Run For Chardon Half Marathon Report

prerace with my speedy husband!

The decision to run the inaugural Run For Chardon 1/2 marathon last Sunday was last minute. I wanted to see how quickly I recovered from Boston. But I also wanted to support my local community. After talking with the RDs, I decided to go for it. I was not well rested going into the race as I had done a few harder workouts on the bike and run that week so I wasn't sure how things would go. Plus with the course having some hills I figured my time might be a little slower than average. Steve also signed up because he loves the half marathon distance.

The race started at 7:15 at Chardon High School. We saw several friends that were racing so it was nice to chat with them before and after. The temperature was not bad although it felt very humid on our warm up.

The race went pretty fast. Before I knew it we were on the Chardon Bike Path running along some flatter section with some rollers mixed in. Unfortunately it started raining and did so for much of the race. My first miles were all between 7:25-7:45 so I was hoping to come in around 1:40ish. There was a really fast, flat section for a couple of miles along Rt 44 on the bike path and then the rollers started around 8-9 miles in. My hips started to yell at me and I was forced to back off the pace.

running on the course: photo by Kyle Johnson 

The last couple of miles I was crushed by the hills. I tried to strategically sprint the downhills and walk the steepest part of the uphills as I do in trail running so this added some time to the clock but in the long run I was trying to be smart with the Cleveland Marathon being only 2 weeks out. I tried to tell myself that it was okay to not have my best race that day because really I was there to support Chardon and my local running community (Northeast Running Club and Great Lakes Race Timing). The problem is that I always want to do my best and place as high as I can. That can be a blessing and a curse.

The race finish line was on the 50 yd line of Chardon High School's field. This made it a special finish. My time of 1:45:58 was slower for me than I had hoped but that wasn't what it was about anyways. Sure I would have liked to do better than third in my AG and 12th female but there will be plenty more chances to shine on a day when I am better prepared. In my heart I am just glad to have been a part of a special day for the Chardon community.

Steve had a good race finishing in around 1:28, which is great for this course and he won his age group and placed 6th male overall so I was glad he had done so well. He certainly deserved a good one!

some of the great race swag!

Special thanks to Great Lakes Timing for putting on a first-class event. The medal was impressive and we also received nice long sleeve Brooks technical tees, pint glasses and AG winners also got commemorative coffee mugs. I would also like to thank NERC, Achilles Running and all the volunteers, the Chardon community and all who came out to support the race in some way, shape or form. I would add this one to your race bucket list for sure!

Cabin Fever 5K Race Report

I try to force myself to do speedwork, but sometimes I talk myself out of it in favor of longer, easier workouts that I like more. What can I say I am an endurance junkie! Running shorter races like 5ks forces me to get out there and get out of my comfort zone. Such was the case with the inaugural Cabin Fever 5K yesterday. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it! With Green Jewel 50K this weekend I knew it was my last chance to get in speed work for a week or two so I signed up.

With the race being nearby at Mayfield High School and having a 9:30 start, it really was a laid back race morning. We got there to pick up our packets and bumped into some fellow Northeast Running Club (NERC) members and got in a couple of easy miles to warm up. One thing I did not like was the wind. In fact the race begins by running around the high school and then on the second loop you take a path over to some residential streets. The first half of the course was gradually uphill directly into the wind. I recall not being able to breathe very well but just pressing on. It appeared that all the young ladies struggled and I was surprised to find myself in the lead before the turnaround.

Awesome prizes :)

From the turnaround on the winds were behind us so I was able to get back into a solid pace after a not so stellar middle mile of fighting off wind. I was a little overheated and agitated but I knew I was close to the finish so I tried to stay on pace between 6:50-7. My goal had been 6;45s but with the winds it was clear that wasn't happening. I was happy to hit the high school parking lot and as I rounded the corner to the finish a gentleman yelled "first female" and I heard my husband Steve yelling for me. I pushed as hard as I could and was surprised my time of 21:49 was the best time of the day for the ladies but nevertheless I was happy with the outcome.

After the race Steve and I went for a cool down jog and then headed into the school for the pancake breakfast and awards. We sat with our NERC friends Angela and Stephanie. It was fun because each of us had a good race. Steve had run an 18:22 and won his age group and Angela and Stephanie had each won in their age groups too. For placing first female I was awarded a $50 gift certificate to Achilles Running Shop so that was pretty exciting. I also was picked for a $25 Amazon giftcard in the raffle! Later on to celebrate a good day at the races Steve and I headed to Willoughby Brewing for some tasty brews including the sensational Nutsmasher Imperial Peanut Butter Cup Porter.

