One of my goals for 2024 is a chip-timed race of 10k or longer each month. Six need to be half marathons. I’ve written about my first half marathon in Little Rock, which was amazing. But that was in March. I thought I’d share a quick recap of my January and February races as well.
You may be wondering why I skipped them to begin with. To be honest, my year of running started with pain. And walking. I’m not exactly sure why, but in December 2024 I had some lower back pain that was difficult to work through. Running seemed to be one of the things that made it flare. So, even as I set a goal to complete races, I started 2024 by learning to walk as fast as I could for longer distances.
You may think walking is easy. You may also think it is just running in slow motion. Neither of these things are true. Maintaining a decent pace (under 15 minutes) is tough for multiple miles. And walking, in my experience, actually fatigues very different muscles than running. So they may seem similar, but the physical and mental efforts required are different.
I showed up to the Chilly Willy 10k EXTREMELY nervous. It was a small local race. Would my back flare up? Would I be pulled off the course for being too slow? What would people think of a walker? Can I actually do this? I was an honest-to-goodness wreck. I was quiet, evasive, withdrawn, generally flustered…those who know me well can see this happening. My heart rate was super high even before we started. Maybe 100 of us were there to participate. Thankfully I had a couple of my running buddies joining me. There were 5k, 10k, and half marathon racers all starting together. After a quick wait at the start line, away we went.
And, as I watched most of the other racers take off running, I walked at a quick clip. There were maybe a dozen of us walking. The first mile was almost all downhill, which meant (as an out and back course), the end would be a trudge. It was extremely cold at the start…there were patches of ice on the concrete path. But in the sun it was not so bad. Once I found my groove, playlist in my ears, I was just moving right along with a smile on my face.
It didn’t take long for the first 5k participants to come racing back. Focused, quick, intense, they floated by. I cheered for them. I finally made it to the 5k turnaround / water station. And as everyone else I was pacing with turned back for the 5k finish, I continued onward on the 10k course.
From that point on, I was alone. I had no idea if anyone was behind me. Once in a while, another 10k participant would breeze by in the opposite direction and we shared smiles. At this point, I was just grooving along. Nothing hurt. I was making decent time. I really couldn’t ask for anything more. I saw my friends flying by after their turnaround. Both were looking strong. I continued to move right along, dodging icy patches before I turned around.
There weren’t many people behind me. Once in a while I’d see a half marathoner (a double out-and-back course) coming by. I held my pace fairly well until the end. My friends had been texting for updates. I knew they were waiting for me. I walked myself all the way in to the finish, feeling pretty good. I know I was smiling as I finished and got hugs from my friends.
I was so happy to have finished and grateful that I felt fairly good physically. It wasn’t until later that I learned I actually got 3rd place in my age group in the 10k. I laughed. Ok, it wasn’t a huge pool of people but you can bet I requested my medal and displayed it happily.
I continued to walk until the February race, the Hot Chocolate Atlanta 15k. This is a much bigger race with lots of fanfare and fun. My plan for this race was to walk the first 7 miles and then try running until the end. I was feeling physically good. I was happy to be running with my daughter (ok, she’s much faster than me, but we did participate together) and a group of friends. So I went along with my plan and hoped for the best.
The race itself felt sort of unremarkable. I had done the course before. It’s not my favorite. After seven miles of walking, I held my breath and ran. I figured at that point, if pain came up, I could just go back to walking and still manage to finish.
Gratefully, there wasn’t any pain, and I got to celebrate with my friends and daughter at the finish line. Time for a new training plan and hitting the road for racecations.
I learned patience in this time of pain and frustration. I worked around my injury and still continued to move every day. Sometimes progress isn’t linear. Sometimes it doesn’t look like we hope it will. I can take pride in not giving up and just keeping my head up. Forward is a pace is my new mantra.
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.
Here we are midway through 2024…I’m solidly in my Racecation Era.
