Capital 10 Miler Race Report

First race of the year-done! It wasn't the race I was expecting but every race is a learning experience in my book. Race morning started with a 6:30 wake up call. I got dressed, ate my pre-run breakfast, and was on my way to Harrisburg. We got there a little more than an hour before the 9:00 race start, which left me enough time to pickup my bib and go to the bathroom before doing a quick warm up.

 I'd been debating whether to wear shorts or capris but ultimately decided to go with shorts after how warm it felt during my warm up. With about 10 minutes til race time I got all my stuff ready and noticed that one of the earbuds on my headphones had fallen off. Cue minor freak out. Panicked I put one headphone in and stuffed the other in my sports bra so it wasn't flying all over the place. With about two minutes to spare I made it to the start line.

Despite the race only having around 500 runners the first mile was pretty congested. Instead of getting frustrated and weaving I treated this as a way to not go out too fast. I wasn't sure how I wanted to run this race (negative splits, steady pace, etc) so I decided to mimic how I normally run my half marathons (first five, middle five, last 5K). I was hoping to keep miles 1-4 around 8:30, 4-8 around 8:10-8:20 and the last two sub 8:00. When the first mile clocked in the 8:40's I started to get nervous. Time to pick it up!

Mile 1: 8:46
Mile 2: 8:15
Mile 3: 8:29 <- water stop
Mile 4: 8:13

 It was during the second and third miles that I realized this was not going to be the race I was hoping for. Despite my best efforts to do all the little things right, my legs just felt heavy and tight. I really didn't like the first ~5 miles of the course either so at this point I had to make a decision. Years ago as a swimmer if a race wasn't going the way I wanted it to I would just give up. Why bother, right? On Sunday when I knew this wasn't going to be one of those OMG I love running and racing so much days I didn't quit. I thought for maybe 30 seconds about how much I just wanted to walk but those thoughts were chased away. Instead my mind was filled with thoughts like "looks like I'm going to suffer for the next 6-7 miles." 

Mile 5: 8:28 <- water stop
Mile 6: 8:02

When mile 4 came I tried to drop my pace but I just didn't have the energy to go harder. Instead I just ran hard. I remember thinking around mile 6 "how can I be this tired and it's only mile 6? I don't think I can hold this pace for the rest of the race, I'm really hurting. I guess I'll just keep running until I can't run anymore. If I crash and burn I'll deal with that later. Just go hard right now."

Miles 8-9 consisted of an out an back and an annoyingly long bridge which was both in direct sunlight and open to the wind we were getting. I was already SO hot during this race despite being one of the only people wearing shorts so running with no shade was destroying what little motivation I had. Something happened on that bridge though. I have never wanted to be done running more than when I was on that bridge (okay maybe during miles 18-20 during the Harrisburg Marathon) but instead of easing up I pushed harder. I picked off each person in front of me one by one, grimacing in pain with each step I took.

Mile 7: 8:33
Mile 8: 8:36

It was on the way back on the bridge that I realized how close I was to finishing. Less than twenty minutes til I'm done? I can do this! Run for your life! And so I did. The winds were so strong that I was being blown diagonally as I ran but I kept going. I have given up so many times before that I surprised myself by how strong I was mentally. I was not happy by any means but by continuing to push myself so hard the entire time I proved to myself that I can run strong even when I feel like shit.

Mile 9: 7:58
Mile 10: 8:16

The last mile of this race was a sufferfest. I'm pretty sure I ran the majority of this mile with my eyes closed, just visualizing myself crossing the finish line. With maybe a half mile to go you run across another bridge that is a bit shorter than the bridge previously crossed. At the Harrisburg Marathon the finish line is right after you cross the finish line so when I was nearing the end of the bridge and there was no finish line in sight I started to get angry. Then we ran past the finish line around City Island for the final quarter mile.

