 26.2 at 3:14:38!
So, while I would like to be able to claim a 3:15 PR, I am more just delighted to know that I have the ability to run a 3:15 - or faster. 

Yes, I am totally showing this picture to PROVE I can run a marathon under 3:15; I am pretending I don't really care but obviously I do, LOL!

I spent the night before the race at a friend's house. BIG MISTAKE. His housemates didn't leave the house to "go out"* until 1 am, and since I had the couch, I had to stay awake. I finally turned out the lights, but I was miserable thanks to allergies. They have two dogs and I was having a very bad reaction to them, worse than usual. I was tired and slept anyway - until 3 am when housemates returned, flipping on lights and making horrific noise. They didn't head to bed until 4, and I got some fitful sleep, but my alarm was at 5 am so I was back up in no time. I was SO exhausted and my eyes and face were itchy and puffy with allergies.

This picture was actually taken AFTER I got lost and got back on course: almost finished!  Look at how pretty is was!

I took a shuttle to the start, hit the port-a-potties, and chatted with some runners in my Monday track group who were doing the half. We started on time and I immediately noticed the rolling hills - I run in such flat conditions normally that the even minimal hills were noticeable.
The miles just flew by this race. I ran the first 6 right around 7:25's, and I reasoned I could shoot for a 7:30 pace or maybe a 3:15 race, depending on how I felt after the half. The course is a double loop, so we actually passed the finish line at the half. I cheered on the runners I knew, who finished just seconds before I crossed the half mark. I still felt just fine, so I decided to run 7:25's until mile 20, then speed up a little. I actually ran the next 7 miles under 7:25, and although I felt great, it was after 20 that I got lost. That was an awful feeling. My stomach dropped when I realized I didn't recognize the route and I would have to turn around! When I got back on course I had to pass two women I'd passed many miles before, and I admit my attitude sucked a little at this point. Knowing you are a full mile behind is so draining! Plus I took my last Gu at mile 20 - ok if you have 6 miles to go, but not really enough for 7!
Nonetheless I kept trucking - my pace for the last few miles was slower than I'd like, about 7:30 to 7:50, but I hit 26.2 in under 3:15, proving I CAN run that pace! After I finished, other finishers crowded around me. I had passed them and then suddenly vanished! And they wanted to know what happened. Let's just say it gave me plenty to talk about!

What was awesome: This pace didn't hurt or feel difficult, even with mild hills and slightly warmer temps than ideal (although it seemed like the North Pole compared to last week's inferno). I loved this race, and I enjoyed myself.
What sucked: It is a huge demotivation to go off course. I usually enjoy the final miles of a marathon - I'm almost done, it's fun to cheer other runners on, spectators are very encouraging. But this time my heart was not in it. I actually considered dropping out when I saw I was a mile behind.

I stayed long enough after finishing to get my age group award - first - and see that I was third overall. The post-race party was awesome, so I enjoyed that, but I missed my hubby and headed home after a little while.
Time aside, I loved this race. It ranks right up there with the best and I can't wait to review it. I had the best time and made some friends!

Question for you: have you ever run off course? If not, please lie and say you did so that I will feel better about my imbecility.
*What does this term even mean? It distresses me.

I beat an Olympian

I suppose you read all my griping yesterday. I was griping because the Mississippi Coast Marathon sucked. It really did. In fact I strongly dislike that race, so someone PLEASE remind me of that next year so I don't foolishly sign up again. I know it's only $35. It's $35 I could have used to buy, like 10 pairs of shoes at the Salvation Army.
So anyway, recap time. As you know, I ended up running this hot, muggy, windy race with no Garmin or watch. Soon after we started, I asked some of the other marathoners their goal pace. I was hoping to find someone to pace me...and keep me company in the boredom. Unfortunately, there was a pretty large pack hoping to run a 3:15 and two guys shooting for 3:30. This was a training run for me, but I didn't want to hit the wall, so I knew I couldn't do 3:15. I considered hanging with the 3:30 pair, but they almost immediately joined the 3:15 group. So I had no pacer - or much-needed company!

I was trying to look cute for the camera - this is at the finish - but my hair was soggy and blowing in my face. Notice the car sharing the road with me back there...totally tried to PASS ME as I headed into the finish. So dangerous. 

