Friday Five!

1.  Yesterday I got my booty back to Spinning class.  I forget what a total workout that is!  My glutes and quads were screaming at me the rest of the day.  I mean it felt soooo good that immediately after class I paid for a class starting next Wednesday.... 15 weeks of "Triple Threat" class, twice a week... 50 minutes of Spinning, followed by another 50 minutes of Strength training and Stretching.  That's going to be my cross training for the marathon, say what?!

2.  You all know I'm a little bit crazy at times, but now it's official. I've been inducted and am now  a HALF FANATIC!!!   #1092 to be exact... A number I totally love since I graduated H.S. in '92.


3.  I completed my long run early this morning so I can enjoy Memorial Day weekend.  I'm just running for fun right now, but also trying not to lose the endurance I have built.  I logged 11.31 miles in 1:55 for an average pace around 10:11, which was made me happy considering the challenging hills on this run (did I mention I did spinning yesterday?!)  Yes, I totally deserve to relax a bit this weekend.

4.  FRIDAY RACE SALUTE:  First off, my apologizes if I missed your race.  I've been a bad bad follower lately.  If you're racing this weekend, leave a comment and I'll add you in!

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND TO...

Tamara @ Tam I Am - running her first Half!

Jeff @ Detroit Runner - running Bayshore Marathon, his first Marathon!
Kim @ (Just) Trying is for Little Girls - Heart of the Valley Duathlon
Jill @ Run for the Hills - Parke County Half

5.  Happy Memorial Day!  Take a moment this weekend to remember and honor the American servicemen and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  We're loading up our new pop-up camper and taking the kids to Yogi Bear Jellystone Park for some good ole family camping!

Don't forget to drop me a vote HERE today.  THX!!

Just click the yellow thumbs-up button once a day until June 1.

Runner's Survey

When I read this runner's survey on a couple other blogs, I just loved learning more about my bloggy freinds.  So read on, my friends, and then continue the survey on your blog... so I can learn more about you too!


What is your favorite type of cross training? 
Spinning!!  I love everything about it... loud hard rocking music, workout with friends and yet you can go as hard as you want and still be side by side.  It's a great XT to running and a fab workout!

What is your favorite song to run to? 
I love the Black Eyed Peas, but J.Lo's new "On The Floor" is starting to rev me up a bit.  


What brand of shoes do you wear? 
Asics.  Right now I'm in love with the Kayano style, which is a stability-plus shoe.

Do you wear a hat when you run? 
Never.  Hats + sweat make me break out terribly along the hairline.  Plus I find them incredibly uncomfortable and hot.  A visor is an option.  But I'm all about the Bondiband headbands!

What temperature is your favorite for running? 
60 degrees is perfect.  Warm enough that I can go in shorts and a tank, but cool enough to avoid massive amounts of sweat and dehydration.

Do you have any big races coming up? 
June 18 - Steamboat Classic 4 mile
August 14 - Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon
September 25 - Quad Cities Marathon (my first full!)

What is your favorite distance? 
13.1... love the distance - enough to require adequate training, but short enough to not consume your life.

Are you a morning, noon or evening runner? 
Morning.  Lately I've been logging a lot of miles between 5 and 6 am.

Do you run solo or with a buddy? 
Usually solo (do you know anyone who will run at 5am?), but I love fun runs with friends as long as I'm not doing a training run.
  
What's your favorite post run snack? 
Bananas.  Chocolate Milk.


What's your FAVORITE race?  Halloween races... I like to dress up in costume, and I don't feel like such a dork at these races!  Other than that, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is always a special one for me emotionally.

Do you wear a Garmin? If not, how do you track your runs? Nope, I tried it once and couldn't stand how BIG it felt on my wrist.  Drove me crazy.  I have an iPhone that I use in winter.  But most of the time, I plan out my miles ahead of time on mapmyrun.com and then use a small stopwatch to clock the time.  I like simple.

What is your least favorite race?

I didn't necessarily ENJOY running in the freezing rain during the Oshkosh Half Marathon, but afterward, I still feel pretty bad ass about it!

Pineapple Medals!

What race is your favorite medal from?   Beach Palooza (Daytona Beach in 2010).  It's a pineapple!  Hubby and I will be running this one again in Chicago July 30, 2011.

Who is your running idol? 

