Catching Up

Howdy, howdy y’all! I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ve been meaning to pop in here more often but I’ve been so busy that this is the first opportunity I’ve had to update in quite a while.

 

March was a busy running month for me. I logged 85+ miles, the highest 1 month mileage for me since I started running and I ran 3 half marathons. You would think that would have been a big enough challenge for me, but nope. I wasn’t satisfied. I was fairly certain that I had more in me, so I set out to prove to myself that I did.

 

I’m a member of a group called the Half Fanatics. Toward the end of March, I started looking at the membership criteria to see what it would take to move me up to another level. I tried every way that I could to make the half marathons I had already done count but I couldn’t get it to add up. They were just too far apart. One thing became apparent to me, I would have to run more! So, I made a plan and signed up for not just 1 more, but 3 more half marathons!!  If I did 3 in 3 states in 10 (or less days) I would move up to Mars level. So, that is precisely what I did!!  I ran the Garmin Half Marathon in Olathe, KS on Saturday, April 18. It was rainy and I was hurting badly from a trip/near fall over a parking block so I was surprised by my finish time of 2:24. I got a post race massage, took an ice bath (as advised by the pacer I ran w/ for a while) then a hot shower.

 

After food and Advil, we loaded up and headed for Springfield, MO where I ran the Go Girl Half Marathon on Sunday, April 19. Yep, that’s right….I did 2 halfs back to back!!  I was slower on the second race, finish time was 2:27 but that’s ok. I wasn’t really running for time. I was running in honor of my friend, Crystal who was still recovering from a brain aneurysm (that’s another story).

 

 

 

I didn’t do too much running during the next week as I had one more to go. I focused more on recovery: stretching, yoga, rolling, etc. that week and just ran a couple short maintenance runs. On Saturday, April 25, I ran the Tulsa Golden Driller Half Marathon. This was an inaugural run. It was rather warm and humid that day plus I was tired. It was not my best race ever but this was definitely not about finish time, it was just about finishing upright. And I did in 2:30. I had done it!!  3 half marathons in 3 states in 8 days!!  I moved up to the Mars level as a Half Fanatic.

 

 

 

I am very proud of this accomplishment because exactly one year ago, I was struggling to find my running mojo again. I learned some valuable lessons along the way. This was about endurance. This was about setting a goal and doing whatever needed to be done to achieve it. It was about finishing what I started. And I did it!!  I proved to myself that I’m capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to. I tell my runners this all the time, but now I’ve got the personal experience to back it up. I’ve already got my sights set on my next goal, but that’s also another story…..

 

Since then, I’ve taken a break from runner to rest and heal up a little bit. I was pretty beat up after all those miles. My IT band was starting to be a little bit irritated because I’ve slacked off of strength training pretty badly. For the past 3 weeks, I’ve been focusing on cleaning up my diet and strength training.

 

My diet was way out of control again! I was eating treats and candy like there was no tomorrow plus drinking too much sweet tea. On Monday, April 27, I did the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I did it once before and swore that I would never do it again, but I was desperate and had to take drastic measures. I was surprised that it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first time I did it. I didn’t lose lots of weight or inches, but I did succeed in controlling my sugar intake. I am feeling much better, less bloating and stomach upset without all the processed sugars. My clothes seem to be fitting better and I think I look better so that’s a win as far as I’m concerned! I’ve still got some work to do to cut out all of the mindless binging in the evenings after work but that’s drastically improved as well.

And I’ve picked up the weights again. I don’t really get as much of a rush from strength training as I do from running but I know it is a necessary evil and I do like the changes I see in my body. I feel stronger, have more energy in general and am less prone to running injury. Plus I know it increases my running endurance. Pathways summer session starts next week. I’m moving up to coach a faster pace group but I intend to keep the strength training up on my non-running days. I’ve even got a couple new workouts to share with you on Workout Wednesdays.

 

Another change that has taken place is a change in my work assignment. YAY!!  I can NOT express how happy this makes me!!  I won’t bore you with all the gory details, but suffice to say that I’m in a less toxic environment and have a much better work/life balance now!! WOOHOO!!

 

So, that’s a brief update for now. I’ll try to do a much better job of keeping you posted on the goings-on in my daily life once again. I’ve missed blogging on a regular basis and hope to get back to it at least 1-2 times weekly. So, until next time—get up, get out, and get moving.

Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

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??

