Preparing for Ragnar DC

I am heading to Maryland in just a few days for an epic adventure:The Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown.  As I am starting to pack and prepare for my journey, I thought I would review a couple of products that the sponsors of this adventure had sent me recently.  So, of course, the obligatory disclaimer: Yes, these products were sent to me for free. I was not asked to promote these products, and all my opinions are my own.
  Two of the most recent products I received were the Ultimate Direction Hand-Held Fast-Draw Bottle and 110% Flat-Out Sox. 
  I was very happy to receive the Hand Held bottle because just recently I had lost my Amphipod one.  This sounds strange, but I think it went out with the recycling by accident.  I had received as a gift for my birthday, and I stored in our pantry, right above the recycling bin. Just a couple of months ago, it went missing! To tell you the truth, I wasn't a big fan of it because it always leaked while I was running. I had been looking for a replacement, and lucky me, I got it!
 The Ultimate Direction Bottle does not leak.  It holds 20 oz of fluid, has a "kicker valve" which takes a little practice to get used to. It involves squeezing, biting and sucking to get the liquid out. That sounds very suggestive, but I have no other way to describe it! I have gotten the hang of it, and the fact that it doesn't leak makes it all worth it. I like the tension-lock hand strap. I can adjust it so that it is tight and after a few minutes, you can forget it is even there.  There is a zippered pocket which has just enough room for my car key and a Gel.  And I love the color I received- Pink! That means there will be no "borrowing" of it by my boys and husband. Bonus!!
 

 

The second product I received were the Flat Sox from 110%PlayHarder.  I have been using the Compression Sleeves with Ice for at least a year now. They have helped my shin splints so much. I love putting these on when I get home from long runs. The fact that you can insert the ice sheets into the pockets of the calf sleeves is ingenious.  In the past, I have had to hold an ice pack to my shins, or tie a tea-towel around my leg to hold the ice.  I have loved these compression sleeves. Now I have the Compression socks and I have really liked the support they give for long runs.  I find the material very supportive and soft.  They are made of a wicking material, so sweating is kept to a minimum.  Not only do my shins feel supported, so do my feet and arches.  The only thing I think is missing from these socks is the ability to insert ice post-run.  It would be great to leave them on, put my feet up and insert ice right into the socks.  Instead, I have removed these, and then pulled on the compression sleeves with the ice pockets.  Not a big deal, they are a good compression sock.  I will definitely be wearing them for the Ragnar Relay during the runs and while waiting in the van. 

 Here's a photo of the socks I received:

You will be able to see me coming down the road with these reflective stripes!!

I will bringing both of these products with me to Ragnar.  Any body who is training for a long distance event would benefit from trying them out.  Now, it's time to start packing all my gear for the relay.  Cumberland, MD, here I come!!

 

Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown

One month from today, I will be in Cumberland, MD for an exciting adventure.  Back in June, I found out that I was selected to be on Sarah's Team from Another Mother Runner for the Ragnar DC Relay. I have been a fan of Sarah and Dimity's for years, starting when they were blogging for Runner's World about training for the Nike Women's Marathon in 2007.  I followed them along as they wrote about their training, and when poor Dimity developed a stress fracture that relegated her to cycling on her trainer in her basement to prepare for the race.  I could relate to these "mother runners" as they chronicled their daily struggles with balancing training with the demands of being a wife and mother.  When they wrote their first book "Run Like a Mother",

