Prayers for Boston

There really are no words to describe yesterday. It still seems so surreal, so unimaginable, so heartbreaking. As a runner, and marathoner, there is no greater glory than crossing the finish line after a race. To have this innocence and joy stripped from so many is unfair beyond words. My thoughts are with the runners, spectators, volunteers, race crew and everyone that was involved with the Boston Marathon. I only hope that this will not turn people away from this beautiful sport, but bring more out to experience it, to share in the compassion we have.  Thankfully, runners are strong, and this has shown throughout the running community in the last 24 hours. I have never been so proud to be a runner and so glad to be part of a community that will come together and be stronger than ever. So please keep this community and their families in your thoughts and if you’re able, go run for Boston.

We are runners and we are strong.

 

 

Miles for Madison 5k Recap

The longer I live away from the big city, the more I love running in the country. There’s just something special about running with the rollings hills of road in front of  you and not another person around. Add 600 or so other runners and the fresh smell of cows and you’ve got the setting for Saturday’s 5k. Miles for Madison 5k was in Creston, a small town in the middle of no where Ohio. I picked up my packet on Friday night, which had my shirt and free candle donated by Root Candles. I had also won free train tickets to Lodi Station, so I was able to give these back for a family with children who would really appreciate the ride.

I scoped out some of the course and noticed it was really flat, but had a bit of wind. Seemed to be a pretty easy course to run on the next day. I was really excited for the race, not only would I be hitting these country roads with speed, but this entire race was for one little girl. Madison was diagnosed with SJS last year. She’s in recovery, but it was a great way for others to learn about this rare skin disease and help raise money to a great fund. The event was put on by Medina County Road Runners and the family expected maybe 200 people to show up. They were blown away when 600+ people were there on race day. Even more awesome, many of Madison’s classmates came out to run as well. Cue the tears.

Saturday morning came and I was ready to go. I was feeling pretty good and was hoping to get close to my PR. It was a little windy, but I didn’t think it would be a big issue. After a warm up, I made it to the start line and took my place between the 8-9 mile markers. We started the race and I tried to find a pace I was comfortable with. I knew to ignore Garmin for a while so I could focus on what my legs wanted. A half mile in and I was pushing 7:50. I had no business being anywhere near that number so I quickly tried to slow myself down. I felt like I was moving in slow motion, but I hit the first mile in 8:15.

Shortly before the mile marker we turned a corner and were heading straight into the wind. I’m not sure what happened, but I slowed way down, almost to a point that I felt I was running backwards. I had a sudden change of heart, I didn’t want to run any longer, and I wanted to just sit down and stop. My legs felt heavy and it was as though I had already run 10 miles, not one. With so many 5ks under my belt, I knew that sometimes you get good races, and sometimes you get bad races. I kept going, knowing that since the race was flat, it shouldn’t be a total struggle to make it to the finish. I hit mile two somewhere around 17:xx.

With one mile to go, I focused on finishing. We rounded another turn and I could see a few rolling hills up in the distance. I didn’t expect these and wasn’t sure I’d have the energy to muster up the final half mile. All I could think about was how does someone plan to have hills in the last half mile? Obviously I still don’t love hills. I could hear my college coaches voice in my head, charge the hill, charge that hill in front of you. I told myself this over and over as I passed people and made it to the top. Half mile to go and I was at 22:xx.

There was a slight downhill that lead us to the school and around the back to the track. I started to pick up my speed and gave it all I had left in me. I crossed the line at 26:14.

I think this look explains it all

It wasn’t my best race, but I’ve done a lot worse. I was surprised with how close my time was to last week. Ok, 45 seconds may not be close, but I was pretty sure I’d finish between 27-28 minutes. It was a mentally rough day, between the brutal wind and my legs and the last few hills near the finish, but I completed the race.

Afterword I stood in line for my 5 minute massage and had my hamstrings stretched out. The woman working on me proceeded to tell me that my back was a mess and so were my hips. Thank you for reassuring me with something I already know. She gave me a few stretches and hopefully I can work these out in the future. Maybe this is what’s holding me back from running a quicker pace.

