Fueled by Waffles

I haven't been running as much as I'd like. I always seem to slow down during the summer months and pick back up in fall. Well I signed up for a half marathon in September AND there's a time limit. So now I have motivation to make time to run.

We spent all day Saturday at the beach with friends, but I got up early Sunday and headed out for 6 miles. I needed something to get me going and I had 1 Honey Stinger honey waffle left. Time to buy some more!

These are awesome. For long runs and races, I like to have half before the run and half during. They taste great and give me the kick I need. Plus they curb any hunger pains you may be having. Have you ever felt your stomach grumble while you're trying to finish a run? Yeah. Not fun!

After my run I enjoyed a delicious chocolate Shakeology. Honey waffle before, chocolate shake after. Yum!

My goal is to run no less than 3 times  per week with one of those runs being a long run, one for speed work, and one easy run. I'd like to get in a 4th run, but being that I've only been averaging 1 run a week, I think 3 is a great place to start.

Anyone else have any fall races in their lineup? How do you fuel for long runs?

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!

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). :-)

Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Race Recap

This is long overdue!! As I always say better late than never, right? I keep telling myself that I'm going to be better at posting and I want to post on a weekly basis. I really want to develop this blog into something more than just a training log. Until I can figure out how to add hours into the day, you'll have to take what you can. :)

Now let's get on to the important stuff. In case some of you don't make it all the way to the end of this blog, I'm going to get it out now. I got a new PR!! I beat my previous half time by 5 minutes! I finished in 2:37:31 with an average pace of 12:01. That is so great!

Now for the nitty gritty. I was up about 10 minutes before my alarm was scheduled to go off (before 5am!) and I tried to just relax a bit and not let the nerves take over.  I had to wake up my 3 year old, which was actually the worst part of it! He did really well though and we made it to the metro by 6, which was my goal.

On the metro. I think they'd both rather be in bed! Haha!

  We got to the start of the race with time to spare and I left Sidney and Jack to search for my corral. I was supposed to be in corral 31! I got down there and waited in line for the port-a-potty. The start of the race began but they were letting the corrals go every minute or two, so I knew I'd be fine. I actually thought they'd be more strict with the corrals but after going to the bathroom, I moved closer to the start line and I ended up going out with corral 20-something. There were huge masses of people and it was crazy!

Starting line- this is the only race picture I got! Sadly, no picture of me at the finish with my medal. Next time!

The first 3 miles were a bit slow and I figured it would take about that long for the crowd to thin out. Well it never really did. I was weaving around people even in mile 8! It was a bit annoying but I was focused on enjoying the race. I purposefully left my headphones at home because I wanted to hear the bands along the course. I wanted to have as much fun as possible!

I cheered, did some fist pumps, and hi-fived anyone with their hand out. I saw a group of people on the left all cheering and giving out hi-fives during the second half. I was on the right hand side of the road but I sped up and maneuvered my way over to them and gave them all hi-fives. I even hi-fived a DC cop! When you're running alone you've got to do whatever you can to keep your mind off the miles and the time, especially when you don't have headphones.

Some of the women I run with on Tuesdays ran the course 2 weeks prior to the race. I ran with 1 woman the week before the race and she told me to watch out for a steady incline between miles 5 and 7. Make it past that and the rest is good. For the first 5 miles I told myself to conserve energy and wait until I made it through the hills. My plan was to wait until I hit mile 8 before kicking it up a bit more. I'm so glad she made it seem like the hill would go on for 2 miles! There were 2 very big hills with long, steady inclines, but it wasn't as bad as I had expected and I got through them without too much of a problem. Must be all those squats I've been doing. ;)

The first 10 miles were actually a breeze. Did I really just say that? Between mile markers 10 and 11 I started to get a mental block and feel a bit sluggish. The hardest mile is the second to last as it seems to go on forever. That's how I felt in my other halfs and I was starting to feel the same way at this one. I knew once I hit mile 12 I would be fine, because I would just concentrate on finishing strong. But once I got to mile 11 it hit me. The feeling that this mile would never end. I dug deep and tried to push away the mental blocks. It worked and I felt such relief when I saw the number 12!

