Race Report: Great River Relay 2008 - Part One

Holy Crap.

Ragnar.

Great River Relay.

Amazing.

Spectacular.

FUN.

Crazy.

Exhausting.

Would I do it again? Hell yes. I'd do it tomorrow if I could!

The idea of writing a race recap is mentally exhausting. How will I ever be able to put into words the amazing experiences we had? How will I remember all of the details of the amazing 35 hours we spent together (that's what she said!)? How do I expect people that weren't there to find our 4am inside jokes funny?

I'll just do my best.

- - - - - - - - - -

THE TWISTED CHICKS

Van 1:
Lisa
Kristyn
Ruth
Melissa
Karen
Allison

Van 2:
Duana
Mary
Kim
Claudia
Val
Cindy

- - - - - - - - - -

On Thursday morning, one of our runners dropped out. She had a nagging injury ever since Grandma's marathon but thought she was getting better...but the day before the relay, she was one hurting unit and her physical therapist recommended that she get an MRI. Crap. Crap. Crap. Karen and I decided that we'd each run an extra leg and ask if anyone else would be interested in taking the third leg.

Most of The Twisted Chicks met in Minneapolis at 5:30 on Thursday evening. Ruth brought DA BUS (aka The Twisted Chickens short bus) - and she picked up a handful of Twisted Chicks on the way there. We were discussing the loss of our runner...when Ruth had a brilliant idea. She whipped out her cell phone and called Lisa, one of the regular Roseville runners...and begged her to join us. AND SHE COULD. How cool is that? We gave her 15 minutes notice...she shuffled around her kids' schedule...and we picked her up in DA BUS. We were a complete team. Twelve strong.



We headed toward Rochester, and on the way, swung by the place where our rental van was waiting. We filled out the paperwork, grabbed the keys...and were back on the road.

We made it to Rochester at a snail's pace (Da Bus is not Da Fastest Vehicle Around) and with a little bit of drama. It started making a loud CHUG CHUG SHAKE SHAKE noise...but Lisa pulled over and changed from overdrive to drive (I don't even know what that means) and we were back on our way.

We arrived at the Olive Garden at about 9pm - about a half hour behind schedule. Kristyn was already there waiting for us. It was the first time we'd met...and she? Was Awesome. I knew from the start that we were going to like her.

We started perusing the menu...and Mary arrived. It was like the happy ending at Grease when the gang was all back together. We ate massive amounts of bread sticks, salad and pasta and got fired up for The Big Day!


From the left: Karen, Allison, Claudia, Duana, Ruth, Kim, Cindy, Kristyn, Melissa, Mary, Lisa (center). Not pictured: Val (the photographer)

After dinner, we headed back to the van and bus. I decided to ride in the van...the trip in the bus was a little bit stressful (and frankly, not as comfortable). We headed out...and noticed that the bus wasn't following us. We assumed they stopped to get gas, so we turned around to meet them. But they weren't in the gas station parking lot...they were next door...

We pulled up to get the story. Apparently, the bus lost power and the engine killed. Lisa got it started again...but it only drove a few more feet before it killed again. So when she got it started again, she immediately pulled into the nearest parking lot. Which happened to be...


Look a little closer...



...a Kentucky Fried Chicken. HA! It was like the mothership was calling the bus home. Turn on the fryers...we got a big one comin' in!! All white meat!

So we had the bus towed to a repair shop and left it in Rochester...


One final group photo
Melissa, Lisa, Kristyn, Karen, Kim, Duana, Claudia, Allison, Val

Kim saved the day by calling around and finding us a rental suburban at the Rochester airport at the last minute. Seriously. The rental place closed at 11pm and we left the KFC parking lot at 10:57. Yeah. Kim is a rock star.

After we had the suburban, we pulled all of our stuff out of the bus and loaded into the vans. We said a teary goodbye to the short bus...Farewell, Twisted Chickens Bus!

And then we were on our way. For Real This Time.

We arrived at our hotel, unloaded our stuff, and hit the hay. It was after 1am. We Needed Sleep.

To be continued...

Setting Some Goals

I've got a handful of races coming up the next few weeks so I thought I'd toss out some goals while I'm still feeling invincible and flying on the Ragnar Relay high (recap coming soon...after I give my head a chance to stop spinning).

Key:
Relaxed Goal: I won't die trying...it should be easily attainable
Realistic Goal: I'll have to work, but will still make it out alive
Real Goal: I will have to leave it all on the race course. I will hurt. I will make bargains with the devil.

Victory 10k:
Relaxed Goal: 10:11 pace (1:03:18) - setting a new PR
Realistic Goal: 9:30 pace (59:59)
Real Goal: 9:00 pace (55:55)

Get Ready To Rock 20-Mile:
Relaxed Goal: Finish - setting a new PR
Realistic Goal: 9:59 pace (3:19:40)
Real Goal: 9:45 pace (3:15:00)

Blubber Run 5k:
Relaxed Goal: Drink beer at mile 1, don't get public intox ticket
Realistic Goal: Drink beer at mile 1, walk back to start after an hour or two at the bar
Real Goal: Drink beer at mile 1, Finish the race (nearly unattainable)

Breaking The Rules

So speaking of J...

