San Francisco Half Marathon 2012

*The one that felt really, really good. 

Brandon and I woke up at 4:15am to prepare for an early 5:30am start. We knew our corral wouldn't cross the start line until later, but we wanted to at least be in the vicinity just in case. 

I was a complete wreck inside my head. "OMG My last long run was a DNF. These hills are going to be brutal. I should have started training at least a month or two earlier than I did. We shouldn't have walked so much yesterday. I doubt I can even run a few miles OMG!!!". But on the exterior, I was calm and collected, determined to have a good time and see the beautiful city. 

Despite all of the negative thoughts going on in my head, I felt pretty good at the start. The weather was a crisp 55 degrees with a light drizzle, and I quickly pushed all the negativity out and started to have fun. That was the purpose of this race, after all. 

Miles 1-3 were easy and uneventful, with the exception of one short but steep hill that I ran halfway up and then walked the remainder. Mile 4 and 5 I was desperately trying to find a porta-pottie with a short line, but I finally settled for one that was 1/10th of a mile away from the road. This was incredibly frustrating, but emptying my bladder made me feel so much better that I quickly forgot about it. 

Around mile 5, we started our first climb up the hill to the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge. 

This is the reason we flew across the entire country to run this race. Well, that and to escape the heat and humidity for a few days. 

It was a foggy day, so we couldn't even see the top of the bridge. Or anything on either side of the bridge, really. But that didn't phase me one bit. Running across the bridge was so amazing that I completely lost myself in it. Before I knew it, I was halfway across on the way back! 

I looked at my watch and realized I was almost at 8 miles and I still felt amazing. This is the point in the race where I expected to start struggling- but instead I took off and ran faster.

Around mile 10, I had ran out of water, and the brutal hills began. I walked up most of this one- it was pretty long and steep. The next water stop (which were few and far between IMO) was out of cups- I literally thought about just grabbing and entire jug and taking off with it. But I politely cupped my hands and tried to get as much into my mouth as I could. 

At this point, I REALLY expected to feel terrible. But I didn't. So, at the top of the hill, I took off again, and was rewarded with this beautiful view. 

The hills continued, and I surprised myself by running up the ones that seemed easy or mediocre. On the ones that were incredibly steep, I slowed to a walk to make sure I had enough in me to get to the finish. Again, I kept expecting to feel terrible, but I actually felt pretty great. (Despite the fact that I REALLY needed more water and there were not more water stops to be found.)

I crossed the finish line in 2:52:00, which is a tiny PR for me. Most importantly, I crossed the finish feeling strong and happy. And also thirsty. 

I am so happy with how I did during this race- especially taking into account the short training schedule that Adam threw together for me. If I can improve this much after following his plan for just a few weeks, I can't wait to see what I can do after 4 full months of following his training plan for the St. Jude half. 

I really am proud of myself- but for the first time after a race, I have the feeling that I could have done more- should have gone out faster at the beginning, walked less, pushed myself more at the end. I definitely could have- but I was so terrified of bonking before the finish line. I guess that's always a thin line that runners are constantly trying to walk. Or run, in this scenario. :) 

In short- confidence boosted, lessons learned, motivation skyrocketed, medal earned. 

P.S. Brandon started in the back, but ran separate from me. He hoped to run quite a bit faster, but starting at the back forced him to weave, then got stuck on the bridge and wasn't able to pass people. He ran a 2:26:xx, had a blast and enjoyed the weather and the sights!

Tomorrow's Potential

Sometimes it's easy to get frustrated with running. You can't go as long or as fast as you'd like, or it feels more difficult and hurts more than you think it should. But that is today.

What about tomorrow, or the next day, the next month, the next year- after you have put in the work? So much can change with hard work.

I've been reading The Lola Papers (which I highly recommend BTW), and the following passage really stood out to me:

I don't know about you, but I've definitely used that excuse before.

"It doesn't come easy for me."

"There is no way I could ever run that fast"

Who does it comes easy for? Shalane Flanagan? Kara Goucher?
Sure, they have some amount of natural talent, but they still work at it. They work very hard.
They've put in the time, and the miles.

It's exciting to think about. Today, it's hard for me to imagine being able to run a half-marathon as fast as I'd like. It's hard for me to imagine running a marathon at all.

But I haven't put in the time, or the miles.

Who knows, with a few months, and eventually years of hard work- after putting in my time and my miles- what I can do?

Only time will tell. 

Get Ready Memphis!

