Winter Finally Arrived for a Snowy Run

Friday afternoon I came out of a meeting and looked to the windows at the front of my building.  Things looked a little different but I wasn't sure what was going on until my coworkers started talking about how much snow was accumulating.  Somehow I had totally missed that snow was possible in the forecast!

The afternoon flew by as coworkers started to hustle home and by the time I was finally ready to head out, the road outside my building was a parking lot.  I hung out for a little while later and luckily my commute home wasn't too bad.  Unfortunately the city had decided that the weather did not look favorable for Saturday morning and they announced fairly early in the afternoon that the activity center would be closed on Saturday and thus our training group cancelled.

Our coach Mike posted that he would meet any who wanted for a run at 7AM from the square and so it was easy to motivate myself to head out on Saturday morning.  I got out my Yak Trax and began the trek up to the square.  It was pretty awesome to be the first one on the trail and be the one setting the tracks into the snow. I love snow runs...there is something just so peaceful and beautiful about running in snow.

I made it to the square at 7AM and lucked out in that the route was back towards home meaning I wouldn't have to rerun Crystal Bridges Hill again! We spread out and there were a few ladies behind me chatting away.  It took about a mile to get some separation between us so that I could be back in that quiet snowy solitude.  Normally I'm social on a group run but a snowy run seems to turn me into a big introvert.

I had some math challenges on this run...my Garmin was slow to sync up at the start so I started it a little way into my run.  My watch was behind my actual mileage which I just couldn't figure out.  I guessed at where my turn around should be and stopped to take a few pictures of some of the other runners to share on FB.  I also had to take a comparison shot of the trail showing what it looked like when it was just me on the trail versus after the Rush Running crew had passed through! We almost plowed the snow down there were so many footprints in the trail!

As I ran up the final hill to my neighborhood I noticed that my hair had frozen solid where it was outside of the beanie.  It cracked me up! I also noticed a perfect little snow ball attached to my shoe.  I'm not sure where it came from but it accompanied me for quite a bit of the 6.5 miles!

If you are nervous about running in the snow, here are some things to consider...
1) Yak Trax or True North will help you with traction.
2) Dress in layers and consider a shell jacket if it's still snowing.
3) Wool socks - I recommend Balega Trail Buster Quarter with wool
4) Leave your music at home and enjoy the sound of the snow...have FUN!!!

Friends make it warmer!

I'm lucky to again be volunteering with the Bentonville Half Marathon training program.  We meet every Saturday morning for our group long run while training for the race on March 28th.  It's a chance to run with 285 of my closest running friends!

This past Saturday was much like the week...cold...seriously cold!  There was plenty of Facebook taunting throughout the week as well as a little bit of education on how to properly layer for cold weather.  The group is a mixture of brand new runners and some that are more experienced plus all of the Rush Running volunteers.

The temps were brisk and yet it was a perfect morning.  Around mile one, I shucked off my gloves.  The sun was coming up by then and I always seem to have hot hands.  The way that our volunteer crew works is that we run with the group and as we hit turns or street intersections at least one volunteer stops until they are replaced by another.  Our goal is to try and encourage each and every one of the group members.  I got to cheer lots of people on for one turn and then 1/2 mile later got to also work the turn around point for our route.

It was so much fun to be the turn around...lots of people were pumped to see me and make the turn back to the start.  I finished up the route and then headed back out to help run in some of the others still out on the course.  Several other volunteers did the same thing and I have a feeling that our encouragement was appreciated.

I ended up with just over 6 miles with the training group.  I headed home and picked up my dog to get some extra miles.  My house is right off the route that the group had run so I was running on one of the same streets as just 30 minutes earlier.  However this time, without the group, the temps felt so much colder.  I don't know what it was but it really was a struggle.  I had to put my gloves back on and wipe away some cold tears.  Thankfully I got warmed back up and was able to get to about 9 miles total for the day.

It felt good to get my long run built back up and it was so much fun to hear members of the group be so proud of themselves for hitting their longest runs yet.  It is so much fun to give back to this group and in turn receive so much from each of them.

Birthday Hill Repeats

Six years ago I celebrated my 30th birthday with hill repeats with the Rush Running crew.  This year showed that very little had changed.  On Saturday, my birthday, I was up early to meet the Grand Canyon crew for 15 miles of hill repeats.  

We headed to Old Dump Road and the 1/2 mile hill that we would truck up and down 11 times. 

The hill is a gravel road with varied grade along it.  The hill ends at the highway overpass and a short section of pavement.  It was nice to do repeats as a group since everyone could go there own pace and still encourage each other. 

I kept track of the repeats by carrying a rock up on each incline. I ended with a nice pile on the highway overpass that signaled the top of the hill. 

When we were finished with the repeats we still had the 2 mile run back to the start to complete our 15 miles. It was good prep for our Grand Canyon trip and I definitely earned some birthday treats! 

Whoa...that was tough!

Monday nights are the free Rush Running sponsored Rush Hour track workouts.  I have been going to these workouts since they started six years ago.  Every week is something different and you just never know what to expect for the workout.

Mike Rush and Drew Conner coach the workouts and they try to limit repeating a workout.  Mike has a workbook of all the workouts from the years that he was a competitive athlete and a coach since.  Tonight the guys pulled a workout out of the archives for the group.  It was a doozy.

Warm up - run opposite direction in outside lanes of the track.  I aim for 1 - 1.5 miles of warm up.

