Route 66 Half Marathon Race Recap

Hello, hello!!

 

Happy Turkey-Eve!! Woohoo!!  I'm looking forward to seeing my family later this week and spending some quality time (shopping) with my husband!! 

 

But first, let me recap the Tulsa Route 66 half marathon for you. My race weekend started Friday with volunteering at the expo. I only had a 2 hour shift at the Fanzone, where individuals could make signs for their favorite runners. The expo wasn't really very busy at this time, so not many signs were made during my time there. After I finished my shift, I picked up my packet and wandered around to see if there was any new gear that I needed. I really didn't find too many goodies, but I got some really cute shirts for my nieces from my friend, Jessica with Cheerbaby She has some really cute stuff!!  I also ran into the lovely race directors from the Little Rock Marathon. They are so much fun!!  I told them that the 2014 Little Rock half marathon was a horrible disaster for me. They promised me some "happy" in my email and talked me into running it again in 2015. I couldn't really say no because it is pirate themed!!

 

Sunday morning, I woke up 2.5 hours early and couldn't really go back to sleep. I was really very excited about this race. It is one of my favorites and it was the first half I had done in 8 months. I suppose I was a little anxious too. I had my race dummy already laid out. One last check of the weather to make sure my clothes were going to be appropriate and I started getting ready. We got to Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa in time for the group photo and then made our way down to the starting line for the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics photo. After that, we found my corral. I made one last pit stop and got in the corral. I wasn't freaking out like I was last year. 2013 it was below freezing and I couldn't feel my fingers! This year, it was in the high 50's, 95% humidity, with light winds. Now, in Oklahoma, the wind also comes sweeping down the plain and this was the case Sunday morning. I opted to keep my lightweight jacket with me but that lasted for about 2 minutes. I took it off and stuffed it in my hydration pack.

 

 

Now, I'm no stranger to Tulsa streets and the lay of the land in Tulsa. I've trained here long enough to know that there are hills!!  I was expecting that and we had run a mock up of the course a couple weeks prior to the race, so I was feeling good at this point. I met a couple of Marathon Maniacs from Arkansas at about mile 1.5 and ran off/on most of the race with them. I loved the course this year because it took us through more neighborhoods rather than on Riverside Drive. The weather was perfect in my opinion and the course support in the neighborhoods was amazing!! 

 

My previous finish time for this race is 2:23, set last year in the freezing cold.  I was hoping to finish a little better then that this year,  so I had my sights set on the 2:20 pace group. I finally caught up with them somewhere near  Peoria Avenue. I ran with them for a couple of miles,  but around mile 8, I got a sharp pain in my side that almost stopped me dead in my tracks.  I slowed down a little bit until the pain passed. I could have tried to catch up to them, but I knew I would need some gas for the hills at the end, so I continued at this pace. We were now on Cincinnati Ave, where I knew my friend, Lisa had an "unofficial" water stop. They were calling it #cheersoncincinnati They had beer and jello shots as well as photo ops, cow bells, horns, and other various revelry. I was happy to see familiar faces and stopped briefly for a jello shot.

 

We finally made it to Riverside Drive at about mile 10. This flat portion of the course was a welcomed reprieve from the hills that we had done and the hills that were yet to come. We went south on Southwest Boulevard briefly before we headed up "Hospital Hill" I've run this numerous times on training runs and it is a pretty daunting hill. I walked about halfway up it then ran the rest of the way. I took a short walk break at the top, then took advantage of the downhill in front of the convention center. This was about mile 12 and I was feeling pretty tired at this point. Even though we train on these hills routinely, they were kicking my butt!!  I started walking up the hills and running the downhills at this point. We went under the train bridge on Denver and turned east through the Brady district. At this point, the male winner of the half marathon passed us. I was so happy when we turned east on the final stretch and I could finally see the finish line. I was tired but I used what little bit of gas I had left to finish strong!

 

I quickly collected my medal and made my way through the throng of other finishers. I collected some fruit and KIND bars and tried to find my husband. After I connected with him, we went to the Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics tent briefly but I wanted real food. We headed to McNellies for grub. After getting my belly full, we cheered for the 5-6 hour marathoners for a little while. The sun had come out and it was now in the mid 60's. It was evident that the heat was affecting some of them. I wanted to stay and watch for my Arkansas friends, but I had no idea where they were and assumed that they had finished. I was tired, ready for hot tea, a hot bath and a nap, so we headed home. I found out later, that my Arkansas friends were still on the course and I could have watched them finish, but I was wiped out! I took a 2 hour nap when we got home!!

 

 

The Route 66 was my first half marathon in 2011. This was the 4th time I've run it and it was probably my favorite Route 66 run thus far. I finished at 2:24, so no PR for me this time. But it was still a decent finish time and I had a lot of fun, so that's what really matters.

 

My race calendar for 2015 is filling up quickly!! Pathways starts again in December. This will be the first time for a winter Pathways session and I'm moving up a pace group, so that is exciting!

