St. Augustine Half Marathon

(Insert standard disclaimer about how long it's been since my last post. Didn't want to go all of 2018 without one).

I was looking at my running log that dates back to 2005 (!) and came to the ol' blog to see why there were serious dips in my mileage at certain times over the years. The reminiscing made me realize how convenient it was to have details from my training over time, and also miss my OG running blog friends. (Remember when we used to plan race meetups?) So thankful for the running friends I've made over the past 10 years, some of which I've been fortunate enough to meet IRL too.

About that, ten years 'chasing the kenyans'! Granted only 5 of those years were diligent blogging/training years and the latter 5 have been... less than such. I've become much less competitive over the years, only signing up for the occasional race, but I think if I get back in a training groove some of that fight will come back. I'm currently just running to run, working on getting my weekly mileage back up, and trying to convince myself to suck it up and do another marathon (still 38 states to go).

The catch up:

• Ran the Smoky Mountain Relay again with the best team. (April)

• West Coast Road Trip - Seattle to San Fran. Had a weird back pain so didn't get to run on vacation - this later turned out to be dislocated rib. (April)

• +1'd on a friend's work trip to South Africa. AMAZING. (May-June)

Victoria Falls, Zambian side

• 4th of July in Toronto (so American). Finally got to meet up with Marlene and wish we could've hung out longer! (July)

My favoUrite Canadian

• Escaped Hurricane Florence to celebrate my birthday in Bermuda. (September)
• Practiced for retirement with a river cruise from Basel to "Amsterdam". The river levels were too low so we disembarked in Strasbourg and road tripped to Amsterdam. (October)

Cologne, Germany

Selfie with the girls in the Black Forest

• Half marathon in St. Augustine. More importantly, a laughter-filled girls weekend with friends. (November)

Let's just say a bit of false-advertisement here. "The most beautiful run course in Florida". Umm the majority of it is down a 4-lane highway. It's not like you're running among beautiful historic buildings or beach landscapes for 13.1 miles. It's a fairly small event with only 1,000 runners total between the half, 10k and 5k. Overall it was a smooth, low-key event. Plenty of water/gatorade stops and at least a few of them were handing out Gu. There were limited spectators along the course and no bands (not a complaint, I don't care about either of these, but many people looking for a race do). There was one decent hill (twice) over the intracoastal and a gnarly headwind for the last 5 miles.

I didn't really train for this (of course). All of my running these days is around a 9:00/mile pace and my "long runs" were 8 miles. My goals were a sub-2 and to not poop my pants (isn't that every runner's goal?). I thought I'd start out around 9:00/mile and pick it up later if I felt good. Turns out I'm still as 'good' as starting out slow as I used to be. My first mile was an 8:36 and I knew I was going to have to hang on for dear life from there. Spoiler alert: I obtained both of my goals.

Selfie in mile 11/12

8:36 - 8:19 - 8:17 - 8:16 - 8:08 - 8:36 - 8:05 - 8:02 - 8:06 - 8:06 - 8:13 - 8:06 - 8:15

Read More

Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon

I last posted in January, solid. A few things have happened since...

• Ran the Green Valley 10-miler in February and only a minute slower than my PR, which is a miracle considering the weight I've put on in 7 years.
• Didn't run Tobacco Road Marathon in March - had another case of vertigo. Ah memories of 2009-2010. 
• Ran the Smoky Mountain Relay with the most fun team. Warning: this relay is mountainous AF.

  

  Bootleggers - Van 1

• Minimal spring/summer training - April (102 mi), May (41 mi), June (39 mi), July (35 mi), August (54 mi). Yes, those are month totals.
• Ran a (slow) half in Olomouc, Czech Republic in June (off all that stellar training above).



Before the start of the Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon

• Went streaking in September in an effort to get my rear back in gear - 129 mi. 
• October holiday in Greece broke the streak (although there was lots of walking). Had signed up to run a 10k in Athens but overslept. Oops.



Being a nerd - running a lap around the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens

• Did a CrossFit 'competition' (charity fundraiser) with my little sister and came in 2nd!
• Ran the Paris Mountain Road Race 20k. Ok, if we're being honest there was walking too.

