Ocean's Run 1/2 Marathon

Hello race - half/full training day

I have been toying with running the Ocean's Run 1/2 Marathon for a year and a half now. I did not register until yesterday. I was lucky enough to have a certificate that covered the entry fee which I won at the Girls on the Run fundraiser 5k that I did back in June with my youngest. So yesterday I just had to drive about 45 minutes to the registration site and take care of the registration. Here is a hint: If they don't give you a course map, but they have a map out at registration, take a photo of it on your phone so you can consult it at will before the race!

Here we are hiking out to the start line near the beach.

Oh yeah! There is an ocean at Ocean's Run! Hello Atlantic/Long Island Sound!

I ran the race because I wanted to last year but passed on it in the end, and because I needed to get in a longer run for my marathon training.  My plan was to run the splits I intend to run for my fall marathons under race conditions to see how it felt. Of course as the race start approached, I did not think I would really be able to hold myself back to 10 minute miles. So I resolved to run within a easy pace whatever that meant in the moment.  So I just ran, not too hard, but also not super easy. I also practiced tweeting photos from the race course. It is fun to be able to share. I learned a few things about tweeting on the go. 1. I need to turn off the password on my phone. 2. Keep it short. 3. Once I decided to really race all tweeting went out the window! So happily I ran along, ran along, ran along, happily I ran along early on Sunday morning! (Feel free to sing it.)

1st race photo tweet

2nd tweet

3rd tweet

At one point 4 women passed me while I was tweeting. I found that I did slow down although I could also keep moving while tweeting. But that was okay...this was a slower than race pace run for the first half of a full right? I mean this was all about October's full right? Well kind of...my competitive side was right there waiting to kick in. I passed a couple of the women back and just kept going. I practiced my never look back rule. Somewhere around mile 9 a course flagger told me I was the 18th woman on the course. (In the end I think she was wrong.) And she told me 17 and 16 were right in front of me. Well that was it...I went for it. I was 17th and then I was 16th. With a couple miles left it looked like I might become 15th, but I never did pass her. I knew full well that the entire women's field seemed to be in their 40s, so my age group. I knew I would not place, I have never placed, but I still wanted to finish strong.  That I did.

For the last mile I challenged another runner to the finish line. He was throwing in walk breaks and his friends were acknowledging that this was not his best effort, but I let him know I expected him to beat me. He totally looked like he had it in him. Then when he announced that he would run it in with me I pointed out the finish area within our sight and told him to go for it! He did! I finished right behind him. Funny that we were 249 and 250!

249 & 250

Looks like I finished as the 23rd woman.  My final rankings were Div/Tot 10/33 and Sex/Tot 23/81.
1st in my Div was 1:30:08.  2nd was 1:34:08.  3rd was 1:36:47.  Those ladies are fast!

Update: I just went back and checked my PR...it was 1:54:52 = New PR for me! 1:53:43!

My plan was always to double back on the course and put in some extra miles (exact amount undetermined). So I did. Early in the race I was surprised to see a friend was running the race when I passed her coming and going around mile 2.5, but I figured that I would run it back to her and then join her to the finish. I ended up putting in 16.5 today.  I am coming off 3 weeks of illness so this was my first effort to reestablish my marathon training distance for October 14th at the Amica Marathon in Newport, RI and 2 weeks later at the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. It was a great run. I learned a few things and I practiced running past the 1/2 marathon finish line, which is exactly what I will have to do in Newport.

Go Linda! She always has a great costume on to liven up race day!

A second finish line photo! My medal was safely tucked in my pouch!

Fueling for mid to long runs and races

I am all about my Clif Shot Blocks (@ClifBar).  I fuel the same for my mid/long runs as I do for my races.  I buy the Margarita blocks by the box.  Depending on what I think my needs are I eat 1 block every 2 miles, 20 min, 25 min, or even 30 min.

I start at the first interval and stay consistent across the entire distance.  I always drink water with them so I have taken to racing with water bottles.  I supplement later in the race with water from the course.  I can get through most of a half marathon with my own supplies.  It allows me to run consistently since I am not stopping at aid stations.

Another blogger asked me to write this up so I thought I would share it with all of you as well.

(My) Safety Vest Rules

There is a new fall/winter running season coming! Are you ready for night running? I had an old school panel vest that I just was not happy with.  I have run with it for 3-4 years and than was enough. This past winter I was seeing some reflective vests out there on the road that looked quite a bit better than mine! So I set out to find my next new piece of running gear. I was at REI looking for something else when I remembered my vest. What I found was exactly what I wanted!

My new Amphipod safety strap vest!

