2015 Walt Disney World half marathon recap

January 14, 2015 by Meridith

Fun fact: I’ve never run a Disney race twice.

I kicked it off in 2012, tackling Princess as my first half marathon and doing the 5k for funsies the day prior (and friends thought I was nuts). From there it’s been a whirlwind of the Castaway 5k, Tink, Wine and Dine, Disneyland 10k and half (again, with the nuts comments – they obviously don’t know many who have done Goofy/Dopey), and most recently the Walt Disney World half this past weekend.

Anyone who has run a Florida runDisney race knows about the dreaded early wake up time.

Anyone who has not run a Florida runDisney race but wants to… you may want to set your alarms now for 2:45am and practice that along with training. Because yes, that’s what time you get up for these races.

The struggle is real.

Extra, extra, read all about it. It’s COLD outside.

Brooke and I decided that we would be Newsies. We also decided that we would wear cute little tanks and running skirts. And then Mother Nature decided that she was going to throw a curveball at all of northern Florida and make it fairly chilly. Warmth took precedence over cuteness.

Sleep nearly took precedence over the race, if I’m being quite honest. Have I mentioned how early it was?

We stayed at the All Star Movie Resort, which made our travel to the start very simple; buses are scheduled non-stop starting at 3am. We didn’t check bags so we gathered our SPIbelts, food (wheat flats, almond butter, and bananas), and braced ourselves for the cold weather.

Donning our pajama pants and Brooke’s husband’s sweatshirts we found ourselves at the start village. Our dear friend, Ashley, was doing her first half marathon and our plan was to find her before the race. Attempts to track down Kristen and Suzanne were made, as I knew they were starting in our corral but to no avail.

The walk from the start village to the corrals is about a mile or so and while I found it daunting during the Princess half (remember, that was my first half ever), this wasn’t bad at all. The flow of traffic was smooth and we were able to get to the corrals with no issues. Our walk consisted of us geeking out over Universal’s Harry Potter world and books in general.

These are my people!

Ash, Brooke, and me

Soon we had to split off and go to our separate corrals, so we gave hugs and high fives to Ash and her friends before heading to corral J.

Thanks to social media, Brooke and I knew which skirts Kristen and Suzanne were wearing so we spent a good long while walking around the corral, peering at people’s legs. Yes, indeed. Sadly, we didn’t find them (but hey, it was a way to pass the time).

The earlier corrals began to cross the start line and we both shimmied out of our pajama pants, tossing them into the collection boxes. We listened to the announcers banter and watched the fireworks at the start of each corral.

Before long, it was our turn!

Our plan for this race was to HAVE FUN and I would say we succeeded! We thanked volunteers left and right. We ran when we felt like it. We walked when we felt like it (or when the course narrowed and there wasn’t much of an option). We cheered for other runners.

We pulled to the side and took selfies.

This course is the exact same as Princess so we knew what to expect. But honestly, my feelings toward this race couldn’t have been more different. My first half, it was all about getting through it. This? This was just about having fun and spending time with my friend. I didn’t hurt. I didn’t push any limits. I just had fun with Brooke.

The park is always crowded, as you can see in this video. There are people cheering and there’s not much room to navigate if you want to go faster than the people in front of you. What’s a courteous runner to do? Just roll with it. Soak it up, enjoy the moment, and smile.

It was “snowing” as we ran into the castle.

If you’re a middle to the back of the pack runner, realize that you probably won’t get that awesome running shot of you coming out of the castle. I know for me, it was slightly disappointing when I first ran a Disney race. However, there are photographers stationed right in front of the castle if you want to stop and grab pictures with the castle in the background.

Brooke was hoping that this train would bring us to Diagon Alley. It does not. Sadly.

Miles 7-11 are what I like to call “the boring miles.” You exit Magic Kingdom and it’s lackluster. I feel like Disney could do something MORE in these miles to make it less tedious. I said that 2 years ago during Princess and I’m saying it again.

That’s not to say that the boring miles only pertain to runDisney, it’s really true of any half marathon. They are just sort of ho-hum, are we done yet? miles. For the record, the answer is no. You’re not even close to being done.

Which is why when you run into Kristen and Suzanne, whom you’ve been looking for the entire time, you basically lose your ever-loving mind and make loud squealing noises!

They spotted my hair and hat and we spotted their SKIRTS. How cute are they?

We hung out with them for about a half mile (I’m guessing – my watch was set on kilometers so I wasn’t exactly knowledgeable of anything in the distance department) before I pulled to the side because I had something in my shoe. It was so wonderful to see them and it definitely made those “boring miles” way more exciting!

Since the race is mostly on access roads, it’s hard for spectators to get out to the more remote areas. That’s why I totally have to give kudos to this guy! This was mile 10, just before going up the access ramp.

Brooke and I kept chugging along although we were straight up speed walking at this point with the hopes of finishing up faster. Right outside of Epcot there were people cheering and it was wonderful to hear my name being called. Only LATER did I realize it was Bonnie! OH MY GOODNESS, I love that girl!

When you hit Epcot, you hear the same thing over and over. “The finish is just around the corner.” But we knew the course and we knew that it was NOT. You have to wind your way through Epcot a little before that corner finally comes. However, this is how you know the corner is really the actual corner and not a fictional one.

That’s right! There’s a gospel choir! You can hear Brooke WOOing them, like a good Woo Girl should.

Then, and only then, can you expect to see the finish line around the corner.

This is the moment that you’ve been waiting for for 13.1 miles. You take it in. The crowds cheering. The people in front of you holding hands. The far off sound of medals clanking.

The sound of Brooke as she exclaims, “WAIT! Is that Minnie Mouse?”

Why, yes. Yes, it is.

The finish was wonderful. Filled with great medals and snacks because runger is a real thing. Oh, and banana phones.

W stayed at the finish area, snacking and stretching, so we could meet up with Ashley after she finished her very first half marathon. Mark my words, next time we are running TOGETHER.

Different races have meant different things in my life. Some are for PRs, others are for fun with friends. This one, and this weekend in general, was therapeutic. It was good for the soul and exactly what I needed.

Do different races hold different meanings in your life? When is your next race? Anyone entering the Broad Street 10 Miler Lottery? The next 5k I’m registered for is the Adrenaline Run 5k. After that it’s the Atlantic City April Fools Half. Will I see you at either of those?

