Rock Hall Half Marathon Race Report

I've been delayed in writing this post about the inaugural Rock Hall Half Marathon held downtown at the Rock Hall August 23. The event itself was done very well. Packet picket the day before was ideal because it made race morning a little smoother. It was very easy to park for the expo as well. The race shirt was a high quality Nike women's fit tee, which is nice. Also, the medal was awesome! Race day logistics went smooth, Greater Cleveland XC did a nice job with the timing and there was plenty of food afterwards.

Pre race at the start line

Race morning went pretty smooth as well. Steve was racing too so we left our house around 6am to get downtown by 6:45 and give ourselves plenty of time to warm up. We found street parking not too far from the start. We jogged about a mile to warm up and found some indoor restrooms to use before lining up at the start line in front of the Rock Hall. It was nice to see some of our friends before the race and chat. The race started at 7:30am and it was a fast start. I tried to hold back the pace not going out any faster than a 7:25-7:30 mile.

To be honest I didn't really rest for this race because I just didn't have the time in my schedule with a few other key races coming up. I had biked more than 100 miles and had about 30 miles of running and a couple of swims in at the start line so I wasn't sure how it would go. I hoped I would run about my average 1:40 time given my strength this season if nothing else. I also did no real race specific training for the half. I had raced some 5Ks and 5 milers this summer as speedwork for my marathon but never did any speed over 5-6 miles outside of marathon pace.

Fighting through the pain cave

This lack of focused training was evident as I hit the halfway mark and started to labor more than I anticipated. The weather was also warming up and this probably contributed to my feelings of malaise as well.  I had a second burst around miles 7-10 running through the MLK area, which was nice and shaded and had some rolling hills. That was my favorite part of the race. I felt good and I thought I might have a chance to PR but that quickly evaporated as we hit Marginal. The last 5K of this course wiped me out. I watched my average pace drop from 7:30s to 8:15s. I also got passed by four or five women in the last 5K and that was deflating. Normally I have more of a fight in me but this day I did not. I just let them pass and prayed that it would be over soon.

I finished in 1:41:49 about two minutes under my goal of 1:39-1:40. After the race I got in a cooldown mile with Steve and then another 3 marathon pace miles solo to round out the day and my last long training run for Erie with 18 miles. Although it didn't go as well as I wanted I didn't blow up. It ended up being a great training run for Erie I think and I was 4/80 in my age group so maybe next time I will crack the top 3. I do have a competitive age group so I guess I will have to do my homework and put in some longer speed sessions and rest up a little bit more to place in this one!

Steve had a great race and placed 1st in his AG! And his legs were just as tired from many bike miles and some run miles. I am glad that he did well and we were able to celebrate a successful race for him. After the awards we headed to Winking Lizard for food and a post race hoppy beer. Then we headed home for some pool time.

Thanks to Powerbar for fueling me through countless workouts this summer. Thanks to Second Sole Mentor for putting on this great event, to Greater Cleveland XC for timing the event and to all of the volunteers who worked the event. Definitely add this one to your list of half marathons to run!

This was my last race until the Erie Marathon on September 13! I am trying once more this year for the BQ. I need to take off 3-4 minutes from my time in Charlevoix and I am there. I am feeling good and just hoping for good conditions that day. Stay tuned for the race report!

Here's a shot of the hard earned finishers medal below!

My First Multisport Win at the Greater Cleveland Triathlon

Sunday I raced the Greater Cleveland Olympic Triathlon at Mentor Headlands. This race is literally in my backyard and the race director Mickey is a friend so it makes sense to race it. After another hard week of marathon/ironman training last week I was not sure how things would turn out. I just knew that I would give it my best effort. I had been practicing OWS swims at Headlands for a few weeks as well as riding the bike course so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect Sunday.

Steve was racing too so we got up around 5:30, which is late for a triathlon but with it being so close we could sleep in. After getting dressed in my new SL3 Triathlon kit we ate a couple bowls of cereal, loaded up the car and we were off to Headlands Beach. I was in an especially chipper mood singing along to some tunes on the radio and about 10 minutes later we were parking. After entering the transition area we learned that the swim was cancelled due to poor water quality and potentially unsafe waves. I was disappointed like many other triathletes because I was ready to tackle that swim and besides who wants to sprint a 5K before the bike and then again after the bike?! Ouch! Duathlon hurts. I give them a lot of credit for killing their legs like that!

Prerace

I was able to rack with Steve and some of our friends and we knew lots of people racing so it was fun to catch up with everyone before and after the race. After setting up transition with just my bike stuff it was time for the prerace meeting and then my wave was first to start run #1.We would be doing a 5K run, 24 mile bike and a second 5K run for the olympic distance.

Run # 1 - 5K - 20:58 - (6:46 pace)

I lined up near the front with the guys and did not really know many people in my wave so I just tried to stay loose and go hard but not all out for the first 5K. I was first woman into T1 with a time of 20:58 (6:46 pace) although I think the course was a little short. I saw my husband in transition as I was leaving he was coming in but it was nice to be able to say hi.