 

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

Run for the Ranch Race Recap

Good morning folks!

Here we go again!

This past Saturday, I ran the Run for the Ranch half marathon. It was in Springfield, Missouri. It's only about a 3.5 hour drive from home. It was an uneventful drive. We arrived early enough Friday night to get checked in, get all my running gear ready, do a little pre race yoga, and get some rest.

I woke up before the alarm went off on Saturday morning with a good case of the jitters. I got ready and kept trying to tell myself not to worry, this wasn't my first rodeo. We ate breakfast then headed for the race. I got us a little bit lost on the way there and almost went into panic, meltdown mode but we found our way and all was well again. We arrived in time for the Half Fanatics pre race photo

I met up with my friend Mel  She was running her first marathon. She was scheduled to run the St. Jude's Marathon earlier this month, but it was cancelled due to extreme weather.

The horn sounded promptly at 10am and we were off! Mel is much faster than me so I quickly lost her in the crowd. I had a goal time of 2:30. I was trying to run this as a training run rather than racing it. I was planning to just jam out and run. I settled into a fairly comfortable pace and tried to enjoy the scenery. This was a flat, 3.2-ish mile loop that I had to run 4 times, through the neighborhoods of Springfield.

It was about 35 degrees when we started but I warmed up quickly. I took my gloves off hoping to hand them off to my husband after the first loop. I didn't see him on the first time around. Somewhere around mile 4, a random runner passed me and said "you have a very good running form and you run like a machine" That was a much welcomed compliment at that time! I saw my husband on the second time around and told him that I was starting to hurt in my left hip. I handed him my gloves and told him I was halfway done. I was really glad to see him!

The looping course wasn't too bad the first couple of times around but it did start to get a little bit redundant. It was getting increasingly difficult to focus on my surroundings and ignore the pain in my hip. I stretched a little bit here and there. And I allowed myself to take walk intervals when needed. The last 2 loops were more mentally challenging than anything else. I just kept plugging along. I finished at exactly 2:30.

All in all, this was a good race! It was small but well organized. There were about 400 runner in the half and the full with about 26 states represented! The weather was amazing! I was worried about being overdressed. I did get a little warm toward the end. I probably would have been ok in shorts. There was only one water stop but the way the course was set up, you passed it going out and coming back. There was plenty of water and gatorade plus they had energy gels too. There were quite a few spectators out on the course. The volunteers were great! The medal was pretty cool. And the post race meal included pizza and homemade cookies that were yummo! The only thing I found odd was the course was open to traffic but there were several volunteers helping with traffic control do cars weren't too much of an issue. It did help to keep the overall cost down so we got more bang for our buck. I enjoyed the run overall. I would do it again and would highly recommend it.

 After a hot shower, I made up for lost calories with chips, salsa, guacamole and amazing Mexican food at Carlos Okellys. I could have gone into a coma after all that food! We opted to do a little shopping and let our food settle before we made the drive home.

 Yesterday was a rest day for me. It was cold and gloomy outside, so I was glad to stay in. I chose to do a little active recovery with my foam roller, favorite yoga DVD and compression socks. The hip feels better but I'm going to try to take it a little bit easier this week. I'm going to resume my cross training too.

 Until next time...... Have a great Monday!

2013--A Running Year in Review

Good morning folks! Merry Christmas Eve!!


I can't believe that tomorrow is Christmas and that this year is almost over!!  Time sure flies when you're having fun!!

I'm going to do a quick recap of my year, runner style!

I didn't have any major race plans at the beginning of 2013. As a matter of fact, all I wanted was to be able to run without pain! I was nursing an IT band injury and wasn't sure if I would ever really be able to run again! I pushed my body pretty hard the previous year and wasn't taking care of it properly. My primary goal for 2013 was to cross train on a regular basis. I would say that I was 50% on that goal. I've slacked off the past couple of months and that has got to change effective immediately because I've got BIG goals for 2014, but that's another post ;)

Here's what I did running/racing wise in 2013:

January--Go Short, Go Long 5k, 37:13 I went short just hoping to run it without any pain. Not so much :/ I got it done, but my IT band was bothering me, especially afterwards.

February--Sweetheart Run 10k, 1:13 This was right around the time that I started seeing the chiropractor for the IT band and was on my way to being mended.