(Crap. Wasn't I going to stop posting about men??)

I totally forgot to mention that he went running with me on Saturday. There was an "all club run" and I invited him to join the group of 60ish Lifetime runners that was doing the long run.

Let me back this up a bit. J is a runner (obviously) and is training for the TC Marathon. He is much, much, much faster than me (his marathon PR is well over an hour faster than mine) so when I extended the invitation to join us at run club, I figured he could run with one of the faster groups.

Because I have a rule. I Do Not Run With Men. It's not strictly enforced...if I am in a group and there is a man running with us, it's not a big deal. It generally applies to running with men that are faster than me. I feel like I'm holding them back...that I'm not worthy...that they won't have an enjoyable run if they have to run slower so I can keep up.

But J did not run with one of the faster groups. He ran with my group. At my pace. With me. Willingly. And without complaint. Because he is So. Freaking. Sweet.

Anyway. We started off slow to get warmed up, and about a mile into the run, we went to the head of the pack (and by pack I mean we were a few steps ahead of Ruth, Kim and Val). We all stuck together as we did the first four miles and hit the first water stop.

At mile five, the Ruth, Kim and Val decided to stop to hit the ladies room, and J and I soldiered on. We were doing an out and back run, so we knew we'd see them again around the 9 mile mark.

You can imagine our surprise when we got to the water stop at mile 7...and they were already there! How did they beat us?? We went around a lake...and we went on one side...and they took the other side (which was about .25 miles shorter). Tricky!! But it was good to have them back. But the splits don't lie...J and I definitely went faster when it was just the two of us.

(cue music)

We kept on running...mile 10...mile 12...and we ended up breaking away from the ladies for real for the last 3.66 miles, where we went back to running sub-10s. Which, in my humble opinion, is kind of awesome, especially because it was at the end of the run. J pushed me to run faster...there's no way I would have been able to keep up such an awesome pace if I were running alone.

It was a great run. Running 15.66 speedy miles with a hottie? Worth it.

9/16/08
Mile 1: 11:07
Mile 2: 10:15
Mile 3: 10:04
Mile 4: 10:21
Mile 5: 10:09
Mile 6: 9:48
Mile 7: 9:51
Mile 8: 10:09
Mile 9: 10:09
Mile 10: 9:59
Mile 11: 10:18
Mile 12: 10:08
Mile 13: 9:47
Mile 14: 9:44
Mile 15: 9:38
Mile 15.66: 6:04 (9:10 pace)

Average pace: 10:03
Total time: 2:37:36

Limbo Drama

It was a blistering 93 degrees last night, but I wanted and needed to run. I ended up doing a "limbo" run (Nitmos - your royalty check is in the mail) – but to up the ante, I wanted each mile to be faster than the previous mile by at least 15 seconds. Dude. It was HOT but I still managed to make my last mile an 8:45. But there's a reason. Two, actually.

1) It takes me 2+ miles to warm up. My first mile was 10:03. Yeah, kind of slow for a "speed" workout.
2) Tell your secretary to hold your calls...the second reason is a little wordy:

I invited This Dude That I've Been Seeing ("J") to join me and some friends at a bar that shows movies on its roof - there is a lawn for lawn bowling on the top of the building and they have a movie projector so you can lay on the lawn and watch movies on Mondays in the summer. It's delightful and refreshing to lay on the lawn with a blanket and catch a flick with a beer.

Anyway.

J called on Monday afternoon to say that work was crazy and he had a "thing" at 7pm and was going to work after, so he couldn't make it.

I'll admit it. I was kind of bummed. But I understood. Work gets in the way of life sometimes.

So I got home from work and went out for my run on the path right in front of my building. Hot. Humid. Slow. I was finally getting into the groove after 2.5 miles, running a 9:00 pace. After a few minutes, I saw a familiar figure on the path. It was J. Running. With A Girl.

WHA?

We spotted each other and I waved and kept on running...I didn't want to be that Crazy Girl that gets all defensive, so I thought it best to not speak. :) He immediately shouted "HEY ALLISON!" and started running backwards while he asked what happened to the hill run (I'd told him I was going to run hills with the girls, but it got scratched due to the movie night) and I shouted back that I skipped it. And I kept on running.

Nothing like scorn and rejection to fuel the fire. I credit the decent pace for the last 2 miles to J. Thanks, A-hole! (I kid. He's not an A-hole)

To make a long story longer...Em and I were at the bar, sitting on the lawn and I noticed I had a missed call from J. He called to say that he was running with his friend (who I've heard a lot about) and that he just wanted to make sure it didn't freak me out that he went running with her. That? Was cute. I was glad he called. Because I was kind of freaking out. :)

So all is good in the hood.

