SkirtSports 1/2 Marathon - Recap

For the second Monday in a row I ran long (I define long as 10 miles or more).  A few weeks ago Nicole posted about #runcelebration, a virtual half marathon hosted by SkirtSports.  

Background:  This was the second year SportSkirts held an actual 1/2 marathon in Colorado supporting their SkirtSports Kick Start Program.  They got an overwhelming response from the rest of the country who couldn't get to Colorado and support this great cause, they offered a virtual option.  

A little bit about the Skirt Sports Kick Start Program:

"Our Cause: Skirt Sports Kick Start Program
Kick Start is a women's beginner running program founded by Skirt Sports. We pair Beginners - women who want to start running but can't due to their barriers to fitness - with Personal Motivators - women who have found strength, confidence, freedom and more through running. The Beginners' barriers include health problems, family crises, weight issues, financial difficulties and more. Skirt Sports pairs these women with empathetic Personal Motivators who act as mentors while they guide and support the beginners through an 8-week training program that culminates in their first 5k - and transforms them along the way.

Skirt Sports provides the runners with a training program, running apparel, nutrition advice, free entries to their first 5k, and most importantly, support of other women who have been there before. Many of our graduates go on to become Personal Motivators - the power to give back is so strong! We are proud to have helped so many women change their lives and move down a more positive path - with the strength and courage they found through running.

The current Kick Start chapter is training for the Skirt Sports 5k on June 1. Currently, each chapter of Kick Start costs approximately $1,500. Our goal is to contribute to the next chapter through our Virtual Racers - it's your way of giving back!"

Nicole had a plan, her usual Monday morning run with the gals (once the kids were on the school bus) would mean a big chunk of the 13.1 wouldn't be solo and dangled a discount code to the rest of us, sweet!  Slowly one by one nearly all the gals committed to 13.1 and signed up for the virtual race.  Despite my loner runner ways I was up for a group run, it would mean a little finagling of the work schedule. (Muddy, Lori thanks you for letting her know where I really was for my 3 hour meeting on Monday a.m. lemme know if I can return the favor some day! ha ha). 

The course would be two laps of the usual route through Narragansett with a 3.1 mile intermission between laps to run with a new runner. Perfection.  

The course, two laps and an out and back then a little pigtail at the top to get me the extra 1/2 mile I 'lost'

The first few miles things were not clicking, oh this isn't good.  Time to switch focus from how I felt to catching up with the gals I haven't talked to since we ran together on Thursday nights last summer/fall.  Doubts, get into the back seat (and no messing around like teenagers - we don't need you multiplying)!!  My other oops:  I managed to turn off my watch trying to switch from bike to run mode and lost 1/2 mile, damn...  Great to catch up with everyone.  It was a long winter, for sure.

The 13.1 gals!

Right on time we finished the first lap meeting up with Tara for 3.1 miles out and back along the water, well a quick stop at Bethany's for a bathroom break - THANK YOU BETHANY!  That quick water and GU Chomp break seemed to revive me.  I felt much better coming back to the gazebo this time.  Ok I can do this, it is only 5 more miles, well 5.5 for me due to the watch screw up.  I was certainly not stopping short!!

We all took off and I was in the tail, fine to be back there, not moving very swiftly, keeping my eyes on the gals ahead of me.  Nicole slowed up and hung back with me.  We laughed at the change of roles, she got to drag me along for the last 5 miles!!  No making excuses, simply stating, we are supposed to enjoy this so enjoy it, damn it!  

We remembered our numbers!

My favorite part was along the country club road where Nicole and I talked about marriage and relationships and she asked why I wanted to get married since kids were never a goal of mine.  Love this question!  Such a great conversation.  I think it was about a year ago she asked me along that same part of the route why I didn't have kids.  (You'll have to run with me if you really want to know, ha!)

When we got back to the cars Jenn was the trooper who went with me for the last 1/2 mile.  So sweet and so appreciated!!

Beautiful day to run by the ocean!

So there you go, starting the week off with 13.1 and another week of breaking my Monday active rest day protocol.  It was for a good cause and some sweet swag!!

Kudos to Bethany, Tara, and Mary who were out for most of the 13.1!!

Sincerely,
Beth, who probably won't be running next Monday, but who knows maybe it is time to turn over a new leaf!

Back Road Ramble 5K - Recap and Other Musings

The local YMCA hosts a "Back Road Ramble 5K" at camp Watchaug.  I signed up, knowing that it would be on somewhat familiar grounds and with the usual suspects and really a reason to push me to run with a bit of intention and support the Y, or who knows...   plus one the WTAC president mapped out the course and I was curious to see what hell fun he would come up with.   If I was smart I'd of paid attention to his Strava feed, wait, I like surprises so why ruin the fun?

Mike B mentioned it started up hill, why of course it would...  At least it wasn't this run in the RI desert the same day! 

