Mainly Marathons Appalachian Series - South CarolinaMarch 27, 20222:47:45 What I wore: hat, tank top, long sleeve quarter zip, capris, and Altra Rivera Location: Seneca, SC (State #41!) Let's just start out with the truth - this race was the hardest of the races and pretty much sucked. I chose to do the early start again because if I didn't there would be no shower at the end. As it turns out, it was a good thing. It was chillier than the previous races and I had some chafing from my skirt from the previous day, so I wore capris instead of a skirt. Upon arrival at the start, we were told that the course was shortened due to construction. On a "loop" course, that just means that you'll be running more laps. But the bad news was that … [Read more...]
Half Marathon #84: Appalachian Series – Georgia
Mainly Marathons Appalachian Series - AlabamaMarch 26, 20222:41:09 What I wore: hat, tank top, a Skirt Sports Lotta Breeze Skirt, compression socks, and Altra Rivera Location: Macon, GA (State #40!) After the race in Alabama, I decided that taking the early start in Georgia made sense. Beer Geek could drop me off and go back to the hotel and then he would not have to wait as long for me to finish when he was done with his 10K. We started off in the dark, which made it hard to tell exactly what the topography was, but it was cool and quiet and a nice first lap. It was 6 laps again and an out and back on a paved surface with plenty of shade. I ended up loving this course and on my second to the last loop, I ran the back half … [Read more...]
Half Marathon #83:Appalachian Series – Alabama
Mainly Marathons Appalachian Series - AlabamaMarch 25, 20222:38:10 Temp: high 40s-low 50s What I wore: hat, tank top, a Skirt Sports Hover Skirt, compression socks, and Altra Rivera Location: Eufaula, AL I've been wanting to run this race for several years, but it used to be a fall series and fall was just too crazy of a time for me to be away from home. Plus, that's hurricane season and all the races seemed to have wicked weather. During the pandemic, Mainly Marathons decided to move this race to the spring and it happened to fall squarely between the boys' spring breaks. Beer Geek and I flew down to Atlanta and drove from there. It was nice to get out for our first kid free vacation since we went to Bermuda in 2020. The … [Read more...]
Training for Back to Back to Back Half Marathons
It's been a long time since I got serious about a training plan and even longer since I prioritized my running goals. From work to kids to Covid, I kept finding excuses to not actually put in the training. I did a decent job of training for the MCM 50k in 2019, but that was pretty much my last organized plan. Last week went pretty close to what I planned... Monday - HIIT bike rideTuesday - easy runWednesday - this was supposed to be speedwork, but I was feeling "meh" so I hit the bike for an easy spinThursday - speedwork + full body weightsFriday - easy 5 miles + armsSaturday - 7 mile "long" runSunday - easy 5 miles + leg day I've written a plan that gets me up to 3 10 mile runs in the last week, so I should be good to go for … [Read more...]
Runfessions of a Really Cold Runner
This month has both been about a million years long AND flown by at the same time. I really meant to write more often this month (and actually wrote some posts in my head, which I had not done in a long time), but I never seemed to find time to write. But I have some Runfessions to get out there, so I'm hooking up with Marcia to bare my sole. I runfess that even though we are just turning the Omicron corner here, I'm making plans to travel to some races. Right now we are planning to drive, but I'm hopeful that things will change enough that I'm comfortable flying. I have another Mainly Marathons series in mind - the Appalachian Series. But I runfess that I've BTDT on the 7 races in 7 days thing, so I'm only planning to do the three … [Read more...]
Wrapping up 2021: a roller coaster year
It's hard to believe that it's been 2 years since Covid became a virus "of interest". It was a few more weeks before we started hearing about it and a little over two months before the US shutdown, but the growth had already begun. 2020 went from a year with amazing plans to a year of just trying to make things work in a heartbeat. 2021 has been a different sort of challenge - if 2020 was locked in an escape room trying to get out, 2021 was more like riding a roller coaster. At one point, things seemed to be returning to normal, but then Delta. And then we seemed to be getting that under control with vaccines and boosters and then Omicron. In some ways, the ups and downs have been harder than the consistent down that was 2020, but there … [Read more...]