The Not Very Cold ColderBolder

December 12, 2014 by Jennifer

Sometimes, the Universe aligns and graces you with experiences that surpasses your expectations. Sometimes, those experiences lead you to learn new things about yourself. And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, the Universe will throw in a few giant jogging chipmunks and penguins for perspective. And when the experience is over, you swear that you’re happier, and that the world would be happier, too, if there were more giant jogging penguins. Personally, I vote for giant jogging koala bears. Such was the blast I had at last weekend’s ColderBolder, the companion 5k race to the BolderBoulder10k.

This year, the ColderBolder turned out to be…not very cold. Well, “not very cold” as Colorado would define it anyway. Last year’s race temp was a balmy -5˚. For the record, it is highly likely I would have wussed out if it had been THAT cold this year. Fortunately the temperature at race time was 42˚, and although walking to the start was a bit chilly, the view made it worth it. The course takes runners through the University of Colorado’s beautiful Boulder campus, which has a front and center view of the Flatirons.

It’s sooo purrrdy.

Woot Woot, 2014CB5K!

After the epic fail at my company Turkey Trot a few weeks back, I was determined to make this race count. I’d planned carefully, made sure I had all my gear, and was eager to try out my first pair of compression socks. We arrived forty-five minutes before my start time and had some time to check out the expo. I’d already picked up my packet so we bypassed that long, but fast-moving, line.

Organized Chaos

Look y’all, chipmunk runners!

The crowd was cheerful and energized, and not nearly as big as the BolderBoulder (BB10K) even though the race had sold out. We headed toward Blach Field House to see the finish line and check out the vendors. There weren’t many booths, but I totally spied the beer booth despite it being 9:30 in the morning.

The Old Chub has scotch in it. #I’llpass

Expo Vendors

We bumped into my aunt Sandra and my soon-to-be-new-uncle Bill who is an avid runner. After chatting for a few minutes, Bill and I left to head to the start, while my husband and aunt found a place to cheer. Indoors. Where it was warm.

Bill and I lined up with our wave and I assured him that I was as slow as molasses, and to please not wait for me. He assured me he wouldn’t. And he didn’t either! We heard the gun shot and he was off! Go, Uncle Bill, go!

Just keep waiting, just keep waiting…

Here we go!

The first mile was great; my legs felt strong and my new shoes that I’m still getting used to felt like springy pillows on my feet. My asthma combined with the cold air, however, didn’t make for a happy Jenn. I wasn’t far into that first mile before I had to start alternating jogging with walking. I tried to walk as little as possible, and when I did run I tried to be conscious of my form and pace. I’ve been working on following the Chi Running Technique, and I do feel as though it helped my speed and enhanced my comfort while running this race.

Miles two and three were fun! I was feeling determined despite my difficulty breathing. When I was running, I felt like I was flying past everyone! I can honestly say I’ve never felt that free running, and I think I caught an inkling of that running addiction thing. Plus, I could NOT STOP giggling at the running penguins and their bobbing tails. Clearly, I was suffering from runner’s joy.

Running Penguins!!

What a view for mile two!

I powered though as much as I could and puffed on my inhaler more than I would have liked, but still felt strong at the finish. The third mile marker gave me the push I needed and I picked up my pace. The course support and volunteers were great, and there were quite a few spectators cheering us on for that last half mile. It’s really amazing what a little love from the crowd and positive race energy can do for you! As I turned the corner to the finish line, I spotted my husband , aunt, and Bill cheering for me. It was nice to have some friendly faces and a bit of love at the race. I think that made this race my happiest finish yet!

Happiest Jenn!

BOOM, DONE!

When it was all said and done, I was pretty darn pleased with myself. My official time was 38:29 and pace was 12:23. I will so take that action. This race was a blast and it taught me that I may not perform at my best in the winter cold, but I can still have fun and get out there. Favorite perks of this race were the cute pink and blue hat, and of course, beer. I am officially one of the cold and the bold.

Cute warm hat + beer = content

What winter races are you looking forward to this season? DO YOU LIKE HATS TOO?

Tis the Season for Doing Good

December 1, 2014 by Jennifer

How many of you participated in the runner’s version of food guilt therapy last week, also known as the Turkey Trot? Before I ran, I never gave my local Gobble Hobble a second thought. However, I’ve recently decided that running prior to the Thanksgiving chow down is THE BEST tradition hands down. Why pray tell? It’s because we need to justify allowing ourselves a second slice of pumpkin pie. Maybe we can even splurge on a heaping dollop teaspoon of whipped cream on said pie.

Moment on the lips, forever on the hips be damned because I turkey trotted today.

Or in Cam’s case, amazing cakes that she makes!

Of course, there are other reasons to participate in a Thanksgiving race. We runners are philanthropists at heart and every race has a great cause behind it. This time of year, the spirit of gratitude runs high and we may think more about those who are less fortunate that us, those who are unable to run for fun. The Turkey Trot I ran was no different in that respect, but it was different in many other ways. By sharing it with you guys, I thought it might inspire you (and your coworkers, hint, hint) for next Thanksgiving.

On the Saturday before turkey day, the company I work for held their 32nd annual employee 5k turkey trot. It was open to family and friends of the human and canine variety. The registration fee was a mere fifteen dollars, and best of all, it would go to a few selected employees who had faced hardships in 2014. It’s a great event that gets participation from all levels of the company and all levels of running and walking. Employees can participate by running, walking, volunteering to work the race, or by sending in a donation.

Volunteers bravely braved the morning chill.

The course took runners through the company campus that spans three city blocks. Three loops and you’ve got yourself a 5k. This information will come in handy on my lunch runs! The race was organized very professionally by the volunteer team and included pro bibs, accurate timing and goodies for all after the finish.

The course map I didn’t read. This was my first mistake.

Someone needed more coffee.

And the best hat award goes to…

We get incentives for creating teams for the race. The largest team gets a trophy plaque, and the fastest team members each get a frozen turkey. Teams can be as small as four people and the largest team this year had 128 members! They make up silly names for themselves, like “Alpacas in Space”. (I don’t even know. I work for an aerospace company. In Boulder. I guess the reference to alpacas is obligatory?) There are age groups which are divided by gender, and same goes for kids. The fastest three adults in each age group get a frozen turkey, and the fastest boy and girl in each age group get one, too. The fastest male in my age group (30 – 39) was 18:36, and the fastest female was 20:24. Amazing! Also, I must accept the fact that I will likely never win a turkey at this race because these people are fast!

