2014: All About That Base

Some people run with reckless abandon, but I love numbers and data. I don't run just to accumulate piles of numbers, but I do enjoy looking back at them to help quantify my journey.  Without further delay, a look back at my numbers and goals for 2014.

Run 1100+ Miles in 2014.
As I've stated before, I don't see myself as the type of runner who would keep a daily run streak as it does not fit my training style or purpose.  I have, however, managed to create a bit of an annual mileage streak for myself.  Back in 2010 I completed my first ever 1000 mile running year.  I really liked how this amount of mileage "felt" and decided to keep the goal for the following year.  In 2011 I trained for my first marathon and my mileage got a slight bump up as a result and it put me in the 1100 mile range.  Once again, this amount of mileage felt like a good place to me and I decided to see if I could maintain if for another year.  I finished 2014 with 1160.7 miles which brings my 1000+ mile streak to 5 years and my 1100+ streak to 4 years.  I do love me some consistency!  I am up about 31 miles from last year, I think because I was able to balance high cycling miles and running miles a little bit better this year.  I need to look back and find my all-time mileage total, I'm estimating that it is approaching 6,500 miles since I started this journey in the late spring of 2008.  I focused on a strong base this year and I will continue that focus into the new year.

Become A Stronger Cyclist.
In 2013 I had goals to complete such challenges as the Shiner GASP century ride and back-to-back Grand Fondos at Tulsa Tough.  I finished each of these challenges, although painfully slow at times, so I decided to work on becoming more efficient and mentally strong on my bike in 2014.  I took some terrific indoor cycling classes with Coach Frank and Tri-Now Endurance in February and March and I attended their cycling base camp at Tin Star Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.  I learned a great deal about cycling form and mechanics from Coach Frank and I attempted to tackle some small mountains out in the Hill Country.  I felt like I was getting stronger, but decided to take it one step further by upgrading my bike to a Cannondale SuperSix named Johan (get it, Canon...Johan Pachelbel....har, har).  The full carbon bike was much more responsive and I felt an immediate boost - and it might have just been mental!  We took a trip back to Tin Star in late July and I was able to make it up some of the mountains that had humbled me so back in early March.  I ended up with 1140 miles on my bike this year - an all time high!  I am making it a goal to stay in the 1000 mile base range on my bike as well and to continue to grow in both abilities and confidence.  

Run and PR a Marathon.
I train hard for and run one marathon a year, so I am certainly taking a gamble as I only have one shot at that personal record.  This year we selected the California International Marathon in Sacramento, California on December 7.  The shift in training schedule was nice as my highest mileage month was in November instead of August like the previous 2 years. I felt like I would have a strong race, but I don't know if I had that "PR feeling" during my training.  The week of the race was one of the most challenging that I have ever had as we lost my beloved grandmother very suddenly the Sunday before marathon day.  Marathons are emotional to begin with, but this one was a real roller coaster.  I feel like I ran with a special angel on my shoulder that day and came out with 4:11:12.  Certainly a time that I can be proud of, but short of my personal best by about 5 minutes.  I'm not sure where we will marathon next year, but I like the late fall/early winter training schedule.

I ran 11 races this year, which seems to be the average for the last few years.  I also did 9 bike rallies and 2 multi-day bike camps at Tin Star Ranch.  Race distances include 1 marathon, 6 half marathons (life total of 48), 1 25K, 1 20K, and 2 5Ks.  I got a nice trail half marathon PR at Grasslands in 2:12:43 - about 14 minutes faster than my previous record.  I spent 104 hours training in the gym - mostly in boot camp and Pilates classes.  The biggest news might have been that I learned to swim in August.  I absolutely love it and I have swum approximately 26 miles since then.  I am looking forward to attacking my first sprint triathlon coming up in March 2015.

While the numbers are fun, 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 is 100% his fault that I am swimming as he took the triathlon leap in 2014, completing his first Ironman 70.3 in early April.  It was his gentle nudge that got me into the pool on that hot August day.  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 go beyond what I thought was ever possible. 

Dallas Marathon Half: My Victory Lap

I knew coming into this half marathon that it would not be about speed.  I had just run the California International Marathon 7 days before and had not recovered enough for a fast half, but marathon weekend is one of my favorite weekends in Dallas and I was not about to miss it.  I have run in this race 6 times (the half marathon 5 times and the marathon once).  It would have been 7 times, but the epic ice storm of 2013 had other plans for us.  I missed marathon weekend more than I thought I would last year and I was so happy to get back to work this year.  I still can't believe that it happened and I gained a new appreciation for all of the money lost as I wandered around the race expo.  So much merchandise with the race date and year on it - what a waste!  As an incentive to get the 2013 runners to come back, they promised we could have our medals from last year once we finished this year.  It is one of the most beautiful medals that I have and it certainly has a unique story behind it - I'm glad that they let us have them.