I was excited to read it and was not disappointed. Through their personal stories of running and training, I was able to commiserate and laugh along. The book offers really practical information about being a "mother runner"such as how to incorporate your running schedule in with your spouse, including a hilarious description of "Horizontal Sweat Sessions", which can ensure that your spouse will be more agreeable to you being gone for a 3 hour run on Saturday after "intimate cross-training" on Friday night. They also incorporated quotes from other mother runners that offered advice and also provided relatable tidbits of information.  They since have written another book "Train Like a Mother" which I have found very useful.  The book offers several training plans for beginner runners, all the way up to a "Own it Plan" for the marathon.  I have used the training plans for the half and full marathon, and found it to be very helpful.  They also offer advice about nutrition for runners, cross-training and strength training advice and setting realistic goals for racing.
  Sarah and Dimity also have a busy Facebook page, web site, and one of my favorites, weekly podcasts.  I look forward to having a new podcast every Monday morning as I head out for my run.  Most recently, they interviewed Lauren Fleshman. Lauren is a pro runner who also just happens to be a fellow Oiselle runner.  She is also a new mom, and it was interesting hearing her take on running while pregnant, and postpartum.  She also offered many great tips on staying motivated during tough workouts and when set backs happen. If you're looking for a great running podcast, check out AMR Radio! You will not be disappointed. And if you're looking for some motivational running tops, check out their AMR Store. One of my favorites is the lifestyle tee "It's All Good. I Ran Today". Pretty much sums it up for me.
  Anyway, back to the Relay.  I was thrilled and honored to be selected to run on Sarah's Team (which will be known as Badass Mother Runners at the race).  It will be the Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown with a friendly competition to see if Sarah or Dimity's team makes it first to the finish line in Washington, DC.  Some of the ladies selected have been very active on Facebook, and we have been getting to know each other in preparation for the race.  We are all "mother runners" and fans of Sarah and Dimity's, coming together to run, laugh and chat.  And optimistically, sleep a couple of hours in the 24-30 hours we spend in the vans! As I found out with the Ragnar Relay NWP, these relays can be quite a bonding experience.
 As well as the fun of running the Ragnar Relay with the ladies, there is some great swag involved as part of being selected to be part of the teams: (as taken from the AMR website)

A rundown of what each relay runner will receive:
 Nuun: tasty hydration in non-sticky, super-convenient tablets (and sponsor of Ragnar)
 110% Flat Out Sox: squeezy gradient compression socks to keep your legs fresh and kicky
 Saucony: sampling of products from our fave running company
Sof Sole: custom-to-your-arch Fit insoles for cradle-like support
 AMR Top: to-be-determined (and designed) tank or shirt for our kickass teams
 Skinfare: organic, healing balms that soothe chafe, chapped lips and everything in between
 Ragnar: an entry to the mother runner version of the Amazing Race
NuttZo: delish organic nut- and seed-butters that are brimming with healthy, good stuff Hyland’s: Calms Forte, our must-have homeopathic sleep aid, and Muscle Therapy Gel with Arnica

As of today, I have received most of these prizes in the mail, and I have to tell you, it's been like Christmas. All these sponsors have been so generous, and it has been great sampling all these products.  I will have a more detailed post soon, with raves of some of my favorites. 
 For now, I continue to train for my second Ragnar Relay.  I have been assigned Runner #5, which means I run a total of 15.1 miles over the 3 legs.  There are some serious climbs in this relay, so I have been working on my hill repeats.  Luckily, living here in central PA, there are plenty of rolling hills.  No matter what, I know this weekend will be one to remember.

I am ready for a J-O-B! (Maybe)

