Not One of My Best...

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

Last Saturday, Stroller Warriors participated in the second race of the Have to Half series. It was brutally hot despite our early (7am) start, and I was thankful I hadn't signed up for the full race! Instead, I planned to log a short 7 with some friends. I lucked out and got the morning off from stroller duty while the Weasel slept in. 

The run started off ok. We tackled some hills for the first 2.5 miles and it wasn't terrible. I was running with my biking water bottle in hand as a test for some of my longer runs. Overall, it wasn't difficult to hold the bottle and run, but in the future, I think I'll look at different options. I've gotten so accustomed to running with the stroller and having a place for everything, that I am spoiled:)

We turned onto a nice shaded trail and took a quick break to say hello to some of the ladies manning the water station:

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

We kept a decent pace along the Greenway trail, but I was hurting and had gone a little quiet (typically I try to talk for most of the long runs I do). As we neared mile 6, I told the group I most definitely HAD to slow down, but urged them to go ahead. Naturally, they slowed their pace with me and just encouraged me along! I LOVE MY STROLLER WARRIORS! We took a short walk break and managed to finish out 7 miles, but it took every ounce of effort I could muster. I wasn't happy with the results, but it was over and I was thrilled.

Self-portraits post-run...how I felt, and how I was trying to pretend I wasn't hating every minute of it!

In a hurry to get back to the weekend, I headed home without properly stretching...MISTAKE! I wasn't too sore after, but I know just taking 10 minutes to stretch would have made a world of difference. Then later in the day, I hopped back on Facebook and saw some awesomely inspiring stories from some of the ladies who had finished their first half marathons! I couldn't believe they had covered twice the distance with smiles on their faces! Here are some of the pictures from the event:

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

Hand towels on ice to cool down the runners...what a great idea!!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

 One of the wacky ladies who created the Have to Half series! 

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

 Now this gal is inspiring! She's a mother of 3 who had 2 in tow during most of this race. She even stopped twice to nurse the baby!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

 Mini Warriors out to show their support!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

Leading the pack...here's Jane and Jen running as though it was a nice cool 60 degrees!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

As if running a half marathon isn't difficult enough, try adding a double stroller...for the ENTIRE race. Go BRE!!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

 Candice finishing her first half marathon! 

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Harlow

Whitney and her husband tackling her first half! She did awesome!

If this doesn't inspire you to get over those bad runs and leave them in the past, I don't know what could!

WAC Triathlon Recap

On Sunday, June 24th, I headed down to Wilmington to run the Wilmington Athletic Club Triathlon. It was a short one: 300m swim, 11.5m bike, 5k run. I haven't been in the pool to train since I was pregnant (Weasel turns 2 next month to give you some perspective!) and it's been months since my bike tires have felt actual pavement. I have done a bit of riding on the trainer when Weasel naps, but otherwise, not much. Luckily I've been running for the last year and half or this would have kicked my bootie!

With my setup

Pat, Jill and Liam pre-race. They take turns racing while the other cheers and watches the kiddo. What a great team!

My friend, Jess, was kind enough to volunteer to ride down with me and, being a seasoned triathlete herself, provide me with some tips for the race. She also let me borrow her bib belt which came in handy.

My friends, Liz and Jess (on the right). I didn't get a picture of her on race morning, so I stole this old one from FB.

After I checked in and staged my gear, I headed over to the heated pool to do a warmup lap. Thank goodness I did, because that's when I found out my goggles didn't work! I ended up tying both rubber straps to secure them, but water was still leaking in. I discovered that Weasel had removed the rubber around the actual goggles, so after fixing that, I thought they were good to go. When I registered, they asked me for my 100m swim time. I had no idea, so I guessed a 1:55. That put me in line at number 95 and 26 minutes into the race I hopped into the pool to start my swim. It was 6 lanes down and back. On the first push off, I realized my goggles were definitely NOT fixed. Nevertheless, I continued to swim, passing two ladies and then enjoying some clear lanes. I finished the swim in 5:56 (6th for overall females) and quickly made my way to the transition area.