End Faux Drama.

Annnnnd I think from here on out I'm going to take a page out of POM's book...and try to keep the dating off the blog. Starting.......Now.

Annnnnd I'm also going to try and keep the complaining to a minimum. Starting.......Soon. I just started reading A Complaint Free World and am intrigued. The premise: Your thoughts create your world and your words indicate your thoughts. When you eliminate complaining from your life you will enjoy happier relationships, better health and greater prosperity. The Complaint Free program helps you set a trap for your own negativity and redirect your mind towards a more positive and rewarding life.


Warmup: 5:22 (10:48 pace)
Mile 1: 10:03
Mile 2: 9:36
Mile 3: 9:01
Mile 4: 8:45
Cooldown: 5:01 (9:59 pace)

The Bar

The bar has been set.

I went for a 3-mile tempo run with Ruth (friend and run club coach) on Thursday. I was shooting to run a 9:30 pace.

Ha. HA HA HA.

We ran a 9:01 average pace.

I'm as shocked as you are.

Mile 1: 9:11. Faaaak. This is fast. But wait. I ran a 9:01 mile for the 3rd mile during the tri. I guess I can do this.

Mile 2: 9:05. This is haaaard. Hey, I wonder if I can do a Nitmos Style "Limbo Run"...

Mile 3: 8:49. Lungs. Burn. Hurt. Fast. Tired. Gah. Waaaait. I Totally Limboed this run! This is FUN. 9:01 pace? That's not so bad. :)

And since Coach Ruth was a witness, she tossed out a challenge. Sustain a 9-minute pace for the Victory 10k on September 1.

This is going to be tough. Bring on the speed work!

Race Report - 18 on the 8th

WAIT. It's Just EIGHT on the 8th? I thought it was supposed to be EIGHTEEN.

Crap. :)

In any case, I had an AMAZING run today.

Karen and I headed to Roseville to do our 18-miler. I was really, really nervous because I didn't think I was mentally prepared. It seems like it just snuck up on me. Shouldn't I be doing a 12-miler or something short and easy? 18? Really?

Really.

But all went well. Better than well. The run was Freaking Great. I felt good. I felt fast. I felt strong. The pace felt perfect.

We started out slow and steady. Kim ran with us for the first three miles but her knee started to bother her, so she turned around. Get well soon, Kim!!

I didn't realize it, but as soon as she split, we picked up the pace.

And we kept picking it up the entire run.

I just reread my recap from the last "first" 18 miler of the marathon season (and it was also with Karen) - wow. What a difference four months makes. I went from a 10:43 average pace to a 10:07. That's 36 seconds per mile. That's kind of a big deal for me.

Guess I was mentally ready after all.

8/9/08
Mile 1: 10:44
Mile 2: 10:45
Mile 3: 10:37
Mile 4: 10:12
Mile 5: 10:22
Mile 6: 9:58
Mile 7: 10:02
Mile 8: 10:02
Mile 9: 9:58
Mile 10: 10:08
Mile 11: 9:56
Mile 12: 10:09
Mile 13: 9:57
Mile 14: 10:02
Mile 15: 9:42
Mile 16: 9:56
Mile 17: 9:56
Mile 18: 9:43

Average pace: 10:07
Total time: 3:02:16
Average HR: 163

Three words to describe this run: Eye-Opening, Speedy, Delicious

Dam...Round Two

I did my second "Dam Hill" workout last weekend.

Remember the drill?

5.5 mile warmup.

4 miles of hills. Hills with crunches and push-ups and planks and lunges and squats between repeats.

5.5 mile cooldown.

That's 15 miles, for those keeping track at home.

As I was driving to the meeting place, I powered on Carmen the Garmin so she could locate satellites.

Dead. Stone Cold. Wouldn't even power on.

GAH! Nooooooo!!

I am worthless without Carmen. She is my other half. She is my soul-mate. She Completes Me.

Luckily, I ran with Jen, who has a ForeRunner 405, so I know the first 5.5 miles were run at a 9:50 pace (go us!!)...but I have no idea how fast the rest of the run was.

I have a hunch that it is an issue with her battery, so I'm going to charge her up and try to get her running (no pun intended) tonight. I'm hoping that I don't have to send her in...because I think I need to do 18 miles this weekend.

I Can't Run 18 Miles Without Carmen.

Wish us luck!

TGIA*

*Thank God It's August

With a paltry 86 miles in the bank, July-a-thon is over.

I skipped five days.

Lesson learned: NEVER ATTEMPT THIS AGAIN. It was fun the first time, but this time it felt more like a chore.

I have more important things to do than run every day. Things like biking. And swimming. And eating cheesecake on the couch while watching Flight of the Conchords.

Yeah. August is going to be niiiice.

Practice Makes Perfect

So I thought I'd attempt a fake triathlon yesterday. A fake indoor triathlon.

I did a strength workout in the morning. I did a little running on the treadmill in between sets, totalling half a mile.