By 10:30 the awards started, I didn’t expect to win anything, but wanted to stick around and find out the fastest times. Little Madison was also handing out the awards, so I felt it was only right to stay for a while. When they got to the 20-24 age group, they called my name in third place. Completely shocked I went up to grab my award, a brick from one of the old local schools. How awesome.

3rd Place Female 20-24

I didn’t realize until I was on my way home, but it would be the last time I ran a 5k in the 20-24 age group. A bittersweet moment that will allow me to jump up to 25-29 and probably never place. But hopefully, it will push me to be a faster runner.

The race was such a great event that was put on in honor of one little girl. MCRR did such a fantastic job, and I hope that this race continues each year. I was impressed with the goodies from our grab bag too. They included a shirt, water bottle, a candle and some coupons for ice cream. Along with the grab bag, the treats after the race were all donated by local companies. They had quite the spread of chocolate milk, cookies, subway sandwiches and I think some ice cream. Seriously a community effort on this event.

Lots of goodies!

Official Results

Time: 26:14

Overall Place: 131/616

Female Overall: 39/382

AG 20-24: 3/20

Flying Pig Half Training: Week Seven

I have to be honest. This training cycle, is completely different than my others, yet, somewhat the same. It came to me Friday, right before lunch, when I do all my worst best thinking. I haven’t been taking my training seriously enough. Not a surprise? I didn’t think so. If you take a look back at the past weeks, I’ve done a ton of base running, but my long runs aren’t exactly there. It doesn’t mean I’m not ready or dreading them, I’ve just taken a new approach.  I’ve limited myself to three days of running, and I’ve added cross training. I’ve never mentioned a goal for this race, but I’ve also never mentioned that I’m injured. Injury free, party of one!

From the get go, I knew that Flying Pig would not be my sub 2:00 half marathon. I’ve been training on an indoor track for 95% of my runs, I am in no shape or place to run a PR on a hilly course. Am I ok with this? Yes. I’ve got other plans for this race year. That doesn’t mean I’m throwing sub 2:00 out the window, it’s still my goal, but it’s not my spring goal. My goal for Flying Pig was to have a healthy training cycle, to run uninjured for the first time in about a year. It’s working, and I’m enjoying what my legs are fully capable of doing.

I’ve used this training cycle to fall back in love with running and sweating. I’ve discovered that I look forward to my weekly hour of yoga. And that I’m not always bored when I’m on the stationary bike. I’ve also shifted my focus to speed and have already ran my best 5k since college. I’m training for a solid run at Flying Pig, and a solid running year. I’m not disappointed at all with how training is going. I’m listening to my body and doing what is right for me.

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 3 Miles Run, 7 Miles Biked

Wednesday: 2 Miles

Thursday: Yoga-Lates

Friday: Off

Saturday: Miles for Madison 5k + 1

Sunday: 5 Miles Run, 7 Miles Biked

Total Miles: 14 Miles Run, 14 Miles Biked

Looking back at this week, I over did it a bit in the beginning. I ran my fastest 3 miles yet and followed it up with some heavy biking. Lesson learned, my legs felt tight all week. I even had to cut my run short on Wednesday, I actually felt worse the more I ran. Stretching didn’t help too much, so I was more than excited for Yoga on Thursday. By the weekend, my legs felt back to normal and I was ready to get some miles in. Saturday morning I ran Miles for Madison, recap to follow, and decided to move my long run to Sunday. I haven’t had a solid long run outside yet, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t chop it up into segments.

Sunday, I took advantage of as much sun as I could get. I also had my first road bike experience of the year. I was a little nervous because I hadn’t been on my bike for months. I also didn’t know how the motorists of Medina would handle someone riding in the street. Surprisingly, the ride went smooth, and the rolling hills were nothing. Good to know that resistance cycling is paying off. I definitely see a lot more bike trips downtown in my future.

After re-hydrating, I headed out for my long run. I pushed it to the evening to hopefully avoid the wind. It didn’t work, but it added a nice challenge to the run. I combined a few short routes and wanted to get a decent amount of miles in. I went out to the lake to enjoy the soft path, but unfortunately I couldn’t avoid the wind. It was hitting me hard, and slowed down my pace by a lot. The other downfall of running at the lake was running stairs to get to the pathway, and the only way  back home meant I had to tackle a huge hill. Legs were toast.

