You might have an endurance running problem, Gretchen.

It's President's Day weekend and, as for the past three years, my husband is in New York City with his middle school choir for their annual trip.  We were supposed to go along with him this year, but Jack got sick so we are home. I crammed most of my miles into M-F so that we could go away this weekend, and I had 71 accumulated by yesterday at 11 a.m.  I don't need to run today.  And between church and a birthday party, there was no way I could make it to the gym while the childcare was open, and it is way too cold for the baby jogger... so I really can't run today. But yet... I want to.

Gretchen, you have a running problem.  Really.  You do.

I know a lot of people who have running addictions, or triathlon addictions, but most of them don't have two kids and a full time job.  Most of them are single, or DINKs (Double-Income-No-Kids.)  So what is my deal?  I have been a "runner" since 2005 or so, when I discovered that it cured my winter blues, gave me an outlet for all my stress at work, had this great side effect of eliminating excess body fat, and made me a generally happier person.  I made some of my best friends out on the roads and trails.  I wasn't fast.  But I ran consistently and completed 7 marathons before Jack was born.

And then, after Jack's birth, I discovered how to train properly, and I started to get faster.  Not elite.  But I discovered I had some potential.  And thus, the addiction was born.  I'm 34.  These are going to be my running years.  This is when I'm going to see my best race times.

You know you might have an endurance running problem if:

-  You choose your daughter's ballet classes based on it's proximity to jogging stroller friendly terrain and think "Okay, 45 minutes will give me 4-5 miles depending on if I have my son with me or not.  That means I only have to run 9 miles in the morning, so I can sleep in until 5:15."

- You take off work to be home with your miserably sick 20 month old son, and rather than having him nap in the crib and using that time to, say, do laundry, you stick in him the jogging stroller and run for three hours straight.  (In my defense, he wanted to be outside.  It was 60 degrees.  He loves sunshine.  He was not having it in the crib.  And he slept the entire three hours.)

- Speaking of laundry, you haven't put it away for two weeks because you go to bed at the same time as your kids instead of getting some peaceful housework done after 9 p.m., possibly because you got up at 4:45am to run 15 miles before work on Tuesday.

-Speaking of clothes, you might own more race shirts than work shirts. A lot more.

-  You use doggy potty breaks and grocery store excursions as an excuse to get in 3-4 miles in the evenings because "The dogs need to pee!" and "We need granola bars!"

- You are in the fourth week of five at peak mileage, training for a marathon, and tell people "I don't think I'm going to do a fall marathon - this is too much training."  And then you start contemplating a fall Ironman instead.

- And then the next day you sign up for a 50 mile trail ultra.

My name is Gretchen, and I am a Runaholic.

Race Report - Langley "Not-An-8K"

Another tune up race for Jamie and me.  So no taper -- I did a 15 mile midweek long run on Tuesday, speed training on Wednesday, and already had 47 miles in my legs this week before stepping up to the start.  I guess that is why it's called a "tune up" race.

We arrived at the start and it was COLD.... my iPhone said 14 degrees at 9:30am.   We did a 10 minute warm up, and I finished with a few strides on the track, threw our gear in the car, and arrived at the timing mat right at 10.  And we were off.

The first mile wasn't bad.  Pretty flat in fact. I glanced down at my Garmin and it clicked off at 6:55.  Then I saw a MONSTER hill. And it was pretty much like that the rest of the course.  Up up up, down down down.  Lots and lots of hills with pretty steep grades.  I should have known with much of the course being on "Balls Hill Road."

I hit 3 miles at just over 22 minutes and thought to myself "Hey, I don't feel too bad and there are only two miles to go!"  I saw Jamie heading the other direction and he looked like he was doing pretty well.  4 miles clicked off, and I started to push it, even on the uphills.

At 4.5 miles my phone rang.  I looked at the number -- it was our babysitter, Poliana.  It was a little after 10:30, so I knew that she should have just arrived to Susanna's swim class.  Aurgh!  I had less than a half mile to go -- I figured less than 4 minutes, and Jamie was probably done already.  If it was a big issue I'm sure she could call him.  I ignored it and kept running.

