Composing my race recaps are one of my favorite blog posts to write. It’s fun to look back at a certain distance & see how I felt, who I ran with, what the splits were, & what my overall time was. But, let’s be honest…. those are usually some looooong posts, due to me being so long-winded. Hehe! Resolutions. I am trying to work on that!

When I decided to take a break from coaching officially, the main factor that drove the decision was to allow me to have more time with my twins. Writing recaps would continue, but I removed the pressure on myself, deciding to compose the entries whenever time would allow. Unlike my prior OCD self, I decided it would be A-okay if the recap didn’t get written within 24-48 hours of the race. I mean seriously. Learning to cut myself a break! I sometimes wonder if anyone but a few close friends even reads them. But, I digress. I will continue to write them, when I want to & can fit them into my busy life.

Hence why I haven’t recapped my last couple running jaunts—my two January races {Tidewater Striders Distance Series #1 & #2}. Although they are designed to be more like long group runs, I did go into both with my race face on; which did result in PRs for both. Not to mention happily earning an age group placing in one & an overall placing in the other. Happy Runner Dance! The third race of the series will truly be a long, easy-paced run—my final long run before Tokyo (8 days prior).

January ended with me logging my highest mileage month EVER! 208.64 {yes, that .64 counts}. Say what?! My first month ever, with over 200 miles!! Obviously I wrote my own plan & knew the weekly mileages, but this number actually came as a shock when I calculated it. It just so happened that many of my highest mileage weeks for marathon training ended up being during the same calendar month. I’m really not sure when this number will be “beat” again, as Tokyo is going to be my only marathon for 2016.

Aside from that lovely mileage stat, January also brought about a new race distance (15-miler), which clearly means…. new PR! During that race, I also happily logged a half marathon PR as well—by about 90 seconds. Whoop whoop—I am really a believer in this current combo of training: 1) high-ish miles, 2) strength training, 3) speed work, & 4) yoga classes.

The rest of January, when I wasn’t working out, or playing with the boys, or eating gobs of food—it was spent “living” at the hospital. Literally. Over 25% of my nights were spent in the call room of the NICU, instead of my cozy heavenly bed at home. Again, thank goodness I have a job I love….. but, that doesn’t mean the fatigue gets any easier. Luckily, I only have 4 shifts scheduled for February. After tomorrow’s 22-miler, I will certainly feel like I am OVER the hump of training, & work shifts for that matter!

On to what lies ahead… the fun part of this post! I depart Norfolk for Japan in 19 days. So sooooon!! I have around 120 miles left to log before I toe the line of my first World Marathon Major. I have bags to pack, a playlist to develop, & time to spend with my favorite 3 boys. Once I get to Japan, I will have a few days to meander around the city before race day. I hope this helps with weather/altitude acclimation, as well as knowledge of the transportation system. After the race, I have a few more days to see the gorgeous sights that Japan has to offer. My lovely friends who are stationed in Japan have been amazing at helping me plan & schedule our outings. There is a fantastic spa that will be calling our name about 48 hours after marathon completion, as well as other fun adventures!!

So, here’s what is on the itinerary. I am completely open to suggestions from anyone who has been to or lived in Japan, as to the MUST-SEE stuff {completely willing to add to or omit from my list… I am just stoked for this awesome travel opportunity!!}. I will be staying in Ginza, Roppongi Hills, & Yokohama—but totally willing to travel to places somewhat nearby!

• The Scramble {Shibuya Crossing}
• Meiji Shrine | Yoyogi Park
• Tokyo Skytree | Tokyo Tower
• Ginza {shopping of course!}
• Kamakura {Buddha statue}
• Tsukiji Fish Market
• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
• Tokyo City View | Mori Art Museum
• Imperial Palace
• Hakone Ropeway
• Enoshima Island Spa

What am I missing?! I am sure there is so much more to do & see, so HELP A GIRL OUT! Also, I am open to tips on transportation, weather/attire, & other tidbits of advice.

19 days til plane takeoff & 24 days til race day! Eeeeekkkkkkkk!!

There is a quote that is readily used in fitness world, & I assume many venues of the world in general, that says, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”. I am not sure who coined this phrase, but it’s a concept that has guided my current training. While searching Google for a cool image with this particular quote for this blog post, I came across the image below. It was at that point that I had an “aha”-moment. THIS is more so what has driven the last few weeks of my life. It’s not necessarily the “dream”, but much more than that, it is the “discipline”.

Many people won’t understand the runner’s aspiration to be better. They won’t get the crazy workouts we do, or the insane hours of the day that we awake so that we can log a few miles. They don’t get the adrenaline rush that comes from logging multiple tempo miles at a pace that used to be your hard mile repeat time. The non-runner won’t understand why someone would run for 3 hours on a Saturday morning, & then hurry home & jump into the mommy job. They won’t understand why we are running when it’s 20 or 90 degrees outside. But that’s okay. Runners are a tight-knit, kick-ass group that “gets it”. I know I will not place in my age group at the Tokyo Marathon. I’ll be lucky to be top 10%; or heck, even top 25%. I fully acknowledge that I am still a bit away from a Boston Qualifying time. I will never be elite, & I will never be sponsored. All of that doesn’t matter though. What does matter is that I have discovered, through running that I am immensely strong & I am a dedicated woman who will push hard to get the results that I think I am capable of. These are the kind of people I LOVE surrounding myself with—which is why many of my closest friends are fellow runners.

Yesterday marked the start of the second half of training for the Tokyo Marathon. If you would have told me a year ago that I would race two full marathons within about 4 month’s time, I would have called you silly. Or crazy. Or said, “hell no”! However, it’s is happening & I couldn’t be more excited! I know, I know—some people run marathons nearly every weekend, but that is just not my style. I have always been more of a quality over quantity runner. That said—the “quality” of this training has been like no other.

If you’ve read my last few blog posts, I touched on feeling as though I had reached a plateau in my running & feeling like something needed to change so that my running could propel forward. Maybe not in those exact words, but that was essentially the gist. That change has come in the form of strength & speed training. When I trained for the Richmond Marathon, I incorporated running {a speed sess every week} & some strength training. For Marine Corps, it was nearly 100% running {mostly easy-paced with only 4 speed sessions total}. Right there was exactly what needed to change. I needed to be fast AND strong, so that in those last 2 miles of the marathon, I did not feel like I’d keel over & die. Enter my live human experiment.

The past 6 weeks have not been easy on my body, but for almost every distance I have run, I have PR’d (8K, 10K, & 10-miler). I feel stronger than ever, & obviously, the time on the watch is proving its successes! I explain all of this not to brag, but to hopefully encourage someone else who may feel like their running has stalled. I COMPLETELY owe my improvement to 2 things {aside from my appreciation of this gorgeous winter weather}: (1) Weekly strength training with my personal trainer Jack, at Jim White Fitness Studios, & (2) Attending the weekly speed work session with the group from Running Etc. on Tuesday evenings. I am amazed at the “gains” I have made since implementing just these two modifications to my training. Of course time away from the family has been tough, but these activities only take 2 hours per week. Another part of my training that I owe my recent PRs to is trying to attend weekly yoga & a 2^nd weekly strength session. Luckily, those other 2 hours away each week don’t affect family time either, since strength is during school hours & yoga gives the boys an hour to run around at like maniacs the YMCA. Hehe!

You might wonder why I am only training for 12 weeks for the 26.2 distance. Well, after the MCM, I took a couple weeks off, & then did minimal training for the 2 coasts in 24 hours half marathons. After that adventure, a couple more weeks off. Thus landing my official Tokyo Marathon training at 12 weeks total. Not conventional, but no need to build base mileage with all that had gone on prior.

Here are some stats about the last 6 weeks:

Total Running Mileage: 240.2 miles {yes, that point two counts!}

Weekly Average: 40 mile/week {until writing this blog post, I actually thought it was less, since I have allocated fitness time to my strength, yoga, & speed sessions}

Shortest Run: Officially, a 3-miler with my BRF {Best Running Friend} after a class at the YMCA; however, my VO2 max test I am sure elicited a shorter distance, which I estimate was around 1-2 miles.

Longest Run: This past Saturday, 20 miles. It was the first of three 20-22 milers for this training cycle.

Favorite Training Run: Hands down, the 18-miler in which I had friends {THANK YOU Julie, Kerry, & Mary!!} rotate in & out so that no miles were logged solo. It was a blast(!!) & by far, the easiest 18-miler that I have ever logged.

Favorite Race: Two races total—a 5K {Tacky Sweater 23:01, 7:25avg pace} & a 10-miler {Tidewater Striders Distance Series 1:17:51, 7:47avg pace}. In both, I felt incredibly strong & capable. I placed in my age group in both, so I felt very proud of that. But I would say the 10-miler wins “favorite” because I PR’d my 10K & 10-miler that day!

# of Strength Sessions: 10

# of Speed/Track Sessions: 5

# of Yoga Classes: 3

# of Hours I’ve Spent at CHKD for my Real “J-O-B”: 240 hours {That’s right, my mathematician friends, 40 hours per week on average—no excuses for you full time working folks. If I can do it, SO CAN YOU!}

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post, if you’ve made it this far. Thanks for reading!

