My First Half-Marathon

What follows is the description (as listed on the website) of my first half-marathon, to be run in April of 2009:

THE ESCAPE ROUTE


The Escape Route: Escaping from Prison Hill is a daunting task….much like a real prison break. But before you are sent to “prison” you must do the crime! The first part of this course is a “crime”. For the first 3/4 mile you will find yourself on a fairly flat, dirt/gravel road that circles the interior of the Silver Saddle Ranch. As you complete this section of the race you get a little sloppy in your work and the authorities begin chase. Life gets a bit tougher here as you begin your initial ascent onto Prison Hill. You begin this section with a climb via single-track onto Prison Hill in an effort to thwart the authorities. For approximately the next 4-1/2 miles you are faced with a series of “small ups and downs” that will begin to test whether or not you even considered training for this event. Finally, you complete this section of the course (by thwarting the local authorities) and begin to enjoy the fruits of your labor…or so you think. You will now begin a descent along the western face of Prison Hill, approximately 1 mile. Once here, you continue to “live it up” along the mostly flat terrain for the next 2 miles, thinking that you will never get caught.

Ha!! You fell right into the arms of the authorities. Someone is going to prison. If you are doing this event solo, it is you. If you are part of a relay team then your partner is going to prison. The next 1/2 mile is a series of short, fast, rolling hills that bring you to “Prison”…a 1 mile ascent on the south slope of Prison Hill with 800 feet of altitude gain. Once at the top you realize that you just can’t stand it anymore and you begin your “ESCAPE”. You begin with a spectacular descent down the south-eastern slope towards the Carson River, thinking that by dousing yourself in the river you will lose the dogs that are following your scent. For approximately 1-1/2 miles you try to evade your followers but it doesn’t work. They’re hot on your trail. You make a dash across the Mexican Dam and run a flat course back towards the Start/Finish thinking that you’d be lost in a crowd. It begins to work…for 1-mile that is. Just when you think you’ve eluded the authorities you’re faced with one last challenge. You begin a 1/4 mile ascent on a single-track that actually takes you away from the finish. You can’t believe it. You ask yourself if it can get any worse. Actually, no! With just over a mile to go it’s mostly flat with a final 1/4 mile into the chute. You’re finally done! You’ve ESCAPED!

I chose this race because my father lives in Carson City and I thought this would make for a nice trip.

If anyone has any training tips, feel free to throw them at me! Right now I'm working on running to the tune of Free Bird--easy pace and then speed it up all the way through the guitar solo.

Motivation

People often equate pregnancy and/or labor with running a marathon (including Natalie Morales of The Today Show in the Aug 08 Runner's World). How much one buys into that probably depends on whether you've ever run a marathon, but one thing that is for certain is that both require MOTIVATION to stay positive!

During my second pregnancy, my two-year-old daughter came over to me in bed one morning, looks at me and says, "Are you mean mom or nice mom today?" That was a wake-up call! I guess I was pretty grumpy. So now I'm on my third and I am in an entirely different state of mind.

How does one stay motivated while running or otherwise? Can you see “the light at the end of the tunnel”? Sometimes seeing that n-1 mile marker or even the finish line is what you need. Of course, in pregnancy, the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel is actually the headlights of an on-coming train!

So working out helps me stay positive about the tail end of pregnancy. I stay motivated to work out because I know how much easier it will be to recover post-baby. I stay motivated to push that HEAVY jogging stroller because it is making me so much stronger and faster whenever I have the chance to run stroller-free. And I stay motivated to race because I am just so darn competitive. The faster you run, the faster you’re done!

Snotspot

Now that I've found it, I'm not sure how I ever lived without it! Just what in the heck is she talking about, you're wondering. The Snotspot! I cannot wait to try this product out!

In Honor of Babette

I just have to take a moment here to mourn a lost athlete. Although I barely knew her, she inspired me greatly.

When I tell the story of my first-ever triathlon last Summer - of how I started in the "leftover" wave filled with first-timers, Athenas, mountain bikes and age 40+ women - it often turns into a comic display. I explain that since each athlete's age is marked on her calf, I knew that the woman next to me in the corral was 64. Babette introduced herself when she could see how nervous I was and told me that I would be just fine. She gave me some tips on how I should be warming up and then took her place at the waterline.