I’ve come to realize that my legs have been spoiled. I’ve been running on the indoor track for so long, they forgot how to run outside in real conditions. Mainly hills. I definitely didn’t hit the mileage I wanted, and I plan to fix that this week. Now that the weather is nice, all runs should be outside. I’ve even got a hill workout lined up. Even better bonus of this week’s training? I’ll be hitting high altitude running with Courtney. Expect an interesting training recap next week.

How was your weekend? Did you get out there and enjoy the fabulous weather?

Flying Pig Half Training: Week Six

The more I think about this week, I’ve realized it was a necessary evil. It started off strong with my Monday night 3 miler. Each week I’ve seen my pace quicken on these runs, and I can tell it shows in my racing. But that was the only good run I had all week. Wednesday afternoon I started to feel like I was dragging. I was completely exhausted and struggled to make it to the gym. My pace was around 9:15, clearly something was off. By Thursday morning a plague was going around our home and both Darren and I were getting sick. I had no energy and unfortunately had to skip Yoga-lates. I even passed up on the Medina Country Road Runners meeting I’d been hoping to attend. I was in a fog, had a temperature, and my nose was running a whole lot more than I was. But now that this sickness is on its way out, I can focus on running again. I was mentally and physically worn down, and it caught up to me. Running wasn’t wearing me down, but outside influences weren’t letting me enjoy my runs.

Now I’m ready to get back in the gym, I’m ready to spend an hour sweating out everything and leaving with an refreshed mind. I’m craving a long outdoor run and hill repeats. I needed to get sick, so that I could start fresh on everything. I have 5 weeks left until Flying Pig. Not only will these weeks be important to the race, but they’ll set the tone on my summer workouts.

Monday: 3 Miles

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: 2 Miles

Thursday: Sick

Friday: Sick

Saturday: Sick

Sunday: Sick

Total Miles: 5 Miles

This next week brings a fresh start in training, and also a new month to rack up those miles. I’ve got a 5k this weekend that I’m really excited for. We’ll see if another PR is in these legs.

How was your week? Are you glad April is finally here?

March Rewind

I am so excited to be writing this recap. March is over, which means April is here! April is hands down my favorite month of the year, and not because it’s my birthday month. The weather allows us to hopefully break out those shorts on a weekly basis, trees are turning green and the race schedule starts to ramp up! I usually dread March and feel like it is the longest time of the year, but this time it wasn’t so bad. I was crazy busy all month between work, working out and planning out the next couple of months. Let’s take a look at the numbers for March.

Miles run: 39

Races run: 2 (Lakewood Irish Jig & Jog 5k and Avon Sole to Soul 5k)

Miles biked: 5

Books read: 0 (About 30 pages of Best of Me)

Places traveled: 0

Unnecessary purchases cut down: Well….

New recipes: 1 ( Barbeque Chicken)

My running and racing went up a  bit from March. Not only did I add more miles, but my pace got quicker and I even ran an adult PR in the 5k. I’m really excited that I’m able to get my times down again and hoping that this can continue into April. However, cycling went down hill this month, no pun intended. I need to get back on the bike, and maybe even get outdoors. Living 2 miles from downtown gives me the opportunity to bike to so many shops this summer, so I want to make sure I can handle it. I also added Yoga-lates to my schedule this month. I wasn’t sure I’d like it at first, but it gives me a great way to cross train, and to do some major stretching. I’m signing up again for another month of Om.

Things that didn’t stay on track this month? My reading. I only read about 30 pages of my book, which is awful. I’ll be traveling in April, so I know I’ll get a chance to read more. I just don’t want sitting on a plane to be my only reading opportunity. I also spent a little more than I had anticipated this month. With a new season, comes new clothes, so I may have purchased a few new outfits perfect for spring. What else is perfect for spring? The giant sunroof in my new car!

Blue skies anyone?

