Charlevoix Half Marathon Race Report

The race report you've all been waiting for... and with my usual long windedness because yes I like hearing myself talk.

Pre-Race

Coming into this race I had a lot on my mind. I've had a failure with school and I haven't had a PR since September. That's the one thing that sucks about getting faster. You have to work harder for those PRs. I won't lie, I was fighting off anxiety coming into this race and I just couldn't handle coming home with anything less than a PR. I needed to run this. I wanted to face my fears head on. Fear of failure has held me back in the past in life and I was running this with all I had. No matter what happened I knew I'd be a winner. Going forward with racing I am not expecting a PR with every race. I realize I am going to have to get over that and I know I'm going to have to work my butt off to get them. Oh forgot to add my race mantras... Every race now I have a routine. I make a playlist for my race and give it my race mantra name. I usually come up with one during training for the full marathon's but shorter ones I make them up whenever. This playlist named "Get Some". I actually wound up using several mantras during this race.

On to the race

Got to the race and look for a few friends that I knew were supposed to be running it. Said hi, and then figured I'd go find a bathroom. That's my usual prerace routine. Find a potty 10 minutes prior to start. Last time I ran this there was a ton of port-o-potties at this location, but I get down there and there were THREE. There was a line too. When there was 5 minutes left I debated on saying the heck with it and getting to line up, but a couple people ahead of me said don't. They reminded me the race was chip timed and it would start when I crossed the pad. That it was better for me to go now if I needed to than lose time on the course. So I did just that. I started the race then about 5 minutes late. I felt kind of goofy, but it was okay. It actually kept me from starting out too fast or messing up my pacing too much.

Mile 1 I get to running and realize my Garmin satellites didn't connect a couple minutes into the race. I hit the button for training again and thankfully it connects to satellite. I didn't really want to run this one without my Garmin and I was thinking gees this is my luck. (I've had my Garmin not cooperate on race day before.) Garmin connects, but because it was messed up and I had my watch set for lap pace I had no idea what my pace was on the first mile. I figured no biggie. It's just the first mile. (Note to self - fix watch settings so I can flip to actual pace.)

Mile 2 - I knew from running this course before that the first couple miles were fast. I don't usually go out too fast so this race throws me off a little on that and I don't usually worry about it. I knew my watch was saying 17 something at the course marker for mile 2. I start thinking maybe sub 2 could happen.

Mile 3 - I get to a steady pace and somewhere around here my new mantra starts kicking in. I start repeating to myself and sorry excuse my language on this one, but "don't F this up". I kept reminding myself to keep my pace steady and don't go too fast. I didn't want to screw things up and lose my PR chasing sub 2. I made a goal at that point to not run any mile slower than 9:45. I knew as long as I could run every mile at 9:45 or faster I had a guaranteed PR.

Mile 4-5 - You might get a laugh on this one. I put my key to my car in my spi belt with my chews and cell phone(music). Well, I decide to go early for fuel at mile 4. I don't know. I wanted to nail this race and thought why not. Well, dropped my darn car key on the ground, not once, but twice trying to get it out of my spi belt. (Another note to self - Don't put your key in your spi belt. Research better place to put it. Usually hubby drives me so never had this problem before.) Running wise though I kept my pace okay in spite of having to stop and pick up key off the ground twice.

Mile 6 - This was an out an back course. I start feeling good and pick up the pace. From looking at the elevation chart though in my Garmin Connect I realize that there was a slight downhill here which is why I was a little speedier there and yes, I felt the slight uphill on the way back.

Mile 7 - On my way back home. I knew I had PR in the bag now for sure. I knew I could hold this pace for sure for 6 more miles. I've gotten pretty good at knowing what pace I can hold. I have more difficulty telling how fast can I really go.