One of my goals this year is to run a race 10k or longer each month. These races have to be timed. Why? I have learned that I perform differently when I am wearing a timing chip. I push harder. I challenged myself to take on a chip-timed race every month for 2024 to see what I could accomplish. Six of these races need to be half marathons.
Now that I am not spending time chasing my kids around as much, I have time to run around (literally) chasing my own goals and dreams. With that in mind, I decided to make some of my monthly events Racecations. Yes, I am planning a number of trips centered around specific races. Unusual? Maybe. But why not?
I had a few criteria for choosing events. First, they have to be “back of the pack” friendly. Another way to say this is that they need to have generous time limits. Although I am running often, I am by no means fast, and what’s the point of traveling for a race if you get to the end and the finish line is closed…or if you get pulled from the course before you finish? So I have to read the fine print and see if I can be reasonably assured I will finish in time.
I also wanted races with great crowd support. Even if I travel with people, in most cases I spend a lot of time running by myself. With that in mind, I want some cool things to look at. Neat neighborhoods to pass through. Fans coming out to cheer. In many cases, this means bigger races.
Finally, I admit I want a medal for every race this year. The bigger, the better. Other swag is also great, but a big medal makes me irrationally happy.
I’ve been compiling possible races from facebook groups for slower runners, a great site called Race Raves, and other posts I’ve saved. Then I spend time cross referencing with my calendar. A peek at air fare is also part of the process.
I’ve written so far about the Little Rock Half Marathon, and more recaps are on the way. Am I on the way to joining the 50 States Half Marathon Club? Maybe. In the mean time, I hope you’ll enjoy racecationing with me! Which have you run that are worth the trip?
Moving that mileage marker up each day or most days when not sidelined with injuries or ailments!
I couldn’t be more excited to have healthy legs back underneath me running. It was 4/4/24 when I really felt pain free on my runs. Almost a month after my injury. Glad to have that injury behind me for now.
I ran in Jamaica. First out-of-country run. I was excited about running internationally. The weather. The views. The overall ambiance. Island time is just a lot different than my daily norm. Stepping out to see what’s around the world is something I value. It fuels me. My runs were short but I ran by the ocean. It was a beautiful way to start the day. I ran on vacation. This may be a new normal these days. The pavement was an uneven stone when I ran. My knees didn’t like it so much but it’s not as bad as running on cobblestones. No matter the terrain, running along side the ocean is blissful. All the shades of blue in the water. The birds flying around you. All of the scenery is beautiful.
Crumbl Cookie 5k mid month. I survived. I also worked extra hard on recovery and stretching to prepare for my CrossFit competition. Happy to say the comp was completed. Still not exactly 100% physically. I guess that comes with aging, but not giving up on competing. Never resting long enough to heal all the aches so just plugging along to see what my body allows.
Now while running I need to shift my cross trainingmindset a bit. Tennis playoffs is the first week in May. The date is approaching fast. Yes that’s right. Paddle sports is also my jam. Tennis includes a different kind of running. Linking hand eye coordination with what your arms and legs do. Many cognitive skill sets firing on all cylinders. Short running spurts. Pivots. Strong legs are needed to plant and avoid injury. This is crazy considering my past several weeks of recuperating. Will my tennis performance lag due to my other training? I’ll let you know next month. Stay tuned.
10k prep is underway. Not as many miles of recent or that I had planned out, but I’m going to stay positive. I read to break the race up into 3 segments trying not to go out too hard. Staying consistent and leaving room at the end to finish strong. I’ve never really had a game plan for a 10k so this is going to be interesting to see how it works out for me. Maybe I’ll try this method on this race and intervals on the next 10k for comparison.
I squeezed in the Crumbl cookie 5k as mentioned above. The allure of this race was a Crumbl cookie waiting for me at the end! I wanted to ensure I didn’t drop my cookie since last race I dropped my cupcake getting my time verified! No joke the cookie was a big part of signing up with a few pals so not dropping my reward is important. This race was gross. It was full of hills and slanted pavement. Two of my least favorite elements when running. My first mile was slower than usual. In the race I was a little mad about it. Into mile two I found my stride and settled in. That led to a faster mile. I finished strong despite the hill climb to the finish. Fun with friends is always an added benefit to races.
