2013: These Were The Days

The therapist in me loves numbers and data and anxiously awaits each year's end so that I can total everything up and see how I did.  That being said, the therapist in me also knows that there is a lot more to a year than simple numbers.  I didn't officially make a numbered list of goals for 2013, but I had a few things in mind.  Running and fitness are a lifestyle, not a temporary habit so my overall goal is always to be moving forward while having fun.  Girl on Fire...that is how I attacked 2013.

Run 1100+ Miles in 2013. 
I've never had a daily run streak and I never really intend to, it just doesn't fit my training style or my purpose.  However, I seem to have created a bit of an annual mileage streak for myself.  In 2010 I completed my first ever 1,000 mile running year.  This was a good amount of running for me and I decided that I wanted to see how many of these I could string together.  I entered the world of marathon training in 2011 and my mileage saw a slight increase to put me over the 1100 mark.  Since 1100 seemed very manageable, I decided to see how long I could keep that going.  I finished up my year with 1129.3 miles bringing my 1000+ steak to 4 years and my 1100+ streak to 3 years.  Consistency, y'all.  I swear by it!  This year was slightly lower than the last two years, but I attribute that to some of the cycling goals that I was had added to my training and a minor (thank goodness) foot injury in October.

Ride a Century Ride On My Bike.
When I first got my bike in the early summer of 2012, I dreamed of riding a century ride (100 miles).  I knew that it would be possible in 2013 and that my friends had some really great rides on the calendar.  I initially thought that my first century ride would be in late June, but the attempt was moved up to early May when the Shiner GASP rolled around.  Who could resist a ride from Austin to the little brewery in Shiner?  Add in the fact that we had Ninja in our personal "Swag Wagon" providing a great safety net.  So on May 4 I saddled up and rode my first century ride.  Was it hard?  Heck yes, but I had a blast hanging out on the lawn at the Spoetzl Brewery enjoying the shade of pecan trees and all the Shiner I cared to sip.  Would I do it again?  Already signed up for 2014!

The other monumental cycling event came in early June as I rode back to back Grand Fondos at Tulsa Tough.  A mechanical issue during the first day threatened to cut my ride short, but I ended up with 53 miles the first day and the full 63 miles on Sunday.  I am so thankful for my bike buddy, Fi, as we enjoyed all of the Shiner and Tulsa miles together.  I am looking forward to a repeat in 2014.

I ended up with 967 bike miles this year and another 18 hours on the bike trainer.  I don't have a bike sensor to convert those trainer hours into miles, but a conservative estimate gives me in the neighborhood of 275 miles.

Run and PR a Marathon.
I put all of my marathoning eggs in one basket as I train for and run one marathon a year.  This year we chose the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon in early October in Milwaukee.  I attacked the training with a great deal of commitment (and sweat....my highest mileage month was in August...who does THAT?).  Race day came and I ran my way to 4:06:28, a PR by approximately 3:30.  I learned even more during my third marathon attempt and know that I am getting closer to that sub-4:00 with each try.  I am not sure where we will be marathoning this year, but I do feel a need to get away from the summer training cycle. I need a break from the August 20 milers! 

I ran ten races this year, down from 2012's total of 17 -- but with good reason as I added six bike rallies (all of at least 100K) to my schedule.  Race distances include 1 marathon, 1 25K, 4 half marathons (life total of 42!), 1 10K, 1 5 mile, and 2 5K.  I managed new marathon, 25K, and 10K PRs. I ran a 1:54:03 half in April at the Oklahoma City Half Marathon, my fastest half since 2011. I consider this my "new" PR half PR as my fastest half happened in 2010.  I was happy to get past the 1:55 plateau that I had been hovering around for far too long.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention the 123 hours spent in the gym, largely at boot camp (thanks Jen!).

The numbers are all very interesting (to some) and give me a measurable look at the year, but they do not tell the whole story.  I could not do it alone and have run many of these miles with my best friend, husband, and training partner Mr K. We constantly push and pull each other and I could not imagine doing it without him by my side (or sometimes just in front of me).  It sounds cliche, but I fully believe that I have been given the best group of friends on the planet.  It has been an honor to cheer them on, both in person and virtually, as they have managed to accomplish nothing short of the incredible.  They push me (and sometimes pull me) and encourage me to dream beyond what I thought was ever possible. 

