Race Recap: Disney's Avenger's Half Marathon

What a whirlwind weekend! I flew out to California Saturday morning for Disney's Avenger's Half Marathon and flew back to Chicago Sunday afternoon. I will admit that I had certain expectations of the race because I have done a Disney race before in Disney World. Well, I get to Anaheim and I'm immediately thrown off guard because the parks are located in the city. Of course, it's located in a city and Disney World is also located in a city, buy Disneyland isn't on a massive compound like Disney World. Disney World feels like it's own city and, once you enter Disney World grounds, you forget that anything else exists. Disneyland, on the other hand, doesn't have this feel and, to me, it felt like a regular theme park (it reminded me of Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL) that was put in the middle of a bustling city.

Then, I went to expo and that too threw me off because I was expecting a bigger expo, like the ones I've been to at Disney World. Don't get me wrong, they had everything a person could want out of an expo, but expo is like my playground and I love spending as much time there as possible and I was done with this expo after about half an hour.

One of the things Disneyland has over Disney World is the proximity of everything. That's the perk of being a smaller park! From the expo, which was held at a Disney hotel, I walked through Downtown Disney and straight to the parks. There is one common area that has the entrances to both parks, California Adventure and Disneyland, and this is really convenient for moving between parks, which I did.

Let me tell you, it was nice going through the parks alone and going through the lines fast as a single rider. I went on a few rides, but mostly I just walked around and enjoyed my mini vacation. What really wowed me about the parks was the "It's A Small World" ride. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it was lit up and decorated. Seriously, mind-blowingly beautiful.

Now, on to the race. I'm glad to report that Disney races universally suck with their start time and my first alarm was set for 3:00am for a 5:30am start time. The race itself was ok and, after mile three, felt like a "regular" race. I say this because the first three miles are on Disney grounds and through the parks. After that, you run through Anaheim and Angels stadium and there are no more characters for photos. I know that not everyone does these races to stop and take pictures, but for me, stopping for pictures is part of the fun and part of what helps me get through the distance. I will say that there were a slew of superhero characters between miles 6 and 7 and military characters (where any of them real?) around mile 9, but they didn't feel like official Disney photo ops.

The wind. If you were at the race or spoke to people who ran the race, you know that the wind was no joke that day. If you haven't heard about it, then let me tell you. The weather was perfect for running in the beginning and was in 60s when the race started for me. About an hour into the race it got really windy. As in, I thought I was going to get blown away by the wind windy. Once the wind started, it seemed like it never ended and the entire time we were running against the wind. The wind was so strong that it even knocked down mile markers along the course. That definitely made for an interesting run! The reunion area was closed off because the wind was knocking things down so everyone was asked to leave as soon as they exited the finisher's area.

Finishing felt great and finishing always feels great. This race marked half marathon #15 for me and my first time traveling to another state for a race. I can see how taking "racecations" can become addictive!

 

What I liked:

• The race shirt is long sleeve and awesome. 
• Running through the Disney parks. 
• Meeting up with old friends and meeting new ones. 
• Finisher's medal. 
• Disney!
• Plenty of water on the course and gels at mile 9. 

What I didn't like:

• The course: again, it felt like a regular race after mile 3. 
• Expo: bib pickup and shirt pickup where in two different areas. 
• Start time: I'm a baby and like the extra hours of sleep. 
• The wind was crummy. 

Would I do the race again? I think so, but mostly because I would want to go back to California with the family and have them experience Disneyland, too. I could run other races, but the idea of running the inaugural race and continuing to run over the years (Perfect Superhero?!?) is so enticing!

My next race is The Ugly Sweater Run on the 29th. I'm debating whether I want to run a Turkey Trot this year so another 5k might be in the mix, too. For more on my fitness and running, follow my on Instagram @thecookierunner.

Race Recap: Hot Chocolate 15K

Considering I'm flying out to California for Disney's Avengers Half Marathon tomorrow, I need to post last weekend's Hot Chocolate 15K review. The Hot Chocolate 15K is a race I had really been looking forward to because, well, chocolate! I have been following this race series for almost two years and, as soon as I found out we were moving to Chicago, I signed up for the race. Running in Chicago plus getting a chocolate-filled finisher's mug was enough for me.

