24th Race: GW Birthday Classic 10k February 19, 2011

Location: Alexandra, VA
Registration: $25
Cause: The George Washington Birthday Celebration
Time: 66 minutes

I did this race with Beth and Dan.  It was supposed to be a simple 6.2 miles, up and back on Eisenhower Avenue.  One hill at the beginning and end but other than that a fairly flat course.  But boy did this race end up being anything but simple.  The weather was actually pretty warm for February, mid-40's and sunny.  On the way over to the race, which was a quick five minutes from Beth and Dan's townhouse we heard on the radio that the area was under a severe wind advisory.  Dan and I both commented on the announcers proclamation, but none of us thought too much about it.  There were probably 400 people at the race (rough guess) and we all started out strong.  I love running with Beth but keeping up with her pace is always a challenge for me.  I was doing pretty well for the first ten minutes, but my legs were starting to get tired and it felt like I was fighting the air.  I found myself struggling through my five to one run/walks and finding it harder and harder to breathe.  Then at about mile 2.5 the wind gusts really started to intensify.  It was getting impossible to run and pretty difficult to walk.  Everyone was going sideways in an attempt to dodge the dirt and debris , the paper waters cups were swirling in the air like seagulls and anyone daring enough to wear a baseball cap was now attempting to chase it down.  At one point Beth exclaimed, "Were they calling for a Hurricane!" We both questioned if we could keep going, but we pushed our way through the 50 mile per hour wind gusts and finally made it to the turn around point.  Luckily, because this was an up and back course, all the struggles we had running against the wind were soon quickly forgotten. We must have made up at least ten minutes on the way back.  The wind was like a firm hand on our backs, guiding us back down Eisenhower Avenue, giving us an extra inch or two in our strides.  We actually finished with a pretty decent time considering the elements and definitely now have a great memory of our first "windy" race.

 

"I'm older now but still runnin' against the wind" -Bob Seger

23rd Race: Cupid's Undie Run February 12, 2011

Location: Washington, D.C., Pour House and the Capitol
Registration: $25
http://www.cupidsundierun.com/

Time: No Clue

Cause:  The Children's Tumor Foundation

So nothing I can put into words will be able to do this race justice, the pictures will definitely tell the best story.  But let me at least try to set the stage.  Basically, the concept of this race was to meet at the bar, run a mile in your undies and raise a lot of money for the Children's Tumor Foundation, pretty fantastic.  One of my oldest friends, Juan, from kindergarten sent me this race and as soon as I saw the website I was hooked.  A great cause, a terrific theme and a gaurantee for outrageous costumes, there was no way I was passing this one up!  I signed Linda up as a valentine's present (you are welcome my love) and we recruited our crazy, lovable friend Steph to join us.  While Linda and I chose the more conservative route with our costumes, I was pretty impressed with our creativity and accessories.

  Basically, the itenerary for the race was as follows:

Noon: Meet at the bar.  Enjoy free drinks, socialize with friends, take many pictures of scantically clad people and laugh your ass off.

1:55: Move the party outside...

2:00:  On your mark, get set, run a mile in your undies!!!!

2:05: 1/2 mile mark stop in front of the Capitol and capture this moment of great American patriotism!

2:10ish:  Celebrate the fact that you just ran a drunken mile in your undies and didn't get arrested!



 2:20: Back to the bar for more shenanigans in your skivvies. 

3:30:  Celebrate Juan winning the "Best Costume" Contest, of course!!!

5:00: Drive Adam and Juan home after a pretty ridiculously fun day:)



Thank you Linda, Steph, Steph's Hubby, Juan, Adam, Emily and all the other fantastic, daring, scandalous, cool people who made my 23rd race so memorable.  And well the Cupid's Undie Run raised over $50,000 for the Children's Tumor Foundation so would say it was a huge success. 

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Washington, D.C.

"You can tell a lot about a person from his underwear."

-Rachel Bilson

22nd Race: Sweethearts 4Ever 4 Miler February 6, 2011

Location: Curtis Park, Hartwood, VA
Registration: $25

Cause: Racing Unlimited

Time: 43 minutes

This was my first race of 2011 and what a great race to start the new year! Beth has a faster pace than me, so I hold her back a little but she is sweet enough to stick with me and she also helps to push me more than I normally would do on my own.  In running I have found it is important to find those people who are faster than you and to not be afraid to go with them sometimes, you will surprise yourself.

