Key Biscayne Half Marathon Results

I participated in my second half marathon yesterday and there's one word that keeps coming to mind - H O T! I made a mental note to never run a marathon in Miami past March 31st. The heat was stifling. It was humid and I could barely breath because the air was so dense. That being said, I pushed hard for my fellow runners in Boston. Every step reminded me to be thankful that I was running and I felt stronger because I was running with more purpose. Runners will not stop running. 

My friend Maria was doing her first half and I was so excited for her. She killed it - MEGA CONGRATS to her!

I ran hard for my running community and for all the people affected by the tragedy. I ended up pr'ing by 11 minutes and I crossed the finish line at 2:20:28 with a 10:42 pace. I'm not the fastest but I am running faster and stronger than I was and I am feeling healthier. Running is a sport where hard work pays off - I love that!

The Start Line - always makes the heart faster!

 

My friend and Mommyathlon, Maria, on the left and the hubs on the right.

We just got our bibs and ready to start the race!

Two Mommyathlons with theirs medals (and my hubs).

WAY TO GO MARIA!

The firework that shook a community...

April 15th began with excitement for me as I was ready to watch the Boston Marathon on and off as I cared for my 2 year old. I kept the live event streaming on my computer so I could pass by and see what was happening. I imagined all those runners from my running community on Facebook that I have come to know and now call friends. We all cheer each other on. I have found we are friends as soon as we recognize one another's love for a sport that is about will and determination. 

I watched and my heart skipped beats as I saw faster runners crossing that line. I thought to myself if I could possibly ever get there. Each runner that passed lit a fire in my heart. I began to flirt with the idea that maybe after several years of hard work, I might get there one day. Runners crossed the line with a smile and I cheered for each one. Each of them inspired me.

What was exhilaration and joy turned into despair and fear. Two blasts that brought me to tears and stole my breath and made my heart feel as if it had sunk to the floor. I prayed for the hurt. I prayed for those still out there. I prayed for all the runners that were achieving a dream and had worked years or months towards this one moment to have it taken from them by cowards. My son walked into the room and said "Look Mami, firework, big firework". Tears in my eyes, I turned him away and said "If only my sweet boy, if only that was what it was". These are words I will never forget. In my head, the bombs became the firework that shook our running community. It shook but it didn't break. 

One day later, I think how foolish of these cowards to attack our running community. How ignorant to attack a people that are one. Running is a sport where the human spirit prevails, where your heart takes you further than your mind ever dreamed of. It is a sport about camaraderie where you belong no matter how slow or fast you may go. A sport that does not have any violence in it but is built on the sweat, tears and hours of hard work of each individual. On the line to start a race, all those hundreds or thousands of individuals become one. The runners become one.  They are one mass, one wave flowing together, moving forward, one step at a time. And in that same manner, this one community built by thousands who run together, will continue striving forward, moving together, one step at a time, growing stronger and more united.

I am proud to be a runner.    

The secret nod of runners

Does running make a person happier? I had heard this before from runners and I often thought to myself, B.S. I dismissed them as some sort of secret cult. They all waved at each other and what I couldn't understand for the life of me, was the secret nod with the smirk. You see them as early as 5 in the morning, the runners passing each other down streets or bridges, all nodding at each other with that tiny smirk on the side of their lips. As I drove to work on some days I saw them, happy, running, nodding and even waving as early as 5 in the morning and I would think they were crazy to be running that early instead of sleeping... I used to think like that.

So what changed? I became one of them. I started walking, then jogging, then running, then racing and then I became a happier version of me. Runners are unique. They all support each other and there's an instant openness about topics you normally wouldn't discuss with others in an open forum. You can talk about puking, diarrhea, chafing in the worst areas, your ugly feet, your bruised ego, your strengths, your weaknesses and in return, you will receive advice, support, and a high five in person or via a virtual network. All runners want other runners to do better. It doesn't matter if you are slower or faster, because the fun is in reaching new goals and pushing yourself farther. You run against yourself and if you are one of those elite runners, well then you compete against others and you are naturally talented and everyone roots for you. 

