Everyone Needs A Little MO’ Cowbell!

This Sunday I will run my first half marathon since the May 1 Oklahoma City DISASTER (if you didn’t read that recap you can read it here).  It was the coldest, rainiest, slowest, most miserable run of my life.

The MO’ Cowbell is going to be CRAZY COOL.

You can get your picture taken with this life size charmer…..

The weather forecast for Sunday:

PERFECTION!!

The race is mostly flat from miles 1-9, 10-11 are pretty much uphill, and 12-13 are downhill.  AWESOME!

I’ll be meeting and running with coy Martinez of First in Philly!  SUPER AWESOME!

It’s going to be an absolutely AMAZING Day!

My only wish – that I was more prepared.  I am in full marathon training mode, but I’m early into my training.  My longest run since May has only been 10 miles.  I did 8, 10, and 9.3 over the last several weeks.  I know I can get through the half, but I do think I’ll start struggling a bit around mile 10…..just in time for the hills.  I’m also STILL dealing with some back pain.  My visit to the chiropractor last night brought some much needed relief, but it’s still painful.  I’m hoping I’ll continue to improve over the next several days.

I had to skip my speed run yesterday.  I was supposed to do 5 miles (3 speed).  I ran/walked 2 and called it quits. I was in way too much pain – it was very frustrating.  So today my back felt much better and I decided that instead of my regular 4 mile easy run I would do a 4 mile speed run (2 miles speed) since I missed it yesterday.  I did my two miles in 10:24 and 10:20.  My overall pace for the 4 miles including the warm-up and recovery mile was 11:08….NICE!  My times are improving. 

I’ll probably do a couple of miles on Friday and maybe even Saturday before I head to St. Charles, MO for the race.  That's it....then it's COWBELL time!

3 PRs in One Race - Cerner 15K Race Report

This morning Jim and I headed over to Kansas City, KS for the first annual Cerner 15K race.  We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful morning!  The weather was literally perfect for running.  It was about 52 degrees, sunny, and light winds.  There was moderate humidity (about 75%) but with temps like that you really didn't notice.

For some reason Jim and I were both really not feeling the race this morning.  I've been having some trouble with my low back, and have been limping around all week.  I've had my physical therapist work on it some during my shoulder appointments, but it hasn't provided much relief.  Jim said he just wasn't into it.  He had just ran a marathon two weeks ago and had back to back long runs of 18 and 20 last weekend...and I think he was just a little tired.  I was too.  As I limped across the room to the bathroom, he said "Let's just not go".  To which I responded...."whatever, we are going".  We both knew we were going....sometimes you just have to get the grumps out.  So we got our running clothes on and did our pre-race "dance ritual" to get in the mood.  This time Jack got in on the action.

Me trying to do the "sprinkler" - oops blocked Jim from the shot :)

We arrived early and sat in the car to stay warm.  52 degrees is awesome for running, but a little chilly for standing around.  It was just a short walk to the race start so we could stay in the car until about 15 minutes before the race.  After a few trips to the porta potty we headed over to the race to warm up a bit.  I was planning to take it slow.  I have a half marathon next weekend, and with my back a little out of whack I figured I'd be lucky to average a 12:30 pace, but I secretly hoped I'd still finish around the 12 minute mark. My plan was to use this as a training run vs. a race.  I would run it the same way I was doing my long runs on the weekend.  I have been running the first 3 miles (with a 1 minute walk break in between miles) and then doing a 3 minute run/ 1 minute walk combination for the rest of the miles.  This is my running plan for my marathon.

The race started and I was off....running slowly to start...taking it easy, or so I thought.  I looked down at my Garmin when I was about a 1/2 mile into the race and I was averaging a 10:30 pace.  Oops, that race adrenaline will get you every time.  I slowed down..again or so I thought, but when I hit mile 1 my pace was 10:37.  OK, I really needed to slow down, I still had 8.3 more miles to go.  However, I was feeling good, so I decided to skip the 1 minute walk between the first few miles.  Maybe I would just run the first three without stopping.  Mile 2 comes....10:54, slower but still a little fast.  However, at this time I realize, at this pace I could break my 5K PR.  It won't be an official PR, but that's ok.  I slow down a bit more, but not too much.  Mile 3...11:18.  Now I'm watching my watch, to see it  hit 3.1.  When my Garmin registers 3.1 my time is 34:02. That's a 10:58 pace....that's sub 11!!!  My previous 5K PR was a 34:58 - an 11:16 pace.  I didn't crush my PR or anything, but I beat it....and I still had more than 6 miles to go.

