Sunday, October 30, 2016

Race Report: Cape Cod Half 2016

 
Gosh!  Going into yesterday’s Cape Cod Half, it felt like it had been forever since I last raced.  I originally wanted to train for this race before transitioning into marathon training but a summer injury ruined that plan.  I have a hard time going into a race knowing that I’m not trying to PR and to accept that it was part of a 14-mile training run—I’m so competitive, that itself was a battle for me.  My goal for the day was to practice PATIENCE and pacing strategies and to just to get a little more race day experiences under my belt.

I spend Friday afternoon and night on my feet working the Cape Cod Rehab expo booth.   


I tried to get to sleep early but after a night of tossing and turning, no part of me wanted to get out of bed at 5:15am in the dark, cold morning.  It was pretty similar weather to 2015—on the cool side with a slight breeze, breezy enough to keep me from ever really warming up.  I picked up my dad and we headed to the start, said hi to the finish line volunteers (my mom, Beth and Trish), found some friends, took a few pics and before we knew it the race was off!


Side note: I kept saying my biggest regret at the 2015 race was not wearing gloves.  I talked about wearing gloves all day on Friday and I even picked out a pair of red ones that matched my headband.  Right before I checked my bag, I used the porta potties and put my gloves in my bag so I wouldn’t lose them.  Guess where my gloves were when the gun went off?  My checked bag.

Mile 1- 7:21
Mile 2- 7:23
Mile 3- 7:21
The first 3 miles I was cruising along at a comfortable pace.  I felt very comfortable running in the 7:20s.  Even though I didn’t have a goal, I secretly wanted to stay under 7:30 pace.  Would have been happy with 7:20s and ecstatic with 7:10s.

Mile 4- 7:02
Mile 5- 7:17
Mile 6- 7:09
As we approached the hill at the Heights I was determined to own it.  I passed about a dozen people on that hill including the 2 ninja turtles that were snorting and splitting and annoying me.  Haha.  I backed off the next mile before reaching my favorite road in all of Falmouth (Vineyard Street) then off to the turnaround.  I was counting the lead women as a distraction and kept pushing forward.

Mile 7- 6:56
Mile 8- 7:11
I LOVE the out and back on this course.  After the turnaround, I was just looking for everyone I knew out there.  Tiff, Joe, so many Run Club friends, MY DAD, Jon, Laurie…. One of my clients was out there cheering which was also a big boost!

Mile 9- 7:19
Mile 10- 7:18
It went all downhill after that.  Just past the 8-mile mark we split away and I found myself completely alone.  There was literally no one around me.  I slowed down on purpose with the confidence that I could maintain if I wanted to but with the thought of maybe take it easy until the Heights hills and push the final miles to the finish.  That all sounded like a good plan but the mental game started and the motivation just disappeared.  Why am I out here?  Why am I running this fast?  Why bother if I’m not going to PR?  Is it worth it?  It’s getting breezier and colder.  My right inner thigh kept threatening cramps.  I totally checked out.

Mile 11- 7:28
Mile 12- 7:26
Mile 13- 7:28
The last 3 miles I was on the struggle bus.  I guess good and bad—it was all mental.  I was still running all by myself.  I fought every step.  I wanted to walk at mile 11, mile 11.5, mile 11.75, mile 11.85, mile 12… I was still considering walking at 12.8 miles.  It was ridiculous.  I let 3 girls pass me in the final half mile and I didn’t even care that they flew by me.  They actually made me want to walk even more.  Rounding the final corner to the finish line I was SO RELIEVED.  I was happy to see my mom, Beth and Trish and thankful it was over.  I was actually surprised I was only 2 minutes off my PR but knew I had a lot of work to do before Miami.  I took my picture with Beth, changed into my dry clothes and headed back on the course.

 
13.1 miles – 1:36:09

Average pace – 7:20

Two years in a row I couldn’t get over the mid-pack runners congratulating and cheering for ME as I walked back to find my dad.  The support out there is incredible.  Runners are a special group of people.  Anyways, found my dad and ran 0.9 miles with him to the finish.  He wasn’t having the best day but got through to finish his 8th half marathon.  (I’m pretty sure this was only my 7th.  What the heck!)


While my dad voted at Town Hall, I went back on the course to find my client Laurie.  She did great.  I’m super proud of her for getting through some tough times in her training and racing in memory of her late sister-in-law.  I watched her finish, caught up with Jason and Danielle for a bit then it was off to my parents house to shower then back to the expo for a longggg afternoon!

