From worst to best.

Two weeks ago I ran that horrible 20-miler. It was tough -- for many reasons. The two biggest reasons were the humidity and my stomach cramping issues. After that run, I wondered (several times) if I was meant for the marathon at all, let alone a marathon with a time goal.

I wondered and every time I did, I told myself that, yes, I'm meant for it. Now is the time to go for it. Go for that marathon PR. I mean, why not? Right? Right.

So I forged ahead and have had some rocking runs since.

Sunday's 22 mile run was the best yet.

I ran with people I've never run with before: Catherine, Rachel and Jen. Catherine was with us for about 5 miles and then looped back to finish with 14. Rachel, Jen and I continued on. We started in one county, crossed the bridge over the river, and ran on into another county. High adventure for this happy runner!

Mile 1: 10:03
Mile 2: 9:58
Mile 3: 9:28
Mile 4: 9:16
Mile 5: 9:51
Mile 6: 10:20
Mile 7: 9:53
Mile 8: 9:46
Mile 9: 9:41
Mile 10: 9:38

After 10 miles, we popped into a 5K in Washington Park. It was such an odd thing to do, but it worked. It got us to pick up our pace on tiring legs. It also forced us to hold back, because we knew we'd have 9 miles left to run after the 5K.

The 5K:
Mile 11: 8:39
Mile 12: 7:52
Mile 13: 8:01

After the race: Me, Jen, Rachel. Yes, I was wearing gloves. My hands were freezing on Sunday!

We ran together for the race, finished, and ran back to where we'd started. We went a different route back to the start, which happened to be super-duper hilly. But, no matter. We conquered those hills!


Mile 14: 10:40
Mile 15: 11:25
Mile 16: 10:43
Mile 17: 10:24
Mile 18: 11:31
Mile 19: 10:16

With 3 miles to go, something happened to me. My body just needed to go. I felt myself pick up the pace a little and I went with it. I worried for about half a second that I would not be able to hold on to the pace, but deep-down I knew I could.

Mile 20: 9:48
Mile 21: 8:47
Mile 22: 9:18

And I did. I ran such a solid last few miles. It felt awesome!!!

Hooray!

Actually, the whole run felt awesome. I loved the company and our pacing and I really enjoyed the mid-run race break.

Solid Sunday 22-miler = total confidence. 

Now, my taper is right around the corner. I'm ready!

Enjoy the rest of the week, everyone!

Strong Running Mama: Jen M.

Welcome to a new feature of this ol' blog! I've wanted to include runner profiles for a while and now I'm doing it. As you may remember, I'm part of the Strong Running Mamas, a running group that started back in 2010 when I helped a few non-runners train for their first 5K. It was awesome and I still look back at that time with fondness. Even better, though, is the fact that many of those mamas are still running! And, Strong Running Mamas has grown and grown and is just a super supportive group.

So, I want to highlight some of the rocking runners that make up the group. Each week (I hope!) I'll have a new runner profile up for you.

This week, we kick-off the series with our first profile -- a runner who happens to be a good friend, Jen M.

Strong Running Mama!

Jen is a 38 year old mother of four kids (ages 9, 6, 4 and 1-1/2). She lives in upstate New York (near me!) and writes YA book reviews for VOYA, the Voice of Youth Advocates, a professional library journal. She also writes reviews for her book blog, goddesslibrarian.blogspot.com, and she writes about her life -- including running -- at thejedimama.blogspot.com and on twitter: @jedimama.

Right now, Jen is training to become a better runner with a 2014 goal to shave two minutes off her current 5K time (which is one minute slower than her overall PR). She's concentrating on building her mileage and getting faster, using tempo runs and intervals and an interesting running partner:

"I'm doing a lot of my running with Jimmy Fallon right now. During the week I am stuck on the treadmill and Jimmy Fallon on my iPad often gets me through it. The weather this winter has been really snowy and wicked cold and my long outside run on the weekend is frequently impossible. I can't do a really long run on the treadmill, but Jimmy Fallon gets me through 5 miles." 

As a mom of four kids, Jen does a lot of balancing to fit in her runs. In essence, she makes it a priority because running is important to her:

"I rearrange my entire day around my run and I run the same days each week so it has become ingrained in my routine. My runs have to happen during my toddler's nap time. So I plan everything around that. I just switched my running days to days that I can get him down earlier for a nap so I can have more time before the big kids have to get off the bus. This is important because I am now practicing the "hard days hard" philosophy. Immediately after my run I do a 20-40 minute high intensity strength training workout. It's tough to squeeze in a run, workout, stretch and shower in one nap time and make it before the bus. If I have to be somewhere during my normal run time I get pretty annoyed, but I just switch things around and do what I have to do." 