For the most part, people like myself that are not professionals, run against their own best time so in turn you end up improving yourself. Every time you go one mile farther, you smile and you come across that feeling of satisfaction over and over again - and within this, lies happiness. So yes, running makes you happy. The pursuit of new goals and the attainment of them brings joy. The peace you get from a long run, the camaraderie of sharing some journeys with your running friends, the hard work and dedication that is required, the strength you need to work on to reach those long distances, the weeks of training that go into a race, the months of working towards that long distance, the sacrifices, the running in all sorts of weather, the pain, the recovery, the pushing harder, the crushing of your PR's and the rush of satisfaction knowing you did it... Runners get this and that's the secret nod. 

We nod because we recognize each other at 5am or at 5pm, and we nod because we're symbolically patting each other on the back and saying "GOOD JOB, keep it up!".

Disney and newly found strengths of having runner's legs!

A little less than 2 months ago, I ran my first half marathon - the Disney Princess Half Marathon. This past week-end, I returned with the children and husband to enjoy the last few days of my daughter's Spring Break. I use the term "enjoy" loosely as everyone knows a visit to Disney is both fun and stressful to say the least. The last time I was there I had gone to the expo and then ran my heart out but hadn't really done the whole visiting Disney thing. I was on a racing mission but this time it was all about family fun but I found a few more things I love about running - as if I needed more!

MY RUNNING LEGS ARE AWESOME! - Running gives your legs strength and on this visit to Disney, I realized what some of my new strengths were and I made a top ten list.

1. Running legs give you the ability to squat at any disgusting bathroom for any period of time. This comes in handy when you need to help your child go to the bathroom then you need to go yourself. No shaking here!
2. During violent squalls of rainfall, running legs allow you to zoom through the park at a 10:00 pace beating all those other non-running tourists to the bus - suckers!
3. When running through the park and rain, running legs go faster as you hear your 2 year old laughing and screaming "GO GO GO MOMMY". Oh, and we were not in a jogger, but a full fledged, huge, regular stroller... Running legs don't discriminate. They take you fast with or without a jogger.
4. Running legs teach you that Epcot is actually not that big! Epcot seemed huge before but the World Showcase is about 1.2 miles around. Any runner knows, this is NOT a long distance. I know this now. 
5. Running legs wake up in the morning and feel no pain. Not one bit of soreness. Running legs are trained to run miles at a time and miles spread out over a few days are no match for running legs. Feet on the other hand are not as happy. Kudos to all ultra marathoners on their long training runs. Maybe one day... 
6. Running legs are faster than your children. That's right, when your children pull free from you and take off at a mad dash, running legs strut their stuff and catch those little suckers, um, I mean angels, before they even realize they were caught. That's right, I'm FASTER than you guys!  
7. Running legs can stand in line carrying a 40lb child for over 30 minutes, and they don't get tired.
8. Running legs can walk up any hill, set of stairs or incline without you huffing and puffing at the top.
9. Running legs make you feel like going for a run before going to the park - yeah, running legs give you that much strength!
10. The obvious - running legs look damn good in shorts!

Disney was a blast but this mommy needs to finish training for her next half marathon in 2 weeks so I'm off with the jogger and my awesome running legs! 

I will never eat salmon again... before a run!

Every runner has done something stupid. We all have. We forgot to pee for a 5th time before leaving the house. Some had too much coffee before a run while others forgot to hydrate. I've heard of runners wearing a new pair of shoes for a longer run and others forgot their tech socks. I'm new to running and have learned from all the dont's. I've listened and tried to not commit the same mistakes. Today my turn was up - I learned my own DON'T!

And this is it:  DO NOT EAT SALMON CLOSE TO A RUN. NEVER, EVER, EVER!!!

A crazy day began with the usual chores for a mom. Kids screaming, washing clothes, picking up medicines and then picking up my mom for some quality time. I took my mom to my house so she could have some time with the kids. It was a beautiful day in Miami. A cold front came through and the weather was a divine 64 degrees and sunny. I think to myself, mom is here. I can go for a quick run when the baby naps. YES!

I had planned on making salmon for lunch but as it usually goes with errands, I ran behind on time. This is where stupidity strikes as hard as it can and as I look at the time, I think, "I can bake it in time for lunch and I'll go for my run after". Common sense should have made me run first then eat after. I baked the salmon and I will say, it was delicious. Herb crusted rosemary salmon with lemon and capers. We eat. Stupidity seems to grow with confidence once you let it in because I thought it was fine to run 30 minutes after having lunch. I put the baby to sleep, put my running shoes on, kiss my mom and off I go.

