Kids Don't Try This At Home - Goals For New York Marathon

What in the world is up blogisphere?  I've officially fallen off the face of the blogging earth.  I think about it every now and then in a fond memory sort of way.

Remember when I had a running blog? That was fun.  It really did keep me motivated and accountable to my workout schedule.  Maybe I should start writing again.  Or maybe I should put down this beer and go for a run and then write about that run.  Oh look someone just posted a video of dog riding around on a Roomba.  <30 secs later> What was I going to do? Oh right, go for a run and blog.  Well there is a game on in 90 min so I really don't have the time, but for sure I'll do it tomorrow.

You get the idea.  As I said before, my motivation went from 60 to zero after Hood To Coast.  In an effort to figure out why, I looked back at my races over the years.  Turns out that ALL of my PR's and successful races have been in the Feb-June time frame.  I am not sure exactly what that means but I think it has something to do with my brain thinking fall = football + travel (see two weeks in Europe) and not long distance training.  It's not that I don't want to workout at all,  I just don't want to train.  I've actually been dying to do anything but run long distances. I think fall races are just not my jam.  Pour some out for my bucket list fall races: Santa Barbara, CIM, Chicago etc... Going forward I think I'll plan on spring/early summer for any sort of goal or distance races, maybe a few fun ones over the summer and end my season with a group relay in the August/Sept time frame.

Nike Half SF Last Weekend

Regardless of my lack of motivation and being incredibly under-trained, I am running the New York Marathon this weekend.  So that's happening.  I am not nearly in the shape I was for Napa and my longest training run was 18 miles (13 of which were Nike Womens Half).  I am not worried about a DNF.  I know I'll finish, it's just a matter of when. I am just trying to focus on the positive. Regardless of the time, on Sunday I am going to run the New York Marathon.  Even knowing it's not going to be a PR for me (currently 4:12:05), I am still really excited to experience this race.  I have no idea what to plan for a goal so instead here's three goals:

1. Good Goal: Cross the finish-line healthy and injury free regardless of time.
2. Better Goal: Finish between 4:30 - 4:45
3. Best Goal: Finish under 4:30, I think it would take a minor miracle to get in under 4:30 but I am putting it out there

New York will be my 5th marathon overall and 3rd marathon this year. I've been trying to get into this race since 2010 and I've heard nothing but amazing things.  This may be my only opportunity to run it and I want to soak it all in.  Also I'll be cheering something hard for this girl to win!  I adore her and am inspired daily by her choices and determination.  Add to that some Nuun ambassador events, lots of good friends, Duck football and a night on the town for Halloween and I am sure it will be an epic weekend.  See you on the other side.

September Workout Stats*:
Running - 40 Miles
Tennis - 75 min
Weights - 45min

*And that is why running New York in under 4:30 will take an actual miracle

2013 Review - Ya Done Good

2013 was once again the "year of Kara."  Since 2006 or so I've dubbed every year the "year of Kara" and I've had some great years, especially since 2010, so I am not going to mess with tradition.  You know things are going pretty well when you look back and try to single out your favorite memory from each month and every month has multiple contenders.  Here was my best effort and horribly lazy editing skills and my favorite moments of 2013:

2013

All in all I had a pretty amazing year.  Looking back at the year I am feeling very blessed with family, friends, health, travel and adventure.  Besides my mothers health (multiple bad diagnosis this year), what more could a girl ask for?  I have lots of goals for 2014 and I have a feeling it's going to be another year jam-packed with fun, new experiences and changes. But before I move forward, a quick recap of last year.

2013 Goals:

• To finish a marathon in under 4:30 - F (FAIL)
• Didn't even run one but this is my No.1 goal for 2014 and one I hope to have completed on March 2nd
• To finish a half-iron in under 7 hours -NP (no-pass)
• Didn't do a half Ironman but I am much more okay with this one.  I knew early in the year I would burnout if I tried to fit this into my crazy calendar.  I am not going to recycle this one for 2014 either.  If I end wanting to do one at the end of the year, I will but I don't need the pressure since it's not a huge priority right now.
• To finish 3 half-marathons in under 2 hours - B (2 of 3)
• I knocked out two right away with Nike DC & MTB.  Both of those I finished much faster than I thought possible but I never got that 3rd.
•  To get on the Nuun Hood To Coast Team (this one is not entirely in my control but I will do everything I can)  - A+
• An amazing experience I will never forget!
• To do more races in the state of CA then outside of it - A 
• Stuck to that goal and didn't get burnt out.  Win win!