Congrats to all finishers!  Did you run the Cape Cod Half?  Head on over to BibRave.com and post your race review!  I’ll be working on mine shortly! 

Until then, let me #NormaTecAndChill :)

Monday, October 24, 2016

Weekly Roundup 10.17-10.23


Week 2 of 16

2 weeks down, 14 weeks to go until the Miami Marathon!

The week started out with a few warm, sunny days that felt like summer running and I loved every minute of it.  Georgie... not so much.  Her only run of the week came on Monday.  She doesn’t do so well in the heat and humidity (who does really?) then later in the week we saw rain and wind, which are also not ideal conditions for my diva pup.

Tuesday night I made an appearance at Run Club and ran the first few miles with Jon and John and finished up with Chris before another beautiful run on Wednesday.


Friday morning I was in Falmouth to get new tires.  It was supposed to rain all morning but ended up being clear and HUMID so I walked to CVS to get my flu shot.  Once my car was ready I had an urge to run at the beach even though I didn’t have running clothes or sneakers.  Good thing my outfit was run-able because I ended up having a great run and I was happy to tackle the hill at the Heights one more time before the Cape Cod Half.



Saturday was awful.  Just awful.  It was 65 degrees with 98% humidity and rainy at times.  I drank the entire 20 oz. of water I brought with me and I can’t even tell you how many times I stopped running.  But I can tell you that the difference between “moving time” and “elapsed time” on my Garmin was over 20 minutes!  I’m not totally sure what went wrong out there but I’m glad to get that run out of the way and hopefully the bunch of long runs will only get better from here.

Next weekend is the Cape Cod Half and I plan to use it as a training run.  I have a lot of friends and coworkers running along with my dad and one of my running clients so it should be a fun morning.  Looking forward to crossing another finish line and receiving my medal from Beth again!

Other highlights:

·      Kristen signed up for the Miami Half Marathon!
·      I started a new Sunday lunch break tradition… NormaTec and Chill.

Upcoming events:

·      1 week until the Cape Cod Half!
·      14 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 10.17.16
4 miles (30:09)
1 mile with G (8:48)
2x [25 squats, 15 lunges, 25 box jumps, 15 dipping birds, 15 single leg heel raises, 90” plank]
16,570 steps

Tuesday 10.18.16
Taught spin class
Marathon Sports Run Club! 4.34 miles with Chris (39:04)
18,654 steps

Wednesday 10.19.16
3 miles (22:30) + 4 strides
15,143 steps

Thursday 10.20.16
Taught spin class
Power Water
11,759 steps

Friday 10.21.16
2.8 miles (20:59)
17,110 steps

Saturday 10.22.16
12 miles (1:34:37)
34,229 steps

Sunday 10.23.16
Taught spin class. The playlist: Pump It Spin Playlist
Burdenko H2O
12,112 steps


ICYMI
Week 1 of 16

This week’s mileage: 28 miles
This week’s G mileage: 1 mile
October Totals: 78 miles
2016 Totals: 686 miles

Monday, October 17, 2016

Weekly Roundup 10.10-10.16

 
Week 1 of 16

1 week down, 15 weeks to go until the Miami Marathon!

 
Overall it was a good Week 1.  I worked a split shift on Monday and was able to get Georgie out the door for 2.49 miles!  I taught Eric’s Monday night spin class and after started experiencing some right knee pain.  After talking to a physical therapist and athletic trainer at work, I came to the conclusion that it was coming from a tight IT band.  I’ve been foam rolling all week and its been helping but because of it, I skipped Tuesday night Run Club.


Wednesday I had planned a 4 mile progression run but I was feeling so good, I ran a 5th mile as a cool down.   Thursday and Friday runs were pretty uneventful and I had an awesome 10 mile long run on Saturday with my mama on the bike to finish up the week.  The weather was perfect, the sun was shining and everything was so blue!  I felt great and motivation levels were soaring.

 
Other highlights:

·      When I arrived home from my long run on Saturday, my next test product from the BibRave Pro ambassador program was waiting for me… Legend Compression Performance Socks!  I’m totally looking forward to wearing the heck out of them during the next 15 weeks of training.

