Strength in numbers....

I'm pretty much a solo runner.  I like to tie on my running shoes, adjust my visor, make sure I've got satellite reception on my Garmin, turn on the ipod and go.  A mile in, I'm in that comfortable bubble where my legs are working in rhythm with my arms and my mind.  I'm not worrying about sticking to a certain route or keeping the group together.

Since May'ish, though, I've learned about life of the other side of the running coin - the strength you can find and grow when you run in numbers.  My recent return in endurance has as much to do with the ladies I'm running with as is does with the actual miles I'm putting on my shoes. 

The comaraderie and the endless interesting conversations make the miles melt away.  Where else can you discuss running commando or the virtues of running with panties, share the challenges of recent health problems, complain about husbands who create more mess than they clean up or get a great recommendation for a painting service?  We have been sharing our joys and our struggles, but most importantly ourselves.  I really love that.  So I raise a glass to those ladies - Ann, Leah, Brie, AliceAnne, Susan, Kathy and Kelly.  I look forward to every run we have together and miss you all when I'm running alone.  You're my rock and my inspiration.

Now on to my personal scolding.  Last night I was reminded that I really enjoy blogging - what I get out of it as a runner - and lament that it has been so long since my last entry.  This hiatus will cause me to forget some of the small, but funny moments of the past couple months.  How I enjoy going back and remembering quirky parts of a course.  So today I'm dedicating this post to Susan for reminding me just how much I enjoy this blog by letting me talk about it during last night's run.  Cheers Susan!

As I continue on my journey this fall (boy have I overextending myself on the race calendar), I hope to be more regular about writing and continue to cement the friendships I've made on the pavement.  Happy trails!!!

**NOTE - Since it's been a while, rather than inserting stats for a specific run, I'm just going to play catch up on totals today.

Stats -

Total miles:  I'm at just under 400 miles for the year so far...not where I need to be, but it's growing.  I also think my tracker is missing some runs and need to comb back through it.
Feeling:   TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!

It's what counts...

When you've got a great running community to support you, you can do almost anything.

This morning I mosied up to the start line of the Cherry Pit Ten Miler, my first Striders champ series race of the year (no Iron Man for me this year...I was just out of the hospital with a baby when the Valentine's Day 5K was run).  Last year I ran a 10-mile PR at this race.  A year and a baby make a lot of difference and are very humbling for this maniac runner who just took for granted that I would keep getting better and better when I began my PR streak last year.  As I've said before, I'm looking at a rebuilding year.

Since coming back from pregnancy (it's been nine weeks now),  this was definitely my longest run.  Did I have any business racing 10 miles with only a 7 miler under my belt since November?  Probably not, but oh well.  I didn't really expect much (especially since I did a six mile run and barre class yesterday).

Thanks to the great conversation with Jen Bornemann for the whole run, I actually surprised myself.  I think Jen and I are a good match right now as far as fitness and pace.  We are both rebuilding.  We both wish rebuilding would go a bit faster.  And, we have a lot to talk about.  How often can you go ten miles without a single lull in the conversation? 

Soon, the miles ahead turned into miles behind (though it would be hard to forget every foot of all those hills...my glutes are not happy right now).  And sooner than I expected, the finish line loomed ahead of us.  Jen was awesome and I greatly appreciate the comraderie when I really expected to be running solo today.  Thanks Jen!

And, who can forget to give a shout out to that cheering squad at the finish line?  I love hearing the diva cheering me through the final sprint of a race.  She is so excited and I love it.  Today she was joined by one of her friends, the daughter of my friend Ann, who crossed the finish about 10 minutes ahead of me (proud of you Ann!).

While the rest of the day was slightly less ambitious than the beginning, the race wasn't the end of the exercise.  I got to take the diva for a bike ride and some playground time in the sun.  Then tonight she joined me for my booty blaster workout (my daily activity for the weight loss challenge). 

Wait, I've also got to tell you about this week's nutritional challenge...100 ounces of water daily.  Holy pee time.  I think I may have crossed the 100 ounce threshold a few times in my life, but only when dictated by activity and environment.  Conscientiously thinking about drinking 100 ounces of water is a very different endeavor.  Let's see how I do with it for the rest of the week.

As I head off to get my pre-bedtime muscle rub down from my husband, I'm fastforwarding to tomorrow and am fairly certain that after a 16 mile weekend (33+ mile week!), I'm going to need to take a day of rest from running.  Though I end the week exhausted, I feel motivated and happy with what I've accomplished.  Thanks for the support of my friends, family and running community.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -

Miles:  10.13
Time:  1:50:36 (average pace of 10:55 per mile)
Location:  Edgewater, MD...Cherry Pit Ten course
Feeling:  exhausted but put together

A morning cup of running...

This morning while most folks were still snuggled into the warm folds of their beds, my buddy Kristen and I were greating the rising sun in an early morning six miles to get the adrenaline pumping.  No crazy hills or turning down the wrong street type of adventure like last time, just a nice paced out and back on the B&A trail.

I'm not a great morning runner, I think I've mentioned that a gazillion times, but there is always something about having someone making the effort beside you to make it all bearable.  In Kristen's case, our kids are roughly the same age, so that provides endless amusement, but I think this time we spent a good half of the run talking about food.

