Rock'n'Roll Chicago 5K: July 2015

This past weekend I raced my first 5K in five years! It's crazy to think that this whole thing started with a simple 5K, yet I had only ever raced that distance the one time. That particular distance is quite popular in the USA but over here in Europe it's just not as popular, so I just never had the opportunity to race it again.

March 2010: My first 5K with my best friend Katrina

I had already signed up a year in advance to run the Rock'n'Roll Chicago Half Marathon, but decided that this year I wanted to also run the 5K to earn the Remix Challenge medal. In case you haven't already realized this, I run for the bling! So one weekend, two race, three medals? Count me in! I just didn't want to run the 5K alone. I wanted to share my love of racing with at least ONE other friend, but none of my friends were interested in joining me. Somehow, though, I convinced my dad to sign up. He plugged away on the treadmill each week, building up his endurance, and before we knew it race day had arrived. 

Savoring our time in the shade before our corral began

The race had a wave start, which I really love because it gives everyone a chance to start at the line rather than having to run a few hundred yards before even starting the race. Dad and I were assigned to different corrals based on our estimated finish times, so I dropped back a few so that we could run together. The only problem with being so far back was that almost everyone else in our corral were walkers, and it took us almost the whole first mile to get through the thick crowd. I have the utmost respect for everyone who participated, but I have to admit it was quite frustrating.

The temperature and humidity also made for some pretty terrible conditions! But we endured with careful pacing. Originally my dad thought he would need to walk part of the race but it turned out that he pulled ahead and finished about 30 seconds before me. We were running in direct sunlight for the last mile with absolutely no respite from the heat, and I had started to get light headed so I slowed to walk a bit. In the end I managed to kick it into high gear and finished feeling pretty strong, though it definitely wasn't a PR.

I'm pretty sure my dad has not been bitten by the racing bug - in fact he has made it quite clear how much he hates running. (Actually, he sounds a lot like I did a few years ago, and look where that got me!) But the fact that he signed up for this race was a pretty big deal. Even though he probably won't be joining me for any more races any time soon, I think it was pretty awesome to get to share this experience with him!

We did it! 

Rock'n'Roll Madrid Half Marathon: April 2015

I knew months in advance that I wanted to participate in this race. Last year I fell in love with the Rock'n'Roll race series and was thrilled that finally I would not have to travel to participate in one.

My experience began on Saturday when I ventured downtown to visit the expo and pick up my race bib. I expected crowds; what I did not expect was a two-hour wait just to enter the expo. In my humble opinion, the venue selected for this event was a poor choice given the sheer volume of people expected to attend. The police enforced a strict limit on the number of people that could be in the building at any given time, and that number was quite low. What surprised me was that while I was inside it felt pretty empty considering the number of people waiting outside!

I spent that night downtown since I live outside of the city and it would have been a bit of a commute to get downtown in time for the start of the race. Some old friends hosted me for the night and fed me a delicious carb-heavy meal while we caught up on life since we'd last seen each other. Like the night before any race, I slept lightly and woke up often. Finally around 7:00 I pulled myself out of bed and prepared my typical pre-race peanut butter toast and banana. As I drowsily nibbled on my toast I watched the rain streaming down the large dining room window. I'd heard rain falling for most of the night and each time I awoke, prayed that it would stop by morning. Eventually it slowed to a light drizzle, but the unmoving clouds suggested there was more to come. So, I suited up and added a rain jacket and hat to my ensemble, courtesy of my friends.

Around 8:15 I made my way to the Metro and began the short journey to the start line. Since I was staying only twenty minutes from the finish line, I didn't need to leave anything at gear check. As my train inched closer to my stop, the cars filled up with runners of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities who all nervously swayed side to side, checked and rechecked their safety pins, and chatted in hushed tones. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we reached our stop. As we poured out of the train car and shuffled down the packed platform like sardines in a can, I tried to breathe deeply. The low ceilings of the Metro stairway paired with the pressure of the crowd from all sides made me anxious and all I wanted at that very moment was to be above ground. Soon, we emerged and that's when things got really interesting.