Cliff Notes Version {since I know, & have been told, that I am long-winded…. ha!}:

1. I’m preparing for the Tokyo Marathon, which happens only 18 weeks after the MCM.
2. Hard work & discipline, sans excuses, makes you stronger & faster.
3. Weekly strength training with a personal trainer & group speed work equals PRs.
4. Yoga & a 2^nd strength session might help too.
5. Winter running is WAY better than Summer running.
6. Working full-time is not an excuse for not getting the training in.
7. The Running Blonde is well on her way to PR’ing all the distances in 2016!!

I hope everyone who reads this is also well on their way to training for their Spring race(s)!! What races is everyone running!?

And, this post would not be complete without a HUUUUUGGGGGEEE thank you to my fantastic hubby, Scott, who supports all of these training adventures! Love you baby & I hope to make you proud in Japan!

I sit here with the snow falling & a latte in hand, happy to finally have a free moment to close out 2015. The New Year is well underway, but not by much, so I feel like it’s a huge success getting this done before Little Christmas. I read a few yearly recaps on January 1^st, but I am sure my fellow full-time working moms can relate to my “delay”. Ha!

Last year, I did a full recap on 2014 {you can read about that here}. It was fun to reminisce about the prior year & take a trip down memory lane. I plan to do this annually, so be prepared.

January started off with a bang, running an 8K {Frozen Booty} only three days into the New Year. This was a small, local race, hosted by the local Moms Run This Town (MRTT) chapter leader. It was held on a rainy Saturday morning & despite some confusion with the course route, I managed to come up only a few seconds short of my 8K PR & finished 5^th overall. I also continued to coach one-on-one, as well as have a Shamrock Running Club during the start of the year. My workout log for January also included a few yoga sessions & Barre classes. The only other “race” {more of a training run really} was the Tidewater Striders Distance Series 10-miler – no PR for this one, but always a nice out & back run at Dismal Swamp.

February brought about more training runs & my highest mileage month ever—despite being the shortest month of the year. Many miles were logged on the dreaded treadmill, thanks to an unusually snowy winter. On the initial day of the month, I ran my only race for February—the GameDay 10K. Just like in 2014, I happily PR’d. And I also place in my age group. I don’t care how fast I get, placing & having your name called will never get old! We also celebrated a birthday in February, when my website & blog turned ONE!

Just like every other year, March in Hampton Roads means one thing to runners: Shamrock weekend! 2015 was no different. My coaching group did GREAT with their training & most of them earned big PRs on race day! I had 11 runners complete varying distances that weekend & I was one VERY proud coach!! Shamrock brought about a half marathon PR for me as well, but the real race for me in the 3^rd month of the year was the Falcon 5K. I broke a more than 14-month old PR & finally finished with sub-23 on the race clock—I hope to shatter this PR sometime soon!

In April, I headed up to DC with my running partner Julie & together, we ran the Cherry Blossom 10-miler. This was my only race for the month. It was a fun weekend getaway with a dear friend, & such a nice treat to have uninterrupted conversations {she is a fellow mom of 2}, as well as eat out at yummy restaurants. No PR was set—mainly due to a change in the course route {shortened distance}, but also because I just wasn’t feeling IT on race morning.

May was a busy month. I ran 2 local races {Lee’s Friends Run on the Wild Side 5K & Elizabeth River Run 10K} without PRs set at either, but I continued to be happy & healthy that I could even run! The highlight from a running perspective was the 200+ mile Colonial Relay adventure that I embarked upon, along with 11 other mommas from the local MRTT group. It was exhausting, exhilarating, & fabulous—all at the same time. Personally though, the trip to Arizona—initially for a work conference, but then for relaxing when the hubster joined—was the highlight of May. We celebrated our anniversary & enjoying shopping, eating, & relaxing sans twins.

In June, my calendar clicked another year older. Beach days began & I happily embraced how much easier those summer days can be since the boys can now carry their own gear & are more aware of water. Running brought about the inaugural Miles for Multiples 5K, in which I finished 1^st overall, as well as the CHKD Run/Walk for the Kids 8K. Neither were PRs, but both were memorable. The latter of those 2 races is my favorite annual race. It was a HOT day & many people talked about how tough the conditions were—I agreed. However, I somehow ended up placing in my age group, which may sound silly, but at that particular race, had been a huge goal & accomplishment!

Oh July, how do you suck for runners in the South. Heat & humidity is not my friend. As the snow continues to fall while typing this, I am smiling ear-to-ear because MY cold weather season is officially here! The 7^th month of the year is always fun for the local running community, as we get to enjoy a group run/race every Tuesday night at the Botanical Gardens, hosted by the Tidewater Striders {Summer Series}. The first 3 weeks are more “fun”, with the final week bringing about an officially timed 5K. No PR set, but I was impressed with my time considering the weather. I also began training for my 2^nd marathon this month, while nursing a sore/strained shin.

Still with that sore shin, I somehow logged my second highest mileage month ever in August—albeit mostly slow easy summer running. I searched high & low for a race that would fit into my schedule—still keeping up with my one race per month streak—settling on the ECSC 5K. Running along the boardwalk of VA Beach in August rarely drops a PR into your hat, & this race was no different. However, it does afford you the opportunity to hang out in a bikini post-race, & jump into the water with your kiddos. Score! This month also brought about the tough decision to put my official coaching on hold, so that I could focus on my little family. It was a decision that has proven to be the correct one.

In September, I logged just under 200 miles {highest to date, a record that won’t be broken anytime soon!}. I only ran one race, & that was enough. Stupid humidity. The annual VA Beach Rock ‘n Roll half marathon did not disappoint & presented its’ usual icky race {yes, I know, some people love the heat & humidity—I am just NOT one of them!}. So happy I registered for just the 5K in 2016! Marathon training continued—which meant lots of long slow miles.

I had just one goal for running in October. The 40^th annual Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). A PR was set & I was elated. I didn’t reach the Plan A goal, but that didn’t matter one bit. I can officially say I now know what “the wall” feels like. Coincidently enough, I believe feeling that “wall” has been influential in my more recent running/racing, which I greatly appreciate. I did not however enjoy it at the time it was happening. Ha! The Wicked 10K was a second race for the tenth month of the year—no PR, but a GREAT time as I enjoying being dressed as a minion & accompanying the twins to the finish line of their 2^nd race ever. Happy momma!

I spent a good amount of November recovering from the marathon in the month prior. That resulted in my only month of the year with less than 100 miles logged (99.77 to be exact, so just barely). I also reflected upon my marathon training, running in general, family life, & life in general—all while planning “where do I go from here”. The highlight of running definitely was completing the coast-to-coast races {USA Half Marathon Invitation & Harbor Lights Half Marathon} in 24 hours—alongside my dear friend Kerry. We had a blast! A memory I won’t ever forget. My fall running club also concluded, which was quite bittersweet. Although it was a shorter race, I did also log the longest race at which I have ever pushed the double stroller—the Tidewater Striders Turkey Trot 10K, which occurred on Thanksgiving morning. The boys had a blast & I enjoyed running with 2 of my good friends.

The final month of the year presented only one opportunity to race—the Tacky Sweater 5K. I had no real goals for this race, but of course, a PR is always hoped for. I came very close, finishing with my 2^nd fastest 5K time ever. That elusive 5K PR gets tougher & tougher the longer you run; but always remember if your goals aren’t tough, they aren’t big enough! December also began the training for my 3^rd marathon: the 10^th annual Tokyo Marathon in Japan!

As I reflect on 2015, I am happy to have completed my 5^th year of running. If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be easily logging 30+ miles per week, I would have called you a straight up liar. If you would have told me that I could feel more fit & stronger post-babies than I did pre-babies, I would have told you total B.S. But it is true. The more I log & push my body to the limits, the stronger I feel & the more I want to see what I am truly capable of.

I ran lots of miles last year, more than 35 per week on average, which to some isn’t a lot, but to me, is a great improvement. I set out with a goal of 1,560 miles, which are exactly 30 miles per week. I finished with nearly 300 more miles above the original goal. I am damn proud of this accomplishment. It isn’t always easy, but the rewards are great! I earned PRs in the 5K, 10K, half marathon, & marathon distance, which was no small feat.

Moving forward, I have shifted my focus for my present training & upcoming marathon. Although I PR’d at the MCM, I was left with a feeling of “what more can I do to feel stronger those last few miles”. I am hoping the answer is what I have begun during this last month.

Reflecting back, when I ran the Richmond Marathon in 2014, I trained on very few miles (27/week average). But I did a fair amount of strength work & weekly speedwork. For MCM, I trained with higher miles (40/week average). But I did nearly zero strength work & only 4 speed sessions. Do you see where I am going with this?!

So, for my 3^rd marathon, I am seeking the right balance. It’s time for some definition in these arms & a six-pack on my abs. Joking, kind of… but I wouldn’t argue if those results happened! So what is the “fix”? Well, I have begun training with a personal trainer once a week & taking a weekly yoga class. Along with a weekly group exercise class at the Y each week, I hope this equation along with moderate mileage is the ticket to success. Attending the weekly speedwork hosted by Running Etc. on Tuesday nights has also been an addition to my running plan. I am doing a lot of workouts early & while the boys are at school, so that my time with the family does not suffer during training. My career is also keeping me busy right now, as the census at work is higher than usual for this time of the year & staffing is sometimes always challenging. I am not upset though—I have to somehow fund this Japanese adventure of mine!

