Wrap up & recap of 2019 Race Season

My last race of the season was this past Saturday at the Reagle Beagle 25k in Bath Township. It was a challenging and fun course and I was happy to walk away with the masters win and 5th female. Steve was also first master male and 5th overall. Many of our friends were there racing or volunteering and there was R. Shea beer at the finish so it was a good day all around!

The year went quick and it was full of highs and lows as most seasons are. Overall I had many successes including setting some new records in various distances, another BQ, some overall and masters wins and a lot of blood, sweat, tears and fun along the way. Here's a quick recap below:

March: ran the Leprechaun dash 5k in downtown Willoughby, took 2nd female won $40 and a pair of St. Patrick's Day themed Goodrs. Race started and finished at Willoughby Brewing so enjoyed a post race beer among friends. Next up was the Hinckley Buzzard Day 25K, which was a mudfest this year. I suffered and also managed a 2nd place finish. Finally March wrapped up with the inaugural Get Lucky 50K. It was my longest run for Boston Marathon prep and I managed a small PR of 4:37 and change and first female. Post race food and beer were provided at a tavern in downtown Canal Fulton.

April: ran my second Boston Marathon and it was not my day. Struggled with GI, overheated and walked some of the hills this year finishing in a 3:54. Decided to race the Canton Hall of Fame Marathon and try again for BQ, came up a little short at 3:42 thanks to a stop in the med tent around 16 for calf cramp. Managed 3rd ag versus 2nd in 2018.

May: survived the Cleveland Marathon. It was just way too hot to race the second half. Finished 4ish and enjoyed friends and post race beers. Raced the Medina 1/2 about a week later. Great and challenging course - also a hot day. Ran first half fast died on second half ending up around 1:44. Good enough for first in AG. Went to PJ Marleys post race for hard-earned breakfast and brews.

June: Eagle up 100k became 50 miler thanks to a really bad GI day. Not sure how I survived the 50 only adding maybe 10 mins from previous year. Still finished 1st female in 8:50ish. Then ran the inaugural Mingo Madness 15K, which was a tough and fun race. 1300 ft of elevation in 9ish miles. Manged 1st AG on dead legs.

July: Recovery month. Raced the Andrea Teodosio 5k in downtown Akron. Tried to remember how to run fast. Hot day. Ran 21ish, 1st AG.

August: this was a good month for me. Set new PR of 1:37:23 at Hofbrauhaus half marathon. Fun post race party with friends. Steve also PR'd and we we both won our AGs. Then we raced the Winking Lizard Shot in the dark 4 miler in downtown Cleveland. It was hot and I felt like hell before the race but managed to run 27ish and win female race! That was fun although running that fast hurts. Post race Great Lakes beer was delightful. Then ran the Moebius 50k as last long run pre-Erie. Twisted ankle then fell on 3rd lap so called it at 18 miles.

September: this was an up and down month. Erie went well. Although a little warm I felt strong and managed a little marathon PR too of 3:29:04 versus my 2018 time of 3:29:33. Got my BQ. Steve also PR'd so we celebrated post race. The Akron Marathon was not a success for me. I felt crappy early on in the heat and legs were flat and I cut it short to the half. A couple days later my sinus infection hit so I think I was fighting that during the race.

October: Rough month. Missed Doan Creek 25K due to being sick. Then ran the Crowell Hilaka trail half. Got lost on second loop so turned into a fun run but nice to run with and see so many friends.

November: The year ended on a positive note with Veteran's Day 1/2 masters win, good for $150 for me and also Steve won the men's! It was a tough, hilly course in the Ravenna Arsenal. Then the Reagle Beagle last week we both won masters again and it was about 1200 ft of gain. So, the legs are tired :)

Now I am ready for a break! I know Steve is too. We will recover in December and keep a base heading into 2020. Next season I will race less but longer beginning with Get Lucky 50k, Boston Marathon # 3, Cleveland Marathon, Eagle up 100K then Canal Corridor 100 round 3 in July. After that I will take a break and regroup for fall. I am debating a triathlon in September to mix it up but we'll see how my training goes.

Speaking of the Cleveland Marathon, I am excited to once again be a race ambassador! If you are signing up make sure you use code "RUNCLEPAM10" to save 10% off registration!

Quick Fall Racing/Training Update

It's been a while since my last post. If you follow me on social then you probably already know what I am up to and how my races have went but if not here's a quick little recap.

Celebrating post Erie!

In early September I raced the Erie Marathon and it went pretty well. I was hoping for a 3:25 but it was a little hot and humid that day so I went with the 3:30 pace group. I felt good most of the race and even managed a small negative split and new PR of 3:29:04 about 30 seconds faster than my previous PR. My husband Steve also PR'd with a low 3:12 race so we both got our 2020 BQs!

Next up was Akron. This did not go as well for me. I just felt off and by mile 10-12 I was really laboring so I opted to end it at the 1/2. Not a good 1/2 for me since I was running it at my marathon pace but it didn't really matter. I was happy to see my husband finish strong and get his 2020 BQ. I ended up not feeling well Saturday night and then within a week I got a cold that turned into a sinus infection. This could explain why I felt off at Akron.

Fighting GI in Akron

Since I was sick I sat out Doan Creek 25K. I ran the Crowell Hilaka half on Saturday but got lost on the second loop so I ran with some fellow trail friends Marta, Angie and Jen. This was a touch course especially since I added more hills with my wrong turn. on my garmin I had close to 1300 ft of gain for the 13 miles so it was hilly but a great and beautiful fall course!

My next race is not until November 23 so I am looking forward to the break. I'll be running the Reagle Beagle in Bath Township. Although I am signed up for the 50K I will likely race the 25K just to give myself a break and some rest from the super long stuff until next season when I have a pretty tough schedule planned through July, including running the Canal Corridor 100 again - hopefully better this time!