For me, this race felt like it was three distinct phases.
Phase one was miles 1 - 10. I felt uncomfortably warm, but I was resigned. The pack hadn't thinned too much, and there were people around me to talk to. I realized I wouldn't have any time for this race and kept reminding myself that it was just another long run.
I kept the 3:15 group in distant sight. They swelled to about 15 people and were drafting each other in the wind. I had expected the warm, muggy weather, but the wind surprised me. It was shockingly strong! I was blowing all over! I wished I could keep up with the faster crowd for some wind protection, but I knew it would be foolish and I'd pay later on. In fact, first one, and then the other of the "3:30" fellows fell back and I passed them. They did not make their goal.
 This part of the race felt like a warm summer mid-distance run: the kind you know you have to fit in, but that you wish you didn't have to run.
Phase two was definitely the toughest part. It was miles 11 - 20. Around mile 11, the heat started to feel very oppressive and the wind picked up. I was struggling to make headway and couldn't hear my ipod. The group in front of me splintered in front of my eyes, and suddenly there was just a line of single file runners trying to keep going in the warm, moist wind. I could feel myself slowing down. I was disgustingly sweaty and the wind was blowing my hair all over. I redid my bun (FYI I always wear a tight bun to run and it has never, ever come undone!). I was annoyed at the very dilute Gatorade and the lack of company (I passed a few runners who had been in the larger group ahead of me, but they were in no mood to talk!). After the half marathoners split off, I was almost totally alone.There was a turn around and water stop at mile 19 and I caught up to another runner there. He was feeling bad, and I told him I was, too. "I want to drop out at 20," I dramatized (I wasn't really going to do that, I mean how would I get back?!). He encouraged me to try to hit 8 min/mi and finish the race. I was happy to have his company, but unfortunately he was fading fast and I had to leave him. But I thanked him for his encouragement and wished him luck (he eventually finished maybe 6 minutes behind me).
This part of the race was mentally very challenging. I felt like I was futilely fighting the wind for a race that I didn't even have a clock for. It is also tough to be on a boring course with basically no company.
Phase three was the tail end and it got easier. After the little turn-around, nearing mile 20, I started to see other runners. I LOVE seeing other people at turn arounds and I talked to all of them! I was pretty sure at this point that I was the first female - I had passed most of the other women I'd seen in front of me and they were all running the half anyway. I had seen one or two faster ladies far in the front but they were doing the half, too. I made sure I cheered the other ladies I saw at the turn around, and I high-fived the second female. The distraction of other runners kept me going for the mile overlap until the course turned off and I was by myself again. However, even though this turn put me back into a headwind, it seemed like the weather had eased up a little. The impending rain had lowered the temps a tad, and the wind was less gusty. I kind of got my second wind. I passed some half-marathon walkers and one lady cheered for me - when I passed her I saw that she was like 8 months preggo! I cheered back! I had to stop once during this part to retie my shoe - how aggravating - but I didn't feel stiff when I restarted. I finally neared the finish and saw the lone clock on the course, at mile 26 (which I think is completely useless). I was shocked to see time in the 3:23 range - the wind had made me feel like I was barely moving, so I thought I was at 3:35 or 3:30 if I was lucky.
This part of the race felt easy mentally and physically, if only because I knew I'd be done soon.

Checking out the clock at the finish!

I saw David as I neared the finish line and I made sure to smile for his camera. As I neared the end someone called out, "You're fifth overall!" and I was much happier about that than the first female part - there were not too many women so I wasn't very excited about that.
After finishing, I gave David a sweaty kiss and sent him grocery shopping while I waited for my award (heck yeah I wanted my first place plaque!). I clapped for other finishers, including an older guy ROCKING a 3:37 finish. Guess what? Turns out he is 60 years old, and he's Benji Durden, a former Olympian. WHAT THE. If I'd known that at the time I would have had him sign my race number!
Turns out the "3:15" group turned into the "3:22" group thanks to the weather, so I probably could have hung on with them.
I waited for David, got my award, and stayed long enough to administer first aid to another finisher. But that story belongs in my "Gripes about the Mississippi Coast Marathon" post, which is still to come.

Oh my gosh the sweatiness. The guy behind me is the runner I talked to at the mile 19 water stop.

Overall, although this was a rough race, I feel like I could get a 3:20 marathon in better conditions or even just with a watch! I felt fine at the finish, no stomach upset, soreness, or pain, and I went running the next day and felt completely fresh. Now the question is - should I try to cram in Baton Rouge Beach marathon next weekend? Or is that pushing it?