My goal, resolutions if you will, for 2016 are this: 1) strongly finish the Tokyo Marathon, 2) focus the rest of the year on maintaining the strength I hope to develop, 3) work on becoming speedier at the shorter distance, 4) spend more time with my boys while getting the twins into some extracurricular activities.

I hope the New Year brings about hope, health, prosperity, & PRs to all of my readers & friends. If our paths did not cross in 2015, I hope we can find some way to see each other in 2016! With the sun peeking through the clouds & the snow slowing down, I will, like last year, end this blog post with a few fun stats on the year. Enjoy!

Total Mileage: 1,855.52 miles (35.7 miles/week on average)

# of Races: 21 (my FAVORITE number!)

Shortest Run: 1-miler during the Summer Series

Longest Run: Marine Corps Marathon

# of Running Clubs: 2 – hardest running decision of the year was to put these on hold in 2016

Most Memorable Race: Toss-up between the half marathon in San Diego & the relay adventure

Most Sought After PR: Breaking into 22:xx for the 5K, accomplished with Falcon 5K

Back in middle school, I recall making venn diagrams. Things in this circle overlapped with things in another circle, but didn’t overlap with things in a third circle. This is similar to how I think adult life works.

It is rare, okay maybe impossible unlikely, for a friend or person to understand how all of the circles function in another persons’ life. In one portion of my “life venn diagram” is my role as a twin mother. In another, is my hobby as a runner. In a third circle, is my career path as a nurse practitioner. Plenty of other roles overlap all of these circles—wife, friend, wanna-be-professional-shopper (ha!). My friend Laura, who is largely responsible for my ever even starting running, probably comes the closest in regards to truly understanding most of my venn circles—she runs (although such a chill/fast/laid back runner who doesn’t overanalyze every run like I do, ha!), is a mom (not twins though), and is a fellow nurse practitioner in the NICU. However, she could never 100% relate, since she doesn’t have a mirror image duplicate (aka twin) of her sweet baby Ryan; and, she doesn’t work 24-hour shifts (yet). But in the same sense, she has venn circles in her world that I too could never completely understand or relate to.

As a runner, I am very open about my running life. I freely share my happy moments and my woes—mostly via this wonderful technology thing called a blog. I am not afraid to post excellent race times, and even the marginally mediocre ones too. My career world is different. I rarely share much about that “circle” of my life—largely because it is a complex world in the NICU, but also to avoid comments or statements that might be viewed as complaining. Not to mention, there is always the HIPPA concern.

I do think however, to fully understand me as a runner, you should also understand other portions of my life. It goes without saying, being a twin mother is hard, but equally, rewarding (most days….). Many of my friends are married, so they can easily relate to the role as a wife/husband and how difficult, but again, very rewarding it is to work hard at a happy marriage. Being a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) is different though. Unless you’ve personally experienced the NICU—that stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit—for my non-medical friends—you can’t fully understand how gratifying, yet taxing it can be, day in and day out.

I can’t imagine though, ever working in any other area of the medical field. My career path was perfectly suited for me. Although some of my thoughts might seem to be from a complaining mindset, it is truly not. I really wanted to elaborate upon what exactly I do. I am asked this, pretty regularly, by close friends {“What exactly do you do… Change diapers? Feed bottles?}—so maybe writing my thoughts and experiences on “paper” can offer more insight about my NNP venn circle.

Twenty-four hour shifts aren’t required, but I do them because they work best for my family. They are NOT easy, nor for the weak. But they work out perfectly for me. Sometime I work a 12-hour shift or even {gasp!} an 8-hour shift. Those “short” shifts are a real treat. For my typical 24-hour day, I arrive at work by 6:30am. I return home the following morning, usually, by 8am—sometimes I am lucky and leave at 7:30am; other times though, I don’t pull out of the parking garage until 8:30 or 9am. Yes, you counted correctly—although they are called a 24-hour shift, it really is more like 25 or 26 hours.

I am a creature of habit. I like the same process in the same way, every day. The hard part is, you can’t tell babies to only be born at “X” time of the day; so this creature of habit process isn’t always possible. Flexible—we must be flexible as NNPs. I start every 24-hour shift with a latte—Starbucks for the win. The first 2ish hours of my day are spent gathering data—a pure numbers game, full of calculations with my handy-dandy calculator. Precise—we must be precise as NNPs. Next, I assess babies. This basically means I check them out from their head to their little toes, while looking for anything that might be wrong. I also assess their cuteness—yes folks, some babies are not cute, despite the BS that many people say/think. But most are quite adorable {insert puffy heart clouds}. After that, I meet with the doctor…. if I am lucky. Since I am the “late stay” person most days, this doesn’t always happen in the most prompt manner. Around lunchtime, I might sit down and start on my paperwork. Or it could be a day when a little premature 24-week gestation baby decides to enter the world, early; in which case, I am busy getting them situated with procedures and such. Around 3pm, I take over care for a few more babies, as a fellow NNP, only working 8 hours, gets to go home. The same thing happens around 6pm, when any remaining NNPs get their turn to head home. And then, just like that, 12 hours after my day began, I am it. There are no fellow NNPs to bounce ideas off of, or even to chat with. I am on my own with 30-some sick babies. Aside from me, there is only one other person to make the big, and sometimes difficult decisions. Lucky for me, that doctor is always in the hospital {at some NICUs, the doctor goes home and is “on call” from home, should they be needed}. The rest of my night is spent doing a potpourri of stuff—more paperwork, office projects, assessing babies, admitting new babies, etc. And yes, even some sleep gets thrown in… if I am lucky, in my nifty call room. And no, it is not like Grey’s Anatomy—no “action” occurs in these call rooms. That I know of…. A new day dons and I happily await the next shift of NNPs arrival. My body is tired and my bed is calling my name.

Sounds like fun, right? Not too demanding?! Well, correct about fun {usually}, but wrong about demanding. It’s definitely challenging, but like I said before, SO SO rewarding {visualize some more of those puffy heart clouds}.

The list goes on and on, as far as what the job actually entails. I’ve handed babies to their mothers to hold for the first time… at 6 weeks of age—yes, 42+ days AFTER they delivered their small miracle. And boy do they cry big ugly crocodile tears during that momentous cuddle session. Love it! Sadly though, I’ve also handed babies to mothers or fathers knowing they would soon be taking their last breath & this would be their last cuddle session. I’ve cried with parents, but most times I’ve been stoic and shed tears privately. Almost 11 years in the NICU will do that to you—gives you a hard exterior. Tough—we must be tough as NNPs. I’ve intubated {this means inserting a breathing tube} ONE pound babies, as well as NINE pound babies. I stick tiny needles in tiny baby backs. I put catheters in the umbilical cord. I poke little needles into arteries & veins to collect blood. On occasion, I even sometimes put a tube through the side of the chest wall. Basically, I help save tiny lives, which without the help of present day technology, those babies would never survive. But honestly, the true heroes are the amazing babies, fighters really, who rally daily to keep on, keepin’ on! And through it all, I feel very lucky to have a career where I never go home wishing I didn’t have to go back to work.

So why is this even relevant to a running blog, you might ask? Well, basically this. When the going gets tough on a long run, I have plenty of motivation to propel me forward. I am blessed to have two very healthy boys. I have my own health. We have my husbands’ health. I have an amazing village of friends & family around me, who through their hard work & dedication push me to be the best I can be. I can always think back to those 24+ hour shifts where I didn’t get sleep, & sometimes a nutritious meal, but still, pressed right on through knowing the end was in sight. This mindset during those tough work situations is a lot like the final marathon miles. You just keep trudging on through. Just like the 1,440 minutes during those 24 hours, the 26.2 miles will eventually end—someway, somehow.

I feel very fortunate that I have been given so many venn circles on my diagram—all roles in which I strive daily to improve & I strive to help others. If you fall into one of those circles of my life, THANK YOU for being YOU & being a part of my story. And, thanks for taking the time to read this lengthy post about the arena of medicine that I truly adore!

Please enjoy these pics from prior patients of mine, whom I keep up with. I won’t post the sad stories here, just a few of the happy ones. Of course, permission to post these photos was obtained from their mommas. Each & every one of these cuties has come a tremendous way from the 24-28 weeks gestation that they were each born at! I am incredibly honored to have been a part of their story.

I have big ideas. I dream big. I want to see this entire planet we call Earth. I want to experience all that life has to offer. I don’t want to ever settle for a mediocre life.

Some people have called what happened last weekend as “crazy”, while others have regarded it as “inspiring”. Either way you look at it, the fact is this—my friend Kerry & I embarked upon an epic adventure & now have a ton of memories to remember that time that TWO chicks, ran on TWO coasts, in TWO half marathons, in less than 24 hours – all while completing more than 26.2 miles. Have we inspired you yet?! If not, you have permission to stop reading & resume your normal life. Hehe! If you continue to read, be prepared… I am long-winded & have TWO races to recap in ONE blog post. I will try my best to be concise, but I make no promises.

The idea surfaced back in the summertime. One day, an article circulated on Facebook about an inaugural race that hoped to become the “Boston” of half marathons—complete with qualifying times & the support of an elite runner named, Meb. What a great idea, I thought. As luck would have it, the day after this inaugural half would be the 2^nd annual Harbor Lights half marathon. Was it crazy to even consider running both????!! Shortly thereafter, following a Running Etc./J&A Racing group run, Kerry & I enjoyed pizza & a cocktail—then, the idea just sprung from my lips. What’s more shocking was Kerry’s response, “yeah, let’s do it!” Was this new-ish friend of mine just as crazy as I am?!, I thought to myself. What if we could do that? Would we be insane?! Would it be safe? How much would it cost? Would the hubsters be supportive & hold down the home fronts? As luck would have it, all turned out just fine.