All my friends in bloggyland!  Some days when I don't "feel" it, all I have to do is read a couple blogs and I'm lacing up the shoes...

How long have you been a runner? 

On and off for years... but really serious in the past two years.

Do you run with your engagement/wedding ring on? 

Sorry hubs, rarely ever!  I always figure it's one more thing to put me at risk when I run solo.

What's your favorite workout? repeats? long runs? tempo? fartleks?  

Long runs.  I enjoy the slower pace to take in the environment around me.  I always seem to have a great conversation with myself during long runs.

Don't forget to vote HERE for your favorite blog today (me please?!).

Just click the yellow thumbs-up button once a day until June 1.

Running is the ultimate High

I started my weekend with a healthy 8.25 mile run on Friday morning.  My friend Bekah joined me for the first half along one of my favorite trails through the Pekin parks.  Besides a couple bugs that flew into my mouth, it was the perfect start to the weekend.

Later that day, my hubby and I got all prettied up...

and partied like the end of the world was coming.... 

The Apocalypse!  The Great Rapture!  

Of course, I awoke on May 21 and world was still intact.  However, I was in pieces after too many celebratory drinks at the wedding reception.  Seriously, I know better.  I used to be quite the rockstar in the bar scene, but since running, I rarely have more than two drinks.  On Friday, I blew that limit out the window.  I had a fabulous time, no doubt about it. 

By Saturday night, I started coming down with symptoms of a head cold... sinus pressure, sore throat, cough, etc... I began to double-dose on Emergen-C.  I can not get sick.  Sunday morning wasn't much better, and I blew off my long run.  Needless to say, I spent most of the weekend napping, sipping vitamin drinks and gathering Kleenex boxes.

So why is it every time I splurge on alcoholic drinks, I get SICK?!?!  This morning I let the powers of Google do the research for me... and sure enough - no fluke!


"Excessive alcohol intake can harm the body's immune system in two ways. First, it produces an overall nutritional deficiency, depriving the body of valuable immune- boosting nutrients. Second, alcohol, like sugar, consumed in excess can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply, inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells, and lessen the ability of macrophages to produce tumour necrosis factors. One drink does not appear to bother the immune system, but three or more drinks do. Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts of alcohol that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress immunity."   Source


So yes, alcohol does greatly inhibits the immune system, making your body more susceptible to germs.  I found interesting the part about sugar also because I always seem to indulge in sweets when I'm hungover too.  Can you say double-punishment to the immune system?  O'brother!


I got up this morning still feeling a little sluggish, but was determined to kick this cold in the butt.  At 5:10 am, I hit the pavement and logged close to 6 miles.  A slow start, but I was really booking at the end.  Low and behold, I feel WORLDS better afterward!  Running really is a much better high...

** Pssst, don't forget to give me VOTE today here!  Thank You!

Review: Run Less, Run Faster

First of all, the title of this book is a little misleading.  The notion that running less will make you faster is too good to be true.  It sure is a snappy title, but don't let it kid you... the training plans outlined in this book are tough and not for the weak sole.

My interest peaked on the Run Less, Run Faster (RLRF) book in late December.  As a mother of two little ones, spare time is sparse and valuable.  I've always been drawn to getting the biggest bang for my buck.  That's how running engulfed me in the first place... highest calorie burn in the least amount of time.  Thus, the RLRF plan was the perfect fit for me.  Every single workout and run in the FIRST (Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training) training program has a purpose.  There are no junk miles... but there are also no "fun runs" either.

The FIRST approach circles around the concept of 3plus2.  Three quality runs each week plus two cross-training workouts are the foundation of the plan.  The three runs each have an objective:
• Key Run #1: Track repeats (also known as speed intervals) improve your oxygen consumption and leg speed.
• Key Run #2: Tempo runs improve endurance by raising lactate threshold.
• Key Run #3: Long runs improve endurance by raising aerobic metabolism.

These key runs are completed at specific paces that are custom to your current race pace.  To start, I found the paces difficult to hit and/or hold, but this follows the book's "training with a purpose" concept... quality over quantity, intensity over frequency, fast running over the accumulation of miles.