Late Summer Race and Training Update

Summer is flying. I can't believe it's almost Labor Day already! Where does the time go? I've had a pretty good training cycle for Erie. I'll be doing one final race this weekend to prepare, which is the Moebius 50K in Aurora, OH. I ran this a couple years back coming off of my 100 and pacing Steve for BR so hopefully I'll be a little faster this time - although my main goal is to get in one last kick ass workout leading up to race day at Presque Isle in a couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago I raced the Hofbrauhaus Half Marathon in Cleveland and that went pretty well. Despite some nasty cramping the last few miles I set a new personal record of 1:37 and change and although the course was a smidge short I am counting it :) I was able to grab 1st in my AG in that race and enjoyed the post race beer in the mug that they gave me for winning the AG. Steve also set a new smoking fast PR of 1:25 and change and won his AG. That's a pretty good birthday present! After the post-race party there we headed over to Masthead Brewing with friends for lunch and another pint.

post race celebratory beer at Shot in the Dark!

Next up was the Hermes Shot in the Dark 4 mile race in downtown Cleveland. I was not sure how I would do in a night race but it went better than I expected especially because my warm-up was so crappy! I took off fast with a 6:23 first mile then slowed down when I realized this pace would crush me for 4 miles. I had some GI cramps last mile or so but was able to stay on a 7 flat pace to finish it up in 27 and change (6:54 pace) and finished first female (woohoo)! The post race Great Lakes Holy Moses was refreshing after that warm sufferfest. Steve ended up placing 3rd male and we both won gift certificates to Winking Lizard and Dicks as well as a bottle opener (you can never have too many of those). The morning after the race we suffered through a hot and painful 20 miler but got it done ending the week with about 60 miles.

Last week was a little lighter and partly because my long run Saturday was a fail (was going to do 18-20 but dropped at 11 due to a tight hamstring). This week I will get in about 20-25 before Moebius and then run my 31 there to end the week with 50-55 miles before starting the taper for Erie! I am actually looking forward to the taper I think, which is weird for me but will see how I feel closer to the race.

The next post will probably be an update about Erie so wish me luck!

Training & Racing Update for Summer

Wow - it's almost August already and I haven't blogged. Sorry everyone it's been a busy summer! Don't worry - I have been running and racing as per usual just not writing as much as I should! After the Cleveland Marathon in May I raced the Eagle Up Ultra again in early June. My goal was the 100k this year but I ended up having a rough day of GI issues so called it at 50 miles. I ended up first female for the 50 again albeit a little slower than last year. This one is such a great race though that I am sure I will be back again next year for 100k or maybe more!

After Eagle Up I did a new race in my backyard this summer called the Mingo Madness 15K. It's a doozy of a race with about 1200-1300 ft of elevation gain over 9ish miles. It was a great turn out and a butt kicker for sure. I was happy with an AG win for this one for sure!

I ran my first 5K since March in downtown Akron 2-3 wks back called the Andrea Rose Teodosio 5K and that was tough as well since most of my runs these days are longer and slower. I ended up around 21:40, not my best time but good for 1st AG and a top 10 finish in a pretty good field of ladies so happy with the result.

With the Erie Marathon and Akron Marathon quickly approaching in September I have been running between 50-60 miles a week and getting in long runs of 16-20 last month or so. Did I mention it's been a hot July in Ohio? Well it has been hot and humid for some of the runs and although I do love summer I am looking forward to fall running temps!

This weekend I'll be racing the Hofbrauhaus half marathon in downtown Cleveland with the hubby for his birthday and some of our running friends so I am curious to see how that goes. The following weekend we have the Shot in the Dark 4 miler so another sprint and I am also planning to run the Moebius Trail 50K again in later August before my taper starts for Erie.

Fall will be fun too as I just signed up for a few trail 25 and 50ks to keep my endurance up. I plan to return to longer distance next year with my eye on another 100!

Stay tuned for the next update - probably after the next race. Happy running everyone! Keep on chasing that runner's high!

Cleveland Marathon Race Report - That was a Doozy!

This year's Cleveland Marathon was bittersweet. It was a fun running weekend of seeing so many friends (my fellow Cleveland Marathon Ambassadors, Skirt Sports Ambassadors, Akron folks, etc) before and after the race. I kicked off the weekend festivities with the Cleveland Marathon VIP dinner at the Arcade. This is always a great event and this year was no exception!

Sunday I met up with the ambassadors for a pre-race photo by the start line. We had a nice group running both the half and full this year. Everyone was excited and there was a lot of energy. I also ran into some old friends and made some new ones while we waited in the corral for the race to start.

This year's marathon was a tough race with many people including myself falling short of our goals. The heat was relentless. According to my garmin data it was 75 at the start, reaching 91. Some said it only got up to the mid 80s but either way it felt like a million degrees out there - especially the last 8-10 miles!

While I've been training this year for a 3:30 full I decided to go out a little easier with the 3:35 group and just go for my BQ (3:40). I knew with the weather it was not going to be a good day to try for my A goal. I hydrated as best as I could and carried a bottle with me along with some salt tabs. Still, by mile 8 or so I was struggling to keep the pace. I had debated dropping down to the half but I needed the long run anyways since I have a 100K in a few weeks. So, I reluctantly drudged on in the heat for some more miles.

I stopped at all the aid stations to fill my bottle, took in gels maybe every 5 miles but I could not hit my goal pace and around mile 16 I really started to fade. Around mile 17 or 18 my husband passed me (he was passing the 3:45 group). I ran into my friend Connie Gardner from Akron and just tried to keep up with her. As an elite ultrarunner, Connie knows how to run a smart race. So we ran, chatted, walked the hills and aid stations to keep our heart rates down and counted down the miles. I was hoping to break 4 and we were close - coming in at 4:01.

