Army Strong Remix: Army Ten Miler 2013

Fun at the Expo

Before the race

2012 was the first time I ran the Army Ten Miler. I absolutely loved it. I ran 1:06:10, then a PR in the 10 mile, and it felt like everything came together perfectly. In the spring, I went on to better that to 1:05:52 at Cherry Blossom, while that was more of a hunker down and scrap my way to the finish PR. But my mom, who became a runner in 2010 and completed her first half marathon last year, had heard me talk enough about the Army Ten Miler (ATM) that we both signed up for it this year. She trained at home in Rochester, and I trained here in DC (oh yeah, and that seven week stint in California). We have done a couple of races together, but never one of this scale. In 2011, we ran the NY Mini, which had about 5,000 people - this had over five times that!

My parents arrived late Friday night and we went to the expo together on Saturday at the DC Armory, which hosts many of the large scale DC race expos. Even though I had just went home the weekend before, it was great to hang out with my parents.

We didn't have dinner together though, as P and I were invited to a birthday boat party. No drinking for me (and the birthday boy was a runner too, so he understood), and Pat was willing to make sure I got home in time for my "curfew." 

I couldn't decide if I felt ready or not. I had a really solid training stint since July - workouts went really well, and I didn't go too crazy and overdo things. My races leading up to the ATM were also solid - coach Sarah said I was ready to hit another PR. But a week before the race, I got some sort of stomach bug that turned what was supposed to be a 13/12 weekend turned into 13/0, followed by another goose egg and an easy run instead of my final track workout. I just felt awful and tired. If I had come across this in another blog, I would've commented and said "don't worry, it is just a few off days, you'll be fine for your race." But in my own head, I was freaking out and watching my race plan go down the toilet (which to be honest where everything else was going). But it was just a few days, it couldn't derail it all, right?

We met up the next morning and metro-ed to the Pentagon. My mom was super excited - this was a super big race for her, and I was excited for her too. My dad came along too, as sherpa and holding all of our stuff. It was a cold (about 40 degrees) but clear morning, with some wind. After we each got settled, I kissed my parents goodbye (my mom and I were in different corrals), and headed to the security line. Now, I am absolutely grateful for the thoroughness of that, but it definitely took more time than expected. So, my usual 2.5 mile warm up ended up being reduced to about .25 mile. I did some lunges, squats, and leg swings in my corral and hoped that that would loosen me up enough. A lot of negative thoughts raced through my head in the moments leading up to the race.

And with the boom of the cannon, we were off. I was back further back than last year, and went through the first mile in 6:55. Okay, this was going to be a few miles of warming up, and then I thought maybe I could hone in on the goal pace. I still needed to get rid of that last big of negative chatter. By mile 3, I was starting to feel better and hit goal pace. We ran next to the Kennedy Center at mile 4, and I passed my nemesis/DC running rival (come on, we all have one, right) with confidence and was starting to come alive.

I came through mile 5, the halfway point at 32:39. It was at this point that I remembered how good I felt last year at mile 5, and to be honest, I was starting to wake up and feel good. I was locking into my goal pace, starting to hit my splits on time, and believe again that the goal was possible. It was a beautiful day, and wonderful to be running along the Potomac. When we came onto the National Mall (which was thankfully open - I was so happy that the course didn't change because of the shutdown!), there was a huge surge in how many people were out there. So many people were cheering and that gave me a big boost. I was thinking about my mom and wondering how her race was going. She had come to my DC races - the National Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon - before as a spectator, but now she was competing in a huge DC race herself. I hit the 10k mark in 40:43 and was feeling like I could nail this for the final 3.8 miles. We got on the highway just before mile 8, the final stretch of the race. When I hit 8.5, a workout from early this month trickled back into my head - the crazy continuous 1.5 mile workout, where you do 1.5 miles on the track, changing the pace every 800 meters, and do the 1.5 2 times (for me it was 6:10 and 6:20 per mile pace). The goal is to get used to changing paces during the later stages of the races, and it was coming into play here. I had 1.5 to go and I just needed to lock it in. There was a woman who I had "let go" around mile 3 - I finally had the energy and kick to reel her in and pass with confidence. There's no reason to worry about passing people until the second half of the race, when it becomes evident who has gone out too fast. The memories of that workout were pulling me through, and I got to mile 9. Knowing I would see P and my dad soon was pushing me through. I kept looking at my watch and I knew I was close but didn't have a lot of room for error. I saw P first, so close I could've reached out and touched him, and that was a boost.