About that Czech Republic run though - the ladies I traveled to Tulsa with for the Route 66 Marathon last November planned another runcation and I tagged along again. We spent a few days in Prague before taking a train out to Olomouc for the Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon. This race was AWESOME. If you are looking for a destination race I'd highly recommend it. It's an evening race (in June, so it's still light out if you finish in 2 hours) and only 30-45€. It draws top talent runners (Mary Keitany won in 2016) and is well-organized. Olomouc is a small town, but everyone comes out and cheers. The streets were lined with spectators and even though I could not understand a word they were shouting, the atmosphere was incredible. The one slight negative to the race is the brief period on cobblestone streets at the start and finish, but it's manageable.

Czech-ing out Prague

As for what's next, I'm almost afraid to stake any claims. I really want to get back to marathon shape / running marathons 1-2 times a year. Just need to stop with the lazy streaks.

Read More

Get Your Kicks: Route 66 Marathon

After a 5 year hiatus from marathoning, I've forgotten how to pack/dress for marathons. The Route 66 Marathon was no different, and I was out shopping for warmer clothing the day before the race. It was forecast to be 33 degrees at the start (I know, I know that's not THAT bad) but I was chickening out of the shorts/tank top/arm warmers I had planned on wearing. Knowing I already have a dresser dedicated to running clothes at home, I really didn't need to buy more. Ultimately, I decided on wearing the leggings I had traveled in and the race 1/4 zip shirt (I have long since stopped caring about that "rule"), with the tank top/arm warmers underneath.

Pretty sure I'm Victoria's Secret's first marathoner.
I had never ran in/worked out in these leggings before, so that was a bit of a gamble.

I actually ran the Relay and the Full marathon at the same time (hence the two bibs above). Some former co-workers invited me to do the relay with them so I double-dipped (/paid for both races). I would run the first two legs, hand the ankle timer off to the next runner, and continue on my way.

Walking to the start line my right hip flexor started hurting pretty intensely. What the hell! Fortunately I massaged it away before the race started and it didn't come back. I made it to my corral with about 10 minutes to spare, and positioned myself near the back of the corral, behind the 1:50 half pacer (the full, half and relay all start together). They counted down the wheelchair start and we runners started shortly after. In my opinion, they should have given the wheelchair athletes a little more time to get ahead as we caught up to a couple of them.

Because the last three weeks of training had been terrible (cement legs, no rhythm) I had planned to go out conservatively at a 9:00/pace and pick it up at mile 15 if my legs were cooperating. Per usual, I couldn't even get that right.

Miles 1-5 (8:32, 8:57, 8:43, 8:44, 8;51) - Leaving downtown, up a big hill. Yes, Tulsa has (rolling) hills. Met a fellow runner from South Carolina.

Miles 6-10 (8:48, 8:26, 8:39, 8:38, 8:51) - Took a Gu around mile 6 (I think). Course went through Brookside area which had super high energy. A local gym held a spin class on the sidewalk, providing upbeat music and a great cheering section.

Miles 11-15 (8:56, 8:47, 8:37, 8:32, 9:22) - Stopped in mile 11 to hand off Relay anklet and take off Relay bib (Full bib was underneath). Stopped in mile 12 to take a selfie - it's the important things. Passed a Whataburger and the employees were handing out water bottles and said to come back later for a free burger. Not sure what happened in mile 15, I'm guessing there was an extra long walk break for water/gatorade? It's also when my stomach started hinting at high-maintenance needs.

Miles 16-20 (8:58, 9:20, 10:05, 8:40, 9:36) - Gu'd again in mile 16 (I think). I had to force myself to Gu during this race. Usually in long runs I can't wait for a Gu break but this time it was the last thing I wanted. I also mentally blacked out - I remember being at mile 17, then mile 20, and then the next thing I knew it was mile 23. There was a port-a-potty stop in mile 18 for the high maintenance needs that started during mile 15. I ALMOST used a port-a-potty that was in front of a house being remodeled, but then I saw a row of official race port-a-potties so I used those instead. There was another potty stop in mile 20... I dashed across the street to a QT (gas station). Stomach was not happy today!

Miles 21-26 (8:30, 8:58, 8:28, 8:36, 8:25, 8:13) - At least all those bathroom stops and walking the water stops seemed to help me maintain a better running pace for these final miles. I forced down half of a Gu in mile 21, even though I wondered if the Gu was causing my distress. In mile 23 I passed by the AirBnB we had rented, and was definitely tempted to stop. In the final mile you can take a detour to the "Center of the Universe" for the World's Shortest Ultra (26.5 miles). I had debated it before hand, but when I got to the detour I knew there was no way I was taking one more step than necessary. I trucked onward, picked up the pace for a strong finish, collected my heat blanket and medals, and promptly sat down.