Rounding off the week, two rest days and two cross-training (XT) workouts are added in - essentially replacing what would normally be easy run days.  This is meant to reduce the risk of injury by avoiding overuse of the same muscle groups.  By using non-weight-bearing activities, your legs, knees and running muscles are give a break while still maintaining a high-intensity fitness regimen.  The authors of RLRF recommend swimming, biking or rowing for the XT activities.  I used a 45 minute Spinning class at my health club.

The average week on a RLRF plan looks like this...

I put together my RLRF training plan last January in preparation for my spring half marathons.  This was like going back to college!  The book is not exactly an easy read for the novice runner.  I found myself going back rereading and taking lots of notes to completely understand the elements of the plan.

The core of your RLRF plan is built around your current pace, specifically your 5K time.  You can either use your last race time (if current) or jump on a treadmill and virtual race yourself!  I started with a flat 28:00 which was a close equivalent to my last Half Marathon time, according to the book charts.  For beginners, you may need to default to this website since the book charts don't accommodate those who run a 30:00+ 5K. I found this website easier to use anyway... Click HERE.  Just input your 5k time, and it will spit out all your key run paces. Once you have your paces figured out, the book has detailed plans for 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon training.

The book also includes sections on strength training, as well as flexibility and form.  I included the strength training exercises following days 3 cross training.  I also incorporated butt-kicks and knee-lifts before the weekly speed intervals.

I was extremely diligent to "The Plan" through week 7.  Even today, I feel that was a peak for me.  I ran an 8K that week, and for the first time had a race pace average below the 9 minute mark.  By comparison, a year ago, I was extremely happy to race a 10:00 pace.  I used my new 5K split time of 27:00 to up my training paces for the last six weeks of the plan.  Admittedly, I waffled a bit on training in the late spring.  But I still set new PR's in the half marathon and 5K.  I didn't run less (averaged about 25-30 miles per week), but I was certainly running faster.

The only thing I found missing from the plan was hill work... so I've added some into my summer marathon training plan. Overall, I enjoyed the variety of workouts that RLRF employed, and was extremely happy with the time results it produced.  However, there were times during the training that I craved to just run... no paces, times or distance to worry about.  I have used the month of May for that and it been a nice break.  But I can't lie, I'm getting excited and anxious to start up RLRF training again on June 6.

If you decide to use RLRF training, please let me know - I'd love to follow your training... and am always happy to answer any questions that best I can!

What training plan/strategy do you follow?

What do you like or dislike about it?

I've also added some more running book reviews to my blog HERE.  

Short and to the point recommendations. 

Pay It Forward

Five weeks ago, a local training program called Building Steam started, in which I volunteered to be a group leader.  Along with three other leaders, we mentor and lead group runs.  Some are new runners, some are finding their way back to the sport, and others working to improve their speed.  The 11-week program has pace groups for every level, preparing runners and walkers alike for Peoria's Steamboat Classic 4 mile race on June 18.  The Steamboat is regarded as the world's fastest 4 miles since it holds all the major World Records for that distance (see here).  Can you say flat course?!

As the calendar flipped last January, one of my resolutions was to Pay It Forward, to inspire, motivate and help others find that inner happiness that running (and weight loss!) has brought to my life.  It's hard to put into words the passion that running has become for me.  Thus, this blog was born, and I've tried to get involved with motivational events like Building Steam.

However, after last night's group run, I realized I'm getting back just as much out of this.  I've made some fabulous new friendships (online and off), who offer great advise and encouragement as I begin the quest to my first 26.2.  I've found new running partners that are crazy like me and prefer the crack-of-dawn.  I learn from every new runner I meet, regardless of their fitness level.  It's funny how it works... but the more you GIVE, the more you RECEIVE.

When I first started running, I always felt guilt for taking personal time and leaving my family behind.  At an unhealthy 220 pounds, I relied on this quote to get me out the door and make a change...

"I can better take care of my family when I first take care of myself."

I no longer need to be reminded of WHY I run (although sometimes I still need a gentle push our the door).  After every run, I return home as a refreshed woman, making me a better mother and wife, the two most important roles of my life.

** VOTE -  Don't forget to head HERE and click the yellow thumbs-up button today.  Thanks!  **

Humpday Humor

Today is a gorgeous sunny day in central Illinois.  Running temps are perfect in the mid-60's... and of course, my hubby is working until 10pm tonight.  Looks like it's going to be a strength run for me today with the kiddos in the double jogger.  RuN HaPpY!