Me, Steve, Angela and Stephanie w/ our awards  :)

Ending the Season With Some Fun Races

My officially planned race season really ended with Beach 2 Battleship 140.6. Since then I have been trying to get healthy and back to myself. An Ironman distance race can really take the life out of your legs for a while. After the Twinsburg Turkey Trot and my stupid allergies, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. I had to put things back in perspective and remember that I already had a productive, good season and it's okay for me to not be at 100% of my fitness level 100% of the time. I mean this is a hobby - albeit one I take seriously.

Pre Turkey Trot 

Since then I raced with my hubby on Thanksgiving at the Painesville Turkey Trot 5K. It wasn't a PR but my 21:46 was good enough to crack the top ten for females and first in my AG. This made the second year in a row that I won my AG and got a pumpkin pie for it so I have to keep this streak alive! Same with my hubby.

Then this past weekend we raced the NERC Interclub Relay at The West Woods Park in Novelty. Steve and I raced with our Snakebite Racing teammate Mark Erzen. Steve ran the 8-mile leg, I ran the 5 mile leg and Mark ran the 3 mile leg. We ended up placing 2nd in the co-ed division as we had the previous year when we ran with our friend Jillian. We were less than a minute off the co-ed win but a group of high school runners edged us out. At least us old-timers can feel good about the effort!

Post Relay w/ Our Awards 

After the race there is a chili contest so there was lots of tasty chili, soups and other treats. We hung around for a little while to catch up with friends and for the awards and then headed home.

Next up we will be running the Jingle Bell 5K for Arthritis this weekend. If you don't have plans this Sunday it is a great little event that takes place at Legacy Village at 9am. Visit this link here to register.

Mayfield Wildcat 5K Race Report & Training Update

Last weekend's Mayfield Wildcat 5K was fun...in a painful sort of way! I have not done many 5K races in the last few years. The only one I did last season was the Lakeland Clocktower run, which was a 5K PR for me at 21:17. That one was about a month after my first 140.6 triathlon.

I was hoping to break 21 for this weekend's race but it was a little harder than I anticipated. Of course the pace of the first mile in a 5K is FAST. I resisted the urge to push so hard I would pay for it later in the race. So I went out around a 6:30-6:40 pace. That didn't feel so bad. At the halfway point we turned around in a cul-de-sac within the neighborhood we were running in (close to Highland Heights Community Park). I saw three women in front of me and wasn't sure if I would have enough to overtake anyone. I stayed on my goal pace and tried to just focus on that. A tad short of mile two, the woman in third stopped and I passed her. It was definitely hot and I was laboring a bit myself but with a short race like this there is no time to stop and walk. I quickly chugged a water and poured some on my head as I hit the gas.

Post race with our plaques

The last mile was hot and slightly up hill and it was my slowest mile coming in over 7. I tried to hold steady and think of how close the finish was. And there it was...a grassy finish too, which I love! So I pushed on through feeling like I was going to puke. Mission accomplished I guess. 5K races hurt but they are over fast! My time of 21:35 was not the PR I had hoped for but not too shabby as I managed a 6:56 average and placed third female. The prizes for a smaller local race were very generous too as I received a $30 gift certificate to Achilles Running Shop in Mentor and a plaque. They also gave AG awards out. Steve placed 3rd in the 40-49AG and our friend Brandon won his AG in the 25-29 group so it was a good race for all three of us.

There was plenty of food afterwards and lots of door prizes and we ran into some running friends, who also did well in the race.Afterwards Steve and I headed over to Headlands Beach in Mentor for a 40-minute open water swim. On such a hot day, it was the perfect day to be out there swimming. The following day we did an 80 mile bike ride out to Ashtabula Harbor and back. We managed to squeeze in some pool time and a beer tasting over the weekend to after a successful week of training.

We also got in a trail run Tuesday night, which was a nice change of pace. The rest of the week my training went well including my 16 mile solo run on Wednesday night so I am happy with my training for the week and my speedwork at the 5K race. Next up this weekend is the Greater Cleveland Olympic Triathlon at Headlands Beach. We got in another 45 minute practice swim out there last night and rode some of the bike course this morning so I am looking forward to the race Sunday. Hopefully my legs will treat me well since I do have an awful lot of training to get in this week!

Sunrise 5 Miler Race Report

My plan to race shorter things as much as possible this summer as my speedwork leading up to the Erie Marathon is well underway. With the Johnnycake Jog two weekends back and the Painesville Sunrise 5 Miler this past weekend, I have been out of my comfort zone. This is good since I have focused on endurance all season. I am hoping these shorter, harder efforts combined with my long runs and solid base will net me those precious few minutes I need to line up in Boston next year!

The Sunrise race started in downtown Painesville at Veterans Park so this was a short, easy drive for us. We arrived around 7 to pick up our bibs and get in a quick warm up. It was already close to 80 degrees that early in the morning so I knew this would be a sufferfest! After a mile warm up Steve and I lined up. It was a smaller race but some fast runners from NERC were out there to make it competitive.

