Goals for 2015

The gals of Another Mother Runner encouraged their tribe to put their goals for 2015 into the universe.  By taking the time to create clear, measurable goals, one has a much greater chance for achieving them.  I make internal goals quite regularly, but I rarely write them down.  The commitment - and risk of failure - that comes with putting dreams into written words feels like too much pressure for this recovering perfectionist.

I'm taking the leap, however, and writing down concrete goals for the coming year.  And I'm leaping even further by posting them here.  I focused on goals that would help me as a runner but also as a wife/mother/friend/human being.  I limited my list to three.  Many more would feel overwhelming; fewer would not pose enough of a challenge.  So here they are, my goals for 2015:

1.  Train wisely for the GO! St. Louis marathon: Arrive at the starting line healthy and happy; cross the finish line upright and smiling.
2.  Remove both mental and physical clutter: Discover what matters and truly focus on it; let go of the rest.
3.  Embrace the journey - and the suck: It won't always be pretty or easy or fun; sometimes it will suck.  Do it anyway!!

I'm looking forward to the challenge of these goals and to discovering new things about myself as I work to tackle them.  What are your goals for 2015?

2014 in Review

In a year that was pockmarked by family illnesses, major life changes, new realities, and civic unrest, running remained a bright spot and a source of happiness and fulfillment.  Focused on running alone, I couldn't be more pleased with 2014.  The one goal I set for myself for the year was to run a half marathon. I tackled that in April then went one better by adding another in October.  During the training process, I learned how to fuel, recover, and cross train in order to find race day success.

2014 also brought me oodles of support from running friends near and far.  Emily and I logged TONS of miles together, racing side by side for both 13.1 adventures and all the training miles that brought us to those starting lines.  I'm soooo lucky to have such an amazing BRF who lives a mere 22 houses away :)  I also met loads of BAMRs through Strava, and I cannot even begin to express their huge role in my running success.  They keep me motivated, inspired, and entertained.  If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be in Strava-ville.  So many positive people working to better themselves and encourage others to do the same.  Love, love, love!!

My BRF, Emily, who provides miles of laughter, companionship, and motivation.

Besides tackling new distances and solidifying friendships, 2014 also brought several big PRs at a variety of distances.  In July, I set a 10k PR on a hilly course.  I surprised myself in September with a smoking 5k PR, which gave me an age group award, too.  To round out the fall, Emily and I set a half marathon PR in October, blowing our April time out of the water.  Lots of hard work and many miles went into those PRs, and I couldn't be prouder of them.

5k age group award.  I'm ridiculously proud of this little medal.

When I wasn't setting PRs, I worked to expand my running comfort zone.  Formerly a sufferer of new route phobia, I broke free of that in June during my memorable run commute.  I ran 7 miles home from work just ahead of a massive thunderstorm; badass doesn't even begin to cover how I felt at the end of that run.  I continued to enjoy running in new places by running during our family beach vacation in July.  Sunrise run with a beach view?  Yes, please!  But the most memorable runs of the year were in August during our Alaskan cruise.  Running on the cruise ship was an experience unto itself with round-and-round monotony broken up by breathtaking views and crisp fresh air - and quizzical looks from the few passengers up in the wee hours to witness my endless laps.

A beach shoe selfie - a lovely end to my week of running in paradise.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to see what 2015 will bring.  I'm training for my first marathon in April - a guaranteed PR!  I'm looking forward to the marathon journey both in training and on race day.  I have no idea what those miles will hold, but I can't wait to find out!  In the fall, Emily and I want to try for a new half marathon PR.  Solo, I'm not sure that I could do it, but I think we can work together to make it happen. 

What were your 2014 highlights? Any big goals on the horizon for 2015?

Race Recap: Rock 'n Roll St. Louis

Sunrise in downtown St. Louis as we wait to start the race.

I couldn't have asked for anything more at Rock 'n Roll St. Louis on Sunday.  Delightful weather, upbeat crowds, good bands, terrific volunteers.  Oh yeah, and a smoking new PR :)

Emily and I arrived downtown just before 6:00am and found rock star parking near the starting line.  We took our time stretching, visiting the porta-potties (so many available!  Kudos to the race organizers), and eating one last bit of banana.  Nerves mounted as we waited around in our corral, but overall we were just excited about our day.

Nervous smiles as we hang around in our corral.