Me and my fellow SW, Darcie, who was doing her first tri! This is just after my warmup swim when I discovered my goggles SUCKED!

Waiting in line to start the swim. I think I had just witnessed one of several head-on collisions in the pool!

And I'm off...

Exiting the pool and heading towards the transition area

53 seconds later, I was headed out on to the bike course, a 2-loop course with tight, technical turns. The staggered start didn't allow for much interaction along the bike course and I found that I passed two people and was passed by two others. The 11.5 miles took me 38:24, way longer than it probably should have if I had invested more training time.

I ran my bike well passed the "mount" line because the course started with a little hill. I didn't know what gear my bike was in, and I didn't want to get stuck:)

Starting my second loop. I was so bored at this point and really wishing I had someone to ride with.

I had decided not to wear socks for the first time ever and popped on my running shoes right away. I now know why people invest in those quick laces as I felt like it took a lifetime (55 seconds) for me to tie my shoes. And if you're going to buy the quick ties, you might as well add in one of those straps that holds your racing chip, or your ankle may end up looking like this:

This is from my run on Monday, but you get the idea. I was wearing one of those plastic bands they give you and apparently I didn't have it high enough or tight enough.

The plastic band rubbed my ankle raw:(

But soon enough, I was out on the course and running down people one-by-one. I'm pleased to say that I passed about 10 people and was not passed by a single runner. I finished the 5k in 23:46. It was by no means my fastest run time, but I was happy with it. The temps were brutal, but they had two great water stations available that we passed twice since it was an out-and-back course.

Someone was happy to be off the bike!

I don't run like this...I was putting my bib on!

The final turn before the finish line.

My friend Jill's husband was running too and it was so nice to see him a couple times throughout the course. It was also a great pick-me-up to see friends cheering me on! A fellow Stroller Warrior, Heidi, even brought her mini-warrior, Maddie along to cheer!

Heidi and Maddie. (Also not from race day, obviously:). This was taken a week or two after she gave birth. Yes, we are all jealous!

All in all, it was a great race. I ended up placing 3rd in my age group and 7th among all females (63 total females raced). I know I need to do some swimming and biking beforehand next time around, but this was one last thing to do for fun before turning to on MARATHON TRAINING! I promise my next post will finally include the plan I'm going to use. It has been really tough sorting through existing plans without deciding to quit before even beginning!

Me and Pat with our race "trophies." Pat placed second in his AG with a time of 1:06:36

Have to Half

I've mentioned my awesome running club, Stroller Warriors, a few dozen times. This post is all about just how great this club is! Back in March, a HUGE group of us participated in the Quintiles Half Marathon. Following that, several of the girls ran either the Hope for the Warriors Half or the Myrtle Beach Diva's Half (one of my favorite gals even ran BOTH!). Since then, there has been a shortage of races in the local area. SW wouldn't let a small thing like that get in the way though...

Two of our fabulous group leaders (they run the C25K program for newer runners), developed an idea that was conceived over a glass of wine in the kitchen...the Have to Half series! These girls (pictured to the right) mapped out a course on board Camp Lejeune, complete with mile markers, directional signs, water stations, medals and motivational sidewalk chalk sayings. On Saturday at 7am, almost 30 of us met at Dunkin Donuts to kick off the first race of the series.

This group consisted of ladies who have done several marathons and half marathons to those who have never run more than a 10k!

After a group photo, we walked across the street and got started with a very casual, "Ready, Set, GO!" My friend, Jill, and her husband Pat even brought their son, Liam, along for the entire 13.1! He was a trooper and didn't make a peep for 2 hours in the stroller! The first couple three miles of the course included the only hills on base, so it was nice to get that part over early on. We are blessed with great paved trails on Camp Lejeune with only a few minor detours due to construction, and we took advantage of being able to run in small groups. We had a few gals who came out to support the race by taking pictures and providing directions too. 

If I remember correctly, this picture was around mile 4.

With limited support staff, the coordinators decided the best way to provide water was with these "stations" of ice and water bottles. It was perfect!