So, I have been MIA in blogging lately. Last week I sat for my ACE Fitness Certified Personal Trainer Exam.  The 2 weeks prior, I studied like a maniac, trying to review everything I had studied since January.  Every spare minute was dedicated to studying whilst also having the kids home full-time. (School just started this Monday for 2/3 kids. Preschooler is home with me for another 2 weeks). I was pretty stressed, completely worried that I wouldn't pass the exam.  Failing was not an option as far as I was concerned. I had invested enough time and money into this that I didn't want to have to start over again.  So, that was my focus.  I am fortunate to have a husband who is completely supportive of me, and was able to help out as much as possible during the last couple weeks.  That included cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and keeping the kids out of my hair as much as possible. That, on top of working full-time, was a challenge for him. But I so appreciated it, and I feel that I would not have been successful without all his help and support. I am truly blessed to have a supportive spouse.
  So, yes, I did pass!! I drove to Harrisburg to take the exam at a testing center.  It took me almost 3 hours to complete the multiple choice exam.  It was challenging, and covered much of what I had studied.  I was relieved to see several questions that were "easy" and I was able to answer without hesitation.  There were a few, though, that it was difficult to distinguish the "best answer".  I tried to go with my first instinct, but did backtrack a couple of times.  I will never know what the right answer is, since you don't get to see the answers to your test afterwards, and to tell you the truth, all the questions went right out of my head as soon as I clicked on "Submit" on the exam.  What a relief to see that I had passed!
  Now the question is, what do I do with my certification?  I have been pondering that since I left Harrisburg that day.  I am also a Registered Nurse, but have not practiced since I was pregnant with my second child (11 years ago).  Ideally, I would like to incorporate Nursing and Personal Training together.  That could include being a "Wellness Educator", or something along those lines.  Currently, I have a couple of opportunities lined up.  In September, I will start coaching a "Running 101" program through the local YMCA.  I will be a run coach, with beginner runners preparing for a 5K race on Thanksgiving.  I am also starting a running group with the local running store. We will meet on Saturday mornings to do long runs together. 
  Neither of these are permanent jobs, but they are a start.  They are two opportunities to give me some experience and will hopefully lead me to another job.  I am also going to a Job Fair tomorrow, hoping to find some more opportunities. 
  I am excited for this new opportunity.  I am thrilled to finally find out what I want to do, my "passion". I am looking forward to help and inspire others to live a healthy life.

Are you happy with your chosen profession?
Do you ever think about trying something new? What stops you?

J'aime beaucoup: Oiselle HQ

 While I was in Seattle post-Ragnar NWP, I had the privilege and honor to visit Oiselle headquarters.  Some of the Oiselle ladies in the area were meeting at Green Lake across the street to enjoy some post-Ragnar Jasyoga with Erin, yogi extraordinaire.  As it was a bit misty and chilly outdoors, we decided to move indoors.  Which led us to the headquarters of Oiselle. So exciting for me, since I have been a fan of this company for more than a year, and was selected to be part of their ambassador program (now called Oiselle Volée ) last October.  Before I headed to the West Coast, I had received an email from Kristin, the team manager, to let me know that I once again had been selected to continue on for another year. Yay me! And Yay Oiselle!
  It almost seemed surreal to me to enter the place that I had seen online so often since stalking following this company. Meeting some of the ladies was also a bit unreal to me.  You follow people through twitter and read their blogs, and start to feel like you know them is some strange, (maybe creepy?) way.  Meeting them in real life seems easier and seamless.  Sharing the bond of the Oiselle team definitely connects us. 
 As does doing yoga with a bunch of (virtual, now real) friends.  We chatted for a few minutes, then got set up for a great yoga session with Erin.  We worked on stretching glutes, hamstrings, hips and calves.  All the tight areas from sitting in a van for 30 plus hours and running many miles in between.  We ended the session with one of my personal favorites, legs up the wall.  The time just flew by, and by the end I was feeling very relaxed and felt like I had really worked out the kinks.  Just what I needed!
 But one of the greatest surprises to me was the appearance of Mama Bird herself, Sally Bergesen .  She is the Founder and CEO of Oiselle.  I was not expecting to see her appear on a Sunday morning, but there she was.  I was honored to meet her in person, and she agreed to take a photo with me.

What a nice way to cap off my visit to the PNW! Thanks Sally!
  And Sally also took this great picture of all the ladies at Yoga:

 

back row, left to right: Me, Morena, Sarah, Julie, Nolana

front row: Robyn, Erin and Jackie

 

And, to add to all the excitement, I also won the drawing for a free t-shirt from Jasyoga! How cool is that? 





So, now that I had a great yoga class, met a group of fantastic woman, and won a free t-shirt, what was next?  Sarah was nice enough to offer to drive me back downtown to where I was staying, and we decided to stop off for a coffee first.  We had a great conversation, getting to know each other better.  She then suggested we take a walk around Green Lake, since the weather had improved considerably. It was now warmer, and sunnier. So nice! (Sarah, and the weather)

 We took a nice stroll around Green Lake, talking about Oiselle, marathon training, our families, etc. She also gave me some great suggestions on how to spend my last afternoon in Seattle. After taking a couple of photos, she drove me back to my hotel. 