My best race yet

Have you been listening to me complain about three bad races?
No more. Streak's over!
Saturday was the Jazz half marathon, a fun Halloween weekend race that I always run in costume (I've been a cowgirl and a pirate). This year I was a bumble bee. I made my costume by painting black stripes on a yellow tank top. Guess what I learned? Paint dries stiff and creates a boxy odd shirt that chafes at every stripe. Who knew.
I pinned wings on the back (made from a wire armature and black netting) and used chenille stems to attach antennas to hair clips. My stinger was black cardboard stapled to the back of my shirt. FYI try to avoid staples in your costumes unless you enjoy having tiny pieces of your flesh carved out with every step.
This race was a training/fun run for me, and I was woefully unprepared. We ran late because I forgot my number, and I woke up too late to eat. But since I've been having trouble staying fueled for races, I brought two gu's to make up for my lack of breakie. I also brought a garbage bag for the starting line, since the temperature suddenly dropped on Friday. Silly me. You can't fit a garbage bag over wings (wings also make car rides difficult: I rode to the race doubled over in my seat).
By the time I got to the start, I was way, way in the back of the crowd. In fact, we were some of the last people! I wasn't too worried about that, since it was a chip-timed race, but that meant I was in a slow group that walked to the start after the gun and then basically stayed walking after that (or mildly jogging). I was so thankful that a girl in pink seemed to be running my pace and was willing to cut a path - something I am bad at. I followed her closely for the first mile of the race.
Since this was a costume race for me, I determined to only glance at my Garmin at mile splits, and simply enjoy the race. It was a new course, so for the first few miles I concentrated on the course and maneuvering around the many slower runners who were in front of me.

Fun fact about this race: Since I started so far in the back, I passed many people, but no one passed me.

By mile three, I was running under 7 minute miles and felt...well, great. The weather was nice (cold and very windy, but it beats humidity!), even at 7 am some kids were out and they loved my costume, and I felt very strong. Nothing hurt, my costume wasn't really bothering me, and my stomach seemed happy. By mile four I decided, "This is going to be a good race. Run by how you feel. Don't let a number on the Garmin tell you to slow down or speed up. Just enjoy this." My confidence has been so low lately that I think I needed to give myself permission just to have fun. I stuck to my original plan of only checking mile splits, and I was very consistent.
At mile 6, I took a Gu to make up for breakfast. The course heads down St Charles,  loops around Audubon park, and with the new course you are already at mile 8 before you exit the park back onto St. Charles. I was out of the park and back on St Charles before I saw anyone I knew: my friends Steve and Erin (who are getting married Friday!), David, and my pharmacy partner Ross, all heading down St. Charles to enter the park. I didn't see our neighbor Joseph, who rode with us to the race; the sun was in my eyes by then so if you didn't call to me, I didn't see you!
We had thinned out a lot out of Audubon Park, but I passed two girls with white race numbers. My race number was white, too, but everyone elses' was blue. I asked them about it and they explained that we were seeded and could have started at the front in the "fast" corral (there were only two). I was so far in the back I didn't even know there were corrals!

In Audubon Park, passing a runner wearing the same shoes as I was!

 I continued feeling fantastic and having fun with my costume.In the park I ate half of my second Gu, and right after mile 10 I reasoned I should finish it rather then let it go to waste. This was the only bad part of the race (besides dirt blowing in my eye earlier, boo) - somehow I sloshed the Gu right up the back of my nose. You can guess what happens when concentrated electrolytes hit your mucous membranes: besides stinging agony, coughing, and sneezing, my nose started running like crazy! The irritation didn't go away for about 12 hours!
Other than that, the way in was just fantastic. I never felt tired, and since I refused to check my Garmin I never sped up at the end, either. I cruised across the finish in 1:32:38, a PR - in costume! When I looked back at my Garmin stats, every mile was sub-7:00 besides the first one: which is understandable since I had to fight past hundreds of people.

At the finish, messing with my watch.

 I felt no soreness, stomach upset, or fatigue. In fact I wished the race would keep going! Instead I settled in to wait for my friends and David to finish. Then we sat on the grass and got a little loaded with the champagne Joseph's partner brought in a bucket of ice!  The after party for this race is always good, and it was nice again - jazz bands, beer, hot dogs, red beans, and incredibly good jambalaya. And free delicious Jazzman rice!

Lessons learned from this race?
I need to chill out and have fun again. I have been placing too much pressure on myself to finish in a certain time and run certain splits, yet I haven't given myself the time and practice to do so. I need to train harder and race easier! I also need to realize that I'm just not going to be incredibly fast. If I was, I'd already be winning. I just need to do the best for me, and enjoy doing it.

Editor's Note: I have six hilarious pictures of David from this race. He looks like he is being fed raw eggs while being electrocuted on a hang glider. However, he is being a party pooper and won't let me publish any of them. Too bad. They are priceless.

Happy Halloween!

Jazz half-marathon 2011, 1:32:38 and a new PR!

After the race this Saturday

Hope your holiday is filled with all treats and no tricks!

Gulf Coast Half Marathon 2011 - recap

Last year, I ran the Gulf Coast Half in 1:46 and it was the first race that I felt I was "fast" in. Seeing an 8:05 pace made me realize that I could run faster than my typical 8:30 - 9:00 pace, and was the first reason I ever contemplated attempting a BQ. This year, I wanted to take ten minutes off my time from last year and run a 1:36.

