It's Getting Closer

Rock n Roll Chicago is almost here! I'm so excited for this race! Not only because it's the inaugural event and we'll be running through Grant Park and along the GORGEOUS lakefront paths, but because I haven't run a half marathon since June 14th. And since I'm just incorporating this race into my marathon training, I don't need to take a taper week. *Sigh* Life is good.

There are so many things that I love about racing. Yes, the goodie bag is definitely one of my favorites, but it's not the best. Not by a long shot. When I was in high school and my parents would come to watch my races, they were always so impressed with the way that the runners conducted themselves. They cheered loud for ALL participants, not just their teammates. They high-fived all competitors in their race. Sportsmanship is the best among runners.

It's nice to know that nothing has changed. This is most evident during the Chicago Marathon. There are some spectators that wait until every participant has passed them before moving on. They cheer so loud it's incredible. And trust me, it totally helps when you're running out of gas to hear someone tell you that you're doing great. I also love people with funny running signs.

I know that this race is supposed to be HUGE and that part has me a little worried. Plus there's a wave start, and I've never done anything like that before. I hope that I will have room to find my groove, and won't have to spend the 2nd half of the race playing catch-up if I fall behind my target pace. The biggest bummer is that the race STARTS at 6:30- it's horrifying to think about what time I need to get up Sunday morning, since I'm traveling from the northwest suburbs.

I always find that the night before the race is so hard for me to get to sleep. My body is tired, but my mind is completely awake. I'm trying to remember everything that I need to bring to the race. (Do I have band aids? Chafe gel? A towel?) I'm also so excited. Like, night-before-leaving-for-Vegas excited. That was how I felt the night before the Wisconsin Marathon, and look how well I did at that one.

I should think about some more things that I love about racing. The competition, besting myself against other midpackers. The sheer joy of crossing the finish line, elation at being done (hopefully) in a PR time. A nice tour of the city that I can get while the rest of it is still asleep (or stumbling home from the late-night bars). I love challenging other people in my head, saying, "Well before 9am I ran a half marathon. What did YOU do?" It makes me feel superior. And super-good about myself.

I'm most excited about the Runner's High. I don't believe it's a myth. I'm literally floating high above the clouds when I get done with a half marathon. Even though I still have miles (or city blocks... or El stops... or car rides) to go before I can get a shower and a nap, it doesn't matter. I'm happy regardless. Running gives me confidence. It gives me courage. It gives me freedom. And sometimes, it gives me a medal when I'm finished for the day...

Race Calendar Wish List

Let me just preface this by stating that I have a lot of goals. Life goals, if you will. Not all of them are running-related. Some of them are silly. Some of them are actually completed. Plus I love to make lists. (Honestly, sometimes I feel like John Cusack's character from High Fidelity... all he does is make lists. But it helps him think. So true.) So one of the big ones on my list is running a half marathon or full marathon in all 50 states. I realize that this is a lofty goal, but it's one that is definitely achieveable. So far I only have 3 states done- Illinois, Wisconsin, and Arkansas. So I do have a long way to go. Which brings us to my wish list for my remaining states- the race I would love run most in order to complete that state. Wishful thinking, but you never know. Stranger things have happened...

Alabama: Rocket City Marathon - Huntsville
I had never heard of this until I Googled "Alabama marathons." I like the name of this one :)

Alaska: Mayor's Marathon - Anchorage
Even though Sarah Palin lives there, and according to Runners World she's a "runner," I would still do this one. Just to beat her!

Arizona: Rock n Roll Arizona Half Marathon - Phoenix
I love, love, LOVE Arizona. Beautiful course and a perfect time of the year... I will definitely add this one very soon!

California: Napa Valley Half Marathon - Calistoga
Even though they are adamant about no headphones, it would be cool to run in wine country.

Colorado: Steamboat Marathon - Steamboat Springs
I've heard so many good things about this one, I definitely had to pick it to knock off Colorado.

