2015

New year, new goals. Kind of. My goal this year is to keep going. 

In years past I would have quit by now. At least four times over. I would have convinced myself that I was happy with my fitness level, weight and wardrobe. It's simply not enough anymore. I like the way I feel when I'm done working out way more. 

So my goal is to keep going. Mile after mile. I'm registered for two races in 2015- the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in February and the Disneyland Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon in May. We are also kicking around a St. Patrick's Day race. And if my company sponsors it again, I plan on running the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. 

A year ago I could barely run 1 mile. It's amazing how far (literally) I've come.  I catch myself saying things like "it's only a 5K". Only! 

This year I will own the treadmill. I pound out my frustrations and stress on it. I hop up with confidence and hop off with power. And it will get me to the start and finish lines in some pretty amazing places!

Schaumburg Turkey Trot

This morning we ran the Schaumburg Turkey Trot an All Community Events race. I say we because I had not only my husband and my oldest daughter there but 10 other friends and family members there.  (See what happens when you throw an idea out on Facebook?)

There was a 1/2 Marathon option but we did the 5K. It was my daughter'so first race and she was really excited because she also got a medal! 

Packet Pick Up

Packet Pick-up was at the local Dick Pond running store. This location happens to be on my way home from work so it was really convenient.  I spent less than 5 minutes parking and getting our gear!  They gave these nice reusable tote bags! I was actually kind of excited about the tote bags because I use these way more than the drawstring bags you usually get.  It came with a nice water bottle an energy bar and the race fleece. The one size of the 1/2 zip fleece was sold out so my Husband got a hoodie.  The material is the same and it's very soft but very thin.

There were 2 different bibs.  Some of our friends got a very sarcastic bib that read- I'm running a 5K you're probably still sleeping. They were really cute.

Start Line

We got up at dark o'clock even though the race was pretty local. There were two different locations for the start and finish lines so we took 2 cars in case the shuttles weren't great. There ended up being plenty of shuttles and so if we do this again I wouldn't feel the need for 2 cars. The biggest concern was the weather as it was 32 degrees and we weren't sure how much waiting around for shuttles we'd have to do. Turns out we did no waiting so that was nice.

The race was in Busse Woods Forrest Preserve which has a paved path through out.  For the most part the path was clear of snow but there were quite a few ice patches especially at the beginning of the race.  I did do some skating at one point and from there I took it much slower. I was really worried about an injury derailing the rest of my training.

It was a really pretty day and once we got going I was just warm enough.  It was not a large race field, I would say less than 800 people so that made it pretty easy to maneuver. My high school provided volunteers for the aid station and post run fuel. It was nice to see teenagers volunteering in their community. 

One of the lakes partially frozen.

Finish Line 

There was a DJ at the finish line but if there was a photographer, I missed them.  The medal they were handing out was different than the one shown on the website but is was nice. It had the race name and a decent ribbon.  

There were a few different food stops. One had bananas, oatmeal cups, fruit snacks, cookies, and granola bars in addition to warm apple cider and bottled water.  I think I saw hot water for the oatmeal but we ended up taking ours home.  We took a quick picture and headed to the car and the shuttle.

My shuttle ride reinforced the idea that runners are a friendly group. The person I sat next to struck up a conversation and we chatted about traveling to races and next goals all the way to the cars.  It really is true that you are never alone at a race. As long as you are a runner you have friends.

My Time

My time was 48:29, 2 minutes slower than my previous PR.  And that's just fine. It was cold, icy and my knee was bugging me a bit.  My average pace was 15:23 which was still way better than it was this time last year when I wasn't running ;).  

Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K

Back in the summer on the heals of my 1st 1/2, I decided to run the Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K. I had a few reasons. 1) I needed a certified race 10K or longer to provide proof of time for the Princess 1/2 in order to get a preferred start corral. 2)It had a really cool theme 3) The race shirt was a race fleece full zip hoodie 4) New this year was a medal for the 15K finishers.