The Gulf Coast Half starts at 7 am, and it's nearly an hour's drive from our place - on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, a.k.a. The Boonies. Besides the drive, I knew from experience that parking would be a nightmare and we'd better get up early. David and I stumbled out of bed at 4:30 am, and even though I knew fueling had been an issue for my last race I couldn't eat anything. I made toast but after one bite I tossed it. I think it's these early mornings that get me!
The race starts and finishes in a state park, and we arrived with 50 minutes to spare, but by the time we crept single-file to the parking lot, we had just half an hour to do a bathroom run and get to the start. I met my little brother Sam and my dad before the start. Sam calmly informed me that he was feeling sluggish and, rather than run a 1:20, he would have to run a 1:24. This cracked me up. Sam is very, very, very quiet. He rarely talks, but when he does it is to the point. It turns out that his projection was almost spot on!
I started near the front and mistakenly went out too fast, but I thought I'd be ok since the announcer cheerily told us all that the second half would be accompanied by a brisk tailwind. I figured if I tired it would pick me up! The race went by quickly and smoothly, but my pace was all over the place. My first mile was fast, then I had a few at goal pace, then I hit a long, slow section. Part of the race is along the lakefront, and rather than a tailwind we had a stiff headwind that kept at us all the way in. In addition to the wind, the sun was surprisingly strong for such an early race (it was also surprisingly warm; the temps were upper 70's all the way to 80 F). The miles along this stretch were my toughest and slowest. I should have taken a Gu here, since I brought one in lieu of breakfast, but I didn't; I felt tired near the end but I didn't feel like my blood sugar had crashed.
Of course, I love seeing people I know on the course. This time, I only saw Sam - he was in 5th at the time and keeping a nice pace. There is only a short portion that doubles back, and I left it before David got there, so we missed each other.

Sam looking...ill.

There were a few funny things about this race. The first is that after mile one, when we spread out, two guys and a girl passed me over the entire rest of the race. And I passed two guys and a girl over the entire rest of the race! This was weird, since my pace was bonkers!
The other - embarrassing - thing is that my dad was waiting for Sam, David, and I to finish. As I neared the finish, another girl was just seconds behind me (she trailed me the entire race; after she told me I was pacing her, poor gal), and my dad made a huge scene hollering that I needed to hold the pace, another girl was just behind me, etc. I did hold my pace, and crossed the line ten or twenty seconds ahead of her. I felt so bad for her! But I went up and apologized later and she was such a good sport. The funny thing is that she actually beat me by two seconds! She had started far in the back, but since the race was chip timed she came in behind me but placed higher!

Sam, who finished in 1:23:50 and won his age group, waited for David with me. David forgot he had registered for this race and only realized it three weeks ago. He had been training for another half that is two weeks away, so he had this one sprung on him. But he still finished in 2:00:44, not bad at all!
I finished in 1:35:13 and was inexplicably disappointed in my time and place. I was 10th overall and 5th in my age group; I beat my goal, too. I think it has dawned on me that from here on out, I have to work to get faster. For an entire year, all I had to do was show up and I'd PR - but that was because I was running seriously below my intrinsic potential. Now, I'm running at my level of natural ability, and if I want to PR I have to work for it: train, monitor my pace, consider my fuel. When I don't - like today - I struggle to meet my goal, and still under-perform. Given my long-term goals, I should be able to run faster than I did today, and it should feel easy to me. I guess it's time to face the music and start working harder!

Tell me about the race for which you trained the hardest and ran the best you ever have.

Clarence Demar Marathon Race Review

I already posted the recap of this race, but for those of you who might be considering running it, here's the review:
The Clarence Demar marathon is in tiny Keene, NH, and runs at the end of September/beginning of October.

The race: This is a really small race, only a few hundred runners. It's kind of a "runner's race' - no frills, no big medal, lots of local history.
Registration and cost: $60; you can register all the way up to the night before the event, which is cool. But frankly that's a lot for a very basic race.
Swag: None, pretty much. There is a tech-T, but it's cheap material ( I do like the no-sponsor plain back, but actually this race NEEDS sponsors in a big way, so I guess that's a bad thing). There are medals at the finish...and that's it. Age group and overall plaques are given; I was accidentally given the wrong one. In their defense I didn't notice either.

