It’s been a few days since I ran one of my favorite local races, the CHKD Run/Walk for the Kids 8K. Naturally, the race that supports the hospital that financially supports me; it would be a favorite race! Not to mention, the hospital is simply awesome. It’s the only free-standing children’s hospital in the region, so they {we!} do really great things there. As I approach my 12-year anniversary of working in the NICU, I reflect on what has changed—mostly thanks to technological advancements. Working in neonatal medicine has taught me to be adaptive to change, always embracing the “latest & greatest” trends that have been discovered, to hopefully improve the outcomes of those babies born up to 18 weeks too soon. We really have made great strides in technology & do good things for those itty bitty babes & their families!

But…. this is a running blog, so enough about those cute babies! However, there will be more to come later in this blog post about upcoming changes for The Running Blonde!

As I toed the line on Saturday, I was solo. A busy weekend kept some friends away; while others were deterred by the down-pouring rain {not mentioning any names….ha!}. Although this amazing sport of running creates great team camaraderie, when it really boils down to it, running is a solo sport. The grit & determination must come deep within the heart & soul of the individual runner. And that is how I raced on Saturday.

This was my lucky number 7^th time completing this race—but happily embraced the brand new course. And boy was it better!! Not that we actually enjoyed any sunshine this year, as it rained the entire time, but the beaming sun portion of the course from previous years was eliminated. This will be quite helpful in future years, I am sure! Of course there were twists & turns, with puddles to dodge or charge though; but the changes were excellent in my opinion.

I had zilch for goals upon starting this race. I have done zero speedwork & I’ve logged zero tempo miles. I did however wear my racing flats & was ready to push the pace. I decided that if I could run under 40 minutes, it would be a very good day. Reflecting back, I’ll never forget achieving a long-time goal of breaking 40 minutes at this very race a few years back. Likewise, I will always remember where I have come from in regards to pacing. Although I am still rehabbing the effects of the moped crash, I do feel like I am stronger & closer to being able to optimize training for the Chicago Marathon this fall!

Shortly after “the gun”, I found myself in a steady pace, just under 8:00/mile. Perfect, I thought to myself. I saw a few familiar faces & wished them well in their races. I ran sans music & just enjoyed the day. Early on, a girl, I guess you could say a “rival”, passed me. This chick runs one of my normal everyday routes & passes me often with her very distinct stride. When she passed me, I never imagined that I’d do the same to her at a later mile… but spoiler alert, I did!! I am not super competitive, but that did fuel my fire for the remainder of the race. Throughout the 5 miles of trudging through Downtown Norfolk & Ghent, I found inspiration all around me—the father & son duo; the young brother & sister encouraging each other along {I assumed their relative status, but they could have just been friends}; the heavy-breather who was still pushing on despite the pain. But most of all, a random petite girl who stayed stride for stride with me for 95% of the race. She’d push forward a little; I’d follow. I’d bump up the pace; she’d match my acceleration. After the race, she & I chatted for a few, thanking each other for the motivation. It was nice to run “with someone” on the day when I was comfortable having a “solo experience”. It really does speak volumes to the kindness & appreciation of others, amongst the running community!

In the end, I beat my 40 minute goal, by 40 seconds—for an average pace of 7:55/mile. This was an effort for sure… thank you, average HR of 180bpm, but it is nice to have a starting point for marathon training. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’ve been here before & I am up to the challenge!

Splits were pretty consistent, which felt great to see! 7:48, 7:57, 7:52, 7:52, 7:39.

Nope, not done yet. Hehe! You’d think I could keep an 8K recap pretty concise… but no, not when you throw a 1-mile run in the mix! My 5-year-old boys completed their 4^th race on Saturday & saying that was a proud momma moment would be an UNDERSTATEMENT! I saw fortitude in my twins that I had never witnessed before. They are maturing before my eyes & it is just mesmerizing to see. Most of my 1-mile fun run was with Andersen, who crossed the finish line in just over 12 minutes. Little brother Alexander, who my husband ran with, was maybe 30 seconds ahead of us… that same little brother who finished in LAST place at the Christmas Town Dash 1-miler just a few years back. Dudes got some speed coming in! These were PRs by over 8 minutes!! Andersen, through a few tears, never gave up. It made me teary & proud. Hand-in-hand, we ran together, taking a few walk breaks; but each resumption of running was initiated by him! I dislike the boys being competitive with each other in everyday life—but seeing it on the race course was another story. Go boys, GOOO!

As for those changes I mentioned, most come in the form of strengthening this body. Through PT {amongst other things}, I have learned just how weak my core is, & well… my muscles in general. I have come a loooooong way though! Yesterday, I had my final personal training session with the wonderful Jack at Jim White Fitness. We are both moving on to bigger & better things; but I’ll always be grateful for what I have learned from him during the last 18 months of training! To help during this transition time, I resumed Pure Barre a couple weeks ago. I truly LOVE that workout! Hellllllllo bikini time!

But, what I am looking forward to MOST is beginning a workout with an amazing group of girls who I have become quite close to. Life really does come full circle at just the right time.

In 2012, I was a new mom. In May of that year, I attended my first Stroller Strides class. It was a decision that I will forever credit to my eternal appreciation of fitness & being healthy. I met an amazing village—many of who have helped to mold me into the mother that I have become. There are many aspects of my current life that may have never been, if I hadn’t immersed myself into that community. Heck, I met my BRF that same month! So, next week, I will re-join those girls, in a class called BodyBack. To some, this may seem like a silly workout class. But those who have been involved in the Norfolk Fit4Mom village, you know it is so much more than that. I know the workouts will be tough, but I am ready. I am inspired by these girls, many of which I have done the 2 Ragnar races with—they are wicked strong & uber supportive. So, bring it on girls!

Thanks, as always, for reading about my running escapades!

Up Next For The Running Blonde: Miles…. lots of miles. Chicago Marathon training starts on May 22^nd!! But, no planned races. I have a few in mind, but nothing I’ve definitely signed up for.

Some recaps just “come to me”, whereas others are a struggle to put on paper…. or a computer screen. The harder ones don’t mean anything specific—negative or positive—about the race that was run; but I suppose it’s just natural to be busy when you return home from a weekend getaway. Life happens & things need to be done. I have tried to enjoy these small things more, as of late, as little as they are—even the grocery trips, laundry folding, & the food prep {all tasks I wish I had an assistant to do for me, ha!}. Aside from running & working, my #1 job is to raise two boys who I hope will one day be independent & competent citizens of society. So pardon me if I ever delay or omit a race recap—life is full-blast in progress & I wouldn’t have it any other way! Well… except for that assistant wish, HA!

All that said though, this was a race that the recap couldn’t be overlooked or forgotten. It was an EPIC experience & one that I won’t soon forget. If you’re short on time, the cliff notes version is this:

Sweat just by opening your car door.

Lug a bunch of crap down a hill.

Laugh.

Eat.

Run.

Sweat.

Sweat & laugh some more.

Rest in a tent, no sleeping but staring at a gorgeous starry sky.

Run.

Eat. Drink a crapload of water.

Sweat.

Sleep.

Run. And laugh, at the craziness that is currently ensuing.

Lug that same load of crap…. short a hundred bananas… up that same hill.

Eat the most amazing Chick-fil-a post-race meal of your life, with the most awesome 3 Ragnar friends.

And that’s how last Friday & Saturday went. But who wants a recap in 87 words?? {Yes I counted… well; my nifty word count did at least} And we all know short on words isn’t my style.

The idea for this relay adventure began months ago, with my friend Whitney as the ringleader. She organized the teams & came up with clever names to perfectly suit our group. She’s pretty awesome!

No. Sleep. Til These Brooks Win.

Headlamps Are The New Black.

Worst Beer Run Ever.

Seven of the gals who ran the DC Ragnar with me last year were game for this new escapade. For me, those amazing chicks are the real reason I had SO MUCH FUN this race weekend. The camaraderie that comes with “suffering” through intense heat, hills, & sleep deprivation—with a smile on your face—is the real reason I continue to push my body & mind to complete these races. In total, 24 folks comprised 3 teams of 8, becoming our motley crue. The logistics of how this race works is hard to explain, so check out this pic from the Ragnar website:

After minimal “discussion”, the legs were assigned & all that was left was to pack the bags. Now would be a good time to explain just what experience lay before us!