Camp Watchaug was somewhere I've never been, beautiful facility on Watchaug Pond.  I had a deprived childhood, no summer camp -- in my parents defense I did have 80 acres of fields, woods, ponds, dirt bikes, and go karts -- I really didn't know what to expect and was just stunned when I walked down the hill to the camp and thought what an awesome place for kids and families.  I think Friday the 13th movies were my impression of summer camps!

Anyhow, I pre-registered, easy bib pick up, forwent the t-shirt, I have plenty of them.  It was hard, it was red and that is my favorite color.  Did a little warm up mile, I hadn't run since Wednesday, plenty of biking and dog walks.  My legs were tired or I'm not really sure and decided I'd stop thinking about running and enjoy the view.  

The course was well marked and easy to navigate, showed the best of what the area has to offer with back roads, tarmac in the camp area, and single track  (well that SHARP left off the single track was a little bit hard to see).  I think this was the first time I'd run Burlingame since I did 3 laps of the 8 mile loop back in April.  Tons of volunteers cheering people on.  I always like that.  I got passed, passed a few people towards the end and the guy on my tail, who I said "Just let me know when you want to pass"  he said he was fine with my pace and then the last little incline on the dirt road before the finish, my weak spot, he over took me and while I tried to watch his feet to close the gap, nope, oh well.  I was still on track for a good off road 5K for me and that was just fine and dandy.

Results here

My results  32:13 

Photo Courtesy of Jana Walker!  Thanks for waiting for me to finally get to the finish!!

Overall  I am happy with the race.  50K in May and a 5K in June, I think the 5K was harder, ha!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Went for a no real route in mind bike ride after the race.  Dave was out fluke fishing so just me, no planning required!

A dangerous time for a biker is when they are going straight and someone is turning left.  Yep the left cross.  Had I trusted the driver I might have gotten smushed. Fortunately I noticed he had on his left turn signal was turning left and not looking at the road.  I was more shocked he used his turn signal not that he wasn't looking where he was going!  

And again, it seemed like the route I chose was into the wind most of the way...  good training right?    Saturday North on Rte 91 was into the wind, today South on Rte 91 was into the wind.  Gahhhh, can I ever catch a break?  Um... no?  Oh well...

A long slog West, wind, of course, on Atlantic, by the ocean wasn't too awful, again, good training and always an interesting glimpse into humanity 'down the beach'.  It seriously cannot be warm enough to be on the beach sunbathing or even in the water, can it?  There were quite a few beach umbrellas up, so maybe yes? Then again I'm not a lay on the beach sorta person, so what do I know?

Got home to discover --> no food in the fridge!!!  Crap.. guess my dad doesn't live here and isn't doing the grocery shopping (he took over for mom after she got sick).  Time to be done being a child running around in the woods and biking in the neighborhood, time for grown up stuff, grocery store (yuck) and a trip to the Pack (always fun building my own 6 pack).

Sincerely, 
Beth, not so keen on this grown up stuff, well the grocery shopping part.

Weekly Recap - May 26th - June 1st

Wow June already, Dave’s big announcement at dinner on Sunday was, well a few more weeks and the days start getting shorter.  I am seriously considering sending him away for some reprogramming of this negative attitude; I decided it was just easier and cheaper to kick him instead. Right on his sore shin, alls fair in love and war, right?

Monday – 10.5 / dog walk

As I didn't run long over the weekend and really feel like I need to and do want to get in at least one run 10 miles or over once a week.  I ran long on Monday.  As I went downtown I thought, oh the parade, and altered my course.  As I was heading towards Boombridge (aka cow patty lane) I thought I could go out and see the cows, which would be a much easier run than winding my way through Pawcatuck to run the Greenhaven loop.  I really wanted to run the Greenhaven loop, so I did.   We could call this a reverse progression run; I just got slower and slower and slower.  I can’t even say why, I brought water, so it wasn't that, my legs were a little tired, so maybe it was that.  The breeze was awesome, even running into it.  Running with it at my back, oh good grief I could smell myself and that sucked.   Dave dislikes washing my running and biking clothes with his biking clothes he is sure my stink is going to get into his clothes.  What-a-guy, right?  Well… I should give him a break, he does the laundry, after 16 years of me doing it this has been a nice change of pace!  So anyhow… it just got slower and then the light at the bottom of the last hill ran through what seemed like two cycles till I got a walk signal and I was fine with the break, besides I didn't want to be a scofflaw and jay walk, right??   The little rest did make the last ½ mile up the hill a little easier, it would have looked a little better had I stopped my watch, whoopee twang.

I contemplated taking a bike ride later in the day, the weather was weird and I was enjoying doing nothing productive, and lazying around with the dogs.  Gizzy curled up with me for a small nap, always a nice thing.  Took him for a walk after dinner, a short one, we went a little too far and fast on Sunday with Gus.

