Chicago Rock N Roll

In July I received an email opportunity to be on a discussion panel for the Rock N Roll series during the Chicago expo.  I was very excited about the possibility..anyone that knows me knows I LOVE to give feedback on the things I participate in and I really feel the RNR series is amazing, so the opportunity to participate was an honor.  I headed to Chicago really pumped for the entire weekend...I was looking forward to seeing my race friends that I hadn't seen since Seattle, I was getting my Super Six medal (6 RNR events in a calendar year), and I was going to participate in the discussion group!  I was pumped!  I met up with George and we strolled around the expo and just had a great time.  We met some wonderful new running friends from Team Future and learned about their great organziation (check them out at: http://www.teamfuture.com/) and George introduced me to some new RNR friends who were already beyond Legend status (7 RNR events in 1 year) and closing in on Idol (10 RNR events in 1 year).  The expo was a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the new ideas at the RNR discussion group as well as giving ideas of my own.  Definitely great people at RNR!

Having never been to Chicago (other than to fly through) I found the city to be great.  It was really gorgeous!

The skyline overlooking the lake gave this beach girl her H2O fix while still having the city flare.  I think I was most amazed by how clean the city was...this east coast chic is used to NYC or DC...Chicago was nothing like either but fabulous just the same...and the food was incredible! 
I struggled a little initially in the race, but it was mainly due to the crowd...this was definitely a race like no other!  Every race I've run so far had folks walking on the sidelines early on...not Chicago...the field was packed and these folks were RUNNING. 

I run my races as well, but one thing I learned early on is to run your own race.  It's very easy to get sucked into the mob mentality and find yourself running someone else's pace either blowing your time goals by going too slow or burning yourself out too quickly by running a pace you aren't trained for.  I got sucked into the later in this race and it was no one's fault but my own.  By the 5K marker I realized what was going on, grabbed a GU to make sure I hadn't burned through all of my glycogen stores too quickly, and settled into my pace...the rest of the race I was ok. 

We wound through the city, took in the sites,

and had an enjoyable run...slightly overcast, a few drizzles (not even enough to call it a shower), and then the sun burning the clouds off into a gorgeous clear sky for our finish...all in all it was an amazing race!  Yet again the RNR series pulled off a fabulous course to give us a great tour of another wonderful destination!  And the crowd was absolutely full of energy and helped keep the runners pumped along the way.

I finished the race in 2:11:09...pretty good for not training for over a month!

But...I almost forgot...the lesson learned!!!  So...remember that iPod arm band I wrapped up and tucked in my camera bag in Providence (soaking/sopping wet from the downpour rain)?  Well, the evening before the race as I'm laying out my race gear I realized I'd forgotten my iPod.  Mind you I have run several races without it and actually preferred to run the RNR events without it for quite some time, but lately I've gotten back into the habit of wearing it, so I was a bit bummed I didn't have it.  Then I realized something odd...not only did I not have my iPod, my armband and earphones were not in my gym bag either.  Now, this is VERY odd because unless I'm using the iPod or charging it, it would be in the gym bag.  The charger was there so I obviously hadn't left it somewhere charging...my mind immediately started spinning on when I'd used it last and I remembered Providence was the weekend before this race...I scanned memory banks to figure out what I did with it and sooner checked the camera bag...where I found one VERY foul smelling armband with iPod and earphones...having been closed up for the week and wet it was still damp and smelled fairly horrid.  BUT I'm a die hard and wanted my music...I didn't have time to wash it before the morning so I wore it and dealt with it!  BUT...after the race when George came to the hotel to shower before heading to the airport I couldn't help but rat myself out...he smelled it and definitely agreed it was foul and we had a good laugh.  (the first of several on this topic!)

I left Chicago happy with my performance, new friends, and with my Super Six in hand!

Uh Oh...old habits are resurfacing....