The week of the race I had been closely watching the weather because I knew that the biggest challenge I might face come race day would be the cold. Sure enough, temperatures for race morning were forecasted to be in the 30s. I had never ran in weather that cold so I didn't know how to prepare. I was laughing at myself as I pulled out all my gear the night before because I didn't think it was possible to run in so many layers.

Race morning comes, I get dressed, and head out for my run. It was so cold! I don't think I broke a sweat at any point during my run. Thankfully, I wore just enough layers to get me through the run. What struck me the most during those 15K was that I felt like I was running in the trails again. I didn't look at my watch and ran based on feel, but wow, I felt like I was running so much faster and harder than I actually was running.

Finishing felt amazing and getting my chocolate medal was the best part. Second best was the finisher's mug that was filled with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue, a banana, pretzels, rice krispy treat, and wafer cookies. I say that getting the finisher's mug was second best because it was so cold that the hot chocolate was only hot for about a minute and my fondue was more like those chocolate magic shells that harden on contact with cold ice cream.

What I liked:

• Smooth packet pickup. 
• Hot chocolate and chocolate-covered marshmallows at the expo. 
• Zip-up hoodies for participants. 
• Gear-for-purchase was awesome and I was all over the "will run for chocolate" shirts. 
• Prompt start time. 
• Most of the course was good. 
• Finisher's medal and mug. 
• Chocolate and marshmallows along the course. 

What I didn't like:

• It was cold! 
• The last .5 mile was dreadful with all the little hills. 
• The course had some winding that I wasn't crazy about. 
• No medal for 5K finishers. 

Overall, fun race and, if you like chocolate, this is definitely a race to do. I'm still trying to get into a solid training schedule so I hope this weekend's half marathon will help get me back on course. For more on my running and to see all the fun I'm having this weekend, follow me on Instagram @thecookierunner.

Race Recap Spartan Run!

This past weekend I learned how difficult and rewarding it really is to be a mom and an athlete. I'm not a professional athlete, but I dedicate enough time and energy to my fitness that I feel like an athlete. Before we moved to Chicago, I signed up to run the Chicago Spartan Race. Back then, my plan was to run the Super Spartan and I even managed to get my cousin in on the action. Fast forward to last week and being superwoman by working full-time, being a mom, and training for a marathon, I kind of forgot about the Spartan Race. Me forgetting means, I forgot to tell Alex so that he could make sure he wasn't scheduled to work. What happens? He's scheduled to work the weekend and there's no getting around that. Saturday's Super Spartan was not going to happen as I had no one to watch the girls. Thankfully, there was a Spartan Sprint scheduled for Sunday and I did have someone who could watch the girls that day. Lots of scrambling and emails leading up to Sunday, but I was able to get myself signed up and was able to run without worrying too much about my girls because they were at the best place possible: my cousin's house with lots of toys and even more snacks.

My cousin was able to switch his date too and we were both able to experience Spartan for the first time together. This would be my 9th mud run and my cousin's first so I was really hoping he would love these runs as much as I do (I need a mud run partner). Complete success! The Spartan Race did an amazing job at putting Sunday's event together. Checking in was easy and so was trying to change your time to earlier waves. The people were great and their course was stocked with volunteers. This is the first mud run I have ever done where volunteers were at the showing station looking out for open showers for the runners. The trails were no joke and I wish I had a watch so that I could have recorded the level of upness.

As expected, the running was the easiest part for me, even with those trails. I am proud to see that I have gotten stronger with my upper body. The mud was something else; this was definitely the thickest and most slippery mud I have even experienced. The obstacles were as expected with lots of climbing, but there was no way to prepare for that mud. As horrible as the obstacle was, crossing the mud mounds and ditches filled with water between the mounds, was probably my favorite obstacle. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard at myself or worked so hard to get myself out of mud.

Spartan Race hits you with the obstacles in the last 1/4 mile: rock climbing wall where you can't touch the floor, climbing up a slanted wall, straight rope climb, swim, wall climb, another slanted wall climb, and jumping over fire. When we first got to the race we watched people climb that last wall and we wondered what must have happened over those 4+ miles to make the runners look so worn and tired. Now I knew.