Yes, food.  While running.  After all, running all those miles means you can eat food.  We talked about the best brunches, the best lunches and the best dinners to be had across Annapolis.  Her favorites, my favorites, new ones to try.  What prompted this line of conversation seemingly incompatible with an activity like running?  We both had plans today that revolved around food - mine was brunch with a group of good friends and hers was dinner with her husband.

Talk of food makes the time go by fast and soon enough we were back at the start.  I wish I could have joined Kristen and her friends for the next ten miles of their morning run, but alas, that brunch at Metropolitan was calling my name. 

Because it was yet another fine day, I'm excited to say that I spent the day with my family down at our house in southern Maryland.  We've recently turned it over from a recent set of renters and were taking inventory and deciding how to spend our summer down there.  We introduced the diva to the neighborhood - the beaches, the private airfield, the stables - before coming home.  An exhausting, but thoroughly fulfilling day.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  6.0
Time:   54:45 (average pace of 9:07 per mile)
Feeling:  Good day, but ended the run with a minor sprain to my right ankle...


 

Transitions = blogging delays....

Transitions can be exciting.  They can also be very disruptive to your routines.  This year I've changed jobs, moved offices (twice), traveled a lot and am still working on perfecting my role in a family of three while keeping on target with my personal fitness goals.  Is it any wonder I haven't updated the blog as regularly as last year?!?

Anyway, my March endeavor is to get back on track (and write several of the posts I skipped) and blog as I go, like last year.  I've been having fun in my running shoes the past six weeks and I don't want to miss the opportunity to share.  While I'm not breaking speed barriers (as evidenced by my lack luster showing down in Florida last weekend...finished in the top 5% but I was disappointed with my time), I am building new friendships, exploring new terrain and working hard to make this a great running year.

Today's run was simple.  It was a muscle shake out.  I'm trying to be better at resting after bigger races and so I took two days off after the half marathon last weekend.  My legs were definitely stiff...more along the lines of "feels like hardening cement."  But the day was beautiful and the run was good for my mental sanity.  Plus, I got to see the sun peering around the top of the Capitol Building...that just makes my day. 

I also got to laugh to myself for half a mile.  I know I would do this if it happened to me, but still, its amusing to watch it.  I came up on the left side of this women who was moving a lot slower than me (I'd guess her pace was a good 30 seconds/mile slower) and as I passed her she dug deep to find the energy to ensure she passed me up again.  I was running to shake out to cobwebs, so I didn't chase her down.  But anyway, it was a good smile.

I'm slightly behind in mileage for the month of February, but am certain I can grab the extra few needed to be on solid ground by the end of March.  I had two 30+ mile weeks this month (and one abyssmal week of travel overseas that didn't lend itself to much running).  March will be better in so many ways - more running, more blogging.  Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles:  4.72
Tine:   41:52 (average pace of 8:52 per mile)
Location:  I'm permanently removing this stat for personal reasons, but message me if you want to know specifically where I'm running...you'll be able to get a general idea otherwise, from the landmarks I talk about.
Feeling:  Sluggish, but mentally awesom

I'll update the mileage calculator later tonight, but i've completed 180.21/1245 so far.

Guns blazing...

The best way to get going on reaching a goal is to dive right in and get your hands dirty...or feet in my case.  Not one to sit still and let a good morning - and the opportunity to hang with friends - pass me by, I was excited to join in the Annapolis Striders tradition of taking over the streets of Annapolis for a run on New Year's Day :)

Now, most of the fun run runners didn't hit the streets until 9am, but I'm so ready to get started on my miles this year that I hit the road at 8am.  Those earlier miles through the Naval Academy were made great because I was joined by one of my neighbors, Kristen.  I've never run with Kristen before.  I'll be honest, she's fast and sort of intimidates me, so I was afraid to slow her down too much.  I'm glad we ran together though.  She was a great partner, and I'd love to spend more time running with her this coming year.  It was a great morning for a run...as we passed through the Naval Academy, there were so many others out and all with a ready smile and a "Happy New Year".

The melee of the 9am run was charging.  So many great friends were out for the run I'm not sure who was still at home.  To top it off, the group of a couple hundred runners literally took over the streets of Annapolis...sorry drivers.  I spent this second part to my new year run with none other than my favorite running buddy and best friend - Brie - which seems like a fitting start to the year.  We also ran with Erin, who is another amazingly fit and motivational runner.  It was a nice even pace as we headed over the Naval Academy bridge and down toward Jonas Green Park to leap up and tap the cake shaped balloon hung from a road sign.  It was a wonderful 45 minutes of girl chat, waving to friends as you pass them and stretching the legs in a much needed run.

After the run, we went to Starbucks to refuel the right way - grande skim gingerbread latter, hold the whip - with Lara, Gloria, Jen, Jen and Brie for more girl talk with the greatest running crew this side of the Mississippi.  All in all, this is the way to get going on a goal.  If the rest of the year is anything like today, it will be a great adventure.