Bike - 24 Miles - 1:12:31 (19.9mph)

on the bike!

Leaving the park I just tried to hammer the first part of the bike on 44 knowing the first 3-5 miles were pretty flat. I felt good. There are a couple of climbs on Heisley but other than that it's pretty flat and fast. Jackson was just bumpy and then Hopkins has a long gradual climb before crossing over to Chillicothe. Chillicothe is fast and there's a downhill with a very sharp left turn at the bottom so I had to slow down there taking the turn onto Baldwin Rd. Baldwin is pretty fast and scenic. From there we went left onto Hart Rd which has a nice climb coming up to Little Mountain. It flattens out for a minute and then there is a long, crushing climb up Little Mountain to Morley. I made sure to take in some nutrition here and really took advantage of the downhill on Morley Rd. Much of Morley is downhill and then there are a couple of rollers at the end as you cross over 44 to Newell Rd. The course then is very flat but bumpy and has some bad train tracks. From there we took Blackbrook up to 44. This was all very flat and windy. I started laboring a little but knew the bike was almost done. Another female Pam Semanik who was racing in the duathlon division passed me on 44. She is a great cyclist so I just made myself stay close to her. We came into transition at the same time but I knew she had started a few minutes after me.

Run #2 - 5K - 22:28 (7:15 pace)

Pam and I started the run together and she looked strong. I was not able to pass her until the very end. Even then it didn't matter since we were in different races. I was just happy to have someone pushing me for those last miles.

Finish & Post Race 

winner winner chicken dinner!

I ended up finishing in 1:58:01, good for the win in the "triathlon" olympic division. The next closest female was 2:08:39 so even with my swim not being my strongest I still would have had the win most likely. After 5 years in multisport it was nice to add a win to my list of accomplishments. I can see that the hard work I have put in this year and last have paid off.

Steve ended up coming in 8th male and 3rd in his age group with some tough competition from Nate Loman and Mark Durno. After the race awards we headed over to Winking Lizard Mentor for post race food and beverages. It was a fun day and I definitely pushed myself. I am looking forward to racing more short tris next season but this was my last one now until Beach 2 Battleship 140.6, which will be a long one. I do have another 5K, The Rock Hall half marathon and then the Erie Marathon before that so I will be focused on running and long rides and swims for the rest of the season.

Closing Thoughts

Special thanks to Powerbar for fueling countless workouts and races this season and to Cleveland Triathlon Club for some terrific training opportunities this season including the inaugural Emeraldman! I am lucky to be part of such a terrific local tri community!

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.

Johnnycake Jog Race Report for 2015

This was my second year running the Johnnycake Jog 5 Mile race in Mentor, Ohio. This one is right in my backyard and brings out a good amount of local talent. Last year I raced and ended up placing 3rd in my AG. This year I am happy to say that it went even better! It probably helps that I am running more, but I was also coming off of a marathon two weeks ago so I wasn't sure if the speed would be there yet.

Prerace w/ Steve

Since I signed up to run Erie in September I am planning to run a number of shorter local races like the Johnnycake as my speed work for the week. Before the race Steve and I got in a couple of warm up miles and then headed over to the start to line up. This is flat, fast course that starts on Mentor Avenue in front of the Lake County Fairgrounds. It's a fast start. My first mile was a 6:54. Then of course I slowed down some as my plan was to try to run about a 7:15 pace for the race. There is an incline as you near the top of Fairground Rd. This is probably the only incline on the course. I didn't labor as much here as I did last year but I was still happy to take the right onto 84 (Johnnycake Rd) and hit the first aid station for some water. From there it's a right turn on Mentor Avenue and then straight all the way down to the finish.

getting my award!

I ended up finishing in 35:54 (7:11 pace). Not a PR but a solid time for me right now so I was happy. It was good enough to win my age group this year as well so that was a big bonus. In addition to the award plaque I was given I also had my picture taken for the News Herald so that was fun!

My husband Steve ended up winning his age group again this year as well so that was great. We enjoyed talking with some of our running friends after the race and then treated ourselves to a smoothie at Pulp!

I am planning to run this one each year if I can because they do a nice job with the event all around including the course volunteers, food, awards and timing. Next up is the Sunrise 5 Miler in Painesville this weekend. That course will have some hills so it will be interesting to see where my time ends up but I am looking forward to pushing myself again. I really enjoy the 5 mile distance because it is a good test of fitness but there is no real recovery time needed so I can get right back to training!

Special thanks to Powerbar for fueling me through countless workouts and races including this one!

New Marathon PR at Charlevoix

I'm really happy that I decided to race the Charlevoix Marathon. Although I missed my BQ by a couple of minutes I was still happy with the new PR of 4 minutes and I enjoyed the whole race weekend experience with Steve. The weather was sunny and gorgeous and the sights of Northwest Michigan are beautiful indeed!

Prerace:

At the expo!