As soon as we finished, I felt so accomplished. I love doing these events because I feel like a complete badass. I feel strong and, really, just incredibly proud of myself for going outside of my comfort zone and trying something new. I was especially happy I did this event because I felt I deserved a good physical challenge after the mentally challenging week I had before the race. This race reminded me so much of how I felt after my first mud run that it has me dreaming of accomplishing the Spartan Trifecta (Sprint, Super, and Beast) next year. I also got to try Pumpkin beer, so that helped with my elation.

What I liked:

• The camaraderie: I crossed the monkey bars on my cousin's shoulders. 
• The course was definitely challenging with those hilly trails. 
• The obstacles were challenging. Holy cow, were some of them hard. The hardest one for me was carrying a 65-lb stone. 
• Free beer!
• Cool medal. 
• Easy packet pickup. 
• Lively crowd. 
• You could get your time as soon as you finished. 
• Finish line obstacles were perfectly set up for spectating. 

What I didn't like:

• I'm cheap so I didn't like paying $10 for parking and $5 for bag check. 
• I liked the shirt, I just didn't like how big it fit me. 
• Burpees, ouch! (I'm just being a baby)

Next official race is THE CHICAGO MARATHON!!!! I'm so over marathon training so October 12th can't get here soon enough.

For more on my running and training for the Chicago Marathon, follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner 

Race Recap: Chicago Half Marathon

On September 7th I completed half marathon #13, Chicago Half Marathon. I had been meaning to post about it, but with the new job and learning how to balance working full-time with parenthood and marathon training has been no easy task. As always, I thought I was busy before!

Anyway, back to the race. I'm in the last third of my marathon training and I've been running 5-6 days a week and averaging 45 miles a week. I ran 10 miles the Saturday before the race and, including this Saturday run, I was at 36 miles for the week so my expectations for a PR (personal record) was low. I didn't know how my legs would feel come race morning-would they feel tired, sore, or heavy? Also, would my mind be into running strong and fast for 13.1 miles? With all this in mind, I woke up race morning with the intention to treat this race as another training run and, if I bettered my half marathon time of 2:04, then great!

The weather on the day of the race was spectacular. Or at least, it was perfect running weather for the first hour or so of the run as the temperatures were in the 50s. I knew that first mile would determine how the rest of the race would go so I ran purely based on how I felt and not by looking at my watch. When I saw that first mile was in the 8-minute range and I didn't feel like I pushed myself too hard, I knew that as long as my mind held out, I would be able to get the sub-2 hour finish I was hoping for.

I fueled as I normally do, stuck to my run-walk intervals (1:30 run/:30 walk), and kept a mostly consistent pace. Even so, mile 9.5 is where I began to struggling. I wasn't in pain and my body felt good, but for some reason my brain started getting louder with the "you can't do this" messages. I did the only thing I could do, which was to keep moving forward. I was so thankful for my intervals because I forced myself to focus on just running for a minute and a half, instead of just having three more miles to go. I recovered by mile 11, but even so, I did cadences that last mile to help me get to the finish line.

Crossing that finish line felt so good! Even better was realizing that I smashed my previous time by almost 10 minutes! My official time was 1:55:20 and I could barely believe it. I was hoping for a sub-2 hour finish but I was thinking I only had it in me for a 1:59 finish since my PR times in the half marathon distance have usually gotten better by 5-minutes at a time between races I've ran for time. I'm still on a runner's high from that race. To think that I ran my first half marathon in 2:30 in January 2013 to this last one in 1:55 is amazing.

This race reminded me that if you train consistently, you will see results. It also reminded me that most of the time, I'm my biggest enemy and that the person I have to prove myself to IS myself.