What does 2014 hold for me?  Only time will tell!

Merry Christmas Y'all: The Great NTX Santa Run

I count the Great North Texas Santa Run as one of the running events that I look forward to all year long.  This year brought the 3rd edition of this race that I have been telling my frunners about every since the first year -- and this year many of them finally joined in the fun.  The race benefits My Possibilities, a continuing education center for adults with cognitive disabilities in North Texas -- a cause that is near to my heart.  Race registration included a Santa suit complete with hat, beard, and belt. We all wore race bibs, but they were just for show as we were not chipped timed nor were we racing for PRs. 

Santa Frunners!  (Photo: Mama C)

This race has grown by leaps and bounds and was moved to a new location this year as it has outgrown the original race site.  The official word is 3,500 Santas and $120,000 raised for My Possibilities!  Have you ever tried to meet up with your friends at a Santa race?  Hilarious. "I'm the one dressed in red." We all look alike!



So. Many. Santas. (Photo: Mama C)

It was a terrific sight to look out over the race course and see so many runners dressed in red suits.  I never laugh as much during a run as I do during the Santa Race each year.  Mark L is always the star of the show with his Elf impersonation "HEY SANTA!! I KNOW YOU!!" I think that his college daughter, Briana, was both amused and mortified all at the same time!  We were all having a great time post race until a very sudden cold front blew in, the kind with winds that will cut right through you.  Everyone sought shelter in their warm cars fairly quickly.



Newly BQ'ed Drum had a bit of an issue....(Photo: Mama C)

After the race a new tradition was born as most of the FIGJAM girls gathered at Casa de Team K for breakfast tacos, yummy bread pudding, mimosas, and a scarf exchange.  It was terrific to have everyone together, a rarity as we are spread out over all four corners of the Metroplex.  I sincerely hope that this is something that we continue to do in future years.

FIGJAM Girls in our lovely new scarves. (Photo: Mr D)

I hope that your holiday season is merry and bright and filled with all of your favorite things and the people that you love most!

Dallas Marathon Half: Insert Race Report Here

As you have probably heard by now, the Dallas Marathon was one of the victims of Winter Storm Cleon (aka Icemaggedon '13).  We were all on pins and needles on Friday as the city around us was literally "entombed in ice" with no promise of breaking freezing before race time on Sunday.  Ultimately the race officials made the right call as it is now Monday and the city is still not functioning at full capacity.

It would take more than some ice and cancelled race to keep Team K from having some race day fun.  The day started with an appearance by this guy in our back yard.

Dallas area runners will recognize one of the most famous Dolly Partons from the mile 20 Dolly Parton hills.  I am not sure that anyone was more heartbroken than the Dollies, for marathon day is their big day to shine!  Worry not, runners, the dresses and wigs have been packed away with great care, ready for next year's race.

Running on a sheet of ice sounds pretty impossible, right?  That is what I thought until Ninja showed us his innovative screw shoe method.  Mr K fixed up a pair of Ninja Screw Shoes for each of us and we were off and running.  I felt as if I had a secret super hero power as I ran...yes RAN on the ice while walkers and cars were slipping and sliding.  It was no half marathon and it was slower than my usual pace, but I got 6 miles in on a day when I wasn't supposed to be able to run.

There has to be good post race grub, right?  Thanks to Mr K's mad ice driving skills we were able to pay a visit to the local taco shop for some good tacos and chips and salsa. 

Was it the race day that I envisioned?  Nope, but it is a day that I won't soon forget either.  Here's to a cool, dry, and perfect Dallas Marathon in 2014!

Thanksgiving Adventures in the Tennessee Hills

As has become tradition,Team K headed to the beautiful hills of Tennessee for the Thanksgiving holidays.  While it was a little chilly (17 degrees on Thanksgiving morning!) for many of our plans, we still got out and enjoyed the sights.

No trip to Nashville is complete without a trip to Percy Warner Park (my Happy Place).  I blogged in detail about this park last year, it really fills my heart to the top with happiness and peace.  We made one spin around the 11 mile main drive.  It is the most challenging run of the year with all of the huge hills, but it is also my favorite.  It ends with a wicked screaming downhill filled with hairpin turns that make me want to scream "I love running!!" at the top of my lungs. Last year I noticed I inadvertently started a photo tradition.

