A Common Bond

February 11, 2012 by 5 Comments

This morning I ran with South Riding Running club in honor of Sherry Arnold. We wore red and pink for Valentine’s day and for remembrance. SRRC printed safety tips on the back of the “Running for Sherry” bibs. As we headed out for runs varying in distance from 3 – 12 miles, we all carried with us the memory of a runner’s life cut short. Running means so much to all of us. I have known some of these people for 8 years. These are people with whom I wouldn’t have friendships if it weren’t for running. Running is our common bond. We speak the same language and understand one another’s hopes, dreams, and desires. I am so proud of this club. I served as its President for 4 years and felt so rewarded for my efforts by this wonderful group of supportive people.

I wouldn't be friends with RunWiki if it weren't for running...

On our run today we passed Maria, the club’s founder and first President, out with her dog. I thought it an interesting coincidence that we would see her on a day when we were feeling particularly introspective. She and I are the only former Presidents, our club being just 8 years old. We share a common bond.

After the run I headed home, changed into bike clothes, ate a quick breakfast, and headed over to “garage spin” with Team Tri Performance, my triathlon club. I was 1 hour late which still gave me 90 minutes to spin!

After spin a bunch of other team members arrived to get ready for our annual Valentine’s Day relay. I wasn’t able to participate because I had to take my son to baseball tryouts, but I stayed to make sure everyone got their “Running for Sherry” bib. Yes, this was the second Run for Sherry in South Riding! I stood on a chair because I’m only 5′ 1″ and, even though I can be loud and obnoxious, people often aren’t sure where the voice is coming from. I explained what had happened to Sherry and that we were joining people all around the country running in her honor. I didn’t need to explain. She was a runner. Everyone understood. Words weren’t needed.

Team TPR runners ready to relay for Sherry!

As the first group lined up outside the snow began to fall…no-one could get a satellite reading on their GPS but we made them go anyway…too cold to hang around!

It’s hard to explain, but when I’m with these people, I feel myself. We can bike for 2.5 hours in a garage and no-one thinks we’re crazy. We can talk about racing for hours and no-one rolls their eyes or looks bored. No-one thinks it’s strange to get up at 5am and run or swim. And while some of us won’t ride outside when it’s below 40 degrees, we respect those who do. Everyone understands terms like BQ and IM and why they mean so much to us.

We’re outraged and disgusted and haunted by what happened to Sherry. We want to but can’t help. So we do the only thing we can. We show our support through what we love to do. What she loved to do.

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Reflections and Pictures

June 9, 2011 by 4 Comments

Lately I’ve been reflecting on my four years as president of South Riding Drinking Running Club, since my tenure will be over in August. We still have the reputation of being too fast for the average runner, based on comments we get, such as “you’re too fast for me!” or “I’ll join you when I get faster.” But after last weekend, when we were all too busy wine-tasting to even notice the awards ceremony, let alone realize that we had won the team award (there goes my attempt to convince people we’re not speedy!), I’m hoping that people realize we’re just a group of people that like to have fun and don’t take ourselves too seriously!

Speaking of  VA Wine Country Half Disaster Marathon, Brightroom published pictures Thursday. I always jump to the site right away because I like to see my terrible running form and decide if I made a good outfit choice. I am rarely aware of any camera on the course so don’t expect to see me smiling. Here I am running with my bodyguards:

My arm swing sucks. Totally inefficient. Shirtless dude was drafting off me for 12 miles, then overtook and beat me by 33 seconds. My team mate Bill (on the right, the one with the good arm swing) didn’t like him at all because he had noisy feet.

So halfway through the race I decided to change my outfit…and hair…and legs…

Someone at Brightroom isn’t paying attention. I think I need to get in touch with Bess here because she might like to see her pic, which I have now posted on Facebook. I looked her up, guessing her number was 69 while mine was 59. She’s 53 and she ran 1:47, placing first in her age group! Way to go, Bess! Sorry for all the rude comments…

And here I am at the finish. I don’t always do the arm thing but the crowds were spectacular, screaming my name and cheering me on, and I felt I ought to respond somehow. It’s amazing how freaking heavy your arms are at the end of a race.

I wore the skirt because it has a ton of pockets to hold GU, S-caps, and my credit card. Never know when you might want to shop during a race. I don’t think it’s all that attractive because it’s kinda baggy, but it has been tried and tested on the marathon and it worked great. It’s pretty lightweight and just has a shorts liner rather than those annoying boy shorts that creep up your legs.

Saturday I am running Twilight Four Miler in Ashburn. It will be my first race on the Potomac River Running Racing Team. I am hoping I don’t look too much of an idiot. There are some fast people on that team. I am not one of them. I’m sure when people see me wearing my PR race singlet they will think I stole it.

