Mayflower Brewery 1/2 Marathon

I was SO excited for this race for so many reasons.

1)  My good friend Sarah signed up to run with me and it was going to be not only her first half marathon, but her first race EVER!

2)  It was my second 1/2 of the year and I was ready to cruise!

3)  I ran a 10K in Plymouth, MA a few years ago and although it was hilly, it was super fun

4)  More free beer ;)

Leading up to this race, maybe I didn't train quite as hard as I could have, but I was feeling good, coming off of a great month of May races.  The Saturday before, Sarah and I ran together along the Cape Cod canal, a 10-mile, moderate paced run to see how we matched with each other.  It went great!  I was so ready.

After that 10-miler, I was feeling some knee pain that I wasn't a fan of, so I took it easy the week leading up and tapered even more than normal, which may have been my first mistake.

The morning of the race was awesome.  It was perfect weather starting out, with a promising outlook for the morning.

The first few miles were as expected, and it took a while to find a good stride.  There was a significant part of the course that ran along a packed dirt bike path, which I was not prepared for.  There were large divots and loose rocks that were difficult to see until you were right on top of them due to the amount of runners packed in on the course.

Also, it felt like the ENTIRE course was uphill.  I know it's all perception... but I can tell you that this was the most difficult course I have ever completed, aside from Tough Mudder... which was on a mountain.

One great aspect that I will applaud the race coordinators for was the water every mile.  I think that if it were not for that, there would have been some serious issues for people along the course.  It got hot FAST that morning and as someone who does not normally take cups from water stops, I took at least one cup every single mile.

All in all, it was certainly the most difficult race that I can remember completing in a long time.  Although it was torturous at times, I am certainly thankful for the experience because after reaching PR's in so many consecutive races, it was refreshing to have me knock me down a peg and really have to work for it.  Now, I am not going to stop striving for PR's but I am proud that I was able to finish in the tough conditions.

I am SO proud of my girl Sarah, and I cannot wait until we run our next race together :)

Harpoon 5Miler 2015

I was so excited to be selected in the lottery for the second year in a row for this race!  It supports a great cause, The Angel Fund, and is all around a fun race.  A pretty simple course with minimal hills, and a fun look at a part of South Boston that I probably wouldn't ever see otherwise.  And hello, free beer?! No brainer ;)

Mother's Day 5k

The second annual running of the Mattapoisett Mother's day 5k

This year the weather was a bit different.  It was a much cooler day which was nice.  The race was fun and I love the route.  It is through the waterfront neighborhoods of Mattapoisett, MA. Very fun!  I look forward to participating in the years to come :)

Cox Providence Half Marathon

This race was AMAZING

Of course being my first race of the year, I was so anxious to get out there.  I had compulsively checked the weather for over a week leading up to that morning, I had tried on what I would wear, and I set up my typical spread on the dining room table the night before.

The weather that morning was ideal for May in New England.  It started out cool, with a forecast to warm throughout the day.  A start time of 8:00am was ideal to be able to finish before the day got too hot.

The race started out awesome, I felt great and found my pace pretty easily.  Thankfully, the course was such that my boyfriend and family were able to move easily between mile-markers and see me several times throughout the course without much trouble.  The first "checkpoint" was mile 4.  I was feeling good, I had found my stride, I got my water bottle exchange from Randy and I was on my way.  The next was at mile 9, on the opposite side of the park from where I saw them at mile 4.  I slung off my running belt because by then I had burned through all but one of my Gu's, and I knew I wouldn't need my inhaler.  The next checkpoint was the finish line... piece of cake!

This was taken by the race photographers at Mile 11 - not too bad huh?!

Here is a brief rundown of my emotions throughout the race:

Miles 1-3: ok, here we go. Where is the pacer? I hope I don't have to pee soon

Miles 3-5: Hit my stride, I've got this. Piece of cake.. Wait is that a hill?

                 (Mile 4: See my family, get a fresh water bottle, now I can conquer the world)

Miles 5-8: This was a bad idea. Maybe I should walk for a bit. Nah, that's an even worse idea.

Miles 8: Hell ya! Only 5 miles to go... Wait is that another hill?!

Miles 9-11: OK for real, almost there!

Mile 12: WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING HERE?!?

Mile 13: all the above mentioned emotions at once.

Just after seeing my family at mile 9, a woman ran by me who started singing the song playing from my phone.  One thing you should know about me is that I really dislike wearing headphones.  So I place my phone in my armband and play my music on speaker as loud as it will go.  When I am training at home, alone it's never an issue.  But at races, I can never tell how people will react.  Sometimes they love it, other times I think they cringe, but oh well!  Well, this woman ran up beside me and was so happy to hear that song she started singing right along.  Come to find out, her name was Adrienne and she was chasing the same finish time I was!  So we ran along together for the remainder of the race.  Although I will say that the last 2+ miles she more like dragged me along.  But I was so thankful for her in that moment because without her, I would have slowed down.  I was feeling tired and I was already on good pace, so I would have eased up a bit. But she wouldn't let me quit.  We pushed hard up those last few hills and each got a PR!  