You're lucky I didn't zoom in. This is a rough picture

I tried to run until I had no more in me and when I finally crossed the finish line I stumbled around, practically falling over. For a few minutes I didn't have the energy to walk over to the table with water and Gatorade. I tried to stretch my legs out since I could feel my calves tightening up even more.

Time: 1:23:46
Avg pace: 8:22

Two days post race day I'm torn about how I feel about this race. I really didn't like the majority of the course and was deterred by how rough I felt physically. At the same time I proved to myself how strong I can be both mentally and physically. It was not the confidence boosting race I was hoping for in these last few weeks before my half marathon but it could have gone much worse. I taught myself how to push through pain that I normally would not have, and not to mention ran this race more than one minute per mile faster than the half marathon I ran last March.

Question, do you race with music?
I've been doing most of my long runs and hard runs with music and was planning on listening to music during this race before my headphones broke. In the past I haven't raced with music but am now considering it since I like it so much during hard runs.

I'm Running A Race This Weekend

First off, how the heck is it April?! This year has been flying by. April welcomed us with warmer temps and plenty of sunshine, which must mean that spring decided to show up. Don't get me wrong, I loved having off last week for snow but I'm ready for shorts weather.

In order to celebrate spring's late arrival I will be running a race this weekend. Last year I did my first race in the middle of March so it feels a little weird to have not donned a bib yet. Part of me wishes I had raced either the B&A Trail Half Marathon or Rock N' Roll USA but another part of me is glad I didn't worry about doing a race too soon. I was insanely jealous of all the people sporting shiny new PR's after St. Patty's Day weekend but I actually enjoyed relaxing and just focusing on training. Can you tell I'm a very indecisive person?

The course goes right along the river

I'm really glad that it is finally my time to show up at a starting line ready to run fast. I've had some ups and downs with my training for the overall consensus is that things are going great. I've never raced a 10 miler before so I have nothing to compare it to but regardless I'm excited to see what I can do with all of that training under my belt.

I'm also using this race as a dress rehearsal for my upcoming half marathon later in April. I know the temperature will be slightly different and the start times are a bit different but I want to practice everything so I know what works and what doesn't. I've been using my long runs each week to also do this but I think actually practicing in a race setting is just different.

Harrisburg Marathon

Even though I'm not the fastest runner, I absolutely love racing. I know that all of the race excitement will carry through to my training in these last few weeks before the Nike Women's Half Marathon. This race is also at the same place that I ran my first marathon at and will run along the same course. Although my first marathon was not the experience I wanted it to be I am actually really excited to be returning to the scene of the crime for a little redemption.

Who else is racing this weekend? 

York YMCA Turkey Trot 5K 2012 Race Recap

The York YMCA Turkey Trot is one of my all time favorite races. I run in almost every year and always have a blast. This year my mom and dad, my boyfriend and I all ran it. The race is only a few miles from our house so we were able to sleep in a bit and ended up getting there around 8:15. I was hoping to run Tuesday or Wednesday but I just didn't want to so this was the first time I ran since the Harrisburg Marathon. I was a little nervous about how my legs would feel and contemplated doing a short warm up but never got around to it. Even though it is a "small local race" there were over 4,000 runners. Pretty impressive for York, Pa!

The race started a few minutes late but before we knew it we were off and running. My boyfriend decided to stick with me for the first mile but I could tell he wanted to run faster. I tried to keep up with him but my lungs didn't really want to. I really struggled to fall into a groove during the first mile and was getting frustrated. A little after the first mile my boyfriend decided to run ahead of me so I could do my own thing. I loved that he ran with me but I'm glad I didn't hold him back the entire time. During a nice downhill I started to find my rhythm. My chest was really burning and I was having trouble breathing but my legs felt pretty good. Definitely couldn't tell I ran a marathon a week and half before.