 How cute is Sarah? Such a sweet spirit, inside and out! So glad I got to meet her.
  Once arriving back at my hotel, and after arranging for my shuttle to the train which would take me to the airport later in the day, I headed to the waterfront and the market area of Seattle. It was a gorgeous, sunny day. I loved walking around, taking photos, riding the Ferris Wheel and eating lunch at Beecher's  and buying souvenirs to take home for my family.  I also stumbled upon Post Alley by accident and saw the The Gum Wall. Yeah, could have done without that, being the germaphobe that I am! Yuck!
  After a fun filled afternoon, it was time to head back to the hotel, and then to the airport. 
 This trip was better than even my best expectations.  I enjoyed the Ragnar Relay, meeting all the great Nuun people, other bloggers, the Oiselle team members, Erin from Jasyoga, and of course, Sally. Special thanks to Nuun Hydration and Oiselle for making my trip to the PNW so wonderful!

 

Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage July 19-20, 2013

Well, I've put it off long enough, but it's time to blog about my amazing experience at Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage  The experience of this race went way beyond my expectations, and it is difficult to put into words exactly what that felt like.
 As I had blogged earlier, I had been asked to run this relay with a team from Nuun Hydration.  I have been a fan of this company for about a year, and was honored to represent their company in this relay.  From the moment I started receiving emails from Megan from Nuun I knew that this was going to be a great experience. She was so helpful with always responding promptly to my questions and concerns.  And when she offered to pick me up from the airport when I arrived in Seattle, I was so happy and relieved.  Meeting her in person was great. Just a sweet, genuine person.  And she's a fellow Oiselle Team Member, so even better!
  I arrived in Seattle on Thursday evening at 9pm.  Megan picked me up at the airport and brought me to the Sheraton Hotel where I would be staying with 3 other ladies on the team.  Once I arrived, I met Leana (runner #6) who would be in Van #1 with me, and Tasha, runner #7 in Van #2.  We busily got ourselves ready for bed, knowing that Leana and I would be up bright and early to be picked up by our van at 5:30 the next morning.  Danielle, the other lady staying with us had a late flight from Boston, and ended up not arriving to the hotel until 3 am!! Luckily she was in Van #2, and they didn't need to leave Seattle until 11:30.
  I slept very fitfully, as to be expected the night before a race.  I think I woke up every hour, worried about not getting up on time. Leana had set an alarm, but I really should have set a back up as well!
Luckily, we both woke up on time, with the help of the alarm, at 5 am.  I quickly got dressed, repacked my bag, and we headed downstairs to wait for Casey from Nuun to pick us up in Van #1. A few minutes later, the van pulled up, and I was able to meet Casey (runner #5), Jenny from Nuun (runner #2), Sarah (runner #3) and Colleen from Nuun (runner #4).  We all agreed that a stop at Starbucks was in order, which made me super happy.  I knew I was with the right group of people!!

