12x12 13.1 is complete!

Today I ran the Oshkosh Half Marathon which was my 12th half marathon in 12 months.  It was a great way to end the streak.  It was perfect weather (although there was a did bit of wind) 42-50 degrees and a flat, scenic course!

Overall the pre-organization was okay. The expo was a bummer.  Only one booth selling clothing.  The other one was closing down even though there was still 3 more hours to go and the rest were informational type booths.  The shirts ran big, but they were willing to give you whatever size you wanted  despite what your registration information said.

Race day.  PLENTY of close by parking.  We got to wait in the Convention Center which was much appreciated on a day where the starting temp was 42 degrees.  There were lines in the bathrooms, but I am guessing that if I was willing to go out to the port a potties there wasn't lines.  The start was a little mixed up because the 5K and the half started at the same time and they wanted the 5K on the left and half on the left but it was hard to tell.  It wasn't a big deal, but something that could be improved.

I enjoyed the course. Scenic and flat.  When is a flat course not enjoyable?  There were some narrow spots in the course which would have bothered me if I was trying to pass people, but it seemed that I was in a group of people my pace from the start.  There was one spot where the course when over a drainage ditch which had a 3 foot wide "bridge".  That caused a bit of a bottle neck.  Also, the water stations could have benefited from more volunteers.  They had a hard time keeping up handing out water, but Sheri who was behind me said that it wasn't an issue when she ran through.  I think I was just in the pace where there were a lot of runners.

I took a fairly relaxed approach to this race which made it very enjoyable.  For the first 6-7 miles I hung out with the 2:00 pace group.  The pacers were a couple of nice guys.  They started chatting with me when they saw my green Whistlestop shirt.  They had run that marathon also and I got to enjoy their funny story from it.  The talking made the first 6 miles go by fast.

After than I started to pick up the pace since I wanted to finish UNDER 2:00.  I felt strong through it all and my last 2 miles were around 8:45.  I am quite sure I ran the second half of the race faster.  So although I got a 1:57:42 which is not my best time, I was happy because I felt so good.

The post party was okay.  My favorite was the chocolate milk they handed us in the finishing shoot and a woman handed me a bottle of water with the cap already off for me - a nice touch.  The post race food was okay, but better then disney. My biggest beef was that they had TWO people serving beer and they weren't pouring cups out and setting them on the table, instead they were acting like bartenders.   They waited to you came up, asked what kind of beer you wanted and if you didn't know they would describe them to you (AAARRRGH!)  NOT a good system for 1700+ runners.

Despite the little criticisms, I would definitely recommend the Oshkosh Half.  

So, the recap of my 12x12 13.1.

#1 - Green Bay Cellcom: 1:58:28  - The only race that goofed up the course and had us run longer than 13.1.  So the 1:58 is an adjusted time.  I decided to drown my sorrows at the post race party.
#2 - Minneapolis Team Ortho 2:02:46  - hot, hot and hill, hill - not my fav
#3 - Middle Park Half Marathon in Grandby, CO 2:18:32  Not surprising, it was hilly - actually mountainous.  I thought it was going to be my smallest one (83 runners) until #11.  It was an interesting experience though.
#4 - Madison Mini Marathon 1:56:02 I had a great run at this race despite a 1.5 hour delay and still starting out in a thunderstorm and then ending in hot humidity.  Plus it was hilly.  But I loved running through my old stomping grounds.  It would have been even better if I had friends to share a beer with on the terrace, but I made another runner's day by giving them my beer ticket.
#5 - Maple Leaf - La Crosse 1:52:39  My best time in all the 12 and a fun time with friends (especially afterwards) but of course my nemisis Christy still beat me.  It was actually my second fastest time ever in a half.
#6 - Haunted Hustle  - Middleton, WI 1:54:54  A fun course but a bit narrow for the number of runners. I think they exceeded their capacity both in the race and the post race party.  But it was fun to be there when Debbie ran her FIRST half marathon.  It definitely had a younger vibe than the other half marathons I have run it.  Lots of costumes.
#7 - Rails to Trails -  Norwalk, WI 1:57:28.  I think this was my least favorite race.  #2 is close.  I have run it before and I just don't like running through the tunnels.  I am so afraid I am going to twist an ankle.  The only reason I made it in under 2:00 is because I passed my dentist around mile 11 and I couldn't let him see me walk!  It was the weekend after #6 which I ran hard, so my body wasn't recovered.  The first time I ran this I had run the HOT Chicago marathon 3 weeks before and I don't think I was recovered enough to race either. Just bad memories all around!
#8 - Fiesta Half Marathon - McAllen, TX 1:57:23.  This was the first and only half marathon that I have placed in.  However if you notice, it was not my fastest time.  The participants as a whole were just slower than the races up here.  It was pretty good racing weather  - 50 degrees but a cold, misty wind.  It was an cultural experience all around.
#9 - Disney Half Marathon 2:38:46.  Looking at my time you might asked, "What happened??"  Pictures, Pictures, Pictures and the threat of running a full marathon the next day.  My goal was to have FUN and I achieved that goal and had fun the next day too!
#10 - Lace Up Against Breast Cancer - Rochester, MN 2:03:04. I was a little disappointed in this time because I ran it hard.  But training for a marathon always slows my pace.  Plus, it was the coldest one and I think cold is just harder on the body.  Excuses, Excuses.
#11 - Half is Good Enough For Me - Neillsville, WI 2:01.  I was actually satisfied with that time due to the incredibly hilly course.  This was my smallest race with 21 other runners in the half.  It was not a course I would run again, but it was cute and small town and it was a nice vibe all around.
#12 - Oshkosh Half Marathon 1:57:42 (see above).