The last half of the race was much better than the first. I started to pick up the pace and finally felt comfortable in my stride. The course was new due to the increase in runners and I was really loving the rolling hills. I love flying on the downhills! The end of the race snuck up on me and before I knew it it was time to sprint to the finish. I felt great the last half mile and was reminded why I love running. As soon as I crossed the finish line and stopped running I felt like I was going to get sick though. This seems to be a common occurrence after 5K's. After grabbing some water I went to find my boyfriend and my parents. Everyone had a great race!

Mom- 27:47
Dad- 28:07
Boyfriend- 23:30
Me- 25:41

This was my mom's first ever running race and she has been been training for months. She had a botched knee surgery 9 years ago and started to run in the spring. It took her awhile to build up to running a 5K but she did great. My dad just had hernia surgery 2 months ago and this was his first time running since the summer. Both did awesome! My boyfriend didn't do a best time but would have had he not run with me for the first mile. He is the best! I'm really happy with my time. I didn't care too much about my time but a PR is always nice.

RNR Philadelphia Half Marathon Race Goals

I haven't mentioned too much that I am racing the Rock N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon this weekend, probably because I am training primarily for the New York City Marathon in November. I signed up to run Philly back in November when Competitor had some really good deal going on but haven't thought about it too much since then. But now that the race is 3 (!!!) days away it is time to start getting into race mode and thinking about my goals for this race.

Since I haven't been specifically training for this race I am not exactly sure where I will be time wise. The 15K I ran a month ago predicted that I should run a a 2:11 half. The course for the 15K was really hilly, though, while the course in Philadelphia is notoriously flat and fast. My long runs have been between 9:47-10:07 pace which according to the McMillan calculator means I could run anywhere from a 2:05-1:53. While I doubt I could run a 1:53 I have been doing runs that include a few miles at a half marathon goal pace of 9:00, which would equal a sub-2:00 half. During my 12 mile run the other week I did the middle 6 miles between 9:05-8:36 and was pleasantly surprised that that pace didn't feel too terribly hard. A challenge, yes, unrealistic, no way.

A Goal Sub 2:00
I think an A goal should be your reach goal if everything goes right on race day. I have been having some issues with my right quad/groin/hip flexor that could potentially screw some things up for me come race day. If I am feeling good though, I think I have a sub-2:00 in me. I'm not going to get all upset if this doesn't happen, though, because I realize that it is a reach goal.

B Goal 2:05-2:10
This is more where I think I will finish. This time doesn't scare the shit out of me like running sub-2 does. Again, a lot will have to go right for this to happen, but primarily my leg. If my leg is hurting I am not going to push it and just see what happens.

C Goal 2:15
I didn't even want to include a C goal but only did because of my leg. I know I am capable of running much faster than a 2:15 but anything can happen on race day.

D Goal PR
I should be able to easily smash my PR even with a bum leg. This might sound stuck up but I think I have a right to be upset if I run slower than a 2:21 given how hard I have trained and how little I trained to run that 2:21.

Truly enjoy the race & soak up every moment
Besides time goals, I want to focus on really enjoying this race and setting goals that I can control. Even though races may take a few hours it is easy for the race to be over before you know it. It is even easier to stop paying attention to things when the race gets tough & your body gets tired. I want to look back at this race and remember how much I enjoyed myself throughout the whole thing.

Practice fueling
I have really not done that many long runs where I needed to take a gel, and even fewer hard long runs that require a gel. I have never taken a gel during a half marathon so I want to see how my stomach handles it. I took one on the bike leg of the Keystone State Sprint Triathlon a few weeks ago and had no trouble on the run though.

Leg permitting, walk only at aid stations
Walking during races is fine for some people but not for me. If I allow myself to start walking because things get hard then I will always allow myself to quit when the going gets tough. I do walk aid stations though to give my legs a quick break and because I have not mastered drinking out of a cup and running.

Sneaks Come Out at Night 15K Race Report

A couple weeks ago this race caught my eye because it was an evening race instead of an early morning race. I knew it would fit in perfectly with where my long runs are at but I wasn't sure if I would be doing anything this weekend or not. I kept the race in the back of my mind just in case I was free. As it turns out, I was! I decided late Thursday that I would be doing the race but didn't want to make a big deal about it. In fact, I lifted weights on Friday.

