My First Marathon - Publix A1A Marathon

This course is absolutely beautiful and since it wasn't part of the Storm Series I decided it would be my first half.  I have been wanting to do a full marathon for a few years & I spent just under a year training for it. I am so pleased and proud to say that I finally completed my 1st FULL MARATHON. 26.2 miles in 4:39:19! I know it's not an amazing time, but damn it I finished it!!! 

It was a cold early morning when the race started, a fun 58, for you none South Floridians, you think that is practically balmy for February, but for us locals...that is COLD! From that in the next 4 1/2 hours it went up to 75+, with the sun and salt and beach air. 

To be honest, I was really nervous, but feeling really good about it. I was ready to do it. While waiting in the coral, I meet a nice block from NYC that had come down to visit him mum and decided to sign up. His pace was around mine, so I figured my goal would be to keep up with him. LOL. Prob should have informed him of that, but I didn't...until many many miles later.

I have run my fair share of half marathons and I went into the Full not given the mental and physical challenge of the Full Marathon the respect that it truly deserves. Well let me just say when I hit mile 20....from there till the finish line, it was the LONGEST 6 miles of my life! It was no longer mind over matter and the idea that it is all in your head, no it has become your body! Ever step, ever movement, ever slight incline (even a bloody speed bump) I felt. It was completely agonizing, the desire to stop...to walk...questioning why I even wanted to complete one, all plagued me with every next foot fall. 

They say you hit a wall when you run the Full Marathon, I didn't really know what they meant when they said "hit your wall". I train, I run, I have always been able to push though, I honestly thought this was the same kinda thing, I would just push through, no big. But nope...I know completely understand what they mean when they said "hit your wall"! Mine was at mile 22. My feet and ankles were screaming at me. My shoulders and arms ached. My lower back pulsed. I felt light headed, dehydrated and just wanted to stop. My feet were so swollen I could feel my laces digging into the top of my foot, I was just hoping and praying for them to go numb. Every person that I passed that yelled, "you are almost there, you can do it" and I know they were just trying to encourage me, but I wanted to kill them and all I could think was, "There are 6 million ways to die mother f'er chose one and shut up you ass hole!" There was no thumbs up 

The last 1.5 miles the adrenaline kicked it. I put my head down and just kept telling my self "mile & half to go, mile & half don't stop now, mile to go keep moving, finish strong, mile to go, mile to go, mile to go, half mile, almost there, just go, move, move" I wanted to die! Lol but I stayed strong & finished even stronger. And when I though I had nothing left to give, I somehow managed to even dig deep down inside to find the desire and energy to sprint the last half mile. When I crossed that finish line I didn't know if I should cry or laugh I was so happy! 

Let's be honest my ankles & feet are FUBAR but damn am I proud!! :-) 

And I gadda day I have some  amazing friends who came out to support me &/or sent me encouraging text while I struggled the last few miles!!!! Since I have no family here, it's nice to have good friends to support you in your accomplishments! 

I want home, relaxed the rest of the day on the couch, mostly because it hurt to move. Every muscle in my body had pushed itself & needed to rest. I had to stop half way up my stairs to rest when I went up to shower. And although I lay hungry in bed, the thought of going back down the stairs to get food just sounded painfully crazy...so I just went to sleep instead. 

The next day, I woke up & my body cursed me when I got up. I shoulda taken a sick day.  It seriously took me 10 min to go pee. I after almost ripping the doorknob of the bathroom stall while I tried to lower myself to the toilet...and using it to pull myself back up (next time handicap stall for sure) I looked down and realized my pants where around my ankles I cried a little when I realized I would have to bend down to get them. LOL :) 

I'm hoping for better tomorrow cuz tonight, I'm going to rest. Hot/cold, hot tub, Biofreeze & hot pad. :-) Just a fun fact....only about .05% of the US Population has actually completed a Full Marathon. So for those of you that have, you should be proud, I know I am!