Pssst... Please go vote for Run with Jess HERE in the 

Top Health & Fitness Mom Blogs contest hosted by Circle of Moms

(only if you like me, of course!?)

Just click the yellow thumbs-up once a day until June 1.

Bahahaha... I posted this and just realized it's not Wednesday (humpday) yet!!

O'dear, I'm one day ahead of myself!  Hilarious!

I hear little voices

First off, my apologizes for being MIA this past week. I tried to get on Friday morning for my weekly Race Salute only to find Blogger down for maintenance.  :(   However, I did send out positive mental vibes to all the racers last weekend (did you feel it?!), especially my Blonde Ponytail pal and the gals running Green Bay (Jen and Rachel)!

Help!  The little voices in my head returned...

Voice #1 won.  After two busy weekends, I was so behind on the work front.  I literally ran only ONCE in a 10 day stretch (and that was a 5k race!).

Then the temperatures soared last week, giving me the perfect excuse for not running.  (The AC in our house also broke, giving us a $1100 repair bill... Ouch!)  The devil won for two days... and then I was pulled out by an evening run with my Building Steam training group.  The next day, I had the kids in the stroller for a run before 8am.  And finally on Friday, I found my groove, getting out & back before 6am.  On Sunday, I rolled out of bed to meet for a 6am group run.  Today I hit the pavement at exactly 5:20am.  I think I got this one.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I took on the local race director role for the upcoming Peoria Half Marathon (come run my town!!).  Lots to get done in the early stages. Lots of local excitement, questions and doubt.  O'dear, am I up to this?!  Jury still out.

Training for the Quad Cities Marathon starts in three weeks, and I really need to trim some pounds to make that training easier on my body... and I run faster when I weigh less.  I've tackled this battle pretty well this year, but the last month has been a battle of wills.  I've got to get myself focused.

A scene from Top Gun keeps entering my head... Maverick (Tom Cruise) is about to enter into a dogfight, but he's hesitating due to fear and self-doubt.  A voice over the radio keeps yelling at him...
"Engage, Maverick, Engage!"
For a while he stares out into nowhere, ignoring the repetition.

"Engage, Maverick, Engage!"

And then... he re-engages and kicks ass.

I may have been slacking the last couple weeks, but watch out... 

I'm about to re-engage!

Do you ever get in running ruts?  How do you pull yourself out?

Race Recap: Race for the Cure 5K

Just a little 5K, but this one deserves a Race Recap because I believe in it so much... and this year was pretty special.  I officially registered for the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in December, and started fundraising in January to fight breast cancer.

Why breast cancer?
It is a widespread and random disease, striking women and men of all ages and races. It is the most prevalent cancer in the world today, with about 1.3 million people diagnosed on a yearly basis. The exact cause of the disease is unknown, and at this time, there is no cure.  When I was only a toddler, I lost my grandmother Lillian Wucki to the disease.  My Aunt Irene also battled breast cancer, and is one of the lucky survivors today due to early detection and treatment.


Thus a little program called Cupcakes4Cure was born out of my love of baking sweet treats.  Each year from January through May, I donate all the net proceeds from my cupcake/cake orders to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Memorial.  The first year, we raised $535.  This year, I'm proud to say we doubled that amount.  I say "we" because this is truly a family effort!


So after all that baking comes RACE DAY!  The forecast on Friday night looked bleak.  Rain thunderstorms were predicted from early morning throughout the day.  I said a little prayer... "Grandma, if you have any pull up there, a little help with the weather would be appreciated."  I wonder how many others did the same because we awoke to the most beautiful perfect spring morning!  Sun shining in ideal running temps.


After a group stretch, a survivors' parade and lots of honorable speeches and accolades, the races kicks off with a silent start.  The 5K race has numerous waves... chip-timed women start first, followed by competitive men 10 minutes later, then the Family Run/Walk, and ends with the 1 mile walkers.


With a half marathon the weekend before, I didn't run one mile all week!  Needless to say, I was excited and ready to RUN!  I took off and clocked my first mile at 8:42. 

My dad got a good picture of me at the start.
It's a bit blurry... but I like to think that's because I was flying by so fast!

Mile two was roughly 9:07.  This course has its share of hillwork, but through some pretty neighborhoods.  I picked the pace back up as I turned the final stretch along Isabella.  Along the final stretch, the male winner passed me... and I gave him a big shout out.  Last year, the lead male passed me at about mile 1.75.  This year, it took until mile 2.5 for him to catch me!  Yeah, that's progress!