After doing some race research I learned that the course was rolling hills with three loops. Once I heard that my plan was to go faster with every loop. Unfortunately I realized I left my Garmin at home about half way to the race, which was held in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore. I still wanted to stick to my race plan but I would have to go more on perceived effort than what the clock said.

My dad and I arrived to the race site about 45 minutes before the start and quickly registered. It was a small race of only about 200 people. There was a great atmosphere and I was sure it was going to be a great night.

About 5 minutes before 6:00 everybody started heading over to the start line. I wasn't sure where to position myself so I decided to start closer to the back to ensure that I didn't go out too fast. I wanted to keep the pace easy during the first loop but it was pretty difficult with everybody shooting off after the starting gun.

The beginning of each loop is really hilly so I made sure to keep my heart rate down and conserve energy for later in the race. After 1-2 miles of hills you hit a water stop and then enter a flat path that takes you around the lake. This was my favorite part of the course, partly because of the water stop, partly because of the lack of hills, and mostly because of the view of the lake. I really, really enjoy running by the water.

During the first loop I felt really great. I didn't feel like I was working hard and felt like I could maintain that pace for a lot longer. I used the first loop to get an idea of how the course plays out so that I knew when and where to push the pace.

The hills on the second loop really tired me out but I still made sure to take them easy. In general the second loop wasn't terribly exciting. I was feeling progressively more tired but not exhausted yet.

At the start of the third loop, though, I felt drained. I was getting passed pretty frequently and felt like I had run out of energy. I was really frustrated since my running had been going so well lately but I didn't let my frustration get me down. I slowed down a lot on the hills, hoping I would be able to use the energy I saved in the final mile around the lake.

At the last water station I took 2 cups of water and then took off. I am not sure what happened but suddenly I was full of energy again. I started running hard and was passing everybody in sight. I felt like I was flying! It was such a great finish to the race because I felt so strong all of a sudden. I knew my time wasn't anything spectacular but it was a huge improvement over what my half marathon times predicted I could do.

9.3 miles
1:31:08
9:48 pace

Picking My A Race

After running training for and running two half marathons I decided it was time for a change. I have big goals for myself over the next few years but I know that in order to achieve them I need to start small. I have been interested in doing triathons for awhile now and decided that 2012 was the year of the tri. But I wasn't sure which triathlon to sign up for. There are so many things to take into consideration when it comes to triathlon, making my decision rather difficult.

Check out how gorgeous this swim is!

First, I wanted a race in the middle of the summer. I have finals in the end of May and then my sister has graduation, meaning that late May/early June are off the table. I also wanted to have ample time after all of this to train. Peak training during two weeks of finals and parties is not exactly ideal. I also didn't want a race too late in the summer because of marathon training (I don't think I will ever get sick of saying marathon). This meant I needed a race in the end of June to middle of July.

Additionally, I wanted a race that would fit my strengths and weaknesses. Basically, I needed a relatively flat bike course. I don't care how hilly the run portion is because i can always walk if needed but I do not want to be walking my bike up any hills. Along the same lines, I wanted a race that didn't have a technical bike course. I am not experienced when it comes to sharp turns and the like so they were out of the question. Lastly, I wanted a course that would have a relatively warm swim. I do not have the money to shell out for a wetsuit, and quite frankly I think it will be in my favor to have a wetsuit illegal course since I am a strong swimmer.

The final thing that really affected my decision regarding which triathlon would be my A race was proximity to home. My parents live in Pennsylvania, which is where I will be living during the summer, and I have an apartment in Baltimore meaning races in both Maryland and Pennsylvania were up for grabs. I also did not want a race that I would need a hotel for. All of my money will be going to the very expensive NYC Marathon so minimizing other costs is necessary.

