Presque Isle Half Marathon

This is the 8th time that I have run this race and in the last few years, it has really grown.  In 2009 there were just over 750 runners and this year there were 1335 finishers (only 1150 were recorded according to the web site but many of the unrecorded runners were early walkers).  The course is very flat, but the peninsula is pretty and you can catch sites of the city of Erie, the lake, and even some wildlife if you are good.  The tough part about the course being flat and a bit boring is that your mind can wander if it isn't on task, and I often have found myself there during this race.  Often that is due to the weather (always seems to be warm (often hot) and humid) and the fact that the scenery can be a bi redundant.  I've run times all over the place on this course as I'm not always in a great place in July for running, I've been lazy in June, or I've come off injury.  It is also July and usually fall race schedules have not yet started to ramp up.  This year felt like it really was no different other than the fact that I felt like I might have more fitness than I realized and if the weather was pretty good, I thought that I just might try to "race" (as much as one can "race" in July) and see how it goes.

Presque Isle is a 45-50 minute drive from Chautauqua, so the three of us (myself, Mary Pat and Chris - women that I train with here all summer), had to leave at o'dark o'clock) 5 am! to get to the start area in order to register, hit the bathrooms, etc. before the race begins promptly at 6:45 am.  The start used to be 7:30, but as the field got larger and we were blessed with a couple of years where the temps were in the high 70s, the Erie Runners Club folks (they direct the race and do a darn good job of it) moved the start time to 6:45 am.  Yes, that is before even 7 am which is a rarity for most northern races and requires those of us who drive a ways (and many folks come from as far as Pittsburgh or Cleveland or Buffalo) to get up and leave when it is still dark.

MP, Me, Chris in a bad selfie

This year the weather has been very weird. A couple of weeks back we had nothing but heat and humidity, but this past week, we had a cold front go through with lots of rain and lows in the 50s!  Believe me, running in 58F weather and 90% humidity is way better than 70F weather and 90% humidity.  It rained pretty much all day Saturday so we had no idea what was to be in store for us in the morning.  As we left CHQ and headed down to to Presque Isle (and it is indeed down as we are at 1300-1400 ft at CHQ and  580 ft  in Presque Isle), the temperature crawled up to 68F and the humidity was on the rise as well (we found out later it was 88%).  When we warmed up, we decided we need to lessen our load by losing a layer, and I ran in a bra top and skirt for the first time in years.  I was real glad I made that decision and I'm also glad that no one was looking at this 50+ yr old woman.  I'm sure the pictures will be most interesting.  It turned out to be a great decision as I was completely drenched at the end of the race and was glad to have brought dry clothes.

I wasn't sure where to go with the race, so I started off at what felt like a slow pace with a controlled heart rate (8:09) and then I just let it go from there.  No where along the course did I feel like I was over doing it as I just ran how I felt.  For the most part, the course is indeed flat, but if you look at the profile, you will see the subtle ups and downs throughout.  My mile times were pretty consistent, but I did drop off in the last couple a few seconds per mile while holding my HR steady.  (The last mile does run deceptively up just a bit and it is evident in those few seconds as you tire).  I tried to finish as strong as I could and came in with the 2nd fastest time that I have run on the course (with the fastest time being in the September race so the weather is/was better) in the summer.  I beat last year's time by 1:15 which lets me realize that while I feel like I am struggling, I am a lot further along than I thought.  

Statistics from this year were interesting: 2nd AG (F50-54), 172nd Overall, 38th Woman; 7th Master.  Last year, I was also 2nd AG, 179th Overall, 41st Woman; and 10th Master.  The same woman who beats me every year did it again (she ran a 1:39 so kudos to her), but I'm not as far behind as I was last year as she ran the same time then!   

PS I just looked at last year's data from my Garmin, and although I thought it was "cold" last year, the weather recorded was actually 66F and 88% humidity.  So pretty much the same!

PPSS As an aside to my blog, the alleged friend of the Boston Bomber was found guilty today on several counts and could be sentenced to as many as 25 yrs in jail.  I'm still torn as to how I feel as he may or may not be just a "friend" protecting a "friend", but then again - the jury did separate the charges and they seem to have gone through them very methodically.