4.9 miles came and I was pretty sure I was nowhere near Langley High School.  I hadn't even gotten back on Georgetown Pike, and I was sure we'd ran quite a distance on that road before turning into the smaller neighborhoods.  5 miles came.... then 5.3.... what was going on?  I had paced this thing for 5 miles and I was running out of energy.  I finally turned onto the main road and saw the school -- pretty far off in the distance. Had I read the race entry wrong?  Was this a 10K?   I pushed it as best I could and finally turned into the school's front lot.  There were runners going in two different directions - some behind the school and some in front.  I asked the guy behind me which way we were supposed to go and he threw up his hands in obvious frustration.  Well, since my GPS already said 5.8 miles I decided to just go the shortest route.  And then someone said to the photographer at the timing mat "That woman is going to cross the wrong direction."  Which I did.  Because there was no way I was turning around and running the other way.  The guy behind me did the same thing.

I stopped my watch. 5.86 is not 4.97.  Everyone around me was getting about 5.92 (so even though I went long, I still cut the course by going in front rather than behind the school.)  Then this man (maybe the race director?  I am not sure....) says to me "Why didn't you go around the school?  You were supposed to come back the way you went out."  I looked at him and I said "There were no volunteers telling us where to go.  I couldn't remember which way I ran at the beginning.  And I thought this was an 8K, but I did almost 6 miles."  I'm not sure what was going on with him -- maybe a bunch of runners had already complained?  He retorts "If you went the wrong way, you didn't know the course.  You are supposed to know the course before you run it."  Seriously?  I was just following people.

So apparently what happened was that the first (fastest) runners made the correct turn and actually ran an 8K, and then the guy in fourth place went left instead of right around the 5K and EVERYONE followed.  Was this man really telling me that I should have "known the course" and gone the opposite direction of every other runner?  And really, it's not like I often run a race with a map in my hand.  So I did an extra .9 miles -- fine -- I'm okay with that. Just don't get annoyed with me like I did something wrong.

6th place Overall Female, 3rd in the 30-40 Age Group.  All the girls went the wrong way.

I called Poliana back and found out Susanna was refusing to get in the water at the pool. Phew.  No emergency.  It's always hard to know what to do when you get a phone call from your babysitter during a race...

And for the record I hit 5 miles at 36:40.  Which still is a little over the pace I was hoping for, but considering the hills, not too bad.  And considering a little over a year ago my 5 mile Turkey Trot was 40:53, well hey, that's progress.  Except the race results are going to say that I did it in 43:16.  I might have to block this one from Athlinks....

Race Report: JFK 20K

This was another race I wasn't sure was going to happen.  Apparently half the population of the USA has come down with a stomach bug, including our original babysitter, and my entire family.  Back up to last weekend, a kid projectile vomited on Susanna when we were at Chuck E. Cheese.  Two days later Jamie got the bug, and on Thursday afternoon both kids got it.  It was short lived -- 12 hours, really.  For me, even less.   After calling the 5 people we normally use for babysitting, then another 10 people they suggested, I was about to give up, when someone recommended using Care.com.  I put a desperate plea on there at noon, and by 3 p.m. I had 15 available babysitters.  How had I not heard of this before?  I found a lovely young lady with two years of au pair experience, and the kids loved her.

Last year when I did this race, my chronotag malfunctioned but I think I finished in around 1:44.  It was snowing like crazy and I was wearing YakTrax.  This year the race had ideal conditions, with a dry trail and a starting temperature of 43 degrees.  Jamie and I did a warm up mile, stripped down to shorts and t-shirts, and headed for the start.

I pressed "start" on my Garmin and nothing happened.  It said "Searching."  AURGH!  I took off at what seemed like a 7:35 pace (that was my goal) and hoped for the best.  After what seemed like quite awhile I saw a sign that said 2.5.  Ah.  Wait a second.  It said 2.5K.  Not miles.  What?  Seriously?  Because I felt like I'd been running quite a ways -- we were only, like, an eighth into the race?  This was not good.  I glanced down at my watch and it still said "Searching."

I noticed I'd been running with men the entire time and hadn't seen a woman anywhere near me.  I think there may have been a couple ahead of me, but I had a sinking sensation I'd gone out way, way too fast.  Because I was already feeling like I was getting tired.

