Thoughts from a First Time Ragnar Runner

More than 48 hours after we crossed the finish line and I'm still recovering from Ragnar Colorado. And maybe feeling a bit of withdrawal.

If you're not familiar, here's a quick rundown of how it works: teams of 12 (or 6) people run 200-ish miles over two days. Teams of 12 - like ours - divide into two vans of 6 runners and everyone runs 3 legs of varying distances, covering anywhere from 10 to 20 miles.

It was a crazy experience from start to finish, and one thing is for certain, I was part of an incredible team that showed amazing grit, fortitude, and spirit. Each one of us brought something unique and important to the team, including the ability to roll with the punches! In fact, if I could change one thing about the relay, I'd want more time for the entire team to be together.

I'm thankful for Amanda, who brought us all together, and the rest of team Just Here for the Food - Aimee, Charlie, Danielle, Tara, Sarah, Heather, Ellen, Gretchen, Heather and Sara. 

The story is too ridiculous to recount in detail, but the long short of it is that Hertz won't be seeing any of the 12 of us soon, we loved our Airbnb host, Van 2 became masters of packing, unpacking, and moving our gear from place to place, and I started my first leg of the race not knowing if there'd be a van at the top of Vail Pass when I got there. Thankfully, van number 2 for Van 2 did show up and managed to make it through the rest of the weekend without a problem.

This was not an easy race. It tests you in countless ways, and I don't regret a minute of it. I covered just under 15 miles - including 8 in the middle of the night - and climbed over 1,300 feet. We lived off snacks, slept on a gym floor, and eventually gave up on trying to do any math. I'm proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and taking this on.

In the end, we finished 2nd in the Women's Open Division (although they currently have us listed as 11th in the Men's Division) and 18th overall. Not too bad for a team that literally encouraged each other to enjoy the runs and stop to take photos along the way!

Coming off my first Ragnar, here are my top tips for any of you planning to run your first overnight relay:

1. Go into it with an open mind. If you're not there to win, don't take it too seriously. Learn from your teammates, lean on each other, be ready to be a little bit vulnerable and try not to let things get to you. That said, if you know you need your space (which is at a minimum), download a playlist or podcast before the race, take your headphones and and zone out for a bit between runs. Your teammates will understand. There's no way to really know what a relay will be like, so be ready - or open to - anything!

2. Be ready to go with the flow. Things are going to go wrong. Your van could breakdown. Directions could be questionable. The weather might not be ordeal. You might meet every port-a-potty along the way. That's part of what makes a relay experience unique. It's not supposed to be easy, but if you can go with the flow and problem solve like a boss, you'll enjoy it a whole lot more.

3. Don't expect to sleep, but if you get a chance to sleep on a gym floor, take it. The one hour of sleep I got smashed between people on a gym mat in a middle school in Basalt was heavenly and gave me the energy I needed to power through to the end! Don't skip an opportunity to recharge.

4. Do your homework & a few training runs. No matter what, you're going to be faced with surprises along the way, but take some time ahead of the relay to read about your legs (will you be climbing for 5 miles, running in the dark or on trails?) and get some miles under your feet. It'll still be hard, but it'll help.

5. Have fun & enjoy the views! Take time to take it all in. Enjoy your time with your teammates. Focus on the beautiful views. Laugh off the craziness. Celebrate each finish and all that you've accomplished!

One last thing. I'd like to recognize all the amazing people we met along the way. Starting with Lindsay, our Airbnb host, and Tyler from the towing company, to all of the fantastic volunteers who spent hours in the hot sun or stayed up all night to support us, the police officers keeping everyone safe, the volunteers at the exchanges who opened community doors for us to sleep, rest and clean up, and other runners who kept our spirits high and pushed us to keep going.

Have you run an overnight relay? I'd love to hear your top tips. 

Are you thinking about running a relay but have questions? I'd love to help!

Race Recap: Louisville Trail 10K (2015)

My alarm went off this morning before 6am. Most of you know what that likely means for a runner. Race day!

Woody and I ran the Louisville Trail 10k last year and very much enjoyed the small, and well run, race that's held about halfway between Denver and Boulder. We knew last year's course was changed due to lingering damage from the 2012 flood, and personally, I welcomed the changes this year which kept us running along the Coal Creek in the out and back course rather than two out and backs and a good bit of sidewalk running.