I’m following this guy home.

The free spread.

There were approximately 450 participants which means we raised just under seven thousand dollars for the recipients. One-sixth of the company was involved in a meaningful, healthy activity that built team spirit and goodwill across the campus. It was a warm way to begin the holiday season with mindfulness of how blessed we are. The CEO was there passing out turkeys to the winners of the race and the raffle, and people entered their dogs in the race to help contribute. I hear these guys are returning champions.

Hi. I’m a Tibetan Mastiff.

So there ya have it! Seems easy enough, right? If you get yourself a fancy timing clock, some muffins, a few turkeys, and some company merch to raffle off, you too can help your fellow employees with turkey trot proceeds. Seriously though, folks, this is a great idea with pretty minimal output of effort and labor. Now, go forth on this after-holiday-weekend Monday morning when everyone is grumpily facing their food guilt and dazzle your boss with this fabulous idea! They’ll be like:

Make it so.

As for my personal turkey trot success? Ummm, yeah…about that. Here is where I have to confess that I was so full of fail that morning. SO FAIL. I missed the start of the race by 3 minutes (stupid traffic), and I didn’t really read the course map, therefore, I didn’t really know where the finish line was. I missed the “spiel” and just jumped in and followed the other runners as they started their second lap. Safe bet, right? Yeah. Not so much. I never crossed the finish line, instead I made a beeline for the muffins.

Baked goods are my religion.

But no matter! No matter at all that I was wearing too many layers. No matter that the cold air and my asthmatic lungs don’t play nicely together. No matter that I missed the finish line and had no clue what I was doing! I had fun, and this was a great cold weather test run for the ColderBolder coming up next Saturday.

Just keep running, just keep running, doesn’t matter where you’re going!

A special thanks goes out to my husband who is always my personal race photog. He’s the bestest.

Heart this guy.

What Turkey Trot did you run this Thanksgiving? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? Have you ever totally flubbed up a finish? Console me in the comments!

Full circle at the Philadelphia Marathon

November 26, 2014 by vfreile

Four years ago, I decided to run a marathon. One marathon.

After much deliberation, I picked Philadelphia. My mother was raised there, my sister lived there. It was home. I ran the race and had the time of my life. I reached what I long thought was an unreachable goal.

Last weekend, I returned. And yep, it was well worth the wait.

As always, I stayed with Meri, who decided to run the Philadelphia half marathon after years of cheering and volunteering at the race.

We hit the expo midday Saturday, collected our goodies and connected with Dimity of Another Mother Runner. We even managed to leave without spending too much money. Huge success.

The ~~day’s~~ weekend’s highlight, however, was meeting friends old and new.

At high noon, we met with fellow running bloggers Karla, Jen and Katherine and my longtime friend Claudia at the Reading Terminal Market.

Katherine (left) Jen, Karla and Meri

We all gabbed like old pals for more than an hour…. and then we met up with broken chick Kyle, who planned to run Philadelphia Marathon with us until she sprained her ankle.

Kyle is thrilled to be in the land of grilled cheese

We three carb-loaded at our beloved Pop Shop in NJ before we all attempted to settle down on marathon eve. A great chat, lots of laughter and race-morning planning filled our evening.

Ready to go!

Fast forward to marathon morning. The 4 a.m. alarm woke us in time to catch the 5:40 train into Center City. We walked about a mile to the start area, where we dropped our bags and wished one another a great run and headed into our respective corrals.

Somehow, in a mass of 30,000 runners, I connected with my training partners Gary, Traci and Jen in the purple corral. We all planned to start together with the 4:15 pacer, but race our own races. While waiting, Gary met Justin, a man from Allentown who joined our running crew for the day. (More on him later)

With Gary, Traci and Jen (note the art museum behind us!)

Soon enough, we hit the road. The first few miles flew by and pretty soon Gary, Justin and I were all running as a well-oiled 10-minute-mile pacing team. I jabbered along much of the first half, pointing to landmarks and sharing stories. Running through Center City was fantastic, between Independence Hall, several bands and streets lined with cheering fans and volunteers.

The miles clicked by and I felt fantastic. My Garmin watch was acting up, clearly giving me false readings as I ran by skyscrapers, so I went by feel. It totally paid off. Looking back at my stats, I ran a solid 10-minute-mile pace nearly the whole race. I slipped a bit in those last two miles.

I was feeling it Sunday. I powered up the hills at miles 7 and 9. I flew on the straightaways. I was in the groove.

At the half, I felt invincible. I spotted three cheering friends near the art museum and Boathouse Row. Childhood friend Kelly, who ran the half Sunday morning, waved me down and ran alongside me for a bit. Her words of encouragement carried me for miles.

I pulled ahead with a smile on my face. This was the race I’d been waiting for.

Around mile 20 in Manayunk, running pal Cynthia waved me down as I started to get the inkling that my legs felt heavy. Her smiling face motivated me to keep moving forward. (Thank you!)

I started to struggle around mile 21. Justin ran a bit ahead and I recall thinking how nice it was to see him get a surge of energy. It was that moment I knew he’d reach his own goal, no matter how hard those last few miles were.

Several times he circled back, checking to make sure I was holding my own. Thank you Justin!

We ran into Traci around mile 22-23 and the three of us pushed on together. I walked longer at each water stop, but didn’t throw in the towel, even though I desperately wanted to. My legs were on fire and my breathing was labored. I was doubting my training.

Then we approached the art museum and the crowds carried us in. With a high five from Mayor Nutter, Traci and I crossed the finish line together at 4:25. We both PRed and were thrilled we were done. Justin waited for us on the other side and also ran his best time. Triple PR!

We each received a beautiful medal, rivaled only by the soft pretzel handed out in the runner food line.

Eventually, we found the rest of our group and started learning about everyone’s races. LOTS of PRs in our running group! I cannot wait to hear all about everyone’s adventures.

