Suann On the Run

Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Endurance Run

2012-02-06T19:04:00.001-06:00

Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Endurance Run
Feb. 2, 2012
Huntsville State Park, Huntsville, Texas
10:39 - 86th overall, 20th female, 5th age group

You know you are crazy when you are standing around an amazing group of athletes and feel like a slacker when you say, "I'm just running the 50."

You know you have totally lost it when you wake up to thunder, lightening and torrential downpours and think, "At least it's a warm rain."

Welcome to Rocky Raccoon 50/100 Mile Endurance Race. This race draws a huge crowd. All the big names in ultra running come out and throw down some of the fastest times. It's a relatively flat and fast course, if you watch the roots. Oh yeah, and if it's not raining for half of your race.

A huge group of my friends were rockin' Rocky this weekend.

Leslie and I before our first 50 mile race.

Asian Ultra Runners Unite! I was amazed by all the Asian ultra runners on the course!

I don't know where my head was at race morning. I wore a white tank (mind you it's been raining now for hours with no signs of it letting up). I gave Kai my headlamp for his drop bag (it's pitch black). I left my jacket at the hotel. And my garmin strap broke. Leslie was a doll and loaned me her headlamp which I needed for about 20 minutes into the race.

7 a.m. and we're off!
I saddled up next to Chris and ran a few miles with him since he had a Garmin. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going any faster than a 10:30 pace. Chris pulled ahead and I had a pretty good cadance going.

It wasn't long before I saw my buddy Kai who was running the 100. He was up with the big boys and looking strong!

For reference, Kai ran Beast of Burden 100 two weeks before Rocky with a sub 20. He finished Rocky in 20:43. Bad ass.

It was still raining pretty good and the mud was slowing me down. Several times I nearly lost my shoe.

I've been experiencing numbness in my left big toe over the past few weeks and it started again right off the bat. But then, the numbness turned into a pain. Each step, I felt like pins and needles were shooting up my foot. I became really concerned about what was going on.

As I was heading on the last 7 miles of my first loop, I run into Ninja who is running the 100. He's looking great, we ran about a mile together and I pulled off.

I finished my first loop at 2:55, exactly where I wanted to be, but I'm really concerned about this toe. I saw Mama C and told her my toe was really bothering me. She told me to change my socks. I looked at the feet and they looked ok other than pruned up. I decided to keep the same shoes on and head out back into the mud.

Loop 2 - 16.67 miles of misery
I looked at the clock and saw that I spent about 6 minutes messing with my socks. Flustered, I just kept going.

I see Dat walking it in and asked him how he was doing, "Not good." I hate to hear that.

All those ups I ran up so effortlessly and honestly didn't even know they were there, became MOUNTAINS on loop two. My legs are heavy. I feel like I am running in a lake.

Here's a picture I snagged from someone on Facebook. Imagine this and worse for 50 miles.

I see Kai a few times on this loop and he says, "You're looking strong." I don't feel strong now.

I see Jeremy. He asks me how I am. I tell him about my toe and he tells me that I'm doing fine and push through. Jeremy has an uncanny way of saying the right thing just when I'm about to break.

I have no idea what my pace is, what time it is, nothing. I just know I feel slow. I ran into a guy named Tim and noticed he had a Garmin. I asked him what time it was and what our pace was. We ended up running the back half of that 2nd loop together. It was his first 50 mile race and it was nice to have some company. He would walk for a bit while I kept running, but he always caught back up to me.

David from Endurance Buzz is at the Park Road aid station along with my buddy Martin. Martin says, "Honeybee!" I say hi and I think bitched about how I was feeling. David asked me how I was and I told him I'm having a hard time and it's not my day. He said, "I believe in you." Oh hell. I can't let these people down. Push on, Honeybee.

I came into the aid station and it's now 6:35 into the race. A friggin 35 minutes off my goal. I'm pissed. I'm tired of being dirty and wet. I hate my shoes. My toe feels like it's seriously messed up.

I run into the drop bag area and a very nice volunteer runs over to me and says, "what do you need." I said, just a chair, I need to change out my shoes.

Just then, Mama C sees me and I'm just pissy girl. She asked how I felt. I think I said, "Like ass." And adeded, "I just want a DNF. My toe hurts, it's sucks out there. I'm tired of being wet."

She became my angel. I swear I looked over and a halo was around her head. She said, "I don't want to hear those letters. You only have 16 miles left. Shut up and run."

Here's another way you know if you are crazy...when you think, shit, only 16 miles. I got this.

I threw off my shirt, put on a dry tank, changed out socks and shoes and felt better. Just being dry helped my attitude.

I took about 15 minutes here fiddling with my socks and shoes and moving my chip. I refused to put that damn thing on my ankle and tied it to my shoe, which meant I had to unlace and relace to put my chip on.

Loop 3 - The Come Back Kid

The rain had stopped and the trail was draining pretty well. I purposely walked around as much of the muddy areas on the way out because I really was enjoying my dry socks and shoes. My feet felt so much lighter and my toe pain is gone.

I knew my goal of a sub 10 was out of reach. So I told myself, you can still get a sub 11 and that gets you into the Western States lottery. Just keep swimming.

I allowed myself to walk the ups, but told myself, there is no walking flats or downs. Nothing is wrong with you. Your toe is fine, your legs are just tired, but they are supposed to be.

I'm running pretty much solo out here now. There are lots of runners, but we're just not running the same pace. I come into Damn Nation, I grabbed a coke for some caffine. I asked them how many miles into the finish and what time it was. Then Tim saddles up next to me. And someone says 7 miles and it's 9:30. I looked at Tim and said, your job is get me in sub 11. He told me not to put that pressure on him.

I don't know if it was the Coke or the thought of only 7 miles left, but I got this burst of energy. Another way you know you're crazy, when you get giddy that you only have 7 miles left.

I took off like a bat out of hell. I'm sailing. I don't know my pace. I don't care. All I know is I have 7 miles and a sub 11 is going to happen. I'm flying down the downs. I'm passing people left and right. As I'm heading in, other runners coming toward me are cheering me on.

I come to the nature center aid station and see David who cheers me on to the finish. I know it's close. I hear cheers coming from not far away. Then I see Byron! I said, "Please tell me I'm going to sub 11." He says, "I don't know." Instantly I streak of panic comes across me as I watch Byron trying to look down the trail at the clock. Then some 100 mile runners heading out for their next loop overheard this exchange and said, "Yeah by about 20 minutes, you will!" My reaction was "Fu$k Yeah" as I threw my arms in the air. I sprinted to that finish line and there it was 10:39.

As with every race, I spent a lot of time analyzing. What did I do wrong? Why was I off my goal? I couldn't have run this race any better than I had. I didn't go out too fast. I fueled perfectly (thank you Jonah!). This was the first race that I have not had stomach issues!

You can control your pace. You can control your fuel. You can't control the weather. This weather wreaked havoc on the best runners. It made what is supposed to be a less difficult course, very challenging.

The hardest part of this sport for me adjusting my goals during a race. You simply can not run the race you want when things happen beyond your control. Having come to grips with that sooner would have made loop 2 a little more enjoyable.

A big thank you to all the volunteers, the race director, and all my friends who have supported me on this crazy journey: Ninja, Jeremy, Josh, Jonah, Mama C, Kai Borg, Lisa, Zu, Chris. You all believed in me and kept me up when I was down and pulled me along.

Most importantly, this race made me feel ready to tackle that 100. Zion 100 May 11, here I come. Oh yeah, and you bastard raccoon, I'll be back next year to show you who is boss. Sub 10 will be mine.

Shit Ultra Runners Say

2012-02-06T10:42:00.000-06:00

I promise to write a Rocky Raccoon 50 mile endurance run race report, but here are the top 10 things I heard this weekend...

10. My toes look like hamburger.

9. I was so in need for a sock for the junk.

8. Conversation from two 100 mile runners:
Runner 1: Man I need to walk for 20 seconds.
Runner 2: You know walking for 20 seconds is like 40 seconds because it takes you double that to get back to your pace.
Honeybee: Are you guys running the 100? And you are seriously worried about 20 seconds?
Runner 1: Well I'm just saying, it throws you off your pace and you have to make it up.
Honeybee: shakes head.
Runner 2: If I miss sub 24 for 20 seconds, I'm coming to find you.
Runner 1: I'll never pee in a race again.
Honeybee: Dude, just pee while you run. It's a skill.

7. I feel compelled to lube something.

6. Do you have any little girls?

5. I don't want to get these shoes muddy.

4. Oh he's almost done, he only has 20 miles left.

3. At mile 43, "You look SMASHING!"

2. I think you have some mud on you.

And the number one things goes to Mama C. After loop 2 when I said, "I want a DNF" she says to me...

1. I don't want to hear those letters. Shut up and run you only have 16 miles left.

Running 50 mile is pretty amazing. But running 50 miles with the most awesome athletes, crew, pacers and volunteers and friends is even more amazing. Thank you to everyone for making it a great weekend. Race report to come!

Battle to the End - The Duel Dirt 50K

2012-01-23T19:11:00.003-06:00

The Duel Dirt 50K
Wichita Falls, Texas
Jan. 21, 2012
5:30:04, 2nd overall female, 7th overall

At 29 degrees at the start line, I thought the biggest battle I would be fighting was keeping warm.

I headed up to Wichita Falls at 0530 for my second 50K, third ultra marathon. In typical Texas winter weather, it was in the 70s the day before. I knew a cold front was coming in, but the weather forecast said a high of 54 degrees.

At the last minute, I ran back in the house and grabbed my Solomon 3/4 in compression tights and Solomon jacket. Turned out to be a good move, as I was wearing a singlet and shorts! I realized when I pulled into town that I would seriously freeze my tooshie off dressed like that!

The race is ran on the Wee-Chi-Tah Trail, which ironically parallels the BNSF main line. The trail is not technically difficult and has some great flat parts where you can really fly. But there is a section (which us ultra runners got to run not once, not twice, but three times) that contains some short steep ups hills, hairpin turns, suspension bridges, a barn and some half pipes.

My running buddy Josh, returned to defend his marathon title win from 2011. We wished each other luck at the start and off we went.

I took the first five miles pretty conservatively. I was chatting with a person who flew in from Denver and was training for Leadville. We swapped a few stories and I decided to pick up the pace. Soon, I came up to the pack of lead women and a few boys. After following the pack for a bit, I decided to work my way up.

Feeling really strong, I took the lead and pulled away from the other gals. In the back of my head I thought, shoot this is really early in the race to do this. Are you messing up?

I hit the half marathon mark at 2:03. Pretty damn fast for a 50K, really damn fast for trails.

My nutrition plan was to take in most of my calories through liquid. The mix I had was 250 calories for my 20 ounce bottle. I ended up taking in only 250 for that half marathon -- about half of what I planned. I grabbed my new bottle at the half and decided to grab a few fig newtons for more calories. There was nothing at the aid stations that I have ever had in an ultra -- pretzels (which I hate because they are too doughy), gummy bears (too sweet), PBJ (never sits well with me in a race), Snickers (haven't tried that one yet) and fig newtons.

That fig newton was the death of me. I think I ate one and a half, spit the rest out. It wasn't long before my stomach acted up. I really had to slow my pace. I grabbed 4 papaya enzymes which helped take the edge off, but I knew a port-a-potty would be in my future. Around mile 15 or 16, I spent a few minutes cursing that fig newton in the port-a-potty.

I started to feel my energy draining. I grabbed a snickers to see if that would help. Around mile 21, my tummy hurts again. I popped six more papaya enzymes. Miraculously, I'm still lead female. I figured by 21, I would have lost my lead. I knew the gals were catching me.

I think it was about here, that I kissed some Wee-Chi-Tah dirt and fell. Picked myself up and kept going. I thought, girl if you are in the lead, you are running no matter what.

I was certainly losing energy and speed. I hit the full marathon around 4:15. I lost the lead right at the end, around mile 28. I wished Tammi well. She was running strong and I was fading. Thinking I could slack off a little, I hit the last .50 miles and realized the next girl was not far behind. Time to pick up that pace.

I crossed the finish line at 5:30:04 - a one hour, 39 minute PR over Rockledge Rumble.

This was my last long run before Rocky Raccoon 50M. It gave me a good idea of how I want to run that race and how I need to fuel.

On the road to Rocky. See you in two weeks!

Here's a story on Endurance Buzz about the race.

New Year's Surprise: Spike Lives

2012-01-01T13:16:00.000-06:00

I've always been a sucker for animals. I adopted Gandalf the Grey (my Russian Blue kitty) 7 years ago. Five years ago while filming out on the railroad tracks, I found a 1-pound kitten by herself. I was going to find a home for her. Yeah, you know how that ended up. She's 20 pounds and I live in her home.

Then came Flash the 9-year-old stinky, but lovable Basset Hound.

My ex-husband thought our son needed a lizard a few years ago. I was thinking gecko. They are cute, little. I could handle a gecko. While at the pet store, he proclaimed, "geckos suck." My son repeated, "Yeah geckos suck." So the cute 4-inch bearded dragon came home.

The cute 4-inch bearded dragon soon outgrew his cage. We got Spike a new mansion complete with heated rock and faux rock walls. Very posh. He has grown to about 16 inches. And has quite the tough guy appearance.

Of course, I ended up with the menagerie in the divorce.

Marshall is with his dad this week. Yesterday, I ran a marathon, took a nap, decided to head to Petsmart to get two dozen crickets for Spike. I threw in some meal worms. Why not? It's the holidays.

"Spike, hey buddy. Crickets." No response. Waving cricket habitat. "Hey dude. You hungry?" Eyes are closed and no movement. Tap. Tap. Tap. "Spike....dude..."

A sudden fear of death enters my mind. Did he die? Oh my god. What am I going to tell Marshall. "Hey Marshall, your mommy killed your lizard while you were at your dad's house."

"Spike. Buddy. I got you crickets." Silence. I study the reptile closely for any signs of breathing. There is none. My heart rate suddenly soars. I feel like I'm racing the last .2 miles of that marathon again. But there's no medal for killing your son's lizard.

One more try. "Spike buddy." Pokes lizard with stick. "Dude, please don't be dead." Poke. Poke. Oh my god. He's dead.

Now there's the issue of how to remove the lizard corpse. I will not touch the lizard when it's alive. The thought of removing a dead lizard sent chills down my spine. I texted my ex, "Spike is dead. Need assistance with lizard corpse removal." No response.

Ok, I think the body will be ok until tomorrow. Surely I can find someone who will remove lizard corpse on New Year's Day.

I went to the running club this morning for the annual New Year's Day recovery run and breakfast. Having this conversation with my running buds, Danyah reminds me that the body needs to be disposed of relatively quickly before it starts smelling bad.

A rush of panic comes to my brain. Oh dear god, I'm going to go home and my house is going to smell horrendous. I feverishly start texting anyone who has ever owed me a favor. Then I offered Chelsea (Marshall's babysitter who is home from college) $20 to dispose of the body. She jumped at the chance.

Text from Chelsea: "Wait, it's organs are still inside it's body right."

Chelsea comes over and Spike is in the same position, laying flat, front legs tucked behind him, eyes closed, not breathing. She has the same reaction I do. It freaks her out.

"You're lucky I'm desperate for money," Chelsea explains. I hand Chelsea the tongs and casket (a Tory Burch shoe box).

"Maybe we should get a bigger box," I say.

"I would want to be buried in that box," Chelsea notes. "Maybe we should put some paper towels over him."

I grab a few plastic grocery bags. After a few minutes of waving our arms in the air and squirming at the thought of this thing, I hold the casket and Chelsea throws the plastic bags in the cage.

"I don't think he'll fit in this box. We'll have to fold his tail," I say thinking has riger mortis set in? Is he stiff?

"Squish the bags down with the tongs," I tell Chelsea as she grabs his tail with the tongs, trying to fold it in.

And at that moment, I'm not sure what exactly happened. He may have moved a bit. But both Chelsea and I screamed.

"HIS EYES ARE OPEN!!!!" Chelsea screams.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S STILL ALIVE. WE ALMOST BURIED A LIVE LIZARD."

Quickly she removes the plastic bags from the cage. I got the crickets out and dropped a few in front of him. He ate about 8 or 10 of them, but was not moving to get them.

"He doesn't look good. When do you go back to school," I ask Chelsea.

"January 17. I may go earlier, like the 15th."

In my mothering scolding tone, "You hear that Spike? If you are going to die, you need to do that before January 15th."

Chelsea helped me put my Christmas tree away and I gave her the $20 and said I'm paying her forward.

I'm thinking of changing Spike's name to Jesus. I swear he was dead.

Closing out 2011 with 26.2

2011-12-31T18:50:00.000-06:00

New Year's Double Marathon
Dec. 31, 2011
4:08:28, 1st Age Group, 7th Female, 27th Overall

As much as I like to tell everyone, "I'm not racing" or "I'm not going to stress over this marathon," you all know I'm trying to convince myself more than you right?

Fact: You put a chip on me, I'm racing.

Fact: The marathon and I have an abusive relationship. I can run an ultra stress free, but the marathon scares me. He's been so abusive. We fight. Some days he wins. Some days I win.

Fact: I will worry myself sick before a marathon. Literally. My stomach revolts.

I put in lots of miles the week of this marathon. Why? Because I'm training for Rocky Raccoon. Yes, Marathon, take that you bastard, I'm cheating on you. Have been since November. Deal.

Friday, my stomach goes south. This morning, my stomach is not happy again. I'm chewing papaya enzyme like it's going out of style. It's helping.

I decided to run what I thought I could run and see how long I could hold on. I may have started out too fast, but honestly, I think my calories were down. 90 calories every hour, just isn't enough.

Wheels fell off about 16. I was still pacing to finish at a sub 4, but I really didn't want to fight for another 10 miles at this pace.

I saw Ninja at about 21 and he said, "You're cutting it close." I told him, "It's not happening today."

At 22, a volunteer told me, she thought I was first in my AG and one of the top 10 females. That was just the kick in the ass I needed to keep going. I said, "Thank you for kicking me in the butt. I really needed that."

I knew by now a sub 4 was out of the question. While part of me wanted to just walk it in, I thought, eh, let's run it out and see how I place. The concrete was really killing me. I have gotten so used to trails. This stuff was pounding on my hips, my feet. I really was longing to be on the trails.

I crossed the finish line at 4:08:28. Good enough for a 1st place age group win, 7th overall female and 27th overall.

So it wasn't my sub 4. But I'm not calling this a win for Marathon. I ran the best race I could run today.

2011 Stats:
4 marathons
2 ultra marathons (my first ultra followed by 2nd ultra 7 days later)
1 30K
2 trail half marathons, 1 road half marathon
2 sprint triathlons

Total milage
Ran: 1,724
Cycled: 403

2011: A Year in Review

2011-12-23T10:18:00.001-06:00

A big year with a lot of twists and turns, both running wise and personally. But I have to say, 2011 has been good to me. Here's a quick recap.

Goals
5K - Sub 24. Well, I got close, 24:29
Maration - Sub 4. Again, I got close, 4:00:06. Stupid 7 seconds.
70.3 - The triathlon and I broke up in September. So I totally bailed on this one.

January - Kicking things off right
Started the year off right with a New Year's Day half marathon. Paced Mama C for a near PR. "You can cry when we're done."

February - Cowtown love
On a stupid hot and humid and windy Texas day, Mama C and I tried for that marathon PR. While we came up short, one thing is for sure, that woman has got more drive and passion than anyone I know. I am honored to have paced her for 26.2 and to call her my friend.

I also competed in my first duathlon. I did ok with a 5th place AG placement.

March - The month of the triathlon
In my usual fashion, I didn't train for the St. Paddy's Day Tri, but ended up with a 2-minute course PR. On a whim, I did the Tri Cowtown and ended up with a 5K PR. Who PRs a 5K during a tri?

I also came the closest I have ever gotten to WINNING race. I ended up 2nd overall female at the Boopa's 5K. I'll do this race every year in loving memory of Jayden and Lisa. Lisa was co-owner of Boopa's Bagels. Her son and her were brutally murdered in a domestic violence situation. No matter what, Lisa always had a smile on her face when you walked into her shop.

April - Seven seconds of separation
This was supposed to be it, my big sub 4 marathon. I ran a damn fine race. I knew I was cutting it close to come in under four hours. Well, I missed it by 7 seconds. Stupid marathon. I'll be back, you bastard.

May - Trail time
I ran my longest trail run, went through water waist high. Had an abosulte blast! I think this was the start of what was to come.

June - The heat is on
The start of the hottest summer in Texas began. So I ran a 5K. It sucked. So did the rest of the summer.

July - Longest bike ride
Still thinking I was going to do a 70.3, Mel, Beans and I hit the road to Stevenville for the Firecracker bike ride. It was hot, hilly and undulating. The best part was the fish tacos and beer at Fuzzy's afterward.

