Tag: #TinkRuns2024

#TinkRuns2024, hustle, inspire

Feeling 26.2

2chicksandapen

The alarm came very early. 4:30am to be exact. An early breakfast. Salmon with rice and a banana. Then off to fun parking by 6:00 am.  Parking lot to start line was about a half mile walk. Even got to visit the pink porta-potty along the way. The day was already an adventure and I didn’t even have coffee nor did the sun rise yet.

The start was full of nerves, positivity and lots of glitter. People watching was so fun. Also traded glitter for bracelets with a fun lady at the start line. Off we went just after 7am. Six girls. 6 different paces. 6 different strategies to complete the marathon. Ages 35-52, and I was the token old chick. I was planning to be last as the oldest but fate had me finish in the the #4 spot for us girls.  I was so content with last but it’s ok I’m not sad about 4th.

The first bridge was awesome! Not the climb but the four women revving their motorcycles and giving high fives to start the race off with a little engine rev. It was so bad ass and the smell of gas fumes was prominently floating in the air. So unexpected but cool.

The next several miles I just jammed to some music and muddled through the miles. There might have even been the scent of weed in some of the parks we shuffled through. I barely looked at my phone during this time so I could conserve battery life. I did take in the scenery. I talked to many people. I cheered on some folks. I watched a few runners with disabilities maneuver the course with their guides. Another cool thing to take in. I was just in awe as a kept on trucking.

We ran through parks. We ran on a college campus and its track. We ran the city streets with cobblestone. We had a drum line play for us. Even got tunes from a Louisiana-style music group. We had acrobats doing a show on the course. I got water from a princess. I swapped high fives with strangers on the down-and-back portion of the course. Just so many amazing memories before the half way point. I almost forgot I was mid-race.

Mile 14.9 I met my friends for pit stop. The roadie crew had a wagon full of items for each runner to replenish. This is where I got my caffeine zap from an Alani drink and a spray down of bio freeze on my calves and butt. It was a recharge station for sure. Conveniently located at the Savannah Bananas stadium so we even had cheerleaders in baseball gear chick was so fun. The nana bananas!

Forrest Gump was on scene to say run, run, run. So many people outside their houses cheering and giving snacks. My favorite was a sweet guy with a bucket of Starbursts for back of the course sugar boost. So thoughtful. I even had a Girl Scout cookie from the sweetest troop of cheerleaders. I almost forgot I ran on the highway. Seemed like it took forever and the pavement was gross. All the little pebbles got in your shoes and it was direct sun beating down on you for what seemed like forever. A first and only time but definitely one to remember.

The highway leg was the scenery for the hardest part of the marathon like miles 18-21 when many participants hit a wall. Funny thing was I felt good. I decided to make that my spirit time. I cheered on those puking over the guard rail. Those taking a break that need that verbal motivation to go another step. It seemed like my purpose work and it definitely made the yucky miles tolerable. I might have slowed my pace some but at this point I knew I was finishing so why not help others feel that same joy.

I came out of this highway from hell experience feeling pretty good about being a few miles from finishing. I went through a water sprinkler to cool off. I saw an enormous pet pig on a leash. Yes, that’s for real. I heard a teen jamming to girls run this world on her DJ table in her front hard while her dad was on the lawn chair cheering. It was awesome to see. I felt like the perfect jam as I ran by. At this point the earlier finishers are walking past you as they return to their cars or homes. The encouragement was so uplifting.

Then the whispers from the sidelines. The guys along the way that almost whisper in your ear. You’re doing something special keep going. You are amazing and strong. Believe in yourself. Think about what you are doing. Many can’t. Celebrate this moment. So many comments like this.

Then the funny signs. The girl with the “I heard it’s long and hard”.:…and her boyfriend’s complementary sign of what she said. Punny! And then there was the “Trump is a rapist” sign. Odd placement but I guess it had an audience. The protestors with signs saying the race sponsor (Milk) was exploiting cows and women! I really enjoyed the funny and motivational ones like “be the runner your dogs believe you are.”

Last water stop. A little time with some pals I ended up meeting at the end of their race. For me it was a solo finish. I pushed on ahead to cross the line alone. A rite of passage so to speak: my race: my pace. My story: my journey. One hundred percent me. I won the day. I’m giving you a glimpse in this recap.

I beat the physical odds.

I overcame mental odds.

I ran tired.

I ran thirsty.

I ran with the biggest blister on the ball of my foot for about three miles. That counts for pain and an awkward gait which just throws off your mojo. I just kept moving. Crossing that finish line was rewarding. A celebration of so much experience. My Rocky triumph shadow photo with .2 miles to go. I still have gas in my tank. Surprise, surprise.

I am now in the 1% club. I completed a marathon. A grueling 26.2 miles on various road textures. Many will never try. Some may try and fail. Others may sign up and never show up. It’s a thing. I heard 1500 didn’t show today. Just crazy to think about.

Going to bed.

Exhausted.

Fulfilled.

Triumphant.

Proud.

I was meant to do this race. 

I was called to tell the world about it.

Wonder what’s next on my bucket list?

#TinkRuns2024

My 2nd Half Marathon

2chicksandapen

November is here. It’s been such a long journey to this point in 2024. A 5-year stint after my first half marathon. A few of the same friends participating. A few new friends added this go around. A few friends even turned into spectators but still are a part of the journey.

I took a few minutes to look back on photos from 5 years ago when I did my first 1/2 marathon. It was a wild weekend. I almost forgot we signed up for a 5k the next day to get an extra medal. To think about doing that now is just mind boggling. I guess I get a little more wiser with age!

I didn’t know what to expect my first half and really I don’t know what to expect this go around either: I’m packing more stuff this time. I’m wearing a vest. I feel like I have a plan, but no plan at the same time. Such a quandary in my mind. Hoping to avoid a long potty break. Hoping to avoid chafing of any kind. Time will tell.

So many ups and downs on this journey. 10 months of training was planned. Injuries took a toll on that timeline in a big way. 3 friends followed the training plan to T and their performance will reflect that effort. Another friend trained solo on a run-walk segment that worked for them keeping up with many races along the way. Although different training, the consistency will yield results.

Then there is me. The one person plagued with injuries. The one who took off almost three months from running. In that time my mobility has suffered. My stamina has diminished. My weight has gone up. The list could go on and on. The reality is still the same. I will put on my race bib and lace up my shoes no different than any other racer that day. My race may look different. It may feel different. My mental preparation will undoubtedly be different, but we all cross the same finish line. A finish line many will never attempt to cross, ever. For that reason I will feel successful no matter what time is recorded:

My effort.

My outcome.

My race.

My pace.

100 percent my effort to start and finish. Talk about a feeling of exhilaration. How powerful is my body, my mind and my spirit? I’m about to see. On race day so many conversations were had with myself. Some to pass the time. Some to reflect. Some just ramblings of being tired I guess. I enjoyed the solitude of my race day for the most part.

The day arrived. 4am wake up. A little travel time. A time change. A little morning drizzle. On the road as the sun rose. The portapotty adventure. The hills. Whomever designed this course was a bit demonic. It started with the hill and ended with a continuous hill that lurked around multiple corners. The finishing mile was a grueling mile to say the least. One of the fun parts of being slow was reading all the chalk messages written along the way. A pleasant surprise and fun way to have cheerleaders where there were no actual cheerleaders on the course.

Speaking of cheerleaders, there was a high school drum line playing on this course. Such a fun experience along the way. The drum beats definitely gave me a little pump up as I passed by. Great to see kids supporting the community as well.

Met some new faces at this race. Passed some folks. Got passed by some folks. Walked a little. Ran out of water for 2 miles when a watering station ran out. All in all I survived to tell about it. I was slower than 5 years ago but I am older and don’t move as well as I did back then, but I did it. I was one of 6 strong friends who adventured out for the half marathon. All of which completed the task. The same six will meet once again but for a full marathon. Double the distance. Double the challenge!

