Savannah RnR Marathon Race Recap: Part 2

5:00A ALARM
Time to get up!!!  It's RACE DAY!!

Even at 5:00A, in a hotel room with family and friends who traveled from out of town to be here for the race (which I am so grateful for!!!) and all of my running gear set out...it still didn't feel like we were about to run a marathon..26.2 miles.  Attribute that to dedicated training, sleepiness or severe denial, it felt like getting up for a fun run.

We all got up, got dressed and ate some breakfast.  Jer and I took our breakfast to-go (Nature Valley Bar & coffee) and headed down the street to meet our fellow Dnationers for pep talks and photos by 6:00A.  What a great team!!  It was very cold this early and were grateful for the meeting space.  After pics, it was time to either head to gear check or to the corral!!  Here we go....

LOVED running into friends in the corral gates!!  Way to get the excitement elevated!!

While we are waiting in the gates, we saw friends both participating and on the sides eager to cheer on friends, loved ones and strangers on the remarkable feat we were about to endure (still not convinced this was actually happening..).  The music began and the wind blew cold.  This was a race where the runners were comfortable sharing "their space" to keep warm.  The closeness really helped block the wind and no one seemed to mind!  Then we heard it..peaking through the song of, "I love Rock & Roll"..was the National Anthem.  Prior to races, this moment is a very powerful one for all of those in attendance (of course I mean, I can't speak for everyone..but for me, it is very powerful).  Silence falls over the 23,000 runners and all eyes are on the US Flags at our side..wow.

Announcements were made and then the first corral's horn went off!  OMG..it was getting closer and closer for our wave to embark on the course. Horn....Horn...and then there was our signal!!  Off we went!! 
Within the first 2 miles, I shed my arm warmers (A.K.A. long socks) along the side of the road with a smile knowing all of the throw-aways were getting donated to local shelters.

My amazing friend ran with Jer and I for the 1st 11.5 miles before the half course split with the full.  She went on and beat her half PR by over an HOUR!  WAY TO GO and I am soooo proud of you!!!

The support from the residents along the side of the road was just as genuine as the volunteers staged throughout the course and was incredible.  My sister and her boyfriend were also following us throughout the course and met us with excitement and signs on several spots along the course..wow!!  Now that is dedication!  Some of the signs were funny while others were emotional.  Both were just what we needed and kept us going for the entire race.  Just passed mile 15 we passed another friend's house who waited outside and added signs for us to see as we passed:

What an awesome surprise!!

Miles 17 - 22 were my hardest as we hit a headwind, uphill and my IT-Band was really beginning to hurt.  Luckily, I had been carrying my trusty Clif Shot Blocks (as mentioned in previous posts) for the energy I physically needed.  Which are my favorite flavors you ask?  Strawberry and Tropical Punch are my current favorites and were also the flavors that carried me through the race. YUMM :-)

After mile 22, it hit me how close I was and I got my 2nd wind!!  I know my mother was watching from above and helped to heal me to continue on.  When she was here on Earth, she was a paramedic after all..

Right before Mile 26..I saw a very cool sign my sister had to push me for the last .2, it said, "Sayin' Heeeyyyooo"  Let me explain. I mentioned to her awhile ago and I am so impressed she remembered, I love the song, "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz and could see that being my 'finishing' song.  I LOVE it and find it so exciting!!  You must check it out!  Gosh, it was so awesome she remembered and knew exactly where I needed it.  While I was beaming at the sign, her boyfriend caught and action shot!

Finished in 5:29:12 Officially!  It's true!!  Here are some additional photos:

This was amazing and I thank all everyone for their support, donations and dedication.

What's next ????  More races?! I have PR's to beat :-)

Half Marathon: 2:20
Full Marathon: 5:29

Stay Tuned..

Savannah RnR Marathon Race Recap: Part 1

Good Morning!

I know it has been awhile since I have posted, however, I am still pinching myself to believe it actually happened...but it's true..I ran my first marathon!!!  This incredible experience has been so surreal and I feel blessed to be able to have accomplished it.  Here I will share with you what happened...

The days before...Packet Pick-Up & DetermiNation Pasta Dinner

The Health & Fitness Expo was fantastic.  I eagerly approached my corral # 15 stand to pick up my bib.  It took a lot out of me not to grab it, run around holding it high it the air and shout, "OMG OMG OMG!!" As I was not alone, I held it together and continued through the fabulous merchandise areas, sampled products and eyed the very cool gear they had to offer.  My favorite was this shirt that said, "If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin" haha Makes me chuckle everytime!  Once I made it through, it was time for the DetermiNation Pasta Dinner..

Prior to dinner start there was singlet decorating which I lovingly added an, "In Memory" ribbon for my mother and added a, "Happy Birthday Mom!" to the back of my shirt as well for her.  This was also a fun opportunity for photos, pep talks and any of those questions..like..what have we gotten ourselves into?

 

Following the fun, it was time to eat!!  I am sure the food is all of our favorite parts.  I had noodles, artichokes (these were soooo delicious), grilled chicken and marinara sauce..YUM.  During the dinner, we were reminded of why we endured the 18 weeks of vigorous training, why we exceeded our fundraising goals and were reminded that we are all in this together.  There was laughter and there were tears, both of which were overwhelming emotions and all with good spirits.  Following the meal and presentation, it was time to get to bed!

...Next Blog Post is Race Recap...:-)

Only 29 Days Left!

Oh my goodness!  We have hit the "20's"!  It is amazing how quickly it is coming and I couldn't be more proud of our training.  As you know, my boyfriend and I have been diligently training together throughout the last several months and are feeling really good about Nov. 5!

Fundraising Updates!

VTB (http://vtbrunssav.blogspot.com/) and I getting ready for the Bake Sale!

 In addition to the Oktoberfest face painting (shown in previous posts), our awesome DetermiNation team had a Bake Sale at work (thank you colleagues for your generous donations!):

Several people setting up for the Sale!

Sunrise Restaurant in Savannah agreed to a 10% day for our team AND we had a Yard Sale the next morning (lovingly called Bacon & Bargains! --Sunrise Restaurant & Yard Sale!):

We have been working very hard on our fundraising and it is not only going great..we are having so much fun doing it!

Currently, I am less than $300.00 away from my goal!!

What about the training??  

Well, last weekend we ran 18 miles!  It went so amazing and felt great!  The night before we had noodles and spaghetti sauce (mental note!).  The was a cool morning and the lake at our apartment was stunning!

We ran 10 miles, took off a long sleeve layer, continued to mile 14 where I stretched for about 2 mins, and finished strong (3 hrs. 35 min.s)!  The long runs on the weekend do not include the runs that occur during the week (Tue, Wed, Thur) that keep our endurance up for the weekends

It truly is incredible to feel like it is really happening...and in a 

not-so-scary, yet exciting, and emotional way.

  

Gorgeous morning for a run!

Speaking of emotions..I received a very powerful gift this week.  My birthday is coming up on Oct 23rd and as a gift, my sister had sent me what is called a, "thumbie."  What this is, is a charm worn on a necklace, that has an imprint of my mother's thumb print.  This also has on it her birthstone and an engraving on the back.  This was given so I would have it to wear during the marathon on Nov. 5.  This really touched my soul and gave me the extra lift I needed to make my heart & soul lighter and my feet more swift.  If you are a new reader of this blog, this importance is explained in the, "Why am I doing this?" post.  From there, you will understand.  

Let's go DetermiNation! 

Hydration & Black Toenail....polish..

Of all these posts discussing the highs and lows of training, I think I have left off the news of my toenail...it happened.  It's black.  I thought it would never happen to me, but my left, "index" (?) toenail has been black for awhile and I have been in denial.  I am looking at it as initiation into being an "Elite Athlete" and it's nothing some cute nail polish can't mask :-)

Speaking of feminine products, I wanted to actually discuss waterproof mascara.  I thought naming my blog this was witty and fitting for my personality, but I do have a confession:  I run naked.  Well, make-up-less.  My experience with running with make-up, waterproof or not, results in it inevitably pouring into my eyes and I am then blinded by the burning sweat/make-up mix.  I have tried a specific brand of waterproof mascara (Maybelline..) and it couldn't hold up to my intense training.  Any suggestions??  I will be happy to try them and offer an unbiased review.