August - Race across the sky
I had the pleasure of crewing and pacing at the Leadville 100 Trail Race. Leadville, I'll be back, but this time, I'm running you.

I also ran my first trail half marathon in Seattle. Here, I earned my nickname, Honeybee, when at mile 10, a bee stung me on the ankle through my sock.

The day before I ran Cougar Mountain, I got my 5K PR at the Auburn Good Ol' Days 5K. Had the pleasure of running my good HS and college buddy, Peter in for the last bit.

September - More trails
Dashed through another trail half marathon in Seattle and really fell in love with this trail running stuff. Got to run my first race with Jeff in Seattle. And met his beautiful new baby boy.

It was September that I officially broke up with the triathlon. Realizing that my passion was running, I decided to focus my training in one discipline. Between traveling a lot and the hot summer, I could not devote the time on the bike, my weakest link.

October - Disaster strikes
It's not always fun and games, but one thing is for damn sure, I have the best friends in the world who are my rock when I can't be. Thinking I was going to throw away Long Beach and not go, I asked K2 to join me. She dropped everything and came to Cali with me and ran that marathon with me. It was still a disaster, in fact my personal worst, but I made it through with a little help from my friends. It's not how hard you fall, but how gracefully you recover.

The highlight of October for me was crewing and pacing Jeremy at the Cactus Rose 100. And being there to witness he and Reece complete something epic.

November - Ultra Madness
The one thing about me, if I fall, I'm gonna get up stronger than before. I ran my first ultra, Rockledge Rumble 50K.

Seven days later turned around and ran 12-hour Ultracentric. I felt on top of the world. Placed 3rd female at Ultracentic and 5th overall. I think I found my nitch.

December - Big decisions
I'll close December with a full marathon on Dec. 31. Maybe I'l sub 4 it, maybe I won't. One thing is for sure, I'm not going to worry myself sick over it. Those days are done.

I made a big decision, I chose my first 100. Zion 100 in May. I have my days where I think just one foot in front of the other, you can do this. Then I have my days where I start freaking out and looking at the calendar and what races do I need to do to prepare and what should my training look like. This will be the most difficult and challenging adventure of my life. But you know me, I'm always up for a challenge.

Blessed
I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I had an amazing year. I feel truely blessed to have such an amazing group of friends who support and believe in me. I am one lucky girl. At the risk of missing someone, I'm gonna call out a few of you...

Bojana - You have been there through the best and the worst. We can solve the world's problems over a can of tuna or sushi. I love you.

Bemadthen (Lisa) - You always know how to make me laugh so hard my stomach hurts. You can't NOT smile around Bemadthen.

Beans - Dude, you know you're a good friend when you loan me your shoes when I forgot mine. Shafer 1.5, Thanksgiving orphans, Ruth Chris, Speedway, BNSF track. Beans and Rice. Rice and Beans.

K2 - Whine and wine and marathons. You are an awesome friend.

Ribs - My Ribsy. My mentor. "Love you forever, ever and ever. Love you with all my heart."

The weekend trail gang: Josh, Reece, Chris, Erich, Ninja and others - Northshore is always a blast with you all.

Jeremy - I think you are the reason I'm doing this insane ultra stuff. Thank you for inspiring me and all your advice. I miss our weekend runs.

Mel - I'm super proud of you and all you have achieved this year. You are a rock star and will go far. I look foward to the day you kick my ass in a marathon. It will be soon.

Mama C - When I grow up I want to have the drive and passion that Mama C has. You are an inspiration.

To everyone else who has been there for me, thank you, thank you, thank you.

In closing, I want to leave you with my favorite quote as of late. "Anyone who every gave you confidence, you owe them a lot," Audrey Hepburn. Each one of you has given me confidence to move to me that next goal. And I owe you a lot.

Wishing you a great 2012. See you on the trails!

Review of Scoott eRide Grip Trail Shoe

2011-12-19T16:04:00.000-06:00

I've been searching for a light weight trail shoe with a decent sole that could withstand some pretty rocky trail here in Texas.

John, who runs Run Break, said he knew the perfect shoe and asked me to review the Scott eRide Grip IM.

Not knowing Scott even made trail shoes, I serached the world wide web to see what I could find out about this shoe. I was pretty shocked when I could not find much information about this shoe and no reviews.

John said that he's been impressed with them and has become a distributor because he can't find a lot of folks who carry them.

I was skeptical at first. This was not a shoe that looked light. I could not find the weight of this thing on the Scott website or any website for that matter. But it looked super cool.

I immediately took them out of the box and they fix perfectly. They are quite comfortable and more flexible than I thought they would be.

They have a great sole with some good grip on them.

According to Scott, this shoe has an "Ergologic Ride™"

Run more naturally:

1.) With its mild Rocker Shape and lower heel height, the unique midsole design promotes a healthier body position and running form.

2.) EMG Testing at the “Human Performance Lab”, University of Calgary*, indicates that the eRide-Technology is more energy efficient than standard designs.

3.) eRide enables a midfoot strike while providing a more cushioned and stable platform. The unique shape smoothly accommodates heel, midfoot or forefoot strikers.

4.) The rocker heel shape effectively creates a lower profile heel, minimizing heel-strike.

5.) The mild rocker geometry creates a smoother transition between phases of the gait cycle and more efficient propulsion.

6.) The minimalistic sole design is lighter weight and puts the foot closer to the ground, while still providing necessary cushioning, protection and traction.

Scott also boasts a new Ion-Mask technology. According to Scott, IM is ...
"Invisible to wearers, the protective layer of ion-mask™ is over one thousand times thinner than a human hair. The technology is molecularly bonded to the whole surface of the product making it extremely durable without affecting the look or feel of the product. Furthermore, ion-mask™ lasts as long as the material itself and is not compromised by everyday wear. Treated articles keep wearers comfortable and dry by repelling water from outside and maintaining optimum control of temperature and breathability. By resisting the absorption of water and dirt, ion-mask™ also helps guard against stains, making products look newer for longer."

I ran 12 miles on these on the trails of Northshore at Lake Grapevine. I would say this trail is a 3 in technical. The shoes did great. They were nimble and flexible, but I would hardly call them "minimal" as Scott says.

The next weekend, I ran a 10-mile race at Isle Du Bois. This trail is full of rocks. And I was glad to have this shoe. The shoe has enough of a sole to keep those rocks from killing the bottom of your feet, but are still flexible. The one thing I hate about the Brooks Cascadias are that they are just too stiff in the sole.

Bottom line:
- It's not a minimalist shoe.
- It's a good lighter weight shoe that has some great tread and good for rocky terrain.
- I don't buy into this whole business of it helping with a midfoot stride. They say that it has a "rocker" sole. Eh, could not really notice that at all.

If you want a decent, lightweight shoe that has some grip and is good on rocks, this is a good choice. If you are looking for a more minimalist shoe, this is not a good choice.

For more information on the shoe (which isn't much), see the Scott website
.

Also, go visit Run Break for his review of another Scott model. It's also a great resoruce for other shoes and gear.

Buckle Up! The Road to 100 - Zion 100

2011-12-16T13:14:00.002-06:00

Zion is a Hebrew word meaning "a place of peace and relaxation".

While there is nothing relaxing about running a 100 miler, there is something oddly peaceful right now about where I am at with my running, which makes this race perfect for my first 100 miler.

I was the girl who would obessive over a bad race and couldn't erase it from my head until I ran the next one. I was the girl who literally worry herself sick before a marathon. I was the girl who was afraid to miss a run or divate from the planned workout schedule. I was a girl who wasn't taking the time to enjoy the journey -- just racing to the finish line.

I think ultrarunning changed that.

I no longer obsess over my pace. What my finish time will be. Will I BQ. None of that matters any more. The journey is the reward.

And it's time for the next adventure in this journey -- Zion 100 May 11-12.

This is the innagural race, which also happens to be my first 100.

There are a lot of things that attracted me to this race:
- Zion! Enough said.
- It's a figure 8 coruse where you only repeat a few miles. I HATE LOOPS.
- The RD is making it VERY first 100 runner friendly. A very generous cut off of 36 hours.
- Pacers are allowed after 32.5 miles. Something very uncommon in a 100. It's generally after 50 miles.
- I need to check off Utah as a state.

So after thinking about this for, oh all of a few hours, I pulled the trigger. I'm in. I guess I better buy a new belt for that shiny buckle.

Isle Du Bois - Isle Du Rock

2011-12-13T09:36:00.000-06:00

Isle Du Bois 10 Mile Race
December 10, 2010
Pilot Point, Texas
1:55:49

I think "bois" means wood in French. I think this would have been more appropriately named Isle du Rock. There were just a few out there.

After feeling on top of the world with two amazing races, I got injured. Allbeit a quick injury with a fast recovery, but I was injured. I had to admit (once again) that maybe I bit off more than I could chew -- my first 50K, followed by 54 miles a week later led to a slight knee injury right before Isle Du Bois 50K.

I just started back up running the week of the race. While my knee was pain free, I knew that throwing down 31 miles after being off from an injury was just plain stupid. Not to say that stupid is something I haven't done before. But this time, I had to keep the end game in mind. My A race wasn't Isle Du Bois. This was a training run. My A race is Rocky Raccoon 50 mile. I swallowed my pride and emailed David, the RD. He reassured me that I was making the right decision, but I still felt like a sell out.

I arrived at the race site and found Ninja and Trigolfer. Stacy and Drum had camped there (those crazy girls it was freezing!). Grabbed my bib and immediately went back to my car to keep warm. Got out of my car to see the 50k-ers off. My buddy Chris was running the 50K. We were planning on running it together and I felt terrible leaving her. But she understodd.

I loved this trail. It's rocky and has some long climbs. Nothing steep, but just enough to keep you on your toes.

The race was cup free! Yay! Kudos to the RD David for making this a cup free race! Mama C was working one aid station and said something about only one trash bag for the entire race. ONE TRASH BAG!

I ran a steady even pace. I didn't want to race this thing due to my knee. I really wanted to get the miles in and just see how things feel. So I kept it at a comfortable pace and just enjoyed the day.

This is a great new trail race for the DFW area. Thank you to David for putting on this inagural race. All the volunteers for freezing your tooshies and taking care of us runners. I'll be back next year!

Ultracentric - Ultra Amazing

2011-11-20T15:00:00.003-06:00

Ultracentric 12-Hour Endurance Run
November 19, 2011
54 miles, 11:37:54
3rd Female, 5th Overall

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to perform as well as I did yesterday. Here I am a week after my first ultra, Rockledge Rumble 50K, and I'm running the longest I ever have in my life. Twice as long as Rockledge, as a matter of fact. I have never run this distance before and quite honestly didn't have a clue as to how my body would handle it.

For those not familiar with Ultracentric, it's a 2-mile course. Your object is to run as many loops as you can in your time. There is a 6-, 12-, 24- and 48-hour option. I had no expectations going in, but I thought I could run about 50 miles. I figured I would hold a 10:30 pace as long as I could and then see what happens. If I need to cut out early, so what, I won't run the full 12 hours.

It was a little warmer and way more humid than I would have liked, but the overcast was a Godsend. I was feeling really good despite the fact I ran 32 miles a week ago.

At 9 a.m. Ninja and TriGolfer and I toed the line for our little adventure. Ninja was also in for the 12 and TriGolfer for the 24.

Many of you who follow my blog can recall that fueling and hydration has been a big issue for me this year. Last weekend, I used only water and Salt Stick Caps for my electrolytes. I fueled with a gel every hour for the first 3 hours and then switched to solid foods...fruit and potato chips and Coke.

This race was a completely different animal. How am I going to fuel for 50+ miles?!?! Well, I did the same thing, except I cut out the gels and decided to use them at the end if my stomach wasn't tolerating solids.

I took 2 salt stick caps every hour and fueled about ever hour on fruit and potato chips. Later in the night, I took a couple quarters of ham and cheese sandwiches. And I was taking a swig of Coke about every loop. I tried to keep my calories about 150-200 an hour. I was probably much less than that for the first 40 miles.

My buddy Triboomer came out to see the start and hung out for quite some time taking pictures. It was so nice to have a little cheering section for a bit. He said goodbye to me right about my 12-mile mark and said he would be back.

A few minutes later, Beans arrived. He brought me some Body Glide and walked a half loop with me. And crewed me a little by filling up my water bottle and getting me some of my favorite Gingerbread Cookies!

Off I went for some more loops. Around mile 27, My friend Greg stopped by and ran a few loops with me. Left and then came back with a huge Coke from Sonic. It was EXACTLY what I needed. In the words of The Oatmeal, it tasted like unicorn tears.

Around mile 40, my feet are feeling the pounding of this darn cement. I told TriGolfer I had felt some blisters going on. He suggested I swap out into my other pair of shoes. Changed out my socks and shoes and decided it was time to put on my Salomon compression 3/4 tights. Wow! What a difference. My legs felt so much better!

My knee started acting up about this time too. I felt very still. So at this point, took a pretty good walk break...like 2 miles. I also grabbed some Advil. Not sure if I should, Ninja and TriGolfer said to go ahead and take it but keep hydrating.

I grabbed my phone and updated my FB status since I knew people were wondering where I was. I also texted a few friends to keep me company for the next loop. Everyone was so encouraging!

Next loop, I was feeling pretty good so I began running again. I told someone that if my knee was really bad, I was calling it a day at 50. I hit my goal of 50 at 10:35. I was feeling ok so I made the decision to keep going. This was a walk/run for the next 4 miles.

And there it was. My finish line! 54 miles. And then it hit me! Holy crap! I just ran 54 freaking miles? Me? Did I do that? Yeah I did. I have the blisters to prove it. What was more amazing, I came in 3rd female and 4th or 5th overall. There was another guy who also ran 54 miles, but I'm not sure how the RD is going to slot that. Regardless, TOP 5?!?!?! After running my first ultra last weekend? I'm stunned, really.

I owe a lot of thanks to a lot of people! Thank you to Triboomer, Beans and Greg for coming out to see me! Your friendship is amazing!

Thank you to all the volunteers at Ultracentric. YOU ARE AMAZING!

Congratulations to all the runners who did something epic yesterday!

Some of the 12-hour Ultracentric girls and one of the boys. Of the top 5, 3 were women! Girl power!

And my Ribsy wrote a blog for the Dallas Morning News. Read it here.

I AM AN ULTRA MARATHONER

2011-11-14T15:57:00.000-06:00

Rockledge Rumble 50K
Nov. 12, 2011
6:39:48, 12th female, 38th overall
First 50K

"Its a brand new day
I'm still alive
What can I say?
The road was mighty hard
But its okay
I did my pride
Just one more mile"
Just One More Mile, Paper Tongues

I did it. I ran a big race EXACTLY how I wanted it. No regrets. I trusted my pace. I trusted my body and I did it. It went exactly as planned.

This was the most calm I have ever been coming into a race. I had no expectations other than to finish. I had a goal in mind, but it was a loose goal. I had never covered this distance before so I didn't know how I was going to feel.

Additionally, after the stomach issues I had in Long Beach, I was trying a new fueling plan and I really had no clue how that was going to work. Instead of Gatoraid or any other electrolyte drink, I took the advice of Jeremy and Josh to go with just water and Salt Stick Caps. I also took Troy's advice and took along papaya enzyme for any tummy issues. Good thing I did because they started up around mile 20. But that stuff is a miracle and calmed my stomach right away.

Coming into the race, Chris and I talked the week before about running together. We stuck together the entire race and I can honestly say that if it wasn't for her, I would not have done as well as I had. I didn't want to disappoint her, so I ran every step of that race. We took time at the aid stations, but other than that, we were running. For the most part we kept an even pace, right where I thought we would be.

I felt pretty darn strong up until 20. It was getting tougher, but I was able to maintain my pace. When we got to 27 and our last aid station stop, I just wanted to be done. It was getting warmer and I was ready to get done. My stomach started acting up after we left that last aid station and I just decided I only had 5 miles left and to stop drinking water.

I remember a biker behind us wanting to pass. I was grumpy at this point and didn't want to stop for fear of not starting back up again. I reluctantly moved over to the side and tried to keep running on the side.

With an mile to go, I stubbed my toe. The one that's already black from my Dash Point experience. I was convinced it was gone. The only thing that helped keep my mind off the throbbing pain was to say the "F" word repeatedly. Sorry, Chris.

On our final stretch to the pavillion, we came off the trail and that stupid grass was like running through water. I felt so slow. And the wind was gusting like a darn hurricane!

The best part of this race, you get to finish up a darn stair case! Lovely, just what I want after 32 miles.

I gave it my all out on that course. I don't really care what my time was. What I care about was the fact that I didn't let my head get the best of me. I was confident of my ability and did what I thought I could do. And with that, who cares what my time is? It was a personal best in race strategy and psychology. Something that means more to me than what the clock says.

Crewing the Cactus Rose 100M

2011-11-02T09:48:00.000-05:00

Cactus Rose 100M Endurance Trail Run
Bandera, Texas
October 29, 2011

I honestly have to say that I have met the most amazing people through running. There is an unwritten rule that runners help other runners. You don't think twice about it, you just do it because you want to. It's who we are in the running community.

I have been running with Jeremy for the past few years. A little group of us would get up before the roosters and start running in Grapevine before the sun came up. Our goal, get as many miles in before that giant fireball in the sky zaps the life out of us.

Last year, I had a disaster marathon in Chicago. I plotted my revenge marathon as I always do. Jeremy told me he was going to run it with me. He knew how upset I was after Chicago and he wanted to help me achieve a goal that was important to me. He didn't need to run a marathon. He just wanted to help me.

When Jeremy said he was going to make Cactus Rose 100 his first 100 mile race, I immediately jumped at the chance to help out in anyway I could.

According to the race director, Cactus Rose is no joke...."No whiners, wimps, or wuses: A nast rugged trail run. Bonus points for blood, cuts, scrapes and puke." He means every word of that. Unlike most 100s, this race is UNAIDED. This means, there is water and ice at the aid stations. You want anything else, you figure out how to get it there. My job was to ensure Jeremy has his food, electorlytes, whatever else he needed at every aid station.

First of all, I love crewing. I really do. There is something amazing about helping someone do something epic--being part of that magic. And selfishly, I wanted to see what this trail is all about because I am considering Bandera 100K.

You learn a lot when you are crewing -- how to fuel, how to run certain sections, what do you do if you are feeling sick. If you are considering an ultra, the best way to prepare is to go out and crew and pace someone.

I also had the opporutnity to help other runners at the aid stations while waiting for Jeremy. From giving someone advil, to asking them if they are ok, to getting them water, or just offering them some words of encouragment.

Another friend of mine, Reece was also running his first 100 mile race at CR. I mentioned to Reece on a trail run the weekend before that he should try to run with Jeremy for the first 50. They are about the same pace. They chattted and agreed they would try, but they are running their own race and if they split, no hard feelings.

Well, a lot happens out there on the course. When 50 miles rolled around, I kept hearing these exchanges between them at the aid stations, "hey wait up", "just need a few more seconds." At 65, I joined the boys to pace on the toughest section of the trail. They were asking each other for damage reports, telling each other to walk or run. I said something about going forward since they each had pacers now. Reece said, "Oh no. We are sticking together for the entire 100 miles." I was a little suprised. They had made a promise to each other to cross that finish line together. So at this point, us pacers were really there for comedic relief and to keep them on the trail!

I guess my point in all this is that the running community is full of amazing people. The ultra running community is full of really freaking amazing people....whether it's "hey do you have any body glide", to giving someone encouraging words to get them through that next mile, from random strangers who agree to pace you.

Reece and Jeremy ended up pulling together to help each other get that belt buckle. And honestly, this is so true of their personalities. Either one of these guys would drop anything to help another runner out.

Crewing and pacing Jeremy was my small way of saying thanks for his years of friendship, stupid crazy early morning runs that required him listening to my whinning, complaining, bad jokes and singing before the sun comes up. But also, I guess I'm paying it forward because I know when I do something epic, I can count on him.

My Ribsy wrote a blog on the epic adventure! Check it out here.

Long Beach - My longest 26.2

2011-10-11T19:53:00.002-05:00

Long Beach Marathon
October 9, 2011
4:47:43

I don't even want to write this post. I want to erase the last 13.1 miles from my mind forever. But because I blog about all my races, I gotta write the good, the bad and the ugly. Well Long Beach Marathon, marathon #6, state #5 was bad and ugly!

I wasn't even going to go. I had a horrendous past few weeks. Caught a terrible cold. My head was not in the game. And I know for damn sure when my head is not in the game, I'm not going to run well.

But I went. I reached out to K2 and asked if she would consider coming to Long Beach with me. She dropped everything and with only 2 weeks noticed agreed. A good friend is one who drops everything for you. An amazing friend is someone who drops everything, travels across the country and runs a damn marathon with you.

