My first half marathon was a memorable one. I exceeded my goals, placed second in my age group (it was a small race), and fell in love with long-distance racing. But most of all, I remember just how cold that race was. I hovered by the space heaters, bundled up in sweatpants until 10 minutes before the race started. Even though I wore shorts, I donned a lightweight running shirt, a jacket, and gloves to stay warm. The 25+ mph winds colored my nose pink in the race photos. Afterward, I ...
Races
Popcorn Panic 5 Mile Race Recap (2019)
“You’re pregnant!” a spectator shouted around mile 3. “You go! Looking strong!” I ran the Popcorn Panic 5 Miler at 38.5 weeks pregnant. When I think about it objectively, I almost can’t wrap my mind around the fact that I did that. I felt great on race day - certainly not almost 9 months pregnant! Initially, I did not even plan to run this far into pregnancy. I anticipated feeling heavy and uncomfortable, so I had the contingency plan of switching to cross-training at about 35-36 ...
Ringing in Spring 10K 2019 Recap
When I signed up for the Ringing in Spring 10K back in January, I originally to race it for a PR and possibly even top 3 women. I craved a hard, demanding training cycle and a gritty race. I had just healed my metatarsal stress fracture and dealt with a chemical pregnancy (early loss at ~4 weeks). I wanted to push my body again to feel like myself. Shortly after registering for that (and a fall marathon!), we found out I was pregnant. A gut-busting training cycle and a big PR were no longer ...
Frosty Forest Trail 6K Race Recap
Racing is fun for me. Whether I am pushing my body to its very limit over the course of 26.2 miles or enjoying a local race with my best running friend, I relish the experience. Last weekend, Ryan and I ran the Frosty Forest Trail Race for fun. What I found in those 34 minutes of fun was a reminder why I love races: the thrill of hard effort, the camaraderie of shared suffering, and the joy of crossing a finish line. Racing is fun. The Frosty Forest Trail is a 6K race which the ...
Run of the Mill 5K 2018 {20:59}
In years of running and working as a running coach, I had not actually raced a 5K. I wanted to change this and had noticed a local 5K advertised in previous years. With no other summer training on my schedule, I decide to race the Run of the Mill 5K on the last weekend of June. The Run of the Mill 5K is a well-organized and long-standing road race in Mill Creek, WA. The race serves as a fundraiser for Providence Hospital's cancer patients and local track/cross-country programs. As well ...