After the race, we walked to see the "Center of the Universe" and I needed another visit to the port-a-potty. We got lunch at Hideaway Pizza where I ate 3 slices and a chocolate chip cookie sundae. Earned it.

MarathonFoto was there for pictures, which forces you to decide between paying your mortgage or purchasing your race photos. I might have considered buying them, but there are only 8 pictures of "me" and 7 of them were at the finish. The 8th one is not even me, haha.

The Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, OK is a terrific race and the people of Tulsa are fantastic hosts. If you're looking for a high-energy, well-organized race I highly suggest checking it out! Much of the race course passed through neighborhoods, and the residents were out in full force with block parties, jello shots, and high-fives. I recommend carbo loading at Mondo's and treating yourself to the Mile High Pie at Antoinette Baking Co. I enjoyed exploring Tulsa and I'd go back for the half marathon with friends.

Read More

Time After Time

What? Activity on CTK? You can believe your eyes folks.

Instead of a long-winded recap of the past 15 months, let's just hit the running highlights:
(which is apparently still kind of long)

BMW 2-mile (September 2015)
An old favorite. This was so long ago I don't remember anything about it. It probably hurt because I wasn't training regularly but managed a 13:38 (not a PR but also not a worst-PR).

Rock 'n Roll Savannah Half Marathon (November 2015)
I hate Rock 'n Roll races. The bands are sparse (if they are even playing at all), they're overpriced, and this one in particular had horrendous organization. It was a girl's weekend with college friends so I was roped into it. Highest weekly "training" mileage: 22.4 (stellar). Time: 1:47:03 (no goal in mind, 8:10 avg)

2015 Total Miles - 779.26
Not quite the 2k+ years I've had in the past. Killing it.

GHS Swamp Rabbit Half Marathon (February 2016)
This race is touted as being "downhill"... after you run up a few hills in the first 5 miles, sure. The hills are average for the area, just don't advertise your race as being "downhill".

I trained through the winter with a neighbor who wanted to do a half after a few years hiatus. We ran most of the race together but I eventually left her to finish in 1:53 (didn't have a goal).

iRecycle Half Marathon (March 2016)

Ran this with My Team Triumph as an "angel". I thought we could totally go sub-2 while pushing a stroller... haha. Respect to all the parents out there. Finished in 2:02:33 (9:21 avg).

I wore my Boston jacket as a disclaimer:
"I might be out of shape but I swear I ran Boston 6 years ago!"

Ann Arbor Marathon (April 2016)

You guys. YES. After a 5 year a marathon hiatus I finally got back to the start (and finish) line. It helped that I had a friend living in Michigan to "train" with and ultimately run with on race day. 

My goals for the race were: A) don't die, B) just finish, C) sub-4, and D) sub 3:45.

Note: a 3:45 is an 8:34 average (math skills, A+). I did 0 speedwork, and 99.4% of my training runs had an average pace around 8:50/mile. Since it had been 5 years, every long run felt like a "first" again and I was always nervous about them so I just focused on getting the mileage and not so much the pace.

Bought that jacket the day before the race. Isn't that what they recommend?

On race day it was 25deg (feels like 14) and flurried from mile 13 on. Imagine my excitement for snow in April. It was her first marathon and my first after my extreme hiatus / serious back injuries so we both had our share of nerves. We had a plan to start conservatively (9:00/miles) and get a little faster as the race went on, which we stuck to until the part where we were supposed to get faster.

Around mile 21 or 22 my entire body from my nose down ached, especially my hip flexors. I wanted to get it over with and started pulling away from my friend (apparently I'm not a good race companion). There was a long (gravel) hill at mile 25, which was as pleasant as you might imagine, and I persevered to finish in 3:48:06 (8:36 avg). Good enough for 19th overall female and 3rd place in my old lady age group (small race). Finding post-race food was more important than collecting an age group award, so I have no idea what the prize was.

In the months after Ann Arbor I naturally slacked off and then it got summer-in-SC hot so I had to slack some more, but I recently signed up for another race (in November) so it's time to get back in the swing of things. In my mind I will totally post occasional training reports in an attempt to actually do some running-workouts, but don't hold me to that. It has been 15 months since my last update afterall...

