What's new?

As has happened several times in my blogging history, I am coming back from a several month hiatus from blogging.  I honestly don't know why I stayed away this time - initially it might have just been about time, and there's always that nagging feeling that I don't have anything interesting to say.

But here's a quick recap of what's been up with me since my last post in NOVEMBER!!

First, and most importantly...

I am a marathoner!!  I completed the Walt Disney World Marathon in January, and am so happy I took on this challenge.  The experience was wonderful, and painful, but mostly wonderful.  My amazing husband ran with me, despite the fact that he can run a marathon much, much faster than me. He cheered me on when I was tired, and we jokingly would say "every mile is magic" every time I felt it was getting long, or hard.  I never wanted to finish anything so much in my life, and over those last miles, I decided this would definitely be a "bucket list - one and done" kind of thing.  It didn't take but a few hours for the pain to subside and the desire to run another marathon to rear its head.  In fact, in the first weeks after the marathon, I flirted with the idea of not just another marathon, but a 50K, because I felt the need to continue pushing the limits as a runner, and for a little while, I felt like "just" running half marathons would be weak and silly.

This is not the most flattering picture as I break into tears at the finish line, but I love it because I think it captures everything I was feeling.  And a few moments later...I was all smiles!

But the post-marathon swirl of emotions cleared, and I was back to training for my next half marathon, the Tom King Half in Nashville.  It was my third time to run this race, and my 20th half marathon.  I ran with my daughter, and didn't go into the race expecting to do anything but finish, even though my current PR was on this course in 2013.  However, it was a gorgeous day, and we had an amazingly perfect race, and I came within one minute of my PR.

I think I was channeling my inner marathoner by wearing the same skirt!

The last month, I've been sick and my training has suffered, and my monthly mileage for March was the least it's been since last June, before I started marathon training.  I have a half marathon on Sunday, in Knoxville, and I hope to have a good race, though given the last month, I know I'm not in PR shape.  

On the weight loss front, I managed to maintain my weight through marathon training (which I've heard can be difficult), but now I really want to focus again on weight loss, as I know even losing a few more pounds will help my running.  Other than my school's 5K on April 16, I don't have any other races on the calendar, so I am giving a run streak another go, to help with motivation.  I really want April to be another great mileage month, regaining whatever fitness I lost in March, and my goal is to lose 5 pounds.

Sorry for the LONG recap, but those are the highlights of the past 4 months or so.  I promise to blog more regularly from now on.  

Thanks for reading!

Tom King Classic Half Marathon Race Report

On Saturday, I ran my 7th half marathon, the Tom King Classic Half Marathon in Nashville.  This was the second time I have run this race.  My first time, in 2013, is my current PR.  The race is known as a flat course, mostly through a local park, but it starts and finishes at LP field, the stadium of the Tennessee Titans.  The finish is on the 50 yard line, and runners get to see themselves finish on the jumbotron.

The weather was in the 30's to start, but the sun came out and temperatures climbed into the 50's.  Hubby and I left the house and drove to the starting line.  We arrived with about 15 minutes to spare, so we found the bathrooms (they open the stadium so there are plenty and they are clean!) and then headed for the start.  I lined up at the back, and he headed up closer to the front.

                  Selfie at the starting line.

I went into the race planning to run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute, as I had done in Panama City in December.  That was my second fastest race, and only three minutes off my PR.  I figured I could definitely finish in the 2:50's.  Then I was listening to some people talking about their pace while we were waiting to start, and I got this crazy idea to try to PR.  I don't know why, other than I felt good, the sun was shining, and well, why not?

I decided that I had to run every mile in under 13 minutes, so I took off with that intent.  I managed this pretty well for the first five miles, and was passing people like crazy, but then I slowly started to creep over 13 minutes, a few seconds at a time.  And by mile 7, my legs were screaming.

I did not train properly for this race.  I should not have attempted to do anything but finish.  And by mile 8, I seriously thought for a split second that I was done.  But I saw several Half Fanatics shirts along the way, and that kept me going.  I told myself that I didn't care if I had to crawl across the finish line, I was going to finish and become a Half Fanatic.

I wanted to walk, but decided I had to at the very least keep my intervals, even if my running pace slowed, which it did.  I'm proud to say I didn't walk more than those 1 minute intervals, and I ran the last half mile into the stadium and across the finish line.

Hubby ran back to meet me about mile 11, and it was nice to have someone to talk to.  He didn't feel like he had run his best race either, so at least I had someone to comiserate with.

My favorite part of this race is the finish in the stadium.  As I was closing in on the finish line, they said my name, bib number, where I'm from, and commented that this must at least be my second year for the race, because I was wearing last year's race shirt.  (Hubby was dissapointed because when he finished, there were so many people crossing the finish line, they didn't say his name.  I guess being at the back of the pack has its advantages!)

After the race, they have a buffet breakfast in the stadium club.  Last year I felt so sick, we didn't stay, but this year we went up and had a little to eat.

I ended up eating some eggs with sauteed peppers and a biscuit.  The potatoes looked good but were crazy spicy, so hubby ate mine.  After eating, I grabbed a cup of coffee on the way out, because I was freezing!  When we got home, hubby snapped a picture for me, since we didn't take any at the race.

The shirt this year is burgundy.  It's a really nice tech shirt.  I wear last year's quite a bit, so I imagine this one will be no exception.

That afternoon I submitted my application to Half Fanatics and was shocked to receive this reply very soon after:

I'm so excited!

Looking back on the last 70 days (which means I ran a half about every 23 days, with a 15K in there too) I realize why none of these races were PR's.  My training was haphazard.  But all of these races were special, and I had fun at each one.

The Biggest Loser Half in Panama City Beach was my 2nd fastest.

The Cedars Frostbite Half was my slowest.

And this half, was 4th fastest out of 7. (2:59:06)

I've got my next half in six weeks.  I can say that the half really is my favorite distance, and I look forward to running many more.

Thanks for reading!!