We left Cleveland Friday morning around 7am. The drive to Charlevoix, Michigan took about 7 hours from our house. We went straight to the Charlevoix Marathon expo before checking into our hotel, which was about 10 miles down the road in nearby Petoskey, Michigan. After unloading the car and relaxing for a little while we headed to Petoskey Brewing for dinner and a pre-race beer taste and drink. The food was excellent, the beer was good and we enjoyed the atmosphere. The staff and locals were friendly and talkative. After that it was back to the hotel to prep for the morning's race. After my last couple of races being triathlons it felt pretty easy to just get my running stuff ready!

Race Morning:

Race morning!

The wake up call came at 4:45am but as usual I was up a little before then. It's weird but my body seems to know what time to get up for big races. I had a coffee, took a quick shower and got dressed and then ate some breakfast consisting of Granola and Cashew Milk and watermelon and we were off.

Steve was racing the half marathon so he was pumped up as well!

The drive to Charlevoix was easy and took about 15-20 minutes. We were able to find street parking very close to the start area.

The start for the marathon was 6:30 and the half started at 7 so we had plenty of time to warm up and stretch and use the restroom.

The Start & First Half:

Steve stood close to me as we lined up and sang the Star Spangled Banner. I had tears in my eyes as I am always emotional at the start of big races. I was excited to get going and see this course that I heard was so beautiful. The start went well. Although it is a smaller race with several hundred people the beginning made it seem bigger. It took a good mile or two to spread everyone out into their paces. I was not able to run with a pace group as there was either 3:30 or 3:42 and I was aiming for 3:35-3:38. My first couple miles were spot on. I met a girl Mindy who was also trying to BQ at the same pace as me so we chatted throughout the race at different points.

I started to speed up some after I took my first gel and thought it would be better to be a little above my goal pace to compensate for any stops for water or potty. I did stop to pee at mile 6 and then maybe went out a little fast for a mile or two to catch back up with the group I was running with. In hindsight this probably expended too much effort but I felt wonderful at that point. At mile 8.5 there is a decent little climb for about 1/2 mile all said. It wasn't too much concern on the first half but with the course being an out and back I had to do it again later on.

Half Turn Around & Second Half:

Gorgeous Scenery!

I felt really good at the half turn around and ran my first 13.1 in 1:45. This was maybe 2-3 minutes ahead of my goal pace, which said I should be around 1:47-1:48. I kept the momentum up for a while and never really struggled until the hill on the way back. Even then I felt okay and just slowed down incrementally. The fatigue really set in for me around 19-20 but I was able to push through and then had a setback at mile 21 where I slowed. It was getting hotter with full sun and I struggle more in the heat. Mile 22 was rough, 23 was better, 24 was rough and then I picked it up towards the end when my friend Mindy passed me and gave me some encouragement. I knew it would be a long shot to BQ as my average pace went from an initial 8:05-8:08 down to an 8:25-8:28. I did still think it was possible to PR the race, which would still be a small win for me that day so I pushed harder.

Finish & Post Race:

At the finish a girl tried to pass me and I kicked harder because I hate to get passed at the last second so that was fun. I finished in 3:42:45 for my actual time (8:30 pace), which was about 4 minutes faster than my PR in Toledo in late April.Steve ran over to see me at the finish and I was still cramping and was extremely thirsty. With all the allergy issues I was having I think I was dehydrated as I downed 3 of 4 bottles of water immediately. My stomach was queezie so eating was not an option but I was able to drink a couple of chocolate milks to get some recovery calories in.

post race!

We hung around to wait for the awards as Steve placed first in his age group in the half! I was able to get in some pizza after a little while and then we headed to the hotel to get showered. We were both really hungry so we headed into town in Petoskey and had a great lunch and post race IPA at Mitchell St Pub. We also checked out Beard Brewing and tasted some of their local brews. After that we headed to nearby Harbor Springs to check out the beach and town. It was a cute, upscale area. We enjoyed some hard-earned icecream and then headed back to Petoskey later for dinner at the Duffy's Garage & Grill. Then it was back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.

Sunday we had a quick breakfast, packed up and made the trip back to Cleveland. The drive went smooth and we were home around 2:30 in time to hit the Willoughby Brewing Nutsmasher Release party where we enjoyed that beer along with sampling tastes of a couple others.

Closing Thoughts:

I loved the race. The course is gorgeous. It is relatively flat at 800 ft of elevation gain but it is not pancake flat. I loved the area - especially the Gaslight District in Petoskey. I plan to visit the area again and maybe do the race again as well. The beer is good but NOT as good as Ohio. I guess we are spoiled like that!

Because I was so close this time I made the decision to run the Erie Marathon on September 13. I am excited to have this opportunity to continue my journey. I am blessed this year to be healthy and running well and I want to take advantage of this fitness and try once more for that BQ in 2016. September 13 is the last day before Boston 2016 registration opens! Wish me luck!

P.S. I also qualified for Marathon Maniacs for completing my third marathon in 62 days. That's pretty fun I think in a running nerd kindof way! :)

Below are a couple of images from the beautiful area...enjoy!

Downtown Petoskey Pier at Sunset

Sunrise along to route driving to the race!