Mile 8 - All of a sudden I was feeling it. The slight uphill for mile 6s downhill. If I hadn't ran this course 2 times before this mile would have shaken my confidence. I knew though that there was a tough mile I just couldn't remember if it was mile 8 or 9. I looked at my watch at some point and it was saying 10:10 for my pace and I was getting irritated because I wanted to have all my miles below 9:45. I start back with my "Get Some" mantra and just try to get my legs to pick it up a little. This was my slowest mile - 9:50.

Mile 9 - 10- Start feeling good again and start passing people. Keep in mind my 5 minute late start so I think that's why passing people was coming easy at this point. I start wondering if just maybe I could make that sub 2 after all. I knew if I nailed the last 4 then just maybe. I also knew that 4 miles was still further than I like to think it is. I tried to push harder, but was holding back for the last 3.

Mile 11 - This was the highlight of my race. Very emotional and very personal. N.L., yes, this mile was for you my friend. I see a sign on the road. You know the ones people put up to cheer on us racers. I almost started crying and I mean that literally (yes I know I seem to do this a lot on my races). Tears were forming. Racing for those that have never given birth before is a lot like childbirth without the pain (or maybe with some of it). Anyhow, the sign I see says "Go the Distance". My third mantra for this race. This one held me until the end of the race. My legs kicked up in high gear right there. It was an omen for me. And all my fears were washed away. This was my fastest mile - 8:47. At this point I start thinking again sub 2. I might have this.

Mile 12 - Well, legs were no longer keeping up with my mind, but I was still moving my legs as fast as I could make them go. Kept repeating "Go the Distance" and trying hard to finish strong. I knew this PR was mine and all I had to do was hold my pace and push it faster when I felt I could.

Mile 13 - Start looking for the finish line of course. It always seems forever before you see that stupid thing. I see the finish line and I pushed hard as hard as I could. (The last 30 second rolled over to a new lap on my Garmin at a 6:37 pace.)

I didn't get sub 2, but was thrilled with my finish. This was an official PR/CR of almost 10 minutes (previous PR 2:13:25). I also ran this 15 minutes faster than last year. Finished in 2:03:38. Oh also wanted to add this is also faster than my unofficial PR because my marathon PR was faster pace than my HM PR. It was important for me to beat that time too and not just the official PR time. Sub 2 is right around the corner.

Miles/HR info for those interested
1: 10:40 - 170 (not accurate because of satellite issues was closer to 9:25ish)
2: 8:58 - 176
3: 9:33 - 174
4: 9:43 - 174
5: 9:37 - 174
6: 9:03 - 175
7: 9:19 - 177
8: 9:50 - 176
9: 9:29 - 176
10: 9:21 - 176
11: 8:47 - 179
12: 9:36 - 178
13: 9:11 - 179

(And yes, I have a high max HR.)

Supermom fail

.Well, this weekend flat out sucked. I got a 6 mile run in, but that's about all that went right. I ate HORRIBLY. I hate that I am a stress eater. I can seriously pick up 4 or 5 lbs in a weekend if I get really stressed out. I get really frustrated because I constantly tell myself I can do anything I put my mind to. Reality is I am human. I can't do it all - or at least I can't do it all, all the time. I am regrouping today. I know the biggest thing for me that I have figured out is to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and keep moving. I tripped over the hurdle, but you know what I'll get the next one. I was surrounded by entirely too much negativity this weekend. It really affected my mood. I'm a little stressed out about keeping up with school and running. Ugh and Miss Natalie is back at it again closing the laptop.... See you kids later

How bad do I want it?