A few of Jen's favorites:

Running gear:  "Injinji toe socks are a must, zensah calf sleeves for long runs. I currently have a garmin but I am in line to get the new BIA watch when it's shipped (soon). When it's cold, as it's been forever now, I use a neck gaiter so I'm not breathing in bitter cold air. This makes my sunglasses fog up, so I just bought anti-fog swimming goggles to try out. At the very least it should deter any strangers."

Place to run: "As long as I'm outside I'm happy."

Race: "5K. Nice and short. I love the Clove Run 5K. It starts and ends at our elementary school and it's nice to run in my comunity."

Running achievement: "Finishing my first half marathon in exactly the time I wanted to was pretty memorable."  

 

Go, smiley Jen!

Jen's PRs:

5K: 27:35

10 mile: 1:54:36

half marathon: 2:15:02

What STRONG RUNNING MAMA means to Jen: "Strong Running Mama means having the ability to balance running and parenting. Running makes me a better Mama. And being a Mama makes me a better runner--if I'm going to take my time away from my kids I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to be the best runner I can be. Also, if I can birth 4 babies I can run anything."

Amen to that! 

Huge thanks to Jen for sharing a little of her running story with us! If you'd like to read a little more, definitely check out her blog, especially this post that Jen considers the most meaningful to her: http://thejedimama.blogspot.com/2011/03/standing-on-your-own-two-feet.html

Running with her son -- awesome!

Thanks for stopping by -- and check back each week to read about another of my fellow Strong Running Mamas!

 

2014 happy racing!

This year, I'm running several of the same races that I ran last year, but I'm also including a destination race that I've never run. I love destination races! This will be the third year in a row that I'm traveling for a half or full marathon. In 2012 I ran the New Jersey marathon and the ZOOMA Cape Cod half marathon, last year was the More/Fitness half marathon in NYC. This year, I'm heading to Boston for the Run to Remember half marathon. Can't wait!

Right now, that's my main race, but I'm planning on several others. Here's a look at my 2014 race schedule:

January: New Year's Day 3.5 miler (done!)

February: nothing

March: Runnin' of the Green (Island) 4-miler

April: nothing

May: Boston's Run to Remember Half Marathon

June: Valleycats 5K

July: nothing formal but I would like to run some of the HMRRC summer track series races

August: Clove Run 10-miler

September: Youth Make a Difference 5K

October: Mohawk-Hudson River Half Marathon

November: possibly the Rockville Centre 10K

December: HMRRC winter series

Nope, not planning on the Boilermaker this year. I just like this photo of me crossing the finish line. It was a tough race for me that year. I was happy I didn't give up.

Quite the manageable schedule, I'd say. I have a few time goals in mind for some of the races, including a strong, strong desire to hit new PRs for the half marathon and the 5K.

Once the Old Man Winter hits the road (soon? please?), I'll feel more like gearing up for these 2014 races. Until then my running mileage will remain lower than usual and take a bit of a backseat to cross training. And I'm perfectly OK with that because -- as I learned last year -- periods of low mileage and rest are important.

So, that's the schedule. I hope to see some of you at some starting lines this year. Hit me up if you're running any of these races!

Thanks for reading --

 

A look back at 2013.

Here we are two weeks into 2014 and I'm finally sitting down to take a look back at 2013. Fun, fun.

2013 was quite a year for me! Let's start with a brief look at my stats:

Total mileage: 903

Number of races: 7 

There was some good and some bad in 2013. On the bad side, I suffered probably my worst running injury to date. I tore two muscles in my hip and couldn't run for two months. As a result, I had to bag my fall marathon plans and was worried I wouldn't race at all in the fall. But, I was fairly good about my recovery efforts and I came back strong with a 5K PR in September and a half marathon PR in October.

Overall, the whole injury thing taught me a little more about patience and a good bit about listening to my body and importance of cross-training. Which, I am happy to report, I have embraced. 2013 was definitely the year of cross-training and I believe I am stronger because of it. Thanks, injury!

2013 was also the year of my new way of eating. My doctor prescribed a no grain, no sugar diet for me in January. At the same time, I had to go off of dairy -- not by his prescription, but because he put me on two different antibiotics, three times a day and dairy interferes with the absorption. So, no dairy for me.

I stuck with the diet and the antibiotics for three months and then slowly started to let the dietary changes go. Bad idea. The diet was tough, but it had a positive effect on my Lyme symptoms so going off of it was just silly. After a few weeks, I met with the doctor again and he told me I needed to stick with the new way of eating for at least a year, to let my body fully heal.

So, I went for it and eventually adopted a mostly Paleo way of eating, which I'm continuing with for the foreseeable future.

And now, a quick look at the year in pictures:

With my boys and my new niece in February.

With Bridget before the Running of the Green 4 miler in March.

Stroller running!

Strong Running Mamas at the More/Fitness half marathon in NYC in April.