Ultimately I have decided on the General Smallwood International Triathlon. The race is on July 7 in Indian Head, Maryland, which is a little over an hour from my apartment. The race is pretty small, with about 150 participants total. Both the bike and run courses are rolling , and the swim is in the bay with water temps expected to be in the mid-70's.

There are about nine and a half weeks left until the race, which means I need to get my booty into gear. I have been super stressed lately with the end of the semester and finals coming up but I know once I get through all of that I will be golden.

Putting Together a Triathlon Training Plan

Even though I have not officially decided on which Olympic distance triathlon I will be doing this year, I am almost certain about the Terrapin Sprint Triathlon on May 6. Assuming I do the General Smallwood International Triathlon on July 8, I have 15 weeks to train. I am jumping right into triathlon training on Monday, though, since I only have 6 weeks to train to the Terrapin Triathlon.

Luckily I have a somewhat solid base in running and have a rock solid base in swimming. The problem for me is the bike. Last year I bought a nice hybrid bike which I will use since I can't justify paying $1,000-2,000 for a road or tri bike when I have never done a triathlon before. I know how to ride a bike fine and I actually really enjoy riding, the problem for me though is climbing.

Even though I have never done a triathlon before, I decided to create my own training plan. I have a lot of circumstances that do not fit into the majority of the training plans I found online and I don't want to pay for custom training. I know my strengths and weaknesses and I don't necessarily care about how speedy I am.

I have put together a plan of sorts but I decided to only lay out which workouts I want to do each week. My schedule changes from week to week and I have found that I get stressed out when I can't do the workout that is written for a particular day. I am also going to be revising and editing the plan based on what is and isn't working, and if I fall behind at all.

Swim
I am a very strong swimmer and even though I haven't been to the pool since December I know that this is by far my strongest leg and that I don't need to put much time into training for this leg. Since I was a swimmer for such a long time I really don't have to worry about much. I love doing freestyle but I also like backstroke and butterfly and like doing kicking and pulling drills. Just because triathlon has long open water swims I am not going to limit myself in the pool. I am planning on swimming twice a week for 30-45 minutes and focusing on enjoying something that I have spent my entire life doing.

Bike
This is the tricky part for me. I know the bike is my weakest leg so I want to really spend a lot of time getting myself comfortable in the saddle. The big dilemma that I have is that I don't live in a very safe area so riding outside is not really an option until classes end and I come home to Pennsylvania for the summer. I have a bike trainer and I strangely really enjoy riding on the trainer, but I know that getting outside is crucial. Luckily I should have enough time after school ends before the General Smallwood International Triathlon to get in the proper time on the roads. I also need to get comfortable using my clipless pedals. I can use them fine on the trainer because I can't fall over, but going out on the road with them terrifies me.

If only this was me..

Run
The run in a sprint triathlon is 3.1 miles and the run in an Olympic distance triathlon is 6.2 miles, both of which I know I can successfully complete. Because I am running the Rock N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in September I don't want to lose a lot of my running fitness while triathlon training. I really struggled to do the long runs while training at school though so I am excited to be able to focus on shorter distances. With that being said, though, I want to establish a nice base for when I transition back to half marathon training.

The plan:

• 2 30-45 minute swims a week 
• 4 bike rides a week, including a brick, a long ride, a recovery ride, and a hard ride
• 5 runs a week, including a brick, a longer run, a recovery run, an interval run, and a whatever run

I know there is more running than what most people incorporate into triathlon training, but I am setting some big goals for myself for running this fall and I want to go into training as prepared as possible. I am also planning on adding open water swims when possible and doing two bricks a week in the summer.

The part of my training that I need to work on the most is my nutrition but that will be a whole other post so stay tuned! 

What Comes Next

Now that the Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon is over I am going to be shifting gears a little to triathlon training! I have already signed up for the Keystone State Olympic Triathlon in August and am looking at two others to also sign up for.

