Double the Training

This week begins a new phase in my training... preparation for my June Western Double.  The challenge is simple - two half marathons, two days, two different states.  It's efficient in both time and travel finances; but without doubt, also exhausting.  I've done this "Double Half" challenge twice before along my quest to #RaceAll50...

March 2013 Southern Double - Alabama + Georgia

October 2013 New England Double - Connecticut + Rhode Island

Honestly, a Double is a fun adventure. I enjoy planning the logistics and the drive between races. I really get to see a vast area of the country I'm visiting.

This year's Western Double will comprise of the Bear Lake Half in Idaho (Fri, June 13) and the Jackson Hole Half in Wyoming (Sat, June 14).  I'm really looking forward to a western race for a change in scenery. I've completed the majority of my state races in the middle of country. The Idaho course is fairly flat, followed by mixed course in Wyoming.  My biggest challenge will be the change in elevation, as I've never run at high elevation (over 6000 feet). I have no time goal on either race except to finish and arrive home in time for Father's Day on Sunday.

When I ran the Southern and New England Doubles, I trained like I would for a normal half marathon. Let's just say the second half was not nearly as enjoyable as the first one. This time around, I've decided to change up the training in hopes that day two won't feel so shitty tough.  I'm currently trained to finish a single half marathon (just did two weeks ago in Nebraska).  So mileage is not necessarily my concern. What I want to improve is "running on tired legs," so instead of just one long run, I'm running back-to-back long runs each week. Back in January, I planned out my training long runs for the entire year. (No OCD here. Nope!)

In the month leading up to my Western Double, here's how my long runs look...
Week one - 7 + 8 mile runs on consecutive days  (this week)
Week two - 8 + 10 mile runs on consecutive days
Week three - 10 + 12 mile runs on consecutive days
Week four - 10 miler (taper)
Race week - Idaho/Wyoming Western Double 13.1 + 13.1

Since I'm running as part of a relay team this weekend for the Peoria Marathon, I moved my long runs to the early part of this week. I'm delighted to say that I got week one in the bag!

Yesterday, I met up with a local group to start my miles. It was a fun run organized by my buddy Anna, who was celebrating her one year cancer-free anniversary. She is a cervical cancer survivor! Being the awesome person she is, she used this special occasion to raise money for St Jude Children's Hospital... $750 in one day!

I ran four miles as part of Anna's fun run, gave a quick hug and snapped a few pictures. Then I was off to finish my first long(er) run of the week. I ended with 7.4 miles at a 9:51 average pace.

Today I procrastinated all morning. I just didn't feel like running 8 miles after yesterday's run (plus Spinning class in the evening).  It came upon the time of day that I HAD to get out there if I wanted to beat the school bus.  As I started off, I could feel tiredness in my legs (that's what I wanted, right?). As the miles ticked off, I felt better and better though. I finished 8.1 miles at a 10:07 average pace. With that, week one's long runs in prep for the Western Double are complete. Whew! Made it!

Now I can rest up before my race this Sunday. I'm the slowest runner on our relay team, so I want to bring my best!

Have you ever run back-to-back races before? How did you train for it?

Race Recap: Lincoln National Guard Half Marathon

State #21 is done!

On Sunday, I made Nebraska state #21 on my quest to Race All 50 during the Lincoln National Guard Half Marathon. This is an event that sells out fast (less than a day!), so you gotta decide quickly if you're in.  Registration opened at midnight on New Year's Eve. So while everyone else was raising a toast and playing kissy face, I was at my computer trying to get into Lincoln. With such demand over a race, I assumed it was 'thee one' to run in Nebraska.

On Friday afternoon, my friend Anna and I began the 7 hour drive across Illinois and Iowa to reach the eastern edge of Nebraska.  Ugh - Iowa is one long and boring state to drive. It was nice to have someone to travel with - especially someone whose BFF lived in the race city. Thanks for hosting us Bry!

We had a nice leisurely Saturday morning (coffee and a magazine on a warm sunny deck) and finally got motivated to hit the race expo around lunch.  It was a busy moderate-sized expo. Easy in; easy out for the most part. I tried not to shop much, but I did snag an autographed book from Dane Rauschenberg after chatting with him.

Most important part of the race expo is THE BIB of course!