My first mile was about 7:15 so a little slower than my Johnnycake race but I knew this course was going to have some hills and with the heat and tired cycling legs I didn't expect to set a PR. I settled in to a good, challenging pace and kept moving forward. There were some good hills and the course was scenic. The last mile of the race winds you through a little park down in the valley so coming back to the finish you've got to climb out of the park and then up the street a good ways. With the heat and being late in the race this made me feel fatigued so I was very happy to see Steve screaming for me at the finish.

Greater Cleveland XC did the race timing so I was able to check my live results right away and see that I had placed 3rd female. My time was about 2-1/2 minutes slower than the Johnnycake at 38:13 versus the 35:56 but this was a more challenging course and it was hot and humid. Overall I am happy with the effort especially after doing a faster 50-mile bike ride the day before! Steve placed in his AG and 10th overall as there were some very fast guys out there running. He too was about 2 or so minutes slower than the Johnnycake.

Post race, happy with my 3rd place!

For coming in third I will get a small gift certificate in the mail for Second Sole Mentor, so that is good because I always need new stuff like socks. Next up is the Mayfield Wildcat 5K this weekend. This will be my first 5K since last October when I ran the Lakeland Clocktower run in 21:17. I would like to break 21 if I can but since this is speedwork moreso than racing I will be happy with anything between 21-22ish.

2014 Autumn Leaves Race Report

This was my second year of racing the NERC Autumn Leaves 5 Miler at the Lake Farmpark in Kirtland. This is a grassroots cross country style race with a fun vibe and some solid competition. It is definitely not a PR course but a great race to challenge yourself and have some fun. Each year the course is altered some, which also makes it interesting.

Steve raced also so we were able to eat breakfast and get in our warm ups together. It was a chilly morning so we did our best to stay warm up until the race start. The start is fast as it begins with a downhill section and quickly winds down through some of the dirt roads within the farmpark before heading into some lengthy sections of pasture. The grass was long and muddy from rains the night before. As usual this made for some slower footing. After about 2 miles the course winds through a corn maze. This year the maze section was longer. The twists and turns through the maze and the slippery sections definitely make it a challenging part of the course. If a corn maze won't get your heart rate up then I don't know what will!

I'm in the pink chasing 1st in my AG ahead of me after the corn maze

Coming out of the maze you reenter the pasture and there are some nice hills to keep that heart pumping. I had been passed by two women (including the one who won my AG) not long before entering the maze but was not able to close the gap as I had hoped. The rest of the race I just tried to run within myself and give what I could that day. After coming off a bad race the week before where I pulled out halfway due to lingering foot issues I wasn't sure how I'd fare a week later, especially in harder conditions. Fortunately the foot held up okay for me.

When we finally got out of the last pasture section and hit the dirt road leading back the finish I felt both happy and annoyed. My garmin had showed 40:01 (a slower time than last year by about a minute) but it also showed the course as 5.18 miles. In my mind I ran as best as I could on a hard course and ended up placing 9th female and 2nd in the 35-39AG (which is where I placed last year). All in all I am happy with the result and looking forward to tacking the the Salt Fork 10 Mile Challenge next weekend.

Post race with our award beer glasses!

Steve had a great race and finished with the same time as last year (33 & change), given the longer course. He placed 8th overall and 1st in the 45-49AG. We both won new glasses, which were perfect to enjoy the tasty IPAs we had that night to celebrate another race in the books.

Maybe Offroad 5 Milers are My Sweet Spot

For the sake of efficiency, I'm combining race reports for my last two races: The NERC Autumn Leaves 5 Miler and the Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 Miler. Both races went well for me and I am thinking that this distance is a good sweet spot for me in terms of effort.

Race # 1 - NERC Autumn Leaves 5 Miler 

The Autumn Leaves race took place on Sunday, 11/3 at the Lake Farmpark in Kirtland. It had rained all day and night beforehand so it was a slippery, muddy mess but it was a blast. Steve and I both ran it. I felt pretty crappy on our 1 mile warm up so I wasn't sure what kind of day I would have out there. I heard the course was going to be challenging so I went into with the mindset of just wanting to finish and challenge myself. The women's field was actually pretty competitive at this race including a couple of outstanding younger girls.

Running along one of the scenic trails

The race included some gravel trail, a good bit of muddy pasture running, some horse barns, some paved asphalt trails and a very muddy and slippery corn maze! Needless to say it was NOT a boring race at all. It was very scenic with the colors of fall and just a very fun race.

I definitely pushed myself but it was not a day to PR with the conditions. I held on pretty strong for the duration of the race but did get passed by 2 ladies to finish at 39 minutes (10th overall and 2nd in my age group). Steve also did well running under 34 mins and placing 2nd in his age group as well! NERC did a nice job with the race and the awards and gave us all huge trophies for the effort. I will definitely look forward to running this one again!

