Monumental Marathon: 16 weeks rolled into less than 4 hours

16 weeks of 3:40 am Monday wake ups. 16 weeks of missed Saturday morning cartoons with kids. 16 weeks of mid week afternoon 10 mile runs at 90 degrees sometimes. All worth it. Can't say I loved every minute of training, but darn close. But our training and stellar weather truly made it a monumental day for us all.

Tons of training highlights were amassed over the last 16 weeks. Mileage records were made, alarms were set as early as 3:30, crazy 8's were established, and creative bathroom spots were found. Routing was like a physics problem and trains derailed us when on time crunches. Sometimes I wore the wrong shoes, but ultimately we were blessed by the absences of clown sightings. But most importantly we laughed...every freaking run.

 

    

Race day prep is always exciting and nerve racking. The expo is a mixed bag for me, excitement and nervousness. I do love going to the expo, but I quickly get overwhelmed by the wall to wall people. Heading down with Jenny versus my kids was much more enjoyable, (as I'm pretty sure Jude is banned from future Indy Mini expos). But photo ops with race numbers are a must.

Pre-gaming with the girls on race morning is a must! And the warm JW and stellar clean bathrooms are perfect! Despite my missing Roctane gel scare, pre-race was smooth : )

Mile 1-7:

Jen and I had planned to run together until the 1/2 turn off, holding around 8:30. We both felt great, running smart, making sure we slowed down if we were closer to 8:20. Jason and the kids were at mile 5 where Simon handed me my 1st of 4 very important apple sauces. I was feeling pretty confident at the first photo opt as you can see below.

Mile 7-13:

Sending Jen off at mile 7 was sad, as the miles flying by with her by my side. I felt pretty good she was half way to PR. I crossed the coveted half way mark in Broad Ripple at 1:49, 2 minutes slower than last year. But it was OK...I was running SMART, and knew I had a lot left. Just then this song was getting me ready for a strong second half, a song that would ultimately be my pick me up, (FYI, add it to your running playlist. Now. You can thank me later : )

Mile 13-21:

These miles went a MILLION TIMES better than last year. I felt strong and was still holding an 8;24 average. I was eagerly awaiting the IMA at mile 18, where my family would be and Jude would the the important task to hand me my next applesauce. Seeing them gave me a huge pick me up, and my random fastest mile of the race-what the heck...8:08 at mile 18?! I had no idea I was even going the fast. (And if I didn't mention it before, my family pretty much rocks-especially my kids posters : )

Mile 22-24:

My most dreaded stretch...Burdsal to Fall Creek takes FOREVER, and this is always the stretch that my shoulders start to hurt. And may pace start to drop closer to 9 and my right shoulder was KILLING me, my armband arm. Picking up my much needed apple sauce from the Ritter Cross Country team was a brief pick me up, but I was surely starting to enter the land of #strugglebus. But unless I pretty much stopped and walked, a PR was so happening. So I felt confident, and pushed on.

Mile 25-26:

Heading downtown I was hurting, my back was tightening up, but I was so close. I choked down one more gel and kept thinking I would see my family and friends in less than 20 minutes. Right as I was starting mile 26, my good friend Jenny flew past me, giving my some oomph to catch her. Running hundreds of miles with her this year, I knew I could keep up with her, giving me the drive to finish up with an 8:20 mile, and seeing Jason and the kids perfectly aligned as I rounded that final corner. And I love that Jen caught a picture of me smiling as a closed in on the finish line.

It ended up being a great day for all of us Runner Girls. We PR abundant with others helping others PR. And even though I really wanted that BQ, can't complain with a 4 minute PR at 3:43.42. And with that being my only PR of 2016, it was so awfully sweet. And I smiled a TON during this race. We had so much to celebrate with family and friends! Even more that Sarah made it back for her first "destination race."

 

And most importantly, I got my PR donut...and so did Jen! Jason even hooked me up with some Three Floyd's to celebrate! And Coney Dogs were even at the finish!

