Race Recap: 2015 Austin Half Marathon

I raced the 2015 Austin Half Marathon in Austin, Texas on Sunday, February 15.  It was the most challenging half marathon I have ever done - more challenging than Cesar Rodney in 2012.  Why was it challenging?

Hills.  Humidity.  Heat.

Well, it wasn't *hot*, but it was about 55 degrees at the start and warmed up even more.  I'm not used to that kind of weather.   The hills on the course were relentless, and I completely underestimated them.  They don't call it Hill Country for nothing!  And race day was very humid. Add to those conditions, I had a kind of angry belly.  Things weren't 100% right and I'm not sure why.  But the race is what it is, and I'm glad I did it and really glad I finished.  This picture of me at the finish pretty much sums up the effort.

I finished in 1:52:36, which is the slowest I've run a half marathon since 2012.  Ouch.  Still, with that time and an average 8:36/mile pace, I was in the top 7% of my age group and among women (48th of 665 and 361st of 5124, respectively) and the top 14% overall in the race (1,258 of 8,846).

My race plan was to run the first mile at 8:20, then miles 2-6 at 8:10-8:12, then miles 7-8 at 8:00 and then go by feel and either hang on or really put the hammer down and race.  Obviously, that didn't happen.

Mile 1:  8:28

Mile 2:  8:27

Mile 3:  8:19

Miles 1-3 were up a pretty steady, but not too punishing grade, hill.  Mile 1 was also really crowded.  I didn't worry much at this point about my paces being slower than the plan - I had to take the hill into account, and that definitely slowed me down.  I figured I could make up some time on the next few miles, which appeared to be all downhill.

Mile 4:  8:17

Mile 5:  7:48

Mile 6:  8:01

And I did.  I was able to let it go a bit and coast down some of the hills.  Even though I was heading down a hill, around mile 5, I just felt off - I wasn't at the top of my running game and I could feel it.  I wasn't enjoying the race.  I wasn't enjoying my music.  I was just running.  

Mile 7:  8:18

Mile 8:  8:29

Miles 7 and 8 were supposed to be fast - like 8:00 miles.  It wasn't happening.  There were some hills here (because hills were everywhere!) and I would lose steam.  I realized at this point that I wasn't going to hit the time that I really wanted unless I pushed super hard.  I had to make a decision: I could either really race and push myself to the limit or I could continue as is and treat this as another training run.  I did a sort of systems check of my body and determined that the latter was a better idea.  My stomach wasn't right, my breathing was a bit labored and my legs were not feeling very fresh or strong.  I listened to my gut (uh, kind of literally) and decided to scale back.  I thought that if I held on to mid to low 8s, I could come close to beating my current PR.  This picture was taken around mile 8 of the course.  Not a happy runner.  

Mile 9:  9:01

Mile 10: 9:04

Ba boom.  I haven't seen a 9 minute mile pace in a half marathon in a long time.  I was not happy when I did here, but I also could feel myself slowing.  There were hills again in these miles - pretty steep ones.  This is the point in the race when I took it mile by mile.  Around mile 9, I wanted to stop running and walk.  And then I turned myself into Nikki from Save the Last Dance and got all up in my own face and was like NO and turned on my resting runner bitch face ...

and refused to let myself walk.  I told myself to get to the next mile and see how I felt.  So I did.  I hit mile 10 and felt OK - not great, not awful.  I told myself just get to mile 11.  

Mile 11:  8:43

Mile 12:  8:56

Mile 13:  8:51  

Even in sparkles, I wasn't very sparkly.  I felt a little better in the last three miles - mainly because I knew it was almost over and I knew I could do anything for 2 miles.  I looked at my watch, did the math and knew hitting under, at or near my PR wasn't happening.  I also knew hitting under 1:50 wasn't happening.  I did figure out that unless something crazy happened, I would at least finish under 2:00.  

I came around the bend and saw my friend and her daughter - seeing their faces gave me a huge boost to finish strong and fast.  And to do what I do best: react with an incredibly and impossibly dorky smile and wave.

And then back to business. I am looking at my watch with contempt and disdain. 

But this smile after the finish is actually real because I was so so so happy that the race was done!  And the photographer was hilarious.  

I feel a little bratty, but I'm just not thrilled with this race.  I know that's part of the sport - I'm not always going to PR, and there will be really tough races where I walk away feeling a little defeated.  I'll mope a bit and then move on.  

But my time in Austin was terrific! I stayed with my friend, her husband (who ran the full marathon) and their daughter and they were wonderful, gracious hosts.  I got to hang out with other friends in Austin as well, which was wonderful.  And ... look at this weather.