Upcoming events:

·      2 weeks until the Cape Cod Half!
·      15 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 10.10.16
2.49 miles with G (23:22)
Taught spin class
60” plank
20,329 steps

Tuesday 10.11.16
Taught spin class. The playlist: Bon, Bon Spin Playlist
2x60” planks
9,700 steps

Wednesday 10.12.16
5 miles with 4mi progression (36:32) <--7:43, 7:28, 7:21, 6:53, 7:04
3x60” planks
17,945 steps

Thursday 10.13.16
1.5 miles with G (13:51)
Taught spin class. The playlist: Push It Spin Playlist
Power Water
2x90” planks
12,474 steps

Friday 10.14.16
2 miles with G (19:51)
3 miles (23:44)
16,947 steps

Saturday 10.15.16
10 miles with mama on the bike (1:17:02)
25,106 steps

Sunday 10.16.16
Taught spin class. The playlist: When Love Takes Over SpinPlaylist
Burdenko H2O
15’ hips, glutes and core
12,628 steps

  
This week’s mileage: 24 miles
This week’s G mileage: 6 miles
October Totals: 50 miles
2016 Totals: 658 miles

Friday, October 14, 2016

Transition into Fall & Prepare for Winter Running

Below is a blog post I wrote for Cape Cod Rehab’s Cape Cod Marathon Training Tips. To see the original, visit the Mashpee Fitness blog.


The days are getting shorter and the mornings are getting cooler, darker and damper.  You’ve been training hard all summer and now is not the time to lose motivation and get stuck in a slump.  Even though fall brings change, it doesn’t mean that your running has to suffer.

Here are some tips to help you transition into fall and prepare for winter running…

CLOTHING/GEAR

Invest in a good jacket.
Look for a lightweight breathable jacket that is windproof and offers some protection against the rain.  This type of jacket will pull moisture away from your skin to keep you dry.

Dress in layers.
A good rule of thumb is to dress as if it were 15-20 degrees warmer.  It’s important that you don’t overheat because that can lead to excess sweating and chills.  Layer up so once you warm up you can start discarding layers.  Gloves and mittens are great accessories as a high percentage of heat escapes through your hands and feet and can easily be tucked away in a pocket or in your pants.

Avoid cotton.
Repeat after me… Cotton is evil.  No, seriously.  There is nothing good about running in cotton.  Find a good moisture wicking base layer as cotton will only trap sweat and keep it close to your skin making you cold and miserable.

Buy Yaktrax.
If you plan to keep running through the winter, Yaktrax (or a similar brand/product) is a must.  Great for running in the snow or icy conditions, you can put them on right over your normal running shoes and head out the door with confidence.


SAFETY

See and be seen.
As we keep losing precious daylight hours, you may find yourself running in the dark.  Make sure you have a headlamp or knuckle lights along with plenty of reflective gear to stay safe.

Run on the left side of the road.
It may sound like common sense to most runners but some still just don’t get it.  Run against traffic to see cars coming at you.  If a driver doesn’t see you, at least you see them and can jump out of the way if necessary.

Leave your headphones at home.
Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.  Music is often a major distractions and some of you can’t run without it but in many situations (dark, icy, etc.) it’s much safer to save them for the treadmill.

Run with an ID/ RoadID.
In a very unfortunate event that something may happen to you while out on a run, make sure you have an ID or some way to be identified.  I personally love the company RoadID—they make “Personal Identification Gear”—and I’ve made sure every runner in my family owns one.


PROTECT YO’SELF

Adjust your workout.
Your training plan may say one thing but Mother Nature is saying another thing.  It’s ok to take an extra day off or adjust your workout in horrible conditions.  Trust me when I say it’s not always worth it.  Find yourself taking a lot of days off?  Try running on a treadmill or even pool running!

Hydrate like it’s the summer.
Replenishing fluids is just as important in the winter as it is in the summer.  It’s easy to forget the need to hydrate in cooler and even freezing temperatures but your body is losing a lot of moisture trying to keep you warm.

Don’t skip sun protection.
The UV rays reflect off the water and snow and can cause sun damage to your skin and eyes even in the colder months. Always wear sunscreen, lip balm with SPF and a good pair of sunglasses.

Eliminate chaffing.
Cooler weather means increased layers.  This also can mean increased sweating and increased chaffing.  Find a product you love and trust like Body Glide or 2Toms to use in those problem areas so there are no surprises when you hop in the shower after that long run.  Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about…

Shield yourself against the wind.
Wind can make cold days feel even colder.  Heat escapes more rapidly and it becomes harder to generate heat.  Shield yourself against the wind with a lightweight jacket.  It will pull moisture away from your skin to keep you dry. I also love breathable products like BUFF that you can wear around your neck and pull over your face when running into the wind.


MOTIVATION

Join a club or a group.
Running buddies are great for accountability and support.  Visit your local specialty running store and ask if they hold weekly group runs.  You can also search the RRCAwebsite to “Find a Running Club” in your area.