What I liked about the race:

• Packet pickup was quick and easy.
• Race day weather was perfect at first.
• Nice course. I especially liked the part that was on Lakefront Drive.
• Lou Malnati's pizza!
• Long-sleeve technical shirt.
• I really liked how they organized the groups. I was in corral G and, based on other races, was expecting to start running 10 minutes after the first group of runners left, but this wasn't the case with this race. There was no wait time between corrals going off and I started a little over 2-minutes after the first group of runners started.
• Motigo: this is an app where people can leave you messages that you get during the race. There was a glitch and I got all my messages in the beginning, but the idea behind this is awesome. If I would have gotten the messages when they were intended, I would have been that person at mile 10 crying and laughing.
• Plenty of water and Gatorade on the course.
• Meeting Instagram friends, like @runningprado in person. 

What I didn't like about the race:

• I love expo and expo seemed small for this race for some reason.
• I didn't see any pace groups.
• This relates to all races, but I heard it more at this race: "it's ok, you can do it" or "don't give up" or "you're almost there" from spectators every time I was on a walk break. This is my fourth race in Chicago and I am realizing that the run-walk method is not very popular and people don't understand that my walks are intentional. I wish I could have gotten more "you go girl" or "looking strong!"

Next official race is Spartan on September 27th and I'm debating whether or not to sign up for the 20-mile run this upcoming weekend.

For more on my running and training for the Chicago Marathon, follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner 

Race Recap: Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon

Rock 'n' Roll Chicago would be my second Chicago half marathon, but my first half marathon as a newly transplanted resident. What really had me excited about this race, however, was that it was going to be my close friend's first half marathon. I have known this particular friend since college and, to this day, we call ourselves Lilo and Stitch. When I mentioned running this race to my friend, she immediately agreed to run it and then suggested we dress up as Lilo and Stitch. This was going to be my first race dressing up as anything so I was excited. My "costume" shows how far I have come in my journey of self-love and acceptance as I ran 13.1 miles in a red Calavera swim top.

One of my favorite parts about bigger races is expo. Expo is like Disney to a runner with a huge room filled with anything and everything running related and lots of freebies. We spent around three hours at expo and I came home feeling like I won the runner's lottery.

There were jitters the day before the race, but the morning of the race I was surprisingly calm. I usually get anxious before a half marathon, but maybe, I knew that I had to be the calm one to help center and calm my friend.

We started the race in the 17th corral but didn't have to wait long as we started running about 20 minutes after the race started at 6:30am. The first third of the race took us through the parts of the city I was familiar with, the second third of the race took us through a part of the city I had yet to explore, and the third part of the race took us through a part of the city and the lakefront I never thought I would run because of how far south the part of the race was.

With Fireman Rob

Between miles 9 and 10 my friend began to struggle as the mind games and the "you can't do this" and "it hurts too much to move forward" started to kick in. She did what she had to do and kept moving. I kept talking and we took breaks for stretching and fueling. She didn't say much but you could see the determination on her face to fight for her finish. Right before mile 13 she had a sharp pain in her left leg. More stretching and then an all-out sprint to the finish line. Her face at the finish line has to be my favorite part of this race as she looked like she was going to cry in pain and out of happiness at the same time. I felt like I was looking at myself last year after finishing my first half marathon. To go from not thinking you can do it to doing it, is one of the best feelings ever. I was so proud of my friend and honored to be the person that got to run 13.1 miles with her and celebrate her conquering her mental bullies.

The races with the PRs are great, but the ones that touch your heart are my favorites. I was a part of my friend's story, that part where she set out to accomplish something she never thought possible.

What I liked:

• Great expo and easy packet pickup. 
• Finishing half #12 and helping my friend finish half #1. 
• Running through downtown Chicago. 
• Running through unexplored parts of Chicago.  
• Nice race shirts. 
• All the GU (I was that girl picking up unopened GUs from the floor). 
• Water and Gatorade on the course. 
• Music festival and free beer. 
• Nice medal (I like the 5K one better though). 
• Meeting Instagram friends in person.
• Perfect start time for the weather. 
• Free beer!
• Great crowds in the beginning half and end of the race. 
• Earning my Remix medal for completing the 5K Saturday and the half Sunday.
• Project Onward Moving Art Museum.

 What I didn't like:

• I was expecting more entertainment on the course. 
• Mile 11-ish entertainment: they had talent but the music was so slow. 
• My Garmin freaked out during the race and says I finished with 14.5 miles done. 