We headed to San Diego on Thursday, that way we’d have 2 days to enjoy the city & get acclimated to the time change. We spent the first day shopping & eating fish tacos in La Jolla, & then stayed the night at one of my prior co-worker’s house. I could write an entire blog post about that part of the adventure, but I will spare you all of the hilarious details. The short & sweet version is this—1) we stayed in a gorgeous home in the mountains on the outskirts of San Diego overlooking RVs (ha!), 2) we ate dinner at a casino, where our poor waitress complained about her IUD (yikes!), 3) along with three other humans in the house that night, there were also rabbits, chickens, & cats (lol!), & 4) we had a glorious night’s sleep of more than NINE hours (unheard of for mothers!). THANK YOU Whitney, for putting us up for the night!!

On Friday, following a breakfast of eggs fresh from those chickens, we headed to Balboa Park for a 3-mile leg shakeout run. Hello hills! Although I had been to Southern California 3 times prior, I was a new runner back then {last trip was in ‘09 for my Bachelorette Party}—with my only pavement exposure being along the flat boardwalk. This time, I was fully introduced to the various elevations of San Diego! That day, we also visited Coronado & attended packet pickup {nothing fancy, actually pretty small of an event}. Dinner that night was super yummy—a trendy restaurant, Bencotto, in the heart of Little Italy. I enjoyed a penne/chicken/tomato concoction.

Half marathon #1 for the weekend, the USA Half Marathon Invitational, began SUPER early—with a race start time of 6am! At first I was annoyed by this “o-dark-thirty” start time, but by the final 30 minutes of the race, I understood why & was VERY thankful. Hello sunshine & ZERO cloud cover!

I had been asked several times by friends of my racing plan for the weekend. Truth is, I never had one! Of course, a PR would have been nice; but after all of the slower miles for marathon training, I knew this was highly unlikely. Also, my recovery from the Marine Corps Marathon had gone slow—thanks to a sore calf & being sick for the better part of 2 weeks prior to half-marathon-weekend-mania. So, the plan became this: see how I feel at the start line of each race & go from there. I knew San Diego would be hilly & I knew rain was being predicted for Norfolk. Neither would be ideal racing conditions; BUT, I was unwavering that both races would be FUN & ENJOYABLE with smiles along the way {maybe not the whole way…. but at least most of the time, ha!}. At one point, I had a goal of sub-2:00 for both—this is how “un-ready” I felt at multiple times leading up to the epic weekend. This was no mental issue. I know my body & I knew it was just not in optimal racing shape. No cop out or excuse, simply just being my normal realist self. It was amazing how relaxed I felt & how “OK” I was with no pressure to PR.

So back to Saturday. Kerry & I lined up near the 1:45 pacer. I was pretty sure my time would be slower than that, but we definitely wanted to start together. I had looked ahead of time at the elevation map, naturally, & knew there would be no tempo-paced miles until after nearly the first half of the race—the early hills just wouldn’t allow for it. I started out way conservative & eased into the race. Basically, the first 5 miles consisted of, “hey, a big hill” & “oh, at least that one is smaller” & “what goes up, must come down” & “dear God, that BETTER be that huge hill from the map—I can’t do another one like that!” At 5.2 miles, we were rewarded with nearly an ENTIRE mile of downhill {thank goodness!!}—I flew through that mile, with even a 6:36/mile pace popping up on my watch! I zoomed past many people who seemed to be running the hill conservatively. I just hoped that my quads would not revolt later on.

Mile 1 – 8:36

Mile 2 – 9:09

Mile 3 – 8:27

Mile 4 – 8:31

Mile 5 – 8:11

Mile 6 – 7:25

The highlight of my race, aside from seeing some new sights that San Diego had to offer, was high-fiving Meb at the 10K mark. For you non-runner friends, Meb is pretty much a running legend! It’s kind of like high-fiving Michael Jordan at a NBA game or Brett Farve at a NFL game. Although a picture or chat with Meb would have been nice, I really didn’t want to stop & risk losing my mojo.

The next few miles were pretty uneventful. I settled in on a pace that was similar to where I ran most of the marathon—the low 8:20s. Otherwise, I just ran & took in the sights. I know, shocker (!!), I don’t have a ton of words to add about that portion of the race.

Mile 7 – 8:02

Mile 8 – 8:17

Mile 9 – 8:24

Somewhere around mile 10, we ran over packed sand, then gravel, & then turned to approach a final bridge—which I was highly annoyed with…. wasn’t the final 5-6 miles supposed to be uber flat?! Luckily, the bridge wasn’t too bad & I just charged up it knowing it would pass quicker that way. As we continued to trek around the airport area of San Diego, the sun was BEAMING down with no shade in sight.

Mile 10 – 8:19

Mile 11 – 8:20

It’s funny—just the night before Kerry & I talked about when each of us started to make our final “surge” in a half marathon. I commented that almost always during mile 11. Ha, not this race! I decided that at mile 12, this could happen. Prior to that, I was just too tired, & likely conserving energy subconsciously since I knew what would happen the next day. I was happy & complacent to run my marathon pace with the quickly rising temps. But at mile 12, it was ON!

Mile 12 – 8:17

Mile 13 – 7:55

Final 0.14 miles to the Finish – 7:47

Garmin Time: 1:48:59 (8:17/mile)

Official Time: 1:48:59 (8:20/mile)

Rarely does my stomach bother me during a race. Really, this didn’t happen badly in San Diego either. But what did happen was the urge to hurl during the final quarter mile to the finish line. I decided this was an indicator that I was pushing it & had run the best race I could! I did not PR; instead I came up 3 minutes + 17 seconds short. I did run my 2^nd fastest half ever though, so a PR-runner-up!

To specifically recap the course/organization/experience, I will say this. I hope the race grows & blossoms to become what the race director(s) wish for, for their “Boston of halfs dream”. They had hoped for 5,000 participants, but only about 3,000 signed up; with just under that completing the race. The course itself was tough because of the hills, but doable. It was quite organized & the volunteers/police/signage was GREAT (thank you)! The expo was small, but had very enthusiastic vendors. The jacket they gave instead of an official race shirt was a nice perk; & although even the extra small is way big, I am really digging the jacket! I doubt I will run this race again, just because it is so far away, but I will be “following it” to see how it grows or sadly, dwindles.

And just like that, the first race of the weekend was DONE! We headed back to the hotel, took a quick shower, packed our bags, & then headed to the airport. A quick lunch was in order, followed by a lovely flight delay. At one point, there was a fear that our connecting city (Chicago) would cancel our final flight home. Other flights (even Charlotte, NC!) had been cancelled due to a snowstorm. I promised myself that if we actually made it back to Norfolk & had the ability to run the 2^nd half, it would be an epic & memorable race—regardless of running time. I was bound & determine to make this challenge a reality! We ultimately landed in ORF at nearly midnight & then Uber’d over to our Waterside hotel. With less than 5 hours to sleep, we woke up & walked across the street to half marathon #2 for the weekend.

Unfortunately, the meteorologists were not wrong, this time. It was raining…. & heavily at times. We would be soaked by the time we finished the Harbor Lights half marathon. Thankfully, the hotel staff gave us garbage bags to wear to the start line—which we tossed once we got going. In addition to Kerry, our friend Kara joined us at our hotel for the pre-race festivities. A race start delay allowed us a few extra minutes to chat with our running & momma friend, who has recently moved out of the area. We miss you, Kara! Since we were positioned in corral #1, we didn’t have to wait too long in the pouring rain. And just like that, half #2 was underway!

Last year, I was honored to run this race as a pacer. This year, I felt lucky enough to run it alongside a dear friend. Maybe next year I will actually race it!! Our plan was never to stick together for the entire 13.1 miles—but at some point, that just felt right. Neither of us were racing—just simply enjoying the experience {Kerry’s thoughts on “enjoyment” might differ slightly here… since she threw down a 5+ minute faster time than me the day before, ha!}. I could have run faster, but why, what difference did it make on that day & in that moment?

I won’t bore you with each mile split for this race—but if you care, they all ranged between 8:30-9:15/mile. This experience was bigger than the time on the race clock. Instead, it was a race in my city, running past the sights that I love. I had only glanced at the course route once, but instantly, I loved it. I was not one of the runners opposed to last years’ route, but I actually liked the new route & changes even better. Just like the day before, I entered the race relaxed & tried to take in the entire experience.

I took chews every 4 miles & ate a SaltStick in the 6^th mile {thanks to Laurie, one of my athletes, for the chocolate surprise around the halfway point!}. I was drenched & avoided every puddle that I could. However, I did not dodge puddles. I was trying to run the tangents & avoid course “overage”. I ate 2 mini-pies {pumpkin was best!!} at the Graydon grassy area where I have attended the Running Etc. speed sessions a few times. I waved at friends we passed & chatted with Kerry along the whole course. We decided that we started together & we’d finish together. We both felt strong & fierce—passing people steadily in those final few miles. Once past the Spirit of Norfolk, in the final quarter mile, we would sprint to the finish line—but not so fast that a smile would disappear from our faces.