Stats -
Miles:  4.82 (with Kristen) + 4.4 (with Brie and Erin)
Time:   45:24 (average pace of 9:25 per mile) + 46:42 (average pace of 10:36 per mile)
Location:  Annapolis, starting at CIty Dock and including the Naval Academy
Feeling:  my muscles are well-rested and ready for 2013...good call taking December easy

Other:  I haven't completed any of the strength work yet, but as I do it will be added here as cumulatives rather than as a day by day "this is how many I did today".  Here's how it will go:  push-ups: 0/3600; squats: 0/3600; sit-ups: 0/12,000

Ringing in the new year...

Let's be honest, 2012 rocked and I'm determined to make 2013 even better!  But before we get to goal setting for 2013, I've got some recapping to do in order to close the books, once and for all, on 2012.

First, let's talk about December.  I haven't blogged in December. Not once.  It's not because I didn't run.  In fact I'll get to that in a second.  It's because my blog served the purpose I set out for it in January of 2012 - to log my running goal to hitting 1000 miles.  Anything beyond that was just icing on the cake.  So tonight I'm writing one last post to recap the year and set the stage for 2013 when I will launch back into blogging with gusto and new goals to track.

As far as running goes December was a bit of a rest month.  Over the course of the past year I've pushed off giving my body a real break to heal injuries and refocus my mind.  So that's what I've been doing.  While running a few miles in the process - almost 46 to be exact (low mileage, I know).  

Though low in numbers, the December miles came with a few high points.  It started with a great run with friends through Annapolis to see our Christmas tree all decorated for the holidays and to spend some quality time on the playground with kids and the camera.

December also was great for getting out and viewing the Christmas decorations all around Washington, specifically Capitol Hill.  I fancied myself a judge of sorts, looking for the best decorated houses - or at least good decorating features.  I found a few that were good enough to stop and take a photo of.  Some gave me new ideas for my own decorating and others gave me ideas of what to avoid.

Then came the real icing on the cake...a new 5 mile PR at the 2012 Celtic Solstice 5 mile run in Baltimore.  My previous PR was 42:19 set in November 2011.  Now I'll be chasing 40:38 for the next year!  I wouldn't have been able to have hit that time without my CS sidekick - Sophia - who prefaced the race with "I'm not feeling great today...so we'll have to go slow."  I think we both really surprised ourselves when the race finally started and it just felt right.  There's nothing you can't do when you've got motivation and good friends.

Who can complain finishing off a year that way?  Not this lady. 

So here's how 2012 went...I set out to run 1000 miles (check in the box November 2012), to complete my second master's degree (check in the box April 2012) and sell one of my two rental properties (didn't happen...just too much going on to put the necessary effort into it...so I'll roll that one over to 2013).  Not just icing....but cherries (GREAT BIG CHERRIES)...was a goal I didn't set at the beginning of the year because you can't predict these things...but I became the mother of a gorgeous, smart little girl from China (a journey we've been working on since 2007).  She's been running with me since August, and I think she'll be a big part of my running in 2013. 

Now to looking forward....here's what I want to reach for in 2013:

• I will run 1245 miles in 2013...this is 200 more than 2012, and I believe well within my reach.
• I will reach new time goals for myself - 4:30:00 marathon, 1:50:00 half marathon, 1:22:00 ten miler, 39:30 five miler.
• I will pay more attention to strength training and aim to do more than 3600 push-ups, 3600 squats and 12,000 sit-ups in 2013.
• I will try to unload one of my other properties in 2013.
• I will become a RRCA certified running coach in 2013.
• As a family, we will seek out and try one new family-friendly activity for the diva in our area each month in 2013.
• As a family, we will learn about and incorporate at least one Chinese tradition into our family traditions in 2013.

One last entry on the ticker - check out those miles - before resetting it in 2013!!!

Trotting for the turkey...

Ah, the holiday season is upon us.  Eating, drinking, being merry, and eating some more, possibly drinking some more.  Yes, I mark the beginning of this season with the first turkey trot I run and don't look back until ringing in the new year.  Today is that day and I'll be starting the season with the Naval Support Activity Annapolis MWR Turkey Trot 5k...it also marks the first time running with Brie since the end of September.

I headed over to Greenbury Point a little early to get in a couple extra miles (trying to tick away at that goal as much as possible).  Eh, hold on, first I had to turn around (I was only a mile from home) and head back home to grab the tire pump (really just grabbed the whole running stroller) because Brie's was't working.  Then I headed to Greenbury Point.

I was surprised to see the number of runners already gathering when I arrived around 8:20am.  Usually these races are very small so I am happy they are finally getting the word out, though that doesn't help me in my quest to finally win one of their great door prizes.  But I disgress....since I was a little later than intentioned, I decided I would just run a mile and a half or so.  I tend to forget how long the Greenbury Point trail is. 

So, at 8:30ish, I hit the trail at a nice clip...my nicest clip all week, almost back to normal.  And settled in for a pounding warm up against the head winds coming off the bay.  Yowzer, were they something.  As I approached the "short cut" route, I looked at my watch and realized that if I wanted to catch up with Brie before the run, that I couldn't take the whole path.  So I headed back and screeched into the parking lot at about 8:45am in time to see Brie just getting the jogging stroller out of her vehicle. 

We pumped up her tires, with a little help from her little one, made a last trip to the restroom and headed to the starting line.  Sort of.  We actually missed the start, but who cares, its a fun run.  Once we had the jogging stroller situated, we headed out onto the course.  Since we missed the start, we didn't feel compelled to back track that .05 miles to the actual starting line and just began from where we were.