I did a training run in a tank top in the sun!  In February!

I drank beer and ate yummy food with friends at the Hula Hut outside along the water! In February! 

I went to a bar that had tons of specialty, house made donuts and got one with cream cheese filling, fruit on top and cream cheese frosting!  And then had a Texas IPA!  !!

The trip was really wonderful.  And I think I'd like to run Austin again.  Now I'm prepared for the course.  

Next up is the Ambler Frostbite Five Miler in two weeks.  And at the end of March is the Love Run half marathon.  I've done both of those races before, so I can get a real apples-to-apples comparison to past performance and see how I'm doing. 

See you swoon,

My funny Valentines

Valentines Day is tomorrow.  I'm sure you're all aware.  As is the case every single year, my blog reader has been filled hearts! and cupids! and treats! and love!  It's a little overwhelming, and if I'm being honest, in many cases feels saccharine and over the top.  Don't get me wrong - I love Valentine's Day.  I've posted about it before.  If I've learned anything over the past few years, it's that, as my dear friend Madelyn says, Love Always Wins.  

So in celebration of that day of love, I want to send a valentine to my biggest little loves of all: my babies - forever babies they will be.  

Dear Baby Littles,

Valentine's Day isn't usually a day for a love like ours - it seems to be a romantic holiday for grown-ups.  But you two have taught me more about love than anyone else in this world.  So I want to send you my own special Valentine.

Recently, I heard someone make a comment about divorce that made me think of you.  This person said something like "divorce will forever change who your children are."  At first, it was like a punch in the gut.  As much as I love you and know you, I will never, ever know what kind of toll the divorce in our family took on you.  I remember something your Daddy said to me in those final days - "they will always have each other."  And it is true.  The two of you are each other's bread to the butter, peas to the carrots.  I've done my very best to listen to you, to be open to your fears and questions and to assure you, over and over, that even if your Daddy and I are no longer married, we are, and always will be, a family ... if not in the traditional sense.  You are, and always will be, loved fiercely.  So anytime someone talks negatively about divorce and children, I immediately get a little defensive and protective. 

But this comment stuck in my craw a bit. Because I don't think it's fair.  Or, rather, I don't think it's necessarily an accurate criticism of divorce.  I think pretty much anything I can do as a parent has the potential to change who you are forever. After all, your Daddy and I are the ones who probably have the most power to shape who you are and who you will become.  So rather than focus on the fact that we are divorced, I want you to focus on the good that has come from it.  On the happiness that you see.  And on the reinforcement from me, from your Daddy, from your grandparents, and from everyone else in your family who has shown you, time and time again, that love always wins and that you are surrounded in an unyielding cocoon of love.

I hope you have learned that love is an infinite, yet amorphous, thing.  That you are loved in an intense, amazing way, but that that love may not fit a particular mold.  And that there is always room for more love in your life.  Love always wins.

I hope you know that as much as I love you (and I love you a million) and even though you both take up the center of my very strong heart, that you are not, and never will be, the absolute center of my life.  I love you. I love your lives.  I love everything about you.  But you are not, and will not be, the center of my existence.  I have passions in my life.  And you are one of them. But you are not all of them.  I want you to learn that lesson and carry it over into your own life: never, ever make your passion or the center of your life be another person.  That is no way to live.  Find yourself.  Find what you love.  Love fiercely. But love yourself.  

I hope you remember forgiveness.  The two of you have shown me an incredible amount of grace and forgiveness.  There are days when I know I am not the best mom: I cry; I overreact; I lose my temper.  I have learned to take a moment and then come back and apologize to you.  To articulate, in a way that a 6 and 8 year old can understand and appreciate, that sometimes Mommies have bad days.  And that, in particular, your Mommy isn't perfect and she's sorry.  I hope when you are my age that you have children with the capacity for love and forgiveness that you two have -- and that you can feel the way I do when one of you hugs me and pats my back with your teeny tiny hands.  It reminds me that in this life with all its ups and downs, I've done something really right.  The hug from one of my amazingly compassionate children truly does make everything better.

I hope you know that nothing is hopeless.  Nothing.  That even on your darkest day, there is light if you look hard enough.  And if you cannot see it, I hope that you have people in your life to assure you that it's there.  You are my people who do that.  On the days when I really do feel bluer than blue, you make me laugh and remind me that a better day is ahead.  Tomorrow or the next day or maybe in a week.  It's there.  And in the meantime, let's have ice cream and watch Wheel of Fortune and laugh. That a good belly laugh fixes almost everything.  