A road Ragnar consists of 6-12 runners, riding in 1-2 vans, attempting to cover a point-to-point stretch of land. A trail Ragnar is different in that you’re in one stationary place, with each runner covering the same 3 loops, or stretch of trails. The order in which you run your loops may differ from your teammate, but each person runs the same distance & same loops {of course, this could be different for an Ultra team—so I am only speaking of the normal 8 person team}. At the onset, you provide the Ragnar officials with your paces, & then they determine your start time. All 3 of our teams were given a 5pm start time… teams had started that morning as early as 10:30am. Perhaps we should have started earlier than 5pm, which was the NEXT TO LAST start time. More on that later.

Our group met for brunch at Toast {do yourself a favor & go eat there if you haven’t, YUMMMM-O!}, & then we headed towards Richmond at 11am. My companions, both car & tent, were 3 of the 4 other single ladies; as our group included 9 married couples. Upon arrival, you deposit your bags in a parking lot & your driver takes their car 2 miles away, with a shuttle returning them to the bag drop location. HUGE TIP for future runners of this race: BRING A CART/WAGON/ETC. TO LUG YOUR CRAP! You will exhaust yourself with the schlep from the drop location to the tent area… trust me, I speak from experience. {insert the sad face emoji} After setting up our tents & preparing our groups’ “common area”, it was time to relax. By 3pm, we were seated in a hot tent, watching the safety video; with my 5pm start time quickly approaching {I was one of the three leg #1 runners}.

And then it was “GO time”! As soon as I began my trek through the Pocahontas State Park, I knew this was going to be a HARD running excursion. My first leg was labeled the “green” leg, meaning it would be the easiest. Sixteen minutes into the run, I texted the following to a few of the girls: “Y’all. Holy hell. Be ready for the hurt. No I’m not close yet.” A minute later, I added: “But it’s gorgeous!” And that pretty much sums up the approximate 24 hours that it took each team to cover the 24 loops—8 green, 8 yellow, 8 red!

Leg #1 (green): 4.37 miles in 45:02 (10:18/mile); Temp: 86 degrees; Elevation Gain: 226 ft

By FAR, my favorite leg, labeled the “red” loop, came in the middle of the night, with a 12:43am start time. I had a flashlight & an amazing headlamp—so much better than the piece of crap I wore during my DC Ragnar night leg! It made all the difference, so if you plan to run this sort of race, invest in quality night running lights. My only issue during this leg was visibility, thank you Captain Obvious. I had a few missed landings & one to-the-ground fall—only resulting in a skinned knee, which could have been way worse since the affected appendage was my tibial plateau fractured knee!

Leg #2 (red): 5.51 miles in 1:03:18 (11:29/mile); Temp 73 degrees; Elevation Gain: 155 ft

And then there was my final leg of running… which came at half past nine Saturday morning. Although it was dotted as the yellow leg, it was by far the hardest to me! While I thought the green leg was difficult, this one was just as intense, with more than a mile & a half of additional hills & roots & turns & rocks. Lions & Tigers & Bears, oh my! Luckily, although a sign on the green leg warned of being in “bear country”, I don’t think anyone actually had a bear sighting. I saw my 2^nd snake on this yellow trail jaunt & completed the loop with about half of the time running solo, not seeing a single soul… including when I saw said snake. EEEEK! Despite all of that, my mantra continued—“But it’s gorgeous!” I tried to take in the beauty of nature & enjoy the hills that flatland Hampton Roads doesn’t offer. I took a couple of pictures & walked when my body screamed that that is what it needed. I promised myself to run all the flats & downhills though. Almost seventy-five minutes later, I was done.

Leg #3 (yellow): 5.96 miles in 1:14:14 (12:28/mile); Temp 75 degrees; Elevation Gain: 418 ft

My body ached & I was grateful to be done. I was so smelly & wanted real food so bad. But I never once took for granted during those 3+ hours of broken running that I am truly running again. Those 6 weeks off because of injury taught me that no matter how tough a run or race gets, I am thankful to be able to run. I dedicated my miles during this relay to Ainsley’s Angels; & although my ailment was nothing in comparison to what those rider-athletes face, it still was a nice reminder to always be grateful for my functional legs/lungs/heart/etc.! We were lucky enough to represent their mission & cause by spreading the word via passing out bracelets to other runners & spectators. If you feel inclined, please donate at this link: https://www.crowdrise.com/ragnarpa

I included the temperatures for the legs in my stats, as the heat was most definitely the impacting force this past weekend. With record-high temps, runners were faced with the reality of slow the pace or suffer the consequences… I know a few did in the form of puking & dehydration symptoms. Whoops! Personally, I was popping SaltSticks like they were candy! Sitting still, you were sweating. Trying to sleep, yep, you guessed it… sweating. And running, yeah, a no brainer there! Luckily the trees provided a nice cover for many of the miles & water was flowing generously, both on the trails by some amazing volunteers & in the Runners Village. However, that “slowdown” meant teams weren’t finishing in their predicted window of time. Just look at my times—if you follow this blog much, you’d know that I don’t typically run 12+ minute miles {not that there is anything wrong with that pace, it just isn’t MY norm}. But running on a trail, with hills, with a dew point in the 60s or 70s… you’re damn right my pace slowed. And I am super proud of every mile I ran. This was NO cakewalk! What it meant though, is that by the end of the day, our teams wouldn’t be finished in time {last runner had to start by 4pm}. No problem though; there’s always a fix! And it benefitted some of the runners in the form of doubling up & running their leg with a teammate. A win-win if you ask me! However, this could have been avoided if our team could have started earlier than 5pm. Oh well, minor detail! What’s done is done. This was one of the only issues encountered!

Enough can’t be said about the amazing organization skills of the Ragnar race directors! There was no issue with the winding trails at night, thanks to reflective signs & lights. The Runners Village had S’mores setup for Friday night with a campfire & provided each runner with a meal ticket {food trucks were there for pretty much the duration}. There was a stretching area with rugs laid out & 4 yoga sessions that you could attend. Vendors were present, but not pushy for buying their products.

All in all, it was a GREAT weekend. Of course, the weather could have been better, but isn’t that part of what will make 2017 Ragnar Trail Richmond memorable for years to come?!

Thanks for reading!

I considered a catchier title to this blog post, but to be honest, it’s already taken too long to write & my brain is currently in a sugar coma {Hummingbird Macaroons for the win!}. Hence creativity isn’t my friend at the moment, but I will try to recap the amazing-ness that was last Sunday. Sure, there were some ugly moments for many {all?!} of the runners, but I am still sticking to the mantra that any day in which you can run, is a good day!

If you’ve kept up with my training, or lack thereof, you may recall that I originally had intended to run the full marathon this year at Shamrock. A moped crash on a Bermuda road 11 weeks earlier had different ideas. In comes a tibial plateau fracture & I was out of commission with running for the first 6 weeks of 2017. As race day approached, I was a bit sad that I wouldn’t be accomplishing my original goal; but I remained optimistic that the weekend would still be fun. Everything happens for a reason! My family & I still enjoyed a 3-day Virginia Beach staycation!

Much like another local race having a reputation for its’ weather {Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon}, Shamrock does too. Either you love this March racing weekend, or you hate it. I am on team “Love It”! Each year, regardless of the weather or conditions, I have PR’d at the Shamrock Half Marathon—5 times to be exact. This played a major role in my choice for it to be my #BQorBust race.

In 2016, the weather was epically AWFUL for the half marathoners… but improved by the time the full marathoners began their race {full marathon starts 90 minutes after the half marathon}. This year, I would say the opposite happened. While it wasn’t sunshine & dry for the half; we didn’t experience the temperature drop, sleet, & ridiculous wind that arrived just in time for those conquering the 26.2 distance. Mother Nature, you suck. Friends who tackled the full marathon last Sunday—I am in AWE of you!! Kudos! Not to mention, I think the TRUE heroes on race day were the spectators, volunteers, & community service folks! They stood in the wind, cold, & rain… FREEZING their butts off, without a medal awarded at the end. THANK YOU, to each & every one of those people!

As for my race, there was never a plan to “race”; & I would say in general, I followed that agenda. With the race approaching, I had no set plan. I would let race morning dictate my fate. I would likely be either with my running partner {plus friends}, who was pacing the 1:52 group; or, stick with other friends who were shooting for sub-2:00. Either option would be fabulous & fun!

After a 2 mile pouring freezing rain walk from my hotel to the starting line, we only had to wait a couple minutes in the starting corrals. And off we went!

