Running Payday

Here it is, Peeps, my annual Payday Post!

Here is how it works:

I pay myself $.50 for every mile I run, $1.00 for every racing mile, and $5.00 for every PR.  I deduct my race fees from this amount, and I deposit the total in a special savings account for my big ticket racing goal.  Here and here are some previous posts. Go ahead and read them; I'll wait.

Ok, ready?  Step one is to calculate the total miles of 2019. I get this figure from Garmin and Strava, where I log my runs. This year I ran and walked 1,714 miles, which is a surprising decrease from last year, considering I added a 50K to my races. I think this isn't a bad thing, though, for two reasons:

1. I was sick and couldn't run a step for over two weeks during the summer. It was all in my chest. We all know that when it hits your chest, you don't do heavy workouts. That is a loss of approximately 60-some miles.

2. I did a better job of incorporating other activities besides running into my schedule. For example, I like to rotate among cardio and strength training activities like Zumba, Tae Bo, Dancing, Kettlebell, and free weights. I also did more swimming this year.

This is EXACTLY how I THINK I look as swimmer.

This is ACTUALLY how I look as a swimmer.

Step 2 is to add up the racing miles:

April: Forget the PR 50K= 32 (I got lost)

May: Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon = 26.2

May: Medina Half Marathon = 13.1

July: Burning River = 17 

August: One Hot Momma = 16

September: Race with Grace = 3.1

September: Akron Marathon = 26.2

October: Crowell Hilaka = 15.5

November: Home Run for the Homeless = 4

Total Racing Miles = 153.1 = 153

Step 3 is to subtract racing miles from total miles:

1,714 - 153 = 1, 561

Step 4 is to multiply non-racing miles by .50 and then add to racing miles:

1561 x .50 = 780 + 153 = $933

Step 5 is to add in $5.00 for every PR. . .and that would be one (FtPR): 933 + 5 = $938

Woohoo! I'm rich! I'm . . . Oh wait. I still need to add up my racing fees and subtract them from the total:

938-448 = $490

I am so happy with this! What this means is that I will be depositing $490 into my savings account dedicated to running the Paris Marathon. 

As my smart-ass brother has pointed out to me, I am merely paying myself with MY OWN MONEY, which I completely understand. . . HOWEVER. If you are remotely like me, you may want to pay attention to this part. 

I tend to be the person who takes care of everyone else around me: my family, my friends, my colleagues, my students. Running is one of the few ways that I take care of myself, and I have learned that I deserve rewards. Also, knowing that I have an account waiting for me to reach my goal of running the Paris Marathon gives me an incentive on the days that I don't want to get up at 4:30 AM to run or work out. I tend to punish myself pretty harshly when I don't achieve one of my gazillion goals, so I really use this system to remind myself that I am doing a great job.

How can you reward yourself for your goals, Peeps? One way you can reward yourself right away is by using my code, RUNCLESTEPHANI10, for 10% off any race entry for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. We can earn points towards our paydays together!

I'm looking forward to where my running year will take me. Wherever your running year takes you, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

Recap: Medina Half Marathon

It was a chill kind of race.

To give you an idea of it, I didn't even wear my Garmin that day. For me, that is UNHEARD OF.

I had come off the Cleveland Marathon with a time far above what I wanted. I was trying to recover. I was suffering. I got lucky.

I got lucky because I convinced a fellow Mother Runner (Amy) to run with me. She said she wanted a steady 11:00/mile pace, and I knew I could do that. Thank goodness for Amy.

We had a great time running in horrible heat (again), and I actually didn't worry about it because. . . hey. I said I would run an 11:00/mile, and that is what I did.  Thank you, Amy.

Lake Medina. Amy and I pretend that the freaking humidity isn't bothering us.

Finish line. See what a false friend I am? I had to sprint ahead.  Sorry, Peeps. I am just built that way.

 I would like to give a shoutout to the race director, Beth Bugner. I have run this race every year (with the exception of 2016, when I gave up my bib because I had to attend my friend's funeral). Each year truly gets better. I was in doubt that the Medina citizens would be able to handle a half marathon in their neighborhoods because their behavior was questionable and dangerous in the early stages of the race. This year I had no reservations whatsoever about cars or any dangerous situation, and I attribute that to Beth's hard work.  Thank you. The Medina Half Marathon is my goodbye to the school year, and the efforts of the coordinators and volunteers allow me to say goodbye in the best possible way.  I have already purchased my bib for next year, and I encourage you to do the same.  Let's meet at PJ Marley's afterwards for beer and omelets.