The Numbers:

• Running: 765 Miles
• Swimming: 13,500 Meters
• Cycling: 277 Miles
• Hiking: 45 Miles (actual hikes, does not include commute & general daily miles)
• 15 Spin Classes
• TOTAL: 1341 Miles

• 15 Core/Weight Sessions
• 11 Yoga Classes 
• 12 Races - One for every month
• 6 Half Marathons
• 2 Olympic Triathlons
• 3 Relays (2 regular, 1 ultra)
• 1 Bike Race
  

I feel good about where I am with my fitness compared to a year ago.  I had some breakout races this year and stuck to my goal of not getting burnt out and keeping my life balanced. I kept most of my races "local" and had a great time exploring my new home state.  There are lots of little things I would like to improve upon (ex - daily vitamins, more veggies) but I am proud of this year and everything I accomplished.  Running HTC with Nuun was better then I ever imagined and I am very proud that I made that dream a reality.  Crossing the finish-line at MTB and Nike DC knowing I had run my hardest and averaged Sub 9 min miles was a big accomplishment for this  previous 11 min/mile runner. I also really enjoyed getting back into the world of triathlon since my retirement in 2011.  Although it was only the 1st half of the year, it reminded me how much I love the sport and the cross training.  Reflecting on my accomplishments before I look forward to my 2014 goals, MFR and I came up with our new motto;  Enjoy the now, then take it to the next level.  2013 was an amazing year - 2014 looks to be even better.

The Good, The Bad, The Pledge

The Good:
I ran Nike Women's Half Marathon was this past weekend and I had a great time.  My legs were heavy and tired but I finished in 2:04:33 and felt good with that.  I got to spend the weekend with some awesome friends and teammates. A few pics to commemorate:
  

Firemen carrying me to safety food.

10th Anniversary Finishers Necklace

My name was two-toned again, just like DC.

Look familiar?  We Run

The Bad:
Remember that time I was going to run a marathon?  You don't?  Well there was that time in 2009 where I registered for Eugene Marathon and then switched to the half mid-race.  Then there was that time I registered for a marathon and then switched to the half pre-race.  Which time was that again? There was Vegas 2011, Long Beach 2012, Surf City 2013, Mountains To Beach 2013, Half-Moon  Bay 2013 and Nike Women's Marathon 2013.  Plus I am sure countless marathons that I never actually registered for.

I keep telling myself I want to run a sub 4:30 marathon.  But do I? Clearly it's not that important to me. It's been 3 years since I ran my last marathon and I've only ever ran two marathons total.  Compare that to 23 half-marathons, 12 triathlons, 7 relays...you get the idea. I could go back to each of those races and scrutinize where it went wrong but the truth is I already know.  It never started.  I never committed to the training or the race.  I didn't respect the distance and thought I could squeak by without putting in the work.  But the days of doing a marathon "just to finish" are over.  I am improving, I am getting faster and I want that to show when I finally do one.  I want to be proud of the outcome instead of just getting through.

The Pledge:

It's time to get this ass kicked into gear and make it a priority. FOR REAL.  I am doing the Napa Valley Marathon on March 2nd.  I am going to follow a 15 week training plan (following a week of recovery post Ragnar Vegas).  I am going to Sub - 4:30.  There is no option for a half with this race - that is not a coincidence.  It's time to Rise & Shine.

Levi's GranFondo Race Report

On Oct. 5th I rode the Levi's GranFondo.  I haven't done a lot of cycling-only events.  When I was training for Ironman, I did the Ride Around Clark County Century Ride, which was very casual and not crowded.  I did a 40 mile Livestrong ride on a hybrid in 2005ish and I've done a few super casual Oregon wine country rides with Eola Hills. Then I did Bridge Pedal and absolutely hated it.  There are way too many inexperienced riders and it caused me serious anxiety during the entire ride so I swore off all major cycling events.

In January, my dad mentioned he wanted to come down from Oregon to do GranFondo.  I was apprehensive when I saw 7500+ riders but somehow I was talked into it.  MFR, my dad and I all signed up for the Medio Route - 62 miles (there are  options for 30, 62 & 102). 