2013 and 2014 medals

I had a pretty terrible race experience in 2012 - there was a traffic jam, a scramble to find a parking spot, a parking ticket, lost debit card and driver's license, and an awfully paced run on a hot and humid day.  It would be hard for me to do any worse than that this year and I was ready for a "do over." I had a better plan for parking and arrived at the race approximately 2 hours before it started, that alone felt like winning to me!  I was able to take care of all the pre-race business, drop my bag with the bag drop people, and find my friends in my starting corral with great ease.  Keith, Ninja, Fiona, and I had a great time chatting while we waited for the starting gun.  The Dallas Marathon brought in some huge names for this event - Ryan Hall and Meb were taking part in the relay, and Sarah Hall and Deena Kastor were each running the half marathon.  I was hoping so hard that I would cross paths with them, but it was not meant to be.  After the fireworks and the elite start, we were on our way.  I love the start line of the Dallas Marathon - such an amazing energy! I could tell right away that my legs had no pep in them and I decided to settle in and enjoy the day.  I was pretty thankful that I was not going for a fast time today because it was so humid and a little bit warm, the exact conditions that usually cause me to struggle.

In the corral with Ninja, Fi, and Keith (picture: Jessie)

I can't say enough about how much fun the half marathon course was this year.  Due to construction and various City of Dallas issues, they have had to revise the course quite frequently.  The 2012 edition of the half marathon course left much to be desired....pretty boring and with a mentally defeating mile out and back before making the turn for the finish line.  The only highlight was running over the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, but the neighborhood before and after that was not very exciting.  The 2014 course took all of the best parts of the previous courses and put them together.  It really was like a parade through the best parts of my favorite city.  As we ran out of downtown, a construction worker was standing on an overpass yelling his head off for us.  I love the energy!

Happy Runner (Picture: Jessie)

We headed out through Deep Ellum and over to Turtle Creek Boulevard. Several of my friends passed me during this section and I also spotted Heidi and Brian cheering.  One of the reasons that I love this race so much are all of the familiar faces that I see along the way.  It was such a stark contrast to the week before when I was marathoning in California and Mr K was the only person that I knew.  After running up Turtle Creek we made the turn and headed into Highland Park - always a pleasure running on Beverly Drive and I'm so happy to see this area on the course again.  The stately mansions are decked out in their best Christmas decorations and many people come out onto their yards to cheer.  I spotted Heidi and Brian again somewhere during this part of the race, they were navigating the course like champs!

We were nearing mile 7 as we exited Highland Park and I had my eye out for Byron as I knew that he was working the aide station in the area.  I found him at the end of the line and paused to chat with him.  He reminded me that I needed to be running smart (which I was) and told me that he saw Ryan and Sarah Hall run by earlier in the race.  It was a thrill to know that I was running the very same streets that some of the best American runners were running.  That is the beauty of our sport - first place or last, we are all on the same streets, facing the same course.

Post Race Bling Pose with Mary and Keith (Picture: Mary)

I moved on from Byron and focused even more on having the most fun.  The best part of the course had to be Greenville Avenue - one of the best spots in Dallas on any day with all of the bars and restaurants.  Lots of spectators gathered on Greenville Avenue and some of the restaurants were open too.  It provided a huge burst of energy and I made sure to take in all the sights and sounds as I ran this stretch.  I called out to spectators in costume, I thanked volunteers, and I stopped to talk with friends.  It was such a nice change from the structure and careful attention to pacing that marathon training brought for the previous 16 weeks.  On this day I ran for the sheer love of running.

Favorite Race Picture Ever (Picture: TPG)

Somewhere around mile 9 the marathon took a left turn away from the half course and this is where I found my panda, also known as TPG.  You might recognize her from the DRC Half a few weeks back.  She jumped in and ran with me for a minute and so that she could snap a panda selfie - you can tell from my smile that I was having a blast.  The last couple of miles were probably the least interesting on the course and we even covered some of the same ground that we did in the beginning of the race.  I spotted Heidi and Brian one more time and turned my thoughts towards finishing.  I did not have the usual "oh my gosh, when will this be over" feeling that I usually do during a half marathon - my sense of distance was still a little bit different after running twice as far the week before.