Almost there!

It was a while before the finish line came in sight (I don't know what's worse - seeing it dangle in front of you like a mirage for a while or wondering when is it ever going to show up), but finally the balloon arch surfaced, as did my dad. It was my last bit of energy to push to the finish line. I don't think there was a Bangle Pump - but there was inside when I saw the time:

1:05:41 (6:34 pace)

36/11,994 (women)

562/26,025 (overall)

11/2001 (AG) 

I was able to hone in and make it count on the big day, even when it felt like my goal was out the window. It was an eleven second PR and this was the highest I've ever finished in a super competitive race. That being said, Kerri Gallagher, the winner (and 5th place in the 1500m USATF Championship this summer) ran it in 54:56, so that's still a big gap between 1st and 36th place. Also, Olympian Julie Culley (5k) recently moved back to the DC area, and she came in third (she's training for the New York City Marathon) - pretty high caliber competitors! And this is a race without any prize money!

And then I doubled back, caught up with P and my dad and waited for my watch to come in. Because my fiance is super tall, he was able to see my mom making her way to the finish. And she did awesome! 1:35:35...and she (without revealing too much) is in the AARP club! She did so much training this fall, and it all came together on race day.

Victorious!

The rest of the day was spent swapping race stories. After all, we ran the same course and saw some of the same sights, but experienced it so differently. And we all met up to have a celebratory dinner - yum! And there was a lot to celebrate. My mom and I each had victories in our own races, we each ran army strong and got to be cheered in by our loved ones. And that deserves a big HOOAH!

Fun to Race: Navy Federal 5k 2013

It is fun to race. I like all of it: the music blasting beforehand to get people psyched, seeing the excitement of people getting ready to run their first race, the camaraderie of all of us warm up, seeing the decorated start line, all of it. And really, there are two kinds of road races. First, there are the big, mega races with thousands (and sometimes tens of thousands) of people, with numerous corrals, wave starts, an expo, big names with big times and fancy warm up clothes, where the big goal is to hit a particular time. And setting that PR on a big race day has become very meaningful and gives On the flip side, there are the local races: those run on neighborhood streets, with less than a thousand people, and in my case a chance to place.
Running has taught me that I am a competitive person. I like to do better and improve, but I also learned that there is something about lining up at the start and trying to get a top finish. I have won 2 races in my life, and placed well in a few others and it has provided a different kind of thrill too.
Last Sunday, while I was on my long run, I saw a banner for the Navy Federal 5k, practically in my backyard. It was literally 2.5 miles from my house, and I did want to sign up for one more race before the Army Ten Miler (in 2 weeks). Why not? I was about to start a new running cycle on Monday, so it fit well - a chance to work on my speed and double as a good race. So, I was pretty psyched about the race. And I'll also admit that I had looked up race results from previous years and it looked like my odds were good for doing well in it. Last week, I came in 8th in the Clarendon Day 5k in a new PR of 19:10, but an Olympian was first. Maybe this time I could move up a few places. My goal was sub 20 - it was after a PR race and a week of solid training.
I had a nightmare last night that I was late for the race - couldn't have been more relieved to wake up! I warmed up from my house and got to the start with plenty of time. I know I'm not the only one to do this, but I sized up some of the other women. One in particular stood out - about six feet tall and legs for days. She had that fast look and seemed like not one to mess around with. I got in the second row, right behind her, hoped for the best, and we were off. I would say at least 8 women rushed ahead of me, and that was fine. I was not going to blow up in the first mile pushing unnecessarily hard. It was already 72 degrees at 9AM and it felt hot. I passed all but tall girl and a pair of girls running together. I could see them from a distance, and it seemed reasonable to pass them. Right after we turned onto a side street at mile 1, I passed them and didn't look back. I felt pretty comfortable in my position, and I was just looking to pass some guys. We were running through neighborhoods, and families in their front lawns were cheering for us. I could not even see tall girl, so this was now a race against the clock and against the field. With half a mile to go, I really started to pick it up - and there were a lot of people out and I felt like I started to have momentum. We had to whip around a few corners and go through the Navy Federal campus park. I did a couple of my runs there this week, so this was familiar territory.