Sign up for some fun races.
During your marathon or half marathon training, it’s good to throw in some shorter races to test your fitness.  After your goal race, get a few more fun races on the schedule to keep you going.  I love a good themed holiday race like a Turkey Trot or Jingle Jog.

Remind yourself that it could be worse.
We all know what’s coming.  Take advantage of the good days.  Don’t make excuses now—get out the door and get after it.


Good luck out there!  Stay safe & happy running!

Monday, October 10, 2016

Weekly Roundup 10.3-10.9

 
Everyone have a good week?  I had a great week!  It was my last week of fun running before the focus shifts to Miami Marathon training.  Not only did I get to run with my friend Infa at Run Club on Tuesday night but I got to run with hime again on Wednesday night!  I totally fought it too.  I wasn’t going to go.  I was tired.  I was already on the couch BUT I’m glad I went because I met another cool Cape Cod Runner.  I counted that as my long run of the week and took Saturday and Sunday off to recharge and prepare.

2012 Throwback
It was also a good weekend of motivation.  The Chicago Marathon was Sunday.  It was my first marathon back in 2012 and I have nothing but love for that race.  A few of my friends ran and it totally inspired me.  I had 2 clients racing half marathons this weekend—Erica paced her 3:00 group to a 2:59:59 and Jack beat his goal of 1:55 by running 1:54:55.

On another note, the Bills won 3 games in a row!  HEY EY EY EY!  #BillsMafia

Upcoming events:

·      3 weeks until the Cape Cod Half!
·      16 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 10.3.16
Happy Anniversary Georgie! 2 years together!
1 mile with G (9:15)
9,199 steps

Tuesday 10.4.16
Taught spin class
Marathon Sports Run Club! 4.23 miles with Infa (34:29)
19,996 steps

Wednesday 10.5.16
1 mile with G (9:03)
5.17 miles with Infa & Alyssa (44:40)
18,976 steps

Thursday 10.6.16
Power Water
9,141 steps

Friday 10.7.16
1.58 miles with G (15:05)
3 miles (23:40)
16,639 steps

Saturday 10.8.16
9,393 steps

Sunday 10.9.16
Taught spin class
Burdenko H2O
11,733 steps


This week’s mileage: 16 miles
This week’s G mileage: 3.5 miles
October Totals: 26 miles
2016 Totals: 634 miles

Monday, October 3, 2016

Weekly Roundup 9.26-10.2

 
1 more week of fun before Miami Marathon training begins!

I had a decent week—22 miles total for my biggest week since my return to running.  Next week I will back off a little bit to recover for Week 1 and the official start to Miami Marathon training.

Motivation this week was low but I was able to get Georgie out the door for 6 total miles, which actually helped me get out the door on days that I wasn’t feeling it.


I had 10 miles on the schedule for Sunday.  Yes, Sunday.  I had the day off and it rained all day Saturday!  I went out pretty hard and wasn’t feeling all that great.  I actually convinced myself that I was only going to run 6 miles until I got home (after 6 miles) and decided to see what Georgie could do.  I was really surprised she made it 2.5 miles—mostly in the woods, her favorite—so I had to finish off my 10 miles with a fast, solo mile and a half.  Then I spent the rest of the day on the couch.  Literally all day.  I made Buffalo Chicken Dip, had a killer soup in the Crock Pop and the Bills beat the Pats.  It was a fabulous Sunday.


Other highlights:

·      I signed up for the Buffalo Half Marathon!
Melissa & Michele / Photo by #BFFBarbie
·      My cousins Melissa and Michele ran the Queen City Women's Half Marathon in Buffalo, NY on Sunday! I’m so proud of them—it was Melissa’s second half and Michele’s third. They stayed together every mile and helped either other get to the finish line.

Upcoming events:

·      4 weeks until the Cape Cod Half!
·      17 weeks until the Miami Marathon!

Monday 9.26.16
4 miles (30:12)
15,245 steps

Tuesday 9.27.16
Taught spin class. The playlist: Lose Control Spin Playlist
9,643 steps

Wednesday 9.28.16
1.35 miles with G (12:27)
2.65 miles (20:24)
15,443 steps

Thursday 9.29.16
Power Water
9,401 steps

Friday 9.30.16
2 miles with G (19:31)
2 miles (14:58)
13,012 steps

Saturday 10.1.16
8,867 steps

Sunday 10.2.16
6 miles (44:58)
2.5 miles with G (23:01)
1.5 miles (10:42)
22,637 steps


This week’s mileage: 22 miles
This week’s G mileage: 6 miles
September Totals: 72 miles
October Totals: 10 miles
2016 Totals: 618 miles