First is the Terrapin Sprint Triathlon at the University of Maryland. I have never done a triathlon before and want to do a small sprint as my first. This race consists of an 800 yard pool swim, a 12 mile bike leg, and a 5K run. The race consists of mostly students and Maryland alums, meaning a small field. I also want to do this race because it is about 40 minutes from my apartment and I can pick up my packet the morning of the race. It is rather difficult to drive in to pick up race packets in advance with my current class schedule. The University of Maryland pool was also my favorite to compete in and I have made a lot of great memories at that pool.

The other triathlon I am looking at doing is the General Smallwood International Triathlon in Marbury, Maryland. I really struggled to come up with an Olympic distance triathlon that I wanted to do. I thought about the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon but I was hesitant because I would need to book a hotel. Then I contemplated doing the DC Tri but couldn't get over how expensive the race is. In the end it doesn't matter because the DC Tri has been cancelled. Even though the General Smallwood International Triathlon is almost 90 minutes away from my apartment, I can't really beat the cheap price. I can also pick my packet up the morning of the race which is a huge plus.

What I am doing now is coming up with a plan for my training. I want to take triathlon training more serious so I am putting a lot of thought and effort into constructing my training plan. I am also taking this time to start learning about triathlon nutrition and fueling. I purchased the Triathlete's Training Bible at the beginning of the year so I have been consulting that as well as various websites to learn as much as I can about triathlons.

Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon Race Report

First off I just want to say how amazing yesterday was. It was a tough day but also a great one. I woke up at 5:15, which is pretty early for a college student who start class at 10 every morning. I was pretty tired when I woke up but I was also really excited. I made two frozen waffles and a small bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and had a little bit of water to wash it all down. After eating I got dressed, grabbed all of my gear, and hit the road with my dad. We left my apartment around 5:50 and made it to the metro station by 6:30. We bought our metro tickets Friday when we went down to the expo and I have to say that was such a good move. The lines to buy tickets were all so long. I stopped at the bathroom at the metro and by 6:40 we were on the metro heading into DC.

There was so many people at the metro stop in DC that it took us about 15 minutes to just leave the building. Luckily the DC Armory is right next to the metro stop so that didn't slow us down too much. Friday night I was reading race reports from people who ran the race last year ans saw that the Armory was open on Saturday morning so I headed straight for the Armory to get in line for the bathroom and warm up a little bit. The line for the bathroom was pretty long, definitely longer than the lines for the porta-potties, but I will take a longer line and clean bathroom any day. While I was waiting in line I put my bib on when I discovered that I only had three safety pins. I started freaking out but luckily gear check had a bunch of extra pins. After that debacle I headed over to my corral right around 7:50. Little did I know that I wouldn't end up even crossing the start line until 8:45.

While I was waiting in my corral I realized I had to go to the bathroom again but I didn't think I would have enough time so I decided to just hope it would go away. Bad decision, I know. After waiting around for 40 minutes it was finally time for my corral to start. Before I knew it I was crossing the finish line and starting half marathon number two! I didn't really have a goal or plan for the race but in general I wanted to take it out pretty slowly and then try to pick it up later in the race. My first mile ended up being my slowest! I was happy to be running but those first few miles felt terrible. I just felt tired, heavy, and slow. I was a little worried about what this meant for the rest of the race but I kept telling myself to only focus on now.

this was my favorite view throughout the race

Even though I live in Baltimore, I have never been to DC so I was really enjoying the sights and just exploring a new city. Running is definitely my favorite way to check out new places. Around mile four, though, my stomach started hurting so badly I couldn't focus on anything except for where the nearest bathroom was. Around mile 5.5 I saw a runner dart into a Subway to use their bathroom so I did the same thing. I hated passing the on-course bathroom in the early miles and seeing such long lines. I needed to go to the bathroom but I didn't want 10-15 minutes added to my time because of waiting in line. Luckily I only added two minutes and five seconds to my time by stopping at Subway. Even though the stop added time, it was so worth it. I felt a million times better afterwards and I ran the entire rest of the race quicker because of it.