So what went wrong. This was the earliest I have EVER felt fatigued in a race. I ran strong until about mile 10. My legs started feeling heavy. At mile 11, my foot caught a hole in the ground and I nearly fell, grabbing K2. Apparently I have some muscle cuz she has a big shiner to prove it.

I hit the half at 1:55:31, about where I wanted to be. K2 asked me how I was doing. I told her it's going to be a long half marathon. I'm hurting. She asked me what hurts. I said, my legs are heavy. I just don't have it in me today. Then I said, it's not my day and I'm ok with that. I told her to go on right before 15. I knew this was going to be ugly.

Then when I thought it couldn't get worse, my stomach goes bad. Really, really bad. This was the first time when I seriously considered a DNF. I wanted off this course. I was in serious pain. My cramps would not go away. I got dizzy. Then I realized at mile 18 I had stopped sweating. WTH? I was taking in fluids at every water stop, which was EVERY mile. It was not hot by Texas standards. I have run in worse conditions and haven't felt this bad.

My next strategy was "Just Finish." Mr. Kevin Green, your words sang to me that day. Don't care how to get it done, just get it done was my goal. I ran when I could. I walked when I couldn't. I told myself, training run, this is a training run for Rockledge Rumble 50K.

At around 20, I ran into a local who was also having bad day. The heat was really bothering him. We decided to start running together. I lost him after the next water stop because I decided to keep running, allbeit a slow pace.

Ego left when a woman running in Crocs passed me. Really? Oh this is bad. But I actually laughed.

Mile 24, "Chris" and his friend were running in front of me. Chris had a personal cheering section. All kinds of folks cheering him, asking him how he's doing. And the only thing he says for what felt like 30 minutes was "I'm dying. I'm dying. Oh my God, I'm dying." After the 40th "I'm dying," I ran up to Chris and his friend and said, "Dude if you are talking you're not dying. HTFU. The worst is behind you. You have a damn mile left." His friend laughed and said, "I like her, she's tough."

Ok, this may not be my personal best. In fact it's my personal worst. But I'll take the "she's tough" and go with it. I ran 10 miles on the worst stomach upset I have even encountered -- EVER. That is tough. What's tougher? I'm not giving up.

Did I cry? Duh. Of course I did. Did I have a pitty party? Yep. And I want to thank all of you for coming. But the pitty party is over. I'm moving on.

Marathon, you got me again, you bastard. But I'm stronger than you. And I'm a fighter. Until we meet again...

Never Settle. Never Stop.

2011-10-05T20:28:00.003-05:00

"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." -- Steve Jobs

Simple, but powerful words.

The world was changed by the thoughts & ideas of a man who had the courage to do something he loved.

Too many of us settle. Many of us learn this the hard way through heartache, tears and frustration. It's easier to settle. It's safer.

But isn't anything worth having worth the risk of failing?

Whether it's work, love, life or a marathon promise yourself you'll never settle. Never stop reaching.

Goodspeed Steve Jobs. I promise not to settle.

Long Beach, Marathon #6, State 5.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Never Settle. Never Stop.

Is it in my head?

2011-09-18T14:21:00.000-05:00

Is it in my head
Is it in my head
Is in my head here at the start?
Is it in my head
Is it in my head
Is it in my head, or in my heart?

Fitting verse from one of my favorite bands, The Who.

Queen of freaking out. That's me. Chicago last year was a disaster. It was all in my head. For me, the question is not whether or not I'm physically ready, it's whether or not I'm mentally ready.

I ran my last long run for Long Beach today. My friend Josh ran with me. He ran with me all last year and was there as I trained for Chicago. He told me that I was running stronger than he has ever seen me. And I feel fantastic. I ran 20.5 miles today at an easy 9:11 pace. It was effortless. We were talking, laughing about the double rainbow, having a good time. I felt like I could run that pace forever. Then Josh told me the biggest problem I have is the space between my ears. That was not the first time I heard that.

I think I'm getting better. I ran a hilly Milford 30K on a hot, humid day. Usually, I would freak out and piss and moan the rest of the weekend about how crappy I did. The difference, I started the race, knowing how the heat is my enemy and told myself, it's a training run. The result was a decent finish at a 9:30 pace and a much better outlook!

I've got a race strategy. I'm ready.If things don't go my way, I won't keep obsessing over my watch. I'm going to turn it off and enjoy the training run. But I have a feeling I won't have to do that.

Stay tuned!

Last week:
Monday - 9 miles
Tuesday - 10 miles at lunch, 3.1 miles after work
Wednesday - 8 miles
Thursday - 6.2 mile tempo
Friday - 6.2 mile (Run at Work Day)
Saturday - Run in the Dark 5K
Sunday - 20.5 miles

Weekly Total - 66.1 miles

Josh - the double rainbow is for you! Wish I had my camera today.

Dashing in Dash Point

2011-09-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

Dash Point Trail Half Marathon
Federal Way, WA
Sept. 10, 2011
13.3 miles - 2:44:35, 7th AG, 35th Overall

This weekend I participated in my second trail race, The Dash Point Trail Half Marathon. Only having started running on the trails this summer, the number of miles I have put into trail running are minimal compared to what I have put on the road. And living in Texas, we don't really have a lot of hills to train on. So what do I do? I sign up for these trail races in Seattle where they tell you a 2,500+ foot elevation gain in 13 miles is a "flat course." Um, ok, if you train on the Swiss Alps, that's flat.

I had some packing issues, like I forgot contacts. I wear daily disposable contacts and forgot to bring any. I also forgot my sunglasses and any gels. Jeff Webb saved the day with a gel for me and some sun glasses, which I didn't end up needing since it was a fabulous shaded course.

I made a few mistakes in this race. Thinking the race was flatter than it was and the trail was non-technical, I ran in my Saucony A4s. Because I didn't have my contacts in, I couldn't see any detail -- like the roots on the ground. I stubbed my toe a lot! That said, I probably won't race trail in those shoes again. I felt every rock, pebble and root under my foot and it just bugged me.

The race was a 2-loop course, starting with some pretty good climbs. I took the first loop pretty fast 1:16:21. And clearly it was too fast, when I started loop two looking at those climbs was exhausting. The first climb is a set of wooden stairs going over a bridge, followed by a hill climb made easier by some logs as stairs. On loop two, I had to walk up this. I was proud that the rest of the climbs, I ran. Well, I call it running anyway. It was faster than a walk, but probably not as fast as some people can power hike.

Once I got through the climb section, I got my energy back and was able to pick up the pace and felt pretty good. My second loop split was 1:28:13.

Last month, I ran the Cougar Mountain Half Marathon in 3:03. I finished this race in 2:44. While Cougar was a little more in elevation climb than Dash Point, I think I have already made some pretty good improvements. I walked a lot more of Cougar Mountain and got passed a lot at the end. This go around, I did much, much better!

The course was very well marked, well priced and well aided. I would certainly recommend it!

Leaving Only Footprints

2011-09-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm really digging this trail racing stuff. I've always liked smaller races. In fact after Chicago Marathon I vowed to never do a race that size again. Why? Crowds stress me out. I'm already a mess of nerves on race day anyway. But add the stress of finding the start line amongst 40,000 people, waiting in line for 30 minutes to pee, crowded aid stations, the masses of humanity at the start line, tripping over paper cups, banana peels, and I become agitated, nervous, frustrated, sick to my stomach -- and this is before I toe the line.

What I've found at these trail races is that, many of the races are a few hundred people or less. As reference, my favorite road marathons have been no more than 300 people.

Ever better yet, in trail running, since many of the aid stations are miles apart, it's expected you carry your own hydration. Therefore when you get to an aid station, a majority of the runners refill their water bottles. What does this mean? And why do I see this as a benefit? Well if you have ever run the Chicago Marathon and slipped on a street lined with banana peels, sponges and paper cups, you know what I mean.

The more I race trail runs, the more disgusted I get when I see all this litter and waste at road races. It's dirty. It's gross. It's sad. Really.

I will be participating in the Isle de Bois 50K on December 10. There is also a 10-mile option. This is a CUP FREE race. BYOC. Don't know how to race cup free, read the race director's blog.

Yes, there are challenges. Yes, people will complain. But guess what guys, it's not up to the race directors to make a change. It starts with the runners. Yeah, that's right you. Instead of complaining that the race director didn't have cups, even though it was WELL advertised as a cup-free race, make a commitment to reduce, reuse. Don't throw your gel packets on the floor, use the trash cans provided. Yes, it's sticky and you don't want to put it in your pocket, so what? Isn't it better that you get sticky than a wild animal ingesting your left overs? Let's face it, you're dirty, sweaty, smelly and gross anyway. And sticky to the equation and you're one hawt mess. You can shower later.

I know, you're going to tell me that you're not going to carry your own cup in a 5K race or a road marathon. That's fine. I probably won't either. But let's try to throw our trash in the trash cans provided. Some people will carry their cups well after the aid station and throw their trash in someone's yard. Or their gel packets on the ground. Let's be respectful. You'd be pissed if someone threw trash in your front yard. Honestly in most cases, the nano second it takes for you to toss your cup in the trash, won't hurt your race.

We have a personal responsibility to ensure these beautiful places are here for not only us to enjoy, but our future generations. Let's make it a goal to leave only footprints.

Milford 30K - Hills, Heat, Humidity, Hooray!

2011-09-05T19:12:00.001-05:00

Milford 30K - Milford, Mi
September 3, 2011
2:58:05

Texas summers really do a number on my head. My pace is slow. I struggle. I feel like I'm going backward, not forward. Plain and simple, I do not run well in the heat. More than anything, it makes me question my ability, where I am at in my training, and is a serious blow to my self confidence.

Before summer came, I made the decision not to race in Texas in the summer. It does nothing for me but screw with my head. So I'm been racing every other place I've been for work or pleasure this summer. If I'm there and a race interests me, I try to make a go of it.

Last time I was in Michigan, I tried to PR a 10K. Well, it was 87 degrees and 80-something percent humidity and it was a disaster. Like the kind of disaster where you puke all over yourself. At that race, I saw a little flyer for the Milford 30K on Labor Day weekend. Knowing I was going to be visiting Steve that weekend, I kinda wanted to do the racing. Surely it will be cooler, right? BWAAAAHHHH!!!!!! Wrong. So very wrong.

Every time I kept looking at the forecast, it kept getting hotter. Friday night I arrived in Michigan and it was hot and humid. I didn't sleep well because I was so hot.

Saturday morning, race day. It's close to 90 degrees and feels like a damn sauna. I wanted to run a marathon pace run. I felt good, despite some pretty high miles earlier that week and a knee that was acting up.

I went out the gate and knew today was not going to be a sub 9 day. So instead of fighting it and having a miserable race, I told myself to let it go and just enjoy the race. I slowed my pace and took it easy.

I am so glad I did! I loved this race. It was probably the hilliest race I have ever run. It was mostly on dirt roads and so pretty. I powered up all the hills, but one and had a great time. At mile 15, it looked like the Batan Death March. Everyone was walking or shuffling. Yet, I was still running, allbeit a bit slower because it was getting very hot and there was no shade at this point in the race. But I was running, not shuffling! Wahoo!

I figured Steve was worried about where I was. Originally, I was targeting a 2:45 finish. It was getting close to 3 hours and he was a little worried and about ready to hop in the car and find me. He was waiting at the finish line with a little surprised look on his face. I overcame the hills, heat and humidity and in the end had a great training run.

It best thing this race did for me was give me the confidence I need for Long Beach. Prior to the race, I wasn't sure of the pace I wanted to run in Long Beach. This race gave me the confidence I needed to put all my self doubt aside and run the race I know I am capable of running.

Next week, I'm racing the Dash Point Trail Half Marathon in Seattle. Unless the earth suddenly spins out of orbit and lands next to Mercury, I think I'm going to have some good weather!

Race Across the Sky

2011-08-27T21:01:00.000-05:00

Leadville 100-Mile Trail Run

Starting at 10,200 feet of elevation and climbing to 12,600 feet, it's deamed the highest 100-mile race in the states. It happens to also be one of the most challenging.

A great group of guys from Michigan toed the line at 4 a.m., August 20. I had the honor and pleasure of crewing and pacing this epic event.

My primary job was to crew Steve as he took another stab at conquering this mountain. Last October, Steve volunteered to pace me for what was supposed to be a BQ in Chicago. It was an utter disaster. And he stood by my side the entire race. And believe me it was ugly! Coming off of his DNF at Leadville, he knew exactly how I felt. I told him that I had his back for Leadville 2011. I knew I couldn't pace him because altitude in the past had not be my friend and I'm just not as strong of a runner. But what I could do is crew and support him.

Friday, August 19, 2011
I wanted to get a run in. My plan was to have one of the guys drive me to the first aid station, May Queen and then run 13.5 back to Leadville. However, I woke up with the worst headache. Fearing that altitude was winning, I told the guys I wanted to just run a few miles in town to see how I felt.

I started out the door and to my amazement, my headache is gone, I feel amazing. Before I knew it, I had run 5 miles out on Leadville 100 course. I suddenly realize I'm thirsty and have no water. Time to turn around. I ran 10 miles at 10,200 feet on trail at a 10:35 min pace, and it felt easy!

Steve, Keith, Kevin, Don and I drove the course so I could get familiarized with where I'm going and we designated meeting places where I would be so Steve didn't have to waste time trying to find me. This turned out to be the best idea ever!

Saturday, August 20, 2011 - 4 a.m.
Alarm clock rings, 2 a.m., we get dressed and head out the door by 3:30 a.m. Keith decided to crew with me for the morning until Winfield (50 miles) where he set out to pace Ken. Don, Kevin's brother, was crewing Kevin and we stuck together for pretty much the first half of the race. It was great having another person to help out and keep me company.

May Queen - 13.5 Miles
Traffic was a mess! We had to park about 2 miles out from the aid station. I attended the crew briefing the day before and was warned about this. I decided before the race start that being portable was key. I kept Steve's clothing items in one bag I could throw over my shoulder and his food items in another reusable grocery bag (actually the one they gave to the runners at the packet pick up).

Steve carried 3, 16 ounce bottles with him on the course and gave me 3 empties to have ready for him when he came to the aid stations. One problem, he was missing one lid! He told me that I would have to just take one of the lids from the ones he was carrying with him. I filled Steve's bottles with Cytomax, grabbed some food from the aid station for him and waiting at our spot.

Looking at my watch, I knew Steve would be coming by any minute. Then someone kicks over his water bottle, the one with the missing lid.

Worried that I would miss him and completely FAIL my first assignment, I ran to refill his bottle while looking over my shoulder for him. Luckily I made it back in time to my spot.

Steve had put together an amazing plan with what time he anticipated coming into all the aid stations and how many calories he wanted to take. We talked about the types of food he wanted and when. However, when he came through May Queen he grabbed half of what he said he wanted, threw half of it back at me and said he didn't want it, spent less than 20 seconds there and was off. So being a mom, I'm now worried that he's not taking in enough calories. But after a few aid stations and saw that he was running strong, I figured he probably over estimated what he really needed in terms of calories.

Fish Hatchery - 23.5 miles
I had a great crew meeting location where I could see Steve coming into the aid station and he had to go up to the timing mat and back. I remembered that Jeff had a backpack in the car and he uses the same bottles as Steve. I borrowed his lid. This time I was set. I got smart and laid out the food in baggies for him to choose and his bottles were all ready. As Steve ran up to the timing mat, I took his old bottles and on his way back down, I have him the new ones. But he throws me for a loop again and said, I'll take the other one at Tree Line.

Originally, we weren't going to meet at Tree Line, which is a crew only point along a dirt road. It's only 3.5 miles from Fish Hatchery. It dawns on me that I don't have a lot of time to walk to my car (again, not close), fight the traffic and get to Tree Line. Oh and I can't find Keith! Keith was up the hill taking pictures and I'm freaking out that Steve is going to get to Tree Line before me and without water!

Found Keith and we zip over to Tree Line. Got set up and this time we have the full buffet going on! Ice, food, drink, you name it, we got it! Since we had time before heading over to Twin Lakes we were able to see all the Michigan guys come through.

Steve, Matt and Mark all came by around the same time. Steve and Matt headed out very quickly. And Mark sat down for a few minutes. Turns out his stomach was not doing well and he threw up. But being the amazing athlete he is, he got up and headed out again.

Kevin came in next and also sat for a few minutes. He said he just felt like his energy level was zapped. Kevin is participating in the Grand Slam, three 100-mile races, one a month. This was number three. I think he was a little down about where he was in the race and I tried to give him a little pep talk and told him to just keep going. Soon enough, he was back at it.

Next comes Ken! This is Ken's third Leadville attempt. He was looking great and I was so happy to see him running so strong! I gave him a hug and sent him off and told him I'd see him at the next one.

Waiting for Jeff, I started getting worried that something happened to him. Several minutes later, he comes running up the road. Phew! But he says to me, "Remember that elephant you told me was on your chest last year? It's on mine." My heart just sank. I felt so bad for him. He was at 27 miles and struggled every step. But he the best attitude. I told him how sorry I was and he said, "I'll either finish or they'll pull me off the course." (You have to make it to each aid station within a certain time or you get pulled from the race). He was smiling, I gave him a hug and sent him off.

Twin Lakes - Mile 39.5
Keith, Don and I headed over to Twin Lakes and once again, the traffic is nuts. We had to park a good 2 miles out. Steve's pacer number 1, Bob, was to meet me there so I could drive him to Winfield with me and his car would be at his ending point. Steve's pacer number 2, Kenyon, had camped out in Twin Lakes the night before and also met me there.

Once again, Steve zipped in and out of the aid station in less than a minute. He was focused and didn't say much at any of the aid stations, but looked really strong. I could tell he was concerned about coming into the first aid station 10 minutes late. The picture below pretty much illustrates his time spent at the aid stations!

Winfield - 50 miles
WHAT A FREAKING NIGHTMARE! It took over an hour to drive to an 8-mile dirt road, followed by 2 miles of two-way traffic with runners coming both directions. The race officials had stopped traffic because there was no parking at the aid station location. We waited about an hour in line and finally got in. I think we were all getting pretty nervous about getting there in time. But we made it with a few minutes to spare. I saw Steve come in, looked at my watch and realized he was 15 minutes ahead of plan AND made up the 10 minutes he was behind from the beginning! In other words, he went up Hope Pass (3,000 foot ascent in 3 miles) 25 minutes FASTER than he had planned to. He weighed in and for the first time all day, he smiled and cracked a joke. This was the point of his DNF last year. And it was such an amazing sight to see him smiling and looking strong. At this point, this was his day. Leadville would be a success.

At Leadville pacers can mule (in other words carry the runner's supplies), I got smart and loaded Bob up with food for Steve. I told him he hadn't had any protein and keeps eating just the fruit. So Bob told Steve he could have his fruit AFTER he ate his turkey sandwich. HAHA!

Because I had some time before Steve would get to Twin Lakes, I stayed around to see all the runners. Not having cell coverage, I didn't know how Mark and Jeff were doing. I headed over to the white board and saw Mark's name as dropped. I was so sad to see his number up there. He had been running so strong all morning until Tree Line. I looked for Jeff's number and didn't see it. But it was getting close to cut off and I was starting to get worried.

Ken and Keith took off and Kevin sat down for a few minutes. He was still looking tired. I started worrying about his cut off times. I'm not sure if he wanted me to tell him what to do, but I told him he needed to go now. He didn't come into the race with pacers and picked some up. I told him that I could run him in for the last 13.5 if he wanted to. He asked if Steve would be ok with that. I hadn't asked him at this point, but I pretty much figured Steve would want Kevin to finish. So I just told Kevin yes.

Driving back out on that road, I was searching for our runners. No sign of Jeff. The cut off was in 10 minutes and none of these runners on this 2 mile road were going to make it to Winfield in the allotted 14 hours. My heart sank for all of them.

Twin Lakes - 60.5 miles
Steve comes into Twin Lakes alone. He out ran his pacer. Kenyon was a genius and brought a chair. Steve sat down while I changed out his shoes and socks since he just went through a water crossing. It was starting to get cold and I threw his sweats on him and gave him some coffee and soup. He was only there a few minutes and off they went. About 10 minutes later Bob, his pacer, came in.

While I was changing his shoes, I asked him if he would be ok with me pacing Kevin in. He wasn't really focusing on what I was saying. I told him, I'll crew you through May Queen and I'll pace Kevin in, he needs someone. But that means I won't be at the finish when you finish. I think after repeating this a few times, he finally focused. And said, that was fine.

Don had found Kevin another pacer to take him for the next few aid stations. I couldn't wait any longer for the other boys to come in and was just about to take off when I saw Jeff. He was all smiles. We talked for a few minutes and he ended up getting a ride from a race volunteer he knew from Michigan.