Work out - 4 x 400 m at mile pace with 30 sec rest between intervals.  Rest 1 min at conclusion of the 4 x 400 m repeats.  1000 m at desired 5K pace.  Rest 1 min at conclusion of 1000 m as active rest as you return to the starting line by walking across the infield.  Repeat.  4 x 400 m at mile pace with 30 sec rest between intervals.  Rest 1 min at conclusion of the 4 x 400 m repeats.  1000 m at desired 5K pace.

Cool down - run opposite direction in outside lanes of the track.  I aim for .5 miles of cool down.

Tonight I ended up with 5 1/4 miles of running.  This was one of my roughest nights out on the track.  I was hungry heading to the track and quickly ate a mini Babybel cheese a few minutes before starting to run.  Cue...the pain later on!  I did an easy warm up with my friend Janet.  I got in 1 1/4 miles of warm up running and then spotted my brother-in-law and niece.  They were out on a bike ride and stopped by to say hello.

At 6:10, Mike began the announcements for the night.  Then he explained the details of the workout.  He divides the group into two groups based on desired 5K pace and then starts the groups into the workout.  One of the greatest things about our workouts is that the group is so encouraging of one another.  Whether it is the injured runner working their way back by shuffling the opposite direction or the faster runner passing you, everyone makes an effort to say good job or another kind word to you.

Once the workout is started, everyone sticks to their pace and gets it done.  You might get a chance to talk to others during the rest periods but you've got Mike yelling at the group reminding everyone of just how short the rest periods are!

After the first 4x 400m I was happy to get to the 1000m because it was at a slower pace.  That 5K pace felt so easy but that wouldn't last.  Janet joined me again to start the second half of the workout.  The second set of 400's felt tougher.  I felt like I wasn't hitting the same interval times as I had the first time.  As I finished those up, I started to feel either very hungry or my stomach pains could have been from the exertion.  I just couldn't tell what exactly was going on but it only made the run tougher.  I was so excited to hit that final 1000 m again because 5K pace felt like a breeze.  We even picked up the pace over the last 400 of that interval and finished really strong.

As soon as we finished, we walked a 200m half lap in order to get back to the starting line.  Then I began my 1/2 mile cool down shuffle.  It was slow but I knew that it would help my legs recover so I got it done.  I hung around a few minutes drinking a little water and chatting with friends but I didn't last long.  After I stopped running, my stomach felt like it was starving.  However, once I got home, food just didn't sound good to me at all.  I finally ended up making some nachos with multi-grain chips, a little cheddar cheese, and some salsa.  The chips were the closest thing I had to crackers to help settle my stomach.

I suspect that my pre-workout snack just 5 minutes prior to the run was a very bad choice.  That's all I can think of that would have caused my tummy to have such troubles.  Yes, the workout was tough but this was a whole other level of stomach pain.  I will not be repeating that choice for sure!

Do you run track workouts?  What is your favorite interval distance?  Mine is probably the 1000m interval.  Anything beyond the 1200m is hard to hold my focus and pace and intervals shorter than the 400m are really tough as the pace is usually much faster!

War Eagle Trail Run 25K Race Recap

For the last few years I have been out of town for the War Eagle Trail Run race weekend.  This year I was home and signed up for the 25K distance.  The War Eagle Trail Run is a race put on by local ultrarunner Jeff Genova. This race feels like a family get together since everyone within the Rush team takes part or volunteers it seems.  The race takes place at Hobbs State Park in Northwest Arkansas.  There are three distances offered...10K, 25K, or 50K.

Official race logo designed by Rush Runner and ultra runner Ryan Holler

Hobbs State Park is located about 30 minutes from my house but is someplace I have never run before.  The trails are very well maintained and there is a great visitor center with clean restrooms and interactive displays about the area and the local flora and fauna.  This race is one of the only trail race events allowed within Hobbs State Park.

Hobbs State Park Visitor Center

On race morning, I made the drive to Hobbs and visited a local historic site that in my 10 years of living in NWA I had never been to...the War Eagle Mill.  Because of the size of the race, participants park at War Eagle Mill which is about 5 minutes from the park visitor center.  From there they are shuttled to the visitor center for the pre-race amenities.  I was very lucky to get onto a shuttle quickly after parking.  We got dropped off and I quickly stashed a bag with dry clothes in the race director's truck...that's a perk of being friends with the race director! I made it into the visitor center just before a downpour began.

All morning I had been watching the weather with nervous apprehension.  Luckily there was a quick downpour and then the rain cleared up before the race started.  I was glad to be inside a warm building while the rain happened too!  I met up with friends inside and tried to relax and nibble on my Larabar while we waited for the pre-race meeting.  The pre-race meeting covered a couple very important pieces of information...the course and the course markings.  Each race distance had a different color to follow for the course markings.  I was most nervous about getting lost on the trails but found it to be so well marked and very easy to follow.

Me, Janet, Mandy, Pauline, and Theresa before the start

The race got started a few minutes late due to some delays with the shuttle during the rain.  My friend Janet and I line up toward the back of the pack and prepared for the short run around the parking lot to thin out the race before hitting the single track trails.  The 25K and 50K runners started together and it was a big pack!