We met up with my friend who was running, along with her fiancé and their friend. The race is the last of the Endurance Race Series, which includes 9 races from April through October along the front range and mountain towns. The half marathon took off first, then then 10k followed by the 5k and a kids race.

Woody headed up to the front so as not to get caught up in the traffic, while we stayed back. The race isn't that big, several hundred people, but since the trail isn't that wide there's even more jockeying around at the start than a typical road race. My friend and I stuck together and got through the crowds till we had a bit of space. The course was mostly crushed gravel and rolling hills aside from one fairly steep and intense climb. And since it's an out and back, we hit that hill twice.

It was a pretty warm day for mid-October - well into the 60's. Thankfully a good bit of the course was shaded so it wasn't too intense. When I hit the finish line Woody was waiting for me. As per usual. Turns out he finished 8th overall and 2nd in his AG. And my friend's fiancé also finished 2nd in his AG. Yeah, pretty frickin' awesome!

The race organizers set up a pretty great festival with several vendors including Runners Roost, Hoka One One, Yucatan Guacamole, Boulder Organics, a few others, plus a pretty big spread of food. Since the guys were getting awards, we stuck around for the ceremony so they could get their pint glasses. There were also about 10 or so people who had finished the race series season pass, meaning they had run all 9 races; they received a stainless steel growler. The series offers two other pass options - one covering the 5 front range races, the other for the 4 mountain town races.

While my finish time wasn't as good as last year (since I'm not in the shape I was in then) and I could have paced myself a bit better, I'm fairly happy with my performance and feel that I'm on track with where I want to be and getting stronger every week.

Afterwards we walked over to our friend's house for coffee, mimosas, chocolate banana bread and biscuits (both vegan), fruit, some home brewed beer and great conversation. Overall, it was a pretty great morning.

There was a lot of racing happening around the country this weekend. Did you race? Take a minute to leave a #runbrag so we can celebrate your awesomeness!

Running to Save Lives

Now that we're a few years into our life in Colorado we're starting to find a few races we like, and doing them each year. This past Saturday was the Blue Shoe Run for Prostate Cancer which raises funds for the The Urology Center of Colorado. I'm not sure saying it's a run for prostate cancer, is quite the best description of the race - in both that it's a run and walk (I think more people likely walk than run, actually) and that the race raises money for cancer research in order to increase the number of men in the local community who are screened, and to support community programs and research.

I'm still working my way back from my injury so I didn't have any goals for this race beyond putting in a strong effort and to enjoy the experience. Woody, however, wanted to break 7 minute miles. While I sometimes struggle with the fact that running has come quite easy to him, much easier than it is for me, I do love to see him excited about running and setting running goals.

I wrote a good bit about this race last year, and since it wasn't all that different this time around I won't get into all the details here, but it is a very low key event that starts with a kids race before the 5k run start and then a 1.5 mile family walk. There are a ton of families at the event - kids in strollers to grandparents.

The race is for a good cause: prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in American men, about 1 in 7 will be diagnosed in their lifetime. These numbers are pretty staggering and while it's fantastic that this event had more than 1,200 participants, events raising funds to fight prostate cancer aren't nearly as popular as those for breast cancer. I'm glad we were able to participate and we plan to do so every year we're able to.

If you are thinking about running this race - and I hope you are - I'll warn you about a long hill towards the end that goes up a freeway onramp then turns left and keeps going up. If you want to hit a certain time, like Woody did, you have to keep this in mind and save energy for it.

For those who want to give back in a meaningful way, I met a man who is a participant and volunteer for Live by Living, a non-profit organization that provides cancer survivors and their caregivers with opportunities to connect with nature and each other. The organization leads walks, day hikes, snowshoe outings, and 2- and 3-day retreats, all at no cost to the participants. To do this, they rely on volunteers to lead and support the various events.

A lot of people stick around after the race to enjoy the food, music, silent auction, and hear the presentations. There's also a large "survivors oasis" which looks like a serious party from the outside.

As for Woody's goal - he clocked a 6:44 min/mile pace! So proud of him!

Do you participate in a fundraiser race that you'd like to let people know about? * Have you reached a goal in your running recently that you want to share?

Race Report: Louisville Trail 10K

I hope this race report will serve as a cautionary tale for at least a few people, as I’d like some good to come from my poor performance.