Downtown Petoskey's "Gaslight District"

Busy Weekend, Lots of Training & a Race for Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is always one of my favorite times of the year since it's the official welcome of Summer for us Ohioans. This Memorial Day was full of friends and family and lots of training, including a race!

Friday kicked off the weekend with a recovery run and a Bikram Yoga class. Saturday Steve and I got in a ride on the tri bikes then spent some time with the kiddos at the driving range. Of course their favorite part was driving the golf carts!

Pre Blossom Run Fun at Ginny & Bobs

Sunday we headed to Chagrin Falls for the annual Blossomtime Run, which is always a fun and challenging race with the heat and the hills. Our friends Ginny and Bob had a nice little prerace party at their house for the runners. Some of our Cleveland Tri Club friends were there so it was nice to catch up with folks before jogging over to the start.

Last year I went out too fast at the race start so this time I held back with my first mile being a 7:15. My splits were pretty consistent as I never really felt I was pushing too hard and I ended up finishing the 5.25 mile course in 38 and change (7:20 pace), which I was happy with since it was a better time than last year. With that I placed 3rd of 85 in my AG.

Post race with my speedy guy!

Steve also had a good race finishing in 33 and change and 3rd in his AG, which included some pretty fast local runners! After the race we caught up with my friend Jilllian for a few minutes and then headed to get a post race smoothie. The rest of the day was filled with house cleaning and yard work so it was a busy day!

Yesterday I was going to go with Steve to do the Snakebite Racing Death Ride but I needed to get in a decent long run and bike so I opted out and went to the Towpath in Independence instead for a 13 mile run at marathon pace followed by 30 miles of riding on my cross bike. Steve was nearby so we met up after for some much needed Chipotle! Then we ran some errands and headed home to get ready for our neighbors picnic.

This week will be full of lots of swim, bike, run as well and the first multisport race of the season too at the Twinsburg Duathlon, which is a sprint consisting of a 2 mile run, 10 mile bike and 2 mile run. I am hoping to do well but will see how it goes as I don't feel I am in great bike shape yet this season. It will be a great tuneup for the next two weekends, which will both consist of olympic triathlons (Champ Racing's GWRT and Challenge Williamsburg). I am excited to switch gears a little bit these next few weeks!

10 Mile Drop Race Report & Marathon Training Update

This past Sunday I raced the Lake Health Running 10 Mile Drop race. This was my last race before the Toledo Marathon, which is coming up on Sunday April 26! I wanted to see what kind of speed/strength I have in me a couple of weeks out from the marathon. The good news is that it went well...even a little better than I expected!

My friend Jillian who is also doing Toledo and hoping for a BQ came out to run the race as well. My husband Steve dropped us off at the start on Ravenna Rd in Concord Township around 7:45. This allowed plenty of time to warm up, use the bathroom and say hi to some other friends. The start was at 8:25 and began with a slight incline heading up Ravenna Rd before a downhill and right hand turn onto the Greenway Trail. The start was fast but I was trying my best to hold back the pace.

Jillian was in the lead and the woman who ended up placing second passed me after a mile so I was in third for much of the race. Although the race is called a drop, there are some climbs throughout. Exiting the Greenway Trail and turning left onto Rt 84 is uphill. With the temperature rising and the sun shining down on me I knew it would not be an easy race. I was able to hold pretty steady. My 5K split was 21:51, which was faster than my planned pace. The next few miles I slowed down a little with my 10K pace slipping to 45 and change. I definitely started to feel some fatigue later in the race around mile 8 when I was passed by the third place female. Another woman had attempted to pass me too but I was able to hold my ground and push forward in front of her. I had hoped to regain third place but as the finish drew close she was out of sight. I just kept my goal as not letting any additional women pass me.

At the final turn onto Second St in Fairport Harbor there is maybe 1/4 mile to the finish. Or maybe a 1/3. I didn't look at my watch as I was focused on trying to finish strong. I saw Jillian cheering and saw the clock and I tried my best to break 1:14 but came up just a tad short in 1:14:02. My race average was 7:25 pace versus the 7:02 I started with. This was above my goal pace of 7:30 so I was happy with the 4th place finish and age group win. I was excited for Jillian to learn she had won the race with a 1:11 and change.

Postrace with Jillian and our friend Bryan (Lake Effect Runner)

We hung around after the race and talked to some friends that had run the 10 and 20 mile races and Steve came to hang out after his training run. After the awards we headed back to my house to change and then hit the Mentor Winking Lizard for some hard-earned hoppy beer and food!

This was my last hard effort before Toledo. I am hoping things go well there and I can celebrate my first BQ! I feel ready and just have to rest up now and get fresh for race day. After Toledo I will race the Cleveland Marathon Full or Half depending on how I feel and my goals. No matter which race I do, I am super excited to race Cleveland again as I love this race and especially with the new course!

Run for Regis Trail Half Marathon Race Report

Prerace!