I stuck with my friend Kerry, seeing friends Julie & Cindy up ahead. After a mile or so, we caught back up to Cindy & stuck together for the next 2 or 3 miles. We were closing in on Julie’s pace group, so I sped up to go chat with her, leaving Cindy & Kerry slightly behind. Close to mile 6, a water stop separated me from the pace group, with them all behind me now. I looked back for Cindy & Kerry at the turn into Fort Story, but there were too many people impeding my view… plus I am clumsy & didn’t want to trip & fall! HA! I decided at this point, to stick with the solo jaunt, continuing to run what felt good to my body. I thought if anything, I’d be “banking” time for when the girls caught up/I slowed down… if/when the knee/IT band began hurting, so I could stick with them at that point. Luckily, that never really happened {not that I wouldn’t have loved some company}! I ran solo, music-less, & free—truly enjoying the experience. The body cooperated & never really hurt—sure some discomfort to my “off kilter” right leg—but never any pain. Fort Story brought some amazing tailwind; next came the countdown from the North End streets to the Boardwalk. Then was the finish line. All in all, it was an incredible comeback race for me—physically, mentally, & emotionally! I loved spending the day with friends, seeing both smiles & sadness. Races like last Sunday truly build character & major racing cajones! The nice thing about running though, is that there are always future races… should you get handed a less than stellar day! Shamrock still gets my love, BAD weather & all.

Splits if you care… which I am seriously proud of this negative-split-post-injury-race!

Mile 1 – 8:43

Mile 2 – 8:31

Mile 3 – 8:35

Mile 4 – 8:19

Mile 5 – 8:28

Mile 6 – 8:23

Mile 7 – 8:25

Mile 8 – 8:03

Mile 9 – 8:01

Mile 10 – 8:05

Mile 11 – 8:12

Mile 12 – 8:09

Mile 13 – 7:49

Final 0.16 miles to the Finish – 7:37

Official Time: 1:48:53 {8:19/mile}

To achieve a sub-1:49 with minimal running & no real “training” is a big accomplishment for me. Not to boast, but I have come a long way in the past month. Running doesn’t define me, but it is a big part of what keeps me ticking. My longest runs were a single 8-miler & a single 10.2-miler. No speed work & no tempo runs {unless you count the One City Marathon relay leg}. A huge confidence boost for The Running Blonde! To those close to me, I have b$tched plenty about being certain that I had lost ALL of my fitness during those 6 weeks off. This makes me realize that my dramatics was unnecessary. I am sorry girls… I’ll simmer down now!

I am optimistic about the future of my running, as well as many of my close friends’ running journeys. First plan of action is to get my right leg straight {ART, check. Chiropractor, check. Next up, a well-needed massage}. I am not in pain, only occasional discomfort, so I will continue with easy running—just nothing “fast”. After all, I have a marathon in October to begin preparations for, very soon! Get ready, CHICAGO! That race is shaping up to be quite the epic experience, with many of my closest running friends {real life friends} attending!!

Thanks for reading!

It’s been over 2 months since I sat down to write a blog post. I know you have missed my lengthy blog posts. Admit it {hehe!}. I had intended to post at least once or twice during my running “hiatus”; but honestly, I ended up wanting to avoid all things running while I was recovering from my tibial plateau fracture. I ignored Garmin Connect. I paused my reading of a running-related book. I was an awful friend & wanted to know minimally about other people’s training. Etc. But now, I feel like I’m back…. well, sort of. Like 90% back. More on that later.

For now, it’s time to RAVE about my awesome team that I raced with yesterday, as well as selfishly boast about my own race!

In 2016, at the 2^nd annual One City Marathon, I participated with a team of girls for the relay & we had but a single goal—WIN the all-female team relay division. Mission accomplished! You can read about that day here.

This year was different though. Going into the race, there were some team ailments, but to be honest, team member goals for upcoming races trumped the timing for relay day. Personally speaking, I had been cautious with my running—with the recent fracture at the forefront of my mind & because of a possible IT band flair up. My girls were awesome though & never made me feel like my limitations would weaken the team. Maybe my driver-status & organizational skills made up for that, HA! Truthfully though, as a team we were much more relaxed & just went with the flow. Logistics of race day fell naturally into place. No one felt the need to even try on our race shirts until race morning. Pacing was talked about just before the person ran; only being spoken of so that we’d know when to expect that particular runner to finish. It was just an easy, fun day! And for that, I THANK my team immensely. My return to racing needed a day like this—full of laughs, cheers, jokes, & love.

The day began with all of the girls arriving to my house & us departing together at 6am. For future relay teams, this is the BEST way to logistically run this particular point-to-point race—as a team, all in ONE vehicle. You drop off/cheer the person off as they start their leg, & then drive to that persons’ finish line to cheer them into the runner-switching-chute! Clear as mud? I thought so too.

This year, we had decided to switch up the legs & each person run a different leg/distance than they did the prior year. Our breakdown went like this:

Leg #1 (7.9 miles): Julie B.

Leg #2 (6.1 miles): Rhonda

Leg #3 (7.4 miles): Kerry

Leg #4 (4.8 miles): Julie H.

In case your calculator is broken, that’s a full marathon, 26.2 miles.

Without giving specifics, the other 3 girls pretty much killed their legs of the race! I am PROUD to have such FAST & MOTIVATING women to call friends. They’d be pretty awesome friends too if they were “slow”! I was definitely the slowest, but again, that wasn’t the point of yesterday. But this is a running blog (duh!) & yesterday was a proud day for me, so I’ll include a breakdown of my 6.1 (plus) mile leg. Just for reference, this race is mostly flat with some minimal elevation changes—my leg had a couple of small “rolling hills” {rolling hills if you’re from pancake-flat locations like Hampton Roads; otherwise, for those from anywhere with hills, this is a pancake-flat race}. As far as conditions, it was a bit windy at times, but nothing too intense. Crowd support is minimal, but the volunteers that line the course are great & keep the runners very safe {much of the course is along busy city roads}.

Being the second runner was so much different compared to last year {in 2016, I was leg #4 & ran into the finish line}. It was so nice this year to get my leg done early & then just enjoy the race experience! Plus, I was dreading a repeat of the HOT day we had last year—being the last runner, it was blazing by the time I had run. Luckily it was opposite weather this year, quite a cold day {in the 30s for the duration of the marathon}.

As I waited for Julie B. to enter the exchange area, I didn’t have to wait for long, thanks to her fastie running skills! With the pass of the baton {okay, a Velcro piece of fabric with our timing chip attached… same difference, right?!}, I was off. I had told the girls, well really, they predicted, an 8:00-9:00/mile pace. I agreed & was hopeful that would be the case. After a disastrous attempt at a long run, TWICE during the week prior, I felt defeated from a running perspective. I was hoping race day would be different. But I never eliminated the idea that I may need to walk some. Back to me on the pavement…. The minutes just clicked by. I was anxiously awaiting the IT band pain to begin. I ignored the watch—simply just running by feel. I could feel that I was at tempo-paced effort, but I wasn’t feeling awful. I have definitely felt worse on other race mornings! The leg cooperated well, with only minimal tibia discomfort around mile 4.5—for which I slowed, but then sped back up when the ache eased. My 10K-ish leg breakdown according to my Garmin went like this {6.22 miles = 48:53, 7:52/mile}:

Mile 1 – 7:49

Mile 2 – 7:49

Mile 3 – 7:52

Mile 4 – 7:57

Mile 5 – 8:00

Mile 6 – 7:45

Final 0.22 miles to end – 7:46

As I had told a friend recently, I just NEEDED to run fast. I needed to feel that swiftness in my legs again. Although not nearly my prior paced efforts, I got my wish yesterday. I am learning that prior paces will take some time to re-achieve. I am living in the current moments & looking to the future. At least I know what I am capable of in the future! I can’t change the fact that a wall ran into me….. okay OKAY, that I ran into it (HA!); but I CAN change my perspective & attitude on where my running is currently at. I am not a super competitive person with others, but internally, within ME, that is a whole ‘nother story! This accident has taught me a lot. I have more patience & appreciation for running because of it. Sure, if I could go back in time, I would choose to NOT run into that Bermudian wall, but such is life. Shit happens. You deal with it & move on. I am choosing to move on positively & to KEEP pressing forward.