I headed back out to the crew only location of Tree Line. It's pitch black and there is a line of cars and flashlight waiting for runners. Luckily Kenyon had his cell phone and we could text. I told him I'll have my flash light on strobe. Um, everyone did that. But they spotted me! Steve was sleepy and tired, but was still running strong. I realized that next time, I string of battery powered Christmas lights to drape on myself would be the best idea. Just look for the Christmas tree!

Fish Hatchery - Mile 76.6
I found Lauren and Allison, Steve's pacers for the final two legs. I told Lauren what Steve's needs are and told Allison that she needed to push him as hard as she can for the last 13.5 miles. Not because I'm a mean girlfriend, but Steve and I talked about his race strategy and this is what he wanted. I loaded Lauren up with food and again told her that he was eating less than plan, but seems to be ok.

Turns out the girls ran Steve harder than anyone and wouldn't let him stop. He would ask to sit for a few minutes and they would say no!

In between all of this, Mark called me and was feeling much better. We chatted for a few minutes and he said he wanted to pace Matt in for the last 13.5. So I grabbed him and we headed to the last aid station.

May Queen - Mile 86.5

To my surprise, May Queen was a mess again. Had to park at least a mile away and hike in. Mark, Allison and I headed in and got checked in as official pacers.

Steve and Lauren came in, I had some coffee and soup ready for him. He ate that, sat for two minutes and was off. The race was in the bag. Steve vs. Leadville 2011 and Steve won! He came in at 28:13 and it was an amazing race!

I went back to the car to change. Talked to Don's brother and he JUST made the Fish Hatchery cut off. I started to FREAK OUT. I knew that Steve had 4 hours on his plan to run May Queen to the finish. Last year, Andrew ran it in 4 hours. Knowing how long it took Steve to get to May Queen from Fish Hatchery, I knew it Kevin was going to just make cut off again. This would mean 3.5 hours to finish this leg.

I tried to sleep for a few minutes. I think I got a 20-minute nap in. And tried to get some food at the aid station. Matt and Mark had already headed out. I'm waiting with Don for Kevin. Thinking to myself now, crap, if Kevin does not finish, it's on my head. I'm going to be the reason why he is out of the slam.

Everyone home in Michigan starts texting me to see how it's going. I told Andrew I was freaking out. He called me. And coached me through. He said that I had to run Kevin on the downs and the flats and keep faster than 17:00-18:00 minute pace. Having run the first five miles of the course on Friday, I knew that four miles were up hill.

Kevin comes in at 6:18 a.m., 12 minutes before cut off. He walked through, I waited while Don gave me a few of his things and I said I would catch up to him.

I asked him how he was feeling and the answer was not good. Having been up for 30+ hours and hearing lots of different miles from spectators, I was confused on how many miles we had left and what pace we needed to keep. I texted Andrew to figure out where the boat launch was in relation to the finish line. He called me back and was coaching me through it all. In the meantime, Mark was texting me at where he and Matt were at. I figured out that we could probably make it in at 29:41. But at this point, Kevin had figured out that he didn't need to move as fast as I was moving him. But being the PITA that I am, I kept pushing him.

We came to the section I had run the other day and powered up the hill much quicker than I had thought. On the dirt road, some spectators said, 2.5 miles. I said, "Really? Are you sure?" She said, "Yes. 1.5 miles to the road and 1 mile on the paved road."

Mark had called me, confused as to where I said we were and confirmed the distances.

Kevin finish strong and ran up the last hill. Finishing time 29:41! And that plan of having to keep him below 17-18 min miles, well we ran that in 15 min miles.

I had an amazing experience. It was my first time crewing and pacing at an ultra. It's always a great feeling to reach your own goals. But I have to say helping others achieve something so amazing was an even better feeling!

Here's a little video I put together from the weekend.

Just call me honeybee

2011-08-13T19:13:00.002-05:00

Nicknames are common in the running circles. A friend of mine gave me the name Asian Tiger. Another friend calls me Saki. Today, Steve called me honeybee. I'll get to the why in a few paragraphs. First, I gotta blog about my 5K PR!

Auburn Good Ol' Days 5K - Aug. 12 - 24:29

I convinced my long-time friend Peter to run this race with me while I was in Seattle. After coming off a hard training week, I really had no expectations. But I decided I wanted to race it. Before I headed down to Auburn, I told Steve I was icing my quads. He asked if I really wanted to race this since I had a half trail marathon on Saturday. Of course I do. After my blow up last weekend, I really want a PR. And I have been chasing this 5K PR for too damn long.

Met up with Peter at the start and he gave me a little button with the Honey Badger on it! I promptly put it on for good luck. Peter and I have been laughing about this video for the past few weeks leading into this race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

I told Peter that after I was done, I would come run him back in. Gun goes off and I started right behind the high school boys. That proved to be silly. My first .5 mile was a 7:00 pace. Slow it down, Suann! I hit mile 1 at 7:40, mile 2 was 7:45, mile 3 7:53. And my last .2 (long course) was 6:48. Nice positive split (scarcasim)! Crossed in 24:29, a PR! So very happy!!!

Ran back and found Peter who was running so strong! He started sprinting to the finish and I said, I'm out. I can't keep up! He did awesome finishing 10 minutes before he thought he would!

Cougar Mountain Trail Half Marathon - Aug. 13 - 3:03

Before you read this, you have to read The Oatmeal's blog on his first ultra marathon.

http://theoatmeal.com/blog/ultramarathon

I decided my warrior chant would be "fuck fraggle fuck mother assmountain." And I'm very pleased my iPhone has now recognized "assmountain" as a word and will autocorrect it. Steve Jobs is a genius.

This was the hardest run I have ever done. I have no idea what the elevation gain was, but it felt like 40,000 feet to this flat-land dwelling Texan.

Right at mile 9.5, my ankle is stinging bad. I look down and a bee is on my sock on my left ankle. And it won't go away. Finally get the damn thing to go away and I assess the damage. It feels much worse than it looks. And now my ankle hurts really bad. It is super painful to run on. My last few miles were much slower than I know I could have run due to this damn creature.

I adjusted my shorts, where I had pinned my Honey Badger pin, and realized, it has come off. I must have gotten stung because Honey Badger was not on! Luckily it was in my shirt and I pinned him back on!

Told Steve of my story and now I'm his honeybee. Awwww.

So am I a honeybee?
- According to Wikipedia, honey bees appear to have their center of origin from Asia. - Check
- Of the insect world, they are not unattractive - I'm gonna say check here.
- When threatened, they sting like a mo-fo, out of the blue and you'll never know what hit you - um ok yeah, I can be that way.

Well this honeybee had a damn good week...
I've been working hard at the weights and core and am so happy to report that in 4 weeks, I have dropped 3% in body fat. My waist and hips dropped .5", thighs are down .75" and calf is down .5".
Monday - weights and core.
Tuesday - 10.5 miles
Wednesday - 7 miles
Thursday - 9 miles, weights and core
Friday - Auburn Good Ol' Days 5K
Saturday - Cougar Mountain Trail Half Marathon

Weekly total - 42.7 miles

Looking forward to next week. I get to crew the boys as they run Leadville 100 mile trail run!

Summer over yet?

2011-08-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

I will never complain about 5 days of snow in Texas again. I like sun, don’t get me wrong. But as my friend Jeremy has affectionally referred to it lately, it's the “giant fireball in the sky.” And the giant fireball in the sky hates me. I'm sure of it.

I do not run well in the heat. I do not like running in 100+ degree temps. I do not like running in 80 degrees and 80% humidity. When that giant fireball is on me, my energy levels immediately drop. Easy runs are not easy. Every step is a struggle. My paces are much slower. It not only is physically harder, but let’s face it, it screws with your head. And my head does not need any screwing with.

I tried to race this weekend in Michigan. I thought, oh, highs of 80s, I can PR this. I’m due for a 10K PR. In training I have run 50 minute 10Ks. And I felt like this was in the bag.

The race started at 9 a.m. I turned to Steve and said, I’m hot. And thought about taking my singlet off right then. But I didn’t.

Gun goes off and I’m exactly where I want to be in terms of pace. The plan was to run the first mile 8:10 - 8:15 and then drop it. Mile 1 - 8:10. Mile 2 - 8:08. Mile 3 - 8:08. I skipped the water station because the volunteers had just given their cups out and turned their backs to get more. So I skipped that station instead of waiting. Mistake. Uh oh. I’m not feeling well. In fact, I’m feeling horrible. And there it was...my first vomit in a race. In someone's front yard. At this point, I just wanted to finish. I knew my PR was over. Let's just have a respectable time and try again another day.

So I finished in 55:37. Not nearly where I wanted to be, but it somehow was good enough for a 2nd place age group.

I completely underestimated how I would run in the humidity. I simply could not keep my pace. It wasn't for lack of trying. I did push as hard as I could, even after my breakfast came up. Not proud of my race, but proud that I was able to not let it get to me and piss and moan for a week like I've been known to do. Bottom line is I know I can run better. As Steve told me, "we just need to make sure you race in the winter." Yeah, I do much better when it's cold.

We hit the trails Sunday. Although I was slow. It was pretty humid, I had a great time. It was shade and it was nice to run at an easier pace. I won't say it was easy. It was a workout, but no vomit!

Next week I take a stab at a 5K in Seattle and my first trail half marathon. Wish me luck!

Last week's training...
Monday - 6 miles, weights and core
Tuesday - Rest, weights and core
Wednesday - 8 miles
Thursday - 5 miles
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 10K race
Sunday - 16.75 trail

Ups and Downs

2011-07-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

Well this weeks was filled with some ups and downs. Let's start with the ups.

I ended the month with 178 miles vs. 173 last year.

I have stuck to my core and weight training program, which has already proven to be working. Yay for getting back into some shorts that were tight a few weeks ago.

I'm down a few pounds. Trying to get down to race weight. I hate that Jack Daniels Running Formula race weight spreadsheet!

For the past two weeks, I nailed my 10K tempo runs. This week I ran that 10K in 50:53, certainly a training PR. I race a 10K next weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do in some cooler weather.

I've been feeling like I'm running strong and well.

Ok, so the downs...

I have not been sleeping or eating well. The sleeping part has always been an issue. Trying to function on 4-5 hours of sleep for the past week has been really rough.

As for the eating part. This heat has zapped my appetite. I'm just not hungry. Nothing even remotely sounds good. And when I actually do manage to sit down and eat, I pick at my food and call it good after a few bites. Honestly, the only things that are working are oatmeal, cereal and PBJs.

These two things led to a craptastic long run on the trails of Northshore today. Headed out with Greg and Reece. We hit the 9-mile more technical side first. I did fine. We ran 1:02 out and 1:02 back, even though I felt I was more sluggish on the way back.

I went through 30 ounces of the fluids I had in my pack. Stopped at the car and downed 20 ounces of cold water. Another runner had ice cold water and offered us more. I downed another 10-15 ounces. Then we hit the side heading to Rockledge.

Right off the bat, I knew that water chugging was a mistake. Now I'm feeling sick to my stomach, it's getting hotter and I'm just tired. I told the guys to go ahead. I started feeling dizzy and just stopped at 10.5 miles. Then I took my 1.5-mile walk of shame back to my car.

I was also trying to get about 60 miles in. My heart sank when I saw that I didn't even get to 50 this week.

Next week will be lower miles. There's a 10K that I have to kill.

In life, love and running, there are ups and downs. Generally though, there are more ups. Try not to focus on the downs. Doesn't do a damn bit of good. Live to run another day.

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 9 miles
Wednesday - 8.5 miles, weight training
Thursday - 6.2 mile tempo, 1 mile cool down
Friday - 9.5 miles, weight training
Saturday - 3.5 miles
Sunday - 10.5 trail miles

Weekly total - 48.2
July 2011 total - 178 vs 173 in July 2010

Hydration, Suann and other tales

2011-07-24T14:24:00.003-05:00

This summer (just like last summer), I've been struggling to find the magic hydration solution. After training all 2010 with Gatoraid, this spring it started tearing me up. So I switched to Nuun. That worked until the weather got into the 90s. I simply needed more calories. Made a shot at Gatoraid again and it just didn't agree with me.

So last week I spent the entire week trying all those sample-sized drinks -- Accelerade, Heed, blah, blah, blah. The winner....Ironman made by PowerBar. Tummy happy. Suann happy.

Had an interesting conversation with a friend this week about hydration, calories, etc. We Texans train in extreme heat. There is just no way of getting around it. When your low temps are 88 - 92 degrees at 0530, you have to make nutrition adjustments. Puzzled as to why I need more calories during the summer, he pulled this article for me.

According to the article, part of the weight we lose is from the fuel we use, about 10%. It is not uncommon for me to lose 3-6 pounds on a long run.

Here's a link to the article

Training this week went really well. I'm still suffering a shoulder issue that has kept me out of the pool. But my running has been strong. I am racing a 10K in few weeks in Michigan and it's been well over a year since my last one. I did a tempo earlier this week that gave me a really good idea on my race strategy. I should have that PR in the bag...that is if I don't go out too fast.

Here's a recap from the week..

Monday - 7.5 miles
Tuesday - 7.6 miles and a pathetic swim
Wednesday - 8 miles, 1 warm up - 6 tempo - 1 cool down. Hour of weight training and core
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - 1 hour weight training and core
Saturday - 9 miles night trail run
Sunday - 14.1 miles

Total miles - 52.2

Back to back

2011-07-11T07:44:00.001-05:00

Well I did it. My first back-to-back weekend long runs. As I figured, I ran really strong on Saturday on the roads. Yet, the long trail run was rougher.

Saturday, Josh and I ran 8.3 and then picked up Ribs and Chris for another 6. I don't know if it was the cloud cover or what, but I felt strong and ran effortless.

Sunday was another story. Tired from 15 hours of sleep over the past three days, I was struggling a bit on the trails. It was much sunnier and I was flat out tired. My legs felt pretty good, but my head was tired.

Steve, Gretchen, John, Brian joined me and we ran into Matt. Great running with this group!

After running 12 on the Rockledge side, Steve and I hit the other side. This side is a bit more technical. I ran 1.5 miles in and decided to turn back.

All in all, I had a good week. I am looking forward to getting more miles in at Northshore to prep for the Rockledge Rumble in November.

Weekly miles:
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 7
Wednesday - 7.5
Thursday - 4
Friday - 7
Saturday - 14.3 and 6 bike
Sunday - 15 trails

Total weekly mileage 54.8 running and 6 biking.

Marathon, I can't live without you

2011-07-03T15:57:00.001-05:00

Dear Marathon,

I know I told you we needed to see other people for a bit, but I think I made a mistake.

The truth is, I love you. While the triathlon and I had fun, I just don't think we're made for each other for the long haul. I mean I really like the sprints and I can see the Olympic happening soon. But truth be told, I miss you. Even in this Godforsaken heat, I miss you.

Today, I ran 16 miles. I was only going to run 14, but I ran 16 for you. And I talked about you a lot. Smiling about our last race. How much fun we had.

So with that, I'm hoping you'll take me back a little sooner rather than later. Will you go to Long Beach with me on Oct 9?

And I'd like to step things up in our relationship. There's this ultra on Nov. 12, right here in Grapevine, Texas.

And I have big plans for us in 2012.

I hope you'll say yes. We'll have a smashing time. I promise!

All my love,
Suann

Longest Bike Ride

2011-07-02T16:36:00.006-05:00

Stephenville Firecracker
44 miles, 3 hours, 30 minutes, about 100 degrees
July 2, 2011

We did it! 44 miles! Hot, hilly and 'undulating' (that's from el Mundo de Mitch).

Mel, Mitch and I took a road trip to Stephenville, Texas to ride a great organized bike race. This was the longest ride to date for all three of us.

The race was very well organized. Lots of volunteers, lots of rest stops with lots of cold water, gatoraid, cold towels and fruit. Hats off to the city of Stephenville. The police did a great job protecting the cyclists. It was a great experience.

I did great until about the last hour when the heat was really getting to me. We all know how I like to complain about the heat! That's the Seattle girl coming out in me.

The best part of the day were the out of contexts quotes. Let me leave you with a few...

4:59 a.m. at my house

Mitch: Holy shit! What is that?
Suann: My cat
Mitch: That's a cat? That thing is huge. That's not a cat, that's a nutria.

As we approach Starbucks at OH-MY-GOSH-IT'S-EARLY-O'CLOCK

Mitch: Are we gonna get down?
Suann: What?
Mitch: Are we gonna get down?
Suann: What?
Mitch: Are we gonna get down? because I would like to.
Suann: You wanna dance?
Mel: I think he wants to go inside and not the drive through.

In the car approaching Stephenville

Mitch: Do you have seat warmers? My ass is warm. There's nothing nicer than a hot little ass.

And other random thoughts...
Pump it up.
Gonna be a hot one.
As long as we can get off.
I got a food baby. That is better than dessert.
That road was undulating.

Rice and Beans!

Mel, she's so darn cute!

Here I am, ready to ride!

Holdridge Lakes Video

2011-06-04T15:02:00.000-05:00

Longest Trail Run

2011-05-29T08:04:00.004-05:00

I'm in Michigan for the Memorial Day weekend and I hit the Holdridge Lakes State Park trails with Steve, Matt and Kai.

There has been significant flooding in the area over the past week, so we figured it would be wet. Yep, some areas were thigh high, but the majority of the trail was nice and packed with leaves with some fun mud to splash around in!

The weather was perfect! In the mid-50s. I felt bad for my Texas peeps running in 95 degrees.

The plan was for the boys to do 2, 16-mile loops. Since I am so new to trail running, I was playing this by ear and would make a decision on my distance after a few hours into the run.

I felt great and told them that I'll run the 4-mile loop twice after this loop while they went on.

The boys decided to run the 4-mile loop and then the 2-mile loop.

Well just after mile 3 on the 4-mile loop, I saw a sign ".75 technical trail" pointing to the left. And "long route" pointing to the right. Thinking I was taking either the correct way to the return or a short cut, I opted left. Oops! Got another mile in.

Met the boys back at the parking lot and had to explain my tardiness!

It was a great training day for me, my longest trail run. Someone asked me what I was training for...a 5k next weekend. But seriously, this really wasn't a planned run to get in a 20+ miler. It was just some dirty fun!

Here's a video from our adventure! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OmnGdjo9u0

At a Crossroads

2011-05-22T20:45:00.001-05:00

I'm contemplating something I have never done before, canceling a scheduled race.

I'm arguing with myself that it's ok to sit this one out, yet a part of me is calling me a quitter.

I'm scheduled to race the PlayTri Olympic Tri on June 5. Here's the problem. The last time I swam was my last Tri. I was forced out of the pool due to some medical issues and now I have the cold from hell. Since I am susceptible to bronchitis, I am very nervous about getting in that pool as congested as I am. Not to mention I have been fighting a fever for the past 3 days. And I am super exhausted.

Usually the swim is the least of my concerns, but not now. I do not feel anywhere close to being able to swim 1,500 without a struggle. Could I? Probably. Do I want to? Not really.

Two options...
1) Try to get in the pool over the next two weeks. Do the race and treat it as a training opportunity.

2) Skip it and find another Olympic distance in late September.

I'm still arguing with myself. I guess I'll make a decision June 1.

Shall we dance?

2011-05-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

Guys like him don't hang with girls like me.

He's impressed by the girl who can effortlessly ride 20 mph. Not the girl who fights to maintain 15 mph.

He goes for the girl who powers up a hill. Not for the girl who cringes at the sight of one and seriously thinks about throwing him on the side of the road to run up it.

He likes a girl who can draft. Not one who can't keep a straight line.

He is impressed with the girl who has more bike shorts and jerseys than work clothes. Not the one who has one pair of bike shorts but 25 pairs of running shorts.

He thinks she's sexy covered in grease from fixing a chain. She feels sexy covered in dirt and mud from a trail run.

He's open minded. She's scared, intimidated and lost.

He wants to help. She is struggling.

He asks her to dance. She says, I don't dance, but I'll Tri.

He's Enrique-an Orbea Oro LTL Tri Bike.
She's Suann-a newbie cyclist and wanna be triathlete.

The Tango Triathlon.

Until We Meet Again

2011-04-06T19:57:00.005-05:00

Dear Marathon,

It's with great sadness that I write to tell you we need to see other people for the rest of this year. I don't want to break up. Please don't get me wrong. I enjoy our time together. Even though we have had some big fights, I still love you dearly. But there's this other guy who has been courting me...the half Ironman.

I know, I know. I have been cheating on you with his little brother, the sprint triathlon. You see though, I think he'll make me a better person for you. It was during this time that I ran my fastest 5K ever. And really, that just makes me a better athlete in the long run. He's helping me be a better runner for you.

I wish I could find a way to spend time with you while I'm getting ready for my half Ironman debut in October, but I can't be all things to everyone. And certainly won't give you the time you deserve while I'm spending hours on that bike.

I know you're jealous of Enrique, but don't be. He's a good guy and only wants me to be a better runner for you.

