I have no idea how the bulk of the year will unfold as far as running this year, but I have settled on two races to train for: Drake Road Races half marathon (in April) and DAM TO DSM 20k (in June).
I am 0 for 2 on Drake. The first time I was supposed to run it, I took a DNS because of weather. Last year, I took a DNS because I injured my Achilles during training. Will the third time be the charm this year?
I’ll start a 10-week half marathon training plan in early February for Drake. Follow me on Instagram if you’re interested in that journey.
Dam to Dam was the first race I did after moving to Iowa. (DAM TO DSM, is the fka: Dam to Dam, now under new management.) There is a lot of history and heart eye emojis surrounding the original Dam to Dam. For me, however… I won’t sugar coat things: it was awful. The uncomfortableness of summer temperatures and humidity here was unexpected, and I was ill-prepared to thrive in those conditions. Read my 2016 race report of Dam to Dam. I volunteered at the race the following year and downright swore off ever participating in it again because standing in the heat serving tacos was just as miserable as running through cornfields and streets smelling of stale beer (*puke*).
I like eating words, however, so here I am registered (thanks, DSM Hummingbirds!). With a few Iowa summers now under my belt, I’m hoping that I will be able to manage whatever weather conditions are thrown my way.
Bee tee dubs: if you’re interested in running DAM TO DSM, I have a $5 discount! Use promo code HUMMINGBIRD at registration (before February 1, 2019). Thanks again to DAM TO DSM for providing me entry to check out their inaugural race event.
It’s no secret in my circles that I love chocolate milk. Sunday morning, I ran a Chocolate Milk Chug Mile (very on brand for me) — AND I PR’D MY MILE RACE! I don’t share too much anymore about my running (and my associated running struggles), but wanted to share this celebrious event. Today was a great day for a run in Iowa!
Disclaimer: I received a Gear Vest from Orange Mud to review in exchange for a blog review. Opinions are my own!
I had the awesome opportunity to review Orange Mud gear during my time as a BibRave Ambassador. Read my post about the Phone.Flask.Vest. The P.F.V. has got a LOT of rotation in my training. And now that I have another 50k training cycle on the horizon and building back up my base on the trails, it’s a great time to start thinking about hydration vests that are better for the longer distances. Orange Mud reached out at the perfect time to review one of their packs, the Gear Vest 2L (I should note: I was initially contacted about reviewing the Endurance Pack, but they sent me a Gear Vest. Nonetheless, I was excited to give this guy a go.)
Orange Mud designed this pack for those competing in sports with up-and-down and/or fast movements (so, great for running, cycling, hiking, etc.). Most of the storage is up front, with capability to hold two 600ml soft flasks (sold separately from the pack – I have a couple from other purchases), nutrition, gear, and larger smartphones (I have an iPhone 7 and I didn’t feel it bounce at all). The back is intended to hold the 1L bladder, which is included with the Gear Vest. There’s a cord on the exterior back of the bad intended to hold light layers (say, if you need to stow a rain jacket). There are two ways to adjust the vest: first by cinching the straps underneath the arms and then with the two “chest harness” straps up front (these guys can be adjusted up and down the chest). I… could see how the placement of the sternum straps might be uncomfortable depending on breast size (the Gear Vest does not take into account gender specific-sizing). However, Orange Mud designed this vest with women in mind. Since the chest straps slide, they can be re-positioned depending on your chest size. It was mentioned that some larger-sized women also decide to position both straps above the breasts for the best fit.
First impression: Love all the options for pockets and storing extra fuel and trash. I can fit my flask upfront so I can carry water in the bladder and Tailwind in a separate bottle (or vice versa). The back isn’t necessarily a pocket – it can be if you use it without the bladder – and I imagine you could toss a thing or two in with the bladder. There’s a cinch cord on the back of the pack as well to store extra clothing items. No option for trek poles on this vest.
The 2L in the gear title is a little of a misnomer. The bladder is only 1L but the Gear Vest has capability to carry 2L total cargo.