At mile 4, the course left the housing area and wandered along a great trail we frequently use for our weekly workouts. It was a great break from the noise of traffic and luckily there were no bugs out! There was a short out and back along the New River that was quite scenic and allowed us to cheer one another on throughout the later miles. We made the final turn toward Dunkin Donuts and arrived at the finish line just short of 2 hours (1:56:45). It was an fantastic event made better by the race bling, beer and chocolate milk found at the end:)

We even had three pregnant mother runners along for the race!

In conjunction with their need to race, the coordinators also do a lot of fundraising. They have decided that each race will be paired with a charity of the club's choosing. This time around we ran in support of the Semper Fi Fund (and raised over $500!). The overall cost to enter was minimal - $5.75 to pay for the medal and whatever donation you chose (if you even wanted to) give to the Semper Fi Fund (an organization that is near and dear to many military spouses). 

I had to take off early, but most of the ladies stuck around to cheer on everyone who finished:

This is a photo of two amazing ladies (white and blue shirts) who volunteered to run with whomever needed the extra motivation and support. The gal in the purple had never done over 9 miles and was super hesitant to run 13.1. Needless to say, she totally rocked it!

And here's a shot of the group once the race was over:

I'm so blessed to have joined this group of women who are crazy enough to think that randomly running a half marathon is a great way to spend a Saturday morning:) I'm already looking forward to next month's race!

Friends Make Me a Better Runner

We live in Eastern NC. And while technically it's still spring, it's HOT here! So on Tuesday afternoon, I messaged my running buddy, Jill, to ask if she wanted to do a longish (6-7 miles) run the following morning. Last week, we knocked out 8, but didn't start our run until 10:30 and it was way too hot. We wised up and decided to get it done earlier this time around. She told me that another friend posted her intentions of running 10-11 on our Stroller Warrior site, and was asking for partners for some or all of the run. We jumped at the opportunity to add more friends to our training, and met Nicole at the trail by 8 am. While it was still warm, the trail offered some shade in several spots and with rain in the forecast, we had a bit of cloud cover. 


We set off, Jill with Liam, and me with the Weasel in our strollers, and Nicole running solo. The first 5 miles flew by. We chatted non-stop and kept a good pace (1- 8:16, 2- 8:24, 3- 8:32, 4- 8:36, 5- 8:35). The trail provided enough room for us to run three across and it was nice to hear each of our GPSs click off the miles (they have fancy watches, but my iPhone app - RunKeeper - actually announces the pace you're keeping:). At the turn around point, I claimed that we needed to stop so I could open a juice box for the Weasel. In reality, I just needed a break and a chance to sip some water and down a few Honey Stinger Chews:) 


We turned and headed back to the start. While the pace slowed a bit, the conversation continued. Knowing we would be just shy of 11 miles since the turn around only took us to 5.45, I suggested a short turn off out-and-back to add the mileage BEFORE reaching our vehicles. We ended up back at the starting point at 1:38:46 for a total of 11.1 miles! (second half splits: 6- 8:54, 7- 9:28, 8- 9:00, 9- 9:06, 10- 9:36, 11- 9:25) 


Funny thing about this run, Jill and I aren't training for anything. We just heard about the opportunity to run 11 miles and jumped on it. That's just one of the reasons I LOVE this club. Nicole is preparing for another half marathon this coming weekend and another one the following weekend. She's a machine. She runs everyday, mostly in the wee hours of the morning. And she is ALWAYS smiling. 

Me, Nicole & Jill at the finish

How could you NOT have fun with these ladies?!

After the workout, Weasel and I hit up the local grocery store to get dinner items for tonight and tomorrow. Then we headed home and had lunch. I had leftovers - chicken breast stuffed with spinach, feta and onions, on a bed of whole wheat couscous. 

Then, Weasel helped demonstrate her own techniques on my beloved foam roller:

So it's days like this when I absolutely love being a stay-at-home-mom. Hard to complain, right?! And the true sign that it was a successful day - I actually showered within an hour of finishing my run! (Typically I forgo the shower and play with Weasel:) Lastly, a shout out to Weasel and Liam who were perfect angels throughout the entire run!