Finish Line Smile

I could hear a helicopter and sirens in the final mile, a sure sign that the marathon winner was not too far behind me.  I was having a blast, but I did have a goal to finish before the first marathoner.  I could see a couple of TV monitors and I knew that he was not too far behind as I could see him passing the same landmarks that I had recently passed.  Turns out he reached the finish line about 2 minutes after I finished my race.  I crossed the finish line with a happy heart and a big smile in 2:12:29. This is about 15 minutes slower than a "typical" half marathon time for me, but I was quite pleased with it.  I felt as if I had just taken part in a 13 mile party in running shoes.  I was so proud of my city and of my fellow runners - it was a great day!  Two years ago this race left me frustrated and disappointed, and one year ago the cancellation just made me sad.  It is safe to say that I made amends with the Dallas Marathon Half today.  I always said that the White Rock Marathon held magic, but that magic seemed to disappear when they changed the name.  The new magic may look a little bit different, but it was magic just the same.

California International Marathon: On Angel's Wings

It has become tradition for us to pick out one marathon a year to train for and race.  We tend to pick races that are out of state because I figure if I'm going to run 26.2 miles I want to see something new along the way.  Also, Texas weather is infamously unpredictable and I just couldn't bear the thought of training for so many weeks only to get caught in an unseasonable heatwave.  My first marathon and only marathon in Texas was here in Dallas, but I have travelled ever since. The last two years have found us marathoning in the Midwest both in Chicago and Milwaukee.  This year we decided to head west to the California International Marathon on December 7 in Sacramento.  I had heard so many great things about this race and it was a point-to-point with a net downhill (my favorite - see Milwaukee and the 3M Half in Austin) and was well organized and supported by the local communities.  Being in early December, it often falls on the same weekend as the Dallas Marathon, but this year it did not and I jumped at the opportunity to run.

Both Chicago and Milwaukee were in early October and that had us training through the heat of the summer with our biggest miles coming in August.  This year's early December race date provided a most wonderful shift from that training cycle.  The training was not "easy," but it was "different" as our last 20 miler was with temperatures in the 40s and a strong wind.  I think that we might have set a record for temperature extremes during a training cycle with temperatures in the 80s during the early runs and then 24 degrees for one of the last track workouts.  As with any training, there are good days and bad days - remember, I was diagnosed with shingles the day that training officially began!  I felt physically strong at times, but I don't know my mental game was as strong as in years past.  By the time you get to your 4th marathon, you remember how hard they are and how much they can hurt by the end.

We were heading into "race week" when I received the sudden and shocking news that we had lost my grandmother (Granny Faye) the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  She was my role model of strength, smarts, and humor and I was just devastated to know that she was gone.  Granny Faye was a true matriarch, the center of our family, and I was not sure what we were going to do without her.  It was a roller coaster week with my family - so much laughter and so many tears.  Running was the one thing that felt "normal" in a week when everything else was just "off."  Soon enough it was time for Mr K and me to head to California.  We landed on Friday afternoon and enjoyed an evening wandering around Old Sacramento.  Such a cute town!  On Saturday we walked down to the race expo and spent some time on the Capitol grounds before spending the afternoon hanging out at the hotel.  The race ends at the Capitol so it was super exciting to get a peek as the race staff was setting up all the finish line and all the other "stuff" that goes with it.

I love me some symmetry 

Race day came early and at 5:00 am we loaded the big yellow buses that would take us to the start line in Folsom.  Mr K and I had kept ourselves mostly on Texas time, going to bed super early and waking up super early on Saturday.  Our plan worked brilliantly as the early alarm did not feel all that early. As promised, the start line area was well organized and there really was a line of porta potties a quarter mile long!  We were treated to a stirring rendition of The Star Spangled Banner with the best bluegrass twinge, I love it when that happens!  I found myself to be a little teary at the start, I think that I was just filled to the top with all kinds of emotions from the week.  There was not a pace group that really fit my needs, so both Mr K and I lined up behind the 4:00 group.  This race is such a known Boston Qualifier that the pacers were identifying who was attempting to qualify and giving them special instructions for getting in just ahead of their cut off time.  Pretty cool!