Let’s just call this an early birthday gift and continue to save money like my original plan. Sounds good to me! I’ve got a pretty laid back month coming up with an exciting vacation planned to Colorado. Funny, that’s also a birthday gift….

Happy April! And watch out for the jokers today!

Sole to Soul 5k Recap

This race couldn’t have come at a better time. I was fresh off the let down of a bad 5k and I needed some kind of redemption race. I also had one of the busiest and craziest weeks in a while, and I couldn’t wait to leave it all behind me and zone out for three quick miles. The 5k was in my hometown so I knew it would be flat, and hopefully fast. I spent the previous night at my parent’s house so I wouldn’t have to drive 45 minutes in the morning. A 5 minute drive on the morning of race day seemed much more enjoyable. The race didn’t start until 9:00, but I was wide awake at 6:30 and I was able to catch this beautiful sunrise. I’ve seen it hundreds of times, but it never gets old.

I was a little concerned because my legs were pretty tight still from Yoga, so I made sure to do some extra stretches. After a random granola bar and some water, I was ready to go. I got to the park and wondered if I’d see anyone I knew. The first person I saw was one of my high school coaches. She didn’t recognize me or acknowledge me, but it wasn’t too surprising. If you weren’t number one on the team, you just didn’t matter.

That aside, I picked up my bib and shirt, ate a few Sport Beans, ran a bit of a warm up and was ready to go. We lined up, got ready and suddenly we were off. A lot of people sprinted, and I was passed by a ton of runners. I kept reminding myself not to go out too quick, I didn’t want another race like last weeks. 7:50, 8:05, 8:15, I was forcing myself to slow down but at some point, I just couldn’t get past 8:20. A half mile in I decided to forget about my watch and just let my legs lead me. I wasn’t running a half marathon, if I forced myself to go at a 9:00 pace, I’d never get any faster. And I certainly wouldn’t be happy about my time. So through the wooded street and into a familiar development, I hit my first mile at 8:16.

I was feeling good, picking people off, one by one. I could tell who went out too quickly and hoped I wouldn’t be joining in their pain. We ran through a newer housing development, and I could remember doing mile repeats and pre-race shenanigan filled runs. I was excited to be on my home turf, and more excited to show my once high school coach that I could still run. I was able to stick with a pretty decent pace and kept my attention on a women ahead of me. We headed to the turn around point and as I passed the half way mark I was at 12:47. I started to run the numbers and forced the thought quickly from my mind. I wanted to use time as a check point, not let it control my race.

The second half of the course would be what we just ran, easy, flat, and hopefully no issues. I was still feeling good, no pain at all, but could tell my breathing was a little loud. My legs were a little tight, but I figured it was because they weren’t used to going this fast. I made it out of the development, and knew I’d have a short distance on a side street, following the main road before turning into the park for the finish. Unfortunately I became a little distracted when a much older gentleman decided to drive down the middle of the street behind the runners, tailing each one. It was clear he was too close to everyone for their safety. I got out of the way and kept my eye on him until he turned off. This slowed me down a bit, but the last thing you need on the course is an accident.

I turned on the main road and knew I had less than a half mile to go. I could see the three mile mark up ahead as my legs started to extend. My pace opened up and I could taste the finish. 24:48 at the three mile mark. I wouldn’t break 25:00, but I knew I could definitely break 26:00. I rounded into the park and pushed it as I crossed the line. 25:37 for a new adult PR. A whole 2:05 off of last week’s horrible 5k. I was thrilled! Even with my less than perfect training all week, I was able to zone out on everything and really focus on my running.

I did a short jog back and forth to the car to keep my legs loose. Once all of the runners were in, they announced the winners of the race. I was shocked to hear my name called under 2nd place in my age group. I didn’t expect it, and was grateful that I had done better than I thought.

Fun shirt and medal

I truly enjoyed this race. Hermes always does such a great job managing races that it makes for a fun time running. I hope that I’ll be able to run this race again to improve on my time and hopefully see the race grow. If you need a flat, fast 5k in March, definitely keep this one on your radar for next year.

