Posts tagged racing

St. Michael’s Running Festival Recap

May18
2013 2 Comments

Written by Linda

Today was the St. Michael’s Running Festival Half Marathon. This is a small half marathon (1180 finishers) in the little town of St. Michael’s MD. According to my expert source, Wikipedia, St. Michael’s is a town of about 1000 people with an area of 1.15 square miles. How can you have a half marathon (13.1 miles) in a town that consists of only 1.15 square miles? Good question.

As you can see from this picture, there is a lot of water around St. Michael’s. It is on the Chesapeake Bay. Did we see any water during the race? No. Not a drop.

I went to St. Michael’s on Friday with my friend Kathryn, and we went to packet pick up, then walked around the little town. We had dinner at a restaurant on the water, so I can at least say that I saw water this weekend.

The town is touristy, but beautiful. Lots of old homes and churches, and cute bed and breakfasts. The next time I go I’d like to spend more time by the water and less time in the town.

After dinner we went to bed. I think it was about 8:00pm, seriously. For some reason we each had an outrageous number of bags – regular clothes, running clothes, and food, plus other various items. Of course, I always have to bring lots of food wherever I go. This is five of my bags – I had a couple more in the car.

Between us, we brought 9 bananas. Kathryn likes hers green.

Race day was cool, humid, cloudy and breezy, which was perfect, except for the humid part. This race was totally flat – I think the advertised elevation was 10 feet. We wandered around and used the porta-potties.

When the race began, we ran down the main street, then through a golf course community. That is where the interesting part ended. Unfortunately that was at mile 4.5. The rest of the race was along the highway, 3 miles in one direction, then back 3 miles in the other. 6 miles of narrow shoulder on the highway. The rest was through a neighborhood and then on a little trail to the finish line.

There was another problem. At the second water stop, there were no cups. We were offered the jugs of water to drink from. That didn’t give me a good feeling. Unfortunately at about half of the water stops there were no cups, but luckily Kathryn had an empty water bottle on her fuel belt that I could drink from with the water at the water stops.

Other than that, everything seemed to go fine, just massive quantities of boredom. Around mile 8 I had to start singing songs in my head. For some reason the first song I thought of was “America The Beautiful”, you know that “amber waves of grain” song. Then I switched to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and the ABC song, which are actually the same song with different lyrics.

My worst problem was my foot. I have a ganglion cyst on the side of my foot, and it has never bothered me when I ran before, but I think I tied my shoes too tight, so there was pressure on it. And rather than stop to loosen my shoe, I thought I’d just run through it. Not smart. It started hurting at mile 6. Around mile 9 I stopped to loosen the laces, but it was too late. You know how when you have a pain somewhere, and it feels like that is the only place on your body that exists? That was me…a pain in my foot. My entire being was a pain in my foot, which then started going into my ankle and shortly thereafter overtook my entire body.

Oh wait, there was another problem. Kathryn had told me that she had been running her half marathons at about a 13 minute pace. This would have been perfect for me, since lately I have sucked at running, and I haven’t been eating right, and I am totally out of shape. I told Kathryn that I was just going to go at her pace, and she set the pace. Well, we did mile one in 11:27. This continued to mile 5 which we did in 11:22. We did slow down a little after that, but by then my foot was hurting, so I told her to just go ahead. I just kept getting slower and slower, and I had to basically walk the last mile. Except, of course, when I saw the photographers, and then I ran and smiled. Gotta look good in the pictures.

As soon as I crossed the finish line I went immediately to the medical tent, took off my shoe and got a bag of ice from the EMT.

According to my best friend, Wikipedia, a ganglion cyst is a little benign tumor, like a knot, under the skin. Mine is small, about the size of a pea. I don’t know how something so innocuous could be so painful. In the old days the way to get rid of these things was to smack them with a bible. I might try that, but first I have to find a bible. I wonder if the Veganomicon cookbook would work, that is the biggest book I have. Unfortunately I wouldn’t have a good angle to smack it myself, I would have to get someone else to do it. Not sure if anyone would volunteer for that.