There is Janet and I toward the left side of the photo at the start

The first 1/4 mile was pretty slow going as the trails were still pretty crowded.  Eventually once everyone got spread out we were able to settle into a nice easy pace.  Both Janet and I were running simply for the experience.  Neither of us had done much trail racing before and we wanted to have fun and finish!  The trails were gorgeous right off the bat.  It was a little humid but we were trying to drink and eat as we went along.  Around mile 3 I noticed that my heels were hurting.  I made a rookie mistake and wore a brand new pair of socks on race day.  I think the humidity from the last minute rain combined with the new socks to punish me!

Janet and I chatted all along the course and took walk breaks when we encountered inclines.  We enjoyed the sections of trail covered in pine needles because it felt like we were running on air...so soft and cushy! We had a little trail stress as we hit the first major turn on the course.  The turn was well marked but about 50 runners in the faster pace ahead of us had missed the turn.  Just as we hit the turn, they were all making their way back on course.  We tried to be polite since we knew that our slower pace was frustrating them and we asked multiple times to tell us if you want past so we could pull off the trail.  Finally at the next turn, we pulled off and let the group run past us.  They were all pretty cranky having run about 1 mile extra off course.   Janet's husband was unfortunately in that group and we felt bad that he had gotten mixed up and off course.

Photo by Luis Escobar

We snacked our way through the first aid station staffed by some awesome Rush Runners.  As we made our way onto the second aid station my feet were really bothering me.  We ended up walking quite a bit within that section because that felt softer on my heels than running.  When we got to the aid station I quickly asked for some help to treat my heels.  Yikes, they were scary! Luckily one of the volunteers worked quickly to take care of me and get me back on the course.

Our next aid station was staffed by another friend and Rush Runner and that was quite the motivation to make it to that aid station.  We kept chatting all through the trail and enjoying the great day.  As we came into the aid station, Luis Escobar was set up taking photos.  Luis Escobar is an amazing photographer who captures some great ultra events in beautiful images.  We are so very lucky that he includes this race in his calendar.

Photo by Luis Escobar

After getting a pep talk and update on how much further we had to go from my friend Jody, Janet and I took off for the final stretch.  We had a yucky incline left to tackle and then before we knew it we were seeing the end of the trail.  The time passed so quickly and then we hit the parking lot and the short run to the finish line.  We grabbed some water and then my first priority was to take off my shoes.  I couldn't wait to give my heels some freedom and relief from the shoes.

My left heel after the race.  The right heel was in similar shape :( 

I hung out for a little while outside waiting and cheering on friends as they finished their races.  I was happy to change into dry clothes since every ounce of clothing was dripping sweat from the humidity.  I also enjoyed laying down for a few minutes on the floor of the visitor center.  It gave my feet and back some relief to just quietly lay for a minute.  Post race food was catered by another Rush Runner and owner of Catfish Johns.  I had a hush puppy and some chicken tenders.

Overall, I was really proud of myself for finishing the distance and overcoming the blisters on my heels.  The pain from the blisters played havoc on my mind for almost the entire race but I was able to keep a positive outlook and keep moving forward.  Our finish time was 4:00:53.  We were within 60 seconds of the 4 hour mark so I'll take it.  I definitely walked more than I would have liked but now I know what it takes for a long trail race and I will prepare better next time!

What makes you stronger!

This morning was the Bentonville Half Marathon training group's third group run. At just the 3rd week of the program, we are at a distance of two miles. For many in the group this is their first time to commit to a running program and two miles is a challenge. 

The route that we tackled included the Compton Gardens portion of our local running trail.  This section of the trail also happens to be part of the last mile of the race course too.  The fun part of this route is that you get to run downhill only to hit the turn around point and go back up! Before each group run, our coach Mike Rush goes over pointers and call outs for the participants.  Today he talked about a key form mistake a lot of us make...running with tension. His tips were to make sure you dropped those shoulders and relaxed the tension in your back. 

Once we were out on the run the Rush team split up through out the group to encourage and support the participants. I ended up with my buddy Jody and we had fun encouraging others as we ran. We tried to say good job or something similar to everyone we passed. When we hit the hill we were the chattiest ones trying to take people's minds off the hill. Sometimes running can be mental and you just need a distraction! I tried my hardest to get someone to cross the top of the hill with their arms up a la Rocky but got no takers. 

After running the training group in, I had 2.78 miles on my watch which was way less than my target mileage for the day.  I took a quick break to use the potty and get a sip of water then headed back out.  Originally I wanted to add on enough to hit 5 miles and I headed in a direction to accommodate that. Then I decided to continue on to hit 6 miles and ended up making it to 6.5 miles with my route choices. I quickly headed home and got Sidney geared up to run with me.

Sidney got a new gentle leader harness for Christmas and these are the best harnesses for her. She loves going on runs and just ran with joy the minute we got out the door.  I needed another 2.5 miles to hit my 9 mile goal for the day.  The thing about running from my house is that there are hills in every direction.  I decided on a route that would take me down and then back up one of the biggest hills.  Going down was a breeze...but coming back up was slow going. I swear my dog stopped a couple of times and looked back at me with a look that said, "seriously are you even moving!" I was slow but I conquered that hill.  

That's the thing about hills...the more you train on them the easier they become.  Hills truly make you a stronger runner and that is why Mike Rush has the training group run on the hills in the course. Back to Mike's tip about relaxing the shoulders and tension...I noticed on my run with Sidney that no matter the terrain she ran with joy and happiness. That pup had no tension in her little body! I should take lessons from her, especially since she beat me up that hill! 