As soon as I finished the half marathon, I took off for Salt Lake City for a side gig scoring essays. Salt Lake City is gorgeous, Peeps. I was only able to run up to 5 miles each morning, but gosh.  I can't even describe the mountains as they turned from red to pink to orange.  What a great week.

I ran as far as I could go towards the foothills before 5:30. This is where the road stopped.

Capitol Building at 5:00 AM

For the past two weeks, I have tried to get back to a long trail run, but it has been difficult, Peeps. I am training for the 17.5 mile leg of Burning River, but I just don't have the time. Last week I ran 10 trail miles on Sunday, and this week I ran 13 trail miles. That will have to do because I am leaving for Houston for the National Education Representative Assembly next week. Then I have family vacation (thank God!), and then we have Burning River.  I'll be ready.  I will.

The Stepping Stones at Sand Run. Marta, Rae, Caroline. We had a great run today!

I wish I could be more clever, but I am dealing with a bit of writer angst this week, Peeps. I feel like I should have written on my education blog, and I feel like this post should have happened last week. Deadlines suck.

In any case, embrace the weather! I hope you run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @itibrout!

We Honor You: Cleveland Recap Part II

Last week I gave a first impression recap of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. In that post, I said that I wanted to write at least one other post to address my feelings about Taylor Ceepo's death.  I was avoiding writing the post because I was avoiding processing my feelings about all of it. I ran the Medina Half Marathon today (recap to come later), and several people asked me when I would continue my reflections on the events of the Cleveland Marathon.

So, I guess that will happen today.

Sunday was super-difficult for me, as you read in my post. It was difficult for most runners, but it was the MOST difficult for Taylor Ceepo's family.

If you haven't heard yet, Taylor Ceepo, Medina resident, St. Vincent alum, Walsh University graduate, died about a quarter-mile from the finish line while running the half marathon at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. Here is a link to her obituary in the Akron Beacon Journal.

Taylor Ceepo

I didn't know Taylor; I don't know her family. I teach at Medina High School, and I have heard/read that Taylor was a coach for a soccer club in Medina, so I'm thinking that some of my students knew her.  I know that we have some mutual friends who have talked to me about the memorial services.

When I think about Taylor, who was only 22, I think about her parents. I have two kids, Punkin (17) and Butterbean (12), and I am old enough to have had a 22 year old child. My first thoughts when I heard of her death were for her parents.  Elizabeth Stone summed it up perfectly when she said, “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

 When Punkin was 3 years old, I told my husband (the Kabyle Chef), "I think we need to have another child. If something happens to this one, I could never survive it."  The Kabyle Chef agreed with me almost immediately. Ok, ALMOST.  There is another part to this conversation; I also said, "They say you have one good one and one bad one."

The Chef's response was, "OMG. What if she IS the good one????"

Punkin at 3 years old.  Just kidding. It's a statue of Regan from The Exorcist.

Regardless, because I am neurotic, I have had nightmares about something terrible happening to one or both of my kids. It is the absolute worst thing to happen to a parent. So, that is why my first thought was for Taylor's parents.

My second thought was a jumble. As you may have read, the running community lost another great member in March: Steve Pierce. Click here to read my tribute to my friend.

Both deaths have hit me hard because they happened so close together and because they are SUCH A GODDAMNED INJUSTICE.  It isn't fair.  Steve's death made me angry and afraid, and Taylor's death has magnified that fear. With Steve's death, I had an existential midlife crisis that I thought I had scheduled for myself when I turned forty: What if I die? What is death? Is there an afterlife? All of these questions have tormented me since we lost him. When we lost Taylor, I had greater fears: What if my kids die? How will I go on?

Today, as I ran with a friend, she talked about the Greater Purpose behind death, specifically deaths that we feel happened too soon. I said that while I respect the beliefs of those who cling to the Greater Purpose, I do not believe that there is any purpose to an untimely death. It's wrong. Steve's death was wrong. Taylor's death was wrong. It's not fair. Screw this.

So, what do I take from this? There is no good from the deaths of two people who left suddenly and too soon.  There is no lesson; there is only the reaction.  I can't always control the circumstances of my life, but I can control how I react to them.

When I fear death, mine or someone else's:

I must remember to fiercely love my children, even. . .ESPECIALLY when they are unlovable. I must hug them and hold them and kiss them and remind them that I NEED  them.

I must look to my community and my friends, and I must remind them that I value them and I love them. . .because I may not always have them. This is not easy for me because, well, I'm sort of prickly.  That is my reaction, and I need to change it. My friends deserve more from me.

I must remember that everyone around me has a story and a history. We are all dealing with shit and a struggle, and my job is to find a better reaction to their struggles.