I was moving and moving and then the finish line came into sight - and the clock was ticking.
It was up for grabs as I crossed the line, but the results page confirmed it:
19:59 (6:26 per mile)
2nd woman out of 393
13th overall out of 695
I was very pleased with how it went. Afterwards, the two girls from mile 1 came up to me and we started chatting. Half an hour later (and they still hadn't started the award ceremony), we realized how much we had in common beyond running - hooray for new friends! Then it was time for the awards ceremony. I knew I had earned second place, but the presentation was pretty sweet:

Check out the giant check! I got $50 for second place, plus the trophy, and the big check. I was going to run home, but suddenly all of this swag seemed a bit cumbersome - could you imagine me running through the streets with the check and trophy? I was fortunate that my two new friends offered me a ride home, which I graciously accepted. I then did my cooldown (which did not feel cool - this was turning into a hot day) and called it a morning. And what a great one/run! It was just a lot of fun and a great way to settle into my new town of Vienna.

...Vienna waits for you (you knew that was coming)

Hurtling 5k: Clarendon Day 5k

The Clarendon 5k/10k has been going since 2009, and I've run one of either events since its second year, 2010
2010: Ran the 10k in 45:51, a then PR
2011: Ran the 5k in 20:23, a then PR
2012: Ran the 5k in 19:21 - a PR that has stuck with me since then
Kind of fun to go back and look at my history with this race. It is a really fun event (they have an after party with drinks) and it is part of the Clarendon Day Festival, so lots of people were out and about. And my 5k PR has been getting rusty - the other ones have fallen in the past year, and it was about time (pun intended) that this one got an upgrade!
Last Tuesday, I did a workout of 20x400m, all between 6:10-6:40 pace, and I was hoping that surviving that and still standing would bode well for the race. After all, 6:10 seemed doable in the relentless workout (you run 100m recovery in between each and never stop), hopefully the PR was looking good.
I actually got a good night's sleep - about 7 hours and woke up feeling really good. It was about 55 and the sun was coming out. I did my warm up on part of the course, which is always a good way to refresh and remember the major points of the course. This course has a net downhill, which previously has meant I've thrown myself down the hill as fast as possible, only to blow up later on. Last year, the blow up felt like the biggest wall ever in a short race, and I didn't want to repeat that. So, even though the first mile is the fastest (steepest downhill), I wasn't going to take it all out this time. I even bumped into a friend of mine, Brian, who does a lot of the same DC races as me. We met in 2009 and have some affinity for finding each other in 1,000+ person races, like today. It was nice to say hi and catch up briefly. I then lined up, behind the local racing team and behind Claire Hallisey our resident Olympian (GB Marathoner) - no chance of winning today!
And we were off, and I let people swarm around me. I was determined not to set a mile PR in a 5k race - it was goal to go through the first mile in just over 6 minutes, figuring that that was fast, but not blow up and face the consequences fast. I had never felt so in control in a 5k - I knew I could pick it up, but opted to just hold steady, and went through the first mile in 6:05. I saw that there were a ton of girls in front of me, but it wasn't the time yet to get wrapped up in passing. Things started to level out by mile 2 and I felt like I was in control and able to start moving and work on passing girls - hit mile 2 in 12:10 (still 6:05). I was really happy to see my friend Brian at the turnaround, and the little wave was just a nice boost.
I'm always amazed how in racing, everything else shuts off. There is no other time when I can be so focused - no thoughts other than about this moment, this race, were able to get into my head. No thoughts of the dissertation or grading or anything else came up - just go! I simultaneously feel tired and had slowed down slightly, but was still moving forward and felt like I had good momentum. I passed a couple of girls. Almost passed a Georgetown Racing Club girl, but once I crept beside her, she bolted.  I vaguely remembered where the race finished - I knew it turned off into a side street, but didn't see the 3 mile mark, something I remember happening last year. And again, did not see the mile marker, but then the finish line appeared - so close and I was just trying to hurtle myself there.
19:10!
8th woman
46/1241 overall

This was a big PR, and a long-awaited one. I know that it has a net downhill, and by many, that means it doesn't technically count as a PR. But I've seen my 10k and 10 mile PRs fall this year - it was about time that the 5k happened too. There were only 6 women who finished between me and an Olympian - pretty cool. I'll need to get out there and test the wheels out again in the future. Hopefully, this means that sub 19 (dare I say it) could happen in the next year or so. It took a long time for earn these 11 seconds - I am very aware of that. But another 11 seconds would mean...18:59. Why not dream big?