What highlight(s) did I miss in your life these past few months? 

Shoutout to Tom G for a little motivation to come out of retirement.

Read More

Mayhem Rambles

Oh hey May. I'm good at being timely.

But there's good news! I've been doing a lot more running since I last posted. Relatively. Still not as much as I used to, but I'm up to around 30mpw and even did 107+ miles in April. I also did my first double digit ("real" long run) in April, along with another 10-miler AND a half marathon race! The 'good' thing about serious injuries is appreciating the ability to just-do the things you love.

Cooper River Bridge Run (March 28)
Did another beach weekend with some friends like last year. I think I had done up to an 8-mile a long run and around 15-20 mpw. I didn't expect much (in fact I told people I'd probably do 9:00/miles). Ended up with a 48:45 (7:50/pace). Whoops. Lots of weaving (it's a super crowded race with 30k+ people).
Splits: 7:46 - 8:14 - 8:36 - 7:27 - 7:32 - 7:35

Furman 5k (April 11)
Just a local 5k. I think it cost $10. Didn't expect much here either (thought I would do 8:00/miles). Ended up with a 22:42 (7:18/pace). I'm not sandbagging with my pre-race thoughts, I just haven't done any speedwork or tempo runs so I have no idea what kind of pace to shoot for.
Splits: 7:13 - 7:23 - 7:21

Earth Day Half Marathon (April 25)
My friend had been training for this and I decided to run it the night before. I knew I could probably survive since I had done two 10-milers at this point. I wanted to do a long run but knew it was going to be rainy, so why not jump in a half mar? I was going to register the morning of the race but she decided not to run in the rain and gave me her bib. We had discussed starting out conservatively (8:45-9:00) and then picking it up and aiming for a sub 1:50 (PR attempt for her). I had this in mind when the race started, but I also got sucked into the competition around me. There was a decent hill in miles 1-2 and another around mile 6. I got greedy in miles 4-5 when mid-7's felt easy and wanted to go sub-1:40 because I thought that was only sub-8:00/mile pace* (I can't do math while running/do math period). Also at mile 4 I told myself "hey only 6 more miles". At mile 7 it was "only 5 more miles" #becausemath. Miles 8-9-10 were weaving through a college campus which was kind of annoying but my pace didn't slow as much as it felt like it was. It rained the entire time, but I was happy to see so many 7:xx miles considering I was walking with a cane 6 short months ago.
Splits: 8:05 - 8:20 - 7:58 - 7:48 - 7:29 - 7:45 - 7:47 - 7:52 - 7:39 - 8:02 - 8:01 - 7:42 - 7:27

Swamp Rabbit 5k (May 1)
I don't really like this race. There are 5k+ people on a fairly narrow course and no one ever lines up at the start correctly. I wanted to say something to all the people I passed in the first 1/2 mile who were WALKING but I refrained (/was running hard and couldn't breathe anyway). Anyway, it's a well organized race other than the lack of "corral control" at the start, and it's only $6. It's part of the local 'corporate shield' program so I was suckered into doing it for work, but I think we put together a winning Female team for a change (results still pending). There's a ginormous hill for most of mile 2 but the rest of the course is fine. For the last mile I ran with a guy named Mac as we were holding the same pace. It was nice to not think about the pace (and pain) and just focus on staying with him. He started to pick it up and forced me to go with him - "come on, you can pass that girl up there". Oh you know me already Mac.
Splits: 6:52 - 7:24 - 7:02

Other belated ramblings:

2015 New Year's Goals that I never posted anywhere and can barely remember what they were:

1. Don't get injured. 'Nuf said. Currently: A+.
2. Run some races for fun. Don't set PR goals (need to get healthy, stay healthy, increase mileage). Currently: Umm, B-? I've run a few races and I didn't set 'PR' goals but I did set goals that forced me into running harder than I probably should have. (See half marathon commentary above).
3. Get my act right when it comes to food. I got fat(ter) when I was injured. It was a new PR in weight (not a good thing). Currently: A+. Down 9 lbs. On my latest trip to Target I defeated the m&m shelf and didn't buy any.
4. Get rid of more clothes (this. every year). No one needs 27 pairs of pants or 43 long-sleeve shirts (not including long-sleeve tees). Yeah, ridiculous. Currently: C. I've gotten rid of some things, but I am still hoarding things I haven't worn in 3 years.
5. Actually clean the house. We've waffled over getting a maid. I am not one of those people who can relieve stress by cleaning (in fact it makes me stressed). Currently. B-? I do a couple things on a regular schedule but still lots of room for improvement. I'm sure there are cobwebs somewhere.
6. Go on two, week-long vacations. Currently: Still trying to convince Josh.
7. Go on at least two, long-weekend mini vacations. Currently: Still trying to convince Josh.