As always, I sprinted to the finish not having any clue about my time. I didn't look at my phone even once throughout the race because I didn't want to psych myself out. My goal was to just beat my previous time and I really really wanted to be in the 2:30's. I obviously did it and I couldn't be more proud of myself!

What really surprised me is that my 10-mile time was 2:02:17, which means I ran the last 5K in 35 minutes. Not bad when you've just ran 10 miles! My 10-mile PR is 1:58:30 and I was only 4 minutes off that. I'm running that same 10-mile course this Sunday and I'm ready to crush that PR!

I'm so amazed at what I can do and the changes I've made. Just from January until now I've lost 6 pounds and shaved 5 minutes off my half marathon time! I'm eating healthy, exercising regularly, and I feel incredible. I have 3 races in April and I can't wait to see what else I can do! You never know what you're capable of until you try.

I have to thank my family, especially Sidney for waking up super early and having to wait around for 3 hours with a restless 3 year old just to support me. It helps knowing my family is at the finish waiting for me. Thanks, I love you guys! :)

Potomac River Run Half Maraton Race Recap

I'm only a week late posting this but better late than never, right? On Sunday November 18th, I ran my 2nd half marathon. I was nervous and unsure but also really excited. I left Jack and Sidney at home (it was pretty cold and the only shelter was in the car) and got there with plenty of time to spare.

Packet pickup was at a picnic shelter and the start of the race was a little walk away on the towpath, which is also where the race took place. It ended up being an out and back- 6.5 miles out, turn around, and come back to finish. The runners doing the full marathon had to do 2 out and backs. I can't even imagine!

There weren't very many runners and once we got started and everyone spread out, I was last. There wasn't a single person behind me. I tried not to think about it and reminded myself I needed to run my race and keep a pace that was comfortable for me. I was pretty sure I'd have to walk at some point and I knew it would be a difficult race (not the terrain but my lack of preparedness). I just wanted to take it easy.

It was a beautiful run. On one side we had the C&O Canal and on the other side was the Potomac River. There were other people out walking dogs or doing their own runs. It was great. There weren't any clocks, mile markers, or other distractions.

I was so happy to see the turn around point. There was someone there recording bib numbers so no one could cheat and turn around sooner. It was a manually recorded but electronically recognized timing system. There was also a gentleman with bowls of oranges and bananas as well as water and coke. I took some water and an orange slice, finished, and was on my way. That ended up being the only time I stopped. I never walked like I had expected to!

The last few miles seemed to take forever. I had had some Shot Blocks, but I was hungry. I was tired and really wanted to see the finish. I kept thinking about the pizza that they said would be there after the race. I couldn't wait for a slice of pizza! Somewhere in the last mile I increased my speed. After a while I cursed, wondering where the finish line was. I was afraid I had sped up too soon. I just kept going, knowing it would end eventually.

As soon as I caught a glimpse of the finish, I did what I do best and let go. I gave it all I had and finished strong. The clock said 2 hours, 43 minutes. I wasn't sure what the seconds were but I knew it was close to beating my previous time. I couldn't believe it! I was handed my medal- my first (last time I got a necklace) and went searching for the pizza. There were 2 empty boxes and a 3rd box with one slice left! I grabbed it and enjoyed that cold slice all the way to the bathroom. But then it dawned on me...there were still a lot of runners out there doing the full marathon. I really hope they were planning on getting more pizza for them!

I ended up finishing ahead of 3 other women doing the half. I might start out slow but I finish strong!

Here's a pic I took before the race. I feel like I have a weird look on my face but I was freezing!

My first medal:

 And my official race photo:

I'll definitely run this race in May if I don't get into the Nike Women's Half in DC the week before. I don't know if I want to do back-to-back half marathons, especially when I'm also doing one in March. We'll see! Either way it'll be a busy and awesome spring!

I Must Be Crazy

I told you all that I ran a lot in October. In fact, it was my best month in the 6 years I've been running. So good that I might be ready to run a half marathon in less than 2 weeks? Depends on your definition of ready. It doesn't matter because on a whim, I signed up for a race that's on November 18th. Yes, a half marathon less than 2 weeks away. I must be crazy.

I did run a 10K, then an 8 mile run, then another 10K all in the last 3 weeks. And I felt great and still do. I'm on week 4 of Ripped in 30 and I really think that it has helped to make me a stronger runner. But 13.1 miles when the most I've run in 3 months is 8 miles?