A marathon of a weekend and a request

Ever since I did my first marathon in 2009, I became more sensitive to the word marathon - my ears would perk up when someone would talk about a marathon. At the same time, I realized how much the term gets thrown around "It's a marathon, not a sprint," (used typically to describe any long project) "Friends marathon coming up next," "this is a marathon event,"" etc - but things not generally referring to the 26.2 event itself. Even last week, I picked up my bib for the Navy 5 Miler, and the security guard said, "Oh, are you here for the marathon?" (I then told him that it was not a marathon) "Well, it's a marathon to me!" he replied. Perhaps in spirit, but not the standard 26.2 Well, I had a marathon of a weekend, and it's not too far from the truth. My Saturday workouts are speedwork on the road (paved trails): either some sort of tempo run or farleks - something generally between 10-12 miles. They are probably my most productive workout of the week - definitely the one I think about the most. Now that the weather has mercifully cooled down, I've been putting off those weekend runs until later in the day. I'd rather do some work in the morning and then get out there later in the day. Of course, as soon as I got out on Saturday and got my warm-up done, the sky opened up and it started to pour. But to be honest, as long as I'm dressed fine, the rain doesn't bother me. Sometimes, it feels like it pushes me to run faster, and that was the case on Saturday. This was the workout:
2.5 mile warm-up. 3 miles x 2 miles x 2x 1 mile on the trails.  Aim to use the first 3 miles as warm-up, aim for 7 minute pace.  ½ mile jog;  Aim to hit about 6:50 pace for the 2 mile.  ½ mile jog.  For the first mile, aim for 6:40; ½ mile jog; aim for 6:30 on the second. 2.5 mile cool-down.  Total: 13.5 miles
I did a pretty good job with this one: slightly below 7 minute pace for the first 3, 6:50 for the 2, 6:39, and then I "blew up" and ran 6:49 for the last mile. And I had put everything I had into trying to fly in for that last one, but this is definitely a workout of cumulative effort. Even a few fast seconds early on can quickly catch up to you. The rain just kept coming down, and I could feel the water build up in my shoes and squish along the way. Just me and a few cyclists trying to get home. At the end of it all, I stumbled back into the house, drenched, wiped, and exhilerated. It was hard, but it went well. My legs felt beat up, but I had my celebratory glass of wine (which is how like to cap off speed days) and called it a night.
It was a monster week of training, and there was still one more run left: the Sunday long run. These tend to be 10-13 miles, with no concern of pace the day after a workout. Of course, this was a weekend when it was the longer end: 13 miles. And my quads felt it every step of the way. I don't think mentally I've ever had to work so much to get through a 13 mile training run. It wasn't really just the soreness that got to me, just the overwhelming tired feeling. And I couldn't have been checking my watch more - were the miles really adding up so slowly? But then I did some simple arithmetic: 13.5 + 13 = 26.5. I was running the equivalent of a marathon in 24 hours. No wonder my legs were hurting...it was mile 7 on Sunday...not unlike the mile 20 feeling of a marathon. And I fully realize that this is not a marathon - it was not done consecutively, mile by mile in a single day. But at the end of the long run, the second 13 (and yes, I threw the .1 in too), done in 1:48, my legs stumbled up the stairs and I was done. Had a big bowl of gluten-free pasta and called it a day. It was a marathon of a weekend and my little leggies were sore sore sore. Not quite waddling like a pregnant woman (which I did after my first marathon), but more sore than usual. So much running! But it all was a success and the more you can get used to running on tired legs, the better.
And speaking of marathons: a request:

My future brother-in-law Jack is running the NYC Marathon in 6 weeks to support a great cause, academic support and career development for first-generation college students. For more information on his organization, check out his infographic here: http://www.imagebam.com/image/916722275232572

It would mean a lot to me if you could also support the cause by donating even a small amount on his team's page here: http://www.crowdrise.com/NewYorkNeedsYouNYC2013/fundraiser/teamNYNY

Thanks!

Rust Busted at Navy 5 Miler 2013

Early on in the race

Pre-Sunrise Washington Monument

Today was my rust-buster race for the fall season: the Navy 5 Miler. It is also held in conjunction with a half marathon, and so there were a few thousand people out on the National Mall this morning for the race. The hot weather dissipated for the day, and it was a lovely 57 degrees at the start. I didn't sleep well last night, but I didn't care, I was going to have a good race. run, run, run - other than trying to go forward, everything else was blocked out. I was happy when the 4 mile sign came up - I could hang on for one more mile. I had already realized that my A-goal of sub-32 was out the window, and I was just hoping to better my time from my last year. And then, the urge to look behind hit me and boom, this girl just sprinted by me. And that's not on me - she clearly had a few more gears than I did - I watched her sail away. But I was just doing my best to dig in and hang on through the finish.