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Warning: Angry Runner in Wine Country

June 5, 2011 by 17 Comments

Half Marathon wine glass and medalAbout 4 miles into the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon, I turned to my team mate Bill and said, “Do you feel like there’s a party going on and we weren’t invited?” I was referring to the fact that about 75% of the participants in the race were running for Team Challenge, and 100% of the supporters were cheering for them…and only them.

I’ll apologize upfront for complaining about a charity running organization. Clearly, Team Challenge does a lot of good, raising money for individuals with crohn’s and colitis, getting people to run or walk who otherwise might not have the motivation, and raising awareness. But when you go to grab a cup at a water stop and the volunteer is so busy yelling “Go Team Challenge!” that she forgets to let go of the cup, and when you finish the race and there’s a sea of tents with refreshments and recovery aids, all marked “Team Challenge” and absolutely nothing for everyone else, it becomes a little frustrating. It actually felt like the entire event was catered to Team Challenge and we were just there to add numbers and pay for the support.

On the bright side, I had a decent time (1:38:42, a couple of minutes off my PR) on a challenging course, which started downhill for the first couple of miles and rolled for the remainder, with a couple of steep climbs for good measure. Weatherwise we were incredibly lucky – it was sunny and warm but not humid. The best part of the event by far was the post-race wine tasting. This was included in the race fee, and we definitely made the most of it, sampling wines from many local wineries including Tarara, Bluemont, Hiddenbrook, Loudoun Valley, Fabbioli and others that became a bit of a blur as we drank more!

Somehow I managed to miss the post-race awards ceremony (not actually sure if happened at all because we were close to the stage the whole time) so I didn’t get my bottle of wine for placing 3rd in my age group. Hopefully I can pick that up later. In more exciting news, my team, South Riding Running Club, place 1st in the team competition, beating 50 other teams! Not sure what we win but there is a prize…maybe it’s a winery tour?!!

SRRC members

Gathering at Starbucks at 5am

SRRC post-race

Medals and wine post-race!

After signing up for this race, and encouraging members of my running club to form a team, I realized that the race would probably be more about the hoopla surrounding it than the running. Destination Races, the event organizer, marketed several race weekend events such as a special packet pickup, a pre-race dinner, and a finisher’s party, all at an extra cost, on top of the $85 – $95 race fee.

OK, gripe warning: here are the negative aspects of the race. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you start thinking I’m a miserable whiner.

The race started 30 minutes late. We were waiting for a busload of runners to arrive. While race delays are sometimes inevitable, and I do feel bad for the runners on the late bus, this is inexcusable. For many runners, the warmup and pre-race nutrition are all planned and executed based on an anticipated start time, and a 30 minute delay can wreak all sorts of havoc. Not to mention the fact that roads had to be closed for the event, and would now be closed an extra 30 minutes. During one part of the race we ran past a huge line of angry drivers, most of whom were yelling into their cellphones as they discovered Route 7 had been closed and they’d be stuck for a while.

After waiting at the start line an extra 30 minutes, I was in need of water once the race started and searched eagerly for the first water stop. It came in sight at about 2 miles. At the bottom of a hill. The worst place to put an aid station is at the bottom of a hill. The last thing you want to do is take on board anything when you’re about to divert blood away from your stomach to your legs, which is what happens when you put forth the extra effort to climb a hill. So I grabbed a cup, pinched the top, and carried it up the hill, drinking it when I reached the top. At the next aid station I attempted to get water and came across the exuberant “Team Challenge!” volunteer who didn’t let go of the cup, followed by the next volunteer who lifted the cup to give it to the person behind me! Finally I grabbed a cup of Heed, which wasn’t what I wanted but was better than nothing. Aid stations were only every 2 miles and I could tell I was getting dehydrated, so I decided I needed to take 2 cups of water at each stop. So at the next stop I grabbed a cup from one volunteer, then reached out another hand to grab a second from the next volunteer, who pulled it away! What, was there a one cup limit?!

I mentioned to Bill, who was still running with me, that I couldn’t believe a volunteer had pulled a cup away from me! Then the same thing happened at the next aid station! At another aid station there was one volunteer with one cup of water, which she happened to hand to the woman in front of me. I ran through without managing to get anything. Thankfully Bill had grabbed some Heed so we shared that. I was running angry and didn’t think I was very good company, so I told Bill to feel free to go ahead any time. He stuck with me which was either really nice or really nuts…or maybe he just found my antics entertaining. At any rate, he was a great racing partner and I’m really glad he stayed with me. Bonus: he got a PR, so maybe running with an angry girl has its benefits!