This past weekend Woody and I ran the Louisville Trail 10k, about 25 miles from Denver – an easy drive at 6:30 on a Sunday morning. It was our first time running this particular race, and our first time running any race with the word “trail” associated with it. To be clear, this wasn’t a highly technical trail race like many are in Colorado, the trail – part of the vast trail system in the area – was packed gravel and even some paved sections.

We found parking nearby, picked up our bibs, and went for a short warm-up run along the first part of the trail. It was cool, breezy and a bit gloomy. Woody is still relatively new to racing and he was nervous about doing a 10K (our last one was BolderBoulder and while we’ve both run longer distances since, our race efforts have all been 5k’s). As always, I advised him to be conservative at the start – don’t go out too fast; it’s much better to have negative splits than go out too fast. Famous last words.

There were a total of 614 runners across a half marathon, 10K and 5K. So it was a small race compared to what I’m used to, but about the size of the 5k we ran last month. While I thought I could only run big races, I really don’t mind being able to line up at the start with just a few minutes before the start!

^{Gotta love a race with chocolate milk at the finish!}

There was a count down and we were off – 15 minutes behind the half marathoners who went west out of the start; we went east. Much of the trail was pretty narrow, so I had to adjust to the crowd pretty quickly, but like all races the crowd thinned out pretty quickly. I knew I was putting in some good effort from the start but it wasn’t until just before we hit a big, long hill that I realized I had gone out way too fast. Not good. I tried to slow down but my legs weren’t adjusting. Down the big hill, turn around, up the big hill again. Still too fast. I wanted to slow down but I also didn’t want to lose ground on the two people who had been right ahead of me since the start.

Woody is much faster than I am, so when I saw him not far from the turnaround, I knew I was in trouble. The packed gravel turned out to be a bit more formidable than the packed dirt trails I run in the parks around our house – it’s a bit more loose – so thank goodness this wasn’t a more serious trail. The race consisted of essentially two out and backs – the second with a loop – with the start/finish in the middle. Aside from the start the course was void of spectators, but there was great support from volunteers at the water stops and a few crucial trail intersections to keep us on the right track.

Nearing mile 4 the fatigue was starting to set in, the consequence of going out too fast. I finally started to slow down out of necessity. My legs were heavy, my stomach was aching, but I was only running 6.2 miles. I finished 9 a few weeks ago, there was no question about whether or not I could run the distance. I just hadn’t taken my own advice and went out way too fast. Pure stupidity. With a slight, but long and gradual hill ahead, all I could think about were my friends running the Chicago Marathon who had 20 more miles to run than I did, there was no way I would give in.

I gave one final kick to get into the finish, was handed my medal (yes, this series gives finishers medals to everyone), chip clipped I went to find Woody, who had finished almost exactly 9 minutes before I did. This was not my finest race, so I’m very thankful that at least the view of the mountains was pretty spectacular.

My chip time was 55:25, an 8:56 pace. While it’s slightly better than my BolderBoulder finish, I’m certain that if I had gone out a little bit slower, I would have had a better finish. Sounds strange, right? Slow down to finish faster, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have had to push myself quite as hard those last few miles if I had just taken it down a little.

With all that aside, it was a great race with a variety of food and drink at the end. We agreed that we’d like to do it next year. And maybe a few of the others in the Endurance Race Series.

Our next, and likely last, race of the year will be the Mile High Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, right in our neighborhood!

Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend! There were a lot of people crossing finish lines around the country!

Woody and I are handing out treats on Halloween for the first time! What should we give out?

Race Report: Blue Shoe Run for Prostate Cancer

Friday morning, there was snow on the ground; Saturday morning, we were running a 5K race under beautiful blue skies. Fall is here, and with it, comes mostly perfect running weather! Woody and I ran the Blue Shoe Run for Prostate Cancer – an annual 5K run/walk and 1.5 mile family walk. The fifth annual event, which welcomed over 1,200 participants, is produced by and raises funds for, the TUCC Foundation, dedicated to advancing urologic care in the Rocky Mountain region through advocacy, research, education and support.

I had heard from fellow Oiselle teammate, Laura, that this is a great race. And as the cause has recently become an important one to us, we thought it would be a great 5K to add to our fall racing schedule. After our experience, I can say with certainty that we will make our best efforts to run this race every year!

