Twelfth Half Marathon: Muncie Mini Marathon

October 26, 2013:  I ran the Muncie Mini Marathon with an official finish time of 2:10.05, good enough for second in my age group. I was number 21 of 62 women running the race.  Here are my race observations:

1) A new (to me) race in a somewhat familiar place:  I'd been to Muncie, a small city in east-central Indiana, before--but not for a race.  I found out about the race through the website of America Multi-Sport, a company that sponsors half-marathons and triathlons at various sites in Indiana. The race cost was very reasonable so I signed up.  The day before my race, my poet-side was indulged--my husband and I did a reading from our poems and talked about publishing with students and faculty at Ball State University (Go Cardinals!)

2) Many races in one place:  The day's events actually consisted of several events: a 5K, a 10K, the "Mini"--for some reason, quite a few races in Indiana use the term "mini" for a half-marathon, and a one-mile run/walk. America Multi-Sport just wants to get people moving, but I did wonder if having both the 10K and the mini at the same time caused both races to be smaller than they should have been. I was surprised when I got to Tuhey Park (race headquarters) that the assembled crowd of runners there was smaller than at races I'd run in smaller cities such as Cape Girardeau, MO and Paducah, KY.

3) COLD!!! I know it was the end of October--almost November--but it was cold out there! Also, it was very windy. I could barely get my timing chip tied on, and instead of giving my long-sleeved tech T-shirt to my husband so he could take it back to the hotel, I put it on over the long-sleeved tech T I was already wearing!

4) Without music:  I didn't use music during the race.  We were warned that a lot of the race was on city streets, and that the streets weren't closed.  This was true until we got to the portion of the race on the Cardinal Bike Trail (after the 10K turnaround).  There was music and a sound system at the start of the race, but no on-course music.  I suppose I could have turned my music on, but that would have meant exposing my hands to the cold. I had forgotten my fancy runner's gloves, and was rocking some thick ones of my husband's!

5) Wish there had been more half-runners:  The first part of the race went well for me--I was hitting well-under ten-minute paces on the first six miles.  But the crowd really thinned out after the 10K turnaround point, and I was alone for long stretches.  I did wish there were more runners around me, because that often helps me run faster. I'm not attempting to pass people, but do like to pick out compatible runners to try to keep up with.

6) Confusion?  There were some confusing spots in terms of the finish of the race. Since there were not a lot of spectators along the route, I sometimes lost my place.  Even though this was pretty much an out-and-back, the last two miles were not exactly the same as the first two. After I was done, I actually saw one girl run in the opposite direction of the finish line. She had on really big headphones too, so the very helpful police (who had been stationed all the route) had to scream at her to try to get her back on course.

7) No gels:  I didn't use gels during this race, chiefly because I didn't want to take my gloves off to open the little gel pack. I had several on me, but just didn't want to risk my fingers.  The wind was bossing me around anyway, so I didn't want to decrease my temperature even further.  I did get plenty of water though--there were lots of aid stations, and since there were so few runners, I never had to fight to get a drink.

8) Miles 5 to 6 and miles 11 to 12 were the hardest for me.  Mile 11 has traditionally been hard in the races I've done, since I know the end is in sight, but it's not as close as one might think.  My under ten-minute pace became an over-ten minute pace in the latter stages of this race--the cold wind made me tired!!

9) Amenities that you would find at a much larger race: This race had chip timing, a very nice tech T, lots of runner support (abundant aid stations) and a nice, flat course.  What it lacked is what a lot of people have come to expect--no big crowds of  runners and spectators, no musical acts on course, no port-a-potties on the course itself, and no big after-party.  I would definitely do an America Multi-Sport race again (they also do halfs in New Castle and Richmond, IN), but I would know in advance that not all races draw or even need big crowds. 

To Marathon or Not to Marathon

I am often asked, because I run often, if a marathon is my ultimate goal.  Many folks assume that every runner (except Usain Bolt, ha ha!) wants to run a marathon. And with the disasters of New York (Hurricane Sandy) and Boston Marathons,  all sorts of people who cared not one whit about marathons had all sorts of opinions about marathoners and marathons.  The babble was overwhelming, and not very useful, and I did my best to tune it out.

By the end of this year, I will have run 13 half-marathons. I have had a lot of fun doing the various races I've finished.  I'm not a fast runner, so it takes me a little over two hours to finish 13.1 miles. I have asked myself if I should set a goal to run a full marathon. Should I run one to honor my late mother, who died of cancer at 52?  Should I run one to show I can?  Should I run one so I can excuse late-night eating splurges?