And just like that, our coast-to-coast half marathon weekend was complete! It goes without saying, but J&A Racing always puts on an awesome race! There are few race companies that can compare. Keep up the good work! Maybe, the Harbor Lights can eventually have a marathon distance… just my two cents?!

Garmin Time (13.2 miles): 1:55:31 (8:45/mile)

Official Time: 1:55:31 (8:50/mile)

What I learned about myself this past weekend it this…. I have some awesome friends & my husband is an amazing supporter {despite him not being able to be at the finish line very often}. I am a strong runner (not to be vain!), even though I feel like I have hit a plateau in my running journey. I need to resume other workouts besides running (i.e. strength training & yoga). I need to begin more races in a relaxed state-of-mind. Maybe if I put these “needs” out there in the universe, I will hold myself accountable & make those things happen!

I know this has been long, but I truly love writing & then re-reading about my running journey. I promise, just about done!

THANKS goes to many people, but especially to Kerry, you’re a trooper & an amazing mother/runner/friend! Thank you for entertaining my silly idea & making it a reality—I could not have done this without you! Also to my husband, kiddos, the volunteers, police, EMT, spectators, & everyone else – you ALL rock!!

I hope you all had a lovely & tasty Thanksgiving, while being THANKFUL for what is really important in this life! I spent the day with my family & enjoyed it tremendously! Of course, I did run a race, while pushing the double BOB—the Tidewater Striders Turkey Trot 10K in VA Beach. The twins & I had a blast! Now, to rest this wonky calf before Tokyo Marathon training commences!

Up Next For The Running Blonde: Tacky Sweater 5K in 2 weeks

A few days ago, I ran my third Wicked 10K. This race is by far one of the most fun & enjoyable races of the year. There are endless amounts of costumes to see, many of which I ponder how anyone could wear/carry/function in—let alone, run 6.2 miles in them! Amazing-sauce.

Since the Marine Corps Marathon {you can read that recap here!} was only 6 days before Wicked this year, I had no idea how the 10K would go down. I had zero expectations for race day—I literally entertained the idea of jogging it, racing it, or even walking it. It was all dependent upon how my body felt—the sore calf definitely complicated things. As a realist, my intentions were never to PR at Wicked {Spoiler Alert: I did not set a new PR}. But, I thought a nice, solid tempo-type run would be great.

The only thing I did know about race day, was that my outfit would be a minion! Along with a few of my fellow awesome twin mommas, we donned our yellow attire with grey goggles.

To say I was relaxed about this race would be an understatement. Up until just a couple of hours before I went to bed on the night before the race, I had no idea of my driving logistics, wake up time, or plan for the boys. I didn’t eat anything in particular on the evening before, & really, did zero preparation for race day. I guess when you’ve just run 26.2 miles, running less than a quarter of that is viewed as a piece of cake!

I did eventually make driving plans & was picked up by one of the twin moms. After a stop to meet up with the rest of the minions, we headed to the oceanfront. Once at the convention center, I got my packet/bib, used the potty, & then dropped my bag off at the trucks. Next, it was time to scope out all of the fantastic costumes. I couldn’t pick a favorite, but I really thought the Wizard of Oz group was very well put together—including the spinning house. The one that I didn’t get a pic of, but wish I had, was a grown man in a grizzly bear costume, with a wooden cage strapped to his torso—with a grown man inside! I am not sure if he completed the entire 6.2 miles that way, but if he did, WOW—kudos to him!!

After a photo op with the MRTT group, I met up with Kerry & we headed to the first corral. Not too long after, off we went!

Within a quarter mile, I knew this would be no “race” performance, not even a tempo run. My calf HURT! With every step, I could feel my muscle squeeze & ache. At 0.7 miles, I stopped to stretch it. I told myself if it didn’t loosen up by the first mile marker, I would walk the race. And have ZERO shame about that. There was no point in further injury at a race that is supposed to be a fun run for me! The 1-mile marker arrived & I felt like it was slightly loosened up, so I continued to run. I purposely slowed my pace, to minimize the pounding my calf would be subjected to. Quickly thereafter, mile 2 arrived. Already!? That’s the fun part about running & having an endless number of costumes to gawk at!

Mile 1 – 8:51

Mile 2 – 8:35

The next little bit of the race was spent on the boardwalk, running north. It is typically a part of the race where you encounter wind. Not that day—the weather overall for the race was perfect! A bit sunny, but great temps & humidity wasn’t a factor. Once back on Atlantic Ave, I chatted with a few local running peeps, then resumed my people watching (aka costume stalking!).

Mile 3 – 8:39

Mile 4 – 8:24

By now, the calf was loose. I could still feel it, but it wasn’t painful. Maybe running is just what my leg needed to work out the “kinks”, I thought! I decided it was time for a few tempo-paced miles. I would continue to smile at friends, high-five the kids, & thank the volunteers—but since I had paid for a race, I might as well step up my game & get my money’s worth. Hehe! By mile 5, we had returned to the boardwalk, this time heading south. Still, no wind. Nice! The portion on the boardwalk—about a mile—I just ran fast. And it felt SO good. After not running for 5 days, my legs were happy. This is what they were meant to do. My HR rose, but I didn’t care. It was time to chick some guys & cross that finish mat!

Mile 5 – 8:09

Mile 6 – 7:51

Final 0.23 miles to the Finish – 7:30

Garmin Time: 52:14 (8:23/mile)

Official Time: 52:14 (8:25/mile)

Overall: 533 out of 5736

Gender: 116 out of 3800

Age Group: 35 out of 627

First 5K: 26:54 (8:39/mile)

Second 5K: 25:20 (8:09/mile) – a huge negative split race!

Even though I ran a good portion of this race at easy pace, I was very encouraged by how much I had left in the tank at the end of the race. I was only 1 minute + 52 seconds slower than last year’s Wicked—but the difference being, I “raced” it last year (weather was better this year, however). Still a good way off of my PR, but very happy to even be able to run 6 days after a marathon!

After the race, my calf started hurting again. Badly. I immediately regretted those tempo miles. I stretched & rested, but told myself a session with Jim Browning (local ART guru) was priority #1 for the beginning of the week. Hours later, once home, icing the calf felt amazing. Aleve has been my friend too. And now, fast forward a few days later, I am happy to report that the calf is feeling tons better—following a session with that guru! I can descend the stairs with zero discomfort & with a few more days of heating pad sessions + Epsom salt bath, I do think it’ll be back to 100%. I have strict orders for no speed intervals or hills right now though—which is 110% okay with me; as long as I can toe the line for my double half weekend in less than 21 days!

As a coach, I am sometimes more excited about my athletes race’s, compared to my own. This is definitely the case for this past weekend! Four of my clients ran the Wicked 10K—of which, 3 girls set HUGE PRs. One of those sweet ladies, who has been with me since nearly the beginning, PR’d at the 1-mile, 5K, AND 10K distance. AWESOME-SAUCE indeed!! So very proud of all four of them & their dedication to their running journeys!

The highlight of the Wicked weekend for me though, without a doubt, was Andersen & Alexander running their 2^nd race—the Monster Mile! About an hour after I completed my race, the hubby arrived to the beach with the twins & they “enjoyed” 1600 meters of Wicked-Good-Fun!! I will say, I think 3-year-olds might be better suited for the half mile distance still. Ha! We spent the next 20 minutes along Atlantic Ave & the boardwalk with one boy bolting & one boy on piggyback—then vice versa. Lucky for me, I had my good friend Kerry & her hubby to help keep tabs on my duo that either wanted to run ahead, or be carried by momma. Good times!! I can’t wait until the boys are older, so that I can show them how much fun, & entertaining, their first few races were. I hope you enjoy these pics of my littlest loves!

Up Next For The Running Blonde: The USA Half Marathon Invitational in San Diego on November 21^st, & then, not even a full 24 hours later + 3,000 miles across the country, the Harbor Lights Half Marathon in Norfolk on November 22^nd!! These 2 races & the entire adventure will be shared with my dear friend Kerry. Yes, we are slightly crazy!

Back in early spring, I made a spreadsheet of 8 fall marathons. Each had pros & cons, but any of them, quite frankly, would be a blast to run. A few were smaller, while a few have some of the biggest marathon fields in the world. One is run at night, & one even had wine as its theme. Just as the lottery was about the close {literally, 10 minutes before!}, I submitted my name into the Marine Corps Marathon. Assuming I would not make the cut, as has always been the result with my beloved NYC marathon, I returned to my spreadsheet attempting to decide which marathon would be 2015s “Plan B”. As luck would have it, a Plan B would not be necessary. On March 25^th, I received the email that determined where my 2^nd marathon would be run—Arlington, VA for the 40^th Annual Marine Corps Marathon!

Training officially began on July 6^th. I decided that my base mileage was adequate enough to have a 16-week training cycle. The difference between heading into Richmond Marathon training in 2014 & MCM for 2015 was like night & day! You can peruse my Richmond Marathon recap here.

Over the next 16 weeks, I trained smart, but hard—when appropriate, of course. I had what I would consider a nearly flawless training cycle. By listening to my body, I really only had a minor injury/pain/ache in July—a persistently sore right shin, which an x-ray determined was not a stress fracture. Whew! I think the pain was rooted in trying out a new pair of shoes, which was just not the right fit {pun intended!} for me. July was spent building more base miles—with my only “fast” running that month at the Tidewater Striders Summer Series. In August, I added in tempo runs. Then in September, I added speed intervals to the training regimen. Maybe unconventional, but I only had 4 speedwork sessions before race day. The rest of my nearly 640 miles were mostly at easy/long run pace, with a tempo run each week. I didn’t skip a single long run, which I was very proud about. And aside from maybe 2 or 3 easy runs that just didn’t work into real-life scheduling, I didn’t skip out on any of those types of runs either. Honestly, I can’t thank my body enough for cooperating!