Race season officially started this year on January 31st at Run For Regis. I think this is the earliest that I've ever started my season. Although with the conditions many people don't consider it a race but rather a "fun" run. My plan was to push myself as hard as I could that day given the conditions and that's how it went. Really it goes like this with most trail races - especially in the winter when terrain can vary greatly and footing is tricky!

It was a cold start with temps in the single digits so I opted for some extra warm gear such as my balakalava and heavy duty winter gloves, two pairs of Smartwool socks and had plenty of layers on to keep me warm.

The race takes place in the gorgeous Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) and includes a half marathon, 50K as well as other non-traditional distance options like 18 or 22 miles. Packet pickup is inside at the Ledges Shelter where they had the fireplaces going. My first impression after picking up our swag was a good one. They gave out some awesome stuff! The 50K runners started at 7:30 and the half marathoners started at 9am. I enjoyed the later start since we had a 50-minute drive. Steve and I got to see some of our friends and get in a little warm up before the start,

The Start:

Hubby in the front at the start!

The start is just out in front of the shelter as is the checkpoint and finish. We lined up. I told my speedy husband to line up in the front and I was back a few rows. It was slower going than some race starts due to the sloppy uneven snow in the fields leading to the Ledges Trail. Once you get on the trail the snow is mostly packed and a little easier to run on. Not too far in you encounter a nice, steep set of stairs that will get the heart going a little. Then it's little ups and downs and twists and turns as with most trail races.

I felt pretty good through the first aid station, which was around 5 miles. It was so cold that my gels had frozen but I was able to get one down and take a quick drink before heading back into the woods. I feel like I started to labor more as time went on and there were not many people around. I wasn't sure where I was place wise, I just knew at least a few of the usual speed demons like Janet Edwards and her sister Lisa were ahead of me.

bringing it home!

Around mile 8 we headed back to the Ledges to the start and went over the mat for timing as well as being able to get a drink and more gels. I grabbed one to bring with me. The second loop was definitely the more challenging loop as we were running the ledges, which are full of uneven rocks and some hills. It is probably the most beautiful and challenging part of the course - especially heading back in. I definitely felt fatigued heading into the last mile but was able to finish strong with a smile on my face. Not a terrific time at 2:16 ish but I survived it and came in 5th female, which I was happy with. They don't give awards to the age groupers but even if they did I was 4th in my AG - Oye! 35-39 is a tough group of women! Steve ended up finishing 2nd male with a pretty solid time. He has really been running strong the last couple years and it's definitely motivating me to push myself more because at this rate I'll never catch him!

After the race I was freezing! I stopped to get a drink and some snacks and hug my love. I Chatted with some of my friends and then headed to the heated restrooms to change into my dry clothes. After that we headed over with a group of friends to the Winking Lizard in Peninsula for some hard-earned food & hoppy beers!

I definitely will do this race again. Maybe someday I'll even tackle the 50K as I had originally planned. But on this day, I was glad to be finished after 13! The next day we were off to sunny Clearwater Beach, FL and getting ready to race again the following Saturday at a cross country race in warmer temps. That will be my next post!

Below are a couple more photos from the course from the photographer. It truly is beautiful to run here at anytime of the year!

My plans for the 2015 Running & Triathlon Season

I am excited about the 2015 racing season and being part of the new Challenge Family Triathlon Team (formerly Rev3 Triathlon), Powerbar Team Elite as well as being an Official Ambassador of the Cleveland Marathon!

I plan to continue to focus on endurance running and triathlon with some shorter stuff thrown in as tune ups and for fun.

My main goals for 2015 are as follows:

• Complete my first 50K running race at the Green Jewel in March
• Try again for the elusive BQ (Boston Qualifying time) and at minimum PR the marathon
• Set a new PR in the 70.3 triathlon distance
• Complete my second 140.6 and set a new PR

You can check out my tentative race calendar below. The races that are bolded are key races for the season that much of my training will be focused on.

• Jan 31  - Run for Regis Trail 1/2 Marathon - Peninsula, OH
• Feb 7 - Holloway XC Half Marathon - Lakeland, FL
• Mar 7 - Green Jewel 50K - Rocky River, OH
• Mar 14 - St Malachi 5 Miler - Cleveland, OH
• Mar 29 - Fools 25K - Peninsula, OH
• April 12 - 10 Mile Drop - Concord Township, OH
• April 26 - Toledo Marathon - Toledo, OH
• May 9 - Nordonia Duathlon - Nordonia, OH
• May 17 - Cleveland Marathon - Cleveland, OH
• May 25 - Blossomtime Run - Chagrin Falls, OH
• May 31 - Twinsburg Duathlon - Twinsburg, OH
• June 14 - Challenge Williamsburg 70.3 Triathlon - Williamsburg, VA
• June 28 - Milton Man Olympic Triathlon - Lake Milton, OH
• July 4 - Bay Days 5 Miler - Bay Village, OH
• July 12 - Johnnycake Jog 5 Miler - Mentor, OH
• Aug 2 - Greater Cleveland Triathlon Olympic - Mentor, OH
• Aug 15 - Challenge Poconos Olympic or 70.3 Triathlon - Poconos, PA
• Sept 13 - Challenge Cedar Point 70.3 Triathlon - Sandusky, OH
• Oct 4 - Lakeland Clocktower 5K - Kirtland, OH
• Oct 17 Beach 2 Battleship 140.6 - Wilmington, NC
• TBD

So far the training for Regis and Green Jewel are going well thanks to a strong base from 2014 and a little guidance from my coach Chris Martino of New Level Coaching. I look forward to giving it my best this year! 