I definitely will always remember this race not exactly because it was that amazing of a run (though I did knock 4 minutes off my normal pace) but because it was the start of what ended up being a perfect Sunday.  Since starting this blog and remembering all my races it has finally dawned on me that over the past year running has pretty much become my social life.  And while to some that may seem awfully sad, for me it has been absolutely wonderful.  For example, through running I started hanging out with Abby (old college friend and original member of Team Rainbow Sherbet).  And through our TRS races, we discovered that Abby used to be roommates with Traci Venia who I went to high school with (small world right, well it gets better).  Running also has allowed Beth and I to be able to hang out more and it was our second Team Rainbow Sherbet race where Beth met Abby, still with me?  And well to go full circle, Beth also went to high school with Traci.  So voila a small world, reconnected thanks to running!  

So after the 4 miler, Beth and I met Traci and Abby and went on a very fun winter winery extravaganza, hitting up Mediterranean Cellars and Molon Lave.  It was the perfect girls day out, we tested many, many glasses of wine, recruited two new pigs (Puddle and Practical, you will want to google them) to Team Rainbow Sherbet, stuffed our faces with a very eclectic Mandarin buffet and left already planning our next fabulous winery tour. 

So, yeah, yet another reason why I love running, it has given me a very full and robust social calendar:)

"There is just one moon,

And one golden sun,

And a smile means friendship to everyone,

Though the mountains divide,

And the oceans are wide,

It's a small world after all."



21st Race: Bull Run Festival of Lights 5k December 31, 2010

Location: Bull Run Park, Manassas, VA
Registration: $25
Cause: CMG Heart Foundation
http://www.bullrunrunners.com/adam-seymour.html
Time: 32 minutes

"On August 19, 2010 Adam Patrick Seymour, an incoming freshman, collapsed while competing in a pre-season training run with the Lynchburg College soccer team. Adam subsequently died on August 22, 2010 as a result of the cardiac arrest which struck him on August 19th."

I was determined that I wanted to finish out 2010 with a race, how fitting right?  Well it just happened that I found a great local race with a cause that really hit close to home.  I was so proud as an alumni to watch the Lynchburg's men's soccer team make it to the National Championship game this year and when you know how much they had to endure to get there, losing a teammate like they did, it brings tears to my eyes.  The four years I played field hockey at Lynchburg were the best days of my life and my teammates were as close to me as sisters, whether a freshmen stepping on that practice field for the first time or a senior grasping on to every moment, you are family out there and the thought of losing one of my teammates brings chills to my bones.  It was a true privilege to do a race in Adam's honor.  And as I watched his teammates and coaches out there running for him, I was very proud to be a Hornet.

"I'm a Hornet born, I'm a Hornet bred, and when I die I'll be a Hornet dead.  Rah Rah O Hornet Hornet!"

20th Race: Jingle All the Way 10k December 12, 2010

Location: Washington, D.C.

Registration: $25

Cause: Capital Running Company

Time: 68 minutes

I am pretty much a sucker for any race with a fitting theme and the potential for great costumes.  And this race fit that to a tee.  Everyone was decked out in their best Christmas attire.  From reindeer's to angels, Santa's, snowmen, drummer boys and gingerbread men, it was 6.2 miles in a sea of Christmas, rockin' jingle bells the whole way.  Beth and I did this race together and it was a great way to celebrate the holidays:)

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. 
 ~Charles Dickens

19th Race: Turkey Trot 5k November 20, 2010

Location: Remington, Va
Registration: $30
Cause: M.M. Pierce Elementary School
Time: 32 minutes

This was just a fun Thanksgiving race through the little town of Remington.  Judy and I ran this one together and I think I had to walk once but overall I remember it being a pretty good race.  Because this was a Thanksgiving race, I feel it is only fitting to say what I am thankful for and if you didn't guess this past year it all seems to revolve around running.  I am thankful for the new found determination it has instilled in me.  I am thankful for the new friends it has brought me.  I am thankful for the old friendships it has rekindled.  I am thankful for the health it has given to my body.  I am thankful for the peacefulness it has brought to my mind.  I am thankful for the struggles it has forced me to overcome.  I am thankful for the moments it has allowed me to share with my family.  I am thankful for the time it has given me with my mom.  I am thankful for all the laughs, tears, and joy it has brought me.  And I am most thankful for all the memories it has provided me. 