Course:The course is advertised as "fairly flat and fast" and I do think it would be fast for runners who are used to hills. It's actually a rather hilly downhill course, and several runners commented that the course mirrored Boston's course. The first half is a rolling downhill; the second half is more flat, with some rolling hills and a few tough climbs. There's a net elevation drop of about 300 feet. The first half, in the mountains, is beautiful; it gets a little boring as you go but overall a pretty and enjoyable course. A major disadvantage is that the roads are not closed for this race and the runners aren't even coned off; it's a little nerve-wracking in twisty mountain roads. There are police directing traffic at major intersections, thank goodness.
Then there is this hilarity. Yes, the official course map actually informs you that the finish is not marked....but it's near a storm drain and a manhole cover. 

And it's in Comic Sans. I hate Comic Sans.

Support: The volunteers were fantastic for this race; great attitude and very up-beat. However, there is no Gu or gels on the course and only half the stations have Gatorade. The miles are marked; time is not.
Post race: Pretty sparse - bagels, soup, soda, fruit, cookies, and massages.

Heck yeah I got a massage! Poor girl. I was SO sweaty.

Photos: I don't normally comment on race photos, but I thought this quote from the website kind of summed up the whole marathon:
"2011 Clarence DeMar Marathon, Keene, NH Sept. 25th  We had car issues and didn't make it to the finish line in time to photograph all the runners, sorry! Those of you whom we did get will have photos in three of the galleries. Everyone will have a photo with the race name. Thanks for looking!"

Etc - This isn't chip timed and for a 34 year old marathon, it still needs some work. For example, the course was long, almost certainly because we started well behind a spray painted "start" on the road. I commented on this, but I lined up with everyone else. My Garmin read 26.67 - that's more than poor tangent running. Oddly, the times were recorded incorrectly. If my watch time didn't match course time, I'd shrug it off. But I noticed that the time intially posted for me - 3:35:19 - was WAY off. Then I noticed that the time recorded on the website was different: 3:35:09. But my watch read 3:34:58, and I didn't hit the stop button on it until after I had finished and received my medal! As soon as I finished, David commented that the time on the clock had been "jumping around" (I, of course, was not looking, as I was too busy posing for the camera). Lo and behold, he caught it on film: look at the times in these two consecutive photos!

I approach the manhole cover...

Dude, what? I took one step and lost 9 seconds!

So that definitely needs work. Also of note, the course closes at FIVE hours, FYI for leisurely marathon runners. So overall? I loved the volunteers and the serious runners who participated. I had fun, and you couldn't ask for kinder people, but I really think this race needs to adopt some sponsors who can make this more of an event for the $60 fee. It needs Gu, more Gatorade, and a little course TLC. And next time the course and time need to be just a little more exact.

My next race...

I just signed up for the Clarence DeMar marathon.

The race is in lovely Keene, NH.

It's September 25th.
So, I kind of have to do a sort of accelerated training. Heehee!
I picked this race because I have a good chance of seeing some pretty fall leaves and let me tell you, that's something this transplanted Yankee misses.
Oh for a cup of cider and a cold fall day! Even such a day which requires 26 miles of running.
So, my plan is to do my long runs on the next few weekends:
16 miles   < Did that this Saturday
18 miles
20 miles
12 miles
marathon

The rest of the week I'll keep the same. Right now I'm on a semi-schedule that looks like this:
Monday: Easy 3 - 8  miles
Tuesday: Ten miles at 7:30 to 8:00 pace
Wednesday: Gym - full body weights
Thursday: "Speedwork" for 3-5 miles (I am attempting to do real speedwork but I usually degenerate to pathetic fartleks)
Friday: Easy 3 - 8 miles
Saturday: Long run (used to be 8-14 miles but I'll be ramping that up)
Sunday: My choice of cross train, short fartlek run, or rest day

Has anyone else done a short-notice marathon?
Tips?
Advice?
I think I'll be ok since I have a base of 30 - 40 miles a week already, and this is my "throw away" race to kick the season off. I need one race to gauge my fitness and guide me in my goals for other races later in the year.

NOTC anniversary race report: It WAS a disaster!

See the guy with white hair? He rocks. This is the only time I've ever beaten him.

I knew my gray jog bra would be bad luck.
I chose to run to City Park to the start of this race, since it was just a 3-miler, thinking this would give me 13 for the day (I ended up taking a short cut at the last minute which knocked a whole mile off. Did you know that Orleans Ave meets Marconi Dr?! Midcity's angled streets have me permanently confused).
Well, it was a blistering hot day, and the race didn't start until 7:45. The sun was up and the temps steamy by the time I arrived to pick up my number. I regularly run in just a jog bra, but I don't like to race that way so I was wearing a shirt - the extra layer plus the lack of water on my four mile run in combined to leave me uncomfortably overheated by the time I arrived. I drank water sparingly, not wanting to cramp during the race, and steamed under a tree waiting for the delayed start (now 8 am). The race was short, hot, and challenging. I felt very tired and warm and only dragged my butt to the finish. Cute surprise, the hubby came out to see me finish, which worked out perfectly because I gave him my race T-shirt to bring home. It's a nice shirt: technical T, and good looking too:

Front has a nice logo...

