Light Reading for a Snowy Christmas Holiday

I hope all had a safe and Merry Christmas!  I was lucky enough to have been able to spend a few days of the holiday back in PA with my family, during which I got in a little visiting folks and working out and a lot of reading.


 
Seriously, if you've got a little extra time over the holiday and want a great running read, pick up Once A Runner by John L. Parker JR. (Props to MU Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach - Coach Joe for the recommendation) I read this cover to cover on Dec. 26...after my younger sister, who had promised to run with me, ditched me when we walked out and saw the streets covered with about 2-3 inches of snow (but no worries, I snuck in my own quick mile and half that morning since I knew what was coming!).

The snow scene Angie & I walked out to on Dec 26.

Once A Runner is a fictional novel about competitive collegiate runner, Quenton Cassidy who has dreams of (and the opportunity and talent to) running a sub 4:00 mile. You experience the life of a man consumed/obsessed with training:"The Trial of Miles and the Miles of Trials" as it is repeatedly referred to.  Just as he is in peak shape for his last outdoor season and having just recently run a 4.00.01 mile during indoors, he is suspended from the track program and will not be allowed to run the university's home meet against John Walton (who is modeled after John Walker, the first man to run under 3:50 in the mile). His mentor through the process, character Denton (fictional Olympic champion runner that takes him through a 60 x 440 workout...yeah, tell me about it) helps train him away from the campus and disguises him as to sneak him in for the race.  The novel is amazing because it takes you second by second through the competitive runner's head during training and races, including the last race where he runs a 3:52.5 to hold off Walton during the final stretch.  The novel is emotional and almost heartbreaking at times as you witness the sacrifice and dedication from within the runner's own mind.  Like I have said, a must read for runners and probably the best running novel I have encountered thus far. 

Two quotes from the book that really stuck out to me were ...parentheses inserted by me for clarification: "But the runners (recreational) resembled them (competitive runners) only in the sense that a puma resembles a pussycat.  It is the difference between stretching lazily on the carpet and prowling the jungle for fresh red meat." ...hah I'm definitely the lazy stretcher on the carpet.  And I'm not sure why I love these aggressive animalistic quotes but I do.  And "Running to him was real; the way he did it the realest thing he knew.  It was all joy and woe. hard as a diamond; it made him weary beyond comprehension.  But it also made him free."  I realised after the fact that this quote was also printed on the back of the book...funny how that works out.

Anyhow, following is the short list of running reads that Coach Joe had sent me in his preferred order with his own commentary:    (I have currently crossed #1 & #6 off of the list)

Our back porch.

1. Once A Runner – John Parker (a cult classic)
2. Best Efforts: Stories of Great Runners and Great Races – Kenny Moore(best running writer ever)
3. Bowerman and the Men of Oregon – Kenny Moore (1^st 200 pages  are painful but then it gets good)
4. Pre – Tom Jordan
5. The Four Minute Mile – Roger Bannister
6. Born to Run – Chris McDougall
7. Again to Carthage – John Parker
8. Runners & Other Dreamers – Parker I think
9. Running With the Buffaloes (about Colorado U. team) – Chris Lear
10. Ultra Marathon Man – Dean Karnazes

If you have read any of these and want to offer an opinion - of have your own favorite running reads, please post!
 

Ang's instagram during movie #1 - She's on the right ;)

Needless to say, Ang did still want to hang out and we picked out a few movies from the local library.  Since we weren't running, I had to do something though - hence the stationary in front of the TV.  And if you can't guess that movie its Twilight, which was followed by the Hunger Games and Crazy,Stupid Love.  I mean really, who doesn't love a sappy movie marathon! 

Best way to watch movies!

Also, some really cool Christmas gifts from my family:  26.2 bead from my parents and a Tortoise & Hare bead from my sister Ang to represent us running the Philly Half together.  Both meaningful and clever! Love them!