You will still be in my dreams. A day won't go by where I won't think about all the good times we have had, especially last weekend. But I promise you that next year, we'll spend time together again. Next year, we're going to have a big year. I promise you I'll run faster than ever. I know how you work now. I know how to give you the training and respect you deserve. But more importantly, I know to never give up on you. Remember Saturday? I never gave up.

So until we meet again...

7 Seconds of Separation

2011-04-03T07:16:00.002-05:00

Martian Marathon - Dearborn, MI
April 2, 2011
Marathon #5, State #4
4:00:06

7 seconds -- The time it takes to pour a cup of coffee. The time it takes swipe your credit card at the grocery store. The time it takes to order a Starbucks coffee. 7 seconds -- The time that separates me from being a member of the Sub 4 marathon club. The club all newbie marathoners dream of. The club I so desperately have been trying to earn my membership into.

I thought I got my membership yesterday. I ran the race of my life. I ran strong and hard. With meters to go, I saw that finish line clock just turn 3:59. So I ran as hard as I could. I knew I had this. I saw the clock when I crossed. It said 3:59:45. I was so happy. I did it. I was in the club! Event volunteers congratulated me on my sub 4.

Wait, not so fast. The official results posted. I read them in horror. 4:00:06? Where did those 7 seconds come from? It's not April Fool's. And this isn't funny.

I don't understand the clock discrepancy. I sent an email to the race director. Who am I sure could really care less about my 7 seconds. Turns out the half marathon course was 13.4. They're busy dealing with that.

I gave myself 5 min to flog myself and think, what if I didn't pee at mile 11, what if I ran harder those last two miles. Then, I thought, no. Nothing is raining on my parade. Eff those 7 seconds. I ran the race of my life and I am going to be proud and enjoy this moment.

For the first time in my short running career, I RACED this marathon. There were no walk breaks, there was no whining about hurting, there was no crying, there was no doubt in my mind that I gave it all I had.

Steve and I worked up an even spilt plan, which had zero wiggle room. The goal was to come in right under 4, a 9:07 pace.

He is like clockwork. I tell him a pace and he is spot on. I let him work his magic. If I stayed next to him, I knew we would be there.

We hit the half marathon turn and we were dead on at 1:59 and some change. I still feel really fresh. Around mile 17, I start pulling ahead. He yells at me to come back. I decided it was time to kick up the pace, slightly. I knew if I hit 20 and felt good, a 55 min 10k was in the bag.

I hit 20. Feel a little tired in the legs, but running on pace.

Mile 22, the hip flexors are tight and I hurt, but nothing was going to stop me today. Today was my day, my race.

Mile 23, my pace slows slightly. The slower half marathoners (100% are walking) are now running with us, the road is very narrow. I had to conserve every ounce of energy to keep pushing. Usually I would run around people. But I couldn't today. So I would yell out, "On your left!" I am sure they were a little miffed.

Mile 25 and 26 are 9:40 pace now. That's ok. I can still come in right under the gun. I see the turn into the finish. My friend Ken yells, "200 left at the turn, sprint!"

I see the clock, I see 3:59 in my future. Balls to the walls 5:40 pace sprint. The sprint-so-hard-you-want-to-puke sprint.

So I enjoyed my club membership for a few hours until the official results were posted. And then learned it was a preview.

I have no regrets about yesterday. None. I ran strong. I didn't leave anything out there. I am not second guessing myself. I earned an 11-minute PR and I know with the right training and day, it will happen. But next marathon goal won't be to eek out a sub 4 just under the wire, I smell a 3:50.

Martian Marathon by smlundsberg at Garmin Connect - Details

I tri-ed again

2011-03-28T09:02:00.009-05:00

TriCowtown - March 27, 2011 - Benbrook, Texas
300 yard pool swim, 13.8 mile bike, 5K
1:24:36

On Friday, I decided to tri again. Wasn't planning to race, but my friend David put a bug in my ear. Ok, time to tri again.

I've been using my races as training. Not too smart. I haven't started my official training for my 70.3 yet and I've been running marathons. My swimming and biking have certainly taken a back seat. The races have been my excuse to get some training in for those two sports.

I've been lucky because without training, I've managed to do ok. But I know my luck is going to change and I need to buckle down before my Olympic distance tri in June. I can flounder my way through a sprint and live to tell about it, but the Olympic distance will need some attention.

Race morning, I got up early to haul my butt out to Benbrook. It was chilly. Our nice 80+ degree weather suddenly disappeared.

300 Yard Swim - 6:16
The pool swim was not ideal. It was in a 25 yard pool with swimmers staggered every 10 seconds, going both directions in one lane. Let's just say cluster.

T1 - 1:41
This was a bad transition. Partly because I had to take my Garmin off to get my coat on. It was really cold. No wind, but man, it was cold!

13.8-Mile Bike - 50:41 (16.3 MPH)
Was not pleased with my bike. My Garmin never acquired a satellite and I had no idea what my speed was. I'm just not experienced enough on the bike to know by feel how fast I'm going. I should have and could have pushed it more. The bike course was hilly and the pavement was pretty choppy and lots of gravel.

T2 - 1:08
Again, I had to take my Garmin off to get my coat off. I knew I would warm up on the run.

5K - 24:49 (8:00 pace)
This was by far my best run in a tri. In fact, it's an unofficial 5K PR. I ran a 5K in Dec. 2009 in 24:36, but the course was at least .1 short. I continue to be amazed at why I'm a better runner in a tri. It's days like these where that 5K continues to haunt me. If I can run an 8:00 pace in a tri, surely I can run 7:45 in a 5K road race.

All in all, I'm ok with my performance, but again, it showed me I just need more time on the bike. I placed 6th in my age group and 120 overall out of about 300.

I got lucky

2011-03-13T15:59:00.008-05:00

St. Paddy's Day Sprint Triathlon - March 13, 2011
300M Swim, 12.6 bike, 5K run - 1:18:07, 7th AG, 200 overall

I have been in the pool once in three months. I've been on the bike once for that duathlon a month ago. I've been running, a lot. The luck of the Irish was with me today. I did my second triathlon, the same course as my first one last October. I had a 2:04 PR. I am thrilled.

300M Swim - 6:42
This was not my best swim. Being out of the pool for three months and then a quick swim last weekend, clearly impacted my results. My swim on my last tri was 6:39, not awful, but certainly not as good as I can do. But honestly, I really didn't care. It's 300M. I really wanted my bike to go better than last tri.

T1 - 1:07

I was a little shocked at my T1 time. I was in a daze and remember standing at the bike rack wondering what to do. I'm blaming losing an hour's sleep due to daylight saving's time. However, it was better than last tri at 1:10.

12.66 Bike - 43:22

It sure was a windy day. It's been the theme here in Texas for the past month. I really wanted to improve my bike this go around. I felt pretty good out there today despite the wind. Last tri was 45:41. I know I can do better here. But I'll take a 2+ minute improvement.

T2 - :52
Finally feeling more awake, I blazed through T2. So much so that I thought I was going to trip when I saw Corina, Michelle, Marci and Bojana cheering me on! I was blowing kisses and thought I may kiss the ground! An improvement again from October where it was :59.

5K Run - 26:01
Oh boy I was not pleased with this run! I was slow out there and just couldn't get my legs moving. Don't really know what my problem was! Legs felt super heavy. Last October I did this in 25:38.

It was the first tri of the season. I had a good day. I had a good race. And I got a PR, placed 7th in my age group and 200th overall. Hey maybe with some training, I'll do better! This was a good way to gauge where I'm at and what I need to work on before my first Olympic Distance Tri in June.

The journey is the reward

2011-03-05T16:53:00.012-06:00

Boopa's Bagel Deli 5K - March 5, 2011

Guilty. Did it again. I went out way too fast. I told myself I was going to hold back and try to negative split this race. I have had this darn 5K PR monkey on my back and I felt like today I could get shake it off. Once again, close but no cigar.

Nonetheless, I am still happy with my race today. It was very cold and windy. The course had some good hills too. Small crowd today. I think the threat of rain and the cold keep many indoors. Most folks ran the 10K. I opted for the 5K for two reasons: 1) I ran a marathon 6 days ago and 2) I really want to run a 24:30 5K.

I ran my first mile in 7:30. Too fast. Hit a pretty long hill and my pace dropped to 8:00. I knew we were coming up to the turn around, but I didn't see the lead runners turning yet. I didn't realize I was in the front of the pack. Saw the turn and realized I was in the top 5. WHAT? I am a middle of the pack runner. Ok, small field today. There was only one female runner ahead of me. I passed her and she was on my tail. We hit a downhill and she passed me. The last .5, wind was gusting 25 mph. Threw my head down and pushed hard to catch her, but just couldn't. The wind was just too much for me today.

I thought I was close to my PR, but didn't want to look at my watch. Just wanted to focus on pushing hard. Crossed the line in 25:03. Second overall female and 1st AG. And improved my time on this course by over a minute from last year.

Of course, I was ticked that seconds separated me from WINNING a 5K. However, I feel good about today. I ran a marathon last week, it was windy, hilly and cold. I gave it my all. This will probably be the closest I will ever be to winning a race.

The saying is, if you're not first, you're last. Nah. Not today. If you're not first, you learn and move on. I'm proud of how I ran today. Not every race is a PR. But every race is an experience. I got to meet Stacy, a new RAW member and DailyMile friend. Ran back after the race to run my friend Jeff in. He placed 2nd in his AG for the 10K. Today was about the journey, not the reward.

It Takes a Village

2011-02-28T18:01:00.007-06:00

We have different points in a marathon where we breakdown. It's that time in the race where you don't really know if it's mental or physical. Your body hurts. You wrestle with your head because you know it's supposed to hurt now. You fight off every urge to slow down, to keep from walking.

Then the Lord Voldemort of marathons visits your head. You look at your watch and realize, I don't have this goal today. You let him convince yourself it's ok to not give it your all. He tells you it's ok, there's another race. And at the time, he comforts you. But when you get to the finish line, you're pissed. All that training, all that work, I could have pushed harder. What if I didn't start walking at mile 17? What if I just took it slower in the beginning? What if? What if? What if?

It's hard to focus when you're that tired. You're not sure when you had electrolytes last. You're not sure when you fueled. Hell, you don't really even know what city you are in or what marathon you are running today.

My dear friend Corina has had the Cowtown Marathon monkey on her back for a few years. She told me, "Mile 17, I just lose it." It was her Cowtown Curse. I wanted to help her break that curse. I volunteered to pace her, with a goal of a sub 5 hour marathon.

Feb. 28, 2011 - Hills, Heat and Humidity

As all marathoners do, even if you are pacing, I started obsessing over the weather for 10 days before the race. This Texas weather was driving us all crazy -- 30s, 70s, 40s, 80s, we had it all over the past 10 days. I was worried. The forecast kept getting hotter. It was like my Chicago all over again. And I did not want that for Corina.

Race morning, it's already in the mid 60s and 80% humidity. And let's not forget the wind. After a late arrival due to traffic, I started to panic that I couldn't find Corina in the corral. I wore my bright green singlet and kept looking for her lemon shirt. Then I hear her scream my name. And I ran over and gave her a hug. And also found Fiona and Greg. Our corral made it's way to the start and we were off.

The course at the beginning was pretty flat. The issue was no electrolytes after the first water stop. And it was hot. We were a little ahead of our goal pace for first 6 miles to the Stockyards. And then we both needed a potty break. We lost about 3 minutes, but with the time we made up, we were ok.

I knew the dreaded mile 9 hill was coming up. It was a doozy. I realized I needed to keep talking to Corina to keep her focused on getting up this hill and not on the pain. I saw the lamp posts and said, "Look, we have 5 lamp posts. I'm going to count them off for you one, by one...5...4...3...2...1." She did amazing up the hill. She was spent, but I told her, hey, you ran up that at 10:47 pace! I saw a smile.

We said goodbye to the half marathoners and took the turn after the downtown area. I thought that the hills were over. Um, no. We kept hitting hill after hill after hill. Mile 17, I honestly thought this was the highest point of the course. Corina is tired. She attacked those hills and I could tell it was taking it's toll on her. And the heat and the humidity. She tried to walk and I told her it was mental, not physical. She agreed and pressed on. I told her two more water stops and you see your posse. Greg and Michelle are waiting. I told her that what kept me going at Fort Worth Marathon was when she told me at mile 16 that she would see me at mile 20. I kept holding on to that thought.

We made it to 20 and sitting on the curb was Greg and Michelle. I said, I think that's them. She didn't believe me at first and then they stood up. I got all excited and said, "look that is them!" Tears came to her eyes. So there we were the four of us at mile 20. Encouraging her to keep going. Michelle took off after a few miles and Greg and I stuck with Corina.

Crap more hills. Really? You have got to be kidding me. Greg called the rest of the posse and said, they are at the country club. Ok, top of the hill is Colonial. Honey, we are here. You will see the girls in less than a mile. She was tired. We came down the hill from the country club and I said, "I think that's them." I don't think she believed me at first, but then all the screams and she knew it was them -- Marci, Kris, Fiona and Mel -- hollering for Mama C!

Marci, Kris, Fiona, Mel, Greg, me all surrounding our Mama C. Like little ducklings huddled around our mama.

I stopped talking about splits or time because I didn't want her to think about it. I wanted her to just give it her all. I thought at 20, we still had a shot, but when we kept climbing those hills, I just got so worried. I wanted that sub 5 for her so badly. I kept thinking about my race in Chicago and how I didn't want to disappoint Steve, who was pacing me.

I pulled out front and ran with Marci and asked her what Corina's PR was. She didn't know exactly, but thought 5:15. Ok, we can do this. We can PR this. I pulled Kris aside and said, I need her to push hard. We are too close, we can still PR this. Kris was pushing her up the hill, Marci was smacking her ass, we were all pulling as a team.

The posse veered off before the finish chutes and I kept screaming at Corina to sprint. She ran hard. She pushed. She gave that marathon her all. She called me names.

5:14:47 - we missed her PR by 20 seconds. I showed her my watch at the end. I didn't want to. It's like telling someone their dog died. She said, "I'm ok with that." I had to rush off to get Steve to the airport, but I texted her as soon as I could to make sure she was ok. She was in great spirits. Did she want a sub 5? Hell yeah she did. Was she ok with her race? Hell yeah she was. She had a great group of friends there for her every step of the way.

Sometimes it takes a village to run a marathon. It's a hell of a lot more fun that way anyway.

My First Duathlon

2011-02-21T10:06:00.013-06:00

On a whim, I decided to do a duathlon. My friend Chris posted on Facebook, "Who's doing TMS Duathlon this Sunday?" Duathlon? Sunday? I have no plans. I need to get on my bike anyway. I need the experience. Why the hell not? So within minutes, I signed up for the Texas Motor Speedway Duathlon on Feb. 20, 2011 -- 2 mile run, 16 mile bike, 2 mile run.

My first thought as I pulled into the parking lot was, "I bet there is a million dollars worth of bikes here." Oh, the bike porn. So sexy. You can't help but stare.

It was a blustery day! The wind was fierce. It can always be windy at the speedway, but today was really windy. I knew I would have a hard time out there on that bike.

Run 1 - 2 Miles: 15:48, average pace 7:54
Women started in the final wave. The run was 2 loops on the inner track at TMS. I started in the middle of the pack. I wanted to take the first mile a little slower. I finished in 8:06 and felt really good. So I kicked it up for a 7:35 pace for mile 2.
TMS Duathlon Run by smlundsberg at Garmin Connect - Details

T1 - :54 seconds
I wasn't too worried about T1. Grabbed my bike, and off to battle the wind.

Bike - 16 miles: 58:27, average page 16.4 mph
The wind was really rough here. There were times I was gripping my bike so tight just to stay on it. I wanted to ride faster, but that wind was so rough at the front of the speedway.
TMS Duathlon Bike by smlundsberg at Garmin Connect - Details

T2 - :58 seconds
This was the transition I was worried about. Not having been on my bike for 2 months, I knew my legs would feel like Jell-O. I couldn't run to rack my bike, I was worried I would trip and fall. Happy to report, I did not fall!

Run 2 - 2 miles, 16:44, average pace 8:22
OMG, I can't feel my legs? I feel like I'm running through water. My first mile was rough, I just couldn't seem to shake that feeling. First mile was a 8:54 pace. I started getting excited about all the people I was passing. One guy made fun of his friend for being passed by a "girl."

With about .3 mile left, way up front I see an age grouper. I can take her. So I kicked up the pace. I'm on her tail and she doesn't know it. I pass her. She picks it up and I can hear here footsteps right behind me. Oh no, not today, honey. Let's go legs. A volunteer says, "100M for this point." Full out sprint and I'm off. Running at a 6:20 pace, I crossed that finish line 4 seconds ahead of her.
TMS Duathlon Run 2 by smlundsberg at Garmin Connect - Details

And in 1:32:53, I finished my first duathlon. Placed 5th in my age group. If I bike about 1 mph faster, I would have placed. The bike is my weak point, as I just have not spent enough time on it. However, with spring nearly here, there will be more rides in my future.

By Learning You Will Teach, By Teaching You Will Learn

2011-02-13T10:31:00.006-06:00

I've never really been a team sport kind of gal. I swam in high school. I liked to ski. Maybe it's my only child syndrome, but I've always been attracted to individual sports. Maybe it was because I was in charge of my goals. I got to set them and if they weren't achieved, I had no one to blame but myself.

However, I've come to learn running is not an individual sport. Yeah, I put in the time and the training, and I set my own goals. But I would be ignorant to think I did this on my own. I have help. A lot of help. My friends give me advice, encouragement and are there for my downfalls and successes too.

It's now my turn to help. I have the honor to pace my friend Corina this Sunday at the Cowtown Marathon. Her goal is a sub 5 hour marathon.

A few weeks ago, Corina and I ran a 20-mile training run. It wasn't her day. With two weeks of ice-a-pa-looza, both of us had to cut back our training, against our will. Lord, I have been there. You want that training run to go well because in your mind you are thinking this is a dress rehearsal. But it's not. This is the place to rest for 30 seconds to get your heart rate down. Take a few minutes longer at a water stop. This is not a race. It's building endurance and getting time on your feet. I could tell she was fighting herself. Because I think as runners we all have to fight that urge to treat our longest training run as a dress rehearsal for what will happen on race day.

She kept thanking me for talking her through the rough patches. But I don't think she realized that by helping her, I learned more about myself.

My last two marathons, I was blessed to have someone running by my side pulling me through my rough patches. I felt guilty. This is an individual sport, I should be able to do this on my own. These guys have got to be bored and frustrated running at a pace that is slow for them.

They weren't bored. The three hours and 49 minutes that I was out there with Corina was fun. For the first time in a marathon training cycle, I didn't feel stressed, injured, tired, exhausted and scared. I was having fun.

At one point in the run, we talked about how there have been too many times where we have taken our races too seriously. Flogged ourselves for goals that weren't achieved. Felt embarrassed about our performance. But we also talked about how those goals are individual goals and self-driven punishment for not attaining them. No one cares what our times were. They care that we did it, learned from it and had fun. It was reassuring for me to have someone to talk to about all the frustrations that I have had lately about not meeting my goals.

On Sunday, we'll be running Cowtown together, not as individuals, but as a team. And I bet we will both learn a lot about ourselves while we are out there.

2011 Goals

2011-01-12T16:08:00.004-06:00

I'm somewhat reluctant to write goals. I'm not feeling like a rock star lately and I'm trying to avoid setting myself up for failure. It's been a rough few months and I'm trying to get back on my feet. But that said, I feel compelled to put something out there to force myself to try harder to do better. So here goes something...

Pesky 5K
Oh how I hate you. This year, I want to lock in a sub 24.

Mr. Marathon
You use me and abuse me. But I still keep coming back to you for more. I think I'd like to sub 4 you.

Sprint Tri
You are my new fling. We went on a little date in October and I had so much fun. We're going to do this again in March on the same course and I would like to shave 5 minutes off my bike. Not that I don't like spending much time with you. I really do, but I'd like to stand on the podium.

Olympic Tri
You don't scare me. We have not met yet, but you don't scare me. We'll see each other in June and I'll see how much I like you.

70.3 Half Ironman Austin
I admit it. You are a little intimidating. Right now you are bigger and stronger than me. But I'll be ready for you, that I promise you. I know you have big hills. Something called the quad killer. But pain is temporary and pride is forever. So I'll take your hills. Bring it. But I won't let you abuse me for more than 7 hours.

So there you go. 2011 in a nutshell. Stay tuned.

Reflecting on 2010

2011-01-03T15:36:00.004-06:00

I'm a planner. I'm type A. I spend a lot of time thinking about what's next...what's my next race, what's my next PR, what's my next endurance event to push myself harder, faster. But I owe it to myself to look back to see what I have accomplished in my second year of running (and first year of this multi-sport thing).