OK, I knew I had to get serious now and slow down, or I was going to completely burn out.  So I decided to stick to my plan and start doing my 3/1 run walk method.  Mile 4 was mostly down hill, so in spite of my walk/run method I still did it in 11:16.  My next few miles were certainly slower, but I was still feeling really good.  As I approached mile 5, I realized if I just kept a decent pace I was also going to beat my 10K PR. I started envisioning my blog post...3 PRs...yes I was thinking about blogging while racing.  You know you guys do it too!  I kept tabs on my Garmin and hit 6.2 miles at 1:09:3, an 11:11 pace.  I killed my best 10K time which was 1:14:17 - a pace of 12:01.  I killed it!!!!

I was running on air.  I still felt strong....but then came the hills.  From about mile 6 to 8, it seemed like it was literally up hill the entire way.  There had been several pretty steep but short hills throughout the race, but these were long gradual hills.  Mile 6 to 7 was uphill, then a short break, and then back uphill again for mile 7 to 8! But I stayed strong.  Once I finally reached mile 8, I knew I was good.  I looked at my Garmin and I was averaging an 11:30 pace.  I decided my goal was to keep that.  I wanted to end with an 11:30 overall pace.  Finally, shortly after mile 9, you see the entrance to the Live Strong Sporting Park where Sporting Kansas City (our pro soccer team) plays and I know the finish line is close.  I looked at my Garmin, I'm still at 11:30, I can't slow down if I want to keep my pace.  I enter the stadium and I can see the finish line - I didn't expect it to be so close.  I sprint the last few feet and run across the finish line with 11:29 on the Garmin!  I threw my hands up in the air!  So excited for such a wonderful race.

Jim captured me coming across the finish line.

I finished in 1:47:43 with a pace of 11:29.  Unfortunately, as we all know you usually run a little bit more than the exact race distance so although my official race time was 1:47:39, my official pace was 11:34.  That was a bit of a bummer, for a second, and then I realized I had just PR'd in 3 races...a 5K, a 10K, and a 15K (just because it was my first 15K).  I had just finished a race with an 11:34 pace.  I had never finished a race over 3 miles with less than a 12 minute pace before....EVER!

15K Finisher gift....nice!  

It was a great day.  In spite of my own personal bests, I was 904 out of 975 runners.  That part is so frustrating to me.  How can I do so well, but still so bad?  But I can't focus on that.  I had a great race and I improved and that's all that matters at the end of the day!  I was fast for me.

Jim of course did AWESOME as usual finishing 1st place in his age group.  If you don't follow my husband's blog (50after40) you should.  He is truly an amazing athlete and does some amazing things.  You can read all about his race experience here.  I am so proud to be married to such a running super stud...yes Honey.....I said it, you are a running STUD!  I love you baby!  It was great to be able to share such a wonderful day of running with my husband.

Jim accepting his medal...I wasn't a very good photographer

Sorry if you read Jim's blog and see some of the same pics....we did do the same race after all.

Up next.....MO' Cowbell!  I know I won't be able to run this fast for 13.1 next weekend, but maybe, just maybe I'll finish around the 12 minute pace which would be another PR.   I'm hopeful to have this same wonderful weather....but who knows.  Today was a great day, one you don't get very often.  I'm thankful for it.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend as well and had AWESOME racing or training experiences of your own!

Here We Go Again!!!

Well if you have been following my husband Jim’s blog for awhile then you know that periodically he likes to embellish or totally make up stories about conversations we have around the house, and then I of course have to respond and set the record straight.  So here we go again…..The Story of the MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon……the CORRECT and actual ACCURATE version of the story.  Even his dates are wrong….come on now honey!!



Me & Jim

If you would like to read Jim’s “version” of the story….you can read it here.

Last Friday, I happen to come across the most awesome half marathon of all time.  The MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon in St. Charles, MO (near St Louis).  I mean the medal is a cowbell and they are trying to set a record for the most cowbells, and then of course there is the SNL skit that goes along with the race theme.  Brilliant!!  Maybe you already ready my last post about it.   Anyway, here’s the story.

So, again, last Friday, I happen to find this race and I sent Jim the following e-mail……to which he did not respond all day.

On Friday night, we have the following conversation:

Me:  Hey did you get that e-mail I sent you?

Jim:  Oh probably, but I never pay any attention whatsoever to anything you ever send me or say to me.  Why what was it?

Me:  Oh, just quite possibly the most AWESOME Half Marathon of all time – the MO’ Cowbell HM.  They have an awesome logo so I bet the t-shirt is pretty cool and it just looks like so much fun, and it’s only 4 hours away.  It’s in 3 weeks, what do you think?