Best Friend + Care Package = One Happy Runner

I'm hosting a baby shower for my friend, Lynsey, in May, and she wanted to get me a little gift just to say thank you. She veered away from the traditional hostess gift of a candle or bottle of wine, and instead, went out and gathered some awesome products that she thought I might like. Here's a peek at the care package:

I'm in love with all things Honey Stinger and Nuun, but Lynsey got me a Honey Stinger gel and a new flavor of their organic energy chews that I've never tried, plus a new flavor of Nuun! I've never tried the Hammer Heed products, but I just got a new bike trainer (there will be a post about that) and I'm itching to sign up for a triathlon, so those will definitely come in handy on future bike rides. What runner doesn't love great socks? I've got a pair of Balega's, but the other pair, Thorlo's Experia, are new to me and I can't wait to wear them. And best of all, she sent me a new Brooks running hat...and isn't it PRETTY?!

I seriously have the best friends a running gal could ask for! Thanks Lynsey...you're so thoughtful! Love you!

Friendly Competition

As a twin, one might say I have a bit of a competitive streak...ok, I might say that! Well, over the years, my desire to compete has somewhat lessened, but it's not entirely gone. Case in point: I have a good friend from my running club, Stroller Warriors, who I often partner up with. We have a similar pace and similar build. (Oh, and we're both currently training for the Quintiles Half Marathon coming up in March 2012.) Every time we run together, we each think the other one is pushing the pace, so we take turns saying, "Hey, I need to slow down a bit, but feel free to keep going." Naturally, neither of us slows down one bit, and typically, we speed up together. Today the training schedule she's following (courtesy of Runner's World) called for an easy 4. Simple right? Well our SW workout was supposed to be 22 minutes out and back. We rolled in at 42:48 with 5.2 miles done. And with our push at the end, my RunKeeper app said we had a current pace of 6:59. Not exactly an easy 4:) 


But mid-way through the run, she said, "This sucks now, but in a month, we're going to be glad we did this!" And since we've stayed injury free to date and are enjoying the push, it's what I'd call friendly competition. It's a healthy way to test your limits and keep yourself from slacking. And when we need a rest, we run solo, or with other friends. I'm thrilled to be part of this awesome running club where I'm surrounded by people like this girl:

Do you have someone who pushes you to your limits without frustrating you?

12 in 12: Guest Blogger

Hi! I'm Lynsey from The Moores: Capturing Our Adventures One Day at a Time. I was thrilled when Jen & Jess asked me to write about a recent challenge that I just completed called 12 in 12. Basically I ran 12 5k's in 12 months. I started in January 2011 and ended in December 2011. 

Why did I challenge myself to do this? Plain and simple: running is not something I really enjoy. Sure, I love to be active and work out but I prefer to run with a ball at my feet (aka soccer!). So this really was a challenge for me and I had one goal in mind.... FINISH! Some months I would do an actual organized 5K race while other months, I managed to squeeze in a 3.1 mile run around our neighborhood. No matter what though, I did it. I did 12 5k's in 12 months! I FINISHED! I didn't let pregnancy stop me either! 

Jen asked me what my favorite race was and why. I would have to say that my July race: Beat the Heat 5K was my favorite. This is because 1- It was my fastest time and 2- one of my sweet friends tagged along and watched Mason for my husband and I so neither of us had to push the stroller, thus, improving my time! Also, this was an evening race and there was free pizza afterwards! That right there is a race after my own heart. 

In all honesty, I am glad I pushed myself to finish this challenge. Do I love running now? No, but I don't dread it like I used to. It's all about baby steps! I did learn through this challenge that if I really set my mind to something, I can accomplish it. It never hurts to have an amazing group of people that are cheering you along as you strive to accomplish your goals. Jen & Jess have been amazing friends through this. They challenge me and inspire me to always push myself a little harder than I think I can go. 

So tell me, what have you done lately to really push yourself?