Logistics of the weekend were constantly changing. When I initially signed up for MCM, my sister lived with us, so hubby would have been able to tag along with me. When she moved back home with our parents, that plan fell through. A few friends were going to attend at one point, but life happens & those plans fell through as well. Ultimately, I ventured to DC solo. Going alone, while daunting in some aspects, was quite nice since I only had to worry about getting myself from point A to point B. It really worked out for the best {although I did miss my cheering hubby & friends along the course}!!

Race weekend began on Friday evening. After cooking dinner for myself & the fam, I loaded up the car & made the just over 3 hour trek to the Pentagon City Sheraton. It was nice to arrive at the hotel, unload my stuff, then just crash for the night (not before a quick trip to the local grocery store for bananas & water—runner priorities). Saturday morning I woke up, even before my alarm went off, feeling pretty well-rested. I headed to the expo, first via the hotel shuttle bus, then onto the metro—which I learned to navigate initially with the help of 4 ladies from the Midwest. One of those ladies was running the marathon, which I really hope she had a great race! On my next metro ride, I was SO proud to figure it out all alone—this gives me hope for my Japan travels in February! After the expo, I had a very relaxing bagel in Panera, & then returned to the hotel for a bit. Next was lunch—a yummy Italian sub. Then, back to the hotel for a shower & nail painting session. I disconnected from all things running by enjoying some figure skating on TV. I won’t bore you will all of the logistical issues I had next, in getting to dinner {future DC travelers, plan ahead & allow for double the amount of time you think you need for getting to places}, but I will say that Il Radicchio is a quite yummy Italian restaurant in the Clarendon area of the city. My pre-race dinner consisted of bread plus a chicken penne dish in a light cream sauce with spinach, tomatoes, & mozzarella. Such a tasty dinner, & I must say that the host, who basically became my server, was one of the nicest people I met the entire weekend! Dinner wasn’t until nearly 8pm, so bedtime didn’t arrive until just after 10pm. A little later than I wanted, but it all worked out just fine!

Race morning began with a 5am alarm. I had already packed my bags & all of my running clothes were laid out, so I was quickly out the door within 20 minutes. Back onto the shuttle, then the metro, & then probably a mile+ walk to the Runner’s Village. A bit of a delay at the security checkpoint, maybe 30 minutes, which really wasn’t problematic for me personally, since I had followed the MCMs recommendation for arriving 2 hours before gun time. However, I heard quite a few stories about people not getting through security until after the race had begun! Once in the runner’s area, I found a port-a-potty (very impressed by the short lines!), then some running friends, & then to the bag drop area. After one additional quick bladder-relief break, I headed to the start. By far, the coolest race start that I have ever witnessed! Complete with a “real” gun/cannon firing, skydivers with American flags, a moment of silence, the National Anthem, & some aircrafts flying over {I am sure there are official names for all of those items, but I am not in the military “know”, ha!}. Regardless of my level of knowledge, I took it all in & was really happy I had planned ahead & was able to thoroughly enjoy the race start in a relaxed mindset.

I lined up just in front of the 3:40 sign. Unlike other races, I was not “secretive” over the past few weeks with my Plan A goal of 3:40. According to my training, even previous race times, this is the time I “should” be able to race at the 26.2 mile distance—of course this always assumes “perfect” race day conditions. I would not consider race day conditions at the MCM to have been perfect—from the weather (rainy for at least the first half of the race), to the hilly course (at least to a pancake-flat Hampton Roads runner like myself), to the actual temperature (50s-60s). Regardless though, I went into this race with one mindset—which I also told my 2 clients who ran the MCM—“you did not train these last “x” amount of weeks for a mediocre performance”. I was determined to give it my all, whatever that may be, & be happy with my performance. Spoiler alert: Mission Accomplished.

After studying the course, I knew the first 5K should be slow—like way slower than any other miles should be for the day. I kept my goal paces in mind & totally ignored the other runners around me. I was determined to not let myself burn too much energy during those first 3 miles. But goodness, I was not prepared for the extent of those hills!

Mile 1: 8:51

Mile 2: 8:51

Mile 3: 8:38

When preparing for race day, & planning goal paces, I knew mile 4 would have a downhill portion in it—with that miles’ goal being one of the fastest for the day.

Mile 4: 8:08

The next many miles just ticked on by. I had planned for the next 4 miles to be run at 8:2x; mission {mostly} accomplished on that front. Oh & during this point, I LOVED running through Georgetown! I really need to go up there sometime & just go shopping. I loved all the well-known boutiques along that portion of the course, as well as the cute local shops!

Mile 5: 8:28

Mile 6: 8:15

Mile 7: 8:27

Mile 8: 8:15

Many of the next few miles are sort of a blur—but not for lack of enjoying the course & the people around me. I think I just entered into scenery overload & zoned out some, while watching the people around me & smiling at all of the spectators. We saw some of the leaders loop back past us at this point—which is always a boost to me. I tried to ignore my Garmin & run by feel, as the next 6 or so miles were some of the faster ones on the course; goal at that point, 8:1x.

Mile 9: 8:14

Mile 10: 8:12

Mile 11: 8:22

Mile 12: 8:17

Mile 13: 8:19

The miles before the halfway point consisted of a familiar path—the same route that is enjoyed during the Cherry Blossom 10-miler, along the Potomac River, approaching Hains Point. This point of the course brought the Wear Blue Mile—which was by far the most emotional portion of the course, for me at least. Positioned on each side of the running path, sitting along the ground, were hundreds of signs to honor those Marines who were killed in action. Following that memorial, stood men & women holding American flags, presumably the survivors of such deceased military personnel, so gracefully cheering on the runners. As I looked at those beautiful people, I couldn’t help but to be drawn to the women who appeared to be about my age. That could have been me. They looked so young. I assumed it was their boyfriends, or husbands, or brothers who had been killed while serving our country. It’s just not fair, I thought. Their strength helped propel me along my run.

Mile 14: 8:15

After the emotional blue mile & the 13.1 point, came hundreds of signs, pictures, & sayings—motivational messages if you will, written to specific runners & to all runners in general. Some were funny. Some were cliché. I think many people were not fans of this portion of the course, but I really loved the straightaway & used the signs as a distraction from my watch. I happily stayed right on pace.

Mile 15: 8:08

Mile 16: 8:15

My goal during the next few miles was to just not fade! This is where things started to go downhill at Richmond—presumably due to my lack of mileage base. Things were different this time & I was determined to NOT let mental or physical defeat occur during this portion of the race. Mission Accomplished: “still feeling good & on pace”, I thought to myself.

Mile 17: 8:21

Mile 18: 8:28

Mile 19: 8:17

And then, here comes the nearly 2-mile bridge. Yay…. Not! For many people, their main objective on race day is to “Beat the Bridge”. For the “faster” runners, this is essentially a non-issue; but that in itself doesn’t protect from the toughness that the bridge subjects ALL runners to. It doesn’t help that the bridge is “appropriately” positioned at the point in a marathon, so dutifully deemed as the “start of the second half”. Mile 20. Just get through the next 2 miles, & then you can pick up the pace. It’ll “only” be 4 miles left. You can do anything for 32-34 minutes. This was what I thought going into race day. What actually occurred, quite the opposite.

Mile 20: 8:43

Mile 21: 8:44

Mile 22: 9:07

Mile 23: 9:08

And then, the wheels began to fall off. I had been practicing something the last few miles that I had read about, but never actually done during a race—surging ahead & picking up the pace whenever I was running slower than goal. My legs would no longer do this. The lactate was built up & my body was beginning to shut down. Going beneath two dark underpasses didn’t help. I was disoriented & felt like the world around me was closing in. Tunnel vision was an understatement. Going through a little area of town—where exactly I have no idea as I was so out of it at this point—I saw a fountain & just wanted to plop onto the bench & run no further. This is the point where I feel like I hit “The Wall”. I have never hit the wall in a race or run—but I assume I did at this point. I used all of the motivation around me & what I had seen that morning to keep me from sitting down & getting a DNF—the double amputee, the girl with bilateral foot boots on crutches, the young woman with the picture pinned to her back of her deceased/KIA (killed in action) father. Those were the people who truly had struggles to contend with, not little ‘ole me with a couple of perfectly functional, yet sore legs. About that time, the 3:45 pacer ran past me. “Latch onto him, along with his large group, & DON’T LET GO”, I told myself! This worked for a bit, but then the lactate build up won again. Or maybe it was the handful of goldfish crackers that I grabbed, but could not chew with such a dry mouth… which resulted in labored breathing. Not my best decision at MCM.

Mile 24: 8:23

The last 2 miles felt like an eternity. It seemed like every step I was dragging lead in my dead legs. My turnover was awful & exhausting. My cadence dropped to the 160s. I was no longer racing, but instead, simply surviving. Just get to the finish. No quitting allowed. No walking allowed. Do not allow yourself to be slower than Richmond. Oh, now I understand why people get a DNF. You did not train these last 16 weeks for a mediocre performance. I knew I looked rough. I could see the sympathetic faces of the spectators along the sidelines. Following their compassionate smile, they all shouted words of encouragement. Even in my deteriorating state, I still managed to high-five the little kids along the road & fist-pump every sign that I could for its’ “power”.