Connecticut: ING Hartford Marathon - Hartford
I've actually never been on the east coast, so I picked pretty much all big races for the support...

Delaware: Delaware Marathon - Wilmington
See above.

District of Columbia: Marine Corp Marathon - Washington DC
It sells out super-fast for a reason, right?

Florida: Disney Princess Half Marathon - Orlando
Because I'M a princess :)

Georgia: The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon - Atlanta
I'm not a huge fan of Georgia, but I had to pick one...

Hawaii: Honolulu Marathon - Honolulu
Who wouldn't want to run a marathon in Hawaii in December???

Idaho: Famous Idaho Potato Marathon - Boise
I'm sorry, if I have to do Idaho, there'd better be potatoes involved!

Indiana: Indianapolis Mini Marathon - Indianapolis
You get to run around the Indy 500 track... oh how I love a Gimmick

Iowa: Marathon to Marathon - Storm Lake
I LOVE smaller races with awesome perks :)

Kansas: Eisenhower Marathon - Abilene
See above.

Kentucky: Kentucky Derby Festival Half Marathon - Louisville
Definitely one of my life goals is to attend the Kentucky Derby. Since I'm not made of money, this seems like the next best thing.

Louisiana: Mardi Gras Marathon - New Orleans
Now that RnR took it over, should be quite the party!

Maine: Mount Desert Island Marathon - Bar Harbor
My parents went to Bar Harbor and said it's beautiful... this one's for them

Maryland: Under Armour Baltimore Marathon - Baltimore
I would love a stereotypical tour of Baltimore... running past museums, stadiums, and hopefully Charm City Cakes!

Massachusetts: Boston Marathon (duh... it's every runner's dream!) - Hopkinton
A dream is a wish your heart makes...

Michigan: Martian Marathon - Novi
I was going to pick Bayshore, but if you saw how weird and awesome the t-shirts are for this race, you'd understand.

Minnesota: Grandma's Marathon - Duluth
It's one of the most popular for a reason, right? RIGHT???

Mississippi: Tupelo Marathon - Tupelo
It passes Elvis's birthplace. Need I say more?

Missouri: Go! St Louis Marathon - St Louis
Already on my 2010 calendar...

Montana: Grizzly Marathon - Choteau
Not gonna lie, I just liked the name

Nebraska: Omaha Marathon - Omaha
I didn't want to do a small race in Nebraska, for fear that I would just run around through cornfields.

Nevada: Rock n Roll Las Vegas Marathon - Las Vegas
You get to run on the strip. Sign me up!

New Hampshire: New Hampshire Marathon - Bristol
Random New Hampshire pick...

New Jersey: Atlantic City Marathon - Atlantic City
I <3 casinos :)

New Mexico: Bataan Memorial Death March - White Sands Missile Range
It's not so much a marathon as a really long hike. But I like a challenge...

New York: Hamptons Marathon - East Hampton
Even though I'd be sweaty and disgusting, I'd still feel posh and elite.

North Carolina: Outer Banks Marathon - Outer Banks
Dartboard pick...

North Dakota: Fargo Marathon - Fargo
Hopefully no one stuffs people into the woodchipper.

Ohio: United States Air Force Marathon - Dayton
My bro is in the Air Force. Plus it's cool to get access to the base, and then be able to run around it.

Oklahoma: Route 66 Marathon - Tulsa
I would love, love, LOVE to get my kicks here.

Oregon: Eugene Marathon - Eugene
To run where Pre ran is any running fanatic's dream.

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Marathon - Philadelphia
Is the run up the Rocky steps included in the entry fee?

Rhode Island: Breakers Marathon - Newport
Never been to Rhode Island. This race seems like a reason to go.

South Carolina: BI-LO Myrtle Beach - Myrtle Beach
Always wanted to go to Myrtle Beach... for golf. But I'm sure running would be just as fun.

