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!

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!

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!

20 Mile Drop Race Report

Last Sunday was a good running day for me! Sure the weather conditions to race the 20 Mile Drop were not ideal but what choice did I have? I needed a fast 20 mile training run for my marathon in two weeks and I had already payed for the race and stayed at a hotel in Mentor Saturday night with my hubby who was also planning to run the race. So even though it was dreadful (pouring rain and around 34 degrees when we got up in the morning) we bundled up and made the drive to Fairport Harbor at 6am where we would catch a bus to drive us to the Chardon Square.

On the bus we ran into our friend Deb (from Cleve Tri Club) and chatted with her about the race and other stuff going on this season so the time went pretty quickly. Once we arrived in downtown Chardon I needed to use the porta-potties along with most of the other runners so there was a 10 minute wait and the rain was coming down hard. I had a poncho on to try and stay semi-dry before the race start and the grass we were standing on was wet and muddy so I tried to keep my feet as dry as possible. I hate starting a race with cold, wet feet!

The downhill part of the big Chardon hill!

The start was kindof a mess for me. I came out of the bathroom and panicked a little because I saw everyone walking on the other side of the Square and I was afraid I would miss the start so I quickly ran over and put my gels in my Capris (Skirt Sports Pocketopia Capris) and set my watch and removed my poncho. Then we were off. It was cold and rainy so I went out fast around a 7:15 first mile just to warm up. The race loops around the square before it heads towards to bike path in Chardon. Once I got onto the bike path I was already getting warm and fussing with my arm warmers to remove them (while running) as well as tucking in my baselayer tank (Skirt Sports Free Me Tank). Once I was situated I was able to settle in for the first big climb in Chardon. Ouch! That one is a doozy!

I didn't really feel cold since I was keeping a 7:30 pace for these early miles and I just tried to stay focused - taking in a gel about every 40 minutes. Miles 8-11 or so were pretty hard mentally for me. I felt like crap running through Quail Hollow and then there is a big climb in Concord by the exploration center where I stopped to take a salt tab. Part of me had wanted to drop out at the 10 mile point but I knew I needed the run so I pressed on. Once I got to the Greenway Trail I felt better and since I spent so many miles over the years we lived in Mentor running on this trail it felt familiar and good.

I decided to see if I could hit the half marathon mark around my normal pace of 1:39-1:40 and I did so then I told myself to see if I could just hold it until 25K and I did. I was passing some of the 10 mile runners and then more and more and I just told myself to keep hammering the pace because it's only 4 miles and then I can get out of the rain and wet clothes. The last couple of miles were physically hard because my quads were cramping up some and I was tired but I was able to keep my pace between 7:40-7:55 through the finish. I knew I was in first place for the 20 miler so I was excited to hit the finish line and hear my name announced. I finished in 2:34 and change so a good time for me average pace of 7:43 and my splits were pretty consistent through the whole race.

post race with some cash! Woohoo!

My husband Steve had a good race too and finished 3rd place with a time of 2:19. We both won some cash and got a finisher cup along with our awesome medals. I was excited to get dry clothes on and then head back to our hotel for a hot shower. We went to lunch at Willoughby Brewing and had a very hard earned post race hoppy beer and some food!

I am excited to see how the Hall of Fame marathon will go next weekend! I feel like I am ready for another BQ  and hopefully also a PR! Right now the weather looks ideal (low 40s high of 60ish). I am keeping my fingers crossed that it stays this way! You never know with the stupid weather we've had this spring in Ohio!

Now I just need to taper, stay healthy and wait for the big day next Sunday. Wish me luck!