Not long after I stopped the hills began. There was one rather long climb but I was feeling so great from stopping that I powered up the entire hill! I felt so strong and ready to take on the rest of the race. But after that hill was more hills. I don't mind running hills but I was worried that the downhills would anger my IT Band like in Baltimore. Although I had a little bit of pain here or there it was nothing too bad. I saw my dad around mile 6.5 (I think) and I couldn't have been happier to see him. I wasn't expecting to see him along the course so that was a nice surprise that put a little pep in my step.

A few times during the last 5 miles of the race my legs would start to feel like dead weight. I was hoping to break 2:20 but with the bathroom stop I knew it would be close. I ended up giving my legs multiple pep talks throughout the race which actually seemed to really help. I am not sure why but the phrase summon the will to fight came to mind. I ended up repeating this phrase over and over in my head during the last few miles. I have always thought of myself as mentally weak when it comes to sports and pushing through pain but I proved to myself yesterday that I am a fighter.

During the last few miles of the race it started getting a lot warmer outside. I was looking for water everywhere and drinking 1-2 cups at each station. I had brought a water bottle with nuun in it as a backup but by this point it was pretty warm also. The last few miles are kind of a blur to me now honestly. I just remember my legs getting more and more tired and me pleading with them over and over to finish. We are almost done. I decided to try to pick up the pace as much as I could over the last mile and mile twelve was actually my fastest mile of the day! Once I only had about a quarter of a mile left I tried to sprint to the finish but this part was uphill and my legs wanted nothing to do with it. Once I could see the finish line I sprinted as best I could and raised my arms as I crossed the finish line.

My official time is 2:21:53. I was so happy to have set a PR, but I would have broken 2:20 if I didn't stop to go to the bathroom. My argument, though, is that if I hadn't stopped I would have run slower in general from the discomfort so it is nothing to get worked up about. After the race I grabbed all of the food that I could, found my dad and sat down and relaxed. I was surprised with how much better my legs felt compared to Baltimore. We stayed for a little after the race to watch Switchfoot perform and then headed back home. I am on spring break this week so he drove me back to our house in Pennsylvania. And because I was pretty tired last night, my boyfriend and I are celebrating St. Patty's day tonight!

Let's Do This!

Number 2!

Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon Training

Today officially kicks off training for the Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon, otherwise known as the National Half Marathon. This will be my second half marathon and I am hoping training goes much better than last time.

When training for the Baltimore Half Marathon I moved to Baltimore and started going to a new college. Subsequently, training really took the back seat as I was getting settled into my new surroundings.

I knew it was going to be really difficult to get in quality runs while trying to study for finals so I decided to start training after finals were done and I was home for the holiday break. I don't go back to school until the end of January so I will have already established a solid base before heading back to school.

And going back to school this time will not be a significant as it was in August. I already have a few running routes mapped out and I know when I am most likely to actually get my runs in.

I am really excited to start training again. I loved running the Baltimore Half and I know I can absolutely crush that time and have just as much fun with some real training.

Inspired by the Ironman World Championships Once Again

The Ironman World Championships were on NBC earlier today and if you didn't watch then you really missed out. The special not only showed the professional athletes but also those age groupers who finished last.

There was coverage of Chrissie Wellington's come back to win the entire race for the fourth time, making her undefeated at the Ironman distance.

There was coverage of Craig Alexander fighting through cramps and muscle spasms to break the world record and become the oldest person to win in Kona.

And then there was coverage of the average age groupers who juggle a family, a full-time job, and other hobbies with Ironman training.

As much as I love watching the pros, it was the old man who was trying to finish his 22nd consecutive Kona in the allotted time slot that brought me to tears. I forget how old he was, but he pushed his body so hard he kept falling over in the final mile. His body literally kept giving out on him, yet he never quit.