Overall it was a fun challenge.  The hardest part was finding races Dec - March.  Maybe my next goal will be to run all the half marathons in WI.

2011

Well, 2011 has come to a close! It was a good running year - no significant injuries or at least none that kept me from running. I ended the year with 1497 miles under my running shoes. It is very tempting to go out and run another 3 miles to get to that 1500 mile mark, but why?

#8 Done

It is hard to believe that #8 of 12 half marathons is done! This one had a couple of firsts too.

Number 8 was the Fiesta (half) Marathon in Mc Allen, Texas. I chose this one because I needed a half for December, we had vouchers from Sun Country that we had to use by the end of the year, and it was a half hour from where my Mom visits. So it was also an excuse to visit her!

The first set of firsts was on the flight down. First, I had to check my carry on bag that I have carried on for close to 20 years. I know I have had this carry on for that long because my Mom gave it to me for a present back when they made suitcases that lasted that long I have never had a problem carrying it on. Well apparently like the seats in airplanes, the standards for carry-ons have also shrunk. I was told to "fit in the box" and due to the little legs it was too long - no matter how much or how many times I tried to force it in to it. Luckily it was not crowded in check in. They were were actually eager to help me check in - another first. BUT I did not go so far as sit on top of it and 'butt jump" it. The main reason that I was peeved was because, if I had known I would have packed all my normal hair care products (all the women readers can relate) Well, actually, if I had known I would have taken a different suitcase. So, of course I had to pay the $25 to check my bag. They offered me a upgrade to first class for $80 which included a check bag. At check in I declined, but while I was sitting at the gate I thought about it more and realized that the upgrade was really only costing me $55 since I had to pay for the bag anyway. So I went up to the gate counter to see if I could still do it and sure enough! It ended up being a good thing I did!

This flight goes directly from Minneapolis to Harligen, TX and it is snow bird time. So the average age of the passengers was probably 75. A LOT of gray hair and 5 people who needed wheel chairs. I was feeling pretty young and able as I settled in to my first class seat. I got engrossed in my movie and couldn't hear the announcements (which I tend to ignore anyway) so I missed the "Is there a doctor on board the plane? announcement. I have had that happen one other time, but we didn't have to make an emergency landing like we did this time (a first). Amazingly the elderly lady walked down the aisle saying loudly, "I am SO sorry folks!" as only a true Minnesotan would. She did get carried down the flight steps too, but it didn't quite seem like an emergency to me, but I was glad she was conscious and appearing to be doing well.

As we prepared for take off I almost had an Alec Baldwin moment. It is weird, as soon as you plunk your butt down in that extra wide first class seat, you feel you rule the world! So, I had my phone and Kindle on and was waiting for the "time to turn off electronics" announcement when the Air Flight Attendant walked by and said in a way that implied I did not have a brain under my pretty red curls, that I HAD to turn off electronics. I apologized, but explained I was waiting for the announcement. She retorted, "When the door is CLOSED, all electronics must be powered down!" (apparently in first class electronics have to be powered down, but in coach they are are simply turned off). Okay! Okay! Geez! I was tempted to retort - "Well when we touch down and everyone whips out their phones the door is still closed, what's up with that?" But my coach class side of me prevailed, that along with the thought that the Alec Baldwin incident, even if on another airline, was probably still a bit fresh.

So, off we were again and 1.5 hours later we were landing in Texas - about 7:30. And since I had to wait for my checked bag, I didn't get out of the airport until 8:00. Luckily, you actually get a meal in first class plus the warm damp towel at the end of the flight calmed me down.

Apparently, they didn't give one to Alec.