I was easy to spot in my pink Team Sparkle skirt!  See me coming up the hill?

Bringing it in the last .1 of a 5K.

I finished in 27:43, missing my goal of a sub-27, but I kinda underestimated the hills on this course.  It averages out to a 8:53 pace, which is pretty good for me and hills.  I grabbed #109 out of 514 competitive women runners. (The official results have my bib # swapped with someone else who finished #20, but I know what's right.)  

The overall women's winner finished in 18:01.  Holy crap, that's fast!  Kudos to my good friend Cathy, who finished #5 overall with a time of 20:34.  I knew she was quick, but I had no idea she was lightening!

My hubby battled through knee pain and finished in 33:03.

I'm super proud of my mom who finished her very first 5K.  

She did a fast walk/run method that earned her a time around 45 minutes.

Best of all, she's already talking about doing another!

 Victory celebration with my friend Bekah, who also finished her first 5K!

It was a super fun morning, but more importantly for a really important cause.  Whenever I found the hills difficult, I touched my bib to remember the women I was running for.  I am so blessed to be in good health and vow never to take that for granted.

Keep On Running...

Five for Friday!

Jumping on the "Friday Five" bandwagon because... 

(ONE) I missed 3 Things Thursday 

and (TWO) I'm short on time today!!

1 - FRIDAY SALUTE!!
Good Luck to everyone toeing the line this weekend!  This is my Race Salute to you!!!  You've trained for this... now go kick some booty!  I can't wait to read your recaps next week.  If you're racing this weekend and I miss you, please leave it in a comment!

EMZ @ If I Can't Confuse You...  24 Hour Treadmill charity run for Sojourner Center

Let me just say I think you are freakin' awesome for the work you've put into this event!!

Megan @ On the Road Again - Kalamazoo Half Marathon

Laura @ Luna Chick Runs - Wisconsin Marathon

Jen @ Adventures of Badgergirl - Sole Burner 5K

Jo @ Chronicles of a Chubby Runner - Hippie Chick Half Marathon

Alma @ Avg. Woman's Running Blog - Indy' OneAmerica 500 Half Marathon
Jen @ runner maybe - Kirkland Half Marathon

...everyone running the Peoria Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K with me!

Bekah - running her first 5K!

My Mom - also her first 5K!

My awesome husband!

Elizabeth @ New Mercies

2.  THINK PINK! 

Tomorrow's Race for the Cure marks the end of my four-month fundraising campaign to fight breast cancer (until next January).  I raised $1065 this year, double what I did last year.  Most of it through my Cupcakes4Cure, but also some kind donations.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  If you still find it in your heart to "Save the Tatas", head over to my Race for the Cure page and make a donation!

4.  MILITARY SPOUSES DAY

Totally unrelated to running, but I'm throwing out an extra Salute today to all the military wive!!  They are truly the "force" behind our Armed Forces.  In 1984, Ronald Reagan declared the Friday before Mother's Day as the official Military Spouses Day.  As an Air Force family, I know it's not always easy, but definitely an honorable job to stand behind your man. Kudos to all!

5. DAILY MILE

Are you a friend with me yet on Daily Mile?  If not, come on over HERE and be my DM friend!

Race Recap: Illinois Half Marathon

The fact that it's taken until Thursday for me to write a race recap should tell all.  My mind had not been on the half-marathon all week, and race day was no exception.  Not sure why but I just was not mentally there for this one.

On Friday afternoon, the 1.5 hour trip to Champaign whizzed by as my friend Angie and I chatted away. After checking into our hotel, we hit the expo.  No foot chip for this race... instead the timing device was adhered to the backside of our bib.  A nice surprise, the technical tees were color coordinated by gender - pink for the ladies and gray for the men.  I liked the simple design, but disappointed with the wrong size (which I didn't notice until we were back at the hotel.  More incentive to get down another size I guess!)  The drawstring bag was nice quality, but half-marathon color was black (never a fan of black bags since it's difficult to see stuff inside).  The swag inside was minimal this year - just a bunch of flyers for upcoming races.  We quickly splurged on Bondi Bands, and headed to our dinner reservations.  If you are at TGIFriday's anytime soon, I highly recommend the Chicken Paccata Pasta and the garlic breadsticks.  I was pleasantly surprised how good the food was... or maybe it was the fact that I was sans kids and could savor every tasty bite?

