Alexandria Running Festival Half Marathon

I have a lot of updates for you guys! But first, I wanted to share the results of my 7th half marathon. This past Sunday I ran a half marathon as part of the Alexandria Running Festival. It was a beautiful day and a great course. I was nervous going into the race because I didn't feel like I was prepared. The longest distance I had gone was 10 miles and I hadn't been getting in regular long runs.

By this time last year I had already logged 363 miles. Before Sunday I hadn't even hit 200 for the year. I've been working out regularly though, doing a program called Focus T25. I'm currently in week 6 and it has been phenomenal. I've lost 6 pounds and have a lot more energy. But I still felt like I hadn't logged enough miles to be ready for a 13 mile race.

My previous best half was 2:25 and I really wanted a sub-2:20. But I tried not to think about goals and just focused on going out, enjoying the race, and finishing in one piece. When I got to mile 10 and looked at the time, I was shocked! I had kept a nice, steady pace and felt strong. The next mile was a bit rough and I really started to feel it. The soreness and fatigue were setting in. The possibility of hitting my goal drove me forward and kept me going.

As I neared the finish line, knowing I had at least gotten a PR, and saw my 4 year old son standing in the road holding his hand out for a high-five, I about lost it. I was very overwhelmed and full of emotion! And I was physically beat.

Despite running less, I'm getting faster and stronger! How? By pushing play every day on my DVD player! It sounds crazy and I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't experiencing it myself. But by doing a fast, fun, and intense 25 minute workout every day, I've gotten faster, stronger, and I'm in the best shape of my life!

And now you're looking at a sub-2:20 half marathon finisher! Oh yeah! Official time= 2:18:33

I'm so thankful I was introduced to Beachbody and T25. It has seriously changed my life in ways I never would have imagined and now I'm excited to give back and help others on their own health and fitness journeys. If you're interested in learning more about Beachbody programs and our monthly challenge groups, please let me know. I'd love to help you reach your goals!

Baltimore Running Festival

After lunch last Friday Sidney, Jack, and I headed to Baltimore for the running festival. It's only about an hour drive but I knew it would be easier if we stayed in the city and I thought we could turn it into a family adventure! It didn't go as planned but we still had fun!

We checked into our hotel and immediately headed to the expo. It was just like any other expo and we didn't linger too long. All 3 of us got really nice tech shirts. Even Jack which really impressed me and I can't wait for him to wear it!

At the Baltimore Convention Center

We left the expo and went straight to the inner harbor. I had hoped to take Jack to one of the museums but we got there a bit later than I had expected. We walked around the shops and then decided to go to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.  Did I mention it was pouring? Not ideal for walking around the harbor but we made the best of it!

Dinner was great although a little pricey. There was a Noodles n' Company and looking back we should have just gone there. I've made up my mind that if we ever travel for another race and go out to dinner, it will be someplace quick and relatively inexpensive! Good thing I really enjoyed what I got (Chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, cole slaw, beans, and corn bread):

Luckily it had stopped raining by the time we were done and we walked back to the hotel. We went to bed at a reasonable time and I set my alarm for 6am.

I wasn't nervous at all for this race despite not feeling adequately trained. I was more nervous for the timing of it all. The races were scheduled so that we were all able to run at different times. Sidney ran the 5K at 8:20 while I stayed with Jack, then Jack ran the kids run at 9:20, then we all walked to my half marathon start at 9:45. It was weird to start so late!

We enjoyed the hotel's breakfast then made our way to the start of the 5K. The marathon start was at 8 and at the same place as the 5K. When we got there and were waiting around with the crowd, I felt the energy and said to Sidney, "This is why I race. I love it!" The energy and anticipation is awesome. I wish I could bottle it up!

Sidney got in line and Jack and I walked a bit down so we could hopefully see Sidney as he got started. It was so different to be on that side of the start line. But I loved it and was so excited to be able to watch Sidney run for once! We're either running together or he's watching me. This was also the first race he's done where he wasn't pushing Jack. So it was extra special!

We made our way to the finish line and were able to see daddy as he finished! For some reason I can't find his results when I search. I need to contact them about that. But Sidney said he received an e-mail that he finished in 28:33. If that's right, then he finished 5 seconds faster than my fastest 5K! Unbelievable! He also got his first medal for all his hard work. He's been teasing me about this for a long time since Jack and I have both gotten medals and I'm glad he finally has one of his own!