 

We could have not been more BLESSED with this day! The weather was perfect, our times were fast, and all the early mornings were well worth it. Congrats to my Runner Girls and all others, whether it was the 5K or full marathon, it was truly a monumental day, and another great day to race in Indy!

Indianapolis's Womans Half Marathon: girls just want to have fun

This race is been on my radar for years, so was super excited to finally get out and run it. With last year's black flag on the back of most peoples mind, the field seemed small with a strong possibility of rain. But not us. The Saint Malachy trash bags kept us Mamas prepared for anything pre-race!

Loved the start of this race on the cobblestone road on the circle! And the weather was looking clear" enough" to ditch the bags. Were staying optimistic for some sunshine.

Kelly and I were feeling strong at the beginning-with our goal to hold 8:15's, give or take a few seconds. It was a weird feeling to "hold back," but God knows my pacing skills are AWFUL. But had such a great time to race with someone you have ran hundreds and hundreds of miles with, and we pushed each other along the way. Love the course looping south then west of downtown, up to the Armory, with steady support throughout.

The rain stayed away till about mile 5-6, with a complete downpour right before the half way point. We stayed strong and tried to avoid the puddles, but before we knew it we were inevitably ankle deep. But we hung on, and clocked a great race mid marathon season. And was BEYOND impressed with our pacing skills. Kelly was a HUGE motivator to me those last two miles when I was struggling to stay strong.

We all had a fabulous day to run among ladies...sadly, the weather wasn't what we wanted, but we all had a great race considering the conditions. But no rest...back to training, as we have less than two months to #bemonumental, our biggest race of our running season!

Go Girl Tri: Finishing up the season with the ladies

With tri training taking a backseat to marathon training, it was nice to switch it up for a day. Going back to work time and trying to balance 3 sports and back to school drama is a delicate balance, but it all work out. With 30 plus mile run weeks starting up, I needed the swim to recover. And with the back to work anxiety and stress, I needed the bike to mentally unwind. Win-win, all around : )

Swim: Felt great, swam straight, smooth water...and my goggle strap didn't break. Most of all, for the first time in a while, I felt like a swimmer. Coming out the water 3rd made feel way less old lady.

Bike: With the off and on monsoons, I hadn't got in the biking I needed.  But I felt strong and was more than pleased with my average...so I'll take it. I held my own and only got passed by a few.

Run: I should have rocked this. But already having 20 plus miles in for the week, (which I was calling resting : ) I didn't even look at my splits, I didn't want to know, so I just smiled and ran on. I even got the opportunity to truly be a "tri mom" when I yelled at Jude to get out the road. 

And I LOVED getting out there and racing with my runner girls Jen and Melissa! 

And just like that...triathlon season is over, and so is summer. Never enough time, never enough races. And one of these years, I will actual take advantage of qualifying for age nationals, and actually go. For now, I have my eye on 26.2 here in November, with big hopes of a big PR.

Tri Indy: A great day to race in Indianapolis

It was a weird racing summer. I just wasn't getting into it or worrying about PR's. So to get excited and actually feel rested for once, I was FINALLY getting excited to race. With a brief back injury derailing racing and my everyday life, simply racing the best I could, was a blessing. 

Even though I do my best to get the majority of my training done before the 🌞 rises or my kids are out of their REM cycles, I still spend hours every week away from them due to training. Sometimes they never know because they are still at after school care, but other times it's pure guilt. But when my kids will get up at 5:15 on a Sunday with NO DRAMA to watch you race because they simply ❤️ it, (ok, they might get Dunkin before most races : ), it's so worth it. 

And here's how it all broke down:

Swim-

I swam straight, I didn't hit any fountains, and I felt strong. #win. The water was absolutely foul (we swam in the canal...think stagnant water). But I felt so strong for that mike, I could have swam another or two. And for the first time in a while, I felt like a swimmer. 

