A PR? Who? Me?

I ROCKED Dallas! The Dallas Rock and Roll Half Marathon was my absolutely most enjoyable half marathon that I've done to date, and this was half marathon #6. It wasn't just enjoyable because I had PR (personal record), although that was icing on the cake. I can't say I had the best impression of the Rock and Roll series, based on the San Antonio one I did. I wasn't that impressed with the course or post race party, etc. Dallas totally changed my opinion of the Rock and Roll series. Why?

• Well organized from start to finish - from packet pickup at expo to the pre and post race


• Great pre-race music! Even upon arrival. Got me exited. When I walked up they were playing "I got a feeling...tonight's going to be a good night" by the Black Eye peas. Was a sign of the race to come!


• Midsize race - Only a half marathon and had corrals so no craziness at the start line


• Dallas cheerleaders - I know they were freezing but it was kind of cool to see them!


• Beautiful scenery - not all hood or industrial. Beautiful HUGE homes and landscaping. For the first time, I really was looking around as I was running. This race has the best scenery of a race I've done so far.


• Great traffic control (although I heard a resident left their home and drove on the race course)


• Great volunteers - with plenty of fluids, even at mile 12 for back of the pack people


• Lots of great bands (not allowed in Highland Heights area but we had great scenery there!)


• Not too many mile markers - sounds strange to have this as something I liked but during the race, I only noticed a few mileage signs (with clocks showing the time). Maybe there were a lot more, but I only remember the sign for mile 4, mile 8, mile 11, and mile 12. And of course, mile 13. It helped, especially early on when I struggled more, not seeing or noticing a lot of the mile markers. Especially since I struggled more the 1st half - seeing I was only at mile 5 and had 8 miles left wouldn't have been helpful.....


• Great ending with the Ferris Wheel. Great Texas landmark.


• Awesome post race concert - Bret Michaels. You didn't have to go looking for the concert. You just heard it and could see it. If I had to go somewhere, or come back later, I would have missed it/wouldn't have bothered. By the way, I didn't even think Bret Michaels was someone I wanted to hear/see. I just heard him and saw him as I was crossing the post race area and decided to listen to a few songs because it was pretty good! I think because it was a half marathon only, with a 4 hour time limit, the concert could be held right away

Now on to me! I got a PR! My former PR was 3:10:42. That was from my very first half marathon - Aramco in 2009 (the one I ended up in the medical tent afterwards, lol!). Just as recent as December, I did a half in 3:37 (after taking many months off) and in January I did a half in 3:15. New PR. 3:08:14. On a course with hills!

So what made this race really the most enjoyable besides the scenery? #1 - An AWESOME running partner - Karen! I've done my last 2 half marathon's with her. I think she is my good luck charm! #2 No CRAMPING! I have cramped in every single half marathon I have ever done prior to this. I have struggled beginning around mile 9-11 in every half, and had cramping really hitting at mile 11. That did not happen this time! #3 - I wasn't thinking "What was I thinking when I signed up for this?" the last few miles!!! #4 - I actually felt better the 2nd half of the race and ran negative splits. I never felt like I wouldn't finish the race once I got to the 2nd half. Usually, the last 4-5 miles is where I start thinking I can't finish. But I was feeling good. Odd! I think the strengh training may have played a part in this. Mile splits for the race are below:

1. 14:13 - seeing some usual things. Like a couple of people running with their gear bags. A bottle of water rolling down a hill (running a half marathon carrying a bottle of ozarka?)


2. 14:39 - I'm thinking perhaps this was the first hill? The hill that I didn't know about, by the way...I ran up it, how ever slowly while everyone was walking. Was pretty proud of that!


3. 14:34 - Just running and chatting


4. 14:18 - Just running and chatting.


5. 14:32 - I remember thinking "Beautiful neighborhoods" somewhere in this area


6. 14:42 - I started struggling a bit. The 3-1's were getting harder. This is the farthest I've been lately in training runs since Aramco (part of why I didn't expect anything near a PR). I was thinking I wasn't going to make it 13 miles......