We immediately got Jack to his starting line to wait for the kids run to begin. It actually seemed like a longer distance than most of the other kids runs we've done but Jack did great! He started out very fast and a little more than halfway into it, started to slow down. In order to keep him motivated I pointed to the clocks and told him that that was the finish line and he just had to make it a little more. He kept going and never stopped! He earned a well deserved medal as well but we weren't able to enjoy any of the other perks of the kids zone. They had an inflatable slide and basketball hoops and Jack really wanted to go over to them. Unfortunately we had to hurry to get to the start of my half and couldn't stay.

Every race had the same finish but the half marathon had a completely different start and we had to book it to get there in time. Once we got there I said my goodbyes and ended up starting around 10am. They went back to the hotel to hang out and then waited in the lobby for me. They latest we could check out was 1pm so they weren't able to see me at the finish. I ended up getting back to the hotel at 1:45.

This race was tough. I had no idea it was going to be as hilly as it was and it took a lot out of me. I sprained my ankle about a month ago and missed a bit of training because of it. The week before the race I set out to do a 10 mile run and stopped after 8 because my feet hurt so much.

We did have some great weather though! We were expecting rain but it stayed dry until after I finished. It was overcast and cool. I wore a pull-over and stopped at mile 4 to take it off. It was ideal conditions! It always takes me a couple miles to warm up and I was feeling stronger between miles 4-6. At mile 7 they were giving out UTZ potato chips and I grabbed a bag and walked while eating them. I never walk! I don't even stop to drink or have a GU. But I walked and I was okay with it. Once I finished with the chips I started running again. My legs were sore and my feet were killing me! When I got to mile 8, which is all I had been able to do the week before, I kept pushing even though the last thing I wanted to do was run another 5 miles and I wasn't entirely sure I would be able to. I did stop again to fill my water bottle at one of the water stops and then kept going.

Just when I thought we were done with hills we came upon a bridge. I actually started talking to myself. I got a little cuckoo! It was all mental at that point and if I had been relying on my physical abilities alone, I would have definitely stopped. Somehow I'm able to push through the pain, the mental blocks, and just keep going. I almost cried when I crossed the finish line! And I did what I always do, despite the fatigue, because I just don't know any other way- I sprinted the last 2/10 or so.

I did not go into this race hoping for a PR. I was just hoping to finish right around 2:45 and just finishing at all is a great accomplishment. I ended up with a time of 2:39:50. I can live with that! :)

This was by far the toughest race I've ever done. Not only was it a challenging course, but I was sore and fatigued and coming off of a recent injury. I'm so proud of myself for what I accomplished! The best part is I earned myself 2 medals. I ran the Frederick half back in May and that combined with the Baltimore half earned me the Maryland Double medal!

I sent the Maryland medal to my running buddy Mickey and I'm so glad I was able to earn it for her!

I have a mud run on November 2nd- my first obstacle race! After that I'll just be trying to survive the winter and looking forward to spring. I'm definitely doing the Frederick half again next May and I'm looking forward to planning out my 2014 race schedule, which will be a lot lighter than this year has been. My wallet just can't handle another packed racing year! I'll definitely be focusing more on the free races my running club offers throughout the year!

Memorial 4-Miler and Super Long Run!

I'm way behind...again! I'm going to make this super quick. May 25th I went out for a run and was feeling good so I decided to go longer than I ever had before. The longest distance I've done on my own is 12 miles and then of course I've run a few half marathons (13.1 miles for anyone who doesn't know!). I ended up doing 14!

I felt good for the first 10 miles and was really feeling some aches during the last 2. But I did it and it felt awesome!!

I ran my 8th race of the year on Memorial Day- a 4 miler. I've run this race before, back in 2006. My time back then was 40:04. This time around I just wanted to finish in under 42 minutes and ended up finishing in 39:43! I continue to surprise myself as I blast through my goals. I really think I need to start giving myself more credit and expecting more because I know I can do more.

Near the start:

Smiling despite the uphill finish!