Last, my brother made a bet with me over Thanksgiving that I could not single arm snatch 65lbs using a barbell (as compared to the smaller dumbbell) since it is "so heavy." Sarcasm.  A barbell weighs 45lbs and each green is a 10lb plate.  I called BS and wanted to put up the video for all to witness it. Oh, for those that underestimate!!  His only response to the video: "Ew."

 

Since I am finally back on my feet and running after a few weeks of rest and therapy, in my next post I will discuss a little bit about my IT Band treatment and exercises since it is a common running injury/annoyance that many struggle with at some point.  Hopefully it will be a little help to a few of you runners out there!  Have a Happy New Year and I'll see you in 2013!

   

 

And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 4:21

Setting Goals - Why wait for New Years?

Big news! Ran 2 pain free miles this week :) Yesss! Slowly making my way back to running!

But while I've pretty much taken time off these past 4 weeks from training, I've had a lot of time to check out races in 2013 and to evaluate my training and goals.

Goals for 2013...or more like a checklist for whenever the time comes:


What my lunch should look like more often

• Run a <6min mile (hopefully at the MU Outdoor Opener)
• Half Marathon <1:40 (~7:38 pace)
• Marathon <3:43 (~8:30 pace)
• Average over 20mph on the bike during any tri distance....literally any on any course. Each year I get closer, but it hasn't happened yet.
• Complete an olympic distance tri swim in <30:00
• Run an ultra without dying - yes, a 50k counts!
• Bike a century...maybe with a beer or lunch during...not necessarily a race.
• Half iron distance tri <6:00:00 (This will be a huge challenge to complete at Woodstock or Timberman, but I'll see what I can do about it.)
• Maintain a body weight of 135-140lbs.  At the LB Half last year I was 143, at Chicago I was 148 - the difference mostly due to enjoying my summer ice cream and adult beverages to the fullest.  As of today I am 149 so I've got a ways to go, but this one can certainly be acheived if I make better lifesyle & health conscious choices.
• Drink more water (...which means less coffee - I currently drink a pot or more/day)
• Volunteer for at least 5 races.
• Convince my boyfriend to run a 5...or maybe even a 10K.

Dave & I at the tree in NYC

While I may not complete all during 2013, I can dang well try. Obviously some of these guys have asterisks assuming I stay healthy/etc., but I feel if I train smarter and more consistantly, I can eventually check off a couple of these! :)

Right now my 2013 line-up is taking shape.  The following includes races that I'm already registered* for or am highly considering to participate in:

March 23 - *Allstate Life Insurance Half Marathon in FlushingMeadows Park, NY
March - Monmouth University Open Mile in West Long Branch, NJ
May 4 - *Woodstock Triathlon Festival (Half Iron Distance) in Town of Bethel, NY
June 2 - Navesink or Swim (1.2 or 2.4mi swim) in Rumson, NJ
June 16 - Long Branch Tri #1 in Long Branch NJ
July 21 - New Jersey State Triathlon (Olympic Distance) in West Windsor, NJ
August 18 - *Timberman 70.3 in Gilford, NH
September 28 - Mountain Madness Ultra (50K) in Ringwood, NJ
October - Runner's World Half & Festival in Bethlehem, PA

Not a bad list at a glance, but you never know - much of this could change over the next few months.  If there's a race that I should check out, please let me know!

And to round this post out, I got to see a bunch of teammates from college tonight - first time in years for a few of them.  Great to see them all and too bad Cait couldn't join!!

He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31

Stroke, Stroke, Flip Turn, Choke.

And so this is what recovery feels like...



My locker at work is finally
getting some use!

In my last post I spoke too soon. Since Philly my IT band at the side of my knee (on my non surgical leg) has been lighting up like a Christmas tree every time I run over 1.5mi or so. I'll take this little flair up as a message to get off my feet and back into the pool and weight room - a little (or a lot) of recovery could definitely do the body good anyhow.