My sincere answer: I don't know.  Half-marathons are very easy to fit into my schedule--both the actual races and the training for them. I would have to up my mileage considerably to run a full marathon.  In prepping for the halfs I've run, I don't really follow a training plan, though I do know the general shape of one--speed runs, hill workouts, longer runs. I run for the fun of it, and I don't really know how to translate my sense of fun into the grueling event that is the marathon.  In many ways, my running philosophy mirrors that of the character Penny on "The Big Bang Theory":"I just run till I'm hungry, and then I stop for a bear claw." 

Except I don't like bear claws all that much, so let's substitute chocolate there.

Race Recap: 3rd Annual For Kids Sake 5K/10K

This past Saturday (September 27th, 2013), I ran the 10K race as part of the 3rd Annual For Kids' Sake 5K/10K Fundraiser in Carbondale, Illinois.  I finished with a time of 59:49, good enough for first place in my age group (45-50).

Here's my race report:

This was my third time doing this local fundraiser.  It's for an organization called For Kids' Sake, which runs orphanages and schools in Bangladesh.  The race is for a great cause and always turns into a great party after the races are done.

I haven't done a race in a while, so it was time for an attitude adjustment.  My first priority for all future races is to finish strong with no injuries, to enjoy the event, and to never sprint (to use a consistent, steady pace). I want a scrapbook of good running memories from here on out. If PRs happen, they do.

The race this year was on a Friday evening, a change from previous years. The 10K race started at 5:30; the 5K at 6.  Very few people were doing the 10K, which let me know I would probably get an age group placement. I am much more of a 10K person than a 5K person--I'd rather run long than run fast.

It was odd to have finished my first three miles and then suddenly be surrounded by 5K runners barreling onto the course. But I welcomed the company, even as I had to dodge little kids (who tend to stop and start). My favorite 5Ker was dressed as Superman.

I heard lots of applause on the course from student volunteers (the lovely ladies of the SIUC Black Women's Task Force).  But I had to tell the fraternity boys who were also volunteering to cheer for me ("come on, guys, gimme some love!" I yelled at the gentlemen from Alpha Tau Omega)!

I finished in 59:49, just under a hour, which was my goal. It was slower than last year's time, but hey, I'm slower than last year!  I was happy to have finished feeling good.

As I waited around for the awards ceremony, I got to see the post-race block party that breaks out after this event.  There's lots of food, free massages and cookies for the runners, and a DJ playing music (the crowd started dancing when "Crazy In Love" came on, and really started boogying to "Blurred Lines"). Right before the awards were given out, the young women of the Black Women's Task Force and the young men of Alpha Tau Omega, along with the CrossFitters and the Liferunners, were all country line-dancing to Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road." What a sight!  Speaking of CrossFitters, they dominated the 5K, including one very pregnant woman who ran very fast!

I love this race--it's a good time for a good cause, and I'll turn out as long as For Kids' Sake holds this event.  For more on this charity, visit <forkidssake.net>.

Goals for My Running Life: 2013-2014

October may seem an odd time to post goals for anything, but I've been quite neglectful of my running blog, though I've been doing plenty of running. I keep a written log of all my running and workout experiences, so this list below comes from that journal.


Goals for 2013-2014:

1) maintain weight at 135 or below.
I've lost a lot of weight as a runner, and feel best when I am around this weight or a little lower. It can be hard to maintain, what with all the temptations out there. If I get below 130, I feel a bit fragile. It's a balancing act, so I try not to freak out if I get above 135.

2) complete all entered races with no injuries and a spirit of fun and determination.
I needed a bit of attitude adjustment when it came to races. I was concentrating too much on finish times and feeling disappointed that I wasn't fast enough. I am not a fast runner, but I am a determined one.  So my main goal from here out for any race I do is to complete it without injury. I also want to enjoy the race day atmosphere (for me, that means enjoying the local spirit, wearing cute runner clothes (not a mud-run person), and having some fun as I trot along).  I will still work hard to get to the starting line, but the reward is getting to the starting line--that my hard work got me there with enough preparation and confidence to relax and enjoy the race-day atmosphere.

3) to cross-train frequently.
I've conquered my fear of the elliptical (I used to dislike the feeling of hanging in the air, now I enjoy the lack of pounding the elliptical affords me).  I have logged a lot bike miles and rowing workouts. But I still can't swim, which is something I may or may not rectify.  I try to strength-train the sneaky way: find a dumbbell, pick it up, do arm curls during commercials while watching TV.