 

There are a few half marathons I would like to do and, of course, Spartan in September, but for now I am training for Chicago and signing up for things that Alex's schedule allows. 

You can see all my pictures from my Rock 'n' Roll weekend in my Instagram @thecookierunner

Race Recap: Rock 'n' Roll Chicago 5K

Participating in Rock 'n' Roll Chicago's Saturday, July 19th 5K is proof that I am an impulsive racer. I was signed up to do the half marathon on Sunday, July 20th and I knew about the new 5K on Saturday, but I didn't sign up until the week before the race when I got an email from Rock 'n' Roll saying that Shalane Flanagan would be at the event taking pictures with participants. As soon as I realized that I would have a chance at meeting this inspiring woman, I signed up. It's not every day that you can meet a running phenom with connections to Boston, right?

The race thankfully started at 8:00am, which in Miami would have been dreadful, but in Chicago, with the cooler temperatures, was nice. My Miami friend, who was going to be running the half with me, kindly woke up early and went to the race with me. I told her my goal was to finish in 25 minutes. I had come close to that time in training runs so I was confident that if everything lined up and my body and mind cooperated, I would be able to set a PR on this run.

The race started and, because I was toward the back of the group, I tried to maneuver myself away from the big crowd. I spotted a guy in a blue shirt who looked like he was running at a pace that would help me get my PR and focused on simply keeping him within sight. The first mile flew by as I wove in and around people. The second mile hurt and the third mile hurt even more. Never once did my brain act up and I was so thankful that all that hurt was the burning in my legs. When I finished I couldn't even believe my unofficial time of 24:43 (official time 24:40) because that's a time and pace I never thought possible. All my hard work and dedication are paying off in ways that I can see.

As soon as I finished we walked over the festival area and got in line to meet Shalane Flanagan. The wait was worth it as I turned into a giddy fool when it was my turn to have my picture taken with her. I even gave her two sweaty hugs and I hate sweaty hugs!

What I liked:

• Expo was great and packet pickup was easy. 
• Later start time meant I could go through my normal morning routine. 
• I walked to and from the race. 
• Ran through a part of the lakefront I hadn't run through before. 
• The medal is gorgeous. 
• Meeting Shalane Flanagan. 
• PR! PR! PR! PR!
• Boston feels like it could be a reality. 
• Sufficient water on course. 

What I didn't like:

• I wish there would have been more of the race on the lakefront trail.  
• Getting a PR means that I don't even remember what I didn't like! 

Next race recap will be for Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon on July 20th.

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner

Race Recap: Down 2 Earth 13.1 Trail Run

The fact that I am writing about a race I ran a month ago is sad because that's how long the movers had my stuff. I won't even get into the details over our disastrous move so I'll just focus on the positive: I have my stuff, I love living in Chicago, and I've already raced twice in the two weeks since I moved. Before I get to those Chicago races, I have to tell you about my experience with running a half marathon distance trail run.

They say that before you do your second marathon you need to have gotten over your first marathon. This is exactly how I feel about my first trail half marathon, Down 2 Earth. I've had races that are hard mentally and runs that are hard physically. For me, the trail 13.1 was both. I signed up for the race as a training run and somehow roped my friend into doing the race as well. I have never felt so bad about getting someone to run with me as this course was not easy (trails really are a whole different beast).

The run was four loops in the trails and most of the course was spent running alone (my friend had knee issues and told me to run ahead after the second loop and then later stopped at mile 10). If it weren't for the fact that I was hoping to catch my friend cross the finish line, I don't know how I would have finished. In many ways this race felt like my first half marathon with all the mind games and "you can't do this" that was going on in my head. My friend may have been upset she didn't finish, but just the thought of her (and my guilt over convincing her to sign up) inspired and motivated me to finish.

What got to me the most with the trails was how hard the run was; oftentimes, I felt like I was running a 9-minute mile when in reality I was running a 13-minute mile. Certain miles felt eternal and they certainly looked it because nothing ever really looked familiar. Also, I am so used to running races with big crowds, that running alone in such unfamiliar territory was a little isolating. I missed the "you got this!" being screamed at me from the sidelines. I don't think I would ever want to do another 13.1 distance, but I can definitely see myself signing up for another 10K trail run.