It's that time of year again- time to get registered and begin training or preparation for the St. Jude Marathon!

This race has become an annual event for us, not only because it's local and convenient, but also because we truly believe it is one of the best races to support and participate in. The half-marathon last year was one of the best experiences of my life- running through the St. Jude campus literally brought tears to my eyes, and the support from spectators throughout the course was amazing. Also, you get to finish in the stadium! Rounding that corner to enter the stadium was pretty intense. 

I want to challenge anyone reading this to sign up- even if you aren't a long distance runner, the 5k is a blast! Want to do more than the 5k, but don't think you can train for 13.1 miles? This Memphian was 7 months pregnant last December, but was determined to participate- so she walked the 13.1!

If you don't live in Memphis- you can come and see Graceland, Sun Studios, eat some BBQ (or BBQ Tofu, my favorite!), and hang out on Beale St. The weather is usually around 50* which is perfect for a marathon. 

I'll be running the half-marathon, and Brandon will be running the full- just like last year. I'm really hoping my sister will get to participate this year as well. Last year, she supported me by running 3 miles with me and giving me the gift of a Lush bath, and so I'm hoping if her time/schedule allows, I can return the favor and support her to the finish line of her first half! (In all honesty, she'll probably beat me to the finish line.)

  Registration opens on May 1st (that's next week!) , and I expect the race to sell out significantly faster this year (Last year it sold out in July).  So get your spot- I hope to see you there!

http://www.stjudemarathon.org/

The Weekend I Met Bart Yasso

So, way back in the day (or about two years ago) I read a lil book called "My Life On The Run" by Bart Yasso. He tells amazing stories about his adventurous life- how he has traveled the world doing races, met tons of amazing people, and is now pretty much living the life. He didn't grow up running, either- he started in his twenties! Reading his book was the last push I needed at the time to start running. I told Brandon about how I wanted to travel the world to see all of these amazing places while running, too! After some encouragement from Brandon,  I went outside that day, ran one time around the block, and then almost died of shortness of breath. But I finally caught my breath, and haven't stopped running since.

So, yeah. I'm a huge fan of Bart. I look up to him a lot, and he continues to inspire me with his determination, hard work, and his passion for running (hello.... did you see the article about Comrades? The Amish?). In fact, when looking for a late winter race to keep us motivated during the cold months, my decision was made after I found out Bart would be attending the Little Rock Marathon. We signed up too late to be able to do the half, so we settled for the 10k.

I was so excited when we arrived at our hotel, I completely forgot to grab my copy of "My Life On The Run" when we headed to the expo. (Don't worry- we might get to meet him again at the San Francisco Expo this summer- I'll be sure to remember by book then)

Peabody Little Rock 

All I had was my race bib, so I asked him to sign it, take a picture with me, and be my best friend/lifetime running coach/cheerleader, then we chatted a bit about running. I could have stayed all afternoon talking to him and listening to all of his amazing stories and asking him tons of questions, but Brandon insisted that I play it cool.

Saturday night, we attended the pasta party just for fun- we had never been to one before, and we didn't have much else to do in the exciting city of Little Rock. Guess who sat behind me?

Yes, you better believe it! That is the back of Bart Yasso's head.

My parents- being the totally awesome, supportive parents that they are- decided to join us in LR for the weekend to cheer us on. We met up with them for a post-pasta-party dinner (the pasta party had great vegetarian options for me, but Brandon wasn't digging olive oil and noodles as a vegan option) and then decided to walk around the hotel to see where the Peabody ducks live at night.

We were heading up to our rooms for the night to get some good rest... and it just so happened that we got on the elevator with Bart!

No, I didn't get a picture of this fabulous moment. That would have been too weird, even for me. Brandon swears that I was powerfully speed-walking so that we "happened" to get on the elevator with him.

So?

Brandon and I had both been sick with the crud and a terrible, hacking, cough. I hadn't run in a week and a half. I hadn't even "trained" for the race, really- I've been proud of myself for doing 3 miles when it's 30* outside.

We went out to have fun, but we were both feeling pretty good that day, so we tried to pick up the pace a few times, only to come very close to getting smacked in the face by some vigorously swinging power-walker-arms. Eventually, we made it past the incredibly annoying people who sprint really fast for 0.25 miles then take walking breaks right in front of people who are still running. Next time, I won't under-estimate myself quite so much and line up at the very very back of the starting line.

I couldn't be bothered to put down my banana for a picture.