It's Getting Better

Yup, this is often how I feel after a good run in the morning.  The last few days have been stressful as I was involved in a 125th Anniversary/Birthday Celebration of a club that I belong to here in CHQ.  Lot's of activities to be organized, coordinated, etc. and somehow I ended up as a co-chairman of the celebration portion of the event.  The great thing is that this club is filled with overly capable women who know how o take charge.  That can be a tough dynamic as we all want to get it done, raise money for scholarships ( as an organization, we raised over $87K last summer to sponsor students in furthering their development as artists, musicians, and dancers) and we do not like to fail. As part of our 125th year, we also had a Silent Auction designed to take in the most $$$$ and I think I'm gad not to have been in charge of that.  Major kudos to the two women who were as they made it happen and didn't seem to ever lose their cool.  That part was tough for me (the not losing one's cool) and I did it.  I want things to go so right all the time (there is that type "A" personality and why I run in the first place).  No catastrophes, no disasters, and we survived with lots of help from those more than capable women.  Thanks to you all.

Running was better this week as well.  The weather has been very strange as it has not been as hot as it was earlier (late June/early July) but it sure has been wet with lots of thunderstorms and severe weather.  This leads to cooler temps but high humidity in the morning.  The good news is/was that when I did my long run this past weekend, the weather was absolutely perfect for running - the temp was cool enough (58F) that I never noticed the high humidity (88%).  I chose a route that had me run the hills n the latter half and I was more than able to handle them without even feeling it.  This made me happy and hopefully that means I have turned the corner before I am scheduled to run the Presque Isle Half Marathon in Erie, PA next Sunday.  I've run this race the last six years since those are the last six years that I have been here for the race.  It used to be that either my daughter was too young or I wasn't here yet for the summer to run the race.  It is a one loop, flat course on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie.  It has grown from a few more than 500 runners to close to 1500 last year.  Last year, the weather was also absolutely perfect in that there was little or no humidity and temps in the low 60s.  The year before, the humidity was close to 100% and we ran between thunderstorms.  In fact, we actually watched a thunderstorm come across Lake Erie as we were finishing and it chased us from the finish line to our car!  I've also raced, not race, ran as a progression run, ran an easy run - you name it over the last 6 years, and I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do this year.  I'm looking forward to seeing what Sunday brings and what I decide to do on race morning!

Boston Bomber Revisited

So the first of the trials/questionings of the alledged friends/accomplishes of the Boston Bomber are coming to a conclusion this week, and I'm really not sure what to make of these "kids".  Yes, they are indeed kids, the same age as my daughter and also students at a Massachusetts university, just as she is, and in a way, their actions dictate those of naive, idealistic kids. Tazhayakov, the first of these friends to stand trial, admitted disposing of a backpack and laptop belonging to the bomber and then telling the FBI where to find and recover the said backpack.  His attorneys are arguing that his admission should not be allowed to convict him since they were alledgedly obtained in a interview with the FBI when Tazhayakov felt he couldn't leave the custody of the FBI.  This is where I disagree with his "defense" even though I know he is entitled to one. You cannot make me believe that his actions were just not those of a kid simply caught with his hands in the "cookie jar".  The same friends also admitted that the bomber met with them a month before the incident and told them he knew how to make a bomb and discussed various forms of martyrdom with them.  I know these are kids and as college kids we all live in our own "dream" world so to speak where we believe in very purposeful ideals and basically don't sway from those ideals.  Shoot, many of my friends in college felt strongly about this or that, but never enough to act in a terroristic way and hurt/maim others.  I think that even the parents of these kids believes they did wrong as one stated that his son needed "to pick his friends and acquaintances better and pick the right ones".  Why are their actions any different from friends of Terry McVeigh's or the sibling that turned in the unibomber?  I guess that I'm waning over time, but their is still no excuse for their actions or the actions of the bomber himself.  I'm inclined to be in the camp that they should all rot in hell.

Heat & Humidity vs. Snow & Ice

As many of you know, I lived in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA for over 20 years, and I ran pretty much most of those years (except for a few months after my daughter was born - she was a preemie, it was hot, and I needed the break), and I ran 99% of those miles outside.  Today, I'm so wondering how I did it.  Now, I've never really considered myself to be a great "hot weather runner" but I survived Boston, 2003 (80F), Mad City Marathon, May, 2006 (78F), Inaugural ING Georgia Marathon, March, 2007 (76F) and of course, Boston , 2012 (89F) and I survived without too much stress.  But man oh man, these last few days have been simply unbearable and it isn't even the actual temperatures, it is the humidity and dewpoint.  I'm drenched by step 10 and simply dripping (and looking like I went swimming rather than running) by mile 3.  I know I need to acclimate, but I'm shocked at how long it seems to be taking this year.  Maybe it's the fact that I really did goof off a bit in May, but I didn't think I'd lost that much fitness, maybe it's that middle age, menopausal change in body chemistry, or maybe it's just me not giving it enough time.  But then again, I look back at previous training logs, and it seems like it is just taking much longer than in the past.