Over the past couple weeks without a triathlon to train for in the near future I've really been putting off swimming - always coming up with an excuse: well Chicago or Philly is coming up so I should be running...or just complaining that it's cold out...either way, getting back in the pool was not as much fun as I would have hoped. I had decided to take atleast a solid 2 weeks off from running - after all, it has been a long season - but after a bit of tenderness during an easy 2 miler this weekend I think I may extend it another week or so to be safe. I am currently focusing on getting back into a bit of strength training and some swimming for recovery. Through the end of September I was averaging 4-5K in the pool per week (not that that's a lot, because it not - swim team members easy finish that in a single practice) but since then I can probably count the number of times I've put on the ole one peice on a single hand. Eeek!



Bob hard at work at the pool.

Which brings us to last Tuesday's pool "workout" (I shouldn't even call this a workout...and no warm-up needed since it was all basically at a warm-up pace): 5x200 with focus on technique, a little stroke counting, and a lot of choking/drinking the pool water. I can blame it all on Bob (he runs the pool at MU and has helped me a ton with my stoke over the past year - thanks Bob!) for making me flip turn during workouts...but on the other hand once we transitioned to open water this summer it was amazing how much easier open swiming felt! I didn't think my lungs were about to burst every 17 strokes. For anyone interested in triathlon training, I highly suggest learning to flip turn! I've heard folks argue that you will never once flip turn during a triathlon so "why learn?" But after a little practice with flip turns this past year I totally disagree (and so does any legit swimmer that I've asked) for these few reasons:


Where the sinking...I mean swimming...occurs.

1. Flip turning allows you to keep swimming without stopping/"breaking" which also cuts down those extra breaths usually taken at the turn around.
2. I also believe it teaches your body to become more efficient at using O2 while swimming (similar to training at altitude aka "hypoxic training" - see the exercise physiology side of me does come out sometimes) which is definitely important since we aren't exactly free to breathe as we would running or biking....thus making open water swimming feel that much easier when it comes time to race.
3. If I'm going to do timed sets or sprints I really do tend to finish a few seconds faster and am able to maintain a better rhythm.

I'm sure any more experienced swimmer could pack in a few more reasons, but those are my main few to justify flip turning on the regular. With a little practice and patience, I suggest every triathlete should develop flip turns as part of their swimming skill set.

On the recovery/theraputic side of things, when I swim my body feels great. Simply floating for 10min used to be part of my therapy post-hip surgery in NC. I'm guessing decompression due to the joints being supported by the water (rather than bearing the weight of the body) helps to decrease amount of pain and stiffness in my hips and SI joint area.

While I continue to recover and rebuild, let's all keep our fingers crossed that I'll be up and running (just a little bit) in no time! And sidenote, I'll be helping out at the Big Chill 5K at Rutgers this coming weekend - if you'd like to race registration is an unwrapped toy for a child ages 3-14 worth $10 or more. Cya there!!!

Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved,

for you are the one I praise. 

Jeremiah 17:14

Thankful for 2012. The Recap.



May 2011 - 1 week post surg
Sorry, could't get the pic to rotate!

What a year 2012 has been and for this I am incredibly thankful!!  After taking all of 2011 off from racing...and basically running...for my hip surgery,  I couldn't have asked for a better 2012 season.  I had the opportunity to train hard, race hard, and meet some really awesome people along the way.  It's still hard to imagine that at this time last year, I was struggling to finish a 2 mile jog and couldn't get away from the hip and SI joint pain that would creep up with every step.  After plenty of strength training, stretching and foam rolling, and many chest deep ice baths, I was finally ready to push it starting in about April.  Even though I was still only running about 10-12ish  miles per week, I was also getting in the pool 2-3x per week and hitting up a challenging spin class at The Peddler bike shop in Long Branch 2 nights/week.  (Btw if you have your own bike and trainer, I highly recommend stopping in on Tues & Thurs nights starting early into the new year - only 10$/session.  The guys there are some pretty cool dudes as well-they taught me a lot about taking care of and assembling my bike and were never sales-pushy.)  The class helped me to become a more efficient cyclist by teaching me to pull through the full circle of the cycling motion (yes, I was a pedal masher), increasing my cadence, helping to develop power, and increasing my VO2Max.  Since sprinting or hard run intervals were still pretty painful and out of the question in Jan-March, I attribute my ability to run fast(er) and recover during the early part of the year to those classes.  You can bet I'll be back and ready to do some work this coming January.

