race recap – Run Read Repeat

Explain it to me…why do you run marathons?

As I was jumping for joy (literally) about being selected for the Boston Public Library Fund team to run the Boston Marathon in April 2026 my friend asked that important question- why do you run marathons? I paused for a moment and responded “because I can.” I wasn’t being flip, I was being serious. I know that at some point in my life I will not be able to run (may that be a VERY long time from now), but for now I can and I do. This morning I got a reminder that our time is finite. Susan Hurley, the founder of Charity Teams (who organizes the teams to run for charity for the Boston Marathon) died at the age of 61 of ovarian cancer. Live for today because tomorrow isn’t promised. So I stand by- I run because I can!

My marathon running journey started as a way to cope with my father’s advancing Alzheimer’s. He had early onset Alzheimer’s and ultimately succumbed to the terrible disease at the age of 64. Running has always been my time and space for thinking and decompressing, so it seemed logically to run for charity. All but one of my marathon runs has been for charity. It takes on extra meaning to not only train, but to train with a purpose of raising dollars for awareness for an organization.

So back to the why do you run marathons question? For several days after being asked, I continued to really think about why on earth do I train for twelve weeks to go through the grueling challenge of running 26.2 miles?? The training process is hard. It’s hard to balance along with work and two sons with full and active schedules. It takes careful planning, early mornings and LOTS of time on my Landice treadmill. LOTS! Yes, I do all my training on the treadmill, but that’s a different story for another day. So yes, just getting ready for toeing the line is a lot of work and preparation. But, I thrive on schedule. I’ve followed the same training plan for each of my previous four marathons. I know what I’m supposed to do when, I make a plan and I stick to it. Making the time is easier said than done, but fortunately my husband is incredibly supportive and I apparently don’t mind getting up when it’s dark outside.

I’ve been struggling for days to think of how to explain the amazement of race day. It’s knowing that you have literally done everything possible to get to that moment and that you have to trust that it’s enough to get you from the start to the finish. It’s wondering if your nutrition is going to work. Have you fueled enough? Is the weather going to cooperate? Is your mind going to go the distance? While running is very obviously a physical activity, when you hit the wall of fatigue it becomes just as much mental as physical. It would be super easy to be like- I’m out, no need to finish. I’m reminded of my 2021 NYC Marathon experience- I had just entered Central Park with 2-3 miles to go. EVERYTHING hurt. I accidentally called my sister and thought that she had called me…there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to finish, but seriously I was delirious. I might be delusional, but I have never once thought that I wasn’t going to finish a race…even a marathon. Crazy, right? May my streak continue and allow me to finish in April.

Back to race day- there is so much excitement and so many people who come out just to cheer on all the “crazy” runners. When you are questioning humanity- you should definitely go to a race. That’s where you see people doing really hard things and total strangers cheering their heads off in support. I learned early on to make sure I wear my name on my person. It’s literally like magic- people know when you need it and they call out- “Kelly, you’ve got this.” And you keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Crossing the finish line is magical. It’s a holy cow- I did that moment. It’s all the emotions- exhaustion- tears, always tears, and absolute pure joy. The closely thing I can think to compare it to is giving birth. Similar in a lot of way- months of hard physical preparation to push your body to go the distance. Back to NYC 2021- the boys were young. We were just “coming out of Covid.” They weren’t even vaccinated yet. Jeffrey and the boys, ages 8 and 6 were in the grandstand in Central Park for HOURS. For sense of timing- as I stood on the Verrazano Bridge preparing to start Jeff texted to say they were in the grandstand. Yikes- it was going to be a minute until I got there. But the boys saw all the professionals finish. Fortunately, they didn’t count how many people finished in front of me. They were patient and they literally got to see me finish one of the largest marathons in the world. Seeing the three of them there for me is a memory that I will not soon forget. Jeffrey got a truly remarkable photo of the boys from behind with cowbells- and me right in between- signature arms in the air finishing. Priceless!

So, while I run for all of these reason- I run for me and that I can- I run for the amazing experience- I run to raise awareness and dollars for amazing organizations like the Boston Public Library Fund– I also run because I know the boys are watching. They watched my disappointment in 2020 when the NYC Marathon got postponed. They watched as I said screw it, I’ll run my first marathon solo in my neighborhood because I didn’t think my dad would make it to 2021 (he didn’t) and because I had set my brain on running that year. They watched as I was unjustifiably disappointed with my time in 2021, so I signed up for the Chicago Marathon on the way home. They watched as I ran Chicago not focused on time but for the experience. They watched when I took a break from running and racing. They watched when I didn’t get selected for the Boston Marathon when I applied to run for charity in 2024. There were tears- but then I found another marathon and ran that instead. They watched when I applied again and got selected. This whole process is a metaphor for life- there are ups and downs. There are times you have to dust yourself off and try again. There are time you have to give yourself grace and recognize that you are enough.

The boys knew I was applying again this year. They knew how important running the Boston Marathon was to me. And they too, had total joy when I announced we are going to Boston. Somehow something so individual as running a marathon has become a family affair. On Patriot’s Day I know my three biggest fans will be cheering me on. They won’t care how long it takes- they will just care that I do my best!

Support My boston marathon run for the boston public library fund

Wait a second, you ran a half marathon?

That was the response I got from more than one person after running the Rocky Run in Philadelphia, November 12. Oh, just a little half marathon?! I literally hadn’t said much about it and quite honestly wasn’t even sure I was going to run. Following the Chicago Marathon I was exhausted. While my body felt well enough to run, I was super busy at work and filled in my mornings with extra work rather than running. Not to mention, I just really didn’t feel like running…at all. So from October 9, the Chicago Marathon and November 12 the Rocky Run I ran a total of 19 miles. 19. Eek. While I was seriously wondering how I was going to run 13.1 miles after basically not training, I wasn’t alone. In the car on our way up to Philly my nine year old who doesn’t miss a thing, asked me how exactly I thought I was going to run a half marathon after not running so much for the last month. Very good question, son- very good question!!

Truth be told if our friends weren’t also heading to Philly I would have totally bailed on the race. However, I’m glad that we kept our plans as scheduled. I should note it wasn’t a typical half marathon. It was, what I’m convinced my dad would have called a half marathon the hard way. A 5k followed by a short break and then 10 miles. My plan was to take it easy on the 5k so as to not use up too much energy before the 10 miles. But, it was too hard not to race the 5k. I haven’t run a 5k in years. I still kept it somewhat under control, but certainly went out harder than I had intended. I ran the 5k in 26:00. Not a PR, but certainly not “slow.” After a fifteen minute or so break it was time to start the 10 miler. I should note that it was unseasonably warm in Philadelphia for November. It was practically 70 degrees with 80% humidity. Who would have thought?? Far from ideal race conditions as far as my body is concerned.

Over the years I’ve learned to pay more attention to my heart rate. I have breathing tricks to help regulate it when I know it’s higher than I would like. Nothing was doing the trick during the 10 miler. My heart rate was high and even my tricks weren’t really bringing it down. It would be at a time when you are worried about not feeling 100% that you realize the medical personnel were few and far between along the course. The course itself was relatively flat and enjoyable. But there was little to no crowd support so it was a touch boring. So glad I brought my headphones and I enjoyed music along the way.

I literally had no expectations going into the race. The plan was to finish and have an enjoyable day exploring Philly with our friends. And alas that’s exactly what I did. I still managed a sub two hour half- 1:57:12. My 5k clearly being the faster portion of my race, but the 10 miles still at a respectable pace. We all know I’m all about the stats. How did things shake out??