4) to read, write, meditate, relax and use running and exercise as a tool for personal growth.
I want to unite my cerebral world of poetry (I'm a poet and creative writing professor) with the physical world of movement and activity. A lot of writers are sedentary, and a lot of us have childhood memories of being the last picked for team sports, etc.  Running, I've found, is a lot like writing--it's lonely, it takes determination, and it takes a long time to see results.  But the results can be glorious.

5) to love my body as is.
A lot of people assume that once you lose weight, you love your body. All is rainbows and lollipops. You never have any body-image issues again. HA!  Runners may have more body-image issues than anybody else!  One pound gained or lost can make a huge difference in speed/endurance. I lost weight, became a runner, did lots of races, improved my health (off all the blood pressure meds) and still I feel, at times, uncomfortable in my own skin. But that's okay, and it tends to pass pretty quickly these days if I just let it pass. Once I get my running gear on, I cease to care what my body looks like, and I focus on what it can accomplish.

Last Race of My Year, Plus Year Round Up

This past Saturday, I ran the Great River Road Run 10 Miler (sponsored by the Alton Road Runners). I finished this race with a chip time of 1:26:49, a new record for me at this distance, and quite an improvement from last year's time of 1:34:35.  Here's my race report, followed by my year-end wrap up.

1) A ten mile race is a rare and beautiful thing.
I really like this distance, but I don't know of many races at this length. There's something solid and impressive about saying "I ran ten miles." I ran this race last year and really enjoyed it, so I came back for another go-round.

2) Out-and-back is where it's at.
This race is five miles out, five miles back. The course is next to the Mississippi River. Runners start at Alton, Illinois and run to Grafton, Illinois and back. No getting lost and lovely bluffs and a majestic river for scenery!

3) I did my little warm-up dance again.
It was chilly at the race's start, so while others were doing their warm-up sprints, I was dancing. I find that shaking my groove thang is really helpful before a race, and I don't freakin' care if I look silly. Like high knees don't look silly? I do those too, but somehow turn them into a dance move.

4) But I ran without music.
Right before the race, I turned my headphones off to hear the national anthem, and didn't bother turning them on again. Instead, I fell into the rhythms of the footsteps around me, and concentrated on breathing. I forgot my Garmin (same thing I did last year), so I just tried to keep pace with runners ahead of me. It worked. I felt good for most of the race (mile seven was the biotch of the race) and it seemed to go by much faster than last year.

5) Not a big city race, but a race with history.
This was the 53rd running of this race. There weren't a lot of spectators, but there were volunteers at the water stops and along the course to guide us.

6) Will you marry me? No, I'm already taken.
Jon, my husband and race support, was at the finish line to try to get a finish line pic of me, but his view was blocked by large cardboard signs. The signs were there to help some guy propose to his girlfriend, but I didn't know that. All I could see were the blank backs of the signs, and I was like "what, what what?!?" It's a cute gesture, but it totally blocked anyone from getting a finish line pic of his or her particular runner.

7) Timing chip? What timing chip?
Before the race, when I picked up my bib number, I forgot to get my timing chip, so I had to dash back in and get it to make sure I got timed. After the race, I kept looking up my number on the Alton Road Runner website to see what my chip time was. For a long time, my race results were messed up (it kept saying 47.8 minutes as a time stamp). Now, I'd love to run 10 miles in 48 minutes, but that ain't happening in this lifetime. I began to fear that my timing chip had stopped. It took until Sunday evening for me to find my correct results and I'm still not on the overall finishers list. I was top 50 in my age group (at this race, only the top 50 in an age group receive medals).

And thus, my second full year of doing races ends. It was an up-and-down year, with an ankle injury in the middle of it to make sure I failed at the ambitious schedule I set for myself. But it was a year of PRs in both the half-marathon and the ten mile distance.

Here are my race stats for 2012:

Half Marathons:
Fly With the Eagles: 2:06:53
Berry College (GA) Half Marathon: 2:05:16
Saint Louis Track Club Half Marathon: 2:01:06 (new PR)

Ten Milers:
Ramble Into Spring Ten Miler, McKendree College: 1:34:05
Great River Road Run, Alton: 1:26.49 (new PR)

10Ks:
For Kids Sake 5K/10K: 57:03 (age group win)
ARMY ROTC 10K: 48:51 (age group win, but course was only 5.65)

5Ks
none

Summary of races:
fave: STL Half, Berry College
least fave: Army 10K (it wasn't a true 10K, the distance was measured wrong).

Summary of year:
I ran, got hurt, cross-trained, got faster. See you at the races in 2013.

