The Half Marathon In Which At Some Point I Should Stop Posing And Do Some Running...

This is a little late race report for The Texas Half Marathon, my first race of 2010. At some point in December when I ran my first half marathon, a fellow ninja runner was ramping up to accomplish her own awesome marathon goal and we thought it would be a good idea to enter the Texas Half. So we got to training. And training was tons of fun!

During a particularly chilly (18 degree) run, we both showed up in pink shirts and black pants and the Pink Ninja Running Club was born. (Even the boys want to join because of the very sheik pink ninja shirts.) We even stumbled into a race and photo-bombed the official race pics:

And then...I injured myself. A recurring theme in my life. Left knee (my good knee!) pain and instability during a 9 mile run. Hobbled the last three miles back to the car.

After a week I tried again, kept it slow and felt good. So on to race day I went!



Now, I don't consider myself a 'runner'. I'm a solid BOP'er. Sometimes I even border on average. So for me...one of the best things about races is photos. I am always on the lookout for the camera!!

Hello camera guy!

This race was solely about a fun run with a friend. So we kept things pretty easy. Or I should say my PNRC partner kept things easy for me! Maybe we took it a little too easy. Around mile 6 we saw another photo op and I guess we had a little energy.

Isn't this supposed to be a race?

Apparently I decided to do the chicken dance.

Now I am about to just lose it.

My Dad braved the cold and came out to support me (thanks!) so it was nice to see a familiar face waiting for me! A little after mile 10, my left knee injury had returned with a mini-revolt. The last 3.1 miles took forever. Thankfully, I was pulled through by stories of hurling at Disney. Nice. No really, a big super thanks goes out to the PNRC for a very fun race.

Finishing...and I have decided I will run for President...in Nixon style.

Time: 2:33:00.

Not a PR, but better than walking. And really it's all about the photos. Someday I shall learn the 'running' part.

One more medal for the trophy case. Ha!

Afterwards we enjoyed a de-li-cious breakfast and savored the taste of victory. But not for too long as an ice bath was calling my name!

Overall I think this is a fun little race. The course is very flat so it's a great little training run or nice first-timers course. The small field makes it easy to do your own thing and the volunteers were all great. I give it a thumbs up and hope to be back next year with a healthier joint. Although you better believe I will still be on the lookout for the photographers...

White Rock Lake Half Marathon 2009

During the 'off-season' I decided I need to work on running a little more. See, I mostly dislike running. I'm glad to get it done, but I don't like it as much as other things! So the challenge was to complete my first Half Marathon. Luckily some of my triathlon friends helped me train for this.





Now I can check that off!



The results - I am pretty slow, but I did run the whole way. We didn't cross the starting line until 15 minutes into the race; luckily with chip timing that is no big deal.

The website has these nifty little tools to show you how you fared. My little guy seems to be lagging behind...ha ha


BUT I will make you pay for going out too fast - check out that bottom right corner in the above photo...I passed 372 people in the last 5k. That's what we call a strong finish! :)

Here is where I was when the winner finished...not even to mile 5! Thems some fast people!

It was a great experience to complete that goal. My friend Robert and I never would have imagined at the beginning of last year that we would make 13 miles in 2009. But thanks to friends and supportive family we did!

Here's to a strong 2010!

I Looped the Lake Award

White Rock Lake (WRL) is a bit of a workout mecca here in DFW. There are cyclists, runners, dog-walkers, frisbee players, rowers, and all kinds of other activites that take place at this small lake. Well, except swimming. Swimming has not been allowed at White Rock Lake since 1952. If you're running in Dallas you will probably run at the lake at some point, perhaps in training or maybe in one of the popular running races held there.

Every athletic event has its own 'milestones'. And the first time you reach that milestone is exciting. The first time you scored 25 points in a basketball game, won a championship, scored a hole-in-one, biked 50 miles, completed your first race. To those who run in or near WRL, there is a milestone of the first time you loop the lake and make the 9.3mile run around the perimeter of the lake. Everything up until this point has been an out-and-back run.

This weekend my teammate Robert and I completed our first lake loop. My team, even those members I didn't know, were all very encouraging. They said good luck and we were off! I ran with my teammates Yuri and John, who kept me company with his zany stories and my mind off the nonsense that is running this far.

Mile 1-3: Feeling slow. I realize I am fatigued from the week and not feeling my best. Last week, during my 8 mile run I felt great and ready for the challenge. This week, not at all.

Mile 4-6: Feeling ok. Settle into a steady pace. I also resolve to the knowledge that the run today will hurt. I just did not wake up feeling my best and my schedule was off this week. I'll make it just fine, but I hope to be more rested and ready the next time I have a long run.

Mile 7-8: Starting to ache. Every time I stop for water, it hurts to start back up. Right knee becomes sore. Stopping very long is not an option. During mile 7 my running partner, John (who is training for the 2010 Ironman CDA) says 'I think you are sand-bagging. Let's run this next mile closer to 10min pace - I'll let you lead what feels comfortably faster.' So we run this mile in 9:40 before going back to 10:30's.

Mile 9 + .3: Mix of fatigue & excitement. Both knees are slightly sore. Breathing is a little more labored so I try to focus on breathing smooth and staying relaxed. Going up the last little hill, John reminds me how close we are to finishing! (My teammates are great at telling you how good you look and that you are doing great; no matter if you look like a rat that crawled out of the trash and are dragging one foot in some kind of weird limp with a face red like a tomato. Not that I know what that looks like...)

Finish: Elation! I say I have never been more excited to see that parking lot in my life! My total time is 1:39:05, a 10:39m/mi avg. including warm-up. When I first stop, everything hurts. After 15 minutes of walking and a good, long stretch I feel normal again. About 20 people congratulate us on completing our first loop!

Then Coach Gayle presented us with our 'medals'. :) They were bagels with 'I Looped the Lake' written in colorful marker on them and bows attached. It was so fun and thoughtful to have a little celebration of our first loop. It was the farthest that Robert or I have ever run. Evvveeerrrr.

I am very thankful to my friends who ran with me, teammates who encouraged me, and family who supports me. Thank you to all the supportive people in my life! I appreciate each and every one of you!