Tuesday – 4  run / 15 bike

Bumped into Mike B on the way out to run, so he pulled me along for a little over 3 miles and I went left and he went right and we ended up back at campus, him a few minutes after me.  I could have really used some water midway through the run.  Ummmm do I suggest stopping at the café at Avery Point (they have a drinking fountain) or no? I sucked it up.  Turns out that would have been a good idea.  Sorry Mike!  This was the first run with really little wind at 70F too.  It was nice along the water, for sure. Summer is coming, blargh.

Vinnie’s issues are not catastrophic; a wire came loose from the solder on a control module.  Instead of a not getting out from the dealership for under a grand it was $117, hmmm what can I do with the $900 I “saved”??  Nice to be able to raise and lower the windows, lock and unlock the doors, get into the trunk, not have the windshield wipers going all.the.time, and have the interior lights intermittently flash on and off.  Seriously, cue the Benny Hill theme music.  I took a video, it loses a lot in translation, one of those ‘you had to be there’ kind of things. 

Had just enough time before dog dinner time to get in a rideto the beach and back.  Enjoyed weaving in and out of traffic, shhhh don’t tell Dave.  Decided to go East on Shore Road, and it was into the wind, it felt like I was standing still at points.  Hmm this will make west bound on flat Atlantic pretty easy and fast.  Oh yeah!!!    That was fun, now I wish I would have pushed just a little harder in the beginning, who knew what I could accomplish if I tried a little harder?

Wednesday – 5 run / bike trainer

Wednesday was its usual windy mess, I went right out of the gate and should have gone left, and well I was going to have wind either way, I suppose.  Along the sound who do I spy by Mike B running with his new faster than me slower than him friend.  

It was cold and windy when I got home from work so I decided it was time to figure out this trainer Dave bought from a friend.  I did a little googling around and found a You Tube on how to put the bike on the trainer, glad I did that.  All went well.  Tried to figure out the ‘remote tension’ adjustment device; threw that to the side, it dinged up my handle bars.  Off and on the bike to get the tension right and I’m still not sure I’m doing this right…  Jax did not like the noise the trainer made.  Gizmo laid on one of the dog beds and stared at me like I was loony and eventually fell asleep.  Gus made himself scarce.  Dave was out riding with friends.  Managed half an hour on the contraption; good enough for the first shot, plus it was well past time to feed the dogs.

Thursday  - 32 bike / dog walk

Decided to finally just do it and bike to work.  16 miles and some change one way, took about an hour, and there were some hills I forgot about.  One of the bikers I sit with suggested a different route, longer but may skip a hill or two… I’m dubious, however I like biking along the shore so I’ll try it.  

The ride home was uneventful and the same time as the ride to. Nice!

I prepped the day before bringing in clothes and leaving my gym bag at work.  That worked out well.  I didn't forget anything important so I’ll call that a win. 

Friday - nothing - dinner out with runner friends!!

Saturday - 30 bike / dog walk

After a leisurely breakfast with a friend (yeah, dinner out then breakfast out the next a.m. I certainly have the high flying social life) rounded up Dave for our ride. I mapped out a 23 mile ride for Dave and I and carefully wrote down the turns and put the paper in my jersey pocket.

As we started out Dave suggested I find a route that didn't mean we were biking into the wind up hill the whole way, har har har.  What is it with the wind lately???   Several suggestions on my form were mentioned in the first two miles.  Yeah, yeah, thanks.  My legs are tired and I'm tired and I wondered quietly if maybe this wasn't a good idea...  

I missed a turn and it started to become apparent so we pulled over (Dave suggested we do this before we got to the top of the hill, we were climbing a hill? huh) I looked at my notes and with the miracles of smart phones and google maps and I could see the error. We turned around, noting that now we were going downhill with the wind at our back.  Off of Rte 91 on to Switch (the turn I missed) we were on nice back roads, found the Woodville Damn, very cool.  The road wasn't the greatest in spots but soon got better.  We wove our way back down towards Westerly and Dave commented that this 20 mile ride was turning into longer.  I said, umm I think we will hit 30.  His comment was "Anything over 30 means you are buying ice cream."  Um ok, (I always keep money in my saddle bag - I know those are a violation of the rules, hey I'm a scofflaw and far from perfect) I wound us around and back close to home and then TA DA the Dairy Queen in Pawcatuck, CT.  Not stellar ice cream like Buttonwood Farms (maybe next weekend we will go there) definitely ice cream and a good calcium filled lunch (don't judge) and we trekked the mile towards home, with a lap around the block to actually hit a full 30 miles!!

Fun time and so great to see this beautiful area on the bike!

Sunday - Back Roads Ramble 5K / Maybe I'll bike to and from the race.  Maybe a run later in the day, maybe not.

Sincerely,
Beth, plugging along....