April mileage wasn’t noteworthy.
Just over 120 miles logged this year to date thanks to a few setbacks.
1st international run in Jamaica.
1 mile pace now seems irrelevant as I build mileage and do other things. However my best 5k is 36:54 this year which I am excited about. A big improvement from 1 year ago.
I have a little bit of running fever. Am I good at it yet? Nope. Am I learning to enjoy my solo time running? Yes. Am I motivating others along the way? I believe so.
I got the next set of shoes In the rotation. Same Brooks for running, just a different color. Maybe one more pair for the fall. Time will tell. I did find a slight flaw in my last pair. After getting them wet in a puddle the inner big toe piece because an nuisance when running. Good thing for the next pair in rotation. Also second pair of Nike free metcons for in gym runs and short distances when cross training. Sticking with the black theme as well. I also prefer to use feetures brand socks. Not too thick but definitely the ones that cover my heel so I don’t get blisters. These socks are worth the premium I pay for them, but they have good sales throughout the year which also helps.
Equipment tidbit: this one has a safety focus. Light up vests for my running group. Many run in the dark at 5am. One runs in the woods when it’s dark. Neon lights help pave the way for our group keeping us safe. So excited we all have them. They look cool, too. I had fun lighting up myself for a little night jog this month. Light weight is also key.
Oh the end of month came and I was teeter tottering on getting my knees checked. My left knee was just a bit wonky after my competition. I bit the bullet and went to see the doctor. I needed a cortisone shot in my left knee. Not what I wanted or expected but I rolled with it. A few more forced days off. A few tweaks in the coming months to reduce risk while I heal and still allow for running. Wish me luck. You can see the battle wound that was hidden behind the bandaid for the day. I should mention getting old sucks. Your body needs to be handled with care at times over fifty. Be aware of signs your body gives you. Don’t wait until you are 100% out of commission before seeking help. Rehabilitation is part of being an athlete and so is mentally overcoming shortcomings.
Biggest accomplishment so far:
Signing up for a marathon
Biggest fear so far:
Completing the marathon.
Mental mountain: learning to adapt to limitations that appear despite wanting to go the extra 10 miles.
What I want to improve on in next three months:
My distance or time out for a run in one swoop. Can I go for 3 hours or more? How far can I go? Can my legs hold out?
Questions I need to keep asking Is my nutrition dialed in? For now the answer is I’ve slacked a little as of late. Not off the rails but not dialed in. Need to make this a priority before summer’s end to be in peak nutrition state for fall.
Is it better to run one mile or none at all?
My last bit of business for the month was mapping out my next 12 week training plan. The real start to marathon training. Putting running at the top of the priority list to make sure I’m ready on the actual day of the marathon. My first time ever planning this much for a race. Let’s see how it goes. To this point I just practiced.
I don’t even know where the time has gone. I can’t believe that I’m writing that I enjoy the running now. I look forward to it in a way. Whether I’m tired or not doesn’t matter. I’m enjoying the challenge. The thrill of a race. The anticipation of can I do it. Of course how long can I go with my two feet. It’s definitely exciting and I’m so glad I decided to document the process as I’m having a blast looking back. Even a week ago seems like 5 years. Heck I even enjoy the air runner now.
Three solid months of running and overall fitness. Funny my annual physical was this month as a coincidence. This means I get to see how I fare with the good old doctor. Such an important life step as you age. Making sure the girls (boobs) are healthy. No bad cholesterol. Blood pressure and other vitals holding firm. The whole dog and pony show. I passed with flying colors. Yeah me!
The first day of the month I almost didn’t run. It was the first week of the CrossFit open and my body was worn out. Then on a whim I ran a mile at 5pm. 3 months ago I wouldn’t have consider that an option. Today it seems like a necessity. Crazy! I had a great week leading up to week two of the CrossFit open and my DEKA competition. I felt physically strong and healthy. Then the curve ball hit.