From there, the story painstakingly details how Babette clobbers me at each stage and how she is in fresh clothes by the time I cross the finish line. Babette is the reason I signed up for the next Key Biscayne triathlon a month later. She is the reason I vowed to go to spin class twice a week and why I bought fins to train better in the pool. And after she trampled me effortlessly again, she was the reason I signed up for the third and final race of the Trilogy.

But although it was disappointing to be bested by someone over twice my age, Babette's poise merited utter respect. She contested atrophy with each climb into a new age category. She was at once motivating and formidable; youthful and seasoned. She loved the sport for the sake of the challenge and for the community that builds itself around it. Babette makes you remember that "Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Babette Kulka died last Wednesday, training in the choppy ocean waters of Hollywood, Florida.

Are we there yet?

Hi Mommy Runners:

It's me Trice-- sort of back from the dead. I made it to Texas, did not find a house yet, but am still looking. I'm truly happy to be in Texas-- where I discovered my running self (All the runs prior to 1999 were for the Army - they do not count).

I am thinking about "The Woodlands" as a neighborhood to move. I saw lots of neat running Moms out there and lots of trails.

I'm computerless and in the library right now. The geek squad has my laptop so it may be a while before I can see how well you are all doing.

Happy summer running!
Best,
Trice

A Call to Arms Legs!

"From every continent, all over the world at the very same time, someone will be running with you! Join a truly global community of fellow runners in a free, non-commercial event that celebrates the joy of running, with the challenge of a race! Share your local experience with a world-wide audience of fellow runners in the Phedippidations World Wide Half Marathon and "Kick the Couch" 5K road race!"

Okay - this is a Call to Arms Legs for those of you who are ready to commit to your first 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles) or Half Marathon (13.1 miles). This virtual race takes place ANYWHERE you want: your neighborhood, on the first half of the Chicago Marathon, at a local race. You can run the whole way, you can run with set walk breaks, or walk the entire length. YOU choose your challenge.

For an in depth description of this cool race, check out the Extra Mile Podcast (Episode 23 & 24) here or subscribe on iTunes.

So tell me:
Will you be signing up for "Kick the Couch" 5K?
The World Wide Half Marathon?
or THIS other cool virtual 10K?

We have 11 weeks until the Phedippidations (pronounced: "Fed-Ip-Id-Aye-shuns") World Wide Race.

Need help with a training plan? Check out Runner's World Smart Coach HERE.

Need training partners? You should already know where to find them!!!! But in case it slipped your mind....click HERE.

Wait...Training.

Ladies and Gentlemen (if there are any) - I have officially become unrecognizable to my former self, that is, the person I was a decade or two ago. I hold in my hot little hand a "Liftlog," which not only implies that I am lifting weights, but that I plan on doing this on a recurring basis. I know that the old me would openly mock the new me, but I'm okay with that.

Now, if you wouldn't mind, let me have a personal word with the Crumbs of yesteryear:

Dear Crumbs -
At 20 years old, you are a loner in the world, finished with college, following bands from festival to festival, thinking you can make it as an artist. You're filled to the brim with cynicism, have zero tolerance for fashion and think sports are for meat heads. You wouldn't run unless a tiger was chasing you, however you'd probably be too occupied making sure no one hurt the tiger instead.

Well, times are a changin' and you'll soon find happiness in the most unexpected places. You'll discover windsurfing, kayaking and yoga. You'll start using your bike as transport and realize it's kind of fun. Turns out, you'll get married and have a baby (and it won't be snowing in hell).

And more shocking than anything, you'll find joy in running...even when nothing is chasing you. Running will introduce you to a world of new people, new attitudes and an entire sports wardrobe complete with running skirts. Your new friends will sign up for marathons, and you'll join them. Then you'll try a Tri. You'll even run past the tigers at a race at the Zoo. And one day, before you know it, you'll go to the gym and use the weights...but you still won't care if the meat heads think you don't fit in.