Shower, work, blah blah blah.

After work, I went to spin class for an hour. I felt the burn and really cranked on the resistance. It was a tough workout.

Then I headed right to the treadmill and hopped on for 1.5 miles. The legs were surprisingly cooperative.

Then I headed to the pool and busted out 400 meters.

Then I went home and collapsed.

But I made it out alive.

I am now 89% confident that I won't drown, and 96% confident that I won't die.

This triathlon thing could even be FUN. Novel idea.

Unbloggable

My life has been unbloggable lately. Well, one part boring, one part unbloggable.

BORING:

I've been running. And running and running.

July-a-thon is moving right along. I can't believe it's half over! I'm still waiting for it to sink in that my next marathon is 94 days away and I should maybe start doing some "real" workouts during the week (Hills? Hills? Bueller? Bueller?) but for now, I'm just going out every day to get the miles in.

I did get an amazing 10-miler in on Saturday. Beautiful day, perfect run. The planets were aligned and I was praising the Sweet Infant Jesus for making me a runner.

I've also resumed the 6am strength workouts this week. And each morning I curse the Sweet Infant Jesus for making me get out of bed. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, but I feel So Freaking Good after a good strength workout.

UNBLOGGABLE:

But I've also been dating. And dating and dating. Which, Hi Mom! I know you'd love to read the nitty gritty details about these dates, but it's Not Going To Happen.

TRIATHLON:

How did this category sneak in here??

I've decided to follow the advice in the comments and not fret about the swim. The more I think about it, .25 miles is sounding pretty manageable. But the 20 mile bike? That gives me more cause for concern.

To ease my worries, I've been NOT BIKING. Because GAH I Don't Have Enough Hours In The Day To Train For This Triathlon. I will continue to do spin classes weekly, but I know that it's no substitute for a ride on a real, actual bike. All of my swimming worries have officially been transferred to the bike and I'm hoping to get my ass on the bike PRONTO. Like...Monday. As in six days before the race. Yes, I'm going to start training less than a week before the race. Triathlon Taper? Never heard of it. Common sense? Nope, haven't heard of that either.

Can we all have a moment of silence to pray that my base from marathon training will pull me through this??

I'm Melllllllllting!!

I got home from work.

Put on the running gear.

Stepped outside.

And instantly, my skin melted off of my body.

95 degrees.

A sane person would turn around and lounge in their air conditioned apartment.

I am not that person.

I headed out and ran 3 miles.

The first mile wasn't bad. It was mostly shaded, and while the gusting wind was in my face, at least it kept me cool.

The second mile was tougher. I walked. But I didn't feel too bad about it. The running paths were missing the usual crowd of running crazies. I guess some people have the sense to avoid running when it's this hot.

The third mile was brutal. Checked out the heart rate. 191!! Yikes. My anaerobic threshold is 184. More walking. But I finished strong.

Mother Nature: 1
Allison: 0

Ahhhh, the joys of a Minnesota summer.


7/11/08
Mile 1: 10:32
Mile 2: 11:10
Mile 3: 11:23

Average pace: 11:02
Total time: 33:06
Average HR: 180 (DUDE!)

Three words to describe this run: Hot, Hotter, Hottest

Busted

I've been busted by xenia.

I was going to come clean anyway.

I Suck At July-A-Thon.

I didn't run on Sunday.

Don't worry, I have a million excuses.

I was going to run outside, but before I knew it, it was time to head to my aunt and uncle's house for dinner. Time flies when you get up at 2pm. I knew I could still run outside when I got home...until it started raining. A torrential downpour.

Okay, I could still run on the treadmill at home.

We got home, and the couch looked a lot more enticing than my running shoes. Our house was full of relatives from the reunion, and when my younger cousins went to bed early...inches from the treadmill...I knew it was over.

And so I didn't run. I Suck At July-A-Thon.

But.

I got back on the horse and ran on Monday. And Tuesday.

I got home from work on Wednesday and laid down and watched Marathon Challenge...and the next thing I knew, it was 10pm. Those damn accidental naps are always screwing with me.

Guess I wasn't going to be running outside.

So I got up and I putzed around my apartment.

10:30. I organized my tupperware drawer.

10:45. I alphabetized my movies.

11:00. I did everything except head to the gym. I Was Not Looking Forward To A Treadmill Run.

11:15. I decided that I had enough of July-a-thon. I didn't want to run that night. I didn't want to run every day in July. July-a-thon is lame. Who runs every day anyway??

11:30. Dammit. I hopped in the car, sped to the gym, and hopped on the treadmill.

July-a-thon owns my soul. Well, mostly. July-a-thon owns my soul unless my soul is occupied with a hangover.

Weekend Recap: Independence Day 2008

This post-holiday fog requires minimal cognitive effort...so I bring you the weekend recap...in bullet form.