My Mom had picked up my race packet for me since I arrived after the allotted pick up time. Not much in it beyond the bib, shirt (a little big of course) and timing chip. It was a chip I had never seen before, and of course no instructions, but I figured it out. This was par for the course with this event. With a name like Fiesta Marathon, I was thinking it would be big - kinda like the Fiesta Bowl. I was getting clues about how big it actually is when I dug deeper into their website. Although the website looked professional (as compared to Norwalk's Rails to Trails)(the beer logos probably helped), when I went looking for information beyond the course route, the only place that really had any meaningful info was their FAQ document. Their Marathon Info tab still says, "Will be updated soon!". I had to email to ask about whether or not there was energy gel on the course and to their credit, they emailed me back right away. There was nothing on the site about a gear check (there was none) but I figured that normally it is warm enough they don't need one. There were some other informational tidbits I was looking for and couldn't find, but I can't remember them now. So, before I headed down to the long horn state I looked up the results from last year. I knew is going to be a small race when I saw that in my age group, I probably would have taken 3rd. Sure enough, it is actually smaller (I think) than Rails to Trails. This year there were 369 half marathon runners, 90 full marathon and 21 relay teams. Not my smallest of the 8 so far, Middlepark Half in Grandby, CO was.

Race day. The benefit of small events is that parking is not an issue especially when it begins and starts at the convention center. It was also the first time that I there was NOT a line for the porta-potty even minutes before the race, and it wasn't like there was a long line of them either. The weather sucked for Texas. It was 54 degrees and misting with a cold wind (about 10-15 mph) from the north. It was pretty humorous to see all of them bundled up with fleece headbands, stocking caps, heavy sweatshirts etc. The only ones in singlets or short sleeves was the "serious" runners toeing the starting line and me. I am sure I stood out - because of my white legs. I did notice that it was quite different from Midwest races. The only non black haired people were gray haired.

Despite it being a small race, it was well organized. It was different in that at ever intersection there was a city works department truck instead of a police car. There were cops at the finish - guarding the beer. The route was nothing special scenery wise (although, as you who know me well can attest, I wouldn't have noticed anyway) it was however FLAT! There were two hills - highway overpasses - which they call Texas Mountains according to my Mom. And one incline - yes, it was so flat that I noticed inclines. What did suck was the cold, wet wind in my face for most of the second half. The next day, of course, there was no wind.

I got in my usual mindset the last mile - WTF!!! WTF!!! WTF!!! (Where's The Finish!). My time was a 1:56 which I was happy with considering I am training for a marathon when my average pace always slows and that nasty wind the second half. The post race offerings were quite a bit different then the Midwest. No bagels, bananas or chocolate chip cookies. Nope! And I REALLY wanted a cookie. Instead there was orange slices, pasta (I learned that spicy (kinda) pasta is NOT what I want after running) and chicken wings (pre-made, breaded kind). The 5K got hot dogs and chips (I went scouting over there to see if I could find a cookie). The did have beer, but it was in cans (apparently volume isn't as much of a concern) and it was Michelob Ultra! Come On! That along with the cold made me pass on the beer. An although I am not a coffee drinker, I did get a cup of coffee - to warm my hands.

Since I knew the average time was quite a bit slower at this race than in the Midwest and the number of participants is smaller, I went and checked out the results board. Third Place in my age group and yes, there were more than 3 participants, 21 actually. Part of me was happy since I have not "medaled" since my inaugural running of the Sparta Stampede (where I got 2nd, but there were only 3 in my age group) but the other part of me was not. One because it was not my best time and two because it now meant I had to wait around in the cold until the awards ceremony. Ah, the challenges us elite athletes must endure! This along with traveling in first class has been quite a learning experience!

It was a little after nine and they announced that the awards ceremony would be at 10:00. I got out of my wet shirt, but there was no where to wait (besides my car). They weren't letting us in the nice, dry and toasty warm convention center. I thought I could handle that wait, but by 10:30 I was cold to the bone and ornery. Therefore, I was NOT happy to hear, "Due to a mix up we only have one set of awards. We will do the men first, so the women will only get their award if their male counterpart isn't here to get his award." WHAT????? What happened to ladies first???? Luckily for her, my male didn't show so I got my lovely engraved coaster (at least that is how I would describe it). As I was walking to my car, I heard her say, "I did the men first because I know women are more understanding." She was so lucky!

So, it was fun and interesting and a memorable #8.

One goal has been reached

I didn't really have this as a goal this year, since this is goal that truly becomes more difficult to achieve each year. But I exceeded last year's mileage by just over a mile and I still have almost a month to go. Of course running a half marathon each month and training for a marathon helped to beat the goal a month early.