With Traci and Meri just after the full

From left, I’m with Traci, Brittany, Charlotte, Aileen, Gary and our new pal Justin

Philly is a tough course, but there really is nothing like it. I loved my first 26.2 in Philly for just that reason – it was my maiden marathon and showed me I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Five years later, I completed a far different training cycle that included multiple missed runs, illnesses and other demands taking away from my training time. I went into the weekend feeling strong but told myself not to overshoot or stress over a goal time.

So I didn’t. And it paid off. Philly, you’re my city. Running the Philadelphia Marathon the second time is like coming home.

Did you run Philly? I want to hear all about your race! Ever meet a new running pal and run a race together?

Mission Inn-Possible!

November 12, 2014 by camoozle

Since I began this wild and crazy ride called runcationing, I have completed five half-marathons. However, I have never ran a half in my actual city or even county of residence. Through each of these races, I’ve had Meri, my mega-motivator, by my side. On a whim, I signed up for three local races in the Run Riverside race series. Why? For the medal, of course! For some reason, I decided that one of those races would be a half-marathon. I felt ready. I felt confident. I had kicked ass at the Hometown Heroes 10k last month.

Supporting Riverside’s Boys in Blue at the Hometown Heroes 10k

It wasn’t until the weekend before that I realized Meri wouldn’t be there to dance with me or bribe me with laffy taffy. In fact, I wouldn’t have anyone with me. I would be spending three freaking hours by myself. Running.

What the hell was I going to do with myself? Would I even be able to finish this on my own? As we all know, I’m the least self-motivated person on the planet. I excel at procrastination. It’s my superpower. Did I train for this half? I think we all know the answer to that one. And yet, I woke up on Sunday at the crack of dawn and got myself downtown to the start.

Meri and me after my first half. I was told by a psychic that day that my soul mate's name would begin with a "M". Coincidence? I think not.

After my first half. I was told by a psychic that day that my soulmate’s name would begin with an “M”. Coincidence? I think not.

Riverside, CA has an awesome downtown area centering around an old hotel, the Mission Inn. I’ve lived in the area and use to walk downtown to get fresh produce at the farmer’s market, or to pick up a book from the used book store. I’ve spent some nights dancing or listening to bands in one of the many bars and lounges. Every year, the place is lit up for the holidays with vendors, Santa, and even an ice skating rink. It’s a place where I’ve spent many a day and night. However, I’ve never ran a race here!

Mission Inn Festival of Lights

The best thing about running in your hometown? You run into people you know everywhere! I had my fella drop me off at the start so I wouldn’t have to park because parking sucks downtown. I picked up my bib and chip and got all pinned up and made my way to the start. Where I ran into some friends! We chatted and compared compression socks and stretched. You know, all the stuff friends do when they’re getting ready to run 13.1 miles.

And then we were running.

I had bought this new headset, you know the fancy kind that’s also a hands-free headset and I had downloaded this HIIT interval app for my phone. For some reason, the volume on my headset kept going down. On its own. I’d turn it up and the damn thing would mute again, like it was possessed or something. I spent the first 3 miles trying to figure out what was wrong with my phone. Was it the app? My music player? I couldn’t figure it out until I realized my headset was the only thing that was new. The little button thing that you push to make it a headset was malfunctioning. So I ripped it off. Yep. I had to break my headset. Because this was more logical than spending 10 more miles with just my thoughts.

I took this pic just for Bec because I know how much she loves this quote.

Once I figured this out, my music worked like a champ. So I reset my interval timer and waited for the buzz. This worked for a good five more miles. Then it just stopped. I was running for what seemed like forever and when I checked my phone. It had reset. Well, now I would never be able to trust this app again. And trust in my interval app is very important! I would have to find an alternate strategy.

Girl Talk to the rescue! I don’t know if any of you are familiar with the artist, but he’s this guy who mixes a bunch of popular songs from all different genres into one continuous stream. The songs blend into each other, like one long epic mash-up. It’s my favorite running music. I just started counting music changes. After 5 music changes, I would walk for one until it changed again. Then it was back to running. The music kind of lends itself to intervals perfectly because the beat also changes often; there’s a definite up and down in the rhythm.

Right around this time, I saw more friends! The course had a portion of out and back running along a bike trail. So I got a good look at all those peeps up ahead of me and it was nice to see familiar faces.

After I made the turn around, I started to overheat. It was hot. And my hamstrings were cramping up. I hydrated with powerade and water at every water station, but between miles 10-12, there wasn’t a water station in sight. This was also where the course meets up with the 10k course. Dozens of fresh runners started passing me up while I limped on. I kind of wished I had worn my bib on my back, so they knew I was running funny for a reason.

*Side Note: Telling a runner “You’re almost there, don’t give up!” is the equivalent of asking a pregnant lady if she’s having twins or telling someone they look tired. I know you mean well, avid race watcher/volunteer, but just don’t. Because your idea of “almost there” and my idea of “almost there” after 13 miles is completely different. Just saying.

But I made it! And my guy was waiting at the finish. This was literally the best thing in the world to see. Because that meant the car was near.

At the finish!

Have you every done a hometown race?

Race Recap: Chicago Marathon

November 7, 2014 by kpjenn

FIRST SOLO SCOOT POST! BOOM!

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I’m ready to get started.

Last month, before officially joining the Scoot Chicks, I ran my second marathon in the Windy City. Chicago.

Chicago is my kind of town, let me tell you. I feel a kindred connection with the people of Chi-town. Probably because I spent the better part of the last 5 years living in the Midwest (Wisconsin, baby!) and Chicago just feels homey. I mean, their taste in football teams is questionable at best, but I have so many friends and family in and around the Chicago area, it felt like going home.

Going in to this race, I wasn’t feeling awesome about things. This summer had been incredibly busy and in the month before the marathon, I’d been traveling a lot and I felt my training had suffered. My last long long run was almost a month and a half before, while I was in Alaska visiting my family.

20 miles around Eklutna Lake? #AlaskaFTW

Running around Eklutna Lake was amazing and I’m so happy I was able to do 20 miles on my home turf. But once I got back to Virginia? Different story.

And of course, in the days leading up to leaving for Chicago? I got a cold. Like, nasty sinuses-all-congested-can’t-breathe kind of cold. So, I said to myself, “self, buy thee some sudafed and DRINK ALL THE WATER.”