Thursday:

• Ran 2 miles for July-a-thon
• The family decided to be in the 4^th of July parade, so we hired some dude to make us an "old woman in the shoe" float (Grandma is old and has 11 kids. Appropriate, yes?)
• We put the finishing touches on the float and had fun in general
• I did some "carb loading" by drinking 5 Fat Tires (Mmmmm...beer)

Friday:

• Ran a 5k (did 9:11 miles, not too shabby)
• Parade (I handed out candy. Kids loved me)
• Grandma's 90^th birthday party (Mmmm, cake...)

Saturday:

• Ran 2 miles for July-a-thon
• Attended a massive family reunion
• Grandma is one of seven children
• All the seven families and their families came to celebrate (~200 people?)
• Played some serious Flippy Cup
• And then we played even more Flippy Cup
• Went to bed at 4:30am
• Ouch, man. Very ouch. I was NOT in good shape.
• Killed off 1/3 of my entire population of brain cells

Sunday:

• Got up at the crack of 2pm
• Didn't form coherent sentences
• Blarrgghh

Monday:

• Felt human
• Ran 2 miles for July-a-thon
• Hung out with the aunts, Grandma, and Mom
• Played cards
• Got home at 11pm
• Collapsed. SLEEP.

 

 

Multi-sport Madness

July-a-thon is underway.

Last night, Emily and I went for an 11.5 mile bike ride, and then went out for a 2-mile run. Because, you know...two miles is the minimum distance for July-a-thon, and who am I to go above and beyond, especially after a bike ride?? That just oozes with dedication and motivation, and if I possessed those two qualities I wouldn't be blogging in the middle of the work day, now would I?

But it was a great workout. It was my second bike adventure with my clipless pedals and shoes and I am getting quite proficient at snapping out of the pedal without falling over. And it makes me feel like a real cyclist to wear bike shoes. :)

And the run was also damn good. I'd never done a bike/run combo, and wasn't sure how it would feel. My legs felt a little...off...for the first 3-4 minutes, but I was in the groove before long. And I managed to bust out a pretty great second mile (9:12).

I have to admit...I'm kind of digging this whole multi-sport thing.

Bike:
Average speed: 13.7 mph
Total time: 49:40
Average HR: 154

Run:
Mile 1: 10:13
Mile 2: 9:12

Average pace: 9:42
Total time: 19:25
Average HR: 172

Three words to describe this workout: fun, refreshing, delicious

July-A-Thon

Remember how Ali was hardcore last July (and August and September) and ran every day, calling her adventure July-a-thon?

Remember how I blatantly stole her idea for the month of October, calling it October-a-thon?

Remember how GOOD I felt after running every day for a month?

Yeah, me either. But for some reason, I'm feeling strangely compelled to give this adventure another go.

I felt like October-a-thon made me a faster runner, and while marathon training does wonders for endurance, I feel like it made me a slower runner.

So here we go.

Starting tomorrow.

July-a-thon.

Same rules rule as last time - runs must be two miles or longer.

Bring it on!

Race Report: Grandma's Marathon 2008...Part III

The Aftermath.

After I crossed the finish line and got all most of the crying out of my system, Coach Ruth and I went to ice our legs. In Lake Superior.

I have never felt anything more heavenly.

Well, except for that heavenly feeling when I crossed the finish line at the marathon. Because did I mention that I Ran A Marathon recently??

But seriously. It felt amazing. My feet were killing me, so after I waded out of the lake, I was So Thankful that I remembered to pack flip flops. I didn't have any serious issues with blisters during my training runs, so I was surprised when I noticed a fun addition to my ring toe...


I swear my feet aren't as chubby as they appear in this photo. Is just, uh, bad lighting. Yeah. Also, please avert your eyes from the mess that is my index toe.

Yup. A fatty jelly-bean sized blister. My other foot had blisters on the big and ring toes, and my big toe was feeling suspiciously sore. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bid my friend Big Toenail adieu - I don't think he's going to be with us much longer.

We came back to the hotel, cleaned up...and traded war stories.

And then it was time for happy hour. We cracked open the champagne and toasted to our PRs, our PWs, our amazing friends and teammates.


Seating was limited so Karen and I shared the hot tub

After happy hour, we headed to Timberlodge Steakhouse for dinner, where we had reservations for 50, and were shocked to find that 44 other Lifetime runners beat us down there. I was secretly glad that there wasn't room for all of us - and eight of us decided to find another restaurant. A restaurant that didn't have animal pelts hanging from the walls. A restaurant that was more vegetarian-friendly. And so we went to a delightful cafe down the street.

It was too early to hit the bars after dinner, so we headed back to the hotel for a power nap. I had been awake since 4am and had run 26.2 miles earlier that day (oh, and also, did I mention that I Ran A Marathon earlier that day??) and the exhaustion was starting to set in. I closed my eyes at about 8:45 and an instant later it was 9:45 and time to go.

I was anxious to bust a move on the dance floor, but the music selection wasn't what we were looking for. It was more "family wedding reception" and less "let's get craaaazy!" so we didn't do much dancing. By midnight we were ready to call it a night.