It's a Rush Running Christmas!

Last night was the Annual Rush Running Holiday Party! Every year, our running team gets together to celebrate the year and have a fun dinner before the holidays.  This year we have expanded the team so it was fun to have a chance to get to spend time with some of our newer team members.

Around Halloween I came up with an idea.  It stuck in my head and I envisioned greatness...but I didn't know how to execute the idea.  I reached out to the team and to a photographer friend for help.  From the team, I collected pictures from everyone's racing and training throughout the year.  And then a smaller group of us went to work on a more technical part of the surprise...recording some audio.  Here's the finished product!

We managed to keep this video a secret from Mike.  He was surprised and liked this surprise quite a bit more than his official introduction into Marathon Maniacs club which was the 2nd surprise gift for him.

I owe a huge thanks to my friend Chuck who compiled the audio into one file and laid the track over the instrumental version of the song.  I also owe huge thanks to Matt who wrote the lyrics and served as lead vocals on the song.

Our coach, Mike Rush, is a true magnet for change.  He has been a driving factor in changing the face of running in our community.  We have so many more people out and running and so many more races now because of his store and the influence he has had within our community.  He has given me all the kicks in the butt that I have needed throughout the last 5 years of running and he has lifted me up with praise for all my accomplishments too.  I can't tell you enough how lucky each of us on the team feel to be a part of this group.  And to shout out praise for his store and staff...together they all accomplished being one of the top 4 running stores in the US as announced last week at The Running Event in Austin.  We're super proud of them and of course all figuring out how to catapult them to the number one spot that we all think they deserve!!!

2013 Chile Pepper 10K Race Recap

The Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival is an institution in Northwest Arkansas.  It is a signature race event that has been around for 25 years!  It was originally started as a fundraiser to help fund the local high school cross country teams.  It evolved to be one of the premier cross country races in the area for junior high, high school, collegiate, and open races.  More than 4500 runners compete in the various races each year.

This year the Chile Pepper fell just two weeks after my half ironman.  I waited until the last possible minute to sign up and was lucky to be one of the Rush Running team members to earn an entry spot into the 10K.  Yeah! Thanks to Mike and his staff for making it possible for so many of our team to race together.  As the race day neared, things started to look pretty dicey with the weather.  Chile Pepper just wouldn't be the pepper if there wasn't some weather excitement.  Most of my past runnings had been on really cold weather days or days after a hard rain resulting in a soggy course.  This year...I got a new experience!

Race morning began with a radar map that showed a very uncertain weather future for all of Northwest Arkansas.  This was going to be interesting.  I went ahead and got myself to Fayetteville and managed to make it to the race site before the rains began.  Mike Rush had one of the Rush Buses at the Athlete village and so I hung out with the other Rush Runners in the early morning hours.  We could tell that the weather was headed our way and soon it arrived.  We all sprinted onto the bus and began what would be one long weather delay! There were runners huddled under any and every tent possible but thanks to Mike our crew was nice and dry in the bus.

The race organizers made a decision very early on and decided to consolidate the two races in the open division into just one race.  Instead of having the 10K open at 7:30 followed by a 5K at 9:00 the organizers decided to have the two races start simultaneously.  Because of the number of races, for both collegiate and high school, there is only so much delay that they can allow to fit all the student races in.

Around 8:30 the rain lightened up considerably and we were given notice that the race would start at 9:00.  The only caveat was that there had to be 30 minutes without a lightening strike in order for the race to start.  Well, we all piled out of the bus...took a group picture and then proceeded to warm up.  It had been raining heavily for 2 hours and as soon as we headed out we were all squishing through the grass.  I hate...hate...hate getting my shoes wet and dirty.  I was miserable...and then I decided to just go with it and have some fun.  There was no way to avoid the wet and the water was several inches deep over much of the course.  About 5 minutes into our warmup the unthinkable happened...lightning strikes off in the distance.  We continued with the warmup and then headed to the starting line.  We were all hopeful that they would start the race....and then there was more lightning....and then it started to downpour.  We sprinted back to the bus and began to wait some more.

The Rush team before the 1st attempt to start the race! 

Finally at 9:45 we were given word that the race would start at 10:00 and that all participants would be running a 5K.  We headed to the starting line and sought out a spot on the starting line.  This is a cross country race so the starting line is about as wide as a football field and after the first 200 yds the course narrows down to a 5-6' wide trail.

The course was a complete mess after all the rain.  There was standing water everywhere and a few spots that were slick with mud.  There were two spots that were especially fun...one spot on the course where there is a dip.  That dip had filled with standing water and it was pretty deep.  The other was the finish line which was one giant puddle!  The course was a two loop course with a modified second loop.  For how rainy the day was I was surprised to see so many spectators there

Overall, I was happy with my performance.  The light mist helped keep me cool during the race and I tried to stay mentally upbeat throughout it even when encountering the messy spots that would normally make me cringe.  I seriously hate to get my shoes dirty so it was good that I had gotten that out of the way early on in the warm up.  I negative split the race with my first mile at 9:48 and my finishing mile at a 9:31 pace.

And for proof on just how crazy my friend and run coach Mike Rush is...here's a pic of him racing in his custom Rush Running Chile Pepper costume! He wasn't planning to race this year but when the downpour started he got so excited at the idea of playing in the wet and muddy conditions that he had to run! That's a true runner...pure love of the sport!