Putting a positive spin on my injury and spectating the Freihofer's Run for Women with Elisa in May.

Back to running! With Bridget and Elisa after the Clove Run 10 miler in August.

The Youth Make a Difference 5K and kids run -- my new 5K PR -- in September.

Smiling my way to a new half marathon PR in October.

What will 2014 bring? Well, we shall see. I'm hoping for lots of fun miles with friends, some great races, maybe a PR or two, and -- this is a big one -- no injuries. I'll do my best to make it all happen, that's for sure!

Thanks for stopping by. Cheers to 2014!

 

YOUth Make a Difference 5K race report.

No suspense here: I had an awesome race on Saturday and set a new PR!

It was great. The race took place in my town, just 5 minutes from my house. We headed over early so Conal could run the 1 mile run and then I'd run the 5K afterward. 

Conal and me before the race, Conal running strong through the finish line and then sporting his medal.

A 1-mile race is a big deal for a little kid but Conal ran strong! Yes, he took walk breaks but then he started back up and he ended up finishing in 12:17. I was so proud of my little runner!

After that race, I lined up for mine. My plan was to try to run hard and see what kind of speed I have going into the last month of half marathon training. I've run only two fast workouts since coming back from my injury (my fast mile and a recent tempo run when I ran 2 miles in 15:15) so I didn't know exactly what to expect.

I started out faster than I probably should have, going through the first mile in 6:53.

Yikes! I have to admit I was cursing myself a little (OK, a lot) after that fast start. I had to hold on. So I kept pushing through the second mile and I went through it in 7:04.

A drop-off for sure, but not too bad.

The third mile, though, was tough. I was ready to be done and my internal conversation was not all that positive. I kept telling myself I'd blown it. That I had 2-mile speed and that was about it. That I just needed to stop.

But, thankfully, I didn't stop. I kept running and I went through the third mile in 7:14. I picked it up at the end to finish as strong as I could, running the last tenth of a mile at 6:20 pace and finishing the race in 21:37!

A new PR!!!

I never in a million years thought I would have been able to run that fast right now. I've been so worried about re-injuring my hip that I've been very, very conservative with my training. I believe that has been a good plan because, now, here I am running and racing strong!


Race stats:

Overall time: 21:37
Pace: 6:58/mile
Age group place (female, 40-49): 2 out of 30
Gender place: 8 out of 151
Overall place: 18 out of 241  

I followed up the race with a nice and easy (and very hilly!) 10 mile run with Bridget and Elisa at the crack of dawn on Sunday. My legs felt heavy but it was a good run with friends and it felt good to get the miles in.

Nice weekend of running for this happy runner!

Have a great week, everyone!

Freihofer's Run for Women 5K spectator report.

The Freihofer's Run for Women in Albany is one of my favorite races. It's an all-women race that draws a huge local crowd, as well as some of the best elite runners in the world.

Plus, it was the first race that the women I trained back in 2010 ever ran.

So, I was a bit sad to not be able to run this year. I wanted to. I registered. But my bum hip kept me away from the starting line. It didn't, however, keep me away from the race.

On Saturday, I was a full-on spectator with my friend, Elisa:

We positioned ourselves just before the 3 mile mark so we could cheer for all of our strong running mama friends -- and everyone else who was kicking it to the finish line.

It was great fun. I loved watching my friends run by and seeing the pride in all of the runners' faces was inspiring. It was a hot day -- 79 degrees at the start -- and you could tell the run was tough for a lot of the runners. But they ran on. Awesome.

Here's a pre-race shot of several of us from Strong Running Mamas. Everyone looks so fast. Elisa and I look so, civilian.

Ah, well. Next year I hope to be back at the Freihofer's, speeding down the Madison Ave hill instead of lamely walking it.

Fingers crossed!

Have a great week, everyone!

November recap.

November was a month of re-focusing for me. August, September and October were so up-and-down for me. Although I ran half marathons in September and October, I didn't run much in the weeks after each of them. So, my mileage was down.

I just needed to be consistent again. And that is what happened in November: I was much more consistent, with every week a 20+ mile week.

Sure, I need breaks now and then but I've learned a few things about myself and one of those things is that I run my best and feel my best when I am running consistently. One other thing I've learned is that trying to do a plank every day is waaaaaaaay too much pressure for me. The pressure of having to do planks has completely turned me off and I think I did a grand total of 3 all month. I believe in them, however, so from  now on I plan to do them when I feel like it -- shooting for at least twice a week. We'll see how that goes!

Anyway, here's a look at my month of November:

Running (miles): 87.8
Races: 1 -- the Valatie Veteran's Day 5K, where I set a new PR! (22:18)
Cross training (sessions): 4
Planks: 3

Love that new PR!

Now: Welcome, December! I kicked the month off with 5+ miles on Saturday and 3.5 on Sunday. In between, I enjoyed a fun night out with two great friends (and our husbands):

And capped-off the weekend with a birthday dinner for my dad last night.