So what advice do I have for hot, humid running - advice that I didn't follow myself this past weekend since I think I'm so acclimated.  After all, I did live in Georgia for over 20 yrs.  Well, here it is:

     1) Run early.  Yes, it might be more humid, but the temperature will feel  
         cooler (since it is) and the sun won't be beating down so hard.
     2) Choose a shaded route - maybe even try trails or a golf course (ours 
         here is hilly but shaded along the perimeter and the early bird golfers 
         here don't seem to mind.
     3) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  But be smart about that hydration.
         Imbibing a bit too much in alcohol with friends that you have not seen 
         in a year is not the correct plan.  And make sure that you carry plenty of
         water/electrolyte drink.
     4) Don't experiment with something new.  Why did I try those Hammer 
         Electrolytes when I'm used to S-caps?  It might be in my head, but I 
         know that S-caps have worked for me.
     5) Watch your nutrition.  Remember those friends and those cocktails - 
         well, don't forget to eat.  Better yet, eat well and drink water!
     6) Listen to your body.  It will tell you if you are overheating, etc.  At  
         least I did that, and my running buds helped there too.
     7) Remember next week will be better.

The good news is that I'm back in Chautauqua which is by far one of the most beautiful (and hilly) places on earth to run.  I can also say that I'm getting in all my altitude training (we are at 1300-1600' here above the lake - 1300' is lake level and I normally train at 550-650') so that is definitely the reason I feel so sluggish and compromised - right????  It is hard to believe though that anywhere could be as quiet on the back roads - you might see a cyclist, other runner, an Amish family in a buggy or unfortunately a dog - as cars are pretty much delegated to the local county highway, but don't venture much into the backroads as this is a vacation area (lakes tend to do that and we are 1.5 hrs from Buffalo, NY, 2.5 hrs from Cleveland, OH, and 3 hrs from Pittsburgh, PA) that is generally quite rural.  It is so pleasant to simply enjoy the countryside and the country running.

And some running friends......

In spite of the heat, humidity, and hills (a motto used by Big Peach Running Co in Atlanta), it is a wonderful place.  I did get in 35 miles which is the most I've done in a week for a while and I did finish June with 125 miles.  It is a long way until the NYC marathon and by then, I might be acclimated.

And as a reminder, so I just stop bitchin......

They get something like 300" of snow here too.

Until then, miles of smiles.

Getting My Mojo Back

As many of you might know, I've been in sort of a funk since Boston.  With Jerry's death, the hardwork for Boston, the great race, the after race, and then the impending summer weather, I just wasn't feeling up to it. I was running, but it really wasn't doing it for me.  I knew that I needed to keep it up, but my mileage in May suffered with travel to Boston, illness, travel, etc.  Well, since June has arrived, I re-committed to getting back at it and getting back at it happily.  I've re-committed to the gym as well and have had some good sessions already and hope to maintain/add to the strides I've made in the strength area over the last few months.  After all who says you can't be strong after 50.

The good news is that in spite of the heat, my runs have felt good, and some have even felt great.  The 2nd Sole group has ramped up with a fall marathon plan and it is good to have that direction.  Even though I'll be off to western NY and Chautauqua this week, I'll still be virtually connected and it is incentive to stay on track for the summer.  Of course, today is our first 90F day with dewpoints around 70 which means that our workout tonight might be a bit toasty.  No worries as it will just bring me back to running in Hotlanta. I know I'm not quite used to it yet, but at least I have memories of it.

Back to my running for the past week.  The actual runs went very well and included a very fun "fartlek" run on Thursday with the 2nd Sole group. Thursday's run was also memorable as my twin, Amanda, showed up to run as well.  Amanda is trying to get her mojo back too, so this was fun.

The Saucony rep arrived so we got to try out some new shoes, and new shoes always make things great.  I have not run in Saucony shoes since wearing the "Dixon" in the early 1980s when Rod Dixon won the NY marathon and had a shoe named for him.  So it has been a few years.  I tried the Mirage and i really liked the lightness and firm ride of the shoe.  It was very similar to my beloved Adidas Bostons, so if the new Boston isn't for me, I know that this shoe could be a good choice.   The workout consisted of a 1.5 mile warm up followed by 5 x 90sec fartleks at 7:40 or so pace followed by a 1.5 mile warm down.  I had done a fartlek workout the day before, so I was cautious, but it fet good, and I ended up leading the group.  I realized that I still have a great deal of residual fitness, and I have not lost quite as much as I thought.  Of course, Saturday's long run was a bit different as I definitely felt the miles (only 11) at the end of the 100 min.  It was even cooler, but I still need to keep it slow and steady as I ramp it all back up.