Being the angry runner that I was, I was getting more and more frustrated with Team Challenge. There was a walking division that had set off at 6:30am, and about halfway through the race we began catching up with them. It was frustrating having to run around people walking several abreast across the entire road, and I just wish they had been given some instruction as to how they should keep to the side of the road and walk no more than two abreast. Granted, some of them cheered us on, which was really nice, but others had their headphones on and didn’t even hear us coming.

OK, gripe over. I know, you thought it would never end. But I do like to end on a positive note…

Considering the hills and the water stop fiascos and dodging walkers, our pace was pretty consistent. Our faster miles were in the 7:20s and the slowest 7:40, for an average 7:30 pace. I was actually very surprised we managed to run under 1:40, because at one point during the race I tried to calculate our finish time and thought there was only a slim chance of going under 1:40. Then again, I think my brain got addled with the heat and dehydration… Coming into the finish was great. The crowds were huge and loud and for the first time I heard people shouting my name. Like many longer races these days, our names were on our bibs, but unlike other races, I didn’t hear anyone shout my name during the race. I had to pretend it was “Team Challenge” since that was all we heard.

I’m still asking myself if I would run this again. As a team, we had a lot of fun after the race. And if I did it again at least I’d go into it knowing what to expect. I’d probably carry my own water…and maybe steal a Team Challenge shirt. ;)

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I Want it All…

May 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This morning my yoga instructor came bounding into the room full of energy from her weekend at the Yoga Journal Yoga Retreat with (gasp!) Rodney Yee. I immediately thought, I want to go on a yoga retreat (with Rodney Yee, of course)! There are so many things I want to do that I don’t have the time/energy/resources to do them all, but I have such a hard time admitting to this.

I made a difficult decision last week. After getting sick yet again after a race, I decided I really need to dial things back and not enter so many races. So I threw out the triathlon I was planning to do June 5th, which would have been the day after the Wine Country Half Marathon that I’m running June 4th (double weekend, not a good idea!) and just a few days before the Twilight Four Miler I’m committed to on June 11th. I also finally admitted to myself that I can’t enter my home town triathlon (South Riding) because that’s on August 28th and I already have races planned August 14th and 21st and September 11th. I did sign up for Army Ten Miler, but that’s not until October 9th and is part of my commitment to Potomac River Running…at least that’s my excuse. 

This afternoon I was discussing finances with the treasurer of my running club (I’m president of South Riding Running Club) and he asked me, “So are you an Ultrarunner or a Triathlete now?” I replied, “Well, I’m trying to be both. In the Spring I’m a marathoner and ultrarunner and in the Summer I’m a triathlete and shorter distance runner…” As I said it I realized what a stretch it sounds.

I know I have to pick and choose. There are so many races I want to compete in and I can only do so many. But a little part of me wants it all. And I’m still thinking about the yoga conference…for next year.

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3rd place at High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon

January 30, 2011 by 4 Comments

Right now I can’t decide whether to try to take a nap or write this blog. I’m shooting for the latter as so many thoughts are swimming around in my head that I think it will be impossible to sleep.

Why do I need a nap at 11:30 on a Sunday? Because last night was South Riding Running Club’s Annual Party and Awards Ceremony at my house (this is my last year as president so I decided to host just one more time) and I didn’t go to bed until 1am. Then I woke up at 4am because my legs were hurting (more about that later) and, after getting back to sleep at 5, was awoken by my boys at 7:30!

Yesterday I also ran a half marathon. When I signed up for the High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon way back when it was warm outside (remember?!) I pictured zipping along the picturesque C&O Canal towpath, taking in the gorgeous scenery and enjoying being on the trail and not the road. Even if there was a snowstorm during the race (which is what happened last year) it would still be fun.

The day before the race I received an e-mail from the race organizer. Along with logistical info the e-mail gave several words of caution about the conditions, as the towpath was covered in snow, ice, and downed trees from Wednesday’s storm. Such choice terms as “this course is not for the faint-hearted” and “if you like a challenge, come on out” had me laughing and looking forward even more to the race. I love a challenge! I laugh in the face of danger! Ha ha ha.

I did estimate that this would not be a PR run. Maybe I’d run 7:30 pace. The snow would slow me down a bit. Warming up on the towpath, I got a taste of just how hard this was going to be. The path was covered in snow, which I knew, but it was frozen and rutted in parts, and thick and powdery in others. I couldn’t decide which was worse – slipping through the powder or falling over the ruts. I couldn’t get a good footing on either. Hmm, I thought, maybe everyone will pack the snow down and the footing will improve. Maybe.