In the 5K there were 5823 runners. I placed 643rd. Not too shabby. There were 2874 female runners. I placed 122nd. In my age group of 40-44 there were 389 runners and I placed 15th. Well that was better than expected. In the 10 mile there were 3217 and I placed 751st. There were 1427 women runners and I placed 215. In my age group there were 188 and I was 26th. So overall a nice showing. How about for the combined effort?? There were a total of 2008 who thought it would be a good idea to run a half marathon in two races. Of those 2008 I came in 421st. There were 806 women and I was 85th. Finally, in my age category there were 128 and I came in 12th. Considering I have only been running for less than 4 years and I ran a marathon just last month. I’ll take those numbers. More importantly I finished strong and felt well enough to enjoy exploring the city following the race.

So what’s next…well for the first time in several years I have no races scheduled. None. Zero. I’m not sure what my running plan is going to be. Running and I might need a break…just for a bit…in the back of my mind is the idea of running Boston for the Alzheimer’s Association in April of 2024. There is something about the feeling of crossing the finish line in a race that I will certainly miss. So I don’t think I’m totally done with racing. I think I’ve just hit the pause button. I welcomed a Peloton bike into my fitness life this month and I think I’ll be spinning and lifting…lifting and spinning. I haven’t lifted consistently since April…eek! Remember when I said was going to be better about that, well apparently I was not. I’m doubling down on lifting and spinning for the foreseeable future and then I’ll see where running and I shake out in the Spring. I want to wake up excited to run and I haven’t felt that way for a while. I look forward to finding that spark again. Until then you can find me @runreadridemom over on Peloton spinning until my heart is content.

Chicago Marathon 2022 in comparison to NYC 2021

Marathon training is time consuming. A fall marathon, combined with the start of school, a busy fall for work and the Jewish Holidays…exhausting. Literally in the week leading up to race day I was more concerned about getting everything done and less concerned about actually running the marathon. Well that and whether we could all stay healthy to travel to Chicago. Crazy, right??

Unlike New York, I am not as familiar with the city of Chicago. Jeffrey and I had been to visit for a long weekend, but that was more than ten years ago. The boys were excited to do some sightseeing- the Willis Tower and the Bean. Jeffrey and I were excited for dinner at the Chop House. We were able to accomplish all of those things on Friday and Saturday. Race day was Sunday morning. While each race stands on its own, I would be remiss if I didn’t do a little comparing and contrasting the two experiences. NY is unique in the fact that everyone who is running needs to get to Staten Island before the race starts. That makes for an extra early morning and a lot of sitting around waiting to start! While I didn’t realize it at the time, it caused me to really under eat breakfast in 2021 and I was cognizant of that going into Chicago in 2022.

While I ran for the Alzheimer’s Association both times, in 2021 we were not quite “out of Covid” yet. So many of the perks of running for a team weren’t present. In Chicago it was amazing to be part of the team. We had a team lunch the day before. It really helped build a sense of community. Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association had a hospitality suite directly across from the start/finish area of the marathon. This is a HUGE amenity. It meant staying inside, eating my hot oatmeal until about 45 minutes before I had to be in my corral to start the race vs. 5 hours in the cold in Staten Island. To start the race I was more fresh- Jeff and the boys had a home base to start from and return to as well. This in and of itself was a huge game changer in the experience.

As I eluded to above, I was BUSY leading up to race day. So much so, that I did’t mind the taper like I normally do because it gave me more time to work. Being busy was apparently a good distraction. Overall throughout the training process I stayed healthy. No major complaints of pain, other than my one calf, which corrected itself with a little rest. All this to say, while tired I was feeling physically up to the challenge of running 26.2 miles. I was mentally prepared to go the distance as well. While I kept saying, this was going to be my last marathon…the pressure of training feeling like a lot…I also registered for the London lottery before going to Chicago. No way of making sense of that logic other than if it’s meant to be it’s meant to be.

Similar to in NY, Jeffrey, the boys and I walked the finish line area as best we could the day before. Having a visual is helpful to me. I was so pleased to see that where I would exit Grant Park was right across the street from the Alzheimer’s hotel. That I would have the ability to decompress, change and then walk the mile or so to our hotel. A difference from NY and Chicago- Jeff and the boys were going to be on the course at mile 20.5. After mile twenty it’s tough. Truth be told, in NY it was before mile 20 that got tough for me. So I thought it would be great to have them there to give me a push for the last six miles or so.

The weather was perfect on race day. Cool. Dry. It was in the 40s to get started. My favorite running temperature. I kept repeating to myself…do no go out too hard…do not go out too hard. I honestly tried my very best not to do it. But with the cooler temperatures and feeling so good, I went out a little aggressive. Not as aggressive as I did in NY but aggressive nonetheless. I was pacing for 4:10 for the first 18-20 miles. The miles felt like they were flying by. That was even with a bathroom stop at mile 5. I was feeling good….until I like so many others hit the walk right around mile 21. I didn’t realize how much seeing Jeffrey and the boys was motivating me. Then once I saw them it as like the wheels kind of came off the cart. My stomach was also not feeling the best. I don’t think it was the Maurten gels, because I trained with them. I think it was the Gatorade, which I also trained with but somehow the combination wasn’t sitting so well with me. It’s possible I was taking in too much fluid? I’m not quite sure. But I stopped taking Gatorade and only took water. I started walking the water stops. I knew I was going to finish, but I also knew I needed to be real about the time it was going to take me, enjoy the experience and realize that I was running a damn marathon.

Anyone remember when I went to run NYC me saying I was a one and done marathoner? I just wanted to run NY and I was going to be happy. I ran NY in 4:18:55. I was chasing 4:00. I was delusional. 1) It’s a hilly course and 2) my 4:07:29 virtual marathon wasn’t really 4:07 it was 4:26:27. 4:07:29 was my moving time. I stopped my watch when I refreshed my water or stopped for the restroom. I was’t thinking about the 4:26:27 elapsed time, I was just thinking about the 4:07 time. So 4:00 would have been stretch- but mentally that wasn’t what I was thinking. Mentally, I was beating myself up, when in reality my 4:18:55 was a marathon PR on a very difficult course. I let my frustration take away from the fun of the experience, which is what led me to register for Chicago on the way home. I felt like I had to prove something to myself…but it wasn’t getting a particular time…it was that I could run the race and make the most of the experience no matter what the time. I vacillated in the days leading up to Chicago about pacing. Did I want to pace for a 4:20 or a 4:10? If I paced for 4:10 was I setting myself up for frustration like last year. I train solo. While I enjoyed running with a pace group last year for the first half of the race, did it cause me to push myself too much too soon? I had read all about how my GPS would be all confused to start Chicago so would I even know what pace I was running if I paced myself?? These were all real and actual thoughts as I got my head in the game. So what was the answer?? There was no 4:10 or 4:20 pace group in my corral. Options?? I change corrals or I pace myself. I’m not big on changing flights or plans. I was in a particular corral for a reason and that was where I was going to run. So yes, I was going to pace myself. There were temporary tattoos at the expo with the pace times. I had 4:10 on my left arm and 4:20 on my right arm. For the majority of the race I was pacing 4:10. Too aggressive? Maybe, but I felt good. And when I started to fell less good this time around it wasn’t nearly as bad as NY nor was it for nearly as long. I consider that a huge improvement.

Mentally, I was running MY race. While there was incredible crowd support, I listened to music the whole time. I was focused internally on feeling my best and not getting caught up in expectations. Yes, I hit the wall. I started doing a little run, walk, run walk for a mile or two between 22 and 25. But I knew I was going to finish. Funny thing, I texted the whole race with Jeffrey. In the beginning as a distraction to try to slow myself down. Then for logistics on where to find them specifically on the course so I didn’t miss them. Then as they made their way back to the start/finish area. All the time, he was offering positive reinforcement. Telling me at the end I was moving too quickly for them to see me another time. I felt like I was moving anything but fast. Why do I share all this, because who texts during a marathon?? Apparently, I do. And it made the experience that much better. The reminder that I had it. The reinforcement of I was running a marathon and ultimately the time I crossed the line was secondary. The encouragement to just enjoy the experience. The support throughout the entire process that he provides is amazing. I am truly blessed.

