Thunder Road Marathon 4.0

Hey Y’all! How was your weekend? Mine was well….exhausting! I completed my 5th marathon. It was my 4th time doing Thunder Road and to my surprise, the course had changed a good bit and in my opinion for the better (minus a couple little things). To recap the weekend:

Friday, after work, I headed to the race expo. I always love expo, it is exciting to see the other runners and the energy is always great. It is such a positive environment but you can also feel the nerves of all the other runners.Expo is when the race becomes real.

After expo, I head home to go for my final run, 10minutes and some good stretching and foam rolling. Chase even helped me with the stretching portion. Then, pasta dinner and some family time before heading to bed early.
Saturday starts bright and early…

5:50AM — Wakey Wakey! English muffin and almond butter are a waitin’

6:15AM — Start layering up! It’s a cold one! SO MANY LAYERS!

6:50AM — Leave for the race. I rode with my brother who felt like I wasn’t quite awake enough…he would put the window down every time I stopped dancing to which I’d start yelling “I’m supposed to be staying warm right now” …. it was 28degrees outside! Needless to say, I was bright eyed upon arrival at the race site.

7:30AM — Line up in between the 3:40 and 4:00hr pace groups and let the shivering begin. Shivering is a good “warm-up” right?! I don’t think I have ever been this cold at a start line before.

7:45AM — The gun goes off and its like a wave of sweats and trash-bags that people were wearing go over the railings. It takes me about 30seconds to make it to the start line.

Mile 1 — Feeling a little nervous, all the thoughts of “did I train enough,” “can I really do this” hit me but I soon shake them off and just start to think about how lucky I am to be able to run this race in this beautiful city.

Mile 2 — The first place I see my cheering squad. And just in time, I am ready to shed a few layers.

Mile 3 — The race thins out a bit, fighting for space is no longer a factor.

Mile 4 — I find my stride and am feeling really good. Mile 6 (ish) — My cheering squad is back…y’all they are great!

Mile 7 — First Gu of the day. Got to love those slimy packets.

Mile 8-13 — It’s all a blur. I cannot tell you anything notable that happened in these miles, they all just kind of blend together.

Mile 13– Biggest temptation of all to call it quits. The split for the half and full happen here…in sight of the finish line!! Race directors, this is just rude!!

Mile 13.1-14 — I talk with a couple other runners who also laugh about the cruel joke of getting to see the finish line. One was from Atlanta and the other from the Queen City. They started talking about their goal time and I quickly realized I was running a bit too fast. I dropped off from them at the mile 14 aid station when I take my second Gu of the day.

Mile 15 and 16 — Another blur. Sometimes when I am running these races I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo, “Just Keep Running, Just Keep Running…” No other brain activity.

Mile 17 (ish) — Sorry for the “ish,” like I said, minimal brain activity. I approach “the wall” and the Noda Party. And really, they are having a party in the street. It is so much fun and I bust right through the big wall. There are several of these street parties along the course and each one of them just makes you smile and forget about the pain of running for a minute.

Mile 18-21 — Feeling good. My stride is still feeling strong. Another one of the street parties tries to get me to have a beer but I just couldn’t do it. Instead I opt for another Gu.

Mile 22 — Hello Hills! This is the first place I start to feel my “wall.” The lower part of my right quad starts cramping then when I stopped to stretch it out, my hamstring cramps. So I just had to walk this one out. I walked to the top of that hill before finding my stride again.

Mile 23 — I’m starting to feel better. I see my family which always gives me a little pep in my step. I also take my final Gu at about this point.

Mile 24 — I have really hit my “wall.” I am hurting pretty bad at this point. My hips are so tight I feel like my stride has diminished to nothing.

Mile 25 — Holding on with all that I have left. All I can think of is one foot in front of the other. I am also talking to my legs, “please don’t cramp, please don’t cramp.” I cannot say they are listening at this point. Each step is a bit of a challenge. Also being on the greenway, my least favorite place ever to run, is not helping the cause at all either.

Mile 26 — Or as my watch says, mile 26.22. Super frustrating! I know I do a little weaving on the course but come on…I should be done by now and trust me, my legs are telling that as well.

Mile 26.2 — Which reads 26.48miles on my watch, I’m done!! Thank goodness! Three hours, fifty-eight minutes, and one second.