Oh yeah, oh yeah. Trying to keep the motivation high. I really, really, really want a PR this year! I'm tired of spinning my wheels and I refuse to show up in Chicago having been all talk. Tomorrow is going to be one of those days. Actually this whole weekend will be challenging. You see I'm going to nursing school. It's a non-traditional program so the clinicals are scheduled kind of weird, but it is making me really have to juggle to have it all. I've had a few people suggest that I might have to scale back my running to keep up with nursing school. I thought about it. I really did and believe me there are some days, a lot of days, where I feel like saying screw it. I'm tired. I'm not running today. The one thing that sticks in my head and it's something my dad used to say a lot "One excuse is as good as another." Lots of people have lots of excuses why they don't exercise. Shoot, my excuses would sound really good too. I mean hell everyone knows nursing school is challenging and time consuming and stressful. So, the reason I run is simple. One excuse is as good as another. What am I going to do when I'm through school? If I can't figure out how to run and go to school, how will I hold a job and keep running. The way I look at it, life is always going to be juggling for me. Anyhow, today was one of those days that I really was tired and so much of me wanted to skip my run. I got up at 4:15am to do homework and the girls had Girls on the Run. By the time I got back from getting them it was 6pm and I still had dinner to get going and I just wanted to say screw it. I thought about Chicago. I thought about Charlevoix. I thought about another 6 months going by with me spinning my wheels at the same pace and I got my darn shoes on and got out the door. I refuse to show up in Chicago being all talk. I really, really, really want to be sub 4 THIS year! I am not sure how I am going to get there because speed is coming so slow to me lately, but darn it I want it. Anyhow, had a phenomenal run once I got out the door. Tomorrow is going to be just as challenging. I need to figure out how to squeeze in 10 miles before heading to Indianapolis for clinicals. It's a 5 hour drive there and I will be busy all weekend so running it there would be really difficult. I'm thinking that me and my jogging stroller need to make friends. I really hate that stroller! Sorry to all my running friends that run in strollers all the time. Jealous of your stamina. I don't know how you do it. Not sure if I can pull 10 miles in the stroller or not, but one way or another I will be getting in those 10 miles. Chicago! Go, go Chicago!

Speak for yourself!

Okay, this post has been in my head for a while now. Please forgive me if I sound too big headed or self righteous - those are my two biggest character flaws and I am well aware of them. My husband says that's why he never tells me I'm doing a great job because I do enough of it for him. Anywho.. back to the point of this post. I've been reading a lot of posts from back of the pack runners lately. And you know what, good for them! They are getting out there and doing something and I think that's fantastic. Now I figure is time for a post from a former back of the packer, now middle of the packer, future front of the packer (stole that from a friend I know..., but I liked it so going with it.)

For those that don't know me gonna get a little personal here and reach out on some of the things I have accomplished in my life and why I dream big and why I say speak for yourself! First off I'm a Navy veteran. Boot camp was tough! I am a big wuss, girly girl through and through, but I like the challenge and marathon, babies, anything else in my life that has come has spun off of that first accomplishment. The military forever changes a person, develops character, persistence, pride, something you just can't find anywhere else. Second big game changer Justmommies.com - this is my sister's biggest pride and she often asks me why I don't rank that first on my list of things I'm proud of. My sister and I started Justmommies.com in 2004 with nothing more than 2 computers (one picked up for $45 at a garage sale because she couldn't afford a computer and I love her so much.) Justmommies grew to over 1/2 million visitors before we sold. I am no longer part owner of Justmommies, nor employee, but I will say that JM pushed along my big dreaming! People told us we couldn't do it then and my sister and I said we dream big!

Number 3 changer - don't ask me why this moment sticks out in my head so much, but it does. Sometime when Leo was a baby and I was massively overweight at the time. Some of you all haven't seen my fat pictures and may delude yourself into believing that being thin and in shape just comes easy to me - Before and After Pics Anyhow,I was at this Christmas party and there was a older gal sitting next to me. Then there was this other gal dressed in some skimpy party dress who looked pretty dang good. The older gal sitting next to me says "We'll never look that good again..." and the whole time I thought to myself... "SPEAK FOR YOURSELF".