    2011

    2012

    2013

On Thanksgiving Day we wandered over to a beautiful town park near my my Mother & Sister Inlaw's place.  I hope to get a chance to explore the tails in the park next time we visit.  Maggie and Mr Sir had a great time on our long walk.

Thanks to some new bike racks for Subie, we were able to take our bikes on the trip. It was mostly too cold to ride, but we did get out on the last afternoon of our trip. We explored a small portion of the Natchez Trace. It is a cyclist's dream with rolling hills, a smooth surface, and no commercial traffic. Natchez Trace is 444 miles from bottom to top, starting in Mississippi and ending outside of Nashville. I look forward to many cycling adventures on this beautiful stretch of the South. My highlight on this short bike ride was riding across Birdsong Hollow Bridge. It rises 155 feet above the valley below and the views are breathtaking!  I wasn't brave enough to stop on the bridge and take a picture of the view, but we did get a few shots from below. The tiny spots in the first picture are people! 

 

Our time in Tennessee is always too short and we are always sad to leave. It is so exciting to discover a new, beautiful place each time we visit.  I can't wait to go back again and explore in depth the new places we found this time.

AMTA Conference: Here's to the Frundraisers!

Mid-November brings what is easily a highlight of my year, the American Music Therapy Association Conference. I always say that I'm lucky enough to work in a field that feels like family with conferences that feel like family reunions. I find this to be more true with each passing year as friendships grow and evolve. This year's conference was held in Jacksonville, Florida -- a perfect warm escape as Texas was blasted with a nasty cold front.



We were treated to this spectacular view each night

We arrived in Jacksonville on Wednesday afternoon and immediately found ourselves in a shuttle with some of our favorite North Dakotans -- Meganne, Natasha, and Emily.  Texans and North Dakotans...sounds like an unlikely pairing, who knew we would be the best of friends?  Turns out that running and music therapy also go hand in hand as we have established a diverse group of Music Therapy Frunners.  We scheduled runs each morning of conference and I made it a goal to be at all of them.  This would be quite a feat with sessions starting at 7:30 and evening activities stretching long into the night. 

Kicking conference off frunner style w Meryl, Deb, & Emily (photo: Meryl)

My conference started before the official Opening Session as I serve on the Student Affairs Advisory Board (SAAB). Sounds pretty fancy, right? I will spare you the long explanation...the SAAB is made up of a student and professional from each region of our association. I have served on this committee for many years now and I LOVE it. I always tell the students to find their "niche" and serve it the best that they can. This is totally my "niche". This has to be one of my favorite committee meetings of the year. If you want energy, go to a music therapy student meeting. These kids are so smart and so tech savvy and I am thrilled to know that they are the future of our profession.

SAAB Committee -- you are looking at the future of music therapy

I love the energy that opening night of conference brings.  It is hard to believe that conference is finally "officially" starting as I have been in meetings and busy all day.  This might have been the latest night with festivities scheduled until 11:00 pm and beyond.  I could already tell that this was going to be one of my favorite conferences.  I had the honor of serving on the official conference Social Media Team.  It was so much fun to live tweet various conference events under the official conference Twitter handle.  I loved this opportunity and I hope that they continue to have it at future conferences.

These statues were a hit!  Thanks to CJ for one of my new favorite pics.

The MT Frundraisers were buzzing with excitement on Friday morning as we had a very special announcement to make at the business meeting.  As you know, I have decided to "give" my annual marathon to AMTA via fundraising.  This idea came about last year when the Chicago Marathon was the same week as AMTA conference, which was also in the Chicago area.  I would have never dreamed of running to raise money for AMTA until Andrew, who was also running the Chicago Marathon, brought it up one day.  We had a spirited "competition" between regions (which I won) and ended up raising $3,338 for AMTA.  Click here for more of that story and a hilarious video.  Our efforts were such a success that Andrew had the brilliant idea to expand our efforts and create a team of frundraisers (frunner + fundraiser = frundraiser).  We amassed a team of 16 dynamic, creative, and energetic music therapists and raised a total of $6,670 between our kickoff in August and our conference in November.  This brings our two-year total to just over $10,500 -- I am so proud and a little overwhelmed!  These projects are ongoing, so be sure to check out FirstGiving to see who is still hard at work and give them your support and watch Andrew's video to meet the Frundraisers and hear a little of their stories.  It was an honor to work with and get to know these Frundraisers better over the last few months.  I can't wait to see what is next for our group!

