Honor Our Veterans 5k – November 5, 2016

This weekend was jam packed with races so I’ll start with the first race of the weekend and make another post about the 2nd one. This 5k was kind of a last minute race. I had originally planned to do a free 5k it was on Hollywood Beach, which is about a 45 minute drive for me. When I found I could get a discount on this race I decided it was a better idea to do this one since it’s only 5 minutes from home and I would most likely be doing it alone with Phoebe. It worked out great, just kinda sad that there were not awards for age groups because I totally would’ve placed in my age group. I am proud to say that it is now my fastest stroller 5k to date!

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When I walked outside Saturday morning I knew it would be a great race day because the weather was cool for once and not raining. I got there about 45 minutes early to pick up my race bib because with the timing company they used for this race they take back their timing chips after the race so only bib pickup the day of the race. I was a little nervous because this was the same company who timed the Derby 5k back in April and who totally left me off the results. I got my bib and took Phoebe with me to the bathroom, not an easy task in a tiny bathroom with a big running stroller but I got it done. As I was heading back to the starting line I overheard some college guys joking about how they would keep up with me and be fine for the race. I laughed in my head about this and thought “yeah right!” Later during the race I saw the group again and they were a mile BEHIND me, hehe. Their shocked faces were just the right amount of fuel to push through at a much faster pace for the next mile. Also the owner of Go Run, Doug passed me while on his bike pacing the top guys and mentioned that I had great form, it really helps when you get praise like that from a top runner. There was a lady in front of me the whole time but during that last .50 I managed to pass her and stay ahead of her. Sometimes like in Ragnar I like to count the amount of people I can pass in the last mile. Like usual, Phoebe was asleep after the first mile and continued to sleep for another 30 minutes after we finished.

Later when I checked my nike + run club app I discovered that I had ran progressive miles the whole race! That is amazing for me because I usually run the first mile the fastest and get progressively slower during a 5k. When I finished I grabbed a water for my Nuun, a granola bar, and a banana and went back to the finish line to cheer on the rest of the finishers. Overall I think it was pretty well organized and due to the small field of runners there was no weaving in and out to get through the walkers and slower runners, which is a pain with the stroller.

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Miami Marathon & Half Marathon Weekend – 2016

Miami Marathon & Half weekend – Recap of it all!

Signed up for the Tropical 5k to run it slow with Phoebe in the stroller. Also for the nice looking gender specific shirt (but didn’t get the right one 😦  )  Unfortunately a week before she got a bad cold and could not do the race with me. Derrick & I ran the race, I was going to try to run it slow so that my legs would be fresh for the half marathon the next day. The last half marathon I had done was at the beginning of December and I felt like it was a complete failure, due to coming in at 2:06. But like every time that I try to restrain myself from going fast, I went fast. My first mile was 7:52 (way too fast) and from there I got slower and slower. Finish time: 25:18 – So much for resting the legs! I did this race back in 2013 and came in at 26:11. Back then I felt super fast lol. Anyhow the race ended, we grabbed our cold hard bagels & dropped my Nuun tab into my water. The medal is way prettier than it was back in 2013.

Checked the results & then jumped on a school bus and went back to Watson Island where we picked up our car and went home. Around 10:30 am headed to Wynwood to the Miami Marathon & Half Health Expo to pick up our packets. It looked like a daytime artwalk there was so much traffic down there. Brought Phoebe with us to check out the madness, and madness it was, very very crowded in the expo location compared to the previous years expos in the Miami Beach Convention Center. Picked up our packets and went over to Freshii for lunch.

Quick run down of how Sunday morning went:

3:15 am – Wake up Feed Phoebe

3:30-3:50 am – Pump 7 ounces of milk

3:50-4:15 am – Get dressed & ready for the race

4:15 am – Leave for the race

4:30 am – Get to AAA, find parking, hang out in the car for awhile, then venture out to use the toilets at the AAA. Except the AAA wasn’t open this year!! The only year that it was locked up tight, also the coldest year I’ve done this race. Last year was cold and we all ended up staying inside till 15 minutes before start time to stay warm. Major fail. Find a nearby port-a-potty and head back into the garage to stay warm in the car.

5:45 am – Head to Corral E (Moving on up from F last 2 years!)

6:14 am – Our corral gets to start line!

I have to say I wasn’t a big fan of the new course this year, I prefer the Venetian over the MacArthur. I haven’t ran over any bridges in quite a long time so this was very harsh on my legs. While running through South Beach we spotted CoatMan and Dr. Dribble. I was feeling fairly strong till we got back to running over the MacArthur, my brain was telling me I should just walk up the bridge instead of trying to run it but I didn’t. Sometimes you just have to override those thoughts and keep pushing through. This reminded me a bit of my first half marathon where I did not drink anything the whole race but in this race I didn’t eat my usual Honey Stinger chews either but I had them on me for post race at least. I guess the freezing cold weather didn’t mess with my hydration or nutrition needs or I’m evolving somehow to not require as many calories for a half marathon distance. I guess I will have to test it out on another day since I have just signed up for 2017 full marathon. It will be my 3rd full marathon & 3rd Miami Marathon.