Hugo, the Charlotte Hornet’s Mascot gives me a high five and some nice volunteer congratulates me and puts a big shiny medal around my neck and a space blanket around my shoulders. I’m then shuffled down the finishers chute where I am loaded up on water and gatorade and attempt to grab a couple things to eat but somehow that didn’t happen. Again, runners brain, I’m not thinking clearly at all. Just outside the chute my family greets me with open arms.

After sitting for a couple minutes and accomplishing the daunting tasks of getting my shoes untied and a dry shirt on, pictures are taken and my dad buys me a super awesome shirt. It says “Don’t think of them as hills, think of them as mounds of opportunity. FLAT IS FOR SISSIES.” If you’ve ever run Charlotte you’d have a great appreciation for it. It is a deceivingly hilly city.

Finally, it’s time to head home. I’m shivering pretty bad but my awesome papa bear keeps me warm all the way back to the car. Sticking with tradition, we stop by California Pizza Kitchen to pick up a couple of my favorites, BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad and BBQ Pizza on the way home. Yumm!

After a beer and a belly full of food, an epsom salt bath and a hot shower, I collapse onto the couch for some college football and a nice long nap! BEST. FEELING. EVER!

Then, sticking with tradition again, mom and I head to the nail salon for a mani pedi and some girl time. I love our girl time but getting my feet rubbed after a long day of running may have topped our girl time today (sorry mom! love you!).

Finally, a good steak and shrimp dinner (and maybe a couple more beers…I deserved them right?!) then back to the couch I go where I fall asleep by 9:30! I’m such a party animal, can’t you tell?!

So now, the off season is here! I will take the next couple weeks pretty easy before hitting the gym for some off season training. I’m sure I’ll fill you in as I create that plan of attack. I do know I will be focusing on a bit more strength training this time around as I am feeling pretty weak at this point. But that talk is for another day.

So do any of y’all have any upcoming races? What about my couch to 5k-ers, how are y’all feeling going into week three of training? Have you picked your race yet?

I hope y’all had a wonderful weekend!

5:45 1:49:26 13.1

Wondering what those random numbers are? Well I’ll clear up the confusion, they are the numbers that represent my Sunday morning. So lets start from the beginning with 5:45, this is the time that my alarm went off and 1:49:26 is the time it took for me to run 13.1miles. Continue reading for a recap of the entire City of Oaks Half Marathon.

5:45AM — the alarm goes off and boy am I thankful for day light savings time. That extra hour of sleep was clutch after all my other weekend madness.

6:15 — leave Bre’s apartment. Thanks for being such an amazing race morning host…I hope I wasn’t too loud as I moved about your apartment doing my typical race morning circles.

6:30 — Meet Kathryn at the start line for one last potty stop and to line up.

6:58 — Find the 1:45 pace group.

7:00 — The gun goes off and I am already thinking damn this is a quick pace so I quickly let the pacers go ahead of me but still keeping them close.

Mile 1 — Yep! I was right, the pace group went out really quick! Time to back off a bit.

Mile 2-3 — Settle in. Feeling good.

Mile 4 — Choke down some water. Running and drinking water is just something I will never master.

Mile 6 — Hello wind tunnel!

Mile 8 — Dear Peace Street hill, we will never be friends. You won the battle but I won the war. I walked about 30seconds of you but conquered the rest feeling strong.

Mile 9-10 — Uhh hello! forgot about you hilly Raleigh neighborhoods. You are so pretty and cute but must you be so hilly!?

Mile 11 — Whhhhyyyyy?! Really this extra little out and back is such a tease.

Mile 12 — HOME STRETCH!!!! Just have to make it past the NC State library and it is all downhill from there.

Mile 13 — maybe I should start smiling….there is a camera right in front of me….I’ll give it a try!

Mile 13.1 — DONE. 1hour, 49minutes, and 26seconds. I made it under 1:50 so I was a happy camper.

What I learned from the day:

1. If you want to run with a pace group, you need to ask the pacers if they are planning on banking time.
2. Not having spectators on the course specifically for you is super strange. Definitely have an even greater appreciation for my great race day parents now. Love you mom and dad!
3. Half marathon is a super awesome distance. It is tiring but you still can be a productive member of society after it is done with.
4. Take your fuel as you planned….I didn’t take anything along this race like I had planned too and definitely regretted it at about mile 12.
5. I should really sign up for more half marathons. This distance is really great.