April--Jenks Aquarium 10k, 1:14 Graduation run for the spring session of Pathways; no IT band issues

April--Camp Barnabas Half Marathon, 2:28 first half marathon since December; I wasn't sure if I could do it, I was scared the IT band would flare up again but I'm proud to report that I ran the whole thing with no major problems!!

April--OKC Memorial Marathon Relay, 1:18 I ran the 3rd leg of the relay (7.5 miles) through a neighborhood that I spent a great deal of time in as a kid, no IT band issues, really enjoyed the run!

May--Cinco De Mayo 5k, 31:51 This is one of my favorite runs ever!

May--Full Moon 5k, 31:48 Another one of my favorite runs! The course is fast and flat. I was really hoping for a sub 30 5k but it was way too hot and humid!

June--Stronger 5k, 31:39 Good, flat course with proceeds going to the May tornado victims. Still hoping for a sub 30 5k

July--Bedlam 10k, 1:11 Graduation run for summer session of Pathways; not as hot and humid as the past 2 years, but hot/humid enough!

September--Quarter Marathon, 1:19 paced the fall Pathwayers

October--Tulsa Run 15k, 1:49 graduation run for the fall session of Pathways

November--Williams Route 66 Half Marathon, 2:28 cold and miserable, I didn't feel prepared for the cold

December--Hot Chocolate 15k, 1:45 another cold run but I felt better prepared for this one, one of my favorite runs this year.

So, I've done 13 races in 2013, so far. I'm doing the Run for the Ranch Half Marathon in Springfield this Saturday so my total race tally for 2013 will be 14 races, not too bad considering that I wasn't sure I would run any at the beginning of the year!

My plans for 2014 include the Go Short, Go Long 25k in January, the Sweetheart Run Double (5k and 10k) in February and the Little Rock Marathon in March.

What does your "running year in review" look like?
What are your plans for 2014??

Hot Chocolate 15k Race Recap

Good morning folks!!

This past weekend, I travelled with my husband and a couple of friends, Rozdi and Kelly, to St. Louis for the Hot Chocolate 15k.

We left Friday night after work. St Louis is about a 6 hour drive from Tulsa. The forecast was calling for sleet and snow, so we were hoping to beat the weather. And we would have too if it hadn't been for a serious accident on the highway. We had to wait in traffic for about 30-45 minutes to get past the wreck. We were about an hour away from St. Louis when it started to snow. The snow was making Kelly very nervous, but we arrived safely without any problems. Rozdi was starting to feel bad with cold type symptoms but the time we arrived.

We awoke to a winter wonderland Saturday morning. About 3-4 inches of snow had fallen over night. I kept waiting for the race to be called off. But the snow was a wet snow and it started melting pretty quickly. We ate brunch at a local café called Benton Street Café. The food was very good!

Then we went to the expo for packet pickup.

We got our bibs and shopped the expo a little bit, did a little sight seeing at the Union Street Station, which used to be the train station and now houses the Doubletree Hotel. The streets were in pretty good shape so we drove around a bit to see some more sights.

We got a good look at the arch and the Mississippi River but it was really too cold and wet to do much more exploring. We went back to the hotel for naps. Later, we went to dinner then back to the hotel to prepare our race gear.

They were predicting temperatures around 5 degrees with a wind chill of -22 at the start! Many 15k runners had been diverted to the 5k based on projected finish time. I was a little bit concerned about having enough layers. But, on the other hand, I actually felt more prepared for this run than I did for the Route 66 half a few weeks ago.

I woke up Sunday morning at 5am with a bad headache!! GREAT! Not what one wants to deal with on race day! I stumbled around and got some advil, which took care of it quickly. I got dressed and met my friends. Our hotel was about 7 or 8 blocks from the start, so we decided to walk. My weather app showed the air temp at 23 degrees. My friends were worried about the cold, but I felt prepared. We made a pit stop at Union Street Station for a restroom then we made our way to gear check. My husband was going to hold my bag, but due to the ice and his recent knee surgery, we decided it would be safest if he waited at the hotel for us. After we checked out gear, we headed toward our starting corral. I was in D, my friends were in E. Right beside our corrals, there was a school bus with the engine running. At first, I thought it was a shuttle bus, but there was a sign on the window that said "warming bus". That was a really cool idea and welcomed relief! Rozdi and I waited on the bus, Kelly didn't want to get too hot. At 7:20, we went to our corrals. I almost felt like I should have made 1 more stop at the portalet, but decided not too. I'll regret that decision later!! 