RIGHT.

We headed back to our hotel, filled up the hot tub, and round three of happy-action-fun-time began. Bar-goers trickled back into our hotel room and we had fun sitting around and shooting the shit, and I also met my Gummy Bear soulmate. Our bus driver/alpha dog/bus owner Randy (aka Boots LaBeaux) was hilarious when he got back - he stripped down to his shorts and did a cannon ball into the vacant jacuzzi. Who cannon balls into jacuzzis??

At 2am, I was ready to call it a night. I crawled into bed, read a bedtime story to my race medal, and fell asleep instantly.

The next morning, we packed up, grabbed some breakfast, and Jen, Val and I headed to Lake Superior to unwind. We reveled in the glorious scenery and bid a proper farewell to Lady Lake.

Because the journey was ending. It was time to go home.

We packed up the bus, posed for a picture...


Jen, Val, Karen, Randy, Ruth, Melissa, Kim, Allison

And headed home.

It was over.

Back to reality.

Race Report: Grandma's Marathon 2008...Part II

At the start, it was a beautiful morning for a run. Slight wind, relatively cool. I was happy.

Even though I used the restroom RIGHT before the start, I had to go again. I figured that it was just nerves and I would be fine.

Val, another Roseville Lifetime gal (that I met an instant before the race, and whose name is eluding me right now) and I stuck together for the first 5 miles, which were relatively uneventful. We we right on the money with our pace - right around 10:45 miles.

Miles 1 and 2: still had to pee. Men were peeing along the road left and right. I had some serious penis envy.

Mile 3: still had to pee. About 8 people in line at the port-a-potty. Not worth stopping.

Miles 4 and 5: still had to pee. GAH.

When we hit the port-a-potties at mile 5, I knew it was time. I wouldn't be able to hold it much longer, so Val and I made the decision to stop. No Matter How Many People Were In Line.

There were 10 people in line.

So I pulled the lounge chair out of my back pocket, put up the footrest, and lit a cigarette. This could take awhile.

Val held our spot in line and I walked up to the water stop and grabbed a few glasses of water for us. I walked back and we drank the water as we waited in line. Might as well make the downtime useful.

As we were waiting, Roseville Runners Melissa and Sarah passed us. I figured that I wouldn't see them again...they were faster than me in all of our training runs. Sad.

I watched the time tick away on the Garmin.

Seven minutes.

We waited in line for seven minutes.

After we finally had our turn at the Biffy, we FINALLY got back on the course. We did NOT walk through the water stop. We were anxious to move on.

Because I'd walked to the water stop and back to the port-a-potty line, my Garmin was off. It would give the "mile" beep .11 miles before the actual mile marker. Every time the alert would sound, I'd look at Val and make a stupid comment. It seemed funny at the time. Guess you had to be there. :)

And then we had a nice surprise - we ran into fellow Roseville Runner Mary and her coach Leslie on the course! It's always nice to see friendly faces.

The next thing I knew, we were at the half way point. I remember saying to Val that I couldn't believe how much FUN this was. I was feeling great. I had a great attitude. The course was fun. The spectators were great and would shout out our names.

At mile 14, Val decided that she needed to walk. We weren't at a water stop. I had made a promise to myself that I would only walk while drinking at the water stops. So she wished me luck, and I was on my own.

At mile 15, I ran into Random Lifetime girl that we started with. I knew that she was probably going slower than I wanted to run, seeing that I had stopped for seven minutes and was still able to catch her. So I bid her farewell and soldiered on.

At mile 16 or 17, I ran into some other Lifetime runners (including Val's BFF). They were hauling ass!! I stayed on their heels, but couldn't pass them. Until I realized they were Galloway runners. When it was time for their scheduled walk break, I passed them and I kept on truckin.

At mile 18, I couldn't believe my eyes. Melissa and Sarah. I'd caught up. Sarah looked like she was hurting, and I wished them well as I passed.

At mile 20, they handed out bananas and Twizzlers. What a refreshing change. I love candy, and I especially love Twizzlers. I think the volunteer handing out the Twizzlers was a little surprised when I grabbed him and gave him a sloppy tongue kiss because I was so grateful. I kid. There was no kiss. But if he were handing out Swedish Fish...that would be a different story. I think I would have promised my firstborn for some Swedish Fish.

Mile 22 is known for being brutal. Lemon Drop hill is right in the middle. You know it's a nasty hill if it has its own name. But I knew I could do it. I ran this hill at the Lifetime retreat three weeks ago. I pretended that I was on a roller coaster and there was a chain pulling me up. Clang, clang, clang, clang. The next thing I knew, I was at the top. Easy Peesy.

And before me was a beautiful downhill view. This was the point where I stopped at the retreat, so I was officially running on unexplored race course...and it was the furthest I had ever run in my life.