Jim:  Michael, I’m not sure what you don’t understand about my Back to Back marathons.  That would be my last weekend to get in two long runs….and a half marathon just won’t cut it.  I mean, you know I am the most amazing athlete of all time right?  Have I mentioned to you that I’m running back to back marathons???  Do you know how many people have done that in the history of mankind….two – me and Dean Karnazes.  We’ll have to do your silly half marathon some other time.  My training schedule is way too important to be interrupted with some trifle half marathon.

Me:  Oh, ok sweetie.  I understand you need to train.  Maybe next year.  Maybe I could just sit and stare at some rocks or something that weekend.

Flash forward to Sunday.  I post my blog about how I’d love to do the race, and how Jim “crushed” my dreams….yes it’s there on Sunday….that he said NOOOOOO!!!  I have written internet proof that his interpretation of this is entirely false.

Sunday afternoon, Coy Martinez of First in Philly leaves me a comment about how it sounds like fun, and maybe she would do it with me next year.  (If you don’t read Coy’s blog you seriously should.  She has the funniest blog on the web…I promise. It’s a daily dose of humor.)  Anyway, I just responded back with a well if you wanted to do it this year, I would totally be in.  I won’t bother you with the barrage  of details from all the  back and forth e-mails, but at the end of the day she decides to do it.  Wahooo!!  I get to do my half marathon, meet Coy and have a girls weekend!!  Perfect ending!

Flash forward again to Sunday night.

Me:  Hey honey, guess what??!!  Coy is going to do the MO Cowbell Half Marathon with me!  Isn’t that cool?

Jim:  Yeah, it will be fun to meet her. 

Me:  Huh??  You said you didn’t want to do it. 

Jim:  Um well, that’s before I saw your blog post about it and found out Coy was going to be there.  After all there is only one other person in the blog world who can rival my humor….so I have to meet her, so I’m thinking about doing it.

Me:  Hmmm……..

Monday

Me:  Hey, I just got an e-mail from Coy – she’s registered for the race.  I can’t wait to go run it and meet her.

Jim: Yes, I think I will go too.

Me:  Wouldn’t you rather stay home and run?  I mean I don’t want you not to get in those long runs and crash and burn during those back to backs…….Dean K. would be so disappointed in you.

Jim:  But I want to go.

Me:  Too late!  You missed your chance.  You already said no.  Now it’s a girls weekend and that’s all there is to it!  Sorry man.

Jim:   OK sweetie, you girls go and have fun!

The morale of this story.  MICHAEL is always right.  If she says something is going to be AWESOME than it is.  Jump on the bandwagon early, or the bandwagon leaves you....sitting in the dust...crying...wishing you could have MO' Cowbell PLEASE!

One other thing to note, I DO NOT commonly use the word penis....in casual conversation.  Come on now honey, at least try to make it realistic.

I Love Gimmicky Races

I love a race that has a gimmick.  Halloween races where you get to wear costumes, the Diva Races that have cupcakes and tiaras, etc.  Call me silly, I can't help myself.  So when I came across the MO' Cowbell Half Marathon in St. Louis I was immediately interested.......just because it has cowbell in the name and I love the SNL cowbell skit and I love to hear a cowbell at a race.  What a fun race idea.  Check out the medal and logo.

This is an inaugural race and looks like it only has a about 1000 runners, but they are going to try to set a record for the most cowbells.  I just love it.  It is about 4 hours from our house, so I immediately sent the link to Jim to say let's do this race.  He crushed my dreams by telling me a half marathon just wouldn't cut it for the training he needs right now :(   I'm bummed.  I want to do this race.  It's in 2 weeks, and I wouldn't be quite ready for it yet.....but I would be close enough.  Oh well, maybe next year.  Sounds like fun though huh?

In other news, I completed my first 10 mile run in a very long time.  It went GREAT.  I averaged exactly a 12 minute mile which was 10 seconds per mile faster than my 8 miler last week.  It was a cool fall day in the mid 50s.  It also rained about the last 3 miles, which made those last few miles pretty darn cold.  

Jim and I are doing our first 15K race next weekend.  It should be fun.  We finish in the new Live Strong soccer stadium.  I guess the stadium finishes are the new "it" thing in racing.....yet another gimmick!  Love it!

Off to see the KC Royals today in their last Sunday home game of the season.  We are taking our grandson Ryder to see his first baseball game.  He is so excited.....no really he could care less.  I guess it's the adults that are more excited.  