So there you have it, my crazy numbers are explained and you now have the entire recap of my weekend. Hope you’re having a great week so far and getting in those couch to 5k training session. I’ll be back Friday (or Saturday if I’m slacking) with week two’s training.

Have a goodnight y’all!

Marathon Training Plan

For those of you that know me pretty well, you know I am a planner. My calendar goes everywhere with me and I have everything that day will hold, including all of my training, written in on every day. Well, this time around as I train for my next marathon, things have been a little different. As I mentioned in my life update post yesterday, I am really just settling into this whole being a working woman thing and needless to say, my training has reflected that. Although my calendar is still plenty full it comes with a bit more flexibility this time around. To avoid getting discouraged as I know I am not going to get a run in everyday (like I would like to plan for), I have created a schedule that has a few less miles but still plenty of activity. A typical week looks something like this….

Monday — nothing, maybe walk the dog and foam roll a bit. I typically work an 10-12hr day on Monday so getting in anything of quality, forget about it!!
Tuesday — short 3-5mi run. Topping out at about 45min. This allows me to get moving a bit after work but doesn’t take a crazy amount of time.
Wednesday — strength and cycle. Usually by Wednesday I’m pretty tired so doing an hour worth of activity where I am constantly mixing things up helps get me through it.
Thursday — another short 3-5mi run. Typically I have to push myself pretty hard to get through this one as Friday is one of my off days so I really just want to chill and take things easy once I get off work. Who else likes to workout on their “Friday” evening?!
Friday — 4-6mi run. I add intervals or something into this run to act as my speed work for the week.
Saturday — ya never know haha ….I told you I was being a bit more flexible this time around. I work a half day on Saturday so it totally depends on my plans for after work. I like to try and get in a good long run after work but the reality is that doesn’t always happen. This year I haven’t decided what my longest run will be yet. I’d imagine it will be somewhere in the range of 18-22mi. but….we will just have to wait and see what happens.
Sunday — if I didn’t end up doing my long run Saturday it gets put in here…. again, here I go with that whole flexibility in my training thing. If I did get it in Saturday then today is a day of rest.

So in a typical week, Monday – Friday I am doing somewhere in the range of 10 to 16miles and on the weekend an additional 13 to 22miles. This is a dramatic cut back from the 6-7days a week I would like to plan on running but it will have to do for this time time around. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I continue forward with this training plan and into race day.

Happy Thursday! 🙂

Raleigh 70.3

Ooops! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a couple weeks. I have lots to catch you all up on but let’s start with my “big race.”

5:15… Alarm goes off.

6:00… drop my run gear off at T2. Man working there assures me I am LATE. Panick sets in as we drive to T1, nearly 45min away. When I get there transition is closing momentarily. I quickly set up my bike. I am scrambling and forget the most important part…. I didn’t put my fuel on my bike. Thank godness for another scrambling triathlete that helped me out.

7:00… First wave goes off. Time for me to eat breakfast. Almond butter sandwich and a Gatorade.

7:50… Wetsuit wiggle. The water temp was low enough by less than a degree making for a warm, wetsuit legal race.

8:00… Line up.

8:18… Gun goes off for my wave. I was in the last wave of the day.

Swim starts off great, sighting is easy and I found my groove quickly. All was great till about the last quarter of a mile when my wave caught LOTS of waves ahead of us. It turned into swimming through what I’d imagine swimming through a lake of dead bodies (that occasionally kick really hard) would feel like.

Upon exiting the water I was super excited… They had wetsuit strippers!! Best thing ever! I was out of my wetsuit in about 3seconds!!

T1 was a little slow, as I did take the time to put on socks and had to put all my fuel in my pockets. Something I’d typically already have taped to my bike.

On to the bike… I quickly realize I forgot something important as I see lots of people fixing flat tires on the side of the road… I didn’t put my kit back on my bike! Nerves set in a little but I quickly manage to calm myself. No sense in worrying about something that you can’t change now.

The course starts off with a big climb. About 5miles worth of a climb. I felt good. I just spun my legs all the way to the top. I also felt fast as I was passing tons of people!! An advantage of starting last.

Once the climb is over, into the wind we go! We fought a headwind for quite a while. I felt surpringly good.