Thankfully, it happened during a 20 mile run that felt so much better than the last one. So much so that the run didn't seem to bad because I was thankful that I feeling better.

One more 20 miler to go... hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate!

Please Remind Me...

If I ever talk about running another marathon, please, please tell me to read this post!

We had a 20 mile run on the docket this morning. The weather was perfect for this time of year - 28 degrees, but calm and no rain. That was the only thing that went well.

This run was much harder than last week's 19 mile run and it is probably because of that run plus the two 10 mile runs during the week that made this 20 miler so unbearable. My body wasn't given the chance to recover. It was the first time (I think) that after the first 5.5 mile loop I thought "I can't do this" AND I have 14.5 miles to go!!!!

The second 5.5 mile loop wasn't a whole lot better, but Cooter Brown was with us and having not seen him in a long time, it gave a 'fresh' feeling to the run. And of course we made it quite clear that we expected him to continually talk the whole run. But still at the end of the loop, I was thinking I do NOT, can NOT do another 9 miles.

For the last 9 miles we headed out of town. Doing 9 miles of loops around town would have been the nail in the coffin. Thankfully my running partner (and godsend) Katie said, if we walk, we walk - we just need to get the miles in. That change in philosophy, which I took full advantage of, was just what I needed. And although we stopped several times to walk, it really didn't walk that far, but it gave us enough of a break which allowed us to continue on - without breaking down in tears (okay, I have never done that, I call someone to come pick me up way before I reach that point!)

Plus we stopped an had a Dew Stop. It has been a long time since we have done that. I tell ya, the taste of ice cold Diet Dew near the end of any long run puts me in nirvana. And the 3 miles we had left after the Dew Stop seemed bearable.

By the end we had logged 20.4 miles. I can't thank Katie enough, there is NO WAY I would have been able to do it without her. I hate training for a marathon!

# 7 of 12 - Rails to Trails, Norwalk WI

Today was #7 of 12 - 5 more to go!

It was the Rails to Trails in Norwalk, WI. I did the inaugural race for this event 4 years ago and to be honest, I didn't like it then. It just isn't the course for me.

I knew it would be a tough run since I ran hard last weekend at the Haunted Hustle and my body hasn't fully recovered. Plus my eating was geared towards racing, so I was low on energy. AND it is a hard course. Essentially half of it is up hill - no I am not exaggerating. The worse part was the hill from the turn around for the next 3.7 miles. That is a LONG way to run up hill.

A big draw for this race is running through the old railroad tunnel which is 3,810 feet long or .7 miles. Given its length it is very, very dark. The race organizers put out lights, but they are just beacons in the distance. I had a headlamp but I couldn't adjust the angle so it did a great job of lighting up the reflective part of the shoes of the runner in front of me. However that did help a little bit. Can you tell I am not a big fan of the tunnel? I spend the whole time worrying that I am going to twist an ankle since in addition to it being pitch black, the surface is very rough due the age of the tunnel (built in 1873) and to all the dripping water. And I get to do it twice - out and back.

ANOTHER THING about the tunnel is that it screws up my Garmin. I should have known this, but forgot to turn off my Auto pause. So, I had no idea how fast or slow I was going which was probably a good thing.

Lastly, although the weather was warm - 52 degrees - it was windy, windy, windy (gusts up to 25 mph) with the fairly rare occurrence of the wind coming out of the south. Which of course meant that it was in our face for the way back to the finish. Oh Joy! Hills AND wind! I guess it could have been worse. A woman in the chicken-q line said that last weekend when they checked the weather rain and sleet were predicted.

So given the 6+ miles of uphill and the tunnel - not a big fan. However, that is my fault, not the race organizers. It is a quaint race and volunteers are great. The made a lot of improvements from the first year (eliminated going PAST the finish line for an addition 1.5 mile out and back) and now offer a complimentary beer. Plus they have the timing of events figured out so people running the half don't have to wait to get the post race chicken q. I loved the chocolate milk. One criticism was the shirts were HUGE. I ordered a medium and it was more the size of a men's large or XL. Luckily my friend Al swapped with me so I think I can actually wear it. Guessing what shirt size to order for races is always a challenge.

Oh - one more criticism: No link to the results on the event's webpage, but a simple Google search took me to them. It is so nice these days that race results are available day of instead of waiting for days for them to appear.

So, I kept it under 2 hours with a 1:57:28 which which gave me 11 out of 50 in my age group. Actually 12th, but the first place woman took first for women overall with 1:35. DANG! but she is a young one - 41, so what it figures. Unfortunately for my ego, half of the women who beat me were also older than me. Sigh. And quite honestly, the reason I probably got that time is because I passed my dentist about 2.5 miles from the finish and I just couldn't let him see me walk. Yes, I thanked him when I saw him at the post race.