MFR ready to ride

Although the day did not go quite as planned, my faith in cycling events is restored.  Even with 7500 riders, I was never nervous.  Everyone there was a serious cyclist with good bike handling skills so nobody was stopping in the middle of the road or signaling right and then turning left etc...  The scenery cannot be beat, you get everything from ocean cliffs (with lots of sea life sightings), to covered forests to gorgeous views of the Russian River.  I met two women a the first pit stop who come all the way from Whistler every year for this event.  They said they had done rides all over the country and this was their favorite by far. 

The view was not to shabby.

I felt much better than I anticipated given my lack of cycling training lately and really enjoyed being back out on the bike.  Miles 1 -34 went perfectly.  At mile 35 we realized why everyone registered was a "serious cyclist."  It was hands down the steepest climb I've ever seen and it basically went on for 10 miles.

Not a hill - a mountain.

I am talking narrow sea cliff switchbacks that went straight up and never seemed to end.  Even though I was very proud of my climbing, since it seemed like half the field was stopping to walk, at mile 40 the race went downhill. 

Looking back at the first part of the climb

Long story short, my dad ended up with heatstroke and we finished the day with an ambulance ride to the hospital.  It really wasn't as bad as it sounds (though there were some scary moments) and going to the hospital was probably unnecessary.  It was a good reminder that when you sense someone is not doing well and they say, "go ahead, don't worry I'll be fine," don't listen!  Luckily I ignored my dads wishes to have me continue on. I was sad not to finish given how great I had been feeling about my ride but was so glad I stopped and turned around when I did.

My dads bike being put in a cop car by the incredible volunteers who went above and beyond to ensure his safety.

I only made it to mile 44 but MFR finished the whole race and said it was his favorite endurance event he'd ever participated in; not including when he crossed the finish line and discovered he had to come pick us up at the hospital.  The swag and the festival at the end was great and since we had to go back to get our bikes we even enjoyed the free beer and awesome food options.  This race should be on every cyclists bucket list.  Even with the drama, we all kept talking about what a great day/event it was.  We'll definitely be back next year for redemption.

Swag bag and Camelbak water bottle

MFR & dad - Finish Festival.

Free beer and awkward chest hair? Nailed it.

In other news, I still don't know what distance I am running this weekend.   I keep going back and forth between a) I am 100% not trained and my knee might still be sort of iffy (though it's been fine running, just gets sore when I am sitting for long periods of time) so I should just do the half and try to sub 2:00, b) I should just do the marathon even if it takes me 5+ hours to do it, it's an awesome course and will be good training for Ragnar....blah, blah, blah Basically everything after 18 miles is going to hurt and be a major sufferfest.

With Ragnar Vegas Ultra, where I have to run 36 miles (13, 13, 10,) only 3.5 weeks away, should I marathon poorly but get in good tough mileage or try to run a good strong half?  Thoughts?

September Stats & HMB Half Marathon

September Stats:

Running: 81 Miles
Cycling: 20 Miles
Spinning: 46 Miles
Yoga: 2 Hours
Weights/Core: 50 min
Total: 147 Miles

Feeling pretty good about last month given I was sidelined for over a week with knee issues.  This past Sunday I did the Half Moon Bay Half Marathon.  I was originally signed up for the full but pulled the ole switcheroo with Nike Women's on October 20th (I think).  To train for Nike, I had 20 on my schedule for Sunday so I decided to just integrate the half marathon into that total.  I had a lot of back and forth about the best way to do that considering I didn't want to run in pitch black or get up at 3am.  I was also very wary of saving the all extra 7 miles for post race because I knew I'd be tired and probably wouldn't do it so I split the difference. 

After my 4am wake up, breakfast (2 eggs, 2 fake sausage links, coffee, Nuun and half a LaraBar) and a 30 min drive  I arrived at the race around 6:15am.  The half wasn't starting until 7:30 so I walked over to the start to get my bearings, use the restroom and then headed out onto the course.  At this point the sun was coming up and it was gorgeous views right along the ocean.  I ran out 2 miles and turned around. I got some frantic/concerned looks from the volunteers who were setting up water stations when I came running up with my bib on.  I tried to keep a nice slow/steady pace since I knew I still had that whole race thing to do:

Mile 1: 9:49
Mile 2: 9:20
Mile 3: 9:33
Mile 4: 9:29

58 degrees, no wind and crystal clear = perfect conditions

Once I got back to the start they announced they were delaying by 15 min which left me almost 45 min to try and stay warm.  I debated going back out on the course for another 3 miles but they were starting the marathon so I wasn't sure where I'd run.  I had a GU, used the porta again and just tried to keep stretching and moving under my space blanket.  At 7:45ish we all lined up and Bart Yasso started the race.

