Flat Mama Friday #REALwomenmove

Runapalooza Recap #REALwomenmove

I was so excited to be running this race got the third year in a row, and looking forward to seeing the course changes this year. They have had to alter the course because of Sandy damage, and every year they change it a little, trying to get it back to the way it was before the storm.
The weather was calling for rain all week, but on Friday, it changed. Sunny and warm with a high in the low 70s by noon! Love! I also received my latest order from Skirt Sports which meant a shiny new skirt to wear.
The hubs and I were loving the start time of 8:30 because it meant we could leave at 7 and still meet up with friends before the race.

half fanatics

Skirt Sports Ambassadors! Use code SSBMAR20 for 20% off your next purchase!

The hubs wanted to check the course. To see where he should wait for me along the way. Because, you know, he wanted to do that. At the time anyway. More on that later.

We checked the map, decided where he should wait for me, and I lined up at the start.

The race began and we ran towards Cookman Avenue. I felt good, and the orthotic seemed to be doing its job. I had forgotten my watch, which was making me nuts, but there were clocks along the course, and I would have to make do. I hit mile one in under 11 minutes. Closer to 10. What?!? I guess the orthotics were working really well. I couldn't wait to pass the hubs at mile 2, and tell him to knock some time off of my estimated arrival. I told him 11:30, but it was looking more like 11:15!

As I approached mile 2, I started scanning for the hubs. I looked at the spot where he was at the start, but he wasn't there. Hmmmmmm turns out he went for a bagel. Sigh.

Time to head towards Deal for the next out and back. We ran over a very small bridge into Deal, and spent the next few miles running past some amazingly beautiful houses. You can still see the toll Sandy took along the shore, houses are just now being torn down, rebuilt, or raised. As the faster runners started passing us in the other direction I started looking for my friends. I am always last, so I always see them at this point. I saw Darlene but I couldn't find anyone else. When I hit the turnaround I was disappointed. Seeing them always gives me a push. I was still maintaining 11 to 12 minute miles, and was thrilled with my times. Just after the turnaround I saw CA. Behind me. It turns out she started way behind me, and her finishing time was very close to mine. Soon after, I saw Eileen. Her legs were feeling very tired that day. Deirdre was there and so were Lisa and Frank. I cheered them all and continued on. 

Back to the boardwalk and running towards the "Casino", where the hubs was supposed to be. We also passed the finish line. Not a fan of that at all. 

On to the Casino. Where is the hubs? Relaxing in the car and enjoying the day! Just after the casino, we had to run through about 6 feet of sand to get to the road which would lead us back to the boardwalk. Ugh. 

Time for another out and back. This is my least favorite part of the course. You have runners in both directions, people enjoying the day, kids on bikes, etc and no one pays any care to anyone else. There was a group of runners coming towards me, three abreast, on a turn in the boardwalk. Hmmmmmm share the road maybe? Ugh. I politely reminded them that they were not alone out there and should share the road. They seemed very surprised at this, but moved over right away. 

I saw Dave the Trumpeter but he was on the other side so I vowed to snap a selfie on the way back.

We approached the bridge that was the turnaround at roughly mile 11, but I had no idea how I was doing. I hadn't seen a clock In awhile. I was hoping for under 2:45 but I had no idea if that was even possible. As I got to the turnaround, a woman with two little dogs on leashes cut in front of me and basically strolled for the next 10 feet forcing me to stop. Really? People had been running past her for awhile, she had to know there was a race going on. One of the directors apologized to me and I quickly assured him that it wasn't his fault. People can be so clueless, he can't control them all!

Back towards Dave and my selfie near mile 12. I really needed this to keep me going, and shortly after I saw Lisa and Frank and we took selfie as well.

After our pics, I continued on to hit mile 12, knowing I would have to text the hubs and let him know I was early. I didn't want to slow down so I tried voice texting. I guess it was too loud, though, because it didn't make sense to him. I tried saying he had less than 14 minutes to get to the finish. He read it as get to the finish at 11:40. 

Mile 12 had a clock, and I knew that if I kept it up, I might actually finish far below 2:45! 

I hit that sand again, but I swear it grew in distance. I didn't even realize that a photographer was there.

Back through the Casino, and onto the boardwalk. They had a lane of cones set out for the runners and you could see the finish line ahead, just before Convention Hall. Again, a ton of runners coming through and still, an older couple enters the lane and is strolling towards me. I tell them that this lane is for people running the race, and they look surprised and step out of the lane. Are people really this clueless?

The lane was very small, right down the center of the boardwalk with sooooo much space on either side for people who were not running.  I started scanning the crowd for the hubs, but he wasn't there. I focused my attention on the finish line, and that's when I saw the clock. Holy heck, I think I finished in 2:41!

I collect my medal, grab some water and text the hubs. He came along ten minutes later and we laughed about my crazy text while we waited for our friends to finish.