Sudafed and other marathon-things organized neatly

Upon arriving in Chicago, I met up with one of my oldest and dearest friends, who accompanied me to the expo, where things were the smoothest I’ve ever seen any race expo run. Ever. Like, fancy ipads er’rywhere. Super fast. Super easy.

I found a Paul!

I spent Saturday toodling around Chicago with college friends (reunions are the best, btdubs) and resting my legs so they could run all the miles and drinking all the water (because, sickness. and also hydration). That night, I laid out all of my race gear and hopped in bed at 9:30 – because when you have to be dressed and out the door by 5:15am, you go to sleep as early as possible.

Beth and Catrina were marathon-supporting superstars

Flat Kyle: Ready for 26.2

The race start was a bus and train ride away from where I was staying, so in typical Kyle fashion, I grabbed coffee to keep me company. Chicago has a pretty easy-to-navigate public transit system, and coming from DC where I ride the metro regularly, it was no big deal to figure out where I needed to be to get where I needed to go.

All. Of. The. Coffee.

One thing about running in Chicago in the Fall: you never know what the weather is going to do. Having lived in the midwest, I know that mid-October could either be sweltering or snowing. Fortunately, race morning, temperatures were chilly, but perfect for running. To stay warm, I had on like, three layers (not sorry) and before I dropped my bag at gear check I was doing some sun salutations to loosen up and stay warm. The start corrals were super easy to navigate and once I ditched my stuff, I made my way into my corral and joined the other racers in the usual banter and bouncing around and huddling together to stay warm and loose.

Chicago Skyline in all its glory at the start

I didn’t have to stand around too long, as the race officials got the corrals moving fairly quickly, and before I knew it, I was stripping off my throwaways and crossing the starting line. We were off through the streets of Chicago. That was probably one of my favorite things about this race, actually – the fact that the entire course is a tour of some of the best parts of the city. From Grant Park, through downtown, from Wrigley Field to White Sox stadium, we ran all over that town.

It was a beautiful day and Chicagoans were out in droves to cheer us on. Seriously. So many people. In most places, the crowds were two or three people deep. I don’t think there was any place along the course that was quiet – it was awesome.

The other amazing thing about this course? The fueling and water stations. Evenly dispersed, on both sides of the road, water and gatorade and in the last few miles, bananas, too. The volunteers were amazing and they kept us runners in good shape throughout the race.

Because I was running intervals for this race (5 minutes of running, 1 minute of walking), I felt really good throughout – the built in walk breaks were great and given that I was still dealing with the congestion from my cold, definitely helped me keep my pacing and breathing in check. It wasn’t until about mile 22 that I really started to feel tired… and I could tell that my body was kind of reaching “done-zo” phase – being sick and running that far means fatigue. I slowed my pace and adjusted my intervals and kept pushing.

Now, the majority of this course is flat – Chicago is lauded as being one of the fastest (that’s a relative term. Ahem.) marathons around. But, what they neglect to tell you is that the last two tenths of a mile are uphill. RUDE. “Oh sure, you just ran 26 miles, and the finish line is like… right there, but run up this hill first.”

YEAH OKAY.

But, you know what, by that point I was just so ready to be done that I powered up that hill and turned back in to Grant Park to cross the finish line like a boss. Or like a wobbly-legged little girl. Whatever. I finished and I shaved 15 minutes off of my previous marathon time. So that’s a win in my book.

Another 26.2 done!

After the race, I hobbled my way to the meet up area and found Beth and Catrina who helped me sit down, helped me get back up and walked me back to the train. I’m so grateful for friends who join in the marathon fun, because truly, the experience is made that much better when there are people there to share in your accomplishments.

Chicago was an incredible race and I would definitely do it again – and hopefully without a cold so I can take more advantage of the storied speediness of this course.

#swag

Fun aside? While I was tweeting about the marathon, Mizuno hooked me up with a pair of their new Wave Rider 18s. SO PUMPED. These kicks are carrying me through training right now and are amazing. I’m looking forward to taking down another 26.2 in these babies in Philadelphia at the end of the month. Money. So awesome.

Biggest Loser Run Walk recap: Six Flags Great Adventure New Jersey

November 5, 2014 by Meridith

Also known as: that time I fell.

So, spoiler alert, I fell during this race. It was bound to happen; I’ve watched other people fall during races (wincing on their behalf) and knew it was only a matter of time before I was the one going BOOM.

It was my time and it was a spectacular fall. But man, I am so grateful because it could have been so much worse.

As always, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let me set the stage: it was a cold, blustery day here in New Jersey on Sunday. The rain was non-stop the day prior and everything was still wet from the storm. And it was cold. So cold. Even though it was low 40s, the wind was relentless, making it feel much colder than that.

Dude, Pooks and I piled on the layers and traveled the half hour from my parents house to Six Flags Great Adventure (fun fact: most other Six Flags parks are called “Six Flags” but we Jersey folk like to refer to ours as Great Adventure). I’d registered for the 10k and Pooks was doing the Kids Mile Fun Run!

We’d driven up from our house the day prior to do packet pick-up and spent the evening in central Jersey. Once we arrived at the race site, we found that people were still registering and doing packet pick-up. I wish I had known that was an option, as I would have definitely done the morning of the race. Ah well, there’s always next time.

The race village was fairly small and looking around, it seemed like most people there were participating in the 5k, with a smattering of 10kers. We didn’t see many kids at first, but there were about 20 who participated in the Kids Fun Run when the time rolled around.

Dan and Jackie Evans, Biggest Loser season 5, were the event hosts and made everyone feel welcome. I heard them introduce Jenn Widder, also from season 5 and she discussed having a baby and weight loss after pregnancy. It sounds like she’s doing great!

At the 8am, when the race was supposed to begin, many people were still getting their packets; in fact, the race start was pushed back 15 minutes to allow everyone to start at the same time. While I appreciate the sentiment of that, it was C-O-L-D and I was looking forward to moving.

Thankfully I had the company of Kim from Barking Mad About Running and her friend, Shannon, and that made the time pass more quickly! I’m so grateful that I was able to hook up with them at the start line – we stayed together throughout the race.

There were no official corrals. They asked that runners line up in the front, run/walkers in the middle, and walkers toward the back. It wasn’t an exact science but for the size of the race, it worked out well.