I feel like this is kind of a bummer post, but beyond getting #7 done and keeping it under 2 hours, I am just not that thrilled with the race. The good news is that I have a reasonable amount of recovery time before my next half in December 11th in McAllen, TX!!! (Of course, I am ignoring the fact that the weekend before I am running 20 miles as part of my marathon training).

Half way - #6

Today was half marathon #6 - Half Way!

It was the Haunted Hustle in Middleton, WI. I went in thinking I would take what I got (of course, I never really am 'okay' with it if my time is one of my worst) since I have been pretty hard on my body in the last week (What happens at the Fall 50, Stays at the Fall 50). Plus I needed to do a 17 mile run as part of my Disney Marathon training. So before the half began, I ran 4 miles - easy, but 4 miles none the less.

It was a chilly (32 degrees) and breezier than I expected. I opted to wear a t-shirt and then a long sleeve over it. When we started out, I was a bit worried that I was going to be too warm and no good way to take a layer off without a major hassle. But it turned out okay. In the shade I was fine and I was worried when we got in the sun I would heat up, but the very cool breeze actually made it cooler in the open than in the shade.

They encourage costumes and there were a lot of them. The most memorable was a guy just wearing a speedo sized, tiger striped swim suit with a tail. Yep, that was it. And it was COLD. I didn't get to see if the Seinfeld theory of "shrinkage" held true since I didn't notice him until I saw his tail. Happily its was a situation where the speedo looked good ;-). But I still shiver thinking about it. I guess it is an easy way to prevent bleeding nipples. Oy!

It also seemed like the average age was a big younger then other halves I have been too. Not sure if that was because it was in Madison or the Halloween theme attracted them. The numbers in the female age divisions show it too: 20-29:341, 30-39: 347, 40-49:215.

The course was very beautiful, but very challenging. Hillier than I expected, but only one monster which was at the beginning. Most of it winds through a Pleasant Branch Nature Preserve which I never new was so long. It was truly cool to be running through a little stream valley and see all the steam from our breath rising up in the morning sun. The negatives of this beautiful course were at times there was two way traffic on a narrow path which made passing very difficult. Also the frost on the wood bridges was pretty darn slippery - which was beyond their control. They did put salt on it, but I think sand would have been better.

I started out at my usual turtle pace for the first three miles (pace 9:12, 8:56, 8:54), but I seemed to warm up sooner (probably because of my 4 mile run) and then my double caffeine gu kicked in. I cruised miles 4-7 (8:37, 8:35, 8:20!, 8:39) and then I felt my first gu evaporate. I had another one about mile 6.5 and thank goodness I did otherwise the last half was going to be a big ole bummer and mile 8 showed it - back up to a 8:58 - ugh. At that point it was hard not to say - oh well - wasn't expecting much from this one anyway. And I still struggled through mile 9 & 10, but they were a tiny bit faster and under 9:00 (8:50 and 8:51). I was paying for that 8:20 for mile 6. Then I new the end was near and was able to bring up the pace for then end (8:44, 8:39 and 8:41) AND that last .1 of mile was 8:24 (it was all down hill). Believe me, those last 3 miles I did NOT feel like I was running that pace. No matter how many halfs I have run, it is still hard to remember that even if I feel great, if it is before the halfway point I probably am going to pay for it. Thank goodness for the double caffeine gu!

I can't say much about the post race. Or what I can say about it is lines, lines, line. This was the second running of this race and I think they got overwhelmed by the number of participants. It started at the expo when they only had one cashier that could take credit cards which = LONG line. Yes, I stood in it. The pre race wasn't bad. A lot of porta potties and there were the usual lines. (The guy in front of our line got quite a negative reaction from those behind him when he let woman in the next line over use our porta potty AND she was not quick!) Lesson for all you guys - when you are at the front of a long porta potty line it is NOT the time to let ladies go first (unless they are behind you in YOUR line).

The long line trend continued at the post race party. LONG line to get a beer - one small table handing out glasses (COME ON!). Another long snaky line to get at food. Ugh. But that is my only complaint and hopefully next year they will have figured it out.

It is a fun run, but not one to expect to PR on.