Help Me Fight Cancer & Win Free Powerbar Goodies!

As part of my ongoing effort to raise funds for the American Brain Tumor Association, I will be giving away a package of Powerbar goodies to help fuel your training and racing for the rest of the season. All you need to do to be eligible is make a donation of ANY amount and you'll be entered to win.

The package contains the following Powerbar items:

• Box of 24 Pomegranate Blueberry Acai Gels ($30 value)
• Box of 6 Pear Apple Peach Energy Blends ($15 value)
• Box of 15 Peanut Butter Cholcoate Chip Harvest Energy Bars ($22 value)
• 4 Banana Performance Energy Bars ($7 value)
• 4 Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars ($7 value)
• 2 Peanut Butter & Jelly Performance Energy Bars ($3 value)

That's about $85 in Powerbar deliciousness! I'll cover the shipping so all you have to do is make a donation HERE by next weekend and you're entered to win. The winner will be posted to my blog, Facebook and Twitter the following week.

Thank you for supporting my fundrasier! Together we can beat cancer!

2014 Rev3 Williamsburg 70.3 Race Report - Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

My first triathlon of the 2014 season is officially in the books and it was a success despite some challenges. I was pumped to make my first tri of the season a destination race in beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia with my awesome Rev3 Triathlon Team! Last year Steve and I had done the inaugural olympic distance race and both enjoyed it so we were both looking forward to racing the half distance this time around.

Prerace:

setting up my bike for her maiden voyage!

Last year we had combined our race with a family vacation and the kids loved it so much so we decided to bring them again. We arrived in Williamsburg and checked into our condo on Thursday evening. Friday we spent the day with the family in Virginia Beach. Saturday we did the Rev3 practice swim at Jamestown Beach Park while the kids hung out and then went to the expo to pick up our packets and goodies with the kids. It was nice to see some of the teammates at the practice swim and expo. After packet pick up we dropped the kids off at the condo and headed out to check our bikes in at T1 and then headed out for a prerace beer at the Dog Street Pub. Later that evening we made a big pasta dinner and enjoyed another beer...along with a lot of water. We turned in around 9:30 to get a good night's sleep before the race.

Race Morning:

Prerace with Steve...all smiles!

With the two transititon setup, we knew we had to arrive at T2 (where the finish was) at the Warhill Sports Complex between 5:45-6am. We set the alarm for 4:45 and were dressed, ate breakfast and out the door by 5:30. We arrived at T2 around 5:45 to setup our running stuff. We ran into some of my teammates and got to sit by each other on the shuttle bus to the swim start and T1 located at Jamestown Beach Park. The shuttle ride took about 15-20 minutes so we arrived around 6:30 to set up our T1 area and get the bike all ready with drinks and fuel, helmet, shoes, etc and then hit the restroom before walking down to the swim start, which was about 1/4 mile walk. Steve's wave was first starting at 7:05 so I gave him a kiss and wished him goodluck and then hung out with my teammates Meghan and Laura until our wave (women under 40) started about 20 minutes later.

The Swim (1.2 Miles):

Race officials had already announced the day before that with the water temperature being 80 degrees wetsuits were not legal. Rev3 still allowed a final wave of those athletes wishing to use their wetsuits but I opted not to use mine as if would make me ineligible for any awards. I had practiced the day before without it and knew I would be okay swimming with the current so I just lined up in my tri kit with my cap and googles and my trusty noseplugs.

The start was very relaxed as the water was shallow for a while - maybe as much as 400 meters was shallow enough to run so many of us did just that and saved the arms. I dophin dived a couple times just to get used to the water but this relaxed approach really helped keep my heart rate down and when I did start to freestyle I felt relaxed and ready. I freestyled the majority of the swim and felt great and I did use my breaststroke at times to sight around buoys or just to give my arms a break. I was able to stay calm and even somewhat on course despite the counter clockwise swim. The swim seemed to go faster than usual and I actually enjoyed the experience more than most of my prior races. My time of 40:51 was actually pretty good for me in the open water so I was happy with this leg of the race and was at 8/14 in my division after this leg.

T1:

My T1 was long for a few reasons: first we all had to run the 1/4 mile back to T1. Second, I stopped to use the restroom and then third I struggled to get my transition bag into the swim to bike dry bags that were provided to get our T1 stuff back to the finish. In hindsight I should have just put my # on the transition bag as well as the plastic bag provided. I took in a Powerbar energy blend just before the bike and was off through the trails leading out of the park to the road. My T1 time was 6+ minutes versus the 3-4 minutes most people had so I definitely could have shaved off a couple minutes from my time here.