South Dakota: Leading Ladies Marathon - Lead-Spearfish
Who wouldn't want to run a race where you get shuttled back to your hotel in a limo? How cool.

Tennessee: Country Music Half Marathon - Nashville
Yee haw! Already on my calendar for next year...

Texas: Rock n Roll San Antonio - San Antonio
I <3 San Antonio! But I was only there for 3 days, and most of those were spent on the AFB. It would be nice to see the rest of the city.

Utah: Park City Marathon - Park City
Oooh will there be celebrities there?

Vermont: Green Mountain Marathon - South Hero
Dartboard...

Virginia: Yuengling Shamrock Marathon - Virginia Beach
Who doesn't love a race that serves beer and unlimited stew??? Heavenly.

Washington: North Olympic Discovery Marathon - Port Angeles
Edward Cullen hunting.

West Virginia: Marshall University Marathon - Huntington
Getting to see places where the movie was filmed + finishing on the football field = SOLD!

Wyoming: Wyoming Marathon - Laramie
There had better be cowboys involved...

Goals Up the Wazoo...

I have 2 races coming up in the couple of weeks (Terrapin 5K on 7/23/2009 and Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon on 8/2/2009). Time for some good old-fashioned goal setting.

Goals for Terrapin 5K:
1. To finish
2. To maintain a consistent pace throughout
3. To not really race so much as consider this a training run (i.e. no sprinting at the end and no picking people off!)
4. To break 30:00

Goals for Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon:
1. To finish
2. To take water and/or Gatorade at each aid station
3. To run negative splits
4. To run a pretty consistent pace throughout
5. Start out slow!!!!
6. To get a PR
7. To break 2 hours (my long-term goal... not really sure if it will be met, but might as well put it on the list anyway)

Fleet Feet Women's Festival 10K, 7.19.2009

It was so hard for me to get up for this race. I had been in Rockford the night before at a minor league baseball. I drank a good amount of beer and then got to bed kinda late. Needless to say, the alarm clock ringing at 4:45 was not a welcome sound. I wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and sleep til noon. But I somehow dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, ate breakfast, and got into the car.

I drove down to Montrose Harbor, and parked my car by the Waveland golf course (where parking is FREE! heehee!) I had to walk about a mile to the start line, but it was no big deal. I was actually walking on the lakefront paths right on the actual course. So I got a preview before we got going.

The race started on time, which was AWESOME! And it being an all-women's race, there was considerably less jostling and shoving to get into the start corral. Only a minute or so to the start line, and away we go!

Mile 1: I feel like death. Why oh why did I drink beer last night? I am kicking myself for this one. To the point where I will never do something so stupid ever again. Like, EVER again. The start of the race is surprisingly slow. Well, not all that surprising, now that I think about it. I lined up right at the 10:00 per mile pace sign. But there are walkers in front of me, and it's CROWDED. Most of that is due to the fact that both the 5K and 10K start together.

Oh wow, we're already at Foster Beach. Time certainly flew. I'm right at a 10:00 mile pace, which is good. I didn't really want to race this one- just work on starting out slow and maintaining a consistent pace. So far, so good.

Mile 2: I'm starting to feel a little bit better. Slowly but surely, the breeze from the lake is cooling me off. It's amazing how running has a sobering effect. I am starting to get more focused.

I'm frustrated with all of the slow people though! Ugh! Not that I am lightning fast or anything, but I am running the entire race, not run/walking. And there is one lady with a baby jogger that keeps cutting me off. I move onto the grass, both to get away from the slowsies and for a little softer terrain. Mile 2 is up ahead, and I can actually see the finish line! How deceiving!

Mile 3: Ok, now I'm cured. I feel great. My pacing is awesome, I am so well-hydrated, the weather is perfect, my tunes are motivating. And what's that ahead? The 5K/10K split! Yay!

The course is considerably less crowded at this point. Which I like. It's kind of hard to have 3400 people running on a 2-lane bike path. Even though the lanes are wide, that's still hard to accommodate all of those people.

