Half Marathon #1 in the books!

Whew! One down, more to come. After a long harsh winter, spring made herself known April 6 and in perfect timing. Newmarket NH was a great little town to experience my first half marathon. I got there early and met a few new friends, one woman who had just run a half marathon the day before and was there to run the 5k. The course went through the great brick building lined main street and out into local neighborhoods before winding through the forest on a hard packed dirt road. The last couple miles involve a heartbreaking (for me) out and back to a subdivision on a peninsula. From there you start back into the main street area, which is just in sight when the volunteers direct you to the right for a small detour and another hill! Once up that last hill (last of many, did I mention that?) it's all downhill to the finish line. At this point I turned to the runner next to me who was kicking it up a notch and said "Nice work, finish strong!" to which he replied "Together?". I nodded and tried to keep pace as we sprinted for the finish, unfortunately this sprint began about 300 meters out and I just didn't have it in me to stay with him so I cheered him on as he sprinted down to the line. We shared a high five and a smile at the end, it was a great day.

At mile 11 I wanted to quit. My lower back was killing me and my legs felt like dead weight. If I came around a bend to another incline, regardless the size, I was cursing in my head. I find it nearly impossible to believe my pace at the end was the same at the beginning but it was. I was able to average 9:07/ miles and finished in 2:02:39. I had secretly been hoping against hope that I could pull it off in 2:00. Then, on the bus ride in the woman in the seat ahead of me replied "oh, it's hilly" when I inquired about the course. At that point I adjusted my goal to 2:20 so I was quite thrilled with my finish.

I had a wonderful time at this race, it was well organized and everyone was courteous and friendly.  There were musicians throughout the course, even a banjo player playing a tune and hula-hooping simultaneously. There was a yard full of red-solo-cup bearing folks cheering us on and such great support throughout the whole race. Best signs? "Keep Going! Keep Going! (That's what she said)" sitting next to "Good Job Random Stranger!". Great day. 

At the Finish Line in 2:02:39   

The Route   

First 5k of the year

This race is one that I have a great memory of from years ago. Every few years the island fire/ems/police get all amped up about fitness. About 5 years ago they made an "emergency services relay" part of this 5k. It was the one and only year this was done and Edgartown entered a team. In a department of over 60 people we could only find 2 to run so we recruited my friend Joel whom I ran track with in HS, he is an assistant coach with the MVRHS team today.  

So we had myself, Joel, and Chris Hargy; Firefighter, EMT, Sheriff's Deputy. Chris was the kind of guy that was always up for something fun like this. Now let me remind you, this is a 5k. 3.1 miles. A relay? Really? Yes. It was ridiculous but we did it. The 3 or 4 teams flew through the course, I was lucky, 3rd leg, all downhill. Chris? 2nd mile, all UPHILL. He was a champ. I remember crossing the finish line and seeing him puking in the woods, he gave 110% that day and for what? bragging rights? Not really. An award? None that I know of. He was just that kind of guy, he gave you his best, and even though he was puking his guts out he still managed to give me a big smile and a high five.

He always had a big smile for everyone. He was a quiet guy in large situations but if you were, say, stationed at the school kitchen cooking bacon and sausage for hours during the annual pancake breakfast at the fire station? He was a blast, especially if his wife, Molly, was there too. Together they could keep a bystander in stitches with their humorous bickering.

Chris left us in august of 2012. One of those losses that leaves us all reeling, questioning, hurting, and wondering why. Cancer SUCKS. 

I don't run because of Chris, I run for other reasons. That being said, whenever I run East Chop, or drive by the park where that race ends, or ride in the ladder truck, or check the ambulance, I think of him and miss him.

Side note: I blew my 5k best time out of the water :) came in 5th for women, 15th overall!

2 months till Ragnar, 2 weeks till Great Bay 1/2 Marathon

The Amity Island Running Club is in full swing! No, not training and doing speed work. We're deciding on logos, what shirts we want and if we order koozies or not. I think we go for the koozies.

I got away from 2-3 milers last week and cranked out a couple 4 mile jaunts. It's starting to feel good to get going a little bit further and although I'm nervous, I am feeling good about the Great Bay 1/2 Marathon next month. 

Hockey is winding down, 4 skates left till the rink closes. After that my running will probably be bumped from 2-3x a week to 3-4x a week with strength training worked in. Having the extra daylight is so refreshing and invigorating! 

I managed to get in a 6 mile run Sunday, the weather was beautiful and I am really enjoying adding to my go-to loop. I've been using Running Map to get an idea of miles and really like the fact that they let you do a hybrid map, showing the satellite view with the roads. I've been using the Old Dump loop (3.75 miles) as a base and adding on to each end. I've noticed, thanks to RunKeeper and listening my own body, that I actually tend to speed up towards the end of my run. It just goes to show that the first mile really is the toughest (for me at least). At the distances I'm currently running, the biggest challenge is mental, the body can handle it, it's just a matter of getting the mind on board.

truth.