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This year I ran as part of team Every Mother Counts/Oiselle Volee, I will post about that soon!

Finished the half in 1:58:25. My 2nd fastest half marathon. Hopefully 2016 brings a new half marathon PR and only sub 2 hr halfs. Overall I had a fun time, despite those bridges and now a few days later the soreness in my quads and hamstrings has gone away. Ready for another half!

Been a long time.

Lots has happened since my last blog entry, including getting pregnant & having a baby. My baby is now 6 months old, half a year has passed by already! Time is flying. Since my last posts I’ve done a couple half marathons and a full marathon (while pregnant). Lots of running, lots of miles to recap (if I can remember!)

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Completed 1000 miles of running and some walking in 2015 and am on pace to possibly double that amount this year. 2016 started quietly with a 16 mile day, split into 3 runs. Have already ran a couple of races while pushing my baby in the stroller, two 5ks, a 4 miler and a 10k so far.

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I will be updating more frequently so stay tuned!

 

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

I haven’t updated in a very long time, but I promise I will get back into this blog now that I’ve signed up for a ton of Fall races.

Life lately in a short summary. Met an amazing guy on National Running Day, very fitting because he is a runner too! So all of my long runs have been with him lately instead of solo at the park in a million loops. Definitely helps the miles tick by when you have someone to talk to and get to know. Signed up for all the Florida Storm Series races, now I just have to wait to run them! Have been getting faster in my training runs and can’t wait to see how that makes my race times. A few weeks ago I was supposed to do a race on an airport runway but it got postponed/canceled last minute sadly.

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Last night went to a fabulous event in Wynwood that incorporated running & yoga, two of my favorite things! It was held at Pilathon, a pilates/yoga studio in the heart of Wynwood. We started the event by learning some Chi Running techniques from Bryan Huberty, it was pretty cool since I believe I already run Chi style. We ran around looking at the sweet art on the buildings in Wynwood & then did some sprint intervals. I definitely do not do sprint intervals and even though it was supposed to hurt, it felt good! I really need to start doing sprint intervals on the regular. Artist, Ron Sanchez took our group pic by a large Bob Marley wall painting stating Loveism beside it. Afterwards we ran back to Pilathon and hopped up on the roof for some rejuvenating power yoga with Cat Haayen. This was the 3rd time attending this monthly event and every time we do different things & new yoga moves. It’s always fresh and getting that high feeling from staring up at the sky while quieting the mind is heavenly. Also holding my guy’s hand during shavasana was pretty awesome too.

running selfie taken by Mr Run Club :)

Running selfie taken by Mr Run Club 🙂

Group shot with Bob Marley.

Group shot with Bob Marley. Photo credit: Ron Sanchez

With Monica & Caro after rooftop yoga. Sweaty & happy.

With Monica & Caro after rooftop yoga. Sweaty & happy.

I will be back to update my last race recaps from the Winter/Spring soon! Until then Run Happy!

Peace

Peace

 

Check out Pilathon‘s page for upcoming events

And follow Cat Haayen on Twitter

Run Wild – February 8, 2014

Running a 5k six days after my first full marathon seemed like a dumb idea when I signed up for this race about a month before. Luckily it ended up really well for me. I usually really hate races that start later than 7:30am but I did this race last year and had a lot of fun so I tried to not be too bothered by the 8am start time. Plus races at Zoo Miami are a lot of fun, getting to run by all the animals. Sometimes I even go and walk around the zoo afterwards but this year it was just too hot by the time the race was over. My aunt said she would be there but I never saw her till after the race was over, I did run into Matt and a girl from FIU Run Club. It was her first 5k race so she was pretty excited. I lined up 10 minutes before it started and the announcers kept telling people to not have their kids up at the starting line but most people did not listen. That is the issue with zoo runs, the beginning is always a mess with dodging and practically jumping over little kids or strollers but then it gets better when you get around them.

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Hop!

Hop!

I felt pretty strong despite only doing one post marathon run before this race. Another great thing about zoo races is that they almost always have finisher medals. Finished the race, jumping over the finish line timing mat, seems to be my signature move. Haha. I got water, picked up some reusable bags, coconut water, some greek yogurt and a banana before heading back to the finish line to see my friends cross the line. Then I waited on the side to see my aunt and her friends cross the finish line, cheering them on as they reached it. Afterwards we took way too many pictures and waited in line for some yummy baked goods from Corner Bakery Cafe. Then watched the awards ceremony, and they started giving awards to the top 4 in each age group! So I ended up being called up and cheered on for my 4th place finish! Wish all races would have top 5 finishers in every category. The course for this race was a little bit short, and they told everyone at the start of the race, this was a new PR for me. Who would’ve thought I would PR less than a week after a marathon!