First injury was logged on 3/7/24 after CrossFit open workout 24.2 around 7pm. A bad landing on a double under was all it took to jack up my left Achilles, calf and knee. A trip to the hot tub didn’t help. KT tape eased the pain but the injury was still there. Leg sleeves. Ice. Rest day by force. Not a happy girl on this day before a big competition. Limited mobility for a big run, lunges, burpees and high box step overs is not good. My run cycle was broken at day 26 pissing me off a little more. A let down of sorts. One day before my competition. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. It wouldn’t be so bad if my competition wasn’t with a partner. That way I wouldn’t feel so bad. Life moves on. I will compete broken! At least my colorful KT tape might make me smile a little.
DEKA Fit competition held in Knoxville, TN on March 9, 2024. Less than 48 hours post injury. A few miles to run and continuous stretching of my will for almost a hour. I wasn’t sure I could do it at 8am. What an adventure. A little travel. A few friends. Some hard work. A little running mixed in. A bum leg to fight with. 100 percent adrenaline to finish the event. A good health check on where I stand on my fitness journey since this was a decathlon event with running built in. Nothing beats that live competition. Race or otherwise. I tend to thrive in competitive environments of all kinds, however today was about completing the competition since I was injured. I also had a chance to try light therapy on my injured foot prior to my event which I think helped.
Earning my medal had new meaning as I fought hard to get it. Even beat my anticipated time by a few minutes. My partner was great working with my injury which helped. Again I wasn’t sure I could compete let alone finish. Somehow I finished. Onto to more training as I heal.
Just when my Achilles started feeling better my right knee decides to not cooperate. Then a head cold. Out of commission for four days and I’m not happy. Putting emphasis on stretching and rest while my body mends and while I kick my head cold. Not fun at all. The weather outside is beautiful yet I’m not moving outside like I would normally. The frustration builds. I was more upset that I couldn’t run than my body was injured. What an irony.
Failure seems to be on my mind. I’m failing to do what I want to because my body isn’t cooperating. I want to run. My legs aren’t ready. I want to breathe freely but my sinuses are stuffed. My lips are chapped. My mental strength is dwindling. It sucks to be in a state of blah. If I had a dollar for every time I sneezed this week I’d be rich! 24.3 the last Open workout is on the horizon. I’ve been out of commission all week. I may have to throw in the towel on this one to preserve myself long term. Another let down but maybe the smart choice. Jury is still out on this one.
I put in the effort for 24.3 in the Open. Not my best showing but I showed up. I showed up for me. I walked some in the coming days. I rested more than usual as well. I focused on healing. My mind. My body. My ego. All of it. Being off my routine has taken a toll. My eating is off. My sleep is off. Each day I’m getting closer to 100% but I’m not there yet. I still have a visible injury in my left calf. I’m moving better but my gait is off.
Celebrating milestones was important this month. Passing 100 miles run even after my injury was a quiet celebration for me but yet a big one in my mind. I fought so hard for those last 10 miles. It took many more days than it should have. Again if it was easy everyone would do it. For that reason I celebrate me.
End of month 5k knocked out to check off a box on 3/30. I proved to myself I can do hard things. A little time crunch to catch my flight but I still ran to say I did it. A quick trip to Jamaica for my first out of the country run. A much needed break from reality based on just reading above. My time was 37:49 for the 5k. I didn’t have expectations here since I’m still recovering from my injuries and now allergies. I was excited to see how I progressed in my running in the first 90 miles until I got hurt. Guess my progress will be validated on my next race. A few friends in tow always make it better even if we don’t have the same pace we still cheer for each other for getting out there on race day. Photo ops at the end to celebrate is also a must do.
I somehow slid a 10k Super Mom race into the calendar for May. A little Mother’s Day gift of sorts to myself. Just another training exercise to test me and gauge my progress as I near the halfway point of the year. Also it will mark a larger run for me to see how I hold up. Hoping to squeeze in another race day 5k before May as another health check. I can’t even believe I’m actually doing this and enjoying it. Seems crazy when I reflect back.