Pretty ambitious goals, I know. Especially "go on vacation" x4. Hey, "work-life balance" is important!

*A sub-1:40 is a 7:15 pace. lolz. Not happening at this time.

Read More

Hello World!

Tap tap tap, check 1, check 2. Is anyone still out there?

My host domain prompted me to renew or cut ties with ol' chasingthekenyans.com, and I decided to renew for the time being. Why? I don't know. Maybe I'll magically find time to write again.

It seems like blogging in general isn't the same as it used to be. I still follow most of my original "RBFs" like DiscomBoBulated, MissZippy, RunnerLeana, JillWillRun, MarciasHealthySlice, CookTrainEatRace, and others, but many have gotten out of the game. CTK is in desperate need of an update, ie: that header pic is from 2009. Yeah.

So what's new since my last post back in early May?

May

• Back-to-back 5k's (Swamp Rabbit Friday evening, Pump & Run Saturday morning) Swamp Rabbit - unremarkable. Conserving for Saturday morning. CrossFit 864 Pump & Run - Benched 110lbs for 10 reps followed by a 20:53 5k. First female for the run portion, 3rd overall with bench factored in.
• PR'd Fran (21-15-9 thrusters & pullups) - 6:00 flat

June

• 1 Mile PR - 5:50! Woot!
• Also PR'd the Snatch - 100#, not my forte
• Sunrise 8k - 36:04, 1st place AG

Apparently I ran in the same shirt/shorts all year.

July

• PR'd a bunch of things: Push Press 135, Strict Press 105, Front Squat 150, Back Squat 165, OH Squat 105, Deadlift 200
• Soaked up the sun at the beach. Went on a 9-mile run!
• Celebrated the grandparents 80th up in NY.
• Finally moved everything out of the old house (we moved in March, technically).

August

• PR - Power Clean 150
• Michelin 5k - Paced sister to her new 5k PR (last race in my 20's)
• Avoided the ice bucket challenge.

September

• Got "turf toe".
• Turned 30. Celebrated in Turks & Caicos (amazing!).
• Started shopping for retirement communities (just kidding ... sort of).

October

• Got injured. Again.
• Bridesmaid duties for a college friend (complete with my pimp cane).
• Changed my first diaper. Traumatizing. But, it motivated my niece to start taking potty training seriously the next week.

November

• PR -  Bench press 145
• Still injured. Sucks.

December

• Realized my insurance was only $200 from being maxed out, so I went to the doc and had an MRI done.
• Started PT, started being cleared to do some "exercises". Just happy to be moving again.

And how about those 2014 goals? Yeah...

Running
- Run a marathon (it's been almost 3 years!). Probably something in the Fall. FAIL
- Sub-20 min 5k (current PR 20:33 from 2011). I ran a 20:53 in May which I was happy with, but still a FAIL.
- Sub-12 min 2-miler (current PR 12:32 from 2008). Didn't even run the local 2-miler. Went on vacation instead! FAIL/WIN?
- Honestly, a PR in anything would be sufficient... PR'd the mile. WIN.
- Run 1000 miles (I need to get back to this level!). Erm, I logged through 8/23/14. At that point I had 250 miles. Safe to say this one is a FAIL.

CrossFit
- Lift my body weight in 3 lifts (perhaps Back Squat, Bench, & Power Clean). Deadlift doesn't count, I can do that already. This can be achieved by losing weight and/or getting stronger... 1/3 = FAIL. Didn't lose weight or get strong enough.
- 100 unbroken DUs (double unders, with a jump rope). Close, got 98. PARTIAL CREDIT.
- Get a muscle up (since I didn't in 2013)... Yeah. FAIL.