So after hearing a light background, this was my 2012 race line-up: (**indicates 1st attempt at race distance)

 

Long Branch Half Marathon** (5/6)  Since this was my 1st race post surgery, you could imagine how excited I was going into it - and it was my 1st shot at13.1 so my goals were pretty simple a) finish without walking and b) try to finish in under 2 hours.  I had debated using the 1:50 pace group, but after the 2nd mile one of the other females in the group and I started talking and we broke away from the pack.  Katherine and I ended up "hanging out" during the race and she coached me through some little things that a 1st timer might not think of.  We ended up blasting through the last 3 miles at a 7:30min/mi pace.  Everything about the race was awesome.  We finished in 1:43:21and it was faster than I ever would have considered I'd be running.    (Side note: She ran this just a few short months after having a child. Absolutely amazing woman.)  Shortly after finishing we both said "I think I can definitely run faster."  Ah, how quickly an accomplishment turns into a platform from which we want to progress. 

Post race lunch at Pleasant City!!

Kings Mountain "Over the Mountain" Olympic Triathlon (5/19)  Two weeks later I was in NC to visit my old roommate and training/racing partner from grad school, Terra.  2 years prior she convinced me to tackle this race and it surely lived up to it's name.  AND they changed the run course this year to make it HILLIER. Crazy folks, what were they thinking?!  But we had great race weather and were surrounded by many friends & Terra's family :)  To give a little info on Terra: she is a phenominal swimmer (swam Olympic trials back in 2008), recently finished her masters in psychology, moved back to northern Cali with her family, and finished her 1st ever marathon a few weeks ago!

Folsom Long Course (Half Iron) Triathlon** (8/18)  After NC, I had plenty of time to prep for this inaugural race which was held in Cali about an hour or 2 from Terra's home.  I had convinced her to sign up with me, and she also got a friend and fellow swimmer Tess to join.  Race day we were incredibly lucky with the weather - overcast for the majority of he race...and I'll take that on any day that would be projected to hit 96.  Technically, there are a few things I would suggest changing from a safety standpoint, but overall an okay race. A beautiful & cool lake swim, country (decievingly hilly) 2 loop bike course, and a rolling 2 loop run on bike trails (that they left open to random cyclists/runners - no bueno).  Of course Terra & Tess were #1&2 out of the water and Tess wound up running the table to win our age group. She is an animal (and currently studying for her masters in nutrition in Colorado - I hope to have her write a nutrition piece for my blog one of these weeks since we could all use the info).  While I pulled out decent times in the swim and bike, I crashed hard during the run.  2 miles in, full leg cramps in both legs brought me to a seated position for about 5 minutes - Tess was right begind me and got to watch me go down like I got shot.  While it may not have been pretty, I did a walk/jog "tin man" to make it to the finish in 6:16:47.  I'm not sure if I had ever been happier to cross a finish line than that afternoon.
  



Myself, Terra, & Tess getting ready for the long course.

 

One good reason NOT to wear heels!

"One More Tri" Sprint Triathlon to benefit Special Olympics of NJ (9/23)  This was another inaugural race, and while I was hoping to sign up for a Long Branch Tri Series race through Split Second Racing, that happened to be the only one nearby that I could make work time-wise. 400m swim, 12mi bike, & 3mi run.  This was a really fun race (plus it was flat and fast, but the run course may have been a bit short) and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to dabble in triathlons. It also supports a great cause, The Special Olympics of NJ, so you can't go wrong with that.