Obligatory Pre-Race Hotel Room Picture

Miles 1-6.2
I decided to run mostly by feel, since there was no pace group and the 4:00 group took off a little too fast for my comfort.  In these early miles I watched the mile markers and tried to get to the next one with a consistent time.  There were rolling hills in the first half of the race, so some of the miles were faster than others.  The scenery was beautiful in these early miles - mostly rural with the occasional resident coming to the end of their drive to cheer.  One of the best parts of the race was how much of the road we had to ourselves - the whole road during the early miles and then the entire right lane for the duration of the race.  This might have been the first marathon I've ever run where this is the case and I really appreciated it.  Mr K slipped away from me in the very early miles and I thought of him occasionally, hoping that he was having a good race.  I started to look forward to the 10K (6.2 mile) mark because I assumed that there would be a timing mat there.  I knew that my friends and family were tracking my progress at home and I always get a boost from them.  Sure enough, there was a mat and I crossed 10K in 57:08 with 9:12 average pace - feeling good!

Miles 6.2-13.1
I didn't stop at any aide stations until after mile 7 when my handheld needed a refill.  I was focused on getting to the halfway mark.  I wasn't looking at my watch too often in this section, just keeping an eye on time so that I would know when to eat a gel.  I tried to keep the pace relaxed and consistent while taking in the scenery and the spectators.  The terrain became a little less rural and started to look more suburban and there were some good hills too, but each uphill was rewarded with a nice downhill.  Some of my favorite spectators were during these miles, including a guy on a bike with a James Earl Jones type voice telling us all how good we looked and to be proud of how far we had come.  I saw a few llamas too, right up on the sidelines with the spectators. How cool is that?  I crossed the mat at 13.1 in 2:01:41 with 9:18 average pace.  I was right where I wanted to be at this point in the race - and I had high hopes for the second half.

Miles 13.1-20
I stopped at the aide station after the 13.1 mark to top off my handheld again.  Then I saw Mr K ahead of me soon after the halfway mark and I ran behind him for a while before catching him around mile 15.  We leap frogged for a mile or so and he asked how I was feeling - the fatigue was starting to catch me a bit by this point and I said "I'm tired!"  My plan was to not stop again until around mile 20, but I found that I needed a few more breaks in this section.  Everyone talks about how hard mile 20 of a marathon is, but I find that I consistently struggle in the miles between 16-20.  I think that I am like a horse to the barn after 20 with the end in sight, but 16 is far enough to be tired but still too far from the end.  I rarely run with music, but I turned it on after mile 13 and really tried to use that as a distractor as the miles began to pass more slowly in during this section.  I felt pretty gross as I came into the aide station around mile 18 - shaky, winded, and thirsty.  I took my time there and made sure to get some electrolytes. According to my watch that mile was 10:50 and was by far the slowest of the race.  Thankfully I rallied for a few good miles after that.  I crossed the mile 20 mat in 3:09:06 with 9:28 average pace - slowing down a bit, but still moving forward!

Miles 20-26.2
We are on the home stretch now!! I heard someone cheering for the 4:10 pace group and a backwards glance told me that they were not too far behind me - and gaining ground quickly!  I felt tired by now, but was able to hold a steady pace in the mid to upper 9s.  We crossed the American River around mile 22 and when I paused at an aide station around mile 23.5 the 4:10 group passed me.  My mind for details gets foggy by this point in a run, but I do remember doing the YMCA somewhere in here - and it brought sweet relief to move my arms differently! We nearing downtown Sacramento and we passed some neat looking neighborhoods during the closing miles.  I thought about Granny frequently during this race, but I really felt like she carried me during those last few miles.  I could feel myself getting emotional towards the end, but I had to choke it back a bit as it made breathing harder.  One foot in front of the other, getting closer now!  The crowds in the last couple of miles were much bigger and loud and that made me smile so much.  It was a huge relief to round the corner from 8th Street onto the Capitol Mall - the finish line was within my sights now!  I don't remember much about the finish itself except I crossed the line and immediately burst into tears, so much emotion packed into a single week.  I accepted my beautiful finisher's medal from a sweet-faced kiddo and staggered over to the curb.  I checked my phone and saw my official time - 4:11:12.

I found Mr K and we recovered a little bit, talked to some fellow finishers, took some pictures, and enjoyed the energy that a marathon finish line brings.  It is always a fun to share battle stories with other complete strangers who ran the race - like we have a common brotherhood at least for that day. We passed by that intersection of 8th Street on our way out and decided to stop a bit a cheer for other runners as they rounded that bend.  Seeing their expressions as they caught sight of the finish line for the first time was something that I will never forget.  The best part of a marathon is not the elite finishers, but the final few.  Their smiles filled my heart to the very top - I love running because of moments like this.  We stayed until the last person finished and then we headed for our hotel a few blocks away.