My favorite novel in the whole world is To Kill a Mockingbird, and I am lucky to be able to finish every school year with it in my Sophomore Language Arts class.  Atticus Finch, the best role model for a parent and leader that I can ever imagine, said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” 

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch

I can look at my world with more empathy because frankly, I don't know how much longer I or those I love will remain in it.   

I can choose to be angry, or I can choose to love. Actually, I choose both. 

As you can tell, this is a rambling way for me to square my thoughts. I have no answers or assurance. 

I will run away from my troubles, as I have always done. This time, though, I will recognize the journey and friendship of those who run with me and around me.

I love you, Peeps. Run happy.


Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @itibrout!

It's Pay Day!

Happy New Year, Peeps!

2018 has been some year.  I'm not even sure I want to process what that means, to tell the truth. I prefer to focus on the good stuff right now, so first a photo:

My last day of running this year was 12/30 with the Trail Sisters:

There were some real shenanigans going on here.

We ran the trails of Sand Run. Marta and I decided to finish our twelve miles with a 1/4 mile long hill because we are just badass that way.

Also, I jacked up my knee somehow, so I'm taking it easy today. There will be stretching and foam rolling on the agenda.

Ok, for those of you who haven't read my posts on Payday, here is the gist:

I pay myself $.50 for every mile I run, $1.00 for every racing mile, and $5.00 for every PR.  I deduct my race fees from this amount, and I deposit the total in a special savings account for my big ticket racing goal.  Here and here are some previous posts. Go ahead and read them; I'll wait.

Ok, ready?  Step one is to calculate the total miles of 2018. I get this figure from DailyMile.com, where I log my runs. This year I ran and walked 1,848 miles, which I'm very happy with because my goal was 1,700.

Step two is to add up the racing miles:

Home Run for the Homeless: 4.06
Run with Scissors: 13.3
Akron Marathon: 26.42
Race with Grace: 3.07
Burning River: 25.76
Medina Half Marathon: 13.12
Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon: 26.48
Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon: 13.26
Fools 25K: 15.94

Total Racing Miles: 137.35

Step three is to subtract racing miles from total miles:

1,848 - 137 = 1,711

Step four is to multiply non-racing miles by .50 and then add to racing miles:

1,711 x .50= 855.5-> 856 + 137 = $993

Wow! This is a lot of moolah, but I'm not finished yet, Peeps. I still need to add up my racing fees and subtract them from the total:

Total: 993
         -351
           642

642 smackeroos!  Holy Shmoly! But wait!!!  I get to award myself 5 bucks for every PR, and I had 1 (The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, thanks to Marta!), so. . . .

647 dollars!  Whoa!

I will be depositing that money as soon as I get paid! My dream marathon account is certainly adding up! Paris, I will be running your streets soon!

So, I do this for myself because I am driven (shocking, right?), and I tend to punish myself for my shortcomings. It is super-important that I acknowledge my accomplishments, and this is a way for me to see real improvement. This is the highest paycheck I've earned to date, and I intend to earn more next year.

What do you do to reward your accomplishments, Peeps? It doesn't have to be money, and your goals don't have to involve running. You could practice mindfulness and meditation. You can take up a new sport or start walking or swimming. The thing is that OF COURSE the rewards to your body and spirit are obvious, but that doesn't always help when you want to sleep in and you know you should be training for a 50K by doing hill repeats (guilty). Find something you can use as an incentive (try not to make it donuts), and reward yourself for your effort. It can be gradual (at the end of each week that you accomplished a goal) or it can be the biggie at the end of the year (like my payday). Just do it!  You deserve this.

Speaking of what you deserve, why not treat yourself to one of the races in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon series? Use my code, SI2019, for 10% off registration. Let's do this together!

However your year ended, I hope you ran it happily, Peeps!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @itibrout!

Race Recap: Medina Half Marathon

This is the fourth time I've run the Medina Half Marathon, and (spoiler alert!) it gets better every year.

I teach in Medina, so I like to use this race as a transition from my school year to summer, a sort of goodbye for a while. Usually I see lots of former students there, but this year the race was on the same day as Commencement, so there were fewer people around. I was a little bummed that I couldn't read names for Commencement, but sometimes the race needs to come first, Peeps.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm saying goodbye to the school year. . .in front of a gazebo. . .at 6 AM.

One of the reasons I like the Medina Half Marathon is the price. I sign up at the expo every year, so it costs me $30.  For a half marathon.  With beer. And pizza.  And a shirt. And a sweet medal. Whatta deal, right?

Here I am in front of that gazebo again, showing off that sweet medal.