While we mention cross training I do most of my training in Nike Metcons. The Free version for 2024 to help with running workouts and air runner intervals on days I don’t want to change into my running shoes. These are also what I compete in. Lifting, box jumps, short runs, rowing, etc. They have been a great shoe for me. Light enough in weight but also enough cushion for short runs. I of course have two pairs in rotation which keeps me happy. Current day these white shoes are much dirtier as they are used 5-6 days a week.
Over 106 miles in 2024 so far.
I got stalled at 90 miles while I battled a tough cold. This nearly broke me!
I didn’t quit yet.
I battled my first injury. Ironically not running.
I had to mentally manage being out of commission with a sickness and injuries.
Let me repeat that. I didn’t quit yet!
I’m growing as a person and loving the challenge and the experience that goes along with it. Enjoying time with fit friends. Milestones. Memories. This journey should show any person they can do hard things and train themselves to be better. Documenting this process has been so gratifying. It’s also an experience I’m sharing with my small group of fit friends and our bond and connection has grown immensely. Another unexpected benefit that I value.
I ran in 3 states. Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.
Missed my fourth state due to resting from an injury. Guess that makes me a busy girl this month. I’ve also been training with a girl in her 20’s. Just keeping up at my age is another big celebration in my mind. Finding that person to push you is so good for the soul.
My mindset is locked in and focused on improving my running pace, distance and overall fitness. I seem less focused on my one mile time although I like to check in here and there to see we where I am. I seem to like a 5k as short and faster run, although I’m really not fast. I’m building my distance in my training runs focusing on slowing the pace down to endure longer. I might have been a 200 meter girl when I started the year. Now I’d say my comfort zone is a 5k. My pace but nonetheless I’m not bothered by a 5k. I can do it and not be knocked out for the day. That’s yet another celebration.
Best memory so far is really witnessing the rippling effect of my running project. The cascading of others running, supporting and cheering for you as you tackle something big.
Worst memory so far has got to be my first non running injury and cold at once.
Shoes update: loving my Brooks. No plans to change, just add shoes in rotation as the mileage builds.
Weather changes means more daylight. More pollen. Warmer days to run outside. Less rain. No gloves needed. Just a new climate to train in I suppose.
I thought I’d add an equipment tidbit this month. I have already mentioned the importance of shoe quality and the running vest. Now I’m going to talk about a stopwatch/interval counter. The reminder to run/walk at preset intervals to not lose sight of pace and goals. Such a great tool while training on longer runs. This is critical for somebody liek me with attention issues. A beep or vibration that doesn’t drain your music battery or cellular service. The most helpful and easy 5 mile run I did on my first usage. Highly recommend.
Balancing life is getting harder. Work travel. Busy events schedule. Personal travel. Fit adventure travels. Eating on the go. Busy season is here, but I can run anywhere which is great. Balancing the run and the travel. Just making the time and doing the work.
I’m currently getting ready for my next CrossFit Competition in April. The Festivus Games. A trio of three working hard to compete against others. None of us are extreme athletes yet all of us are committed to being the best version of ourselves in the competition. Lots of training on the front end for certain movements while keeping up with miles to run. Again to keep up with my strength training vs solely running. Another health check of sorts to see where I am on my fit journey. A little benchmark. No running in this competition but I can see if 100 days of running or so has helped my cardiovascular fitness and/or endurance. Fingers crossed!
As I move into April, I’m looking to increase my weekly mileage in preparation for longer races. That 10k is just around the corner. Making sure I can keep my focus for the duration. I’m going to have to find tasks to practice on the keep my attention for six hours while taxing my body to its limits in a marathon this fall. Little by little I’m working toward my running goal. How many miles will I achieve this year?
300 miles?
500 miles?
700 miles?
more?
Guess you have to follow me for a few more months to find out the ending of my story. Or maybe it’s just the beginning of something bigger.
2 Chicks and a blog 