But thankfully, I made it through without coughing or sneezing on anyone (except for Brandon) and totally grossing everyone out. Our time wasn't what I had hoped- 1:13:something, and I was hoping for under 1:10:00, but my GPS clocked the distance as 6.4mi from all the weaving instead of 6.2. It was a really nice course, beautiful weather, and tons of fun. We are planning on going back next year, for sure!

I was so excited to finally meet the man who inspired me to begin running in the first place. I'm so thankful to him, because I feel so much healthier and happier now that I'm a runner. I've not only found a way to enjoy exercise, but I've discovered a real passion for the sport overall. I love that Brandon and I have something that we enjoy doing together, also. I could go on for days about how much I love running. And Bart. He continues to inspire and amaze me everyday in the way that he reaches out to every runner that he can to offer support and encouragement. From the greatest ambassador for running-

  
                                                                                                              

Fill In The Blank Friday

I'm linking up with Lauren @ The Little Things We Do for Fill in the Blank Friday!

1.  The highlight of my week was   hanging out with my beautiful baby niece... she just warms my heart with happiness!

2.   If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be   so fresh and so clean (clean). No really- I do like a nice, "fresh" look, but mixed with a bit of coziness. Definitely not too traditional, but not completely modern either. Clear as mud, right?

3.  My first vehicle was   a white Chevrolet Cavalier. It was so cute, I miss it a little bit.

4. An item I need to have in my day in order to function is  lots and lots of beverages. Sometimes I don't have time to eat at work, but I must have a caffeinated beverage, and plenty of water!

5. My favorite way to waste time is  playing on the internet. I can waste so much time... reading Google reader, checking Twitter, playing on Pinterest, shopping (or filling my cart with things I want but will most likely not buy).

6. Right now I could really go for   some good health. I'm tired of being sick. This is like the third or fourth time this winter I've had a really bad cold (sniffles, stuffy nose, terrible cough). I'm usually not this sickly. 

7.  This weekend I will be   heading to Little Rock, AR baby! Brandon and I are running our first 10k ever (probably actually be jogging, to prevent ourselves from having a really cool coughing attack) and we get to meet Bart Yasso!

via www.bartyasso.com

I Froze My Thorns Off For a 5k!

I had considered participating in the Nike Virtual Half-Marathon on January 14th, but I decided in the "brutal" winter weather we are having here in TN, settling for a 5k sounds much nicer. Naturally, I chose the Freeze Your Thorns Off 5k since it was free and I didn't have to travel anywhere in the cold weather.

Kelly and I headed out the door bright and early (especially for a Sunday) to run at 8am, since we both had to go to work later that morning. It was a brisk 35*  Anniston was really excited for her mommy and her Aunt Allie. You can tell from the glorious spit bubble.

 We ventured over to our favorite running spot for a run that was pretty much exactly like every other run we've done together recently, except this time we had these cool bibs on our shirts.

I'm pretty sure all the rich folks in the neighborhood thought we were nuts, casually jogging around with bibs on our shirts like we were in a race. Kelly and I are both getting over a nasty, nasal-y cold-and-cough-thing.

Brandon decided to be a bandit racer at the last minute. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere in the official race rules that having frozen snot automatically earned you 1st place.  I looked over at him about half way through, and from the amount of glistening around his nasal area, I knew he had won (and I'm not talking about sweat). I only wish I had my camera.

Also, I got to wear my super awesome purple sunglasses for the second time, which, like I said they would, made me feel like a cool person and a fast runner. I am only one of those things, and it's not a fast runner.

Anyways, despite all the coughing, snot, and useless bibs, we had a lot of fun. Thanks, Adam, for hosting!

St. Jude 2011

We survived the St. Jude Marathon and Half-Marathon. Barely, maybe, but we did it.

Mom and Dad came all the way from Jackson to support us. They drove us downtown so we wouldn't have to worry about parking or checking our bags. We were pretty nervous, but more excited that the day we had worked so hard for was finally here.

We both started off feeling great. Our paces were right on target, the weather was beautiful, and the atmosphere was indescribable.

For both of us, running through the St. Jude campus was very emotional. Seeing the kids, the families, the employees that are so genuinely thankful cheer us on is something I'll never forget. There were people lined up shoulder to shoulder for at least half of a mile, and even more groups of people for the next half mile thanking us for helping St. Jude. We both had a hard time catching our breath during that entire stretch as we were trying to hold back tears.