Saturday evening, Bry brought us to the Project Purple pre-race dinner. I felt a little out of place and awkward at first - since I wasn't "on" the team, but everyone made us feel welcome. (And I sure was thankful I had preciously donated.)  I met some truly amazing people that night. Their stories touched me more than they'll ever know. I left the party wishing I had joined the Lincoln Project Purple team - running to beat pancreatic cancer.

Race morning came and **TMI Alert** I was constipated. Some people have problems with going too much and have to take immodium. I have just the opposite problem, but thankfully just when I travel. So my body was not feeling light and quick like I want it to on race morning. All I could think about was... well, you know. The first place I headed when we arrived to the starting line was the the bathrooms. Unlike most races, there were no outdoor porta-potties. The only restrooms were inside the Coliseum, which was packed. As we entered, someone told us, "Go downstairs to the locker rooms." It was better down there, but still a jumbled mess. Men had no line while the womens wound down the hallway. And oh dear, hold your nose once you got inside the locker room, where everyone was pooping... Not a pleasant start to race morning. All that and I still couldn't go.

We all wore purple to support Bry's run for Project Purple.

Anna and I waiting for the start

The race began with a staggered start to accommodate the 13,000 runners. It was the kind of start where everyone picked their finish time and basically hopped in wherever they wanted.  I was waiting on the sidelines for the 2:05 pacer, but after nearly 27 minutes of watching people start before me (whom I knew I would pass later), I finally jumped in.

The race started smoothly and we had the full road to run. I tried to find a comfortable pace and just settle in. Once the first couple splits ticked off, I'd have a better idea how this race was going to unfold. I had originally selected this race for a sub-2 run. Training had not gone as planned (at all). I knew a sub-2 was not going to happen today, but I wondered how close I could get. After all, someone had told me this was a flat fast course. (P.S. It's not.)  At mile 1, we passed the Nebraska State Capitol building. Other than that, the sights along the early part of the course were basic city streets.
Mile 1 - 9:27
Mile 2 - 9:27

Inside the third mile, we hit a long gradual climb, which my Garmin stats say was the largest elevation gain on the 13.1 course. We entered some nice neighborhoods and the spectators through this area were in plenty and very supportive. The course continued to roll...
Mile 3 - 9:41
Mile 4 - 9:29
Mile 5 - 9:35

The course suddenly crunched and became congested. I could feel the slow down all around me.  I found myself wondering what was going on... Is there something up ahead? or are they just getting tired as we near the halfway point? I pushed onward trying to hold my pace and weaved around people.  And then we hit the trail... a paved bike trail that is not big enough for a race of this size.  The next several miles were finally flat, but oh so frustrating... weaving around walkers and the side-by-side friends that create a wall. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who block the course for others.
Mile 6 - 9:20
Mile 7 - 9:13
Mile 8 - 9:35

Finally, we turned off the trail. I'm pretty sure a "Thank God" slipped out of my mouth as we spread back out on the street. And then I looked up to see another climb in front of me. Aw shoot! The sun was out in full force all morning and the temps were on the rise. Combined with the unexpected hills and congestion and I was turning into one crabby runner.  I realized that I hadn't taken an energy gel yet, so halfway up the mile 9 hill, I walked to eat my Caramel GU, that squirted out all over my hand. Seriously, can I catch a break? I wanted to quit.  But as I crested the hill, I came upon the highlight of the race - ORANGES!!  Everyone knows how much I love oranges when I run!  I dodged across the road and grabbed me a big ole fist full. I tried to pace myself as I popped piece after glorious piece into my mouth.
Mile 9 - 10:04
Mile 10 - 9:34

I don't recall much of the last part of the race... except desperately looking for the finishline. At one point, I thought I might have passed the half/full split. The final miles were quite boring as we made our way back towards Memorial Stadium. I wish I had my normal finishing kick, but it was missing today. We had to make a little climb to get up to the stadium entrance and I'm pretty sure I cursed out loud.  As we entered the football field, the grass felt squishy under my feet (unlike the other fields I've run across at Illinois and Marshall).  Instead of a sprint, I slowed and concentrated on my stepping... Oh please don't let me trip and fall. My feet were like dragging bricks across the finish.
Mile 11 - 9:59
Mile 12 - 9:56
Mile 13 - 9:41

The finish pictures show National Guardsman along the finish.
Funny, I never noticed while I was running.
Wish I hadn't been so worn down at that point.

I crossed the finish and collected my medal. It was pretty crowded in the finish chute and we were being pushed off the field quickly. Despite volunteers constantly telling me to "keep moving", I paused to take a photo on the field and collect a space blanket.