Casey, our fearless leader of Van #1

  One grande Mocha Latte and chocolate croissant later, and we were on the road to Blaine, WA for the start of the race.  We arrived in Blaine 2 hours later, and the excitement level went way up.  Along the way, we also saw the Oiselle Team Van #1 with Sarah driving!! How fun! I received my sweet Nuun Ragnar water bottle and was excited to see the ample supply of Nuun available in the van. Sweet hydration!!
  Our scheduled start time was 9am, and I was runner #1, so I started to get myself ready for my first leg of 6.3 miles.  We attended the mandatory safety briefing, received our race bibs, Ragnar tattoos, safety flags, took the requisite Honey Bucket break, and then it was time to line up.  Casey was our designated team captain. His only rule for us was to "Have Fun".
    So, with that in mind, I was ready to start this party. After our team was announced, I was off for my first leg of the race. I held back at the beginning, as the other runners I ran with started out very fast.  I think this was to my benefit, as within a mile or 2, I was able to start passing people.  I passed a couple of ladies, and then by the end, I was able to pass 3 guys. What an awesome feeling! I ended up being the first lady to finish in my group, which was completing empowering. I think my time for the run was around 52 minutes, with an average pace of 8:30/mile. Not a hilly leg, but a bit boring, because most of it was on a straight road. The temperature was rising, and it was full sun. Still nicer temps than on the East Coast! I passed the slap bracelet to Jenny, and she was off on her first leg.  I jumped in the van, and we continued down the road. This pattern continued until all 6 of us had completed our legs.  We then were at Exchange 6 in Bellingham. We passed off the bracelet to Van #2 so they could complete their legs. Van # 2 included Tasha, Kim from Nuun, Robert from Nuun, Zoe from Nuun, Sara (friend of Sarah in our van) and Dani.
 At these "major" exchanges, there were showers, food, Nuun, and even foam rollers to use!  I decided to take advantage of the foam rollers, and rolled out all the tight parts. It felt great!! After saying hello to Megan at the Nuun tent and some of the Oiselle ladies, our team decided it was a good time to go off course for some food.  Casey had found a great place in Bellingham, the Boundary Bay Brewery.  I took the time to change my clothes, and then enjoyed a lunch of fish tacos and an Oatmeal Stout. Yummy! After lunch, it was time to head to Exchange 12, where we would meet Van #2 to start our second leg.  This was in Burlington.  My next leg was at approx. 7pm.  It was still warm and sunny, but not as hot as it had been for my team-mates through the afternoon.  This run was 4.5 miles through the town of Burlington.  I found it a bit challenging with the regular streets, sidewalks and street lights. I decided I would ignore the red lights, and just take my chances when the course was clear.  By doing this, I was able to pass one woman who had started before me. She was not too happy with me, as she said "So, that's the way it's going to be, is it?" and tried to chase me!  I quickly shifted into a faster gear, and she never caught me!  I feel like I was running away from her the whole time. The rest of the leg went well, except I made a wrong turn at a bridge, and ended up running an extra 1/10th of a mile because of it.  I also ended up on the wrong sidewalk of the bridge and had to cross 4 lanes of traffic to get back on course!  Ooops. So, I lost some time while waiting for the chance to cross. Nice downhill finish made up some time, so I ended up with a 9 min pace for this leg. 

Colleen and Sarah

     What a great feeling knowing that I was 2/3 of the way done already.  My team prepared for the night running, with safety vests and lights.  The temperature had cooled off quite a bit by now, so once I had cooled off from my run, I decided it was time for my Oiselle running pants and lux layer. I would not be running again until early in the morning.  Our van continued on, completing our legs.  All my van mates loved the night running!! I even offered to pace Leana on her run, thinking maybe it would be difficult for her to run by herself at night, and she didn't need me! I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed. It seemed pretty cool to don the headlamps and follow the blinking lights ahead of you.  Maybe on my next relay!! Once we finished our 6 legs, we continued on to Exchange 24, where I would start my last leg.  I fell asleep on the way to the exchange. It was almost midnight by then.  We all "slept" in the van for a few hours.  It was difficult, with hearing all the runners coming and going, and we were in a van. All six of us.  I was fortunate, as I had a whole bench seat to myself.  I think I dozed on and off for about 3 hours.Leanna
   At 4am, my husband sent me a text that said "You are a warrior goddess". What a motivation, thanks honey!! I decided I would get up and have a shower before my last leg.  This turned out to be a great decision! Although the shower wasn't the greatest (it was almost scalding hot), it did revive me quite a bit.  I put on a fresh pair of running clothes, dried my hair, and returned to the van.  After a great breakfast of Smooth Caffeinator Picky Bar and Cherry Limeade Nuun,