Note: Photos taken from Arkansas RRCA Facebook page.

Celebrate and Be Jolly!

It's the weekend before Christmas and what better time to break out the festive spirit than this weekend! 

The Bentonville Half Marathon training program started last week and this week was my first week to help with the group.  Mike Rush and his store manager Drew lead the training group and provide weekly training topic discussions before the group training run.  Because there are so many people (200+) in the training group, members of the Rush team like myself join in to help run with the group. 

My sister and her family were in town so I was slightly timed strapped on Saturday.  The group run was scheduled for 2 miles but I needed to get in 9 for my long run.  I decided to split the run up and try to get in some miles early before the group so that I could get done earlier afterwards.  It was cold on Saturday morning with temps only in the low 30's.  I wore some Aesperis Pivot compression shorts under my tights to keep my bum warm! 

I got to the Activity Center just after 6 am and figured I had enough time to get in 4 miles before the training group would start.  I selected a route to follow and headed out and enjoyed the peaceful quiet and holiday lights.  There wasn't much traffic out and it was so quiet running through the downtown neighborhoods.  I loved seeing all the houses with lights... from those with the most simple light displays to the houses with every light and yard art imaginable.  It was great! 

I finished up just before 7 and headed inside...it felt so hot in the activity center.  I found a spot on the floor and listened to Mike's talk on form and why good fitting shoes matter.  He ended up the discussion by detailing out the route to the group and covering safety on the roads.  We headed out and I did my best to hang towards the back to pace some of ladies who are all training for their first half marathons.  It felt like just a blink of the eye and we were at the 1 mile turnaround. 

I ended my 2 miles with the group and then caught up with a friend to run a few more miles.  The sun had risen by then and it was definitely warming up to be a beautiful day.  I wore my santa hat which really warmed me up too.  It felt so great to get the miles in and have a good long run.  Then I was off to celebrate with my family...we had a little one turning 5 and that requires lots of celebrating, playing, and all around fun!!!

The Company You Keep

There's a saying that has been around for a long time that goes something like this "You are known by the company you keep." Well, if that's true than boy oh boy I'm in trouble!

Having fun with Pauline for Photo Booth pictures!

Friday was the annual Rush Running Holiday party for the racing team. Every year the party grows and this year was no exception.  The store has expanded to have two locations and so we had new faces with the staff from the Fayetteville store plus several new team members and their families.  As we were preparing for the party...literally 5 minutes before the start time we discovered that the party space was haunted.  Several of us were standing talking when all of a sudden the 5 gallon cooler of Gatorade collapsed and spilled everywhere.  No one was anywhere near the cooler and we couldn't explain how it happened! Crazy! No worries...nothing that several rolls of paper towels can't take care of, right?!?!

With a bunch of runners you would expect healthy food for a potluck! I think we had more desserts than you could imagine including chocolate cupcakes with bacon frosting.  Very different and interesting and quite the hit with the Rush crowd.  Another favorite was the Lumpia which Pauline brings every year.  Lumpia is a Filipino style egg roll type dish made with pork and it's delicious.  Mike dug in and didn't even bother with a plate!

Once everyone had made it through the food line Mike Rush got started with the awards.  Every year the awards ceremony is the highlight of the year for the Rush Team.  You never know what Mike will create for award categories and the speeches that accompany each award are super entertaining.  There are some serious awards and then there are some that are playful. Here's just one of the awards!

Award winners were:
Most Consistent - Shannon McFarland for 28 months of running at least a marathon race or more.
Honorary Shop Employee - Robert Standridge
Most Smiley - Angie McGrew
Most Likely to Get Lost - Ryan Holler
Best Dressed - Dave Kelley
Most Influential - Caleb Cowan
Most Impressive Performance - Robyn Bourlon and Matt Martin
Dominance - Taylor Surly and Marilyn Caulfield

I think there were two others that I missed but I think they were both Most Improved to Aaron Denson and Rachel. 

After the awards we had our annual gift exchange.  We play that the 3rd person to hold the gift owns the gift so it can be stolen twice.  It seemed like a couple people always got their presents stolen like Drew and Lane.  The giant TV remote made it's annual appearance...this remote has been going since our very first Christmas party at Mike and Ali's house 5 years ago.  

Recently a new store opened just down from Rush Running and it seems like a few people headed there for their shopping.  The store is an adult lingerie store and let's just say a couple people got to take home some new training tools...yikes! I ended up with a trucker hat that says "Call Me, Maybe" on it.  The gift I took got stolen and was a hit...everyone needs a tiger shirt right!

Overall, I'm pretty lucky to keep company with such a fun bunch of runners.  We always have a great time whether we are out running, racing, or socializing. 

Trick or Treat Track Meet

The Rush Running crew meets up every Monday night for a speed workout on the old Bentonville track.  Attendance varies each week with our max around 100 people and on cold and dreary days around 20 people.  We have celebrated holidays with special workouts since our group started over four years ago.  This year was no exception...we introduced the group to the Trick or Treat Track Meet!

This was my brainchild and I couldn't contain my excitement in the weeks leading up to Halloween.  The timing was tough since our coach Mike was busy taking a group of runners to the Des Moines Marathon the weekend before.  I knew that I had to make the workout and track meet as easy as possible for Mike in order for it to be successful! I lined out the workout plan and got Mike's okay on the events that I was proposing.  Since this was supposed to be a fun workout I wanted to make sure and mix up the distances that we were covering.  We had the race clock out for people to keep track of their times and we had the stereo blasting for some musical motivation!