Now, this brings me full circle back to the start of my post and my wonderful running friends. As a middle of the pack runner now, I hear things like "we'll never be that fast" and the like and all that runs through my head on this one is "SPEAK FOR YOURSELF". I may be slow right now, but I dream big! Just like when I started Justmommies with 4 people, my sister and I KNEW we could do it. Welp, guess what that's how I feel about running right now too. I KNOW I can do this. Now, don't get me wrong I don't mean I'm gonna go out and win the world Olympics. I'm delusional, not stupid. I am after all almost 39 years old. I am going to nursing school so have a pretty good familiarity with physiology. I am not in my prime, but all that being said, I am a pretty determined individual, big headedness or not, oh well. I plan to rock on this summer. I got a big dream right now and that's sub 4 for Chicago! Oh and since I pick a mantra for every marathon I run, I got mine picked for Chicago. First marathon I think was "Stick to the Plan". Second one was "Make it Count". Third marathon was "Never Give Up". Well, guess what my mantra is for Chicago "Heart and Soul". Stay tuned for great things to come from me. I'm gonna try to actually blog my way through training on this one and not be the slacker blogger you know and love that only comes around to toot her own horn.

2012 Kalamazoo Marathon Race Report

Stomach was bugging me night before the race and I woke up at 3am with it still bugging me. I was real nervous about this race, but wanting to have some fun more than anything else. I had a goal in mind, but was very prepared that a PR might not happen on this one as my training wasn’t as good with all the cold weather and school. Plus this course was a lot harder. I should mention I got my hair done with pink hair braided in and had my pink running skirt and bright pink socks along with my supermom shirt. I was all psyched to have some fun with this one since I wasn’t sure that I was going to do well.
Get to start line and line up with the 4:15 pace group. That was fun. I talked with the people there and kept up with them for quite a while. Note to self – Don’t wear a shirt that says Supermom to Seven Cheer Me On unless you are prepared to answer the ages of all your children to every single runner that comes up behind you. By mile 10, I seriously started telling people that was taking too much mental energy and I just couldn’t do it. I had 2 pace tattoos, one on each arm, one for 4:15 pace and one for 4:30. I was just behind the 4:15 pacer at mile 10, but stopped to use the bathroom somewhere around there and got stuck waiting. I should have just kept going, but wasn’t sure where another one would be. By the time I got out the bathroom I saw the 4:30 pacer going by, but got going again. I was feeling tired there and was a little overwhelmed by the idea of having 16 miles left to go. Get to mile 11 and then mile 12 goes really fast and I make up a little time with a nice downhill. I lost track of the uphills. They weren’t awful, but they weren’t easy either and hills were a big area of weakness for me coming into training. I realize at this point that I was doing okay and should be able to finish under 4:30 – a time I could live with on this course. I kept plugging along. The crowds were amazing! We ran through several neighborhoods here and I cannot get over how much cheering and support was out there. I got a little emotional seeing the little kids out there with their “Go Mom” signs and really wished my kids were there. I seriously almost started crying on multiple occasions. Running a marathon in and of itself is emotional, but really these people were just something else. I must have waived at every camera too, haha. I figured I might as well have fun if I couldn’t be fast.
Miles 13, 14, and 15 went pretty smooth. I felt like I was going slower than molasses and I wasn’t going fast by any means, but I wasn’t embarrassingly slow either (well not to me anyway). Mile 16 was a very welcome downhill! I cruised right along there and took every fast mile I could find. By mile 16 I just wanted to get to single digits. Somewhere about there the sun really got warm and I was feeling the effects of the humidity. I just kept telling myself 10 miles, easy peasy, but it wasn’t feeling real easy. I think that’s when I had a little bit of a panic realizing I wasn’t feeling strong and started to freak a little about finishing this one. There wasn’t a lot of crowd support between miles 16-18 and there were a lot of people starting to walk. I know I was walking parts at this point. I was just trying to finish without a horrible time and didn’t care about a PR at this point. I just wanted to be done. I was still having fun, sort of, but just the same I was ready for the finish. Mile 22 was a big hill. I remember saying I wasn’t running this one I was walking it and some young guy next to me says it’ll be faster if you run it and me thinking screw you. He was actually a nice enough guy, but that was my thoughts about running up that hill. Of course, he wound up walking parts of it too, lol. Honestly by mile 20 everybody and I mean that literally, everyone was walking. You’d start running for a bit, they’d start walking, you’d start walking, and they’d start running. I think the hills and the heat were getting to everyone at my pace ability. Mile 23 there was a lot of crowd support again and I know I must have been quite the site having out loud conversations with my legs begging them to cooperate just a little bit longer. I also must have asked at least 3 complete strangers if I could borrow their legs for the last 3 miles. That was no game so I kept pushing along. They had another big hill at mile 24 or 25. Who puts a hill there? Ugh, I can’t say I ran that one. I did run parts of it and that was good enough for me. The last mile I was talking to another guy and his PR was 4:41 and I told him if we could just move along a little we could probably still make it in 4:30something. I finally got to the last .2 and the finish line in site and I am telling you my little legs started moving. I was determined to finish in 4:30something, anything. I was so thrilled to cross the line in 4:39:29. Not anywhere close to a PR, but I had a lot of fun with this race. I think I did my best and that’s all I can hope for. My legs don’t feel like death right now either so that’s a good sign! I am ready to start training for another one.
I finished 29 out of 46 in my age group, 166 out of 282 for women, and 470 out of 702 overall. Happy that I’ve firmly moved up to middle of the pack runner now. Making progress.