MV 20 Miler - Post Race

Done and done! What a run! Luckily I didn't have time to get nervous before the race, actually, I was almost late. You can't just leave when it's USA/ Russia OT hockey in the Olympics! Anyway, I made it to the start line with a few minutes to spare and found my "team". I would end up running the entire 10 with Pete from Boston who is a training partner of my college roommate's. It worked out perfectly. I've always read about how a good pace in one in which you are able to carry on a conversation, training solo, I've never been able to accomplish that. During this race, I did. Pete set a great pace and we chatted comfortably throughout the race, finishing in 1:37 & change. 

We really lucked out with the weather, there was actually a blizzard warning in effect for the cape & islands and our leg missed it by minutes. As we "handed off" in the transition zone (Emily had actually jumped in at mile 8 with us and Pete's teammate started early at mile 5 to get her 15 mile run in) the snow began to get a bit heavier and, to us, beautiful. For those at the halfway mark of their run it may not have been so beautiful. 

Our run had started at the crosswalk on Water St in VH, right at the Steamship terminal. We ran, as a pack, through 5 corners and up and over the drawbridge, it was a sight to see. Once everyone started to find their pace the pack got strung out over a distance and it was a little quieter, and easier for auto traffic to get by everyone. We had a beautiful run around West Chop and along Oak Bluffs Harbor where Em and Chad were waiting with cheers of support. After that we headed toward the beach, what could have been a grueling stretch was a beautiful, perfect temperature, run with just the right amount of wind nudging us from behind. As we came across the bridges and made our way to the Bend we were delighted to find my parents and sister and brother-in-law waiting to cheer us on into the final mile. Getting a high five from my nephew on the way by was just what I needed for a strong finish. 

As we got to the triangle (an intersection in Edgartown 100 yds. from the transition zone) I was delighted to find my friend Angie sitting in the first car stopped in traffic, waiting patiently for all us runners to cross. Once we closed out our 10, I was (easily) convinced to go into Sharky's Cantina (which was perfectly located at the transition) and downing a huge water/coconut water combo followed up by a much deserved mudslide, in all honesty, maybe the best mudslide I'd ever had!

All in all it was a great race, the snow, while beautiful, did a number on some of the 20 milers as it was wet and heavy. the relay seemed to be a major success and the director, a classmate of mine, said they would definitely be doing it again next year. I had a great time and can't wait for the next race! 

Next up: St. Patrick's 5k here on island then the Great Bay 1/2 Marathon in April up in NH.

2014 Races and maybe I don't "hate" running anymore

My race schedule this year includes 7 definite's and 3 maybe's (in italics in the left column). T-minus 11 days till Race #1: The Vineyard 20 Miler. They have added a relay option this year and have had 38 teams of two sign up to tackle the visually spectacular and potentially esteem defeating route. If the wind is going the right way the 5 or so miles along the beach could be some of the most beautiful miles I log in a race this year, if we get a SE or East wind, well.....I'm totally screwed. So henceforth I shall be asking the powers that be for fair winds and following seas. 

Just last week I officially committed to 2 half marathons! I'll be heading north for both, the Great Bay Half Marathon in Newmarket, NH in April and later in the year, the Maine Half Marathon up in Portland, ME. Both allow me to visit and enjoy the company of some fantastic friends and enjoy some great towns and local fare.

The blog and the fitness tracking are helping keep me focused and a month into my training I am holding up well. According to my workout spreadsheet (yes, I'm that dorky, actually even more so) I've stuck to my regime and am on target for my 500 miles. I am (dare I say it?)  beginning to like, and look forward to, running. That is something I never saw in my future and I am ecstatic to be looking forward to running. I stumbled upon this website,  iusedtohaterunning.com, and it really helped me get started again. After reading a bit and see what they were all about I started running, slowly. This was in the fall and I wasn't as consistent as I have been since the end of December but it was something, I was getting out there from time to time. The main piece I took away from the site was to not worry about having to walk. If you are running along and hating every second, why bash yourself? Walk until you feel ready again and step it up. Once I took the competitor out of myself for a bit I found myself getting to points where I didn't have to walk and I wasn't hating it. Today, the competitor in me is back and I haven't had to walk in a while, if I'm being honest, it is STILL a struggle to get through the first mile or so on a good number of my runs but I push through, I know that once I get going and get my body in a rhythm, it's going to be great and you know what? 9 times out of ten, it is.