Time for the finish. I knew I was a bit slower than my NY time. I didn’t yet realize that I was faster than my virtual marathon time. I had enough in the tank to pick things up for the final mile. To relish the fact that I was about to finish my second World Major Marathon in less than a year, while working full time and having two kids. I ran hard to the finish- huge smile on my face because I knew I had done it! Whether this is my last marathon…or not I know I did the best I could do. And I was so happy to cross the finish line!

Looks like the face of someone who isn’t done running marathons. Just saying.

I made my way to Alzheimer’s hospitality area where I was greeted with big hugs and kisses. My gang was so proud of me! I was proud of me. I took advantage of a sports massage, changing out of my shoes and a moment to collect myself before we made the walk back to the hotel. Another important point of comparison- it was only 12:30. We had the entire rest of the day. My wave in Chicago started at 8:00 a.m. allowing me to be done by midday. In NY I didn’t start until 10:40. By the time I got back to the hotel it was dinner time. This also made a huge difference. Plus this time I got a break before heading back to the hotel and got to walk with Jeffrey and the boys. Overall, I was sore, but it was manageable. Heck, the boys little legs had gone 9 miles that day and they were tired too.

The days after the marathon are a process of mentally decompressing from the anticipation of running and the exertion on the body. Other than my quads feeling particularly sore, I felt great. By midweek steps were no longer a challenge and by Thursday I had marathon amnesia and was thinking that wasn’t so bad, I could do that again. All kidding aside, I’m truly amazed at the body’s ability to push itself so hard and to recover. I thought for sure, I would totally crash afterwards, but my immune system must be at peek performance because I managed to stay healthy. I’m truly grateful for all who supported this journey, listened to me talk about the training and the race itself. What’s next? Time will tell. But Jackson did want to known “so what marathon are WE doing next?” Love how marathon running has become a family affair.

Baltimore 10 Miler Race Recap- June 2022

Interesting thing about the school year and my race schedule- I ran a race the Saturday after the first and the last week of school. Needless to say I was a bit more fresh for the first week of school than the last. Not to mention the fact that May 2022 was my lowest mileage month in more than two years. Between being busy at work and under the weather my routine was completely thrown off and I was totally inconsistent. So in hindsight, I really had a lot of nerve showing up to run 10 miles completely undertrained. But I can do hard things!! And it’s a privilege to be able to run!!

Up until the day before I wasn’t really sure I was going to race. It meant getting everyone up at 5:00 a.m. to head downtown. The weather had been super hot and humid. Well, and there was the thought in the back of mind that I haven’t run 10 miles or more since November- so in more than 6 months. All this to say it was really a game time decision. The weather looked like it wasn’t going to be unbearable and I really felt the need to get another race under my belt testing my new nutrition before October. Now that it’s summer months here in Maryland there will not be many more racing opportunities. While I hope to run the Charles Street 12 in September as it’s one of my favorites, we may have a conflict. As I’m typing, I’m realizing this might really be my only race before my next marathon. Eek.

Let’s get to it. The race started at 7:00 a.m. Temperatures were moderate considering it was the beginning of June. I ate a good breakfast. Planned out my Maurten nutrition and all things considered was excited to have a race opportunity. Mentally, I knew I should shoot for a 9 minute a mile pace given the lack of consistency over the last month and the fact that I haven’t run this far in half a year. Spoiler alert- I went out too hard. I’m notorious for going out too hard. If I could just train myself to negative splits…I’ll keep trying. I was feeling good and the sun hadn’t really come up yet. Had this been a 10K I would have been golden. First six mile splits 8:17, 8:37, 8:28, 8:31, 8:41 and 8:53. Solid, right? I certainly didn’t think I had that many 8 minute miles in the tank. When I transitioned to marathon training my focus was more on going the distance and so my paces were closer to 9/9:30 a mile. After mile 6 the sun was blazing and my heart rate was high. There was no way around it, I just couldn’t bring my heart rate down to a place that was appropriate. So I dialed the pace way down. The other piece to this puzzle was the fact that I knew there were about 300 feet of elevation gain in the last three miles or so. Ugh- high heart rate, overheated and elevation gain. Quite the trifecta. But I also knew that I could certainly finish the race. So much of running is mental. So many of my conversations with the boys lately have been about the fact that you need to listen to your body and there might come a time that I can’t finish a race because it’s dangerous to do so. That there are professional runners who don’t finish races from time to time. Racing and running have been full of life lessons not only for myself but for the boys. So back to the last third of the race. It was rough. I’m truly a cooler weather runner and these June races really aren’t in my wheelhouse. Hearing about some other athletes having serious health consequences after running too hard has me a little worried. Fingers crossed that it’s not unseasonably warm in Chicago in October.

Every race I’ve run I’ve felt like the time mattered. Even when I said it didn’t, the time always mattered to me. I mentally beat myself up for the last 6 or so miles in NYC because I was so disappointed I wasn’t go sub 4 hours. In hindsight, this is completely crazy. 4:18:55 seconds for the NYC marathon- my first in person marathon is something to be proud about and I’ve come to realize that over the last few months. Hoping I can take this new mindset to Chicago with me.

Back to yesterday- I’m always chasing a goal or a PR. Yesterday, it just didn’t matter. Yesterday was all about a chance to race and finishing. Having that change in mindset really helped with the latter part of the race when I would have probably overdone it to come in at a particular time. But instead, I listened to my body- still got it done and crossed the finish line smiling with my husband and boys cheering me in. They didn’t care what time was on the clock. Quite honestly the opposite. Every time I texted updates to my husband, his response was “take your time.” So we both knew I wasn’t chasing a PR and would just be happy with a finish.

Lessons learned- training matters- but I have a good base that allowed me to pull out a ten mile run after months of running shorter distances. Maurten will be my nutrition for Chicago. Now I need to incorporate the drink component the day before and morning of into my training. Nothing new on race day!! The other question is how many races am I going to do a year. Things have changed since I started racing. Back to work. Busier schedule. I don’t have quite as much time to commit to training and it’s a huge time commitment for my family. Chicago will be my next big training effort starting in July. I have about 5 more weeks to keep my running casual before I need to get my head in the game and body in gear to go the distance! Then who knows. Maybe I’ll pick two races a year. Maybe I’ll just be a casual runner and add the Peloton bike into rotation. Time will tell. Either way- moving my body for 30 minutes a day will be part of the equation- it’s just a question of how that movement will happen. I feel truly fortunate to be able to exercise and the opportunities that racing has brought along the way. The running community is special. I’m happy to be a part of it!

Stay tuned- marathon training starts the week of July 18. I think running a marathon is a bit like having a child- you kind of block out the hard and difficult parts and only remember the highlights.

2021 Running year in review- what’s on the horizon for 2022?

In 2019 I started running again. Small distances with the goal to just get moving for 30 minutes a day. Truth be told, I didn’t even really keep track of my mileage anywhere. Before I knew it I set my sights on running a half marathon. Then I started paying more attention to my training schedule. But honestly that first year I really had no idea how many miles I had run. Turns out, because I went back and checked it was 578.5.

Here comes 2020 and I set a goal of 1000 miles for the year. Totally makes sense, right? I should be able to nearly double my mileage now that I’m a more regular runner with longer races planned. Bam- welcome Covid in March of 2020. I doubled down on my running to maintain my sanity. With the boys home from school from March until August I had a lot more flexibility to when I could run. Less time pressure meant more miles. Quickly it became clear that I was going to blow past 1000 and then set a modified goal of 1300. I finished up 2020 with 1310 miles.