Mile 25: 9:24

Mile 26: 9:52

Since I had studied the elevation map, along with stalking the MCM Facebook page, I knew the final 0.2 miles to the finish was an uphill battle—literally & figuratively, it’s a 50ft climb. As I made the final turn, my legs gave out. I walked. Twice actually. I could no longer hold it together. I shed a few tears, & then somehow found the strength to conjure up a jog. Even with my brief walking, my heart rate continued to climb. My body was simply done. There would be no sprint to the finish. Just avoiding a DNF now became the goal. Any official time concerns were thrown out the window at this point. Someway, somehow—I was getting that medal hung around my neck by a Marine!

Final 0.57 miles: 10:48

According to Garmin: 26.57 miles, in 3:48:35 (8:36/mile)

Official Results: 26.2 miles, in 3:48:28 (8:43/mile); a PR by 6 minutes & 35 seconds!!

Overall: 2379 out of 23212

Gender: 539 out of 10439

Division: 123 out of 1743

Reflecting back, it’s funny what you realize about yourself. At one point during the beginning of the race, heck, even in the middle, if you would have asked me my Plan B goal, I would have said 3:45, but I would have also stated “no need to worry about that, 3:40 is happening!” During that mindset, I would have been disappointed with anything above 3:40, & especially above 3:45. However, I learned something at the MCM, in those late, tough, tough miles—if you truly give it your all, there is NO WAY you can be disappointed with the end result. I am damn proud of my time & I have zero regrets from race day! This is another accomplishment on my running journey, in life really—that I succeeded upon, & mostly, all on my own.

It’s tough not to notice, & in my opinion worth mentioning, the distance “over” the official 26.2 mileage. Yes, yes, I completely understand how a course distance is certified & measured—so I will not elaborate upon that here. While nearly no one {maybe the most elite people in the front are able to!} can run an exact 26.2 mile marathon, the “overage” is usually not as significant as is the case at MCM {at Richmond last year, I ran 26.36 miles—only 0.16 mile over}. Exactly 600m (0.37 mile) over the official distance is huge. We aren’t talking 30 seconds, no, more like a couple of minutes. This lets me know one thing though, I am capable of a 3:45—which as I recall during the Richmond Marathon last year, felt so far out of my grasps. Isn’t progress beautiful!? The “discrepancy” at the MCM is likely due to the numerous turns, along with the normal weaving that many people do; but also this year due to dodging puddles. While I didn’t have to weave hardly at all, despite the almost 25,000 runners attempting the marathon, I did find myself dodging rain puddles to avoid having wet socks & feet. I can happily report that I only pounded through one puddle & that sogginess didn’t create any extra blistering! It certainly is a nuisance to know that you will run more than 26.2 miles, but if you know this ahead of time, plan accordingly. If someone were trying to qualify for Boston, I personally don’t like the MCM course for that purpose. However, if you have in the past/plan to in the future, kudos & more power to you!!

I write these recaps for the enjoyment of my few fans & readers (hehe!), but also for myself. It is nice to review what exactly I did for each race & how those choices helped or hurt my performance. That way, I can adjust accordingly in future races. For this DC race, I stuck with my long run plan of a SaltStick pill every hour. For my fuel, I bumped up my frequency from what I would do during long runs, to 4 chews every 4 miles—I liked this easy math! I only deviated from this plan with an extra fuel spot at mile 22; so basically, I fueled in the final 10K at 20, 22, & the 24 mile markers. I drank Gatorade & water at most every water stop (I think I skipped 1 or 2)—quickly grabbing a cup of each as to not lose valuable time during those hydration spots. Overall, my tummy cooperated quite well, so I count that as a win! Despite thinking that taking Gatorade & water at nearly every stop along the course might be too much, I am glad that I did. On the night of sleep following the race, I work up incredibly thirsty & downed a 16.9oz. bottle of water in 5 seconds flat!

As this recap comes to a close {yes, I know, I am quite wordy}, I can’t help but to feel honored to have run such a patriotic & inspiring race. The Marines protect our freedom, along with the other branches of the U.S. military, so that we as Americans may live as we do. And if their job is any reflection on their kindness at the MCM, I can honestly say that they are an outstanding group of men & women. As with any race, the success would not be possible without the volunteers, police officers, spectators, & many others—THANK YOU, to all of you!

Up Next For The Running Blonde: Wicked 10K – since this is 6 days after the marathon, I am not planning to race this one!

It has been quite some time since I was able to blog a race recap. Life, as it is presently, is unbelievably busy. I attempted to blog about my VA Beach Rock n’ Roll half marathon, from the first weekend in September, but I never got past the first paragraph {cliff notes on that race—long training run of 15 miles total, in the humidity that is always that race; didn’t break 2 hours, yet again, so I am doing the 5K next year! Ha!}.

Some time ago, I prepared the “bones” of my 16-week Marine Corps Marathon training plan. I knew some things would change, as the weeks progressed, but at least I would have goals & plans for each respective week. One week in particular scared the crap out of me—the week before taper time. For many people, this is the highest mileage week of the marathon training cycle. This held true for me & my plan.

About a year ago when I trained for the Richmond Marathon, my maximum mileage week was just over 45 miles. This time, I will have SIX weeks that exceed that mileage. Not only that, but practically EVERY week of this training cycle has been filled with more miles & ultimately, more confidence—compared to when I trained last year for my 1^st marathon. My endurance base is growing! The actual running itself hasn’t necessarily all been faster, but overall, I do feel faster—there is that philosophy holding true on “train slower to race faster”.

On average, I am running 13 miles more per week compared to Richmond {27 miles then, vs. 40 miles now}. Most runners can understands how HUGE that mileage difference is. Although I am not an elite runner logging upwards of 100+ miles per week, I am certainly proud of all of my training, especially this last week.

Since I have no idea of when I plan to log another 60 mile week, & since it’s record-breaking for me, I thought a blog post would be fun! Enjoy!!

Run #1 (Monday): Speedwork – 6 miles (8:56/mile avg pace). This workout consisted of intervals – 1000m, 1000m, 2000m, 1000m. Intervals ended up being run at paces of: 7:08, 6:45, 7:12, 6:53. The 2000m felt like it would never end & was super tough, but otherwise a great workout! I pushed myself by running at Mt. Trashmore, so I would not be able to use the excuse of traffic, road crossings, etc. Keepin’ myself honest! It was nice to see solid paces when the humidity was still so high!

Run #2 (Tuesday): Mid-Week Long – 12 miles (9:20/mile avg pace). The dew point was 72—need I say more?! This run was so-so. Thankfully I had my BRF (best running friend) Julie to complain to—when my legs got heavy & I felt like moaning & groaning. She of course was a real trooper & took my complaining with such grace! I did the first 4 miles solo, & then she joined in for the final 8 miles. These mid-week long runs have really grown on me!

Run #3 (Thursday): Easy – 7 miles (9:12/mile avg pace). I had planned for this run to be outside—one of my last evening post-call runs (medical lingo for “worked the night before”)—but real life had other ideas. When hubby was not able to arrive home from work on time, I loaded up the twins & we headed to the YMCA. The treadmill would have to do. I kept the pace super easy & drank water at every mile—since I knew what the following day would hold. The boys LOVE the Stay&Play area at the gym, just about as much as I love the sweat a good stress-relieving run produces! Once we left the Y, we headed to YNot Pizza for a yummy dinner, followed by sharing of a gelato cup—YUM!!

Run #4 (Friday): Long – 22 miles (9:18/mile avg pace). Originally, I had planned to log the longest run of my training as part of the Crawlin’ Crab half marathon (8.9 miles pre-race + the 13.1 race). I had also planned to run a good portion of the distance at marathon pace. But, Mother Nature thought otherwise! For you see, the East Coast has been harassed this last week by a storm—identified as Hurricane Joaquin. NOT fun. Nope, not at all! But, in true runner fashion, the weather did not stop us & many impressive folks threw down some awesome times, especially considering the un-ideal conditions!! They are ALL rockstars in my book! My run was 100% spent in the pouring rain, solo, & with puddles everywhere you looked. At some point, I just went numb & into auto-pilot mode. Luckily, I ran from the boys’ school, so they were my motivation—I HAD to get back to the school so I could retrieve them. I certainly didn’t want to get a “Mom of the Year” award by not showing up at pick-up time! I arrived back, with 2 minutes to spare. Talk about intense—it’s just what mothers do though. Change gears in 2 seconds from a runner who just pounded the pavement for 3+ hours, into mom-mode of two wild 3-year-old boys! Mother runners are the strongest people I know (okay, maybe second only to the preemies I take care of)!

Run #5 (Saturday): Easy – 5 miles (9:22/mile avg pace). The legs were definitely heavy for this run, rightfully so with the prior days’ run, but no worries since this was just a fun, easy (albeit humid!) run with Julie. Afterwards, I rewarded myself with Starbucks—and the hubby too since he has the boys each morning when I am pounding the pavement!!

