So I Registered For My First Marathon...

Yep! You read that correctly! I took the plunge yesterday and registered for my first 26.2 mile race. Am I going crazy? Probably. LOL! But, I couldn't resist the urge to step up my game since I love a challenge and proving to myself that I can do anything that I set my mind to do. And believe me. This will definitely be a true test of mental and physical prowess as the day gets closer.

Oh? When and where you ask? Well, I decided to change my original plan, which was to run the half marathon portion of the Anthem Richmond Marathon in Richmond Virginia. I am currently a member of the National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA) and our 8th annual group meet/conference will be held at this particular race event on November 16, 2013. The trip was a scheduled event that I was looking forward to attending anyway. I just bumped my race plans up a bit.

For a few months now, I've been contemplating when and where I would run my first marathon someday. I'm not a huge fan of crowded races and wanted something a bit smaller and as close to home as can be without it being in my backyard. Several members ran Richmond this past weekend and had a lot of great things to say about the race. I figured this would be a great fit for me and I won't have to worry about that feeling of "being alone out there" which could happen while running my first marathon. I will be amongst my NBMA family so I'm confident I won't have those moments. There will also be a lot of NBMA members doing this as their first 26.2 and that's a plus as well. I've read more negative experiences when runners choose large scale races as their first event; especially if running it alone. The crowds can be overwhelming and adding that to an already intimidating feat, can be cause for a terrible experience.

So, for the next year I'll work on my weight loss goals, total body strength, and following a novice marathon training program to prepare me for this endeavor. I'll also continue to seek advice from some of my good friends from the Runner's World Online forums/facebook page and NBMA. This will not be about time. My main objective is to run this race comfortably and remain injury free so that I can finish strong. Hopefully enjoying the experience enough to run a second marathon another day. I really don't want this to be a "one and done" moment. Running has changed my life in so many ways over the last year and a half. I went through a difficult time (heartbreak) and really needed to find something to keep me going. I'm glad to be on this journey and look forward to all the adventures coming my way.

By the way! Keep an eye out for my blog posts in the near future. I'll be documenting my quest for the 26.2 mile marker once my official training begins in July! Wish me luck!

Happy Running!

Next blog post: Running - Exactly How Has It Changed My Life?

800 Miles and Still Going

At the beginning of the year, I made a runner's resolution to log 800 miles by the end of 2012. I wasn't sure I could pull this off, considering that I pretty much began a serious running journey at the tail end of 2011. But, I set the goal and hoped that I could accomplish the task without issue. 

Well, I guess I need to set my sights a little higher for next year. With all of the training due to increased racing goals, I surpassed the 800 mile marker on November 3rd (see yearly mileage widget located in the footer of my blog). There are only a few more weeks left in 2012 and although it's tempting to push for entry into the "thousandaires club"; I think I'll play it safe and make that my goal for 2013.

Here's to 2013! 1000 Miles or Bust! 

Happy Running

Rocking in Savannah and Getting Committed - HF #3091

The Rock n’ Roll Savannah Marathon and 1/2 Marathon was held on this past Saturday, November 3, 2012 in this historic city of Georgia. I ran the half which was my fourth to date and the qualifier for entry into the Fanatics Asylum. It was a really great weekend, for it was also my first experience running a Rock n’ Roll event and my first visit to Savannah, GA.  [This race report is short and sweet].

Expo Highlights:
Leaving early Friday morning made getting in and out of the expo a breeze. It was held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Tybee Island and parking space would be limited. If you did not make it before the road closure, you would have to park in areas within the city and take the ferry or trolly over to the island. I’m so glad I avoided that.

The expo was pretty awesome. The lines were not long during the time I arrived so I was able to get my bib, race bag, and tech tee without a problem. The vendor area was not that congested either. I browsed over the items for sale and just settled on a souvenir shooter glass to add to my collection at home. The adjacent area was pretty much the “free sample/item zone”. I received a lot of cool things from the various vendors in this location. One of the best items I received was a “Spartan In Training” t-shirt from the Spartan Obstacle Race booth. It wasn't 100% free, though. I had to do 25 burpees to get that shirt! I just love a challenge and embarrassing my 17 year-old daughter (although she claims I didn’t). LOL!


Pre-Race Highlights:
We drove around downtown Savannah before checking into our hotel. I wanted to scope out the location of the start and drive the designated route to the parking garage that I would be using on race day. Savannah really is a gorgeous city. I’ll have to come back in the near future so that I can sign-up for some of the tours that are offered. I especially look forward to a haunted tour. This city has a rich history full of ghostly encounters. 


Race Highlights:
This was a huge event for me. There were so many people ready to get the party started. I was unsure if I would find anyone that I knew today. I got lucky. As I made my way to the port-a-johns, I came across two facebook friends that were running their first full marathons. We gave each other hugs, words of encouragement, and took a pre-race photo before heading to our designated corrals. I was in corral 17. This was also were the 2:30 pace group was also located, so that was good for me. I decided early on that I would stick with this section, because I wasn’t sure how I would feel after running Myrtle Beach two weeks prior. If for some reason I had to fall back during the race, I would at least be able to maintain a pace that would allow me to beat my first half marathon time. 


Then came the corral countdown to the start...

Miles 1 - 4:  I started out at a comfortable pace because the first half mile or so lead us up a pretty large hill. It was quite visible from the start. To see thousands of marathoners and half marathoners running up and over was a sight to behold. The next couple of miles were pretty smooth, with a few turns and some rolling hills. I’m running with the 2:30 pace group and following their lead at the water/Gatorade stops. I decided not to take my Amphiphod with me this time around since I wasn’t too pressed for a time goal.

Miles 5 - 8: I’m still with the pace group for the time being. However, the size of the pack  started to get a bit smaller right before the 10K mark. At this point I’m wondering whether the ladies leading the group was even paying attention to their splits on their watches. I checked my Garmin right at the halfway mark and realized that we were running at a pace that would get us to the finish minutes before the 2:30. They were probably shooting for a 2:25 goal. I doubt very seriously that they would slow down as they got closer to the end. So after I decided that I would break free from the group after the next water stop. 

Miles 9 - 11: I’m not sure if it was because of all the turns in the route or some other reason, but I started experiencing some burning pain under my toes on both feet. This caused me to slow my pace down quite a bit as well. I knew it was a sign of blisters, but I couldn’t understand how that could happen since I always use chaffing cream and wear some of the best running socks - Balegas. Anyway, I was hurting and so most of theses miles resulted in a run/walk method until the end of mile eleven.

Mile 12 - Finish: Right at mile twelve the marathoners and half marathoners broke away. I decided to get back into run mode and push through to the finish strong. We were entering Forsyth Park and you could begin to see the metal barricades and thousands of supporters and finishers lined along the course rooting everyone in. I realized after checking my Garmin back at mile 10, that I would most certainly beat my first half marathon time despite the issues plaguing my feet. As long as I made that last mile count, I would make that goal. And I did! I crossed over the finish at 2:38:25. It was 4 minutes faster than my first, but 10 minutes slower than what I ran at Myrtle Beach 2 weeks ago. That’s okay. I wasn’t looking to set a PR. My main objective was to finish strong so that the bigger objective was accomplished - to be committed to the Fanatic Asylum.

http://halffanatics.com/

Guess what? Yep! I am now officially Half Fanatic #3091 (Neptune Moon Level). And it sure feels good! I look forward to running more half marathons and qualifying for more moon levels in the near future. 

Next Up: Columbia Half Marathon (SC), December 15, 2012
Happy Running!