Two of the six have completed a marathon before. 4 are new to the challenge. All with different paces. All with different stories of their why. For me it’s why not. Why not give it a go. See if I can be one of the 1% to complete a marathon.

As 2025 approaches I will be setting out to balance my half marathon series. I will be completing my third half marathon in February 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A travel race. A few days of the same friends embarking on the trek. This will most likely end my marathon series, but will allow me to have another time stamp to wrap up my trifecta experience. Looking forward to a few cold training days between now and then. Hopefully no injuries as well. Maybe I can clock a better time in a couple of months, too.

Officially old.

Officially slow.

Learning to embrace the back of the pack at these races. Each and every time I show up. Back of the pack isn’t so bad. Plenty of time to observe the surroundings, chat along the way and really enjoy the event.

I also vlogged this race which gave me a great memory reel to view in the years ahead!

#TinkRuns2024

The Final Countdown

2chicksandapen

Next month is around the corner. The marathon month!

A half marathon.

A full marathon.

Can I do it?

Should I do it?

I have my vlog camera ready to go. My clothing is planned and ready. I hope to document my journey for the half and the full to showcase my efforts and memories. It might not be pretty but I’m going to try to commit to the documentary along the way. 

A little extra baggage! To carry and maneuver, but I’m committed to the process.

This month is dedicated to overcoming fear. The fear of injuring myself. This is a big mental hurdle. I can get by today pain free, but I’m not running. If I run and run at an extreme level of a marathon will that be too much on my extremities? That’s what’s nerve wracking. Stay where I’m at and not push the envelope or push my limits to the extreme and see if I break or succeed?

What would you choose?

I don’t even like to run. Rather I choose to run to get better at running: this was my whole goal for the year. Somehow my injuries stacked on top of each other in ways I couldn’t even imagine leaving me helpless on the running front while my counter parts trained their little hearts out. 

7.5 miles done mid month. A big hurdle was jumped on this day. I didn’t feel like I would run. Somehow I ran. Then I decided to push a little. It felt good to get this out of the way. A little tight the next day but I survived!

Now the hard part. Finding the time to train in the remaining days before the two big events. 3-5 weeks is not much time at all! 2 hours at a time is how I will chip away. Little by little. Here I go!

5.5 miles was my next trek out just a couple days after the 7.5 miles. Progress: the pace was an improvement but still far behind ideal. I am Still choosing to celebrate progress. I mapped out a schedule for my remaining weeks to the marathon. I’m penciling in 2 hour bike time and run time in between paddle sports. Not ideal but what the calendar allows and my body can handle. Focusing quality vs quantity to limit stress on my joints.

Running into people along the trail is a blessing and a curse. It’s hard to ignore them socially but if you’re training your not there for social hour either. My version of saying hello is in the distance as we both pass by. Too funny not to share. Another 5 plus in the training books. And boy does it feel good to even type that I’m back at it!

New panic sets in when I realize the start time is 7 am for the half marathon. A decent drive there, morning prepping, etc. I’ll get through it but man it’s cold and dark these mornings which means extra layers and weight to carry and my body isn’t all the way awake at this hour these days. Got to get up extra early to stretch before the car ride, just to stiffen back up.

Oh another funny to reflect on. A friend sent me my time for my first half marathon in 2019. Sub 3 hours! For some reason I thought my time was 3 hrs 38 minutes. That would be a big no! Based on my practice runs I will be over the 3 hour mark this go around. I will be happy to complete it, not be last, and not be kicked off the course before the end of time cutoff. Let’s just wait and see how the clock treats me this time around.

Cheers to doing hard things in life to test your limits and face your fears. It’s also time to start mapping out my fitness goal for 2025. I can for sure say it won’t be running after this year of injuries! 

#TinkRuns2024

So Close – September 2024

2chicksandapen

November is almost here. 2 big races! Will I be ready? That is the big question. Half marathon early November. Recover. Full marathon end of November. Mighty ambitious at this point in the year.

September 1st I’m logging a distance workout on the bike. 13 miles on the bike helps me with training, just eliminating the pounding on my knees. This month I will be adding bike workouts to see how that helps me overall.

While I finish the final preparations for the big races in November, I was supposed to complete a 21 mile fun relay with two friends this month. Unfortunately schedule conflicts prohibited it and so did a hurricane! Another let down for the mind to overcome. Boy am I getting good at positive self talk or now it seems like excuse babble at this point.

While my friends who are running the marathon are putting in serious miles each week, I seem to be twirling my thumbs. Workouts, yes. Running, no. It’s a bit scary to get back your running legs after such injuries. Much harder than I expected.

Another month down with no races and no running. Pretty funny to think I’m training for a marathon without running. Guess I’ll be testing my theory here soon.

Hoping to pick up mileage in October! I may need prayers and a little luck at this point to be successful. I’m not opposed to either at this point.

#TinkRuns2024

She’s Running May 2024

2chicksandapen

Five months checked off, barely.

10k completed. 

Close to 150 miles accumulated after 5 months. Definitely short of my plan after the past several weeks of low or no-go days.

My 10k was a little crazy to reflect on. It was my first big run of 2024. It was my first 10k since 2019. It was after having two cortisone shots. One shot in each knee, the latest shot being just four days prior. It was hard. It was rewarding. It was darn close to a personal best and it definitely wasn’t my slowest. It didn’t feel like a strong run rather it felt like I checked a box for completion. I’ll consider all of that a success story. It was a down-and-back course. In one way I liked it as I could see friends along the way. In one way I didn’t like it because I knew what was ahead meaning I focused on the hills vs. following my plan. All was done before I knew it. Just over an hour.

Cold weather is in the rearview for now. On to more sticky and hot weather. Not sure which is preferred yet, but I’m sure at the end of 2024 I will have more commentary on the weather, wardrobe, and so on. Trying to make getting up early in summer to hit the parks. Priority to run. So far attempts are meh at best.

I survived my tennis state finals. It was a humbling experience. I played singles against an opponent a good many years younger than me. Over 20 years to be exact. I got my running in on the court that day and I didn’t come up a winner. I did however learn a lot in the process. How to accept defeat. How to value those who play singles often. How I need to play someone more my age.

Race day essentials has been an ongoing project. Most likely the final list will come out just in time for the big marathon day. Testing out items throughout the year. I’ve mentioned shoes before but now I guess I can include some of my quirky items. I’ve got the bib holders to not ruin my shirt. Three of my favorite grab ‘n’ go snacks. My vest with easy-to-drink water bottles. Salt stick: Iced berry. Love these. A little tube of glitter which is my signature race day flair item. Just a glimpse of what I use.

A lot of major events on the calendar starting this month. Non-stop activities for the rest of the year. Going to be interesting to see how training fits into it all. Especially the long runs that take away a lot of time. Adapting to change will be key. Modifying for injuries is also vital. Long plane rides ahead. Starting with international travel next month. Traveling to Greece in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion. Spending days at sea means no running but finding a safe spot when on land. Just to even get a mile in will be key and cool to do.

Seven more months to go.

Body changes seem to be at a standstill or less notable as I work through injuries these days. I may even feel more jello like than lean. Could just be the mindset as of late.

Miles to date in 2024 is now hanging sound 150 working towards 200 for now. A good distance behind my goal again thanks to a busy schedule and injuries.

Mental milestone:

Moving forward little by little toward my goal despite the pain along the way. Learning over and over not to take one day for granted.

Marathon training plan: completed 4 weeks with about  75% success rate meaning I wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t hitting each day exactly as prescribed but I got the miles in as I could. 

Looks like an MRI is on the June agenda just to double check the knee situation. A new performance doctor to take a second look. I need to know if my joints are weak from menopause or if I have a tear I’m limping along with. Not sure which I’d prefer at this time, but an answer or clarity would be good in my eyes.