Less than a mile to go

Last year, I ran 32:32 and came in third - it was my hope to better that this year. I did my warm up and was ready to go. And with the clang of the Navy bell, we were off! I went through the first mile in 6:14 - way too fast! I was in third briefly, but then one of the girls from one of the local racing teams blew by me. So quickly she was over 50 yards ahead, so I worked to just protect fourth. It felt fast, and I held that up until mile 2. At that point, I could feel a bit of a side stitch coming on, and rather than fight it, I eased up a little. It didn't feel comfortable, for sure. Some races everything just flows...this wasn't one of them. But the weather was perfect, and the flat course made it easy to just motor through. There was a Navy guy running about 2 steps in front of me, so I just tried to lock in behind him and go. There weren't a lot of people around (it was so quiet - no spectators on Haines point, and with not a ton of runners, you didn't even hear footsteps). All of my thoughts were gone (nothing about the dissertation even) - it was just
32:14 (6:27 pace)
5th woman
33/1358 overall
1st in age group! So check out the bling! This was the medal for the age group win, and the finisher coin went to everyone (that is a tradition in the military to give out coins for special achievements).

Finisher coin

 It wasn't the race I had hoped for - the A goal wasn't there. But I did better than last year - I knocked 18 seconds off from last year. I may have "lost" 2 places, but the women who beat me are also on racing teams. So, I'm taking this as a victory. We don't always get A+ races, and this was still very good. I am excited that the racing season is off and running and looking forward to working towards that A+!

Need to remember both the starting line and the finish

The new academic year is off and running, as is my fall training cycle. There are not a lot of noteworthy things to write about, no major mile stones, and it got me to thinking about the past year.
I remember what last September felt like. I didn't know exactly what my dissertation proposal was going to be. I didn't even feel as if I had a future in academia - I was just plagued with a lot of doubts. The running was going okay - I was re-acclimating back to the heat after Santa Cruz, and it took time to get my groove back. I was looking at the starting line of a long race, with no finish line in sight. There was just a glimmer of hope.
The attitude for the year was: keep my head down and just do my work. It wasn't always pretty and it wasn't always glamorous. It meant a lot of quiet hours, often alone, with some books, my laptop, and a barrage of thoughts. When people asked how it (meaning the dissertation) was going, my response was always fine and I put on my best poker face to hopefully hide the mounds of fear beneath the surface.
By January, there was measurable progress and I started to feel a sense of momentum. Things were picking up and I started to feel more confident reporting my progress to inquisitive friends (certainly without a lump in my throat!).
May was the finish line - my proposal passed for my dissertation - the department and university said yes, this is a feasible project and we support it. It was glorious. And the fact that I engaged 2 days later made it all the sweeter.
4 months have passed since that sweet victory. And I feel some of those feelings surfacing again. I'm now in dissertation land and it is me, the laptop, and a blinking cursor as I'm trying to essentially write a book. Some of the crippling fears are back. I have an end goal in mind: defending in Spring 2016 (a month shy of my 30th birthday). Will it happen? The committee says that it is a reasonable goal and now that I've decided on it, I needed to have that single-minded focus again. And I need to remember both the start and the finish. There were some very tough and trying parts last year, but the end result was so sweet. We all go through the valleys...it is the promise of the peak that keeps us going.
I've been having some pretty good runs - about A- I would say. A couple runs have been cut short, but more for time constraints. It is definitely better to go into races slightly undertrained than overtrained. I did a 5 mile tempo run on Saturday and averaged 6:45 pace. The weather was unseasonably cool - just 60 degrees at 7:30AM, and it felt like a race morning. There were over 50 Team in Training runners out there on the W&OD trail - amazing! I also did a track workout on the treadmill today: 11 miles with 5x1k (4:01, 3:57, 3:54, 3:52, 3:49), 4x400 (91, 90, 89, 88) - phew! It was so hot outside that I could not stand the thought of doing the workout outside. So, I did the warm up and cool down outside (sweating all the way), and then hopped on the treadmill. I have actually done that a couple of times now, and while I'm not a fan of the treadmill, there are a bunch of positives for doing speedwork on it. It regulates the time, so I know I'm not going to go out too fast and risk blowing up. It keeps the past honest and and even, and while it's as dull as watching paint dry, it definitely is a good thing.
There is a finish line, there is a medal awaiting. I'll just need to remind myself of that every step of the way.