Life
- Dress better for work. No more baggy man khakis! I've started a Pinterest board to 'journal' this in case you're interested in following along. Disclaimer: I'm no fashionista. Well, I didn't wear the "baggy man khakis" all year but there were still some days that were definitely not very stylish. Overall I made more of an effort so I call this one a WIN, although I need to work on my awkward selfies.
- Limit the junk. A bag of cheese poofs is not a lunch. I'm still on the hunt to figure out what's triggering my skin to be so bad. Sucks. I tried to jump-start eating healthy a few times during the year. The current attempt started on 12/7 and is going OK so far. (I'm working with a nutritionist this time around - taking things seriously!). I lost 5# in the first week so I was officially fat enough to be on Biggest Loser. Let's be honest, un-obese people don't lose 5lbs in one week... Currently a WIN.

So there it is. 2014. A good year, minus getting injured. I intend to write again soon, but just in case, please follow me on Instagram (and let me know your IG name if I don't already follow you) as I am much better at posting filtered pictures!

Read More

The Kitchen Sink

Wow. I think I'm in the lead for the 2014 Worst Blogger award. Three months with no update? Solid. It's been a busy few months of working out (not as many running miles as I would have liked though) and we also bought new house (come visit k?).

Here are the highlights of Q1:

February

• Total miles - 5.70 ...yep (it was cold/I'm a wimpy runner now)
• Overhead Squat 3 rep max - 85#

It was a lazy month in general. Not much achieving going on.

March

• Total miles - 10.0 ...yep (still cold/"cold")
• Did a "Jus by Julie" 3-day cleanse and survived
• CrossFit Open (it's what leads to the "Games" that you might have heard about/seen on TV; this is the first round of qualifying) - I finished in 1,912th place out of 11,261 (in the SouthEast region). Woo! Top 60 (I think) move on to Regionals, in case you want some perspective as to how "good" I am, haha.
• Deadlift PR - 185# (15# gain)

April

• Total miles - 52.4 (10% rule?)
• 2 - 10k's (Cooper River Bridge Run 48:31, Charlotte RaceFest 46:23). Not PR's but happy with them considering the lack of running thus far (see above).
• Attended local running club track workout for the first time - PR'd 400m at 1:21
• Snatch PR - 95# (10# gain)
• Back Squat PR - 145# (10# gain)
• Push Press PR - 125# (5# gain)
• "Grace" PR - 3:28 (30 clean & jerk for time, 95#)
• "Fight Gone Bad" PR - 296
• "Annie" PR - 7:44 (50-40-30-20-10 reps of double unders and situps)

Sister's first half-marathon. Ran about 8 miles with her.

Read More

2014 Goals: Better Late Than Never

January 21st, Happy New Year!?

I've had a pretty busy start to the year with two races and a trip to Buffalo, NY (wedding).

Friend's of Josh's conveniently planned their wedding in early January when it's nice and warm. When I landed, I collected my luggage from baggage claim and immediately put on another layer of clothing. I squeezed in a great workout a CrossFit Buffalo (uhh, there was no way I was going running in -2483°) and otherwise stayed inside as much as possible. Other than the freezing temps, the wedding weekend was fun.

The following weekend I ran a half marathon here in town with Ginny! She drove up with some friends as one needed South Carolina for her "half marathon in half the states" goal. I had a blast hanging out with them before/during/after the race. Ginny and I ran together for a few miles, including during a downpour with swirling winds and through a shin-deep chilly puddle (twice) caused by the rains. Race-wise, I ran easy. I hadn't ran since New Year's Day (erm... yeah still suck at that) and my glutes/quads were sore from 100 jumping lunges 3 days prior. I felt fine from a cardiovascular standpoint, but my legs were definitely a little stiff and heavy.

Resolution Half-Marathon - 1:57:17

2nd place age group

A week later, I ran one of the larger area 5k's (~1500 runners) on a chilly morning. Ok, it was 28°, chilly is relative! I started too far back, it took me :25 to cross the start line, and as a result my first mile was 8:00. The crowd thinned a little but I still had to weave here and there. I had hoped for a 21:xx going into the race (again, hadn't ran since the half marathon the weekend before) and after the first mile I knew I needed to pick it up. Miles 2 and 3 came in at 6:53 and 6:44. Luckily the race was fully chip timed and I met my goal! I felt great running - from a cardio standpoint I thought I could have gone faster, perhaps if I hadn't been held up at the start. My low-calves were hurting in the last mile on a hill but feel fine after a day off.