Bike-

What I love about Tri Indy is it's fast and flat, (minus the pot holes and wooden planks over train tracks). It's two loops, Veladrome and back, pretty easy peasey compared to some courses I've done. Conditions were favorable and felt strong along the way, with the highlight being no ladies passed me. That never happens 😌

Run-

After a strong swim and bike, I was ready to hold sub 8's for the run. It was at this point it started to heat up and I develop a half dollar size blister on the bottom of my foot, so the struggle was legit real. With no one near from behind or in front, I still ran hard, but comfortable. I loved that run wrapped around 2 loops, another chance to see my kiddos. Not the greatest splits for me, but also not shabby. 

With the exception of my ever so painful blister, I had an absolute blast doing this race. I LOVE racing in this great city and this is the only tri that goes through downtown for that experience. I am crossing my fingers that the rumor isn't true, that this is the last year for Tri Indy. In the meantime, one more tri for the year with Go Girl, then off to the Indy Women's half and my biggest race of 2016, the Monumental Marathon. Which I welcome with open arms, to focus on one sport and long Saturday morning runs with the girls!

Indiana Women'a Trail Run: a couple falls, some blood, and a wrong turn

I was super stoked for my first trail run and get out of my comfort zone. With a few trails runs in and the mileage in, I felt fairly confident. And weather could not be more perfect. 

Even better, huge group of running girls represented!

The half marathon route was two loops.  The love between hills, rocks, flat road, uneven terrain, stairs, and marsh were abundant on the course. The first loop went well with one trip, along with the most flattering picture EVER taken of me running through the marsh. 

The second loop unfortunately did not go so hot. With two falls right away in mile 7, my confidence was shaken, with blood running down both hands. After reorientating myself, I some how made a wrong turn, quickly realizing this as I was running into the girls doing the quarter. (Which was absolutely confirmed when I was approaching the finish line and the Garmin only read 11). So I found a side trail, ran it back and forth till I got enough to finish my race. 

Even with the mishaps, I would definitely run this race again! How can you go wrong with an all women's race...and the swag rocked! Best of all had my family out to support me and my kids rocked their new shirts!

Morse Park Triathalon

it was a great day to get my first tri on for 2016. And with an agressive few days leading up, I had a pretty laid back attitude about this race. And for the first time ever at Triathalon, I felt old. Real old. And what else was old...my bike. I feel this way a lot when I go to races, as my bike is not nearly as souped up as the other people in my rack; but I remind myself, doesn't matter how great your  bike is, if you don't ride it. 

Swim: First time EVER, I swam open water goggle-less, as they broke literally 90 seconds before I ran in the water. And honestly, it wasn't so bad. I actually swam straighter, as I could see better ☺️

Bike: I had loved this race because of its flat bike, but with intermittent gravel and less then optimal traffic control, I rode it safe. And the fact I was getting passed at a rediculous rate, I briefly got discouraged. But I reminded myself this is my weakest leg. 

Run: Easy peasy three miles, straight out and back. Super happy with my pace with a strong finish. 

Finished just 15 seconds slower than  two years ago. And I'm two years older.  #score. Other highlights included:

Jude was covered in bike grease, yet she never biked. 

My body marking was different then my actual number. My smartie pants husband pointed that out AFTER the race. 

And my favorite of all...my kids cheered YOLO when I passed by them. My family sort of rocks ☺️

The 40th running of the Indianapolis Half-Marathon: Our race

Running the 2016 Indy Mini with my husband. Best. Decision. Ever. Because we did PR together, (thanks for the shirts Leslie), and I learned a ton along the way. Mostly that it's not about the amount of miles or the pace, but the people you run in it with. 

It was definitely an emotional race going in. Being selected as ambassador to promote the 2016 Indy Mini, my favorite race of all time, brought so much more meaning to this amazing race. And convincing my husband to train and run the 13.1-the ultimate ambassador feat. This weekend kicked off so special at the expo with our first official family packet pick-up, even if my daughter Jude is banned from the expo for life for a few unnamed reasons. 