My second "race medal in front of a state capitol" picture

I've thought about my race a great deal in these days following it - the good, the not so good, and the reality of it all.  Three years ago I ran my first marathon on a miserably cold and rainy day. I did it in 4:42:49 and I assumed that I would be faster in my second one, but also that I would be a solid 4:30 marathoner.  I was really happy with that thought too...then I ran Chicago in 4:10.  I was beyond thrilled, but also worried that it might be a fluke. Then I ran Milwaukee Lakefront in 4:06:28...and I knew that it was not a fluke.  I was hoping for a new PR, as I do with each marathon attempt, but it was not meant to be.  I will never take running a marathon for granted and I'm very happy to see another solid time that I can be proud of.  I discovered this quote when I was contemplating my first marathon:  You should run your first marathon for the right reasons, because you'll never be the same person again....Bill Wenmark.  I still believe this to be true, except remove the word first - every marathon will change you.   If you listen carefully, the marathon will teach you a great deal about yourself. I'm thankful that I can keep learning and keep growing with each attempt. Where will next year take me? That is yet to be discovered!

Marathon Training: California Dreaming

Last year I started a photo project while training for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. It was a happy accident that turned into a really great way to remember my training experience.  I turned the photos into a small hardcover book - and a tradition was born!  The project started again when I began training for California International Marathon in August.  Now the training is done and all that is left to do is run the race.  Hopefully those California Dreams will come true!

Week 1 was a hot one!

Week 2: Thank goodness for clouds!

Week 3: Sometimes your run goes well...and sometimes you have tacos.

Week 4: Sweet relief

Week 5: I became that person who runs a 20K in the middle of their long run

Week 6: We ran this many miles today -first 20 miler of training!

Week 7: A powerful storm blew over some big, old trees on our route

Week 8: Sometimes you feel like an Ace and sometimes you fake it until you make it!

Week 9: Beautiful views at Winfrey Point

Week 10: It is awesome when your training run turns into a race with Erin

Week 11: Ever have a panda cheer for you at a race? Didn't think so!

Week 12: A selfie of a selfie whilst straddling the line between Kentucky and Indiana

Week 13: Brr!!  The last 20 miler brought a stiff wind!

Week 14: Beautiful fall scenes on a rainy day at Arbor Hills

Week 15: Last long run done in our happy place. Focused and ready.

Monday Musings: 2 Half Marathons, a Conference, and Hay

There have been so many good things going on since I last checked in - time flies when you are having fun, right?  I must be having a blast!  October and November are my favorite months of the year, I almost hate to see them pass by so quickly. How about I hit the high spots?

13.1 Marathon Series

On October 25 Erin and I met up and headed to downtown Dallas for the 13.1 Marathon Series Half. It was perfect timing as I had 15 miles on my plan and Erin needed a 13 mile run.  I have heard great things about this race and always wanted to try it, but it always fell in the "wrong" place on my calendar.  The race started and ended in front of the Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts District.  I thought that the race did a great job showing off some of the best parts of Dallas - from the Arts District, down to Lakewood Village, through the M Streets, down the Katy Trail to the American Airlines Center, and back through the West End to finish where we started.  It was warmer and more humid than it should have been on October 25 and I could really feel it.  I agreed to run back out to mile 12 after my finish to meet Erin so that I could get my last two miles.  I was thankful that she was expecting me because I really did not want to run anymore after I finished my 13.1. There was a pretty medal for my 46th half marathon, free beer, and we found ourselves some breakfast tacos post-race.  Not a bad way to spend a training run!  

DRC Half Marathon

The DRC Half Marathon is a sentimental favorite as it was my first half marathon back in 2008.  But even before that I had volunteered at this race in 2004--I worked at a water station around mile 10 and I thought those runners were just so cool. I just couldn't imagine running 10 miles! I always wondered if I could do a half marathon, but wasn't all that interested in finding out for sure.  All these years later, it still makes me smile when I run past that aide station.  Now 6 years and 47 half marathons later....

There is something about the DRC Half that just makes it feel like "family." I suppose it is all of the familiar faces there year after year.  It is a big race and one of the oldest half marathons in the country and I intend to be a part of it every year.  They are in the middle of a 5 year medal series honoring the various landmarks around White Rock Lake.  This year was Winfrey Point - a special one for Mr K and me as this is where we both started running at White Rock and it is where our long runs begin and end, even to this day.  