Dressed as SuperGirl and unveiling the meet events with Mike Rush!

Going over track etiquette and the waterfall start. Safety first!

Here's a rundown of the events.  Some were treats - just simple running and others had a trick to them! It was the Trick or Treat Track Meet so we had to throw in a couple of mischievous tricks!

1) Madame Fortuna's Prediction Run - a timed one mile run.  Participants were asked to submit a prediction of their finishing time.  GPS watches could not be utilized for pacing.  A costume bonus was given of a 10 sec deduction for wearing a costume (however, this deduction could be refused.) Closest actual time versus prediction was the winner. We had several come within 1-2 seconds of their predictions.  Very impressive pacing!

2) It's the Great Pushup, Charlie Brown - a 200 meter sprint with one small trick! Participants began on the sound of "Go" by dropping to the ground and completing 10 pushups.  Upon completion, each began a 200 meter sprint. 

 

Proof that we do listen to Mike Rush! Directions for the Pushup Sprint event!

 

The Men's heat winner...Jon who was dressed as a crossfit enthusiast! How fitting!!!

3) Werewolves Run in Packs - a relay event.  Participants selected a relay team of four individuals to run a 4 x 400m relay.  Each team was provided a light stick baton to use for the relay exchange.  The winning team was determined by flair! We have a wide mixture of paces and we did not set up the teams evenly so winning time would have been unfair.

One of the eight relay teams!

Mike thought that this team was a little too stacked and offered to help their final leg runner get started or not.

4) Zombies are Bound to Catch You - an 800 meter event with a trick!!! This trick involved a bounding zone on each straight away.  The bounding zone was about 25 m in length and when participants entered the zone they had to begin bounding. 

The ladies demonstrating how to bound!

Overall, it was a fun night and everyone had a great time.  The workout was challenging yet fun and was full of both tricks and treats!

Ready to pass out some medals!



The medals were a big hit! 

The Krispy Kreme Challenge

On Saturday I participated in a really fun race to benefit a local family adopting a special needs child from China.  Dr. Bennington and his wife Rachel are expanding their family through adoption.  Dr. Bennington is one of our local chiropractors and resident ART expert. 

The race was The Krispy Kreme Challenge and they offered multiple options for people to participate.  The Ultimate Challenge was to complete the full run course plus eat a dozen donuts.  The run portion was a two-mile route to the local Krispy Kreme and then back.  At the donut shop, participants would be given one dozen donuts to eat before they could leave for the return trip to finish.  They also offered runner only and relay options to encourage more participation.

Something that I haven't shared in much detail on the blog is that I have been working to lose weight over the last month or so.  While I was really excited about this race I knew that taking part in the eating portion would be counter active to my weight loss goals.  I debated for quite some time on whether to participate because of this but in the end decided to go with the runner only race option. 

Saturday morning I woke up several times which is very strange for me.  I normally sleep well and wake up a little before my alarm.  Well, that morning I woke up several times and just didn't get a good night's sleep.  I ended up resetting my alarm to try and get a little more sleep.  Unfortunately, I turned that alarm off and then went back to sleep.  Luckily I woke up at 7AM and was able to hustle and get out of the house within 15 minutes to head to the race site. 

I arrived around 7:30 with plenty of time for packet pickup.  I was really surprised to see that the race was chip timed.  I have enjoyed seeing more and more of our local races utilize chip timing over the past two years.  It is a great benefit for race directors to provide and this race had a great race director, my friend and ultrarunner Jeff Genova.  Jeff helped me get back into longer distance running 4 years ago.  I was coming back from an injury hiatus and Jeff would run with me on my weekend long runs.  He also helped pace me to a great Route 66 Half Marathon in 2008.  He would entertain me with tales of ultrarunning during our runs and some of those tales included stories of him stopping for donuts mid-run at Krispy Kreme. 

Jeff - an awesome Race Director!

Back to the race...there was a slight delay because unfortunately the title sponsor Krispy Kreme had a smaller fryer problem on race morning and couldn't produce enough donuts for the event.  Thankfully another local shop Olde Tyme donuts came through and donated 40 dozen donuts for the event.  With the extra time for the delay, my friend Cathy and I were able to run to Dr. Bennington's office nearby for a potty stop.  That was one of my only criticisms for the race venue...no bathrooms onsite.  It worked out okay because that was a good little warmup. 

The race got started with a bang and runners took off along the trail system to race towards the donuts! The trail was beautiful and I enjoyed the run.  This is only the 2nd time that I have run on this trail system and I really like it except for a couple steep hills as the trail transitions to streets or across intersections.  I made it to Krispy Kreme with perfect splits...both mile 1 and 2 were 9:46.  I don't think that has ever happened for me before and I was really surprised to see that when I reviewed my Garmin data file. 

Here's Drew, manager of Rush Running, finishing up his donuts with Mike encouraging him along. 
Drew would go on to win the race!

Tony used a smashing method to consume multiple donuts at once. 
He started the race with 10 miles already under his belt for the day. 

I had fun checking on the eaters and taking some pictures.  I was talking to Ali Rush when she realized that I wasn't eating donuts.  I explained that I was just doing the run option and she told me to get my butt moving and run.  Apparently I was mistaken in thinking that it was okay to socialize while others were eating! All together I think I spent about 2 minutes watching the donut eating. 