In case you care, our team did FABULOUS—both from an enjoyment & a timing perspective! We defended our 1^st place title for the 4-Person All-Female division, & what’s more, we were 3^rd relay team overall. Which means we kicked a lot of boys butts too! Official time: 3:20:44 {7:42/mile}. Pretty kicka$$ if you ask me! Don’t ever mess with a group of STRONG & DETERMINED mamas!!

As I mentioned before, I am battling a little IT band thing. Or so I thought it was IT band. Turns out, when you run into a stone wall, multiple things can become “misaligned”. Who’d a thunk?! So, that’s where I am at. Working through those discomforts—for now, with ART {locals, go see Jim Browning for all of your sports meds needs!}.

I am still running the Shamrock Half Marathon next weekend, just debating between running with the BRF {& friends} who is pacing the 1:52 pace group vs. running with a few gal pals who have a goal of breaking 2 hours. Decisions, Decisions. Endurance-wise, both of these should be “easy” to achieve; it’s just a matter of listening to my body & preventing further damage to the parts of me that haven’t quite settled back into their proper locations…. after being flung into a Bermudian stone wall. I think these next few days will be very telling as to how my body feels about these 2 options. Although, I can’t go wrong with either option! The most important task for me next weekend is to HAVE FUN!! It will be the first time that I don’t PR at the Shamrock Half Marathon {6^th time running it}, & I am totally okay with that. It’s actually nice to enter a race without all of that pressure. I am thoroughly looking forward to a weekend full of friends & family {plus grubbing out & many crushes!}; much love & laughs to be had!!

I hope to see lots of locals at the race this coming weekend. May the LUCK of the Irish be with you!!!

Throughout my time of having this blog—3 years next month(!)—I have tried to remain with a positive mindset. But sometimes, even the optimistic folks have bad days & need a vent session.

I’ve considered not blogging about the recent events that have derailed my training. But, the more I thought about it, I wanted to have something to reflect upon when all of this shakes out… because it will, in due time. I am confident of that. Plus, just maybe, I could offer some relatable material to someone who is also suffering through the same sort of crap as me. I know worst stuff happens everyday; but this is me raw, & it’s how I feel right now. So embrace the negative whine, or close your browser.

I blog about the fantastic races, so I must also blog about the real life sh$t that has basically halted my training. And despite how this comes across, I am VERY grateful things aren’t worse than they are; I know that I am very LUCKY—all things considered. I’ll try to keep the dramatics to a minimum {my sister thinks I am drama queen, ha!}.

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On New Year’s Eve, I enjoyed the day sightseeing Bermuda with my incredible husband, Scott. Following a great run that morning, along the coast of that beautiful island, I had popped into our hotel room & declared that we should rent mopeds that day {we had originally planned to rent them the following day}. As is with most vacations, I scope out sights on foot, during a morning run; then as a couple we venture out to those locations, & beyond, to see the sights later that day. Hubby, the smart man that he is, happily obliged to my moped request. Following breakfast, we walked over to the moped rental office, located on our resorts’ property. Mrs. “T” & her awesome staff sized us to appropriate scooters & taught us how to ride them {both of our first times riding such vehicles}. Not to mention, my first time driving on the LEFT side of the road! After our “test ride” around the property, we were good to go.

Our goal destination that day was the Royal Navy Dockyard, close to 13 miles away, where we could eat lunch & do some shopping. This is basically driving the coastline for more than half of the island’s entire length—on moped, taking probably close to 45 minutes. Of course it took much longer, with stops for photo ops & climbing the rocks in Horseshoe Bay. Plus, getting lost in a graveyard while looking for a glass beach. It was such a blast & memories I will always hold dear with my better half! Around 3pm, we began the adventure back to our resort, so that we could shower & get ready for the last night of 2016. I should mention at this point, since so many have jokingly asked—there was no alcohol consumed while riding the mopeds, ha!

With less than a mile or two to go, we missed our turn, so we pulled into a hotel to make a U-Turn. We stopped, verified the map, & then I ventured across the road first, turning right. It remains unclear of exactly why or what happened at this point—but I assume that I took the turn too wide, while I believe also accelerating as I freaked out—basically crashing into the wall with the entire left side of my body. The moped went flying & I hit the ground. Luckily, the approaching cars stopped & no other people were involved. Obviously, I was stunned & in shock. I tried to stand, was actually successful for a second, but then had to return to the ground. I immediately could feel that my pants were ripped along my hamstring, with blood coming from it & my right knee was throbbing. The people of Bermuda could not have been more kind, or more helpful during the incident! I’m very thankful for those Good Samaritans.

Over the course of the next 24 hours, many bruises developed, mostly along my left leg; as well as a few open abrasions. Strangely enough, those felt “just fine”… all things considered. What gave me trouble during the initial period of time after the crash were my right knee & an area of ribs along the left side of my back. I took it easy, icing when I could & elevating as much as possible. NSAIDs became my friend, to help with the inflammation. Our NYE celebration became card games on the resort bed with chocolate truffles & bubbly drinks—we did venture the 100 ft. to watch the midnight fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean!

Our trip continued on, trying to make the best of it. I even rode that mean ‘ole scooter the next day—pretty much deciding that as a Mother, I would have told my children to try again, when they failed at something. I am no quitter. Getting home, the debacle that it was {too involved to comment upon here}, felt AMAZING—both to get kisses from my favorite twins & sleep in my own bed.

By about 72 hours, I felt well enough to attempt a run. Optimism was sneaking in & I was feeling more confident that Shamrock might happen after all. A friend of mine, rehabbing a sore foot/calf, suggested her run/walk intervals as the perfect idea for my first run back. It was painful, but bearable. This was last Tuesday, for 4 miles total. On Thursday morning, things were looking more & more up, so I did 5.5 miles; following by a mostly upper body personal training session. I even got a massage that day. Still feeling good, I was elated. I had decided that I would be grateful for any miles in the 2 weeks post-crash. The next day, Friday, with the impending blizzard predicted for Saturday, I felt well enough for a semi-long run. I ran 6 miles with that same friend, doing the run/walk intervals; followed by 4.5 more miles solo. Following the run, I felt great—showered & went about my day.

Friday evening, the discomfort set in & hasn’t left since. Neither have the negative & discouraged feelings that I am having about my big & lofty Shamrock goal. I have less than 70 days. I am a realist & I’m pretty sure my goal of a 3:30 Boston Qualifying Marathon in March, is shot. My right knee is the lingering issue. While the remaining bruises & abrasions are ugly, my knee is now in constant discomfort. I can tell when the Ibuprofen has worn off. I see the mild swelling down to my calf {that is the strange part—there is only minimal knee swelling}. I feel the pain with just normal, everyday walking steps. I can’t get on my knees & play with the boys on the floor. I can’t sit “cris-cross-applesauce”. Standing too long aches. My normal flexible leg range of motion is gone.

So now, I venture along this unknown path. The girl whose friends poke jest at the fact that she can run an endless number of miles, unaffected by ailment, is now faced with a new & scary predicament. I am frustrated. I am pissed. This would be easier to accept, had this injury been from running itself. But instead, it’s from a silly moped accident. I don’t know what I can do to maintain the endurance I have established. I ran through the entire hot & ungodly humid VA summer, maintaining mileage, to have an awesome Spring race season; all for this to happen. I have made plans, both personally & professionally, that revolve around this race. I know I will “survive”, I’m not that silly. It’s just a devastating turn of events, for a training cycle that was going so effing well. I sure hope my sister is correct & that all of this is just Rhonda dramatics! To my non-running friends, none of this may make sense. And that’s okay. I may sound whiny & like a crazed runner. That part may just be true. But, I don’t just run for big BQ race days; I run for the daily satisfaction & mental benefits. This is my hobby. I’d be lying if I said the physical & physique benefits weren’t at the forefront of my mind too. I run, because simply put, I am a runner. A broken one right now, but I am still a runner. I feel like I am going through the 5 Stages of Grief. I think I have downplayed my emotions & pain to my friends/family, but here, for the entire world to read, I am super duper worried & sad. I hope & pray this isn’t bad for very long; but my instincts & gut tells me otherwise.

I would be shocked if things turn around for my Shamrock. For now, with it hurting to simply walk, there will be no more running. Time to get to the doctor & get this, whatever it is, diagnosed &/or treated. I hope a few PT sessions are the fix; again, this is uncharted territory for me. I am completely open to suggestions & thoughts—so please share if you have had a similar experience!