Here are the stats from 2010:
20 races - 23 miles swam - 370 miles biked - 1,417 miles ran

4 5Ks - 1st place age group, 2nd place age group, 3rd place age group

4 10ks - Two 2nd place age group

2 15ks

6 half marathons - Set a fantastic PR 1:54:09

3 full marathons - 2 kicked my ass. But redeemed myself and set 24-minute PR with a 4:11:24 at Fort Worth Marathon

1 sprint triathlon

It's been a damn good year. I have to thank my friends who have supported me through all the ups and downs in 2010. I'm not going to lie, there were some pretty big disappointments, but I've finally been able to put those behind me and move forward. Sometimes I need to fall flat on my face to get back up on my feet and try harder to do better.

What's Next? 2011 - The Year of the Triathlon
Of course, you didn't think I could close this blog without a look ahead?
I've declared 2011 The Year of the Triathlon. Oh I have a few marathons thrown in just for fun, but my eyes are on Austin 70.3 in October. Stay tuned!

Me vs. Me - I win

2010-11-16T14:15:00.016-06:00

"We improve ourselves by victories over ourself. There must be contests, and you must win."

I'm my own worst enemy. My biggest issue with the marathon was NOT putting in enough training. It was NOT speed. It was NOT endurance. It WAS that little space between my ears.

I'm a perfectionist. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. And when it came time to do that, I melted. You can read about my Chicago Marathon disaster here.

The second I got home from Chicago, before I even set my stuff down, I raced to my computer and registered for The Fort Worth Marathon. I wasn't going to end 2010 that way. I wasn't going to waste 5 months of training when I knew I could do better.

I purposely chose this marathon because it was small (250 people), on the Trinity Trail (familiar turf), and it was home to where I did my first half marathon in 2009.

I wanted to minimize any additional stress on me for this marathon. I didn't tell a lot of people. I wanted to keep a low profile. I didn't want to hear people telling me that this was a mistake. I needed to do this. Everyone always says the marathon is just as mental as it is physcial. I'm living proof of that. I needed to prove to myself that I can get out of my head.

My Sunday running buddy Jeremy said he would run with me and pace me. I was elated to have a friend run with me. It would be just like our normal Sunday run.

I couldn't have asked for a better day for a marathon. It was 42 degrees at the start, no wind, warmed up to about 58. I met Jeremy at the start and Sergio was there running his 12th marathon a week after NYC! Stud.

The race advertised a water stop every mile. I didn't carry water, I decided to alternate water/gatoraid every water station. Well that worked for the first two miles. We didn't see another water stop until mile 10. Apparently, the volunteers never got out there. A man running in front of us had called his daughter to bring water. She gave me a bottle of water which I held on to for dear life until we saw more water. Sergio's fabulous wife also brought gatoraid for us on the course!

Somewhere around mile 7 or 8, we met Fred. Fred said he lost his watch and had no idea what he was running. So we invited him to run with us. With a marathon this small, it was really nice to have a group of people to run with. It would have gotten really lonely out there.

Rounding mile 11, Corina and her son were there cheering us all on. It was so nice to have a familiar face. I knew that I would see her on the turn around again and was very much looking forward to that. I yelled out our time and asked her to tweet it. I knew there were a lot of people wondering how I was doing. She said she would see us around mile 20.

Around mile 19 I was getting a little tired. My left knee started feeling funny. I was really looking forward to seeing Corina again. I held onto that thought and kept plugging along. I saw her and said I was hurting and this is where things start to suck. She encouraged me to keep going strong.

After we passed Corina, I was really falling back. Jeremy kept trying to keep me going. Telling me to run in the crushed gravel to weight off that knee. Then my IT band/hip starting going to crap too. I was shuffling. My stride looked ridiculous, I am quite sure of it. My pace went to crap. It was all I could do to keep going. Everyone says that last 10K sucks. Well, the last 5K REALLY REALLY sucks.

I kept telling myself, just a few minutes. 30 minutes left. I got this. I think Jeremy thought I was talking to him, but I was really trying to convince myself. I was fighting my own head again. I knew I was going to have a hell of a PR. I wished my damn knee and hip felt better, but I kept trying to forget about that and get discouraged and just kept focusing on the posititve. I'm having a good race. This is my day. Nothing is wrong. Keep going. Even if you are shuffling. Keep moving. I walked through the last few water stops, tried to walk once at the last mile, and Jeremy said, "oh no, none of that crap." Ok, ok, shuffle along. He told me to pick up. I said I can't. And I really couldn't. My knee was hurting so bad.

Oh there's La Grave Field. One stupid uphill and then a little down and we're done. I got to the top of the hill and I see Cornina waving and screaming. Yay!!! She ran over and ran us in the last .2! Somehow, somewhere, I found the energy to pick it up. I crossed the finish line strong. However, you can see in the pic, I was clearly having issues with my left side. My entire left arm is doing something really funny!

Crossed that line at 4:11:24, a 24-minute PR. I saw my co-workers, my RAW buddies all there waiting for me to finish. And it was amazing.

There it was. The battle of me vs. me was over. And I won. My first marathon was OKC in April 2010 with a time of 4:35:03. Five weeks earlier, I ran Chicago in 4:39.
Marathon kicked my ass twice in 2010, but on Nov. 14, 2010, I kicked marathon's ass. But I was only able to do that because I was stronger than myself. I finally feel like I earned the title "Marathoner".

I had a lot of friends out there helping me. I think almost wanting this just as much as I wanted it. They may not have agreed or understood why I needed to do this, but they supported me and knew I wouldn't rest until I could prove to myself that I could do this.

Coach Jeff: For letting me do something a little crazy and helping keep my head screwed on straight in the process. Always hovering over me like a father making sure I didn't hurt myself.

My sole sisters Marci and Bojana : You girls are my inspiration, my rock when I needed it, my sushi hoes. You have always been there for me and I love you!

Josh: Always encouraging, always listening, always telling me to STFU and quit your whining!

Corina: Your support that day means the world to me! I can't tell you how nice it was to have a personal cheering section!

Jeremy: A great Sunday running partner who keeps me running when I just want to give him. Thanks for sticking with me when the going got tough. Without you, that last 10K may not have happened!

Steve: Words cannot even express how much I appreciate your support. You witnessed the crash of 10-10-10, picked up the torn up pieces of my ego and taped them back together. Your support and encouragement over these past 5 difficult weeks has been amazing.

To everyone out there that I may have missed. Thanks for putting up with me, believing in me and following me on my crazy little journey.

What's next? Oh, another marathon. I won this battle, but I still have more to battles to fight.

Took a trip to the dark side

2010-10-25T09:54:00.013-05:00

Monster Sprint Tri 300M Swim, 12.66 Bike, 5K Run

Someone told me they had cookies. They had pancakes and I ate four. Don't judge.

The best thing I did going into this race was not looking at it like a race. My goal was to go have fun and learn. I had never done a tri before. Didn't train for this and never attempted a brick. But I knew I could swim 300M, that's usually a warm up for me. I knew I could muddle through the bike. And the 5K, can do that in my sleep. So why not put it all together.

The day before the race, my dear friend David gave me and Bojana a transition 101 so we wouldn't DQ ourselves!

Saturday, I ran 21 miles. I woke up Sunday morning and my quads were pretty darn tight. A little worried, but I told myself, it's short, you're done in less than 1:30. Just muddle through.

Got to the transition area, racked my bike, set out all my gear like David told me and headed to get my chip. Saw a bunch of my RAW buddies and my colleagues from work.

A few minutes before we had to line up for the swim, I jumped into the pool. I haven't been in the pool for a month. I hit the water and my legs were mad. I decided then to take the swim really easy and go with mostly arms. On a 300M swim, losing 30-45 seconds is nothing.

300M Swim - 6:39

This was pool swim where you snake the lanes. Swimmers are spaced 5 seconds apart. I did ok for the first 100, but being out of the pool for a month started to take it's toll on me. I had to breathe just about every stroke and I was really trying to save my legs for the bike and swim, so I was about 85% arms. The guy behind me passed me on the last 100, but by the last 25, I zipped by him.

Transition 1 - 1:11

Threw my cap and goggles off. Threw on my sunglasses, strapped on my helmet, socks, bike shoes. What the heck? My glasses are fogging. Threw them off, said screw it, I'll deal with wind and sun, grabbed Enrique (my bike) and headed out of the transition area.

Bike 12.66 - 45:41

I had been on the bike maybe a dozen times before this race. I knew this was my weakest link. I was so focused on marathon training that I just didn't have the time to spend on the bike. The course had some hills that I wasn't prepared for. But I made it and my time was respectable. I wanted to take in some fluids on the bike so I had my Gatorade there. I am so new on the bike that I was worried about bending over and grabbing that water bottle. But I was thirsty and knew I better take in something. Got it! Yay! Took a few sips. Oh shit! I have to lean over and put this thing back. I thought about throwing it to the side of the road but then thought I may want it before the run again. So do I gamble and risk a fall or pitch it? I gambled. It was a little rocky and I thought, screw it, I'm not going to do this again. I'll drink at the transition area when I'm off the bike. I did the ride at about a 16.8 MPH pace. Not bad, but I see lots of room for improvement next time.

Transition 2 - 0:59
Remembering what Gail taught me about getting in and out of clips, I unclipped my right foot well before the dismount line so I didn't have to worry about falling and making a fool out of myself. Holy cow, running off the bike into the transition area was a weird feeling. Not only do I have these funny shoes on, my legs feel like Jell-O! Racked my bike, threw on my Kinvaras and off on the run.

5K - 25:38
This was the weirdest feeling ever. I felt like I was running through water and in slow motion. I honestly thought my legs were going to buckle under me. David told me that feeling will go away in about a mile. Come on mile!!! Where are you? I want to feel my legs again. I had my watch set on multi-sport. Had never used it before. I didn't set the screens to see my pace. I had no idea what I was running, but I was sure it was around a 9:30 pace. But here I am passing people.

Up until now, I was pretty uncompetitive. Just enjoying the moment and having fun. But hey, I'm feeling fresh, I'm passing people. The little competitive voice came back into my head, "get that one, easy prey. Oh, he's hurting, chick him. Oh little fairy, how cute, buh bye." I counted 15 roadkill before I stopped counting. I was feeling remarkably good. I looked at my watch and was trying to predict my finish time. I wanted to finish around 1:30. During the run, I knew I would blow that away. Got to the finish line and finished in 1:20:11. Wahoo!!!! My run was a 8:17 pace. Blew me away. When I got home I downloaded my splits: Mile 1 8:27, Mile 2 8:21, Mile 3 8:08, Last .1 7:34. Hot damn! That felt good.

I finished 9th in my AG out of 58 and 186th overall out of 617. Not bad first time out of the gate. One year ago, I ran the Susan G. Komen 5K in 26:40. That was a PR for me. I just ran 21 miles on Sat., swam and biked and I hit a 25:38 5K, two weeks after a marathon. That felt pretty damn good.

If you read my previous blog about Chicago Marathon, you can sense how devastating it was for me. But, I can't even put into words how that marathon impacted me. Only a few people really know because they are the ones who have had to deal with me as I recover (not physically, but emotionally) from that disaster.

Every race has a purpose and there's a reason why you had to have that race. Good or bad, there's a message. I had to fall flat on my back in Chicago to learn how to handle the stress of a big race and my OCD. I had to have this tri to remember this is about fun. This is why you do this, you love it. It's not about a PR every race. It's about learning, having fun and enjoying the journey.

Breathe, relax, have fun. I'm still going to try harder to do better, but I'm not going to let the fear of failure control my race.

Live to Run Another Day

2010-10-15T16:18:00.002-05:00

From: Ambler, John O [mailto:John

As mad as I was, I knew I would live to run another day. Quitting the sport never entered my mind. I’m not a quitter. I love running. I didn’t love the run I had on 10-10-10, but I still love running none-the-less.

Chicago Marathon was nothing less than a disaster for me. Ok, before you tell me, “You finished. You should be proud.” Don’t. Finishing was never a goal. Even during my first marathon. I knew I would finish the damn race. I know what my training looked like. I know what I’m capable of running. Quitting was never an option.

“You finished.” Well, no shit. I finished…4 minutes worse than my first marathon. I trained harder, my times were faster. I RAN TRAINING RUNS BETTER THAN THIS!

I’m probably the most Type A person you will ever meet. I never missed a training day. I nailed every single training run. Some were ugly. But I never, ever said, screw it, I’m tired, it’s hot, I’m not doing this. I put in the miles. I put in the hours. I trained hard. I woke up at 3:45 a.m. so I could pound out 14 miles before work. I ran a 22-mile training run with an 8:51 pace. I was ready.

So what happened? I freaked out. My fear of failure literally made me sick. I had stomach cramps at the expo. I woke up with stomach cramps the day of the race. Not intestinal stomach cramps—the kind that I get when I’m stressed, really high in my stomach, right below my chest. The forecast kept getting hotter and hotter and hotter. Before bed, I saw the high was forecasted to be 86 degrees. This just made my stomach turn even more. I had a lofty goal, the weather was not cooperating, my stomach was not cooperating. I was worried. Really worried.

Race day rolls around. Surprisingly, I got a good night’s sleep. I had the blessing of a dear friend who volunteered to pace me. He is my angel. I had a shit day out there and he wouldn’t leave my side. He did everything he could to help me, from getting ice, to water, to food, to convincing me that it was all going to be ok. At one point, I wanted to walk off the course thinking I would rather have a DNF than this sorry ass time. But I remembered conversations that he and I had about his one and only DNF and the pain he still has today about that race. I didn’t want that. And I couldn’t do that to him, not after everything he had done for me. And going back to that quitter thing, yeah, that ain’t me.

I told him I wanted to start slow. I was hot at the start line. I didn’t feel right. We got to the 5K mark and I said, “I’m behind.” He put it into perspective and told me not to worry, just follow. I kept pulling ahead and he would pull me back to where I needed to be.

It got really hot, really fast. Approaching the 10K mark, I got really worried. I was boiling. I told him, this isn’t my day. My legs are cramping. I’m hot. I threw my shirt off. He told me to drink. I had 3 ounces of fluids to his 30 ounces.

Like the angel he is, he carried my shirt. I told him to throw it on the ground. He wouldn’t. He carried my water. I was trying so hard to focus, but all I could think about was how this just wasn’t my race, not tripping on sponges, cups, and banana peels, and the masses of humanity.

I got to the ½ marathon mark, 2:05. This just sucks. I know, I know, there are a ton of people who would kill to reach a half marathon in 2:05. But, I didn’t train to run a 4:10 marathon. I trained to run a sub 4 marathon. And my body is quite capable of running a sub 4.

I started crying. I was mad. I could not go any faster. I didn’t have it in me. It’s survival now. I can still PR this stupid race. However, what was bad, got worse. 10K and I knew I couldn’t throw down a sub 1:00 10K. Not today. I don’t know what mile it was, but he told me, I could still PR this. I threw him the dirtiest look and said, “I’m shuffling.” He smiled and said, “Yes, you are.” I may have even laughed. Well maybe not, but it makes me laugh now.

Finish line. Thank God. There is the damn finish line. 4:39:23, four minutes worse than my first marathon. I was nauseous. I wanted to puke—partly due to the heat, partly due to my pitiful performance out there.

Through this 18-month journey to tackle 2 marathons, some of most amazing people have entered my life. I wanted to stick my head in my shell and hide from the world. But my world wouldn’t let me. The most poignant note I got, “You love to run and will likely continue for the rest of your life. Keep it all in perspective and don’t lose that infectious enthusiasm that makes so many of us your ‘followers.’”

That’s the real Suann: the girl who wants to share her passion for running, the girl who doesn’t want to hear “I can’t run that far,” the girl who wants to share the joy of someone who ran further than they ever have before, the girl whose favorite running memory was watching one of her best friends do something that she never though she could run before.

I’m damn lucky I have the support of some really awesome people. And I can’t let them down by sticking my head in the sand. My five minutes of pissing and moaning turned into five days. I’m sick of listening to myself whine. Surely everyone else around me is.

Ok, so it wasn’t my day. Does it still hurt? Yeah, it does. Have I moved on? Yeah, I have. Time to cowgirl up. There’s another marathon with my name on it. Marathon kicked my ass twice. But we’re going to kiss and make up one day. I lived to run another day and I’m damn lucky I can run.

Found My Mojo

2010-10-06T18:58:00.003-05:00

Well, maybe it wasn't really ever lost, just misplaced.

Physically, I am ready. I've trained hard. These legs have the speed. These lungs have the endurance, but this head didn't have the confidence.

Between work life, home life and training hard in a hot and humid summer, I was mentally and physically exhausted. I didn't have any energy. I was so tired. Insomnia returned.

I went into my first week of taper and struggled with my speedwork. The speed was there, but it felt so much harder to keep that pace. My legs felt like lead. My head screaming, "you suck." But I plugged through the workouts nonetheless.

Fast forward to marathon week. My body feels 100 percent better. I'm running effortlessly. I'm sleeping better. I'm resting. Well heck, there is something to this taper thing. Huh.

Somewhere, somehow, my mojo came back. The goal that once seemed nearly impossible, now seems attainable. I'm not scared. I'm not worried. I'm not doubting myself. I'm ready to run the race of my life.

The marathon is just as much mental as it is physical. If I had a quarter for every time I have heard that...But it's true. It's time to trust my training, trust myself and lay it all out on the line.

Try harder. Do better. It's time to run the race of my life.

I'll see you in Chicago on 10-10-10.

Tapirs or Tapers

2010-09-28T16:45:00.009-05:00

The first time I saw a tapir was at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

They are awfully cute creatures. The look almost like a cross between a pig and an anteater. The babies are even cuter.

Tapirs are solitary animals and endangered. They are related to horses and rhinoceroses. Their amazing little trunk is prehensile. They are good swimmers, but also enjoy pursuing along the bottom of a river for food. They appear clumsy and slow and are typically shy, but when threatned they will show their teeth and can run with remarkable speed.

I'm quite sure the marathon taper is related to the tapir. You feel clumsy, slow but at the end of the day, you're supposed to be able to run with remarkable speed, right?

Let's hope so because right now, I'm kinda wanting to go to the zoo to look at the tapirs instead of going through this marathon taper.

Lord Voldemort vs. Suann

2010-09-26T14:42:00.004-05:00

Hay is in the barn. There is nothing more I can do to get faster before Chicago in two weeks. I'm in the best shape I have ever been in -- EVER. I'm running strong. I'm running fast. All my training points to a serious mother of a PR in Chicago.

There's just one problem. My head. It's playing games with me. I hate my head. There are days it says, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can do that. You can run that pace." Then there are days when it says, "What the heck have you been smoking? You do that and you are going to crash and burn. Do you really want that? Don't gamble. Play it safe."

The funny thing about your first marathon is you don't know any better. You haven't personally been introduced to the wall. But when you've met it, you never forget that meeting. I've named him Lord Voldemort -- dark, scary, invisible. He sneaks up on you, smacks you from behind. You're so stunned, you don't know what to do, how to act, where to go. I don't want to see Thou Who Shall Not be Named in Chicago, but I may.

I did a tempo today. I was really hoping this tempo would give me the mental strength I need for Chicago. Honestly, it didn't.

I ran with two from my regular crowd (the Texas Salty Bananas), Charles and Josh. I really leaned on these guys today. It was hard for me to settle into that pace. I wanted to go faster or slower. I felt like my foot was on and off the accelerator the whole time.

Charles is an official Nike pacer for the time I want in Chicago, but I didn't get in a coral and he will be starting in the D corral. Dang it.

I'm not going to have these guys with me in Chicago. It's just going to be me out there. Me vs. Lord Voldemort.

I have two weeks to make up my mind as to how I'm going to run this race. Actually, let me rephrase that. I have two weeks to get my head in the game. I want that time. I need that time. I want it so bad that I can now taste it. I didn't want it that bad two weeks ago. But today, I want it.

Will I see Lord Voldemort out there in Chicago? Probably. But I'm not giving in like I did in OKC. It's not going to be easy. It's going to be a tough fight. It's going to take every ounce of mental and physical strength that I have in this little body. It's going to hurt. I may even cry. But I tell you what, I'm not crossing that finish line thinking, "What if?" What if I pushed harder? There will not be anything left in the tank when I toe that line. Nothing.

I'll see you in Chicago. 10-10-10.

9 runners, 197 miles, 28 hours 29 minutes 23 seconds

2010-08-31T19:15:00.015-05:00

Hood to Coast Relay: August 28 - 29, 2010
The Team Without a Name

It's deemed the largest relay in the world--starts at Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood and travels 197 miles to Seaside, Oregon. I had to run it.

I grew up in the PNW. Well, I kinda grew up everywhere, but spent a lot of time in the good ol' PNW. I heard about this race growing up. It's an event. And there's a certain level of bad assery title that you earn when you run it, especially when you tell someone that your team has only 9 members as opposed to the traditional 12.