Quick picture with AJ and then back to the run for me.

I headed back to the finish and kept myself focused by trying to chase down some of the people ahead of me.  I thought back to a tip my friend AJ had given me once before...there's no need to rush to overtake someone, just take your time and slowly reel them in.  I ended the course with just over 4 miles on my Garmin and a time of 39:56.  My official race time was 41:54 including my time stopped at the half way point.  I have my Garmin set to auto-pause when I'm stopped which explains the difference.  My running average was around 9:40 miles and that really made me happy.  I'm working on running more steadily and reducing walk breaks and the mental weakness that makes me want to resign to walking during races.  I'm proud that I didn't walk during the race except for when I was hanging out mid-way watching the donut eating!

Post race with Cathy, Maja, Me, and AJ
Maja and AJ were volunteers at the donut station and Maja ran back
a couple of our friends who did the donut challenge. 
She might have been a little too chipper for them!

I had a great time doing the race and am thankful that I didn't see anyone puke.  I hear that it might have happened but I didn't witness it! I was really surprised to see so many friends from the running team participating and cheering everyone on and it made me so thankful for this great running community.  It is amazing how much the running community has developed over the last few years and Rush Running has been a big part of why that has happened.  I hope to see this race continue next year because it was so much fun. 

What to say when a race doesn't go as planned?

I'm sure we have all had a race or event combust on us and not go as we had planned for it.  This weekend my friend and running coach Mike Rush began the Leadville 100 mile trail race.  Unfortunately, he ran into some stomach distress and had to pull out of the race at mile 75. 

This race has been the focus of all of his training for months.  He has been dedicated to the race and the distance with several training trips to Colorado at altitude.  He did overnight runs including one where a goat raced him for 2 miles.  My heart was broken to hear that he had to drop out of the race and it made me think what do you say in this situation. 

After 70+ miles with an uncooperative stomach.  

I am so proud of him for having the courage to do this race.  Leadville is notoriously tough...a statistic I heard is a completion rate of less than 50%.  It's tough with a lot of elevation gain and steep climbs.  I know how devastating and tough the decision had to be to pull out but it sounds like he wasn't able to hold any nutrition with stomach distress and that was impacting his ability to regulate his body temperature.  Not a good combination at altitude in Colorado at night. 

The only comparison to my race history that I could think of was back in 2010 I decided to work on my half marathon time and my goal race was the Route 66 Half Marathon.  I had done lots of half marathons but had really never had a time breakthrough.  I made a commitment to my training and added longer runs during the middle of the week.  I felt really strong and had long runs at PR paces.  It was great and I should have been able to execute a great race except I choked.  I got overwhelmed on race day with conditions that weren't as ideal as I wanted them to be and my confidence crumbled.  It was awful telling people how badly I did compared to the time I was gunning for.  I experienced so many emotions and knew that I had let myself down.  Luckily I was able to find another half marathon within the month and I was able to execute the race plan that my training told me I was capable of.  It was great to show myself that I could hold my focus for the race and maintain a positive mental conversation with myself during the whole race. 

I know this situation isn't the same since I didn't have a physical injury or limitation that kept me from my goal in the first race.  Mike's situation is different since his body wouldn't cooperate with his mind. I really have no clue what is the right thing to say...all I can think of the saying below...some dreams are so big that it takes a few tries before you succeed.  Running for 75 miles is an impressive feat especially when you look at the elevation profile.  That's a distance that very few can say they have had the courage to shoot for. 

I can't wait to follow Mike's progress as he tackles his next ultra challenge.  He is a pain in the butt as a coach but I wouldn't trade him in for anyone.  He cares for each and every runner and treats our goals as if they are his own which is why it is no surprise that all of the status updates on his progress were accompanied by 100+ comments with words of encouragement. 

We're all rooting for you Mike and can't wait to cheer you on for your next ultra!!!!

Rush Hour - Mile Repeats

Monday's Facebook post from the Rush Running team was quite the anomaly.  Normally, Mike Rush and Drew promise pain and torture not free stuff! The Rush team had a few leftovers from the War Eagle trail race series so they gave out tons of PowerBar gels and Gu gels during the workout.  Mike is very generous and shares with the community whenever he can. 

The workout he prescribed was 3 by 1 mile repeats.  The mile repeats were to be done at 5K pace with the 3rd lap of each at a hot pace of nearly 25 sec per mile faster for that 400.  I had spent the weekend doing back to back triathlons and so my goal for the night was to just get some mileage in and try what I could handle of the workout. 

I got in a slow warmup or around 2 miles before the workout.  It was warm and sunny out and I didn't feel very sprightly! My first mile came in okay around a 9:30 pace which isn't where Mike prescribed but quick for how tired I felt.  I started on the 2nd mile and just didn't have the heart to withstand the heat and effort.  I took a break after a lap and went to stand in the shade for a minute.  It helped and I gave it another go to finish out the mile.  It was disjointed but felt good to try to persevere.  I ended with a cooldown walk and 4.25 miles for the night. 

After everyone had finished, Mike offered up a few more giveaway items. 

He didn't tell us much about how he would select winners just told us to find a partner.  Once everyone was matched up, he got us started in a rousing game of Rock Paper Scissors.  Yep, that's how he determined who would win some hydration gear and new sunglasses! We started out with 60 people playing and whittled it down on a one shot game until just four were left.  It was a fun way to end the workout. 