I was ready to go.  And boy, did I go!! I was amazed about how great I felt. My first mile pace was 7:40/mile! After slowing down a bit during the hilly 2nd mile, I was able to finish strong along the water in Oak Harbor.  My time was 24:53, only 43 seconds off my 5K PR!! What??!! I was so surprised to be feeling so great. I think it was the weather. 54 degrees and overcast.  Perfect. So now that my legs were done, I focused on cheering my remaining van-mates on in their legs.  Colleen had the roughest leg. If you want to see how hard it was, check it out here. 8.1 tough, tough miles.  I give her major props for that one! Good thing she's an ultrarunner. Total badass! 
   Casey (runner #5) also had a challenging 4 mile run with some nice rolling hills.  The temperature was rising and the sun came out at this point.  I think our van really lucked out on Saturday with the weather. By the time we handed off the Van #2 at 10:00, it was getting much hotter.
   After we finished our last leg, it was time to EAT!! We went to a great place in Coupeville that was offering a Ragnar Breakfast special.  I had waffles with berry sauce with scrambled eggs and a Mocha Lattte. It definitely hit the spot.  After breakfast we headed to the finish line in Langley on Whidbey Island.  We had a good amount of time, since we weren't expecting our team to come in until 3pm.  We took the time to change into our new Ragnar t-shirts and enjoy the Beer Garden next to a horse show going on.  Not something you get to do everyday! While enjoying our beer, Mason Reay from Nuun came by to say hello.  He and Jenny got into a hilarious conversation about whether Jenny had ridden horses as a child.  "How do you think I grew up? I didn't even own a blazer!" Just one of the hilarious "Jenny-isms" from the weekend. Others include: "I don't enjoy things that I can chew but don't swallow" and "196 miles ain't no thing!"  This lady cracks me up. And it was her first ever race. Not first relay, first RACE ever.  She handled the miles like a champ. She admitted she had never run more than 5 miles before, so the fact that she ran over 13 miles in 24 hours is amazing!!

Finally, at 3pm, we were told that our last runner, Sara (friend of Sarah in our Van) was coming in.  We met up with Van #2 and we all ran into the finish.  What a fun experience. Then we all posed for photos together as a team. 

Here is Van#1 at the finish. Casey,Sarah,Jenny,Leana, Me and Colleen. Note only 1 of us has running shoes on, and the cool Beer socks on Casey.  This was an all around awesome experience from start to finish.  Sarah and I already started coming up with ideas for team names next year "Green Legs and Hammies" was one idea, so keep those socks Casey!!
  I want to say special thanks to all the "Nuunies": especially to Megan for handling all the logistics of the trip; Casey for being our fearless Van leader and driver; and to Mason for the opportunity to represent such a great company. 
Thanks also to all my team-mates who were so supportive and great. I count you all as friends now, so we need to keep in touch!
And lastly, but certainly not least, thanks to my Rock Star husband Chris for taking over for the weekend and holding down the fort for me.  I couldn't have experienced this without you!! I would say I owe you, but I really don't...... can anyone say "Army Wife"? Just kidding honey, you can do a Ragnar anytime the opportunity presents itself.
  I will be working on another post-Ragnar post soon. I spent another 24 hours + in Seattle before flying out on the red-eye on Sunday evening.  Activities included yoga at Oiselle HQ, meeting some great Oiselle ladies, and touring around Seattle. Stay tuned!!

 

 

I'm About to Join the Ragnar Nation with Nuun!

A few months ago, I had applied to be on the Nuun HTC Team.  I unfortunately did not get selected for that team.  I was very surprised and thrilled to receive an email from Megan Fay who works for Nunn just a few weeks later.  She was inviting me, on behalf of Nuun, to join one of their teams at another Ragnar Relay this year.  After researching the different relays offered to me, I chose the Ragnar North West Passage Relay.  This looked like a great place to run.  I have never been to this part of the country, and the timing of running in July worked out for me.  After looking at the logistics of leaving for 4 days, and discussing it with my husband, I let Megan know that I was up for it!!
  It's hard to believe that it's already the week that I will run this relay!! I have my bags packed, and I leave for Seattle tomorrow.  I have the kids booked into summer camp/day care. I did all the grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning, so everything is ready to go!  Our start time is 9 am on Friday and we should finish sometime in the afternoon on Saturday. I am runner number one, so I get to start the party!!! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting any of my team-mates yet, but I am looking forward to it. Our team name is Nuun-sense, so I guess I whole lot of silliness!
  I am thrilled to be part of a Nuun team running this relay.  I have been a fan of their company for a while now, and they have been nothing but great and helpful leading up to the relay.
 There is also an Oiselle team participating.  I am hoping to meet some of my Oiselle team-mates IRL as well. See the details of that team here so you can follow along during their fun weekend. I will be tweeting ( @nhm1970) when possible during the weekend, and blogging about my epic adventure next week. So stay tuned!!
  PNW here I come!

