Friday Five - Fall Schedule

I was just thinking about this week's topic yesterday.

Thinking about it a lot.  

As in . . . trying to tell myself I'm not as overextended as I was last year.  

I think I'm right!

I know I'm not the only one who is ready for fall!  Cooler weather (YAY!!!), pumpkin patches & gorgeous falling leaves . . . yes, please!

I am *so* excited as well for fall racing to get here!  I have so many races I'm super excited about . . . I just wanted to share.

#1

First up.  The Showdown Half Marathon.

This is one of my favorite halfs of the year.  The course is great, all the other racers are just awesome and the medals are *beautiful*.  This race falls on the same day as the Red River Shootout; OU vs UT.  You have an option to "pick a side" or be team neutral.    This is a hilly, challenging course, but the vibe is so incredibly positive, it's hard not to love this race.

#2

A *BIG* fall marathon.

I have to vagueblog, but I just can't share this one quite yet due to some unresolved logistics.  But trust me, it's a big one.  

I realized earlier this week I'm about 2 weeks behind in my training (not sure how that happened), but after a couple of really great training runs this week, I think I will be ready to kill it.

I have some BIG goals to go along with this BIG marathon and I plan to meet them all.

#3

Esprit de She Duathalon

I've never actually done a duathalon, and I was supposed to have done this last year, but due to my overextended scheduling of my one human body, I sat this one out.  While all of my cool tri friends will be racing their ultra speedy bikes, I'll be the one on the pink bike with a basket.  

It's a run 2 mile, bike 9 mile, run 2 mile course with champagne at the end.  Everyone wins really.

#4

Big Cedar Endurance Run

Speaking of ultra, it's time that I do one.  Again, I was supposed to have crossed this one off my list last year, but sat it out.  Lucky for me, I found another one on a weekend I am free that is closer to home, meaning no travel or overnight in a bed other than my own (kind of important when you're running 31 miles).  It should be a good training run for my double marathons in December!

#5

Dallas Marathon

One of the very few reasons I signed up for this one was because of the low cost entry free because of the cancellation last year.  I ran this course in 2010 and had a great race, 2012 notsomuch.  It was actually my worst race ever.  I almost quit.  I puked several times.  I was SO mad at my craptastic time because I was running training runs that put me at a 4:20 finish.  I finished in 5:20 and some change.  Abysmal.  I am out to avenge this course.  I say this now, but I think this will be the last time I do this race for awhile...

And that's just the fall!! 

What race are you looking forward to the most this fall?  Local friends, which of these races are you doing?

Until next time....have a *great* LONG weekend!!

Linking up with lovely ladies Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What?! for the Friday Five!  As always, thanks for the link up!!

The Friday Five - Favorite Race Memories

I'm linking up with Courtney @Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar @ Mar on the Run and Cynthia @You Signed Up For What?! for the Friday Five - Favorite Race Memories.

My favorite race memories?  Only 5?!  That’s like asking me to tell you what my five favorite flavors of cupcakes are.  There are just so many….

I’m sure after I write this I’ll think of 5 more that may be in the running, but let’s go with these!

My first “big”race.

The Dallas Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  It wasn’t anything super spectacular, but that race will always be in that special place.  In fact, I’ve done it every year since it’s started here.  It’s just the race I do every year.  I was a legacy runner after 5 years and I plan to be in 10 as well.  I set a goal and I met it.  Spot on.

My first 5k. 

An untimed 5k for the love of the SPCA of Texas.  It included a small amount of fundraising for my favorite cause.  Animals.  Dogs particularly.  It seemed like I trained forever for this race.  In fact, it probably took me 4-6 months to build my endurance in order to actually run the 3 miles.  What makes this one so special is that I did it with my very first pet, Kirby T. Ferguson, bad dog extraordinaire.  

In fact, we kind of smoked it.  Even though it was untimed, my watch said 26 something, making it unofficially, the fastest 5k I’ve ever raced.  It helps, of course, when you are bring pulled by a 80lb black lab. 

Love Marathon

I’m noticing a lot of “first” on this list, this one being no exception.  Earlier this year I did my first trail race (it was the first time I’d even run on a trail) in Huntsville, with a giant circle of friends from MRTT.  