First run: The vest is surprisingly lightweight, and I didn’t experience any bouncing during my trail runs. I was able to fit it snugly across my chest (with plenty of room to cinch smaller if needed – I’m fairly small-chested) and it was easy to adjust and remove. I experienced a little sloshing from the bladder – blowing into it helped a little, though it changed the fit of the vest. FWIW, that’s what I was always told to do by others. Allowing all the air to release via the bite valve is the suggested work-around (though, per my own use, that’s never worked for me in any bladder, Orange Mud or otherwise. YMMV.). I definitely need to trim the hose; it’s nice they ship it long though, so you can trim to your preference. My phone was secure in one of the front pockets, and I used the other to store some chews. Though the back pocket is not easily accessible while it’s on, I tossed a waffle in there JUST IN CASE. There’s a key hook in one of the front pockets, which I use to secure my whistle should I ever encounter a shark or something while I’m running.
And then I realized that the vest has its own whistle built into one of the front harness clips. GENIUS!
I wore this hydration vest over a short-sleeved top (and never a tank). And while I didn’t experience any chafing, I could see how it might chafe underneath my arms if I were wearing a tank top (or just my sports bra). That said, I probably need to play a bit more with the fit to get the desired “no movement” (and maybe get enough courage to run in a sports bra).
Fun features: Not one but TWO Velcro shoulder pockets for my Fig Newtons! I really like the positioning of these, similar to the P.F.V.
Meh: One of my biggest complaints about the P.F.V. is the lack of a zippered pocket, and I have the same complaint of the Gear Vest. Orange Mud’s Endurance Pack – the hydration pack I thought I was getting – has a secured zippered pocket in the back of the pack. Though I’m not sure if it’s important enough for me to want to upgrade and/or get yet another pack. (For now, I store my key and ID in the zippered pocket of my shorts).
Last thoughts: I feel like this pack is a great for mid-range to longer activities, and I plan to use it a lot for trail running. As typical with Orange Mud products, I am impressed by the quality and plentiful features that are adaptable based on what I like to carry on my adventures.
The Orange Mud Gear Vest sells for $109.95 and comes in three colorways (black-orange, black-green, and white).
Subtitled: That time I talked to my Dead Nana — or: How not to make a race playlist.
This post is a long time coming. I ran the GOATz 50k trail run in October 2017 (GOATz = Greater Omaha Area Trail runnerZ) and I still have a strong emotional reaction to my memories of the race. I guess if we’re going for spoiler alerts (ha, TOO LATE if you follow me on Instagram or are one of my running friends), I finished. I also completed it in an hour-and-a-half longer than I estimated. So there’s that. Since it was my first ultramarathon I wasn’t sure what to expect (suffice to say is to expect nothing and everything), but I thought I was better trained to at least finish a marathon distance before I hit the struggle bus.
Flat Mel ready for her 1st ultra!
No. No, that is not at all what happened. Completing two loops was itself a feat – AND I STILL HAD ONE MORE TO GO. So, I continued. But let’s back up…
Am I ready for this, really?
Lots of open sun and beautiful skies, which you will see as a common backdrop to the pictures. The morning started off chilly, which called for arm sleeves worn with my short-sleeve short. (I wore shorts and my LEGEND compression socks on the bottom and my Under Armour trail shoes). I didn’t get too warm until the 3rd loop.
Is it a bad omen for a race that not even a mile into it that WE MISSED OUR TURN. I understand shit happens on race day and we’re ultimately responsible for knowing the course, but a Volunteer standing at that intersection clapped and cheered as we passed by where she was supposed to direct us up the hill. I mistakingly followed the herd until reaching a clearing where everyone was stopped trying to figure out where we went next. We retraced our steps back to where we missed the turn. Nobody who is already running 30 miles needs to run EVEN MORE. So I was already a little irritated early on not knowing how far off course we went. (I ended up logging 31.37 miles for this 50k per my Garmin, so overall not really that far off.)
Physically, I held up for the race and was mostly fatigued. But by the 3rd loop my calf was cramping (can’t remember which one now), then I was getting a Charlie horse in my arch (left side). I was feeling a lot of discomfort in my hip area and top of thighs — it wasn’t pain; it kind of felt like menstrual cramps but definitely not where my uterus is. Sooooo, cramping I guess? Needless to say, I was barely running on the 3rd loop – it was more like a death shuffle.
There were moments were I got a “second wind” (and a third, fourth, etc…. so many winds). Around mile 17, Kaci Lickteig looped me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ — though it was a boost to my spirit! She’s so dang stealthy, and I was listening to my music at the time, but it’s like I could FEEL her coming up behind me. And just as quickly as I could pay myself a deprecating compliment in her honor, she cheered me on and was gone.