Greenville News Downtown 5k - 21:49

5th place age group

Since my last "first race back" (August 2013 5k - 25:25) I've made steady improvements and I hope to continue to build on this in 2014. As for those 2014 goals and aspirations...

Running
- Run a marathon (it's been almost 3 years!). Probably something in the Fall.
- Sub-20 min 5k (current PR 20:33 from 2011)
- Sub-12 min 2-miler (current PR 12:32 from 2008)
- Honestly, a PR in anything would be sufficient...
- Run 1000 miles (I need to get back to this level!)

CrossFit
- Lift my body weight in 3 lifts (perhaps Back Squat, Bench, & Power Clean). Deadlift doesn't count, I can do that already. This can be achieved by losing weight and/or getting stronger...
- 100 unbroken DUs
- Get a muscle up (since I didn't in 2013)...

Life
- Dress better for work. No more baggy man khakis! I've started a Pinterest board to 'journal' this in case you're interested in following along. Disclaimer: I'm no fashionista.
- Limit the junk. A bag of cheese poofs is not a lunch. I'm still on the hunt to figure out what's triggering my skin to be so bad. Sucks.

Read More

Vegas & Turkey

October 2013
A very belated (and abbreviated) month recap.

Run Stats:
- 19 days
- 57.80 miles
- 9:09 average pace
- 0 races
- Longest run: 7.5 miles
- Cut 44 seconds off my two-mile time from September (now 13:52)

CrossFit Notables:
- CF Total: 400 lbs (sum of back squat, strict press, deadlift - 3 attempts per lift)
- Clean & Jerk 1RM: 120#
- Grace: 5:49 (30 clean & jerks for time, 95#)

Can't say I remember any other worthy details from October, but I have been doing some fun running things so far in November!

Earlier in the month I flew out to Vegas to run my second Ragnar. This time with a new group of strangers including Chris, Jill and Lisa. I had a blast with my teammates ("My Little Ponies") and many other teams seemed to want our van tags (magnets) with our sweet logo - a fierce pony with a Ragnar tramp stamp (designed by Alissa). In true form I did not exactly train as well as I should have, my longest training run was 7.5 miles knowing that I was going to have 17+ miles total. Overall I ran well, averaging an 8:17 pace and passing a bunch of people along the way (chicked lots of dudes in my final 7+ mile leg). It was a great weekend and the views were gorgeous all weekend long!

Handoff before my 3rd leg (the first two were in the dark).

My view of Lake Mead for 7+ miles

The Ponies

I ran another 5k (turkey trot) this past weekend. I last ran this race in 2006 and this year it was at a new location although I'd run the course before. I was the first female finisher (11th overall), cut another 1:34 off my 5k time from September, and brought home a turkey.

Floating in to the finish.

My 10 pound prize!

After much hemming and hawing (and FB messaging Jason & MaUrlene), I put on my big girl pants and signed up for a half marathon. Who'd have thought I'd be so nervous! I survived 17 Ragnar miles, hopefully my fitness will only continue to improve between now and the race (in January). Ginny is coming up for it and I think Katie is thinking about coming down the mountain for it. Should be fun times!

Sidenote: Follow me on Instagram (@chasingkenyans) for mini-updates and to see more pics from Vegas and such!

Read More

September 2013

In the month of September I RAN!
- 13 days
- 31.5 miles
- 9:09 average pace
- 3 races

I also did some crossfitting, of course.
- PR'd my power clean, push press, and snatch
- Helen*: 13:45 (3 rounds of 400m run, 21 kb swings (35#), 12 pullups)

A Running PR
On Wednesday the workout was 1 mile run, 5 minutes rest, 1 mile run. The last time I ran a mile for speed was September of 2010. I wasn't in my best shape then either, coming back from a few months off (argh story of my life) due to health issues, but I signed up for a 1-mile road race that was held in conjunction with a 5k and 10k (aka: the 1-mile is what all the kids sign up for). I finished in 6:12, barreling over all the kids. (...kidding)

Being in the midst of yet another "get back in shape" quest, I was anxious to see what I could do a mile in and hopeful that I could at least run something in the 7's. The first mile clocked in at 6:10 (a PR!) and the second a 6:35. Absolutely no consistency, but man I had to fight in that second mile. It's definitely nice to know there's some speed in me somewhere and I'm excited to work for more improvements! (Now if only I could be excited to focus on my diet...)