Finally my Garmin found the signal.  I glanced down and it said 22 minutes, but of course no distance.  Then I looked ahead and saw the 5K marker.  Oops.  My fastest 5K is 21:47.  I still had 15K to go.  This was not a good sign.

I slowed the pace down and tried to keep it at 7:35 to the turnaround.  As I slowed down, I got passed by three ladies.  Fine. Because there is no way I was going to be able to finish that race going at whatever ridiculous pace I started.

I was so tired.  We hadn't passed any of the fasties on the out-and-back, so I knew I wasn't even halfway done.  My legs were screaming at me.  Finally I saw the speedy men bolting towards us.  Jamie was maybe a minute into that pack of runners, so it was nice to see him although he was so focused on running he barely gave me a wave.

Finally the turnaround, which mentally I needed because I felt like I literally had been running forever.  I crossed it at 46 minutes flat.

The next couple of miles were right on that 7:35 pace.  And then we hit the climb.  Yup, I remembered why I hated this course last year.  It has a gradual downhill on the way out, and uphill on the way back, but the last two and a half miles are definitely the toughest.  Not enough of an incline to call it a hill, but apparently enough to completely destroy my already exhausted legs.

I pretty much gave up at this point.  People were passing me left and right.  My Garmin was registering a pace between 8:00 - 8:30.  Blah.  Meh.  Whatever.  I just wanted this race to be over.

Finally, the finish line.  Jamie was waiting for me and looked like he'd been waiting for awhile.  I booked it when I saw him and crossed the finish line in under 1:36, but just barely.  Which means I didn't even hit the pace of my last half marathon.

Jamie had a good day though -- he finished in about 1:25:30, which was under his 7 minute/ mile goal.  And, my day wasn't terrible.  Just not where I wanted it.

We got home, and I did the sloggiest four miles ever to get in my "17 mile long run" prescribed in the marathon plan for today.  Then I made Ghiradelli Chocolate Shakes for everyone.  Which were seriously amazing.  Best recovery drink ever.

Dude Where's My Car?

No really.  Where is it?

Someone stole it this afternoon.  From our driveway.  While my husband was in the kitchen.  Which is directly in line of vision of the car.

I'm now afraid to go running.

I feel so violated.  I have spent countless mornings leaving my house at 4:30 a.m. so I can run before work and still have the evenings to spend with my kiddos.  My neighborhood is in a busy area with well-lit streets and folks walking to the metro at quarter to five, so I haven't really ever felt unsafe.  Until now.

Someone literally stole the car right in front of our house while we were visible from the bay window.  Someone was looking in our window.

I have a 17 miler planned tomorrow, and I have a work event at 8:30.  Some of the Moms Run This Town ladies are doing a group run at 6, so I planned to start at 5 by myself.  I'm not going to.  I'll do the 10 I can fit in, and then I'll do a treadmill/ jogging stroller combo tomorrow in broad daylight before I have to be BACK at the work event at noon, since Jamie will have the only car we currently have possession of.

A life lived in fear is a life half lived.. that was my motto.  I always said, what are the chances that anything will happen to you on your runs in the morning?

But what are the chances of someone stealing your car in your driveway while you're standing in your kitchen bay window?

(... on another note... I am still hopeful this is just some crazy misunderstanding.  A mistaken repossession?  The car has been paid off for two years, so unlikely... perhaps someone called to have a car towed from their spot and the towers got the wrong car?  It's been reported to police for 5 hours now, and still no car, so still unlikely, BUT maybe in the morning we'll get good news...)

2012

Before my children were born, I ran mostly for the social aspect of it.  I never did speedwork, I never did long runs without other people, and they were pretty much run-walk gossip sessions with my girlfriends. In 2010 I did get into triathlon (by default, after breaking my foot), and I enjoyed them, but my goal was always just "to finish."

Following Jack's birth, I was 40 pounds overweight and running slowly wasn't getting me anywhere in that department.  I even trained for a sprint triathlon, which I completed when he was ten weeks old, but I hadn't lost a single pound since leaving the hospital.  I started monitoring my diet and doing intervals, which I read were great for weight loss.