My plan was just to stay with that steady pace and finish without hitting the wall.  Considering I haven't done a lot of long mileage runs I knew even this 17 was going to be hard.  Luckily I felt good the entire race and mentally stayed in it.  This might have been the most beautiful course I've ever run so I tried to take in the scenery but was pretty focused.  I had a Gu at 7 miles and probably could have used another one but didn't want to take the time.

The course ended up being 13.65 miles - whoops!  They have since dealt with the issue and luckily for me it was just a training run but others were not pleased.  That extra half mile was awful, it took all my mental strength not to stop and walk.  I kept thinking about this clip and it got me through.

Mile 1: 8:49
Mile 2: 8:51
Mile 3: 9:04
Mile 4: 9:02
Mile 5: 9:03
Mile 6: 8:59
Mile 7: 9:08
Mile 8: 10:12 (lengthy water/gu break)
Mile 9: 9:06
Mile 10: 9:46
Mile 11: 9:10
Mile 12: 9:43
Mile 13: 10:12
Mile .65: 6:26
Final Time: 2:07:28 (9:20 avg. if you factor the extra mileage)

I crossed the finish line feeling like ran a good/smart race and training run.  The only problem was I had 2.5 more miles to get to 20 but I didn't want to get stuck in the parking lot with the crowds and I couldn't run on the course.  I did a quick change out of my soaked clothes and drove back to SF telling myself that I would do a 2.5 mile run as soon as I got home before I showered.  Can you guess how that ended?  Food, shower, coach and football wins every time.  So I still haven't hit that 20 mark but I felt really good with my 18.  I am riding in Levis GranFondo on Sat. and have a 10 mile run planned for Sunday since I can't imagine doing 20 the day after a 60 mile ride.  I am aiming for a 22 miler on Wednesday of next week to start/finish my long runs.  Maybe I am being naive but I still think I can break a 4:30 marathon at Nike, it's just going to be really close:)

I will post a full review of the race but to give you an idea of how amazing the course is, take a look at these:

Motivation For Your Face: Do as I say....

not as I do.  I don't know why I wrote that title.  I am in a very sassy mood at the moment and it was the first thing that came out of my brain.  You're welcome for my classy and sophisticated writing style.

Anywho, my momentary freakout and take-me-out-of-the-game injury is doing MUCH better.  I successfully ran 17 beautiful miles on Monday morning without any knee pain.

Summer in SF

Ridiculous views on this run

In case you weren't aware, knee recovery threads make the boys come running.

What is happening here?  Knee elephantiasis?

Although my knee felt good, the rest of my body was screaming in pain.  How can you get so out of shape in two weeks?  I mean good god.  I've been like an 80 year old limping around the past 48 hours.

So now what?  If 17 was that hard, I knew I was not going to run 26.2 on Sunday.  Unless crab walking the last 8 miles is an approved form of locomotion, I had to come up with Plan B.  Warning - It's not a good plan but it's a plan nonetheless.

Plan B:
October 20th is the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco.  I was excited to participate in this race as a local for the first time and on the 10th anniversary of the race.  Nike once again refused to give us any love through the lottery process.  Nuun to the rescue.  Nuun was given a certain amount of guaranteed entries for their sponsorship and since they couldn't fill them all, they offered them up to the Ambassadors.  We still had to pay the registration fee but at least we could crack into the fortress of Nike's lottery system.  Sound familiar?  Try and try again Nike but you can't keep me out of your races.

I signed up for the half with this girl, thinking it would be three weeks after HMB Marathon and one week after Chicago (which Leslie is running.)  Nice little recovery half.  When I saw HMB wasn't going to happen I e-mailed Nike (or the event group) to see if I could switch to the full.  They said no problem and I would be receiving an updated e-mail stating I was in the marathon and see a charge on my credit card for the additional fee.  Eight e-mails later neither of those things have happened even though they say I've been switched.  So I will either be running 26.2 or 13.1 with Nike on October 20th.  I told you it wasn't a good plan.

I am going to train (healthy knee dependent) as if I am doing the marathon.  I am also going to train at a slow pace because I don't want to further hurt my knee and because I am not anywhere near where I should be 3.5 weeks out from a marathon.  This will be more of a get through it run than anything.  Remember when I said I wasn't going to do those anymore?  Me too.  That's why I am not too worried about the distance fiasco, if I end up doing the half that's probably meant to be.  I have my sights already set on my PR marathon in the future.