We wanted to beat Emily's half marathon PR of 2:08.  To do so, we planned to run the early miles at a 9:45 pace, kicking it up to 9:15-9:30 around mile 8, and drawing closer to 9:00 for miles 11 to the finish.  A thick crowd and an early restroom stop threatened our plan at the outset, but we weren't rattled.  We hit the 5k checkpoint at 30:29, which was certainly slower than we anticipated.  At that point, however, the crowd had thinned a bit, and we could make our way through the field with less weaving.  The slow early pace didn't bother me, as I hoped we were conserving energy and would have more left in the tank for the later miles.

Feeling strong at mile 8.

We faced an unexpectedly long climb at mile 4.5 (with the early morning sun in our eyes), but we cranked that mile in 9:30.  Entering mile 6, our energy flagged a bit, and we embarked on the part of the course that did not have live entertainment.  (Citing respect for the neighborhoods, race organizers informed us that there would be no bands from miles 6-9, an unfortunate point in the course to be lacking distraction.)  We kept a good pace, however, and hit the 10k checkpoint at 58:58.  Mile 8 brought us to a familiar park where our families were waiting for us.  Seeing their happy faces and stopping for a quick hug gave us an extra spring in our step.  We logged the next two miles at about 9:20 each, and we agreed to try to hang at that pace until the mile 12 marker.

My sweet cheering section :)

While miles 1-6 were rather urban, starting in downtown and then traversing some industrial areas, miles 7-12 took us through beautiful neighborhoods and along well-maintained parks, and many of the residents came out to cheer us on.  As we were kicking up the intensity of our effort, I was grateful for the distraction of lovely houses and cheering fans.  The band at mile 11 was my favorite of the course, for no other reason than their rendition of "Run Around Sue" made my heart happy and gave my tired legs a little extra pep.

As we planned, I pushed the pace as soon as we passed the mile 12 sign.  Emily stayed a step behind me but promised that she was ok.  Mile 12 took us across an overpass into downtown, and the view of downtown and the other runners in the field was fabulous.  Pushing uphill at the end of that mile, however, I could tell that my energy was waning.  We saw my parents right at the 13-mile mark, and I mustered a smile and a wave for them.  As we neared the why-does-it-still-seem-so-faraway finish line, Emily stepped ahead and took the lead.  "Let's go," she said.  "Let's get it!"  I didn't know I had any gas left in the tank, but I found just enough to turn in a strong finish alongside her.  We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the official time: 2:03:58!  More than 4 minutes faster than her previous record, and 8:21 faster than our April race.

This giant street marking totally messed with my carb-starved brain.
This faux finish was at the 13-mile mark, and that final .1 seemed endless...

Full of pride and finish line adrenaline, we walked to the car discussing possibilities for our next race.  One good finish line deserves another, right?  We will plot our spring race soon enough, but for now, I'm going to bottle up the excitement of this finish and savor the sweetness of hard-earned victory.

Elated at the finish line!

Race Recap: Run for the Hills 5k

On Saturday, I returned to a familiar 5k course feeling a bit unsure and apprehensive, but I left feeling empowered and victorious.  In the week preceding the race, I had my heart set on achieving a new PR.  Come race morning, however, my confidence flagged, and my interest in that goal waned. My body was strong, and I knew I could run hard, but my brain was wimping out big time.

Pre-race smiles with Dan.

Emily and I are ready to go!

In perfect, 60* weather, Emily and I ran a 2-mile loop from our houses to the starting line, which felt very good.  As the starting gun fired, Emily said, "Don't stay with me if you want to run fast.  Run your race!  I'll see you at the finish."  We ran together for the first mile and then separated when she grabbed some water and I went without.  We clocked the first mile in 7:58, at which point I was sure that negative splits would not be attainable.  Logging one sub-8:00-minute mile is huge for me; to add a couple more sounded impossible.

I headed up the first hill, passing several runners along the way.  I cruised through a flat stretch and then a nice downhill, logging the second mile in 7:52.  I felt good as I approached my least favorite part of the course: the hill at mile 2.  Even on this hill, however, I kept my focus, thought about running tall and strong, and I passed many people as I climbed.