Post race w/ Akron peeps

I was elated to hit the beer garden where the Great Lakes Brewing IPA was flowing! That may have been the best tasting beer ever...so refreshing after such a long, hot run! It was fun to hang out with our running friends and my fellow Cleveland Marathon ambassadors post race and we also stopped at Masthead Brewing on the way home for some more beer and tasty Pizza.

While I am a little disappointed in my time, on a hot, miserable day like that it was a win just finishing in one piece. I can recall seeing a lot of people getting medical attention during the race from mile 8 on. Upon finishing we learned that a young woman Taylor Ceepo had lost her life near the finish. That was so sad to hear and my heart aches for her family. I can't imagine what they must be going through and I am keeping them in my thoughts this week.

More friends & ambassadors hanging post race 

I'm recovering this week and need to get in a back-to back long run this weekend as well as nest in preparation for the Eagle Up 100K on June 8th. My goal is to get to the starting line healthy and just do my best that day. Last year I ran the 50 miler and did pretty well so will see how I do in the 100k. I sure hope that it is not as hot as Cleveland was!

Marathon Season is Underway & Cleveland is This Weekend!

It's been a busy spring and I am long overdue for an update on training and racing! Since my last post I have run the Boston Marathon on April 15 and the Canton Hall of Fame Marathon on April 28. This weekend I will be taking on one of my all time favorites...the Cleveland Marathon! This will be my 10th time running this race - 3 times in the half and 7 times for the full!

I've also been lucky enough to be an ambassador for the race for the last 5 years. I will be attending the awesome VIP dinner with my fellow ambassadors tomorrow night so I am looking forward to seeing everyone all dressed up in something besides our runner attire! :)

Boston Recap:

Photo by Akron's own Joey Phillips!

Boston did not go as planned for me. My goal of 3:30 was way off. I ended with a 3:54, a pretty crappy time for me but with rain, heat, humidity, GI issues and cramps I am lucky to have just survived. To be honest it is a privilege just to be there in the first place and I tried to remind myself of that during my struggles. It was great to see so many fellow Akron runners out there as well as friends from all over - even some of my fellow Skirt Sports Ambassador ladies!

Canton Recap:
Canton went better but still missed my BQ. I was on pace for maybe 14 or 15 and then dealt with some calf cramping that resulted in a stop at the Mercy Health tent around mile 17. I got back on track for the most part after that but ended up with a 3:42 and change versus the 3:40 I needed to BQ. The weather was rainy and chilly for this one. I was happy that Steve got his BQ - although he didn't have a great race either.

Cleveland Goal:
This weekend is trending hot as of a few days out. I am prepared to try for my BQ and know that I will have to dress and hydrate appropriately to have a shot. I'll do my best but I will never sacrifice my health for a race because there is always another one! I will also try to enjoy the journey because I am know I am fortunate to be healthy enough to even take on another 26.2! And I will have another chance to BQ for 2020 in Erie early September!

Canton - special thx to the Mercy nurse who gave me this tee!

Next up:
On June 1 I am running a new trail race in Cleveland called The Forgotten that our friends at Running Forward & Giving Back are hosting. Steve and I plan to run this together as one of our last long training runs for our Eagle Up 100K on Saturday June 8! After that I am resting and cross training a bit before ramping up again for Erie and Akron Marathons in September!

Cleveland Marathon Giveaway & Training Update

This is an exciting week because I'm giving away an entry to this year's Cleveland Marathon this week! If you follow the Cleveland Marathon on instagram you may have seen my takeover Saturday. If not here's your chance to win. Simply reply to this post and let me know why you want to run Cleveland and which race you want to do? I'll be announcing the winner this Friday! If you don't win but still plan to run use my code PM2019 to save 10% off your registration!

Use code PM2019 for 10% off your registration!

It's also an exciting week because we are a week out from the Boston Marathon! At this time next week I'll be getting prepped to take on the course for my second time- woohoo! That means this is a super easy taper week for me. I'm planning an easy 15 miles of running, some light core and maybe one easy bike ride. If you'd like to follow along next week I'll be running in Wave 3/corral 2 at 10:50am and my bib # is 17187! Now all that's left to do is to pick my race day outfit, which will definitely consist of one of my awesome Skirt Sports skirts!

Wish me luck in Boston! And goodluck to you on winning my free Cleveland Marathon entry!!

A Long Overdue Training & Racing Update

I know...I've been absent from my blogging this season. I launched the new Run and Zen blog but it has lost momentum for the time being. It's just easier for me to keep up with my Blogger account so here I am back on the old Hoprunner blog to post a quick update on training, racing and life.

It's been hectic with a new job that I started in February, marathon training and racing! My training has been up and down this cycle and I had lost motivation and hope for a while but things started to come together again about 4 weeks ago, thank goodness!

I ended up racing a last minute 5K early March that our friends at Great Lakes Race Timing had called the Leprechaun Dash. It started and ended at Willoughby Brewing at 11am so I could not resist! After lack of any recent speedwork I really had low hopes of placing but figured I'd get in a good workout at minimum. I ended up running 21:30ish and 2nd female so I was beyond happy with the result for where I am right now. I won a gift certificate to Achilles Running Shop and a sweet new pair of Goodr sunglasses - that along with the two free beers was worth the trip! Ended the week with 50 miles.