Race for the Cure
I went a little 'crazy' and ran another 5k at the end of September. I was asked to be on the Komen Race for the Cure committee as the "Competitive Runner Recruitment Chair" so naturally I signed up to run the race as well. I even fundraised a few bucks for the cause!** It was a beautiful morning for a run and a well-run event. The timing company had some issues as apparently I'm a 99 year old male, but I was a pretty spry 99-year old running a 23:50. Good enough for 9th overall female (not sure about age group since quite a few people were also "99").

Probably the best race photo you've ever seen.

(and more knocky knees)

Spandits! Ambassador
I'm excited to announce I was selected to be a brand ambassador for Spandits! We're a 'team' of some pretty fantastic people including B.o.B and The Happy Runner, two long-time blog friends of mine. Details are still forthcoming about this awesome opportunity but I'm excited and honored. Spandits! makes some funky printed workout gear which is right up my "fashion" alley. I had the hardest time picking out my fave print!

*Helen is another benchmark workout like Fran. 
**If you'd like to make a tax deductible donation to Susan G Komen please go here!

Read More

Summer Rewind

Man, time flies. Two+ months since my last post? Slack!

Thankfully, I've been busy - both at work and at sweating. Hooray for being able to workout! Things have gone well since testing the waters in July and though I'm still not 100% (you should see my down dog), I'm glad to be moving again.

I've run a few races this summer and it's about time I posted the race recaps. No stellar performances but considering I had to take of 6 months this year and I'm having to start back at square one, they haven't been too shabby either. I haven't been good at sticking to my schedule and am only running 3-miles or less at a 10:00-ish/mile pace  not quite putting forth an effort to increase my mileage). I'm also only logging 9-miles a week ...or less. My motivation has returned and I'm ready to get back in the training groove and (hopefully) get better at running again.

August

Prediction 5k (trail) - No watches allowed. Ran with my sister; she predicted a 33:37 for us and we finished in 34:xx (got held up trying to cross slippery planks of wood over pluffy mud). I believe the winner was within seconds of their predicted time.

Entrance to the trails

Michelin 5k (for the work team/Corporate Shield series) - A couple years ago this was a "return to running" 5k for me when I had to take some time off for health reasons (non-injury). Being a mere one-month into attempting (slackingly) to get back in shape I didn't know what to expect. I chased down a co-worker and finished in 25:25 (8:09/mile).

Post-race sunset at BMW performance track

September
BMW 2-miler (again for the work team) - I last ran this race in 2008 (!!) and I was in much better shape back then. Two minutes slower this year at 14:36 BUT all my training runs have been at ~10:00/mile pace so I'll take it. I should also note that I dropped a 45# weight on my big toe in the morning and it took all day to quit throbbing. I was nervous about running on it or it being broken but it seems to be ok. I may lose the nail, but I am a runner, it wouldn't be the first.

My first stopping-the-watch finish photo

Troad 5k (trail) - This race was the morning after the BMW run. I had a free entry because work sponsored the race and offered the complimentary entries to the running team. I almost missed this race by sleeping through two alarms and shot up at 8:08am (the race was at 8:30). I threw on my clothes, ran my toothbrush over my teeth, and put my contacts in during the drive. The trail was very runnable (save for a few long climbs for these tired, unconditioned legs) and I finished in 28:48 (9:27/mile), good enough for 6th place female and 1st in my age group! Took home a beautiful toad trophy.

Start of the Troad (uphill) before heading into the woods

Troad finish. Note backwards banner?

CrossFit is still going too (don't worry my true love is still running). Over the summer I set some PRs on the power clean (125#), push press (120#), snatch (85#), and benchmark workout "Fran"* (8:22).

Back in February I sat for my Level 1 CrossFit certification and recently started teaching Kids class on Saturdays - so adorable! These kids get to do fun things like burpees, pushups, play dodgeball, and of course, run. They love to run! Also, they climb the 15' ropes faster than I can.

September also brought around my birthday and friends from the gym got me a big bag of M&M's, lottery ticket, and some gift cards. Unfortunately I was not the lucky lotto winner from SC you may have heard about (boo) and believe it or not it took me 5 days to eat the bag of M&M's! Must be this old age...

*For those who are curious, Fran is 21-15-9 reps of thrusters (front squat to overhead press) and pullups.

Read More