 

I ran a few recovery miles last night with friends. My legs are still tired!!  Then I came home and did Body Beast Bulk Shoulders. It was all I could do to finish that!!  Tonight is Bulk Chest, tomorrow I'll run 3-3.5 miles before turkey-geddon! Friday will be Bulk Back. Saturday I'm planning a 6 mile run then Bulk Arms and Bulk Shoulders again on Sunday. Monday, we rest! Sheesh.....that's a busy week!!  Additionally, I'll try to squeeze in some Black Friday shopping and holiday decorating!

 

I've got something exciting up my sleeve for next week. We'll talk about that later!

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do tonight, make it ridiculously amazing!!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

Do you have a favorite race/run??

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Will you Back Friday shop??

 

Fitness Friday

Howdy y'all!!  Happy Friday!!

Whew, it's been a busy week!!  I worked in the office with the boss all week, so I had to be on my best behavior which meant limited time on my phone.....no FB, IG, or blog posting from work. I started out the week way far behind and felt relatively caught up when I left yesterday. I hope the co-worker that I was covering for appreciates my efforts!! I haven't been able to start my 3 12 hour day work schedule yet due to some unexpected personnel changes at work, but I am thankful that I have a boss who is flexible and has allowed me PTO time on Sunday so that I can run my half marathon!!

After work last night, I met my Pathways group for our last run before the Route 66 half marathon. It was an easy, flat 3 mile run. It was a little bit chilly but everyone was in a really good mood, relaxed and laid back! I think we're all ready to #rocktheroute despite a 40% chance of rain! At least it should be warmer than it was last year. That was just miserable!!

Today is technically a rest day for me, but I just couldn't sit still. I started my day with P90 Ab RipperX and TurboFire Stretch 10. It was a great way to start the day! I'm seeing great changes with the Body Beast program but my core is still pretty weak, so I think I need to do a little more concentrated core work from time to time. And stretching is always good to help relieve some of the DOMS that I have from lifting. I'm really excited about the changes I'm seeing so far and I can't wait to see what I can accomplish.

Typically, after the fall season of  Pathways, we take a break until the spring session, which starts in January. But, they've changed things up this year and we are having a winter session which starts in December. I was looking forward to some time off to concentrate on weight training but I'm excited about this new direction Pathways is going as I've got a pretty full race schedule too!! So far, I'm planning to do the Hot Chocolate 15k in St. Louis 12/2014, Fleet Feet Sports Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k 01/2015, Rock and Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 01/2015, Fleet Feet Sports Sweetheart Run 15k 02/2015, Go Girl Run Half Marathon 03/2015 and that is just the beginning!!

I found this bad boy on clearance sale at Target the other day!

I've wanted a kettle bell for some time now. I used it for upright rows the other day and it was awesome! I can't wait to use it for goblet squats, etc. I'll be perusing Pinterest and the interwebs now looking for kettlebell exercises!!

I followed up my workout with a protein shake this morning and this delicious treat from KIND snacks

 I was intrigued when they introduced these savory bars. I've been wanting to try them and I'm absolutely IN LOVE!!  They all have 10 grams of protein. I think the jalapeno is my favorite but I haven't tried the Thai chili or the smokey BBQ yet. KIND snacks is supposed to be at the Route 66 Marathon Expo this year, so maybe they'll have samples.And, speaking of the expo, I'm working it this morning, so I guess I better go get ready. Have a fabulous Friday #fitfam and a wonderful weekend!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!  Whatever you decide to do today, make it count!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are you planning to do this weekend??
Have you ever worked out with kettlebells??

Thursday Thoughts

Howdy, Howdy y'all!!

I've missed you!!

Its been a crazy busy hectic week, but it's almost over. This is my Friday!!  WOOHOO!!

This weekend is going to be a crazy, busy exciting weekend! And I CAN NOT WAIT!!  It's Route 66 Marathon and Half Marathon weekend. I'm running the half again this year. It was my first half and this will be the 4th time for me to run it. It will be my #13 half marathon.....lucky 13!!  I'm really excited about it this time. I don't really have a goal time in mind (a 2:20 PR would be nice though) It might be a little bit wet, but at least it should be warmer than it was last year!!  I've perfected my running nutrition. I've recently switched to Humagels. These things are amazing!!  They don't have the disgusting texture that most other gels have. And, I've also started carrying a mix of gummy bears/Skittles for a quick burst of energy. I've tweaked my playlist and I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm going to wear. Even if I set my race dummy out the night before, it is always subject to change based on the weather or if my mood changes, etc,

I think that I might have hubs interested in running/walking again. He hasn't really done much since his knee surgery last year. I think he misses it. Last weekend, I took him with me for our last training run. He was going to walk the park while we did our 8 miles, but we talked him into joining us for 1-2 miles, then he turned around and went back to the store to wait for us to finish. He was really pleased with himself. I've got to encourage him to keep moving, so I'm signing him up for a 5k next month. My friends want to go back to St Louis to run the Hot Chocolate 15k. I told hubs that he might as well do the 5k while he is waiting for us to finish. The cool thing is the 15k and the 5k follow the same course for the first couple of miles, so he'll get to be with me.....well, for a little while anyways!