At about the half way point the course took a nose dive! It got wayyyy hilly!! Lame right?! I fought though it and still managed to pass quite a few people but man did I slow down. On a positive note, the aide stations were awesome! Never have I seen so much support on the bike.

T2, quite a bit faster than T1. Flying dismount and quick exchange of gear. Did take a second to put on some body glide and a headband… Priorities right?!

On to the run… It sucked!!! The run was a two loop course that passed right by the finish line at the start of loop two… What a tease!!! If you break the run into 4 parts, it was uphill for part 1, downhill part 2, uphill part 3, and downhill part 4.

The initial uphill got me a little, my legs were super tight coming off the bike. I did a little more walking than I would have liked early. I managed to work out the tightness and got though it back to the start of loop two.

Going uphill the second time killed me. I’m sure I looked pitiful cause I sure felt it. It was a battle of wanting to run but my body saying “ehh…better not” (my fellow pitch perfect fans should know this fat Amy quote).

Coming back to the finish line, John managed to see me several times. He kept yelling at me to run. Surprisingly this helped a lot. Still not sure how he managed to not run on the course and see me so many times along a 2mile stretch… Magic?! Regardless it was much appreciated!!

I ended up finished in a time of 5:54:40. It was a little slower than I had hoped but overall I was happy with my performance. Going into my next race, I think I’ll put a little more focus on the run portion.

Speaking of next races… Here’s what’s on the calendar:

July 19th stumpy creek international

October 25th beach to battle ship half ironman

November 15th thunder road marathon

So back to training for me! Be sure to look out for some training updates over the next couple months 🙂

Happy Wednesday y’all!

Carolina International

This weekend I took part in my second race of the season, Carolina International. However, leading up to the race things were anything but normal… It was my good friend and training partner, Kimberly’s bridal party get-a-way weekend. So needless to say, going into this race there was a little extra eating and drinking and a little less sleep. All that being said though, it was a great weekend and the race didn’t suffer too much because of it. To recap the weekend (briefly) and the race….

Friday — Arrive at the lake, finish getting everything ready for the weekend then head out for a quick
run and some strides. The rest of the bridal party and Kimberly arrived at the lake house around 8:30. We all do plenty of talking, giggling, eating and a little drinking then finish the night with the movie Dirty Dancing.

Saturday — SLEEP IN!! Woohoo! Then we all headed out to the lake and unfortunately got a little burnt… yikes!! Kimberly and I ditched
the party for a little while to get our race packets and drop
our bikes off in transition around 5:30. Then by 7:30 we were all painting the night away with Wine & Design at the house.

You win if you can guess what this is!!
Hint…it is not a cat!!

Sunday — RACE DAY!! Sunday started bright and early with the alarm clock buzzing at 5:15 (only about 4.5 short hours after it was set…whoops!). After throwing down a quick almond-butter sandwich and some gatorade it was time to hit the road.

Although the race was close to where we were staying, this was a point to point race so it was bit more work in the morning. We headed to T2 (the second transition point) to drop our run gear and to be body marked then quickly made our way to T1 to get our bikes ready for the day ahead (I have to say, I have great race parents…my dad got up at the crack of dawn with us and drove us all around making the morning super smooth!! Thanks dad!!).

After a little wetsuit wiggling (if you ever want to be entertained, watch the shore before a wetsuit legal race…they are not easy to get on so you will see all kinds of straining and wiggling), the gun went off and we were on our way. The swim was 1500 meters and was a point to point event with two turns. Going out to the first turn was great, it felt smooth and sighting was easy. To make things even better, Kimberly and I had quite the cheering squad at the first turn. I could hear them even when my head was under water. They were great!(thanks for rallying the troops mom!!)After the first turn, it got a little rough. We were going directly into the sun and this was the longest leg of the swim. There were terrible glares off the water that made sighting nearly impossible. Then at turn two we headed back for the shore and out of the sun (thank goodness). I came out of the water in just under 30min.

On to T1…brutal! It is just under a half mile run up a gravel / grassy hill to transition. I made it though this and onto my bike in just under 4min.