So like any good runner when it came time to set a goal for 2021 I went big and said 1500 miles. Why, on earth I would think that I could surpass my 2020 miles by nearly 200 I have no idea. But that’s the goal I set and for the first half of the year I was on target to hit that goal. Then you know life happened. I started a new job- YAY- but I was balancing working full time and momming and trying to have some fun because it was summer. I hit a wall so to speak with my running as my dad became sicker. It just lost its luster for a bit. A few weeks of not feeling it meant lower mileage weeks. I never stopped running all together, I just cut back considerably on my miles. Cutting back on your miles when you set a lofty goal makes you reconsider your goal. I started wondering why the number of miles was important. Wasn’t the point to still get moving each day? Post marathon it would have been really easy to pack it in for the year, but I knew I wanted to finish the year strong. I did something I never do and I took an entire week off after NYC. My body was tired both physically and emotionally. I actually felt up to running by Wednesday following the marathon, but knew that I was just exhausted so I listened to my body and rested. Then picked up right where I had left off, but with easy miles.

If I’m being honest I’ve had a mental shift. Not to say, running isn’t still important to me, but rather than focus on the quantity of the miles I want to go back to focusing on the quality of the miles. Maybe that means running somewhere new- i.e. the Grand Canyon. While it was only three miles, they were some of the most amazing miles I have ever run.

As I’m finishing up 2021, I feel blessed that I ran (knock wood) without injury. That’s not to say that I didn’t have some hip pain from time to time but nothing like in 2020. I got back to racing in person and it felt so good!!! First up was the Baltimore 10 Miler. This race was practically in my back yard and I made a last minute decision to run it. It was HARD. It was humid and the course was crazy hilly- but I was back to racing in person so I didn’t care…until the next day when my quads were on fire!! Up next the Frederick Half Marathon. This was my first half in person in over 17 months. And one of the many races that I deferred from 2020 when racing was canceled. I had a solid showing and again was just so happy to be back to “real” races. My favorite of all races, The Charles Street 12 was in the Fall. I had a huge PR in that race and finally felt like myself again. That’s all before the NYC Marathon. For a year, when racing in person didn’t start until the summer, I would say that from a running standpoint 2021 was in fact a success. Did I hit 1500 miles- heck no. But I’ve truly realized the number of miles isn’t nearly as important as I had once thought.

So what’s next for 2022? I’ll float a mileage goal in my head for a bit. Maybe I’ll go back to the original goal of 1000 miles and see what happens. But I think I’m going to set a consistency goal, rather than a mileage goal. I would like to consistently run 4-5 days a week and cross train/strength train at minimum one day a week but more like 2 days a week. If I can consistently cross train in addition to my running I know I will be in better shape come October and the Chicago Marathon! I’m also going to build some rest in as well. I’ve come to realize that rest is important too. Yes, I know this should have been a no brainer, but sometimes I’m a little dense.

As for races- I have about a half dozen in mind and it appears I’ve already registered for 4!! I’m registered for: the Frederick Half Marathon in May, Baltimore 10 Miler in June, the Chicago Marathon in October and the Rocky Run in Philadelphia in November. I’m also looking at a a half marathon in March- 5K in May as well as my favorite 12 Miler in September- Charles Street 12. Looks like 2022 is shaping up to be a full year with lots of opportunity! Cheers to a new year and a blank slate to create a new running journey and vision building off of a successful 2021!!

From the smallest to the largest marathon- no two 26.2 mile races are the same

As I approached 40 I caught the marathon bug. 2020 was the year that I was going to run the NYC Marathon. The biggest, greatest, marathon of all marathons. A classic if you will. March 8, 2020 I registered to run as part of the Alzheimer’s Association team, in honor of my Dad who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Two short weeks later COVID-19 began to impact the United States and the world more profoundly. Everyday life as we knew it had changed. Slowly but surely all races were beginning to be canceled- by June the 2020 NYC Marathon was like all others and it too was canceled. As was the case with many runners, I grieved the lack of racing opportunities, but this one hit hard. For a variety of reasons I was determined to run a marathon in 2020- big birthday around the corner, the 50th running of the marathon and I wasn’t sure my Dad would live to see November 2021 and wanted him to know that I had accomplished this bucket list item in his honor. I had two choices- pout that I wasn’t going to be running five bridges and boroughs in 2020 or do something about it. Despite the marathon being canceled I continued my fundraising and I decided to start my training cycle with the goal of running the Virtual NYC Marathon. I knew that with every training cycle I learned something new, so having a dress rehearsal if you will before the “real deal” seemed like a reasonable backup plan. Everyone says, be sure to carefully select that first marathon experience. Look for great crowd support- a course that will help you to go the distance. My first marathon was anything but- I ran in loops from my house. My crowd support consisted of some deer, squirrels and the guys taking down trees in my yard, until mile 20 or so when my family/friends came out to give me the final push to go the distance. While this was far from the NYC experience of running a marathon, I controlled a lot of the factors that you don’t get to control when running a major marathon. I slept in my own bed the night before. I was able to get up when I wanted and eat my normal breakfast. I listened to NY, NY by Frank Sinatra with my boys and hit the road. I didn’t listen to music. I didn’t have loud crowds cheering me on. Instead, I listened to an audio book and ran my solo 26.2. For what will likely be the only time I broke the tape that my then 5 and 7 year old children created as I crossed the home made finish line completing my first marathon. While I was initially disappointed that NYC didn’t happen, I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about this first marathon experience. Not many people can say they finished their first marathon in front of their home with their family and friends around them.

LIke many others when given the choice of my future guaranteed entry I selected 2021 as my first choice. Truth be told, I didn’t really think there was a chance of the marathon going off in 2021. So much felt unsettled at the time of making my election. However, I knew that I wanted the chance to run the 50th NYC marathon. I would still have the chance to do it during my 40th birthday year. But, as I suspected, I lost my dad a few months before the marathon and instead of running in his honor, I ran in his memory. This added to the meaning of the run.

As the date got closer, I was cautiously optimistic that the marathon would happen. For a long time, I was afraid to get my hopes up because I didn’t want to be disappointed by another canceled race. But this was the real deal and it was going to happen!! In contrast to my solo run, I spent the days leading up to the marathon taking in the sights with my family. We had the perfect few days of enjoying great meals, seeing the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and the Central Park Zoo. The weather was perfect. I was so distracted by making sure everyone had what they needed for the morning of the race- proper layers, snacks, and knowing how to get to the grandstand, that I lost track of the fact that I was about to run the biggest race of my life. I started the day by walking down Fifth Avenue to the bus to Staten Island. It was truly surreal. Crisp. Quiet for NY but not truly silent. As the city never really sleeps. Busses were lined up for blocks to take the runners to the base of the Verrazano Bridge. Fortunately, I made friends waiting in line who helped to pass the several hours we waited before our start time. While it was cold waiting in the start village (I knew that would make for the best running weather)- the time passed quickly sitting along the Verrazano Bridge, taking in the people, the sights and trying to settle my nerves. The energy was high and before I knew it I was making my way to the starting corral. On the top level of the Verrazano Bridge I stood in awe- thinking of all the times I had driven over the bridge, never once thinking that I would run across it. How would I describe the experience?? Intense. There is such a buzz at the start of the marathon where there are no spectators but all the runners are so excited. Once we crossed the bridge there were spectoros, music and excitement for miles. The only other really quiet stretch was the Queensboro Bridge. But then you have the spectators waiting on First Avenue to cheer you on. I’m still amazed at how many volunteers and spectators gave of their time that day to make the race possible. I wore a bib with my name on it and it was as though the spectators knew when I needed a boost and would call out my name.

I like to think of my two marathon experiences as my first marathon and my first “real” marathon. Trust me, anyone knows that 26.2 whether you do it alone or with 30,000 people is a marathon. But there is no describing the energy felt for the 26.2 in NY. In NY I was running as part of a community. When I ran alone it was a very personal experience. It was something I had to do for me. In NY it’s as though the entire city was cheering me to the finish. The sense of community with the runners, many of whom had been waiting two years like me to run in NYC was profound. But one thing remained the same- my husband and boys were there at the end. No, we weren’t in front of our house and they didn’t get to squirt me with water guns like in 2020, but when we called out to each other and locked eyes it was like no one else was there as I crossed the finish line of my first “real” marathon in the greatest city in the world!

