Monkey See, Monkey Do

Just when you think they're not watching...

They ride in your double jogging stroller, thinking that you are doing this for fun!

And they wind up deciding to push their older (and heavier) brother around the driveway over and over and over again!

It reminds me of the song "Oh, be careful little eyes."  Your children are always watching you and imitating you, even when you least expect it (like above).  If they see you running, they will run.  If they see you eating healthy foods, they will eat healthy foods.  If you see you pushing a double stroller, they, too, will want to push someone as they are running! 

That little four year old pushing more than her weight as she runs?  I love her. 

And, just for today, I feel like I am showing her the right example for her little feet to follow.

"High Tech" 5 Mile Pace Run

4 5 Mile Pace Run Friday, September 23, 2011

I was scheduled to run a 4 mile pace run this morning.  I've had a slight cold the last two days (it's normal for a preschool teacher to get many of these throughout the year!), but I wasn't congested this morning.  I was interested to see how I would do with the marathon pace run with such a light week of running since I am in the taper now.  I struggled with these during my high-mileage weeks. 

Well, I can see why Hal gives us this little run during taper time!  It is for our confidence!  My legs felt so fresh that the miles were very easy for me.  I was able to use only one mile as a warm up, whereas before on my solo dark runs I've taken up to four miles to get warmed up.  This run gave me some confidence about my pace for race day.  You can see below that, even with the 8:04 first mile as my warm up mile, my overall pace was still a 7:27. 

Oh, and the "high tech" picture below is courtesy of my husband. When I told him that I'd seen a Garmin screen like this on another blog, he was able to make one for me in no time!  Very fancy!  Thanks, Rick!  I like this much more than having to recopy everything!

Your Take-Away Message

I promised you tips and strategies for your mental preparations for race day.  My take-away for you on this run is two-fold:

* Completing short, on pace runs like this during your taper is a big confidence booster.  It helps you feel the pace and maintain it for a short amount of time, leaving you knowing that you could easily do more.  This is just what you should be thinking about in this stage of the game.

*From my run, you can see that starting slower than pace should not be a reason to be concerned race day.  This is something that I was shocked to notice today.  I thought I would just not count that first mile towards my marathon-paced miles since it was so much slower than I needed it to be.  But look at the change that was made in just 4 more miles!  The 8:04 did not "mess things up" for me.  I tend to think in terms of black and white-- it's either on pace or it's not.  Well, you can make up the difference!  In addition, if you start fast like I tend to, hitting some slower miles at the end isn't going to kill your time either.  I remember someone being shocked that I could have almost two 11 minute miles in St. Louis and still finish in 3:35.  It's all about overall pace.  Don't sweat on off-pace mile or two.  Just focus on the one you're on!

Blast From the Past! (2 Years Ago Today!)

I keep a family blog, and I happened to find this entry today as I was reminiscing.  Two years ago today, Rick and I were in Hawaii running the Maui Marathon.  Here was my race report:

Before leaving the hotel race morning

Map and medal

Maui Marathon, Sunday, September 20, 2009


The marathon has been a dream of ours since we honeymooned in Hawaii five years ago.  We wanted to do a marathon then, but we went in July (and wanted a summer wedding since I was teaching and was off all summer) and there were no marathons then.  So we hatched the idea to return to Hawaii at five years and to run a marathon then.  Well, Maui's came up as a possibility but the only problem was that we would have to train all through the hot summers of Alabama.  We faced lots of lone runs (we used to do most of our long runs together), downpours (yes, I ran through a horrible downpour since it was the only free time for me to do it), running while moving to the townhouse, very hot weather (90 degrees), stomach cramps (we were both unaccustomed to these---had to do with the strange hours we ended up running, I guess), hiring a sitter so we could run together at times, and dark runs (that was me, and it was scary! I was at Edgewater near the lake on the apartment side).  But three 20-mile runs and 16 weeks of training later, we were definitely ready.  Our only marathon since the kids had been born was Wisconsin last May, so we were eager to get back into marathoning.  Hawaii was our 13th state in our 50-state marathon goal.

The expo is usually a really big event with lots of vendors selling running clothes and other equipment.  The Maui expo (held on Friday, September 18) was actually pretty small and only had the vendor selling the Maui marathon wear.  We were hoping to buy some Sportsbeans there, but there weren't any.  It was also strange to not have chip timing (so, knock off a little time--maybe 10 or 20 seconds? from our start time since we were obviously not toeing the line at the start!).  There was a big table with information written in Japanese, which makes sense since we later learned that, out of 3,000 runners in the 5K, 1/2, and full marathon, 500 of those were from Japan (and over 100 from Canada).  It was neat to hear translations at the carbo luau and the start line done in Japanese.  Just all in all a different feeling than most of the other expos. 