4th place in age group.

4th place in age group.

Close Up.

Close Up.

Running on vacation.

Since starting to run I hadn’t taken too many trips, but definitely not any longer than a day or two at the most. For new years this year I went to visit a friend in DC and decided I could get in a couple of runs while there. I was at the end of marathon training and needed a semi long run at least one of the days I was visiting. I had ran 12 miles the day that I left Miami so that I would be relaxed on my flight and not feel antsy. Two days later I got up around 9am and got ready to run, I had looked it up on my phone to see which would be the easiest way to not get lost going to the Lincoln Memorial. Found a straight shot that took me by the Capital also and took it. Now I see why locals in big cities get annoyed with tourists, they block the entire sidewalk when you are trying to get by. I suppose I looked like a local too until I took out my phone at the Lincoln Memorial and snapped some pics with Abe. Friends commented when I posted the pics on Facebook asking why I wasn’t relaxing on my trip. Running actually relaxes me plus I got a chance to see the city from a different perspective than I have before. I hadn’t ever ran anywhere from my friend’s house before, always taking the metro anywhere I needed to go. It was nice seeing the city and running by the locals, getting a chance to cross the roads with the long crosswalk lights. That first day I ran a little over 7 miles and stopped at SweetGreen for a spicy warm salad. It was around 45 degrees out that day and I was frozen. I hadn’t ran in that kind of weather since the February before.

with Abe.

with Abe.

yummiest salad i've ever had!

yummiest salad i’ve ever had!

The next Monday I got in a shorter 3.5 mile run to the Capitol and back. My pace was faster too because I got out earlier before all the tourists hit the streets. It didn’t feel as cold that day but I’m pretty sure it was the same temp as the run before. I was really hoping for it to start snowing one of the days while I was out for a run but alas snow in DC does not seem to be in the cards for me. It sucks that I didn’t get a chance to partake in a November Project workout while I was there.

The Capital.

The Capital.

I personally loved running while on vacation and plan on doing it again next time I go on vacation. Such a fun way to explore the city and get in a good workout too.

YMCA of Homestead Jingle Bell Run 5k – December 14, 2013

Starting line.

Starting line.

Onward to race #2 for the day. This race is actually really special to me because it is the first race my parents have ever attended. Arrived early at Baptist Hospital in Homestead, where the starting line was. I decided to be festive for this race and wear a santa hat, which I later realized was a dumb idea since it was over 80 degrees out and my head needs to breathe. About a mile into the race I just wanted to rip the hat off but kept it on for finish line photos. Convinced a friend from run club to run this race and ended up running it with him the whole time. We are used to running the same pace at run club so the goal was to stay with him and kick up the pace at the finish line. I talked most of the way, not that he could probably hear me as he was wearing headphones but still kept my mind from focusing on the pain of running so quickly. I even mentioned that we might actually place high in our age group when we were about a mile from the finish line. Well I set a new 5k PR that day and placed 1st in my age group. The first time ever being 1st! Plus we set a course record for our age groups as it was the first race on that course and the first year of this race. Never had I felt more high from racing than that moment, plus my parents and grandmother were there to see it happen. We got Christmas ornaments with the race info on it at the finish line. There was also free local craft beers but I did not partake in those this time, but I did have some pizza from The Big Cheese when I went into the YMCA for the awards ceremony afterwards. After carbing up and getting my medal I headed home to change and get ready to go out with some friends for a night of dancing. This race was dedicated to Angelika, who loves all things Christmas related.

Finishers received this ornament.

Finishers received this ornament.

pizza!!!

pizza!!!

#1!

#1!

Close up of medal & my cute polka dot running skirt.

Close up of medal & my cute polka dot running skirt.

Palm Beaches Half Marathon – December 8, 2013

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This race was a last minute decision race, I actually ran it for a friend of mine who was not able to make it to the race. And who could turn down a free race? I knew that even though this race would not count towards my Storm Series medals I would still have the satisfaction of being a secret category 4 runner. The only thing that had me stressing about this race was the fact that it was 2 hours from home. I tried to weigh the pros and cons of getting a hotel and staying overnight there or driving up there very early the day of the race. I ended up driving up there the day of, which I will not do if I choose to do this race again, next time I will stay in a hotel and get some rest rather than waking up at 3am to drive on a very lonely highway. On the way up there I noticed a couple of cars swerving so I was  a little paranoid about getting hit by a drunk driver on the way there. Turns out I did end up getting hit by a car, but not on the way, but rather while I was parked and racing. Not a terrible hit, but still a dent in the side of my car from apparently someone who does not have a cell phone or phone number to call and report.