Huddle together for warmth!

Dan, (whom you might remember is a musician) sang the Star Spangled Banner and then we were off!

Jackie and Pam Geil, Biggest Loser season 14, sent us on our way with high fives and cheers. I believe that Jay Jacobs was also there, but I missed seeing him because he was running the 5k. Good on ya, Jay!

Pam and Jackie were so motivational!

My husband said that once everyone started the race, there were maybe 25 people hanging around, waiting for us to work our way through the park. Which just goes to show that people were doing this run/walk for themselves, which is always a wonderful thing to see.

The course wound its way through the Great Adventure parking lot and then into the park. A little less than a mile in, we found ourselves at a trail portion, which lead us past a lake and into the surrounding wooded area before wrapping us back around into the park and out to the village once more. The 10k race was a double loop of the 5k.

via the Biggest Loser Run Walk site

I have to admit that I didn’t really know too much about the course going into the race. I’d look at the map a day or two before, but other than seeing the names of a few of the coasters, I didn’t realize we’d be going off-road at all. Add the leaves and mud puddles (thanks to the rain) to the mix and it was definitely a slippery situation.

We started off running through the parking lot, chatting along the way. I grew up going to Great Adventure, but it’s bigger and even more coaster filled now!

We entered the park near the carnival games and it was still “dressed up” for Halloween, complete with a fountain that sprayed RED water. Spooky!

The first mile past quickly and soon we were on the trail portion. It was gorgeous scenery and I was pleasantly surprised; this was not what I expected at all.

At mile two there was a water and Gatorade station, along with a few HUGE muddy puddles. We squished a bit on the mud but I managed to stay upright there. I marveled over that fact… obviously that was a wee bit premature.

We were near the mile 5 marker (for the double loop). I’m not even sure what happened, exactly. All I know is that one minute, I was running and the next, my ankle was twisting and I was on the ground! I’m so glad that I didn’t take anyone else down with me because I came down HARD. It wasn’t a little fall. It was a heavy impact fall. There was no stopping or bracing myself. Timber!

I’m incredibly grateful for the woman who stopped to give me a hand up and for Kim and Shannon who walked with me until I reached the point where I felt comfortable running again. What I really loved about this race was the fellowship I felt with everyone else out there. People were friendly and supportive throughout the race. Like I said, it wasn’t a spectator type of event and everyone was doing this for themselves, but there was a family atmosphere from start to finish.

It would have probably been prettier had my ankle not been throbbing…

Now, I must admit, I went through a couple of trains of thought while I was evaluating my level of ability to continue the onto the 10k.

1. Got up, immediately knew I had messed up my ankle and possibly bruised my leg. Crap, I’ll just finish with the 5k. Thank goodness it’s a double loop.

2. No. No! I can run. I could TOTALLY do the 10k. “I’m doing the 10k!”

3. Just kidding. This really hurts. I need ice. Plus, I’ve run 3.1 miles today and I’ve got more races coming up. I’m finishing at the 5k.

A pic with my heroes!

After seeing monkeys in the safari area, we crossed the finish line. Pam welcomed everyone back with high fives and great spirit! That lady has spunk! Directly past the finish line we were handed our medals and there were tables set up with water, bagels and bananas for each person to grab.

I immediately sought out the medical tent to get ice. While doing that, I somehow lost Kim and Shannon but I know that I’ll being seeing them at races again in the future.

At the finish line, Dan was jamming out on his guitar and it was great to be able to relax and enjoy the music for a few moments.

Once I was all patched up (at least for the moment) I wandered around with Pooks and Dude because we had some time in between the my finish and the start for the Kids Run. At the Solutions tent I was able to meet Christina, who I’d been emailing with in regards to the event, and she was absolutely lovely! It’s always great to put a face to a name.

I also found Jackie and chatted with her for a couple of minutes about the chilly weather, the race series, and about how awesome our sons are. Of course, we needed to get a group shot. Dan was a bit busy but we made it work.

Pooks was a bit nervous leading up to the event but the day of, he was ready to go! At 9:45 the Kids Race was underway. The kids lined up at the start and took off. No timing chips, this was strictly FUN!

He’s off!

Originally we had planned for him to shed the outer layer but with the weather being so chilly, he decided to channel his inner Rocky and kept the gray theme going. My husband went about a tenth of a mile onto the course to cheer for him as he ran out and back.

The kids ran the opposite direction on the course so they were able to see the monkeys too!

And then, just like that, they were on their way back to the finish. Pooks hadn’t done a mile in awhile so he was happy to get out there and stretch his legs, especially after being sick all last week.

I was really grateful to be able to do this particular event with Pooks. We watch the Biggest Loser together and were so excited for the past month, leading up to the big day. While I wish we had warmer weather, and I certainly would have liked to have not fallen, I’m so glad that we got to experience this together!

Something that this race series does is provide FREE race pictures to participants. Um, how cool is that? They should be up on the website in a few days and I can’t wait to see them.

Have you ever participated in the Biggest Loser Run Walk Event? Which one? And have you ever fallen or injured yourself during a race? Thankfully, my ankle is feeling a lot better now! Thank you for the well-wishes via social media! xo

The Biggest Loser Run Walk Race Series compensated entry for both my son and myself. No other compensation was given. All opinions and any spectacular falls are my own.

2014 AC Marathon Race Series 10k Recap

October 22, 2014 by Meridith

One of my tried and true, go-to race series that I return to repeatedly is the Atlantic City Marathon Series. Why? Well, it really boils down to these key points:

1. It’s in my state! New Jersey races for the win!

2. The value is phenomenal. If you sign up early with a finisher’s code, a 10k or half marathon can cost less than other single pricey 5k events.

3. Overall, it’s a really great smaller race series and I love supporting it.

Last year’s 10k was a bit on the soggy side, so I was very happy to see the weather forecast for this year’s race was sunny and clear skies. Especially considering that I’d been sick with a pretty horrible cold throughout the week.

Since I was still recovering, I decided that rather than doing Neptune’s Challenge (which was the 10k and half that I originally signed up for) I was only going to do the 10k. Spoiler alert: I made the right call!

Yes, please!

In October, you never know what you’re going to get in terms of the weather, but we lucked out! And it’s a good thing because I had my cheer crew with me.