Loving this medal

Official Results:

Garmin Time: 25:37

Age Group 20-29: 2/12

Female Overall: 15/61

Overall: 50/130

Flying Pig Half Training: Week Five

This week was anything but normal. What was planned as a “get your self in shape to dominate a 5k” turned into “survive the week”. Almost everything this week seemed to be off. Last weekend, in between my non regular race ritual and hanging out in my home town, I went car shopping. This led to not one, but two week nights spent at the dealership. Between this and covering for three different people at work, my brain was mush. The last thing I wanted to do was  head to the gym at 9:00, have dinner at 10:00 and then pass out at 11:00. Needless to say this meant Monday and Wednesday were out on my workout schedule.

Tuesday, which was meant to be a rest day, that would be turned into a make up workout day, quickly turned into spending time at home. Between last Friday and this past Saturday Darren was in Colorado for 5 days and Mexico for 4 days. This left Tuesday night as the day he’d be home for 12 hours in between trips. Sometimes there are more important things than running, like spending time with a loved one and catching up on this crazy life.

Thursday however, was where I got myself  back into gear. I squeezed in three miles before yoga, and after three days off, I felt better than a normal run. After that I had my hardest yoga-lates class to date. We started off with some hard core Pilates moves and within 10 minutes, my legs were dead. During that hour, I pushed myself to the limits (as much as you can in yoga) and left class feeling like a whole new person. Sometimes all you need after a crazy week is 90 minutes of pure sweat.

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: Off

Thursday:  3 Miles, Yoga-lates

Friday: Off

Saturday: Sole to Soul 5k + 4.6 miles

Sunday: Off

Total Miles: 10.6 Miles

Saturday was the Sole to Soul 5 in Avon. I had been looking forward to this race for quite some time. I couldn’t make it last year, so I knew to plan my schedule around it this time. I was more excited that this race would be taking place in my hometown. Any time I can run on the streets I grew up on, I jump at the opportunity. I knew I also had 8-9 on the schedule, so I wanted to start off with the race and continue with some miles on one of my favorite loops.

My legs were pretty tight before I even got to the race, Yoga class on Thursday was still rough on my legs. I hoped by the time they had a few miles in them, they’d relax a bit and start to feel good. Not so much. My legs felt great for my race (post coming this week) and then they went down hill after that. I started my post race miles on one of my favorite loops around my old house. A little over a mile in, I started over heating and cut through a short cut to take some layers off at home. Once I did that, I started out again, but this time I decided to go in the opposite direction. I turned the corner and saw two chickens, a rooster and a duck crossing the road. I found it funny and instantly thought of the joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” The answer in this case was to chase me. As soon as I passed them, they started running after me. I must have looked ridiculous being chased by these birds.

Crazy wildlife

After that encounter, I started to map out my route. I did 2 miles with my first loop, so all I needed was 3 more and I’d be done. Over the next couple of minutes, my legs started feeling tired again. Three miles isn’t a lot to run, but with each step my legs were feeling dead. I did a short out and back with the opportunity of running a decent sized incline on the way in. I knew I was home free once I turned on my street. Within a half mile of being done, I passed a yard with a Rottweiler. He barked on my way out, but didn’t really do anything more than stand up and walk towards the edge of the yard. This time, I was on his side of the street with cars coming in both directions. I had no other choice than to run right along his territory. He wasn’t too thrilled about this and lunged at me, clamping his jaws down an inch from my arm. I screamed, I panicked, and sprinted the entire way home. A car stopped and turned around to see if I had gotten bit, but as I kept running, they kept driving. I had never experienced anything like that, and was more furious than anything else. A half mile short of my goal, but I was done for the day.

This week was eventful, and led to not hitting the miles I needed, but I’m not too concerned. I’m halfway done with training, but I feel confident that I can run a good half marathon. I’m cross training, doing yoga, and hitting mile times I didn’t think I could get close to. I still have 6 more weeks to get a few long runs in. I know that these next few weeks will really count.

How was your week? Have you ever had any animal encounters while running?