I'm planning on doing a 10 mile training run this weekend and I'll just run the half with finishing as my only goal. The most I ran before my first half was 11 so I definitely think it's doable. No matter what, I'll be finishing my 2nd half marathon in less than 2 weeks!!

So why did I decide to run this race? I got an e-mail listing upcoming races in my area and it caught my attention. According to the race website it's "the easiest marathon in America". It's a Boston Marathon qualifier, although that means nothing to me. It's supposed to be an almost totally flat, out 'n' back course. Because there will be a full marathon going on as well, I'll have 6 hours to finish. Definitely doable! They're only accepting 350 entrants so it's not going to be overly crowded. Despite my "late" registration, the entry fee wasn't too steep. I'll get a technical shirt, goodie bag, post race picnic, and even a finisher certificate and printed results mailed to me. And the best part? I'll get my first medal!! That right there sealed the deal!

This Potomac River Run Marathon is apparently held every spring, with the 10th one scheduled for next May. They're holding a special 91/2th one now in memory of Dean Shulman who I think worked with the Safety and Health Foundation, the company putting on the race. They're also giving anyone who was entered to run the NYC Marathon a $20 discount. In case you didn't know, it was scheduled for last week and was cancelled due to the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy.

I'm excited and a bit nervous, but I've done it before and I know I can do it again! My only real concern for this race is the weather. I hope it isn't freezing! We're expecting nice weather for this weekend so at least my 10 mile run should be a pleasant one. Fingers crossed!

Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon

This post is long overdue but better late than never, right? The week leading up to my race I ran Monday morning and Wednesday night. I decided to skip my Thursday night fun run to give my legs a little break. I wasn't nervous but I ended up having some pre-race nightmares! I don't remember the details but they weren't anything crazy. This is the first time I've ever experienced this though. I always get pre-race jitters, even for a 5K, but this was new!

Anyways, we headed up to Annapolis Friday morning and took Jack to Sandy Point State Park where they have a beach. I figured we'd make a little vacation out of it and Jack had never been to a beach before. It was fun and he loved playing in the water. It was very dirty though and a lot of dead fish were either floating in the water or had washed up onto the beach. Gross! We didn't stay too long and were able to check in early to our hotel.

We headed over to the hotel where packet pick-up was taking place and I got my swag. Muscle Milk was a major sponsor of the race and they were there handing out bottles. I had previously tried the Muscle Milk light chocolate and didn't care for it too much, so my hopes weren't very high. I took a cookies n' cream one and let me tell you...it is amazing! They handed out bottles after the race as well and I grabbed another to take home. Sidney tried the banana one and he really liked it. Give them a try!

This was my first time in Annapolis and they have a beautiful downtown area. I really wanted us to eat dinner there and I found a pizza/pasta restaurant that I figured would have a good pre-race meal. I made the wrong choice getting chicken parmesan. It was very heavy and way too much food and I immediately regretted not going for the lighter dish I had been contemplating. Lesson learned! It didn't seem to affect my race though, which was my main concern.

Here's a quick pic of the downtown area, though this picture does not do it justice!

We had a king size bed which we all shared, and I ended up falling asleep with Jack. I woke up a few times throughout the night and that 5:30am wake-up call came quick! Jack slept right through it and this is what we woke up to:

He took up a lot of space for such a small person! Sidney slept by his feet and I was by his head. Sorry for the poor quality...I used my phone and didn't want to wake him with a flash.

The hotel's complimentary breakfast started at 6 and I quickly made some toast with peanut butter, while grabbing a muffin for Jack. We were able to extend our check-out time so we didn't have to worry about packing up and checking out before leaving. We made good time and got there with a few minutes to spare. Soon after we parked, I heard them calling for runners to start lining up in the corrals. I had hoped to make a quick stop at the port-a-potties, but didn't want to wait in line and end up rushing to the start. I headed straight for the 12-minute pace corral.

I started out fairly slow, wanting to reserve some energy for the end. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I'd finish without having to walk at all. The first 5 miles were pretty easy. Every port-a-potty I saw had lines that were longer than I was willing to wait in. I didn't want to lose too much time and I didn't really need to go. Coming up on mile 5 though, there was only one person waiting so I decided to get in line. I only spent maybe 5 minutes total and I felt much better afterwards! Which was good because I was coming up on the bridge.