We had 20 miles on the training plan for the day and I knew that it would take some extra discipline to get there early and get the first 7 miles done before the start.  We were not about to leave any miles on the table after the finish line - too tempting to go and visit with friends and enjoy the post race festivities.  Thankfully, we moved our clocks back an hour that weekend so the stoopid early alarm did not seem quite as stoopid to our bodies.  We arrived in the dark and got those miles done just in time to start the race.  The weather was beautifully cool and it might have been my most enjoyable 20 miler ever.  The course highlights the best parts of White Rock Lake and the spectators were terrific - I especially enjoyed seeing That Pink Girl in her brand new panda suit!  She and Robert are such a positive force out there on the course, I love it when they are in the role of spectathlete.  

American Music Therapy Association Conference

Another highlight of the fall calendar is the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Conference.  This year it was held in Louisville, Kentucky the first week in November.  I am fortunate enough to find a field in which my colleagues feel like a big family and our conferences feel like family reunions.  We were in Louisville for conference back in 2007, but that conference is just a blur as we did not get out and do anything at all that was fun or memorable.  One of my goals for this one was to make it a good one, something worth remembering! Mission Accomplished.  We started out with a tour of the Louisville Slugger Factory which was walking distance from our hotel. Our tour guide, Doug, was the best and let us play with all of the HUGE baseball props after our tour was complete.  I had an absolute blast - a must see for any baseball fan!

Another highlight of conference is running with the MTFrunners bright and early each morning.  It is always so hard to get out of bed after a busy conference day and a late night, but it is so worth it. This year we ran to Indiana!  Don't worry, it was not as far as it sounds - turns out Indiana was only about 2 miles from our hotel.  The weather was so nice and chilly and we were treated to a big, full moon and a beautiful sunrise - things that I would not have seen if I were not out running.

A selfie of a selfie while straddling the line between Kentucky and Indiana.

The conference itself was fantastic.  It is such a boost to be around so many energetic people who "get" who you are and what you do.  I always marvel at how far our field has come since my first conference way back in college. I've formed some really great friendships over the years too, and I'm sad that I only see some of these people once a year.  I always come away from conference realizing how precious time is, I wish I had more of it to spend with my music therapy colleagues.

Hay Is In The Barn!

On Saturday Mr K and I ran our last 20 miler of our marathon training cycle.  It is so hard to believe that we are already into taper time, it is such a huge difference when your training cycle starts in late August instead of June.  I wouldn't say that it has been "easier" but it has been "different."  It was a bitterly cold and windy day and I just had to put my head down and get the work done.  Who knows what race day will bring, but I can say that I have enjoyed the training process and I have learned and grown along the way.  That's kind of what it is all about, right?  Next long run will be in California!

Friday Quick Hits: It Is Fall Y'all!

This week brought one of the best days of the year - the first day of fall!  It is officially my favorite time of year.  Time for the State Fair of Texas, pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, candy corn, and the best running weather of the year.  The school year is off to a great start and marathon training is going strong now as I prepare for California International Marathon on December 7.

Tour des Fleurs
The Tour des Fleurs is one of my favorite races of the year because it begins and ends at the Dallas Arboretum with a terrific after party on the lawn.  We've had to miss it the last couple of years, so I was happy to see that it would work with our training schedule this year.  We signed up for the 20K, but had 18 miles on the plan for the day - so we parked 3.5 miles away and ran to the start of the race. It worked out perfectly and I enjoyed being able to practice my long run in real life race conditions. It was nice to have the on-course support with aide stations every few miles.  I also enjoyed crossing the finish line, taking a break to visit with friends, enjoying a beer, and then finishing up the rest of my miles as I ran to the car.

Ironman Chattanooga
This is a big weekend for a few of my friends as they take on the challenge of Ironman Chattanooga. It has been fun to cheer on Baha, Stude, and Drum as they train for their latest Ironman challenge (I say "latest" because none of them are rookies at this distance).  I was privileged to get to share in some training time on the bike with Drum this summer.  I use the word "share" liberally as she was always WAY ahead of me, even on her "easy pace" days.  She always wears a big smile on her face and I know that Sunday will just be her victory lap to an incredibly strong training cycle.  Good luck to Drum, Stude, Baha, and the rest of the gang!  Listen closely and you can hear us cheering all the way from Texas.