2021- TCS New York City Marathon in Review

For two years I had been mentally preparing to run the NYC Marathon. Fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor/memory of my dad. For the three months prior I was focused on my training plan and staying healthy, all while being just a little bit afraid the race would get canceled. Then Chicago and Boston both successfully happened and I felt comfortable that New York would happen too. We had turned the trip to the marathon into an extended family weekend. We had quality family time leading up to the race- hitting all the highlights. We saw the Empire State Building, Statute of Liberty and even enjoyed the sea lion show in the Central Park Zoo. We caught up with friends and had dinner at some of our favorite places. Quite honestly worrying about all the logistics of the weekend combined with having fun with frineds really kept me from thinking about the fact that I was about to run the biggest race of my life. That at 40 years old I was going to stand on top of the Verrazano Bridge and run the NYC Marathon. Even I still can’t believe this happened.

Did you even run if you don’t flat lay??

I’m a planner. Planning and making arrangements is my thing. I had all the details worked out and that kept my nervous energy busy. But there were so many things I couldn’t control. The weather, the fact that I had to get the bus at 5:15 AM and didn’t start until 10:40. Or that the logistics of how to get into the Grandstand seating for Jeff and the boys didn’t make any sense. I’m telling you all this “extra” worry kept me from thinking about running the largest marathon in the world. That is until I sat myself down along the Verrazano Bridge and took in the grandness of the experience. Listening to music I looked around at all the other folks about to embark on the same crazy experience of running five bridges and five Burroughs through New York. What was I thinking?? Primarily I was thinking how am I going to find Jeff and the boys at the finish so we see each other after they wait so long for me to finish. Not for a minute did it cross my mind that I wouldn’t finish. Crazy in hindsight- but also at about mile 20 when my hamstrings hurt so badly that running was a challenge- but we will get there.

I started out with the 4 hour pace group. Running sub four was my goal. It felt realistic. Felt- because I may have underestimated the hills on the course a tad bit. I felt healthy to start, I was fueling and hydrating appropriately and had a solid first half. Even chatting with the others in the pace group. Then I had to stop to go to the bathroom and lost my pace group. I had to work to regain my mojo a little bit. I enjoyed the camaraderie of running with a pace group for the first time. Plus now I had to do a better job of monitoring my pace since I was on my own. I remain completely blown away at the number of people who came out to support the marathon. I’m talking that some sections of the race were practically single file runners because the streets were full of people. While this amazing energy is profound for me, it was also a little unsettling. I’m not a huge fan of big crowds. Are you laughing- because I was running with 30,000 people? Yeah, I’m laughing too. But anyway, there was a stretch that was so congested with people that it really took me off guard. I felt claustrophobic and actually tried to put my headphones on to get into my own zone for a little bit. Shocker- it was actually too loud with all the people. Trust me- this is a blessing in comparison to the dreaded Queensborough Bridge. While I knew there was this quiet stretch coming I underestimated how long that damn bridge was going to feel when all you could here were feet. While the elevation gain is not the same as the Verrazano Bridge it…was…HARD. For the first time I had this little piece of doubt creep into my brain. Was I going to finish what I came here to do?

Mantras are important to me. So I dug deep literally and remembered that “I run for those who can’t” and damn it “I can do hard things!” My hard was short lived. The hard of those suffering for Alzheimer’s doesn’t get to come and go. When I started this marathon quest it was to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of my dad. My Dad lost his battle with Alzheimer’s in August so the marathon became even more meaningful. I know he was with me the whole way- but seriously dad I could have used a little help around mile 20 when my hamstrings knotted up so tightly that I again wasn’t quite sure I could in fact finish what I had come to start. When I finally got off that damn Queensborough Bridge I saw my friend from HS who I in fact haven’t seen since HS. She came out to support me that day and seeing her couldn’t have come at a better time!! Seeing the other folks out there in their Alzheimer’s Association singlets was awesome too. While the race is personal and individual, we were still running as part of a team. I’m not going to lie- I knew that there was a cheer zone for the Alzheimer’s Association and I had committed it to memory but somewhere along the Queensborough Bridge anything I had committed to memory left my brain. Until I started hearing tons of shouting from our cheer zone. Thanks to my Alzheimer’s Association friends for the support along the way. I honestly don’t remember what mile that was- but I love that you were there!!

I feel like my face says it all- so very tired but so happy at the same time!!

Pregnant women joke about pregnancy brain- I’m here to tell you marathon brain is a real thing as mine became mush. Another fun example of that would be when all of a sudden in my headphone I heard “hello.” It was my sister. Me: “Did you call me?” Ashley: “No, I texted and then you called.” She had been texting me all morning along with other friends and family who were following along on the tracker. That “crowd” support also meant so much. So here I was in Central Park with less than two mile to go delirious getting water and Gatorade saying to my sister- “Yeah I’m not so sure I can do this.” Now really, I knew that if I had to I would have crawled from that spot and I could finish. But man, my hamstrings hurt so darn badly. Shortly after I ran into that same friend again. I was on the far right side and she was on the left side- and I basically did a crazy car lane change across the traffic to give her a big hug for coming out. Basically I had been thinking about the fact that I should have stopped when I saw her the first time to thank her and here she was giving me another chance. A little more than a mile to go. Out of the park and onto Central Park South and then back into the park again. At this point I was kind of doing a run walk combination. No matter what I did I couldn’t quite loosen up my hamstrings. I was well aware that my four hour marathon dream died somewhere along the Queensborough Bridge (notice I’m not a fan). But I was the only one who cared about that silly time goal. My people- my husband, and two sons waiting at the finish line could careless what time I finished- just that I finished. Up to Columbus Circle we came- and back into the park. It wouldn’t be long now. We had walked the finish the day before so I knew there was one incline, but I also knew they had it marked. 800 to go. 400 to go. 200 to go and there are my boys jumping up and down, ringing their cowbells with huge smiles on their faces. In that moment it was if we were the only ones there as we connected and then I went the final 100 to cross the finish line of my first “real” marathon. Final time 4:18:55.

I’m not going to lie, the walk back to the hotel was the longest walk of my entire life. Thirteen blocks felt like thirteen miles. I slowly but surely put one foot in front of the other and made my way back. All I wanted was a hot bath, champagne and pizza!! All of which were quickly arranged. The perfect end to the perfect marathon- and the perfect weekend. I would be remiss if I didn’t again say thank you to all the friends, family and strangers who donated to the Alzheimer’s Association in honor/memory of my dad. Another huge thank you for the support in the months…years leading up to the big day. I promise a small break in marathon talk for a bit. To my co-workers who supported me, made me signs and surprised me with a celebratory lunch- I appreciate you all so very much. And the biggest thank you to my amazing husband who supports my crazy ideas- encourages me to do my best, while at the same time take pause and realize that my expectations might be a little much- and who entertained our two boys for 5 hours so they could have front row seats to see me finish. I am truly blessed!!

So, what’s next? There’s always a next, right? Shockingly to my boys I took off all of this week and haven’t run since Sunday. It’s not that I don’t feel good. I actually feel great. I’m just recognizing the awesome thing my body accomplished and giving it a little bit of grace. But then I’ll be back it. Slow and steady to finish up 2021. With my sights on a new big goal in 2022. I’ll continue to raise awareness and advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association. Check out what’s next for 2022! Psst….See you in Bean Town in October!!