Half #26 

State #21 - Nebraska

Official Chip Time 2:06:27

average pace 9:39 

overall  #3299 out of 7175

females  #1582 out of 4347

F35-39  #300 out of 817

So Lincoln wasn't my best feeling race, but it was my best time so far in 2014.  I can't lie; I was disappointed in my run. It just proves that you can't fake it without putting in the training, which I clearly did not.

It was crammed quarters trying to find my way out of the stadium, but I finally found Bry and Anna (who crushed her PR by over 4 minutes!) for a post-race celebration.

Thanks Bry for your hospitality, and Anna for the great road trip!

Rumor has it this was the best Lincoln medal in years. Score!

The official race shirt. I kinda liked it, but not everyone did...

Race Recap: Shamrock Half Marathon

My Shamrock Bling collection!

Finally wrapping up my Virginia Beach race weekend... If you missed part one, click here to read about the race expo and the 8K run last Saturday.

Sunday, March 16...
My morning alarm went off too quickly. I didn't feel well rested, and a quick glance out the window told me the wind had not eased up.  The half marathon started early at 7am (the full marathon was later at 8:30am). I grabbed my ClifBar for breakfast, only to realize it had chocolate in it (I gave that up for Lent!). Ah!  Thankfully, I had a sample-size granola bar from the race expo.

Temps were in the low 40's (which is my favorite race temp), but that wind had a chilling effect on me all weekend. So I grabbed a long sleeve tech shirt that I just bought at the expo. Hubby drove me to the start line - about 15 blocks down. I had originally picked my hotel based on the starting line for the full marathon, which was a different location than the half, also a different time.  We arrived a 1/2 hour early to meet up for the Half Fanatics and Tough Chik pictures. While hanging out in front of the Cavilier, I found a bunch of other online friends too!

Team Tough Chik!

Online friends finally meeting in person!

I was having so much fun chatting with my new friends that I almost forgot the time on the clock. By time I walked to the portapotties, it was less than 5 minutes to the start. When the gun sounded and the first corral set off down the street, I was literally inside the toilet. First time for that.  I found my way to corral 4 in the nick of time.

My goal for the Shamrock Half Marathon was to maintain a 10 min/mile pace for the first 10 miles and then see what I had left. It was essentially a long training run and a little test to see where my endurance was at. My legs weren't exactly rested and didn't feel as fresh as the prior day's 8K, but I felt good.

Hubby found me first near mile 2. Once running, I warmed up quickly and was second-guessing my choice of long-sleeve. The wind just didn't feel so bad once we were running in mass.

Hubby jumped in the car and caught me again at mile 3. He typically catches me a 6-7 times during a half marathon. But being a cheerleader in a car proved to be a difficult task at the Shamrock Half Marathon. The north side of Virginia Beach is a narrow area and most the roads were closed off for the race. There just wasn't a way around unless you were on bike.

I skipped the first water stop because it was a cluster, but then quickly reminded myself, "Don't be stupid. The majority of my hydration yesterday was beer. Take the damn water."  From that point on, I snagged a water cup at every water station and drank on the run.
Mile 1 - 9:54
Mile 2 - 9:54
Mile 3 - 9:49

After mile 3, we veered off on on the heavily wooded area along First Landing State Park. I loved this stretch, probably my favorite of the whole race. Three miles of quiet woods with a wide road to spread the runners out.

Mile 4 - 9:49

Mile 5 - 9:58

Mile 6 - 9:54

bad photo on-the-run, but you get the idea...

I was unglued from my watch most of the race - just trying to maintain a comfortable pace. Every once in a while, I'd look down to check a mile split and always happy with what I saw... nice and even. After mile 6, we entered Fort Story, a joint Army/Navy base. As we broke out of the wooded area and approached the Atlantic Ocean (large sand dunes blocked any views), the wind gusts slapped me in the face.  For the most part, the miles through the base were rather boring, except for when we passed between the old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses.

I was feeling really good and took my first and only energy gel to make sure that feeling would last. As we rounded the coastline and headed south again, I started to itch for the finish.
Mile 7 - 9:53
Mile 8 - 9:57
Mile 9 - 9:53

Coming out of the base, I grabbed a cup from one of several 'beer stops' along the course. Hmmm, it tasted good; a sneak of what was to come at the post-party. I was trying to hold myself on-pace until the mile 10 marker; but once that beer went down, my patience wore thin. I slowly stepped up my pace, plugged in my music for the first time... and the fun began.