Told a lot of folks, co-workers about my weekend. Um, yeah, I need those days off, my Blackberry probably won't work because I'm running down a mountain with 9 friends to the coast of Oregon, sleeping and eating in a van. Vacation? Hell yeah vacation!

My dear twitter friend Brian Brode mentioned that he was on a Hood to Coast team. Like the shy girl I am, I said, hey if you need an alternate, let me know. Turns out they needed another crazy chick. I passed the test.

Despite the fact that these 9 runners are very smart, creative individuals, we could not come up with a creative name prior to the deadline. There were names like Wii Not be Fit, Mid-leg Crisis, When the Fit Hits the Shan, We've Got the Runs, and many more. We were The Team Without a Name.

Our start time was 11:45 a.m. Teams are seated by their anticipated finish times which are based on the runner's 10K times. We were right in the middle. The first leg down the mountain is a beast! Erin, a totally bad ass chick, volunteered to slay that mountain -- 6 miles with a 3,000 foot elevation drop. Holy quads, Batman! That woman ran that leg with 6:30 splits. She not only took the lead from our start group, she passed the 11:30 runners and perhaps some 11:15 starters!

I ran legs 3, 12, 21, and 30 -- about 20 miles total. And I kinda got lucky and got the easy ones. I was really shocked at how well I did.

Leg 3 - 4 miles - 7:33 pace. This was my fastest 4 miles I have ever run!

Leg 12 - 6.4 miles - 8:13 pace. Certainly a PR here as well for this distance.

Leg 21 - 5 miles - 8:22 pace. I'm pretty proud of this one. 5 miles on a dirt road at 3 a.m. It was pitch black and very dusty. I ate Oregon dirt for 5 miles. The little light I had from my headlamp didn't help much due to all the dirt the vans kicked up. It was a white out! I vaguely remember Brian getting me on tape saying I was a dirty girl....

Leg 30 - 5 miles - 8:23 pace. I was so tired. No sleep. But I still managed to keep it under 8:30. I remember the Elites passing me and saying "good job." Ha!

The Team Without a Name crossed the finish line in 28:29:23.

I could go on and on and on about all the details, funny events, speeding tickets, yadda, yadda, yadda. But I'm going to keep you in suspense and just say ... freakin' run this race if you ever get the chance! You'll make new friends, have a good time, and get to see some pretty damn gorgeous country.

Take a peak at my photos from the event.

One step backward, two steps forward

2010-08-24T14:00:00.011-05:00

I felt like I was on the road to nowhere for quite some time. But I'm ready to say that I found the road to somewhere and I'm quite liking it.

Starting in late May, I think every race I ran was a personal worst, or close to it. It was hot. I started logging more miles than ever before. I started cross training. I starting hitting the weights harder. Yet, I felt like I was moving backward. I felt slow, tired. I thought, maybe this is as good as I'll get. Yet somehow I found the strength to keep slugging through my training no matter how discouraged I felt. But I have to say, I didn't slug on my own. I had a lot of friends who helped me put things into perspective. I'm not going to call you out by name, you know who you are.

I had two goals to work toward. #1 - America's Finest City 1/2 Marathon in San Diego and #2 - Chicago Marathon.

My confidence started picking up as I started running some 18 and 20 miler training runs. Then, I head to the PNW before San Diego and had some amazing weather and amazing times. For the first time in my life, I ran a sub 7 mile.

Aug. 15 - America's Finest City 1/2 Marathon

I flew to San Diego to meet my running partner Bojana in hopes to run a 1:50:00 to get in a coral for Chicago. Well, I got an email that Friday that said it was the deadline to submit for a coral. Poop. Oh well. I'm gonna give it my all anyway to see what I can do. And I did.

This is a gorgeous course! Starting at the top of Cabrilo National Monument, the course takes you on a 5-mile downhill until you reach the marina/airport area and then through downtown and up to Balboa Park. And I do mean up. At mile 10, you start your climb. It freaking hurt too.

I knew there was a hill. Bojana and I drove the course before hand. She said, "I think this is going to be much worse than mile 12 Austin." I hated to admit it, but she was right. Ok, just give it your all. I'm not walking any step of that hill. I did that in Austin, not doing that here. I got this.

I pushed it really hard out the gate. Looked at my Garmin and knew I needed to slow it down when it said 6:50. I tried to keep it at 8:00, but soon realized that was too fast for me. So I tired to keep it around 8:10-8:15, about 10 seconds faster than my coach wanted me to run it. However, secretly I wanted to see if a 1:45 was possible.

I hit my first 10K at 51:03 -- that is a 10K PR by nearly 5 minutes. My pace started to slow a little bit, but I really didn't noticed it at the time. I was just having a good time out there.

Then mile 10. Holy hell! That is a mother of a hill. And it keeps going. My IT band was on fire. I hurt. This is hard. But I kept telling myself, pain is temporary. You got a 5K and it's over. That's nothing. You can run a 5K in your sleep. I figure I lost about 3:30 on that hill. My pace slowed down to a 10:00/mile. I'm ok with that.

Hill done. The finish line is in sight. The pain that was once in my quads and IT, I totally forgot about. Balboa Park never looked better. I hear someone call my name! It's Twitter buddy Rocketman, Jeff! He came to cheer Bojana and I on. So wonderful to be in this great city and hear someone cheering me on at the finish line!

There it was. 1:54:09. It wasn't 1:50:00, but it was a over 5-minute PR off my February 1/2 PR. And it felt really good.

I couldn't walk. My quads were on fire. My IT was on fire. I wanted to puke. For the first time after a race, I didn't have anything left in the tank. I ran this race the hardest I could. And I was beaming. All those months of waking up at 4 a.m., running in 90 degree heat, it paid off, right there in Balboa Park, one of my favorite places in the United States. All those bad races that I had were erased from my mind.

I needed this race to feel good about my running again. The hardest lesson to learn is that sometimes we take one step backward to take two steps forward. Stepping backward sucks. It really sucks. But it's all part of becoming a better athlete.

Too Hot To Handle 15K - Damn it really was!

2010-07-18T19:33:00.007-05:00

There's a reason why this race is called Too Hot To Handle. If you have ever wondered what if feels like to run on Mars, this race will simulate it. Needless to say, this was not a PR, but I didn't flub it either.

I ran 1:28:34, 30th AG out of 128, 369 out of about 1,200 total runners. Eh, I'll take it.

I hate to say it, but this race was the worst run race I have ever been to. And it has potential to be good.

For starters, the race was 30 minutes late. And in this Texas heat, every minute is precious. It was about 90 degrees when we started. This race is entirely on the lake; therefore, it should have started at 6:30 or 7 a.m. We started at 8 a.m. with an advertised start of 7:30.

There was supposed to be Poweraid and water at every mile on the course. There was, but the Poweraid was so watered down it was light blue water. My biggest issue with this is that it is a SAFETY ISSUE.

There were a lot of cyclists on the path, one even so rude as to yell at runners to get out of his way. However, he did skip up a curb, blew a tire and flipped over his handle bars. Karma, dear friend, karma.

Then we get to the end, no water. I finally found a table where volunteers were filling buckets with a hose and then dipping cups in the vat to give to runners. Serious health code violation.

The only thing positive I have to say about this race is that they had a great bag check and village with beer and pizza. You got a nice tech tank and a hat. That's about it.

Unfortunately, I tried to tell some RunOn folks at the finish line about the issues of no water at the finish, the sanity conditions and the lack of electrolytes on the course and no one seemed to care.

Ok, enough complaining. Here are some pics of me and Bojana!

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference

2010-07-06T08:57:00.010-05:00

I thought of a million reasons why staying in bed this morning would be a good idea. I'm tired. It's hot. It's really humid. I didn't sleep at all. My legs feel like cement blocks. It's 4:30 a.m. and no one should see 4:30 on their clock twice. Yet, it was like instinct, I got up, put my running clothes and shoes on, fueled up and like auto-pilot, decided to run. I opened the door and immediately felt my chest tighten from the humidity. And the usual excitement that I have about running vanished.

I started running. Slowly. Miles are miles. Just get through it. I felt like I was running through water. Mile 6 my quads started burning. They never burn at mile 6. What is wrong with me? Why am I out here? It's 6 a.m. and I'm the only person in my city running 11 miles today.

So a light bulb goes off. Hell yeah. I AM THE ONLY PERSON IN MY CITY RUNNING 11 MILES THIS MORNING. I smiled. I'm tired, but I'm smiling because I know I'm going to finish those damn 11 miles and I really don't give a rat's a$$ how slow they are. I'm running and other than being tired, I have no reason to bitch, none. I'm running. And thank God I am.

Marathon training is just as mental as it is physical. It's summer in Texas and it's just going to get hotter. I can't change that, but I can change my attitude.

I wanted to share some of my favorite motivational things lately.

This one is taped to my mirror.

Another favorite. Every day damn. Just Do It. Yeah. I get it.

This one is my favorite. It also happens to be my favorite shirt now.

Passionate. You have to be passionate to get through all these miles.

Strong. There are days I do not feel strong, physically or mentally, but that's the challenge. I have to dig deeper to find that strength.

Dedicated. This I do well. I have never missed a training day or a workout. I'm dedicated because I'm passionate about what I do.

Competitive. No need to explain this one.

Athlete. I have never thought of myself as an athlete. But I think it's time to admit that I am.

This weekend, I vowed to myself to quit focusing on the negative. There are good days and bad days. It's how you deal with the bad days that make you a better athlete. Sometimes you have to take a step backward to move two steps forward. But I'm still an athlete nonetheless. It's up to me to take these dreams and make them mine. And it's much more enjoyable with a positive attitude.

Looking out the windshield

2010-05-24T05:56:00.005-05:00

May 24, 2010: Exactly one month after Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

May 24, 2010: Day one of Chicago Marathon training.

I have about 20 weeks, or exactly 138 days to get ready to kill Chicago.

Chicago is extremely important for me. Not because I'm going to try to qualify for Boston. I'm still a few years away from that goal. But it's because mentally and physically, I want to prove to myself I can become a better runner and live up to my full potential. I want to erase the yuck of Oklahoma City from my mind completely.

Don't get me wrong, the disappointment from OKC is getting better. Last Friday, I actually opened the email from OKC with my finisher's certificate. And for the first time, looking at my results, I wasn't mortified. I finished smack in the middle of my age group, 72/155. And out of all females, 405/1060. I'm ok with that.

Someone dear to my heart told me, "You need to stop looking out the rear view mirror and out the windshield. Eyes on the prize."

Boy, I'm really good at that. Replaying everything over and over again in my head. What if? What if? What if?

But at some point you just get flat out tired of flogging yourself. I reached that point.

Yeah, I know I said that I was moving on in my last blog. But really, this time I am. I'm focusing on the plan. I'm not going to be racing through my training like I did last time. I'm doing things smarter, with a lot of help from my coach and my friends.

I'm done looking through the rear view mirror worrying about a wreck. I'm looking out the windshield and enjoying the view along the way.

Declaring my pitty party over

2010-05-04T06:36:00.004-05:00

As much as I didn't want to write my marathon blog, deep down I knew I had to. I wanted to thank a lot of people. And it was a big deal in my life, I should document it. But deep down, subconsciously, there was a another reason I didn't realize until this morning. It's about healing, forgiving yourself and moving on.

It started yesterday morning, I emailed a link to a half marathon to a gal in my office who has been interested in running. I said, here's a great race, flat, mostly women. I think you'll enjoy it. She emailed me back and said, "Suann, you don't even know what an inspiration you all to so many women here." Me? Really? Did she mean to send that email to me?

I've never really thought of myself as an inspiration. But it brought a smile to my face to hear that I make a difference in someone's life.

Yesterday at lunch, I went to the gym at work to do weights and abs. One of the gals who has been working very hard to lose about 100 pounds asked me about how to start getting ready for a 5K. It dawned on me that I have these conversations quite often. Some seek my advice on how to do their first 5K, others about a 1/2 marathon. It was only yesterday that I realized that they value my opinion and maybe I am their inspiration. We're all in the same boat. We work in a male-dominated industry, 24x7 365. It's a challenging job and most of us have kids we are raising too.

This morning, I woke up to a note from a new Daily Mile friend, she said, "However difficult it is, I must choose not to allow those moments to get the best of me...because then, my disappointment in myself has won. I won't allow that." She's absolutely right. I'm not going to let disappointment win. Hell no.

I want to be someone's inspiration. And I can't be an inspiration if I'm constantly flogging myself.

Therefore, today, I declare my pitty party over. I want to thank you all for coming. But it's time to move on. I'm a marathoner and I'm proud. Take that 4:35:03. I'll see you in Chicago.

My 1st Marathon (and why I didn't want to write about it)

2010-04-26T13:01:00.010-05:00

It's not very often that I'm at a loss for words. I do the word thing pretty well, most days. But it's a lot easier when the words I write are for someone else to use. When they are words for me, about me, it gets a little harder. The words are now personal. And me, I become vulnerable.

I've wanted to write about my first marathon since I ran it on April 25, 2010--the 10th annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. But the words weren't falling into place like they usually do.

When I write, my fingers can't pound out the words fast enough. My brain is in overdrive. I know what I want to say and I can't type it fast enough for fear that I won't capture all those words swirling in my head. The words spill out effortlessly on the page.

Why not now? I just ran my first marathon--something I have been looking forward to, training hard for. But I don't want to talk about it.

For the past days, I've been dodging questions of my family, friends and co-workers, "how did it go?" They got the fake smile and "Good, it was good," as I pray, please don't ask me anything more. I got a lot of praise, a lot of "I'm proud of you." Yet, why do I feel I didn't deserve this? I think to myself, "Don't be proud of me. I'm not proud of me."

The race was one of the best supported I have ever seen--a water stop every mile, crowds cheering you on virtually everywhere on the course. There couldn't have been a better run race. I just wish I ran it better.

Things started great. I was running a 9:50 min pace. I kept thinking about what Coach Jeff told me. Think of the race in 3-mile segments. If you're off pace, you have 3 miles to get back on. It worked really well for me. I kept focused and adjusting my pacing through about mile 17.

The course wasn't hilly, but had slight uphills, what felt like the entire race.

The weather was perfect, a little windy, but wasn't bothering me...until we hit the lake at mile 14-17. The wind slowed me down, but I still felt pretty good.

Mile 20, THE WALL. I got very light headed. Part of me wanted to push on through, forget the pain, it's in your head. Go. Then reality sank in. If I don't get something in me besides water, I'm going to pass out. Next aid station, oranges. Hung out for a little bit. Decided I was doing ok. Time to push on.

I get to mile 23 and start crying. I don't cry often or easily. But it seems when I'm really angry, I cry. I looked at my damn watch and realized all that hard work was flushed away. Gone. Can't get it back. There was no way I was going to finish this in my 4:20 goal. I felt like just let the world down. I let me down. Big time. My legs felt fine. Nothing was cramping. I was really tired, but who wouldn't be after 23 miles?

Yet, I felt like I had no excuse for that time I saw on my watch. No injury. No IT band issues. No ankle issues. No knee issues. I got lightheaded. What excuse is that?

I stopped crying. I really don't know what the turning point was. But I thought: shit, you're not first, but you're not last. Finish strong. Take it home.

And I did: 4:35:03, a 10:30 pace.

It's taken me a week to write this with lots of deletes, rewrites and editing. One of the big reasons why I want to write this is I have a lot of people I need to thank.

First my coach, Jeff Kline. I would never had made it to OKC without you. Only had the pleasure of working with you for 2 weeks, but I made it there without injury!

My girlie Marci! She stopped en route to Kansas City to watch me cross that finish line! I love you more than anything!

My VP and co-workers. You guys put up with my juggling meetings, crazy stories, wearing pink KT Tape to the office, and watching me run circles on that track in loud colors.

All my Twitter friends. You all gave me so much support. I thought about you all a lot out there. I'm going to miss someone, but here's a few: Jen, Joe, Josh, Mel, Kris, Doug. You all played a huge role in telling me I don't suck and being uber supportive.

Very special thanks to Glenn. You always had the right words when I wanted to throw the towel in. Thank you for your friendship, your advice and telling me to shut it when I wanted to throw it in.

And to anyone else I missed, I apologize and love you too!

Marathon #1 is in the books. It's not always what you want it to be, but the marathon does one thing. It humbles you and keeps you coming back for more.

Chicago -- 10:10:10 -- It's where I get my revenge. I'm not quitting. Try harder. Do better. My mantra.

Personal goals are just that, personal

2010-04-17T11:26:00.007-05:00

Before you read this blog, if you haven't watched Coach Jeff's video, watch it.

http://prsfitlive.com/2010/04/16/reaching-out/

I admit. I have high standards. I put great pressure on myself to try hard to do better. I may be crazy and bite off more than I can chew, But what I don't do is put this same level of expectation on anyone else. These are my personal goals, and they are just that...personal.

The reason I love running so much is because it's a great community. I have never had anyone tell me that I suck or that they don't want to run with me because I'm too slow. I have never had anything but encouragement and love from this community. It's why I love it so much. It's not a competition between us, but a competition within ourselves and how far we can push ourselves mentally and physically. This is why I love long-distance running. I'm never going to win a marathon, but I will achieve my goal goals.

The person in this video that Coach Jeff references is one of my best friends. And I will tell you she is the most determined, good-hearted individual you will ever, ever meet. Her goals aren't the same as mine. But that doesn't make her ANY less or more of an athlete. The one thing it takes to be an endurance athlete is courage. Anyone who makes the commitment to train and run a marathon, whether it's a sub-3, sub-4 or 5+ hours, it takes the same amount of courage to do it. And no one should be looked down upon for that.

We couldn't be successful in this sport without a positive community: from the volunteers at races, to the race directors, to the elites, to the newbies, it takes all of us to treat each other with the same amount of respect as you would treat anyone.

So, next time you're at a race, take the time to thank a volunteer, smile and wave at the crowd who is there cheering you on, or volunteer and give back to the sport. It takes each of us working together as a team.

Countdown to OKC

2010-04-11T17:04:00.005-05:00

T Minus 14 days until I lose my marathon virginity.

Anxious. Nervous. Excited. Ready.

Two weeks ago I would have never said, "ready." Today, I feel ready. That doesn't mean I continue to question this whole taper thing, because I do, every day. But, I'm too close to marathon Sunday to screw it up now.

The last 8 weeks have been filled with bronchitis, another URI, sprained ankle, IT band and too many races. I was overtrained. This is not atypical behavior from me. I'm a perfectionist and an overachiever. I wasn't going to listen to anyone who told me to alter a plan that I was following, which happened to be a stupid plan.

Then I realized, I was going to run OKC injured or not even get there due to injury if I didn't do something different. I needed help. And damnit, I HATE asking for help. I don't ask for help. I figure it out by myself. Something with my ego that makes me think if I didn't do it by myself, then I really didn't do it. I know, that's stupid.

I have lots of friends at my running club all willing to help me. But none of them can really hold me accountable. I'm also a very good "influencer" (according to some corporate test thingy I took the other day). So you tell me one thing and I'll tell you 20 reasons why you should let me run 20 miles on a sprained ankle. And I'll either convince you or you will get tired of me talking and you say, ok whatever.

After a horrible 18-mile run on a snowy Sunday, I lost it. I wanted to throw it all away. All my hard work, all the training, I was done. There was no fire or sparkle left. I just flat out hurt all over.

I talked to my dear friend Glenn. Told him I didn't want to run OKC. I don't want to be a marathoner. I can't do this. He said marathon training is physically and mentally challenging, but the reward is crossing that finish line. He also convinced me that I don't suck and that it really didn't sound like me to be a "quitter." EEEWWWW. He said the "q" word. Hell no, I'm not a quitter. But I knew I couldn't get through this alone if I wanted to do this right. I can't rely on my friends. Not fair to me, not fair to them.

I reached out to Jeff Kline. Originally, I thought I wanted him to help me with Chicago. No, Coach, I need your help now. First thing he did was yell at me for not following his advice. No excuses, no negotiating. He's holding me accountable and there is no way out of that.

First run I did, I couldn't hit my pace. "Why," he asked. "I'm tired, I guess," I said. That's code for overtrained. And I had to admit it.

For the past two weeks, I've been listening to him. And guess what? It's working. I'm not saying I haven't questioned it and want to do more. But I keep remembering what he told me, that he's going to make my runs more efficient and help me reach my goals. I started doing speed work. I hated speed work before because I didn't know how to do it. Last week, I did my 18-mile run 3:03, a hair over a 10-minute pace. That's good. I like that. I felt great. I felt like I could go on forever. For the first time since January, I feel like I'm doing something right.

Flash forward to today, I feel like a kid again anxiously awaiting Christmas. I've got my advent calendar and I'm opening the little doors until the big day. I honestly can't wait to get out there. Nervous, yes. A quitter, hell no. A little humility, maybe. But that's a good thing.