"What They Didn't Teach You in College" with Stephanie, Mary, & Carolyn

On Saturday morning Mary and I represented our internship in the Internship Fair.  It is so fun to see so many music therapy students shopping for their ideal internship experience.  We met so many students who were interested in our program and eager to come and intern with us.  I hope that they all apply, but it is going to be hard to pick just one!  In the afternoon Mary, Stephanie, Carolyn, and I presented "What They Didn't Teach You In College: Internship and Employment Tips" to a full house.  We had a great time sharing our experiences with students, young professionals, and interns -- we hope that they learned a little something and had fun too.

A visit with Touchdown -- the Jacksonville Jaguar

Our frunner group had a great time too.  I managed to make it to all of the morning runs, as many in our group did.  It is amazing how I can feel so tired when the early alarm goes off and then so alive once I start running.  I think that the daily runs really helped me to feel more alert and "with it" and I plan to continue my conference run streak in the future.  It is a relief  to know that we have established this great network and I will never have to hit the streets of a unfamiliar city alone again.  Jacksonville afforded us some terrific running and we visited Touchdown, the Jacksonville Jaguar mascot, twice during our time in Florida.  I should note that the notoriously bad Jags have gone on a 3-game win streak since we visited Touchdown.  I'd like to think that we had something to do with that. You are welcome, Jacksonville.

One conference run with Andrew, Meryl, and CJ (photo: CJ)

The whirlwind that is conference always seems to come to an end too soon.  It is a blessing and a curse to have created such great friendships with music therapists from all over the country.  I am so lucky to know all of these people, but I always start to miss them before I even make it home.  It just seems unfair that we only see each other once or twice a year.  Until then I will look forward to our Southwestern Region Region conference here in Big D in late March and, of course, the next AMTA conference in Louisville, KY.

Thanksgiving: My Cup Overfloweth

I work hard to maintain an attitude of gratitude each today, but Thanksgiving brings a special occasion to reflect on the richness of my life.

I am thankful for my family. They are so supportive of me, even when I must sound like a complete nut. Go to college to study something called music therapy? Sure, where do we send the check? The old adage "roots and wings" is true, and they gave me both.

I am thankful for a fulfilling career in which I am able to watch children grow and learn every day. I am even more thankful for colleagues who inspire me to work harder and explore new challenges. I'm not just talking about the colleagues I see every day, I am also talking about the   ones who are spread far and wide: east to west and north to south. Music therapy is not just a job, it is a vivid community and I have formed many lifelong friendships here.

Speaking of community, I am thankful for my friends. I have somehow stumbled into an incredible group of people who push me to go farther (literally!) than I even dreamed possible. No idea is ever too big or too absurd for these people. Oh the adventures we have had!

I am thankful for a loving spouse who is with me every step of the way. These many adventures would be hollow without him there to share in the work and the joy. Team K is the real deal!

Lastly, I am thankful for a body that is strong and healthy and allows me to run 26.2 miles because one day I decided that I wanted to. May I never take this for granted!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

DRC Half: 5 years, 550.2 miles

I love this race.  I love the course.  I love the many friends who are always there.  I love the memories that I have created through the years. DRC Half was my first half marathon in 2008 and I haven't missed once since.  A fluky foot injury in early October left me quite worried that I would have to sit this one out, but thankfully all was well by race day. 

My 1st Half -- November 2, 2008

The race details themselves are not terribly exciting.  It was a perfect day for a race -- in the upper 40s and beautiful sunshine.  I dreamed of these days as I was shuffling around on those hot August days.  I wasn't expecting any record times, I was happy to be running after the above mentioned injury. 

Post Race With Ben & Liza -- old school peeps

Between recovering from the Lakefront Marathon and the foot thing, my training miles had been very limited in the month leading up to the race.  I also had a round of laryngitis that triggered my typically dormant asthma.  Happy to be running...this was to be my mantra.  I started my watch and then didn't look at it again until I stopped it at the finish line. 

DRC Half 2009 -- the only picture I could find from that day!