My finish time ended up being 2:40:59, which is a course PR!  The hubs and I headed into town for some Mogo Korean BBQ and cupcakes from Confections of a Rock Star. Perfect end to a perfect day.

Flat Mama Friday, Runapalooza Edition

Be Fearless #REALwomenmove

I haven't kept it a secret that I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador, and thrilled about it! This weekend they are hosting a Virtual Race, the 261 Fearless race. You pick the distance, I am doing 2.61 miles as a shake out after my half marathon on Saturday.
If you register for the race, you get a bib, tank, and a gift certificate to spend at Skirt Sports.
Why 261? Most runners know the story about Katherine Switzer, the woman who bravely pinned on a bin for the Boston Marathon when women weren't allowed to run it.
When the director saw what she had done, he tried to pull her off the course. With the help of her boyfriend, Katherine finished the marathon.
Fearless.
Be Fearless in all you do.
Sign up for that race that scares you, whether it's your first 5k or a mud run or a marathon. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do it.
Be fearless.
Join me this weekend and be fearless.

Wordless Wednesday, Warren Edition

Warren is my dad, and this Sunday is my virtual race to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy in his honor. The timing couldn't be better, he has been in and out of  the hospital since January 7 and is currently in.

He made me these two medal racks and us one of my greatest supporters!

April Fools Jester Challenge Half Marathon #REALwomenmove

Yesterday was part two of the Jester Challenge. We woke up early once again, and leisurely got ready for the race. Being so close to the start had advantages! CA woke up with some ab pain and her Achilles was really bothering her, so she decided to skip the half.

We found all of our friends and said hello to them and posed for some pics before it was time to start. My PF was really bothering me from Saturday's run, and I told Eileen that I might just walk the whole thing. 

Once the race started and I ran a bit, my foot started to warm up, and running was less painful. Saturday's 7 mile run and 8 miles of walking afterwards definitely took its toll, though, and my legs were tired. The first 4-5 miles I managed to maintain a 13 minute mile. I starte doing the math in my head, and realized that if I maintained at least 14 minute miles for the rest of the race, I would finish under three hours for the first time all year. 

The course was another out and back, with a few miles of road, but mostly Boardwalk. I loved seeing all of my friends during the loop back, and saw that Eileen was ahead of me by about a mile. 

Once we got to about mile 10, it got really hard. My legs were just.so.tired. This PF is really kicking my butt! I managed to maintain about a 14 minute mile, but vote was rough.

They do not block off any of the boardwalk for the runners and the pwople just didn't care that a race was going on. There were more than a few very rude people who saw runners coming and actually spread out instead of moving out of the way! Ugh!

I had to go wide more than once as I made my way to the side of the boardwalk where the finish was.

But there it was!

It was such a relief to see it, and to see 2:57:01 on my watch as I hit 13.1 miles!

We got double bling, and they had popcorn and soft pretzels, as well as bottled water. Very little Gatorade was left, which was fine with me, but there were runners behind me who might want some!

 

My official time was 2:58 which cracked me up because my watch was behind the entire time, expect that last .1 where it jumped ahead! 

The bling was so worth it. Because we couldn't get early enough checkout, we had to change at the hotel and shower at home. Luckily, a quick drive fixed that problem and I parked myself on the couch for the rest of the day!

Did you run this weekend? Have you done back to back races?

April Fools 11k, Part 1 of the Jester Challenge #REALwomenmove

We arrived in Atlantic City last night for the April Fools Jester Challenge weekend. Today was the 7 or 11k and tomorrow is the Half. 

We picked up our packets and then hit Cuba Libre at the Tropicana for dinner.

The food was amazing!

I had Arroz con Pollo. So delicious! After some more walking, we went back to the hotel to relax for the night.

I love the bib but I am not thrilled about the shirts. They are basically the same for both races, the only difference is the distance printed on the back. Luckily, I like green!

We got up pretty early this morning, like always. We are only two blocks from the start, which was at 9, so we laid around a lot and got ready pretty slowly.

Once we got to the start, we hooked with all of the different groups of BGR, and did some warm ups together. What a fun group of ladies!

We lined up for the race and after a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, we were off. I wasn't trying for any special goals. With my PF, there isn't much point. I did want to finish with a decent average pace, under 13 minutes would have been nice, but with a half marathon tomorrow I didn't want to push it.

It got hot pretty fast, and I was wearing black, and they had only two water stops, with almost 4 miles between them. Ugh. It was a nice out and back, though, all on Boardwalk, so I can't complain too much.

My first three miles I averaged an 11:30 but I lost steam and slowed for the final 4+ miles. 

My final one was 1:23 with a 12:09 average, far better than I hoped. My foot aches a bit now, hoping tomorrow isn't a train wreck.

We walked around a bit and took some fun pics with the mascots that were walking around for the kid races.

My running buddy under my shirt makes me look a little pregnant! Not a fan of the pic for that reason only.

We are getting ready for dinner at Carmine's now. It isn't a race in AC without it!

Did you run today? Is it warm where you are?