Charleston Challenge Mid-Winter Classic 10k 2.4.12

We did this race in 2011 in 6 inches of snow and decided to go do it again this year anyway! This year, happy to say, was much better, weather-wise and race-wise! I had my best 10k time ever and, most important for me, I ran the whole race without walking! And there are some HILLS in this race! I am very happy with the race, my time, everything!

The course starts at Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Charleston and does a big clockwise loop out through the country and back to the school. I ran right past the road my mom lives on. The race organizers do a great job on this race. Lots of raffle items, shirts, hats, etc., and lots of food at the end. Also, runners have access to the school cafeteria, bathrooms, etc., before and after the race. It's great.

My time was 1:04:02. Carl's time was 57:55. He ALWAYS beats me! :)

Carl took this picture of me crossing the finish line. I was so happy! I feel like a runner again.

Finish Line!

Since April 2011 - Lots of Stuff and the Memphis St. Jude's Race 12.3.11

It's 2012!? How'd that happen? The last race I wrote about was the Illinois half in April. A lot has happened since then. Honestly I can't remember all the races I've done. A handful of 5ks, I know I did the Roots-n-Blues-n-BBQ 10k in CoMo in September - always a good race. I did the Turkey Trax 5k at Rock Bridge on Thanksgiving Day (32 something), and the First Night 5k (again, 32 something) on New Year's Eve. I did the StL Rock-n-Roll half in October, but had to WALK it because of a pinched nerve that caused me to have severe right leg pain. It took me so long to finish they ran out of freakin medals! Seriously?! It was horrible and I vowed then and there never to walk another race. I'll take a DNF rather than suffer through that again. I was training for the Memphis (St. Jude's) Marathon Dec. 3, and made it up to an 18 mile run before the nerve called foul. In the end I did the half marathon and I have to say, I was back to my old self by then, finishing with a respectable 2:32:09.

Here's a picture of me, Carl and our friend David the night before the race on Beale Street in Memphis.

 

Beale Street, Memphis, TN, 12.2.11

David (recall, he is our lightening fast running friend we met in Denver in 2010) finished the marathon in 3:22:10.  Carl had a PR at 5:06:28. Here's a picture of CG rounding the finish!

CG rounding the finish

All marathon finishers got a DOZEN Krispy Kreme donuts. Really? We enjoyed a couple and then gave the rest to some very appreciative on-lookers.

CG with his Krispy Kreme stash...which we promptly gave away...after enjoying a couple ourselves!

The next day we visited Sun Studio, birthplace of Rock-n-Roll....took the tour (for me, the second time) and got to play with the original mike that Elvis used. Elvis! Three years ago, in 2008, I did my first half marathon in Memphis. I started running after my dad died, in July, 2008. I didn't know it at the time, but we ended in the Memphis Redbirds Stadium, feeder team to the St. Louis Cardinals. Anyone who knew my dad knew he was their biggest fan. He would have thought it was so cool that we finished in that stadium. I was supposed to run the marathon in 2011, back in Memphis, sort of a culmination of my metamorphosis into a runner. But, alas, that was not to be. Still, running the half was outstanding. The St. Jude's folks are SUCH GREAT FANS and the atmosphere for runners is unlike any other race that I know. Running through the St. Jude's campus is one of the greatest feelings you can imagine. I have a feeling this race will be an annual event for us. It's that great. Below left, I'm rockin out with Elvis, and rockin my race medal, and below right, my sweet sister, Kacey, rockin her Memphis Redbirds T-shirt. :-)

Illinois Marathon & Half Marathon 4.30.11

The Illinois Marathon weekend was April 29-30, 2011. Here's a shot of my pre-race ritual spread...LOL.

 

Carl got a PR in his third marathon (second time at Illinois), coming in at 5:11:59. He said he's claiming 5:11. Damn straight!

CG approx 50 yards from finish line!

CG Before...

Was able to see Rachel and Ellen Eckert (Rachel ran the 1/2 too!). Had well-deserved beers after the race with them, Craig and Karen. Carl wasn't exactly thrilled with me that I asked him to WALK to the bar after having just finished a marathon. Gah! He made it to a bar stool and firmly planted himself there. As did I.
Love this pic with the Eckert ladies!

Rachel, me, Ellen after the race at Houlihans

 

Finish was at the U of I stadium

Bling!!