Apparently a needle can be stuck in there to drain it, if the bible doesn’t work. That sounds more medically sound I think.

After the race we showered at the high school, and went for lunch. Checking my happy cow app, I found one place in town that had a vegan option – Ava’s Pizza. What the vegan option was is a pizza with vegetables and no cheese. Which is fine, but really, any pizza place can say that on their menu, right? Actually the pizza turned out to be delicious.

And the day called for chilled white wine, which I never drink. Not that I don’t drink wine, I just don’t drink white wine.

It had started to rain, but we walked around the town a little, and bought chocolate, and then came home.

It was a nice place to visit, not a great run, a race I’m glad I did, but won’t do again. I did get a really nice medal though!

Posted in Running - Tagged half marathon, race, running, travel

Not Being Ready For A Race

May14
2013 4 Comments

Written by Linda

I’m running a half marathon on Saturday, for which I am totally not ready. I know I have thought that before, just from anxiety, but this time it is true.

A lot has been going on in my life, including moving, which involves packing up 3000 square feet of living space. I’ve had a bit of stress over that and other things, which is affecting my running, as in I skip runs, shorten runs, don’t feel well enough to run, etc.

I normally gain a couple of pounds towards the end of a training cycle, but in the last few weeks I’ve lost 5 pounds. I have no appetite and don’t know what to eat, plus with moving, my stuff is packed and it is hard to cook my own food. Then I get lightheaded and tired when I run.

I have a lot on my plate and it cuts into my running time. I’m having a lot of trouble sleeping and am frequently up for hours in the middle of the night.

I did do 10 miles on Saturday and 8 the Saturday before, and my plan is to run this race a lot slower than I normally would. I am going with a friend and we plan to run the race together, something I have not done before, so she will keep me on pace.

At least the race is flat – the advertised elevation is 10 feet. I think I can handle that. I know I can do the race, probably just not well.

Has anyone been totally unprepared for a race, physically, emotionally and mentally?

Posted in Running - Tagged half marathon, race, running

Racing

May05
2013 Leave a Comment

Written by Linda

I was putting my bib and photos from my latest race onto my race board and I counted up all of my races – I’ve done 26! My first race was June 2009 and my most recent race was in April 2013. Why do I do these races?

Firstly, it gives me a goal. I would still run if I didn’t have a race to train for, but training for a specific race lets me have a set plan. After my half marathon a few months ago I decided to just run for fun, no plan, no tempo or interval runs, no hill training. I thought it would be so relaxing, but you know what? It’s not very interesting, sometimes I didn’t even go out for my runs. I really need a plan.

The second reason is that I get some good stuff. Usually a nice shirt, some free samples, sometimes a medal. I love my race swag. I’ve gotten throw away gloves, lip balm, water bottles, a bandanna, and a rubber chicken.

I can’t even remember the last time I bought a running shirt since I have so many race shirts. There are actually now too many to fit in the drawer.

I also like the race atmosphere, it is exciting and full of energy. Lots of runners just pulsating with energy, hopping or running in place, doing jumping jacks, stretching, and talking. Lots of talking. I can’t talk before a race, probably because I’m so anxious, and I don’t talk in the morning anyway.

And then, the best part, crossing the finish line. That is always the highlight of the race, no matter the distance.

I’ve done 5k’s, 8k’s, 10k’s, 10 milers and half marathons. I almost broke 30 minutes in a 5k in 2009, and I would have if it hadn’t been such a crowded race. I finished in 30:16, that was the fastest I’ve ever run a race. I would love to break 30 minutes, but I’m not getting any faster at my age. I’ve never broken a one hour 10k either. But at this point I’m not running for time, I just want to get out there and do the best I can.

Why do you race?

Posted in Running - Tagged half marathon, race, running, training

2012–The Year In Running

Dec31
2012 4 Comments

Written by Linda

The last day of the year, a perfect time to look back and see where and what I ran this year.