Mile 4: We're now running down the bike path that I had walked down after parking my car. For some bizarre reason, I feel better being on more familiar territory. I am in no way tired and I am still maintaining a consistent pace. However, I am still slightly frustrated because I keep having to adjust my pace to run around people. Definitely on the fence if I would ever do this one again.

It's seriously amazing to me how many people are on the path this morning. There are lots of marathon training groups, plus people just out for a Sunday jog with their training partner. Sometimes I think I'm missing out because I don't live in the city. Well that and I don't have a training partner. Usually I like running alone, but I'm kinda jealous that these people have someone to talk to the whole time.

We're able to see the leaders from here. Wow, they are fast. And they have killer abs! I'm so jealous...

Turnaround time! We're almost at Belmont Ave, so it's time to head back towards Montrose Harbor and the FINISH LINE! :)

Mile 5: I secretly love when there's a race that inconveniences drivers. Watching their reactions is hilarious. The people pulling out of the golf course parking lot have to wait for the runners to go by. And boy are they angry! Hee hee :)

We're still on the lakefront paths, weaving around the softball fields. Hey, I can see my car from here! And it's still there... that's a good sign!

This mile was a little slower because I'm still weaving around run/walkers. Blech. Need to pick it up, only 1.2 miles to go!

Mile 6: Lalala... I'm almost starting to get bored with this course, since we are back on the path that I walked this morning. But I'm feeling great and I'm proud of myself for NOT racing and for NOT straying from my pace. I understand that goals do change, sometimes midway through the race, but not for me, and not today. I'm going with consistency over pace, and I'm not wavering.
Ooh almost there! Last aid station! I gulp a cup of Gatorade and run under the tunnel. It always amazes me how much runners love tunnels. It just gives us an excuse to woop and holler and be loud. (Plus I think we love the echo!)

Home stretch, running through the park next to Montrose Harbor. We can see the astro turf soccer field (I've played there before and it rules), then the big hill, then the huge parking lot. All the while, the official photographers and snapping shots of us. I really hope I don't look like a retard like I did during the North Shore Half.

Mile 6.2: Right at the mile 6 mark there's a guy screaming his head off for the runners and yelling "Time to kick it in!" I decide to heed his advice, lengthen my stride, and do a quick pickup to the finish line. I finished right at my goal of 10:00 min per mile. I mean, it's exactly. Final time: 1:02:06. Not bad for someone who had to make deals with themselves just to enter the start corral. :)

Frontier Days 10K, 7.6.2009

Move over, North Shore Half! I may have just found a better race. So many positives about this one. I'll just make a list :)

1. It was in town, downtown Arlington Heights. I parked in the parking garage near the Metra station and walked about a half mile to the start line.
2. Packet pickup was so easy, at our local running store. (Plus they didn't give you junk in your packet- it was a simple manila envelope with your tshirt, race number, and a brochure for a race in Palatine.)
3. The tech t-shirts, complete with women's sizes (!!!), are one of the best I've gotten so far this year. Plus they're not white!!
4. The course was well-managed and we didn't have to dodge cars.
5. The finish line refreshments were far and away the best EVER! (They even trump the Wacker Drive 5K in 2002 where the post-race party was in the Renaissance Hotel ballroom.) They had water, Gatorade, walnuts, grapes, watermelon, oranges, apples, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, granola bars, Jamba Juice and tons more. It was awesome.

Now onto the race :)

Mile 1: I start off well. Good, easy training pace, maybe a little too fast for my goals. I am passing a good number of walkers though, which is annoying. But I'm sure the crowd will definitely thin out when the 5K and 10K split. But that's over a mile away. Ugh. I have never really been through this part of town before, even though I have lived in Arlington Heights for almost 2 years. Nice residential homes, and there are a lot of people outside cheering for us. I heart fans :)

Wow, mile 1 is already here! Good pace, but too fast for my goal of 10:00 per mile no faster. Oh well, time to slow down a bit heading into mile 2.