This 4 miler was my 45th race overall and I'm so excited to hit 50 this year!

Frederick Running Festival

Once again I'm late with my race recap. I guess I should stop promising more regular updates. Oh well!

The Frederick Running Festival took place May 4-5. They have a kids run Saturday followed by a 5K, then a half marathon Sunday morning. Anyone doing both the 5K and half can sign up for the "Nut Job Challenge" and get a unique medal for being such a rockstar.

The challenge interested me but I didn't want to pay $100+ when I was already running a half the week before. I guess it was meant to be because I ended up winning a contest that gave me free entry into any race that weekend! Without hesitation I signed up for the Nut Job Challenge.

Everything took place at the Frederick Fairgrounds which is only about a half hour away. We went to the expo on Saturday (where I signed Jack up for his kids run) and then we just stayed for the races. It was very convenient!

Jack did great and got a very nice medal!

After Jack's run (which you can read about in more detail on my other blog) I had to line up for the 5K. Knowing I was coming back to run a half the very next morning, I didn't want to push myself too much. That's hard for me because I get into race mode and I really want to get a good time. I told myself I'd be happy if I finished under 32 minutes.

The course was an out and back with great scenery of some farms in Frederick. It was really nice to run in a new place, hills and all! I felt good but I didn't feel like I was pushing myself, which is how I wanted it. I finished strong and surprised myself with a time of 30:08! I couldn't believe I was that close to finishing in under 30 without even trying!

We went out to dinner and I tried to rest for the half marathon. We left early the next morning and it was great being able to drive straight to the race rather than taking the metro. When we got there I had time to use a port-a-potty and then it was already time to line up at the start. It was chilly so I had on a sweater which I practically threw at Sidney before getting lost in the crowd.

The start was brutal. I ended up staying with the 2:40 (or maybe it was 2:45?) pace group for almost 3 miles. My muscles felt heavy and I started out very conservatively. I didn't have any real time goals for this race except to come in around 2:45. I had just gotten a PR 1 week before and I just wanted to have fun and make it to the finish in one piece.

The sun came out but we were running in shady areas. Then when we were out in the open the clouds came in and it was overcast. I didn't really warm-up until I hit the last 2 miles. I was surprised how cold it was!

We ran through a lot of really nice neighborhoods and around mile 5 there was a house under construction with a port-a-potty in the lawn. I knew someone was in there but there wasn't a line. Just as I was making my way up to it the guy came out and I took advantage of this rare opportunity. No line or wait! I felt much better and as I got into the second half of the race my legs were feeling good. The 2:45 pacers were well behind me and I knew I'd finish with a decent time.

As the miles ticked off I felt better and better. I kicked it up a notch when I felt able to, making sure I was at a pace I could keep for the rest of the race. Somewhere in the last 2 or 3 miles I came upon the 2:30 pacers. And passed them. I was inspired but didn't want to be too hopeful. I had no idea how much time was between their start and mine, but I knew it couldn't have been too much.

I really kicked it up for the last mile and finished with a time of 2:25:48!! That's 5 minutes faster than Nike just 1 week before and I made my ultimate goal of finishing under 2:30!! Such an incredible feeling!!

Showing off my 2 medals:

I couldn't do any of this without the support of my family:

I had so much fun doing this challenge and I'm already looking forward to doing it next year! I proved I can successfully do back-to-back half marathons and do 2 races in 1 weekend. I'm definitely going to make this my main spring half marathon. It's local, family-friendly, has awesome race swag, and it's fun!

Nike Women's Half Marathon

I've got some catching up to do and I need to start with Nike while it's still semi-fresh in my mind. The race was on Sunday April 28th with packet pick-up at their expo in DC on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I took Thursday off work so I could get it then.

The expo was at a beautiful place right on the water. I had never been there before and it was nice to see a new part of the city. It wasn't a typical expo like I'm used to with a bunch of different vendor booths, samples, and opportunities to purchase things. Luna bar, which was a huge sponsor, had an area set up with samples of their bars and Nuun was there offering samples of many of their flavors. For the record- I don't care for Nuun! The majority of the expo was all about shoes which, surprisingly, didn't interest me. They did have a bra fitting area which I did and I left with the name and size sports bra I liked the best. Paul Mitchell and Bare Minerals had set-ups and were giving hair and make-up tutorials. They really did a good job gearing it towards women and tried to make it a fun girls weekend!