And then I heard shouting. THERE SHE IS! THERE SHE IS!!! I looked to my right, and once again, couldn't believe my eyes. It had to be a mirage. I had to be dreaming. Did I take acid instead of a PowerGel at mile 22?

Emily and Chuck, some of my best friends, were there. I was shocked. They did NOT tell me they were going to be there, so it was a complete surprise. Surprising no one, I started crying. Do you know what's hard? Crying, running, and BREATHING. But my heart soared. I felt So Loved. I have the best friends.

I gave them high fives and sweaty hugs (just what they wanted, I'm sure) and sped off. They hopped on their bikes and zoomed down the road, and then they pulled over so they could take some action photos of me. Pictures Of Me Running A Marathon. I love these guys.

I regained my composure, and kept running. The last miles are through the downtown area and are on a cobblestone street. I knew that I was close. I was getting tired. But there was no stopping me at this point. I just had to keep going.

So I kept going.

At mile 25, I knew I was So Close. Is this race over yet?? I got a zap of energy from the crowd when I spotted two guys in the crowd. One shouted "GO ALLY!" and the other shouted "If I didn't have a girlfriend I'd ask you out!!" These guys sure know how to boost an ego!

At mile 25.5ish, I spotted them. Team Roseville. My girls. My drug. My loves. My heroes.

I had a huge smile on my face as they cheered and rung their cowbells for me. They know that I have a penchant for the cowbell, and Kim even brought my new pink cowbell and rang it for me. These women are amazing.


Thanks to my paparazzi, Jen, for snapping this photo

I rounded one last corner, and I saw it. The finish line. I turned up the gas when I saw the "official time" inching closer and closer to five hours.

The announcer was getting the crowd all worked up. "C'mon, give these guys a cheer...they are SO CLOSE! Can they make it under FIVE HOURS??" I was close. The clock was ticking. 4:59:54...4:59:55...

FIVE...

FOUR...

THREE...

TWO...

ONE...

The crowd gave a collective groan...as I crossed the finish with a clock time of 5:00:02.

But I knew I had 7 minutes in the bank, so I didn't fret. But it would have been nice to have finished 3 seconds earlier.

I crossed the finish line. I ran a marathon. I Am A Marathoner. A marathoner that cries. I got my medal and my t-shirt. I headed over to the sweat bags and got my stuff. I found Coach Ruth. We hugged. We cried. And then Emily and Chuck found me! And we hugged, and Oooooh Lord did I cry. I was so proud and exhausted and emotional and grateful and happy and sad that it was all over. So many emotions trying to break free.

But I did it.

I ran a marathon.

I RAN A MARATHON!




First 10k: 1:13:12
Last 10k: 1:07:37

First 13.1: 2:28:58
Last 13.1: 2:23:17

Negative Splits, baby. Thanks, bathroom line. :)

6/21/08
Mile 1: 10:39
Mile 2: 10:41
Mile 3: 10:50
Mile 4: 10:44
Mile 5: 10:33
Mile 6: 17:21 - Stupid bathroom line
Mile 7: 10:45
Mile 8: 10:45
Mile 9: 11:06
Mile 10: 10:30
Mile 11: 10:50
Mile 12: 11:12
Mile 13: 10:33
Mile 14: 11:11
Mile 15: 10:40
Mile 16: 11:01
Mile 17: 11:03
Mile 18: 11:00
Mile 19: 10:32
Mile 20: 11:29
Mile 21: 11:00
Mile 22: 11:10
Mile 23: 10:44
Mile 24: 10:51
Mile 25: 10:52
Mile 26: 10:42

Average pace: 11:02 (Garmin)
Total time: 4:52:15
Average HR: 166

Three words to describe this run: There Aren't Words*

*Funny, for having "no words" I sure managed to write a wordy recap. :)

Race Report: Grandma's Marathon 2008...Part I

Wow. Where to start.

How 'bout the beginning?

Some of the run club was going to meet at a coffee shop in Roseville because we were going to ride up in...DA BUS.


Yes, it does say "Run Like You Stoled It" on the back


Sarah, Ruth, Val, Allison
Not pictured: Melissa and Randy

And Yes. This is really our ride. But the bus needed a little something to make it feel like "home"...so I donated my Plastic Dashboard Jesus.

So we piled into the bus, stuck Jesus to the dashboard, and began our journey to Duluth.

We sang. We danced. We hydrated. We stopped to use the restroom. We talked about running. Lather, rinse, repeat.

And before we knew it, we were in Duluth.

Allison's Inner Monologue: Holy Crap! I'm running a MARATHON tomorrow!!

We hit up the expo, picked up our packets and some souvenirs (including the Sweetest Pink Cowbell known to all mankind, a gift from Val) and went to our hotel/suite to unwind before dinner.


More Cowbell!

Another cool find - a rockin' triathlon sticker.


Get your mind out of the gutter!

We headed back to the expo for the pasta feed. We were sitting at our table and Jen spotted some Kenyans in the crowd and joking told Coach Ruth that she should go snag them. And of course, being the crazy spunky rock star that she is, Ruth hopped up and invited them to sit at our table.