We headed over to the carbo loading luau after getting our race packets. It was at the Maui's Westin hotel, which was landscaped very nicely.  There was even a huge waterfall with flamingos in the lobby!  I really was looking forward to this meal since it got great reviews.  It was really good!  I had salad, pasta, garlic bread, and beer, and it was all-you-can-eat, so we had 2 plates! And while we were eating, there was luau-type entertainment but on a smaller scale.  There was some music and some younger performers (elementary and junior-high age).  I really liked the younger kids and thought those little girls looked so cute dancing the hula!  It was peaceful watching the sun set on the beach behind the stage, but we had a long drive so we headed back pretty soon after sunset.

Sunday, Race Day

We woke up at 3 a.m. to get ready for the race and to drive to the start line.  It was at a mall, so we parked near the Macy's and headed for the start line.  It was weird being at a race in the pitch-black, and it actually didn't get light until a few miles into the race.  It was hard to see the ground for little bit, making running a little scary.  Many of the Japanese runners had flowers and skirts on as a costume and had their legs all taped up with what looked like painter's tape.  There was a fire-dancer for some pre-race entertainment (also a first for us!).  The race started at 5:30 a.m.  Don't think that it was cool though, since both Rick and I were drenched in sweat a couple of miles into the race.  That is unusual for us, and I later learned that the weather in Hawaii has been a bit hotter than normal lately (highs in 80's but maybe more humidity?). 

We split up in the beginning, and I ended up finding a couple of guys to chat with to pass the time.  One was a guy who had just gotten married ("mauied") in Maui on the beach.  He had run all 5o states and had some good information for Rick and me about "doubling up" states (running a race in one state on a Saturday, and another state on a Sunday).  He had proposed to his wife in the New York City marathon near the finish line of his 50th state.  Pretty neat story.  Another guy I met, Phil McGain, is a world-champion windsurfer who lives in Maui.  He just completed his first Ironman and was trying to get sub-4 hours for this race, so I thought pacing with him was a good idea. Usually the runners I meet aren't such serious athletes, which is another unusual thing about this race. 

Near the fourth or fifth mile, the sun was beginning to rise, and I had fallen into sub-9 minute miles (our goal was 9-minute miles).  I thought I was starting a little too fast (I usually get excited at the beginning and regret it later), but I ended up with almost equal splits since the first two miles were crowded and really slow (near 10 minutes each).  I really liked having the ocean to my left, but I didn't like the traffic to my right.  We also did a big amount of rolling hills in the beginning.  The aid along the course was pretty good, but their sports drink tasted weird (I thought it tasted like tea but Rick said it was bubblegum).  Anyway, it was clear and very watered down, and the only sports "gu's" I could find were warm raspberry (yuck!), but I took them since we never did find any Sportsbeans to buy and I knew I needed the energy.  I liked the cold, wet sponges that they handed out.  They felt wonderful!  And I was drinking and pouring two cups of water at every aid station (I never stopped so I kind of poured and drank at the same time). 

I ran a bit with Rick, but then we got separated and I ended up doing most of the end alone.  I loved running through one area with shops and music playing and just felt very lucky to be out there running.  Around mile 20 or so, I started to feel tired (not a good sign), but I really pressed on since I wanted to break 4-hours.  The last few miles were very tough.  There weren't a whole lot of spectators or entertainment, and it was very sunny and flat.  Finally, I saw the end of the race but it took forever to get up the the finish line from there!  My time was 3:53:56, 8:55-minute per mile pace.  My calves were killing me when I stopped (got a medal and a lei). 

Rick ended up with a time of 4:08:45.  We had to wait over an hour for a bus, and luckily, we had brought enough money to ride it (over an hour back to our car at the start line).  We both thought it was $1 total per person, but we brought $2 per person (we each carried $2 in case the other set of money got lost) so we had just enough!  I gulped down a couple of Tylenol at the hotel which helped a lot, as did our walking and hiking the next day.  One purple toenail, but no blisters!  A very fun and memorable race!