I got an unbelievable good night's sleep, and was up exactly one minute before the 5am alarm.  After deciding on my outfit (finally!), we attached our bibs and were out the door.  Runners were abuzz throughout the lobby as I wolfed down my waffle with peanut butter.  All the talk was about the WIND...

Pre-race photo at the hotel

Start times were waved this year.  Marathon took off at 7:00am, 10K at 7:20am and finally the half-marathon (largest group at 7000 runners) at 7:35am.  I wasn't sure how it would all play out, but it certainly relieved the early congestion that was so bad last year.

The weather was perfect except for the wind... 20mph at the gun, building to 40mph gusts by lunchtime. My goal of 1:59 was lofty going in. I knew that, but I still hoped for a PR.  Here's how the miles unfolded...

MILE 1 - 8:42

Too fast but it felt good.

MILE 2 - 9:01

Trying to settle into my pace.

MILE 3 - 9:04

Feel like I'm being passed in herds...

MILE 4 - 9:26

I'm unusually winded, and we're only four miles in.  Why am I doing this?

Too early for these kind of thoughts... what is wrong with me today?!

MILE 5 - 9:22

Compare stopwatch time to pace band.  Hmm, I'm only a couple seconds off from the 1:59 time.  I can still go after this... Take a GU, maybe it will help the mind?

MILE 6 - 9:24

We came out of the neighborhoods and hit smack into a wall of wind.  Ouch.  I really needed my sunglasses for the wind.  My contacts are dried out and the eyes begin to burn. I try to run alternating one eye closed...

Here we come up the open stretch.  I'm on the left side.

MILE 7 - 9:39

Long gradual incline into a newer subdivision.  I find myself constantly comparing the miles to how they felt last spring.  Here's when I begin to notice... I'm in much better shape that a year ago.  I recall struggling through this relay zone last year.

MILE 8 - 9:25

We enter the Meadowbrook Park... merging from an entire road wide to a just a one lane trail.  I feel the whole group slow down as everyone tries to squeeze on the trail.  It felt incredibly slow, and yet my pace was okay.

MILE 9 - 9:35

The 2-hr pace group catches me as we exit the park.  I latch on and drag behind them for a while.  O' crap, there she goes...

MILE 10 - 10:00

I was incredibly thirsty in the last mile and was desperately watching for a water stop.  Finally before 10, it appeared and for the first time, I slowed to a walk to drink in both water and Gatorade.

MILE 11 - 9:53

 I catch myself "jogging" again.  I just can't find my mental "push yourself" button today.  I down another GU and latch on to others to hold a pace.  I feel really sucky right now.

MILE 12 - 10:07

At about 11.5, I slow down to take water and rejuvenate myself one last time.  The end is near and I vow to push myself the final 1.6 miles.  I glance at my stopwatch and set a new goal of 2:03.

MILE 13 - 8:59

The Marines are ringing a huge bell and drilling runners.  It gives me a little "basic training" pep.  Lots of fans along this final mile.  In fact, the whole race had an abundance of spectators!

Mile 0.1 - 1:16

I zoom past runners in a sprint to the stadium entrance.  Why are people walking?!  The sun is finally shining as I step onto the football field and bring it in to the 50-yard line.  

Wanna see the video finish?  Click HERE.  I'm easy to spot in pink!

Official Chip Time: 2:03:58

PR beating my time from two weeks ago by 5 minutes.

OVERALL - Top 38% - 2466 of 6399

WOMEN DIV - Top 22% - 979 of 3690

AGE DIVISION - Top 29% - 132 of 462

Male winner's time: 1:10:14

 Female winner time: 1:20:46

Any PR deserves a rockstar pose!!

Angie score a PR too at 1:55!

I relaxed.  I ate.  I rolled.  I stretched.

The next day, I had hardly any soreness at all.  In my head, I know I could have pushed harder and am a bit disappointed with myself for that.  The 1:59 will come in it's own due time.  I won't quit, and I won't give up.  Last Friday, I won a free entry into the Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half-Marathon on August 14.  And on Monday, I registered for my first 26.2 at the Quad Cities Marathon on September 26.  

Keep on Running...