While catching up on the latest and greatest news, we noticed that runners were already doubling back toward the starting line which would mean these guys were super super (like world record) fast unless they changed up the 5k course some.  And yes, they did.  Rather than going all the way up Greenbury Point Road and turning around at Kincaid, we looped back to the trail and finished up there.  The wind was still brisk, but it was a beautiful day out on the bay...and I love the Bay Bridge.  We even passed a few runners. 

All was good until we rounded to the finish line.  Brie's little one wanted to race the last little bit, so we stopped, got him out of the stroller and waited for him to say "go."  Not five feet after the last little burst, the poor guy trip, fell and broke open his lip on the pavement.  He's a tough one though and we were soon eating the turkey sandwiches, waiting to learn that once again we didn't win the random prize drawings.

In all, it was another fun event, with great folks and the opportunity to exercise.  Who can complain about that?  It also meant a great start to a fun filled day of volunteering, tailgating and Navy football.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.93
Time:   48:23 (average pace of 9:49)
Location:  NSA Annapolis, Greenbury Point
Feeling:  finally getting back on track

Ducks and goals...

I love Sunday mornings.  Especially Sunday mornings that begin with a friend who enjoys the same things I do...stretching the legs and spending time with our kids.  This morning Brie and I started bright and early with the kids in tow...rather in the lead resting comfortably in their respective jogging strollers.  The plan?  Head down to city dock, feed the ducks and return in time to get a shower and drive to Sunday School.

It was chilly, there's no denying that.  But it was a nice change.  That crisp morning air just lends a little something to the aura of Annapolis in the early hours before the whole city wakes up and tourists flood the streets.  The quiet is also conducive to sharing all the gossip that must be shared.

The run downtown was kind of slow (umm, yeah, actually the whole run was kind of slow).  Both Brie and I are aching...her knee my hamstring.  But we are bad ass and just keep going.    And somewhere along this path I hit the 800 mile mark.  That's right folks, 80% of the way towards logging 1000 miles this year.   That just feels awesome.

When we got down to city dock and Brie pulled the bread out from under her stroller the kids were ecstatic.  I don't remember ducks being so thrillling when I was three, but they must have been.  Ducks fed, we continued down city dock, alternately racing the kids and carrying them (well me carrying the diva).  Brie also spent time telling B what was special about the Bear and the Bull, two almost ancient sailboats that are still in operation.  All in all it was a success...and then we had to hightail it back to Brie's so the diva and I didn't miss Sunday School.

I thank every opportunity to run with friends, particularly my BRB.  It makes the solo runs and the races easier later on.  In particular, its made my goals easier to envision this year.  All's well.  Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles:  5.42 (plus 2.34 walk with the diva to get her ready for her first race)
Time:   1:05:48 (average pace of 12:08 per mile)
Location:  Annapolis, City Dock
Feeling:  hamstring is pinching again

Half marathoning it....

This morning started early...maybe too early.  As in, before the crack of dawn early.  Ugh.  That said, Washington DC is beautiful with dawn breaking over the monuments.  And, today is the Navy-Air Force Half Marathon and Five Miler.

Okay, let's back up and start with the pick ups.  Hi, my name is Stacie and I'm today's driver.  That meant I needed to hit up the Naval Academy to pick up our two mids running the five miler at 5:15 and then grab my best running buddy, Brie, at 5:30 because the race committee said to be at the start no later than 6:45 for a 7:15 start.  Did it end up being necessary?  No, we had tons of time and with a smaller race field it was no trouble walking up to the start right before the gun went off.

The running crew....
Stacie, Lucy, Caroline and Brie

The start was at the base of the Washington Monument.  Pretty cool, especially with the sun just having risen.  The stone glowed pink.  The star bangled banner rang clearly through the crisp air, and then we were off.  The course started out snaking past the tidal basin before zooming over to Haines Point.  Normally I don't like the sections of DC races that go around Haines Point.  It's too quiet.  No crowd to cheer on the runners.  Today it wasn't so bad.  I had my running buddy next to me and a good conversation brewing.  The leg was feeling good and all was well.

After leaving Haines Point, we had a long stretch of the Rock Creek Parkway.  A really long stretch...like forever.  I did see a few folks I knew as we headed out past the Kennedy Center (Hi Margaret and Steven Cook!  Thanks for the photos!), and we looped past Jen Bornemann at one point, but it was boring.  Don't get me wrong, the scenery was beautiful.  Sort of that last vivid green before fall starts bursting around the corner.  But there are no sidewalks for spectators and the running crowd was also unexpectedly quiet.  So quiet you could hear the birds and your running shoes on the pavement.

We crossed the finish line is a little more than 2 hours.  Slower than Brie and I generally finish a half marathon by about 10 minutes, but considering her knee and my hamstring, we'll take it.  After all, how can you complain about spending the morning with a good friend, getting exercise and coming closer to my goal all in one fell swoop.  Would I run this race again?  It was kind of expensive, there was only water and gatorade on the course and there were not many spectators to keep you going.  I could get all of that and not pay the entry fee by running on the B&A trail, so I guess we'll have to see.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  13.31 (plus 2.66 to and from the race festival)
Time:   2:06:16 (average pace of 9:29 per mile)
Location:  Washington, DC - National Mall, Rock Creek Parkway, Haines Point
Feeling:  Pretty decent, could have done another 13 miles even though the hamstring is rough

Action on the Severn...