I was having difficulty eating during this race and my usual fueling wasn’t working. This was something that I feared and probably something I should have practice more in hindsight. What worked for me on the marathon distance did not for this race. I couldn’t eat anything at the end of that 2nd loop — I tried pickles with salt and pickle juice at the aid stations; then I swapped to Tailwind in my hydration flask just for the calories (no stomach upset, thankfully; just couldn’t… chew). At the mid-loop aid station, around Mile 25, I finally had some jelly beans and felt little better. I dreamed about sitting down for majority of that second lap. And sit I did when I reached that aid station. For at least 5 minutes. And then I continued on. But not without considering drowning myself in swimming across Lake Cunningham. There was one aid station on the course and then the usual stock of snacks and drank at the start/end of each loop. I think it was manned by volunteers from Runner’s Church (?), if I recall correctly, and those ladies were the best at keeping the mood cheery and the food filled. Before their stop, there was a single kybo – which I had to use on my 1st loop (so random; I almost never have to use the toilets during a race). The background ambiance was set by vuvuzela noises. I liked the variety of food options since I was having trouble eating and wasn’t sure what I could eat as the race progressed.
I remember being super annoyed with my hydration vest (I ran in my Orange Mud Phone.Flask.Vest) and by the 3rd loop, it was basically just flopping off of me, hanging on by my shoulders. I no longer liked the compression on my chest and the side straps were aggravating me. I would definitely run in a different vest for my next trail or ultra race.
Another mistake that I made during this race was to leave my music playlist up for chance. I shuffled ALL MUSIC and was initially pleased at the variety (singing out loud and having fun like I usually do). And then Mary J. Blige came on, and I started crying a bit. The next song? “Fix You” by Coldplay. I fucking lost it. I was a crying sobbing MESS.
I mean, seriously guys, these lyrics:
When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse
When the tears come streaming down your face
‘Cause you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
What could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
But high up above or down below
When you are too in love to let it show
Oh but if you never try you’ll never know
Just what you’re worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
oh and tears come streaming down your face
And I
Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from all my mistakes
oh and the tears streaming down your face
And I
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
“If you never try you’ll never know just what you’re worth”
Inspiring, no. No no no no this is not what you should be hearing while you are attempting to do one of the hardest things in your life which is so obviously tied to your worth and identity. *sobs again*
If I were to pick a place to die on the course, it would be here.
And then because I was sad, I started thinking about all the other things that made me sad. This routed my thoughts somehow to my grandmother who passed away a few years ago and I guess I was kind of talking to her about my race and how I was feeling and how I missed her and OMG THIS WAS SO HARD. So very, very hard. One could say that I still had some open wound that I healed during that race.
From talking to some of my ultra-running friends, these variations in mood come with the terrority – particularly when it’s your first and you are so fatigued you just don’t know what to do or feel.
My solution at the time? Get angry. Yin-yang. And then there was that time that I thought this couple out walking the course (non-runners) were there to kidnap me and I went into a really weird flight-or-fight response.
So then I started fantasizing about punching Deadpool. This might sound a little weird, but there was a volunteer actually dressed as Deadpool and I knew where he would be sitting on my last loop, so I started hashing a plan to beat him up when I passed. Totally normal. Until he wasn’t there and I was filled with the most unholy of run rage that I have ever experienced. I think it was another 3 miles (?) of running so mad that I wanted to throw gravel rocks.
THE RAGE.
All that said, Lake Cunningham is a beautiful place to run around (maybe a bit too open sun for this sort of distance though). The weather was amazing, and there were small sailboats on the water, which was neat. My favorite part was what I called the Magical Christmas Trees section of the trail – it was so pretty and peaceful! There were plenty of hills to run on this course, many of which I walked, but none so crazy as running over at Hitchcock.
And I shit you not, as I was approaching the finish line, Bob-fucking-Seger was playing. My favorite song at that: Roll Me Away. I could not believe it (and I’m pretty sure I yelled-asked someone near the finish line if it was really playing because it wouldn’t be the first time that day that I was hallucinating). Naturally, I started scream-singing as the race director placed that finishers medal around my neck.
OMG THEY’RE PLAYING BOB SEGER!
My friends all talked me into signing up for this race because: a) the GOATz put on awesome races (figured this out early on with my Hitchcock experience) and b) this was a beginner-friendly course. The GOATz community knows how to party! And their race support and pre-race communication was top-notch. Love the GOATz. For this race, finishers get an awesome medal carved from wood, a race branded drop bag and a super cozy long-sleeved hoodie (bag and hoodie not pictured). The bag came in handy at the loop start/end point, but many racers also used the same bag so it’s important to distinguish your bag in some way from the others. I liked the convenience of being able to grab or stow something in my bag when I came in to finish a loop.