Flying mount and I am off! I successfully made it on to my bike without having to break my stride too much. To do this I had my shoes already clipped onto my bike and rubber-banned into the correct position so I could immediately start riding once I crossed the mount line. As soon as I got up to speed I reached down and strapped my feet into my shoes while continuing to ride. At about this point, the cheering section was in sight and they had some great signs that were sure to make you smile. My favorite was “SMILE if you peed in the water.” The bike course was a total of 27miles on crappy roads (VERY BUMPY). The first 10 were pretty rough. It seemed as if you were constantly going up or down hills the entire time. The next five were great and filled with rolling hills. At about mile 15 the cheerleaders were back at it. It is always nice when you can break from thinking about the race and smile for a second. Then we went back to hills for the next 10. I did hit a new speed record though, I maxed out at 42mph going down one of the hills… Scary but totally awesome!! The last two miles were filled with turns and through neighborhoods. I ended up averaging just under 19mph.

T2 was much better than T1…. it didn’t involve any gravel or hills. I was able to do a flying dismount, my feet were already out of my shoes and I was able to get off the bike while it continued to move and was in and out of T2 in about 45 seconds.

Kimberly (left) and me (right) leaving
transition two.

Run Run Run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me…. JUST KIDDING! Lots of people caught me. The run was a hilly and hot 6.2miles. I went out of T2, a little too hard and the hills and heat got the best of me. I ended up finishing the run in about 52 minutes. That is about an 8:20ish pace, so not terrible but I am defiantly capable of better.

Overall, the race was a success though. I was 47th overall, 9th female overall, and first in my age group with a time of 2:53:07. Thanks to all the support that I had out on the course, it made what could have been a brutal race, a great race.

Me, Kimberly, and Brittany (left to
right) on the boat after some good
wakeboarding.

Once all the race day festivities were over, it was back to the house for some lunch and lake playtime. I was able to get my first wakeboard run in of the year and caught a few more rays before heading back to good ole Raleighwood that evening.

It was a great weekend and one that I know I won’t forget for a while to come. Thanks everyone who helped make it great!! Y’all are awesome!!

Tri Season Opener!!

Woohoo!! Triathlon season has finally arrived. I feel like I’ve been training forever so I’m super happy to finally start competing again.

Yesterday, I competed in a super sprint race called “Girls Run the World.” It was an all female event and a great way to shake off some of the rust before heading into my bigger races in the coming weeks. It was a 250yd pool swim, 10mi bike, and a 2mi run. So a super short race but still a very strenuous race.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with triathlons, a super sprint is just as it sounds…a SUPER SPRINT!! You go all out the entire time. This is defiantly not the kind of race I enjoy as I tend to enjoy a more long distance, aerobic race as opposed to an anaerobic sprint. But, nonetheless it was nice to have an entire race done with in under an hour!!

Now to recap yesterday….

5:00AM — beep beep beep!!! Alarm goes off in blaring fashion.

5:20 — headed out the door with breakfast in hand.

5:55 — arrive at race site.

6:00 — unload car and get set up in transition.

6:30 — body marking.

6:40 — warm up. 10min jog and about a 200 in the pool.

7:00 — pre-race meeting.

7:10 — line up in the pool.

7:11 — START!!

My swim started strong. I was feeling good. It was a 10lap snaked swim through the pool. At about my third turn I swallowed a huge mouthful of water as I breathed right into someone else’s splash. This defiantly took me out of rhythm a bit but didn’t slow me down too much. Fortunately for me, the people around me seeded themselves correctly so I didn’t have to do any fighting in the super narrow lanes to pass. Getting out of the pool was a bit of a challenge for me… I missed the railing for the ladder and slammed my right shin on the edge of the pool (Sporting a pretty battle wound today). Again, not slowing me down as I was determined to catch the other half of the K squared team (my training partner Kimberly) who was up ahead of me.

Team K Squared 🙂

Transition one… Great! Got in and out in about 18seconds. Everything went pretty smoothly.

Bike…HELLO HILLS!! This I was not prepared for. Since it was such a short race I did not look into the course before it started like I typically would for a longer race. I ended up averaging 18.5mph but defiantly feel as if I am capable of going a little faster than that on a more flat course. I ended up passing two other triathletes on the bike course. Tough course but was overall happy with my performance.

Transition two, subpar. My “dumb” brain had set in a little and I wasn’t focusing quite as well…tends to happen when I’m working hard for an extended period of time. I struggled to re-rack my bike making me lose a few seconds.