The Bike (56 Miles):

First race with the new QR was a success!

This was my first race on the new Quintana Roo tri bike so I was even more excited than usual to race this leg, which is often my favorite part of the race. There's nothing like flying on your bike to make you feel alive! The bike course started out flat and fast for the first 20 miles or so. I felt great and made sure to hydrate as it was already getting warm. I did my first fuel around an hour, which was one of the new Powerbar chocolate wafers. I just love those! I hit an aid station and refilled my aero drink as I was out of water.

Right around 20-25 miles it started to get more hilly as we traveled on 60. That stretch of rollers on the highway seemed to go on for miles and miles. Slowly climb and pass people and then hammer the downhills. There was a turn around on the course around mile 40 with some good climbs coming back and there was a bumpy section where my straw for my aero drink went flying. I just left it because we were starting a climb. There was one big hill that I recall but most were just rollers and then things started to flatten back out as we approached the Warhill Sports Complex.

Overall I loved the bike. It was more challenging than I expected from racing the olympic last year but it kept things interesting. My goal was to average 19-20mph and I ended up with a 2:55 or average of 19.2 mph. This moved me up to 6/14 in my division.

T2:

T2 was pretty straight forward but slow at 2:56. After changing into running gear and downing a Powerbar energy blend I think I just casually strolled through the transition area to start the run so again this could have been a minute or two faster for sure. Guess I will have to work on this is my shorter races especially where every minute is precious!

The Run (13.1 miles):

The run was definitely challenging but I also loved the course. It was hot and humid and the 4-loop course was about 2.25 miles of wooded trail with some nice hills with a mile of ashphalt paved trail. It was more shaded on the trail but definitely not as fast going as the asphalt part of the trail. This definitely slowed things down on the run for a lot of people. I know for me personally I am usually 30 seconds to a minute slower per mile in trail running than road running. That coupled with the heat and fatigue and my run just not really being there for me left me with a slower than anticipated run time of 2:05 versus my last 70.3 run, which was 1:54. Not happy with the 9:30 pace as it is nowhere near my running ability for a half marathon, which is normally 1:39-1:45 on a decent day.  After the run I finished 3/14 in my division.

The Finish:

Happy to finish 3rd in my AG with some fast ladies!

I was pumped for the last loop of the run - especially that last mile on the asphalt where I knew I was almost there! I felt strong through the finish and the people cheering including Steve pumped me up and I sprinted past a woman in front of me at the finish to grab 3rd in the 35-39 age group. If I didn't I would have been 4th so thank god for my ability to kick at the end. My final time of 5:50:32 was not a huge PR but still a PR by 2 minutes and I was happy to end up on the podium at one of my team races.

Considering my running season has been going so well this year I find it a little disappointing that my run failed me Sunday but I did the best that I could do and at least two of my sports went well!

Post Race:

My sweet dual medal!

Steve had a huge PR of 30 minutes, finishing in 5:07 so I was really excited for him. We hung around with the team and had some food and a couple IPAs and picked up my award. The age group medals clip on to the finisher medals and make one bigger, cooler medal. We headed back to the condo to shower and take the kids out to eat for Father's Day.

Later I went out with the team for another drink to celebrate. It was an absolute blast and I am so glad to be able to race and celebrate with people that are just so easy and fun to be around. I just love them! Kudos to Rev3 for another fabulous event and looking forward to doing my first full with them this year at Cedar Point! Being on the team is awesome and we are so lucky to have great sponsors like Powerbar, Pearl Izumi, Quintana Roo, Blueseventy, etc.

post race drinks with my teammates!

Next up is Champ Racing's Milton Man Olympic Tri in 12 days and I'm excited to see how hard I can push the intensity there given it's a shorter distance!

Flapjack & Jill 15K Race Report

Last Saturday was my last opportunity to race prior to the Cleveland Marathon. The 15K distance is long enough to challenge my endurance and yet short enough to allow me to see if I could muster up some speed. I've been feeling a little slower lately running many of my runs at marathon pace or slower. Coach said to go for it so I did my best. My thinking was to go out at around a 7:15-7:30 pace and I pretty much stuck to that with my first mile being a little faster and my last a little slower.

The Flapjack & Jill 15K took place in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) on the Towpath Trail. I love this section of the park and ran one of my first ever 20 milers on it years back so I was excited about the chance to do a race on this mostly flat, softer surface.

Prerace:

Steve and I got in a couple of easy miles to warm up before the race. It was a little cool at 50 degrees or so but I decided to race sans armwarmers as I figured I'd work up a sweat. We lined up around 8:00 and we were off.

The Start:

Race start I'm in the yellow hat and red shirt & steve is on my right

The start was fun as it started at the Stanford house and went straight down a little hill across the street onto a trail leading to the Towpath where we then took a right and ran toward the Ohio Turnpike Bridge. I started in the front next to Steve since it was a smaller race. One woman who ended up in second passed me right away and I just stuck to my pace.