So there you have it. After about 7 years of running, my first real injury to sideline me from the sport I adore isn’t a “running injury” at all. Total bummer. I won’t stop though. Don’t you worry—there will be plenty more of my lengthy running blogs to come {sorry, HA!}. This little speed bump will in the long run {pun intended!} propel me even further to my goals. I am in this running thing for the long haul!!

Thanks for reading & please send some healing vibes my way! My knee thanks you in advance.

 

With almost NINE uninterrupted-consecutive-no alarm-set-no-kids-antics-hours-of-sleep {isn’t sleep why parents go on vacation?!}, this end-of-the-year blog begins. The backdrop for my thoughts & writing isn’t too shabby—sitting garden-side with a gorgeous view of a choppy Atlantic Ocean in Bermuda. Mornings don’t get much better than this! Well okay, I concur… morning-breath juicy cheek smooches from two 5-year-olds are pretty dang awesome; but every hard-working parent deserves a break from those—for a few days anyway!

As a runner, you don’t get many years like 2016. A PR in every distance is hard to conquer in one calendar year, but this year, I accomplished just that! Proud is an understatement. I know I work hard {not to be vain, just #truth!}; but the bona fide confirmation of that hard work comes from the finish line result & from the affirmation received from friends.

This year, I ran 24 races. While two per month on average may seem like a lot for some, they were actually spaced out pretty nicely! Rarely did I race on back-to-back weekends. My home life & work life have remained blissfully intact, despite almost 1,700 miles this year, so I couldn’t happier! How did your 2016 fair?!

JANUARY – The year began with 2 of the 3 races {both PRs!} at the Tidewater Striders Distance Series. If you are local to Hampton Roads, sign up for these cheap, fun runs/races! They are a great training option if you’re preparing for the Shamrock weekend. In the 10-miler, I placed 2^nd in my age group with a time of 1:17:51 (7:47/mile). Three weeks later, the pace slowed a bit (7:58/mile) for the 15-miler; but this time, I crossed the line as 2^nd female overall! These 2 races were excellent confidence boosters for my February marathon.

FEBRUARY – Three races were run this month, with the Tokyo Marathon being absolutely the highlight. At that epic race, I finished barely off the goal time, but with an exact 7 minute PR – official time, 3:41:28 (8:27/mile)!! I can’t wait to tackle my 2^nd World Marathon Major, in 2017, when I run the Chicago Marathon. The other 2 races for the second month of the year were the Game Day 10K (47:04, 7:35/mile pace) & the 3^rd of the Distance Series races, a 12-miler, in 1:40:18 (8:22/mile).

MARCH – Two weeks after the marathon, which I wouldn’t normally recommend, I raced as the anchor for a 4-woman relay team at the One City Marathon; my distance being just under 5 miles. A long-time personal goal was broken that day—to cover 4 miles in less than 30 minutes—so although we won our race division, I really “won” that day prior to crossing the finish line! The only other race that month, was a rainy/hailing/windy Shamrock Half Marathon, which I ran in 1:42:25 (7:50/mile); good enough for a more than 3 minute {totally unexpected!} PR. This accomplishment is when the wheels began turning for the upcoming years’ big marathon goal!

APRIL – Only 1 race this month, as I let my body recover from an intense prior 2 months of racing. I headed to Richmond for the Monument 10K—planned mostly to be a fun weekend trip with the hubby; but thanks to a new job for him, I adventured there solo. I did however spend the weekend with close friends, so the race wasn’t a total bust! Covered the monumental {like what I did there?} race in 47:43 (7:41/mile).

MAY – The 5^th month of the year had 3 races for me—with the first one happening on the evening of Cinco de Mayo. The inaugural Corporate 5K was run on a rainy evening, with my running feet not capturing any ground-breaking records—official time, 24:08 (7:46/mile). Next came one of my most favorite races—the CHKD 8K, which was an overdue PR, finishing in 37:48 (7:37/mile)—good enough for 3^rd place in my age group! The final race of the month was run with my Mother on the race course too—the Lee’s Friends Run on the Wild Side 5K. Only thing to remark upon from this race, aside from its’ amazing charitable cause & it being my mother’s first race, was my crash to the trail which bruised my body up pretty badly. Naturally, I healed; & despite the fall, I finished 1^st in my age group in 24:26 (7:52/mile).

JUNE – My birthday month is a much less raced month, mostly thanks to the icky summer weather in Virginia! Only 1 race this month, on a hot mid-week morning—one of the Summer Series 5Ks, put on by J&A Racing. I hope they do this fun race series again in 2017, as it was a great way to get people moving, mid-week, both locals & tourists alike! This race was finished in 23:19 (7:31/mile), which was 3^rd female overall.

JULY – For many runners in southside Hampton Roads, July racing only means one thing—the Summer Series on Tuesday evenings at the Botanical Gardens. I mean, who wouldn’t like to have FREE fun, with FREE pizza & beer as a reward, after FREE running around gorgeous gardens on a hot & humid evening?? And with your closest smelly, dripping in sweat, fastie friends!? I agree, it’s hard to pass up. And yes, I am good sell! I do have to disclose, the final night is not free, but the expense is minimal & it goes to a good scholarship fund cause. The final night is the only one that really “counts”… like timing goes permanently on the Internet; so put your best foot forward for that one. This year, I ran the Memorial Scholarship 5K in 24:13 (7:48/mile), & somehow, despite the dew point being some ridiculous number in the 70s, I eeked out a 3^rd place age group placing.

AUGUST – Another month I’d prefer to not leave my A/C-filled house, but alas, I do & tend to run very slowly through the humid streets of Norfolk & VA Beach. Again, only 1 race this month, because let’s be honest, who LIKES breathing through a straw?! The ECSC 5K was the lone race, which I vowed not to “race” as I was saving up my energy for the following weekend {see September}. Finished it at summer-tempo effort, in 25:14 (8:08/mile).

SEPTEMBER – The 9^th month of the year was a busy racing month for The Running Blonde. As I mentioned in the prior paragraph, I needed all the energy I could contain for the Rock ‘n Roll race the following weekend. After many times of struggling through the awful half marathon course, I became a RnR VB 5K-lifer! Holy crap—it was soooooo nice to make the turn onto the Boardwalk finish, knowing my running counterparts going straight had 10 more humid & treacherous miles until they reached that same finish line. Sorry guys! Probably my best placing at a “big” race, 6^th female overall & 3^rd in my age group (22:58, 7:24/mile)—VERY proud of this one! Next up was the DC Ragnar Relay. I could go on & on for days about this one; but I would lose all of my readers. Instead, just read about the awesome-ness of my team (click on the DC Ragnar Relay link)! Last up for this month was the Heart of Ghent 10K. I love this race course—it runs past many of my favorite nostalgic Norfolk sites; but my goodness, can we get better weather for this race?! Definitely not a “raced” event for me, but a nice tempo-effort—finished in just under 50 minutes with the pace just over 8 minutes per mile.

OCTOBER – Another trifecta month, with 3 races run. First up, the Crawlin’ Crab half marathon, with no huge goals for this one {icky summer weather with high dew points persisted in southeast VA}. Ended up running half of the half with a friend who really needed support that day—1:58:24 (9:03/mile). While the time wasn’t blazing for me, & no overall or age group placements were achieved, I really RUN & ENJOY it, for races just like this one—cultivating & deepening the friendships made! Next up was a 5K-ish, with the Mother’s of Multiples Club. Official time wasn’t important at this one, but I did defend my winning title; highlight though, was family time! Last up in our 10^th month of the year was the Wicked 10K (47:54, 7:43/mile). I had an awful race & I just beat myself up with mental defeat. I couldn’t even muster up a blog post about this one, as it would have been 100% Negative Nellie. I’ve moved on, but the 2016 Wicked 10K will sting for quite a while.

NOVEMBER – My big Fall race had finally arrived. Training had been choppy & sub-par at best; but I’ll admit to it having improved quickly as race day approached. What would be, is what would be—my mantra for the Norfolk Harbor half marathon. Although I did not achieve my sub-1:40 goal on that brisk & WINDY(!) day; I did PR (1:42:18, 7:49/mile). Another PR came the week prior to that goal race, via an 8K at the Richmond Marathon weekend—finishing in 37:16 (7:29/mile).