Run… Bring on the hills round two! This was a tough 2miler that couldn’t end fast enough. My feet were asleep for about the first mile. Tends to happen after being on the bike for a while. Still, I managed through this. I didn’t end up having my best run of all times but it was still decent. I averaged a 7:54 pace. Something for a longer race that’d I’d be super happy with but not for this short of one. Was hopeing to be closer to a 7:00-7:15 pace. Still I managed to hold off the girl behind me that was closing in quickly.

8:05 — DONE! Crossed the finish line in 53min and 47sec. This placed me 5th overall and 1st in my age group.

As a whole, it was a decent race and defiantly helped me shake off the rust. Happy to have it under my belt.

Look for me to be back in action racing next weekend at Carolina International down at lake Norman 🙂

Have a great Monday y’all!!

PS thank you Bre and John for coming out and cheering me on!!! Love you two!!

Road Safey

Now that spring is in the air and many runners and bikers are leaving the gym to hit the roads it is important to keep in mind safety. Here are somethings to keep in mind as not only a runner or biker but also a driver.

1. This first one is for runners and bikers… TAKE THE HEADPHONES OUT!!! You need to be able to hear what’s going on around you especially if you are in a semi dark or high traffic area. If you must wear them, only wear one and keep the volume low.

2. Bikers, wear your helmet and buckle it too. Sounds silly to have to say but I see all too frequently bikers without helmets. Remember, it could save your life.

3. Runners, although we all know the asphalt is softer and better on our joints, get on the sidewalk and stop playing chicken with the cars.

4. Runners, even on the sidewalk, run facing on coming traffic. You want to be able to see if someone is coming right towards you.

5. DRIVERS, share the road with bikers. A person on a bike has just as much right to use the road as you do in your car. Also, bikes aren’t allowed on the sidewalk so please don’t yell “get on the sidewalk” to us.

6. DRIVERS, you must have 3ft of clearance to pass a biker by law. Please don’t clip us with your mirror. Also, please don’t pass if going around a curve, you need to be able to see on-coming traffic to avoid swerving into the biker that you are passing.

7. Bikers and runners, if it is going to be dark at any point in your run, wear light colored clothing and reflectors.

8. Bikers, do not ride on the yellow line. Ride 6in to a foot inside the line. This will hopefully make you more visible to drivers and less likely for them to push you off the road.

9. Bikers and runners, use the buddy system (especially on a bike, 2 people are much more visible than a single rider)! Although this isn’t always possible to have someone out there with you, always let someone know your exact route. If possible, also bring your cell phone.

10. Always have ID on you. A RoadID wrist band is a great way to carry this. Incase of an emergency this can save you life.

11. DRIVERS, watch for runners in cross walks. They have the right of way.

12. Runners, cross at cross walks and make sure the drivers that are looking to turn right see you. Don’t cross until they acknowledge you.

13. RUNNERS, BIKERS, & DRIVERS… pay attention and look out for one another. This is the best way for us all to remain safe out there.

I hope you enjoy the start of this warm weather and happy SAFE running and biking!

Making the Jump, 13.1 to 26.2

I have quite a few friends who are thinking they are about ready to make the jump from 13.1 to 26.2 and I have received numerous questions from them so I wanted to answer those questions in one place for all of you…

1. Can I do it [complete 26.2miles]?
Yes you can! If you put your mind to it and the miles of training in, you most certainly can get across that finish line.

2. Should I run all 26.2miles before race day?
No, it isn’t necessary. Most people will train to about 20-22miles. I personally like to go to 22.

3. Do you have any training plans you like to use?
I do not have a specific one I like to use but the general format I like to follow is:

Monday — Cross Train (swim or bike) & Strength Training (generally all bodyweight exercises)
Tuesday — Mid Distance Run (4-8mile range)
Wednesday — Long Mid Distance Run (6-10mile range)
Thursday — Speed Work or Hills (3-5mile range)
Friday — Short Run (2-4mile range)
Saturday — Long Run (13-22mile range)
Sunday — Short (1-2miles) or Off Day

I tend to increase my milage weekly with every 4th week being a down week (my milage drops for a week allowing for recovery).