...so as I mentioned earlier, the summer seemed to be a bit "lazy" in the way of working out.  I decided to make some life changes this summer and took a new job after nearly 10 years with my old company.  I applied for the new position in late Spring and the interview process went through mid July in order to accomodate all rounds.  I couldn't give my employer any inkling of what was going on because if the new job didn't come through I didn't intend on hunting for another.  I really was torn as I liked my job and my company but was just getting VERY burned out and was ridiculously overstressed and overworked.  When it came down to it, my running and working out was my only method of keeping my sanity...so when I was training, I threw myself into it.  Unfortunately my schedule picked up and work got crazier over the summer, then...the Thursday before Providence I got an offer letter.  I was very excited and immediately accepted but there was paperwork and contingencies that had to be worked out before giving my final notice and moving over and there were projects that had to be finished up before I could leave as well.  So...August pretty much consisted of work and race...there was no training...and it shows in my race times as I go from my PR of 2:03 in Seattle in late June to only 2 training runs and 1 race in July, to no training runs and only races through Sept and times gradually creep back up to the old levels.  But, the good news is, I know the reason, I've now changed jobs, and my training begins again on Oct 2nd!!  In the meantime...how about another race update? 

Providence...Half Marathon or Swimming the English Channel?

I ran the Providence Rock N Roll Half Marathon on August 7th...my birthday weekend!  I use the term ran loosely because it was more of a swim than a run.  By this point I have made some great friends through the RNR circuit and I look forward to seeing them at the expos/races/destination cities, but Providence was already starting out to be a slight bummer because some of my good friends were not able to make it to this one despite really wanting too....we all have travel budgets and unfortunately we can't do all of the races we want.

Despite not having all of my RNR friends at the expo I was still thrilled because I was awarded my Rock Star medal for this race!  Rock Star is earned by completing 5 Rock N Roll events in one calendar year.  I had already earned the Dessert Double Down (for Vegas and AZ back to back), Rock Encore (for 2 events in the calendar year), Triple Crown (for 3), and Grand Slam (for 4), but all of these are mailed to you a few weeks after the race that earns them.  Once you hit Rock Star status you are able to pick up the medal at the race expo...and of course do green screen pix at the expo!  Talk about a HEAVY MEDAL!!  That thing is quality!

I was still looking forward to a great race in a beautiful place...and it was another new city to me.  That's one of my favorite things about these destination races....while I've been all over the US I haven't really done a lot of sight seeing in many of the places I pick to race and even the ones I have you don't really see an area the same as your running through it with roads closed to traffic and just having time to focus on your thoughts, breath, and surroundings....its really amazing to get to enjoy most of these courses the way I have!  ...but, back to Providence!  I woke up to a misty morning...ok, so pretty much just sprinkling rain but constant.  No worries...I'm a planner...I had a contractor trash bag in the trunk...1 head hole, 2 arm holes and I was off to the starting line.  I figured after the mess with the jacket in the rain in the SuperHero half that I'd wear the bag and throw it away when it was no longer needed.  And I must say...I didn't look half bad sporting a trash bag!

and no, I didn't wear the bag quite like that...I knotted it in the back for the pic...typically it just hangs down past the edge of my shorts in true trash bag fashion.  As we waited in the starting corrals the rain picked up a bit.  Then there was a delay on the course and we were unable to start on time...it was only a few minutes, but each minute the rain seemed to pick up.  Before we started I was already so saturated that the bag was pointless so I threw it in the garbage by the corral.  Once we were underway I kept my eyes squinted shut to avoid being pelted by rain and I did my best to dodge puddles for the first mile.  By the 1 mile point it was clearly obvious that there was no need to worry with it, we were already soaked to the bone, shoes included.  So I just forgot about it and ran.  The pictures from the race all look ridiculously blurry..they aren't...it's just the rain pouring down so hard.