Hope everyone has had a terrific weekend!

Do you guys like gimmicky races?  If so what's been your favorite and why?

Party Rock!

Nothing to do with running, biking or swimming.  I just think it's HILARIOUS!  It's only 1 minute.  Check it out if you haven't seen it.  Enjoy!

Who Knew I was THIS Fast!

Speed is relative….as they say, so when I say I am FAST, I mean fast for me.  I know I don’t have to say it again, but I am a slow runner.  I own it, it’s ok.  It’s just who I am.

This morning I had a 5 mile “speed” run planned.  This included a 1 mile super slow warm-up, 3 – 1 mile “sprints”, and a 1 mile super slow cool down.  I was hoping to negative split the three miles.  My goal was to do 11:15, 11:10, and 11:05.  My average pace is around 12:00 – 12:30 so this was still a pretty quick pace for me.  My 5K PR is an 11:15 pace….so seriously this would be fast for me.  

No, this is not really me, but I was this excited!

I run early, as in 5am and still completely dark early.  So I can’t see my Garmin.  I have no idea what my pace is.  After my 1 mile warm up, I just decided to run at a good pace.  One that felt difficult, but not overwhelming.  I pushed myself and when mile 2 beeped I pushed the light on my Garmin and what popped up – 10:49.  What?  10:49, who’s this girl?  I just ran 1 mile in 10:49.  That’s smoking fast.  I still wanted to do negative splits, but I had just ran too fast.  What the heck, I’ll push it and see what happens.  Mile 3 – 10:33……HOLY Toledo!  Now I was done for, no way could I go faster than that for my 4^th mile, but I’ll give it all I’ve got.  Mile 4 – 10:30…..wahooo I ROCKED it!  I negative split like a CHAMP!!  Mile 5, slow, slow, cool down.  I couldn’t believe it.  I would have killed my 5K PR this morning and the weather was even hot.  It was 70 degrees this morning with 70% humidity.  Not exactly ideal running conditions.

What a great way to start the day.  Now, I have to tell you the complete truth.  I did stop in between each mile for a quick stretch, just to make sure I didn’t pull anything.  I’m not sure I could have put those times together consecutively, but even with the short break, I was super happy with my run!!  I love it when a plan comes together!

Now, tomorrow, I’m sure I’ll be back to my old slow self, but that’s ok.  At least I know I have it in me to go faster.  Those miles in the 10:30s are my fastest miles on record.  That’s right, I broke a record this morning baby!!  Love it!

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Thanks for all the thoughtful and wonderful comments on my blog lately about my shoulder injury!  Seriously, you guys are so awesome!  If you missed my update, read it here.  I started my PT last night.  Fingers crossed things go well!

I Get Knocked Down...But I Get Up Again!!

Great, AMAZING, AWESOME news!  At least for now.....I don't need shoulder surgery!  Yea!!!  I could not be happier!

Will was pretty excited to hear the news too!

I went to the Dr. yesterday (I was able to get in to see a different doctor a little earlier) and he said he thought surgery might be jumping the gun at this point.  He wants me to do a month of Physical Therapy with a daily anti- inflammatory and come back for a re-evaluation in a month.  So, I could be here again in a month, but for now I feel like I have at least a month to keep moving toward my marathon and other fall races.  I'm a little perplexed by what the PT is going to do for me because he did said I had sublexation in the joint (meaning it is shifiting) which is doing cartilage damage and "flattening" out the humeral head of my shoulder, but he thought a good majority of my pain was coming from inflammation of the rotator cuff and that if we could reduce that inflammation it will hopefully reduce my pain.

I can't swim....at all...for I'm not sure how long, and he wasn't crazy about me cycling either due to the pressure it puts on  your shoulder and the chances for falling, but he thought running should be ok or stationary biking.  I probably will keep cycling, at least short distances while the weather is still nice. I have been cycling anyway, and while it does hurt more than just sitting, it doesn't seem to bother me too badly.  But the good news is I can keep running.  I had already registered for a 15K in 2 weeks, a half marathon in mid Oct, and of course the Disney Marathon in January, so I feel like I can keep working toward these races and that feels GREAT! 

This morning I got up for an 8 mile run and felt wonderful.  The weather is finally just about PERFECT here in Kansas City. It was sunny and about 65 this morning......ahhhhhh, amazing!  I did my 8 miles at a 12:11 per mile pace which is not bad for me at all.  My long runs all summer were closer to 13 min miles with the heat.

Hope everyone's weekend is going as GREAT as mine!