Besides having enough energy to sing at the finish, I was pretty depleted energy-wise. I was kind of limping back to the car (thankfully, the husband was driving the hour-and-a-half trek home) — my feet and hips HURT when I was done. Also, my two big toenails had this weird yellowy bloody viscous liquid covering them as I took off my socks, but no visible cuts or active bleeding, and I never had any bruised toenails. Weird. By the time I got home, I had to crawl upstairs to the shower (where I sat on my shower bench lol). I took PTO the day following the race (thank Baby Jesus that was a good choice) and used the elevators at work when I returned a day later. Three days after the race I was back to climbing four flights to my office. I was pleased at my recovery, and I was fine by Saturday to run a 10k trail race. When I said this was my 1st ultra experience and despite some of my low points and frustration with how I performed, I’m definitely training for another (planning on Doggone Tired 50k in October, pending my Achilles recovery continues to improve).
Registration is already open for the GOATz Trail Runs occurring on October 21, 2018 — there are 5m, 10.5m, 21m, and 50k options for this particular race series.
This training cycle has not been kind to me in terms of finding motivation to chase a PR that I’m not even really sure matters to me much anymore. But all that ruminating has been overshadowed by more recent news:
I am injured.
I didn’t have any symptoms leading up to the injury last week that would have predicted it, and no moment where I “did something” to cause such an injury. There was a moment that I felt something tight in my ankle and by the end of a three-mile loop in the woods, I was hobbling back to my car completely unable to run (and nearly unable to walk). Nonetheless, I now have an Achilles tendon injury and I am unable to run.
So, not only is my goal to PR my half marathon out the window, it’s unlikely that I’ll even be able to run at all a month from now by race day. Considering I haven’t even got a 10-mile long run in, running a half marathon in four weeks is not possible. I’ve been taking it easy with an overdose of rest that is making me crazy and I also started going to PT to try to figure out how it happened (and prevent any issues in the future).
The activities that I have been doing over the last few months – running and boxing and yoga – were offering me a lot of healthy balance, and I was feeling really good (even doing core workouts several times a week). But I can’t do any of these activities right now. I recently started playing tennis with my husband on the weekends, which I also cannot do. Looking forward to golf season starting next month? Well, looks like I’ll be driving the cart!
I’m trying my best not to be so fatalist, and I am not naive to the severity of the injury and its ability to render me inactive for the next 6-8 weeks. Inactivity is NOT good for me. I’m exploring my options at joining a local gym again solely for access to pool, weight room, and stationary bikes. Because apparently that’s all I can do for now. My active recovery has always been yoga and that is not recommended at this point.
I have races coming up in summer, which I hope to be back in shape for – though it’s difficult to think about right now when my mobility just for walking is strained (the pain of the injury, thankfully, has greatly subsided over the last week). In any event, send me your good healing vibes for a speedy recovery!
In the meantime, I’ll be making some new goals and writing more regularly over at my new blog: Heartland Transplant.
After a few weeks off to recover from fall and winter races, I have been easing back into running a couple times per week. After pondering “what’s next,” I selected the Drake Half Marathon as my first race of 2018. I’ll actually be participating in the Bulldog Double by running the Blue Mile that same week.
So, yeah, I know that I rebranded this blog for my ultra adventures (more to come on those plans later… oh, and I guess that I should get around to actually reviewing my 50k in this lifetime), but I’m kind of obsessed with breaking my half marathon PR right now. This will be a good way to get back into the swing of race training while going to school full-time with the benefit of a shorter training period AND, well, a shorter race.
Hello, speed work!
Training starts today (with the usual Monday rest day)! My plan is 12 weeks and I’ll be incorporating a lot of what I learned while working with a running coach. Boxing has been an awesome workout and stress-release for me – and includes 10 minutes of core, which will benefit my running. I plan to keep up my 3x/week classes and doing yoga once per week. I think I found my sweet spot in my workout schedule, so looking forward to seeing how the regular cross-training will aid in my training.
Big goal: SUB TWO.
Drake won’t be a gimme – I’ll have hills to train for! But since our running club’s group runs will be mostly around Drake’s campus, I will have plenty of opportunity to practice. I was registered for Drake last year, and decided not to run it because of ugly weather. The date and course are both different this year, but Drake relays notoriously have awful weather luck. I will have that as a potential challenge to work through.