What I liked:

• For as much as I haven't been able to get over this run, I did like the fact that it challenged me and reminded me that I am strong enough to overcome the bully in my head.
• Inexpensive entry fee and easy day-of packet pickup.
• Cool trails. 
• Having my friend as company for half of the race and then seeing her face at the finish line.
• This race made me really respect all those runners out there who prefer and excel in the trails.
• 7:30am start time so we started running in full sunlight, but the trails were so well covered you didn't even feel the heat of the day.
• General feelings of bad-assery associated with having simply finished.

What I didn't like:

• I would have liked a more memorable medal. 
• Sparsely populated course.
• It was hard as hell (whine, whine). 

Next race recap will be Rock n Roll Chicago 5K from July 19th.

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner

Twilight 5K Race Recap

Last weekend I ran what will probably be my last 5K in Miami, the Twilight 5K. All my races lately have been bittersweet because they are ran with amazing people but ran with lots of emotion because they are marking the end of something: last run with my running group, last run with my school friends, last run with the grandparents coming out and supporting Cati, it goes on and on.

I ran this race last year and it was my second race after my IT band injury. It was this race that made me believe that I could recover from my injury and actually run faster. Since my injury, though, I am enjoying the run more and the people I'm sharing those runs with. Don't get me wrong, I am still training to run faster and have big running dreams, but getting others into running and having fun while running are my priority. So running this race this year with my school friends (now colleagues!) meant so much more than getting a personal best. Signing Cati up for the kids' dash and seeing her really run and laugh was the true highlight of this race.

What I liked:

• Night race that started at 7pm. 
• Race shirts were gender specific and fit well. 
• Smooth packet pickup. 
• Course was nice (South Miami neighborhood).
• Free beer. 
• Rock climbing and bounce house for kids. 
• Plenty of food for everyone to snack on before and after the race. 
• The company. 
• Watching Cati run and having the whole family out to support her. 
• Cute kids medal. 
• Announcement of all runners as they crossed the finish line. 

What I didn't like:

• Just like last year, it was really hot and muggy. 
• I like the shirt, but I want a medal!

Next race recap will be for my first trail half marathon on June 29th. Cannot wait!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner

Tour of the Gables 5K Race Recap

The running community in Miami has given me so much. It has helped me fall in love with running and meet some of the greatest people around. It has also helped me get others into running. Before leaving Miami I wanted to run a 5K with the woman who has been my running partner for the past two years. This woman has been an inspiration to me in so many ways. I still remember our first run together: running from Coconut Grove to Key Biscayne and getting poured on as we were on the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge. During that run she told me about her love for running and, how in a few weeks time, she would be running the Marine Corps Marathon. She had two kids and was married, just like me. She made me realize that what I thought was an impossibility, training for and running a marathon, was actually not only possible, but also an attainable reality.

So when she told me she wanted to run a 5K with me before I left and wanted to get a PR, I jumped at the chance of running with and pacing her. We signed up for Tour of the Gables 5K and my friend, who is running Rock n Roll Chicago with me, also joined in on the fun. The morning was gorgeous and I helped both of my friends PR. My running partner PR'd her 5K time by 30 seconds (official time 29:28) and I was just as happy for her as I would have been if this race was a PR for me. The run has truly given me more than I could ever give it.

What I liked:

• Smooth packet pickup. 
• Water stations at every mile. 
• Race started promptly at 7:30am. 
• Beautiful course through Coral Gables. 
• The race was walking distance from my house. 
• Smaller race and perfect for getting those best times. 
• Post race tent with food. 
• The company. 
• I never thought I would be "fast enough" to pace anyone and, yet, here I am pacing my friends.
• Gorgeous weather.

What I didn't like:

• No medals. 
• The race shirts are gigantic. I got a small and that shirt fits Alex better than it fits me. 

I don't know what the next race recap will be. There is a trail run and an evening 5K I'm eyeing but I haven't committed to any other races yet. Right now, I am enjoying my Chicago Marathon training and working out with my girls before the Big Move. 

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @thecookierunner