Apparently they were also good for improving my speed.  A month later I went out for an easy 5 miler and was amazed to see that I, a former 10 minute miler, did it in 45 minutes.  I started training for a half marathon with the goal of breaking 2 hours.  I'd never really had any running time goals before, partly because I was afraid I wouldn't meet them.  That Thanksgiving I raced a 5 miler in 40 minutes -- an 8 minute mile!?!? - and just before 2012 I met my time goal and broke the 2 hour barrier - by 9 minutes!

2012 was e a year of goal-setting, goals I set throughout the year.

Goal #1: Break 4 hours in the marathon.
Goal #2:  Break 6 hours in a Half Ironman
Goal #3:  Do an Ironman.  No time goal.  Just do it.
Goal #4:  Win your age group in something.
Goal #5: Qualify for the Boston Marathon
Goal #6:  Do an trail ultramarathon.  No time goal.  Just do it.

So... a lot of miles, a lot of early mornings, and a lot of hard work went into the past 365 days. In March I did a marathon in 3:54.  In July I finished a Half Ironman in 5:34.  In August I did an Ironman.  In November I won my age group in a 5K and came in 2nd overall.  In December I qualified for Boston with over 3 minutes to spare and two weeks later I ran my first trail ultra.

I ran 2039 miles.
I cycled 2069 miles.
I swam 101 miles.

Of all my goals, I am proudest of #5.  You'd think it would be the Ironman, but it isn't.  Why?  Because I always knew I could do an Ironman if I put in the time to train.  But I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought I could qualify for Boston.  When they changed the qualifying standards from 3:40 to 3:35 around the time Jack was born, I just rolled my eyes and figured, hey, what's another 5 minutes when your best time is 48 minutes slower than a BQ -- why not make it 53?  Even when I lined up at the start for the race, I didn't really think I could do it.

This year has changed me in so many good ways.  Some might call it narcissistic, all the training I put in.  However, I believe it makes me a better person all around.  Conquering these goals has given me confidence I never knew I had.  I have found my runner's high, and that makes me happier, and a much better parent/ wife/ teacher/ etc.

Goals for 2013?  Let's see:

#1.  Do a much better job of cleaning the house.
#2.  Sleep more than 6 hours max per night.
#3.  Cook healthier food and stop eating Clif Bars for breakfast.
#4.  Limit Facebook to 4 times a day and stop leaving it on when cleaning the kitchen after dinner because then the kitchen never really gets clean.
#5.  Clean out the closets.

Oh wait, fitness goals?  I have some... not sure what they all are yet.  I'l save them for another post.  Til then...

Happy New Year -- May 2013 bring your good running, good times, good laughs and good company.

Race Report: VHTRC Magnus Gluteus Maximus 50K

This is another great event put on by the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, the same group who does the trail half marathon I ran in September, and the Bull Run Run 50 Miler that I didn't get into (lottery) last year.  All these runs are on the same course, but obviously the 50K and 50 miler use a bigger section than the half marathon.

This is a low key event - you show up, you run, and you write your time down when you finish.  If you don't want to finish, you turn around early and tell them you didn't do the whole thing.  They have aid stations that you hit four times, so like most ultras you need to carry some hydration.  There is a big party with pizza and beverages at the end.  And they request that you run in seasonal colors.   Here's a video of the start, right before we get on the trail-- you can see me run by about halfway through.  I'm on the left, and have a green shirt and a Santa hat on.




I really had no idea what to expect, other than I knew the course was tough.  I came in 24th out of over 250 at the at the half marathon and my pace was 10:13.  There are a lot of ups and downs.  Here is an elevation chart of the entire 50 mile course (we did 31 of these miles in the 50K) that I stole from someone else's blog:

As you can see, the course begins with an insane descent.  I fell for the first time here.  The ground was frosted, there were leaves everywhere, and the rocks were wet underneath them.  I realized right away that I apparently need a better pair of trail shoes, and that most of these runners were a lot more experienced on this terrain that me.  They were flying on the downhills.  

At about three miles in we reached a section along the river that wasn't really run-able.  There were steep rocks and we were walking single file.  Everyone was chatting to each other.  Totally a different atmosphere than road racing.  I started talking to a girl who just moved here from Seattle.  She was a very experienced trail runner.  After we got out of the rocky section, I chatted to her on the flats and the uphills, but when we got to the downhills, she flew.  I couldn't go that fast - I was afraid I would end up with stitches -- so I was alone for a good stretch.  I caught up to her at the first aid station, and barely spent any time there, but lost her again within the next mile.