Bank Of America Chicago Marathon** (10/7)  While a few years ago I thought folks who ran marathons were all nuts, last Christmas over lunch, I found myself being enticed into running Chicago with a long time friend from high school, Nicole.  She is currently living in the city while working on her masters.  For a 1st time marathoner, this is a great race choice.  The course is pretty flat and well organized.  The best part of the race though was the many supporters and volunteers along the course - they were super encouraging and made the athmosphere was electric.  We even had a great time checking out all that there was to offer at the expo.  I will definitely be marathoning (or maybe an ultra) in the future. 

 



Niki found the best shirt on the rack!

Runner's World Bethlehem 10K (10/21)  2 Weeks following Chicago, Cait, a best friend that I played basketball with in college, and I ran the Runner's World 10K in our old stomping grounds in Bethlehem, PA.  This was her 1st ever race and, like I've said before, I think she's hooked. :)  Next year we are shooting for the half (and we will be ready to take on the hills)!!
 

Kels rocking an official time of 1:42:10.

Philadelphia Half Marathon (11/18) Last but not least, my younger sister Angie and I raced Philly this past weekend - also her 1st road race.  To be blunt, since Chicago I had really poo'd the bed with regard to training/nutrition/weight management/etc.  At about 6-7lbs heavy and sick with sinus and chest congestion I was debating how hard I would run Philly and was leaning toward taking it easy.  My sweatheart of a boyfriend proceeded to give me the kick in the pants that I needed when he said "I didn't come all the way to Philly to watch you jog around on the road and not try."  That settled that.  Also, luckily I had brought along my Instead Softcup since I was passing along a few to my Mom to try, because it sure came in handy Sunday morning.  As for the race, Ang finished at 1:59 a minute under her goal...and didn't walk!...and her knees are still in tact!  Booyah! She is down for another run next year and maybe a tough mudder :)  I was lined up in a different corral for the start and by chance met up with Katherine, whom I had randomly ran with during the Long Branch Half.  She was shooting for a 1:40 PR, so I thought "what the heck, why not try."  We went out hard - or as hard as we could with how tight the first 3 miles were - this is where a few agility drills could come in handy.  It came back to bite during those dang hills (yes, mile 7 was one long hill and I cursed my way up it with each step).  I remember hitting the last turn around, my legs were slowly rejecting the thought that I wanted to move them faster, and I finally took my head out of my butt to look around and enjoy the scenery - I was running along the river by the boathouses where my family had watched my brother row (crew) a few years back.  If you've never been there for a regatta, boat house row is a pretty cool place to check out.  While I'm glad I ran hard, I also wish I had opened my eyes to take in more of the city.  Katherine crossed the line in 1:39 and I take my hat off to her, she was really moving.  I followed with 1:42:20 - a PR by just over a minute. Not too shabby.



Obviously I have many things to be thankful for: great family and friends, health, the ability to travel, train, and race..and everything else in between.  But enough about the past, over the course of the next week I will be evaluating my training and preparing to push harder and smarter for 2013.  It's been real 2012, but on to the next season.

 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

Last Race of 2012!

The weather this weekend & today is BEAUTIFUL.  Absolutely perfect for a run or bike.  It's hard to believe we just had a hurricane and a snow storm less than a week ago - well, at least until you open your eyes and take a look around.  Yesterday, Khamiya and I ran an easy 8 and change north to Sea Bright until officers wouldn't allow us any farther.  The damage that some of the homes along the shore suffered from Sandy (and Athena) is inconceivable.  Our apartment, which is also 1st floor on ocean side, had minimal damage and for that we are incredibly thankful.