So there it is: The Maybe A Marathon Plan.  I am still running the half at HMB this weekend and will be tacking on 7 miles to make it a 20 miler.  The following weekend I am riding a 60 mile bike race which I haven't trained for properly either.  I can't see what could possibly go wrong with this plan.

Also Jenny posted this video on Twitter yesterday and I've watched about 200 times:

Way overdue August Stats:

Running: 68 Miles
Biking: 3.5 Miles
Weights/Core: 30 min
Total: 71 miles (lowest overall mileage month this year)

Injury Report: When Mental Strength Isn't Enough

I have a new found respect for any endurance athlete who's ever been injured.  Somehow I've lucked out and made it 5+ years as a runner/triathlete without ever really getting hurt.  Sure I've had the minor aches and pains and not so minor GI issues but I've never had any debilitating/take you out of the game injuries.  Well my number is up and I am officially on the injured reserve list.

Every Sunday night, I give myself the, this-is-the-week-pep-talk.  On a normal week, I will map my workouts out on my calendar of what I would like to accomplish.  This usually includes 9-10 workouts including 2 at lunch, multiple morning runs and a long run every weekend.  Fast forward to the following Sunday and most likely I got in 5 of those workout, zero before work and cut my long run in half or just didn't do it.  So I start prepping for the next week because THIS-is-the-week. It's a vicious cycle of wanting to be a more serious athlete and refusing to give up other things in my life, ex: drinking on Sat. night and watching Scandal and football on my couch. You know, the important things.  Do I keep dreaming big and executing poorly? YES! Do I think that I am the exception for the time and training required for successful races?  Apparently.  But every now and then I have breakthroughs and fulfilling weeks where I hit all my goals.  Those weeks are what keep me going.

Post Hood To Coast I came home rejuvenated, motivated and ready to take my running to the next level.  I had a quick recovery week and jumped into marathon training with a "I am going to own Half Moon Bay attitude."  I researched some good local running groups, sketched out the next month of training and it was go time.  During the first week of this month I had already logged over 21 miles by Wed.  Normally I don't do 21 in a week.  I decided out of the blue on Thursday I was also going to hit up a lunch yoga class at my gym.  I haven't been to yoga in a few months but thought the stretching would be good for me.  About half way through the class I was in a deep plie squat and felt something pop in the back of my right knee.  It didn't hurt right away but it was a moment of "oh crap, that didn't feel right."

I finished the class and kind of forgot about it until I was telling MFR about it later that night.  The next morning it felt fine so I went for my scheduled 5 miler.  I favored the right leg a little during the run but thought it was mental.  The next day it was sore, swollen and hurt to touch.  I took the weekend off, tried a short run on Tues (no-go)  and finally got into the doctor on Wed.  Long story long, I have tendonitis in my knee; more specifically popliteus tendinitis.  This diagnosis is an educated guess without any sort of x-ray or MRI.  However, things that cause this type of tendinitis: overuse, running downhill and squat position.  Ding, ding, ding!!! 

I proceeded to have my one and only mental breakdown. I am feeling the best I have physically in a long time and more focused mentally then ever before.  I am finally ready to be that athlete I envision every Sunday night and now I am sidelined.  In the grand scheme it's really not that bad and knee tendinitis albeit annoying, is not that serious compared to a torn ACL etc... The problem is the doctor didn't really have recovery plan for me, other than RICE, some dynamic stretching and going by feel.  If you know me at all, you know how much I hate vague directives.  I want him to tell me, don't run for 5 days, ice it for 20 min in the morning and night, do these 5 stretches and you'll be good.  Instead I got more of a could be a few days to a few months response.

It doesn't hurt (more) while running it's actually the worst when sitting at my desk.   So I should keep running right?  Right? For now it's rock taped, I haven't ran in over a week and I think it's getting better.  I did two bike rides this weekend and it didn't seem to bother it at all besides just the awareness of something off with my knee.  I am currently struggling with whether I'll make it worse or is this just one of those pains you can work through? 