A sweaty thumbs up.

A sweaty thumbs up.

Finish line focus.

Finish line focus.

Anyways back to the race, I had never been to beach area of West Palm Beach, only to the concert venue up there, which is not close to the beach at all. I drove up the day before to pick up my race packet since there was no race day packet pickup, and ended up making the day of it, stopping by Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale to go shopping. For the race I decided to again find a pace group and run with them, I choose the 4:20/2:10 group. This race was a half and a full marathon and some of the people in the pace group were doing a relay option for the marathon. I talked to a lady who had been running for 20 years while I ran the first 7 miles. Then I started to feel really bad, crampy and just lightheaded so I started stopping at the water stops and walking through them, at that time my music started getting screwy and skipping songs after 30 seconds. It was an extremely hot morning, I’m pretty sure I got a tan it was so hot. I knew I had to stay as hydrated as possible and keep going, even if I had a bad time it would not count against me. There was hardly any shady areas in this race, meaning we were being roasted by the sun the whole time. I was never happier to see a finish line when I finally got there. Another kind of bad thing about this race was that we had to run by the finish line when we still had about 5 miles to go, kind of annoying. Something I really liked about this race was the fruit on the course, they had strawberries, I normally do not eat the food/gels on the courses since I bring my Honey Stinger energy chews but this time I walked eating a cup of strawberries. I finished the race in 2:16:01. I exchanged my race shirt for my size and went over to World of Beer for my free beer, I choose Sierra Nevada since it’s a pretty light beer. I normally get a banana at the end of races but this time when I went to get one they were green so I passed on that. I ate a Luna bar that I had in the car instead. I rested a bit before the long 2 hour drive home and then journeyed home to later discover the dent on the side of my car that I overlooked while in my post race daze. This race was dedicated to Matt, who could not race this one.

Pretty sand castle.

Pretty sand castle.

Sierra Nevada & new medal

Sierra Nevada & new medal

Close up of my 3rd half marathon medal.

Close up of my 3rd half marathon medal.

iRun 10k – December 1, 2013

I cannot express how much I love the iRun events, their pacers are motivating and the group is just really positive. Plus their events are very well organized and I never have to fear of them running out of water at the finish line. And they give out medals for their events instead of heavy cotton race shirts that hardly anyone wears anyways. I personally do not wear race shirts unless they are gender specific and that is rare except for half marathons. When I went to pick up my race stuff the day after Thanksgiving they put the bib number and ads along with a reusable water bottle in a cute green gift bag. Felt more like a present than a packet pickup, in other words really special.

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taking off!

Taking off! Can you spot me?

The race started early and we were off and running through neighborhoods. This is the 2nd iRun 10k I have done, the first one was back in March, check out my recap here. After the race I wore my medal proudly and tried out some of the sponsored juices and fruits. I waited for the results and came in 4th place in my age group, I’m pretty happy with that, I can only hope to be 3rd in my age group next time! This race was dedicated to my friend Chez.

Extreme close up.

Extreme close up.

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Miami Turkey Trot – November 28, 2013

I did the 5k race last year as my first timed race and this year I decided to do the 10k. There really is not enough 10k races in the Miami area, I hope this changes sometime but I do not see it happening anytime soon. 10k is really my favorite distance. For this race I didn’t want to kill myself for a good time really but rather use this as a warmup for my iRun 10k happening 3 days later. Funnily enough the iRun running group were the pacers for this race so I ran with the 54 minute 10k girl. This race started at 7:30am, I always prefer much earlier or at least 7am races but the weather was great for running that morning. Around 55 degrees or so, I wore a lightweight long sleeve and capris, lots of others were wearing full length tights and hats, I knew they would be regretting that decision pretty early. Because seriously in Miami we never really see these kind of temps, sometimes in the coldest months January & February but otherwise its always hot. Plus this race is a big family race so there’s a lot of strollers and families running/walking together. This race was dedicated to my friend Tony, who does not eat turkey on Thanksgiving either.

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my great finish line photo. major fail race photographers!

my great finish line photo. major fail race photographers!

It was a lot of fun doing the 10k distance this year and running through a neighborhood and talking with the runners who were also running with the pacer. Still had my headphones in case I got bored and needed some music. The last mile I took off and left the pacer and rest of the group behind, thanking them. Unfortunately I do not have a finish line photo for this race, apparently I was too quick to photograph. Haha. After I battled the crowd at the end of the finish chute I walked around a little and skipped the line to grab a banana when I spotted a friend. We sat in the grass talking while watching others finish and looking for her friend. It was a great start to a Thanksgiving and perfect weather for a race.

Having a banana with Lisette after.

Having a banana with Lisette after.