The race begins and ends right outside the TUCC office building, which is across a large parking lot from Mile High Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos. While the course itself isn’t the most scenic, the race organizers have done a great job creating a unique course that utilizes a lot of low-traffic roads, incorporating unexpected hills and allows for plenty of free, easily accessible parking for participants.

According to the TUCC Foundation, prostate cancer is now the most diagnosed type of cancer in Colorado, and the 2nd most common cancer among men in the U.S.. Current numbers state that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed within their lifetime. More than 230,000 American men will be diagnosed this year. That’s a lot of guys. While very serious, there is some good news: the rate of survival for men is very high, especially when caught early. Over the past several years, many new treatments have been developed that are proving successful. There is great hope for men, and the ones who love them, who are diagnosed.

There were a lot of people enjoying the survivors oasis before and after the race. A lot of happy, healthy and strong people.

Woody and I arrived a bit early so we could do a little warm-up – 1.5 miles, or just over 2 laps around Mile High Stadium. It was very chilly but a beautiful morning. With less than 800 participants in the 5K, the start was a breeze. We walked up, found a spot near the front – ahead of the guy wearing jeans – and a few minutes later we were off. I definitely went out too fast, but didn’t realize until a little too late. I had my Garmin on, but chose not to focus on it. Looking back, I probably should have given it a glance during that first mile, which I ran in 8:01, too fast for me.

I had heard there was a serious hill, but I wasn’t expecting all the short, but steep hills that came before it. Spectators were far and few between, but the course was well marked and there were police, volunteers, and two bands in just the right spots along the way. I mentioned the view wasn’t the best, but I enjoyed it, and appreciate that it wasn’t a simple out and back.

The last hill was the serious one. After going past Mile High, we entered onto the highway entrance ramp, going up the on ramp. It was steep. And long. The fact that I went out too fast had caught up with me by this point. I’m pretty good at hills but this one got to me. I couldn’t breath by the time I hit the top, made the turn and saw we kept going up! I will admit it, I walked. Just for 15 seconds, but I simply couldn’t attack this last hill without catching my breath first. I made it to the top, took the turn-around and new it was just a downhill, right turn and straight away sprint to the finish line.

A lovely volunteer reached out with a bottle of cold water, exactly what I needed, as soon as I could breath again.

The post-race festival included several vendors, a massage tent and lots of great food. There were cut bagels with peanut butter and cream cheese, bananas and apples, cups of pretzels, coffee. Jimmy Johns was on hand with sandwiches and cookies. KIND Bars were handing out free bars (I’m addicted, so this was amazing).

With food and beers from Alaskan Brewing Co. in hand, we found a table and enjoyed the live band for a bit before the a few presentations from the Foundation staff and a prostate cancer survivor, who was diagnosed in his 30’s.

Woody and I were both happy with our results. He finished in 21:53 – 18th overall and 3rd AG; I finished in 25:31 (38 seconds faster than the 5K in Bend last month!) and 4th AG! Sure, this was definitely a smaller field than many races we do, and one that probably flies under the radar for many, but that aside, I’m thrilled with my time! And after following this race with a 7 mile run the next morning that left me with gas in my tank, it seems things are clicking for me right now when it comes to running!

If any guys are reading this – please don’t ignore your health. You may be nervous to get the test results, but it’s better than ignorance. And ladies – let the guys you love know that this is important. Early detection increases the likelihood for long, happy and active lives.

How did you get active this weekend? Did you run a race, run for fun, go hiking or do something else that got your heartbeat up? Let us know!

5 Favorite Things from My First BolderBoulder

Today was BolderBOULDER. A 10K race through Boulder, Colorado that starts at a 5,275 foot elevation, peaks at 5,391 feet and ends just under 5,350. As the race’s tagline says: Sea level is for sissies.

When we moved to Denver almost a year ago, I had a really tough time adjusting to the altitude. It took me several months to get comfortable with the lack of oxygen, but I have to say, I didn’t have any trouble breathing at 5,391 feet this morning!

BolderBoulder is an all-inclusive event. The race begins with the speediest of the speedy and ends with the walkers; kids from 6 years old to a man somewhere in his 90’s. And incredible pros running low 5-minute miles! It’s a city-wide party welcoming in the unofficial start to summer.