My game plan is to ease back into running this week.  I've given up the dream of a marathon in two weeks and will be switching to the half (which may even be questionable depending on how this goes).  I am on the hunt for a good PT since I have a theory everything is stemming from my right hip issues that I've never dealt with.  At this point I have not given up hope for a 2013 Marathon but if I need more time off I'll just have to deal.  I will feel like a failure if I don't meet my sub 4:30 goal but it's not worth it to further injure myself and be sidelined indefinitely.  My biggest concern is being healthy for Ragnar Vegas Ultra and I don't want to jeopardize that by pushing for a marathon.  We'll see how the next two weeks go and then I'll reassess a race/recovery schedule.  I am hoping to at least run a 10 miler this weekend but I'll have to take it day by day and see how it feels.

Any and all feedback is welcome if you've had a similar injury.

Two Week Challenge

I am giving myself until July 22nd to actually pull the trigger but it looks like Half Moon Bay Marathon is going to be the winner for the fall race.  That only gives me 12 weeks to train with two relays mixed in but I think I can do it and break 4:30.  I say two weeks because I want to hold myself accountable to a legit training plan.  My goal is 30+ miles for both this week and the following week.  If I can complete that and I feel good (injury free) then I'll finally register.  If for some reason I don't feel healthy or don't think I can break 4:30 I'll keep Long Beach as a backup. I've had a minor hip thing lately (aka having a mini seizure on a dock in Tahoe this weekend because my right hip popped out of socket).  I've self diagnosed snapping hip syndrome so I'll be doing some rad dynamic stretching and hopefully I won't have to go to a doctor where they will tell me I have no idea what I am talking about.  So far it hasn't affected my running; until this weekend I only noticed it when I was in yoga and couldn't do certain things on my right side. 

I've also been hanging onto Long Beach because it would give me two extra weeks of training and it gives me less time between races when I am headed into Ragnar Vegas Ultra. I am a little worried about keeping the momentum and mileage up for the 5 weeks between HMB and Ragnar without a burnout.  Honestly though, I wouldn't really be that excited about doing LB again (did the half last year) which is not a great way to start marathon training.  Plus Half Moon is "local" and a much smaller race which I've been loving lately.  It's the only marathon 100% along the Pacific Ocean with no highway roads.  Yes please.

So far I've been successful on my challenge.  A few easy miles yesterday to test my hip followed by a 90 min yoga class.  This morning I actually got up early (4:15am) and got my 6 mile trackmill workout in before work.  Tomorrow will be the real test with an early morning 7 miler.  I going to have to go to bed early tonight (as if that is an issue).  I have an annoying cold right now that doesn't really feel like I am fully sick. I've actually been fine running I am just not sleeping very well (see 4:15am) so a Nyquil induced sleep starting at 8pm sounds amazing..hello 31!  Let's see what else can I bitch about?  Oh yeah, I lost both of my big toenails last week and it makes me equally sad and grossed out.  #runnerproblems  My attempt to coverup said toes has been a failure so if anyone has tips for this, please let me know.  The women in the locker room, my friends, my co-workers and my husband all thank you in advance.

We didn't get into Nike so here's what the new race schedule looks like:

• Cascade Lakes Relay - 8/2-8/3, Runner #5 
• Hood To Coast Relay with Team Nuun - 8/23-8/24, Runner #3 
• Pacific Grove Olympic Tri 9/14
• Half Moon Bay Marathon 9/28
• Ragnar Vegas Ultra - 11/8-11/9, Runner #3
• Big Sur Half Marathon - 11/17
• North Face Endurance Challenge Half  12/8

I am pretty excited for each of those.  Commence the 2 week challenge.

Race Review: Nike Womens Half Marathon DC

Well it's over a week later and I have already done another race since then, but before I get all triathlon/Wildflower lovefesty on here, I want to make sure I get a review up for this race.  As I said previously I had such an amazing weekend in DC!  Well played Nike on your first race outside SF.  I had a great time at the race and everywhere in between.   I know that technically men can run in the Nike Women's Series but there is no better way to do one of these runs then with a group of girlfriends.  If you're thinking about doing SF or DC, recruit some of your running besties and make a girls weekend out of it!  Both cities are very conducive to a long weekend with the ladies.

I flew in on Friday evening and met the girls in Georgetown for dinner.  I've been to DC at least five times now and I'd never been to G-Town.  I had no idea what I was missing.  Great food, great shopping and just about the cutest neighborhood you've ever seen.  On Saturday we did a quick walk by the White House to say good morning to Michelle and then went back to G-Town for the expotique. There was a massive line for registration but it went really fast.  Nothing too special in the swag bag.  We did a quick run through the expo because it was really crowded and I stopped  by the Nuun booth to say hi and introduce myself as a HTC runner.  Nike does a great job of stepping up your typical tradeshow feel of an expo.  It's a much nicer design and feels very woman-centric which I like.  In summary - it's just prettier:)  I did think it was a little bizarre that you couldn't actually purchase products there but that was probably a good thing for me.