Little and Mom!

Usually I’m flying solo or with friends for races, but this time there was the added bonus of my mom and my youngest son who not only joined me for the expo but also the morning of the race.

Since I live within driving distance, we drove the hour back and forth on both Friday night (for the expo) and Saturday morning. Sadly, there was no day of race pick up – that would have shaved some travel time for us, as well as parking costs (although we got $5 vouchers at the expo). We made the best of our visits by getting treats at the candy shop on the boardwalk and wandering around.

Little was very excited that he was somewhere that his big brother had never been before. TWICE. It’s all about the competition when you’re five.

Really excited about this sign. The other side said, “I love you mom, because I love you.”

However, when you’re 37, it’s all about finishing the race and not hacking your lungs out on the boardwalk. Or, well, at least it was for me during this race. Because, let me tell you, this was not a fun race for me.

The race environment was awesome, as always. Running the boards always feels good because it has that extra give; I enjoyed the running aspect.

This particular race is an out and back – the first mile is on the populated “store area” of the boardwalk, then you run along a residential area. There is a 5k turn around and further down the 10k turn around.

The problem was that my lungs felt like they could never get quite enough air and when they finally did, I was coughing. I ran 2:1 intervals throughout and while I wasn’t feeling wonderful, I did appreciate the view.

I mean, how can you not?

By the last mile I was so ready to be done, which is a shame, because that’s usually my favorite part of this race. This time? Not so much. The last mile definitely felt like it had doubled in length but finally, I saw the finish line!

My mom snapped this.

I crossed the finish with a smile on my face, because, YAY! I WAS DONE! They said everyone’s name as we crossed the line, which I thought was a really nice touch and with a field of 950 participants, very doable.

I was immediately handed a medal and a bottle of water. I made my way over to the barrier where my mom and Little were cheering and Little immediately homed in on the water. “Oh, Momma, I’m SO thirsty.” Yes, he took my bottle of water.

Thankfully, in the finisher’s village I was able to snag a plethora of treats including Gatorade, Rita’s Water Ice, a banana, pretzels, bagel, and PowerBar. This was a welcome change from the end of the April Fool’s Half where the back of the pack missed out on most of the snacks. It’s always great when you know that race directors hear you!

After handing off my beer ticket, I met up with my family once more.

Little promptly took my bagel.

Was it my best race ever? No, it was not. But not for lack of effort on the AC Marathon Series’ part. Some races will just be better than others, due to circumstances beyond control. And hey, that’s okay. My greatest takeaway from this one is that I have the best cheering squad ever! Even if one of them takes all of my things. At least he let me wear the medal.

What fall race do you have coming up next? I’ll be at the Biggest Loser Run Walk at Six Flags Great Adventure for their 10k and kids race. Ever run a race while under the weather?

Wineglass Half Marathon & tube sock mittens

October 8, 2014 by vfreile

I’ve wanted to run the Wineglass Half Marathon in upstate New York since it was launched back in 2011.

Wine, a (mostly) downhill race course and a glass medal.

That’s a no-brainer.

But it never really fit into my fall training schedule – until now. It was well worth the wait.

I ran the 13.1 mile course from Campbell to Corning morning with much of my running group –Traci, Gary, Ray, Mark and Andy.

Most of us decided to skip the two-day expo in at the Corning Museum of Glass and instead, wake up insanely early to hit the road from Rochester well before dawn. I loved that race organizers allowed us to collect our bibs at the start line and our goody bags at the museum after the race.

It was still dark when we drove the 90+ minutes south, dropping Mark at the highway’s Bath exit so he could log an extra 5.5 miles before the race. We parked near the finish line in Corning and, after a waiting in a lengthy line of shivering runners, hopped a bus to the start area in Campbell.

This was the first year runners were required to travel by bus to the starting lines – previously, runners were allowed to park near the start and return post-race. We were among the last to reach the starting area, but race organizers waited until everyone arrived before kicking off the race, even though it meant starting our run about 15 minutes late.

Posing with my homemade mittens on the bus. I felt brilliant for coming up with this one. No worries on tossing these “gloves.”

And Sunday was chilly – just 33 degrees before we started running, so the extra throwaway layers we brought along were vital. And me? I decided to take it one step further with my lovely tube sock mittens. I created thumbholes and kept my frigid fingers toasty for much of the run.

In the mass of 3,000 half-marathoners milling at the start, Mark and I somehow spotted each other near the 2-hour pacers. The race began moments later as we chatted race strategy.

We were off.

The first few miles were crowded and hard to get a good pace going – but rather than weave around other runners, we hung back and waited for it to clear, then we bolted. Side by side, Mark and I settled into our race pace and decided to just run how we felt. We’d aim for sub 9s for as long as we felt strong. If we hit a wall, we’d slow down.

Time really didn’t matter to us. We were just there to run.

As our feet slapped the pavement, we both felt fantastic. We chatted as we ran, high-fived most children we encountered, thanked numerous volunteers and police officers and cheered for other runners. We even pointed out different picturesque spots along the course, many with colorful fall foliage over waterways.

Sometimes everything comes together on race day. Sunday was one of those days.

Around mile 11, Mark noted that we were on pace for 1:57ish finish (which is my PR) and I decided to pick up my pace to try for an even better time.

We spotted a running friend in the last mile and Mark encouraged me to sprint to the end as he ran in with our friend. I did. I pushed. I pushed hard.

I sprinted that last 1/4 mile, gritting my teeth as I crossed the finish on my unsteady legs.

DONE! I appear surprised to see a camera at the finish. HA! And I still have the mitten-socks on.

Success! I finished in 1:56.37, a new Personal Record by nearly a minute. But better than that, was running with friends, who were all pleased with how they fared. Traci also ran her fastest half-marathon time. Way to go, lady!

Celebrating our finish. From left, Mark, Traci, me, Ray and Gary

After the run, we each received a coveted glass medal. And we were treated to post-race goodies, including my fave chocolate milk and Wegmans chicken noodle soup.

Post-race we also had the chance to take a nice warm shower at the Corning YMCA (I did, ah!) before we collected our goody bags from the still-running expo. I was initially worried that I wouldn’t get the correct shirt size by waiting until after the run to collect my items. Not an issue.