 

 

 

Carlisle SummerFair 5K and SummerSweatFest 2013

I wasn't planning on racing this weekend, really. I found out there was a local 5K/10K race that was FREE!! And only a few miles from my house. I encouraged my kids and my husband to race it. My husband decided to run in the 10K. My 10 yr old chose the 5K. At the last minute I decided to do the 5K. I had 12 miles scheduled on my training plan for today, so I decided to run the race, and then run 8 miles home. In 80 + degree temps with high humidity. Fun! Not so much.
  We arrived at the race 30 min before the start and picked up our numbers. I went for a slow mile warm up, looking for shade along the way.  The race was starting at the Dickinson College campus, which is a beautiful setting, with well established neighborhoods next to it. Therefore, many full-leaved trees that provided very welcome shade. The temperature was 80 degrees with 80% humidity.
 After the warm-up, the race was about to start.  My plan was to run easily hard, at approximately half-marathon pace (8:20 ish) and then run the rest of miles on the way home.  The first mile felt good, 8:10, so a little fast.  The second mile was 8:26, better pace, starting to feel the heat. The third mile was starting to feel hard, breathing became labored, 8:29. Finished with a "kick" for a total time of 25:40.  Overall I was happy with my performance, considering the conditions. I had no plans to attempt a PR, and I didn't feel dead at the end of the race.  I caught up with my son, who had ran 23:xx for the 5K, nowhere near his best time. We waited for my husband to finish the 10k, walked back to the car and I prepared for my long run.  I had packed my fuel belt, with a gel and some Cherry Limeade Nuun.  The route I had planned was a bit hilly, but was shady in some areas which was very helpful.  The first 3 miles were okay, I decided to run with only my Oiselle High 10 running bra after the first 30 minutes. First time ever I have run without a shirt. Desperate measures!   My Oiselle singlet was soaked with sweat.  I took a gel at 4 miles and kept trudging on.  The heat was relentless, and my pace was so slow! My husband and kids drove by at the 5 mile mark to check on me.  They gave me the option of getting a ride home, but I decided against it.  There were two reasons for this: Number one was that I didn't want to sweat all over the leather seats (this is a new car for us, only have had it for 3 months) and Number two is that I knew I would regret quitting early and not getting my miles in.  I am running a Ragnar Relay with the Nuun team in a couple of weeks, and this has been my motivation to carry on even when I am feeling tired and lousy.  Those 3 legs of the relay are not going to be easy, but I want to be able to complete them well.
  I finally made it home, soaked beyond soaked with sweat.  I have decided to call this summer "Summer Sweat Fest 2013".  I have never ran in such heat.  I only hope it will make me a better runner in more comfortable temps.
  When I got home I asked my husband if he or my son placed in their age groups, with their very respectable times. To my surprise, they did not!! And to my complete surprise, I found out I placed first in my age group! What?! There must not have been many fast ladies 40-49 today.  Totally shocked. And a bit embarrassed. If I'm going to get a medal, it would be nice to do it with something at least close to my PR. Oh well, I'll take it.  I am glad that I participated, and that I completed my scheduled long run.  I am hoping that I am mentally tougher after that Sweat Fest.
  We spent the rest of the day relaxing, and going to see the movie "Monsters University". Very cute movie. I ate a big bag of salty popcorn, sipped on Nuun that I snuck in and managed to stay awake. Success!