7. 14:50 - Still thinking I'm really not going to be able to finish this race. Dang, I should have made myself get in a few more long runs since Aramco! A little bit of nausea. Maybe I took my 2nd set of endurolytes here.


8. 14:37 - I think around here I have switched to 2-1's instead of 3-1's. It made a HUGE difference.


9. 13:50 - I'm feeling good. Every time the run interval beeps, I cheerfully say "let's go!" to Karen. I'm shocking my self.


10. 13:26 - Must have really been feeling good. This was with walking breaks!


11. 13:41 - Karen tells me we are on pace for a PR for me. I'm too scared to believe it.


12. 13:44 Wow, at mile 12. Karen says we are almost there - see the Ferris Wheel? I say the Ferris Wheel looks pretty far away to me!!!!


13. 14:09 - We were really picking up the run pace - running in the 12's. So I went a little slower on the walk recovery. Started freaking out because I could see I was back in the 14's for the mile average and I was worried I was going to blow it at the end and not have a PR. Since I didn't even set out to PR in this race - only finish - I just can't believe it can happen.....I always blow it the last few miles of the race.

.1 - I don't know. I stopped my Garmin when I crossed the finish line, but I accidently started it back up later and it added on to what I already had.

Actually, I'm just now looking at the elevation chart for the first time - got a copy for this blog, and it explains some things. Like why mile 6 and 7 were extremely hard and why I slowed down so much! And it explains why it started getting easier at mile 8 when I crested the hill. I'm glad I didn't see this elevation chart prior to doing the race!

NEXT GOAL: SUB 3 on November 13th, 2011

San Antonio Rock and Roll!

I'm back! It's all about me!

Wow...it's been a while. Underwent some life changing events over the past year. Mainly I became a "mom" again to my 5 year old niece for 1 year. As you can imagine, that had a significant impact on my 2010 training. For a while, I stopped running. I gained about 40 lbs between February and October. I was used to being a single mom of 1 - my son who just turned 18. But now I was a single "mom" of 2 kids with widely differing ages and needs. My dad was traveling a lot, often 3 weeks out of the month or more. I was completely stressed and overwhelmed. So 2010's plans kind of went completely out the window....

Things turned around in October. My weight was getting out of control. I realized I had to take control of things. My dad's travel schedule slowed down, and he was able to help out more. He started volunteering to watch my niece every Sunday so I could do a long run. I joined Weight Watchers at work as the kids needs could never interfere with my lunch time meeting. I joined a gym in the building across the street from my job so I could get in 30 minute workouts during lunch and the kids needs couldn't interfere. I've lost nearly 25 lbs since making those changes.

Also in October, 4 of my running friends and I signed up for the inaugural LaPorte by the Bay half marathon, to be held in December. That gave me a goal I had to start training! My original goal was just to walk the race. I figured that with my walking speed, I could finish in the 4 hour deadline. Then I went on a group run with my friends and realized I could still run! I did 5-1's to stay up with them during some training runs. My confidence started being restored as my body "remembered" how to run. Of course, I lost a LOT of speed over the past year...and I wasn't speedy to begin with! But at least I was back running. I completed the Laporte half marathon on Dec 5th, and then did Aramco on Jan 30th. And at the Aramco half marathon I even signed up for another half marathon for March 27th - Dallas Rock and Roll! This race was on my 2010 schedule (and paid for!) before my niece came to stay with me.

2011 is going to be all about Kimmi. My niece is returning home within the next week. I will miss her greatly after a year (it's like losing your own child!), but I'm glad to be able to get back a little time for myself. My son is a senior - heading off to colllege soon. So he's pretty self sufficient. Now I can do what I want, when I want(well, almost). For the first time since I was 16.

Go to Memorial and run after work, rather than heading home to pick kids up, cook dinner, help with homework, etc - I can do that! Join Houston Fit's spring fit training group, and do the speed training on Tuesdays, and the hill training on Saturdays - I can now do that!

2011 is going to be all about me - putting my needs and wants at the top of the list....for the first time in a very long time.