Sunday, the Philly Half  will be my final race of the year.  I haven't decided whether I plan to try PR'ing yet, but I guess that decision will have to be made soon.  I'm crossing my fingers that the sinus and chest congestion I've been toting around lately clears up by this weekend - either way, I'm not the least bit worried about it.  (Now what I should be concerned about is the 6 or so lbs I've put on since the marathon from eating like a "typical American" - but that's up for discussion another day).  More importantly, I was able to convince my younger sister to run :) AND our parents will be around to spend the weekend as well.  One of the blessings that living relatively closer to home (as compared to NC) brings.   This will be Angie's first ever half marathon (or race longer than 1mi for that matter) and so I've decided to do a mini pre race interview with her!

A little backround info: Ang graduated this past May with her Bachelors in Accounting from Lebanon Valley College in PA.  During her time there she was a 4 year starter as a member of LVC's Volleyball team. She is currently working full time for ParenteBeard and taking classes for her masters at Villanova School of Business. Angie is 22 and NOT single :)

As a first time half marathoner, what have you done to prepare for the race with weekend? Did you follow any specific running program?
Since I signed up for the race in August, I have been semi-following a running program. I looked over Hal Higdon'sTraining Programs and a Runner's World program that had different programs for beginners, intermediate , and experienced runners. I attempted to make my own mix between beginners and intermediate. I would typically run 2 or 3 shorter runs throughout the week and one long run on the weekend. My definition of short and long definitely changed throughout the process as well.

(Me:) Do you have a goal in mind for the race?
(ANG:) While it is definitely to finish since this is my first one, my goal is to do so under a 9:00 minute mile pace. (under 1:48:00)

Do you plan on changing your diet during the days surrounding the race and do you have a race morning breakfast in mind?
I don’t plan to extremely change my diet, but I do know I will not eat something like Taco Bell the night before the race (the experience is not pleasant). I plan to eat moderately healthy as I normally do before the race.  Morning of...I'll just eat what you eat.

What was your favorite part of the training?
My favorite part of training may have been about a month ago. I was starting to feel myself getting faster on my shorter runs and still feeling strong after my longer runs. Both of those feelings were a great sense of accomplishment.

What is the longest you've run, to date? Approx what is your weekly mileage?
The longest I have run to date is 12.1 miles. My weekly mileage is approximately 19 miles, but before starting training in August it would have been closer to 9 miles per week.

Have you experienced any running related injuries or pain during your training?
Yes, I managed to throw up after one of my longer runs. I think it may have been due to the Taco Bell I ate the night before (surprise surprise) or it may have been from being too hot. By this I mean that I wore a tight long-sleeve shirt and a long-sleeve shirt over top of that. It was probably closer to 60 degrees so that was obviously unnecessary. The next weekend I ran in a cut-off and I felt much better. Other than that, no new aches or pains as compared to before I began training for the race.

Do you plan to run with music?
Yes, running with music takes my mind off of what I am actually doing. My mind travels a mile a minute. I can hear one word in the song and it can make me think about something totally different. If I am not thinking about how tired I am or how in pain my knees are, then I am more likely to run faster.

Do you have any favorite training gear?
I am very glad I purchased a specific pair of Asic sneakers before I started training. I have very rough knees from playing volleyball all throughout college.  My knees and hips used to feel awful after running at all, but since I started wearing these sneakers, my pain has definitely decreased - but obviously is still there sometimes.

Now that we are less than a week form the race, how do you feel? 
I am very excited to finally reach 13.1 miles, since I have never run that far before. I am simply excited to cross the finish line. 

13.1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 13.1

Needless to say, Ang is definitely race ready and hopefully will have a great experience. A fellow friend, Kelsey Miller (who had run the Runner's World Half Marathon a few weeks back) will be running the full Philly Marathon - her first 26.2 as well.  A big good luck to them both and everyone else out there running this weekend!!

On that note, I'm heading out for a quick bike ride before the sun runs out on me. Happy training folks and I'll send the good news early next week!

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Getting Sandy with Sandy

Finally back up and running....from the office, of course.  No power at home yet, but hopefully soon! Since getting evacuated by Sandy, I've had plenty of time to be productive while taking shelter in central PA for a few days. 