Highlights in the bag included the race shirt, (Asics! Women’s cut! Long-sleeved! Huzzah!) a small bottle of bubbly and a wine glass. (Note, I meant to take a pic of this and got distracted. I’ll share one later.)

And if you want to read more about how others fared at Wineglass, here’s my work blog on Sunday’s race.

Have you ever run a race after skipping the expo? What’s the coldest temp at a start line that you’ve faced? How did you cope? Tell me in the comments

Race recap: hotter than hades at the Bird-in-Hand half marathon

September 14, 2014 by vfreile

Rough.

With one word to describe the Bird-in-Hand half marathon, this lone thought keeps topping my list.

It was a warm and muggy morning, with pre-dawn temps well into the 70s. Humidity was 96%. Oof.

An Amish family of runners at the race site

After an insane work week earlier this month, I headed to my hometown to run the rural road race for the second straight year. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is Amish country. Home to many in the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish and Mennonite community. Many in the county’s Amish community love to run and have a growing reputation as strong competitors in running circles. And this annual race is organized by that growing running community.

I drove to PA with my running pal Ray and connected with the lovely Kyle and Christina for our big Saturday morning run – the Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon.

We headed to the race site in rural Lancaster County early Saturday morning amidst the fog and were treated to a stellar sunrise.

Ah, Lancaster

We arrived early so we could all mentally prepare. When Kyle suggested we run intervals together – I immediately agreed. Repeated cycles of five minutes of running and one minute of walking sounded like a brilliant way to tackle this muggy 13.1.

From left: me, Kyle, Christina and Ray

As we prepped to run and lined up at the start, we spotted a few ladies pinning each other’s race bibs on their dresses. That’s right – many of the Amish run in their everyday clothes, including hair coverings. And sneakers.

Let’s race, ladies

Soon enough, it was go time. Kyle and I ran together, and we were thankful to stick to our interval plan. Dozens of people passed us each time we walked those first few miles.

Among them, we repeatedly encountered an Amish man running with his young daughter. We cheered each time we saw them, noting how fantastic their joint venture was.

Seriously, I love this duo.

By mile three, I was drenched. I’m talking soaked to the bone. Kyle and I stopped to walk at least twice each mile.

Around the turnaround at mile five, Kyle waved me on. Her legs were heavy, as she’d run a 20-miler just 6 days prior.

I pushed ahead, passing folks as I ran, then watching them pass me by when it was my time to walk.

The next hour was such a challenge. I was overheated. I wanted to stop, but I didn’t. I stuck to Kyle’s plan, even though I was now running solo. I listened to her voice on my head. I didn’t want to let her down by walking too long, or running too slowly .

Running through the corn(fields)

The race itself was a stunning, but hilly course through the cornfields and farmland in Lancaster. Every mile or so, Amish kids manned water and Gatorade stations, and alerted runners to the beverages in four-part harmony.

Amish and Mennonite families cheered us along, many while also doused us with water from garden hoses and sprinklers.

With the heat and humidity, race organizers added about a dozen huge coolers filled with ice along the route. Each time I spotted one, I grabbed a handful, ate a few cubes and shoved ice down my bra.

I sounded like a maraca as I ran on.

As I ran on I saw lots of horses, cows and goats. There were loads of farms, fields and even a half-dozen one-room schoolhouses and horse-drawn buggies galore.

Around mile 8, I hoofed it up a hill and spotted something out of the ordinary.

um, what?

Am I hallucinating, or is that a pair of camels?

Turns out, I said that out loud as another runner answered, informing me that yes indeedy, camels were hanging out along the side of the road.

I spent the next few miles wondering why. I learned more the following week when I found an article about a camel dairy farm in the Lancaster paper’s news archives. Did you know you can milk them? Yup. But apparently they are not incredibly willing participants.

By this point of the race, I was passing people left and right. Please don’t get me wrong. I certainly wasn’t speeding. My running time was just a 9-minute-mile pace. I’d just started walking far earlier than most, so I had more in my reserves as we all pressed on. (Thank you Kyle!!)

We cut through a farm on a gravel toad, where I tripped over a cornstalk and nearly landed flat on my face. Somehow I caught myself and moved on. It was along this stretch that cups of Rita’s Water Ice were distributed. So happy! The sugar rush added some pep to my step.

The last miles were tough. I’d been seeing occupied ambulances whiz by and volunteers and medics helping collapsed runners along the course. I was concerned about hydrating properly and making it to the end.

As it turned out, more than 50 of the 1,700 registered runners suffered heat exhaustion. Some even went to the hospital. The high for the day was 91.

I didn’t walk that last mile. I just wanted to finish. When I rounded the final turn onto a grass field and sprinted (eh, as much as I could muster) to the finish, I heard an announcer share finishers ‘ names and hometowns.

I never heard my name, but I couldn’t have cared less. I was done.

I guzzled water and chocolate milk and ate a banana before I tripped over Ray in the field and encountered my mom. A few minutes later, we heard Kyle ‘s name announced as she finished the run.

The hot air balloon launch at the start. This never gets old.

My time was 5 minutes slower than last year, when conditions were far more ideal. But I placed in the top third, compared to last year when I was solidly in the middle.

It wasn’t my best race by far. But I’m so proud of how all three of us fared – each about 15 minutes off our PR paces. But given the conditions, we ran smart and made it through without injuring ourselves. So to us, the race was a success!

We’re done! As Christina said, the race was so brutal we lost a whole human. Not to worry, she finished uninjured!

Despite the sizzling conditions, I love this small-town race and would do it again in a heartbeat. Plus, you get a handcrafted medal made from a horseshoe. I nearly tipped over – again – when an Amish girl placed it around my neck.

These miles marked my first double digit run this month for me toward Scootadoot’s Million Mile Run. And NEWS! This month, starting today (9/15) at midnight, Volvo is matching funds of donations to Alex’s Lemonade Stand for up to $30,000!

The number 30 is significant because every hour, 30 news cases of cancer affect children under the age of 20 worldwide.

That means any donation given during this period will go TWICE AS FAR!

If you wish to donate, check out our team page – We’ve raised $800 for pediatric cancer halfway through September!

Have you run a race in less-than-ideal conditions? How did you cope? Did you ever not finish due to overheating? Have you heard of this race?

Scootadoot

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Category Archives: Race Recap