So, my November run is in Norwalk NEXT Sunday! And today I figured out my December half which was stumping me. It was looking like I was going to have to have the lowest attended half marathon (1) right here in Sparta. But I found a half 30 minutes away from my Mom's winter home in Texas. And with two airline tickets that needed to be used up by December 22, it seemed like a match made in heaven. So I am registered for the Fiesta Half on Dec 11 in McAllen Texas. I will be cutting it a bit close since I am flying in at 5:00 the night before (Mom might have to do packet pick up for me!) and of course I am already worrying about running in the heat after being acclimated to Wisconsin winter weather. The great thing is that it falls on a rest weekend in my marathon training plan and I am scheduled to do 12 miles that weekend. So, no worries about missing a long run.

#5 of 12 - Maple Leaf Half

Yesterday I ran my 5th half marathon, Maple Leave half in La Crosse, in five months. 7 more to go to complete my goal of running 12 half marathons in 12 months.

I wanted to do well in this one. It is my fourth time running it, so I know the course and know what to expect. So a lot of the anxiety of "Is there ANOTHER big hill coming?" is somewhat eliminated. And I was looking forward because many of my Spartan running friends were running it too. Even a bigger bonus - we were planning our own post race party afterwards at the bars downtown.

To start - the weather was PERFECT! around 50 degrees and little wind. As usual there was huge porta potty lines. They never have enough, but I can't fault them for it. The race is to raise money for the local YMCA and it has the cheapest entry fee around. Oktoberfest is this weekend too, so there are tons of porta potties scattered around for parade goers. I thought I had spotted some with no line. I should have known better. My group and I high tailed it over there only to find they were locked. Thankfully the guy took pity on us and unlocked to for us. I am guessing he regretted it because as soon as other runners saw us standing there, they flocked over too. Needless to say we gave him a HUGE thank you.

On to the start. It is always hard to hear at this race. Not big enough speakers. We realized they were singing the National Anthem about half way through and didn't know the gun had gone off until the people in front of us started moving forward. Not a huge deal. It is part of what makes it Maple Leaf.

The funny (in a weird, not ha ha kind of way) is that although you run down the Oktoberfest parade route and there are tons of people sitting out, reserving their spot, waiting for the parade to begin - they rarely cheer you on. We are a nuisance or something to endure before the parade starts. It is kind of how I felt as a child as I had to sit through Hee Haw and Wild Kingdom before Disney's Wonderful World of Magic. This year we started to count how many people, who were not race volunteers, cheered for us. We were pretty close to finishing the 2nd mile (and almost of the parade route) when we got our first cheer. We got more cheers off the parade route then on. On the way back we you have to watch out for parade watchers crossing in front of you.

So, the race felt good. I tried taking a Gu Octane before the race. As a result I was a little worried about my stomach and digestive system since it did not seem to happy as we were waiting for the start. Speaking of waiting for the start - here are some pics:

We are a eager looking group aren't we? The race felt good. As I said the weather was perfect and the hills that are in the course are gradual. The one thing they do wrong every year is to have the gu at the half way point after the water. It needs to be reversed. Very few people can get gu down without water, plus it is supposed to be taken with water.

Looking back at my splits, I got faster each mile. My overall pace was 8:35 which meant I finished with a 1:52:31. I wanted to be under 1:53 since the last two time I have run it, that is the time I got. Little did I realize that is my second best half time ever. My best was 1:51. So, I am very happy with that and it felt good too!

All in all a GREAT race on a BEAUTIFUL day with FANTASTIC friends. A post race celebration seemed more than appropriate!

4th half - many firsts

Written on My iPad, so please excuse misspellings and bad punctuation.

Saturday I ran the Madison Mini Marathon - my fourth in four months. Eight more to go.

Even though there was a good possibility of hot and humid weather, I was actually looking forward to this race. How could I not love a half in Madison which went by a lot of the highlights: Capitol, Vilas Zoo, arboretum, lakeshore path and ended at the union. However, it ended up being a half with a few firsts.

First at the expo I ended up registering for the haunted hustle in Middleton in October. Usually at expos I breeze by the booths for other races. I have never run a race because I saw it advertised at another race's expo. However, I was thinking about running it and if you registered you got 10$ off. So, there you go.

Next I bought some 'guaranteed to stay in my ears and not hurt' earbuds. I normally don't run with music, but this one I was thinking about doing so since I didn't have any friends with me. I thought it might be something that would help me get through the race. So, Yurbuds were purchased with assurances if they didn't work, they could be returned. I also bought some more bondiband head bands. It was a small but nice expo - about what I expected. I almost did get thrown off track when entering though. It was in the newly rebuilt Union South and I followed the 'race packet pickup' signs until I ran into a long line. I was bit shocked that the race would be so disorganized that there would be a long line at 3:30 in afternoon. Luckily I asked the girl in front of me if this was the line for race packets and she told me 'no, it is the line for ice cream. Although I was tempted to stay in the line, I only had 30 minutes on my parking pass.