As tired runners slowed down, I picked it up and began passing people non-stop. It takes control and patience to hold a slower pace early in the race... but this is the reward. It is so wonderful to feel strong and in-control at the end of 13.1 miles. I found my tempo pace and picked people off one by one. I even dropped the hubby a couple texts to let him know where I was. He had grown weary of the traffic rat-race and just took the car back to the hotel. I got a good laugh when he texted me (at mile 5), "Hurry up! I'm at the finish!"

I felt taxed in the last mile, but was determined to make it my best split of the weekend. The course zigzagged back towards the beach. We rounded the last corner onto the boardwalk and got our first oceanview of the half marathon. The strong wind put a damper on any kind of finishing kick. The flags waved us in for the finish, but that final stretch seemed to stretch on and on.
Mile 10 - 9:31
Mile 11 - 9:18
Mile 12 - 9:31

Mile 13 - 8:58

VIRGINIA - State #20

Official Chip Time 2:07:40

average pace 9:44

overall #3443 of 8936

F35-39  #300 of 921

Female  #1594 of 5510

This is nowhere near a PR for me (1:56), but I was really happy with my run at the Shamrock Half Marathon. I've been slow coming back from plantar fasciitis - building endurance and my speed again. A 9:44 pace for this distance is good for me right now... so I was all smiles with the results. I should mention if you are pushing for a PR, this is a great course. Seriously, the FLATTEST 13.1 I've ever run!

The race was fun... but the post-party was awesome!  We immediately went to the big warm tent on the beach. What a set-up inside! Hot soup, cold beer and a complete concert setup with four great bands throughout the day.

One of the best things I did the day before was buy a cheap sweatshirt. Sweaty and now cold, it felt awesome to put that sweatshirt on. We hung out for an hour before walking back to the hotel to change and try to catch my friend Patty in the midst of her full marathon. After a change of clothes, we returned to the post-party, waited for Patty to finish, and drank Yuengling beer until the band played their last song - 4:00 in the afternoon!! I loved one of the Irish bands so much that we followed them to Murphy's and celebrated our Shamrock runs well into the evening.

I had such a fabulous time at the Shamrock Marathon events. It lived up to its well-deserved reputation and I was extremely pleased that I chose this event to fulfill state #20 Virginia on my journey to Race All 50. Not only was event execution flawless, but the swag involved with these races was stellar!

Thank You Virginia!

Race Recap: Shamrock 8K

Time to recap the awesome weekend I had in Virginia Beach for the Shamrock Marathon events! I went into this trip with the mere goal of knocking off another state (#20!) and a much-needed getaway with my husband.  I tried really hard not to take the races seriously. What?! My running is not fast right now; I'm no where near my standing PR. I'm okay with that, but sometimes the time on the clock can overshadow the experience for me. Honestly, I felt like Virginia Beach was the first time that I was able to release myself from performance expectations and just be happy with where I was at.

We arrived in Virginia Thursday evening. (All four of our flights there and back were either delayed or cancelled. Travel was not the fun part of this trip.) Arriving in Richmond, we drove down to Williamsburg for the first night. It was such a cute historic town. In the morning, we walked around the downtown and university area. There were so many runners - since a large part of the roads were closed to vehicles. It seemed like a runner's paradise and my feet were itching to run there.

We took our time traveling the final leg into Virginia Beach, adventuring along some smaller roads. This is my favorite part of the #RaceAll50 quest... I enjoy getting outside the bustling cities and off the interstates to see the different countrysides and get a real feel for the area. We came into Virginia Beach from the north side, stopping at Fort Story to see the Cape Henry lighthouses.

We arrived at the race expo shortly after it had opened on Friday. Traffic and parking around the convention center was crazy, but I tried to remind hubby that we were on vacation; no hurries. Indeed, we took our time in the expo - nearly 2 hours! I'm usually in/out of expos because of the kids, but today we stopped and visited with everyone. Several of the races that I have earmarked for eastern states were there, so we talked with each of them in detail. I didn't plan on buying any clothing while I was there, but found some sweet deals and ended up with bags of goodies! We also happened to be the first people in line when they announced Yuengling beer samples...

Samples at the race expo was just the start. Beer became a popular theme for us on vacation...