Outside the expotique

Nuun booth

Afterwards we ate, shopped, did some damage at Niketown (which was also insanely crowded), found our names on the wall, ate, shopped some more and then ate again.  I am pretty sure we easily walked 4+ miles that day.  Tiring out my legs pre-race is quickly becoming a tradition.  After searching the city for a bagel and settling for Cheerios we called it a night.  Actually we stayed up way too late watching the White House Correspondents Dinner and deciding if it would be inappropriate to go stalk celebrities in our pajamas. The jury is still out but we settled for bed instead.

Runners wall

At 4am I was up drinking coffee and prepping and by 6am we were out the door.  We walked to the start (getting a hotel in walking distance is a game changer for all races) and were in our respective corrals with plenty of time.  Nobody gear-checked but it appeared to be running smoothly.  At 7am we were off and besides the first couple miles being crowded the rest was smooth sailing.  It was 60 degrees out and not too humid which is just about perfect! My only complaint was the bathroom situation.  Luckily I didn't end up having to use them but I thought I might so I was on the look out and there were very few (both at the start and on the course).  There were a few porta potties at mile 1 and about 70 women waiting to use them:(  I heard feekback that people had to wait 20 min + to the use the bathroom during the race.  That is not going to make for a PR.  Otherwise course support and cheering was great!  I ran with my own "food" and just used the aid stations for Nuun and water.

Start line - Photo Cred Nike

As I said I was in the zone so I don't really remember the course except for it being flat and fast.  I know there were a few out and backs and we were along the Potomac for a large chunk of the race. I think we passed some monuments that I did not notice at the time.  The climb up to the Capitol during mile 12 was really pretty but seemed to be never ending because it was mile 12.

One of the out & backs along the Potomac - Photo Cred Nike

Finally, the finish line came into view and I had a PR to celebrate.  Per usual the red carpet, hot man in a tux and little blue box were waiting for me.  This is why women love the Nike races and it was no different this time around. Otherwise, the finish line food was pretty standard but they did give you a Tiffany & Co. blue bag to carry everything in.  They also had a big merch tent, stretching studio and a make-over booth (I am not sure how that works when you're pouring sweat and smell like death but people seemed to be using it).  I avoided all of those lines, grabbed my space blanket and headed out to stretch in the sun and meet everyone else.  Another great race in the books.

Friends who vacation run together

Love it! The back has a girl running and cherry blossoms.

The rest of the weekend was spent eating, sightseeing and celebrating.  All in all it was a great race and a fabulous weekend with a great group of friends.  Can't wait to do it again next year!

Celebratory Champs!

Random Note:
 I've gone back to look at my race reviews and I've realized that almost all of them have the theme of, "great time, great race, so much fun, you should totally do it etc...."  I can see how some people might view this as not being selective of my races or in-depth about the details.  But it's just who I am. I am a positive person who looks at the good.  I love running/racing and I always have a great time doing it.  Also I know going into a race now what to expect.  I've done small and large races and I appreciate both of them for different reasons.  And these days there are races for everyone so do your research and find one that fits what you're looking for. 

The logistics of putting on a race is no small feat, especially when you get into the 10,000 runners + territory.  So if it's a little crowded or I have to wait for a train or car to go by instead of risking my life, I am okay with that.  It blows me away that after I complete a race, all I can think of is how much fun it was. Then I get on the FB page and see hundreds of complaints about the smallest details; ex: "my wave was supposed to cross the start at 7:05 and we didn't start until 7:07." Who cares?  That's what a chip is for.  So if you're looking for reviews with the negative gripes about every little detail, this is not the place where you're going to find it.  I'll definitely give you the reality of the race and the general overhaul (crowded, crazy traffic - plan ahead etc...) but most the time I had a great experience and that will come across in my review.  I enjoy races way too much to focus on the small minutia details of why they weren't perfect. 

Number 20 for the win! PR - Nike Womens DC Half Marathon

Let's go back to what I should have posted last week:

(Imagine Tuesday or Wednesday of last week if you will) Washington DC Nike Women's Half Marathon Week - Crazy busy at work and haven't had a moment to train all week after Wildflower but my goal is for a sub 2 PR in DC and really looking forward to this girls weekend!