If it's broken, you have to fix it

2010-02-28T16:36:00.004-06:00

I sprained my ankle a week ago running a half marathon. Right at the beginning I twisted it on some cobblestone. Then I ran 13.1 miles on it. Ok, maybe 12.5 miles. I ran low miles twice last week. It felt ok on the treadmill.

Yesterday, I ran the Cowtown 10K. I was looking forward to running a 10K because the last one I ran was long and not chip timed. The one before that was 9 degrees. I knew I was capable of running a sub-55:00 and I wanted that on record.

I ran Cowtown as hard as I could. Brick roads. Crap. I twisted an already tender ankle, again. I ran the rest of it in pain, but knew I was going to beat that 55:00. And I did. I ran a great race, albeit a stupid race, but it was good. I finished in 53:58, a PR and 20th in my age group. Not too bad for a big race.

My marathon plan had me running 14 miles today, my longest run ever to date. I met one of the gals who is also training for OKC at the running club. Right of the bat, each step was a sharp pain up my leg. Maybe it will go away. Mile 8, I have to run down hill. I had to walk it. It hurt. My buddy got really tired at mile 10 and told me to go on. I wanted to get done, so I went on.

Another friend of mine caught up with me at mile 11. She kept my mind off my pain and kept me going until 12 when she was done. I had to go out for another one mile and back. I hit 13 turned to go back and another buddy saw me. He said, "You must have raced Cowtown yesterday, I've never seen you run at this slow of a pace."

Ok, not only did my stupid ankle hurt, now my damn ego hurt. He didn't mean anything by it, he just knew I was not performing at 100 percent. I was hurting and it showed. I knew I wasn't performing at 100 percent but I didn't want to admit it. That was no one's fault but my own. I finished that 14 miles in 2:19:00. A 9:57 min/mile. It was ugly.

I spent the next several minutes talking to a lot of my buddies at RAW. They showed me good stretches to do, because now my damn IT band hurts because I changed my stride in an effort to get pressure of my ankle. They convinced me that I wasn't going to lose my base by laying off this week.

Lesson learned--again, the hard way. I can't wish this away or pretend that it doesn't hurt or keep crying about it. If it's broken, I have to fix it. And that means sitting on the sidelines for a few days. I may get on the stationary bike, but I'm not running. I may do a little walking.

I've worked too darn long and hard to kiss OKC Marathon goodbye for simply not listening. But just like running, this is mind over matter. I need to keep my goal in mind. It's not the little races before then, it's completing a marathon. And to do that, I need to be at 100 percent. Anything less is not acceptable.

The first number starts with a "1"

2010-02-21T16:06:00.004-06:00

Half marathon number 4: The Stonebridge Half Marathon...and I wanted the first number to start with a "1" so badly.

I ran Austin last week with a 5-min PR of 2:05:41. I later found out I ran it with bronchitis. I knew I could do better. So today, Feb. 21, 2010, was my chance. I knew going into this that a 6-minute PR would be hard, but doable. My training pace had been around 9:20 min/mile. With the right course and conditions, I could do it.

The course was good. A few hills, but certainly NOTHING compared to Austin last week. A decent hill at mile 4 and a few others, but really nothing that I haven't trained on.

The conditions were not good. Right off the bat, I twisted my ankle on this stupid stamped concrete that looks like cobble stone. It started raining at mile 4 a little. At first it was nice, cooled me down. Just a light drizzle. Then the downpour hit! And I mean Texas sized gully washer! Certainly this can't last long. They never do in Texas....except today.

My pace had been dead on until...

Mile 8: Lightening. Thunder. Questioning my sanity. But what am I going to do? Can't go back. Not anywhere near the finish line. I'm soaking wet. My shoes must weigh 5 pounds each. I have a river going in between my toes. Only thing to do is press on.

Mile 10: Hail. Ok, this hurts. I turn to the guy next to me, "This is by far the stupidest thing I have ever done." He told me that he's 1 mile from his house. I nearly invited myself to a stranger's house. Well, only 3 more miles. That's a 5K. I'm slower, but I think I can PR this beast.

Finish line: Guess what, the rain lets up with .25 miles to go. Just my luck. But if I kick it up, I'm going to see that first number be a "1".

1:59:49 - I did it! I broke the 2-hour mark. Damn, this feels good. REALLY, REALLY good! I seriously never thought I would see this at my 4th half marathon.

I started reflecting on how far I've come:
Nov. 7, 2009 - First half marathon 2:11:46
Dec. 13, 2009 - Second half marathon 2:09:41
Feb. 14, 2010 - Third half marathon 2:05:41
Feb. 21, 2010 - Fourth half marathon 1:59:49

I'm starting to wonder if adversity and a challenge is what drives me to perform. God forbid I have nice weather for RnR Dallas on March 14.

Of course, my running partner Bojana ran this with me. And we agreed, we're either hard core or crazy. Or a little both.

I also had the chance to Tweet up @asianstyleguy and @libbyruns at the race. And big special thanks to @AprilBRuns for her volunteer work at mile 4!

Race details
This is a small race, a little under 200 people. But the PlayTri group is fantastically organized. Always enough water and volunteers on the course. And God bless those volunteers who also had to brave the weather.

The course takes you through the neighborhoods of Stonebridge Ranch. Nice houses and a little canal to by (although I swear I ran through it). It was a nice change of running through city streets.

Not a lot of bells and whistles, got a nice medal and a long-sleeved shirt. The race was priced right at $60 (got a $5 discount through my running group, so $55 for me).

The blind squirrel finds its nut

2010-02-14T19:06:00.015-06:00

--Update 2/15/10 Went to Doc, I have bronchitis. I ran this race with bronchitis--

I just came off of a really crazy week--been fighting and denying a cold for the past week, had the busiest and most challenging work week of my career, North Texas got 12.5 inches of snow in 24 hours (the most ever in recorded history). And I had to run a half marathon on Valentine's Day in Austin.

I was really looking forward to this race for several reasons: 1) It's Austin 2) I was running as part of Team Athletes Honey Milk 3) OMG a weekend with my husband sans child 4) Bojana was running with me.

I have been training really hard. I have never felt more prepared for a race. But then my cold got worse. Despite Airborne, Odwalla C Monsters 4 times a day and lots of meds, I was getting worse. Then Thursday's snow storm knocked out our power. I woke up Friday without a voice and my house was 40 degrees. Friday, my husband says, "You think you can run Austin?" Come hell or high water, I was going to Austin. I told my husband, I'll finish even if I have to walk the last half, I'm going to finish and I'm going to have fun. I needed this race, not for a PR, but for some sanity for all the crazy stuff going on in my life.

On Saturday, my husband drops me off at the Expo and I had the chance to meet up with the Team Athletes Honey Milk folks! We all know each other from Twitter and, of course, have a passion for running and Athletes Milk--@jaker @andersp @runningcouple @acokertx @krysteilen @celluloidcinema.

Sunday 4:30 a.m. I wake up before my alarm. I had coughed the entire night. My nose is stuffy and I'm feeling pretty crappy. Not going to let it ruin my day. I'm not giving up that easy. I've worked too damn long and hard. Sudafed, Advil, Airborne, C Monster, bagel and a coffee. Ok, I'm ready to run.

Headed to the start line and met Anders, Jake and Bojana. Here goes nothing. I'm feeling a little better, but I know it's masked by the meds and adrenaline. I get to around mile 1 and I hear Taiko drummers. And I smiled. It's Chinese New Year!

Before I knew it, I was at mile 5. Really? Already? Rolling hills, eh, not bad. I hit 10K - 55 minutes. Wow. I could PR this thing. Doing ok, but then I get to mile 8. Legs feel good. Chest tightens. It's hard to breathe. I start coughing. I can't stop. I had cough drops, but I threw my coat off at the start line and they were in my coat. Crap. Ok, let's have some Gu.

Mile 8, pace is slower. But I can still PR. Mile 10, WHO THE HELL PUT THAT BEAST OF A HILL THERE? Really not funny. I heard a guy to my left coaching his friend, "What goes up must come down." This hill is short. I can do this.

Mile 11, Hi Anders! Oh ok, video. I think I said something like, "I feel like crap." Glad he caught that on film.

Mile 12, long steady. I can do this. Mile 12-something. OUCH. THIS HILL IS EVEN WORSE. This is a hill I've only seen in San Francisco. I realize I'm running it slower than I can just walk it. So I walk it. At the top, deep breath, let's go. We're at the Capitol. I can hear the crowd. Time to push it, less than a 1/2 mile to go. Hey, it's Heath from my running club there to cheer on Danyah! I think I said, "Hey babe." Ooops. I was looking for my husband and thinking about when I would see him. Hell it's Valentine's Day.

The finish line, I'm about to cry. I WILL PR!!! I sprinted faster than I ever have in my life. 2:05:40 -- a 4 minute, 1 second PR. And with a cold. I found Christian and he asked me how I felt, "Like crap. My chest is so tight. It's hard to breathe." But who cares I PRed!

I didn't drive the race ahead of time because I didn't want to stress and worry. I didn't look at my Garmin too much for fear that my times were slow. I went into this blind, which just proves that every now and then, the blind squirrel finds it's nut.

Watch Anders cool video here http://www.athletesmilk.com/blog/.

Always the bridesmaid...

2010-01-30T20:27:00.006-06:00

I ran two 10Ks in January and placed 2nd in my age group in both. When I came home and showed my 6-year-old son my medal, he said, "Let me guess, second again?"

Ok, story of my life. I've run nine races since I started running in April 2009, four of those were 2nd places and one was a 3rd place. Pretty damn good in my books, but not enough for my son. Yes, he's a perfectionist. I guess he gets it from me.

Today's race was the Grapevine High School Fillie Trot 10K. It was 25 degrees, 17 mph winds and light, very light, snow flurries. I organized a team from work, including Marci and Bojana, my running buddies from RAW. We also had a last-minute cancellation and Spareribs joined us.

Bojana and I kept each other on pace. Looking at that Garmin we were always under an 8:45 pace. I felt good, REALLY good. Much stronger and faster than I did at the beginning of this month at Snowman Shuffle.

When we got to the last stretch, a little GHS Fillie dancer told us to turn left for another out and back. I looked at my watch and freaked. THAT'S NOT RIGHT! I was ticked. I knew I wouldn't beat my goal of under 55:00 because the course was long, about .3 long! Oh well, what are you going to do. It wasn't a certified course, and it cost $12. In my heart I knew I would have blown up that 55:00 goal.

So we crossed the finish line, 55:57, two seconds longer than at the beginning of the month on a course that was .3 longer. I pissed and moaned for a bit. I wanted that clock to say 54:00-something. Dang it.

After talking to Ribs, he said keep your eye on the big picture. You're racing through your training for your marathon. He's right. Once again, I learned something.

While waiting for the awards to see if I placed, I heard the 3rd place winner's time. I turned to Bojana and Marci and said, oh please, for Marshall, let me get 1st.

The announcer says, "2nd place, female 30-39, Suann Lundsberg." Crap.

I got my 2nd place age group medal, and while my son is somewhat disappointed that his mama is always a bridesmaid, I have my eyes on the big picture. It's OKC full marathon, April 25. And I still got some nice bling, bling.

What a way to start 2010!

2010-01-09T16:03:00.006-06:00

First race of the year and it was great! The Dallas Snowman Shuffle on 1/9/10 and it was COLD. No snowman, but it would be a good place for him. It was 9 degrees when I woke up and about 16 degrees when we got to White Rock Lake. I ran with my best buddies from Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers (RAW), Marci Sims and Debi Cox. This was my third 10K, Debi's second and Marci's first. I have to say RAW girls kick some butt and take no prisoners!

I am so proud of Marci! This girlie just started running and she went out there and ran with all her heart, even gave me a high 5 when I saw her on my way back. I ran to my car to get my camera and bag and missed her coming across the finish line :( .

And Debi, she shaved 3 minutes off her PR and took 3rd in her age group. RAW girls ROCK!

I started this race too fast. I knew I did and I knew I couldn't keep the pace, but I was cold and didn't care. And I was kinda experimenting to see how long I could go that fast. I know, dumb, but I'm still learning. I hit the first mile at about 7:55 min/mile pace. WAY TOO FAST! I was still cold and didn't care.

At the half-way mark, I was really tired. I usually try to negotiate with myself, ok, if you keep this pace, you can pull back at mile 5. Or, if you keep it under 9, no long run tomorrow. Fortunately at mile 4, I saw my friend Jeff who was also running the race with his wife and brother-in-law. He yelled, "Good job. There are only 20 people ahead of you. You're probably going to win your age group." I needed that motivation! I picked it up again and kept going. Pace got slower, but still moving well.

I ran miles 4-6 pretty much alone. I discovered that is tough on me because I usually try to stay with a pack. What can I say, I'm a lemming. Hit the finish line at 55:54, shaving nearly 3 minutes off my previous personal best and taking a 2nd place in my age group! SWEET! Not a bad way to start the 2010 race season.

As we're waiting around for the awards, I check Twitter and see that Twitter buddy, TriBoomer placed 2nd in his AG. Turns out he's at the same race. Impromptu tweet up! Great to meet this fantastic athlete!

My New Year's Running Resolutions

2009-12-31T06:31:00.002-06:00

2009 was a great year for me. It was my first year running, actually started in April. My goal was to run a half marathon. I ran two. My first 10K, I placed 3rd in my age group. My second 10K, I placed 2nd. I ran three 5Ks, placing 2nd in my age group on the final one. And I joined a running club.

I also learned a lot in 2009 and have come up with 10 2010 New Year's Running Resolutions.

1. Drink more water. I hate water. It's boring. But I realize that I can't live on coffee and Diet Coke alone. So I will always have water next to me.

2. If I have a bad race, I get 5 minutes to piss and moan about it, then no more. It's an accomplishment no matter what that clock says.

3. Stay focused, but flexible. If I can't make a run on my marathon training plan because of work or family obligations, be flexible and work it in somewhere else, but stay focused.

4. Take rest days seriously. No matter how much I feel like Wonder Woman that day, a rest day is just as important as a long run.

5. Eat my veggies. Just as much as I hate water, I hate those green things. They are boring. I like salads, but cooked veggies bore me. I will look for ways to make them more exciting.

6. Bring healthy snacks to work. No more grazing on junk on the counter or heading to the vending machine.

7. Try not to bore my co-workers so much with my running stories.

8. Run 2 marathons, spring and a fall.

9. Despite much hazing from the running club, I am not participating in the push-up challenge; however, I will be doing my own sit up challenge every day.

10. Have fun at every run.

It's better the second time

2009-12-13T18:36:00.005-06:00

That's what a Twitter friend told me. The half marathon is better the second time. And I have to say it really was for me.

My last blog talked about my determination to not make the same mistakes twice. And being the perfectionist I am, I didn't.

Ok, race details first.

I tried to hold back for the first 6 miles and tried for that negative split. I held back, but no negative split. That nearly 1-mile slight hill around mile 7 or 8 was pretty tough on me.

I tried to pick up the speed when I hit the Katy Trail, the last 3 miles of the race, but it also got more narrow and was difficult to pass people. With a quick look at my Garmin, I knew I was around 5 minutes away from the finish line, but I couldn't see it and really didn't know how far away I was since my Garmin was reading longer than the course was. Then by the time I figured out where the finish line was it was way closer than I wanted to go out full force. And again, a lot of people that I didn't want to get in the way of.

I finished two minutes better than my first half marathon with a personal record of 2:09:41. Wahoo! And this time, I didn't feel awful. My legs still felt good. I didn't feel like crawling up in a ball and laying in the outfield of La Grave Field. I wanted to eat. I was hungry! And I thought, about Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon that I'm signed up for in April 2010. I thought, I CAN DO IT. Train hard, be smart, don't stress and have fun.

In every race, I end up following someone for a good amount of time. I memorize what they are wearing, give them a nickname and try and keep up. Today, a gal wearing a pink sports bra was in front of me, so I named her Pinky.

Not exactly knowing how much is left, I looked at my watch at figured I was about 5 minutes out. Pinky stopped running. Flashback to Fort Worth last month. I stopped running right near the end. I could see the damn finish line and I was done. A gal who was following me for most of the race yelled at me, "Don't you let me beat you!" It was that extra push that carried me to that finish line. She kept yelling, "Go! Go! Go!"

It was my turn to return the favor. I caught up to Pinky and said, "Don't you stop now. You have less than 5 minutes to go. You can do this. You have to finish strong." She looked surprised for a second and started running again with a really forced smile. I grabbed her arm and said let's go, you're finishing strong. She patted me on the back and said, "Thank you. I needed that. You're really good to me."

One of the great people from my running club sent me a very thoughtful email yesterday. He had read my blog and said, "Always remember why we run. Listen to the birds, look at the sites, wave to a fellow runner - and when the day and opportunity arises, run for a PR."

I remembered why I run today. And I hope I made a difference in Pinky's race today.

Not Making the Same Mistakes Twice

2009-12-12T06:31:00.005-06:00

Just 24 hours left until I will be at the American Airlines Center tweeting up with fellow runners for the Dallas White Rock Marathon. This will be my second half marathon. My first marathon wasn't the best experience, but I learned from it and that's what counts.

I ran the Fort Worth Marathon half marathon on Nov. 8, 2009. It wasn't that it was a terrible race, I did well with a respectable time of 2:11:46. However, made three big mistakes.

First, I set my expectations too high. I missed my goal by just under 2 minutes. It was my first big race and instead of living in the moment and being proud of my accomplishment, I spent the next 2 days sulking.

My next big mistake was going out way too fast. I was running a 9 min/mile out the gate until mile 6, then I got slower, and slower and slower, until I hit mile 10 and hit a wall.

My last mistake was not having any Gu. I should have had some at mile 6.

So, the last month, I have been working my tail off, not just physically, but mentally. I have been making it a goal in long runs to not look at that damn Garmin every 2 minutes.

Growing up in a family full of law enforcement guys, I always heard, "Trust your gut. If you feel something, it's probably true. And if it's not, then what have you lost?" Ok, they were telling me this in terms of safety, i.e. if you have a bad feeling about something, then don't go there. However, the same theory can be applied to anything. Trust your gut and so what if I'm behind a few seconds on my pace.

It's not about being a robot, it's about having fun and taking the time out of my busy day to appreciate the little things God's put in our world. I wasn't having fun looking at my Garmin every second and freaking out about time lost. I was missing the whole point. I was missing the crunching of the leaves, the birds flying by, Great Blue Heron's reflection on the lake as he catches a fish. I lost track of all the things that made running beautiful to me.

I can't close this blog without mentioning one other thing that happened at the Fort Worth Marathon that hit me. A runner on the 20-mile race collapsed at La Grave Field after completing his run. They performed CPR immediately, but sadly, he did not survive. I do not know the details of his situation other than he was to celebrate his 50th birthday in a few weeks.

I have not played a lot of sports in my life, but I do have to say that runners share a special bond. While it's an individual sport, I have never felt more support and encouragement from my running club, my twitter friends and people I end up meeting at races. I think this is why this death impacted me so much. You feel like you lost a close friend, even if you don't know them. Let's face it, only another runner can appreciate the appeal of running for several hours!

Tomorrow is a new day and a new race. Will it be a PR? Don't know. I'll have Gary Garmin with me, but I won't stare at him the entire time. Oh, and I'll have at least 4 packets of GU with me. You never know, another fellow runner at mile 10 may need one, and I want to be there to help.

13.1 Reasons Why Running a 1/2 Marathon is a Good Thing

2009-12-12T06:20:00.003-06:00

1. I realized that if I set a goal, work hard and focus, I can do anything.

2. Running is like a drug, once you start, you can’t stop, yet it’s good for you.

3. 13 miles is only ½ of a marathon. I can do that right? Yes, you can! Even after mile 11 when you want to crawl in a ball and throw it all in, you will make it!

4. Runners are nicest people you will ever meet. If it wasn’t for the lady behind me yelling at me and telling me not to let her beat me, I would have quit at mile 11.

5. You learn a lot about yourself.

6. Bragging rights.

7. The really cool finisher’s medal.

8. It puts things into perspective. Don’t flog yourself for not meeting your goal. You made it! And I guarantee you, you probably weren’t last. Celebrate the accomplishment.

9. There are really cute running outfits that look good on everyone!

10. You can eat virtually anything you want afterward and not feel guilty. I burned 1,400 calories.

11. It's good for your heart, your soul, your body and your mind.

12. It makes you want to try harder to do better next time.

13. Which brings me back to No. 2, it’s addictive and there will always be a next time. Face it, all the pain was worth it and you want to do it again. Back to No. 12…

13.1 That’s the best damn looking finish line you’ve ever seen and no matter how tired you are, when you see it, you’ll sprint faster than you ever have in your life.