 So will I be doing another full marathon??....ask me in a week :-)

SuperHero Scramble

I'm getting I the point with these obstacle races were they just aren't fun anymore. I seem to spend more time in line waiting to do an obstacle then anything & since the event is being timed...it totally throws off my results. Frustration.

Last year, I did the night wave & it was awesome, no waiting in queues to do the obstacle, no waiting in queues to pick up the packet & I flew through the course...even meet a new friend on the way (still in contact & of course see him at other races all the time.)

So this year...they had a living social deal, let's be honest, I'm not gonna pay $85+ to wait in line. The special was for $45 so I decided why the hell not, but once you add in the $15 insurance & $10 parking (also had to sit in a long ass queue just to park!) it was still a $70 investment!

So here is basically how this day of waiting in queues went. 

Queue to get into the park & find a spot

Queue to pick up your bib & timer

Queue to start

Queue at EVERY obstacle

Queue to get water after

Queue to get your picture taken

Queue to get the free beer

Queue to LEAVE the park

Jesus! I spent more time waiting around then I did actually leaping, running & frolicking along the course and being happy.

Let's be honest NOBODY enjoys waiting in queues. 

So they were behind a half hour on the waves, but that didn't matter, we (like I'm sure everyobe else did) jumped into whatever wave was preparing to go once we got out stuff. Honestly, I don't know why they even bother with waves. 

We set off. The course is pretty nice, around a lake, into some bike trails. It's nicely marked & for a change multiple volunteers at every obstacle. 

But about 3 miles into the course we come to the first water station...which is out of water (surprise) and the next one isn't for a good 3 miles. I was fine, but there were people there that looked like they needed water, yet there is none and they are miles from the start/finish line. 

Now I went to the race with my girl & we usually run together, since I knew this was going to be a pretty shitty times race I pretty much stayed with her until I saw a (more than slightly overweight) girl drop like a sack of potatoes up ahead. I ran up to see if she was OK. She was dehydrated & and honestly in no condition to take on a 9+ mile obstacle course. Even between my friend & I, we would not have been strong enough to carry her out of the bike trails. I asked is she was able to walk & we would help her, she said no. Knowing I was closer to the next obstacle, I told her I would go let someone know & headed on leaving my friend as I picked up the pace to get to help sooner. 

Once I did get to the next obstacle, I explained the situation to one of the volunteers & he called it in. Knowing there was nothing more I could do for her, I went ahead. 

I have no idea if or how they got that girl out, but in all honesty she should not have been out there, especially without active water stations. It was extreamly dangerous & she could have hurt much worse. Some people don't realize how long & challenging a 9 mile race can be & although I LOVE seeing people getting active & healthy, they need to be aware of their personal fitness & health level to avoid situations like this. 

Although it was fun to go with my friends, I regretted not signing up for the 18 mile challenge. I don't plan on doing many more obstacle races (for the reasons above) unless it's in a elite or competitive wave - and those are outta my budget even though I'd love to experience the real challenge these races can offer. 

Next (and maybe last) OCR is the Spartan in April. 

OCRs are just becoming over priced, over saturated & just not challenging (having to wait in line at every stop) 

Davie Road Run 5K

For some reason I feel like they are doing more & more races on Sundays...which sucks because my girl works Sundays. 

So this race I signed up for alone. No big, I've learnt that if I wait around for others...I'll never do all the races I want. 

I had seen the Davie Road Run promoted last year, but for some reason I didn't sign up. Prob a conflicting date or I was set to do a race the day before. Whatever the reason I knew I wanted to do it this year. The race is literally 6 mikes from my house, how could I not. 

I was expecting a ton of people & honestly I was not expecting to do very well, considering Jake (my lovable mutt) & I had both been up the majority of the night w/ upset tummies...but I persevered. And dragged my butt up at the crack of dawn to run. 