Run #6 (Sunday): Tempo – 8 miles (8:29/mile avg pace). For some reason, I went into this run with fear. Not sure if it was because of the conditions outside (25-40mph wind gusts will make anyone a bit fearful!) or because I had never logged 7 consecutive miles at tempo pace. Well, I guess I have on race day! Regardless, I was bound & determined to do 2 things—get those tempo miles ran AND complete my 60 mile week! My goal going forward is to attack more runs. As a mentally-defeated runner at times, I have a goal of pushing the fear aside & moving out of my comfort zone. Miles for this workout ended up being very even: 8:20, 8:20, 8:14, 8:13, 8:15, 8:12, 8:13. Although it was not the progressive tempo run I had planned for, it did meet my goal of all 7 miles below marathon pace!

So there are just 3 weeks left—and about 90 miles to be logged before race day. I may adjust my plan slightly—I certainly don’t want to get injured or burned out at this point! BUT, I also don’t want to slack off & not utilize the speed & confidence that I have gained over these last 13 weeks. Taper time is here & I am excited to see what DC has in store for me, as well as the 30,000+ other runners, on October 25^th!! Bring it on! OORAH!

Last November, I ran my first 26.2—the Richmond Marathon. At the mid-way point of that training, I had a fun little blog post that detailed my running travels. I thought it’d be fun to do that same thing this year, as I train for the Marine Corps Marathon. Last year, I trained for 20 weeks. This year however, I decided to work through a 16 week plan; hence there are some variations.

Many things are different about this years’ training {hello, miles!}, but one thing remains true—I continue to truly enjoy running & strive each time I hit the pavement to positively impact my ultimate marathon time! As of tomorrow, I have 8 weeks left of training; or 56 days. EEEEKKKK!

Here is some fun info {same data points as last year!} about the last 8 weeks:

• Total Distance – 302 miles
• Average # of Weekly Miles – 37.75 miles
• Total # of Runs – 38
• Total # of Hours – 46hr 52min 2sec
• Calories Burned – 26,272
• Longest Run – 18-miler
• Shortest Run – 1-miler
• Fastest Paced Run – Timed 1-miler for the Summer Series (6:54min/mile) ß exact same time & race as last year!
• Slowest Paced Run – 3.1 mile run with the DoubleBOB + 2 boys, on trail/packed gravel, in the 90+ degree afternoon heat! Ouch. (10:04/mile)
• # of Races – Two 5Ks (ECSC & Memorial Scholarship), plus the other 3 Tidewater Striders Summer Series “races”
• # of “other” fitness workouts – 2 Stroller Strides classes
• # of 24-hour shifts worked {trust me, this matters!} – 10 (plus four 12-hour shifts & two 8-hour shifts)
• Most Favorite Workout – A long run of 17+ miles where I felt like I could have run much longer. It was the final run with a friend who has moved to DC, along with 2 other fabulous running friends. Those girls really “showed up” & staggered the miles so that I could run practically the whole thing with someone!
• Most Disliked Workout – It’s a toss-up between 2 runs, about 12 hours apart—an “easy” evening 6-miler, followed by a 10-mile “tempo” run the following morning. Both were simply awful & really made me question my decision to train for a Fall marathon through the humid Summer heat of Southeastern Virginia.
• # of Twins + a Hubby Who Have Survived the 1^st Half – 3 total; they’re getting more used to my “addiction” now & are coping better (ha!)

So, what happens next?! Well, I log a ton of miles, & then I try to pull out a big PR on October 25^th. Avoiding injury, insanity, & death is also on that list. From a race standpoint, I will be running 2 more races, both half marathons, before I toe the start line of the MCM—the Virginia Beach Rock n’ Roll next weekend & the Crawlin’ Crab in early October. My longest run will be a 22-miler & my highest mileage week will top out at 60 miles. While I would love to shoot for a Boston Qualifier in the Marine Corps Marathon, that simply is not on my radar at this point of my running journey. To be honest & realistic, I feel that I really need those extra 5-10 minutes that will come when I “age up” to the 35/40-year-old age bracket. So, that goal will become more realistic in a few years. I think. Until then, I am chasing down a 15 minute PR, with a MCM goal time of 3:40. There, I said it. It is out there to the internet universe & therefore, I must work hard for that time. Deep breaths!

I can’t recall the brilliant soul who passed on this tidbit of knowledge, but in my book, they are an intelligent human being. This insightful person once told me that personal investments must be maxed in threes. What exactly does that mean, you might ask? Well, to fully focus your time & effort upon something, & do that something quite well, you can only have a maximum of three BIG things going on in your life at any given time. For me currently, those three things are: 1) My family & friends, 2) My career as a Nurse Practitioner, 3) My running. Sure, you may have numerous other smaller commitments, but the human mind & body can only fully focus on three big things at any given time. I have no idea if this is deeply seeded in research, but it makes complete sense to me!

I began writing this well over a week ago, maybe even 2 weeks. My intention at that time was to offer, via my blog, an update on life & running. Specifically though, that update was going to be about my marathon training & the upcoming Fall Running Club. Life has been busy & I have neglected many postings—tips on running, race recaps, & other generally motivating posts. I can’t say I regret being unable to type up these things. No, not really. Instead, I have been busy being a mother to two very rambunctious 3-year-olds. Maybe it’s the summertime hustle & bustle, but free time is rare & it comes at a premium. In those downtime hours, I am busy being a wife & running coach to my amazing athletes.

But, life is still overwhelming busy at times & there are a few changes going on in my personal life presently.

Therein lies the shift in this blog post.

While trying to find the time to type, I had an “ah ha” moment. Something has to give. I definitely cannot give up my children or husband. I most certainly will not give up my career of taking care of some of the smallest humans. I don’t want to give up being a running coach, but it seems like the only logical choice at this crossroads of my life.

When I became a certified running coach nearly 2 years ago, my life was different. I had different priorities & wasn’t as busy as I am now. I didn’t log the miles I presently do, & I in general, had more help with the children. Fast forward 2 years, & instead of running 20-25 miles a week, I’m logging mostly 35-45 miles per weeks. At this point 2 years ago, I had a mother, mother-in-law, & sister to help with the twins. But due to health issues for the 2 moms & a new career for my sister, I have gone from 3 to 0 reliable childcare providers.

But those reasons alone aren’t the cause of my taking a break from coaching. While I LOVE helping others to achieve their running dreams & aspirations, it can be very time-consuming & daunting. There are nightly emails to send & weekly training plans to complete. I am not complaining, honestly. I am merely providing insight into the life of a running coach. It is an extremely rewarding job, but also a very time-consuming job. Some clients need zero motivation in completing their miles, whereas with others, I am constantly their “bartender” or “therapist” (it takes all kinds!). I spend many nights on the couch on the laptop catching up on clients & cheering them on virtually, after their amazing miles have been run. I am going to miss this more than I can explain. But I would be lying if I said this task is more important than catching up on books for my boys—such as their baby books, photo albums, & scrapbooks. I would be lying if I said I would rather type up a plan than cuddle with my hubby during my favorite reality TV show.

Life is not static, neither are our goals & dreams.

My primary goal when I became a running coach was to improve my personal running. My secondary goal was to help other mommas get back into running or begin running post-baby(s). I believe I have accomplished both of these goals over the past 2 years. I have had the pleasure to coach 44 athletes {yes, I counted!}—all of whom have helped me become a better coach. I am forever indebted to each of you for trusting in this little ‘ole Running Blonde to help you along your running journey.

I don’t know when or in what capacity I will resume my coaching business, but I know it will not be for some time. I never want my children to feel like I chose being a running coach over them or their activities. It has been nearly 2 years since I have updated their baby books & I can’t wait to jot down all the changes that have occurred & reminisce on the past almost 4 years since I became a mother. I will miss being a running coach, but in 20 years, I don’t want to regret missing any of the boys’ childhood.

So for all of those people who ask, “How the heck do you do it all”? Well, I answer with this. I could continue to do it “all”, but “all” of those things will not be done at my best. I have always been a quality over quantity kind of person, so I must invest my quality time into my family & main career path.

I will continue to run—and when time allows, type up random race recaps. You can’t get rid of my race recaps that easily!! You know I do have my 2^nd marathon in less than 10 weeks!! But, I will no longer put the pressure upon myself that this or that HAS to be done, & in a timely manner. I will blog when I wish & I will take sabbaticals from blogging when I wish.

So when will all of this coaching cession occur? Well, I owe it to my current 1-on-1 clients to get them through their Fall races {which I wouldn’t miss for the world!}, as well as to my Fall Running Club {don’t worry guys, I will still give you all 150% of me through race day!}. Essentially, by the end of the year I will have hung up my coaching hat for some undetermined period of time.

This is not a decision I have come to lightly. I have pondered & pondered if there is an alternative way, but it really is the best option to have no future regrets in raising my children & living this life with my awesome Scott. I would never want to miss a swim team meet in the future because I have a training plan to write. Or miss a convo with hubby simply because I was preoccupied with a training schedule. Likewise, I would never want to do a half-a$$ job for my running clients, simply because I am a busy mom/wife. To my long-term clients, I can definitely still write a training plan here & there, but the weekly coaching, weekly recaps, & running clubs will end by the completion of this year. I am sorry to anyone I have disappointed. This post is as honest & raw as they come.

As everyone gears up to begin Fall training, or is trudging through training already, I wish you the best of luck on their journey!! Don’t worry—this isn’t the last you’ll see of me! 😉

HAPPY RUNNING!