DECEMBER – After taking off an entire week of NO running following that half marathon {I can’t recall the last time, if ever, that I have done that!}, training commenced in late November for my goal Spring race—the Shamrock Marathon. Racing-wise, two fun races ended the year. First up was the inaugural Wards Corner 10K, which I ran on feel & “sans-watch-glances”, finishing in 47:19 (7:37/mile). Lastly {yes readers, I am almost done, HA!}, was the Tacky Sweater 5K. I went into this race with guns blazing & a goal to leave it all out there. No I didn’t want to get injured; but I also needed to see what I was made of, & what I could do! The result was as sweet as cherry pie—a 34 second 5K PR {huge!}—finishing in 22:13 (7:09/mile).

Cliff Notes Version:

• Ran 24 races throughout the year
• All New PRs – 5K (22:13), 8K (37:16), 10K (47:04), 10-miler (1:17:51), 12-miler (1:40:18), Half Marathon (1:42:18), 15-miler (1:59:26), Marathon (3:41:28)
• Had a blast with so many fabulous running friends!!

And just like that, we are done. It has been uber fun to relive & reflect on each & every one of these races. Much like recalling #allofthefeels of those tough races physically; I have enjoyed reminiscing on the moments with close friends & family. If you crossed my running path in 2016, I say “Thank You”—your journey, whether you realize it or not, has helped to propel my journey. And if our paths didn’t cross, let’s make a goal to change that in 2017!!

Thanks for reading & Happy New Year, from the gorgeous island of Bermuda!!

The holidays are in full force around my house. That includes a counter covered in stuff to make gift bags, packages to wrap, & stockings to stuff. But I didn’t want to get too far out from my recent race, without blogging about it first. Actually, a blog about a series of three races was overdue.

It’s no secret that I am a lover of my little city, & while there are certainly things to not like about Norfolk, there is plenty of good to adore. When I read that Mettle Events would incorporate the Heart of Ghent 10K {link here from when I had run it once before in 2014} with the Tacky Sweater 5K, as well as a 3^rd new event, I quickly signed up for the series—called the Best of Norfolk Series. I am a huge fan of running through the quaint neighborhoods of Norfolk, uneven pavement & all!

The quote that popped into my head last night, which I think best describes this past weekend, is: “When the stars align perfectly, MAGIC can happen”.

But more about that, in a few! First, a quick recap of the first 2 races of the series—the Heart of Ghent 10K & the inaugural Wards Corner 10K. I promise to keep my thoughts concise—since I do have all of that Christmas prep awaiting me… & I am sure my readers & friends do too! Happy Holidays, everyone!!

Back in September, I was just a few days back from the DC Ragnar weekend when I ran the Heart of Ghent 10K. Fall training hadn’t really kicked into high gear yet & it was a blazing hot day, with the dew point at 70. I never intended to race that day, but my heart rate monitor showed otherwise. It is always a blast to run the fast & flat course, through the streets of Ghent! Ultimately, I ran a nice summertime tempo pace, finishing in 49:54 {8:02/mile}. I crossed the line as 35^th female overall, & 6^th in my age group.

Next up in the Best of Norfolk Series was supposed to be an October race, but thanks to a hurricane, this race was postponed until December 3^rd. The newest race of the three, the Wards Corner 10K, definitely ranks up there as one of my new favorite local races! I mean, what is not to love about a race where you can run to the start as your warm-up miles?! Not to mention fresh & yummy pizza at the finish! The route itself is a very nostalgic one for me, as I pushed my boys around those same streets a few years back, during our double stroller running days; as well as when we attended Stroller Strides. It was easy to find motivation to push myself during that particular race! In fact, all of my “push” came from internal forces & not from the Garmin. I chose to heed the advice of a fellow running friend & I ignored the watch all together {well, until the final half mile, if I must be honest, ha!}. In the end, I came up slightly short of a PR, but I was very happy with this race. A few friends to cheer on at the finish line & chat with afterwards {looking at you, Erin & Whitney!!}, was definitely the highlight of my race morning! Sweaty cold hugs for the win!! Official time, 47:20 {7:37/mile}—good enough for 6^th female overall & 3^rd in my age group!

Now, back to that MAGIC!

The final race in the series was the Tacky Sweater 5K. I had raced this one in 2015, so I was familiar with the course through Ocean View. Originally, a few friends would be running this one too, so I was happy to have friends to chase both on the course, & chat with after. But life happens & they couldn’t run it after all. However, I did have the cutest little duo {+one} cheering me on at the finish line. No offence to friends, but I will take the screams of my boys ANYDAY over the cheers of good friends! I wish the twins & my husband could attend more races, but many times, that just isn’t in the cards; so when they can be there, I take full advantage & savor their support!!

Leading up to the race, the stars were aligning just perfectly, as I mentioned in my quote. I had plotted out my monthly marathon training massages & by pure coincidence, one fell in the week prior to the 5K. The massage was originally 3 days prior, but due to life, I had to change it to the day before. I was leery about this, fearful it would make me too sore, but ultimately decided I would just go with the flow & hope for the best. It worked! Another star aligning was being in an “off” week from work, so my sleep had become regular leading up to the 5K & I wasn’t in my usual sleep-deprivation mode. Score! The next star, which is a bit TMI for the guys, but honestly, I think more female runners should be in-tune with it, was where exactly I was at in my monthly cycle. This is HUGE for me personally, as it relates to heart rate—I can always predict by HR whether I am dehydrated, tired, ovulating, on my cycle, or feeling great {or a mixture of more than one}. This past Saturday, was a feeling great kind of day! Lastly, the weather—probably the BIGGEST star aligning of them all, it was perfect. Yes, I know, super cold, but this is my ideal racing weather! I loved it. I warmed up with my tank top + shorts, with a long-sleeve top & tights over top; but when it was time to race, 32 degrees & all, I wore just the shorts & tank. Never once did I feel hot; well, except for my hands—which I tossed my gloves to fix that problem! My only complaint with Saturday was the wind, but even compared to recent easy training runs, it was mild.

As for the actual race itself, I went into it with only 1 goal…PR. My old 5K PR {22:47} was from March of 2015, a time that was long overdue to be broken. To be honest, I hadn’t raced a 5K in ideal conditions since that point. Plenty of summer 5Ks, but those just suck. No way I can PR in those icky, humid conditions! The night before, I calculated a few scenarios & settled on a goal pace of 7:15/mile, which would put my finishing time at 22:31, with plenty of cushion for a PR. Never in my dreams could I have imagined running faster than that. But that is the beauty in perfectly aligned stars.

After a 2 mile warm-up, I relaxed in my car before the 5K started. I felt great. I decided to eat 2 Honey Stinger chews, just to hold me over for the race. I have been dealing with hunger during races, & I didn’t want that to slow me down today. Almost immediately, my stomach turned—but not in a good way. Oh no, I thought, I’ve messed it all up now. But that quickly passed with a few sips of water & I headed to the start. As I was walking, I saw a penny “on heads”. I picked it up & put it into my pocket. This superstition had worked at one other race, resulting in a PR, so I thought why not try it again. That penny is staying in my car for good luck until Shamrock!! I lined up close to the front & we were quickly off! Of course the first quarter mile was way too fast, but then the pace settled out. I was happy to see how good 7 flat felt during that first mile! I tried to slow, but my body felt so “light” & just glided so easily. This was a big change from all of my other recent races where my legs/body feel so heavy—I do believe the massage is to thank for that improvement! At a turn around, I was able to see some of the leaders, which is always a big motivator; as well as count that I was 6^th female. I was never passed by another female, nor did I pass any other chicks; thus finishing as 6^th female overall. In my age group, I ended up 2^nd!! The mile splits were something I am very proud of, since I never “let off the gas” & slowed too much—7:02, 7:11, 7:14; final 0.12 miles at 6:35 average pace. Although the splits were “positive”, even my slowest mile was faster than the average pace I originally planned to run! And, that 7:02 is only 8 seconds from my fastest mile ever. Pretty sure I could have beaten that 6:54 mile on race day… if I was only running 1 mile total! Ha! Official time, 22:13 {7:09/mile}.

I have looked at the Garmin file for that 5K probably 20 times since Saturday. To say I am shocked at the result is an understatement!! Did I really run that fast?! Whoa. Holy mackerel. It just goes to show, you can do anything you put your mind to—with the right amount of hard work, dedication, patience, & internal push. Oh, & perfectly aligned stars!!

Thanks for reading—and next year, go sign up for the Best of Norfolk Series by Mettle Events!!