The race weekend coincided with my 8 year wedding anniversary and somehow I managed to get my husband to agree to run with me. We decided to make a weekend out of it and stay in downtown Chicago making the race morning really convenient. 

This race has had a lot of issues with their packet pickup in years past. A bunch of negative reviews of the race came up on Yelp when I started researching it.  Overall, the last year's reviews were much improved after moving the pick up and expo to McCormick place so I decided we could probably handle the packet pick-up.

I was concerned about the weather being too cold.  Chicago is windy (but that's not why they call it "The Windy City", you can thank a long dead politician for that moniker) and right up against the lakefront can be really cold.  I've never really run in temperatures below 40 so I stalked Pinterest for some guides to cold weather running.  This one from Spark people has the best info graphic.

We headed to Target to stock up on base layers and wicking gloves.  I scored these great Champion Brand smart phone friendly running gloves that had gripping dots on the back.  They were only $15.99 and worked out great.

Expo/Packet Pick-Up

There were 3 days of packet pick-up.  We went on the 3rd day about an hour after they opened. It was easy to get to McCormick Place and the signs and crowd were easy to follow.  The Bib pick-up was less than 5 minutes.  They scanned my phone that had the email of our registration and handed me the bibs and we were done.  The snag came when we went to get the "award winning" goody bags.

They were out of my size (XXL Womens) hoodies and were giving out Mens XL as a replacement.  I was not happy.  One of my reasons for running the race and forking over the $65 registration (plus parking and bus fare) was the hoodie.  There was a very nice woman who clearly worked for the expo that was trying to fix the growing problem.  The story we were told was that the additional boxes of that size had been misplaced and they were trying to locate them.  She was scrambling to do what she could and while I was standing there she managed to find 5 or 6 additional XXL Womans hoodies. 

The expo did seem to have a fairly generous size swap policy and did have the hoodies for everyone to try on in a separate section.  I'm glad that they allow that but I was dismayed that the one I ordered wasn't there to begin with.  In the end I was happy but I don't know if they ever found the missing boxes. The hoodie fit true to size and was very comfortable.

The Expo itself was on the smaller (well it seemed small to me but this was my 1st race expo so what do I know) side.  I was excited to see Bondi Bands there as well as Nuun. Sweaty Band had a table as did JVC which netted me a new pair of headphones. 

I didn't find as much chocolate related merchandise as I was hoping and the "I run for chocolate" gear was somewhat plain.  They had a really cool cowl neck long sleeve running shirt but only had XS left.  I didn't end up buying any chocolate race gear because in my head I was shouting Princess Expo, Princess Expo.

Race Day

We lucked out and the weather was 43 degrees and not too windy.  There was a point, though, that I felt the wind in my shoes around the 5K mark that I began to worry would become uncomfortable if prolonged but it ended up not being too bad.  RAM Racing did a nice job of organizing the corrals and I was glad to see spot checkers at the entrance making sure people were in the correct place.  We ended up being in corral P which was the last wave of the 15K. The MC was energetic and there was a camera capturing the race field which was fun.  Even though there were 45,000 people it didn't feel that way and that was really impressive. The 15 min pace requirement was upheld and part of the course was closed to those who fell off pace.

Yes, I ran in the race hoodie.

There were several women in the very same Sparkle Skirt pattern. I got several thumbs up and compliments on my cute skirt.

There were plenty of water and Gatorade volunteers and the local cheer teams were a fun touch.  The course had great mile markers and markers at the 5 and 10K points.  They also had chip time mats at those intervals which I really liked.  The race allowed you to sign up for Facebook and text updates on runners for free so I was able to get those posted to Facebook without doing it myself. The course split from the 5K route was clearly marked and I took a moment to snap a selfie that there was no turning back. 

My only course complaint was that some of the fun aid stations of Marshmallows and Tootsie Rolls were gone when the back of the pack got to them. But the fact that they have them on course is different and something to look forward to. I did manage to snag a Tootsie Roll off a table and a Chocolate  Marshmallow around mile 7.