Mileage recap:

Mon - Day off
Tues - 5.4 miles easy which was a bit tough in the humidity, Weights & core work with Jake
Wed - 6.3 miles done with 8 - 1 min on/1 min off segments.
Thurs - 5.7 miles done with 5 x 90 sec fartleks.  Didn't realize that this was the group workout, but felt ok even good
Fri - Weights & core with Jake
Sat - 11 miles easy
Sun - 4 miles easy.  Ran at noon as I slept in after a night out with the girls.

WTD: 32.4 miles  

YTD: 813 miles still ahead of last year even with 3 marathons by now in 2013.

Happy Birthday, Bug!

Before getting into my week, I want to again wish a very Happy 21st Birthday to my daughter!  Hard to believe you are both 21 and legal!  How time flies.  You are a very special girl and I love you very much, Bug.

Enjoying the Beautiful Weather in London

Celebrating with a Guinness in Dublin.

Enjoying A Boat ride on Father's Day on Lake Chautauqua!

RIP Jerry and Flora Mini Marathon Recap

First and foremost, my friend, Jerry, passed on Monday evening and was laid to rest on Thursday in what seems to amount to a beautiful ceremony in his adopted parish, St. Brigid's in Duluth, GA.  Jerry was a converted Catholic who embraced his faith at a late age, but really, truly embraced it.  Jerry made peace with his fate and his fate has caused all of us to rethink and regroup.

You will always be a winner, Jerry - you might have been the first to cross this finish line, but you were a presence and an awesome guy and such an inspiration through it all.  Your spirit never faltered even when ours did. You made an impression on many as shown by the posts and following on your FB page.  The humor, jokes, stories, etc. that were shared painted a wonderful picture of you and showed how much you were loved. May you never wear out those running shoes again and may you run many a mile with all of us whilst cheering us on from the heavens. I'll never forget the day we ran at the river and how you made me laugh when you said that I'd killed you running that fast!  That would never have brought you down as you loved every minute of my trying to get you going.  We've always got your back and we will miss you. RIP, Jerry.  I'm one of the fortunate ones that got to share some time on earth with you. 

Secondly, my Flora Mini Marathon Recap.  This race used to be a real "10K race".  One where elites were invited and paid, but alas, like many races over the years it has evolved into one of participation and has become an incredibly large (over 40,000 participants) event designed to raise money for over 25 different charities all over Ireland.  Women came in buses and matching t-shirts supporting their causes and a great deal of Euros were raised for these causes.  In that respect, I'm glad that I wore my "Jerry" bib for the race as I felt like I was supporting a cause (and because we all had run (myself virtually) a 10K "Go Gray in May" for brain tumor research too.  I'm cursing myself though as I really didn't have a great time during the race. 

I didn't realize that it had really become a charity race and I expected that since I had to submit a time that the front corals would be for running.  Well, they were to an extent.  The logistics were just not meant for a "race" unless you were in the "elite" (sub-45 min coral).  I should have figured all of this out when I saw a) that the race started at 2 PM, b) you had to be in your coral by 1:15 PM; c) there was no race shirt.  The course was also changed from previous years and the first water stop which should have been around 3K, was actually placed on the wrong (old course) street.  The day had started off in the high 50s with rain showers, but it had warmed up to 65F by race time with humidity around 77% - so it was warm (to me) and I needed water by 3K!  I felt like I just could not get into rhythm so around 2 miles in as we were climbing the first of many long, but not real steep inclines that I was just going for the sub-50 time.  I dialed it back, dropped the heart rate to a hard effort, and just hung on to finish.  At the finish, there was a clock (the only one on the course) and they gave you a pretty nice medal - but there were only small cups of water and no food at all.  I later saw many of the participants at various pubs and fast food restaurants in the city as this was a happening!

Results showed that I came in 264th overall out of over 40,000 participants, but who knows what that really means as stats are not kept for age groups, etc.  I do know that I was the fastest "Keane" in the event.  

I felt bad afterwards that I was so discouraged with the event as I thought it was more of a race especially since I found out later than Jerry passed that afternoon.  Maybe that was why it was such a struggle for me - who knows.