Tempos heating up as it heats up

Beyond mile repeats, beyond long slow distance (you know, the other kind of LSD), beyond any track workout, the run each week that both bolsters my confidence and speed is the tempo run. Also known as the progression run, it is part of a longer run where you pick up the pace as the run progresses. So, rather than going out too fast and burning out/hitting the wall, you pick things up when you are theoretically running on tired legs. For me, they tend to range between 3-7 miles, and they are always slower than goal race pace. I think it is the best way to simulate race conditions, and now that I've learned how to do them (mostly - I'm no master - I still start too fast sometimes), I absolutely swear by them.
These were fantastic to do in California on Saturday mornings. I wasn't in charge of the kids, it would be about 55-60 degrees, cloudy, and I could just go out and knock these out. Now that I'm back in DC, there are other things to do, and it's hotter. I've actually taken to now doing a lot of my runs in the evening when I get home (generally after 6), so things are cooling down, rather than heating up. Plus, I've found that my legs are lot looser from moving around throughout the day, rather than just from the few steps to the coffeepot and to go outside. All these benefits, plus, I can accomplish a lot during the day, and the run is an end of day treat.
Anyways, Saturday was an 11 mile run, with 6 miles of tempo. THe goal was to start at 7:30 pace and either hold it (depending on the weather), or try to cut down. I knew it was a hot day, and all I wanted to do was stay inside...but I was not going to can this run. It was my monster week of cycle 2 training (46 miles) and I was determined to get all of these runs in. The warm up wasn't too bad - I wasn't pouring buckets yet, which was a good sign. I lined up at my starting spot on the W&OD trail and hoped for the best. I was 3 weeks out from my rust-buster, and wanted this to be a strong workout. Bang! The invisible gun goes off, and I go through the first mile in 7:03. Whoa nelly, slow down. It is hot and you have 5 miles to go. But I was feeling good, and then another 7minute mile came. Then another. So, it was the turnaround point, and I told myself the goal was to not blow up. Last Saturday, I had sought to do a 40 minute tempo run, and only got through 20 minutes. Didn't want to bonk and scrap the workout again. But this time, I was feeling more confident. I was definitely more hydrated - I had drank lots of water throughout the day, filling up the tank, as it were, rather than just the morning cup of coffee after a night of sleep (which is when you get dehydrated). There were some hills on the way back, but I kept hunkering down. I was thinking of Deena Kastor and her recent 9th place finish at the World Championship in Moscow, running the marathon in 2:36 at age 40 when the heat was I'm the 90s. Surely I could maintain seven minute pace for just 6 mile. My finish line (a wooden post) was in sight, and I came through the last mile in 6:50. It was the best hot tempo run I had ever done. I walked around for a couple minutes, just catching my breath and calming down, then did my 2.5 mile cooldown.
The finish line of my high mileage week was in sight. All that remained was a half marathon long run and that would bring me up to 46 miles. Again, procrastination kicked in and window washing, vacuuming, church, and much more all happened before my long run. So again, I put off the run until the evening. I was excited because I just got an iPhone and was looking forward to trying one of the running apps. I downloaded run keeper and set off. I haven't been in our new apartment for that long and mainly had been keeping on the W&OD trail. This time, I was going to add some variation and visit some of the neighborhoods in the area. The only problem with running at dinnertime is that people are out grilling and it all smelled so good! I was pleased with my pace - just under 8 minutes, and was appreciating that there was low pressure. I didn't have anything to get back to, no school assignments or work meetings awaiting - this wasn't going to be crammed in. And I kept knocking off sub 8s without feeling I was expending too much. At the end of it all, it was a beautiful run and fast too 1:40:58 for 13.15 miles - probably the fastest 13 I had ever done in a training run. Stumbling back into the house, I made gluten-free spaghetti and sausage for dinner (you can carbo load after, right?) and put my legs up in sweet victory.
I'm in a recovery week now, and given that it is the first week of school (teaching 1 class and working on my dissertation), I could definitely use the free time! 

The little red dress and the yellow shoes

We women are always on the prowl for the little black dress. That one that works for a variety of occasions and goes with everything. I have one, but the dress with the real story is my little red dress. No, it doesn't have that implication of being a "lucky" dress in the dating world...
I bought this dress in 2002, my sophomore year of high school at Old Navy for I think $20. It was in anticipation of a band trip to Quebec and I wanted something special to wear for our end of trip reception. It was comfortable but pretty and I could wear a jacket with it. It since has been worn for:

Thank you, Old Navy!