This bridge was steep. The good thing about it was once you reached the top, you had a nice downhill to recover. Both the mile 5 and mile 10 markers were on this bridge.

I wish I had gotten better pictures, but I didn't want to stop or spend too much time fiddling with my phone. I took both of these pictures while running and I'm surprised they turned out so well! At the bottom of the bridge there was a turnaround for the runners doing the 10K course. Those are the runners you see on the left side, running in the other direction. At first I thought, how could anyone already be hitting mile 10 when I'm only at mile 5? I did see the leaders of the half run by me around mile 6 though (their mile 9).

The mile 7 and 8 markers were on the Baltimore/Annapolis trail which we were on for about 2 miles. It was very shady and I was actually cold! All I could think about was getting off the trail, back into the sun, and heading to mile 9. As I was going up a hill in the open sun, knowing the bridge was about to rear it's ugly head for the second time, I was thinking I should be careful what I wish for!

It was on the trail that I passed a few groups of runners for the last time. These are the runners who were doing a walk/run. They'd walk for 4 minutes and I'd run by them, then they'd start running again and pass me. I was getting very tired of this and was happy to finally be rid of them once and for all. There were quite a few too! I see nothing wrong with walking if that is part of your plan, but I had no plans to walk myself and I was in a better place mentally once I had finally pulled away from them.

Seeing the mile 10 marker on the bridge was awesome. Then the mile 11 marker was just ahead and it seemed like it was too soon. I didn't think another mile could have possible gone by. I said out loud, "Oh my god is that mile 11?" A girl in front of me turned around to look at me and she said, "Still 2 more miles." I couldn't believe she would say that. Still 2 more miles?? We only had 2 miles left!! I was ecstatic! I said, "I've never run more than 11 miles!" She said, not too sincerely, "Good for you." I didn't care...I was smiling big and only had 2 miles left! I was running farther than I ever had before and I felt great!

My feet were definitely sore and the next mile seemed a little long. I was still able to push myself and pick up some speed. Once I saw the mile 12 marker, I picked up even more speed. Only one mile to go! Then I saw the mile 6 marker up ahead. Mile 6, you might ask? Yes, it was for the 10K course. Which meant the end was only about a quarter mile away. I picked up my pace even more, looking desperately for mile 13. Finally I saw it and I bolted! I was surprised how little people there were at the finish line. I expected bigger crowds. I saw Sidney and Jack on the side and heard Jack say, "Good job running, Rene!" Despite him using my first name, it was really cute and I gave it all I had and sprinted across that finish with my arms up! It was awesome!

My main goal was to run the whole way. My secondary goal was to finish in under 3 hours. I accomplished both and finished in 2:43:25.

I was thrilled and when I confirmed my results on one of the computers they had set up, I did a celebratory dance! I was a bit disappointed with the after party though. Of course they had bananas and we got free bottles of Muscle Milk. I also got a "snack box" which was the only food provided besides the bananas. In it was a bag of carrots, an apple, and some pita bread with dip. Seriously??!! I just ran 13.1 miles and you're giving me carrots and pita bread? I enjoyed a banana and the bread and dip were actually really good. But I would've liked something a bit more substantial.

This was a beautiful race. I enjoyed running through downtown Annapolis, seeing the sights, the water, and starting and finishing at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. But I was really hoping for more entertainment along the way and bigger crowds. There were a lot of runners, but not a lot of spectators. If I decide to do this again next year, I'll probably leave Jack at home and leave early that morning. It was great having Sidney and Jack there but they waited for me for 3 hours with nothing to do.

All in all, I'm very happy with this race and even happier with my performance. I am confident that I'll be able to finish a half in under 2:30. It might not be until next year, but I'll get there! I'm hoping to run the D.C. Rock n' Roll Half next March. As for now, I'm still running 3-4 times a week, have a few shorter races scheduled, and I'm working on getting back up to a 10 mile long run. My longest run since the half has been 5 miles. My goal is to run the Millennium Trail (10.6 miles) once a month. I'll keep you posted! :)