All Women & One Lucky Guy Half Marathon ..

Bethany, Kim, and I before the race

Another Half Marathon in the books for 2012, November 4 .. and the last one for the year!! The race was held in Newburyport, Ma.. was a new one to me, which I had never run before so I was pretty excited to run it. Kim was running again, and my friend Bethany was also signing up day of to run. I was excited to see Bethany since I hadn't seen her since Montreal!

 I must admit the few days leading up to the half I was not feeling very good. I was getting my workouts in throughout the week, but I just wasn't feeling A-OK, and tis the season for the colds. Cold weather is here, change of seasons, and I hadn't received my flu shot yet. 

It was an 11:00 race start so I got to sleep in a little bit, also got to push the clocks back an hour so scored an extra hour of sleep.. was perfect! Race Morning got up, had my typical pre-race meal .. oatmeal, banana, and pb.. relaxed got in the zone. Mom and I headed down to Newburyport for number pick up..it was COLD! Shirts we received were pretty cool.. nice and pink ... 




I was getting pretty nervous once the race was beginning to start.. but as soon as 11:00 hit, and the took off.. I was in the zone..well so I thought...

I had a good pace till about my 5, my 5 hit, and I thought wow, I can not finish this - it might be my first DNF, I did not feel good, legs felt heavy.. and was not my race..but I had no idea how to get back to the school.. and didn't want to get to an emergency tent.. I figured overall pace on garmin was still okk.. just push through.. so that is what I did, then the hills came, my legs felt heavier and heavier.. I had just about enough of this race! Looking at my garmin, my pace was all screwy it kept reading incorrect pace, so then I got nervous.. that my average pace was wrong.. but I kept pushing through.. and just wanted to be done. 

I kept getting closer to the finish at one point some guy yelled out.. you are the top 60 woman, so then I felt a  little better that I knew my garmin was on track .. and to push it to the end, and that is what I did. I finished with a 1:47 time, not a PR .. but I was pleased for how I was feeling, I placed 65/838 women. 10/117 in my age group. Not a bad overall day!

All donee!

One Lucky Guy!

Merrimack College Family Fun Run 5k!!

Before the Race!

This past Saturday, November 3, I ran a 5k with my sisters at Merrimack College .. Shelagh is a freshman there so it was nice to participate in a fun little event that the school was putting on, during their Homecoming Weekend! It was a COLD morning!!! 

And we are off ...

The loop for the 5k wasn't bad it was a double loop around the school campus..I stayed with Katie and pused her through the entire race, Shelagh went off and ran with a few of her friends from school. 

Shelagh and her friends!

Katie and I

The pictures above were from the first loop around .. 

Finishing!!

Done!

Katie is done!! 

It was such an awesome day, Katie and Shelagh did awesome in the race.. I was such a proud sister! Then we topped the morning off with some delicious coffee ..

A New Month ... November 1!

So excited to begin a new month .. with new goals.. and a new focus! October was a good month .. although coming off of a marathon month.. I didn't really have a focus, it was a very relaxed month. I needed it though.. after the amount of training I put into the Marathon October was what I needed. Although I did run a great race at Baystate Half Marathon which was a surprise!

During the month of October .. I have gone back and fourth so many times about different races to run coming up which I will sign up for in the future, whats next?.. and when and if I will BQ. My sister Katie wanted to run ..Rock N Roll New Orleans which has a very flat course... they have a full and half marathon. I read reviews about the marathon and they all say flat/fast. Problem I came across its Februray 24 .. and the trouble I figured I would have to train all winter for a full marathon. What if the winter is god awful? I have never trained for a winter marathon before.  Katie wants to do it.. and I couldn't miss her first half.. course is flat.. if I train hard maybe this could be it. These things kept going back and fourth in my head! I talked to a few girls from work and they are running the Disney Marathon which is in January, they say its not that bad training in the winter.. oyy oyy oyyy. At least New Orleans weather wouldn't be terrible (hopefully) on race day if I did it.. right?

Elevation of the course looks like this .. you tell me how flat this is!:

It couldn't be more perfect

Well ... needless to say after a few weeks going back and fourth and Katie saying she is doing it (regardless).. price was going up October 31st .. I signed up!! Marathon #4 - February 24!! New Orleans .. Maybe a BQ?!?! Lets try!!  If I keep my head in the game.. I am going to hope  anyway .


So .. November 1st .. I will be:

1. FOCUSED
2. Head in the game
3. Starting a strength training/condition program
4. Logging those miles
5. Nutrition Nutrition Nutrition - HEALTHY EATING

During the next few months I do have a few other races lined up (fun) .. I am running 5k with my sisters for run on Saturday at my Merrimack College for Shelagh, my other sisters Homecoming, Sunday I am running the All Women's One Lucky Guy Half Marathon in Newburyport, Thanksgiving Morning - Thanks4giving 10k, December 2, Millcities Relay, December 9 Winter Classic 5k .. Busy couple months.. should be exciting!!  Can't wait to see the changes.


I am excited for this new challenge and what the next couple months will bring... stay tuned!!

Baystate Half Marathon ...

Baystate Half Marathon

.. its been a few days, but here is my update on Baystate Marathon this weekend .. I did only run the half though! As you know from my last post, I was not sure what the restult of the race was going to be, I hadn't run long since the marathon, I was very nervous. 

The night before the half, my sisters and I went out to dinner.. and I am not like my most people the night before races. Most have a plate full of pasta and carb load. However I do have carbs, perhaps a side of pasta, or potatoes, but its never my main dish ... my pre race dinner is Haddock .. different than others.. but whatever works... and I won't change. However we went to Bertucci's and they didn't have Haddock, but they had Cod Al Forno.. so I ordered that.. delicious I might add... and I ate enough rolls.. for my carb loading.. ha! In the morning I always have the usual ... oatmeal, banana, and peanut butter at least 4 hours before the race, then a cliff bar about an hour and a half before.