My new friend Adrienne! She is a rockstar!

It was a fantastic way to begin race season 2015!  Bring on the next one ;)

April 2015

It has been one hell of a year so far!

The snow finally melted and all is well on the road!  I got my first run in since January on March 31st and I have been going full steam ahead ever since :)

So far in April I have run just shy of 50 miles!  I hope to get to around 65, but I am not sure how that will work with taper week upon me.  Although, I have never really tapered, considering I don't put in the huge # of miles that the experts usually suggest.

I was thrilled with how quickly my body rebounded after being house bound for nearly 8 weeks!!  I kept up with other strength training including lots of T25 gamma.  I certainly think that helped.  The first few runs were so tough, and the cold was brutal in my lungs.  But I kept on and now I am running longer distances comfortably... assuming I don't run out of water or daylight ;) haha

My first race is coming up quickly and I am super excited to be participating in my first HM in over 6 months!

Wish me luck and Happy running! :)

Hello 2015

WOW!  I cannot believe that it has been almost 4 months since my last post.  I have been so busy, I am not sure where the time has gone!

2014 was a great year for me in many ways!

My personal life has been wonderful with so many great milestones including my boyfriend's 30th birthday and two of my closest friends having babies!

Professionally, I made a very scary decision to leave my job in Boston.  In reflection it was one of the best decisions I could have possibly made.  My personal happiness and overall well-being benefited greatly from leaving.

And of course, I started a new chapter in my fitness life that led me to be in the best shape I have been in since I was 19 years old!  I found T25, a program that I cannot say enough good things about.  Also, along with some focused training, I ran a new half marathon PR, beating my old time by over 20 minutes!

I made a few resolutions for 2015 that I am excited to share with you, a few of which I have already been able to check off of my list!

• Find a new job - I began a new job with a small biotech company in Providence, RI.  I have only been here a few weeks but I am confident that it is going to be a great fit for me.

• Sign up for the UHC Triple Crown half marathon race series - I am so excited to participate in this half marathon series this coming year, beginning in March and ending in October.  I was so excited in fact that I am completing an additional race in Plymouth, MA somewhere in the middle of the three!
• A secondary goal is to set a new PR in at least one of the races, and ultimately finish in under 2:00!

• Complete T25 + gamma - I was partially through T25 at the beginning of the year, so I have continued on with the program but I am SO pumped to begin the gamma cycle in only one week!!

• Complete my graduate thesis - To say that this thesis is a work in progress would be the understatement of the year!  I have worked so hard, for a long time to get this paper done and I cannot wait until I can say that I am 100% DONE... Stay tuned for updates on that!

• I also have a few other personal goals that I am working towards including being on the right financial path for my boyfriend and I to buy a home together!

I hope everyone had a happy and blessed end to their year, and I am looking forward to what 2015 will bring!

And as always, happy running!

Two weeks in...

I am now two complete weeks into T25 and I feel GREAT!  The first week was a humbling reminder that even though I recently ran a half-marathon, Shaun T DOES NOT mess around haha

I struggled hard the first week but I kept pushing every day, and I have even done the "doubles" each week.

Week one was completed with no breaks, Monday - Friday with a double Friday consisting of lower focus and cardio... OUCH

Week 2 was Monday - Thursday as the schedule calls for, but then Friday was a long, late shift at work and the double session was pushed to Saturday morning!  Lower focus followed by ab intervals.  Best part was that Randy was doing P90X in the next room and when he finished his workout I persuaded him to come finish ab intervals with me :)

I am really happy that I have been sticking with the recommended calendar this time.  I think the impending New Year has me focused to stay on track with the timeline!  

Week 3 begins tonight!! :)

T25 to end 2014!

Now that running season has ended for me (although it has been seasonably warm here in MA, so I am sad that I haven't gotten outside more) I have re-submerged myself into T25!

I took brand new "before" photos and measurements.  This time, I am going to try as much as possible to stick to the calendar provided for the workouts, because 10 weeks from last Monday is only a few days before New Years' Day!  I want to send 2014 out with a bang, and be my best self possible BEFORE that clock hits 12 :)

Also, I read a crazy statistic recently that the average American gains ~7lbs from Thanksgiving to Christmas!  WHAT?!  Not me!

The only thing that will hold me back from this goal is the completion of my Masters thesis which is in it's final stages, with a hopeful turn in date and presentation just before Christmas.  That being said, one reason I think that I will be able to stick to my calendar is that the 25 minutes per day is a stress release that I very much look forward to after sitting on my bum all day staring at a computer screen!

Do you have any year end goals?  I would love to hear them! :)

Newport Half marathon

This was the most amazing race ever.  I seriously don't think I can over sell my experience.

My training for this race was different than any other race before.  Over the course of the past 10 months I have focused on overall fitness and getting my body to a place where I felt my best.  I did this through T25.

I have always been one to shrug off "running tips" and the need to cross-train.  I was sure that if I just kept running and running and logging my miles that I would get better.  I never really did.  My will got stronger, but that's about it.  In previous races, I was convinced that I was small, and slow and winded because of my asthma and that there was nothing I could do about it.