About one hour in, I started hearing a guy behind me talking about the Chesapeakeman Iron Distance Triathlon, about doing the Bull Run Run 50 last year, and about recently qualifying for Boston at the Marine Corps Marathon.  I realized that this might be the co-worker my husband is always talking about who is crazier about endurance sports than I am, as I knew he was signed up for this.  I waited to see if the friends he ran with called him Jim.  They did!  I turned around and said "Hey!  I'm Jamie's wife!  You work with my husband!"  And then I had a running buddy for the next hour!  Wahoo!  Jim wasn't doing the whole run, though -- he and his buddies did about 23 miles total -- so I bid him farewell around the 11.5 mark (maybe. I honestly have no clue what the mileage was anywhere on the course) and ran alone for a little ways.

At the second aid station, I filled my bottles with Gatorade, grabbed some cookies, and kept on going.  My old boss, who has run the Bull Run Run 50 every year since it began, said that people waste a lot of time at those aid stations and you have to plan what you need to do before you get there.  I think I only stopped for 90 seconds.  Long enough to drink some cola and grab five oreos.  

Finally we made it to the "Do Loop."  They warned us that people always get lost on this section, which is right around the halfway point, and that we should run it with a veteran.  I was with a big group of people, but none of us were veterans.  Sure enough, we got lost.  I think we probably went an extra .4 or .5 miles.  Ugh.  BUT on a positive note, we were in a group.  It was at this point of getting lost that I met Dan and Elena, who actually seemed to run about my pace, and we stuck together for the entire second half.  So in a way, the rest of the race was a bit less mentally challenging than the first when I had sections I did all alone.

I thought I was a little bit crazy for running 70 miles a week during my last training cycle.  The great thing about running an ultra is that you meet people who are crazier.  In a good way.  Elena runs 70 miles a week pretty much every week, but she does it ALL on the trails.  Dan has done 50 milers and 100Ks and told me all about the last race he did, on a course in southern Virginia that was tougher than this and 62 miles long, that he finished in the dark.  I have no clue how people can run these things in the dark.  I was falling at least once an hour, and it was broad daylight,

When we hit the last aid station, 4.5 miles from the finish, I realized this was the longest I had ever run at one time.  I remembered 8 years ago, when I trained for my first marathon, every training run I did was the "longest I have ever run."  I hadn't been able to say that for awhile.

I looked at my watch and realized that I could probably finish in under 6 hours.  There were a lot of tough sections coming up, and it would be close, but I made that my goal.  It kept us moving.  We got to that rock scramble section at the river and had to take it slow, but the run on the dirt section was at a 9 minute pace.  Then we hit that crazy descent from the beginning, except this time it was straight up.  Like straight up a cliff. What kind of cruel joke is this?  I walked every step of that "up."  And then... remember that nice flat section in the video from the start?  I knew that was all that was separating me from lots and lots of pizza.  I also knew I was really going to have to book it to finish in under 6 hours.  I ran as fast as my legs could carry me (which wasn't all that fast) and pulled in at 5:58:23.

I walked in, entered my time, and then I ate one... two... three.. .four... maybe five slices of pizza.  Okay, maybe six.  Then I drove home.

Now I can't walk.  But that's okay.  Cause I am an ultramarathoner!!!

Guest Race Reports: Jingle Bell Run 5K

This fall, 11 boys trained hard with me every Tuesday and Thursday to run the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 5K on December 8.  They each logged over a marathon of miles over the course of 10 weeks.  For some it was their first 5K.  For others, this was a second or third season.  All of the boys did an amazing job and ran a great race!  Here are their race reports.  

My 5K Jingle Bell Race Report by Andrew, Age 9

When I got up three days ago I had to get ready to run a 5K.  I got my running clothes on.  I got my shoes that have jingle bells on them.  It took so long to get to the race.   I got with my running buddy, who is my teacher Miss Van Acker, and I got ready.  It started 20 minutes late.  Since there were about a thousand people in front of me I had to walk for the first five seconds.  I got out of that crowd and then I ran.  I felt relaxed.  In the first mile, though, it felt really long.  At halfway I got a drink of water and I lost my buddy.  From then on my running got faster and faster.  By the second mile, I felt more relaxed than I did in the first mile.  When I got close to the end I did an all out sprint.  When I crossed the finish line I was all out of breath.  I found out later that I was third in my age group!  It was really fun.