Next up I ran the Hinckley Buzzard 25k again this year. Again I did not have high expectations as my long runs had been crappy as of late. It was a messy mudfest and I really suffered and wanted to walk a lot more than I allowed myself. I had won the race last year but there was a speedy female in front of me this year that I just couldn't catch so I ended up in second and was happy to get it done in one piece this year! It was a good hill workout as I prep for Boston and it was great to see so many of out running friends out on St. Patrick's Day weekend!  Ended the week with 50 miles.

Finally I raced the new Get Lucky 50/50 race that our friend Eric from Brimstone put on. I figured running a 50K hard a few weeks out from Boston would be good prep for race day. It was super cold that morning but clear and I ended up finishing the 50k with a slight PR of 4:37 and finishing first female, which was a bonus. My marathon time was 3:45-3:50is, which was great since my goal for Boston is like 3:30-3:40ish. After the race we got a free beer and food at the Canal Boat House and then got some free Donuts from the gift certificates we won from Peace, Love and Little Donuts! Ended the week with 54 miles.

After a bit of recovery it was back to it. I finished off the week with 13 miles on the dreadmill yesterday with 10 at goal marathon pace. Ouch. Ended the week with 43 miles. This week will be mostly easy with one hill workout planned mid week and an 8-10 miler this wknd for a total of 30-35 miles and then one more easy week until Boston!

I am hoping for decent weather on April 15 and fresh legs. Send me all those positive vibes. Again this has been a tough training cycle for me but I am feeling more like myself these last 3-4 weeks! I'll be in wave 3/corral 2 and i am # 17187 if you care to track me!

I am also really looking forward to the Cleveland Marathon on May 19th! If you haven't signed up yet you can use my code PM2019 for 10% off your registration! Also, watch the Cleveland Marathon instagram account (@CleveMarathon) this weekend as I'll be taking over their story this weekend and offering up a chance to win one free entry to the race of your choice!! Start watching Saturday the 6th and leave a comment telling me why you want to run Cleveland.

Kicking off the 2019 Training and Race Planning!

It's January, which means the race planning for 2019 is in full swing. I am thankful to once again be on board as a Cleveland Marathon ambassador as well as a Skirt Sports ambassador! I'm also excited to run the Boston Marathon for the second time this spring!

Save 10% off registration with code PM2019!

My marathon training is underway and I must admit I'm having a tougher time getting into it physically and mentally this year. In addition to my foot injuries last summer, I had some health issues in the fall and I am still not feeling 100% myself. I have lacked my normal strength and energy levels, which means some of my workouts have suffered or been postponed. I am doing my best to get in my planned mileage and workouts. I hope in the coming weeks I will feel stronger and more confident in my training.

I must accept that as an athlete there will be ups and downs. Clearly I am in a down period at the moment but this too shall pass. I am strong and I will persist! I am planning a fun race season and will do my best every time I toe the line (even if that means not being as fast as I want). I would love a shiny, new marathon PR in the spring but if it does not happen I can try again in the fall...or next season.

Here is what I have planned out for 2019 so far:

The season will most likely start with the Hinckley Buzzard 25K in mid March unless I jump into something sooner to test my fitness.

My big race in April will be the Boston Marathon of course!

May will be the Cleveland Marathon about 4-5 weeks after Boston. If you are thinking about running feel free to use and share my code PM2019 for 10% off your registration.

In June I will be running a new race called The Forgotten 25K followed up with the Eagle up 100K in (if I can swing it otherwise I will run the 50k or 50 miler).

I am leaving July and August open for now for recovery and lots of summer bike rides! I may sign up for a 1/2 marathon and some shorter stuff to help with my training for the Akron Marathon in September but will play it by ear. I then have Doan Creek 25k in early October.

The rest of the year is TBD or rest if needed. As much as I wish I could commit to more I am learning that my body needs some rest periods too. I will wait and see how I feel later in the year. At minimum I hope to run the Akron Turkey Trot and maybe a Christmas and/or New Years race.

What races are you planning in 2019?

My 2018 Racing Season in Review...as a Skirt Sports Ambassador

As some of you may know, I was fortunate enough to become an ambassador for Skirt Sports in early 2018! At the time I had a few products that I liked by Skirt Sports but in the last year those few items have multiplied into a fun, new wardrobe of cute and high-performance women's athletic attire. I thought it would be fun to highlight my races from 2018 and which Skirt Sports products I was wearing for each one.

The season started off with a fun St. Patty's Day-themed race called St Malachi. It's a 5-miler through the streets of Cleveland followed by a big after party in the Cleveland Flats. For this race I wore my Skirt Sports Redemption Capris and managed to set a new 5 mile PR of 34:35 and snag 3rd in my AG in a competitive race so I was very pleased.

Next up was the Hinckley Buzzard 25K trail race, which was a last minute add that turned out very well for me. I got in a great workout once again in my Skirt Sports Redemption Capris and my Skirt Sports Trucker hat and managed first female overall! Of course I went out to celebrate with my hubby and friend Stephanie afterwards!

Then it was the Run for Home Half Marathon in Dover, OH, where I had high hopes of a 1/2 PR but came up just a little short. I raced this time in my Skirt Sports Pocketopia Capris and Trucker Hat along with my Cleveland Marathon Ambassador tee. With a time of 1:40 and change and I placed 2nd in my AG so it was a good effort for me.

Then about a week later I really surprised myself at the 20 Mile Drop race in Chardon, OH where I placed first female overall with my fastest ever 20 miler of about a 7:40 pace! It was really a nasty day to race weather wise and I debated sitting this one out but forced myself to line up and do. Once again I raced in my Skirt Sports Redemption Capris and my favorite brightly colored Skirt Sports trucker hat.