The DRC Half has gone through some minor modifications this year in order to keep pace with the competitive half marathon market in North Texas.  It is the one of the oldest halfs in the country, starting back in the 1970s as a build up race for the Dallas White Rock Marathon (also starting in the 1970s).  The race's new features included a 6-year medal series depicting various landmarks around White Rock Lake.  This year the medal and race shirts featured the White Rock Pump Station.  I really liked the changes to the course -- it was less hilly, but still hilly enough to be interesting and challenging.

2010 -- My fastest DRC Half yet at 1:52:50

I had a great run and felt fairly strong until somewhere around mile 10 when I had trouble getting a good, deep breath. I was pleased to see that my pacing stayed fairly even and I crossed the finish line in 1:57:23.  Not too shabby considering all of the challenges that I had faced in the recent weeks. 

Post race 2011 with Cat and Daniel in the beer garden...where else?!

The DRC Half post race scene is one of my favorites -- Norbuck Park is filled with people!  There is good food and the brew masters from Lakewood Brewery keep the beer garden  hopping.  We had a super fun time with Beth and Teal -- check out their run blog over at Life is a Run.

DRC 2012 mile 11ish....my wheels fell off!

I love to take a few moments each year and remember than first half marathon in 2008.  I remember volunteering at the same race at least 10 years ago.  I was not a runner then nor did I have any intention of becoming one.  I was, however, in awe of all of the people as they passed us on the course that day.  I thought that they were so cool and so tough and I wondered if maybe, just someday, I could attempt to run a half marathon.  Fast forward to the early summer of 2008 and my journey to become a runner began.  I started running because I wanted to "do something hard." I felt like I was cruising through life with nothing especially challenging going on.  I suppose I needed an outlet for all of the hard work and energy that I used to pour into my clarinet.  Running pushed me, humbled me, and showed me that I was stronger than I knew. I signed up for that first half marathon after a couple of successful 10K races. Five years and 42 half marathons later here I am...still learning so much about myself with every race.

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon: Strong. Happy.

If you told me that I would be marathoning in Milwaukee 364 days after a hugely successful 2nd marathon in Chicago, I probably would have thought that you were mistaken.  I had my heart set on the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC as my 2013 marathon.  Race registration opened in late March and I had the day (and hour) circled on my calendar.  It was not meant to be, however, try as I might I got caught up in the crashy system issues and the race sold out in just a couple of hours.  By the end of the day I was already searching for my "Plan B" race.  I asked for suggestions for October marathons from my friends and social media and two races really stood out: Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon.  Lakefront was due to sell out by mid April so a decision had to be made rather quickly.  After talking more with friends who had run one or both of them Lakefront became our clear winner.  It is smaller, as marathons go, with 3,100 runners and seemed like a nice change of pace after the 45,000 runner Chicago Marathon that Mr K and I ran in 2012.  Other positive points for Lakefront: a gorgeous point-to-point course with a sweet net downhill, and it was produced by the Badgerland Striders "by runners, for runners."

I set about training in the Texas heat on the same plan that I had used for Chicago, it was like deja vu at times with some of the workouts falling on the same days.  I do love my routines, I suppose.  I was a little concerned at the beginning of training as I was not quite "feeling it." Looking back, I suspect that was some lingering fatigue from a heavy early summer cycling schedule.  If I had been running MCM, as planned, the high mileage cycling would not have overlapped any with marathon training.  Eventually I found my groove and my heat acclimation and got to work.  I adopted a "no excuses" plan when it came to the heat, knowing that it would work to my advantage on a cool Wisconsin morning. I worked hard on my mental game too as I have learned that it is just as important as the physical game in running.  The words "strong. happy." became my mantra when the long runs got tough.  Staying "in the moment" was the focus and I feel like I made some huge gains in this area.

 As it has become an annual tradition, I ran this marathon for the American Music Therapy Association and was overwhelmed by the support I received.  I was able to raise $1,100 and when combined with last year's fundraising brings my total to $2800.  I am sending a huge shout out and thank you to all of you who supported me and this cause that is the nearest to my heart.

Mr K and I both survived the taper crazies and were very excited when it was finally time to head off to Milwaukee.  Excited to visit Milwaukee?  I know.  The humor of it was not lost on us either--most people vacation on beaches or retreat to the splendor of the mountains--not Mr K and me, we run marathons in random Midwest cities.  We arrived on Friday evening and got oriented to the neighborhood around our hotel.  The race expo was on Saturday and there was a continuous shuttle running from our hotel and back.  The walk would not have been that far, but the shuttle was appreciated as I was making an effort to stay off of my feet as much as possible.  It was just one of the nice little touches offered by this marathon.