Post Race

Hubby and I crossed the finish line together.  I think that was the part I enjoyed most.  Running next to him past Soldier Field, The Field Museum, and into Grant Park was fun.  And receiving the medal (which was way cooler in person than on the website) was a great way to end our accomplishment. 

The walk to the Finisher Mugs and Post Race party is about a block but it felt longer.  It was worth it though as the Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Fondue were pretty tasty!  There were marshmallow, mini pretzels, banana, wafer cookies, and Rice Krispy treats to dip.  The mug itself is plastic and  divided into compartments but could be re-used for snacks if you were interested.  The majority ended up in the trash and that was kind of sad but we took ours home.

Overall it was a great race.  I finished in 2:15 and surprised myself.  I didn't have much pain during the race but did struggle with a tight IT band the following few days.  We definitely want to do it next year and seriously debated signing up for the Las Vegas leg of the series.  That race is less than a week after the Tinker Bell 1/2 Marathon in Disneyland so I don't think I'll be able to run, even the 5K that quickly. (The medal looks really cool and instead of a hoodie, you get a running vest.)

 

Training Day 1

My Pinterest inspired count down. I'm following the Jeff Galloway "Finish Upright" plan for the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon for those who have been running more than 6 months. Today was training day 1 and it called for a 30 minute run.  

It was cold and windy and dark when I set out this morning. I walked my kids to their bus stop, kissed them goodbye and off I went. I came home to an empty house and I may continue this routine in order to experience getting ready without being interrupted!

The run itself was fine. I managed a little over 1.5 miles and was slightly under the 30 minute mark. It rained a little as you can see in the picture. I'm still on the fence about running in the rain. Maybe in the summer it's fun but 50 and windy in Chicagoland and its a little uncomfortable.

Speaking of uncomfortable, why is it that I cannot find ladies wicking underwear? At my favorite big box store for work out equipment, Target, they had rows and rows of sports bras and pants. No undies. If I'm going to wear wicking everything else, why would I wear cotton briefs? I'll confess, I went commando today because my 2 wicking pair I was able to snag last January, (Do they only offer in the winter?) were in the wash. I thought perhaps that's the story behind not being able to find them, ladies are supposed to go sans wicking undies.  I did not enjoy that experience either. 

Running Tip: I use the Nike Running App and right now I'm pledging my miles to the Red campaign to eradicate HIV. Bank of America will donate $0.40 for every mile. I think it's a win all around! You can too! Visit this link to learn how!

I Am A Runner

 As a new runner I rejected the title "runner". I even rejected it as an adjective to describe me. I was running. I was learning to run. I was training for a 1/2 marathon but I was not a runner.

I had this idea that a runner was someone who was fast, who ran marathons and was stick thin. And I admit, I judged that the running community was unfriendly. It was club I was never going to belong to. I'm not fast, I'm not thin, and I am not a marathoner. Therefore, I was not a runner.

But it's hard to talk about running a 1/2 marathon without defining yourself as a runner. I tentatively tried the title on, the week of the Biggest Loser 1/2 at the phone store explaining to the sales clerk that "I am a runner and need a phone that won't die".  Yes, 6 months of training for the race and I used the term runner to describe myself for the 1st time. 

I held my breath after I said it. I was afraid he was going to challenge me. Ask for my runner card or something. Quiz me on the lingo. Challenge me in the store. But this crazy thing happened. He accepted my statement and then we bonded over his girlfriend being a runner.

I felt I needed to earn the title of runner because for so long I never felt it was something I could be. Six months of training and a 1/2 marathon medal seemed like enough sweat equity to bestow upon myself this coveted title. But guess what?

I became a runner the first day I started training.

That's right. The first day. The first step, in fact. I didn't need to prove it to anyone but myself. Because by and large, runners are an inclusive and friendly group. When I began talking about being a runner I found all these other people in my life were runners (or runners afraid to admit it) like me. I joined a Facebook group of people who love Disney and running and they were great. 