Race day I awoke to rain. Ugh but luckily it ended by the time I was on the road towards the race. Once parked I got organized and decided to eat a Gu. I have never done that before a race only during, but thought I would give it a try. I headed to the start and my corral. I was a bit freaked because the 1:45 pacer was in the corrals BEHIND me. I have never run that fast. It seemed like there were very few people ahead (faster)of me and a couple of thousand people behind me and the first quarter mile was up hill. There was going to be a whole lot of passing (of me) going on. Then they announced the race would be delayed due to a storm rolling in. Luckily a UW facility that I frequently have meetings at was right there and they were letting people lounge in their lounge and use their nice non-porta potty toilets. That was the first time that I ever had a race delayed because of weather. And it was delayed 1.5 hours. They did a great job of giving updates via facebook throughout the delay. Due to the comfort of my surroundings, I didn't mind, but the Gu I had was now for naught and I was a little worried about being starved during the last few miles.

We ran in a complete down pour the first 2 miles. Luckily I had a garbage bag along. I have brought a garbage bag many times, but never had to actually wear it. Another first. I did learn that contractor size garbage bags are about 3 feet too long to run. It did help a lot until my body warmed up. It is funny how at the beginning of a race a downpour with gusting winds can bring laughter and joyous whoops where if it was the last two miles the reaction would be much different!

At about mile 4.5 I decided to eat my Gu. I was struggling a bit a knew there were some decent hills coming up in the arboretum. I figured that I would grab one of the race supplied Gu when they offered them. I was glad I did because I was really able to power up the hills and felt great until mile 11. However, at miles 6, 7, 8 and even 9 when I was looking for the Gu station none was found. I couldn't believe they didn't hand out Gu. That is my one and only complaint about the race. Beyond that the aid stations were frequent and well organized.

The course was a challenging one. A pretty steady up hill between miles 5 and 7. Normally I would have HATED that but my double caffeine Gu put steam in my engine. Luckily the last 3 miles were flat and shaded because now the sun was out in full force and it felt hot and humid. I think it helped that I knew this leg having run it many times on my own. The only hard part was not knowing where the finish was. On the terrace meant a nice flat finish, in front of the union meant a short steep up hill around two corners....not what I want at the finish. Unfortunately it was the latter. And was it in front of the union or where the start was a couple of blocks further? A couple of blocks may not seem like a lot, but at that point it can really piss you off. So I when I turned the last corner I was really glad to see that it was the shorter possibility and down hill.

The post race offerings were abundant: water, banana, rice krispy bar, choice of chips, granola bar and chocolate milk. I had a hard time carrying it all. And what better place to relax after a race than on the shady union terrace. Unfortunately, since I was by myself and a drive back to the campground we we staying at (which was calling me on such a beautiful day) I opted to not have a beer. So in return for the person who gave me their beer ticket at the Cellcom half in Green Bay, I gave my ticket to a group that were really thrilled to get it. It kinda made skipping the beer worth it.

So overall a fun, well organized race despite no Gu and a challenging course. Plus it helped that I felt GREAT.

Half marathons

Well, I have figured out that I will be running Norwalk's (WI) Rails to Trails half marathon in November. There is only one other half in WI in November and this one is a lot closer, so it is Norwalk. I ran the inaugural Rails to Trails half and to be honest it is not my favorite. However, I have heard they have made improvements, like at the end of the race not making us run 1.5 miles past the finish. That was very hard mentally not to mention the freshly spread cow manure on the adjacent field. Ah! Only in Wisconsin!

I am also pretty sure I will run the Maple Leaf half in La Crosse during Oktoberfest weekend. We usually have a big group going which makes it a lot of fun and the post race bloody mary's (not provided by race) with good friends was also a lot of fun.

The big dilemma is October. What to do? What to do? Of course the first two October weekend would work great for me- pretty much, but there are no half marathons within 5.5 hours! So, my options are:

October 8 - Scenic Byway Half in Belle Plaine, MN (inaugural)

October 15 - Whistlestop in Ashland

October 29 - Haunted Hustle in Middleton.

There are no half marathons within reasonable driving distance the weekend of October 1/2. And the weekend of the 22/23 I will be up in Door County doing the Fall 50 with 9 of my best running friends! So, that leaves the above races.

Right now I am leaning towards Belle Plaine. It will give me at least 2 weeks recovery. But I am guessing it will be quite small, since it is the first one and in a small town (one hotel and 1 B&B). But it is only 3.5 hours away, so in driving distance.