Let's just say that, overall, this week has been abysmal for running.  Bronchitis is kicking my butt, so I've laid off enough to not totally kill myself, but still logged 14ish miles overall.  Hopefully this coming week will be conducive to catching up on miles.  Though, truth be told, I'm not behind for the month given last weekend's 25 miles logged in two days.  Anyway, I digress...I seem to be good at that these days.

On to today's run.  Brie and I are back in action...sort of.  As I already said, I've got bronchitis and can't breathe real well and Brie's still got the IT band issue, so we're not in tip top running form.  That's never stopped us though, and since we are running a half marathon next weekend, we set out at 6:30 this morning for a semi-longish run.

The weather was fantastic.  It's not been this good in months and was wonderful for stretching the legs.  The first couple miles felt very familiar.  Brie and I chatted about all the super duper news and goings on in our lives...and there seemed to be a lot this week.  We headed toward Annapolis, down Main Street and over to City Dock. 

Once we were on the Naval Academy "Yard," heading toward the sea wall, things got a little weird.  First we saw the DNR boat come up to the sea wall with its lights on.  An then at the bend before College Creek, we saw a MP sitting next to his car on the sea wall, that's when we saw the fire truck up on the Academy Bridge with its lights flashing.  What the heck was going on?  We thought immediately it must be a search and rescue.  Jumper?  Cap-sized vessel?  Who knows?  Our thoughts on the search and rescue were confirmed when a state police helicopter also came onto the scene, circling the Severn in the area between the bridge and the entry of the river to the Chesapeake.  I hope it wasn't a sad day for a family, but I've not been able to learn anything more than what we saw with our own eyes....which admittedly wasn't much.

Well, we finished the spin around Hospital Point and had two options - head back through the Yard and downtown toward our start point or exit gate 8 and head straight back for the start point.  Gate 8 was only about 2 miles versus 4ish and my lungs were straining and Brie's IT band was also bothersome, so we took the shorter route.  It wasn't a cop out, just understanding the limits and needs of our own bodies.  This has probably been one of the greatest unexpected lessons I've learned throughout this year of running to meet my goal - you can't get it done if you don't understand what your body is telling you and when.  Sometimes you can still push a little further, and if you listen, you know when those times are.  And sometimes you've got to end a run sooner or risk not being able to run for several days or longer (why I've taken the past couple days off).

We got back to the start while planning our packet pick up, race schedule, and what we're going to do for fun the day before the race.  I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  I love these runs.  They are my therapy, my exercise, my time with friends and my fun.  Thank you Brie! Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  7.42
Time:   1:16:26 (average pace of 10:18 per mile)
Location:  downtown Annapolis and the Naval Academy
Feeling:  the lungs were very rough but the legs felt decent

When it rains, it pours...

Today was A-10 time.  For those not in the Annapolis running know, that means the Annapolis Ten Miler.  It also marks the end of hot, hot, hot and humid August racing...or at least in most usual years.  This year was a bit different, but let me begin with the four day gap in running first.

I haven't hit the pavement since Tuesday, and its now Sunday.  Why, you ask?  Well, Wednesday morning we were out at the Queenstown Outlets when I lifted the diva just exactly the wrong way and tweaked the back.  It hurt scary bad.  I had visions of the SI joint injury flash before my face again and all I could do was pray that it was just a freak pain that would go away with a few days rest.  So, while it was hard not to lace up my shoes, I waited until this morning to give my back as much rest as possible to avoid turning a small thing into another back injury. 

The rest paid off.  I woke up this morning with no back pain..though now we had to contend with the rain.  Really if you want to get technical, we had to contend with thunder, lightning and heavy down pours.  Yep, perfect running weather.

I met up with Brie at her house.  We planned to walk down to the race.  We decided to wait out the major down pour and show up at the last minute.  That wait paid off too, and our walk up to the start at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium was marked only by a slight sprinkle. 

We arrived, quite literally, with only a couple minutes until the start gun went off.  Not bad...usually I wait in the corral for about 15-20 minutes after arriving 45 - 60 minutes early.  I like this.  Anyway, I can't believe the start gun actually went off on time.  After all there was lightning in the sky and most sensible folks don't run when its lightning.  Oh wait, that would assume that those of us who showed up in a thunder storm are sensible people.  Ha! 

From the beginning through about mile 3ish, the rain poured with real intensity.  It was awesome!  Like I said before, this race is usually so hot you want to rip your clothes off.  The rain kept it cool and so much more fun.  Well that and my amazing running partner (sorry, no great pics of us this time because I couldn't bring electronics out into this storm).  We saw and chatted with a number of friends along the way - shout out to Ron Bowman, Lara Mish, Jennifer Bornemann, Heather DeBuse.