After checking in at the LaQuinta hotel, we went in search of food since we had skipped lunch. We found an amazing seafood buffet... Not the best pre-race food, but it was perfect for two hungry travelers on a Lenten Friday!

I was having problems determining what to wear for the races. The temps were mild, but the wind was vicious (all weekend) and cold. I just couldn't shake the chilly feeling. On Saturday morning, I immediately grabbed the one and only long sleeve run shirt I had brought along. Our hotel was right by the 8K start, so I didn't leave my warm room until 15 minutes before race time. The sun was on its way up and I hurried over to the oceanfront to snap a few pictures of the gorgeous sunrise before jumping into my race corral.

I've run a lot of races - many who attempt to do corrals and fail miserably. J&A Racing, who hosts the Shamrock Marathon events, did an impressive job with their corrals and movement. The start was so smooth!!  I had planned on running the 8K with my husband, but he was unable due to a knee injury (He had surgery the day we got home). I lined up at the front of corral 7, which worked well for a nice start. My legs felt fresh and it was so good to run!

My goal for the 8K was to keep my pace around the 10 min/mile mark... in order to save something for Sunday's half marathon. I knew within a few blocks that I started too fast and reeled it back. For the first two miles, we ran south along Atlantic Ave, mostly hotels and tourist businesses.
Mile 1 - 9:34
Mile 2 - 10:00

At the end of Rudee Inlet, we looped around onto the oceanfront boardwalk. Oh-yeah! THIS is what I came for! It was a gorgeous sunny morning (and I wasn't cold anymore). This was exactly where I wanted to be!

It got a little congested along the boardwalk as people were stopping to walk. I don't mind walkers as long as they move to the side before they come to a stop. I weaved my way through and managed only one collision. I tried to relax, enjoy the ocean view, and soak in the sun. Shortly before mile 4, we zig-zagged back onto Atlantic Ave. The spectator crowds were big through this area so it was kind of fun. My posse of cheerleaders was waiting there for me there too...

 They had planned out the best race photo ever... photo-bombed by my own spectators! Ha!

The last mile was oddly the most congested of the run, as I was catching the slower folks of early corrals.  "What the heck, let's pick up the pace."  It's my own little quirk, but I love making the last mile of every run the fastest.
Mile 3 - 9:56
Mile 4 - 9:52
Mile 5 - 9:12

We turned the corner onto the boardwalk again, this time heading south - smack into the wind. The finishing stretch was pretty cool, lined with waving flags, spectators and the statue of King Neptune looking over us.

Official Chip Time 48:38

average pace 9:43

overall  #2230 out of 8310

F35-39  #151 out of 783

Females  #935 out of 5157

The first race of Shamrock weekend was done. I went a wee bit faster than my 10min/mile goal, but I felt good and happy. Somehow, I totally forgot about the post-party on the beach until after we were back at the hotel (Duh!).  Oh-well, I was able to use those beer tickets the next day.

If I were seriously racing this weekend, I would have relaxed the rest of the day to recover, hydrate and prepare for Sunday's half marathon. Instead, the hubs and I enjoyed our vacation time together. We rented bikes and tooled up and down the beach, stopping for drinks (the non-hydrating kind) and ice cream along the way.

After a fun afternoon, I was exhausted and ready for a nap. But there was no time for that! We hit up the pizza joint next to our hotel - sitting on the outdoor patio, listening to live music, drinking (more) beer and visiting with my dearly missed running pal.  It was perfect. Eventually, I grew tired and logic told me to go to bed.

The Shamrock half marathon was the next morning...

Shamrock Prep & Giveaway!

After a long winter, I am excited to once again toe the line of a race. This weekend, I'm heading to Virginia Beach to run the Dolphin Challenge (8K on Saturday; Half on Sunday) at the much-hyped Shamrock Marathon. I've heard so many good things about this event and its organizers that I can't help but have high expectations for a fun weekend.  It's been almost four months since I've colored in a new state, so I'm pumped to make Virginia #20 in my quest to RaceAll50.

If you remember, I was registered for the full marathon and had to downgrade after pneumonia and plantar fasciitis derailed my training. It's still a disappointment in my heart, but I know it was the right thing to do. I'm nowhere near ready for 26.2 right now. My goal this weekend is to finish, but also to run consistent splits and then test what I have left in the last mile - just to see where I'm at.  I want it to feel like a tough training run, but not an all-out race. With 18.1 miles on tap for Sat/Sun, the Shamrock weekend will wrap up Phase 1 (base building) of my yearlong training plan for Milwaukee. After Shamrock, I'll reincorporate speedwork into my weekly repertoire.