Back has nothing! No sponsors! Oddly appealing!

I realized after I finished that I was 4th female, which means everyone struggled, but I cold have kicked myself: the third finisher was just seconds ahead of me and I could have kicked past her but didn't; based on my time I didn't think I was even in the top ten women. Oh well. I will have to start cranking this up a notch come Fall. I've gotten too lazy in my running!
As far as the race goes, it was standard NOTC stuff, which means fun and flat, but the anniversaries are special because the shirts are nice and the entry fee is cheap ($15 for members). I didn't stay for the after party - I ran home, which felt completely awful - but it looked like fun.
Summary: I am crap at short distances and only blue jog bras are appropriate for races. 

Disaster waiting to happen

This is a picture of disaster waiting to happen.

It is my race clothes, all laid out in preparation for the 5k this morning. This clearly indicates disaster because I set out my gray jog bra rather than my light blue jog bra, and ever since I started running I have worn the light blue one for races.

Disaster!

The truth is that I think the blue ones are a little softer, actually. I know. I'm demented. It's ok, let me have my quirks.
Off to run 5 miles to the race! I'm getting 13 in today!

Something interesting is in that corner.

Deep South Runner clued me in that yes, you can download Facebook photos. Obviously this technology is too much for me. I'm like those old people who can receive texts but don't know how to reply.

So here's the very wet, very rainy picture from the Rivershack Race. I have no idea what I'm looking at. Nor did I realize they were taking pictures. Obviously everyone else (who also looks much drier, how is that possible?) knows, because the are all posing. At least one gal has pizza and a beer with her, that makes me feel less weird.

I actually did sweat my thorns off.

Time: 4 pm
Temps: 91, with 82% humidity...actually not bad compared to the rest of this week.
Results: 21:37 and my thorns are gone. 
I had forgotten all about this guy's boring 5k, and blithely went to spin class Saturday morning...only to be greeted by multiple virtual race reports when I got home. There was nothing for it but to go out and run a 5k. In order to make sure I sweat my thorns off, I waited until 4 pm, when it was over 90 degrees,  before I hit the park.
Now this was kind of a big deal, because I was all pretty and dressed up when I realized I had to do this run, and I had to do the dreaded re-shower. I hate getting clean hair dirty, so this was a major sacrifice. But I didn't want to drop out.

I was actually dressed and showered and everything and I STILL went out to run!

And you can't tell because I'm a sucky photographer, but I actually put eye make-up on! Yet still, I forsook all to go for a run!

After I sweat it out for 3 miles, I didn't look so collected.

Drenched.

So much for make-up and clean hair!

This was actually my first timed run in a long time - the last one was May 27, for the Greek Fest 5k! I should confess that this is "cheat" time because I stopped my time twice to wait for traffic when crossing St. Charles Ave.  Still wasn't fantastic time. And the sad thing is... I felt like this was enormous effort. In fact I started at a 7:30 pace and I absolutely thought is was 7:00's. I was disgusted that I was nowhere near! I guess I have a lot of work to do.

I'm outta shape.
 

Al Briede 3 mile race review and recap

The review: This is a big race for local high schools, and it benefits Brother Martin. Lots of runners show up for both the 1 mile and 3 mile race, and quite a few track teams are present as the student rate is just $10! It's a popular race honoring Al Briede, who is 89 years old but still shows up every year. He started the race 44 years ago, making it one of the older races in New Orleans (well, the Thanksgiving race is like 102 years old, but whatever). I like that the pre-registration discount extends until less than a week before the race. The course itself is in City Park and it's pretty, flat, and fast. Post-race refreshments are plentiful, but again...who's eating at 9 am? During hotter years (this May is oddly cool), the 8:30 am start easily makes for 90 degree running weather.
The recap: It wasn't any 90 degrees this year...it was beautiful!

I was running injured and completely unpracticed (I ran two short jogs this past week and that's it) so I didn't have high expectations. For me, if I skip even one day of running, my next run features painful extensor muscle (along the shin). I don't know why this happens, but it has always plagued me, so I expected to deal with that plus a darn fracture, worsened by my lack of practice. However, on my side was the gorgeous weather!
Since I didn't have anything to lose, I wore my new Saucony Racer Rides. Normally I wouldn't wear brand new shoes and style for a race, but it's just 3 miles and I figured this was a throw away race anyway!

Turns out I love my new racers! Yay! Light as a feather! Holy cow my quads are huge. 