I really don't remember much about the course...just lots, and lots of rain.  There was one stretch that went along the waterfront that the rain actually picked up to flat out monsoon...I remember thinking I bet that would've been a nice place to run on a drier day.  The race didn't quite feel like a rock n roll event...most of the bands weren't playing (if they showed at all) because it was raining so hard and they didn't want their equipment destroyed (I couldn't blame them) and very few cheerleaders stayed out in the rain...though there were some huddled under awnings and overpasses here and there...and of course the crowd wasn't as big as usual...but all in all it was still a GREAT event with some amazing people toughing it out to support us along the way.  I'd just gotten a new iPhone and was really afraid it was going to be completely trashed from water damage, but it somehow managed to survive in my neophrene race belt.  Occassionally during the run (every couple of miles) I'd literally squeeze the water out of my sports bra or pony tail hoping it'd make a difference...

I finished the race in 2:22:36...nothing great for a normal day, but felt amazing for such horrible conditions.  And...the bling was really nice! ;) 

Once I got back to the hotel I actually had to wring the water out of my orthotics and it took my shoes most of the week to dry out.

My feet were completely prunerized.

This is where I began to first realized what a bad habit one of my mundane little race day habits is...you see, after the race I typically have two bottles of water and my phone in my hands...I take off my iPod at the finish line and don't want to drop it or lose it...so I warp the cord around the arm band and toss it in the camera bag to free up my hands.  Keep that in mind until my Chicago update!!!

And Providence...I will definitely be tackling this course again...hopefully on a drier day, but I honestly think it will be worth the ran on another day...as the travel budget allows, of course!

A "Lazy" Summer?

In terms of training...yes, it's been a lazy summer, but in terms of racing it has been quite ambitious.  I suppose, yet again, I have fallen into the pattern of running without training and the results of that are starting to catch up with me...no injuries, but I did notice major changes in my abilities during the VA Beach race this past weekend.  So...where have I been?  I've spent a little time at the beach, I've been in the process of changing jobs after nearly 10 years in my current position (and thus transitioning everything and tying up lose ends), I've been getting my daughter off to college & preparing my sons to return to Elementary and High School, I've been spending time with family....I've been doing about anything besides training.  Not the best idea.  In July I did do 1 leg workout, 1 back workout and 2 runs (neither that great, both in crazy heat, 1 pushing my nephew in a stroller that wasn't made for running).  Other than that, I've taken time to rethink my goals and set new ones and start piecing together training plans for my upcoming races, I've registered for a few more races, I've ran 3 Rock N Roll events, and I've made some GREAT running friends! 

Races I will include posts on shortly:
Providence Rock N Roll Half Marathon
Chicago Rock N Roll Half Marathon
VA Beach Rock N Roll Half Marathon (my 18 year old daughter ran this one with me...her 1st!)

My current race schedule as it stands:
9/18 - Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon
10/16 - Detroit Free Press Half Marathon
10/22 - Myrtle Beach 5K (my 7 year old intends to run this one with me..his first race over 1 mile long!)
10/23 - Myrtle Beach Mini Half Marathon
11/5 - Rock N Roll Savannah Half Marathon
12/11 - Rock N Roll Miami Half Marathon
1/22 - Maui Oceanfront Half Marathon
1/29 - Tinkerbell Half Marathon
3/17 - Rock N Roll USA Half Marathon
5/20 - Portland Rock N Roll Half Marathon
8/19 - Minneapolis 13.1

My next goal race for time is going to be Miami and I'm thinking my goal is sub 2...stay tuned for progress!!  I also have some weight loss goals attached to that race, so I need to see how my nutrition plan and my workout plans compliment each other and make adjustments along the way to ensure I reach both goals...gonna be a tough balancing act.

I had already developed a friendship with a wonderful fellow runner, George Melichar, through the Rock N Roll series and we had both met an amazing friend in Shannon Williams.  Over the last few races we have begun to met an amazing group of people involved with Team Future and I look forward to seeing them at more races in the upcoming months.  As George, Team Future, and I work towards our Rock Idol status we have begun to meet more Rock N Roll personnel as well....what an AMAZING group of people!  The events speak for themselves but the people behind the scenes pulling off these events are absolutely incredible!  If you ever get the chance to run a Rock N Roll, give it a try!  It's not your average little race, it is truly an event!