4. Any “special” gear that you really like?

I have 4 pieces that I really like. The first one is a good fitting sports bra. Trust me ladies, you get what you pay for in this category. I have found that Nike (medium and high impact) and Under Armor are the best ones for me. A GPS watch. I have a Garmin and I feel like my training dramatically changed once I was aware of my milage. Compression Socks. My feet swell terribly so I have found when I wear these the swelling ins’t nearly as bad. Body Glide. There is nothing worse than chaffing. I put this stuff everywhere and it has defiantly been a life saver.

5. People talk about “hitting a wall” what is that?

This is an imaginary wall that many runners will hit between miles 18 and 22. This is the point where you feel like you can’t go any further and everything hurts. Yes, the pain is real but you knew that was part of it when you committed to running this event. Stay mentally tough, maybe take some fuel, and you can get though it. I tend to play games at this point with myself. I will pick spots ahead of me and run to them, then pick another to walk to, going back and forth until I find my stride again.

6. Do you eat while running?

Yes I do and this is something you must experiment with. I take 3Gu (one at hour 1, 1 at hour 2, and one at hour 3) and will take whatever the sports drink is (assuming it has no milk product in it) about every other water station starting at mile 6 or 8. Try to take the Gu (or whatever your fuel choice is) as you are approaching the water station… they don’t always go down super easy.

7. Any Tips for Race Day?

Have a plan. Know what you are going to do for your warm-up. Know when you are going to take fuel. Have three goals (best case, content with, and worst case).
Have fun. You are joining part of the 2% of the population just by starting the race. Have fun with it and allow your plan to be flexible.
Don’t start out too hard. They will normally line you up in a corral, be realistic based on your goals and start with the group you want to finish with. Things can change throughout the race but its a good idea to start with those who are going to go your goal pace. (I pick, the I’m content goal for my starting place).
Break up the race. I like to think of it as I am running 2miles 13times. There are generally water stations every 2miles so that is a good mental break before you start your next 2mile rep.
Walk through the water stations. This is about 10-15seconds of pure bliss. I have found by doing this my hamstrings and hips last a lot longer before they start to get tight during the race.
Talk to those around you. People will have great stories and hey, you never know, you may just get hit on (During my 2nd marathon I had a guy that I was going back and forth with passing each other just after we had both “hit the wall”, and at one point he comes up to me and says “you’re beautiful”…trust me I got a little pep in my step at that point. Maybe it’ll happen to you or you can be that inspiration to someone else).

Please let me know if you have any other questions as I am always happy to help! Happy Running!

Raleigh 70.3

I could’t hold out any longer….I signed up for my next race this evening. I will be in Raleigh for Ironman 70.3 June 1st!!

I volunteered at this race last year and it was an amazing event so I cannot wait to see what it will be like to be an athlete participating in the event this time around. I am even more excited because it is in the city I have grown to love so much over the last few years.

Until about mid January I will be in the maintaining, offseason phase of training but come mid January…Training will begin!! I will hopefully be able to start back up with my coach from last season who helped me prepare for Carolina Half back in September. She was great!!

I am so happy to have a race on the calendar for 2014! Do you have any races you are looking forward to for 2014?

Ironman 70.3 Raleigh 2013…volunteering at the 2 / 11mile run course aid station 🙂

Off Season

Offseason…the best and worst time of the year. Offseason is great because it gives you body a chance to recover after a long grueling year of training but it is also the worst because laziness can set it. Not having a race to prepare for often times makes even the most dedicated athletes a little lazy. That is why, starting after Thanksgiving (I promised my mom I would rest and take it super easy till Thanksgiving) I have set some goals for myself for this offseason:

1. Don’t let your running base completely fade away. Currently, I can run 20ish miles without much of an issue, come the end of offseason I can usually only run 5-6miles no issue. This year the goal is to come out of the offseason with a 10-15mile base.

2. Increase strength. I am a very strong person but I have noticed that as I have been competing in these long endurance events, I am not as strong as I once was. I hope by increasing strength I am able to better avoid injuries.

3. Increase flexibility. Due to all the repetitive motions of running, biking, and swimming, my muscles have become very tight. I know this hinders my performance. Just like strength, by increasing flexibility I hope to be able to avoid injuries.

4. Work on post workout nutrition. In the past I have just eaten whatever looked good as I walked through the door after a workout, this offseason I want to work on being intentional about what I am eating to better aid in my recovery.

What are your goals for the offseason?