Mile 2: I'm glad I wore a short-sleeved shirt, even though it was a little chilly first thing this morning. I'm also glad that I wore a hat. It's starting to get steamy out here- not dreadfully hot, but kinda humid and sticky.

I'm still maintaining a good pace and keeping up with everyone else. We are now passing Prospect High School. I never remember where this place is. But when I was a sophomore in high school, I went to a Boys track meet there. I remember that it was rainy and cold, even though it was mid-May. We pass an aid station, and I am grateful for the ice-cold Gatorade. Mile 2 is just ahead, and I'm well under my goal pace. Need to slow down a bit...

Mile 3: ...which, I might add, is pretty impossible to do when the 5K runners are racing with you. They are nearly done with the race and are starting to speed up. So, in turn, I am speeding up to keep up with everyone else. I have been having a hard time with pace as of late. It's something that does not come naturally to me, and clearly needs to be worked on more in training.

Time for the split. 5K runners go left, towards the cheering fans and the finish line. Us crazy 10K runners go straight and have half the race left. Wow, there were a TON of people in the 5K. I feel like I'm running practically alone.

We're approaching the 3 mile mark, and I can see runners about 2 blocks ahead of us, near mile 4. Just a little zig zag away from the home stretch!

Mile 4: Lalala. I'm kind of getting bored right now. My playlist is boring. I now realized that I selected the wrong one this morning and am just noticing now. Way to go. I get some Gatorade at the aid station and walk for a minute. I'm still just under my goal pace, so I've earned a little walk time. Plus, after the race I'm leaving for Las Vegas. No need to expend all of my energy right this second!

We are on the north end of the zig zag now. I glance to my left and still see people on the course. Some wagglers, no doubt. Good for them. A 10K is not the easiest race to do.

Mile 5: Roads, houses, fans. Roads, houses, fans. Roads, houses, chute?! That's right, we're approaching a school, and the volunteer tells us to go single-file through the chute and onto the dirt path. Not bad. Gives my legs a little bit of a break. There's a little boy in front of me running the race with his dog. The question is, who's running with whom? It looks like the dog might be in command...

Through the dirt path and back to the roads. My pace is still just under the 10:00 per mile mark. Aw, screw it. I'll keep up my pace and finish strong. It IS a race, after all.

Mile 6: Yay, water station. I am so thirsty at this point. And sweaty. I'm sure my face is as red as a tomato. This has to be, without a doubt, the best aid station on the course. There is a lady standing in the middle of the street handing out cups and screaming her lungs out for the runners. You'd think this was the Chicago Marathon or something. Just when I started to get tired. This was exactly the kind of pick-me-up I needed.

Time for a goofy turnaround. As we are running, we can see runners alongside us that are THIS much closer to the finish line. I hate turnarounds like this. Reminds me too much of the Wisconsin Marathon.

Almost to the finish line. The girl in front of me is wearing an awesome tech t-shirt from the Rockford Marathon. It's red, NOT white. Hmm... I will have to investigate that race further. But there's probably hills. The western part of the state is pretty hilly. Nevermind, after Little Rock I'm totally not scared of hills.

Mile 6.2: I'm running alongside a middle-age woman and an old man. Who will I beat on my final kick??? I'm sprinting, but not totally all-out. I'll admit, I held back a little bit. Gotta have a little bit of energy for my vacation :)

I finish the race in 56:39, right on the heels of the old man and yards ahead of the woman. I feel great, energized, relaxed, ready to start my vacation. Now, someone point me in the direction of that watermelon...

Revised Race Calendar...

I just can't seem to make up my mind. And I keep adding new and interesting races. I'm might be exhausted come October, but it will definitely be worth it.