I ended up making an unexpected trip up to NY for my uncle's memorial service which was held on Saturday morning. After getting home on Thursday I headed out for a 6 mile run then home to eat dinner, pack, and go to bed. We were on the road by 9am Friday morning. Saturday morning we went to the service and after enjoying some time with my extended family, we got back on the road. It was around 2:30 and we got home after 9. I wasn't nervous to run the race itself, but I was nervous about waking up early and getting there in time and then being too tired to run well. I'm really glad we were able to go and be with family though, even for such a short amount of time. And if I had had to, I would've missed the race. I'm grateful it worked out that I could attend both.

The race started at 7am and I was out the door super early. This was the first race I've run in DC where I didn't have anyone waiting for me afterwards. After spending 2 days in the car and because the race started so early, I left my family at home. I didn't want to check a bag so I could only bring what I was willing to carry. I didn't want to freeze while waiting for the race to start, so I went with a short sleeve Under Armour shirt with a fitted long sleeve on top and of course, my Nike capris. I also wore my water belt without the bottles. This was so I had some place to put my key, cash, cards, fuel (including post-race protein bar), etc. I still carried my hand-held bottle with Gatorade and my phone.

After getting there and using the port-a-potty, I entered my corral and was happy I didn't have to wait too long. It was chilly and I was glad I had worn the long sleeves. Despite starting in waves, it was very congested and we couldn't do much more than a walk-jog starting out. I was able to weave through some of the crowd to get into a comfortable jog. It stayed pretty congested throughout the entire race though.

Despite the crowds it was a very enjoyable race! It was pretty flat and there were a good amount of spectators cheering us on. They had Clif Shot Bloks and mini Luna bars at a couple of the water stops which I loved. It was absolutely beautiful and the only part I could've done without was when we went through a long, creepy, smelly tunnel. In the last 2 miles we came up on the Capitol Building and we ended up running right up to it. I hadn't expected to get that close. Despite being a local and having been to DC many times, I was amazed at the course. It seriously couldn't have been better. And for anyone traveling from out-of-town, they really got a good view of the city. If you want to come to DC for a race, this is the one to go for!

As I got into the home stretch, I did what I do best- sprinted! I heard my name and saw one of my running friends cheering me on. So nice to hear "Go Rene!" during those final steps. I crossed the finish line at 2:30:56, taking almost 7 minutes off of my Rock n' Roll time! I was surprised but very happy with the new PR!

Then it was time for the real fun to begin (aka the main reason to run Nike):

It was so cool to see all the men dressed in tuxedos holding trays of Tiffany boxes.

After receiving your goodies, there was a finish line boutique where you could purchase limited edition Nike items. There was a long line but I waited in it and ended up buying a cotton shirt and a very nice hooded sweatshirt. There were quite a few complaints on their Facebook page about various things, the wait for the boutique being one of them. I chose to wait and it didn't bother me. It helped that I was there by myself and didn't have anyone waiting for me. If Sidney and Jack had been there I wouldn't have waited for it.

Posing on the red carpet in my "Finisher" shirt (this was after waiting in line for the boutique so the runners were done and the crowds had cleared):

This was by far the best race I've run in DC. The course was beautiful, the spectators and on-course entertainment was great, and there was a nice variety of post-race goodies (bananas, Thomas bagels, Dole fruit cups, Luna Protein Bars, and even a Tiffany bag to put it all in). And then, of course, there's the Tiffany necklace and Nike finisher shirt. The only thing that would've made this race better is if I had had a girlfriend to share the experience with. Anyone want to sign up for the lottery next year? ;)

I'm not sure I will sign up again because the entry fee is a bit high. But if that weren't an issue I'd do it a dozen more times.

Wearing the shirt I bought along with my new necklace (and a "Mind over Muscle" tattoo on my arm courtesy of Luna Bar)

And before anyone asks, I am planning to take close-up pictures of the necklace. Just haven't gotten around to doing it yet!

Stay tuned for a recap of this past weekend's Nut Job Challenge (5K Saturday night and a half on Sunday). :-)