From the Marathon Website (better description of places than I could give!):

The Maui Marathon is a Point-to-point, from Kahului to Kaanapali on the island of Maui. This 26.2-mile course is recognized as one of the ten most scenic marathons in the USA as well as the oldest consecutive running marathon in Hawaii. A major portion of the course runs within 50 feet of the Pacific Ocean. The Maui Half Marathon is an Out-and-back from Whalers Village in Kaanapali Resort. This flat and fast course passes through Lahaina Town tracing the final 6.55 miles of the marathon course, turns around at Launiupoko Park and returns to Kaanapali Resort following the same route.

Our official results:

119 Katie Maehlmann #845 30 - 34 F Madison, AL 3:53:56 08:55

184 Rick Maehlmann #846 30 - 34 Madison, AL 4:08:45 09:29

Marathon Pace Run and Last 20 Miler

I finished my most intense week of marathon training yesterday.  This was a 61 mile week for me (10 miles Monday, 5 Tuesday, 9 Wednesday, 6 Thursday, 10 Friday, and 21 Saturday).  I survived Hal's Advanced 1 marathon program!  Well, I am in the taper phase now, so I have survived the toughest parts!  This is a reason to celebrate.  The old Katie never would have run a speed workout, a marathon pace 10 mile run, and a long run all within 4 days.  I think this program has made me tougher.  The last miles of my long run felt the best of the week! 

10 Marathon Pace Run Friday, September 16, 2011

Splits: 9:00, 8:28, 8:14, 8:11, 7:56, 8:07, 7:40, 7:27*, 7:24, 7:15
Average Pace: 7:59

This run went okay for me.  I felt a little tired from the speed workout on Wednesday.  Like I said, I do better with more rest in between hard runs, but I was willing to give it a try.  I ran this workout in the dark in 10 loops around my neighborhood.  I hate running in the dark with no music, so the first few miles were hard.  Mile 7 is noted, since it was where I finally hit marathon pace.  Once I hit it, it was easy to maintain.  When I told Rick that, he said in a marathon that would be perfect and just the right time to be warmed up.  Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough to get my overall pace down today.  And I still don't think I will repeat this approach race day.  I prefer starting fast! 

20 21 Miler (Last in a Series of 3) Saturday, September 17, 2011
Splits: 9:44, 9:30, 9:12, 9:27, 8:50, 8:50, 8:57, 8:52, 8:49, 8:52, 8:31, 8:42, 8:47, 8:41, 8:43, 8:45, 8:41, 8:22, 8:11, 8:10, 7:51
Average Pace: 8:47

NOTE: see my first 20 miler for Chicago (week of 8/15, average pace 9:37) here and second one (week of 8/29, average pace 8:59) here for comparisons.

This run was good for my confidence.  I was aiming for a sub 9-minute mile overall pace.  This would be a pace that was roughly 90 seconds slower than my marathon pace goal.  It is recommended that your long runs fall 45-90 seconds slower than marathon pace.  I can actually do mine 2 minutes or more slower and be fine, but I figured I would aim to complete this run closer to my marathon pace if I possibly could.  Also, I added the extra mile since, due to a miscalculation, I thought I needed it to get to 60 miles this week.  Oops! 

The first mile was the toughest mile I have run all week!  I was very tight and sore.  I took about 4 miles to warm up, then hit all of the rest at my goal pace or faster.  The weather was great (low 60s), my hydration was perfect (water and nuun), and my music was a nice distraction.  My pace on Saturday was the best of the 3 long runs that I've done, but it was also in the hardest week in terms of workouts and overall mileage. 

I am taking a much needed rest day today.  I am planning a few posts on my favorite part of training--the mental component.  If you are wanting to improve your focus for race day, these posts are for you!

Last Track Workout in a Series of 4

I have now attempted four track workouts in preparation for the Chicago marathon.  I described the first three in previous blog entries:
(1) 5x800s the week of 7/11 here, (2) 6x800s the week of 8/1 here, and (3) 7x800s the week of 8/22 here.

I've come a long way since my first set, when I wrote, "When I got home, I looked up my splits on my watch and averaged them to a 3:15---3:25, 3:08, 3:11, 3:14, 3:19."  I was all over the place, just trying to figure out how fast to be going.  I was a newbie for sure!

Though my second workout went okay, my third went pretty badly, as seen here:
"3:26, 3:27, 3:20, 3:22, 3:17, 3:26, ? (forgot to hit stop)

My legs just felt off today. My right leg wanted to limp a little (something in my lower calf?). My left leg felt a little weak and burned for some of the repeats. I just felt like I couldn't kick it into the right gear. I sucked it up and ran them anyway, too stubborn to miss a key speed workout, getting madder at myself with each repeat."   I feel foolish for even attempting that workout when I was in so much pain.  It is obvious that I needed rest that day and not a tough workout.  Hindsight is 20/20!