I hope you remember that I am always thinking about you and wondering about you.  I don't worry - you're both incredible human beings with tremendous, unique personalities.  Both of you have more empathy, compassion and affection than I can ever dream to have myself.  But during each day or weekend when I'm not with you, I wonder what you're doing, what you're thinking, what you're feeling, what you're learning.  I will tell you that when you were born, I never imagined being apart from you.  It is the absolute hardest part about our current situation - that I am not with you every day or that I do not get to see your sweet faces every single day.

I am proud of you.  And I want you to be proud of me.  When I watch you play soccer or gymnastics or basketball or swim, my heart nearly bursts with pride out of my chest.  I see you scan the crowd for me and for my face, and I really do hope that my beaming expression shows you how proud I am.  And just like you, I want you to be proud of me.  I can't wait to tell you about my races.  When I rounded the Olympic Oval at Ironman Lake Placid, my first thought was "where are my kids and I hope they can see this."  Not because I wanted you to watch ... but I wanted you to be proud of me.  And to know that anything, absolutely anything, is possible.  

You are both quick to say "I love you" and "I need you" and "let's snuggle."  Don't ever stop.  The world will try to change that sweet, optimistic desire to love and be loved.  Don't let it.  You've rekindled that kind of love in me, and I can't thank you enough.  

So, I do hope that I have changed who you are.  I hope that your sense of love and how to love has gotten stronger in the past few years.  I hope you know that no matter what happens, no matter who comes in (or out) of our lives, that we will always have each other and that I will love you - love love love you - more than anything.  

Love always wins.

Love,
Mommy


See you swoon,

Dining Room Table - more copy-catting!

Now that my dining room table is exactly the way I like it, I've been inspired to do a little more in that space and finish it off.  I haven't been crazy about the candles on the middle of my table.

They are cute, but look a little sad and forlorn on my table.  You know ... if candles could be sad.  Or forlorn.  So when I found the inspiration photo of the Ethan Allen table, I decide to keep on copying.  I loved this "modern country" dining room and drew my inspiration for my table from it.

via

I really liked those large vases with branches.  I actually coveted them.  But they were $125 and $180 from Ethan Allen and I thought that was crazy.  I found similar vases at Home Goods for $16 and $19.

I found the branches at Joann's.  I had a coupon and they were on sale, so they cost about $20.  They look very real in person.  Though, I had to laugh in Joann's because Big Kid came over and whispered, very dramatically, "Mom, these flowers ... they're ... all fake."  HA.  Yes they are.

I'm very happy with how it turned out!  The table has the leaf in it at all times, and it's in the same space as my living room, so it needed something substantial but not fussy.  I think this fits the bill.

There's not much left: just replace the seat fabrics on the chairs, touch up the paint on the chairs and add a nice sisal or jute rug under the table and chairs.  

See you swoon,

2015 Training Recap: Weeks 5 & 6

Monday Monday.  Another week!  I can't believe it, but the Austin Half Marathon is this coming Sunday.  I've been training hard for it, and I'm ready.  I don't really have any concrete goals, aside from beating my last best time.  And I can't wait to make a little vacation out of the race - several of my friends live in Austin, so I'll see them and have some fun.  

Here are the last two weeks' workouts.

Week 5 (Jan. 26-Feb.1):  5:26:25 hours  

Swam: 1750 yards/39:22 minutes

Biked: 30 minutes (trainer)

Ran: 27.8 miles/4:16:48 hours

Monday: easy run (30 minutes)

Tuesday: walk-easy run-walk did bike instead

Wednesday: speedwork/track

Thursday: day off/swim or bike (I swam)

Friday: easy run

Saturday: swim took a rest day

Sunday: long run (13.5 miles)

Snow snow snow!  I woke up on Monday morning and it was snowy.  It was light and fluffy and the path at the park wasn't yet paved. 

I was happy (despite my expression) to get to bust out the Yak Tracks, which I keep attached to a pair of older sneakers.  I only need them a handful of times each year, so I like having a dedicated pair of snowy running shoes.  

Tuesday the kids had a delayed opening, so instead of the walk-easy run-walk combo (that I really do not enjoy at all), I rode the bike.  I cleared it with the coach first, and he said no problem.

Wednesday was supposed to be a track day for speedwork.  But the track was icy.  So I moved the workout to the treadmill.  5 1/2 miles of speedwork on that treadmill thank you very much.

Thursday was one of the "my choice" days: rest, swim or bike.  I knew that Saturday was crazy, so I opted to swim and would rest on Saturday.  Swim was pretty good.  It was 5x100 on the 2:30 and then 4x300 on the 7:30 with a 50 yard cool down.  These numbers just mean I had about 20-30 seconds between each interval.  