Chaos. That's the only way I can describe the scene that unfolded before me as I reached the top of the Metro stairs. People in neon ponchos, police, flashing lights, blaring music; I didn't know which way was up. Like a sheep being led to slaughter, I fell into step with the massive wave of runners marching towards what I could only assume was the starting line. Being a slower runner I was banished to the last corral, so I had to walk for a long time. The official start time of 9:00 am had already been reached before I found my place, but due to the sheer number of people crowding the streets, they had barely moved.

As I inched toward the starting line my pulse quickened with the thumping music blaring from the massive speakers overhead. The emcee pumped up the crowd and before I knew it we were off. As usual I started out running crazy stupid fast, and my energy soon fizzled out. The rain held off for the first five kilometers before giving in to a light mist. By this point I was drenched with sweat from the rain jacket so I peeled it off and tied it around my waist. I knew it would not offer me any protection from the rain but I just couldn't handle how hot the jacket had made me.

A few kilometers of running through the mist gradually progressed into heavier and heavier drops until I was being pelted with heavy rain. Surprisingly I managed to keep my feet mostly dry by avoiding puddles, but somewhere around kilometer 15 I turned a corner that led to an incline and walked right into a huge stream of water that was running down the hill. In those two steps my feet were completely soaked and I plodded through the final stretch with heavy feet. Somehow I still managed to get a good picture on the course!!

Perhaps the most challenging part of this race -- aside from the rain -- was that the final 5 kilometers were a loop around the park where the finish line was. The whole time I could hear cheering and loud music, but I couldn't see anything due to the wall around the park. Each time I turned a corner I encountered more runners who had already finished the race and were heading home with their medals. I got my final wind when I finally entered the park and could see the finish line. I sprinted to the finish and made no effort to pose for the cameras I knew were waiting for me. The rain was coming down in sheets and just streaming off the bill of my hat. I was so thankful for that hat, because without it the rain would have just run down my face.

If this doesn't scream hardcore, I don't know what does.

After crossing the finish line I received my medal, a "poncho", and the typical recovery snacks. There was no place to get out of the rain, so I didn't stick around for very long. After snapping my finish line selfie I made a beeline for the Metro and made my way back to my friends' apartment to shower, get warm, and put my feet up for a bit before heading back to Camarma.

I've always wanted to wear a cape.

Considering the awful conditions I faced on this run, I was quite pleased with my time, which was 2:47:43. It certainly wasn't a PR, but it wasn't my worst time either. I really, REALLY enjoyed running this race so there is a very good chance that I would make a special trip back to Madrid next spring to run again!

2015 Running Total Weeks 27-28

This weekend I participated in the Rock'n'Roll Chicago running festival. I ran the 5K on Saturday with my dad, then did the half marathon on Sunday. I've never run two races back to back like that before, so it was a new experience for me. As a result, I earned some awesome bling. 

I'll be writing a separate post about the races themselves but for now it's time for another Running Total update. I am still well ahead of schedule for my goal of running 600 km in 2015, as we are nearing the end of July and I'm already past the 350 mark.

My 2015 Running Total is 383.7 kilometers! Rock on!

2015 Running Total Weeks 17-26

Well, once again I totally dropped the ball on keeping this blog updated but I can promise you I HAVE been running! I took some time to recover following the RnR Madrid Half, and then on May 25 I began the Runner's World Run Streak. You may recall that I participated in the winter streak that ran from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day: A mile a day for 36 days. This time around was no different, with the exception of the timing. From Memorial Day until the 4th of July: 41 days of running! I know I had said before that running the streak was not something I'd do again, but I decided that if I didn't commit to it now, I'd lose my motivation to run for the summer (despite having signed up for races!). I'll write a summary post on the Streak later this week, but in the meantime it's time to update my Running Total for the first time in two months!

My 2015 Running Total is now up to 351.4 kilometers! Whoohoo!

We are now halfway through the calendar year and I am a whole month ahead on my goal to run 600 kilometers in 2015! Yay!

2015 Running Total Weeks 15-16

The last two weeks have kept me busy; busy enough to not even have time to post an update last Monday! They were also the final two weeks of training for the Rock'n'Roll Madrid Half Marathon so I had a lot of interesting runs thrown in there at the end - from long and slow to short and speedy, exploring new trails and pounding out the familiar paths. Between five final training runs and the actual race itself, my kilometer count has definitely spiked.

I'll be posting a full race recap about my experience at RnR Madrid later this week, but until then here's a preview pic from yesterday, rocking the drowned rat look at the finish line.