There was no taper for Shamrock. In fact, I hit a peak last week when most people would taper... 35 miles! That was my highest mileage week since last October. Combine the miles with yoga, swimming and Spinning, and I was pleased with how my body handled it all with relative ease. Oddly enough, I also had two complete rest days. Unplanned, of course. I hate rest days.  But it has me rethinking my training plan going forward...

So now the details of our Virginia trip begin... weather stalking and the packing. Of course, the weather forecast keeps changing, but safe to say we'll have temps in the 40's for race time on both days... that is my favorite run temperature! Now I just hope we can avoid rain... especially since I'm looking forward to Shamock's grandoise post-party! Weather determines a large part of raceday clothing, so I will be packing a variety of options... layers, layers, layers. With hubby there as a spectator, it'll be easy for me to drop as I run if need be.  (Note: My hubby was registered to run the 8K, but he now has a torn meniscus in his knee. So instead he's looking at surgery the day we return from Virginia. Serious Boo.)

With the help of Runner Decals, I created this Boston Strong emblem to make a festive green outfit for one of the Shamrock races...

Boston Strong iron-on from Runner Decals
Compression Socks from ProCompression
Sparkle Skirt from Sparkle Athletic

I've worked with Runner Decals on a number of projects now and always love the result!  While some view the "run outfits" as tacky, it's the fun part of pre-race for me. I enjoy creating outfits that are festive, but yet I also want them to be comfortable on the run. By using Runner Decals, I'm able to pick the perfect-fit shirt for me and then iron-on the design. I've washed the shirts multiple times and never had a problem with it peeling off.

Look - My pal Patty and I used custom iron-on decals from Runner Decals last year too!

So excited that Patty is meeting me in Virginia Beach this weekend.
She moved to the East Coast last year and I miss my run buddy so much!

GIVEAWAY!

Runner Decals was nice enough to send me some extra BOSTON STRONG iron-on decals. So let's have a quick fire GIVEAWAY!!  The randomly-drawn winner will receive their choice of...

WINNER MAY CHOOSE FROM....

Lime green short-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt (size Large) 

dark green BOSTON STRONG on front; RunWithJess.com on back

- or -

Black long-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt (your choice on size)

white BOSTON STRONG on front; RunWithJess.com on back

- or -

Your choice of white or green BOSTON STRONG decal 

and you can iron it on a shirt you already have at home

You have 24 hours to enter!! 

Winner will be drawn via the Rafflecopter app below 

at 12noon on Wednesday, March 12.  Good Luck!!

This BOSTON STRONG iron-on decal is also available to purchase at Runner Decals.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Three Things Thursday

ONE
In case you haven't heard yet, I WON the ZOOMA Run-to-Napa contest!  I am beyond thrilled and appreciative... seriously, so many people to thank for this opportunity!  I hope to have the reader Run-to-Napa contest for you up live on the blog next week. I know many of you are excited for a chance to win a trip as well!  My flight to California is booked and I'm officially registered for the ZOOMA half marathon in Napa Valley on June 28. California will become state #24 in my quest to Race All 50.  I added a flight for my hubby to extend it into a couples vacation. You can never have too many of those, right?!  Have you ever visited the San Francisco area? I would love your suggestions on things to do and see while we're there.

TWO
Cold weather has returned to Illinois this week (and a snowstorm forecast for the weekend). It is still technically winter, so I will not complain... but come March 20, the first day of spring, these sub-10 degree temperatures had better be gone. Until then, I will keep layering up and running against the cold wind. As long as the roads are clear, you'll find me outside.

In less than two weeks, I head to Virginia (my state #20) for the Shamrock Dolphin Challenge (8K + Half Marathon). I'm training to "finish it", which I admit is a modest goal for me. I'm trying my hardest not to attach any time expectations on it. Once Shamrock is behind me, I will ramp up my spring training in preparation for the Lincoln Half (Nebraska), where I'm hoping to nail that sub-2 once again.

THREE
This is the final week of the #WinterMiles Challenge. Week 8 report-backs are due Monday (March 3) before midnight here. Final prize is from my friends at GU Energy and Hydrapak...

The Run and Eat Cupcakes shirt are back in stock! 

Order yours HERE.