As we crossed the bridge onto the Broadneck Peninsula, this was the section I was unsure of in the race plan.  The course had a slight change this year due to some permitting issues.  As a matter of fact, it changed to match up somewhat with Zooma and the Annapolis Half in a way I don't like...or at least that's what I thought going into the race.  As it turned out, the course change wasn't bad.  As with past years, this year we did not need to go through Ferry Farms to make use of the sprinklers the residents so kindly turn on the street to cool down this atrociously hot race.  Nope, mother nature took care of that with on and off sprinkles and rain the duration of the race.  So in the end, the course change wasn't bad.

As we made the turn back toward the finish, Brie's IT band was starting to act up a bit and my hamstrings were getting tight.  At mile 8 I kicked it in to try to stretch them out a bit.  God love Brie for being supportive and not getting upset that I needed to stretch it out a bit.  The end of the race was good...course was slightly long though.  I finished 93 out of 292 in my age group, with Brie just two minutes behind me.  We received our customary cold towels and finisher's premiums, watermelon and other race amenities, but it was the first time I ever remember being cold at the end of the A-10.  I love it!

It's always more fun to run the streets of Annapolis with other adventurous runners and I think this race had them in spades.  Thanks Annapolis Striders for the best A-10 yet!  (In my humble opinion.)  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  10.11 (plus 1.77 mile walk to and from the stadium)
Time:   1:32:51 (average pace of 9:11 per mile...though I believe given the extra ten pounds of water weighing down our shoes and the rainy conditions really gives us a 5-10 minute handicap :) )
Location:  Annapolis
Feeling:  I LOVE IT!!!  Today felt totally awesome!

Let there be light...

Late Friday night mother nature visited our area and left an unforgettable calling card...winds gusting to 95mph, tons of lightning and ultimately no power.  When I woke up to head out for my run on Saturday morning I thought little of the fact that the power was not yet back on, afterall electricity on the Broadneck Peninsula can be very tempermental.  I figured it would just be a few more hours and then back to normal.  Boy was I wrong and that is why this entry will cover my runs for both Saturday and Sunday (a non-fantastic weekend of running).

As I was saying, Saturday morning the lights were still out but the sun was rising steadily and it was full light out at 6:00am.  I had every intention of putting in some extra miles since I had nothing pressing on the schedule for the day.  Well, I ignored my best running buddy's wise advice...particularly when running first thing in the morning...never head out on a run without reliable access to a restroom or port-o-john within a mile-ish of where you are.  Minus those things, you should have an easy place to jump off the path for a break.  Neither of those are along my typical 5-8 mile running route near home.  It makes for a long, slow run.  Lesson learned.  That less than pleasant experience aside, I'm sure I did amuse several cars that passed as I did my "OMG that was so gross, disgusting and I hate snakes more than a root canal with no novocaine" dance as I trotted passed a recently beheaded snake on the side of the road.  Man I hate those things dead or alive.  The run, however bad, also gave me the opportunity to assess the storm damage in the local area.  And no, the lights did not come back on at any time during Saturday.  Lights aren't bad to lose once in a while, but air conditioning is during 100 degree days.  It was steaming in the house as we cleaned like fiends before our upcoming  trip.

Sunday was a bit of a different experience.  After more than three weeks I finally got my weekend running partner back.  We met up at 6:00am at the B&A trail to head out for about an hour.  Brie is still having some IT band issues (only aggravated by our showing at North Face at the beginning of June) so the goal was to get in some miles without injury.  We went for a jog 5 minutes, walk 1 pace to keep from over stressing Brie's leg (she's got a triathlon coming up and we want her in tip top shape!)  It was a nice steady jog that was VERY conducive to catching up on personal gossip and all the important happenings.  We got turned around a little earlier than planned, though, when a tree blocked the whole path.  The tree we would have climbed around if there hadn't also been wires tangled up in  the tree.  Why tempt fate?  So we turned it around, jogged back to the cars and headed into town for coffee at City Dock.  I've missed my mornings with Brie.

The weekend continued with super hot temps throughout Sunday, but thankfully our power came back on late Sunday morning.  I love air conditioning almost as much as I love running.  All other things aside, I did hit 550 miles by the end of the weekend (not quite the end of the month...missed it by one day but still).  Now let's bring these temps back to normal (or at least remotely tolerable) so that I can get in another 15-20 miles before jumping on an airplane on Friday afternoon for a great two week journey.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  11.95
Time:   1:58:12 (the average was around 9:50ish, but don't know for certain)
Location:  Broadneck Peninsula (Saturday) & B&A Trail (Sunday)
Feeling:  I've definitely had better, but all the running related muscles were working alright

North Face 2012...

Four years ago I ran my first North Face Endurance Challenge 50k with a great group of friends.  I loved everything about that race - the course, the race organization, the runners.  It was at that point that I decided ultratrail running was a pretty darn cool thing.  The 2010 50K race saw me scratching after 20 miles due to extreme jet lag, stomach cramps and 90 degree temps with something like 90% humidity.  The 2011 race was fun, but due to a back injury the fall before I competed as part of a marathon relay team instead of in one of the major distances.  Fast foward to 2012....almost two years after that back injury I was ready to return to marathon+ distances.  My goal for North Face this year was to complete the marathon distance back pain free...and I can report success on that mark!!!