(I didn't post that because I didn't have a moment to blog in the madness of last week and after a crappy WF run and non-existent training last week, I thought that sub-2 was once again a pipe dream.  I need to start posting my goals and stop second guessing myself but that's a whole other issue.)

Fast forward to today:

It happened!  I finally broke that damn 2 hour barrier again and not just by one second this time.  By over two minutes.  On my 20th half marathon I came back from DC with a big fat PR of 1:57:16!  I still can't believe it and when I look at my splits it's so weird for me to see anything with an 8 in front of it.  I am so used to 9 - 10 min miles I can't believe that those are actually my times.  Even in all this disbelief there are a few things I can point to that finally broke that sub-2 mark after a year of 2:10 - 2:20's.  Training for starters.  I know, you're mind is totally blown by that awe-inspiring statement.  But specifically, I kept up with my speed training every week and got in long runs on the weekend.  For the first time I felt "good" going into a race and not completely unprepared.  Imagine what I could do if I felt "great."  .

I also prepared my body for the race.  I hydrated really well the week before (minus a few glasses of wine on Friday night -whoops) and ate a good combo of carbs/protein and nothing too heavy on Saturday. I only had one beer on Saturday night; winning!  We walked around quite a bit on Saturday in Georgetown, to the expo etc....probably a good 4 miles of pre-race walking which I think actually warmed up my muscles.  I actually stretched (insert loud gasp here).  I didn't even recognize myself.

Unfortunately I didn't get tons of sleep but I  was up at 4am on Sunday ready to drink coffee in bed  race.  I ate some cheerios - thanks to Julie - a water bottle full of Nuun and some almond butter at the hotel.  We walked down to the start line, picking up a few friends on the way (including Shalane who was standing right outside her hotel). I didn't even think to ask for a picture.  I guess I was in pre-race mode.

Shalane & Joan decked out in Boston gear!

Start line

After a moment of silence for Boston and the national anthem, we were off at 7am sharp.

It was a nice flat course, great weather and I was mentally in it for the first time in maybe ever.  I did check-out a few times before the race and spiraled in the self doubt BS of, "is this possible," "maybe my goal should just be 2:05" etc...  Also during the first two miles when it was really crowded, I gave myself the out of, "I can't do it here, there is no room to run, I'll have to wait for a smaller race."  But that was the end of the mental self doubt.

After mile 2 I stopped looking at my watch and just ran what I felt was a good and sustainable pace.  Every now and then I would look at my pace (not overall) and see an 8:XX so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep it up and I was going too fast but I felt good.   I finally just said, screw it if I bonk at 11 then oh well; I have to keep running what feels good now.  I know I was in the zone because after the race when we were all comparing notes, everyone kept saying, "oh yeah when we saw this monument or passed that museum" and hadn't seen any of it.  I was just concentrating on the run. Finally at mile 11 I looked at my watch and realized I had 20 min or so for the last two miles.  At that point I knew I'd break 2 but still didn't expect the 1:57!  There really is something to this training thing:)

Splits:
Mile 1 - 9:20 (crowded but helped to not go out too fast)
Mile 2 - 9:01 (felt good but still was giving myself an out of the crowded race)
Mile 3 - 8:57 (mentally checked in and decided to actually run the race)
Mile 4 - 8:41 (felt really good but started to worry I couldn't keep it up)
Mile 5 - 8:41 ("I can't believe a feel this good")
Mile 6 - 8:32 (first gu, still feeling great but not wanting to get too excited)
Mile 7 - 8:57 (the disbelief was starting to set in)
Mile 8 - 8:47 (I think this is where I started to realize it might actually be possible w/o even looking at my time - I could just feel I was running faster than normal)
Mile 9 - 8:50 (the fatigue and soreness started to set in but I pushed through)
Mile 10 - 8:32 (don't know what happened here, I think I blacked out)
Mile 11 - 9:46 (second gu, there were some little  hills and I physically  hit the wall here - major mindf***)
Mile 12 - 8:34 (somehow I pushed through - this one still shocks me)
Mile 13 - 8:54 (the finish line was like a mirage that kept moving further away at this point)
Mile .1 -  8:40
Final 1:57:16 (392/2635 in my division, 2120/15,000(?) overall)

There is lots more to report including a race review, pictures from the weekend, April stats and goals for Wildflower.  Which just happens to be on Sunday - NBD!  More to come....