We met up with my Oiselle teammate Laura, her husband Josh and their adorable 14 month old son (who participated in his first race too!), at their house in Denver at 5:15am to make the trip up to Boulder. We easily found a spot in a parking ramp and walked over to the starting area. With more than 50,000 participants (runners and walkers) I was pleasantly surprised by how well organized the whole thing was.

My favorite things about my first time running BolderBOULDER:

1. Qualified wave starts – with strict watch kept over the corrals – ensuring that the vast majority of the people starting together were actually running around the same pace. With 30 qualified waves and a ton more beyond that, the BolderBoulder team has there stuff together. When my wave went off at 7:22:50 am, we were right on time.

^{This guy got a PR!}

2. On course entertainment that is purely Boulder – the bands, the belly dancers, the slip’n’slides, spectators offering beer and bacon – only in Boulder.

^{This photo with Bret has nothing to do with the on-course entertainment, but I thought it’s cute and I didn’t run with my camera!}

4. Climbing two tough, final hills then kicking it into high gear for a finish in Folsom Field (University of Colorado’s football stadium) in front of thousands of cheering spectators.

3. The chance to hang out with my husband, teammates, and new friends on a sunny Memorial Day!

4. Watching Shalane Flanagan and Deena Kastor cross the finish line that I just crossed a few hours earlier. Okay, so they finished in less than half the time I did, I’m okay with that.

Go Shalane!!!

5. Stale bagel at the finish line? Not here. A lunch bag filled with food from sponsor White Wave. (I could have really gone for a banana, but the popsicle at the post-race expo hit the spot).

I’m not sure yet if we’ll run it next year, but there’s a good chance that we will! This was a pretty great day!

The Birds: Bret, Rebekah, Jess, Laura, me

And if you’re wondering, Afewerki Berhane of Eritrea, won the men’s race in 29:11.37; Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia, won  the women’s race in 32:21.63, almost a full 44 seconds ahead of Shalane. It was an incredible showing!

Check out Laura’s recap HERE.

How did you spend Memorial Day? * What are you looking forward to this summer? * How is it summer already?

Turkey Trottin’ in Denver

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Who started the day with a Turkey Trot?! We ran our first United Way Mile High Turkey Trot today, which was the 40th annual running of the race! It was a huge event that we both enjoyed.

The crowd was huge – 10,000 registered – and the weather was beautiful! A bit chilly, especially waiting at the start, but once we were out running the sun warmed me up right away. The race goes around and in one of the biggest parks in Denver, Washington Park. Before today we had only driven around the park, so we weren’t really sure what to expect on the inside!

I did have a little Race and Learn session with this one. There are supposed to be four corrals. The fastest runners go out first, then runners who are fast but not quite as competitive, then the slower runners and lastly, the families, walkers, strollers and dogs.

From what I read on the website I thought I should go out in the 3rd corral and be towards the front, but once I got in there it was evident that not too many people pay attention to the distinctions. I jumped in the 2nd corral and spent the first 3/4 mile dodging walkers, a few strollers and other slower runners. Of course, this took a lot of energy so it hurt me a bit in the end, but overall it wasn’t too bad!

The crowd was pretty fantastic. There were people out on their front lawns cheering, drinking, and a few garage bands that moved out to the front yard for the morning! I think the 10:15am start time and sunny day helped to bring out the crowd and but it seemed like it’s a pretty big family tradition for a lot of people in Denver.

Two of my Oiselle teammates were there too. Laura started in the first corral and Julia was one of the awesome volunteers! I think she had one of the best spots too – she was in the beer garden! I have to say, I think that if awards were given for the best post-race beer garden, this would take the top spot! There were three local craft breweries – Renegade, Great Divide and Wynkoop – giving out free beer to all the runners (21+, of course!) And they all have great beer.

Unfortunately, as of the time of the writing of this post, results weren’t yet available but the race was a great start to our first Thanksgiving in Denver! Maybe we’ll do it again next year!

Did you run on Thanksgiving? * Do you shop on Thanksgiving or Black Friday? * How are you spending the rest of your long weekend?

Racing for Pie

Saturday was a big day around here, we ran our first race in Colorado! Yes, “we.” Woody also put a bib on and lined up for a 5k jaunt through City Park.

Being new to the Denver race scene, it took me a while to settle on a first race. But then I read about the Pumpkin Pie 5K. Really, what else is there to say?