 

Irish Jig & Jog 5k Recap

Being about the only person who didn’t run St. Malachi, I opted for a flat 5k on Sunday morning. Over the past couple weeks I had thrown the idea around for a St. Patrick’s Day race, either the Lakewood Irish Jig & Jog 5k or the Shamrock 5k in Woodridge. Knowing that the Shamrock 5k would be all hills and I haven’t had a chance to tackle some in a while, I decided to keep it easy. Lucky for me, I spent the weekend up in Avon, so I wouldn’t need to drive far on race morning. The race was put on by Peace Racing, and it was the second year they’ve held the event. I had never run a race by them, but I was excited to see how it would go.

My pre race ritual wasn’t my along my normal plan. I spent Saturday night at a concert with my sister, had sloppy joes for dinner, and managed about 6 hours of sleep when I woke up Sunday morning. To follow that up, I had a gross protein bar the morning of, and still hadn’t decided if I was fully committed to running, or crawling back in bed. But knowing I had miles to get in, I figured it’d be easier with a couple hundred other people than just myself braving the cold.

Because I was on the fence all week about racing, I registered day of. This meant I wouldn’t be getting the long sleeve shirts, and unfortunately, the woman working my line didn’t let us know we needed timing chips. I found this out at the start of the race, with less than a minute to go an announcement was made to make sure your timing chip was on your shoe. I looked around, and luckily I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t told, about a third of the runners around me didn’t have a chip. I also learned that some day of registrants got shirts. I was obviously in the wrong sign up line.

We started the race and like always I went out way too quick. I was right around 8:15 pace and tried to slow myself down, but people kept passing me. For the next half mile I battled with slowing down and being pulled ahead with everyone else. I finally got my pace down and completed my first mile in 8:43, still too fast. The course was really flat, and a little boring. It started at Madison Park and went into two neighborhoods on either side. My office is right down the street, so I knew the area wouldn’t have any hills, and hopefully this meant I could go fast the entire time. The first mile was a loop around one neighborhood and then we passed Madison Park again to an out and back.

As we started the out and back, the first couple of runners were coming by and they were quick! I normally hate running an out and back, but it helped to boost my spirit and I started to pick up my pace. I hit the hairpin turn at the halfway point and I was  around 13:xx, knew I was on pace to an awesome finish. On the way back I noticed that the cold and slight wind were starting to catch up with me, my breathing was getting heavier and at some points my legs felt like they were moving backwards. I kept with it, and hit the two mile mark at 17:xx.

Curious to where the last mile would lead, I began the loop that we ran for the first mile. By this time my body was slowing down and questioning why I went out so quick in the first mile. My pace dropped drastically and I struggled some to finish the last half mile. I also started getting a cramp right near my heart and I began to panic. This instantly made me slow down and I became over cautious as I was finishing the race. I did see Bill from Second Sole cheering me on at the finish, so I tried to sprint as much as I could to the line. It was nice to have one familiar face in the crowd. I crossed the line at 27:42 on a course that was at 3.02.

I had a mix of feelings after finishing the race. I was upset that I went out way too quick and ruined my pace for the rest of the race. I was also upset that the course was short by so much! I was glad I was done, but I didn’t feel that I got everything out of it that I paid for. However, I couldn’t be that upset with myself, I wasn’t mentally prepared for the race and my Saturday night didn’t help either. I was glad I got the miles in, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite race.

Flying Pig Half Training: Week Four

For an easy week, I took things real easy. I knew that I had minimal miles on the schedule this week, but I still wanted them to count. I also knew that I’d have a race at the end of the week, so I wanted to make sure I was prepared for what I’d be putting my legs through on Sunday. Monday and Wednesday I put in some pretty decent miles with a great pace. Knowing that I’ve been able to bring my pace down so much lately has really boosted my confidence in running 5k’s. I was even able to get some decent miles on the resistance bike.

My yoga class has a completely different feel this week, which was appreciated. It was split about 50/50 on yoga and Pilates, and I actually enjoyed it. I’m excited for the next two classes I have left and I’m even thinking of expanding it through April. The thought even crossed my mind to sign up for a spin class, but let’s take one thing at a time, shall we?