I got to the start with not a second to spare, thanks to catching every single red light on the way, and I didn't warm up since I didn't want to waste a step on my hurt leg. I started out feeling good except for pain along the fracture; for the first two and a half miles I ran 6:30 - 6:40's. The pack thinned quickly (I started closer to the front this time), so by half a mile we were settled in. After the first mile I started edging up, but I didn't know my place since I hadn't seen who was leading me. As it turns out, I and another girl were trading 2nd and 3rd position for most of the second half of the race. I pulled ahead of her by mile 2, but at mile 2.5 my leg quit. Just walked off the job, just like that. No unemployment for that sucker! I can usually run through pain, but this was severe, stabbing pain and I was automatically limping. So I basically finished limping and sort of crying (I mean, it HURT) and the girl behind me passed me. I would have tried to catch her if I knew we were 2nd and 3rd because she caught me close to the finish line, but I had no idea whether I was second or twenty-second! I finished third but I was so obviously in pain that the sweet and kind race volunteers made the EMT come see me. But I'm stubborn so I said I was fine and walked off. But they put me in a golf cart anyway and I had to eat humble pie and be humiliatingly driven to my car.
So, that was bad. I obviously must take time off running, especially since now it hurts even when I stroll. I promise I will do that. But on the positive side, I know I have some speed in me. Even injured and un-trained, I did ok. When I'm 100%, I fully plan on kicking some 5k butt and making my sub-20 goal!

Last day!

It's my last day at my current position! Good-bye, crazy lady who punched another customer in the face (this happened yesterday)! Good-bye, homeless dude who hides in the drive-through to jump out at cars and ask for money! Good-bye, technician who is always half an hour late!
We're going on a little vacation before my new job starts, and you won't believe this, but it's to Boston. I guess I forgot to tell the hubby how I feel about Boston...and how I feel about his frenemy who lives there. Sigh.

Yesterday I ran the Eat My Crust 5k before heading into work. It benefits the NO/AIDS foundation, so I ran it even though 5k's aren't my thing. I had a bad race. I really don't know how to pace for a 5k, and I came in 4th, which might as well be last! I started out too slow and was 7th for most of the race. Then I overcompensated, sped up too much, and passed people until I was third. Then someone passed me in the last mile and I didn't have the energy to prevent it! I have decided that 4th is the worst feeling ever.
I also wasn't thrilled with my gun time of 21:29; it was only a little better than last week's race. However yesterday was extremely humid (97%) and set a record for heat, and I certainly felt it. I will be able to gauge my ability better in dry weather, since humidity slows me down.
As for the race, if you're in the area do it next year. I had to leave to go to work, but the after party was awesome and runners get an apron instead of a T-shirt!
Now that I've been royally humiliated in the 5k, does anyone have any tips and hints for me? I'd like to get faster and I'd like to know what a "good" time for me would be.
Hope you're Monday is wonderful and no one jumps out of the drive through and asks you for cash!

The best marathon pace bands online - print your own.

Pace bands > Garmins.
That's right, I said it! If you run with a Garmin you are probably constantly glancing to see your current pace (so not helpful) or maybe your average pace (a bit more helpful) but you aren't seeing the big picture. The big picture tells you how close you are to your goal, and for that you need a pace bracelet. At a glance you can see if you're going to make your time, if you're moving too fast, or how many minutes you need to make up in the last 10 miles to hit your goal.
I'm on team pace band.
You can order snazzy pace charts and bands pre-made, but it's much smarter to make your own since presumably you'll be changing pace over the years (at least I hope so).

Please feel free to link to this post on your blog or share via email. Here is why: when you Google "print pace bands", etc., a TON of malignant, virus-containing sites pop up. I have carefully navigated this morass after being warned by my friend Bj who clicked on one accidentally (luckily he uses Apple!).  So to save some poor fellow runner from virus-land, I've done all the leg-work for you  :)