Next Up For The Running Blonde: Tidewater Striders Distance Series, after the New Year. Racing for 2016 is complete!!

I debated about putting anything on social media at all. The approaching holidays just makes me want to cuddle up on the couch, technology-less, & stare at my decorated fireplace. I then considered just a FB post… knowing me though; it would be long & rambling. But in the shower tonight, I concluded that I wanted to remember these thoughts. I wanted to remember these moments. I wanted to remember these fears. Because on March 19^th, 2017, I want to remember where all of this started & how exactly I got across that finish line. Why have a personal running blog if I am not going to share about the journey I am about to embark upon?

I know many non-running friends won’t understand the big goals that runners sometimes conjure up in their heads. They don’t understand that running is a part of our heart & soul. In that same shower tonight, I reflected on why running is so important to me. Simply put, it’s one of the rare things in life that I do just for, ME. Not to mention, it’s the time when I continue to develop amazing relationships with my incredible running friends. The remainder of my life is spent taking care of my own children, making sure my hubby is happy & healthy, & caring for other people’s very sick babies. I work full-time. I cook. I clean. I grocery shop. I meal plan. And I keep one heck of an organized life. I could not function in any other way. I don’t have a nanny or a maid. I am not a high-maintenance chick, who spends tons of time shopping or at the salon. I don’t feel the “need” to do it “all”, but I have strong roots in hard work ethic, which I hope one day is duplicated by my boys. When I go run, I can leave ALL of that other stuff for when I return. I love my life, truly; hard parts & easy parts alike! I wouldn’t have it any other way {that said though, I wouldn’t be opposed, at all, to winning the lottery}. HA! My mantra—WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!

When I have a goal, whether in running or in “real life”, I am one determined mo-fo to make that ambition a reality! I don’t like coming up short. I am a realist, so in my mind, my goals are usually pretty attainable. When I “fail”, I dislike it very much. You could call me an open book. I don’t over share, but I also don’t have anything to hide. When I run the Shamrock Marathon 16 weeks from yesterday, I have one goal: three hours + thirty minutes. That’s 26.2 miles at essentially an 8:00 flat pace.

I fear I will come up short & disappoint not only myself, but my strongest supporters—especially my running gal pals. But more so than them, I fear a non-BQ time will cause all of my training to be in vain. I know this is just silly-crazy-head-talk, but in a weird way, it feels so much better to put the feelings out there to the universe. I am human. I am not invincible & this is a big, scary goal. I know there will be super early alarms & mediocre meals for the family. I might miss a swim class or two of the boys. Many glasses of wine will have to be passed over. Bedtime will come early many nights, when I wish I could stay on the couch & watch one more TV show with the hubby.

But I am more than willing to makes those sacrifices for the next 16 weeks. It’s selfish, yes, but temporary; & it will continue to be one of the few things that I do just for me.

So, how exactly will I get there, you might ask? Well, hard work… & lots of it! Not to mention, a few crucial people. My current marathon PR is 3:41:28. Trying to shave off more than 11 minutes is a rather lofty goal; but many things about this race will be different compared to my other three 26.2 completions.

I plan to average more weekly miles than ever before—maxing somewhere in the ballpark of 70 miles. Long runs will be more purposeful. Tempo runs will be my focus. Speed intervals will be weekly with the Running Etc. group. Strength training will continue weekly with my awesome personal trainer, Jack + one of those mentioned above running gal pals, Kerry. My fellow yogi, Mary, will help keep me accountable with staying limber on Monday evenings. And Julie, my BRF, she will keep me level-headed & continue to be my voice of reason. Plenty of others will play vital roles, but these folks are at the core of the action! Of course, hubby plays one of the biggest roles, in that he is with my children during the majority of my running adventures!  

I am also going to try something new this time, by way of just simply being more kind to my body. This change falls under the “high-maintenance” category, in my opinion, but I am budgeting for it & will thoroughly enjoy the relaxation time! I will have ART {active release technique} & a massage, monthly, but alternating; to ensure some muscle manipulation & tension release at least every 2 weeks. I’m also putting out there to the universe my goal to keep up with foam rolling & Epsom salt baths—stuff like this I always skip over, though it is SO important!

And my biggest hurdle to conquer… nutrition. Today, day #1 of training, I totally failed. I had a brownie for breakfast & a Doumar’s ice cream sundae for dinner dessert. The stuff in between wasn’t all that healthy either. Whoops! Tomorrow is a new day! This is where I need to focus my spare energy—keeping a healthily stocked frig & avoiding the sweets.

One hundred & twelve days from now, the race will be over. The Boardwalk will have come & gone. Some runners will be elated, while others will be pondering what went wrong. What story will be told when I run towards the Shamrock Marathon blow-up arch? Will the time clock show my goal time? Perhaps faster? Possibly slower? Who knows.

What I do know, is that I am uber excited to be on this journey!! Stay tuned.

P.S. Sorry in advance to any friends &/or family that I drive crazy as I make my way through this adventure!

We aren’t always rewarded with ideal weather conditions on race day. {Wouldn’t that be nice if we were!?} But that wouldn’t show the true grit & determination of a runner. Anyone can PR, given adequate training, if all of the stars align just perfectly. In my opinion, those characteristics of grit & determination can only be measured or seen by how a runner responds on those “un-perfect” race days.

As running coaches, this is why we teach runners to run by effort sometimes. Ignore the pace. Ignore the heart rate monitor. Ignore the distance travelled. Just go out & RUN by how your body wishes to run on that particular day. Often times, it is easier said than done. Living in an era when technology is paramount, people sometimes forget to return to the basics, when life was much simpler. I am guilty of this too, trust me! But sometimes, we have to remind ourselves to do just that—simplify & run by effort.

Another thing we have to do sometimes, which becomes easier to do the longer that you have been running, is to modify the goal. This can be a variety of things—from dropping to a shorter race, or deferring altogether; but often times, it’s adjusting the goal finishing time. In training, we plan & prepare for races, with goal times based upon having those “ideal” conditions. When training doesn’t go exactly as planned or race day isn’t turning out to be what you envisioned, then modify. This doesn’t mean that you’re a failure or that you won’t push it & give it your best; instead, it just means you are being realistic in regards to what your body is capable on that particular day. And that is totally okay!

My goal fall race, which I ran yesterday, had a lot of these adjustments—both based on weather conditions & training outcome. In theory, it’d be nice to pull a time out of your “you know what” & know it would happen on race day. But if you’re not capable of that time, well, then I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, it isn’t happening! I, much like most of my readers, would love to run a 5:00 mile. Will it ever happen? Maybe. But probably not. What I am trying to say, is that a goal must be realistic, in order to be achieved.

Back at the start of summer, I pulled the goal time of sub-1:40 out of my a$$ for the Norfolk Harbor Half Marathon. Was this an un-realistic time? No, not really. But it would take some serious time & effort with training to PR twice in one year, at a particular distance that I rarely race. We’re only talking about taking 5+ minutes off of a PR; but the faster that you become, the harder it is to make huge gains on your PRs.

In the week leading up to the race, I had been sick, following my awesome adventure in Richmond, including an 8K PR that weekend. I was lethargic, with a persistent headache & a cough that wouldn’t quit. I decided to modify the goal, after crunching the paces, to simply PR—even by a second would be an accomplishment in my book. My PR from Shamrock was 1:42:25. This became an even more necessary decision when the local meteorologists began predicting cold temps with intense winds. Regardless of weather conditions & training outcome, I was up for the challenge & would push myself to the best effort I could produce on that given day.

When race day arrived, I was surprisingly calm. To be honest, I was ready to get this race over & move on to the start of marathon training. There was a part of me that even wished I’d oversleep on race day. There had been so much build-up, & for so many months, in regards to “THIS being IT, my GOAL fall race”. I was just over it all. Done. Dunzo. See? It’s not always rainbows & sunshine.

I ended up not sleeping in like I had wished, but instead made my way Downtown Norfolk, all laced up. Although I was ready to just be done with it all, I was happy to race again in my “neck of the woods”. Beach races are nice; but Norfolk races are so much better! Potholed streets & all.