My 2015 running total is now up to 211 kilometers!

2015 Running Total Weeks 12-14

My last update was posted during our last week of school before spring break, and admittedly school wasn't the only thing I took a break from. I've been working on my longer runs and hills lately, in preparation for the Rock'n'Roll Madrid Half Marathon which is now two weeks away. I did get in a lot of solid runs though, and some of them could even be considered milestones. 

We took one of our Running Club students on her first 5K, but my GPS didn't start tracking us until we'd already run half a kilometer! 

The night before I left for vacation, I did a 10K that took me up a hill that, up until that point, I had not been able to run without stopping. I may have been the slowest person on the path that night but the victory I felt upon reaching the top of that hill gave me a renewed energy to finish the rest of the run strong.

On my beach vacation I ran along the beachfront path while my friend rollerbladed, both of us weaving in and out of "traffic."

Be jealous.

After returning from the beach I hosted a visiting friend and showed her some of my favorite running paths. 

I was really hoping to hit 150 km by the end of March so that I could be back on track with my personal goal of running 600 km in 2015, and I got so close! Instead of pushing it, I decided to let my body rest. I have no doubt that I will hit 200 by May 1!

These last three weeks have brought my 2015 running total to 158 kilometers!

2015 Running Total Week 11

This week was pretty uneventful, so today's post is short and sweet. Weather and other factors limited the amount of actual running I could do, so I did more indoor workouts instead. Apparently we've begun the rainy season here in Spain, which is not good news for running! Here's hoping I get breaks in the weather when I need them most!

This week brings my 2015 running total to 118.9 kilometers!

2015 Running Total Week 10

This week was another great week!

None of the middle schoolers were able to run on Monday, so Jessie and I took advantage of the time to do a longer, faster run. She really pushed the pace for me and I ended up running an entire 5k at a sub-7 pace! I felt like I was dying and flying simultaneously! I don't enjoy fast running, but I know that I need to do it more often. If I keep up with this, maybe I'll finally be able to finish a 5k in under 30 minutes...

Wednesday was a shorter run with the girls, but we forgot to get a picture together. Another new face joined us, while other regulars weren't able to make it. It was incredibly warm that day, which made our regular 3 kilometers feel even harder than usual. It was also during this run that I hit the 100 kilometer mark for 2015! Whoohoo!

I had plans to run hills on Friday but since I had stayed out late the night before celebrating my birthday I was pretty wiped. I also had a pile of grading to finish for the end of the quarter, so I opted to go home and get into bed to rest up for Saturday's long run.

Saturday morning was cooler than usual, so I donned long sleeves for our 10k. I was worried I'd get hot from the sun, but the brisk wind kept me quite comfortable, if not slightly chilled. We'd been running hills so often lately that I suggested a less scenic out-and-back towards Alcalá and it made a huge difference! This was the first time since officially beginning my training that I ran an entire 10k without walking breaks, and by the time we finished I still felt pretty good. I rewarded myself with chocolate milk and a hot bath to relax my muscles. I've been working them pretty hard lately and my knees were starting to ache a bit, so it felt justified.

This wonderful week brings my 2015 running total to 111.3 kilometers!

2015 Running Total Week 9

This has been an awesome week for me in terms of running! I had been looking for ways to not only get back into my routine, but to really get my mojo back, and this week I did both.

It started a little over a week ago during youth group, when somehow a conversation with a group of my middle school girls turned to exercise and motivation. Not sure how they would react, I asked the girls if they would be interested in running with me after school a few days a week. They responded positively, but I was unsure whether they would actually follow through.

Turns out, they were actually pretty excited about running, so another teacher and I set out on Monday afternoon with three 7th and 8th grade girls. We challenged them to run two miles and they did it! Encouraged by their progress, I invited them to return on Wednesday.

You can only imagine my excitement when, on Wednesday, all three returned along with two new girls! Once again we ran them through town, covering a distance of two miles. After our run we went through stretches and rewarded ourselves with the chocolate milk that I had stashed in the staff fridge prior to heading out.

Encouraging new runners this week has been great for me, and a good reminder of how far I've come in the last few years. It's also motivated me to want to continue to improve. I'm exited to run with the girls again next week and am hoping that more girls join us!