#chuck12- my favorite race

Back in 2019 my first “long” race was the Charles Street 12, aka Chuck12. I love the idea of the race starting in Towson, not far from where I used to work, going past the hospital that I delivered the boys, continuing past where I went to law school and ultimately finishing at Under Armour Headquarter in Baltimore City. When I ran this race two years ago it was going to be my longest race to date and I didn’t really know what to expect. But when I toed the line this year, I’ve run a variety of half marathons and a virtual marathon. Plus, there’s nothing like having a real sense of the course. I wasn’t a newbie runner- yet still had that nervous energy as we got started. Even with Chuck 12 being my ultimate favorite race, I almost didn’t go. Last week was crazy- start of school, Jackson’s birthday, big event at work, all on the heels of a long month following my father’s death. But this was a real life racing opportunity, how could I pass it up?

I’m not going to lie, I was super sad and frustrated when racing got “covid cancelled” for much of 2020 and into 2021. I missed the opportunity to have a race setting push me to run my very best and test my training. I ran all the virtual races and it was just not the same. It took seemingly forever for racing to return to Maryland. It wasn’t really until June of 2021 when races started to happen in person. In October of 2020, I “raced” my virtual marathon and then basically had been in maintenance running mode for months, with no real race on the horizon. The June race that I ran was a last minute entry and a really tough course. I was of course happy that I did it- when I was done. Up next was the Frederick Half. This was a race I had deferred from 2020, that was supposed to be in May but was in July. Ugh- Maryland in July is hot and humid. Overall that day proved to be decent weather conditions, but my time was not my best, nor was it my worst. Again, I was so happy that I did it and my husband and sons were there to cheer me to the finish. But really my two racing experiences in 2021 had proven hard and didn’t yield the time results I had been hoping for. So clearly, I knew despite the long week- month- and migraine I was running the Charles Street 12.

One of the interesting parts of Chuck 12 is it starts and finishes at completely different places- as you would imagine that are 12 miles apart. I’m so fortunate that my husband and boys still enjoy coming out to wait for hours to see me cross the finish line. So they headed to the finish and my friend and I drove to the start of the race. Funny side story- I wear glasses 98% of the time. Maybe on 10 occasions during the year do I wear my contacts. But for whatever reason for races I prefer to wear my contacts so I don’t have to worry about my prescription sunglasses. If I drop or lose my sunglasses I would much rather it be a $25 pair than a $500 pair of prescription lenses. However, since I so rarely wear my contacts I make a lot of rookie mistakes with them. The car ride to the race proved to be one such time. My eyes were super itchy so I scratched them without giving it too much thought. Until, all of a sudden I couldn’t see so well out of my right eye. I thought at first that the contact was dry and tried to generate tears. Then it dawned on me…I had rubbed my contact out of my eye!! Panic set it. I didn’t have glasses with me and I certainly didn’t have another contact. I searched my eye- maybe it was hiding up under my lid. No luck. I carefully looked all around me. No luck. Well, it hadn’t disappeared so where on earth did it go?? We got to the start of the race and did some more searching in the car. As a last resort, I got out and thought maybe looking from a different angle I might see it. Still nothing. So I was resigned to running with on contact, and a migraine that I was keeping at bay with Excederin Migraine. Now if that doesn’t sound like prime condition to run a race, I don’t know what does. Then I got back into the car. Folded up like a creased up taco was my contact on the seat of the car. I then proceeded to break all the contact wearing rules in the book. Took the cap off my water bottle, dropped the contact in and poured some water on in- willing the dried up little contact to come back to life. All of this is quite entertaining NOW- at the time. Not so much. Somehow the contact sprung back to life and I got it back in my eye. Yes, I know it was completely unsanitary. But short of spitting on my contact I wasn’t really sure what else to do. I’ve considered every in person race leading up to NYC a trial run and so the lesson was BRING EXTRA CONTACTS!! I may even bring and old pair of glass that I’m willing to part with too. Something to think about for sure.

Well, now that the contact drama is behind us I could begin to focus on the nervousness and the fact that generates the sensation of needing to go to the bathroom. So I made a bee line for the porta potty line. One would think that one visit would be sufficient as I really hadn’t drank that much, however there was the half marathon when I assumed it was jus the nervous sensation that I needed to urinate- when in fact I really did and I lost nearly two minutes running to a bathroom in the Magic Kingdom. As a result, I never take for granted that it’s nerves and go to the bathroom as many times as possible before the race. This should be really interesting when I have to spend nearly 5 hours waiting to start the marathon in November.

Let’s chat about the weather. The week leading up to the race was hot and humid until the remnants of Hurricane Ida came through and cooled things off considerably. That translated to temperatures in the 50s to start the race, but still some humidity. Overall a beautiful weather day to run a great course. This was part of what got me out of bed the morning of the race. How could I pass up such a wonderful weather day?? That and I’m in a marathon training cycle. The week called for 26 miles and I still had 12 to run as I had planned for the race to complete my weekly mileage. I’m a stickler for following the plan. Either way I was going to be running 12 miles so I might as well make it part of the race.

Speaking of training cycles- when I ran the Chuck 12 last time, I trained for it like it was a half marathon. Did the proper tapering, etc so I would have fresh legs to run on. As I just mentioned I’m in the middle of a marathon training cycle. So there was no taper and I had already run 14 miles this week, including speed work earlier in the week. The week after the race has a key run of 10 miles. So I’m considering myself ahead of the game with having the 12 miles done early. There are those who say don’t race during a training cycle as racing taxes your body differently than training runs. There are others who would say that two months before the marathon having a race like experience isn’t detrimental. I knew I had two options when I showed up on race morning- treat it like a training run and take it easy or run it like a race. Training my mind to have easy runs was a work in progress for a long time, so it’s definitely not at the place that I could have treated this just like a training run…it was a RACE!

Whereas my goals in 2019 were to finish races, I have more specific time goals now. Most of the time they are conservative. Sometimes, like for Frederick because of the heat and humidity I knew I needed to bring my time goal down to a safe number to not over tax my body. In the end I met that goal, but overall didn’t feel solid during the course of the race. When it came time to plan for Chuck 12, I couldn’t quite figure out what I thought my time could be. In 2019 my time was 1:52:28. At the time, that was 5 minutes faster than what I had anticipated would be my finish time. I was beyond shocked when I finished that quickly, as was my family who weren’t expecting me for another 5 minutes or so. Based upon my utter exhaustion and not tapering I was considering 1:48 a solid finish time for 2021. That would be more than 4 minutes better than last time and seemed like a realistic goal. But my reach goal was 1:42. Now that is a broad range! Six minutes faster would mean shaving 30 seconds or so off per mile from my 1:48 goal. That’s a lot of time. That said, 8:30 a mile isn’t too far off what I was doing when I hit my stride before Covid shut everything down. I’ve never run with a pace group during a race, but I’m intrigued by the idea. There were pacers at the race which got my mind thinking. I lined up with the 1:40 pace group. Yes, I know this is even faster than my reach goal, so I needed to have my head examined. But they looked like a fun bunch. I knew I couldn’t really hang with them, but went out with them for the first mile and then settled into my pace. I continual remind myself that I need to run my own race and pace. But here’s what I figured, I would maintain my own pace that felt comfortable, as comfortable as a pace can feel at race pace and try to avoid getting passed by the 1:45 pace group. If however, the 1:45 pace group came up on me I would run with them and still beat my 1:48 initial goal.

After learning to race and take water when it was offered, Covid had me wearing water to train and race. Each is a mental mind shift. Truth be told, I don’t love carrying my own water, but there’s something to be said to be able to drink whenever you would like. It also allows me to have a nutrition pouch whenever it’s convenient because I need some water to wash it down. All this to say, when push came to shove I opted not to carry my own water. It felt good to be traveling light!!