I couldn't help but remember the awesome 9:30 stay in the UK...compared to the 7 am start here. But our Florida weather doesn't like that. 

I wasn't sure what to expect, so when I pulled into the local Rodeo grounds (yes, I live in the country) it was different.  Not a lot of people & everything was set up in the booth. They had already run out of small shirts (why have ppl request sizes if you are just gonna give them whatever) so I ended up with a medium, better than nothing. 

Well the race started: 2 of them. A 5K & a 10K. I had no idea there was a 10K & I had no idea the 10K offered prize $$! Or I woulda been right there! LOL. 

But I was doing the 5K. I started off strong, but my body was just tired. I had that sleep deprived headache set in before the 2nd mile was out. It's all good, I still managed to drag myself into a dirty 2nd place overall female. 

I look back and kick myself...shoulda pushed harder, but it's always easier to say that after the fact. But then again, I didn't feel like throwing up afterwards....so...coulda pushed harder. Lol. 

Weston Half Marathon - AKA The Run of Death

I should have known better that after coming back from the blinding cold of England to the warm perfection on South Florida I would get sick...but with my normal voracity, I though I was invincible, until I fell victim to the full, just in time for my Half Marathon...AKA...The Run of Death!

Now doing a 5K feeling a little stuffy, but doing a Half Marathon (13.1 grueling miles) with a full blown flu with nauseous, fever, dizziness the works is beyond a lot worse.

From the time I got home Friday night until the time I woke up for the race Sunday morning, I left my bed for food and bathroom...nothing more. Saturday night I felt so horrible that I spent have the night curled up on the bathroom flood debating if I was going to even live to see the morning.

When my alarm finally went off Sunday I wanted to die, but I dragged my sorry ass outta bed and to the race. I down a few more then the suggested daily intake of some Tylenol cold and flu (the good stuff from behind the counter, not that cheap imitation stuff they try to pawn off on you from shelf), told myself it was only 2 hours....then I could go back to bed and die. Plus, I didn't die last night so I was good right...WRONG!

I meet up with my friend at the race & I know I will go faster then her (if only by a little), so if all else fails she will see me dead on the road and be able to alert my loved ones.

The race starts and the meds have kicked in by this time so I am actually off to a good start. 8:39 min miles...not to shabby I tell myself, I am not dying after all...I can do this right...but 8:39 min miles turns into 9:36 min miles and by mile 8 I have convinced myself that gods themselves are going to come down off Olympus and mock me as I fall dehydrated and dry-heaving to the ground to be trampled under the feet of real runners and walkers who are now passing me as I jog pathetically along at 10:36 min miles.

How much worse can it get I tell myself. The sun is beating down on my deprecated body and I struggle with each breath as the dry heat sucks the air from me. Sure death is standing just up ahead ready to cut my down with his scythe, I struggle on.

**After the race, I find out that the conditions were some of the worse for a race and the humidity etc had taken many races down**

Convinced I have passed the point of no return into delirium I begin to notice others around me. We pass a Firehouse and a very fit couple turn off the course and run up to the station flagging down one of the firefighters. I see more than normal police on bikes riding by and many times with people on the back of them. Convinced I am hallucinating I lean again a pole trying to get the world to stop spinning. I know my body just wants to rest, but having just passed mile 11, how can I give up now.

A police officer scares me half to death and awakes me from what I believe may have been me falling into death asks me if I am OK. Sucking it up, I tell him I was just catching my breath and I push myself back up right...as I seemed to have slid down the pole slightly and set off again...at what I have decided we will call a fast walk....2 more miles until I can collapse.

Just 2 more miles...and dear god where they the longest 2 miles of my running life!

Mile 12 - 11:43 min and Mile 13 - 12:13 min

If it hadn't been for this guy running along next to me, I may have just crawled to the finish line. But he ran up next to me and ran with me for the last 1.5 miles...well more like speed walked, but at this point in time, I am not going to pick and choose what I call it. In my mind at that moment I was just pleased to be moving.