Stupidity gets even stronger as it turns out. I go out the door and decide to run a hard 5 miles. Let me sum it up:

Mile 1, done. 

Mile 2, hmmmmmm, I feel like someone is standing on my chest. That's odd. (You would think I would realize at this point that the salmon is making it's way upstream.)

Mile 2.5, I wonder if I am going to pass out. Maybe I can never run again. My time for running is up. I'm so sad. I've been running for a year and now it's going to be taken from me. (Paranoia/anxiety sets in because I have fallen in love with running so I am always worried something will happen to me and I can't run anymore.)

Mile 3, I can't believe I am going to pass out. Let me walk. Oh God, ok, now I have to puke. I hate puking. I hate puking more than passing out. Maybe I can pass out. "Please salmon, don't make me puke... (I'm obviously not in a good state of mind when I begin to bargain with salmon I ate.) 

Mile 3.1, Ok, these stomach cramps are not normal. They can't be. Perhaps it's gall stones! Or worse, my appendix ruptured. I need a hospital. I slow down to an almost crawl...

Mile 3.2, The gagging begins and now I'm angry. That f***ing salmon did me in. It's the salmon. I hate salmon. Stupid fish.

Mile 3.3, This has got to be food poisoning. I'm suing Publix after I get out of the hospital. I must be dying.

Mile 3.4, 1/10 of a mile is soooooooooooooo far. I should never eat again. I'm never eating salmon again. 

Mile 3.5, Dear God, please, please, please let me get home. It's right around that corner... If I could just get there... I wonder if I have to cancel my half marathon next month. I will probably never be able to run again. This is it. My running career cut short by a damn piece of fish. (I'm obviously not thinking clearly at this point.)

Mile 3.6, I see my house. It's right there. I need to puke. I'm so close. It's nice to puke at home although puking in this crisp air might be nice. I've never puked in cold air. Runners puke all the time. Perhaps today can be my inauguration. I hate puking. I'm not letting that freaking salmon win. Damn salmon. Damn me, why did I run 30 minutes after eating salmon. That damn salmon. Stupid damn salmon.

Mile 3.7, crawl into house. Crawl to bathroom floor. Lay in fetal position. Regroup. I will run again. I will.  

30 minutes and a cold shower later, I felt fine. I realized what I had done. I called my husband and had a real good laugh about it, but the lesson was learned - NEVER run right after eating salmon!

1000 Mile Challenge for 2013

Let me give some ammunition to all those individuals around me that think I have lost my sanity. I just signed up for a 1000 mile challenge for 2013!

I came across a friend of mine's status on facebook stating she was taking the 1000 mile challenge. It's a challenge to complete 1000 miles in one year. I did some poking around and found a great website that you can use to track this goal and of course, I signed up. I have many races coming up this year and my first full marathon so I will be in my running shoes often and thought I should add this goal since I will be putting in a lot of mileage. Wish me luck!

You can track my progress at: http://www.1000milechallenge.com/mommyathlon

Florida Storm Series

Now that I have fallen for running and decided that what I once disliked, I now love, I wanted to challenge myself and set new goals for this year.  I'm registered for various races but this series in particular caught my attention.  The medals also caught my eye.  The Florida Storm Series is a series of 5 marathons.  Once you complete the 3rd, 4th and 5th race, you get an additional medal.  Everyone knows I like getting the medal but it was the "series" that reeled me in.  I like committing to something and then working towards it.  So this year, these are 5 of the races I will be doing along with some other interesting things that I will write about later. 

So, Storm Series here I come!  I am officially registered for all 5 races.  When I mentioned in my other post that I had registered for a full, it is for the Palm Beaches race that will be my second race of this series.  I'm going to seriously train for that one beginning in July.  I'm EXCITED! 

1) Allstate Fort Lauderdale 13.1 Marathon - Nov 10, 2013 

2) Palm Beaches Marathon (full or half) - Dec 8, 2013

3) ING Miami Marathon or Half Marathon - Feb 2, 2014

4) Allstate Miami Beach 13.1 Marathon - Mar 2, 2014

5) First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon & Relay - Mar 16, 2014