While the course is advertised as down hill, the first six miles or so have a series of hills. I play mind games as I tick off the miles during a race. At first it’s to get under 10 miles. Then I start adding my mileage. Usually once I get to four miles I’m in a solid rhythm and feeling pretty good. So for this race my mental mind games were to get to 6 and I would be halfway done. Then focus on getting to 8- then 10- then at 11 which is when I call to say I’m a mile out and boom I’m done. It’s really not quite that simple, but that’s literally how my mind was working Saturday. At the end of the day- it’s all about what works for you. This is what works for me! This was the first race in a long time that I wasn’t questioning my sanity. I felt solid pretty much the whole time. That is not to say that I wasn’t extremely happy to see the finish line because I was in fact very happy to finish. But the best part of the finish was that it wasn’t super crowded and I had a great view of the boys with their signs. I was waving and smiling to finish up 12 miles. Who would have ever thought?? There is truly something to be said to having family support at the finish line. Sometimes it’s what gets me there and times like Saturday it’s fun to celebrate together!

Because I’m all about the numbers- how did things shake out?? I averaged 8:35 a mile for 12 miles. Not too shabby. There were 953 participants. I finished 247. So not quite the top 25% but not too far off. There were 479 women who ran. I finished 74th. (PS my 8 year old had counted all the women who finished before me and was able to tell me within one of what number woman I was to finish). In my new masters age category of 40-49 there were 152 women. I finished 17th. So, all in all a solid showing, a good race overall and I can’t wait to do it again next year!! The Charles 12 will always hold a special place in my heart.

Baltimore Ten Miler- What goes up must come down!

In the past all my races have been planned fairly for in advance. The Baltimore Ten Miler was a different story. Ironically, ten days before a friend politely twisted my arm to sign up. Honestly, there wasn’t much twisting, I was happy to sign up for an in person race, BUT I heard the course was going to be brutal! It’s fairly hilly where I live and do my outdoor runs so in my mind I was thinking how hilly could it be? Famous last words! I opted not to drive the course. Part of me was afraid if I knew what was coming I would change my mind. I figured that once I had the adrenaline and people around me a tough course wouldn’t seem quite so hard.

The beauty of this race is that it was literally ten minutes from our house. Seems like that theme of ten keeps coming up again and again. This was one of the reasons I was quick to do the last minute registration. You can’t beat the convenience of a close race! As with any race we had to get there early to beat the traffic and road closures. My amazing husband and boys came along to cheer me on. Yes, with a 5:00 AM start on the Saturday morning after the last day of school they all got in the car to come along! When I first started racing I completely underestimated the value of having support at the finish line. In an attempt to make things easier I was always quick to say that I would go alone so my husband wouldn’t have to juggle to boys waiting for the race to start, me to actually run the race and then navigate the post race madness. But I quickly learned how nice it is to have them there. I’ve made it a habit to call a mile out just to say I’m getting close and they can be on the look out. Having family support is HUGE. And I would find out during this particular race how important it was for them to be waiting for me at the finish line!

The other great thing about this particular race was that parking was close to the start and finish!! (win!) The start and finish were at the same place (win)! So the boys got to experience the start of the race vibe. The partially got to experience this when I ran the Baltimore Half marathon but that was nearly two years ago. Also this was a much smaller race, so they got to be in the mix of things. They saw how everything was set up for pre-race. Last minute packet pick up, the long lines at the porta potties, the runners warming up. They got to see how the groups were going to line up to go to the start and the police getting ready to. They even got to meet the Police Chief. It was interesting to see the start through their eyes. We strategized for the best place for them to see me start and then to see me finish. It was a nice way to ease back into running in person.

Over time I’ve learned that I’m a cold weather runner. I thrive in high 40 to 50 degree weather for running and racing. This means that in the alternative warmer weather running/racing tests my body a little bit differently. I must have checked the weather 100 times leading up to race morning. The temperature and humidity growing each time I checked. Why do I keep checking when there is nothing I can do about it?? Ultimately it was nearly 70 degrees with 85% humidity at race time. Yuck! I opted not to wear my Camelbak because I find it somewhat claustrophobic and opted for my Spibelt with two 6 ounces water bottles. There were refueling stations along the way if I needed them. (I didn’t). I didn’t because I probably didn’t drink enough water during the race. I generally don’t drink too much when I run, but I barely drank 6 ounces over 10 miles. Given the temperature and humidity I should have drank more. This is not the first and I’m sure it won’t be the last time I saw I should have drank more during a race.

Ready- set- go! To fully understand this race- getting a handle on the elevation gain is important. Take a look at the elevation gain as according to my Garmin watch:

My pace for the first four miles was right on point to faster than I wanted it to be- 8:02, 8:09, 8:11, 8:29. Mile 5 was a bit slower at 8:55. Which makes total sense looking at the elevation change. Mile 5 I had a HumaGel pouch- caffeinated with double electrolytes. I knew that between mile 7 and 8 that there was going to be a monster hill so I wanted to get the pouch into my system to have a little extra oomph for what was certainly going to be the hardest part of the course. Mile 6 back to target pace at 8:26. Mile 7 a little slower at 8:51 and then take a look at the elevation game friends. At mile 7.5 the hill/mountain almost broke me. My heart rate was CRAZY high and I knew there was no way I could run the hill. So I power walked. It was at that moment I knew that my overall race time wasn’t going to be where I wanted it to be. But I also knew that I had to walk to regulate my heart rate and try to bring my core body temperature down just a bit. So mile 8 was a slow 9:50. Mile 9 back at target pace range 8:34. But then you see that dip going up to finish the race, I was toast and had another slower mile at 9:27. But then I managed to run in for the last tenth of a mile or so.

So what was I thinking when I felt like the course was breaking me? I remembered my training. I knew that I had the ability to go the miles, but that I had to factor in that the terrain is a major factor in overall success. I know I can run way more than 10 miles, but I also know that I have never run this route before and by golly it was HARD. Therefore I couldn’t compare apples to apples in regards to time. I was thinking that my amazing husband and boys were waiting for me at the finish and I needed to finish for them. But I also knew that the only one who cared about how quickly I finished was me! All they cared about was seeing me finish. I could have finished dead last and they would have been just as proud of me. I also tend to forget how far I have come in basically two years time. That two years ago, the first time I ran ten miles I was barely hitting 10 minutes per mile. I’ve gotten stronger and faster. I also underestimate my abilities in comparison to my peers. As in, I assume I’m so much slower than everyone else. You have a lot of time to think when you are running ten miles. My husband’s comeback when I doubt myself will always be, you ran a marathon by yourself! He’s right- if I can do that, I can do anything- including some crazy hilly course. Funny thing is the Baltimore Ten Miler is moving back to the City next year. I kind of wish they would keep it here. You know you are delusional when you are trying to figure out how to run the course that nearly broke you just the day before.

The day after as I write this I am surprisingly sore in ways that I have never been before. Interestingly enough the up hills for the most part don’t bother me. Except of course the one at mile 7.5 which was more like a mountain. I’m not very good at letting gravity take it’s course on the downhills. So my quads are KILLING me today!! What goes up, must come down and apparently fighting the coming down has tested muscles that haven’t been tested quite that way before. I was supposed to run a 5K this morning. When I got up to let the dog out- and saw the rest of my family sleeping every so soundly after getting up so very early yesterday morning and felt my legs walking the steps down to the kitchen I decided that I’d be skipping that 5K! Today I’m respecting my body’s need for a little time to recover!

So am I glad I ran the race? Absolutely!! Not every race is going to be a PR. Not every course is going to be easy. Doing hard things makes us better and stronger! Oh and overall, I did way better than I expected when I looked at the results. And you know what?? I’d run this course again- just not today!

12 Miles isn’t a Half Marathon- Baltimore Run Fest 13.1- October 19, 2019

The day after I finished the Charles Street 12 a friend said “how about we run the Baltimore Half Marathon?” I paused and thought then reached out to my friend Suzy Goodwin (She has an amazing Podcast. If you don’t know her you should!! http://runliftmompod.com). In addition to being a friend, she’s my go to for my running questions among other things! The question this time: “is seven weeks between big races too soon?? Should I run a half in October?” The resounding response: “Absolutely!” That was all I needed to hear.