The traditional hotel room shot

The Lakefront marathon is a point-to-point race, meaning that the start line was 26 miles north in the town of Grafton, Wisconsin.  A yellow school bus picked us up at the hotel and drove us to Grafton where we had full access to Grafton High School.  Although it wasn't super cold, it was nice to be able to prepare for the race in a warm building with plenty of restrooms.  I was so remarkably calm from the moment we landed in Milwaukee.  Yes, I understood that I was about to run a marathon, but I thought of it as nothing more than "another long run." I knew that I was coming to the start line as well trained, both physically and mentally, as I possibly could be. 

The weather was just about perfect at 52 degrees and cloudy.  It had been raining off and on during Friday and Saturday, but thankfully the rain was forecast to move out in time for the race -- and it did.  Mr K and I made our way to the start area and found the 4:00 hour pacer, a very energetic runner named Jacque.  I made it my goal to hang with Jacque as long as I possibly could as my dream goal for the day was to break 4:00. The race announcers were very funny and had us all fired up talking about what a fast course it was and how the weather promised some record times.  After a moment of silence for Boston and the Star Spangled Banner the starting gun sounded and we were off.

Miles 1-7
Mr K went out ahead of me and I settled in with the pace group.  There were a couple of first time marathoners amongst us and I felt so excited for them.  There is nothing like a first marathon!  I didn't look at my watch during the first 10-15 miles, I let the pacer do her work and I just tried to keep her within my sights.  The first 7 miles led us out of Grafton and through some rural areas.  I was excited to see the famous accordion player just before mile 4 as everyone who has run this race mentions him.  I could tell that my pace felt a little bit "pushed" but nothing that I couldn't handle.  Mile 7 was a treat as we passed through Concordia University -- lots of spectators here and they even had the pep band out to play for us.  The sound of a live band always puts a pep in my step - once a band nerd, always a band nerd.  We also passed over our first timing mat during mile 7 and that made my marathoning heart happy.  We were so far from home and had no friends there to cheer for us...but I knew that I had lots of friends and family "watching" the race back in Texas.  Each time I crossed a timing mat I thought about them and all that I have learned from them over the years.  I crossed that mat in 1:03:38 (9:05 average pace) -- right on track and feeling good!

Miles 7-13.1
I still had the pace group within my sights during this section, but I also knew that I needed to listen to my body and run my own race.  The course was simply beautiful and the spectators were really energetic.  I love it when a race prints your name on your bib because it is great to hear your name along the course.  One of my favorite signs said something to the effect of  "Hey we need you! Can you return punts for the Packers?"  During this section our pacer told us that her plan was to get us across the line at 3:59:30.  I got a bit of a chill when she said this...I focused on holding on to her pace as long as I possibly could.  There was a bit of traffic on the road with us during a mile or so in this section and some of the running lanes were narrow, but nothing that caused me to lose focus on my task at hand.  I crossed the halfway mark in 1:59:27 (9:07 average pace) -- and thought of all of my friends back at home again.  Halfway done and holding steady!

A beautiful day on the shores of Lake Michigan

Miles 13.1-20
If memory serves me correctly, and it might not as I tend to have "race amnesia" we turned back onto Lakeshore Drive somewhere around mile 15.  I was starting to feel the pace slipping away a bit and this is about the point where I started to walk through the water stops.  I was excited and relieved to see Mr K somewhere around mile 15 or 16 and told him that we could still keep the 4:00 pace group within our sights.  I thought that he was behind me, but I didn't see him again until after the race.  If I had to pinpoint a time when the race started to feel hard, it would be somewhere around mile 16 or 17.  I knew that sub-4:00 was likely not in the cards, but I knew that if I kept pushing I could get myself a nice PR.  My running pace was still fairly consistent, but I was relying on the water stops to provide me with short walk breaks.  When I was at the mile 18 water stop, I heard them announce that the first race walker was coming through. She passed me and I never saw here again -- amazing! The scenery in this neighborhood section was simply beautiful.  The sun had come out, the trees were starting to show some Fall colors, and occasionally I caught a glimpse of Lake Michigan between the stately homes of Whitefish Bay.  I was smiling as I hit the timing mat at mile 20 in 3:05:30 (9:16 average pace).  Yes, my pace had slipped a bit, but I still had high hopes for that rocking PR. 