The Ironman World Championships make me proud to be an athlete and excited for what I have in store when I start my triathlon journey. This race is a truly spectacular event that everyone should watch at least once.

I am going to take this inspiration with me to my workouts throughout this upcoming week and remember never to quit no matter what.

What's Coming Up Next: Races

Ever since running the Baltimore Half Marathon a week ago (!) I have been planning all of the races that I want to do over the next few months. It is difficult for me to plan out everything but there are some races that I definitely want to do.

November 24, 2011- York YMCA Turkey Trot 5K
I am running this race with my dad, boyfriend, and possibly cousin. I have run this race with my swim team many years ago and absolutely love it. It is such a fun atmosphere and great local race. I am also hoping to set a PR at this race. I am using these next few weeks before this race to start incorporating some speed work into my training. I am hoping this will help me PR in the 5K and ultimately the half marathon.

December 3, 2011- Hot Chocolate 15K (Washington DC)
This is a race that I have been going back and forth about running. I really want to do it, and this girl is going to be there, but it is only a week after my Thanksgiving 5K and it costs $65. This seems like a lot for a 15K. We do get a super sweet jacket and lots of hot chocolate though. My main reason for not doing this race is that I would have to drive into DC the day before to pick up my packet and that may be difficult. I'll decided about this race in a few weeks.

March 17, 2012- Rock n' Roll USA Half Marathon (Washington DC)
This is my next big race. I am already signed up so I am doing this race, no questions about it. I am already working on a training plan for this race. I am really excited to be able to participate in another great race that is only about a 30 min drive away. I know a lot of people have done this race in the past, when it was the National Half Marathon, so I would love to hear your opinions. Anybody running it in 2012?!

May 6, 2012- Frederick Half Marathon (Frederick, Maryland)
I am not sure if I am going to end up doing this race but it is on my calendar for now. It is a great small half marathon that isn't too far away. The only issue is that I like my races to be big city spectacles and this race is pretty low-key. I want to get more practice running half marathons though so I will probably end up doing it.


June 9-10, 2012- Multiple Sclerosis 150 (Kent County, Maryland)
No, I am not running 150 miles. This is a bike event. No, I am not biking 150 miles either. There is an option to bike 150 miles over two days but my goal is to complete a metric century (65 miles). My boyfriend has been doing this event for a few years now and I have always wanted to try biking at an actual bike event. I may wimp out and just decided to volunteer like I did last year though. Even 65 miles is pretty far.


September 6, 2012- Rock n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
I really want to do this race. I have never done a race in Philly and I think it would be great practice for another race I plan on doing in Philly later in the year. I know the courses will be different but I want to use this race as a practice run for my other weekend in Philly. Primarily I want to look into hotels and navigating Philly during a big race.


October 13, 2012- Baltimore Half Marathon (Baltimore, Maryland)
I did this race this year as my first half marathon and I am absolutely doing it again next year. I absolutely loved the course and really everything about the race. I think I love everything so much because it has sentimental value for me. Plus it is only about 15 min away so I won't need to get a hotel and my family can come watch again.

November 18, 2012- Philadelphia Marathon (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Yep, you read that correctly. I plan on running my very first marathon next year in Philadelphia. I thought about running Baltimore as my first full but I don't really think I want to run all those hills in the middle of a marathon. Luckily the Philadelphia course is supposed to be very fast. And this race is most definitely going to be a big city spectacle.

As you may have noticed I don't have anything planned for the summer. I want to use the summer to focus on triathlons and give myself a little bit of a break from running. I am just going to do some local triathlons since I am just getting started. 

You may have also noticed that I don't have many short distance races on here. I fully plan on running some 5Ks and hopefully 10Ks but I will decide on which ones as they get closer. Most 5Ks don't sell out so I will add these to my schedule as I feel necessary.

Have you done any of these races? Any advice or suggestions? Anybody planning on doing these races next year?