I did 9 races! I didn’t realize I had done that many.

In February I did my first trail race, which was a 10K and not one of my favorite races, but I’m glad I did it. Now I can say I did a trail race.

In April I had two big races – the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and the Ocean City MD Half Marathon, which was my first “real” half marathon (the previous one was a virtual race, and therefore not really a race). I really enjoyed both of those races, and I would like to do them again in 2013. The Cherry Blossom has a lottery and I didn’t get in, but there is a bib exchange in February so I can try again then. And my friend with the beach house in Ocean City is already planning on a half marathon weekend (she doesn’t run, but she is the best fan ever!)

May saw my worst 5K ever, wow, that was a disaster. It was a beautiful day, with a really hilly course, like 13 hills in 3 miles. But it was for a good cause, and everyone has a bad day.

Then July 4th I had my best 5K since 2009, a race I have done every year since I started running. It is the Potomac Autism race, held only a couple of miles from my home and all of the neighbors run or walk, even Mr. Lemon.

I was training for my next half marathon over the summer, and that took place at the beginning of September, which happened to be the one year anniversary of my cancer surgery. The race was tough at the end because I got a little too fast in the middle miles, but it is a really nice race through Rock Creek Park.

Also in September I started coaching the beginning 5K training program in our county running club, which was great fun. As practice for our 5K we did a cross country race in October, which was my first cross country race. My time was awful, I had a bad case of achilles tendenitis and was in physical therapy, but it was a fun race.

Also in October I took the RRCA coaching certification program, and I am now a certified running coach!

November was the month for the 5K that we had been training for, and it wasn’t a bad race for me. But it was sad because it was the last time I saw one of my best friends (that is her up above in the half marathon photo) as she moved to California that very afternoon after the race. It is hard to find friends who like to both run and drink. Here is our whole pace group:

My last race of the year was on Thanksgiving, the Turkey Chase 10K, which is a fun race, but seems to be getting more and more crowded every year.

And in perhaps the most exciting new running adventure, I am now the Program Director for the Galloway running program in my county! And not only that, but they invited me to the program director meeting in Houston, TX in February! Which means they pay my airfare and hotel and I get to hang out with running program directors for three whole days. Wow.

And another exciting thing happened this week – I am now a blogger for an online magazine, Jennings Wire. You can read my first blog post here.

Have a happy new year everyone, and I’ll see you in 2013!

Posted in Running - Tagged coaching, race, running

Running News

Aug12
2012 10 Comments

Written by Linda

My half marathon is in 4 weeks and my achilles is really sore. I can’t do hill work, intervals, nothing but run on flat ground. I’m still not sure I’m going to do the half marathon, but for the now it’s a go.

My latest endeavor is being a running coach! Not really a running coach, more like a pace group leader, but they call us coaches. My running club, the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC), has great training programs and the one I’m working with is the Beginner’s 5K group. They usually get about 100 people signed up, and I will be pacing the back of the pack group. I relate to them, plus I run slowly. If you are in Montgomery County and want to sign up, or know someone who does, this is the time! It will be fun!

Last week I was googling around trying to see if there is such a thing as a certification program for coaching running, and the Road Runner’s Club of America actually has such a program. Unfortunately there was not one being held in my area anytime soon. A few days later an email from the MCRRC president went out saying that our club, plus the clubs from the two neighboring counties, are sponsoring the certification program from the RRCA. I emailed her to let her know I was interested. I doubt I will be chosen, there are only 12 spots available and I’m sure she will give them to people who have coached longer than me (I have not even started yet!)

Wednesday is our kick off at the track. I’m really looking forward to this, when I was in the beginning 5K group I learned so much and I’d love to give back. All of us are also giving little presentations to the runners each week, and mine is going to be about nutrition before, during and after a run. Now, this is just a 5K group, so basically all they need is water, but I’ll pretend they are running longer distances and give them my whole speech about carbs/protein, chocolate milk, gu, etc.