Feeling a little discouraged

I have been a little discouraged the past couple weeks. I had a very slow recovery from Sault Saint Marie. It took me forever to get back in a rhythm. A lot of it had to do with my kids returning to school and me returning to school. Learning to rejuggle my time and such, but lately I just am feeling discouraged for different reasons. For the most part I have been able to put the miles in. I have missed a few runs here and there, but doing much better with staying on track with that. I am not sure though if those few missed workouts are the problem or what. I can't seem to keep my heart rate down to save my life and honestly my heart rate is reflective of how I feel so it's not all about the heart rate. I went into training for marathon 3 with a goal of sub 4. That'd be a 20 minute PR which in my head I was thinking if I could get an hour PR last time I surely can do 20 minutes this time. I am finding cracking to the next level to be very difficult. I just keep plugging along. I reminded myself of this post which is funny now rereading it because I didn't realize I was aiming for sub 4 way back then. I remember on that day I was aiming for 4:45 and wasn't sure if I could do 4:30. I thought that would be too hard and even race day wasn't so sure if I could do 4:30. I am trying to keep that thought in my head and not the discouraging "no way am I going to be able to do this" thoughts that have been going through my head lately. I keep feeling the need to lower my goal. (And I may have to, but trying to remember I still have a ways to go until May.) This course is going to be a lot harder than Sault Saint Marie. The hills are seriously kicking my butt and there are a lot of them. I feel like miss go speedy when I run on flats now because the time difference/effort level is so much easier. I just have to remind myself that hard work will pay off and to stay focused. So that's where I am at. Refocusing. I need to surround myself with some positive energy and stick to the plan.

Bit off more than I could chew

Well, it probably was not a good idea to try to start a new "challenge" and try and take as many classes at one time as I was taking. My challenge did not do so good, but I did keep on track with my running. The weight I thought I was up was actually due to a defective scale, kind of funny now. I mean I wasn't going crazy or anything, was just really puzzled as to why my weight was going up and not down. Happy to know that my scale was broken. I knew that my clothes all fit the same so I was just kind of puzzled with that. So with that I have no real weight goals really for the new years other than not gaining any weight.

I am trying to get back on track with some type of stretching and strength training. I need to figure out some way to include this into my routine that doesn't take a ton of time as my running takes so much of my time that I just find myself skipping stretching and strength. Not making any big goals until I figure out a way to squeeze more time into my day. I am really struggling with getting anything done during the day when me and Natalie are home. She doesn't like mama doing anything. Anyhow, just thought I'd make an update on here.