I was able to wear my Skirt Sports Lioness Skirt in romance print with my ambassador tee and hat as I set my Marathon PR of 3:29:33 at this year's Hall of Fame Marathon! I crushed my BQ and we definitely celebrated with beers at Fatheads Brewery after! 

The Cleveland Marathon is always one of my favorite events of the year and I am lucky enough to be a race ambassador for them as well! This year I raced in my Skirt Sports Lioness Skirt in holiday print and my ambassador tank and trucker hat in nightdive print. The race started off very strong for me and I thought I was on pace for my second sub-3:30 but I struggled in the later miles and ended up with a 3:38 (still good for a 2nd BQ this year). It was fun to celebrate with Steve and my fellow ambassadors and friends after the race at the Great Lakes Brewing beer tent!

I raced the Eagle up Ultra in Canal Fulton for the first time this year and it was a great event! I opted for the 50 miler and most of the race went well for me, except one loop where I needed to walk about half of it to work through some issues. I ended up finishing first female in the 50 miler in 8:44 so I was definitely happy with my effort. It was great to have Steve and so many friends out there running and fellow Skirt Sports ambassador Mary Sutter even stopped by to cheer for me! My outfit was the Skirt Sports Lioness skirt in holiday print and Freeflow tank in black and my nightdive trucker hat. I got many compliments on the outfit!

I probably overdid it by racing the Charlevoix Marathon 2 weeks after the 50 miler. I did not feel the greatest during the race but I guess my Skirt Power helped me! I ran another 3:38 and managed 2nd in my AG and got a 3rd BQ this season! I ran in my Skirt Sports Lioness skirt in romance print with my freeflow tank in Razz and my Skirt Sports ambassador visor. My husband Steve set a new PR and also BQ'd so we celebrated afterwards at a local pub that had great IPAs...and food.

The Canal Corridor 100 Miler did not go as planned for me this time around. I completed 50 miles due to some foot pain and took the DNF. I wore my Skirt Sports Lioness in Wave print but I did not have my Skirt Power that day :(

The Potato Stomp 9 Mile run was my first race back after about 2 months off of working through foot issues so I was very pleased that I ran a 1:07 and placed in the top 5.  My Skirt Sports freeflow tank and Ambassador visor must have made me strong!

I had a tough day at the Northern Ohio 1/2 Marathon as I suffered through some nasty GI issues the day before and race morning as well as lack of sleep. How I was able to muscle through in a 1:46 I am not sure, but I looked like a zombie. I managed to place 2nd in my AG, which was a definite win for me on this day. 

The Run With Scissors Trail 1/2 Marathon was a blast. I dressed up like a Skirt Sports Unicorn and harnessed the magical powers to come away with the female win. Yay! My Take 5 tank in Temper Tantrum print made the outfit I think!

Not long after I ran the Conquer the Castle 25K Trail Run in Willoughby Hills and also enjoyed this race despite some bad GI issues leading into the race. I raced in my very cute Skirt Sports Lioness in Safari print and my ambassador tee and nightdive trucker hat. I ran as hard as I could and ended up with 2nd female overall so I earned myself a post race beer at Willoughby Brewing!

And finally I closed out the year at the Akron Hime Run for the Homeless Turkey Trot, where I felt like I was going to die literally of bad GI issues pre-race and somehow ran a semi-decent race. Good enough to win a turkey for 1st in AG 40-44! Once again I raced in my Skirt Sports Redemption capris to close out a very fun season of racing!

So there you have it - my first year as a Skirt Sports Ambassador is in the books and it was a good one. I am looking forward to racing in 2019 as a Skirt Ambassador again! Cheers!

Conquer the Castle 25K Race Report & Training Update

I'm finally getting around to my race report for the Conquer the Castle 25K, which is a trail race that takes place in North Chagrin Reservation in Willoughby. Steve and I used to run there all the time when we lived in Mentor and Concord Township and of course we did the inaugural race, which was a 100K (for him) and a DNF for me since I only completed 50K.

Since I am just rebuilding my endurance I did not want to take on the 50k or more this year. The 25K was a good distance for me to race because it pushed me a little farther than I had gone recently but not so much I would hurt myself. I had done a trail 1/2 marathon a week before and a road half marathon a few weeks before that so this 25K was my longest run since summer I think as I have had lingering tendonitis in booth feet.

This was a tough course for Northeast Ohio standards anyways and it was a very wet course! I think my feet were wet pretty much the whole race. Luckily it was cold but not freezing. Temps were around 35-40 degrees so still warm enough for a skirt and I actually overheated and lost my armwarmers and rolled up my shirt sleeves once we got warmed up.

For the first 8 or 9 miles I just tried to keep up with Amanda Debevec, she is a strong runner and I figured she was in better shape them me right now so I held on as long as I could and it was nice chatting with her for a bit about races. Once we got to the bigger hills she took off as I ran/walked the steep sections. At that point it was back to my own race. I ended up pacing about the same as a guy in front of me for the last 4-5 miles so that worked out pretty well because I mentally just tried to stick with him.

post race with my Sir runs a lot medal!

My time goal was 2:30 and I ended up with 2:25 and change so I was happy with that and came in second female. I was also pleased to hear that Steve had a decent race, finishing in around 2:13 and third male. I like the course - the beginning 1/2 of the loop is flatter and less technical than the second half I think but it's a great loop. The 50kers do it 2 x and the 100k 4x. I was glad to have been a 25Ker this time around!

After the race Steve and I got changed and went back to pavillion to say hi to race director Eddie and some of the other people we knew. We couldn't resist the post race pizza and of course we ended up stopping by Willoughby Brewing for a peanut butter cup porter on the way home!