Today's Speedwork 8x800s September 14, 2011

So today's workout really could have gone either way, but I was hoping that it would go well!  It is the longest of the sets of repeats, and it is the one that will remain freshest in my mind on race day.  Fortunately, I was able to reap the benefits of a nice cool start (in the 60s).  My friend, Sarah, agreed to come to the track too, and it was great to have the company.
 
My splits were: 3:07, 3:09, 3:12, 3:11, 3:11, 3:14, 3:08, and 3:08.
 
I was very pleased with my times, but I still struggled with feeling like a klutz out there.  My earpieces kept popping out of my ears during the laps.  Then one of them quit working, so I just turned my music off and took them out.  It was much harder to run without the distraction.  Case in point, my slowest lap was my first lap without the music (the 3:14).  I also found it hard to keep my effort consistent over the entire distance.  I would surge and then run slower, surge and then run slower throughout each 800.  My rest laps (one rest lap in between two laps of hard running) were a clumsy mixture of panting, shuffling, and chugging some water and nuun.  
 
My average was 3:10, well under my target average of 3:15, but, more importantly, I kept them within 7 seconds of each other--unlike the 17 second difference in my first speed workout.  I have gotten a more consistent pace for the 800s as the weeks go on.  Also, I was able to hold roughly the same pace over more repeats.
 
Conclusion
 
I am new to speedwork in training, but I wanted to try it this year in preparation for Chicago.  Of the three types of speedwork (hill, tempo, and track), the track workouts are the ones I initially enjoyed the least and did the most poorly.  I didn't know how to maintain a consistent pace or even what pace to aim for!  I have seen improvements in my ability to hold a consistent pace and have grown to somewhat enjoy the feeling of pushing myself during training to help me achieve my end goal (the 3:15 at Chicago).  I am interested to see the benefits on race day.  Will I feel stronger at the end?  Only time will tell.

If you have never done track workouts and want to improve your times, I urge you to give them a try.  While I said that I feel like a klutz out there, believe me, no one cares!  I had to get over feeling self conscious, and besides there is usually only at most three other people out there in the morning!  Remember that my first time out there was a big learning experience for me too.  If you stick with it, they will get easier.  By sharing my experience, I hope you will be encouraged to give it a try too!

9-11-01 and 9-12-11

On September 11, 2001, I was teaching fifth grade in my hometown of Madison, Alabama.  I remember the teacher next door came over in the morning and told me that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center.  Over the course of the day, we came to hear more through the internet.  The fifth grade teachers met and chose not to tell the children.  We wanted them to be able to go home and hear the news from their parents instead.  And of course, it was still unfolding into the afternoon.  It was such a confusing and frightening day. 

Like many other runners, I found my solace in my afternoon run.  I had no husband or children at the time to go home to; it was just me and my little apartment.  I remember listening to my local radio station as I ran, trying to sort things out in my mind.  I heard a song that had been mixed together with some people talking about what had happened that day.  I can't remember the song, but I remember that someone in the song said, "There are children going to sleep without their parents tonight."  I remember thinking about that and about the footage I had seen of people who were jumping out of the twin towers in utter desperation.  I just lost it, and I was crying behind my sunglasses for the rest of my run.  I couldn't begin to imagine the pain that so many endured that day and the loss that some would feel for a long, long time.

In a gesture that seems so piddly, I dressed in red, white, and blue at school on Friday and had the children in their patriotic best on Friday at school and Sunday at church.  I hung a flag outside.  I was surprised not to see more people doing the same.  I don't ever want the sacrifices that were made that day to ever be forgotten.  My running friends and I had a great conversation about the bravery of the 9-11 firefighters on our run today.  It's conversations like that one that will keep the memories alive.  I was even able to share a simplified version of the events with my five year old.  As I talked, I wondered if he felt sadness, appreciation, patriotism, or what?    