• Piano competitions
• College interviews
• My high school senior picture
• Conference paper presentations
• Freshmen move in day at CUA when I worked in Residence Life
• The past 6 opening days of our gifted camp
• The day I found out I got a TA grant in grad school
• And the day I got engaged!

So, the dress has told many stories. It certainly has gotten its value. And it is definitely still going to be put to use. I'm not retiring this dress until it either doesn't fit (and I'm hoping to stay this size forever) or it just gets worn out. 11 years in, and it is still standing.
Something else with a lot of stories did just face retirement. My first pair of racing flats, which I got in the summer of 2011, went to a shoe donation bin in Santa Cruz right before I left. They had accompanied me through track workouts, some tempo runs, but most importantly, in about two dozen races in CA, NY, PA, and VA.
My times from before then
5k 20:45
10k 44:45
13.1 1:34:32


And after
5k: 19:21
10k 39:28
10 mile 1:05:52

Obviously, the shoes didn't do all of that work. But they did mark a turning point, marathons were put on hold and t was time to work on speed. I'll be breaking in a new pair soon, but it was definitely a sad goodbye for that first pair. I always felt good to go in those shoes and loved putting them on to race.

Saucony Racing Flats

So, the red dress and the yellow shoes: each tells a lot of stories and holds a lot of memories. One has helped me run my best races, and one has helped me to run my life on the right path.

My time in the Golden State

I Love Lucy in California...my drives around CA
looked a little different

I'll remember:

• That the beach was 5 miles away and we could getaway for even an hour
• That San Francisco could be done in a day trip
• That I drove back and forth from San Jose Airport and loved the scenery
• That over 400 students passed through my program and had a great time
• That I worked with a team of 70 great educators
• That I ran in the Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile this year, and the San Francisco 5k last year - both top notch races with great friends

Trails at UCSC

• That I ran over 200 miles in one of the most beautiful parts of the country

Which is more blue?

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

My time in California just came to a close. For the past three summers, I have spent seven weeks of the summer working at my gifted camp or brainiac campus one friend called it. While I plan on continuing to work for this program, they have sites all over the country, including near DC. I'll be getting married next May, and I don't think I'll be inclined to leave my new husband for 7 weeks just 6 weeks after getting married. So I recognized that this was be my last summer in California for a while. And I absolutely loved it. Santa Cruz has been like no other place that I've ever lived in.
Before 2011, I had never been west of Indiana and now I have spent seven weeks of the past three summers living in Santa Cruz.  That's not quite half a year, but it is definitely longer than a vacation. I have loved California. It is like no place I've ever lived in. The runs were beautiful. My last long run was on Sunday - I created a half marathon course around campus: through the woods, perimeter, trails, etc. I was supposed to do 12, but come on...it was so easy to make that a round half marathon. It was absolutely gorgeous - the sun was out, but it was only 60 degrees out. I did my best to be as present as possible and take that in. Over 3 summer, I've covered over 600 miles running around Santa Cruz and I wanted to drink up those last few miles. Just wonderful: 1:43:59 for 13.1 and the great way to cap off Santa Cruz running.
And, I got to go stand up paddle boarding again. And I didn't fall in! With our summer program complete, I had no immediate concerns or worries. Even though my flight was later that day, I didn't feel rushed. I felt more comfortable on the water this time with a greater sense of balance. It was windier this time, but I just planted my feet and paddled on. This time, my thoughts were less don't fall don't fall and more take it all in. Would I ever get such a chance again to do this? To virtually float on water, devoid of communication with the outside world? All I could hear were the otters barking and birds chirping. Pelicans drifted by me, as if I was in Finding Nemo. My legs quaked as I got off, but they stood firm and helped me propel through. It was a cool day for the beach, but the wind felt good. It was so sunny and the water and sky challenged each other in a which could be more blue contest. After I embarked on land again, I drove around along the coast, taking in each bend in the road. No GPS was needed, just the water and coast served as my guide. It was California at its finest. 
I am now back in Virginia with my fiance, and very happy for that reunion. They say absence makes the heart fonder - like it could be more fond. I am working to build my new life now, but I'll never forget my beautiful summers in California.

Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile Race: Santa Cruz to Capitola

The Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile (not a 10k) race has been on my bucket list since I started spending my summers in Santa Cruz back in 2011. But because of timing with work, I've never been able to do it, until this year! I was pumped to get in (it sold out in 2 days) and looking forward to some company too.
It was to be a Loop weekend, when me and some of the other running bloggers would get together. We had some good meals together, my friend Brad and I toured Stanford University for fun on Saturday, and just enjoyed the company of people who are as jazzed about running as I am! I was particularly psyched that my friend Brad and I got to hang out - we had such a great time in our San Francisco meet up last year that it was great to do it again.

Brad and I in my office - check out the Boston jackets and race #s

Sunday was a no-excuses morning. It was 55, cloudy/foggy with no wind. We had driven the course the night before and knew how to anticipate the hills and when to make the big moves. I had gotten a decent night's sleep - even good for some pre-race jitters. I even woke up before my alarm went off - a sign that my body was just ready to go. I did my usual 2.5 mile warm up, which allowed me to preview physically (and not just in the car this time) the first set of hills on the course. I even saw elite athletes Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce, Brett Gotcher, and Chris Solinsky warming up - this was a big deal race with plenty of star talent.
I was ready for this. All of my Santa Cruz running had paid off - I had been running on the hills of UCSC for 5 weeks. My most recent tempo run of 3 miles at 6:40 pace showed me I could hit my goal pace of 6:40, which would put me at my goal of 40 minutes for the 6 mile (not 10k) race.  I was in the elite corral (me and 1,000 others) and was happy to be able to be near the front of a big race. I knew I would't be too crowded and would be able to get out early.
And BANG! With a huge start gun (which made my heart leap), we were off. I was hoping I wouldn't go out too hard for the first mile, as there were some turns and climbing a bridge and a hill, but boom, 6:40.  The bands were out and playing, and it was hard to just slow down. I felt like I had a lot of energy and wasn't going all out. 2 miles in, and I had cut down into the low 6:30s. I was thinking back to my runs where I was climbing 600-800 feet in my runs - I could tackle these short 50 foot climbs. I figured I would structure my pacing like a 10k, hold steady for the first half, pick it up slightly 3-4, then push a little more 4-5, then all out through the finish. I really am starting to think it is my most successful distance - even though I love the longer stuff, I know how to strategize this one.
But I digress. We were running alongside (but not on) the beach, and it was just a really pretty course.  came through 3 miles in under 20 minutes, so I knew I had some time in the bank, and I had also already conquered the big hills. There was a Japanese drummer band and I was just trying to keep time with them - those and bagpipes (which were also out on the course) give me chills and always make me go faster. At the 4 mile mark I wasn't sure if I would get my goal of sub 40 - it was starting to feel like a lot of work. But at the 5 mile mark, I came in around 32:40, which again meant that I had time in the bank - even if I died a little, I would still get it. I was working hard to pass women - one of my strengths is to pass people toward the end of the race.

Last downhill - almost over!

It is a great confidence booster and it helps me to pick up the pace toward the end. I was trying to fly in the final mile, especially once I hit the last downhill. As I approached the finish line, I could see the clock displaying a time better than I expected. There was a gap between me and the other people around me, so it felt like my personal finish. I lifted my hands to encourage a little clapping, and was positively rewarded with cheers.
38:35

6:26 pace
228th overall out of 12,665
46th woman out of 7,896
30 in my age group out of 1,367
Beyond better than expected. Not only did I get my goal of top 50, I slid in well under. I also smashed the sub-40 goal. By being in the top 100 women, they will mail a jacket to me later on in the summer.

Wahoo! First pumping for victory!

Walking around after, we bumped into Chris Solinsky (first on African to run under27 for the 10k) and actually had a chance to chat  him. No picture, since our cameras were back in Santa Cruz, but he was very friendly, even though he wasn't happy with his race (10th). We also chatted with Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce, one of the top American road racers. She came in fourth, and was hoping to win, but it was very cool to meet her. She has Celiac Disease as well, and we had actually been emailing back and forth prior to the race. It is amazing how gracious the top distance runners can be - so open and friendly. I can't think of another sport that even compares.

The race, the whole weekend was better than I could have imagined. It wasn't just great because of the great race, but because of the whole experience. Spending time with friends, participating in such a large event, and just truly enjoying being in California was what made it great.

On my apartment porch after the race

July running is coming to an end, and this was the perfect way to cap it all off...and the mimosas helped too.

Toasting our successes!