We were originally planning to race the Made in America 1/2 marathon again the week after Conquer the Castle but to be honest my body needed a break. I have been  rebuilding my mileage to 30-40 miles week but have been struggling with GI troubles since early October and will soon be going to visit the gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy to see what the issue is (doctor thinks it is some form of IBS but won't know exactly what it is until after the testing). I've been training as much as I can and resting or going easier on days that I feel yucky.

This week has been a little better because I have been vegan/vegetarian (no meat besides eggs and no dairy) to see how I feel and it has been an improvement. Next up it's the Akron Turkey Trot 4 miler next week - hopefully my GI cooperates (fingers crossed). Then we will probably do some sort of holiday races TBD.

Run With Scissors Trail 1/2 Marathon Race Report

I love the Run With Scissors trail race! And of course the people involved with the race. A couple of years ago I did the marathon and this year since I am rebuilding after an injury I opted for the 1/2 marathon. I think a trail half is almost the perfect distance to race on the trails because you get in a great workout but you are not totally cooked for the rest of the day/week with recovery.

Because RWS is always around Halloween a lot of people like to dress up in costumes and run including me and my husband. I dressed up as a Unicorn and he went as a creepy clown so that added to the fun and challenge of the race.

As far as the race itself I wasn't sure how it would go. I had been doing Sand Run quite a bit this fall so my hill work was certainly there but I really do not feel too speedy since I have not been doing much speedwork lately. Of course trail speed and road speed are not the same and what I really like about the trails is that you have to slow down to navigate the terrain and it's very zen because you have to pay attention and be engaged the whole time. Often in road or Towpath type races I just zone out and lock into one speed. Trails force you to fartlek and stay mentally in the race.

I enjoyed most of the course except the really muddy sections (haha) but that's part of the challenge! And of course running Pine Hollow and Ledges on the way back to the finish were challenging as well. I was pleased to finish first female in 2:11 and change - was hoping for a little faster time but on the trails on any given day you never can predict what your time will be. My husband Steve finished first as well with a time of 1:54. We celebrated afterwards with a beer at Winking Lizard of course!

Next up is Conquer the Castle 25K, also a trail race at North Chagrin Reservation this Saturday! Then we have a road 1/2 marathon the next week and will probably do the Akron Turkey Trot and maybe some kind of Christmas/New Years race to round out the year before starting the Boston Marathon training cycle!

Has fun being a Skirt Sports Unicorn this year! 

Northern Ohio 1/2 Marathon Race Report & Training Update

Last Sunday I ran the Lake Health Northern Ohio half marathon. I had originally signed up for the full but with a lack of longer runs due to a busy work schedule and injuries this summer it just wasn't in the cards. I had hoped for a decent time like 1:38-1:40 but that wasn't in the cards either. My husband (who ran the full marathon) and I both had a rough few days of GI issues leading into the race (including that morning) so I think both of us were fighting that bug off and dehydrated at the start. In addition we picked up a sweet new puppy the day before the race and he kept us up quite a bit that night. Despite my urges to stay in bed I figured I would race and see what happened.

I gave it what I had the first few miles before realizing that today would not be a good day to push myself too much. I settled in to a good aerobic pace that I would run for a marathon and resigned myself to getting in a good training run. I ended up with a 1:46 and change, still good for 2nd in the 40-44 age group (still getting used to the new AG). Frankly I was just glad it was over with and that I had dropped down to the half and managed to not have any in-race GI issues!

Steve had a rough day too and finished with a slower marathon time than he wanted but he still stuck with it and finished 3rd in his AG as well. Some days just don't go as planned and that's okay. We live to race another day! Next up we have Conquer the Castle 25K trail run at North Chagrin, which should be an ass kicker and the Made in America half marathon in Massillon and then probably the Akron Turkey Trot.

I hope to get in some solid mileage the next few weeks leading into those races but will see how it goes. I have managed to run three days in a row this week, which is moving in the right direction!

Couldn't resist the meme! 

Back to it at the Mantua Potato Stomp Race

Last Saturday was my first race since the Canal Corridor 100 debacle. I've been working through tendonitis on my outer left foot and inner right ankle all summer. Fortunately I love cycling and have spent a lot of quality time with my new bikes this season! My running has ranged from 20-40 miles a week, which is much lower than last year but needed to help rest those pesky tendons. I've also been going in for physical therapy with Dr. Tim Pavlak of Physio Performance for the last couple of months for dry needling, graston and ART. I think all of this has helped tremendously.

I wasn't sure how I would perform in a 9 mile, hilly race. I had been doing some shorter speed sessions but nothing really under a 7-min pace as I've been nervous about the feet. The first couple of miles of this race are very fast so I was sub-7 for that and then the hills really start in mile 3 so my pace fluctuated between 7:15-7:50 for most of those miles. Fortunately I did not feel any pain in my feet just the normal exersion pain from racing! I remember fading hard in this same race last year but I felt very strong for this finish and beat my time from last year by about 90 seconds, finishing in 1:07:17 (7:29/avg). My secret goal was to break 7:30 so I am very pleased on such a challenging course. I placed 4th female so won $25 and was first in the 40-49AG. This was also my first race in the new AG!

Steve also raced and had a good time almost breaking an hour so he won the 50-59AG. It was nice to see some of our running friends from NERC and beyond out there.

Now in the aftermath I am having some left foot pain again so I went in for PT Tuesday and will be cross training more this week. I hope this is just a temporary setback and that I will be healthy to race Northern Ohio on October 7. I am debating dropping down to the half but will decide closer to race day based on how my body feels. The real goal now is to be healthy for Boston 2019 since I registered this week!

Prerace trying to stay warm and dry!

Coming in for the finish - happy to get out of that rain!