Eleventh Half Marathon (finally): Saint Louis Track Club Half Marathon

Today (November 4) I ran the Saint Louis Track Club Half Marathon in Clayton, Mo. I am thrilled to have achieved a new PR! I completed today's race in 2:01:06.

Last year this race yielded a half-marathon PR for me at 2:04:14. So as soon as they opened 2012 registration, I signed up. Little did I know I would hurt my ankle in April 2012, and not run a half marathon until today.

I really love this race, but it's deceptive. You start out going downhill on Forsyth Blvd, thinking that you are flying. You head into Forest Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the country. There's a lot of territory to cover in the park, but before you leave it, there's one gnarly little hill. If you get over that hill, you are still in the park for quite some time before you head back to Clayton. Heading back to Clayton, you pass the Washington University in St. Louis campus, and you are on an incline--not a steep one, but one that requires concentration and focus.

Last year, I had my first race sighting of a truly elite runner--Sammy Rotich, who won the race in 1:09. This year there were more elite runners, and Sammy's 1:09 this year was only good enough for fifth place! Such fast runners! This year's winner, Geofrey Terer, came in at 1:07:15. On the women's side, the winner was Jenny Schulze at 1:23:32.

Eight runners at this race were displaced runners from today's cancelled NYC Marathon. This race, however, is as low-key as the New York race is flashy, though there were a few more spectators than last year. Most encouraging were the volunteers and members of the STL Track Club who manned the water stations and held the impatient traffic at bay.

I didn't listen to music. My mp3 player didn't seem to want to work, so I just concentrated on my footsteps and breathing. I had my Garmin, but I never seem to get it to work right in actual race conditions. I was thrilled to see by the big race clocks that I got to the halfway point in one hour, and that I got to the 10 mile mark at about 1:32:30. I was following runner 1121--thank you, fast lady, for having your race number on the back instead of the front. That gave me a focal point, and I have you to thank for this PR!

Final Stats:
537th of 1071 total runners
179th of 552 female runners
21st of 72 runners in F 45-49 age group
63rd of 211 female masters runners
average pace: 9:15 min/mile

ARMY ROTC 10K: Why mess with a good thing?

Today I ran the Army ROTC 10K on the campus of Southern IL University in Carbondale. I finished the race, but don't really know my finishing time.  My Garmin (old model: 301) said I ran 48:51, which would be ultra impressive for a 10K. But my Garmin also said that the course I ran this morning was only 5.45 miles!

Okay, let me backtrack.  This is the fourth year for this race, which is sponsored and put on by the ROTC unit at my university.  I ran this last year--it was hard, but I won my age group.  So I was looking forward to running it again.  I knew the organization and the swag would be good (and it was--tote bag, technical T-shirt with the names of last year's winners on the back, plastic drinking cup).

I arrived early, got my bib on, and danced to warm up in the cold.  First difference from last year was that the 5Kers and 10Kers started at the same time in one big group. Last year they separated the 5Kers and 10kers with a bit of space.  This struck me as odd. Because of the combined start, I ran faster than I would have normally. One man running the 5K next to me asked me "Are you a 9-minute runner?" I said "no!," since I usually run 9:30 to 9:45 min miles when I'm running my fastest in practice runs.  I ran past him and followed the signs that showed the 10K route (blue signs for 10K).

Several times, I lost sight of the few runners who were doing the 10K (there weren't all that many). I found myself pacing myself using a man in an orange shirt.  We crossed over one of the campus's pedestrian bridges twice and then found our way back to ROTC headquarters. I looked down to see the 5 mile mark on my Garmin and steeled myself for the last mile. But the finish line came much quicker than I expected. I went through and hit stop on the Garmin. It read 5.45.

Now was this a case of me not seeing all the blue signs or of the course being measured wrong. I don't know--I heard rumblings later of the 5K course being too long, so it's possible that the 10K course could have been measured incorrectly as well. No matter. The money raised from this race goes to the Anna Illinois Veterans' Home, so I don't really care what my time was.

The awards ceremony was a mess though. I won my age group (might have been the only woman in my age group) and was initially given the second overall place. I knew this was wrong. Two women came in before me.  We got together, figured out our true placement, and made sure the cadets in charge of the race knew that placement. I was the third overall woman, but I think there were maybe four women running the 10K overall. I'm not sure, because the timing was all scrambled. Somehow some 5K results got entered as 10K results (I don't think any woman there was capable of running a 27 minute 10K!)

Later, the older gentleman told me I ran that first mile at 8:45. But it doesn't really matter. I will still tell anyone that asks that my 10K PR is 54:03 . The course I ran last year was true to length, so I have to wonder why the organizers felt that they had to mess with a good thing.