This race was a very different experience. In Chicago, Brandon was with me every step of the way. Here, I was on my own for 11.6 miles. Kelly was a lifesaver, and joined me for about 1.5 miles, just when I needed a little help. She helped me block out everything else, and just run. I was struggling to stay calm and focused. As amazing as all the music, the people, and being in my own city was, it was distracting.

When I run in Chickasaw, I'm in my own little world. My head goes to a place of complete calmness, and my legs just go. I can go for miles and miles with no problem, run up the humongous Tishomingo hill and kick it's butt. But during the race, I just lost focus. I let people's exasperated cries about teeny little hills convince me I need to walk up them instead of run. I got out of my groove, having trouble catching my breath. I was far, far, away from my zen-like state when I run on my own.

I walked for a large part of the last three miles, trying to walk off a cramp in my left calf that I knew at this point was inevitable. I was determined to run across the finish line, so I came into the stadium, limping like a fool, not having hardly any feeling in the lower part of my left leg. Just as I crossed the finish line, I felt it cramp up, and I held onto the rail for support. I finally got my leg onto the rail to stretch it out, and slowly made my way into the crowds. When I found my family, Mom and Kelly both had tears streaming down their faces- they thought something was seriously wrong with me after seeing me struggling! I got changed, some serious hydration, and anxiously awaited the runner tracking updates on Brandon.

Brandon was feeling pretty good about it all until about mile 15, when his feet starting hurting. By mile 17, the pain was so intense, he was reduced to walking. He continued on, determined to cross the finish line, alternating between hobbling and walking. He told me later on that he considered calling me and asking me to come pick him up, but he just couldn't bear the thought of telling me he was quitting.

As Brandon made the corner before the ramp to the stadium, there was a very large man loading his music equipment into his van. He exclaimed, "Man, this is a workout!" Brandon had just enough left in him to find humor in that.

Brandon's first words to me as I met him near home plate were, "I'm never doing that again!" I told my parents I'd bet $50 he'd change his tune in a matter of weeks. Sure enough, that night, he was already making plans for next year. Kelly and I are making plans to start training in March, with baby Anniston in the Bob.

We are very proud of ourselves, regardless of our times, because we finished! We did something great for ourselves, and for the kids at St. Jude. I think we are still on a bit of an endorphin high. We can't wait until we are rested and can run again- it's so addicting!

It's That Time Again... for the St. Jude Marathon!

And this year, I'm running it!

I signed up too late to enter unless I became a "hero", which means you have to raise $500. I signed up anyways, willing to pay the money myself since I wanted to run this race so much. By some miracle, my Dad has money from an organization that has to go to a charity, so he was able to donate it and sponsor me at the same time. Everyone wins!





Wish me luck!

Chicago 2011

Watching the Chicago Marathon today reminded me I never posted pics from the "vacation" part of our trip to Chicago.

We loved the city.... lots of interesting culture and history, beautiful sights, wonderful shopping and entertainment, tons of vegetarian and vegan food options, and much cleaner than NYC. What's not to love?

We stayed at the Palmer House Hilton, just a block from Grant Park. It is a beautiful hotel, but way overpriced. They don't even have free wi-fi! Luckily, we got a group discount for the race and the Corner Bakery Cafe (canopy in the left of the pic) was the perfect place to stop in the mornings for breakfast and internet. 

Saturday, we walked down to the race expo and saw some beautiful neighborhoods and architecture on 

the way. 

After lots of wandering around, we made our way over to the theater to see West Side Story. (Nancy bought us tickets for our birthday!) The theater was gorgeous, the performance was fantastic, and it felt so amazing to get off our feet and rest our legs. 

That night, we had reservations at Karen's on Green, a local vegan restaurant. That was probably the best meal we've ever had in our life.

We made our way home and went to bed early. Our race was the next morning- it took a little nap and some IcyHot before we were ready to get back out that afternoon. We headed up north to Magnificent Mile, and strolled through the most gorgeous neighborhoods. I could just die over how beautiful these buildings are...

John Hancock Tower was one of our favorite parts of the trip. David Schwimmer narrated an audio tour of the view from each window, which was absolutely breathtaking. 

This is the moment I decided to get a better camera, because these pictures don't do justice to what we actually saw.

The shopping on Magnificent Mile was fabulous, just as good as Fifth Ave. IMO. We did a 'lil browsing through Kate Spade, Tiffany's, Nike, and the Lego Store.

Harry Pottah Legoooosss!

I'll leave this post with a pic of this gorgeous chapel on Michigan Ave.

Can you tell I love the architecture in Chicago?

To Be Continued...