Canal Corridor 100 err 50 & Training Update

After Canal Corridor 100 on July 7th I've been working through a couple muscular injuries that led to some foot pain especially in my left - but also in my right foot as well. Going into the race I was admittedly fatigued after running Charlevoix Marathon and Eagle up 50 within 4 weeks before. I didn't feel too bad at the start line or for the first hour or two but by 10-15 miles my feet were achy and I had a tight right quad so I knew I was in trouble. I took some ibuprofen at the 20 mile mark and headed back to Lock 3 from the first turn-around at St. Helena.

I hit the 50K mark right around 5 hours and hit lock 3 around 6.5 hours but was really hurting and didn't want to go back out there. MY friend Rich that was doing timing convinced me to get back out there after a good 30 minute or so break to eat, change, go to the bathroom, etc. I knew when I started back up it would not be pretty. I made it a couple miles then started walking and at 45.5 I turned around along with Steve and headed back in. It was a slow hobble back in and we called it a day with 51 miles. I was very sore and hungry so we went to get food at the Barley House with our friends Leslie and Larry that were planning to help crew for us. Some days just don't end how you think they will.

Fastforward to four weeks later and I am still fighting off the injuries so it's safe to say I did the right thing at CC100. I have been fortunately riding my bike a lot and was able to run 20 miles including a 13 mile run last week. I went in to Dr. Tim Pavlik in Cuyahoga Falls this week for some dry-needling, graston and ART. That seems to be helping. He wants me to try to get 30 miles in this week and increase my long run to 15 miles so we'll see how that goes.

In all honesty, there's been so much going on in my life and I've been so busy that a break from running hasn't been as bad as I thought it was. Although my race didn't go well, I welcomed a beautiful baby niece Lylah Anne who I adore, rekindled my love of biking with a new roadie and got some stuff done around the house like painting our patio!

I hope to be back to racing in a month or so - if my body is ready. If not, I'll wait longer because my next A-race is Boston 2019! I need to be healthy and ready to start a heavy training cycle in mid to late December for that.

Me with Lylah :)

My new bike Penny Lane

Summer patio living!

Charlevoix Marathon Race Report & CC100 Update!

It's hard to believe that I'll be running the Canal Corridor 100 miler again this week for the second time! But first here's a quick update on my last hard training run/race, which was the Charlevoix Marathon in Charlevoix, Michigan. I had run this race back in 2015 while I was on my first BQ quest and while I had come up a little short then - I had a better time this year and another BQ!

Prerace pic

This race was a real confidence builder for me because I just felt awful most of the race since it was only two weeks after racing my first 50 miler at Eagle Up.  I went out with the 3:30 pace group but just couldn't quite keep up after mile 5 or so. Uh-oh this was going to be a long, hard morning. And it was! The rain started too after about an hour of running and pretty much continued throughout. I was a soaking wet, sore, unhappy girl but I was determined to not let myself fall apart. Even if I couldn't do 3:30 I thought I could still break 3:40. This became my mission and I just pushed through despite some pretty tight glutes and hamstrings.

I felt like I needed this hard run to prep for the Canal Corridor race in two more weeks. This was my last hard effort. I finished in 3:38 and change for my third BQ since April 29! I was excited to finish and get changed into dry clothes. It was a bonus to find out that I was 2nd in the 35-39 AG (this was my last 26.2 in this category since I am 40 in August).

Someone looks happy!

The real exiting part of the day was my husband Steve's PR of 3:12 and change! And another BQ for him as well as an NYC marathon qualifying time! I am super proud of his hard work and have no idea how he accomplished that on such tired legs! I think he will have a great marathon season after another 100 and some rest!

Of course we went out to celebrate at a little pub right by the finish and enjoyed some hard earned food and IPAs!

Glad that was done! Cheers!

Saturday we'll both be running the Canal Corridor 100 (my second time with this race and the hubby's first). I'm hoping this course is a little easier on me this time around and that I arrive at the start healthy unlike last year. I also hope Steve has an easier time than BR100. Right now I am just tapering and keeping my fingers crossed for decent weather! Send me strong, healthy vibes this week you guys!!

How cute is this?

Beautiful area!

Eagle Up Ultra 50 Mile Race Report

Last Saturday I ran my first 50 miler. I had no idea going into it how it would feel since the only other time I ran 50 miles was in my 100 miler last summer. Since I am once again running the Canal Corridor 100 miler on July 7 I thought that running the Eagle Up 50 miler would be an ideal training run for me. I hope that it will better prepare me for this year's 100. My expectations for Eagle Up were low key and I did not put a lot of pressure on myself. That is one of the things I like most about ultras and ultrarunners - generally the races and people are easy going with these longer distances. It makes sense because a lot can happen with your body in 50 or 100+ miles plus some days you feel better than others so you just go into it with a flexible mindset.

race start I'm the pink skirt left side :)

I lined up Saturday with a goal of trying to maintain 9-10 minute miles for as much of the race as possible. Most of my miles were between 9:15-10 minutes so right on target. Of course stopping at the aid station added a little time to each loop. The course was setup in a 5 mile loop consisting of about 2.5 on the Towpath and 2.5 on another trail just like the towpath. I actually really liked this setup. The loops went very fast for me mentally.

After the first loop I ate a Honeystinger waffle and just dropped off my water bottle. After the second loop I also ate a Honeystinger waffle and picked up my water bottle again. By the end of the third loop I had to stop and use the porta potty and I also hit up the aid station for some pbj and watermelon. After the 4th loop (20 miles) and 5th loop I also hit the aid station for similar fare. During my 6th loop I felt like crap having some cramps and just decided to walk for a while to see if it would pass. I debated dropping down to 50k but figured I could at minimum walk a lap and see if it passed. I walked the first half of the loop (2.5 miles) and decided to run again following the aid station. I felt much better! From there on out I walked about 1/2 mile after each 5 mile loop to give my body a little break. This worked well because by mile 40 (start of 9th loop) I could grab a slice of cheese pizza and walk while I ate it.