Besides being blinded by any remnants of make-up/sweat mix, I do tend to run out of water during long runs and am then stuck searching for replenishment.  Recently, I have been toying with getting a Camelbak to train with.  It holds 50 oz. of water which knocks my 16 oz. right out of the water (yes, I went there!).  Has anyone tried this??  

The last 3 weeks..

I have kept up with my training and am getting excited//nervous about the next few weeks.  I am only 40 days away from the first marathon my body will endure and I am surprisingly still able to stand! 

As you saw on my latest post, the half-marathon went great!!  I did have to go to work afterwards and ended up feeling wiped out with a major headache all evening.  The great feeling of accomplishment though, did keep me beaming though!  

A few days after the race I FINALLY got my long awaited shoes:

Mizuno Wave Elixir 6

 

 

.....AND THEY FIT!!!!!  Oh how I wished I had them during the race, however, my feet now willingly enter the comfortable new shoes and rejoice when they have room to breathe.  My last shoes were also Mizunos and other than them being too small, I LOVED the light weight feel of them.  I can easily say that I am a Mizuno gal through and through :-)

Throughout the past several weeks, it is amazing to be able to compare runs and try to analyze what works, what doesn't and why.  For example, last weekend I had a 16 mile run which went EXCELLENT!!  I was able to run the entire time from start to finish with one small break around mile 10 to stretch.  I also refilled my water bottle at that time and continued the route.  What an amazing feeling!!!  This past weekend though, I ran 12, and man, I struggled through it.  I just couldn't seem to get in a groove and stopped several times to either walk or stretch.  I would like to blame it on the meatloaf I ate the night before but at this point I can't be certain.

Immediately following the 12 miles of ache, I went to try and raise money for my DetermiNation goal (I am short about $560.00--To donate, click on the link on the right side of the blog...THANK YOU!!!) and worked at our booth set-up at Effingham's Oktoberfest.  I face painted for about 2.5 hours and had an amazing time!!!!

Me & a brave Samaritan!  What a spectacular day!!

I didn't have a poster set-up with painted options and instead tried my fate by asking each child what they would like.  As expected, I had some wild requests!!  Purple tigers, cats, dogs, fire-breathing T-Rex mixed with a Dragon, etc.  Fortunately, I grew up loving to draw and they didn't turn out so bad :-)  In fact, there were these two little girls that I painted and as a thank you, they brought me a hand-made necklace!  Fundraising or not, being able to see the happy faces and excited responses were worth every second.  I really wish I would've arrived earlier.

Our (Me & Jer) Cross-Training yesterday morning was SUP Surfing (Stand Up Paddle Board-Surfing) and was hosted by East Coast Paddleboarding (http://eastcoastpaddleboarding.com/).  They were excellent and I had a great time!!!  I highly recommend them to others and will definitely go there to rent boards.  I did, however, under estimate the beach's sun from 9A - 12:30P and ended up burned.  Not good.

AAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!  OK, I had to get that off my chest.  This upcoming weekend I have an 18 mile run..longest to date.  It really is amazing to think how quickly this is coming.  I feel so proud to have been training and participating in something so big and I thank you for being interested enough to keep reading.

Our First Half-Marathon!! (Training purposes..)

This past Saturday, Sept 3, marked our first half-marathon race!!  This was the, "Milestone 13.1" that was host by FCA Endurance to serve as a training race before the big one (26.2!) in November.  That's right..we ran a half-marathon race....just for training/fun. 

Before the race began

Putting this race on was such a good idea and allowed us participants to gauge our speed, nutrition and fluid intake to help us be more efficient come November.  Our long runs during training, are at a slower pace to build endurance and add time and miles to our physique...this one though..was created to test our "race pace."