Post race celebrating with Steve 

Race # 2 - Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 Miler

Prerace with Steve

The Turkey Trot was this past Saturday, 11/9. This is always a fun fall race. It combines road and trails so it it more challenging terrain than your average 5 mile road race. Last year I had run it but didn't really have a great day. This year was another story! I just felt better this week. Again my husband raced too and we both felt pretty good on our mile warm up.

It was chilly but I opted to race in shorts with a baseball cap, long sleeve and my gloves. This turned out to be just right although it was very windy and cold for a few minutes waiting for the race start. The first mile of this race is always very fast and this year was no exception. I felt like I was going to be in trouble going out in the low 6's but luckily I was able to hold on and slow my tempo as we hit the trail for some climbing. There were a couple of younger girls who were ahead of me but I passed one before we exited the trail. The other girl and I went back and forth for maybe a mile before I passed her. At that time I thought maybe I was in second or first as I wasn't 100% if there was another woman ahead of me or not. I did my best to just hang on and push.

My first 1st place finish!

As I hit the homestretch I reached down to adjust my bib and tore my number so I was running across the finish line holding it. I could see/hear Steve cheering. I didn't see a ribbon so I assumed I was in second place. I was a little out of it but heard my name and Steve came over to see me and I asked him what place I was I was in and he said FIRST! I was excited and surprised to have been first overall female! This was the first race I've ever won first in (officially).  My time of 36:22 (7:16 pace) was not a PR for this distance but it was for this race and this course.

Post race celebrating with my #1 fan!

I won a trophy and a turkey for my hard work! Steve also had a great race placing 5th overall and 1st in his AG! I am looking forward to seeing what I can do in this race in the years to come. Thanks to Northcoast Multisport and Champ Racing for helping out with this race.

Special thanks to sponsors: Rev3 and Powerbar Team Elite for keeping me fueled and ready to go all season!

Hill, Yeah it's the Lake Health Half Marathon Race Report!

A little bird told me that the Lake Health Half Marathon was going to be a hilly one. That little bird was not exaggerating! Holy Hills is all I can say and I have the medal to prove it. When your medal says "Hill, Yeah!" on it and shows the elevation chart on it, you know it was a tough race!

Prerace:

Prerace pic with the hubby

With the race starting at the Lake Farmpark in Kirtland at 8am we didn't have to get up ridiculously early as we do with some races. We set the alarm for 6am just like any other normal workday. After a quick shower and some breakfast of waffles, peanut butter and honey, we were off. We had picked up our packets the day before too, which made for an easier prerace. We arrived at the Farmpark around 7:15 with plenty of time to get warmed up with our usual 1 mile easy run, use the restroom, chug some Biotta beet juice and line up. The only negative for me was that my back has been bothering me a lot lately and this morning was no exception. I was a wee bit cranky and debated not even running but am glad that I toughed it out.

Start & First 4 Miles:

In hindsight I should have lined up closer to the front but as I mentioned earlier I was cranky and kindof forcing myself into racing. I thought to myself I am just going to run this easy as a training run and then a minute or two later I decided to go for it and sprinted ahead. My first mile was about 7:15. Not a bad pace but a little fast for me in a half. My half PR was at a 7:30ish pace so I had to slow down a little. I felt pretty good through the first 3-4 miles and then as we entered the first trail I knew I was in trouble. I absolutely love trail running but I did not love it at that moment. I walked one of the hills and my friend Amy Sullivan came up next to me to say hi and see what was going on with me. I am so glad that Amy showed up when she did as chatting with her helped me take my mind off the pain as the rest of the course was pretty much all hills with a combo of road and trail.

Miles 5-11:

Amy and I both felt like we didn't have it in us to really push that day on that course and after talking for a little while and running an easier 8:30-9min pace we decided to stick together and just run the race as a good training run. We stopped and had a couple of Powerbar gels and water along the way and I had to stop around mile 8 for a potty break but aside from that we ran the whole time. Steady as she goes. In retrospect running this as a training run was probably a good idea since I am racing the Rev3 Williamsburg olympic triathlon this weekend!

The Finish:

Post race with my hubby and friend Amy

The last two miles or so went through the Farmpark some road and some trail. It was mentally tough to run back through the start and loop around as the finish felt so close yet so far away. I was very happy to see the Finish ahead at 13 miles and I was unable to sprint the finish as I often do. I just didn't have the gas that day. The course was challenging and I definitely got in a good workout even running it as a 2 hour pace! Maybe next year I will actually race it. I definitely recommend this race to any Northeast Ohio folks looking to get in a challenging half in June. For the money it is a great value as we got a sweet tech shirt and a huge medal for like $35 and you can't beat that!

Post race we headed to Pulp for a well deserved delicious protein smoothie - yum!