All smiles for most of the race anyways!

I felt really good the last couple of loops and was super excited near the end when the guy who was winning the 100 miler told me that I was likely first female in the 50 miler! It had not dawned on me that I could finish first because there are people running 50k, the relay, 50 miles, 100k, 100 miles so it was hard to know where I was in the race. That gave me a little boost and I pushed on to finish the race in 8:44:44 (10:28 avg). I think if my 6th loop was better I may have finished closer to 8:30 but I was pretty excited to finish and also to learn from the timers that I was indeed first female in the 50 mile race! :) P.S. The Skirt Sports Lioness Skirt in Holiday print was a big success as probably at least 20 people said "Love that skirt" to me!

My friend and fellow Skirt Sports ambassador Mary had came to cheer and drop off some goodies she picked up from me at the Skirt Sports store in Colorado so it was nice to see her there at the finish as well as my hubby who also ran the 50 miler and was technically first in the 50 miler too so that was awesome! We ate some food and had a couple of beers/ciders before heading home for a much needed shower!

Weather wise it ended up being a pretty mild, cloudy day for the first 4-5 hours with some off and on rain the back few hours but it was manageable. The race vibe was fabulous - so many people cheering and great volunteers and also made some new running friends from all around while running and chatting. The race swag included a nice women's fit tech tee and goodie bag along with a 50 mile medal. I would highly recommend this race! It would be a great first ultra or great for a PR at any distance. I am thinking I will run this again next year although not sure what distance - perhaps the 50 again or the 100K. I guess I have time to think it over.

My recovery this week is on schedule. I took a few days off of running and got in 4 miles yesterday morning, which went fine. I've been walking a lot of miles and doing some cycling. Next up is the Charlevoix Marathon next Saturday in Michigan. It's a great small-town marathon. Another marathon PR right now may be too lofty of a goal but I'll see how I feel that day and run accordingly. I will get in a good training run and have some fun to say the least!

Finally two weeks later is the Canal Corridor 100 again (eek)! I hope to start healthier this year and take some hours off of my time as well as have some fun! This year my husband is running it also so it will be fun to see him out there on the course! After the 100 I am taking a summer break to rest and cross train more and will start ramping up for fall races when I'm ready. I have some ideas about what I'd like to do but plan to allow myself more recovery time this year.

Post race with my speedy husband!

Post race with my Skirt Sister Mary!

Hard earned adult beverage. MMM!

Cleveland Marathon Weekend and Race Report

There are so many things that I love about the Cleveland Marathon! It's not just a race. It's a whole weekend of festivities with terrific people - the Marathon staff, my fellow ambassadors and tons of friends that are either running or fanning at the race. This means it's one of my favorite events of the year and I am always a little sad when it's over.

My husband Steve and I kicked off race weekend with a visit to the race expo on Friday late afternoon and got to see many of the staff, ambassadors and friends. The expo is always fun and there are some good deals to be had for us gear-loving runners! They also setup some pretty cool photo opps as well.

After that we headed over to the Hyatt Regency Arcade to get changed out of our casual clothes and grab a drink at the hotel bar until it was time for the annual Cleveland Marathon VIP dinner.

The VIP dinner is always a great time and I am glad that they include all of the ambassadors because it's a chance for us to chat about the race and our goals and to cut loose and have a good time together before the races begin. Here are some pics from this year's dinner. The one on top is of the race ambassadors. Can you pick me out? The one below is of my hubby and me.

Saturday was a relaxing day for us as we got all the housework and shopping done and picked out our race day outfits and made sure to carb load on some healthy, tasty food and maybe a beer or two.

Sunday morning we were up at 4am to get dressed, eat and get out of the house around 5. Because Steve was pacing the 3:35 group we had a parking pass for W. 3rd street right by the finish, which was nice! We ended up arriving around 6 with traffic and headed over to the start about 1/2 mile away for pre-race photos. Here I am below with the race ambassadors. Do we look excited?!

Unfortunately it was raining all morning and for much of the race but that didn't stop us from running and having some fun. I really felt great for the first 8-10 miles but I could feel the fatigue in my body and I was fighting a piriformis issue this week so I was forced to back off from running 7:50-8 min pace to 8:15-8:45 pace for the back half of the race. Steve finally passed me around mile 18 or 19 and I just tried to stay focused and keep on my pace. It was a hard fought finish of 3:38:10 for me (about 9 minutes slower than my HOF marathon time a few weeks back).  But this is still the best Cleveland marathon race I've run yet (course PR) and a second BQ for me in the last three weeks. I definitely am happy with that! Thanks to my friends out cheering on the course yesterday and taking these photos! The top one was taken by Elizabeth Miceli and the bottom was taken by Lesli Barni. I got a lot of great comments on my new Skirt Sports Lioness Skirt in holiday print!

After the race we headed over to the beer tent for our free Great Lakes Brewing beer! You can't beat a great race followed up with a good hoppy beer. We ran into many friends at the post race party including some Snakebite Racing teammates and CTC friends and my friend and fellow ambassador Stephanie below (bottom picture) who had a pretty big PR and our NERC friends Julio and Rosa (top photo) who also both had PR races! It was a great day to run for sure!

Finally Steve and I stopped on the way home at Winking Lizard for a late lunch and post race celebratory beer together.

It was a busy and fun Cleveland Marathon race week and I can't wait to do it all over again next year! Who's with me? Oh and check out this awesome medal below! I'm a little sore today but it was definitely worth it!