Here are the best pace bracelets out there:
Cliff Bars: I like that the band has larger print than most, but the smeary colored background at major miles makes it hard to read. Not my favorite.
Marathonguide:  I like this band because you can create different distances. I printed one up for a 30k this year. Then I left it at home. Awesome.
Runner's World: Don't use this one. It creates a PDF with a black background, so when you print it you waste a gallon of ink.
Taper madness: Simple, clear, easy to read.The basics.
Katy fit: Super extensive Excel spreadsheet that lets you really play with your times; you can choose to negative split and the band will adjust miles accordingly; your pace per mile will be shown to the right. Two different sizes to choose from.
Running Room: Prints in bold so it's good for people with who are too vain to run in glasses (Abe? are you reading?) and has a variety of distance options.
My marathon pace: For an important race, download the paceband created specifically for your marathon! These bands actually take into account the terrain and course of several big name races. The full version you have to pay for. Just the band is free to download. There is A LOT of info here: even the "generic flat marathon" pace band has options; you can choose to "fade" at the end or "slow start". If you choose a specific marathon, your band will be adjusted to account for hills, trails, etc. You can print in a variety of sizes.
Runner's Toolbox: The most distance options, but the bracelet has remarkably small font. It might still be helpful if you wanted to create one for an unusual distance. If you hit "get splits" instead of "make a wristband" you can copy and paste the splits into Word and adjust the font and size to your own liking.
Fellrnr: This gentleman created a triple-pace band that adds in two safety cushion columns in addition to standard splits. In other words, if you know you fade at the end of a marathon, or if you expect late hills to kick your booty, you can build in a 1 or 2 minute cushion.

So there you have it. The best printable pace bracelets online! Enjoy and happy racing!

The Wall 30k race report

Awards

This year I was intent on running a better race than last year's 30k, at which I sucked. I haven't raced in a while, but for some reason all day yesterday I had a good feeling about this race. That should've worried me since I usually do best for races that I am totally unprepared for!
It was surprisingly warm - 60's and super humid - and I wore shorts for the first time in ages. Also my Karhus!

Why thank you, I do find our linoleum rather quaint.

I carpooled over to Destrehan-the-ugly, dragging brother Abe along, and arrived in time to pick up my number before the start. As we walked up to the start I clicked on my Garmin. I had decided to run with it as an experiment to see how it felt for a race. If I liked it, I was going to use it for the Mardi Gras marathon in two weeks.
Uh-oh. My Garmin was completely dead. I must not have had it all the way on the cradle. I didn't have a back-up watch, and there is no time on the course, so I had to run this one on my own! I've never run a race without time before!
Because of that, I can't really comment on my pace. I know I felt really good and was running merrily along for most of it. I chatted with runners I passed on the first half (once we thinned out, one man passed me and no one else for the first half, but I passed a number of people. This might mean that I started too fast. Sure wish I knew). I enjoyed hitting the turn around and looking for other runners I knew. I'd seen Abe already, who was 5th, and saw others after I turned the corner.
Suddenly, out of the blue, my calf cramped on me. Oh my gosh. I had no idea that a calf cramp would be so painful! I staggered, slowed, and tried to run through it; it wasn't budging. Here is where I started getting passed - two girls and a guy - that is the worst when you're limping and everything already! I eventually stopped to massage it and tried to walk it out. I am here to tell you that doesn't work. I asked the volunteers at the next aid station (the cramp occurred about mile 10; they were between 12 and 13) if an ambulance was near. I did not think I could finish with this pain! They offered to radio for it, but eh...I decided I didn't feel like waiting. So I gritted my teeth and ran through it. It hurt like the dickens.

Can you tell it hurts? That is a scary face. Yikes.

Finally the race ended - those last miles seemed to take forever - and I squinted at the clock as I approached. I ran a 2:21:40, and actually beat the 2:23 pace band I had printed for myself before I changed my mind and decided to take the Garmin. Only I have no idea how fast I started or how much the cramp slowed me or anything because I only saw the finish time! I was third female overall - admittedly, it was a small field - and I'm actually happy with the race overall. I feel like it was a good training run for the upcoming marathon, and with a watch or Garmin and non-crampy leg I will have a better run. I am trying to figure out why I cramped (I never have before) and I think I was dehydrated; I had two cups of coffee and no water before the race and actually no water on the course, either, this was the first warm-weather run for me in a long time and I under-hydrated.
I'm pleased that despite the cramp, my actually energy levels were fantastic. I wasn't fatigued and I felt comfortable at the finish. That's the best kind of race. I hate finishing and feeling bleah.
This year's Wall definitely beats last year, which was bitterly cold, windy, and miserable. I'll call it a success!
Side note - The Karhu experiment flopped, too. I have never worn them for long distances and I got several blisters and a black toenail. I still love these shoes for shorter runs, just not distance.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all of you. May 2011 bring you joy...and more importantly, may you bring joy to those you touch in 2011.

Happy New Year from me and the hubs!

This is a scheduled post because I am working today. Actually I worked last night and I work all weekend. I am probably miserable right now: it's the first of the month (busy!), first of the year (confusing! No one has the foresight to bring in their new insurance card and no one catches on that their deductible has reset!), a holiday (boo!), and we will be getting a big fat order of drugs to put up (boring!). 

So go eat some black-eyed peas and watch some football for me while I sling drugs. 

By the way, I have added a races page to the blog for easy access to race reviews...in case you were thinking about following in my footsteps. The link it up at the top left, or you can click here.