At the beginning, the pack took off!!!  It is so hard to stay back and remember we are not racing the other competitors, we are testing ourselves.  Falling into the pack trap, we started at a faster pace than normal and stuck with it for about 2/3 of the way.  At about mile 9ish, it started to catch up to me and I was starting to get tired.  My pace slowly crept up and I began counting the minutes and searching for my binoculars to find the finish line.  At this time, Jer and I wished each other luck and he moved forward breaking the sound barrier with his speed while I was trying to remember the story of the tortoise and the hare...Did the hare win?..the tortoise?..did anyone read the fine print of the two relaxing under a shady tree?  No?,..oh..

Action shot!

It was about this time I met a fellow runner, Catie.  This was also Catie's first half-marathon and bravo for her..she was actually training for the half in November and decided to give this a shot with only have a 9 miler long run under her belt.  Turns out, she is also a fellow blogger (Quest to 13.1)!!  Maybe that will change to 26.2?

That is one of the reasons I love the sport so much..the genuine support and friendliness of the other runners sharing the road with you.  Giving a nod, a small wave or even taking the time to say a, "way to go!" to a fellow runner really goes a long way!  for those runners out there who run right past their peers - Running 101 - be courteous. 

Catie and I ended up running the last few miles together and crossed the finish line as new pals!  The race felt great and would definitely consider this a success!

Advice for future- stick with my slower start, stronger finish, just like in training..try to avoid pacing with the fast starters..as difficult as it can be, so I can finish faster!


The finish!

Jer & I with our medals!!

Fellow DetermiNation runners! VTB & Nancy Shippee!

Catie and I receiving our medals!

Picture left to size small for a reason....not pretty

What an amazing race!  Official race results have not yet been posted, however, my Garmin clocked it at 2:27 with 11:17 avg pace.

Wait..what was that?  Did my shoes come in time for the race?? (see blogs below)...............

Nope!  I left with (3) painful blisters on my toes due to wearing my too-small worn-out shoes for my first half-marathon.  Oh how I long for my shoes to come in before my little piggies 'go to the market' or 'stay home.'


This week we can officially pick up our other medals..the 13.1 stickers for our cars!! :-)  FCA did a great job and I am so glad we were able to participate in this great event.  Way to go!!

UPDATE!!!!

OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:  2:20:41 

Very proud!

Out with Old in with the New

Yesterday Jer and I went for our weekend long run and I cut mine slightly short.  I began to walk at 11.67 miles while Jer successfully completed the 12.5 we were going for.  Unfortunately, we left the door later than we would've liked and if you are familiar with Savannah, you need to get as many miles in as you can before the sun finds you!  I was so hot and out of water so I cut my run short, SAFETY FIRST!

NEW SHOES!

A couple weekends ago when I went to Fleet Feet for the injury clinic, I also got re-fitted for shoes.  I hadn't purchased new running shoes since last October and for some reason they felt.....like they shrunk?  My toes would get blisters at the tips and would be sore after long runs.  Once I got re-fitted, turns out, they are at least a 1/2 size too small!!???!  Holy moley.. no wonder my feet would be sore (I wonder if my grandpa foot from a previous post has anything to do with this?)  I was re-sized and video taped on the treadmill with my current, too-small, worn-out shoes and then video taped in new shoes that aren't worn out and fit.  Let me just tell you what a difference they made!  My shoes are so broken down that my regularly neutral form was no longer.  My right foot remained neutral while my left began pronating.  Once I put new shoes on, re-video taped and compared videos, my left foot didn't pronate NEARLY as far (poor shoes a contributing factor for my left knee IT Band syndrome?).  Amazing.  I visually witnessed the need for new shoes.  These shoe people are not just trying to sell you new ones for the heck of it, they know what they are talking about!

I am a Mizuno gal and before I purchased the newer version of the Wave Rider that I currently have, they want to try my in the Elixir.  Unfortunately, they didn't have my size in stock and so they special ordered it for me to try (they are so great here in Savannah..they go above and beyond and genuinely focus on building a healthier, safer, you).  They haven't come in yet so I am still squishing my toes into the too-small worn-out ones and keeping my fingers crossed I get them in this week....Pics to come when they do!
 :-)