Bonus, after the workout I stopped by my friend Brent's house to pick up the Walmart International Cycling kit that I had ordered.  It turned out great and the sizing is perfect.  I can't wait to try it out and will of course have pics to share.  The kits were custom ordered from Primal and look so professional. 

Sunday morning was the Hogeye Marathon in Fayetteville.  Rush Running supports the race and hosts the best water stop on the whole course! We used the same theme this year as last year which was Hula.  One big change was our location...apparently we were too loud for the neighborhood near the trail last year so they moved us up the trail to a spot without any houses nearby. 

This weekend there were lots of weather warnings due to a strong line of storms moving across the country.  Saturday the race organizers put out a notice regarding inclement weather.  The race would go on as long as conditions were safe.  Below is a picture of the weather radar just before the race start...it was going to be close!



As we started to set up our aid station, we had a major decision to make regarding the Rush arch.  The arch is a giant inflatable arch mainly used at finish lines.  For the aid station, it comes in handy because we hang lots of fun pool toys and things like inflatable palm trees and flamingos from it to add to the atmosphere.  With rain almost a certainty Mike decided not to put up the arch and that left us thinking of alternatives for our decorations.  We did the best we could to make our spot festive! 

The music was kept pumping and dry thanks to the Rush bus.  Mike was able to set up the sound system inside the bus so that it stayed dry and kept us dancing the whole time. 

We had a spot that was about 1/2 mile from the half marathon turn around point so we would see the half marathoners twice.  We were also at mile 21 for the full marathon.  This race has more half marathon runners than full or relay so we were busy pretty early on.  We set up tables on both sides of the trail with both water and Gatorade.  We also had Gu and Gu Chomps to share with the runners that we passed out but we started to run low and had to save some for the full marathoners.  Sorry to anyone that missed out:(

We kept our eye on the weather radar and as the storms got closer we moved our supplies under a nearby overpass.  It allowed us to keep out of the heavy rain that eventually came.  Our group never dropped our spirits and we cheered for each and every runner.  Mike was super generous and offered them all some Keystone Light for the road too! We actually had 5-10 runners stop for more than 1 minute at our beer table including 2 who did keg stands at mile 21 of their marathons! CRAZY, just like Mike Rush! More than a couple requested pictures with Mike in his hula glory!

Overall, another fun year at the Hogeye Marathon!!! Congrats to all who ran including my buddies Rhonda and Cathy! It was a tough day and you all did awesome!

Memory Lane - My First Half Marathon

Today Rhonda and I headed out for an easy run as we finish up our training schedule for our half marathon next weekend. Bentonville was packed with runners and it was fun to see so many people out enjoying the weather. Rhonda picked a route that was two miles down the trail so that we could run up the same finish hill we will encounter next weekend. We hit our 2 mile turnaround point and headed back up the trail. As we were running along we saw a couple people out with a camera and poster. My first thought was that they got the date wrong for the race but we just ran by. As we got closer to the start of the BIG hill, I saw some cars parked alongside the trail. Sure enough, we got to the hill and there was Mike Rush of Rush Running. We chatted for a minute and he told us that one of his training group runners was going to be out of town for the race so he was doing his own personal half marathon a week early. Mike quickly pushed us on our way with some rousing cheering and we tackled the hill.

We finished up our run with a quick tour of downtown to add on some extra mileage so we were closer to 5 miles than 4 for the day. As we got back to our cars, Mike and his cheering squad had made their way to the square and the finish line. We asked about the runner and decided to do our cooldown walk in the direction that he would be coming. We found Shaun and his crew right as they finished the mile of hills and were at approx. 12.95 miles. Shaun was struggling with some leg cramping and his crew was encouraging him along. Rhonda and I both got sentimental as we watched Shaun make that last turn onto Main Street where he could see the finish line and crowd waiting for him. He perked up and found that last bit of strength to finish strong. I don't know Shaun at all but because Rush Running is like family I feel so proud for him and what he accomplished.

Watching his finish got me thinking about my first half marathon. It was the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach in 2001. I had seen an ad in Runner's World for a training/fundraising program called Courage for Cancer and decided to sign up. I remember being so scared and nervous about the distance and whether I could do it. I think I had some tendinitis issues during the last few weeks of training but since this was before blogging I don't have a detailed recap of that time.

My precursor to the blog...my fundraising page where I kept a very brief weekly recap of my training.

My first Half Marathon bib!

The race singlet that the charity provided was a little awkward in style so I tied the straps shorter. I also used iron on letters to add my name the night before in our hotel room. I even managed to iron on a letter to one of my sister's sheets that she had brought for us to use on the beach. Ooopsie!

First finish!!! It was a tough race with warm temps and a never ending last few miles on the boardwalk but I ran most of the race with two other members of the charity group and had fun chatting with them. Random side note...I would go on to wear those gray shorts out...literally! Several years later in 2006 I would run the OKC Memorial Half Marathon in those shorts and discover a huge rip in the crotch after finishing. I loved the fit of those shorts and still have no clue of how they fell apart during the OKC race.

Official time for my first half 2:54:34 and the bug was set for me to go on and do many more half marathons. Next week will be my 15th half marathon (16 if you include my Half Ironman in there.) I have a lot of respect for the distance and love the accomplishment I get each time I finish.

Please share your first big race experience in the comments below. I'm always looking for new races to try out!