Have you ever seen a bigger smile on a bike? (photo: Mama C)

KittyCat Quince 
Last weekend I attended a unique event - a Quinceanera for Oliva the beloved cat of That Pink Girl. You may laugh at the idea of a Cat Quinceanera, but it was really quite a brilliant idea.  What a great way to gather your friends together while collecting towels and sheets for a worthy animal charity? There was cake and a piñata and the singing of Happy Birthday - it really was a fantastic evening.  My Maggie dog will be fifteen next summer, perhaps she would enjoy her own Quinceanera!

Photos Courtesy of That Pink Girl

Summer 2014: The Dirty Dozen

Labor Day has come and gone and school has been up and rolling for more than a week now. I was running and riding my bike and having fun this summer and got behind here with my blog. There is just too much to write it all down, so I picked out some of my favorite pictures to sum it all up.

This summer I...

Toured the Hill Country with these people (photo: Mama C)

We waited out the rain at Tulsa Tough

Spent some time in some beautiful surroundings with these girls 

Got some bonus miles at Collin Classic

Was wowed by the beauty of the Texas Hill Country

Made our debut album cover on Enchanted Rock (photo: Mama C)

Hosted some terrific friends in our home on July 4 (photo: Mama C)

Met a new friend

Spent countless hours on my bike (photo: Mama C)

Hung Out With This Guy (photo: Mama C)

Learned a few new tricks

The End (photo: Mama C)

El Scorcho 25K: The Ocho

Mid-summer brings El Scorcho, one of my favorite races of the year.  El Scorcho offers 50K and 25K options and is run at midnight each July at Trinity Park in Fort Worth. The race is broken down into 5K loops--5 for the 25K and 10 for the 50K.  This year marked the race's eighth running, a race that started when a local runner wanted to run 30 miles to mark his 30th birthday.  It has evolved into a wildly popular event with both distances selling out in a couple of days way back in February.  Not only is El Scorcho super challenging and fun, it benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society--a very worthy cause.   

This was my fourth time to run El Scorcho and I finally felt like I had a handle the unusual race day schedule.  The weather did not do us any favors, as it had in the previous two years, and it was in the upper 80s when midnight rolled around.  Nothing will ever top the first year that I ran the race, it was the hottest summer in thirty years and the temperatures were around 95 degrees at the start.  I have never have never been as cautious about my safety as I was that night.  This year, they offered the 50K runners a chance to start at 10:00 instead of midnight to help them not be so lonely as the 25K runners finished up and left the park.  

Pre-Race with Stude and the Bahas (Photo: Andy W)

We arrived around 10:30 and were able to see Mark L as he came in from his first loop.  Mark started running El Scorcho the same year that Mr K and I did....except this time he went crazy and signed up for the 50K.  In a stroke of brilliance, Mark had a different shirt for each loop and each shirt had the remaining number of loops taped on it in glow-in-the-dark tape.  It was wildly entertaining to see Mark change shirts each time he came back to his family at the start area.  I know having a fresh shirt every 3.1 miles must have felt a little bit like heaven with the amount of sweating we were all doing.  Be sure to read Mark's race recap and check out his shirt plan.

Going into the race, I felt good about my ability to cover the 15.5 miles, but I knew that I would likely not be setting any PRs that night.  I have been covering lots of miles this summer, but I am not in the same place with speedwork as I my marathon training has not begun like it had the last two summers. This also meant that I would not be doing the "bonus" lap after the finish this year to complete my extra miles. While I missed that time with Mama C, I was more than happy to stop at the end of 5 laps this year.

Lap 1

30:29

12:40 AM

Average pace 9:49/mile

I have learned that it is best to think of El Scorcho as 5 individual loops.  The start of any race is hectic and I focused on figuring out the terrain and getting used to the low light.  The course has many different types of surfaces including grass, crushed limestone, sidewalk, pavement, even a basketball court, and this year there were also bumpy ruts in some of the dirt sections.  I noted these ruts as I knew they could be troublesome as I grew more tired.  My goal in any race is to run a consistent pace and I was hoping that I could keep my loop times fairly consistent.  I also used this loop to familiarize myself with the landmarks and aide stations along the way.  I can't say enough about the volunteers and spectators who come out for El Scorcho, I started to look forward to seeing them on each loop.  They bring the park to life with their cheers and encouragement, it would be pretty darned dark and lonely without them.