Every person I told was excited. Some were skeptical, which I totally get. I would look at me and think-she never runs. But I do. But ultimately everyone wanted to connect with me if they were a runner or cheer me on if they weren't.

I'm sorry I missed out on the running community for so long. As I hit the pavement Friday morning before work to relieve the stress of the week, I passed several other runners. And when the last guy in tights waved at me, it hit me, I really am a runner!

1) I was running in the morning on a Friday

2) To relieve stress

3) When the guy in tights waved he was accepting me as a fellow runner

4)I didn't think, How strange? he's in tights

5)I thought, I bet he's training for a marathon. Good for him.

I imagine that he was having a similar thought as he was running behind me because here is the thing, unless you are a top finisher, your fellow runners don't care how fast you are. They are just happy you are a runner too. They aren't thinking "My God, why is she so slow?!". Nope. They are thinking, "You go do your race!". 

When we were in Disney earlier this month a runDisney race, Tower of Terror 10 Miler, took place. Seeing the participants walking around with their medals was amazing motivation. And so many of them looked like me. All of the eager to talk about running. Some excited to talk about gear (one lady and I bonded over my Sparkle Skirt on the tram in Animal Kingdom). Each an inspiration to me, a fellow runner!

Ditka Dash

Yesterday was the 2014 Ditka Dash and we could not have had more perfect weather.  The setting for the Race was Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, and right on the lakefront of Lake Michigan.  I've run this route previously but the temps were just right, the sky was blue, and the tunnel under the stadium was lit up with orange and blue lights which was pretty cool.

There were three start waves 8, 9, and 10 am. We opted for the 10am so that we did not have to get up before the sun. We arrived at 9am and had plenty of time to hang out and enjoy the music before our corral started. The energy of this race was great and it was fun to see all the crazy costumes and everyone in their sunglasses and mustaches! There were even a few costumes including a few who had the trade mark Ditka cigars and Bears sweaters.

I was a little nervous about how I would do since I've had a miserable cold all week and had been extra busy between work and family obligations so I didn't get in any runs since last weekend. It's was a fun run and since there was no chip time I had to rely on my Nike Running App and my Garmin watch to track my time.

I broke the cardinal rule and tried something new on race day. I wore my new Sparkle Skirt (Sparkle Tech Castle Blue). I've read several reviews about this gear, I asked for one for my birthday. I loved it so much, I bough a longer version for our trips to Disney!

The start line was exciting due to the confetti, but also because Ditka was there in the flesh! Smoking a cigar (which was odd considering we were racing) and waving hello! 

I used my Garmin running watch to keep my intervals going. I ran 30 seconds, walked 30 seconds.  I ditched the mustache around the 1.5 mile mark. There were DJs blasting music near each mile marker and the aid station. I even heard the Super Bowl Shuffle! 

I managed to PR (personal record) this 5K which shocked me. I started off a little fast and had a lot of walkers to dodge during the race. (I don't mind walk/runs but walkers, please move over to the right and don't walk 4 people deep!) I averaged a 15:41 pace which is under the 16 min pace requirement for the Run Disney races.  The best part was that I wasn't totally dead on my feet when I crossed the finish line. I still had energy and I felt really good. I grabbed a banana and a beer and enjoyed the rest of the morning hanging with our friends.

Now we start training for the Hot Chocolate 15K!

Must Remember to Stretch

Because it really, really hurts when you forget to stretch. I went and ran on the treadmill during my lunch hour so I could go stretch really good at the fitness center.

I am slowly becoming friends with the treadmill. I am still worried I'm going to take another spill, but I am gaining some confidence and increasing my pace and the incline. I did intervals today. 2 minutes at a 15 min/mile pace and 2 minutes at a 18 min/mile pace. And then I foam rolled and stretched for a good 15 minutes. 

It's amazing how much energy I have after working out. And as a bonus I went at an off peak time and had the entire fitness center and locker room to myself. It was a nice break in my day.

Now I'm need to go slather on the Icy Hot!