Once the race began, my mantra was, “you have nothing to lose” & “how bad do you want it”. I had planned for an entire week off after the race {like zero running—which I NEVER do}, before starting marathon training. So I pretty much thought to myself, “You have all the time in the world to recover; PUSH IT”. A few friends are to thank for helping put my racing mental status in the correct spot—they know who they are, so THANK YOU! A huge thanks also goes to ALL of the friendly faces that I saw around the city spectating!! Such fun to round a corner & hear the yell from dear friends. And my husband. Wow, that man. I certainly don’t thank him enough, but I do hope he knows how much I appreciate him & how he “puts up” with all of my running adventures! XO

In the end, the forecasters were absolutely correct with their 20mph winds + gusts to 40mph. It was windy as can be! And cold—but I admit to loving that part! The wind was my ONLY complaint on race day. It was swirling wind. Headwind. Sidewind. Gusty wind. But very little tailwind. Every kind of wind that you can imagine. I did my best, dug deep, ran by effort. I had more in my “tank” at the finish; but I was just so over the effort of pushing through the wind. I hate “what ifs”, but I do wonder what my finishing time would have been, had there not been such intense winds to contend with. Maybe, just maybe, if there had been ideal weather conditions, I could have crushed that sub-1:40 goal. But then, I wouldn’t have a goal for next time! 😉

Official Time: 1:42:18 {7:49/mile}—a 7 second PR!

Overall: 106/1685

Female: 21/964

Age Group: 7/161

Splits, in case anyone cares…

• Mile 1 – 7:57
• Mile 2 – 7:42
• Mile 3 – 7:40
• Mile 4 – 7:37
• Mile 5 – 7:40
• Mile 6 – 7:43
• Mile 7 – 7:50
• Mile 8 – 7:45
• Mile 9 – 7:44
• Mile 10 – 7:55
• Mile 11 – 7:55
• Mile 12 – 7:31
• Mile 13 – 7:42
• Final 0.22 miles to the Finish – 7:31

Garmin Time: 1:42:18 (7:44/mile)

After the race, a friend asked me if this helps with my confidence going into Shamrock Marathon training with my goal of #BQorBust {yes, another pulled out of my a$$ goal!}. You know, it sure does. Would I have been more confident with a sub-1:40?? Absolutely. But I have to give myself credit for achieving a PR, after/while being sick, with so-so training, & in un-perfect conditions. It makes me utterly hopeful & optimistic about the running future. Bring on all of the lucky leprechauns you can find!! I am coming for you, Shamrock Marathon!

My dear, dear friends (from left): Kara, Kerry, Rhonda, Julie

“…I wanna sing with all my heart a lifelong song

Even if some notes come out right and some out wrong

Cause I can’t take none of that through the door

Yeah, I’m living for more than just a funeral

I wanna burn brighter than the dawn

 

Life is short; I wanna live it well

One life, one story to tell…”

I heard those lyrics {compliments of the band “Switchfoot”} as I drove home from Richmond this past weekend. I was still beaming from ear-to-ear, after the day that I had experienced; & that song in particular really spoke volumes to me. I want to live my life to the fullest—both personally & in running—and as cliché as it is, have zero regrets. Many people will never understand why we run, & that’s totally okay. But fellow runners can truly appreciate the pure joy & sincerest excitement that comes with not only having a good race yourself, but also seeing dear friends have fabulous races too!

On Friday, I spent the first few hours of the day with my twins, but by 10am I was heading out to start the 90ish minute trek to Richmond. After a Starbucks stop {naturally!}, I picked up the BRF, Julie, who I’d get to spend the day with. Chatting the entire way, the drive time flew by. After picking up our race packets {quick, easily, & painlessly—thanks Richmond!}, we headed to a trendy lunch spot in Carytown, called The Daily {very tasty food & awesome open-space ambiance!}. My gracious host for the night, my dear friend Christian, is to thank for that lunch recommendation! After dropping Julie off at her hotel for her to enjoy some much needed R&R, I headed to Short Pump for some therapy of my own… shopping! The night ended with a home-cooked spaghetti meal by my host & his +1; followed by a hilarious comedy movie on the couch. Quite the perfect day!

Race morning started at 6am—and since Christian’s apartment is literally at the start of the marathon, I would only need to walk a block or so to my 8K starting line. I quickly ate a Luna bar & chugged 2 cups of water; & then headed out for a quick warm-up. I had no idea how my body would race, since just weeks earlier it had “failed me” at the Wicked 10K. I had tried a few times to write a recap of that race, but I just couldn’t. I was overly defeated & felt like a plateau was approaching. Richmond, as well as recent easy runs, have removed that negative energy from my mind & have replaced it with positive & hopeful thoughts for future running.

The forecast for the day, especially the early morning hours was cold {low/mid-30s}. I had a sweatshirt to toss at the start, but otherwise was wearing my race gear {tank, shorts, calf sleeves, gloves}. Since I’ve been in RVA for the past 2 years on this particular weekend, I knew the sun would be a factor—so my shades were tucked away in my sweatshirt pocket. At 7am sharp, the race begun with a simple—“GO!”. Off we ran & to the barricade went my donated garment of clothing… sunglasses & all {I would not frantically realize this until 2+ miles into the race}.

I won’t bore with all of the details of my race—since this weekend was about so much more than my measly ‘ole 5-mile run—but here is the quick{ish} synopsis. Spoiler Alert: I PR’d by 32 seconds, finishing in 37:16 (7:29/mile); good enough for an 8th in age group placing!

Mile 1: Went off without a hitch, except a 15-20 second stop {shoe came un-tied}. Time—7:36.

Mile 2: Wind became a factor; looked forward to the upcoming turnaround. Weirdo man kept yo-yo-ing with me… there was NO way he was letting me more than 3 feet in front of him—he must have surged 8 times to stay just ahead of me. Bulk of uphills in this mile. Time—7:37.

Mile 3: I realized I had left my sunglasses {Ray-Ban’s, so not cheap… & didn’t I already mention my retail therapy excursion from the night before?!………. ooops.} Spent some time trying to figure out how I could get my phone out of my SPIbelt, call someone at the start…all while not dropping pace. Decided to just run faster & get back to the start myself to retrieve said item. Time—7:43.

Mile 4: Encountered streets with stone-like pavement, which definitely altered cadence; but thanks to subtle downhills, it proved to be just fine. Time—7:20.

Mile 5: God bless that amazing Richmond finish line! In one mile, you lose more than 110 feet of elevation & are rewarded with a fantastic finishing time. Time—6:58.

As I said before, the focus of this weekend wasn’t my 8K—that was just an added bonus! Instead, I was in Richmond to watch 2 of my dear friends run the marathon. They both set out with different race goals & differing levels of experience. Julie hadn’t run a marathon in nearly a decade; whereas this was Kara’s first time tackling the 26.2 mile distance. Richmond is just so very special to so many of us; so it was very nostalgic to see Julie take to the streets were she ran her first marathon, as well as Kara run her first marathon there just like I did 2 years prior. The course isn’t flat or necessarily ideal, no, there are rolling hills & a very windy long bridge; but there is something magical about Virginia’s capital & its marathon weekend!

Similar to last year, I brought my bike so that I could travel the streets quickly. All in an attempt to reach different points along the course, all before the runners I was spectating would reach those points… this worked out well…. most of the time. Although, I did ponder once, “If I had slower friends, this biking adventure would be slightly easier!” HA! I had my “hosts” to bike with for the beginning part of the marathon, but then was solo once the cold & being sick got the best of my biking companions.

In the end, I caught up with Julie & Kara at 3-4 spots along the course, including the finish line. As their coach & friend, I am BEYOND proud of the races they ran!! On a windy & cold day, they showed amazing determination & pure grit. Both ran well below 4 hours {for their privacy’s sake, I will defer posting their exact times & such}. Julie even achieved her primary goal of qualifying for Boston—we will see next September if the “cushion” will be enough to get her to Bolyston Street. Kara didn’t quite achieve the BQ goal, BUT, this was her very first marathon & I know one day she will definitely check off that box on her running bucket list!

A race recap would be incomplete without mentioning my running buddy Kerry—she even said so herself, ha! Kerry rounded out the race distances we covered by completing the half marathon. Most of her race was run intentionally conservative, per her PT; but she’ll definitely start ramping up the training after the New Year when she begins training for her 2^nd Boston Marathon!

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, full of smiles, PRs, hugs, & friendly conversation. Definitely one that I will cherish for years to come.

Up Next For The Running Blonde: Norfolk Harbor Half Marathon (previously called Harbor Lights), in just a few days on the 20^th! This is my goal fall race, so I will definitely take all of the good vibes anyone wishes to offer!!