Miles 20-25.5
This is when I was able to draw upon the mental training that I worked so hard on all summer. My buddy Drum had given me some great advice the night before "it hurts just as much to run slow as it does to run fast."  I knew that she was right and also knew that walking was not an option, time to put my head down and do the work.  We approached the park around mile 23 and I was eagerly anticipating the big downhill that was promised between mile 23 and 24 -- wheeee!!  So close, but so far at this point.  I tried to run it in without another water stop, but needed a tiny break around mile 24.  Everything hurt at this point and I felt desperate to see a glimpse of the finish line...just a little peek would have helped so much!  The crowds were picking up again and I was admiring a runner ahead of me who had a goal of 4:15 on her bib...she was about to crush her goal...I was so excited for her!  There was a marker for mile 25.5...I only had to hang on for .7 more miles...less than many of the track intervals that I had trained on all summer long.  I. Could. Do. This. 

Miles 25.5-Finish
I was not totally aware of my time at this point, apparently my brain does not comprehend numbers well at this point in a marathon.  I kept telling myself that I had the PR...now how big did I want it to be.  Finally we rounded a corner and the finish line was within my sights.  I could hear the announcer saying everyone's name and where they were from and I was excited to realize that he was going to be saying mine soon.  No matter what the distance, I love to give that last little "kick" in the home stretch of a race.  I saw some runners just ahead of me and made it my goal to pass them so that I would have the finish line to myself.  Again, my mind for details are fuzzy by this point, but the race video shows that I did manage to get that finish line all to myself.



Traditional post race selfie

I collected myself for a brief moment and checked my watch...4:06:28 was good enough for a 3:33 PR. I can't even begin to express all of the different emotions that I was feeling at that moment.  I was reminded, once again, just how hard marathons really are and I was incredibly proud of myself for fighting for my goal.   I checked my phone and saw that my friends and family had indeed been cheering for me the whole time. 

I found Mr K and we made our way to the post race festivities --there was mac and cheese and beer! And you wonder why I run?  We enjoyed sharing stories with other marathoners and soaked up some of the beautiful sunshine on the shores of Lake Michigan.  What a day!  Everything I heard about this race is true and then some: a fast and beautiful course, friendly and supportive crowds, awesome pacers, a beautiful medal, well organized from top to bottom.  I can't recommend it enough, definitely worth the trip to Wisconsin.

I have run three marathons now and I have learned so many lessons from each of them.  Each race is so different and I love them all for very different reasons.  White Rock was a rainy and cold mess, but it was my first and my friends were there cheering me every step of the way.  Chicago was simply magic...my first marathon to really run hard and finishing in 4:10 was more that I ever imagined possible.  This one was special too...proof that Chicago was not a "fluke" and that my dream of a sub-4:00 marathon is getting closer with each attempt.  I do not know where or when we will be marathoning in 2014, but I know the goal and I know what it takes to get there...time to get to work.

Marathon Training: Strong. Happy.

I "accidentally" started a photo project while training for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. Each week Saturday I added a new photo, the following 16 photos represents the past 16 weeks of training.

Week 1 -- One last long bike ride to celebrate Erin's birthday

13 miles of heat acclimation -- ugh.

 

TPG helped  this 15 miler pass by so quickly

 

The view from Winfrey Point -- our training "home"

El Scorcho -- 25K plus 3 miles at midnight?  It is best with frunners.

First 20 miler of training!

 

This friendly goose came to visit us after our run.

 

View from mile 17 -- it really was as hot and dry as it looks.

 

He who brings the most bread draws the biggest gaggle.

 

Another 20 miler -- we were lucky to have beautiful weather!

 

I'm running this 26.2 for the American Music Therapy Association

 

Mexico Cokes (MexiCokes) hit the spot after a hot 20 miles

 

We discovered a new-to-us farmer's market.

Last 20 miler -- Hello Taper!

 

Glen Rose Run--Taking time out from crewing for Erin at the Texas Time Trials

   

Strong. Happy. Ready to run.