The plan: A reverse taper. Basically the week after the Charles Street 12 I would have a week of active recovery. What does that mean?? It means I didn’t run for a few days- four to be exact but I continued with my training sessions twice that week. The following week I picked up with my running. I ran three miles a few times that week, then I took my ten week plan and backed into it from the October 19 race date. And the training continued. As the mileage increased I started to have some serious right hip pain. I worked with the trainer and we determined that my hamstrings are VERY tight. We continue to work on the hamstrings, foam rolling and stretching.

Race Weekend

Despite the 12 mile run just weeks before this race was different. It was a huge running festival with a 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon and Relay. There were going to be thousands of runners. So it was a BIG DEAL. The unknown in regards to logistics makes me nervous. So my first big race made me full of nerves. We decided that rather than get everyone up crazy early on race day we would stay down town in Baltimore at a hotel right near the start of the race. So we packed up our two boys ages 4 and 6 and our mini-Goldendoodle, Ruby and turned race day into being tourists in our own city. Earlier in the day I ventured down town with my oldest to go to the Expo. We were both excited and took in all the sights and sounds. I got my t-shirt, bib, along with a few extra goodies along the way! Yes, I stocked up on Honey Stingers and some race specific Pandora.

Picture with Blue the Crab while waiting for the expo to open

That night we went down before dinner. Got settled…yes everyone and the dog. The boys thought it was amazing to stay in a hotel so close to home. We enjoyed an early dinner and went to bed early too. But I slept TERRIBLY. Much of it was nervousness. Much of it was a dog who was used to traveling years ago and isn’t used to hearing sounds during the night that are part of staying in a hotel. But the major plus was waking up and being able to just be at the start of the race. You could literally see it from our hotel.

Race Day

Did you race if you didn’t do a flat lay??? The weather in Maryland can be unpredictable in October. Let’s be real, it is always unpredictable. I had originally planned to wear shorts but then the temperature was such that it was going to be in the forties so I switched to capri pants. Again, after consulting my good friend Suzy when I had a wardrobe panic moment. So here you see some of my running favorites. My go to running gear is from Zyia Active (https://www.myzyia.com/KELLYBLAVATT/) Stay tuned for a dedicated blog post all about my love of Zyia and why I became a rep. But you can see I went with capri running tights, a supportive sports bra, tank and a head band. You’ll also see I wore a “throw down” long sleeve shirt at the start of the race that I quickly discarded.

The tricky thing for me for race morning was the start time. I’m a rise with the sun or before for the sun and run kind of runner as I try to get my run done before the boys are even awake. With the other races happening that weekend the Half Marathon didn’t go off until 10:00 AM. I ate my normal pre-run meal which at the time consisted of Kind Peanut Butter Bar and a banana along with some water but worried about how the later start would change my performance.

Right before the start of the race. All smiles but truly full of nerves!

The time came to head to the start of the race. As you can see it was a beautiful sunny day. It was cool, but as I would quickly learn not quite as cool as I thought it was going to be. My husband and boys walked me to the starting line. At that point there were races still going on around as. The half marathon would meet up with the marathon and marathoners were coming through the streets surrounding the start. So my support team wished me well and went for their own walk and to occupy themselves while they waited for my return. As has happened with every race I’ve ever run, I then had to go to the bathroom again, despite having just gone. The line for the porta potties was ABSURD. So I ran back to the hotel and used the restrooms there. Before I knew it, it was go time!

Running and racing is just as much mental as it is physical. If you are like me and run by yourself (I actually enjoy it!) you have A LOT of time to think and talk to yourself. You also have the ability to get into your head. I had told my trainer my goal was for a sub two hour half. Based upon my time at the Charles Street 12 just seven weeks before he wasn’t so confident that was a realistic goal. I knew my average mile had to be less than 9:20. I also knew that I had to consistently keep that pace. I was also having serious mom guilt. I had packed up my family for a night away from home. They were walking around keeping themselves occupied so that I could run 13.1 miles…for fun. I didn’t want to disappoint them. Really, I wasn’t disappointing them. They could care less what time I finished, it was me that would be disappointed. Right before they went off to explore I joked with my husband…you know they are going to have someone here to engrave your medal with your time. “You should do it,” he said. My response…”only if it’s a sub 2 hour time.” That’s just to give you some sense of the self imposed pressure.

But I digressed. The race was hillier than expected. And the temperatures warmed up more than expected as well. It was still far from hot. But I felt good. In the final weeks of training I had been dealing with some serious hip pain. Fortunately the taper time allowed it to feel better and I was feeling good during the race. Some runners can run by feel- some need to monitor their watch. I fall into the monitor my watch camp. With each passing mile split, I knew I was still on target for a sub-two hour finish. But I also knew not to count my chickens before they hatched. I kept pounding the pavement, hydrating as best I could at the water stops, popping my Honey Stinger Chews every four to five miles. I also kept looking around to see how the City had come out to support the runners. There were so many supporters with signs, water and spirit willing us on. There were also the messages from family and friends that were popping up on my watch cheering me on what sometimes felt like a silly endeavor.

The night before when we drove down to the hotel we saw a sign for Mile 12. Immediately following the mile marker was a huge hill. As we drove up it all I could think was oh man, that’s not going to be fun to run. But I was wrong, when I got to mile 12 I felt like I still had energy to give and I was ready to finish strong. Don’t get me wrong, I was hot and tired but I was ready to run hard and finish strong.

I’m not sure if you read my race recap on the Charles Street 12, but when I finished that race I was early and no one was really ready for me. So once I got up that monster hill following Mile Marker 12 I wiggled my cell phone out of my tights pocket and called my hubby’s cell. He answered and was clearly worried. “where are you?” Me: “I just passed mile marker 12, get ready to cheer me in.” You realize that it wasn’t so much for me that I needed to the cheering, as much as I knew the boys were anxiously waiting and had been patiently waiting that whole time. I also knew it was going to be much more crowded and I might not be able to spot them. So I wanted them to know I was on my way.

After the call, I looked at my watch, saw the time and then I just ran. I ran hard. I ran with all that I had and I finished strong. My final mile was forty seconds to a minute faster than every other mile of the race I worked hard for and I wanted that sub 2 hour time and I was going to get it.

The finish line came in sight. I tried so hard to find my cheering squad. While I didn’t see them, I knew they were there. And you know what- they did see me and cheer me on to a 1:58:18 finish.

There was a holding area just for runners after you finished. You got your medal, some water and fruit. I quickly got my medal, banana and water. The plan was for Jeff and the boys to meet me right outside the running holding area. I waited, enjoying my water and banana then I saw them. The boys running towards me yelling “Mommy, you did it!” While I was certainly proud of my race, I was so proud that they were there to see me do it and support me. To think I had suggested just going myself was crazy. We’ve now made running a family event!

By nature of it being my first half marathon it was a personal record (PR). But since I also beat my goal time I felt the need to ring the bell. You could not wipe that smile off my face!! So yes, I most definitely got my medal engraved.

So how did the numbers play out for overall results:

There were 6903 runners in the half marathon. I finished 1378/6903.
There were 3724 female runners. I finished 449/3724.
There were 527 runners in my age category (35-39) I finished 60/527.

Race post script:

We went to a friends house for a party after the race. Yes, home, showered and party. That’s the way I roll. At the party I was chatting with a gentleman who said you will run a marathon. You’ll do a few more half marathons but then you’ll do a full marathon. Make sure you select which one carefully. Throughout the race when we met up with the marathoners all I kept thinking to myself was “I’m never going to run a marathon.” But wait just a second, I certainly would have never thought that I would run a half marathon, so maybe never say never?? More to come!