Race Morning ... Mom, Dad and I headed down to Lowell High were everything started nice and early.. 

Dad and I, in front of Lowell City Hall

I was still pretty nervous, I did not want to fail miserably in this race .. nerves were going, it was a pretty cool morning but was going to warm up to about 50.. so it was going to be a perfect day for running. Kim met us, and she was so excited first half.. she couldn't wait to start.. I was feeling anxious in the opposite way. 7:55 we lined up in the corrals.. I went for the 8/min pace corrals .. and 8:00am we took off. 


I started going and realized I felt great.. I didn't want to get to ahead of myself, but my pace was around 7:30's and I tried to just keep it around there, for as long as I could.. I didn't want to burn out .. the baystate course is pretty flat, few rolling hills but nothing major ..its a double loop .. so i saw my parent's which was great ..

Around Mile 5

I felt great at this point and knew if I kept my pace .. I had a PR .. previous was 1:47 and Providence in August. I didn't want to keep thinking that the entire race though I just wanted to maintain and keep it going so I didn't drop drastically in pace. Well I kept going for the next 6.5 miles.. felt great pushed myself.. because as I looked at my garmin .. I knew I could get another PR ...

1:44 FINISH .. PR of 3 Minutes!!!

I crossed that finish line and honestly could not believe that I PR'd again.. and by 3 minutes .. the day was perfect.. and now I just wanted to see how Kim did .. and before I knew it she was coming in .. so Happy that she was finishing up .. Kim finished her first half in 1:51, so happy that she finished!! I was so happy for her was an overall perfect day!!!

SO Happy!!!

Kim and I

  

Happy Friday .. !

.. Sunday I am running the Baystate Half Marathon.. Thanks to my friend Robin, who gave me her number because she is kicking butt at the Runners World Half this weekend! I am really excited to run the half, it will also be one of my best friends first half so it will be great to experience this with her! 

... Although .. while I was sitting here at work .. looking over the course map, thinking of my race strategy.. because obviously .. I would love another PR .. 

Half Marathon Course

I really thought .. wow I wish I was running the full ... am I CRAZYY?!?! I just ran a full less than a month ago! I think it's just the course is pretty flat.. Here is the full course...

Full Marathon Course

I know on Sunday I really am going to wish I was running that full.. the energy will be flowing, I don't think I have ever been at a race were there is a full and a half and I am only running the half! Although I am very excited/anxious for the half.. here goes .. I will let you know how it goes in a few days .. have a great race weekend!! 

PS...

Perfect running weather too!! ..

Jennifer's Run 5k

Jennifer D'Amour, a member of the UMass Lowell cross country and track and field teams from 1994-98, who tragically lost her life in a car accident in May of 1999.

Start of the Race

Honestly... I wasn't sure how the 5k was going to go, I wasn't expecting anything out of it.. I hadn't raced a 5k .. since April. Saturday morning was cold, the first really chilly morning  frost on the cars, about 40 degrees .. I got out my gloves, my running tights.. and headed down to UML with my mom. My friend Kim was running it too. The run was basically filled with lots of UML alum, and local people. 

Kim and I before the 5k!

Coming to an end.. kind of blurry but it works

Needless to say I ran another PR with the race.. a 22:20 according to my garmin.. 22:14 with the race results! I was pumped.. 5k's are not my favorite but glad it turned out so well! 

Can't give it up ..

So now that I have accomplished my goal.. what do I do ... 

I am the type of person that loves working out obviously  however  I love having a goal to work towards. I just accomplished a huge goal, and now that I have recovered what is next.. I have so many fitness, athletic things that I want to accomplish.. here are some:

Qualify for the Boston Marathon

Get better with the TRX

Half Ironman

Fitness Competition 

Perfect my Yoga Skill

So back to Running ... Running is something I know how to do, something I have become fairly decent at. Its just what I do it clears my mind, get me through the day at times..its just running. Although I don't want to become bored with it, I know that I can - I have before. I however also love strength training, lifting weights.. the problem here is they counteract with each other. I can go strength train all day, then go run many miles I just love it all. Winter months are coming, I want a new challenge, new goal. I always go back and forth about competing in a fitness competition, I have for years. My friend Alex came to me and she wants to do it too .. and I thought well perfect lets do it .. 

I had researched a couple different trainers/studios to train for the competition.. however I came across Body Ambition with Janelle Nicolo, which is located in Middleton, Ma. Janelle emailed me back and I met with her Monday. I went over the program and what to expect.. Janelle made sure that I would be okay with not running the many miles that I had been use too. I had thought about this before I was going to make this move, I am ready for the new goal. I am okay with that. After speaking with Janelle I have decided that I will start the program November 1. Its been a couple days since I met with Janelle.. and I read a lot of blogs, once again I love to run, I have fallen in love with running. All these blogs that I read are very motivational and all the different people have accomplished lots of goals, different races.. and some have just finished the Chicago marathon, people that are going to run the Nike Woman's San Francisco Marathon this weekend.. and my love for running comes back, well it actually never left. I am still have the runners "high". At that point I knew it wasn't my time to switch from running to fitness competitions .. I need to focus on getting that BQ .. and accomplish that goal before any other ones. Right now I have a love for running and that is were my heart and focus is ... right now that is were I am going to stay. If I am not going to put 110% into something its not worth doing.. so I will be running till I get that BQ :)