It is totally adjustable and I don't even feel it when I am running. The two waist and two shoulder straps are reflective as well and the front and back medallions. I feel confident that everyone out there on the road can see me and that lets me run strong! Tonight's run - 3 miles before sunset and 3 miles after. Get your safety on so you can get your run on!

Smells like fried chicken!

Tonight's run was from 7:30 to 8:30 pm in the city.  I have not run during the dinner "hour" in a while.  About 2 miles into the run I passed a block that smelled like the most heavenly fried chicken I could imagine.  I don't even eat fried chicken, but this stuff smelled amazing.

I thought for a moment "oh no...am I going to have to smell everyone's dinner before I eat my own. That will be torture."  Then I changed my mind and thought I love the smell of food why not just enjoy the smells coming from peoples kitchens while I am running.

There really was nothing wrong with enjoying their kitchen aromas.  It was not like I was starving.  I did have something to eat before setting out to the city for my daughter's dance class.  I had actually had a slice of a Whole Foods apple pie.  Not an apple pie flavored bar and real slice of pie.  So I was all set and my belly was at peace with the wonderful kitchen aromas.  Ask me again tomorrow about the kitchens smelled after my run and the answer could be "to die for", but tonight I was content just to appreciate from my place on the road.

CVS Caremark Downtown 5k - Providence, RI

Here are my finishing state: 

Final time 24:13, 

pace 7:48, 

17th in my division, 

118th woman to finish out of 2354, 

1st place Minnie Mouse! 

The women beat the men 2354 to 2084!  It was close, but we still edged them out!

I picked up the ears and gloves last night at Target.  The set was only $12! They also have a Mickey set, but there is no way most guys would be able to wear the gloves. I also had my Minnie Mouse earrings on!

Minnie Mouse was a city mouse today.  

The race started right in front of the CVS store!

Start line! It was a red kind of day! 

Minnie Mouse lined up right in front of the DSW store! 

We know how much she loves her shoes!

Look at all the runners in front of me.  

The corral was divided based on predicted finish times.  

I lined up around the 24 minute range.  

I have never been at a race that was laid out based on finish time rather than pace.  

The runners when off to the left back near that yellow tent and up the hill.  The corral markers started at 15 minute and went every 5 minutes up until they reached walkers.  There were about 4400 finishers.  They announced that the race had raised 1.2 million dollars for local children's charities!  What an amazing event!

After the race one of my Facebook buddies found me!  

The ears kind of gave me away!  

It was great to meet you Shawn!  He is actually wearing a runDisney hat!

After the 5k finished the high school team 3k race lined up.  

They were very excited!  The costumes were amazing.  

They had brought all kinds of entertainment with them into the corral.  

There were beach balls, silly string, and yes that is a whale breaching! 

I wonder how far the palm trees made it down the course!  I also heard a Dorthy saying that her Wizard of Oz costume really did not breath!  Test run your costume!  There were about 20 girls all dressed in pink with tiaras as Miss USA.  I so wanted their picture, but could not get it.  These kids are one step away from runDisney racing!

It was a great race with great friends!  I still feel a little cooked from the sun and wind, but it was all worth it. (I did have sun screen on.)

Sweat Pink Ambassador

Sweating Pink in North Carolina back in July!

Right about now I am starting to think that things are all starting to happen at once!  I got an email response from Fit Approach letting me know that I was one of their new Sweat Pink Ambassadors.

I proved to myself that I love talking running gear and fitness with others at the Rock 'n' Roll Providence expo just as much as I love doing it online.  This of course is something that I already knew, but with practice we all build confidence!  So I am hopeful that this new ambassadorship will give me the opportunity to do more of both!

So lets #SweatPink together!

Waiting on Satellites

Are you always waiting on satellites...letting your GPS watch key in before you start running?

That was me until I decided that I was no longer waiting.  Even if my watch did not remember those first few minutes of every run, my body would.  I could stand there and wait or I could get my run on and run an extra few blocks every run.

So stop standing there staring at your watch and get to it.  When it is ready it can join you on your run.  Run your watch...don't let it run you!

What to do when you are not feeling well?

I have been feeling less than 100% for about a week now.  I have been getting my shorter runs in, but the long ones are just more than I can even think about.

The idea of feeling horrible 10 miles from my house is not something I want to risk.  I guess the solution would be to run shorter loops.  I will try to remember that for next time.

I guess my plan is to just keep my 5-7 mile runs going and get in my 20 mile run when I feel healthy again.  Maybe I will be up for it on Friday?  Time will tell!

Are you good about cutting yourself some slack with your training when you are under the weather or do you push through?

My new Wednesday night run

Tonight I dropped both girls off at dance and headed out for a one hour run.  School is back in session and we are working on getting into our new routines.  That includes getting my run schedule organized.