Bonus: I get to implement some of the mental training into my own program to practice that I’ve learned so far in my grad program.
My RACE day half marathon PR is a 2:12:16 (Des Moines Half Marathon 2016) – I have since had SEVERAL runs under that, with my fastest 13.1 miles at 2:07:57 (I did the front half of Route 66 Marathon in a 2:09:49 even with THOSE HILLS). Best of all, a friend of mine has offered to run with me and be my pacer to help meet my goal.
Probably the biggest move for the blog was my inevitable exit from my 30s — and growing out of this blog a bit. I’m still trying to find my peace and place in it, but it’s likely 2018 will bring with it another rebranding and change in URL.
That said, I covered 942 miles in 2017 — so close to 1,000! And 429 miles over my previous mileage total! I had 5 months of over 100 miles. I finished 3 marathons and my first ultra-marathon (50k); I also finished 5 half marathons. I crossed off 6 new states. In 2017 I traveled quite a bit, which is not something I plan to continue at the same frequency or voracity next year. I’m only registered for two races in 2018 so far and confirmed my deferral transfer to this year’s Night Hawk 20-miler in Kansas (in June). I don’t want to train for a marathon for the first half of the 2018, and I’ll reassess at mid-year if I want to run any road races at all after Drake. I realized that trail running is really my happy place, and I want more of that joy in my life.
January: The year started off with the Capital Striders (our Des Moines running club) Mitten Run, and kicked off marathon training for me. And then my treadmill broke on January 2 (and was inoperable for over a month). Grrrrr!
March: I got married! And then at the end of the month, I traveled down to Texas to do my first Ragnar race with Internet “strangers.”
April: I road-tripped to do the Illinois Half Marathon – where I PR’d my 5k – and had my second fastest half marathon time (it was a great weekend!). I ran the Hawkeye 25k (which I don’t think I’ve reviewed?). I took a DNS on the Drake Half because I was over the weather. I’m signed up for Drake in 2018 and plan to make it my half marathon goal race (despite the course); it’s where I’ll be training all winter long, so I should be used to those hills by April.
May: Ran the inaugural Women’s Half here in Des Moines as part of my 20-mile long run. It was my last race in my 30s… and then I turned 40. And then we traveled to Burlington over Memorial Day so I could run the Vermont City Marathon — and achieved a shiny new marathon PR!
June: Deferred Night Hawk and took most of June off to recover.
July: I proved that I was TOTALLY NUTS! in the Nuthouse Challenge in Minnesota (a 10k, 5k, and half marathon over two days), and then traveled to Chicago the following weekend for the BTN Big 10k. I found a wonderful July 4th 5K in Earlham and ran with friends.
August: No races in August!
September: I had another big PR at Capital Pursuit – beating last year by 9 minutes and having a really kickass race overall (averaging 9:32 pace and ran the last two miles of the race sub 9-minute). I took another road trip to do a Labor Day double-header Half Marathon Weekend (Rockin’ Chocolate & NewBo half marathons). AND I started Grad school (hello, stress!). September was also my highest mileage month of all time – running 137.2 miles!
October: October was kind of a bummer month, as I started feeling the effects of overtraining and stress both mentally and physically, and I couldn’t keep up with the imbalance of work/school/training. HOWEVER, I finished the Chicago Marathon, and completed a 50k with the GOATz in Omaha — my first Ultra. Both races I still need to recap. I also celebrated my one-year anniversary of trail running by running To Grandmother’s House We Go 10k again (and beating my finish time from 2016).
November: I finished my final marathon of the year at Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa. I also returned to my Thanksgiving tradition of running a morning Turkey Trot.
December: I took a DNS on Hitchcock Experience 50, since my training took a nosedive and I felt terrible running Route 66 and didn’t want to risk injury. While I finished Sycamore 8 trail race, I was feeling many of the aches and pains that I had at Route 66, and knew I made the right decision to stop training.
For most of December, I have been doing a whole lot of NOT running, and it’s been really good for me mentally – I feel like I’m ready to start running regularly again in a couple weeks. In the meantime, I have been doing ALL OF THE CROSS-TRAINING and enjoying the change of pace.
I couldn’t let 2017 end without getting another Iowa race recap completed. The NewBo Run half marathon was race two of my double Labor Day half challenge and my 14th half marathon overall. And, strangely, my last half marathon of the year. Geesh… has it already been 4 months since Labor Day?! As the Rockin’ Chocolate was the day before, I intended to take this one easy and enjoy the experience (best I could) while hanging out and catching up with my friend Chelsea (see her race recap here). I followed along with her run-walk method, but halfway through my legs couldn’t handle the abruptness of the stopping and walking motion, which resulted in me basically doing a slow shuffling while waiting for her to catch back up when it was time to run again. My legs were positively DONE after this race – and we still had to drive back to Des Moines afterward!
Feeling a little “Grumpy Cat” this race morning.
Registration + Cost: Registration was online through GetMeRegistered and only cost me $25. For a half marathon, that’s an incredible deal! (I can’t remember if it was a special discount.) You can pay extra for the shirt or opt out; I chose the latter to save the $5 and OF COURSE I wanted the shirt after I saw it. The ever-awesome Angie mailed me one (and a sticker) post-race and trust me when I say it’s my most comfortable shirt in my collection and I wear it all the time.
Bib #096 or 960?
Packet Pick-up: Having never been to Cedar Rapids before, I wasn’t quite sure of the NewBo City Market location to pick up bibs – or how far away from that location we should park. After nearly having someone back into my car in a street spot a few blocks away (free meters on weekends), we opted to drive closer to the market and park on a side street. The risk of being in a new city and parking on a street are the unknown laws – and we DEFINITELY saw cars being towed that were parked in lots around the market (we were safe on the street). So, don’t park where there are OBVIOUS signs not to.
Already feeling warm…
Weather: It was WARM. Completely opposite than the prior day in Madison.
Start Line: The start area was a block away from the market (where packet pick-up was) and “following the crowd” was easy enough. The start felt very energetic!
Thanks for the pic, Ang!
Course + Elevation: One of the biggest concerns on race day (outside of the heat) were active train crossings. As in, yes, you may get stopped up on the course by an actual train and have to wait. That… almost happened to us (near the end of the race) but was only an individual locomotive entering the industrial area – thankfully, not at full train speed. HA! I trained for trains!
All that out of the way, the first part of the course was on open country road with no shade and rolling hills – not the easiest thing mentally or physically when you finished a half marathon already the day before – some farm animals to pass the time, if you’re into that (but also adding another roadkill opossum to my BINGO card). I couldn’t wait to get to the Sac and Fox Trail portion of the course where it was shaded and beautiful.
THUMBS UP FOR SHADE!
Aid Stations: This race does NOT supply Gatorade and I was unprepared for that – and particularly concerned with the heat not having the extra electrolytes. While I understand that it’s an expense, based on my previous race experiences, I thought maybe the race would readjust given the expected temperatures or at least have available at the finish. If I remember correctly, there was one gel station on the course.
At the first aid station, the front racers for the 10k were coming up around the loop… and basically colliding with us “back of the packers” who had to cross over from the left to the right to reach the water stations. It was confusing, and frankly, dangerous. The poor volunteer was also unable to keep up and I handed my cup over to one of the faster runners who was (unfortunately) yelling for a water. After the fact, I wondered if that was not our aid station at all and was for the back portion of the course coming in.
Ever grateful for our buddy Josh grabbing this finish line pic for us!
Finish Line + After Party: NewBo really puts an emphasis on their local businesses, and several highlights are included in the post-race party: kolaches, pretzel rolls, breakfast burritos – all from different places – and of course, beer. Finishers got a plastic cup at the finish line to fill at a Lion Bridge Brewing tent (which I can’t have; there’s water if you need it 😆) OH! THEY HAD A CIDER! Which was awesome! But they wouldn’t give me that in place of a beer, so I had to buy ANOTHER cup (for the Arts Fest happening on that same day, which I could walk around with) AND pay for the drink. The cider was delicious, FWIW. PS: There was also Sangria available, which followed the same rules as the cider/cup purchasing above.
We went back to the hotel after the race and returned to the City Market to check out the vendors (and eat a lot of things), stroll the ArtsFest, and then had lunch (and some kind of neat Grapefruit-looking cider) at a local pub.
Random BS: I know we were “slow” finishers but C’MON, save some kolaches for ALL the runners! And if you were a spectator and ate a kolache, I am internet shaming you. I personally cannot eat one, but I will speak out for my fellow hangry runner. I was so excited about the finish line Czech baked good that I was raving about them to my friend. And she didn’t get one. I took her later to Sykora’s in the Czech Village to make sure she didn’t leave Cedar Rapids without one.
Chelsea is our honorary Iowan – running NewBo as part of her 50 State Quest.
Swag + Medals: One of the big draws for me was this finisher’s medal — despite it nearly chipping my tooth putting it over my head. 😆 (I need to work on my moves a bit.) It’s a piece of pottery on a string essentially and I positively LOVE that it incorporates the shape of Iowa into its design. Age group winners get a special piece of hand-crafted ceramic pottery. It’s that extra special touch that I love about small races!
OVERALL The Great: The medal is a must-have, unique item! The Good: Since I display my bibs, I was happy to have a race-specific one – despite this being a small race. The Bad: This race needs more kolaches. I never imagined the day that I would have to write that. It’s like Czech osud and I’m sure my ancestors would be very proud of my fight for baked goods. The Ugly: No gatorade on the course – plan ahead!
TL;DR: You should add this Iowa race to your summer schedule. I would definitely go back and run again.
BONUS BONUS: Free race pics! Also, very opposite of Grumpy Cat.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
2:41:13
53rd in 40-49 Age Group
499 overall
Driving (the LONG way) out to run the inaugural Rockin’ Chocolate Half Marathon race was my first time in Wisconsin. I’ve crossed so many new states off my list since moving to Iowa! This was first of a double-header half weekend over Labor Day with my friend Chelsea (Pittsburgh City Girl) – who is on a 50-states quest. My intent was to have fun and spend time catching up and running with her.
For this recap, I’m going to start with the experience. Overall, we were a little disappointed as there was neither a whole lot of chocolate or a whole lot of rocking (I did enjoy greatly the guitar solo national anthem, however). Like, I get what the race was trying to accomplish – the idea of commingling the popular rock n’ roll and hot chocolate events – but I do not believe it was successfully executed. Our expectations were that there would be music and chocolate along the course (there was not) and a sinful amount of chocolate at the finish (there was not). I did respond to the post-race survey, so hopefully they take some of that feedback into account for future races (the 2018 date has already been announced). That said, they also messed up sending the surveys, so those of us who received survey links in email got error messages that we had already taken it. They did not resend the email, yet posted a corrected link on Facebook, which… not the same thing.
Cost and Registration: A Cyber Monday deal last year prompted us to register for this race – it was only $25! An excellent deal for a half marathon. HOWEVER, registration for the 2018 race right now is already $60, and goes up to $65 after January 1st. The race did sell out this year, so something to consider in planning your sign-up.
Expo and Packet Pick-up: The only reason why I took a half day’s PTO to drive to Madison on Friday was because of the promise of chocolate-filled goodie bags with early bib pick-up. Well, it was a package of toffee, which is quite possibly the WORST (and far as I’m concerned, NOT chocolate). And well, that set the tone for the race. The expo was super tiny, held in a community room at the Monona city building, and took all of 5 minutes to grab everything I needed.
Parking: Our hotel was about 20 minutes from the start. Despite getting to the race early, parking was already a little challenging, as we were not sure which streets were OK to park on – or on which side – and we were a couple miles out and seeing a lot of people walking in. People looked to be parking in bike lines, of which I am NOT AT ALL a proponent. There was parking information and maps provided by the race organizers via email, but street signs were confusing and/or conflicting and side street parking filled up quickly. Despite that, we parked on a main road about 3/4 mi. (or so) from the start line.
Start Line: I found another Pittsburgh friend wearing the SAME Pittsburgh Marathon shirt (who no longer lives in Pittsburgh either lol)! We were fast friends, of course, and reminisced on the city we missed.
I brought my own coffee.
A solo guitarist started us off with the national anthem, which was an awesome way to begin the race. Rock on! Also a bonus: the race started on time (you never know what to expect with a new or small race).
Weather: Race day was the first cool morning of a season of never-ending humidity. OMG, the weather was beautiful! I eventually had to shed my long-sleeve shirt when we left the shaded neighborhoods, but it still was a really lovely, sunny day.
Course: The course had a beautiful backdrop in downtown Madison and Lake Monona. We left the start area on the paved trails and ran throughout the surrounding Lake Monona neighborhoods near the shore, looped around the lake into downtown and back into Monona. The neighborhoods were GORGEOUS – and all the buildings and houses (even the park bathrooms!) felt Frank Lloyd Wright inspired. Outside of the Niagara Falls Marathon, this might have been my favorite course scenery.
I mean, even the Little Library drops were adorable!
I should also note that despite the music-forward implication, there was only one solo musician set up on the course. This was disappointing, particularly as there was zero crowd support on the course. Know that this will be a lonely race if you are doing it alone. The course elevation is not that challenging; there were a few climbs early in the race, but mostly just a bunch of rolling little bumps.
Finish Line: The finish line welcomed us with chocolate milk (yay!) and some kind of chocolate-covered strawberry local beer (I couldn’t have it, obvs) – which you needed your ticket to redeem (not attached to the bib as it is in other races). A tent was set up where the beer was served, with a live band playing, and there were a couple food trucks set up near the park. I believe there were also massage therapists on-site.
There were also a bunch of vendors SELLING sweets and goodies (yes, some were providing samples). Again, not much in the way of chocolate; which was not only irritating for its lack of playing to the theme of the race, but also for its money-grab on the participants. I’m more than happy to support local establishments (and I did); however, if you are going to call yourself a chocolate race THEN YOU BETTER HAVE CHOCOLATE.
The only chocolate on the course was chocolate milk (and chocolate animal crackers) at the finish line.
Swag and Medals: I love the race-branded t-shirt that came with registration (super soft!), even though it was unisex sizing; and the medal – while “rockin” in theme – was a little small and cheap compared to what the race appeared to be advertising through its social channels. This is the 3rd guitar-shaped medal in my collection, which is cool. I don’t really run for the medals anymore (though I do love to display them), so it’s not the biggest deal for me – but it might be for others.
After Party: Since this was a double-header weekend, we needed to get back to the hotel and check out – and also find somewhere to find some cheese (like you do in Wisconsin, right?). Which is randomly how we found the gluten-free awesomeness of Alt Brew. Not only did they have AMAZING beers (holy moly, the Kolsch was incredible!!! Yes, I brought some home with me), they had an awesome local cheese board. It was the first in a LONG time that I was able to have a flight of beers somewhere.
YAY, Madison! The great (gluten-free) beer redeemer!
OVERALL The Great: I loved the course – total visual overload looking at all the mid-century modern homes and views of the lake. *swoon* The Good: The race photographer took a BUNCH of great shots on the course, and I was excited to get a Black Friday discount code to download all my pictures. The Bad: A race capitalizing on the popularity of two other races… and not executing it well at all. The Ugly: Gross, toffee. Not worth 4 hours of PTO. Also, misspelling “marthon” in its emails. LORDY.
Finished! (Definitely not 6-minute miles as the sign suggests. 😆)
To Grandmother’s House We Go is another repeat race for me — held the last Saturday in October at Brown’s Woods — in fact, it was my FIRST trail race last year and celebrates my one year of running trails!
So, naturally, I wanted to PR the course.
The race has three distances (depending on how many loops you want to do) up to 15k. Since I completed the 10k last year, I wanted to test my trail fitness from the past year. Which… the weekend after running a 50k, my finish time was basically in the hands of my legs (that sounds weird, but let’s go with the idiom). My training so far has included SO MUCH slogging through miserable long miles and enduring races that felt defeating and humbling. Last year’s race was also humbling, and I was in a very, no-good, bad mood. I was focused to have a different experience. And I did!
The weather was a LOT colder this year (last year I wore shorts!), though the trails were just as dry. Packet pick-up was easy the morning of the race. There is a small lot at the trailhead, but most have to park down the road in a separate lot – which also fills very quickly; any spillover parking is on the road leading away from the park, but all within a reasonable walk (even on a chilly day). Also reasonable? Registration! Run any distance for $30 (there’s a $5 discount for Capital Striders’ Members) or $40 on race day. There is a small race pool, but I WILL TAKE IT!
I kept looking for the hills that kicked my butt that I could barely hike up last year — they never came. I logged a whole mile on the trails under 10 minutes… which, have I done that ever on the trails?! I FELT SO FAST. I was having FUN. I even dressed in a sorta costume. Everything last year was not.
I finished the 2016 race in 1:14:08… Not only did I PR the course, I beat last year’s time by nearly 6 minutes, and I got 2nd in my Age Group (40-49). Since there are no finisher’s medals for this race, I was excited to take home an age group award.
After a few weeks off to recover from fall and winter races, I have been easing back into running a couple times per week. After pondering “what’s next,” I selected the 