Friday was supposed to be an easy 40 minute run. I met my running club super early and ran with a few people.  My run ended up being more than 40 minutes (more like 50), but it was great.  Of course the weather turned into this.

Saturday - rest!

Sunday was a 13.5 mile long run: 9 miles at endurance pace, 4 miles at 8:10-8:20/mile and .5 mile recovery.  Hello I hit those paces.  I loooooooooooove long runs.  

Week 6 (Feb. 2-Feb.8):  5:16:25 hours

Swam: 1750 yards/38:17 minutes

Biked: 30:02 minutes (on trainer)

Ran: 28.2 miles/4:08:05 hours

Monday: Easy run biked instead

Tuesday: walk-super easy run-walk did an easy run from Monday instead

Wednesday: speedwork/track

Thursday: rest/swim or bike -- I rested

Friday: run with LT 

Saturday:  swim

Sunday: long run (15 miles)

Monday I got stuck at work and couldn't bear the thought of the treadmill. So I decided to do my easy 30 minute run on Tuesday and, since I hate Tuesday's walk/run/walk thing, I would do a bike on Monday instead.  I did not clear this with my coach.  But I think an easy bike is about the same as the walk/super slow run/walk thing.  At least I think so anyway.

Tuesday's run was cooold.  Freezing.  

I wore my running neon ninja outfit.  

Wednesday I got to the track early (like 5:15 am) and it was again iced over.  I was so mad.  I went to the gym and hit the treadmill again for speedwork.  The guy next to me decided to try to race me, which is a big whatever.  Only he would move his treadmill to one tick faster than mine.  But he couldn't sustain it and would have to hop off the belt and onto the sides.  This happened six times.  I was all ...

Thursday I took a rest day.  I knew I had a lot of workouts coming up.

Friday was a mix of endurance and very fast miles (3x 7:40 pace for one mile!).  It was another brutally cold day and while I would normally not hesitate to run outside in the cold (see neon ninja above), I realized that an endurance run where everything is relaxed and easy is very different from a super hard run like the one scheduled.  I had a hunch treadmill was the smarter choice, and sure enough, my coach told me to get on the treadmill.  It wasn't that bad, actually.  

Saturday was the same swim as the week before.  It was a really good swim and I felt fast.  Interesting that I was a minute faster this week than the week prior.  

Sunday - long run!  15 miles!  Kind of warmish outside!  

The most notable thing on this run, aside from how pumped I am at the 8:46 overall pace, was that I tried plain flavored Gu!

I've seen the "just plain" flavor and it's simultaneously grossed me out and piqued my curiosity.  I decided to give it a try and picked up a pack at a race expo.  The guy at the Gu table said it kind of tasted like honey.  He was kind of right.  I thought it tasted like vanilla - a more subtle version of the Vanilla Gu - with a little honey flavor.  Honey-Vanilla I think.  I actually liked it much better than Vanilla Gu, which is a bit too strong for me.  So thumbs up on the plain Gu! 

That's all for now!  I'll be sure to recap the Austin Half Marathon next week!  Have a good one :)

See you swoon,

What I Wore {post 65}

Yikes ... sorry for the quiet blog this week.  I just didn't have a spare moment last weekend and this week to blog about my training or house projects (and there is stuff to share! lots!).  I will get those posts up next week for sure.

Anyway.  Whew.  We made it!  Week 1 of February is done.  Even though it's the shortest month, February is always a very rough ride.  Always has been.  Just a handful of weeks to go and it's March, which is practically Spring!  

* Blue Printed Dress *

I got this at an Anthropologie after-Christmas clearance.  I can't remember the price ... but I think it was around $50, which is a pretty good deal for Anthro.  I actually had a store credit, so it was free!  I loved the cut and the fit.  The back is a bit low, so I had to wear a black cardigan at work.

* Black Sweater, Multi-Colored Tweed Skirt, Pink Scarf *

This was a fun outfit to put together.  I pulled the tweed skirt (Banana, last year) out of my closet and pulled the outfit together from that.  I wore my black fitted sweater, black tights, brown flat boots and a bright pink scarf.

* Cream Sweater & Skinny Jeans *

This was a casual lunch out ... I wore a cream v-neck (front and back) sweater that I picked up on sale at the Limited in the Fall for a steal with a cream cami and my favorite skinny jeans.  The sweater is on the sheer side, so a cami was a must.  And ... haircut time.  Wow. 

Have a great weekend! See you back here on Monday.

See you swoon,