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

18th Race: Run Like the Wind 5k October 30, 2010

Location: Old Town Warrenton
Registration: $30
Cause: Warrenton Presbyterian Church
Time: 31 minutes

This was a fun, local evening race I did with Beth and Carly.  You started on Main St. in Old Town Warrenton and ran through the greenway, around Culpeper Street, up a hill, down Winchester Street and back to the church.  This was my first evening race and being that is was on Halloween Eve it made for a neat variation on your typical early morning race.  Another great thing about running is that you can do it any time you want.  I am more of an afternoon runner.  I like running after work because it gives me something to look forward to and if it has been an unusually tough day, it lets me release my frustrations.  I am also not a morning person and I have a hard enough time waking up to shower much less run three miles.  But whether you are an evening runner, a morning runner, an outside runner or dare I say a treadmill runner, that is the best thing about running you can do it on your own time, at your own will and definitely at your own pace!

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power.  You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.  ~Jesse Owens

17th Race: Boys and Girls Club 10k October 24, 2010

Location: Warrenton
Registration: $30
Cause: Boys and Girls Club
Time: 72 minutes

This race was a week after the Half and well I was pretty nervous about it.  I still wasn't feeling quite back to normal and I knew my knees were going to hate me.  But it was hard to pass up on a local race and I am so happy I did this race because it led me to finding the absolute best running partner ever.  My new friend Judy was doing this race and we ended up running together.  She was doing this great run/walk method.  You run for 3 minutes and walk for a minute, it is great!  Because I am not a "real" runner and will never think of myself as one, the run/walk method works so well for me.  I have never been able to run to a point where I zone out and I am too unfocused to just run for a really long time without getting really really bored, but this way I have little short term goals that keep me going.  As long as I can go for 3 minutes, I know I get a minute break, it really is just genius for non-runner, attention deficit, flaky people like me.  Judy and I now run after work through Warrenton twice a week and have been doing so for almost three months.  It is so wonderful to have a person to keep you motivated.  We have pushed each other through the hardest days of winter and I am so very thankful for meeting Judy!  My second piece of running advice: find a great running partner that keeps you motivated, lets you vent and makes you smile.

"Everyone who has run knows that its most important value is in removing tension and allowing a release from whatever other cares the day may bring." -Jimmy Carter

16th Race: Baltimore Half Marathon October 16, 2010

Location: Baltimore
Registration: $95
Cause: Various Baltimore Non-Profits
Time: 2 hours and 46 minutes

Well, Team Rainbow Sherbet is at it again and this time we went BIG.  It is definitely true that running gives you a "high", it also makes you do crazy things like sign up for half marathons one week after barely finishing a 10k.  I can't say I trained at all for this race and I was nervous as crap about it, but it really was an awesome experience.  I am convinced that I cannot have a bad time when I am around TRS.  I had gotten us a hotel in Baltimore the night before the race, which if I do say so myself was an awesome idea.  Most of the fun of these races is the pre and post celebrations.  Erin and I had gotten there before the others so we did some sightseeing in Baltimore.  Erin used to live there so she was my tour guide.  A good idea besides the three pounds of chocolate I bought from the irresistible singing fudge makers.

 And then in true TRS tradition we had to work on our attire and essentials, which I think we only improve on with each race...

And after watching Sex in the City 2 (worst $18 I have ever spent) we anxiously tried to go to sleep.  I think Erin may have been the only one that rested.  Abby, Linda and I just tossed and turned all night in complete terror of what we had gotten ourselves into.  We all woke up early, worked on perfecting our perfect pig look, took the quintessential 5-hour energy shot and made our 2 mile trek to the start line...

The cool thing about the start line for the Half Marathon is that you get to watch all the Elite Marathoners run by.  Even after all these races it still baffles me how some people can run so fast.  I think I just watched in awe, they were so focused and determined.  Most were no bigger than a stick and you could trace every long muscle they had.  Of course most of them would finish the full in less time than I would finish my half, but I can't deny they definitely gave me that "hoorah" feeling.  Unfortunately, my nerves had the better of me and my hoorah feeling quickly turned into "I have to pee".  I should have followed Abby and Linda and peed in a Baltimore bush, a regret that lasted me for ten miles.  Abby and Erin were sweet enough to run with me the first hour.  But soon I had to walk and I didn't want to hold my piggies back so I waved them on and faced the next seven miles just me and the hills of Baltimore.  I will be honest I don't remember too much of the race.  I know there were great crowds who promised "it was all downhill from here", they lied.  There was music and Gatorade, thank God for Gatorade and gummy bears, oh sweet gummy bears.  By mile ten I was finally able to use a porto-potty, my bladder was very thankful and by mile eleven my knees felt like they were going to burst.  By mile twelve I knew I just needed to do whatever I possibly could to finish, so I stared at the yellow lines on the road and just kept repeating "follow the yellow brick road", if it worked for Dorthy maybe it would work for me.  I think at that point I was a little delirious.  When I finally crossed the finish line and they put that medal around my neck, I was too tired to smile but boy was I proud of myself.  Two hours and forty five minutes later I had seen more of Baltimore than I knew existed and done something a year ago I never thought I could do.  We all met back up at our designated meeting space and although in pain and utterly exhausted we celebrated in true TRS fashion! 