I could not have been more wrong.

After 1 full round of T25, then doing those workouts Zumba and running I found an entirely new level of speed and comfort in my abilities.  In less than 1 year I have brought my average pace down by almost 2 minutes/mile.  I KNOW that is because I took the time to train my entire body.  My core is as strong as it has ever been, and my legs feel unstoppable.

I logged far less miles in preparation for this race than any other, but I felt SO much more prepared due to my overall strength.

Goofing off in the car

Let's DO this!

Randy is ready too!

When race day came, it was a cool, bright, ocean side morning in Newport, RI and everyone was VERY ready to get going due to the chilly temps.

Bright enough for ya?

Don't mess with the belt!

Beautiful scene at the start line!

He loves it when I take his picture! haha

Ready to get this show on the road! Literally!!

SHWINGS!

Through the first 5 miles I felt great.  I wasn't looking for mile-markers like I usually am, and I wasn't worried about running out of breath.  I was enjoying the course and the atmosphere and the little voice coming out of my GPS every mile assuring me of my rock-star pace!

Then it happened.  I had a runner stop right in my path at a water station and to avoid running her over like a tiny freight train I had to dig in with all my might and run around her.  About 100 yards later, there it was.  The pull in my muscle... the know in my calf.  It was like someone had put my muscle in a vice and each step was a tiny twist in the cog.

I was SO determined not to let that stop me.  I slowed my pace for a mile or so.  I was able to ensure that it wasn't getting any worse, and that there was no tendon damage (because there was no burning sensation).  So I decided to go with it.  I continued and finished the course without stopping, and I am very glad that I did because the moment I stopped, there was NO WAY I was getting going again.

Terrible photographer skills, but views at mile 7!

The rest of the race was amazing.  The views kept me occupied the whole way, and the runners are always a great source of entertainment.  I even had one woman singing along with me to "This girl is on fire"!!

An official race photo and I don't look like a complete goober!!! :)

The pain in my leg really started to set in around mile 11, but at that point there was absolutely no way that I was stopping.  I tried to keep my mind clear, enjoying the scenery of the multi-million dollar mansions and encouraging crowds!

The finish line was after a nice cruise downhill and I knew it was coming so I gathered all that I had left and absolutely steam-rolled ahead.  Just about 1/4 mile from the finish was my family and my boyfriend, and it was SO great to see them :)

I am forever grateful that there are there every race, no matter the weather (unless it's raining, I don't do rain haha) to cheer me on!  Although I am quite busy for that 2 hour span, I know that it is a lot of patient waiting around on their part, and I appreciate it so much.

To say that I finished in record time is an understatement.  I absolutely blew my previous PR, and my expectations right out of the water.  On the drive in, I had a goal of anything under 2:15. 2:12 would have been ideal, and 2:10 was my "holy crap can you believe that just happened?"

Well when I crossed that finish line and looked down to see 2:07:45 I just about burst into tears.  1) because I had stopped running and my left leg was in a complete knot and thoroughly pissed, but 2) because I couldn't even comprehend that that time was possible for me.

3 1/2 years ago I "ran" my first half marathon in 2:43 at a run/walk pace.  I had never run farther than 3 miles consecutively in my life.  Even through training for the first race, I knew it was a long shot.  Snap forward to this day and I had just undershot my "holy crap" time by over 2 minutes!

Guess you know what that means!  New goal: sub 2:00 half-marathon!

Again, I cannot say enough how thankful I am to those who come out to my races, but also all of the kind words from friends and family not only on race day but throughout my training.  I am strong-willed on my own, but the encouragement helps me to ensure that maybe I'm not crazy after all! ;)

Showered, relaxing and ready for a Patriots win!!!

Next half marathon!! (SQUEEEEEL)

AHHH I cannot believe that I have done this to myself, but I am consistent if nothing else ;) haha I have always done better under pressure, and it looks like this race will be NO different!  Just over SIX WEEKS separates me from my next half marathon!  Better get to work!

The race is the United Health Care Marathon/Half Marathon in Newport, RI.  It is a BEAUTIFUL course that hugs the shoreline and goes right by several of the amazing mansions.  If you have never been to Newport, make time to go! (Specifically during the second weekend in October, I can use all the support I can get ;)  )

As always, I took to Pinterest and found some great material to get to training!

This one is my favorite:

Be Consistent

I am sure that you have heard this before, but I will go ahead and say it again:  Consistency is the key to results!  Whether it be at work, in school or in your fitness!

You MUST be willing to put in the work. The results WILL come! Not overnight, maybe not even in a week... but you WILL see them!

If you are anything like me, you may tend to come up with reasons "why not"

Will YOU have the courage to put aside your excuses and insecurities to achieve your goals?

BE STRONGER than your excuses.  There will always be someone with less time, more to do, and bigger obstacles.  And they will get it done. So can you!! I can have the tendency to be my own worst enemy, especially when it comes to working out!  I am loaded with every excuse in the book. But once I have just laced up and started my workout, I am SO much happier.