Crossing that finish line was the biggest accomplishment ever. I think I had sweat out every last bit of flu. I drank 4 bottles of water and pretty sure I pushed a little kid out of the way to get more.

That was truly The Run of Death! But I overcome it and defeated it! :) Take that B!Tche$!!!

Tonbridge U.K. 5K - AKA The Run of the Ice Age

While on vacation in the UK (attending the Doctor Who 50th Celebration & visiting family), I decided it would be fun to sign up & do a 5K. You know, different weather, different terrain, why not, I can't do all my running on Florida flats forever. Hell our idea of a hill is over a bridge!!

So after some looking around I came across this site, ParkRun.org. They offer weekly FREE 5Ks all over Great Britain! 

*Can I just say, why the hell don't we offer that in the US? Free weekly runs would be awesome!*

I find a local one near my Uncle, I send him a quick email to make sure he'd be available to take me and I sign up...ready for my first run outside the U.S.

We land in England & for a girl who has spent the last 5 years in Florida where it doesn't get below 50 year round I almost died walking off that plane! Now I have lived in upstate NY, the Mountains of VA & the wasteland of STL MO, but being in S. FL has spoiled me!! I remembered in theory what cold was, but my body had forgotten! 

I did try to run almost every day of my trip. I even managed to get a 2 mile run done in the middle of London (Kings Cross) which I'm sure caused a few people to look. But once we got to my families (Burgess Hill) I found a nice 5 like route that even passed by a park so I could do push ups, jumping jacks, Burpees, squats etc. being on vacation is no reason to get lazy.

So race day finally rolled around I was pretty sure I was ready to do this. I didn't expect a PR, but I was confident I would do OK. I'd talked my cousin Kim into doing it with me. One of the real nice things...the race started at 9:30 am, so no 5 am wake up call. But it was cold & wet & muddy!!! And I was decked out in a long sleeve rash guard and long runner compression pants (Skins - love them) and everyone around me was in shorts and shirts. Were they mad? Was I mad? What was going on here, because it was cold...like COLD! I wasn't a complete mad hatter as my cousin also had cold weather running apparel on, but dear god these other people, completely loons if you ask me!

The race started off fine. Only a 5K quick and dirty full on run it out race, but about a mile in this Florida girl started to feel it.

First my noes & fingers went. No worries, you don't need that to run. 

Then my toes stated to numb and the little voice inside my head asking why I was running in sub zero temperatures started to get louder and louder until she was SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER AT ME. By the time I hit the turn to circle back every breath I took racked the back of my throat & in pure agony. I was terrified to spit encase I'd see blood! Yes that's right, I'd convinced myself that the cold air had ripped apart my insides & I swore I could taste the blood trickling down my throat into my esophagus and down to my tummy.

But that wasn't the worst. Besides being 85% sure at least one toe had fallen off  if not two, I could no longer feel my legs. At any moment I was going to topple forward, over roll over, & see my legs burying themselves under some dead leaves for warmth. I kept checking to not only make sure they were still there but also still moving & not just bricks of ice.

WELL YOU BETTER PICK IT UP NOW YOU MORON the voice inside my head kept screaming at me and all I could do was respond with, "I can't pick it up, I only have 9 toes and am losing blood at what I am sure is a very disturbing rate inside my mouth!"

Pushing myself forward I knew I was almost there, and crossing the finish line I wanted to just keep running to a car...with the heat on full blast...and just sit in it, never to emerge again!

But I did well, I actually managed to come in 2nd Female and 1st in my age group. No prizes or medals or anything, but the fact that when I did take off my shoes and check I had all 10 toes was prize enough.

I love the fact that I did a race outside the U.S. and I hope to do many more all over the world, but I will have to remember that not everywhere has weather like we do in South Florida! 