Not only was the race really cool, the trip was *so* fun. It involved a lot of laughing, a lot of really good food and some seriously legit ladies.  It was a small race, but gorgeous and peaceful.  I not only placed (for the first time), I became a Marathon Maniac (#8766) with a BRF Luisa (#8759)!  I will move mountains to make sure I do that race again in 2015.

Chicago Marathon 2012

This wasn’t because of an epic run, or a cool t-shirt or medal, it was because of something really sweet I saw on the course.  Around mile 7/8, maybe earlier?  All I remember is that I was still in a great mood.  The race went by a second story assisted living/nursing home facility.  The residents were eating breakfast by the windows and they were all waving at the runners, smiling ear to ear.  It was so touching that it made me tear up a bit.  For the majority of my nursing career, I have worked with that population so it made it definitely put a little spring in my step.

sorry, no picture of adorable seniors waving out the windows, just this

New York City Marathon 2011

I had to break away from the “firsts” and go with a second (it was my second NYCM – the first didn’t really go so well).  Because I had actually trained well and didn’t have a million other things on my mind, I was able to just take it all in, the craziness of it all.  BUT, the best part was, my parents were able to see my finish (a PR at the time), making marathon fans out of them (I think!).  My now fiancée (then kind of new boyfriend) and dear friends Jodi and Shirley were also at the finish.  It was something unforgettable.  To me, it’s all about the people at the finish.  They see you through all of the ups and downs of training, the 5am get ups to beat the heat and the frequent absenteeism because “I have to get my miles in”.  The people at the finish are likely just as much a part of running a race as I am. This year, it will be my son who gets to see me finish a HUGE race. I can’t wait. 

So that’s my list!

What is your favorite race memory?

Too Hot to Handle 15k - Race Review

This past Sunday I ran in the longest hot weather, summer race I've ever done.

In the past, I usually take a "break" in the summer, kind of "saving myself" for marathon training and because I am not a big fan of the heat.  I've had bad experiences in hot weather while running...heart rates in the 200s and probable heat stroke 4 years ago.  Those two things alone make me leery of running outside in the summer.  So this summer....I've committed myself to running outside once a week (if not more), so I can become "acclimated" to the heat, work on my mental toughness (I need some!) AND so I can do races like this!

Too Hot to Handle was definitely a race on my radar early on, but due to unknown summer plans/vacations, etc, I never registered.  Lucky for me, one of my fellow MRTT'ers had a bib available that would have gone unused.  So, I jumped right in!

This 15k course is entirely next to one of the few outdoor oasis' in Dallas - White Rock Lake.  It was flat, shady in most parts and had nice scenery!  There was also a 5k option available.

I arrived at the race site at 6:50am (yawn!) so that I'd have plenty of time to park and walk to the start.

I met my fellow MRTT & Lifetime Run friends for a picture and soon we were lined up to start.

Honestly, the first few miles weren't all that bad.  The race started at 7:30am and while it was still in the 80s, it didn't seem terribly hot.  The course was well supported and even had sprinklers at several aid stations to run through.  It felt awesome!  Volunteers handed out ice cold towels at 3 stations (*awesome*) and at the finish.  There was no lack of water or Gatorade (a problem that another summer race in the area, that will remain unnamed, chronically seems to have).

After mile 4, I slowed down significantly.  My goal was 11min/mile, which is a lot slower than the pace I have been running, and I hit that spot on.  Running by effort only and taking walking breaks when I felt like I needed it, this pace felt comfortable without feeling like my heart was going to explode.  Seeing that I hadn't run 9 miles since March, I am pretty happy with my finish time.  At the time I finished, temps were in the low 90s.  This race definitely lived up to its "Too Hot" title.

Post race there were a lot of vendors, snow cones (to purchase) and beer.  I had to work, so I headed straight home without checking any of that out, but it all looked pretty fun.

Despite my loathing of running in the heat, I will definitely do this race next year!  I've already recruited my fashion twin Luisa and I'm sure I can bully a few more friends into this as well.