I also did two longer runs this week, since I am still working on increasing my mileage for RnR Madrid. I explored a new set of trails with a friend today and even though we did take a few wrong turns, we found our way pretty quickly and had a great 10 km run. The only thing I didn't like about this path was the insane amount of hills. We were literally running up or down a hill for about 75% of the run ... a very small portion was actually flat ground! I guess as long as I stick with it, it will get easier each time!

This fabulous week brings my 2015 running total to 92.6 kilometers! 

2015 Running Total Weeks 4-8

Since my last update I have really been struggling to find the motivation I needed to get out there and do my runs. I've also been struggling with sickness and muscle aches that have prevented me from performing at my best when I do actually WANT to run. As a result of all that, in the last four weeks I've only done a total of five runs. Five runs is better than none ... so I am still celebrating them.

a Valentine's date with myself

With the beginning of March I should have hit close to 100 km to reach my year-long goal of 600 km, but I am a bit behind. Since the RnR Madrid half marathon is now less than two months away, I have high hopes that I will be back on track by the end of April. Here goes nothin'!

This week's runs bring my 2015 running total to 67.3 kilometers! 

2015 Running Total Week 3

Last week I started off so strong and this week? Well, it was a lot harder to stick with my plans two weeks in a row. For someone who is such a creature of habit, I am just really not doing well following my own plans! 

On Monday afternoon I ran a shorter-than-usual path with a friend, and we were overwhelmed by the wind! We literally ran north, south, east, and west (a square loop) and yet, the wind was blowing into our faces the entire time. I remember thinking, "I just have to turn the corner and then we'll have some relief," and then each time we turned, the wind would shift as if to say, "Sucker!"

The temps dropped on Wednesday and the winds picked up, so we took our workout indoors. My friend Sophia has a gym membership so she brought me and another friend, Jessie, and we got in for free because we told them we were considering getting a membership there (NOT a lie - I am actually considering it!). So in addition to running on the treadmill -- which I hate, by the way -- we took advantage of the other equipment available to us and used the machines and free weights. That was entertaining. We determined that I have killer legs but weak arms, and Jessie is a beast upstairs with not so strong legs. Together, we are one strong person! One of these days I'll get back to a regular arms routine ...

I ended the week in style by totally skipping out on Friday and Saturday's scheduled runs, which meant I HAD to run on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully it was a beautiful day with clear skies, warm sunshine, and NO wind! I ran five miles, which is the longest run I've done since RnR Lisbon back in October. It felt good once I fell into a rhythm, but since the first three miles were uphill it took awhile for my body to get there. I imagine if I run that trail enough times, I'll adjust soon.

Did you think I was kidding? This was a killer!!

All in all it wasn't a terrible week, but it could have been better. I still have a lot to accomplish if I'm going to hit my monthly goal, but I am honestly not too worried about hitting it this month. If I do, great, but if I don't, no big deal. There will be plenty of time in the next few weeks to make up for it!

This week's runs bring my 2015 running total to: 32.5 kilometers! 

2015 Running Total Weeks 1-2

I started running consistently again this week, our first full week back at school. After taking my hiatus following the #RWRunStreak and savoring the last few days of Christmas break, this seemed like the perfect time to get back into a routine. So, three days this week I hit the road after classes with two other teacher friends. I realized right off the bat that they are faster than me. It's not the first time I've been the slowest runner in the group. In the moment, it's pretty discouraging - always trying to keep up, always twenty paces behind, not able to participate in or even hear their conversation... not fun. But if I do it consistently enough, it also helps me become a faster runner. Case in point: last spring I had to really push to get my average kilometer pacing under 7 minutes/km on my daily runs. This week, I consistently hit a pace average of 6:45! If I can keep this up, it will mean good things for my race goals this year!

I think I am also well on my way to hitting my personal running goal, as well. I hope to run at least 600 kilometers in 2015, which averages out to 50 per month. I am a little behind for January given my hiatus during the first ten days of the month, but it's totally feasible to hit 50 before the end of the month.

Without further ado, here is my first Running Total update of 2015! Like my new badge?

Running Total: 17 kilometers

#RWRunStreak Summary

I did it.

I ran every day from Thanksgiving until New Year's.

Thirty-six straight days of pounding the pavement and sweating it out.