The 10th Annual Firefighter's 5K

This weekend, my girl and I did our 2nd race of the season, the Firefighters 5K.  After last weeks hill run and an insane week of training...I am sore...like SORE. I think my trainer is trying to kill me, but that is another blog for another time.

Usually when I go to races, I look like I just rolled out of bed...because I have. I roll out of bed, into cloths and off I go. However, my friend (who has her own make-up line) was practicing on me the day before and guys...I don't know if I can explain it to you, but she made me look so beautiful...I couldn't wash it all off. I left it on. LOL :) So I rolled up to the race looking like one sexy chick and then I proceed to CRUSH the race! LOL.

The run went along Hollywood beach, up into the neighborhoods and back around. I have run it a few times before (doing the whole boardwalk and neighborhoods not just part just on Sunday lazy days. ) and it really is a great run. But this time there was something different.

As we turn off the main boardwalk and head back into the neighborhoods, the trees start to in close in around us and suddenly you hear cats howling and fighting in the distance. The road shadows over and the sun disappears. "Ahhh, it will be nice and cool for a while" I  think to myself, but something strange is in the trees.  Everyone in front of me is looking up, so being the sheep when I run that I am look up as well and I feel the blood drain from my face and fall like lead into my feet. I start screaming at myself in my head...."Dear Mother of F'en God Run...Just RUN!!! As Fast as You Bloody Can".

Hundreds of what I now know are Banana Spiders had set up shop at the tops of the trees, stretching their webs from one side of the road to the other creating a canopy of GIANT SPIDERS!

no I hate spiders, like ice on my soul, death comes to quickly as they plot to weave me into a giant cocoon and feed me to their zillions of children...and above me was Satan's hell for me on earth.

My mind is screaming "GO FASTER You Dumb Bitch! FASTER, before they lasso you up to the canopy with their steel webs!"
My body is screaming "I CAN'T any Faster!? I think Her heart stopped...pretty sure she is in Shock! And the Dumb Bitches Feet kidnapped all the blood and they ain't giving it back!"
My feet are responding to the rest of my body with "You bitch now, but when one of those demon spiders spots us and tries to take us up into its web of death, you will be happy we have become lead weights!"

And then there is me...slowly turning around as I run forwards to where I am actually running backwards (going the right direction still, but my entire body is facing the other way and I am starring up into the sky screaming like a mad woman inside my head....coming up with ever different outcome of my death by giant spider.

Finally I circle back and start heading back out towards the boardwalk, I remain vigilant, waiting for the spiders to start attacking my fellow runners. I think to myself...must conserve my energy, because if they start warfear on us by dropping down on our heads. I must be ready. Looking around I spot 2 weaker looking woman a few feet behind me. I slow down so they can catch up, make no mistake folks, I will toss both them chicks to the spiders as a distracting while I try to get away.

However, no such sacrifice is needed as I hit the boardwalk. I realize that I have been holding my breath for most likely the entire time (locally really considering I didn't want to draw the evil spiders attention to me). I breath deep and start to sprint again....leaving the ally of pure venom behind me.

Now I focus back on the race...Shit...did I slow down to much and screw up my time. I hope now. I barrel towards the finish line. Both of the sacrificial lambs are still on my tail...time to lose them. I pick it up and give it that extra burst of energy I was saving in case a quick escape was needed from the Giant Spider attack and I finish strong. Breathing heavy for a change :)

Not only did I survive the Spider Apocalypse, but I managed to place and for the first time ever, I got a trophy! Not just a medal. I came in 2nd with a time of 23:17. Not my best time ever, but better than last week and not a bad time either way. And lets not forget...I was looking SEXY!

This was my 17 race of the year and one closer to my goal of 24!

The next race we are doing is the Miami Children's Hospital 5K. It will be one of our last races in Miami (basically anything farther than Amelia Park), getting up and driving the 35-45 min down there for a 23 min race isn't worth it. We have enough closer to home. So after a little discussing...if we haven't already signed up for it, we won't be doing it. Miami is just to far.  I know I have the ING and the Miami Beach, but beyond that...I think this will be the last 5K.

King of the Hill 5K - 2013

Running Season is finally back.

I don't know about many other places, but running from June through Aug is S. FL is horrible, just horrible. Even if you get up at 7 am and hit the road, sweat is running down your ass crack before you even hit the end of the block. You are looking up at the sky thinking to yourself, dear god do I really love running this much to endure the sun beating down on me for another hour slowly dehydrating my body and turning me in to a walking mummy that will most likely disintegrate and crumble into dust around mile 8, the answer...no. So even though there are still some races...there are not a lot.

Running season here is basically Sept 1 - May 31.

This year, we started the season off again with the King of the Hill 5K...again!

Now Florida is flat...since we are at sea level and don't run many hills around here, starting the season off with a hill run (even if it is an old land fill that they turned into a park) is a rough.


My goal was to finish this bitch without collapsing halfway up the hill sobbing uncontrollably as I curled up in the fetal position and begged for my mummy. Hell, besides my casual jogs with Jake, I hadn't RUN myself in about 2 months more than just 2-3 miles at a time....this was going to be brutal.

A group of about 4 of us signed up for the torture, amazing how badly humans seek out pain and suffering upon themselves.

The race started on time, which was a blessing because as I am standing at the start line, I can feel the sun and heat coming up and peeking over the tree line. The race starts and I feel good, knockout the first hill like a boss and proceed to pass people. Some slow bitch was jog/walking and I ran into her almost knocking her over...

**Side Note - DEAR GOD PEOPLE! If you are at a race, be it 5k or full marathon, and you plan on walking and chatting with your girlfriends while you pose for pictures...GET THE FUCK TO THE BACK OF THE LINE! For F sake, what do you think...you are going to walk a 6 min mile! NO BITCH! and you may not be competative, these races are competitive so GTF out of the way and take your walking ass to the back of the line so you don't get knocked over and then run over by a crap tone of competitive runners who are trying to get a new PR...just saying**

So anywho...after almost taking down a walker, I finally find my pace again and go...I am doing pretty well and start to think to myself...hey, not to shabby, I have already KO'ed 2 of the 4 hills, I can do this and maybe even get a pretty damn good time....until we circle around and I see the beginning of the 3rd hill. Its so nice of them to set it up that you run past the hill, have a half mile to think about it before circling back around to face it head on. So I spent the next 4 min thinking to myself...ugh, that hill, I remember that hill! Last year that hill almost killed me. (I was having so many issues with my heart rate going way to high and causing my chest to hurt that I almost didn't make it...problem solved with that by the way....no more unhealthy heart issues.)

When I got to the bottom of the hill, I looked up and surveyed my next challenge...this year. I was not going to let this hill kick my ass. I watched as runner after runner slowed down to a near walk as they scrabbled up the hill. Screw this I told myself and I started up. I will not slow down I told myself....High Knees High Knees. Breath Breath, get to the top of this thing....AGHHHHHH!
BAM...crushed it...kinda :)

However at the top, everyone was heading up over the top of the hill, through some grass and gravel and down the side of it...for some reason we were getting off the road. Different then last year, but heck...I guess I am a sheep. And apparently so is everyone else....we all go off track...but not like we are going to turn around now. We plowed through and to the finish line.

Although I didn't get a great PR and although I lost 2 min off my time over the summer....it was a hill run and I managed to slid into 2nd place. Actually it was a tie. We both came in 24:00, however my gun time was 24:07...she crossed the start line :07 before me. But whatever, I finished and I didn't die, I didn't give up and I didn't stop! WHOOHOO!!!

My next race is the Firefighters 5K next Sunday along Hollywood Beach, I am looking forward to it. hope I can get my time back down...I don't expect it to be where it was yet...but closer would be nice.

This was race number 16 of 2013 I will get to my goal of 24 for 2012 yet! :)