Lap 2

1:02:20

1:12 AM

Average pace 10:02

I made a last minute decision to make a quick stop at our home base after finishing the first loop.  Mr K and I were set up by Mark's family and it was nice to see their friendly faces.  I filled my handheld and headed out on the second lap.  Between the super moon and the random streetlight I was able to see just fine - now to settle into my "all night" pace and find the rhythm of the loops.  The lead runner blew by me near the second mile of this loop (mile 5 total).  She was moving so fast!!  That's right...SHE....the overall winner was a female!  It was during this time that the gazelles began to pass me and I marveled at their speed - how do they run that fast?  And even more impressive, how do they run that fast in the dark?!  I took a little bit more time at home base as I finished this loop.  It was hot and I wanted to make sure I stayed ahead of the game on hydration.

We take food trucks seriously here in Cowtown

Lap 3

1:34:37

1:45 AM

Average pace 10:09
During the third loop I really started to look for my "landmarks" on the route.  They went a little like this: friendly course guide guy at the turn-around, two ladies on the tailgate of a truck, water station, enchanted forest section, water station with cold towels, woo-ladies, start/finish line.  I think that this is the loop where my friend Stude passed me (or it might have been the fourth - details run together).  We talked briefly as he passed and it was then that I realized I was a little bit lonely running by myself in the dark.  I wanted to keep my loops around 30 minutes, but I seemed to be adding two minutes to each loop.  I feel like this extra time came from my stops at home base.  When I finished this loop, I took a shot of pickle juice and took a few minutes at home base to gather myself.  It made me very happy to realize that I had just run 9.3 miles and still felt good.

Lap 4

2:08:57

2:19 AM

Average pace 10:23
I think that the fourth loop of El Scorcho might be the toughest mentally.  It is past the halfway mark, but there are still 6.2 miles left at this point.  The loops started to wear on me a little at this point and I started to feel like I wanted to be done.  I added more "landmarks" to break up the run, the out-and-back section during the beginning of the loop was my least favorite part.  Things started to look more like this: lighted bridge, friendly course guide guy at the turn-around, lighted bridge part 2, ladies on the truck, dark bridge forest, water station, frog hollow (a small super dark section where I could hear the frogs), enchanted forest, cold towels, woo-ladies, start finish.  I could tell that I was moving more slowly at this point, and forward progress was the name of my game.

Lap 5

2:44:49

2:55 AM

Average pace 10:37
It was hard to leave home base for the last loop, but there is a definitely a big mental boost knowing that it is the last time I would have to have to pass my landmarks.  That first section from the start to the course guide guy was the hardest part of the course for me, out-and-backs and that are probably my least favorite thing ever on a run.  I said farewell to the friendly course guide and he shouted very encouraging words to me as I ran by.  That guy was awesome, I really appreciate that he gave up a night of sleep to come stand all alone at the remote end of the course.  Next up I said farewell to the truck ladies - again, so cool of them to give up sleep to hang out in a park all night.  It sure felt like it was taking my watch forever to chime out the miles.  The red numbers on the clock at the finish line are visible from about a half mile out, so close that I could taste it!  One more spin by the woo-ladies (3 ladies that cheered "woooo" every time a runner passed) and I tried to pick it up for a strong finish.

El Scorcho Ocho Bling

Time: 2:44:49
Average Pace: 10:37/mile
39th of 149 female finishers
114 of 294 finishers
Not my fastest, but far from my slowest and exactly where I should be with my current training.  I consider it a win anytime that I can run 15.5 miles in the middle of the night in the heat of the summer. I do wish that my pacing had been more consistent, but I think that was more about rest stops than the actual running itself.  It is always a bit of a shock to finish running and realize that it is 3:00 in the morning.  The race is like a time warp, you don't really have any concept of it while you are out there - just feels like running in the dark.  Now it was time to cheer on Mark L as he finished up his last couple of loops.  It was hard to believe that he had been running since 10:00 pm!  It was a great sight to see him come in and change into his shirt with the number one on it.  Mr K and I found plenty of friends to visit with while we waited on Mark to cross the finish line.  I love this quirky race with its cult-like following.  It is a tough run, but it is a good event and I hope that I can be back for another one next year.  After celebrating Mark's finish, we packed up our stuff and headed off to catch some shut eye. This was the first time we got to bed before the sunrise and I think that it helped keep my sleep cycle somewhat in tact.  I never felt that El Scorcho hangover like I have in the past years.

Celebrating Mark's 50K finish!

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Marci and Jason for opening their home to us for the second year.  Fort Worth is a long drive for us and it would have felt even longer at 4:00 am.  Marci and Jason were understanding with our odd hours and Jason even made homemade pancakes and bacon for us when we woke up.  They also welcomed our pups kept a watchful eye on them while we were gone.  I hope we can repay the favor someday!