It was the first year of this race, put on by Colorado Runner Magazine, and will likely be an annual race. There was a 5k and a 10k, I assume some people did both but not us though. There were kids, strollers and dogs. I’m not used to the latter two, but most started in the back and only a few dogs and strollers passed me along the course. At the end of the race, there was pumpkin pie for all!

Woody had planned to do the 10k but pulled a rib muscle earlier in the week and after a four day shut-down, he ran the 5k instead. Thankfully it was feeling much better Saturday morning and didn’t slow him down much. He’s speedy.

I had two very long days with a few very heavy meals and several glasses of wine leading up to race day so I wasn’t sure how it would go but the 9am start time let us get up and out without being rushed and gave us a chance to jog a bit beforehand. The only thing I have to say about this race is that I wish they had a bag check. I had to run back to the car after the race to grab my phone so I could take some pictures and it would have been a very cold post-race celebration if the temps had been much lower, which they could have been.

There were over 3,000 runners – I’m not sure if the dogs counted – so it was a sizeable race but a bit smaller than what I’m used to with NYRR races. Because City Park doesn’t have a ton of roadways there were three out and backs on the course but overall it was a good route in the pretty park setting. There was a DJ, maybe half way through, which was awesome. I love some unexpected tunes along the way to keep the energy high! The sunny November morning made it great racing weather. I wore my Oiselle rundelicious top under my singlet but it was almost too warm!

My race was pretty good. It’s been a bit difficult getting used to running at altitude and with such dry air, but Saturday run was one of my best so far. I think the beautiful weather definitely helped. For some reason the results list has my chip and gun time both as 29:09, which just isn’t possible. I crossed at least a second after Woody did and since he had a 25 second difference between Gun and Chip, and my Garmin agrees, I’m counting my time as 28:43. Not nearly as fast as I used to be, but almost 5 years past surgery I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I won’t be that fast again. So given where I am today, I’m happy with the race and looking forward to our next one, the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving! For the record, Woody crossed the line in a speedy 23:52. He’s now the fast one in our little family.

What’s your favorite season for running? * Pumpkin, apple or pecan pie? * Are you as flummoxed by the fact that it’s nearly Thanksgiving as I am? This year has flown by!

Oakley Mini 10K (a.k.a My Last Race as a New Yorker)

Trying to live life and also get ready for a life-changing move takes a lot of work and balance. I’m not sure how I’m doing really, but trying to keep it all together and get everything done.

Saturday was my last race as a New Yorker. I became a runner here in New York, so it’s kind of a strange feeling. I truly hope that this isn’t my last race in New York though! The Mini 10K is one of my very favorite NYRR races each year. All women. A different course. Great camaraderie. Men lining the 6.2 miles cheering the women who are giving it their all. The history – it was first run in 1972. It’s just a really great race.

Friday was absolutely miserable – Tropical Storm Andrea made it’s way through the area and soaking the city. I was nervous about what the weather would be like Saturday morning and hit refresh on weather.com about a million times Friday. Thankfully the morning turned out to be dry with even some peaks of sun and a lot of humidity (okay, not so thankful for that).

I met up with some of my Oiselle teammates in Columbus Circle before the race for a picture – it’s good we were wearing the same singlet, definitely made it easier to find each other in the sea of women!

^{Amanda, Abby, and me}

Grace and I found each other – we had promised to start the race together, although I was determined to run the whole race with her. I wanted to cross the finish line with my running partner-in-crime. If it wasn’t for Grace, I’m not sure I would have kept running as I have and really found a love for it. Running with her after work are some of my favorite memories of living in NYC.

The start was packed, like usual, but all women. More than 5,500 of us! It was probably a pretty interesting scene for people who weren’t aware of what was going on. We also joked how every single man in the city who wants to find a girl who is healthy and active should have been there!

The Mini 10K is part of the NYRR pro series, so toeing the line along with local elites were pro runners including Mamitu Daska (who won in 31:47), Stephanie Rothstein Bruce, and Desiree Davila.