So the race started and I instantly began adjusting my expectations. I ran the first mile in 8:16 – the footing was impossible, as it was all powdery snow and there weren’t enough people in front of me to pack it down – and the second in 7:47 where the footing was a little better. There was a brief respite early on when the towpath went under a bridge so the path wasn’t snow-covered. I literally felt like I was running on air for those few steps. Then back to the snow, slush, and ice.

I began to wonder if I really could keep this up for another 11 miles. I had already turned my ankles a couple of times and my body was starting to tighten up from all the torquing. If you’d like an idea of what it was like, run along the side of the road in the ploughed snow. Not the nicely flattened stuff. Run in the lumpy, bumpy, rutted section. Yeah, you want to get off as soon as possible. I adjusted my plan again and decided I needed to continue to push but hold back a little otherwise I’d just exhaust myself. Every step was work and it was impossible to get into a rhythm, which is really essential for good racing. Ideally, you hit the pace you want and hold it there by keeping up a rhythm. Anything that throws you off your rhythm, such as a runner crossing in front of you, is detrimental to keeping that pace.

Then I started slowing, from an 8:07 to an 8:16 to an 8:30 and then an 8:52. That was mile 6. I remember no-one had passed me and I hadn’t passed anyone in a while when all of a sudden 3 guys blew by me like I was standing still. I usually look at my Garmin Forerunner GPS constantly during a race to check on my pace, but I hadn’t been able to do this because taking my eyes off the ground would throw me off balance and I’d stumble, so I didn’t realize my pace had slowed. I did manage to take in a Hammer Gel at 45 minutes although drinking the water to wash it down while stumbling around proved somewhat impossible!

While racing I play little games to take my mind off the effort. It was a little more difficult yesterday as I really had to concentrate on where I was putting my feet, but I looked around as much as possible, noting the locks that were used when the canal was in use, each with a lockkeeper’s cottage positioned alongside the towpath. I imagined what it must have looked like when it was in use. When I was 10 or so my parents took my three sisters and me on a canal boat vacation. I remember how much hard work – albeit fun – it was opening and closing the locks. We completely messed up with our first lock, and managed to flood a staircase lock – I have an enduring image in my mind of the lockkeeper shouting at us as we puttered off downstream leaving chaos in our wake - but by the end of the vacation we were pros at opening and closing them!

I was awoken from my little trip down memory lane by a volunteer yelling at me that I was 3rd female, which made me grouchy because 3rd is a spot you really don’t want to give up, but I felt frustrated because I had so little control over my speed. I tried various things such as taking smaller steps or running on my toes to keep myself from sliding, stumbling, and sinking, but nothing really worked. At the turnaround at 6.55 miles I noted that there were indeed 2 women in front of me and, horror of horrors, one close behind and several more behind her! I think that what often drives me more than trying to catch someone in front is trying not to be caught from behind. That’s just demoralizing. I tend to “run scared” that I’m going to be caught and tell myself that a rival is right behind me.

I couldn’t turn around and look – I rarely do this anyway as it was drilled into me at a young age that this shows your competition you’re afraid of them – because I would fall, but I convinced myself that the woman right behind was closing in and that I needed to run hard whenever I found my footing. Thankfully 300 runners had packed down some of the trail, and so it was easier on the way back. I would get into a little groove for a few minutes before stumbling again.

I ran 8:48, 8:25, 8:12, 8:18, and 8:07 for miles 7 – 11. I ate another Hammer Gel at 1:20. I hadn’t been passed and was actually passing men in front of me. Still couldn’t find elusive 2nd place woman, but one of the guys I passed told me she was just up ahead. I started trying to push a little harder for the last 2 miles but the terrain was worse with lots of slush where the snow had been churned up. I ran 8:24 for mile 12. I started trying to kick with one mile to go but here we hit powder and the harder I tried, the more I slid. Mile 13 was an 8:30. I could see the crowd at the finish line and hear them cheering, so I made one final effort and ran in stumbling and falling at a 7:21 pace for the last 0.1.

Third place in 1:50:22. Post-race there was soup (yum!) and hot chocolate, Snapple iced tea, bagels, bananas, cereal, and Pirate’s Booty. Once home I took an epsom salt bath (couldn’t deal with an ice bath) to try to flush out my sore legs. The outsides of my shins hurt the most, probably from turning my ankles so many times. Everyone else I spoke with after the race said they turned their ankles at least a dozen times! Certainly not a race for the faint-hearted. Today I am wearing my Skins compression tights and Sigvaris compression socks to stimulate bloodflow, which will flush out my legs.

I do recommend a run along the C&O Canal towpath and I do plan to go back – when it’s not snow-covered! It is absolutely beautiful.

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