By the time I crested the hill and neared the 3-mile marker, I was mentally and physically spent.  I was exhausted, and running fast no longer felt fun.  I rallied mentally by telling myself that I do hard things all the time; this was just another hard thing that I had to do.  It was time to embrace the suck.  Taxed but still pushing, I finished that third hilly mile in 7:29.

Coming down the final stretch, I surprised myself by finding some extra gas in the tank and kicking it into yet a higher gear for a strong finish.  I finally closed the gap on a man I'd been trailing for half a mile and crossed the finish line alongside him.  Official finishing time: 24:24!  I blew my old PR out of the water by 3:04!!

The best cheering squad on the planet!
My generous parents wrangled my kids and my nephews so we could run. 

After refueling, rehydrating, and cheering for the rest of our gang, I ran the 1-mile kids fun run with my 6-year-old.  We had a disastrous experience last year, so I felt a bit unsure as we set off.  He wore a cape my sister had made for him, which inspired cheers from many spectators.  He fed off their excitement and had a great time.  We did a mixture of running and walking, as we had planned, and he was happy throughout.  What a difference a year makes!

Super D. and I are ready to race!

After crossing the finish line with Super D., I checked the standings and saw that I placed 4th in my age group.  I finished 75th overall (out of a field of about 350), and I was the 19th woman.  To say I was ecstatic is to say that an ultra is a little race.  We stayed for the beginning of the award ceremony to cheer for my friend David, who finished 3rd overall.  As we were heading away, David came racing toward us, medal in hand.  "You won 2nd in your age group!" he cried as he handed me the medal.  I was confused but excited.  It turns out that the top two women in my group were 2nd and 3rd overall, which moved me up to 2nd in our age group.  A technicality but still a win - and a medal!  I wore that medal with pride all day :)

Special shout-out to Sparkle Athletic for my blingy skirt.
I think the sparkles gave me speed!

I left the race thinking that this PR would probably stand for quite some time.  Now, 48 hours later, I'm thinking about what speed work I could do next summer to try to top it again next fall...  This is what I love about running: it always pushes us, calling us to be the best that we can be.

Race Goals: Run for the Hills 5k

For the fourth consecutive year, I'm running a local race in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood.  Aptly named, Run for the Hills is an annual tradition for my family.  The race originated more than 20 years ago, and my parents have participated in the event every year since its inception.  Not runners, they walk the 1-mile course around Francis Park, the heart of the neighborhood.  I walked with them for many years until I ran it for the first time in 2011.  I was thrilled by my debut performance - my first ever 5k - and my time from that race has proven tough to beat.  In two subsequent attempts, I've not bested my original time of 27:28.

Though I've been focusing on distance rather than speed lately, I would love to set a new PR on the course tomorrow.  I know I am a stronger and smarter runner now than I was in 2011, and I would love a shiny new PR to prove it.  The course has some hills, as its name would suggest, and the most relentless one comes at mile 2.  I know that hill intimately - my childhood best friend grew up on that road - and I've run it countless times.  Yet somehow it always seems to hang me up on race day.  Tomorrow I hope to keep laser focus on that stretch of the course, forgetting that last year I was passed on it by a woman pushing a double stroller.  Ouch.

As always, tomorrow's event will be a family affair.  My husband, sister, and brother-in-law are all planning to run, too, as is my BRF, Emily.  I want to enjoy the event with them, chat with other runners from the neighborhood, and eat some frozen custard at the end.  My oldest will be running the kids' 1-mile race after the 5k, and I'm excited to be running that with him, too.  (Fingers crossed that this year's fun run will include more fun and fewer tears than last year's.)

While I would love a PR, I will be happy with a strong performance and a time under 28:00.  There, I put it out into the world.  Now let's see what I can do...

Kicking off a New Training Cycle

This week kicks off training for the Rock 'n Roll St. Louis half marathon!  This October 19th race, my second attempt at 13.1, promises to be a good time.  I'm looking forward to exploring the course, hearing the bands at each mile, and experiencing the day with Emily.

After waffling in indecision for quite some time, I finally created a training plan for us to follow.  I took bits and pieces of information I've gathered over the past few years and cobbled together a reasonably coherent plan.  I'm satisfied that this plan will be a good starting point, and I fully expect that we will tweak it as we progress through the next few months.  I had fun setting the plan to our specific workout tendencies: Sunday long runs, three midweek runs, and two cross-training days.  I know what worked well for us last spring (and what our possible pitfalls might be), and so I tried tailoring a plan to meet our needs and challenge us to rise above the stumbling blocks.  And the purple highlights on the plan?  Just for Emily - her favorite color :)

My first attempt at creating a training plan.  Fingers crossed that it works well for us!