The first few miles are run up Central Park West, in front of some of the most expensive real estate in the city. I’m sure the people living in those apartments were thrilled to wake up to us running by! Pretty quick after the start we realized how humid it was. Pretty cool but really sticky. We had the whole road so it wasn’t too crowded at first, but tightened up quite a bit once we turned into the park. The hills didn’t start till we made it into the park, and not long after we were starting up the Harlem Hills. I haven’t spent any time up there for many, many months, but they are ingrained in my memory so I knew a bit of what to expect. We pushed up the hill and it was pretty quiet. Seems to go on forever and I was a bit worried about the wet roadway. Once we got to the top, I congratulated Grace and the other runners, but it was for me too. I made it to the top and was feeling pretty good!

We continued on for several miles, taking a beautiful tour of the park. I wish I could have captured the beautiful bright green of the leaves in the trees, fresh off the rain. The sum came out every once in a while but for the most part it was a little cloudy, which was perfectly fine with me. The crowds really picked up as we came down Cat Hill (thank god we didn’t have to climb that one!) and a lot of local teams were out cheering on their teammates. It was just what was needed to get through the last few miles.

Grace and I stayed together pretty much the whole race, which I thought was impressive considering we took advantage of a couple water stops! We came around the south end of the park and knew we were almost to the finish. The thing I don’t like about finishing at Tavern on the Green – for the marathon or any weekly race – is the fact that you have to finish with a pretty decent uphill, which is not really the best way to finish a race if you ask me!

I heard my name as we entered the finish chute and Abby was off to the side cheering for us! It was great to see a teammate there and helping us to the finish.

We crossed the finish line together and it was awesome! I couldn’t have asked for a better last race. We got our medals and flowers and headed to grab some much needed water before meeting up with the birds again for one more picture. This time Robin joined us! I just love being a part of the Oiselle team and can’t wait to meet the women out in Colorado.

Some post-race smiles

And that’s it. My last race as a New Yorker. I am so lucky and grateful to have found my love for running while living here and I can’t wait to come back and run again!

Later in the day…

It seems a lot of things on our ‘to-do’ list before we move revolves around food. I’m not sure how that happened but two things on our list for this weekend was the Union Square Farmer’s Market and the Big Apple BBQ. All sorts of deliciousness.

How did you spend your weekend? Do you have a favorite race?

Race Report: Japan Run (4M)

So yeah, this is a bit overdue. The past week has been a bit hectic and draining. I did not run the Brooklyn Half Marathon today like thousands of New Yorkers, but I want to say a big congratulations to those who did, like Grace & April!!

Last Sunday I ran the Japan Run, an annual four mile New York Road Runners race in Central Park that I’ve run several times but not in the last few years. I’ve been picking my races carefully this year, and this was my second race of the year – the first being this very cold one. I woke up to rain, so I put a few extra items in my bag and headed up to Central Park. The start line of this race has moved down to near East 68th Street from 102nd when I last ran it, which I much prefer since we were able to tackle Cat Hill very early on.

Since Boston, NYRR has instituted several new procedures – runners can only check clear plastic bags that are provided by NYRR, security checks at the porta-potties – and expected that it would take a bit more time to get through it all, but it actually wasn’t bad. Plus, I found out that if I fold it up and put it in the clear plastic bag, that I can still use my incredibly awesome Oiselle spike bag.

I found shelter from the light rain for a bit under a bridge with a ton of other runners then headed to the corral about 15 minutes before the race starts. I never quite understand why they close the corrals 10 minutes before the start (although usually you can find a place to sneak in). As we were getting the race instructions, the clouds started to part and the sun came out in full force. I had been a little worried about my wardrobe choice when it was damp and chilly but then thankful that I went with just my Oiselle singlet and distance shorts by the time I hit the top of Cat Hill!

I started a bit conservatively this time but each time I knocked off another hill my confidence rose a little and my speed crept up just a tad. While there were thousands of people running, for some reason it didn’t seem as crowded and hectic at the start and throughout as it usually does. While I don’t run in the park as often as I used to, I still know it very well which is always helpful when running a race. It’s good to know what’s ahead so you can adjust your speed or plan depending on how you’re feeling and how the race is going.

There were a ton of people out for this race – many of whom had run the UAE 10K the day before and many who were planning to run the Brooklyn Half today. It turned out to be a really beautiful mother’s day and a great race! While not my fastest time, I’m still happy with how I did and ready to tackle my next two races that are coming up quickly!

Apparently I had some trouble getting my number on straight that morning!

There was a pretty big post-race festival along the Mall but I decided to head out and walk down to Times Square to pick up the subway since it was a beautiful day and still pretty early. Usually I’d rather be just about anywhere except Times Square, but I’ve been finding myself there more often lately for one reason or another. This time, for some reason, I felt the need to stop and get a picture.

Next race up is May 30th – AHA Wall Street Run (in my ‘hood!) – then the NYRR Oakley Mini 10K on June 8th!

Are you racing this weekend or have one coming up?

Race Report: NYCRuns Riverside Park Hot Chocolate 5K

A while ago I convinced Woody to run the NYCRuns Riverside Park Hot Chocolate 5K with me, knowing full well that it would likely be cold and he would likely finish way before me.

I was right on the second one but had no idea how right I’d be on the first one! We woke up yesterday to 19’ temps and 8’ wind chills. Brrrr! I haven’t spent much time running in the cold this year and definitely not in cold like this.

We bundled up and headed uptown, getting there a bit earlier than we expected so we took refuge in a Starbucks for a few minutes where several other runners had decided to do the same thing!

This was my first time running a NYCRuns race, although I have volunteered for a few and was able to get a free race entry for this one because of my volunteer credits!

When we got to the start there were a lot of people milling about all bundled up trying to stay warm. In usual fashion, we dropped our bags at the baggage corral where a smiling volunteer was helping to organize all the bags and random coats.

The race started without much fanfare and we were off just after 9am. Woody went ahead and all 525 of us navigated a small pathway. I don’t know this park at all and I didn’t know to expect a rather long and steep hill within the first half mile. Nice. I kept a really good pace at the start but the cold was pretty bitter and breathing the frigid air was tough.

Throughout the race breathing was my problem. How my sinuses will decide to function during a race is always a mystery but I knew going into this one, because of the low temps, breathing wasn’t going to be too easy. I was right but I tried not to think of it much, rather focus on the course I’d never run before, making sure I didn’t take the wrong turn, and keeping a relatively good pace. There were a few loops and when we were down right along the Hudson River, Woody passed me going the other way and I gave him a cheer. We were lucky to see each other because he was taking a turn and we could have easily missed each other. After the turnaround, and somewhere around mile 2 I was heading up another really steep hill and I had to slow to a walk just as I was hitting the top of the hill and saw Woody on another loop back. He could tell it wasn’t going well and gave me a cheer of encouragement. I didn’t even think about walking, it just happened. I slowed down for less than a minute till I could breathe again then didn’t walk again till I had crossed the finish line.

There were some great volunteers along the entire route that kept people on course and provided encouragement. They were so awesome for coming out to volunteer on such a cold day! I think I was able to squeak out ‘thank you!’ to just about all of them. The race would not have gone as smoothly without them.

I finally made it to the finish line (downhill to the end rather than an uphill like many NYRR races) and walked around a bit as I tried desperately to catch my breath. It was very, very cold but by the first mile mark my core was pretty warm. Fingers and toes were not though! There was a great mix of people running, including a few little kids. Not much in the way of spectators but that’s to be expected on such a cold day. A great touch at the end was the post-race food. There were apples, bagels – even peanut butter – and frozen water, but also strawberries and as the race name would imply, hot chocolate!

Woody and I posed for a post-race photo before we bundled up and headed out.

It’s safe to say I wasn’t happy with my finish time (29:28) but I learned that I just need to avoid races in such cold weather. My tip to all of you today, is that if you ever have to have sinus surgery – and I sincerely hope that you don’t - make sure you have a real conversation with your ENT to find out exactly how it will affect the rest of your life. It’s not as simple as some of them might like to make it out to be.

Post-race we headed to Trader Joe’s then home. Since we only got in a 5k run we decided to hit the gym. I spent some time on the elliptical and the rowing machine then did some core work and a lot of serious stretching. While not my best race, it was a fun race and great to see so many people braving the cold! I hope to run a few more NYCRuns races in the future!

Oh, in case you’re wondering, Woody finished in 24:27. He’s speedy.

• How cold is too cold for you to run?
• What helps you to get through a cold weather run?
• Are you watching the Super Bowl tonight? Do you watch for the game or the commercials?

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Today’s workout -

• 65min elliptical
• 25min stationary bike
• 3x12 lat pull down
• 3x10 hammer curl
• 3x10 upright row
• ab exercises
• stretching