We're still on the Body Beast bulk phase right now. I've noticed changes in my ability to lift heavier and I'm seeing that I'm building some muscle. I'm still not seeing as much change in my stomach as I would like to see and I'm trying not to eat so much crap but clearly, something isn't working. So, after next week, I'm going to try the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I'm not really a fan of cleanses, but I need to do something to help reset my diet and nutrition. I'm hoping with the holidays coming up, that it will help me to clean up my diet even more and resist all the damn holiday treats!! 

Ok, so that's all I've got for now! Here are a couple of  #TBT pics from the 2012 and 2013 #rt66run. And, Happy National Hug a Runner Day!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Updates

Howdy, howdy y'all!

 

It's been a while! I really miss being able to connect with everyone on a daily basis. 

 

Let me bring you up to speed on what I've been up to lately. Immediately after I agreed to the schedule changes I mentioned previously,  one of my co-workers went on medical leave and has subsequently resigned. With me working only  Sunday -  Tuesday,  that left our department short staffed on weekdays.  So,  my boss asked if I would stay on I hour shifts through the holidays.  She plans to have an additional staff member hired and trained by then. Since I have the luxury of being a little flexible,  I  agreed.  It makes it difficult for me to keep up with daily posts,  but I'll try to do my best to post more frequently.

 

Since my last posting,  my Pathways group has compete their goal race,  the  Tulsa Run 15k. Race day was an unusually warm day for October.  The forecasted big temperature was in the  high 80's -  90 degrees!  I knew that was going to be a challenge.  I chose to use my Nathan minimist hydration vest as there were water so issues last year.  We met so a group at  Fleet Feet  Sports Tulsa for photos then made our way to the start line.  I planned to try to beat my previous 15 PR time of  1:45.  I helped my runners find the appropriate place groups for them,  then  I went in search of the 1:40 pacer.  I found  her and decided to start behind her but in front of the  1:45 pacer.  As the gun sounded,  I immediately regretted not stopping for a Porta potty one last time.  We weren't even a mile into the race and is already drenched in sweat.  I passed up the  McDonald's and a Panera Bread store hoping the urge to use the rest room would pass.  It did not.  By mile 4, I caught up to the  1:40 pacer.  I was keeping pace with them just fine,  but I couldn't wait for the rest room any longer.  I had to stop at mile  4.5 for the porta let. After about a 3 minute  delay,  I wood and running again.  I lost the 1:40 pacer but was still ahead of the 1:45 pace group.  I managed this page until about mile 7 when we were in direct sun.  There was no shade or breeze.  The heat was wearing me down.  I walked most of mile 8. Somewhere around this time,  I spotted the  1:45 pacer.  I kept thinking that if I could stay just ahead of him,  I would still PR.  We leap frogged from mile 8 to  mile  9. Finally,  at mile 9, I decided this just wasn't my day and changed my focus to just finishing.  I felt tired  and didn't really have anything left in the tank.  I finished with an official time of 1:46 but   by my  Garmin my finish time  was 1:43. I was OK with this.  There was no water at the finish,  which was  a big problem as over heating and dehydration were real concerns that day.  I probably will not run the  Tulsa Run again,  but I'm glad that I had this experience.

 

Now that they've completed their goal race, some have decided to continue training for the Route 66 half marathon, which is now 2 weeks away. We extended the training/coaching for those who wanted to go on. This is the second year that I've coached the "Path to Half" training. Our last long run before the half marathon was this past Saturday. I was nervous as it was the longest run for me in 8 months. The weather was a little bit cool to start with a strong breeze but it turned out to be a beautiful day. And, it was the best run I've had in quite some time!!  We did 12.5 miles in about 2:40. They were worried about finishing under 3 hours, but I don't think that will be a problem for them. I think that 2:45 is more realistic and completely doable. We tried to run most of the race route so that they would know what to expect. It's going to be a very hilly course!!  I'm excited that we won't be on the flat of Riverside Drive as long as we usually are. I don't know why exactly, but that's always the hardest part for me. I still haven't committed to the race yet. I'm reluctant to sign up and pay $90 because the weather was so bad last year and its looking like a repeat of that again this year. I think that I'll give it 1 more day before I fully commit. ;-)

 

Hubs and I are still doing the Body Beast program. We're in the bulk phase now. I'm still enjoying it. I think that I'm going to have to start increasing my weights if I want to see more growth.

 

And, as always, I'm still struggling to clean my diet up. My issue is sweet treats. I wish I could just say no, but I love them too much!!  I'm going to try to really back off on the sugar intake this week and if that doesn't work, then I'm going to do a cleanse/sugar detox the week after Thanksgiving. I'll keep you updated.

 

So, that's what's up lately. I'll try to check in at least 1-2 more times this week. Hopefully, I can get back to regular posts soon.

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, make it ridiculously amazing!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa