Race Recap: Living History Farms Off Road Race

living-history-farms-off-road-race-2016-2sm Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa hosted its 38th annual off road race — which is a super-fun cross country meets obstacle course run. Bonus for me, the farm grounds are practically in my backyard! I’ve had several people tell me that THIS is the race that I had to do in Fall, and it did not disappoint.

Let’s start with the race FAQ:

Will it be cold? Probably!

Will I get wet? Probably!

Will I get dirty? Probably!

Do I need gloves? Yes!

Exactly how far is it? 7 miles

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Cold and Cranky.

So, I was having another crabby morning on race day, and with the cold weather and thoughts of getting wet and muddy made me seriously contemplate NOT doing the race. An added element of fun to this race is anticipating what the weather might be — last year it snowed and the course was cut; other years it was moderate enough to wear shorts (and then there are those people who wear shorts no matter the temperature). I’m so glad that I didn’t back out — this was exactly the kind of fun race experience that I needed. And I will most DEFINITELY go back to do this one every year when possible. You should come visit me and do it, too.

Registration and Cost: Advertised as “the best cross country race,” Living History Farms Race cost $44 after fees, including a $5 discount for being a Capital Striders member. I think the race is capped at 7,000 participants. There are both individual and team registrations.

Expo and Packet Pick-up: Packet pick-up was the evening (which closed at 8pm) before at the visitor center at Living History Farms; there was also bib pick-up available the morning of the race. They posted the bib number lookup sheets inside, for those who hadn’t already checked out the race info page – pick-up lines were by number (I didn’t have any lines at 5pm!). Bibs were at one table and t-shirts were in a separate back room. There were a couple extra vendors set up in the hall on the way towards the exit, mostly handing out race discount flyers.

Free Swag: No finishers medals at this race (whomp, whomp), but I love the long-sleeve comfy t-shirt!

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Weather: Winter came to Iowa! This, after temps hit nearly 80 degrees mid-week, so it was a little shocking. It was also windy — like, super windy. Plus, trying to remember what to wear in 30 degrees was something for which I wasn’t really prepared. I ended up wearing my long tights with a pair of cat shorts over them, and two long sleeves shirt over my dri-fit tank. Wool socks, wool buff and wool hat — and a pair of old running shoes that had already made their way through a previous mud run — rounded out my race day outfit.

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I packed an extra change of clothes, a towel, and other clean-up necessities to basically plan for anything.

Parking & Transportation: The organizers said that parking would be limited, so we arrived about 40 minutes before the race. We didn’t have any problems parking near The Machine Shed (since the boyfriend was only dropping me off), and having the police directing traffic made for a speedy entrance into the grounds. There were plenty of runners crossing the intersection that parked across Hickman Road in the industrial/retail areas. The boyfriend left and came back to get me post-race and basically parked in the same location.

Course: This year, the course changed a bit (though I have no previous experience). Creeks, mud, trenches, hills, cornfields… the course had it all! There is a strong recommendation to not bring your phone or keys, and I did not bring either (though, it’s always fun trying to figure out logistics of post-race meetings – only, not really). For as many people expected to run this race, all the race logistics felt incredibly well organized. I should note that there are NO water or fuel stops along the course, which actually kind of surprised me, given that it would have been difficult on this course to carry along your own hydration. There is an ambulance at the halfway point though, should you need it.

There was a hilarious moment about 5 miles into the race where two routes diverged in the woods — with big arrows, one was marked “shorter and harder” and the other “longer and easier.” I was pretty sure it was a trap, and continued on the harder route with those around me (definitely not the path less traveled!).

This race made good on all its promises of being cold, wet, muddy and dirty.

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Though I only saw one farm animal.

Start Line: There were plenty of Kybos — though lines were pretty long before the race. There was one big corral and kind of a guess to everyone’s pace, which… despite it being a fun run, I’m sure there were people competing for the top finisher prizes. I ended up finding a fellow runner who I met at the social run at Fleet Feet last week!

People watching at the start was great, as there were so many fun costumes!

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Where’s Waldo?

Fans & Experience: So there were a few spectators and groundskeepers out cheering on the course, but VERY few (you heard more “cheers” from the car honks on the highway nearby). The fun was definitely all the participants. If the costumes weren’t enough, there were basically people out having a party. There was some tailgating going on pre-race, and some guy even offered me some brandy out on the course (he was double-fisting cans of Budweiser) — alcohol was prohibited per the race guidelines, but there were definitely people out having a good time.

I started off with a group of Power Rangers. Within a couple miles, there were a group of cyclists (running while wearing their bike helmets) and we watched a group of runners dressed as prisoners take off in the cornfields (cutting off a good portion of the course — trust me, it was absolutely hilarious watching it happen). I ran with a couple of local firefighters (one, running in a dress). I jumped into (and climbed out of) muddy trenches with a woman from Twin Cities who had done the race multiple times since high school.

Finish Line: YAY, I loved that the race had a completely separate “refreshments area” festival just beyond the finish line chute, which ended in the adorable old-timey historical city within the farm grounds. A post-race meal was included with entry fee, and thanks to Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant and the Iowa Beef Industry Council there was hot beef stew (with biscuits!) for every runner; there was also pumpkin bars and cider, hot coffee and chocolate milk. And yep, a shit-ton of doughnuts!

Naturally, this gluten-free runner cried herself to a two-hour nap because of all the wonderful fall comfort foods she could not have. I made my boyfriend run out to Granite City to grab me a burger though.

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I did get some chocolate milk and coffee!

After Party: The Machine Shed Restaurant located just at the entrance of the farm was offering half priced tap beer or $3.00 margaritas during race weekend.

Random BS: I don’t know, but the guy yelling for everyone to get out of the visitor center before the race really rubbed me the wrong way. Like, I get it, it’s cold and everyone wanted shelter from the wind but… it was just a little much.

ETC: Both the Walnut Creek YMCA and the YMCA Healthy Living Center offered use of their showers following the race, should you be an out-of-towner.

Charity: Proceeds from the race supports Living History Farms and more — giving over $1.1 million over the last 13 years to the Living History Farms (a not-for-profit museum).

The race has also funded the Capital Striders endowment for scholarships to area senior cross country athletes; raised food/money for the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry and donated to area age-group track & swimming teams, the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the M.D.A., and area Fire Departments. Proceeds from the race help sponsor area races, purchase equipment and racing supplies used at road races and middle school/ high school XC meets.

OVERALL
The Great: The course and experience were excellent — just the kind of cold, outdoor fun that I needed!
The Good: I love the challenge of testing my physical strength outside of just running.
The Bad: Walking around after the race, cold and wet and trying to find my boyfriend who wasn’t at the finish line as planned. ?
The Ugly: I mean… THIS could happen. You want to laugh… until it happens to you. But you’ll laugh anyways. ?

OFFICIAL RESULTS
1:27:54
#435 Overall
#46 in my 35-39 age group

Race Recap: Hillbilly Hike Half Marathon

hillbilly-hike-logo The Hillbilly Hike is a race series in south-central Iowa (just a short drive from Des Moines) consisting of a 10k and half marathon distance. While not necessarily a themed race, some runners really tapped into the spirit of their inner hillbilly. The race was fun yet peaceful — a really picturesque backdrop to a difficult half marathon for me.

For this race, I was playing mental games with myself — attempting to run completely by feel and never looking at my watch. I decided this at the start line, committed to not looking at my Garmin until 5 miles. Five miles came, and I wondered if I could make it 10. Well, I went 10 and decided again that I wouldn’t look at my watch until I stopped it at the finish line. I really was interested in what kind of race I could do (since I didn’t have a time goal) when I was in tune with my body and acknowledging my effort level. Well, I felt like crap by Mile 11 and was definitely feeling symptoms of dehydration before I hit 6 miles (not sure how that happens when it’s only 50 degrees!). I was determined not to stop though, as I didn’t want a repeat of Dam to Dam. I still REFUSED to look at my watch (half contemplating to stash it in my belt, so I wouldn’t accidentally see it).

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ALL SAID, I’m so excited and proud of what I accomplished! And Half marathon #8 is in the bag.

Registration and Cost: I initially didn’t want to run another half marathon so soon after the Des Moines half, but the cost was the same for the 10k and half (at least, that’s how I remember it lol). Because of that, I decided to run another half. That’s how we do, right Runners? 😀 With a $5 discount for being a Capital Striders member, after fees the race only cost me $38.69 — it’s a helluva deal for a half!

Packet and Bib Pick-Up: Race organizers reused timing bibs from Dam to Dam (those big honkin’ ones that I complained about) – with a new number stapled to the front. I appreciate their ability to reuse and cut costs, even though I prefer the race-specific keepsakes for my bib wall. Packet Pick-up was the night before at Fitness Sports in Clive (thankfully, local, so I didn’t have to drive out to Indianola twice); I’m pretty certain there was packet pick-up in the morning before the race, too. Side note: In the race day info email, it was stated that 70% of the registration of this race goes to Indianola Christian Union Church mission charities, so it’s all for good cause. Thank you, race sponsors!

Free Swag: Another short-sleeve tech tee for the collection, and the first 320 to register for the half got a special die-cut medal at the finish. I love this medal — including the corn cob on the ribbon!

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Parking and Transportation: Plenty of Parking in Indianola at the high school, though there were school busses available to shuttle runners from Carlisle to the start line (me and my car sickness don’t get along very well with this option, so I got dropped off).

Bag Drop: This race offered a Hillbilly Bag Drop for both races. Hillbilly Bag Drop = a car with the trunk open. LOL Just look for the Hillbilly parked near the start line to take your bag!

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BONUS: the bag drop Hillbillies were ALSO sweeping the course to collect any discarded clothing found in the first 1/2 mile and bringing to the finish line for a “Lost and Found” pile.

Weather: Holy moly, 50 degrees feels really chilly when there’s no humidity! I kept my long-sleeve on and was thankful that I decided to wear my tall socks, too. There were several points within the course where it felt chilly again (mostly, in the shaded trail areas in the woods). Though, it was that weird in-between weather where you’re not really sure if you’re overdressed or underdressed.

Course: The Hillbilly Hike half course is a point-to-point race starting in Indianola and ending in Carlisle. The trail is mostly flat, paved… yet net downhill. I really enjoyed seeing the various landscapes — lakes, woods, farms, wetlands and prairie — and running over the wooden trail bridges (there were several throughout the course) gave me some intention for picking up my feet.

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There were water stops about every 2 miles — it seemed like Gatorade was at most stops, with the exception of maybe Mile 10? At least I didn’t see it there (when I probably needed it most). Most of the aid stations were volunteered by the Girls Scouts (yay!). They rocked it!

Start line: We started in front of Indianola High School – before curving around the campus and entering the McVay Trailhead. There was a DJ in the parking lot making announcements and getting the crowd pumped up and SUPER long lines for the Kybos.

Random BS: Even though the temps were somewhat cool at the beginning of the race (and I took at GU before the race, and half a salted caramel GU about half-way) I REALLY needed more sodium, as my fingers were swollen like it was 100 degrees outside and I was starting to get weird cramps. BLARGH.

Finish Line: The race ended in Carlisle at the Summerset trailhead. The finish line flags seemed to appear quickly on the trail, that I almost looked at my watch to make sure that the race wasn’t short (I guess I was feeling better by the Gatorade that I took at Mile 12, though my split tells a different story).

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So you know me and post-race food — this race had apple pie, cherry pie, and biscuits and gravy. The chocolate milk and bananas looked sad by comparison. And gluten-free Mel was very, very sad.

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FINISH LINE PIE!

There was also a set up for a fun photo booth with props:

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Fans and Experience: fans at the finish line were AMAZING. Volunteers along the trail, amazing. Everyone helping out at the finish line and food tables, amazing. The volunteers TRULY made this event top-notch, and I’d definitely come back to run this again. Panfoto was out taking pics and the Dead Line String Band was playing mid-race on the trail. It was just very, very fun.

After party: While I really, REALLY wanted a root beer float from A&W, I wasn’t feeling so great and opted to return home for my usual post-race steaming shower and 2-hour nap.

OVERALL
The Great: Everyone who worked/volunteered at this race really made it a top-notch event!
The Good: SO MUCH FOOD AT THE FINISH LINE! (and very good for all you gluten-havers ?)
The Bad: Dehydration. ☹
The Ugly: Um, active hunters (and gun shots) in the distance as we were running the trails.

Splits*: 10:14 (1) / 10:20 (2) / 10:12 (3) / 9:55 (4) / 9:51 (5) / 10:04 (6) / 10:13 (7) / 10:01 (8) / 10:03 (9) / 10:14 (10) / 10:32 (11) / 10:24 (12) / 10:46 (13) / [7:54 (.1)]

Hillbilly Hike half marathon finish line run blogger

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2:14:18
10:15 overall pace
*my Garmin clocked 2:13:46, so I guess “chip” time was really gun time

17th in my age group (35-39)
123 overall

Race Recap: To Grandmother’s House We Go — Trail 10K

Last weekend was To Grandmother’s House We Go — a local trail race partnered with the Capital Striders’ Turkeys (the trail runners of our Des Moines area running group). There were three distances to sign up for: a 5K, 10K, or 15K. This was a legit in-the-woods natures trail run in West Des Moines at Browns Woods Park. My first trail race was certainly memorable!

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I was looking forward to this race for a while, so I’m disappointed in myself for not having as much fun as I planned. I didn’t sleep very well the night before (or the night before that), so I woke up on Race Day feeling pretty cranky. I wasn’t in the mood for anything and anyone, and I ended up not wanting to wear any resemblance of a costume either. My mood continued to deteriorate even in the middle of the run. I was really forcing myself to have fun, and I was becoming overwhelmed at running all alone. I run races by myself all the time — but being in the middle of the woods, without any runners around me for a good chunk of the second loop, I was questioning everything in my life. Being out in nature was having the exact opposite effect.

Maybe next time I should just bring my dang headphones and drown out all that negativity. All my poor attitude aside, I’ll likely go back to Browns Woods and run that trail a few more times to prepare for Hitchcock that’s coming up in December.

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Registration and Cost: Online registration through Get Me Registered and cost $28.07 (after fees and a $5 Capital Striders discount). You were able to change your race distance up to the start of the race and still be eligible for age awards.

No Expo! Small races are awesome dot com.

Packet Pick-Up and Bag Drop: There was an option to pick up my bib the evening before at Active Endeavors, but I didn’t feel like returning to West Des Moines after 6pm when I just left work there at 4:30. I opted for Race Day pick-up, and everything was fine about that choice — no lines or long waits; I even got to use the Kybo before the race started. There was also park bathroom facilities available (with a short line). Boyfriend came with me to the start, so he stashed everything in the car for me.

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Free Swag: A really sweet bag (it has separate pockets and feels waterproof!) and a 25% coupon to Active Endeavors, a local store and sponsor of the race. No finisher medals, unless you place (I missed an age group award by just a couple minutes!).

Parking or Transportation: There were two lots — one dirt, one paved — which both filled up quickly. Most participants were parking around the edge of the paved lot (once the dirt one filled up… which happened right as we pulled into it) or on the street leading into the park entrance, and there were volunteers helping direct traffic.

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UGH. This humidity.

Weather: I was wearing shorts in November, and had to remove my long-sleeve during the race, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ At least being in the woods, it wasn’t direct sun.

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Course: Each distance of the race followed the same 5K loop — the 10k and 15k runners repeated the same lap. We were deep in the woods on this one, with the trail nearly completely covered in leaves. There was a lot of elevation gain and gnarly hills. I loved running up them, but they definitely took a lot out of me. I tripped over a few hidden stumps on the path, but (thankfully) didn’t wipe out completely. I also got to run through a muddy creek, which I do remember feeling really happy about mid-run. The course was marked REALLY well, and I never felt like I was going to get lost.

There was a water and Gatorade stop at the “finish” of each loop.

Start Line: Gotta love an airhorn start!

Finish Line: Since we were all running the same loop, there was some confusion at finishing at the flag chute vs. where we started just down the path. The volunteers handled it well, though, and chased after runners who were actually finishing – just in the wrong spot.

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Experience: There were quite a few runners dressed in costume, which was really fun to see. There were awards for best Red Riding Hood, the Wolf, and an “other” category. Panfoto was taking pictures in the middle of the woods, which was also cool. I still need to order and download the couple pics of me since it’s a cool setting — at least I smiled!

After Party: I stuck around for the awards ceremony and all the Halloween candy at the finish line — and then came home and napped for two hours. GOOD LORD, THE TIRED. For days later, I was sore in a bunch of new places. Hooray, trail running!

Random Bullshit: How were there no females in the 20-29 age group running the 10k????

OVERALL
The Great: Trying something new! And I’m already committed to finishing the 15k next year.
The Good: The Capital Striders Turkeys are a fun bunch, and I’m pretty excited to get out more on the trails with them this season.
The Bad: I had an opportunity to cross an item of my yearly goal list (run a race in costume), and I didn’t do it. 🙁
The Ugly: My mood was just awful, and I wish I could have a do-over.

Do splits matter in a trail run?
SPLITS: 11:26 / 10:32 / 13:14 / 12:14 / 11:52 / 13:11

OFFICIAL RESULTS
1:14:08
17th overall female
4th in my age group

Race Recap: Heartland Half Marathon

So, I ran a half marathon to train for my half marathon, and to do that, I drove to Omaha for a little running adventure. The closest long-distance race to me was in Nebraska for my 14-miler, and it seems like every runner that I know in Iowa is already tapering (*gulp*). The Heartland Marathon series, presented by the Omaha Running Club, has a full marathon, half marathon, a 10K and marathon relay. And YAY, I get to cross state #5 off my map!

Registering for this race the week before, I was a little nervous in how I would do all of this on my own — this was MAJORLY out of my comfort zone. I also freaked out a little about not having limited details on the website (including not having confirmation of the course for the full, which can sometimes mean cancellation of the whole event) and not a lot of information about water stops, etc. on the course. For a race from the local running club, you’d think they understand what things runners are looking for when it comes to race day, but maybe we’re all just a little too close to things.

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Registration and Cost: Oh, boy, this was an expensive race for me (when considering hotel, travel and late registration) — I tried recouping some cost by bringing a BUNCH of food with me. That said, cost of the race after fees was $102.13 (I think it was $95 before fees). OUCH.

Expo and Packet Pick-Up: Your typical small race expo that was at the OTHER convention center in Omaha at the Ramada (south side-ish of downtown). There was no race day packet pick-up. Very cool that Olympic runner Frank Shorter was a guest speaker at the Expo!

Free Swag: Another long-sleeve tech tee to add to my collection — and a beer koozie with the race logo o it (the joke was that you carry it on the course, and that was how they knew to give you beer instead of water LOL).

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Bag Check and Transportation: There was a bag check at the start line, but I didn’t know about it until I was at the start line. I walked from my hotel, and the weather was OK enough not to have to bring any additional layers. The website mentioned having shuttles to the start line from the host hotel… but not if they were taking runners back (a big reason why I decided to stay downtown).

Start Line: As I mentioned, the host hotel was quite a drive from the start line of the race. I had a mild freakout when the email arrived for race day info that included a different start line location than what was on the website (it wasn’t different, but I just read it different). It ended up just being a non-helpful location of a FORMER store (hashtag, places that are not there anymore).

I was super impressed by the start line — it was like a mini festival before the race, with a few vendor booths, a line of port-o-potties, the chocolate milk guy (!!!) and some hot coffee (AWESOME). The race started at 7:00 am, which is really dark at this time of year, but they had a bunch of lights. I was more nervous about walking in the dark by myself to the start line, which ended up being OK.

Weather: I wasn’t too happy to see 90% humidity on my weather app the morning of the race. But good news was that the rain moved out of the area, so I didn’t have to worry about forgetting to bring my rain jacket. Small wins. It wasn’t super sunny until the last couple miles of the race, and the cloud coverage kept it the weather pretty comfortable.

Course: Out and back course, navigating two states! Not quite the experience of crossing the national border like in the Niagara International Marathon, but still a very cool race highlight! The front three miles of the course had a few unexpected hills, which are always fun for me. After you cross into Iowa, there is a lot of time spent on the trails, but it was flat and tolerable. To be honest, I found running around the cornfields more peaceful this time around than I did during the gnarly heat of Dam to Dam.

Fans: What I loved most about the “fans” part of the experience were the volunteers. I LOVED being able to hear them shout “Gatorade first; water last” before you approached the aid stations. THIS IS SO HELPFUL!!! And once you got to the stations, everyone was super supportive, cheering you on to continue. There were chalk drawings on the sidewalks near where the relay exchanges were, too. Man, this Midwest Nice is LEGIT.

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Dark Start and Finish Line Showcase of the Race — the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge!

Experience: The coolest experience of the race was running over the cable-stayed Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge — a 3,000-foot footbridge across the Missouri River, where you cross the border from Iowa back to Nebraska — and, perfectly, the “beginning of the end” approach to the finish line. It was lit up in the darkness at the start and a really neat element of the race experience.

Finish Line: Did I mention chocolate milk? 😉

There was also a TON of food available at the finish line — bananas, orange wedges, snack bars, cookies, pastries, chips, coffee. It was impressive! I didn’t stick around too long, as I had another mile to do. I did a portion of it (.7 miles), and then realized how tired my body was. So, I jogged back to the finish line party to hear the overall winners for the half, grabbed a cup of coffee, and then walked back to my hotel — on the way back, naturally, meeting someone who relocated to Omaha from Pennsylvania (Harrisburg). It was cool to do that East Coast vs Midwest exchange for a few minutes with someone who gets it.

After Party: Party of one for this lady (read: shower and a sandwich back at the hotel), and then I had a two-hour drive back home.

Bonus: After the race (the same day!), I received an email of my individual results. The race’s results page included a LOT of info via Online Race Results. And I really like that the race provided a participant summary:
Number of finishers: 253
Number of females: 153
Number of males: 100
Average time: 2:12:25

Notable 30-somethings: Shout out to Ann Hubl (age 37) taking Overall Female at 1:35:43 — WHAT AN AMAZING TIME!

Random Bullshit: My hotel key didn’t work when I got back to my room. GAH, SO ANNOYING!

OVERALL
The Great: If you already follow me on Instagram, I ran another PR race!
The Good: Despite my initial thought of this race missing some helpful info, I thought it was incredibly well organized, and I really enjoyed my experience.
The Bad: Anxiety before the race was kind of dumb.
The Ugly: The start time at 7:00 was SO DARK.

Splits (per my Garmin):
10:29 (1) / 10:47 (2) / 10:18 (3) / 10:18 (4) / 10:12 (5) / 10:33 (6) / 10:25 (7) / 10:19 (8) / 10:03 (9) / 9:53 (10) / 10:10 (11) / 9:43 (12) / 9:15 (13) / [8:32]

This is my first half with no splits in the 11-minute range. This race was some WORK for sure. It felt hard, and I kept pushing when my mental game was starting to fail me. And when I had that moment of “I can beat a 2:15,” I pushed even harder to get it. That last mile felt like the LONGEST length to the finish line of any race that I’ve ever done — and I was kicking it in at a VERY low 8-minute pace to end (I definitely thought I was going to throw up lol).

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
2:14:23 — almost a 3-minute PR!
(My 10k split was 1:04:58)
13th in 35-39 age group
156th overall

Race Recap: Capital Pursuit 10-Mile

The second of my back-to-back 10-mile weekends of this training plan included the Capital Pursuit race. This race is held annually, and is the right distance and timing leading up to the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon. No ifs, ands, buts about it: This race felt AWESOME for me. Though it also made the reality of a 2-hour time for this upcoming half seem pretty unrealistic (but so in reach!!!). I won’t focus my thoughts there quite yet.

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Race day prep!

Registration and Cost: The Capital Pursuit was super inexpensive for a 10-mile race, AND I saved $5 being a Capital Striders member — $40 in advance, $45 day of race. I registered online through GetMeRegistered.com for a total $38.69 charge (which obviously included some fees). There was also a 5K run as part of the Pursuit.

Expo and Packet Pick-Up: No expo, but packet pick-up was the day before at Fitness Sports in the Swanson Depot in Clive, or you could pick up your bib on race day. Note: No bag check or transportation at this race.

Free Swag: A nice blue long-sleeve tech shirt with the Capital Pursuit logo.

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Charity: A portion of the race proceeds assist Iowa Kidstrong, Inc. — promoting healthy, active lifestyles among children. There were about 40 See Us Run students and their running mentors racing the 10-Miler.

Start Line: Plenty of Kybos (that’s Iowan for port-o-potty) and a DJ to entertain the runners at the start. We lined up at the Locust & 15th Street intersection at Western Gateway Park, heading straight into the city.

Weather: Well… it was sunny and mid-50s when I woke up. But 90% humidity. So while it didn’t feel oppressively hot, I was sweating profusely throughout the race (in a tank and shorts in 50 degrees, wtf Iowa). I’m glad that I opted not to wear a hat, to be honest. Official race weather states: 60s and partly cloudy. -_-

Course: I guess the course changed this year (I have no reference, but a couple people said this to me), supposedly skipping one of the hills going towards the capital building. But this year’s route was a nice out-and-back, running into the city, then out into the neighborhoods near Drake University where it was so peaceful. I was impressed by the elevation changes running back into town on Ingersoll — though the skinny lane with regular traffic outside our set of orange cones made me nervous at times.. And then there was that nice “sweet spot” of a downhill at the end of the race. A few weird turns near the end of the course, but I enjoyed sprinting in on that straight-away down Locust towards the finish line.

Fans and Experience: A few fans along the course (though not many), and water/Gatorade stations with volunteers at about every 2 miles. I made a new running friend, naturally, and we ran together and chatted for nearly the entirety of the race — even getting him to sprint with me to the finish.

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The boyfriend caught this great movement shot of me sprinting into the finish line — look at them legs!

Finish Line: I love, love, LOVE when the runners’ names are announced at the finish line. And we got medals! There was also a tent set up with a BUNCH of post-race snacks — the usual bananas, but an additional spread of bagels and orange slices and more.

After Party: There was an after party with, supposedly, a bunch of food and free drinks for participants at Exile Brewing… but it didn’t start until 10:30am. I walked down to the brewery and realized this when NOBODY was there. Kind of dumb, considering the start time of the race and anticipated finish times. Eh, great idea in theory, but I didn’t feel like waiting around another half hour.

Bonus: Chocolate milk at the finish line, YAY!

Random Bullshit: A TRAIN. Yep, a set of train tracks runs through downtown Des Moines and right on schedule during the first couple miles of the race. I heard its horn, and saw the light creeping around the corner — and I booked it over that set of tracks. I didn’t look back to see if anyone got caught up, but MAN… that’s not something you plan for AT ALL for race day.

OVERALL
The Great: Can’t beat a PR race! That’s two PR races in one month for me!!!
The Good: Putting a plan in place and getting in a GOOD training practice for race day.
The Bad: A MOVING TRAIN, YOU GUYS! Not ugly for me, but… holy crap.
The Ugly: (Men-folk, look away your sensitive eyes on this one) My freaking period started the night before the race (3 days early). It looks like I’ll be on my cycle for the half now, too, and that is NEVER fun to practice. >:-(

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Chocolate Milk!

Splits: 9:19 — WHOOOPS, started a bit too fast here! Blame it on the train 😉 (1) / 10:07 (2) / 10:35 (3) / 10:55 (4) / 10:50 (5) / 10:48 (6) / 10:45 (7) / 10:24 (8) / 9:45 (9) / 9:21 (10) — Check out the second half of that race! ?

OFFICIAL RESULTS
1:43:16 (no chip time)
#279 overall
45th in my age group

Race Recap: Madrid Milers Labor Day Run

You know you’re at a small town race when… the parking directions tell you to turn left at the only stoplight in town. And Madrid is a small town race (pronounced MAAA-drid, unlike the city in Spain, if you’re not from Iowa). This was the 38th annual Madrid Milers Labor Day Run.

Madrid Iowa runners labor day race blogger
Flat Mel — no bib before race day!

There were three race distances as part of the Labor Day festival: 2 mile, 5 mile and a 15 mile (!!!). Next year, I definitely want to go do the 15-mile race, as you get to run over the High Trestle Bridge. I thought the 5-milers got to do that too (same with another woman that I talked to at the end of the race), and realized on race morning that it was the High Trestle Trail.

I planned this race with my coach during a much-needed cut-back week. My coach created a race plan for me, which started with a one mile warm-up (wut?!). Yeah, I have never run immediately BEFORE a race, but I had to trust the process (and I ended up feeling great while I was running, so…):

I was supposed to start nice and controlled; naturally, the race started downhill and I took off not realizing that I was pacing with some (apparently) 8-minute 15-milers. Uh, NOPE. I regained control just in time for the first uphill. I paced with two local guys soon after and stayed with them for most of the race — until I really picked up pace at the 4-mile mark. This strategy actually worked out well for me to keep my pace controlled. I did start out too fast, but ended up laughing and talking with these two guys and they kept me just about where I wanted to be.

Registration and Cost: $25 (+ fees) through Active.com, with race day registration available as well.

Packet Pick-Up and Free Swag: Bib pickup at Madrid Elementary School the morning of the race opened up an hour before start time. I misread their event details that there would be chip time, but there was a bib and electronic timer at the finish. All race entries came with a free t-shirt. No finishers medals for this race.

Start Line: Ha, we started with a whistle — the 5-milers lined up with the 15-milers, and the 2-milers started in the opposite direction on the other side of the street.

Weather: OMG THE BEST. I did my warm-up in long sleeves because of the chill in the air, and it was a perfect high-50s come race time. FALL, GUYS!

Course: We started at the elementary school (down the street from that only traffic light in town) and the course contained various terrains and experiences: part road, part trail, part county gravel (mud) road, part neighborhood; and finished in downtown Madrid — the CUTEST late 1800s, small town kind of downtown. I loved it! I’m thankful to have connected with a couple locals who have completed the race before because, honestly, I think I would have got lost at a few points. There were colored arrows denoting each race course and a few volunteers sprinkled around, but at some turns I would have had no idea on on my own. It’s always good advice to print a copy of the course map when doing one of these small races, and I’ll definitely do that for next time.

Experience: Everything that you love about small races — generally, really friendly runners and volunteers (seriously, the two guys I ran with were born and raised in Madrid and knew every single person we ran by).

Madrid Iowa finish line milers race labor day
Finish Line chute!

Finish Line: There was a mini chute and an electronic sign for finish times (with a woman reading the times out loud as you crossed). There were bananas and water available, which you had to cross back over the finish to get to. But, small race, so just look both ways before crossing!

Running it in, I was actually really confused where the finish chute was, as it just looked like a bunch of people clustered around, and I almost turned down another street until I asked the group “where’s the finish?!” HA. I was in fastest sprint mode and I’m sure it sounded like I was yelling.

After Party: I stuck around for the results and award ceremony for the 5-milers, which started about 20 minutes after I finished. When I saw 3rd place announced for my age group, and it was the chick who I passed at the 4.5 mark, I got so excited knowing that I would take home a medal. That’s rare to do when you’re at the tail end of a 30-39 age group bracket, but such a confidence booster, despite knowing it was a small race and runner pool.

Madrid Iowa chocolate milk anderson erickson iowa blogger
Our Des Moines local brand: Anderson Erickson chocolate milk available at the finish line!

Bonus: CHOCOLATE MILK AT THE FINISH LINE!

Random Awesome: There was a guy running the 5 who has completed the race in the same shoes for 34 years (!!!). It was really cool to see him finish, and he took home one of his own age group awards.

madrid milers labor day old shoes guy race
Seriously, these shoes have some stories! I love this so much!

OVERALL
The Great: I placed 2nd in my age group AND got a PR!
The Good: The weather!
The Bad: Can’t find race results posted online. Whomp, whomp.
The Ugly: I always get so anxious about the lack of race details and communication before a race. I had to only assume that I picked my bib up the morning of the race with the same-day registration peeps. Again, always something to remember when doing small races, if you’re someone who is super Type A!

Madrid Iowa runners labor day blog
SILVER! I love that the race is marked on the back of the keychain — what a clever idea!

RESULTS
A new PR: 47:24 (ish; didn’t catch the final split seconds, though it’s about a 1:30 faster than my previous PR!)
AND 2nd in my 30-39 age group (holy shit!)

Race Recap: Dam to Dam Half Marathon

Thanks to a late push (no thanks to you, motivation) to train for this half marathon, I had zero goals aside from finishing in one piece. BUT aforementioned last-minute motivation or not has really helped propel my health and fitness goals and to get excited about some upcoming events — including the planning of my GOAL RACE in the Fall. More on that in another post.

Dam to Dam was my FIRST race in Iowa, and my fifth half marathon overall — and my fourth state! My PR for the half was back in February at Gasparilla… but with our big move in March, my desire to run really flat-lined. I was happy to at least get a 10-miler in (which went a lot better than I anticipated — and on the treadmill, no less. WHO AM I?!)

Two years ago, Dam to Dam changed course to a half marathon. The race still has remnants of its old school past, which is something that usually irritates me, but I actually kind of dug its small race charm (though 9000 entrants is certainly not “small”): there was no bag drop, no PERSON drop off at the start line (you had to take a bus), the emails were in all text (one that I received promised a lot of fun race day info but contained no images or links), and no real time tracking. Even the chip on the bib was MONSTROUS, considering the chip tech that exists in road racing.

And I guess, considering my not following my training plan, the race went about how I expected.

30something Flat Mel dam to dam
Flat Mel! (My race day uniform at this point.)

Registration and Cost: Registration was online via GetMeRegistered and cost $43.69 total (after some fees) — pretty great price for a half marathon! Dam to Dam has both a half marathon and 5K option, and the Half is limited to only 9,000. The first 5,000 runners get a $40 entry fee (I got in on this deal! WOOT!), $45 for the next 2,000 runners (5001-7000) and $50 entry for the last 2,000 runners. I sincerely couldn’t imagine this race adding any more runners to its registration, and I hope it never does!

Packet Pick-Up and Expo: Packet pick-up was downtown at the Veteran’s Auditorium / Convention Center the day before the race, so I had a double commute to drive into downtown from where I work. Thankfully, they were open until 8! Because there isn’t a lot of traffic in Des Moines (double WOOT!), I was able to find street parking; total time to park, pick up my bib and swag and peruse the FREE FOOD BUFFET was less less than the 42 minutes that I put on my meter.

I’m not sure if I missed a larger section of the Expo, but didn’t really explore beyond packet pick-up. Picking up bibs was by race number (which they posted the day before); t-shirts were a few tables down from there. The volunteers were REALLY encouraging me to enjoy myself with some free food. And I guess there was beer too!

Free Swag: Brooks t-shirt and socks! First time that I’ve received socks as part of my swag bag — and they’re hot pink, so YAY!

dam to dam swag brooks sponsor

Bag Check and Transportation: As I mentioned above, there was NO bag check for this race (on Facebook, the organizers posted about an unofficial and unsecured bag drop location downtown, but my day didn’t start there). I had to be dropped off at Valley West Mall in West Des Moines around 5:30 a.m. to catch a school bus that took us up to Saylorville. It seemed very organized, and once the bus filled up, the doors closed and the next bus pulled up. I did hear that at other locations, later in the pick-up window, it got a little messy and delayed. But I live by the mantra: BE EARLY! (especially when it’s your first time, and you have no clue what to expect).

I do get car sick, so I was honestly really nervous about taking a bus up (by myself, no less). But I did OK.

Start Line: The bus ride took, like, 20 minutes (if that), so I stopped into the Kybo (Iowan for port-a-john) — there were at least 100, if not more. And then I sat around for another hour. As the start time approached, all the runners make their way to the bridge over the Saylorville Dam (Dam #1!).

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Walking out to the bridge!

saylorville dam half marathon start

It was a BEAUTIFUL view, and you could see the downtown skyline in the distance where we would finish.

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Downtown Des Moines in the background — 13 miles away!

I didn’t see any official pacers, but there were sections posted with expected finish time. And then the swarm of people started moving after the gun went off and the timing mat for the start was kind of a surprise for those of us in the back of the pack.

Weather: UGH. Remind me why I sign up for summer races? I, thankfully but sadly, ditched my long-sleeve shirt. It was chilly enough to wear it sitting around pre-race, so I’m happy that I brought it. I wore it in so many races, so was sad to let it go. BUT OMG, a tank top and shorts was too much to wear within the first two miles. By the end of the race, it felt like 80 degrees and I could not keep my body cool. This was something of a disaster for me, as I felt thirsty constantly and probably drank too much water (despite properly hydrating the week before the race). And then by mid-race, I was legit feeling sick. By Mile 11, I had to stop running because my chest hurt and I was seeing spots, and I sincerely was freaking out about passing out on the course.

At least my allergies weren’t bad! #smallwins

Course: Saylorville Dam was the start, and the course almost immediately went into open roads and cornfields — so very Iowa! The course followed the path of the Des Moines River, though we didn’t see much of the waterway during the race. Portions of the race went through neighborhoods, others on bike trails; at one point we were running through the woods and over a wood plank bridge. The best was the approach downtown, coming past the Botanical Gardens and up the Principal River Walk over the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge. We have a pretty cool pedestrian bridge.

dam to dam half marathon course des moines

Miles 6-7 were no joke!

Also around that incline in elevation was Morningstar Hill, lined with American flags honoring all the Iowan soldiers lost in the line of duty since the first Dam to Dam on June 15, 1980. That’s always a somber experience in a race.

I really enjoyed the variety of scenery on this course. Also, there were staggered water stops, not specifically at every mile, but enough to be sufficient; there were maybe 3 stops with Powerade. Kybos were scattered throughout the course as well. There were sponges at one stop, but they were gone by the time we got there, which was a HUGE bummer because SO HOT. At this point, I was just dumping cups of water over my head and down my back. I missed the ice cubes too, as we were approaching downtown.

Fans and Experience: As you’ve probably gleaned from my past recaps, I have problems with large race crowds; this one didn’t feel overwhelming at all. At various spots throughout the course, there was live music and DJs; in the neighborhoods, there were more people cheering on their tree lawns. Cyclists were out cheering us on at the trail crossings, too. There were a couple of nearly-drunk guys at one of the bike outposts and one of them offered us doughnuts… TORTURE. Most of the “fans” were lined up near the finish line and in downtown.

Finish Line: I didn’t specifically hear my name, but the announcer was calling in all the finishers, which I always think is super cool. The finish chute opens up into Western Gateway Park — there were so many runners with their shoes off and sitting in the water fountains. There was free beer (Coors Light and Smirnoff Ice, blech). Would have been nice if there was some kind of cider. #glutenfreeproblems I heard there was chocolate milk, but I didn’t see it (thankfully, the boyfriend brought me some).

And then the sprinkler system went off in the park near where they were doing finish line photos and OMG you could only laugh because it was definitely not on purpose.

30s Therapy dam to dam finish
A strained smile at the finish line. More happy about my chocolate milk.

After Party: BBQ brunch at Jethro’s. And heck yeah, I wore my medal inside!

Bonus: A mutual friend online connected me to someone on Instagram who was also running the race, and SHE FOUND ME AT THE START LINE! And we were planning the same pace! We were able to run most of the race together, too — and I never had to put in my earbuds (though, I will not let my $42 purchase on iTunes the night before the race be wasted).

Extra bonus for you beer lovers out there: Besides the beer at the finish line, at 400 meters from the finish line you approach Exile Brewing, and volunteers there are giving out beer samples on the course. I was almost desperate enough to take one. lol (But OH GOD the smell of warm beer on this hot day and already feeling sick made want to hurl.)

Random Bullshit: I realized post-race that something bit me on my inner thigh, and I have a rash on the inside of both of my legs. We ran through the woods in one portion, and I’m so stupid fearful of ticks (I don’t know if it was a tick but that’s where my mind goes). So, that’s something that I have to keep an eye on.

Best Sign: Run Now, Poop Later.

OVERALL
The Great: It’s always awesome making new running friends, and having someone to enjoy the experience with.
The Good: My first race in Iowa!
The Bad: My training overall for this race was not so great, so I’m not surprised how poorly I did. Despite this, I pretty much assumed that I would finish in about 2:30.
The Ugly: THE HEAT. The end of this race was an awful slog. I couldn’t even muster enough energy as the finish line was approaching; 12-minute runs-walks for the last two miles. SIGH.

Splits (per Garmin watch): 10:31 (1) / 10:36 (2) / 10:50 (3) / 11:04 (4) / 11:09 (5) / 10:49 (6) / 11:13 (7) / 10:58 (8) / 10:58 (9) / 10:23 (10) / 10:46 (11) / 12:19 (12) / 12:49 (13)

finish time: 2:27:05 / average pace: 11:06/mi

OFFICIAL RESULTS
#2154 overall
353 in my age group (35-39)
Five mile: 54:33
Ten mile: 1:49:41
Clock time: 2:35:22
Chip time: 2:27:00
Pace: 11:13

A 30-something Year of Running 2015

Taking a cue again today from another running blogger, Eat Pray Run DC, to reflect a little on this past year’s running experiences in the Year of Running 2015 link-up.

As far as running goals are concerned, I kicked ass this year! I completed my first half marathon and then my second and third — PR’ing each race; I ran my first full marathon under my goal time; I finally finished a 5K under 30 minutes; I also PR’d the Liberty Mile; and I ran my first legit sub 8-minute mile just last week. I’ll do a full 2015 Running Goals update in another post, but this year was pretty amazing.

Best race experience / race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: By far, the Niagara Falls International Marathon. Prior to this race, I thought I’d be a one-and-done marathoner; and yet, here I am signing up for #2 in 2016! This race was the stuff that makes me feel so complete and fulfilled by this sport. I want to bottle up all of those emotions from Miles 21-26 of that course. Just, simply, an incredible day and experience for my first marathon.

Best run: During my group training runs, I realized my potential — running at a pace much faster than I ever thought possible for long distances. My favorite run was my group’s 16-mile “bridge run” starting from downtown at sunrise and looping around the city and its many bridges in Training Week 15. A camaraderie was born and those ladies helped me through the duration of my marathon training, including designing my 20-mile training run around the Lemieux 6.6 race (which… I haven’t recapped that race, have I?!).

Best new piece of running gear: The Exolite Sonic ear warmers from 180s. In fact, I think all of their cold weather running gear is top notch. Can it start snowing soon so that I can enjoy these things again?

Best running advice this year: “Do not eat the lube on the stick!” LOL (pre-Pittsburgh Half Marathon advice).

Most inspirational runner: Kim Stemple, no question.

“I am going to die; we are all going to die—I just have a little different perspective on it.” Stemple said. “So, I’m doing what makes me happy instead of laying on the couch looking at the loose hair on the pillow.”

She finished the 2015 Marine Corps Marathon in 4:15.

Favorite picture from a race or run this year:THIS.

LOOK AT HOW HAPPY!
LOOK AT HOW HAPPY!

If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? I DID IT! I mean, seriously. My running adventure only began in September 2014, and I have accomplished so much since then. This journey has been so rewarding.

Click through to read all the Year of Running 2015 posts — and add your own:

Eat Pray Run DC

Race Recap: Ugly Sweater Run 5K

ugly-sweater-logo2014The Ugly Sweater Run is a holiday-themed 5K that isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. This event is sincerely all in good fun and in the spirit of the season, and I had no plans to run fast or get a PR. I had a lot more fun that I anticipated! After being sick for over a week and unable to get any workouts in, I was antsy for some activity.

Registration and Cost: If this race is coming near you, check online for deals. My friend (who registered my bib) got a BOGO 1/2 off deal, and when she registered it was only like $25 per person. Day-of registration was $50 (!!!).

Packet Pick-Up: Easy bib pick-up, with separate tables for swag bag pick-up and 21+ wristbands (we skipped that last one, and thankfully, because that had the longest line of them all and we didn’t need it anyway).

Weather: It was a little chilly, even with the late 11am start time — about 40 degrees but sunny!

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Course: We started on Federal Street right outside PNC Park in a chute of inflatable candy canes. The course turned down General Robinson towards the trail off River Road, then on the North Shore Trail and out towards the Science Center. We turned back at that point on the trail and ran back on the trail towards PNC Park into the concessions/gate area. The course was most crowded (and a little annoying, because of the lack of runner etiquette) when runners were in both directions before approaching the turn-around on the trail. The organizers did have a tape separating the two “lanes” of traffic so it wasn’t a mass cluster.

Charity: This series of races supports Save the Children when selecting a special ticket option at registration.

Fans and Experience: As advertised, I was hoping for more holiday music and hot chocolate on the race course, but they still did a great job of integrating holiday fun into the event. Nearly everyone on that race had some sort of holiday-themed attire or accessories and there were a LOT of ugly sweaters in the group. People really got creative. Noted for next time, for sure!

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Finish Line: There wasn’t a course posted, but I was surprised to learn (upon asking a volunteer) that we were finishing inside PNC Park. At the Finish Line, any runners over 21 got a free beer and there was PLENTY of hot chocolate. While I was originally wanting the latter, I got super excited when I saw tall cans of Angry Orchard. HOORAY!

Medals and Swag: No medals but everyone got these sweet fleecy knit hats. Probably the most unique item I’ve received from doing a race!

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Bonus: Did I mention beer and cider (and hot chocolate, yes) at the finish line? Pro-tip: I didn’t get a 21+ wristband prior to the race but showing my ID at the beverage tables afterward was accepted (and I didn’t waste time in that line before the race). I don’t know if this is protocol for all of their races but BRING YOUR ID regardless.

After Party: The area outside of the park on Federal had a bunch of photo opps with Sam Adams’ cutouts and inflatable snow globes that you get inside of (!!!) and fake fireplace backdrops. BRGR and Franktuary had their food trucks set up here too. We were allowed to take our drinks outside the park, which was a fun bonus in extending the holiday “cheer.”

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OVERALL
The Great: Well, ’tis the season, of course.
The Good: Angry Orchard cider!
The Bad: People who don’t know race etiquette. RAWR.
The Ugly: There was a lot of conflicting information before this race — dates were wrong on the FB event page; the start line location said Waterfront in one spot and PNC Park on another; and there was a BUNCH of spam posts on their FB page to weed through (someone needs a social manager). I was anticipating a mess of a race because of this, but it ended up being pretty well-organized.

RESULTS
Uh, I’m not sure actually. I realized that I forgot to stop my watch after I had already grabbed my cider and took a few pictures. If I deduct those couple minutes (and base off my splits), I probably finished somewhere around the 31-minute mark. Though there were timing mats at the start and finish, I couldn’t find a results page/info anywhere. See above needed social manager.

Race Recap: Niagara Falls International Marathon

Can a single blog post even capture the excitement of completing a first marathon? I don’t know, but I’m going to try this. My FIRST marathon was an indescribable experience. The Niagara Falls International Marathon were 26.2 miles that start in the U.S., continue over the border via the Peace Bridge and through Canada, ending at Niagara Falls. Most of the mileage follows the Niagara Parkway along the Niagara River, and it is just a breathtaking course.

Marathon map

This race had a 6-hour time limit, and I was training to finish in less than 5 hours. I felt pretty good for most of the race — no pain in that stupid nagging knee at all — and started to get overall tired and tight about 15 miles in. But Miles 21-26 were just a next-level experience. It was something part out-of-body and part flow state.

Sauconys ready.
Sauconys ready.

I ran most of the course, with a few short walks through water stops and some stretching after Mile 15. No bathroom breaks, despite there being a port-o-pot at every Mile (really!) and no real distress for the duration of the race. I did break the Cardinal Rule of running though, by drinking something new (Cytomax) on the course that I didn’t train with… but I was at a point where IDGAF and, well, gluten-free fig newtons and sports beans weren’t cutting it. It wasn’t until after Mile 20, but I was ready for a bigger boost. And I felt like I drank a Red Bull and “grew some wings” (maybe I need to start trying out some new fueling options?).

Registration and Cost: I registered early bird back in March for $100 — yep, I officially registered for a full marathon before even doing a half marathon. The full marathon was capped at 1,200 runners (there were 721 total finishers so I imagine it didn’t sell out) and you have to have a valid passport in order to register for this race.

I apparently have a race day uniform now. LOL
I apparently have a race day uniform now. LOL

Shuttle and Bag Check: There was a shuttle option from Canada (again, only for the full marathoners) and corresponding bag check on the buses. I didn’t use either since I stayed in Buffalo and had a pick-up at the finish line on the Canada side.

Expo and Packet Pick-up: The expo was located at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, so we had to cross the border to get there. One last border agent check point at packet pick-up itself, and the rest was easy. I was also able to pick up a fellow Pittsburgh runner’s bag and t-shirt (sans bib) since he was unable to make the race. The staff was super helpful and easy-going about it. Also, we got to fill up the bags trick-or-treat style at a vendor table at the far side of the expo; I couldn’t eat most of the products but it was very generous — including a full-size box of pasta!

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Start Line: The race started in Buffalo near the Albright-Knox Gallery — which was open pre-race so that runners could wait INSIDE before the start. We even explored some of the galleries. That was majorly cool. Outside, there were seemingly enough port-o-pots, though I waited about 10 minutes with the influx of users about twenty minutes before start time. The half marathoners started at a different location on the Canada side.

So happy to be running!
So happy to be running!

Weather: The morning was chilly and low 40s at the start, and I thought it was perfect for shorts (hilariously). I did go back-and-forth on wearing my gloves and taking them off (and glad that I tucked them into my sleeve instead of discarding them mid-race), and I kept my cap on for the duration of the race. It was also super windy at certain points, which I think Pittsburgh winters have prepared me well for. Clouds covered the sky for the first half and the sun came out for the second. Considering I was initially planning for a forecast of rain for the weekend (and what Buffalo/Niagara could be at the end of October), I was overjoyed.

About 10 miles from the finish: Niagara Falls in the background.
About 10 miles from the finish: Niagara Falls in the background.

Fans and Experience: Not a lot of fans on this course, which I know is troublesome for some runners. But I was OK with it. Running over the Peace Bridge was definitely a highlight, albeit a windy one. Each water stop had a bunch of volunteers, some stops had music, another had a mascot (I think, at Mile 20). The first and last 3 miles had the most crowd activity. One of my favorite moments was high-fiving these two kids after Mile 24 and yelling “POWER UP!” The families were all laughing and these kids were so dang excited. I was too!

Peace Bridge! We had our own lane.
Peace Bridge! We had our own lane.

Best Sign: One spectator held a sign with a Buffalo Bills game update (with newly-taped updated scores). I asked him the score of the Browns game OF COURSE. (He laughed and told me the game had only just started.)

Medals and Swag: THERE IS A TINY SPINNING FLAG IN THE MEDAL! This represents the two countries we ran through and HOW FUN. (I was quite mesmerized by it after my finish. See: DELIRIUM) There was also a long-sleeved performance tee — bright green, SQUEE! — as part of our registration/packet.

Finish Line: This was the first race where they gave us these branded zippy hooded jackets at the finish line — they’re super thin and gauzy but they did their job to cover me up at the finish (and look better than foil)!

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Naturally, I had chocolate milk.

Bonus: You guys, the volunteers were giving out cheese pizza at the Mile 20 water stop. How amazing (and how torturous for me).

Random Bullshit: Another WTF with the Music app on my iPhone, punking me and playing the same song over and over and over for nearly 2 miles (until I realized there was NO WAY this remix was that redundant). And then my playlist would only advance to the next song if I used the phone and not the control function on my headphones. I had to close and restart the app, which allowed me to advance the songs through the headphone remote but wouldn’t automatically shuffle through the playlist.

Notable 30-somethings: The #1 female finisher was in the 30-39 age bracket (and #7 overall). Congrats, Paulina Golec from Krakow!

After Party: Since the race ended at Horseshoe Falls, selfies were NECESSARY. Then, a champagne and cheese plate back in the hotel. Like you do. Later, back in the States, we walked (yep, walked) over to Buffalo Proper for an amazing post-race meal.

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TL;DR:
The Great: A freaking rainbow opened up just as I reached Mile 26. I mean, C’MON UNIVERSE. I started yelling LOOK AT IT! And yes, I started crying.
The Good: Miles 21-26. Something inside me came alive in those miles. I can’t really explain it but it was transformative. Dare I say it: I was having FUN.
The Bad: Experienced some Charley Horses in my right calf around Mile 18. All things considered, that was something I could handle.
The Ugly: Since this was my first marathon, I saw some of the bad that happens to runners during a race. I really tried not to let down runners get in my head, and I had an amazing running partner (new friend from Alabama!) who kept me thinking positive.

Love to meet new running friends during races.
Caught snacking.

Splits: First off, I thought *for sure* that my Garmin watch would die before I finished, but it lasted the entire race.
10:18 (1) / 10:27 (2) / 10:36 (3) / 10:31 (4) / 10:16 (5)
10:31 (6) / 11:09 (7) / 10:38 (8) / 10:40 (9) / 10:38 (10)
10:50 (11) / 10:42 (12) / 10:49 (13) / 10:33 (14) / 11:29 (15)
11:08 (16) / 10:50 (17) / 11:08 (18) / 11:50 (19) / 11:13 (20)
12:57 (21) / 12:23 (22) / 12:51 (23) / 11:50 (24) / 11:17 (25)
11:04 (26)

Obviously, I slowed WAY down Miles 21-23, which I honestly didn’t notice until I looked at my splits after the race. But my overall strategy was to run the first half at 10:30 pace (which is on par with my half marathon time) which I managed pretty well. I knew that I would probably slow to an 11:30 at some point; I certainly didn’t expect an almost 13-minute mile in that — but what expectations did I have, really? — and at that point in the race I was stopping and taking pictures, enjoying the views and the experience, talking to my fellow runners and to the volunteers. And there was definitely some singing out loud. Man, I couldn’t have asked for a better first time.

Without further ado…

RESULTS
Time: 4:57:24
First Half: 2:20:36
Second Half: 2:36:49
Pace: 7:04 (min/km — the metric system always makes me laugh!) or 11:05/mi

LOOK AT HOW HAPPY!
LOOK AT HOW HAPPY!