It was cold in the corral, but the sun was up and the 10 minutes passed quickly. The gun went off promptly at 7:30. I was in the second wave, so I didn't start until about 7:35. The course ran right past our hotel, so I got to see my husband which was nice! My calves were tight for about the first 3 miles. At mile 2.8, the 5k and 15k runners split. I was starting to regret not going to the portalet one last time and thought for a second about switching to the 5k but I knew I would regret that decision even more! I held out until about mile 4.5 when I couldn't wait any longer. I've never stopped at a porta john on the race course but I had no choice. I couldn't have made it 4.5 more miles. That little stop cost me about 3 minutes wait time and a few extra seconds to get all the layers tucked back in a straight. I was much more comfortable after that stop!!  I stopped for a couple of quick pictures but those only took a few seconds. I felt like I was making pretty good time.

 At about mile 6, I started running with a local lady named Linda. I really enjoyed the company, especially up the hill at mile 6.5! We leap frogged back and forth for the last 3 miles. At mile 8, I was feeling a little tired, because I had been running a little bit faster than I originally planned. I told Linda to go ahead, I wanted to walk for a few seconds. I walked about 30 seconds and I felt good to go again. I turned east on Chestnut street and ran toward the finish. When I crossed the line, I noticed Linda right in front of me. I thanked her for running with me and stopped my watch. When I saw my Garmin time, I was quite surprised. I had run 9.3 miles in 1:41 minutes. My official time was 1:45, but I had stopped my watch for the potty stop and the photo ops! Either way, this was a PR for me. I collected my finishers mug which had a cup of hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and cookies, marshmallows, pretzels, bananas, etc to dip in it.

 I was getting cold after slowing down, so I made my way to Union Station to wait for my friends. They were not too far behind me. We waited in the warmth there for my husband to come pick up.

After hot showers at the hotel, we packed up our stuff for the trip home. Our next mission was lunch. Rozdi had been wanting pizza. We happened to find a local restaurant called Imo's Pizza. We decided to take a chance. They had $5 lunch specials, so we could all get our own individual pizzas. The food was delicious.

All in all, I really enjoyed this run! It was very well organized. I have to commend the city of St Louis. There were a few icy spots but for the most part, the roads/race course was clear. The course was scenic. I would recommend this race and would consider running it again!

Bedlam Run 10k Race Recap

Good morning y'all! Happy Monday!

Last Saturday morning was the Bedlam Run 10k.   Here in Oklahoma, there is a strong rivalry between the state universities: Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma. The annual game is known as Bedlam, hence the name.

This is the 3rd year I've run this race and it has always been one of my least favorites. The past 2 summers have been the hottest on record here in Oklahoma, so it has always been miserably hot and humid. This race offers a 5k and a 10k. It starts at Fleet Feet Sports in downtown Tulsa and runs through the Brady Arts district, past the Drillers ball park and turns around at the OSU Tulsa campus. If you do the 10k, you run the course twice, which I think makes it more challenging from a mental aspect.

But, this year was different. It was 64 degrees Saturday morning with 100% humidity. There was a cool breeze though that actually made it feel pretty comfortable. It was the graduation run for the Pathways program that I coach. We met early before the run for a group photo then we divided up into groups to determine our pacing strategy. My group is used to running intervals and they wanted to run intervals Saturday morning. My friend, Rozdi, was doing a 6:1 interval, so most of the group ran with her. I had some jack rabbits who wanted to run a bit faster, so I started out with them. My strategy was to start at our usual pace (12:00) but run until we were tired and felt like we needed to walk. In other words, I was not running a "set" interval. We started out together, but my speedies quickly passed me!! I had a difficult time keeping up with them!!

It was one of those days when everything just clicked and it ended up being a very good run. I finished in 1:10, which is my 10k PR.

It was so much fun to go back out to find my runners and run in with them. They were all amazing!!  I am so privileged to have had the opportunity to work with them this past 12 weeks. Our next session starts August 5 and several of them have signed up again, so I guess I didn't scare them off!!  LOL 

This week, I'm having some dental work done (UGH!) and taking a few vacation days to travel to Iowa to see my grandbabies!!  So, I'm not sure how much running I will be doing. I'll squeeze in what miles I can and of course, I'm on the last couple of weeks of Insanity (finally!).

That's all I've got for now; until next time.....