Coming in to the race their was much debate on our pace. My husband is not a big fan of my "go out hard pace and see what happens" method, so we agreed on an 8-8:15 pace. In additon to racing with me, he was blessed to experience all my pre-race anxiety, starting out it me insistent on making a 6:30 am photo opt with the ambassadors and heading over the Connection Pointe tent before hand, (which includes some of the MOST amazing people I have ever met.) This may or may not be the reason he forgot his Garmin 😁 And so glad to get a shot with fellow ambassador Brandi. Who knew 2 of the 33 ambassadors would hail from the great town of Brownsburg?!

Despite being seeded five corrals apart, we came to a common ground. We started with my training partner Kelly, which was even more special, as we have trained HUNDREDS of miles together since meeting last fall. 

And we took off. And this is how the 2016 Indy Mini broke down for Jason and I: 

Mile 1-5: Simply fun. We fluctuated between 7:50-8:10 comfortably, chatting and having a blast with it. But it got hot. Fast. I NEVER have stopped at so many water stations. But that's the huge plus running with hubby-switching off on getting water.  😌 Heading into Main Street, one of my favorite places of the race, but sadly, the fan base was not what it is used to be.

Mile 6-8: We rocked out a 7:48 mile heading into the track, feeling pretty darn confident at this point. But for some reason, the track was my most miserable of my previous 11 mini's. Whether it was the heat or the energy spent with trying to make sure I stayed with Jason, it simply sucked. 

Mile 8-10: Heading out of the track Jason informed me he couldn't eat any of his fuel, which worried me as I sucked down my second gel pack. Mile 8 and 9 were our slowest, (besides when we stopped to be recapped in mile 13). I thought we were doing ok, but the Garmin said otherwise. Discouraging, but this was not my race, and just wanted Jason to feel good. We were both starting to struggle, and focused on landmarks at this point, as sub 8 miles had slipped away. 

Miles 11-12: I officially entered #strugglebus territory. Jason found a second wind and was hauling. Ironically, he was worried I would slow him down, and it was total opposite. Again, it was his race, but I was starting to struggle to keep up with him. And when we crossed mile 12 and saw 1:39 roll across I fought back tears, as that was last year's time, and had no idea how my legs were going to carry me strongly for one more mile. Once again, in the words of Ron Burgandy, I was a "glass case of emotion."

Mile 13.1: Longest mile ever. Jason told me he wanted to run a 7:45 last mile. And he was well on his way to it, however I was a good 20 yards behind him. I could not keep up. I kept pushing and pushing, telling myself "I can do this-I had two kids drug free," but apparently this was harder than childbirth. The finish line was closing in and I was afraid we would not keep our deal of crossing together. Then at mile 13, my husband did something I would have never done, (because apparently I am a selfish runner I realized). His nursing instinct kicked in and he picked up a guy who collapsed, and I instantly followed him. It was the most amazing moment ever to hear the crowd cheer. And at the moment, our time no longer matter. After we realized there was no way we could have carried him in his current condition, as we got him to a medic, and finished. 1:47.5 offically. Not our 1:45 goal, but with the journey and help we provided along the way, it didn't matter. We had got our "PR together." And I could not think of a better person to bring the PR bell with!

The post race was a blast, thank you so much for the Connection Pointe and Runners Forum tent for some providing such yummy goodies and beverages. It was wonderful to celebrate with friends and recap the day. Even though it started out a little hot, we were blessed with great weather and couldn't be more thankful!  And so excited to celebrate with my sister in law Sarah, who was recovering from surgery at this time last year, to come back and have such a phenomenal race. 

All I all, the 2016 Indy Mini could have not turned out better for our first half together, (well maybe if we would have got a picture with Meb : ) And how did I know it was my favorite mini ever?! Because I was smiling in almost every single picture taken while I was running, and I truly, ran happy :-)