Who could pass up the offer of sitting at a table with 10 women?? Not these guys.

Turns out, these weren't any Kenyans. We asked what their race goals were. The answer? THEY WANTED TO WIN. Like, for real. Win. The marathon. The whole freaking thing.


My brush with running fame...Cyprian, Coach Ruth, Me, Benson

They were Benson Cheruiyot and Cyprian Kiogora. Who I've never heard of. BUT. They ended up finishing 3rd and 9th. Yup. We had dinner with two top-10 finishers. Suh-weet!

We headed back to the expo to pick up some shirts that said "In My Mind I'm Kenyan"...inspired by our Kenyan friends.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to get to bed early. We laid out our race gear, put the chips on our shoes, painted our nails (we're girls, after all) and attempted to make it an early night.

Allison's Inner Monologue: Holy Crap! I'm running a MARATHON tomorrow!!

It was a cruel joke that June 20th was the longest day of the year. It was still light out when I crawled into bed at 9:30. So I read US Weekly as I tried to unwind.

Project Go To Bed Early: FAIL

I couldn't fall asleep. I could hear laughter and merriment in the other room of our suite, so I went out to investigate. I was drawn in. We sat around and joked and laughed and traded stories and had a grand time. Until Coach Ruth popped out from the other room to scold us and to tell us to GET TO BED! So we wrapped it up and headed to bed.

Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Can't sleep.

Can't sleep.

Oh, and also? I CAN'T SLEEP.

I tossed and turned. I fretted. I freaked out. I worried about my pace. I worried about the weather. I worried about my training. I didn't worry about my hydration, however. I knew I was, ahem, golden. Because I had to get up and pee several times. Oversharing? That's what I do best.

And the next thing I knew, it was 4am and time to get up for breakfast. My grand plan was to get up, eat a bagel, and go back to bed for 30 more minutes.

HA! Hahahahahah! What Was I Thinking? Like I'd be able to fall back asleep??

So I laid in bed with my bagel with peanut butter. And freaked out.

I decided it was pointless to stay in bed, so I got up and got ready.

I don't know where the time went, but the next thing I knew, it was time to go. I scrambled to grab my race belt and sweats bag, and we were out the door.

Grandma's Marathon is a 26 mile journey from Two Harbors to Duluth, so we had to be shuttled to the start. As we walked to the bus stop, I began freaking out in earnest. I forgot to pack a bottle of water or Powerade for the bus ride. I forgot my cell phone. I forgot to put sunblock on my face. I forgot chapstick.

Luckily, I had my four best gals with me, and they shared their sunblock, chapstick and Powerade. I love my gals.

While we waited for the bus, Ruth wrote "ALLY" down my left arm so my adoring fans would know who to cheer for. I had my "Team Roseville" tattoo on my right arm. I was ready to rock.

The bus arrived at the starting area. We piled off the bus and began to walk. We hit the port-a-potties. We had a team pow-wow. We tried to stay warm. We hit the port-a-potties again. We dropped off our sweats.

I started to cry. CRAP, man! I hadn't even started running and was getting all choked up.

This was happening. This was for real.

We walked toward the start line. I gave Karen a hug and she headed closer to the start. Val and I stuck together.

The gun went off.

Seven minutes and 47 seconds later, we crossed the start line.

We were off.

I was running a marathon.

This was my first marathon. You KNOW this is going to be a wordy recap. Part II, coming soon.

I Am A Marathoner!

I DID IT!

I ran Grandma's Marathon.

4:52:15.

I cried before the race. I cried during the race. I cried after the race. Ohhh, I cried after the race.

Tear of joy, of course.

What an amazing experience.

I have amazing friends.

I have amazing teammates.

I have amazing family.

I Am A Marathoner.

I can't wait for my next one.

The Countdown Begins

The marathon gun goes off in 24 hours.

The countdown begins. Who am I kidding...I've been counting down for a year. :)

I'm to Duluth...EEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!! I'M REALLY DOING THIS!

Sweet Dreams

I had an odd marathon-related dream last night.

I had a dream that I went to the hospital before the marathon to sign some paperwork. I was wearing my running clothes and everything.

What was the paperwork for? To divvy up my organs. This guy gets my liver...this guy gets my kidney...etc. You know. Because I Was Planning On Dying That Day.

I'm even freaking out in my sleep. This can't be good.

*Edited to add:
I mentioned this dream to a co-worker and she said that death dreams are good luck. Google says, "to dream that you die in your dream, symbolizes inner changes, transformation, self-discovery and positive development that is happening within you or in your life. Although such a dreams may bring about feelings of fear and anxiety, it is no cause for alarm and is often considered a positive symbol. Dreams of experiencing your own death usually means that big changes are ahead for you. You are moving on to new beginnings and leaving the past behind."

So yeah, I guess this is a good thing. :)