The First 4-5 Miles:

Maybe another mile or two later another woman passed who ended up being the overall winner. We pretty much stayed in that position for a couple miles and then a couple other women passed. I just kept telling myself to stick to the pace. It's impossible to know whether they'll slow down or not later depending on their endurance and intensity. My hope was to at least place in the top three although I wasn't sure if that was going to happen.

The Back 4-5 Miles:

I did a gel around mile 5 at the water stop and kept steady (thanks for the race fuel Powerbar). I think one more more woman passed me here and she was in front of me the rest of the race just outside of my reach. I was feeling a little fatigued around miles 7-8 and my right calf was cramping up. I thought this might happen as it was a little achy following my Wednesday longer run. I just tried to maintain as I knew the finish wasn't too far off!

The Finish:

post race with my adorable & fast husband!

I enjoyed the finish. Running back up to the Stanford House there was the little hill but a lot of people cheering including my speedy husband. I finished a little slower than my goal time at 1:10:41 (7:36 pace) but was happy with the finish. I was 7th female and 3rd in the 35-39 age group. Both other women in my age group were within a minute of me and the woman who placed third was only 90 seconds ahead of me with an average 7:26 pace so it was a small but competitive womens' field.

Post Race & Closing Thoughts:

Steve had a great race and placed second overall so we headed out to Kent to visit Ray's Place for some post race celebratory IPAS and food.

It was a good day and we were lucky that the rain held out for the race. As usual Western Reserve Racing did a nice job with the event. There was an optional pancake breakfast after which we skipped and we received nice gender specific tech tees. I will definitely consider doing this one again - hopefully a little faster the next time! Next up is Cleveland in 10 days!

Wrapping up the 2013 Triathlon & Running Season - a look back on my Results

2013 has been an incredible journey for me as an athlete and person. I started off the year with a couple of goals: to stay injury free and to improve my performance. I was able to do both. Despite some ups and downs it has been a great season. I know there are specific things I could have done more or less of to improve even more but as a self-coached athlete this season I am really happy that I was able to perform at the level I did. With just one more trail 5 mile race to go this season, things are winding down. I thought it would be a good time to do a look back on my results.

This season I have done 15 races ranging from trail 5/10K's to a full marathon to a number of triathlons ranging from sprint to 70.3. I am fortunate enough to have been on the podium 10 x this season... 8 of those in the top 10 overall females. I finally won my first 1st place finish at my last race as well as 4 x top 3 finishes (all running races) and a handful of AG awards.

2013 Race Performances:

Feb - Dirty Love Trail 10K - 8th overall female, 1st in 30-39AG

March - St Malachi 5 Miler - 33rd overall, 9th of 252 in 30-34AG

April - On My Own Two Feet Half Marathon - 3rd overall female

May - Rev3 Knoxville Olympic Tri - DNF :(

May - Cleveland Full Marathon - (new PR - 4:09 for my 2nd full marathon), 39/144 (ouch)

June - Lake Health Half Marathon - (more of a training run than a race), 9th in AG

June - Rev3 Williamsburg Olympic Tri - 9/34 in AG

July - Milton Man Olympic Tri - (New Olympic PR 2:44)  11th overall, 2nd in 30-34AG

July - Fairport Harbor Sprint Tri - 10th overall, 3rd in 30-34AG

Sept- Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3 - (New PR 5:52) -  9/42 in 35-39AG

Sept - Believe & Achieve Trail 5K - 3rd overall female

October - Lake Health Half Marathon - 13th overall, 2nd in 35-39AG

October - Quick & Dirty 8K Trail Race - 3rd overall female

Nov - Autumn Leaves 5 Miler (offroad) - 10th overall female, 2nd in 35-39AG

Nov - Twinsburg Turkey Trot 5 Miler - 1st overall female!

Dec - Ohio Outside Race # 3 Trail - 3rd overall female

I will end with some things that I have either learned or confirmed this season:

• My run is my strongest of the three sports 
• My bike is steady and I gained a little fitness here this year but not as much as I had hoped. Still some work to do here and hoping the new Quintana Roo bike helps too!
• My swim is still my key limiter in triathlon. I have no excuses. Lots of work needed here. Once I address this weakness I will be more competitive in triathlon. 
• My competitiveness as a runner decreases in any race longer than a half marathon. Probably because I am still a newbie at LONG running with only 2 marathons under my belt. 
• Off season strength work is important.
• Yoga/Core are very important to staying strong and healthy year round.
• Being sick for a couple of months made me realize that I am stronger physically and mentally than I thought I was. I think this is true for most people. 
• Being on a team with wonderful people makes it easier to improve as well as to accept when you don't have a good performance. I am very lucky to be a member of Team Rev3 and Powerbar Team Elite!

Excited to ride this new QR bike for my 2014 season!

A special thank you to all of the Rev3 team sponsors for helping me be my best this season: Powerbar, Biotta, SBR Sports, Pearl Izumi, Normatec Recovery, Compex, Blueseventy and Quintana Roo!

Stay tuned for the last race report of the year in a few weeks as well as my 2014 season plans! 

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!