Great way to start the month!

How was your November? Do you have big plans for December?

Have a great week, everyone!

~ Felice

Valatie Veteran's Day 5K race report.

I had planned to run a 10K on Long Island this past Saturday. But superstorm Sandy made a mess of the island so the race was canceled. And we ended up canceling our trip, which was a good move. One of my brothers-in-law, his wife, and their young son were displaced by the storm, and will be for probably the rest of this year. So, they popped up this weekend for a visit and to get a little break.

In between canceling our trip and making the new plans, I signed up for a small local 5K. And I talked Bridget in to running it as well. So, even though my BIL, Glenn, and his family were here, I still managed to get in a race.

I'm thrilled that I did.

Bridget and I got to the Valatie Veteran's Day 5K about a half hour before the race started, picked up our shirts and our bibs and booked it back to the car because it was so much colder than we had expected. We sat around for a little while and then I decided to take off for a quick warm-up and she met up with our friend Karen who was also running the race.

After meeting back up, we went to the starting line and with a loud, "On your mark. Get set. Runners go!" we were off.

I wanted to run a strong race and I hoped to finish under 23 minutes, if not close to my PR.

My first mile was conservative. I ran in a pack for that first mile, slowly passing all of the runners in that pack. Then the sun came out and the course turned on to a really pretty country road and I was running mostly alone. I could see a pack ahead of me and part of me wanted to try to close the gap, but the other (smarter) part of me decided I needed to heed my own advice and run my own race.

That's what I did. I picked up the pace a smidge over the second mile and then, in the third mile, poured it on. With about a half mile to go, I started to feel like I was going to get a PR.

And then, right around mile 3, I came to the hill. Not a long hill, but a steepish hill and just something that, honestly, I didn't want to run up at the end of a 5K in which I'd been pushing my pace.

But I did.

And I finished strong.

Coming in to the finish line.

22:18 and a new PR!

My old PR, set in August, was 22:42. Yup, on Saturday I smashed that old record!

Man, I was psyched. After finishing, I grabbed a water and a banana and went back to cheer for Karen and Bridget. I somehow missed Karen crossing the line, but I saw Bridget, who also set a new PR of 25:58! Yay!

What makes my performance so good, to me, is that I felt strong the entire way and ran negative splits, well, except for the last bit. Check it out:

Mile 1: 7:20
Mile 2: 7:10
Mile 3: 6:58
Last .1: 8:05 pace (yeah, the hill got me!)

Overall pace: 7:11

Pretty cool. Like I said, it was a small race -- only 135 people. I ended up finishing 15th overall, 5th female, and 1st in my age group. Not too shabby.

I was very pleased. Very, very pleased. The rest of the weekend was terrific too!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all had a great weekend!

~ Felice

The Maddie's Mark 5K.

Are you looking for an October race? Want to run a 5K for a great cause?

Well, if you are anywhere in the greater Albany, NY area, I have the perfect race for you: The Inaugural Maddie's Mark 5K on October 27th.

This race is a fundraiser for the Maddie's Mark Foundation, which was created in honor of Madeline Musto, who died earlier this year at the much-too-young age of 5. Here's a little information:

Madeline Musto was born and lived her 'best days ever' in the town of
Rotterdam, NY. At the young age of 5, she was diagnosed with an inoperable
brain stem tumor, and passed away just 5 days later. Maddie has forever
changed many lives in the Capital Region. Her story has encouraged families
to live each moment without regret and to make each day as meaningful as
possible. The mission of the Maddie’s Mark Foundation is to provide
opportunities, create environments and enable people and families to live a
life of ‘best days ever.’

Although I didn't know the Musto family well, I had the good fortune of meeting Maddie, her sisters, and her mom at several playdates with a local moms group when my 5 year old was younger. The news of Maddie's illness and then her death was incredibly sad -- to me, and to everyone who heard about it. 

But the Mustos have created a foundation to "provide opportunities, create environments and enable people and families to live a life of ‘best days ever.’ " What a great mission! And the Maddie's Mark 5K will support that mission.

The race will be held on October 27th at 9:00 am in Central Park in Schenectady. The entry fee is $20 -- and everyone who registers by tomorrow (Saturday, October 13th) will be guaranteed a t-shirt.

You can register online HERE. 

Or, if you can't run, you can consider donating to Maddie's Mark HERE. 

If you're local, I hope you'll consider running the race or sharing the information with your friends and family. If you plan to run, let me know! 

THANK YOU!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

~ Felice

Oh, and about that race . . .

So, I was on vacation for the past week, enjoying myself in lovely Stone Harbor, NJ with my family and some wonderful friends.

We go away every year -- four families rent a house together and it is always a great time.

Here we are on the last night at the beach:

Janis, Bridget, Monique and me

All the kids!

Yes, I enjoyed myself a lot.

I didn't, however, run a lot.

Oh, sure. I had grand plans to run everyday and I thought for sure I'd sneak in a mid-week long run. But that didn't happen. I think I ran 3 times total. It was one thing after another but mostly it was that I was too busy being on vacation to run much. And that's OK. Sometimes a happy runner just needs a bit of a break.

What I did do, though, is run a quick little 5K on our second day. And I happened to set a new PR.

It was the Sandy Paws 5K and it took place just 6 blocks from our house. Bridget and I decided we had to run it, even though we had raced the Clove Run 10 miler just a week earlier. Who cares? we thought. We're just running for fun -- it is a vacation race after all!

After a horrible night's sleep (we experienced possibly the worst thunder storm ever), Bridget and I got up early and walked over to the race, which started at 8. It was hot. It was humid. I was dripping with sweat after about a minute of running.

As hot and sweaty as I was, I tried to run a steady pace. My A goal for the race was to finish around 23 minutes and run negative splits. Well, that didn't exactly happen:

Mile 1: 7:16
Mile 2: 7:20
Mile 3: 7:24
last .10: 6:54 pace

Finish time: 22:42

A new PR by ONE second! That's about as close as you can get. I never in a million years thought I'd PR at this race but I guess I just had it in me!

Here I am in the last mile -- Owen and the kids (along with Bridget's husband and their kids) came out to cheer us on!

Although I didn't run negative splits, I'm not too disappointed because my splits were fairly steady and I certainly didn't drop off too much in that last mile.

Bridget and I walked home right after the race because the awards ceremony was scheduled for a half hour after the ace ended. It's too bad, because I ended up finishing second in my age group. Oh, well. We had a vacation to get on with -- we couldn't stand around and wait!

And get on with the vacation we did. What a wonderful week.

Now, back to reality. And back to my training plan!

Have a great week, everyone. Thanks for stopping by!

~ Felice

Our Towne Bethlehem Turkey Trot race report.

Well, no suspense here. I've already shouted-out about my race result. So, now, let me tell you about the race.

I was feeling pretty uncertain about the whole thing because my left hamstring/knee/calf had kept me off of running for a full week before the race. But, after that week of resting and icing and foam rolling, my leg was feeling better and I was confident that running a 5K wouldn't be a problem.

I met up with Bridget and Janis early Thursday morning and we were off to the race. For a new turkey trot (just in its second year) it was pretty crowded but the packet pick-up was well organized and we were in and out of the line quickly. We found Bridget's friend, Cortney, who was visiting from the DC area and hung out until the race started. Here we all are:

Keep your eyes open, Happy Runner! Ugh.
(That's Cortney, Janis, me, and Bridget)

I ran a quick mile warm-up and my legs felt fine. I lined up in the big crowd, chatted with another runner who was just coming back from knee surgery and then, 15 minutes late, we were off!

The course is quite flat but extremely twisty. In fact, just past the start line the course made a sharp left turn and that caused a bit of tripping and bumping but soon the pack thinned out and I was running a nice comfortable pace.

Let me point out that the Our Towne Bethlehem Turkey Trot is a very low-key, sorta old school race. There were no mile splits. No chip timing. Just a start line and a finish line with a clock. Record your own time, runners!

That was fine for me because I had no goal other than to run well. But, I admit that I peeked at my Garmin a few times. Toward the end of the first mile I saw my speed and told myself to pick it up. Sure, I was feeling the pain in my hamstring and knee a little bit but, otherwise, I felt great and was running a flat course, so there was no reason not to try to run faster.

So I did. After a 7:28 first mile, I ran the second in 7:08 and the third in 7:09. I picked up the pace at the end, running 6:51 pace.

Funny, I had just recently written about how I have a hard time running negative splits! Not on Thanksgiving!

I crossed the finish line in 22:05 -- Garmin time and clock time. A HUGE PR! (My previous best was 22:51.) But also an asterisk PR, I'm afraid.

As I said, this race was old school, with no chip timing. And, they didn't compile the results. So, my time is my time but I am the only one who knows for sure what I ran.

In other words, I'm placing it in the "unofficial PR" category. I know I ran 22:05 but there is no official record of that time. So, unofficial it is.

After I crossed the finish line, I grabbed a banana and some water and then went for a mile cool-down jog. I met up with Bridget and Janis, who both ran great races, and we headed home.

My leg feels more-or-less OK after the race. I still feel the pain on and off, but it is not even close to as bad as it had been. I'm still icing and stretching and foam rolling, but I am also running. On Sunday, I had a great 5-miler and then, yesterday, I ran another solid 5 miles while pushing my toddler in the jogging stroller. Today, my leg feels fine.

Overall, I'm happy that I didn't bag out of the race. After all, I would have missed out on a nice PR!

But let me ask: Would you count a non-chip timed PR as a PR?

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Felice

Trotting to a new 5K PR!

You know what I liked about yesterday's turkey trot? My new 5K PR!

22:05!!!

My splits:

Mile 1: 7:28

Mile 2: 7:08

Mile 3: 7:09

last .1: 6:51 pace

Race report to come. Until then, have a great weekend everyone!

~ Felice

Race Away Stigma 5K race report.

I had been debating running this (very) local 5K for a while. I figured I would see how I was feeling with my weird symptoms before committing. On Thursday I thought I would not be running because I could barely make it through 2 miles. Granted, I had to run at 8pm so when I felt fine on Friday I chalked Thursday's cruddy run up to evening fatigue.

And I decided -- screw it! -- I was going to run the race.

My plan this morning was to try to run 7:30 miles for the 5K. If I could do that, I would feel very strong in terms of my speed.

And now? Well, let's say I feel very, very, very strong!

Today, I ran a 22:53 5K!


That's just 2 seconds off my PR. Yup. Two seconds. Part of me wishes I just could have run a teensy weensy bit faster to get that new PR but the rest of me is so flippin' happy that I had such a good race.

(Clearly, bringing out my inner Marshall Ulrich is working.)

Best part of the race? My first mile was my slowest and my last was my fastest. As it should be.

Here are my race stats:

Finish time: 22:53 (7:22 pace)
Age-group place (female 40-44): 1st (!) out of 8
Female place: 4th out of 80
Overall place: 14th out of 137


Yeah, I know. It was a small race so I shouldn't get too excited about being 4th female overall. But, you know, you can only race against those who show up and today only 3 women ran faster than me. That amazes me. 


Run on, friends! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!


~ Felice

Post race.

Ah, post-race let down.

Such a weird feeling and always combined with the question of "what's next?"

Three days post-race and I'm feeling fine. I went for an easy, slow run on Monday and my hamstrings definitely felt tired but that was about it. Then, yesterday, I did a half-hour Athletic Agility program on Exercise TV. That was different. Have you tried it? Hmm . . . it was a good -- but odd -- workout and I'm really feeling it in my shoulders today.

So, basically, my body feels good after having run a tough half marathon on Sunday. That, to me, means that I was well-trained to run at that pace and for that distance. OK, good. I should have been, considering I followed my training plan fairly well, except for when I missed some runs because of a little cold and the Lyme disease.

So . . . now what?

My friend Bridget was disappointed with her race on Sunday and is dying to run another half marathon -- a redemption race of sorts. I'm not sure I'm up for that right now. I am checking out other races and right now I'm toying with the idea of a 5K on 10/15 and then a 15K on 11/13. Our local running club's winter series starts in December so I'll try to run a few of those races and have already committed to the Winter Marathon Relay with Amanda and Suzy at the end of February.

Beyond that, I'm not sure. I'm contemplating another half marathon in the spring so I can go after my 1:46 again. I'm also contemplating running a full marathon, either in the spring or fall, but I'm really not sure if I have it in me. The months ahead will tell.

In the meantime, I plan to just run for fun for a while and enjoy the fall weather. I've been in "training mode" for several months and although the results have been positive I think that running without a plan for a bit will do me well.

How long do you take off after a big race before you start training again?

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Felice

Feelin' all right: Freihofer's Run for Women 5K race report.

Ladies, let me give you some advice: Do not fear post-baby running. It rocks. Here's my post of proof.

On Saturday, on a course that is known to be a tough one for setting PRs, I ran an awesome race. I ran my fastest 5K ever. Ever.


People, my baby is not yet 8 months old. I just turned 41. And I ran my fastest 5K. Ever.

I was a ball of nerves before the race but, fortunately, I was riding with friends and we had planned to get to the race early.

Me, Bridget, Janis before we left for the race.

Good thing because the race, the Freihofer's Run for Women, had a record number of registrants this year -- almost 5,000. It's the area's biggest race and it draws many elite runners and thousands of locals who want to be part of a big, all-women event.

Hope, me, Bridget, Janis, Kara, before the start of the race.

In other words, it is crowded. But, we got there in plenty of time and I was able to hit the bathrooms a few times before lining up in my section. I had some big goals for the race so I tried to stay focused at the start. I told myself over and over that I could do it, that I had trained well, that the day was perfect for a PR run. I planned to run 7:25 for the first mile, hang on and then speed up as much as possible for the last quarter mile.

The 5K starts uphill so the first quarter mile or so is usually slow going. I did a good bit of weaving through the crowd and I found that I really couldn't get a good breathing rhythm for much of the first kilometer. It was just off and I worried that I was going to have a crappy race.

Right around the first kilometer mark, though, there was a band. Now, let me remind you of something. Last week, on my birthday actually, I wrote a little bit about a song that my college lacrosse team used to listen to on our way to games. Feelin' All Right. You know the song. Well, hey, the band was playing that song. So, as I made the turn from Madison Avenue into Washington Park, I heard it. Feelin' All Right.

At the time, I was feeling anything but. I was desperate to get my breathing pattern right and it was making me feel all discombobulated. But when I heard that song, it all changed. I was feeling all right! I took it as a sign that this would be a good day and even did something incredibly uncharacteristic, something I never do in races: I gave the band a triple, high-in-the-air fist pump. Who am I?


Right afterward, I passed the 1K mark, exactly on pace.

I knew it was my day.

As I ran through the park, my breathing was good, my legs felt great and I knew that I just had to keep my mind in the game. If I could stay focused, I could break 23 minutes.

At mile 1, I was ahead of pace.

I took a cup of water at the water station and geared up for the hills on the south side of the park. They're not bad, really, except when you're gunning for a PR. I took them on and ran strong and before I knew it I was out of the park, heading up another hill on South Lake Ave (I think). There was a woman cheering loudly there and I wanted to give her a high 5 but I couldn't get to her so I mustered a "thanks!" and kept going.

At mile 2, I was still ahead of pace.

But I had 1.1 miles to go. And for just about that whole distance, I told myself "you can do anything for 8 minutes," "you can do anything for 7 minutes," "6 minutes left," "5 minutes left," and on and on. I didn't want to do it but I had to count down for pretty much the whole last mile.

Once I saw the sign for 400 meters to go, I tried to really pick it up. I didn't have much left in the tank but I used what I had and I ran strong to the finish. My A goal for this race was 22:59 or better. I ran 22:51.

I am still super happy.

Post-race, I was super sweaty:

Shweaty runnah.

Here are my stats:

Mile 1 -- 7:15

Mile 2 -- 7:24

Mile 3 -- 7:17

last .1 -- 6:16 pace

Official (net) time: 22:51

Age group (40-44) place: 16/550 

Overall place: 202/4142

So, really. Have a baby. Get older. No worries. If I can do it and run a PR, well, forget it. Anyone can.

Have a great week, everyone!

~ Felice

New PR!

I beat my A goal and ran a new, all-time PR (take that aging!).

Freihofer's Run for Women 5K

Official time: 22:51

Needless to say, I'm excited.

Race report to come . . .

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone!

~ Felice

Winner! And race goals.

First things, first. Thank you all for entering my OnlineShoes.com/Saucony giveaway. You all really need some new shoes, huh? Too bad I could only pick one winner, but that's the deal. And the winner is . . .

Mel from Melissa Dishes!

Congratulations, Mel! Shoot me an email at felicehalf at yahoo dot com and I'll get you hooked up with your $100. I feel like Santa Claus!

Let's hope I don't feel like him when I'm racing tomorrow.

Yeah, my race is tomorrow and I have goals. I also have history. I was checking out my race times for the Freihofer's Run for Women and I noticed that this year will be the 10th time that I have run this race! The first time was shortly after I moved upstate and started running. Here's what I've done in this race over the years:

2001 -- 25:58
2002 -- 23:37 (my course PR)
2003 -- 24:37
2004 -- 25:11
2005 -- 24:58
2006 -- 24:58
2007 -- didn't run because I was busy having a baby
2008 -- 24:16
2009 -- 23:47 (my post-baby course PR)
2010 -- 27:11 (almost 6 months preggo)


We know I definitely want to beat my preggo time, that's for sure! But I have more specific goals, as always. Using my recent training and races (including that 5K that wasn't . . .grr . . . ) my goals are:

C Goal -- 23:59 or better (7:43/mi pace -- gets me under 24)
B Goal -- 23:36 or better (7:35/mi pace -- beats my course PR)
A Goal -- 22:59 or better (7:23/mi pace -- gets me under 23)

I am going out there racing for my A goal, certainly, but I will be happy meeting any of the goals. Now I just need to do it!

Maybe I'll just think of this smiley face when I'm pushing to the finish:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

~ Felice

Mother's Day 5K race report

Or, the PR that was. And wasn't.

Yesterday was the Mother's Day 5K and I'd been looking forward to it for a while. It's a small race for women, just a month before my goal race (Freihofer's Run for Women) so I was hoping the race would be a confidence builder for that.

I got to the race and met up with some friends:

Bridget, Darlene, me, Amanda and Tami

We caught up, chatted, and then it was time to head to the starting line. 

I knew that the course was a good one, flat roads that wind through a residential neighborhood so I wanted run a good race but I didn't want to get swept up with the front-runners and start too fast.

I got swept up. 

Once the race started, I just went and when I checked my Garmin a quarter mile into the race, I was running just under 7 min miles. I cannot keep up that pace, so I pulled back and told myself to try to run steady 7:30 miles and see what happens.

After we passed the one mile mark (which, according to my Garmin was .85) I could tell I was running well. There were a handful of people ahead of me but not too many and I quickly closed in on a group of three runners and passed them. I ran by myself for a while, with another group of three runners a little bit ahead of me. By 1.25 miles in to the race, one of the women in that group fell off and I passed her. 

I started to close in on the group of two and I figured that I would get close and then just try to hang with them for the rest of the race. You see, I recognized one of the runners in the pair: A local runner who is always faster than me in races. So, I thought I needed to be behind  her.

But then I caught up to the pair and before I knew it, I was passing them. And putting distance between us. What a weird feeling! 

I was running alone again and could see another lone runner quite a bit ahead of me so there was no way I could catch her but I wanted to keep her in my sights.

As I ran along, I kept telling myself that I was having a great race but that I needed to hold back. I wanted to finish strong. Yes, I felt great and yes I felt like I wanted to really push it but I also didn't want to implode and have the pair of runners I had passed, pass me back. That would be embarrassing.

At 2.75, according to my Garmin, I looked down and saw my time and felt like I was going to easily meet my A goal and I told myself to get ready to start picking it up. But then I saw the finish line and was confused. Completely confused.

I picked up the pace and ran on. Here I am right around then:

When I crossed the finish line, my Garmin said 2.95 miles, 21:36 (7:19 pace).

Um, wasn't this a 5K?

Yeah, apparently not so much. After a good bit of excitement over a monster-sized PR, a conversation with the race director who assured Bridget and me that the race was, in fact, measured correctly, we learned that the course was short.

No, duh. I've never come close to running a 21:36 for a 5K in my life. 

OK, so it was a 3-miler. That would make my 21:36 a 7:12 pace, which is awesome! And would put me on track for a 22:19 5K, if I had continued at the same pace. Great!

Only, today, the road runners club posted that they "think" the course was about 2.9 miles, meaning my 21:36 was more like a 7:26 pace.

I am going with my Garmin: 2.95 miles, 21:36 total time, 7:19 pace.

Bridget and me after the race

Whatever. So, I almost got a PR, but didn't. BUT! I did run the best race pace that I have run post-babies. Even if the course was only 2.9, the 7:26 pace rocks for me because I know I would have pushed harder if I had known the finish line was so close. 

All in all, I'm happy with my performance but disappointed that the course was short.

HOWEVER, I am happiest with my placement in the race:

Not only that, I placed 5th overall! 

Here's the official stats:

21:36

Age group: 1st out of 33

Overall place: 5th out of 120

I know! It's a small race but, still. Fifth place! I couldn't be happier! OK, if I won the race, I would be happier but, you know, 5th rocks. 

With that, thanks for stopping by and making your way through this long race report. Happy Monday, everyone. Have a great week!

~ Felice

You are registered. Registered. Registered.

Aaaah . . . yeah!

I just registered for my fifth race for this year: The Boilermaker! This comes on the heels of registering for the Mother's Day 5K (5/8) and the Freihofer's Run for Women (6/4). The Boilermaker 15K will take place on July 10th so it looks like I've got a race a month thing going on.

I'm very excited.

I've wanted to run the Boilermaker for ages but it has just never worked out. This year? I'm in! And I'm happy that my pals Bridget and Amanda are running it, too. Yahoo! Anyone else running the Boilermaker? 


Planning, planning. Training, training. That's my mode.

I figure if I'm hardly sleeping, I might as well be training. Oh, I know. I said I would stop complaining about my lack of sleep but, people? It's gotten bad. My little guy was starting to sleep better but then he regressed. I blame teething for keeping him up all night. But, whatever it is it isn't doing me any favors. My brain is mush. My body is feeling the fatigue.

Wah, wah, wah.

So, bring on the training! Boilermaker, here I come!

Have a great day --

~ Felice

5K training plan.

My recovery week is behind me and I'm ready to get on with my 5K training. It will be nice to train in a different way than I did for the half marathon. For that, I primarily focused on getting miles under my feet. For the 5K, I'm shooting for a PR so I'll be focused more on speed. 

I've put together an 8 week plan that calls for tempo runs, speedwork, long runs of 6 miles, some fast runs and a bunch of easy miles. Here's a look at the plan:

Click on the image to make it larger.

Like I did during the half marathon training, I'll be listening to my body and modifying my plan if I feel the need. So, even though this looks like a pretty permanent plan, I consider it written in pencil!

In other news, some friends and I have gone half marathon crazy and we've been investigating just about every fall half that there is. We may run two. Who knows?!? My question to all of you is: Has anyone run the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon? Tell me all about it!

OK, I've got the little guy's 6-month check-up today. Woo hoo! Have a great day, everyone!

~ Felice