3.15.2009 - Little Rock Half Marathon - DONE!
4.25.2009 - Race to Wrigley 5K - DONE!
5.2.2009 - Wisconsin Half Marathon - DONE!
5.23.2009 - Soldier Field 10 Mile - DONE!
6.14.2009 - North Shore Half Marathon - DONE!
6.28.2009 - Race to Taste 5K - DONE!
7.5.2009 - Frontier Days Stampede Run 10K - DONE!
7.19.2009 - Fleet Feet Sports Women's Festival 10K
7.23.2009 - Terrapin 5K
8.2.2009 - Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon
9.7.2009 - Oak Brook Half Marathon
10.4.2009 - Bucktown 5K
10.11.2009 - Bank of America Chicago Marathon
11.1.2009 - Hot Chocolate 15K
11.26.2009 - Edison Park Turkey Trot

Race to Taste 5K, 6.28.2009

I know I've been slacking on some blog posts for awhile, so let's get caught up with my running adventures of the last few weeks.

After all of the nasty, cold, rainy weather we've had all summer so far, today was a welcome change. What a gorgeous day! Honestly, it was one of the most perfect race days all season. Low 70s, sunny, not humid, but kinda windy coming off the lake. Oh well. What else is new in Chicago?

Mile 1: Started the race in exactly the perfect place. The nice thing about this one is that they keep the 5K on the small side, plus the fact that we run the majority of the race on wide city streets and lakefront paths built to accomodate heavy traffic. There is no comparison in terms of ease of movement.

We start the race on Balbo towards Michigan Ave. On a downhill. Not too bad. We turn onto Roosevelt and there's a slight uphill. I remark to Jay (who is actually running the race with me) that this is the end of the marathon. Yes, with an incline. He looks at me like I'm nuts. Which I guess I am.

I'm running a pretty good pace. Soldier Field is to my left and the finish line is behind me. Is there anything better than that?! We get to the mile marker at 9:25. Pretty quick. I might want to take it easy for mile 2.

Mile 2: This course is remarkably similar to the Soldier Field 10 Mile. So I've run this part before, but it's not boring. I know that when I did this race years ago, the course took us through more of downtown. Come to think of it, I don't think the museum campus paths were even finished then. God I'm dating myself!

We pass an aid station right next to one of the Soldier Field parking lots, where we turn and head north. I still feel great and I'm making excellent time, so I don't feel the need to stop for water. After all, it's only a 5K. I'm running on the gravel part on the side of the path, and it's awesome. I feel like my legs are getting a little break from the pounding.

More than halfway done! We're on the east side of Soldier Field, and here comes Mile 2, 18:37.

Mile 3: It's so pretty out here, running next to the lake. The water is clear blue and there isn't a cloud in the sky. We pass Soldier Field, and wind around the museum paths. I love what the city did with this, making it a "campus," making it beautiful and accessible to all. I feel lucky to live in a city so nice.

Funny Story: So we're turning the corner in front of the Field Museum, heading back towards Grant Park. There is a recreational runner, not part of the race, on the left side of the path. He's running towards us, but running on the retention wall next to the museum's lawn. All of a sudden, he tried to jump the stair path and get to the wall on the other side but misses, falls off the wall and face plants on the ground. It was hilarious. I shouldn't laugh. But he was trying to hot dog it and he got burned. Serves him right. :)

We're now nearing the end of the race, and running on paths in Grant Park that go underneath the road. I remember walking these paths the year I had to take the loser bus back to the start line of the Chicago Marathon. Not a good memory. I quicken my pace.

Onto Lake Shore Drive we go! I can see the stoplight at Balbo and know that the finish line is not far. Jay has been ahead of me since Mile 1, but I'm closing the gap. I just want to cross the finish line with him. I already beat him at the Race to Wrigley 5K earlier in the year.

Mile 3.1: Around the corner and down the road to the finish line we go! I extend my stride and decide not to sprint. I just don't feel like it today. I end up finishing just a hair behind Jay, in 27:14. My 2009 5K mark is getting smaller...