I would prefer to run Whistlestop, but hubby is gone that weekend and already have a biking weekend on the calendar with friends. I might be able to get my in-laws to watch the kids for the Friday/Saturday, but then I would miss out on the bike. But maybe.......

The Haunted Hustle is the weekend before the Norwalk Half - so little recovery time. AND I will need it because I have heard that the Hustle is very HILLY. Hilly is not my favorite attribute in a race course.

So for the first time EVERY in this BLOG (because most of you know that it is not my first poll ever!)... I am providing you with a poll so you can tell me which race YOU think I should run. Of course, it doesn't mean I will listen to you....

Vacation running

I realized once again how much I enjoy running while on vacation, although it has to be outside, not on the dreadmill. I always experience a different place as a runner as compared to when I am a tourist. When we were in Colorado I got to run within feet of a herd of Elk (there was a fence between us). Today I got to enjoy running around Paia, Hawaii on the island of Maui. I wasn't sure what the experience would be like since the local roads don't have much for shoulders and if lucky may be there is a sidewalk.

I found a run on Mapmyrun.com and modified it since it was a 12.7 mile route. I might be running, but I am on vacation! It took me out of town and through a sugar cane plantation. There were a couple of wonderful views along the way and for parts the tall sugar cane gave me a little shade. I was amazed at one point how quiet it was. No car noise, airplane or anything. Just the wind blowing through the sugar cane. It was pretty cool.

Plus, I get to see the locals being locals, especially when I run in the morning. It just gives you a totally different vibe as compared to when I am being a tourist. I am not sure if I will run tomorrow, I might and try and hit some of the neighborhoods.

On another note, I saw this article and couldn't help but wonder if this will be the Sparta morning running group some day.

You know.....

You know it is too hot and humid to run when....

1. The dew point and the temperature are the same.

2. You open the door hear dripping and with glee on your face you open the door wider expecting rain, only to find it is dew dripping off the trees.

3. At the meeting place you don't want to get out of your car because it is too hot. (I need to remember this in January).

4. The "Quick Dry" element of your fancy running clothes is totally defeated.

5. Your clothes look and feel like you have been swimming instead of running.

6. 3 hours after the run you have to tell someone, "No, that is not sunburn...my face is just red from sweating.".

7. Vanity is gone... who cares who sees your white skin and stomach rolls or potbelly as long as it is cooler!

Half #3 - Middle Park Half Marathon.

Today I ran my 3rd half in 3 months. Nine more in the next nine months.

This one - the inaugural Middle Park Half Marathon in Grandby Colorado was a challenge to put it lightly. The course description says there is over a 500 foot change in elevation from start to finish, but runners actually run up hill much more that 500+ feet due to the "rolling" hills along the course. The good thing is the big hills are at the start of the race and I am happy to report that was not the only one walking up the monster ones. I even managed to pass a woman from Denver, so my little Wisconsin lungs held their own! The majority of the course was on dirt roads which had me a bit worried about getting stones in my shoes, but no worries. The rain the night before settled the small looses stuff so it actually was a nice running surface. The weather was perfect. 50 degrees at start and the cloud cover stayed so no intense high elevation sun. And thankfully a light wind.

I ended up running a 2:18:38 which I am very happy with considering the course. In addition to walking the hills, I also stopped and took couple of pictures. And I didn't come in last! I actually finished 56th out of 85. Usually I am into 50% but I think this course drew more of the serious runners. They said that women out numbered men 3:1 and I am sure most were in my age group!

Overall it was a nice small town half. Cheerful volunteers and fairly well organized.

Half #3 - Middle Park Half Marathon.

Today I ran my 3rd half in 3 months. Nine more in the next nine months.

This one - the inaugural Middle Park Half Marathon in Grandby Colorado was a challenge to put it lightly. The course description says there is over a 500 foot change in elevation from start to finish, but runners actually run up hill much more that 500+ feet due to the "rolling" hills along the course. The good thing is the big hills are at the start of the race and I am happy to report that was not the only one walking up the monster ones. I even managed to pass a woman from Denver, so my little Wisconsin lungs held their own! The majority of the course was on dirt roads which had me a bit worried about getting stones in my shoes, but no worries. The rain the night before settled the small looses stuff so it actually was a nice running surface. The weather was perfect. 50 degrees at start and the cloud cover stayed so no intense high elevation sun. And thankfully a light wind.

I ended up running a 2:18:38 which I am very happy with considering the course. In addition to walking the hills, I also stopped and took couple of pictures. And I didn't come in last! I actually finished 56th out of 85. Usually I am into 50% but I think this course drew more of the serious runners. They said that women out numbered men 3:1 and I am sure most were in my age group!

Overall it was a nice small town half. Cheerful volunteers and fairly well organized.