************************************************************************************

Today is September 12, 2011.  I face a very different issue today (one that seems rather pale in comparison...but still).  I've been on this page a couple of times today.  I have a 3:18:05 BQ this year.  I am able to register today for the Boston Marathon along with others who have a time 20 minutes or greater than their qualifying time (my qualifying time is a 3:40 this year).  What a rare opportunity!  But I am waiting until my husband can register on September 19, so we can see if we can both get in.  It would not be the same experience without him, nor can we afford two trips up there (I contemplated running it last year since Rick didn't have a BQ yet and I thought that might be my only opportunity.  Then I didn't get in since registration filled so quickly.  Do you think things like that happen for a reason?).  I know that waiting--and hoping we can both get in-- is the right thing to do.  I just somehow feel like I'm wasting an opportunity.  It's one of those days when I wish I had a crystal ball to see into the future to help me decide what to do.  I like this post by Dorothy about how you can never take a BQ away from someone.  I know I will always have the BQ, no matter if I get to run the race or not.

13 Miles at Marathon Pace

So, it's time to get down to business.  No more messing around, skipping runs (yes, I skipped a tempo run this week), and going slower just because it's easier.  I officially have less than a month to get trained for Chicago.  I was telling myself all of these things as I headed out for my 12 miler yesterday.

I pushed myself and actually covered a whole extra mile!  Even though my left shin's been a little sore lately, I pushed it out there and tried to get to marathon pace.  This is something I should have been doing earlier in training (my program calls for a marathon pace run every other week).  My music died early on, but I preferred just focusing my mind anyway.  A really good distraction at the end was when I pretended I was at 3:14 in Chicago and that I could see the finish line.  It helped me to sprint and get a 7:00 mile at the end of my run.  I felt strong at the finish. 

1 8:25
2 7:57
3 7:57
4 7:58
5 7:37
6 7:33
7 7:30
8 7:44
9 7:44
10 7:25
11 7:27
12 7:09
13 7:00
.01 5:48
Overall pace 7:39

Notice that I finally hit pace at mile 10 (actually 2 seconds faster than pace).  This is opposite from my approach to marathons, when I start fast (under my pace) and then slow down.  Also, mile 11 was exactly on pace--a 7:27.  It felt nice and not hard to maintain once I got there.

Today was a rest day and a day to reflect on 9-11.  I hope to do a post later this week about my memories from that day.

Comparisons

The secret to success=and then some

I was sitting in my church on Sunday, and this point just struck me as if the pastor was speaking only to me.  I suppose since the sermon title was "How to Get the Most Out of Every Day," it really does apply to all of us.  In fact, I wonder about people who can hear a sermon about making the most of your life and then get up and go about their day as if nothing at all matters.  It all matters.  

But before I go off on a tangent, I want to get back to the message above.  The secret to success is to do what you are required and then some.  I have been really struggling with this mindset as it relates to running and training.  It is very easy to run just one more mile in a daily run or to add just one more run to your week.  Mostly, I think the majority of people could benefit from doing these things!  But I struggle with taking things too far.  In this post, I talk about my struggle with anorexia.  It began with the exact same approach.  If I can eat just this much today, what if I can restrict my eating just as much tomorrow and then some?  It was a dangerous, slippery slope.

I lay awake each morning as Rick gets ready for his runs.  Today it was 3:30 a.m. when his alarm went off.  Tuesday it was 4:00 a.m.  I compare it to the "measly" 4:45 time that my alarm is set for on the days I run.  "And then some!"  this little voice inside me whispers.  Rick is running Chicago next month too, and he is aiming for a time only 5 minutes above my goal (a 3:10 to my 3:15).  His training program is from Advanced Marathoning, a book that has him running 70 mile weeks with marathon pace long runs.  Mine has 50+ mile weeks and slow and easy long runs.  "And then some,"  I think each time I compare our training.  Doubt in myself has the ability to cripple me if I will let it, if I let his training affect how I feel about mine.  We are all different.  We are beautiful creatures created by a wonderful and loving God.  Our abilities are different.  Just for today, I am not going to let these comparisons weigh me down. 

Just for today, I am enough.  The talents and strengths He's given me are enough---and then some.

Running With the Strollers in Rush Hour and Rain

I ran a couple of times with the strollers and thought I'd share the "highlights."

Double Stroller

One morning while Rick was out of town last week, I had the craziest idea to get to the preschool an hour early and run for an hour before dropping my son off in his class (my son goes to class everyday, but my daughter and I go only MWF).  I arrived in the parking lot last Thursday a couple of minutes after 8:00 a.m. and set about getting the stroller out of the trunk, getting everyone's breakfasts and drinks, and buckling my two kids into the stroller.  This was before our cold front hit us this weekend (BRRR!!!), so it was a hot day, and I was already sweating before I started my run! 