 It was after this race that Piggly Wiggly finally caught on to how cool we are and put us on their website, http://www.pigglywiggly.com/.  It feels good to be famous, next step sponsorship! 
WAY TO GO PIGGIES, our possibilities are endless:)

"Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot?" -Cowardly Lion, The Wizard of Oz

15th Race: Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure October 3, 2010

Location: Hunt Valley, MD

Registration: $25

Cause: Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Time: 32 minutes

Wow, this was such a fun race that I ran with Linda (best friend from college, adopted sister and absolute favorite person)!  We did this race in the the name of our field hockey team The Black Eyed Susan's and we (Linda) raised over $500 to help fight breast cancer.  We crashed at Megan's house in Baltimore the night before, which ended up being a hoot.  Megan happens to be Miss. T-shirt making extraordinaire and we made some kick-ass BES shirts to wear at the race.  We also were decked out in as much pink, cancer sucks attire and accessories as we could find.  And well we definitely weren't the only ones.  This was a truly powerful race.  The support, love and courage displayed was phenomenal. 

Everyone was in such high spirits, a sea of pink united in support of all those battling this horrible disease.  One of my favorite memories was at the finish line they had a special shoot for all the survivors.  To watch them one by one finish was so inspirational.  They had fought the fight of their lives and won and this race symbolized that grit and determination.  And while cancer still takes so many lives year after year, it is great events like this that help bring us one step closer to finding a cure.

"SAVE SECOND BASE, KEEP MOTOR BOATING ALIVE"

14th Race: Navy 5 Miler September 26, 2011

Location: Pentagon
Registration: $30
Cause: Navy
Time: 55 Minutes

Another Team Rainbow Sherbet race, unfortunately Erin had moved to Ohio by this time so Wilbur, Petunia, and Piglet had to run one pig down.  This was such a fun race.  We all crashed at Abby's pigpen the night before, enjoyed a great dinner full of laughs and then awoke at the crack of dawn to make our way to the Pentagon.  It was a little overcast, chilly and rainy that day but we didn't let it ruin our spirits.  This was such an inspirational race.  There were so many veterans at this race, many who were missing limbs but still competing stronger than ever.  A great thing about these races is it really doesn't matter who you are, your lot in life or your physical condition, anyone can go out there and give it their all.  And whether you come in first or last, whether you run, walk or crawl, if you can just make it to that finish line then you have truly accomplished something great.  I also really enjoy these races because I love the causes they represent and this one especially tugs at my heart string.  My dad, grandfathers, grandmother and many down the family tree served our country and we all owe our veterans and servicemen our lives and while it is just a small token, doing a race in their honor and running alongside so many is truly amazing.

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! 

~Maya Angelou

13th Race: I-Race 5k September 11, 2010

Location: Leesylvania State Park
Registration: $25
Cause: MANNA Worldwide
Time: 32 minutes

This was a pretty 5k through Leesylvania State Park.  Carly wasn't feeling so hot for this race so she and her grandma watched as her dad, Crystal and I ran.  A simple, pretty, hometown race with good friends, a perfect weekend in my book.

There are not enough days in the weekend. ~Rod Schmidt

12th Race: Capital Ale House 10 Miler August 22, 2010

Location: Hartwood, VA
Registration: $30
Cause: Fredericksburg Area Running Club
Time: 2 Hours

Beth and I signed up for this local race which started at Curtis Park and ran through the roads of Hartwood.  This was my longest run ever and needless to say it was incredibly difficult and I had to walk a lot! But I absolutely loved this race because Beth and I got to catch up on way too many years of life.  This is another reason why I have started to truly love running, because sometimes it has nothing to do with running.  Sure you can meet a friend for dinner and catch up but I can guarantee you that you will learn more about a person over a ten mile run than any meal.  I have made so many new friends through my running but even better than that I have renewed some old, great friendships.  Some of the most amazing relationships are the ones where you may not talk for years and things in your life may be completely different but when you do finally see each other it is as if nothing has changed and no time has passed.  These are the friendships you need to cherish, that you should fight not to lose and that will lift you up when life brings you down.

Ah, how good it feels!  The hand of an old friend. 

 ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow