Today I went for a run after an awesome morning barre class. I have to admit my barre streak took a hit in January. Tapering and Recovering from running the A1A Marathon prevented me from getting my barre routine solidified after the holiday. Luckily I like to think February is when the new year really starts. I just celebrated my birthday, I’m setting new running goals and getting back into routine. February at Inline Barre is their big promotional month and lots of newbies fill classes. This morning was no exception. There is nothing more empowering than a packed room of females of all shapes, sizes, and athletic abilities there to better themselves. Due to the packed room, we did lots of work at the barre and despite what you might think – it was intense! After class I took to the hilly roads of Perry Hall and ran on tired legs. Thankfully no long runs this weekend and no crazy training runs – just a fun run. A successful fitness Saturday and a perfect start to the weekend.
Today I went for a run in the pouring rain along puddle filled streets. This has certainly been a mild winter, including this three day stretch of rain we have become caught in lately. Today was a rainy run with a 40 degree feel and puddles… lots of puddles. We kept close to the high school in order to make it a quick out and back. Overall it was not a bad run and there was only one section which included street wide puddles and side splashes from cars. I guess weather is funny and you grow a tolerance for certain conditions. Warm rain vs cold rain, heat and humidity vs snowy and sub 20s or even gusty, cool wind vs warm, mild winds. Either way the first step is getting out the door and committing. Next, enjoy a little time splashing through the puddles!
Bonus! My husband brought in the mail today and its official I was the third finishing female on my birthday! I know it was a small race, but a solid run one week post marathon was awesome! Perfect birthday gift.
Today I went for a run with the school group on a No School Tuesday! Our state was left with a vacancy in the House of Representatives, sparking a special election. We took advantage and our school group met at 8am for another rainy Tuesday run. It was a great run despite the rainy weather which always coincides with our Tuesdsy School Group runs. We looped Honeygo, chatted about home projects, Star Wars trivia and plans for the remainder of the day. After our run we had plans to visit DC with my parents, who were in town for a few days. Sometimes it’s easier to keep moving and enjoy a full day’s exhaustion as a sign of a day well spent.
We showered, cleaned up and in no time we were checking out fossils at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It was a perfect day to squeeze in a morning run and then spend quality time with the family! I even bumped into some statues rocking my pose….
Today I went for a run on the C&O trail and completed a birthday half marathon! What better way to celebrate your birthday than running a race an earning a shirt with your birthday on it. Not to mention the date is 02-02-2020 the only palindrome this century! I was on the fence, but decided it would be a great birthday gift to myself. The race was along the C&O canal in Georgetown, a familiar trail that never disappoints in scenery nor placidity. I arrived early, picked up my bib and returned to my car along Water Street.
The sun had just started to fill the sky over the Potomac River and I soaked in the rays that spilled over the water from the skyline.
Soon enough it was 7:45am and I made my way to the start line on the towpath. The announcer gave a brief overview of the course and thanked the runners for supporting the Operation of Enduring Warriors, a non profit group who supports wounded military service members. The horn sounded and we were off. I lagged behind the group and decided I would pass people as needed instead of being a road block for faster runners. By mile two I was in a steady pace and moving along the ups and downs of the path caused my the lock system in the canal. I had no pace in mind and was still stiff from my barre class earlier in the week. I knew my legs could feel the pace, but it was not uncomfortable and it felt like a solid run a week post marathon. As I turned around a little over 6.5 miles I saw I was the fourth female. I continued back and ‘people watched’ the young and old walkers, kayakers ready to enjoy the waters, dog walkers, collegiate run teams, and pairs of cyclists enjoying the warming temperatures. My tunes moved me along – Doobie Brothers, Queen, Phil Collins and Ram Jam. I sang to myself, took in a deep breath, played the air drums and enjoyed what was a great birthday morning. At the ten mile point, I began to push forward ready to make my way to the finish line. Just over mile eleven I passed the third female who cheered me on as I gave my encouragement in return. I pushed on and another runner gave me support by saying, “Wow, you have really pulled ahead.” I thanked him and replied, “Its my birthday, why not!” I finally saw the finish line come into view and finished 1:50.
I averaged a solid 8:26 pace one week post marathon and finished as the third female. I grabbed some Gatorade and took a seat to stretch. The fourth female finished not long after and found me to give thanks for the encouragement and motivation I had shared on the course. Soon after the man in the blue shirt from earlier wished me a happy birthday again before sharing his content with his performance. I grabbed my things and headed back to the car. My heel was a little sore from the uneven gravel, but overall I felt alive. A perfect birthday start as a 39 year old. I’m not sure what 39 is intended to feel like, but so far it has been relaxing, invigorating and positive. Smile, hands up and game on 39!
Today I went for a run on the last day of January. It has been a very long month, despite January having just as many days as March, May, July, August, October and December. Maybe it’s the gray sky, the cold temperature or lack of green leaves that makes this month feel like an eternity. But this morning at 6:30am I saw a little bit more pink showing through in the eastern sky. A glimpse that the days might be getting just a bit longer. This morning I had my second post marathon recovery run with the guys and felt cold, yet good. Tomorrow starts February, a leap year month, and a new beginning! I’m ready to set some goals and challenge myself as I move into my birthday weekend. Game on!!!
Today I went for a run with the school group! It was a crazy-busy day, but we laced up and hit the road by 3pm. I missed out on the Tuesdsy run at the Point, so we switched things up for a four miler around the harbor. I went to barre class yesterday, but otherwise this would be my first post marathon run. After three days off I feel pretty recovered and ready for an easy run. We ran to Fells Point and turned around. Another school groupie had planned to run with us and we hoped they were going to catch up at one point during our run out – no dice. Finally with a mile left she found us and we finished our run together in Canton. It was a great group run, somewhat warm weather and a few good laughs to get us through!
Today I went for a run and completed my 37th Marathon – the A1A marathon! It was a pretty fantastic day and I’m still beaming about what a great experience me and my husband had running this race together. First the weather for a Florida race could not have been better! The temperature in the morning was 56 degrees and had reached the 70s by time we hit the finish line. A 11mph wind pushed against us, but did not seem to matter once the sun came up.
We made our way to the shuttle that would take us to the starting line on Las Olas Blvd. The bus dropped us off at the starting line around 4:50am leaving us more than enough time to go to the bathroom and relax. We hung in the parking garage and discussed the route and our post race plans. Soon enough we lined up and took to the streets of Fort Lauderdale!!! The first two and a half miles were dark and spanned a portion of Las Olas Blvd east towards A1A. Despite the crowds and darkness we kept our footing and soon enough we hit A1A just as the sun was starting to electrify the sky with pink, yellow and orange streaks.
Taken from Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon Facebook page
We turned north on A1A and moved along the coastline sharing in the excitement of the crowd that had gathered. Next, we were turning into Birch Park and navigating the narrow path that looped the small peninsula. The west portion of the island highlighted Sunset Bay and beautiful mansions along the water. Next we weaved into middle of the island navigating canopies of beach growth, palms and South Florida greenery. The park was a hidden jungle among the white beaches and commercial area of Fort Lauderdale.
We looped out of the park and began our long haul north. Our next portion of the race stretched from mile 7 to the turn around at mile 16. We continued north keeping a steady pace. We each stopped at a bathroom and grabbed some gels for fuel. The weather remained cool as we ran in the shadows of the buildings on our right. As we hit each mile, Shawn shared stories where he hung out in early years, where certain friends used to live near Commercial Blvd and the fun they shared in his post college years. Around mile 14 I passed a runner who asked me about Team Ultra as we shared NYC Marathon experiences from last November. I shared about my plogging experience and encouraged him to apply in the Spring. It was great to hear the buzz of excitement that Team Ultra can generate at a race! He sped forward as I hung back waiting for Shawn who had made a pit stop. We looped around a small neighborhood near mile 16 and Shawn was happy to see we were hanging around 2:45 time. I took a moment to walk, stretch and shake up my legs. The sun was now pulling higher in the sky and it was heating up. I asked Shawn if I could pick it up for the last 9 miles and he encouraged me to ‘get outta here’. We kissed, causing cheers from runners behind us and police officers on the side of the road and soon I was moving onward.
I picked up the pace and hung between 9 and 9:30 for the rest of the race. It was fun as I moved forward with energy still in the tank. I let myself run. I read somewhere – run with your legs, but allow your heart to be pulled to your finish line. That is exactly how I felt. My heart was pulling me forward as I took in the beach views and passersby’s who were now out for their morning stroll. I walked around mile 20 to take my last gel and found my groove again for the final stretch. I had now reached the point where shade was gone and the sun was strong. Soon enough I was at my 22 and then 23 – right near Birch Park. I was back on the main drag of Fort Lauderdale – my favorite spot to run. I continued to pass by a few runners cheering them on as I went. One runner called to me, “Get it sister” as I replied, “Mile 25 my favorite mile marker, let’s do this!!!” I checked off the streets, 9th, 7th, Las Olas and finally I saw the turn into the parking lot.
I stretched my legs and made it to the finish. 4:21 for my fifth marathon in five months and last marathon before turning 39 years old. This has been a crazy journey and my next running challenge is hitting 40 marathons before I turn 40. Not my fastest time, not my slowest, but an incredible race that I got to share with my husband and along a familiar coast that I enjoy so much.
Bonus! Soon after I grabbed my bag and made my way back to the finish I was greeted by Shawn!!!! I couldn’t believe it – 4:27. He was only six minutes behind me and PR in his home state. Talk about a solid finish all around. Too bad our quick trip was almost over, but what a perfect anniversary – birthday – runcation- getaway it was!!!
Today I went for a run on A1A in Fort Lauderdale! I finally have returned to one of my favorite running spots on this coast. We arrived in town last night and I was eager to wake up, watch the sunrise flood through my window and later hit the streets on one of my favorite routes. I headed out in cool 68 degree weather and looped the neighborhood before heading up to A1A. The sun had already cleared the ocean and was on the rise casting long shadows. I only did a four mile shake out run, but was happy to get my peaceful beach run in before our marathon tomorrow. On my return I past the soon to be finish line that already had tents popping up in preparation for tomorrow.
Our day was going to be packed with family, an expo and taking in some familiar scenes. The weather finally climbed to 80 as we made our way down to South Beach to check out the courthouse, the Super Bowl set up and a quick stroll up South Beach.
Later that evening we enjoyed a perfect italian dinner and hit the sack early because soon enough our 330am alarm would sound. I have not had many 6am races, but I’m sure when the sun is up around 10am I will be happy we started so early!
Today I went for a run and managed to squeeze in four miles before seeing a friend. It was one of the days when you multitask to the max. I left school, ran 4 miles, changed and met my high school friend, and finally packed for Florida. Running gave me a moment to review my mental checklist and pace out the next few days. I was mostly excited to meet up with my high school friend, but also embarrassed that when I came home a water main break prevented me from showering. Some things you just cant plan for!
Today I went for a run before school in 21 degree/feels like 16 degree weather with Shawn. This cold snap has really started to make me numb to getting up early to run (no pun intended.) We hit the road and did our normal loop. I split to get in two faster miles, to keep my streak alive, before meeting back up for our last two miles. As we get closer to our marathon on Sunday it struck me that my training will now be up in the air. As much as my body needs a break from the distance, I still really enjoy training. I think what I love most is checking off runs, hitting new paces and clapping for myself. In the end you are your biggest supporter. There’s no need to prove anything to yourself in a race, the real work is done while no one is watching. That’s when you prove what you are worth, test your strength and quiet that little voice that says, “No you can’t.”
Today I went for a run... 