My Garmin said I went 13.2 miles...and I heard at the finish that lots of people were banking a longer route than 13.1. No worries.... great course, great fans! Weather was better than last year, although quite windy. My time was WAAAAY better than last year, and I visited exactly ZERO porta-potties this time around. Great race weekend. 2:33:58. 

 

 

Rock the Parkway 2011

This was the 2nd annual Rock the Parkway 1/2 in Kansas City. The course was beautiful - up and down Ward Parkway among all the mansion-esque homes on an absolutely gorgeous Saturday spring morning! We couldn't have asked for better weather. Overcast and low 40s at the start. 50s by the end, and the sun came out. Just awesome.

 And...... both Carl and I got PRs! Carl came in at an awesome 2:13:29, beating his previous best by about 4 minutes. I came in at 2:30:30. Let me say that again.... 2:30:30!!!! I took 13 minutes off my previous best. Needless to say, I was VERY happy with this time!! All my work over the winter really paid off!

The best thing I heard on the course (from another runner) was at about mile 12. A guy just behind me yelled "There's a party at the end of this race, and we GOT to get to it. So BRING IT, girl!!!" It was great!

I stuck with my program (that I had tweaked a bit in order to run a little more than I did in Denver so that I might beat that time) until about mile 6, when I had to use a damn porta potty. Damn my bladder! Resolving at that point to just do it and lose the 2-3 minutes, in I went. When I came out, I noticed that I was right with the 2:30 pace group. I had never hung with a pace group before, so I though, why not? I had no idea going into the potty that I had actually been AHEAD of the 2:30 pace group up to that point.

So...I abandoned my program and just started running with the 2:30 pace group, telling myself to just try to hang with them and see how far I got. No matter, I was ahead of my last time, and I was going to be happy with that. Well, I just kept running! We stopped for a water break at mile 9 for about 10 seconds, then off we went again. At mile 10, we stopped again for another water break and I was tired. Really tired. So I told myself I could do one of my scheduled walk breaks (1 minute, 35 seconds). After that break, I started running again. Soon I caught back up with the 2:30 pace group. I didn't stop from then on, and in fact, passed the 2:30 pace group. In the end, they came in a little more than 2:30. I was right on the mark. I was so happy, I couldn't believe it!

Carl snapped this picture of me about 10 feet from the finish line. Although I don't look very happy, I was!!

Love the finishers medal... serious BLING!

Winter Run: Charleston Mid-Winter Classic 2.5.11

I did a respectable 10k last weekend in Charleston, IL. The race organizers (Charleston Parks and Rec) did a pretty amazing job given the conditions. We awoke to 5 inches of freshly fallen snow! The race was advertised as rain, snow or shine, so we knew the race was ON no matter what, as long as we could make it to the start line. Carl's time was 1:05. Mine was 1:13. We'll likely do this one again.

Carl came back to finish the race with me. Much appreciated!

There was a 5k, 10k and 15k held that morning, starting 15 minutes apart. These pictures were taken in town, but much of the 10k and 15k courses were in the country. Country roads were not plowed very well, and this was a hard run for me. But once I got over the fact that a PR was out of the question, I actually enjoyed the run. It was absolutely beautiful being outside, on snow-covered country roads, in a place near where I grew up and in the same town that I attended college, and in which my mom currently lives.

Long Run on a Beatiful Winter Day

Happy New Year 2011! I got out with Carl on Sunday, January 2, 2011, for an 8 mile run. It was a gorgeous, clear winter day, around 35 degrees, and sunny! Perfect running weather. And we got back on the trail, which has been snow covered for quite awhile. It was awesome. We started out about 3:00, and ran for 1:41. The sun was getting lower as we got back to the McBaine trail head, and we'd walked about a half mile, so we were COLD by the time we got back to the car.

Two 5Ks Since Turkey Trax

And I improved my time each time! On December 4, 2010, I did the Jingle Bell 5k in Columbia, benefiting the Arthritis Foundation, coming in at 30:53. It was cold that morning, but the course is nice through downtown. On December 31, 2010, New Year's Eve, I did CoMo's First Night 5k, coming in at 29:52! I was hoping to beat that 30 minute mark sometime in 2011, but did it New Year's Eve 2010! That course isn't as great (from Cycle Extreme to Stadium and back), but I was so thrilled with my time. Yay me. It was the first time that I ran a 5k without walking. That day started off with thunderstorms, then it got up in the mid 60s by race start. By race end, the temps were dropping rapidly and within an hour after the race, it was in the mid 40s. Wild weather!