I love the fresh feeling of a new training plan.  All those boxes waiting to be checked off.  All those miles to spend chatting with my friend.  All those tough workouts to conquer together.  I know we will have down weeks, hot runs, and days that we'd rather snooze than run.  And oddly enough, I look forward to those, too, because without them I couldn't fully appreciate the good days and the runs that feel almost effortless.

So I raise my glass of lemon lime water (gotta preload those electrolytes!) and toast the start of this training cycle.  Here's to many injury-free miles, a friendship built on shared goals and hard work, and beginning each day with happiness and gratitude.  Cheers!

Back to Reality

After a week of vacation with my extended family, we are back home in steamy St. Louis and settling back into our routine.  We enjoyed seven days of sunshine, splashing in the pool, and playing on the beach.  The 12+ hours in the car each way I could live without, but it was all worth it for a break from the daily grind.

I had hoped to run two or three times while on the road, and I'm pleased to report that I worked in three vacation runs.  Before I left, I talked to a number of mother runners who raved about the beauty of a vacation run.  Having never run on vacation before, I nodded along and took their word for it.  Now that I've done it, I agree with those (ever so wise) ladies 100%!  There's something extra blissful about running in a new area, and I felt an added gratitude for being able to travel to a beautiful place and have the freedom to explore it on foot.  And running while watching the sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico?  Truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

My running routes were fairly limited, so I mostly ran out-and-back paths along a beachside highway.  At home I usually run loops, so it was fun to mix things up with the out-and-back routes.  I enjoyed looking at the beautiful beach houses, imagining what it would be like to call such a gorgeous place home.  I saw many people running along the packed sand of the beach, but I wasn't quite so adventurous.  I did, however, venture out to the beach at the end of my last run to get my beach running shoe selfie:

A beach shoe selfie!  Mission completion.

In addition to my three solo runs, I also logged some bonus miles with a few members of my family.  My husband, sister, and brother-in-law are hoping to run a 5k race this fall, so they're building up mileage in preparation.  The humid, muggy Gulf air was not easy on the lungs, but they did great, and I loved having some company at the end of my runs.  Post-run, we cooled off with a dip in our pool - a perfect way to bring the blood pressure down after a good workout.

While I loved vacation and the chance to run while traveling, I am very happy to be home.  Emily and I met up for our usual early morning run this morning, and my feet were glad to be back on our home turf.  Home sweet home :)

I found a little remnant of the beach on my running shoes today.

Race Recap: Innsbrook Independence Day 10k

On Saturday, I tackled the Innsbrook Independence Day 10k. Innsbrook sponsors a 2-mile, 5k, and 10k on each of their three big summer holiday weekends. I've wanted to do the 10k for years, but scheduling, heat, and apprehension have kept me from showing up at the starting line. With unseasonably cool temperatures on deck and legs that felt fresh and strong, I knew this was the weekend to make it happen.

Elevation profile for the course.  An easy start with a crazy hilly finish.

Race day weather was picture perfect, as predicted: mid-60s at the start with a slightly overcast sky - my favorite running weather. The 10k field was quite small with just 40 of us tackling the distance. Small but mighty, we took off to explore 6 miles of wooded scenery on foot. 

More than half the field passed me in the first mile, but I reminded myself that I wanted to start slow. I had no idea what the first half of the course held, but I knew the back half was hilly; better to conserve energy for those late inclines. Much I my surprise, the entire first half was flat as a pancake. I enjoyed the views along the path and spent most of those early miles chatting with a gentleman from Nevada.

As the climb started at mile 3, I saw that my conservative strategy was starting to pay off.  I passed six runners on that first massive hill and felt happy and strong.  My pal, Jack, hung with me for half the hill and then wished me well; he didn't have it in him to maintain pace through the back half of the course.  After saying farewell to Jack, I could see just one runner ahead of me: a woman in a striped tank top who was consistently about a third of a mile in front of me.  I chased her up and down many hills, and nearing mile 5, I started to narrow the gap between us.  I passed her just after the 5 mile mark, but I could tell that we were both running out of steam.