First off, I have to say I never could have come this far or completed this race without the best running buddy the world over.  I've said it before, but you'll hear me say it over and over again - THANK YOU BRIE!!!  Sure, I like to run alone most days of the week, but that long run is never the same without great conversation and motivation along the way.  I'm also glad to have shared the toughest terrain I've ever raced with one of my best friends.  Holy hell, if you've read about the terrain for North Face you've read that tough mudder has no mud whatsoever compared to what we traversed for 26.2 miles today. 

Let's just say, that storm mother nature opened up on us last night left the trail under about 3-6 inches of sloppy, slippery mud over at least 16 miles of the course.  I am amazed that there were not a great number of injuries throughout the day.  First of all, the mud filled up the tread on shoes leaving us with nothing to grab the trail.  Second, some of the slippery parts were on hills with somewhat steep grades.  Third, the mud was so sticky you had to pull on your ankles to get your shoes out.  It certainly made for some super slow going just to ensure you could stay upright...those shoes may need retiring after this run.

All that said, this was a super great day surrounded by people with real heart.  The course was beautiful (if a little dirtier than ever), the day was beautiful (hello 70 degrees in June!!!), our crew was awesome (uh yeah, there are advantages to having a husband who doesn't like to run such as having someone to bring you clean dry socks at the halfway point...thanks Jay!) and the company couldn't have been better.  Not to mention there was a free beer waiting at the finish line.  I can't think of any other way I would have liked to spend this dazzling Saturday (now it's time to go home and start shipping off the sweat and caked on salt) .  I can't wait for next year's race (which rumor has it may move to March...can we say 50K distance here I come?)!  Until then, happy trails!!!

Also need to send a shout out to the terrific Annapolis trio finishing the 50 miler today - Lara, Gloria and Danielle - you all are crazy, but I love you!!  And also to those fantastic pacers who jumped in to support their runners throughout the race - and chat with Brie and I for a bit during a break - Jen and Missy - you're role is so important to the folks on the trail!!

The most amazing finishers in the marathon
distance at the North Face Endurance Challenge!

Stats -

Miles:  26.2 (my Garmin said it was a little more than a mile longer, but I think the Garmin was confused by the tree cover so I've lopped off the distance to marathon only)

Time:   5:40:08 (average pace of 12:58 per mile...our total time was longer due to aid station stops and chatting with buddies we ran into along the way but my handy dandy Garmin only captures time moving)

Location:  Algonkian Regional Park to Great Falls Park and back, Virginia
Feeling:  Women pay lots of money for mud baths, how can one feel bad after getting it for free!?!

The nanny brigade...

It must have been that time of day. The perfect hour between lunch and the parents coming home from work. When the parks are populated by the under 5 crowd and their paid caretakers...and the sidewalks are clogged with strollers. That's when I was running and had to swerve and leap in order to find my few inches of pavement without being run over by an errant stroller wheel. But you know what? It's kind of cool. Whatever the reason, these kids get some outside play time. Fewer kids today are getting the real kid time they need and we thrived on when growing up.

Aside from that, day's like today are becoming more rare as we inch our way to summer. Sun shining high in the sky, the azaleas bushes glowing with color, the temperatures manageable. That said, I have come to a recent conclusion - the air in Washington is heavier and more pollen-ridden than that in Annapolis. Lately I feel like my lungs are clear when running at home, but I'm breathing harder at work. Here's my theory...Annapolis is surrounded by water, yes, but has a very wide bay that gathers and pushes air through town and cleans out the rough stuff. DC on the other hand, while flanked on both sides by water, is also a bowl that holds the air in place. Sounds about right doesn't it? Perhaps, in the meantime I'm going with it.

In two days though, the strollers and the heavy air won't matter. I'll be dodging the raindrops falling from the sky during the Mulligan Metric Marathon along with my great running pal to celebrate my 36th birthday. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.53
Time: 37:37 (average pace of 8:18 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: A little tight across my back from yoga, but otherwise good

Sunglasses at night...

I like to run in style. Okay, let's be honest, I like to run for my own comfort. Last summer I was getting bombed in the eyeballs by tons of bugs, so I switched from wearing a visor, to keep the sun out of my eyes, to wearing sport sunglasses. Guess what? No more bugs. And because I don't like dark glasses, mine are red-tinted so I can wear them in all states of sun. Sometimes I forget I've got them on, like tonight, or this evening rather. I headed out of the office about 6:45pm to get in a few miles. It was still pretty light outside (much gracias to daylight savings) and so I was wearing my trusty shades to blocks those pesky bugs. It was about two miles later that I noticed I was having difficulties seeing...oh yeah, dusk was falling rapidly and I still had my bug shields securely in front of my eyes. Well, had to move them out of the way to finish up.

So, sunglasses securely acting as a headband, I launched into the dog convention at Lincoln Park. It was actually a great scene. Because (according to the Citibank thermometer) it was still 82 out, not only was every dog owner in the greater Lincoln Park vicinity out, but lots of families were at the playground and there were even a small handful of picnics going on. If I didn't still have a couple miles to go, I probably would have gate crashed one. My better sense prevailed and I headed back toward Capitol Hill cruising past all the friendly faces. Tonight was one of those nights you just don't waste indoors, and so I was not surprised to pass many of my co-workers who live near work just strolling the sidewalks.