To my surprise I ran into another blogger friend 5 minutes into my run.  We were running an out and back that is just over 3 miles.  So we saw each other a couple of times.  We finished off her run together with a two tiered finish line sprint!  It may become a weekly thing!  It definitely will be for me.  When I have a block of time to run...I run...weather and daylight do not matter...I just adjust my gear!

Sorry no pictures tonight folks...just some good hard running!

How are your schedules adjusting to the change of family activities, season, weather, whatnot?

Blog Club - The Invitation

How many of you have a blog?

Do you want to join Blog Club? 

Let me know about your blog and we can read, comment, and support each other.

Once there was one...then three more joined

With a simple idea Blog Club was born!

• The idea is to have a current index of blog posts than anyone can add to with a hash tag.  A table of contents to recent Blog Club posts.
• The purpose is to let the community know that you have added a blog post and would like people to take a peek and leave a comment.  
• Feel free to add the hash tag to your post comment so that people know how you found them.  There are a lot of amazing blogs out there and this is a way to help us all explore and support one another.
• Make sure that when you use the hash tag you look for a similarly tagged blog post link to go read and comment on.  You know what goes around comes around!
• Just like book clubs have different topics, blog club can have different topics depending on the subject.

The current blog clubs are:

#FitnessBlogClub

#runDisneyBlogClub

 If you want to add more I can keep a list.  I am sure this will become a very organic thing with other blog club hashtags developing based on people interest. So blog and tweet away.



Would you run in a coffee cup costume? A Dunkin Donuts coffee cup at MCM?

This is a very special contest for one very special runner!

"Dunkin' Donuts cup runneth over with a generous offer for all non-registered, would-be MCM participants.  Dunkin' Donuts, a proud sponsor of the MCM, is making available the unique opportunity for one runner to participate in "The People's Marathon" while wearing the Dunkin' cup costume.  The lightweight costume is certain to attract the attention of fellow runners and more than 100,000 spectators lining the MCM course.  Think of the great images you'll be able to post to your Facebook page.

This Could Be You!

To enter Dunkin' Donuts Run in the Cup Contest, for the chance to wear the cup costume and receive a complimentary entry to the 37th MCM on October 28, 2012, send an email by September 10 to mcmcontest@gmail.com detailing why you are the perfect person to bring the cup to life.  A panel of judges will select the most creative, original and unique entry.  America Runs on Dunkin' and now you can run in Dunkin'!  And remember to look for the Dunkin' Donuts munchkins station on the MCM course at Mile 24."

Are you going to enter?

FitFluential Ambassador - Erin Williams

Yesterday amid all of the continued excitement after the @runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon I got a very important email...from FitFluential! Welcome to the newest ambassador ME!

Of course I may need a little help from Tinker Bell!
-Pixie Dust and Fairy Wings Forever!

Labor Day 10 Miler

If you had asked me yesterday how far I was going to run today I would have told you 20 miles.  Well after a difficult night sleep and not feeling spot on this morning I decided to cut it in half.

I am trying to get my mile up so I will be ready for the Amica Marathon in Newport, RI in mid-October.  I did 19 miles last Sunday and hopefully will get in a 21 mile run next weekend.  This will be my second full marathon.  I only trained to 21 miles for my first back in May.  I really want to get beyond that for this one.

Two weeks after the Amica I have the Marine Corps Marathon.  So my October is a little marathon heavy.  I will probably throw in a few shorter distances after that before heading to Disney World in January for Marathon Weekend!  So that is marathon 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be Rock 'n' Roll USA in DC in March.  I am going to try and be up for all this running, because I certainly have signed myself up for quite a bit of it!

Now that being said...back to today's run...the photo blog!  I had a beautiful mid-day 10 mile run on the East Bay Bike Path along the northern shore of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island!  I love going for longer runs on holidays.  It gives you time to think.

Pomham Rocks Lighthouse - Now

They are adding more signs along the path - so Pomham Rocks Lighthouse then

The sentries standing watch keeping the inhabitants of the cove in check!
All I could think was who needs a zoo!

The swans are out year round.
The mate and youngster were not far away.

Providence

This bike path goes to Providence!
Runners welcome!

The Brown University Boat House

The smallest tugboat on the upper bay.

arches and lines - greens and blues - water and shy
The balance of it all makes me happy.

Wind power - Our winds sometimes come out of the west,
but more often they are from the north or south
and watch out for the winds from the east!

The path is busy on a day like today, but everyone does their best to get along: cyclists, runners, walkers, roller bladers, fishermen...but bike lane rules apply (ride right, walk left).