Half Marathon #82: Probility Ann Arbor Half Marathon
Probility Ann Arbor Half MarathonOctober 24, 20212:34:56 Temp: high 30s What I wore: hat, tank top, quarter zip, a Skirt Sports Lotta Breeze Skirt, compression socks, and Altra Rivera Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan When I decided that I wanted to visit my son at college this fall, it occurred to me that I could finally get back out for a live race! Conveniently, the Probility Ann Arbor race fell the same weekend as his fall break, so I jumped on the opportunity! Because the race was about an hour away, I opted to do morning of packet pickup. I missed out on the expo, but honestly, I don't need any more stuff from a race! Driving over race morning was easy (although foggy as all heck) and packet pickup went super smoothly. … [Read more...]
Runfessions of running all the miles
I can't believe we are nearing the end of July. I feel like all I've been doing is running, drinking beer, and taking my kids places. Jones and I are currently on another college trip - this time to Ohio. In four days we are hitting four colleges, 2 zoos, an aquarium, and an aviary. I'm tired already. So let's get to the runfessing with Marcia... I must runfess that I've hit that point in summer training when I am just DONE. The heat combined with the miles is just not my cup of tea. That's not to say I'm not doing it, but it's certainly been more of a mental challenge. I am proud of myself for hitting the trail at 4am with a friend for my last long run. Four.A.M. If you've been reading for a while, you know I don't ever choose to … [Read more...]
I Hate Summer Training: June Runfessions
Temperature wise, we are in full on summer. This week has been in the high 80s/low 90s all week, sometimes with matching humidity.`Welcome to Virginia in the summer! But mentally, we are barely there. School just ended last week. This week Jones has been in a full time training for the work he'll be doing this summer. Shoo has been lazing, but also just joined his summer activity. While I'm excited for both of them to be doing the cool programs that they are doing, the schedules will be erratic, so I'll be juggling a lot this summer. Which leads me to Marcia's runfessional... I must runfess that I hate having a training plan in the summer. Our schedule during the school season is pretty consistent, but we are all over the board … [Read more...]
5 Reasons to Run ZOOMA Bermuda
Have you heard the news? ZOOMA is going to Bermuda! Mark your calendar for President's Day weekend 2020. Here are the top 5 reasons you should join us... It's a ZOOMA race. All ZOOMA races are women focused weekends. ZOOMA hosts a race (and often challenges with extra races and medals) surrounded by an awesome finish line party and events like yoga. Bermuda will have all that ZOOMA races normally offer and more! And I can guarantee that the medal(s) will be awesome!The weather! The average temp in Bermuda in February is in the 70s. I don't know about where you live, but in February, Virginia is miserable. It's cold and grey and just plain unpleasant. Someplace sunny and warm? Sign me up!Beaches and Forts and Lighthouses. (And … [Read more...]
Runfessing over a cup of coffee
Since Marcia opened the Runfessional late and Deb and Coco are hosting the Ultimate Coffee Date, I've decided to combine the fun into one post. If we were having coffee, I'd runfess that I meant to write this post days ago, but life kept getting in the way. In fact, it took me all day today to actually hit publish. I've been juggling two part time jobs for a while, but recently I started working a regular shift at the library as well as picking up a few other shifts as they need people. I like it and I'm still not working 40 hours a week, but it's taking a bit of adjustment to fit in my non-paid activities now. Speaking of non-paid, if we were having coffee, I'd runfess that I'm nervous about getting in all the miles for … [Read more...]
Half Marathon #79: Rutgers Unite Half Marathon
Rutgers Unite Half MarathonNew Brunswick, NJApril 14, 20192:27:59 Temp: mid 50sWhat I wore: hat, tank top, Skirt Sports Lotta Breeze Skirt, ProCompression socks, and Altra One 2.5 Beer Geek and I both signed up to run this race. One of us was actually trained for it. {Hint: it wasn't me.} Life through us a curve ball in the form of a cancelled flight by Southwest. (They cancelled our kids' flight two hours before the flight. They blamed weather, but it was the ONLY flight cancelled or even delayed. I call BS. I might still be livid 2 weeks later...) Anyways, thanks to my parents and a very understanding race director, we were able to run. Never mind that we had to drive to New Jersey via Pittsburgh. We made it there. That's all … [Read more...]
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