Though this was the same exact route I do with my group at 5 a.m., it looked nothing like it just 3 hours later than usual.  I ran on sidewalks, mostly near a two-lane road.  Traffic was at a standstill near our local high school, meaning that people were stopped in their cars and turning to look at us as we passed.  Normally I don't mind if I see a friend or two as I'm pushing the double stroller and I actually hope that I pass a few strangers and inspire them a bit, but passing so many people and feeling a little like a circus act just wasn't what I had set out to do today.  I racked my brain for a route that didn't involve main roads or hills, and there just wasn't one!  So I continued on, trying to ignore the stares!  I passed the high school and saw that some boy had posted a large sign asking "Kathryn" to the homecoming dance.  I am a Kathryn too, and I smiled at the sweet gesture and pictured her response.  The best part of the run was the side street near our local library.  My daughter needed me to get the seeds out of her apple, so I was able to stop in the middle of this sunny run to eat a couple cool, juicy bites of apple.  Heavenly!  Made me wish I could carry an apple whenever I run! 

I stopped my run short that day, not wanting my son to be late for school and (rightly) assuming that putting the stroller away and changing into a not-sweaty shirt would take a couple of extra minutes.  I got about 5 miles in, and I learned that I don't like running in rush hour traffic!

Single Stroller

Tuesday I ran in the misty rain with my daughter in the single stroller.

The rain started on Sunday and did not stop until Monday afternoon.  So my friends and I did not run together on Monday as usual.  On Tuesday I awoke to a slow, misty, cold, and windy rain.  But my single stroller has a really nice rain shield that we bought when we only had one baby.  At the time, it was a new stroller with all of the accessories--rain shield, bug shield, and winter boot!  We were prepared for sure!  Then our daughter was born, and the single stroller didn't get much use.  I am so glad to have all of the accessories for my runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year!

Here is my daughter happy to be dry as we begin our run today.

Using the little-used rain shield with the single stroller

Well, let me tell you, running in the rain is not all that bad!  It was a chilly day (50s), so I was actually a little cold for the first time in awhile!  I did have to dodge puddles since we've had 5 inches of rain over the past couple of days.  So my feet were soggy and I needed my second shower of the day before 10:30 a.m. (and I had to make it a quick one to get my daughter to dance by 11!), but I was able to get my run in for the day.  Ahhhhhhhh!

Monte Sano 10K

The Monte Sano 10k and 5K were this Saturday, September 3.  My in-laws were in town, so Rick and I were able to drive up alone to the race and then were both able to run the 10K.  This race is super family-friendly, though, since the 10K and 5K start separately.  Last year, Rick ran the 10K and I watched the kids, and then I ran the 5K and he watched the kids. 

On Saturday I ran a mile or so to warm up and then about 6 miles with Rick to "cool down" (Rick's idea of a cool down is NOT my idea of a cool down!!!!), so I totaled around 13 miles for the day.  My time in the 10K was 43:19, or a 6:59 pace.  I took home 2nd OAF and won a lunch bag.  The course is loose gravel in places and is a 5K loop run twice.  Add in the hills and a turnaround (run twice), and it's a pretty difficult course.  See our team captain Eric's summary of the course here. 

It took some hunting and thinking to get a sense of whether it was a good time for me and for this course.  In my past results, I got a 43:35 back in 2004 and also was 2nd OAF--pretty close times!  Most recently, I ran the 10K here in 2009 and got a 45:05.  These results show me that I am now back to my times before kids in this race and that I have greatly improved since 2009!  This year I have gotten down to my old 5K and marathon times, but I've struggled with my 10K times.  My searches show that I am getting there, even though this time is not close to my old 10K PR (If you click on the link above, you will see Eric's quote that, "The old saying is that if your 10k personal best is on this course, you haven't run many 10ks!"). 

This race is a great way to see your friends as they run the race (no matter what pace they are going, with this course you will see almost everyone at least once!).  We all enjoyed cheering for each other as we passed familiar faces.  It was really a great distraction!

I am front and center in this picture.  To my right are fellow FF elite team members Kathy Youngren and Candace Jacobs (in front).
Photo by Gregg Gelmis

Monte Sano 10K 2011
Photo by Gregg Gelmis

Splits:
1 6:40
2 6:56
3 6:51
4 7:06
5 7:16
6 7:04
.2 1:25

43:19 (6:59 pace)
20th OA
2nd OAF