My Jingle Bell Race Report by David, Age 10

At the beginning I was kind of nervous.  On the first mile it was tricky because in the beginning there was a big hill, but once I got up the hill it was easier.  I was getting a little tired on the second mile but my Dad/ Running Buddy kept me going.  On the third mile I felt like I was going to pass out.  But once again my dad kept me going .  I felt really relieved when I crossed the finish line.

Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Gavin, Age 11

We were all cold when we were at the race start, and we had to wait about 25 minutes because some people still were not signed up and did not have their race bibs.  Then when it started, I ran the first mile – A-okay!  I ran the second mile somewhat okay and when I went around the cone and turned the other direction I got to say “hi” to all my friends and cheer them on.  The third mile it started to hurt and I was wearing out when I saw the finish line.  I sprinted the last few seconds.  I wanted to stop but neither me or Shivane could feel our legs so we kept on going to the end.  We finished, finally!  We felt like we needed to barf at the end but when we drank water and ate we were just fine.  When everyone else got to the finish line and it was time for me to go home, I felt awesome!  P.S.  Mrs. Lynch was my running buddy.  I finished in 25:38, twenty seconds better than in June.

My Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Michael, Age 10

It was six o’clock in the morning and I couldn’t sleep because I was excited for doing my second Jingle Bell Run 5K.  Later when I got to the race with my mom and dad I hoped that it wouldn't rain halfway through the race, and it didn’t.  So when I ran the race on the first mile I was really tired because there were hills in the first part.  In the second mile I was feeling a little tired after the hills.  But on the last mile I was energized because it was downhill.   And I got a time of 36 minutes with my dad!!!

Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Joseph, Age 9

When I first started my 5K I was very nervous.  I work up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise but I was feeling very sick.  My running buddy was my brother and he said hey, let’s run the whole way.  So we did but the whole way I felt sick.  But when I was done I felt proud and happy.

Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Sam, Age 9

On  12/8/12 I did a fabulous 5K with one of my best friends, Mr. Stanley! It was my 2nd 5K and I crushed my old time by four minutes! My time was 38:15! If I could say what it felt like I would say that it was the best race of my life.  GUYS ON THE GO ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Shivane, Age 11

Gavin and I were trying to find our way to the start, and it was so crowded!  I was surprised that we were in the second row of people at the starting line.  We had to wait and wait, but then 15 minutes late, suddenly someone said “GO!!!!”  That was so abrubt!  When we reached the hill that was early on, I started to talk with Gavin and Miss Williams about the pace I should run.  The first mile was a breeze.  The second one was a little tougher.  During the third mile I really felt like giving up.   When it was all downhill I picked up speed.  On the final stretch I sprinted my heart out.  It felt so good to cross the finish line.  The 5K was a good experience!!!

Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Spencer, Age 9

At the starting line there were a lot of people.  We had to wait 15 minutes past when it was supposed to start.  When I started I was fast then I slowed down but I did not walk.  On the first mile I ran but had to slow down.  On the second mile I felt good and tired.  On the third mile I was so proud of myself.  I have run since the start of September and all the way to December.  I have run lots of mornings with my running partner Miss Katherine.  I finished faster than I did last year!

My Jingle Bell 5K Race Report by Yusuf, Age 9

I woke up around 7:00am.  The first this I realized was:  
1.  Today is the race and 
2.  I need to get out of bed. 
I have a habit of as soon as I get up I use the computer.  So that’s what I did.  Then I remembered the race again so I used it for only 5 more minutes.  Then I got ready and went to the race.  The race place was soooooo crowded!  Me and my uncle started looking for the group.  We found our group in the longest line ever!  Someone had taken my uncle’s race bib, so he had to get a new one.  We started the race and it seemed fine.  Then people started coming on the other side.   My race buddy saw the turn.  So I started running a little faster.  I started getting tired right before the turn.  We started walking more after the turn.  A quarter of the way to the finish line we started running again.  I saw the finish line and I started running faster.  Me and my uncle crossed the finish line in a time of 43 minutes.