All in all, it was a pretty darn good day (did I mention I also met George Clooney?) Happy trails!






Stats -
Miles: 5.11
Time: 45:07 (average pace of 8:49 per mile)
Location: Lincoln Park and Capitol Hill
Feeling: Totally into the weather and the run

A day of joy and dark corners....

I am so grateful for many things in life Grateful for my family, grateful for my friends, grateful to live in financial security and grateful for my health. I am grateful that God has given us days to rest and days that try our limits. I have both of these to talk about today.

First the run...how is it possible to run for a little more than 9 miles and have it feel like you've been sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee? Run it with Brie. She is a kindred spirit and a phenomenal sounding board. She lives with passion and keeps you going. I don't get to spend enough time with her. We met up at her house at 7:30am (which is quite a feat on spring forward day) and headed out toward Navy-Marine Corps Stadium...which is my mothership during the fall months. Our run took us downtown, where the town was just waking up to another beautiful sun over the Bay and Severn River, and on through the Naval Academy. If you ever come to Annapolis and love to run, make sure you catch a few miles out at the Academy (though be ware the long wood bridge across the boat basin...if you are like me, it will freak you out every time though it is incredibly sturdy). It's breathtaking and calm running along the sea wall. Coming out of the Academy, we had a little left, so we tackled an over and back on the Naval Academy Bridge. If you read any of my blog last summer, you know I loathe the bridge. Luckily we only hit the head wind on the back side of the return. I'll tell you though, the toughest part of this run was the hill right near Brie's house. That thing doesn't look big, but can be a real kicker at the end of 9 miles.

Now for the dark corners...a local family needs our prayers. When I joined Junior League of Annapolis, Inc. I met an amazing family of women. During my first year, the son of one of these women fell ill with an extremely rare form of brain cancer. This little boy has been a real fighter over the years, overcoming extraordinary odds. Today he continues to battle, but may not win this time. If you have room in your heart to lift up a little boy and his family during this time, please ask that peace comes to them during this difficult time.

It is difficult to imagine the strength it takes to face such a difficult and unknown future. It is even more difficult to imagine as a child. I didn't know little Joey beyond his mother, but I have been amazed at his strength and the strength of his family. Joey, whatever the coming days bring you, happy trails.

Stats-
Miles: 9.28
Time: 1:25:00 (average pace of 9:09 per mile)
Location: Admiral Heights, Downtown Annapolis, US Naval Academy
Feeling: Better than I could have imagined

Ahhh, the bay...

I'm blessed to have many great friends, some of whom inspire me to run. This morning I took in a longish run with a group of women training for the Zooma half marathon, led by my great friend Lara. Lara is the woman who conned me into trying my hand at the 50k distance a few years ago. She's also a woman who can keep you entertained over many miles of quiet, boring, busy, or exciting roads. Today she led our group of ladies through the Bay Ridge community of Annapolis. If you know Annapolis, you know this neighborhood probably has the best views of the bay in the area. At any of a great number of houses, one could imagine taking in the morning coffee on the front porch watching the sun rise over the bay. This morning, the day was so clear that the sun was virtually sparkling on the glass surface of the bay. The stretches of bay were so inspiring that you could almost forget the strong wind coming down from the Severn. The beaches were so clean you wanted to sink your toes into the sand. Amazing!

Instead of getting to take in my coffee overlooking the water, or sticking my toes into the sand, I pushed out 7 miles through the rolling hills of Annapolis Cove, Bay Ridge and Anchorage. I changed shoes back into the old ones today to check on whether the shoes were creating the bakc issues - quite likely. It was a great run and I met some great new ladies. They even helped me regulate my speed a bit which I am not very capable of on my own....I'm a bit of a speed demon. I hope that I will be invited to run with this group again and I wish them all luck as they prepare for Zooma this year (I'm not fond of this race, so I'm more likely found at a water stop handing out liquid life). Thanks again to Lara, Gloria and my new friend Natalie (who hung out for the last 4 miles or so). Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 7.2
Time: 1:08:02 (average pace of 9:26 per mile)
Location: PAL Park down through Bay Ridge and back
Feeling: Very strong.

Recovery....

I haven't been feeling too well the past couple days, so I decided to head on out for a nice easy run in the beautiful early afternoon God gave us today. Did you happen to notice the outside weather? Oh yeah, its 53 degrees and sunny as can be. Can there possibly be any better weather for running? I don't think so.

So I did take it relatively easy today...definitely not hitting the same pace as Wednesday, but not being a total sloth. Though, I must confess, I did actually walk two blocks when I ran into a work colleague I wanted to chat with. Don't worry, that walk time is actually reflected in today's pace and overall time. It was a great conversation though. He just returned from basic training and we chatted about deployments and leave time from the military...for all of two blocks.

I then completed the run. Had I not felt guilty about running without my blackberry, I probably would have run half the afternoon. That said, I headed on back to the locker room to get on with the business of life. Here's to hoping this weekend's snow storm holds off long enough for me to get in about 10 miles this weekend.

Stats -
Miles: 3.76
Time: 33:00 (average pace of 8:46 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Eastern Market, Lincoln Park
Feeling: Not too bad considering yesterday I was doubled over