I'll admit, I committed on a whim. I had been feeling rather burnt out from an insane racing season and had completed my final half marathon of the year in early October. After that I got my exercise in other ways: Zumba and the Les Mills Body Combat workout series. I didn't want to lose my running momentum, but I also didn't want to stop completely. My unfortunate tendency is to only run with purpose - in other words, I always need something to train for.

Enter the Run Streak. It seemed simple enough, and it fit my needs. If all else fails, I told myself, I just have to do one mile. Oh, and I'll get a friend to do it with me!

So, on Thanksgiving Day my good friend Sandra and I braved the brisk November air and set out to run one mile before our evening Zumba class. Feeling triumphant and beastly, we snapped a selfie to document our efforts.

Day 1. We got this!

A few days later I returned to Spain and began working through the implications of running every day by myself. Sandra and I sent screenshots and workout selfies to each other to stay accountable, and as the days ticked by I began to long for January first.

Most of my runs were uneventful. Most of the time, I just ran a mile to say I did it. I ran until my GPS chirped "one mile" and stopped. My heart just wasn't in it, nor were my legs. A majority of my runs took place under the cover of darkness due to the short winter days - either early before school, or late in the evenings after dinner. On the weekends, though, I took advantage of the chance to run in the glorious daylight and soaked up as much vitamin D as I could!

Day 11 - my first sunny run in days

One morning I decided to run down a street that was in the midst of being repaved. This obviously resulted in me tripping over a huge piece of uneven concrete and ripping a huge hole in my brand new "smart phone" gloves and blowing out the knees on my best Nike tights. Of course this epic face plant also had to happen right in front of a super attractive Spaniard with a puppy in tow, and said super attractive Spaniard tried to help me up while I frantically barked at him in German! Not sure what else to do, I simply said, "¡Hasta luego!" and ran away.

Day 16, or the day I almost busted my (knee)caps

I returned to Germany for Christmas break and had some of my best, most memorable runs in the
final days of the streak. On Christmas Eve, I have a tradition of staying up late to listen to a special radio broadcast that begins at 3:00 am. So, following the Christmas Eve service at church and dinner with some friends I laced up and went for a run just after midnight. The decorations were glowing, the bells were ringing in Christmas Day, and I had the streets all to myself. 

Christmas Eve run

A few days after Christmas, it snowed. I thought that maybe I was going to get by without a snowy run this season, but the snow fell for two days before letting up. The temperatures dropped and sidewalks became too slick to run safely, but I slipped and slid through one mile each day - again, just to say I did it! 

The coldest run I've ever done. I wore three layers that day.

The only thing worse than ice is slush!

As January first neared, I toyed with how to end the Streak. I finally settled on a midnight run, like I'd done on Christmas Eve. Here in my little German village it's tradition to set off fireworks at midnight to ring in the new year. Yes, I decided that the best time to run would be at midnight, surrounded by intoxicated pyromaniacs shooting off loads of fireworks. I have never been more terrified in my entire life, but at the same time it was the most magical of moments. As I made my way around town I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as a magnificent display was going on overhead. I finished my mile in the center of town, where my friends were waiting to congratulate me for finishing the Streak. After about twenty more minutes of watching the amateur pyrotechnics I made my way home, Skyped my family from the "future" and cracked open a tiny bottle of champagne to celebrate. It was finished!

I went out with a bang.

Final Numbers:

- 36 days of running
- 45 miles completed
- 8 hours and 20 minutes spent running
- 9:55 fastest average pace reached

Final Reflections (pros and cons):
+ I didn't gain weight over Christmas
+ I had something to work towards during a time when the tendency is laziness
+ If nothing else, it kept me from spending the day in my pajamas!
- I was perpetually sore despite stretching, and my knees started to ache for the first time in years
- It made running feel like an obligation rather than a privilege
- I had to do a lot of laundry to accommodate daily workouts!

Many people say that after the streak they are so motivated that they just keep going, but honestly? I'm relieved that it's over. The bottom line is that while I am glad that I did it, I would not advocate running every day on a long term basis. Given my weight, my joints simply can't handle high impact workouts every day. I've worked hard over the last two years to become a distance runner while avoiding knee problems, but running every day brings the risk of increased knee pain and injury and I'm just not willing to take that risk.

Did you run the streak? What was if like for you?