I still had the decision on which race to do on Sunday lingering over my head. I ultimately decided on the Lakewood Irish Jig and Jog 5k, something flat, close and early in the morning so I could enjoy the rest of my day. Between the race and my pre race plans, nothing was normal, but I’ll get more into that later this week.

Here’s week 5…

Monday: 3 Miles

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday:2 Miles Run, 4.5 Miles Biked

Thursday: Yoga-lates

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: Rest Day

Sunday: Lakewood Irish Jig and Jog 5k

Total Miles: 5 Miles Run, 4.5 Miles Biked

As you can see, really easy. This next week brings easy weekday runs followed up by my longest run yet in this cycle over the weekend. I’ve got another 5k coming up on Saturday, and this time I’m hoping to really break through and give it a great shot.

Did you race for St. Patrick’s Day?

 

Run Rave

It’s been a while since I shared a few of my favorite things, so I think it’s time to bring it back. Lately I’ve been totally crushing on a few new items I’ve added to my running wardrobe. I didn’t really need to add anything, but once I did,  I can’t believe I went so long without them. My first purchase and probably most surprising to me, was a hat. Because I have a tiny head and face, I’ve never been able to find one that fits. I have the same problem with sunglasses, and pants..and well, pretty much everything. But thanks to a gift card at Vertical Runner, I was able to buy one without the full guilt on spending money on something I wouldn’t wear.

asics.com

I love this hat, no only because it’s Asics, but it shield my eyes from the once in a while sunny run. I even had plans of wearing it during rain in Austin when there was a 40-60% chance of precipitation during the 3M Half Marathon. Unfortunately, I left it at home and was on a search to find a new hat. And a great hat was found!

newbalance.com

My first New Balance purchase, I found this gem at a local Austin running shop. For just around $30, I found something that can cover my head, and light my way while running. Underneath the brim of the hat are two set of lights, perfect for those early morning or late night runs. I’ve used it a few times and felt so much safer when dodging potholes. Two great hats that I’ve added to my collection. Maybe I’ll become a hat fanatic now….

Hat models

For the first time in at least 8 years, I wore something other than my Nike Tempo Shorts. After browsing online for a cute pair of shorts I discovered the Asics’s ARD shorts. The first time I tried them in Austin, I fell in love. The material is so light and breathable, I felt like I had nothing on. Luckily, I did. They also weren’t as obnoxiously bright like many of my other shorts. I’m pretty sure they also make me look fast.

Shorts & Hat in action! (Also, great race picture!)

As soon as I returned from Austin, I was on the hunt for more. I came across my February find for clothing and picked out a new pair with just a touch of pink. They also have a nice little zip pocket on the back, perfect for Gu or an iPod. Hands down these are my new favorite shorts and I can’t wait to try them out in 90 degree weather to see how they hold up.

The perfect shorts

One of my absolute favorite additions is my new running shoe. Since I can remember I’ve been running with the Asics Gel 1000 series. They’ve always fit me well and provided enough stability and comfort I had no reason to try another shoe. Until back in October when I ventured into the Asics booth at the Columbus marathon and fell in love with my new running partner.

Hello beautiful GT-2000

Light weight, foot fitting and comfort beyond belief. I had a hard time removing my feet from the shoe and couldn’t wait to try them out. Over the past couple of months I’ve had a chance to try them out and have run almost every single run in these shoes. For a price point of $120, they are worth every single penny. From running through snow, gravel, track and treadmill, they’ve held up under every condition. From 1 mile to 13.1 miles, I never regretted wearing them for any distance. And while I still have a shiny new pair of the Gel 1600 in my closet, I think it may be a while before I lace those up.

And now, something non clothing related, and probably what I’m most excited about….a half  marathon in Medina! I could not be happier that I will get to run a half marathon in my own backyard. I’ve already run about 75% of the course in the past 6 months, so I think I have a great feel for what to expect. I recently found out about this race, and while it is bound to be hilly, hot and possibly humid, there is nothing more exciting than running a race in its first year. But actually, there is. This year, the race is free and will be put on by a bunch of local clubs and businesses. So mark your calendars for May 25th and and get ready to run!

More info: https://www.facebook.com/medinahalf.marathon?sid=0.964994641811798

Course Map