• I've become a member of the Sandy Hookers Tri Club and can't wait to volunteer and participate in some local events in Long Branch! 

 

• I'm super excited to see Split Second Racing will be hosting the Woodstock Triathlon Festival in May 2013.  They'll have both half and olympic distances and I would expect the course to be both beautiful and challenging!! Registration opens this month so I would recommend checking it out.

 

• The Instead Softcup product will be my life saver for the 2013 race season.  This past year during the Long Branch Half Marathon, I had to worry about jumping into a porta potty 10 min before the race and then had my boyfriend waiting at the finish line to hand me a fresh tampon.  No thank you.  After practicing during my light days last month, this time around I tried it on my "heavier days."  It got me through a full day of work (and I'm a collegiate strength coach so I'm constantly on the move) during which I snuck in a 45 min lift, some interval running, and a short 30 min recovery swim. Clutch.  Very clutch.  Even though I received my product for free, I will definitely be a future customer and the above opinion is 100% mine.  Thank you folks for making my life easier!

• Registration has opened for Timberman 70.3  Aug 18, 2013  (only $199 until 11/7!) and I will be there.  Seriously, every time I sign up for a race I get that giddy feeling.  This will be my 1st Ironman brand race and I guess you can say there is no better way to celebrate my 27th birthday (4th year straight that I'm celebrating my birthday by treating myself to a race...I swear it's addicting).

Anyway, enough for now from me. Off to enjoy a run in this cool, crisp weather. To those of you also affected by Sandy, I'll be keeping you in my prayers.

World of Runners

Great, great, great weekend at the Runner's World Half and Festival!!  Beautiful and challenging course through an area rich with history. Got to run some of the routes that I ran back in college. And best of all, enjoyed the weekend with my family away from home, the Millers. :)  A big congrats to everyone who ran!

Cait & I cruising to her 1st finish with the Steel Stacks in the background!

Cait finished her 1st ever race, the 10K, on her 3rd time torn ACL - she's already pumped to sign up for next year's Runner's World Half!!  Kelsey rocked out a half marathon PR at 1:42:10 (Oh, you know, just as a prep run for the Philly Marathon next month). And "Kishy," one of my training partners through college, killed it in the Hat Trick!  Some other notables from the race: there were at least 2 barefoot runners that passed us during the 10k - something to work up to in the future. It makes my barefoot laps on the turf look like child's play!  We had the opportunity to watch Olympian Shalane Flanagan show us just how easy and smooth she could make it look. And last but not least, two 80+ year old men finished the 5K. Absolutely amazing!


On the west coast, my past roommate and triathlon training partner tackled the Humboldt Redwoods Marathon - her first ever!  Congrats Terra on a big accomplishment!!

By the way, ladies, can I ask for a little advice?!! Since Chicago, I have developed a black and blue toe - sans toe nail. Do I let it just hang out or do I just apply my toe nail polish over the blackened skin? Let me know what you would do! Thanks!



                         

Born to Run

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.  It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." Roger Bannister from Christoper McDougall's Born To Run

(And yes, this excerpt is ironically what my blog title is based upon!)

Yesterday, at Monmouth University, I had the great opportunity to hear McDougall speak and then joined him with many others for a short run to the shore - which he ran barefoot!  While he may not have all of the secrets to running fast and injury free he surely demonstrates a love for running. I immediately went back to my office and searched for Ultras in the NJ area.  (Busy work day, huh?) I think that may be my goal for 2013! Any recommendations?

And speaking of running/racing, I'll be heading back to my college stomping grounds to visit one of my best friends and join her for her first 10K!  After tearing her ACL for the 3rd time this past summer, she still plans to take on the hills of Bethlehem, PA at the Runner's World Half & Festival.  Come support thousands of runners, sign up to run or volunteer, or stop by to meet Olympian Shalane Flanagan!  There will also be plenty of useful info sessions for both recreational and competitive runners to check out. Best of luck to everyone racing this weekend and I can't wait to spend some time with my second family!