Mile 5 through 5.5 was the toughest part of the course for me.  I was feeling tired and hungry, and with her now at my back, I had no other runners in my view.  And of course, I was climbing yet another incline.  I slowed to a walk to take a drink from my water bottle and do battle with the part of my brain that wanted to quit.  "Suck it up, buttercup," I told myself.  "You've come too far to stop now."

I forced myself to resume my running stride and even found enough energy to finish strong, running my last (mostly downhill) mile in 8:50.  I crossed the finish line in 55:09, conquering even the loftiest goal I had set for myself that day.  I downed a banana, chugged some water, and cheered in other runners as they finished their race.

Overall, the race was a wonderful community event.  Though there were no crowds of spectators to speak of, the camaraderie among the runners was spectacular, and I enjoyed the gorgeous views along the course.  I definitely plan to run it again and try to improve upon my time.

July Goals

In the heat of the summer with vacation plans on deck, it seems wise to put a few goals into writing.  I need to keep running this month to stay sane, and posting my goals into the blogosphere will help me feel more accountable.  So here they are, my goals for the month of July:

1.  Run the Innsbrook Independence Day 10k.

I've wanted to run the Innsbrook 10k for a couple of years, but I've been very good at psyching myself out and avoiding the starting line.  This year, I'm going to push myself to make it happen.  I'm a little nervous about 6 miles of relentless hills, but the weather should be perfect this weekend, and I'm ready to push my comfort zone to give it a try.  No set time goal for the race.  I just want to finish it feeling strong and happy.

2.  Log at least 2 (but preferably 3) runs while on family vacation.

We leave for our usual beach vacation in a little over a week, and I've never successfully run on vacation.  I usually have the best intentions but then decide that my running gear hogs up too much precious cargo space.  I'd like to change that pattern this year.  I've checked out our rental location on Strava and planned a few possible running routes.  If I can get out the door 2 or 3 times during our 8-day trip, I will be satisfied.

Can't wait to take my own shoe selfie on the beach soon :)

3.  Take advantage of the long summer days by running at both sunrise and sunset one day.

The idea of a two-in-one running day is very exciting to me.  I've never logged multiple runs in a day, but for some reason, the idea is rather alluring.  During these super long summer days, I should be able to run my usual sunrise loop before the kids wake up and head back out for a sunset victory lap after I tuck them into bed for the night.  My husband will undoubtedly think I'm nuts.  He might be right...

4.  Start training for my fall half on July 28th.

I'll end the month by kicking off the training for the Rock 'n Roll St. Louis half marathon.  I'm still pondering options for our training plan, but I'm looking forward to the challenges and rewards of the training lifestyle.  In the meantime, however, I'll soak up the freedom of my current unstructured running days.

What about you: any specific running plans for the month of July?

Pregnancy and Goal-Setting

I may have an explanation for the totally unexpected bladder issues in my recent 5k: it turns out I'm harboring a stowaway.  Baby 3.0 for our family is due in late May!  I'm excited but also a bit apprehensive due to our recent miscarriage.  I'm trying to set aside the negative thoughts and focus on the positive, though of course, that is easier said than done.

With my previous two pregnancies, I was not a runner at all.  I didn't discover running until my second child was 18 months old, so this whole running-while-pregnant thing is uncharted territory for me.  I have been looking forward to running while pregnant - something about a runner with a baby belly is infinitely badass and admirable.  Thus far, however, I've not been a pregnant runner at all due to pregnancy fatigue.  Coupled with early morning darkness, my brain just laughs at my alarm at 5:00am, then quickly goes back to sleep.

This is exactly how I expect to look as a pregnant runner: dazzling smile, perfect hair, and impeccable form.  A girl can dream, right?

I hope to combat this by sneaking in naptime runs on the treadmill and weekend runs when I can go later in the morning.  My goal while pregnant is just to maintain some level of cardiovascular fitness and a bit of strength in my legs.  I'm not looking to run far or fast.  Ideally, I'll run 2 or 3 days per week but probably only 2-3 miles at a time.

I expect my next finish line to be the delivery room.  If a great 5k opportunity comes up, I may consider it, but I don't plan to run any distance races until next fall.  I would, however, love to set a half marathon goal for next fall.  It would be a great way to motivate myself to get back into shape once the baby arrives, and training will give me some much-needed personal space.