A second reason why I like the Medina Half Marathon is the location, which is just 25 minutes away from my house. This means that I can get out of bed a little later than with some races. More importantly, the race starts at 6:45, but I can roll into town by 6:00 (or later if I weren't so nervous) and always find great parking (for free!) and use the bathroom as many times as I would like.

I also have time to take selfies with my friends in the corral. This is Jennifer, and she KILLED it.

The weather was a bit humid, moreso in the second half of the race. I ran with Jennifer for the first four miles because she claimed she wanted to run slowly and I needed to be gentle with myself after running the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon just six days ago.  By the way, she is a liar. We averaged a 9:20 pace for the first part. At mile four when the rolling hills started, I told her to leave me because I knew I needed to conserve my energy.

I decided to fuel at Lake Medina because it's nice to eat your GU when running around a beautiful lake.

Isn't it nice that I mustered up a smile here?

See the lake?

Coming off the lake, we entered into the residential areas. This is where in the past I have had serious fears. In the first few years, there were some people who completely ignored the fact that there was a race going on in their neighborhood, and they would weave in and out of runners with their cars and completely ignore course marshalls, even policemen. I know for a fact that the Race Director works very hard to integrate this race into the community, and her communication with people living in those neighborhoods is top-notch, so I used to get very angry when I saw how dangerous drivers were there. I am happy to say that there were ZERO PROBLEMS with drivers this year, even at the busy intersection at the finish. Bravo, Medina. You are showing us your best face, the one I often see year-round but other visitors to your city weren't seeing in the previous races.

It was getting muggier and muggier in the race, and I was very thankful for the hoses and sprinklers that friendly neighbors were using on the course. I also have to compliment the Race Director for having ample water on the course. There were water stops at least every two miles, and I stopped at just about every one of them to drink some water, swish some electrolyte drink in my mouth, and dump a cup of water over my head.

The finish was the same as in previous years, on bricks (which I don't like), but without the drivers busting through the intersection before the finish line.  I managed to kick it into high gear when I saw the finish line.

This is my favorite picture: Kicking it to the end! Photo Credit: Marta Pacur

After the race, Marta, Angie, and I took some pictures, drank some beer, and ate some pizza.

I'm modeling the Medina shirt here.

Then Marta and I had breakfast on the Square at PJ Marley's.

This was a great race. It meets every requirement I have of a race: ample parking, good bathrooms, post-race beer and pizza, and interesting and safe course. Oh, and did I mention FREE pictures??? I signed up for next year at this year's expo!

Thank you to all the volunteers and those who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this race happen. I really appreciate you, and I plan to see you next year!

A special thank you goes to Marta, who drove to Medina early in the morning to cheer on Angie and me. We are Trail Sisters, and we support each other, but Marta really goes above and beyond.

What are you training for? For me it's Leg 7/8 of Burning River. I hope that no matter what your running plans are, you run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Race Recap: Medina Half Marathon

The Medina Half Marathon is a tradition for me. I am a teacher at Medina High School, and this race takes place the Saturday after school lets out every year. It is my way of saying goodbye to the school year and to Medina for a brief vacation. It is my way of letting go of the stress and the tears and the sleeplessness of grading and worrying and juggling schedules.

This is part of Medina Square. The course begins and ends here.

Each year I sign up for next year's race at the expo because it is only $38, which is an amazing price for a half marathon with an awesome medal. So, when I signed up for the race for this year, I didn't realize at the time that I would decide to run the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, since I have been running the half for a few years. This meant that I would run 26.2 one week and then 13.1 six days later.

I was committed to both races, so I figured I could walk as much of the Medina race as I needed to if I was still suffering from the marathon.  It turns out that I felt fine after the marathon, so I decided to run the half. Notice that I didn't say that I decided to RACE the half. I think that might have caused an injury, and I didn't want to do anything stupid. Well, more stupid than usual.

As a bonus, Marta from the Burning River Goddesses messaged me and asked if I wanted to run the race with her; she was also still recovering from the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  Su-weet!

We decided to just run how we felt. . . and we felt pretty good! We decided about halfway through that we could probably shoot for a 2:10 finish.

The course has changed each year, and this year brought fewer hills, which surprised me greatly. I had warned Marta that we would be feeling the hills, and then I kept wondering when we would find them!  One other change from previous years: the race course was much safer in the residential neighborhoods this year. I think that our Medina friends have finally realized that the race is here to stay, and they have learned to live with it. In previous years, I have seen cars weaving among runners, and it was super-dangerous. This year when there were drivers, they listened to the course directors. Kudos to the Race Director for working on this problem.

As we came to the end of the race, I heard my friends shouting my name (thanks, Ailene!), so I found the energy to kick it in gear and sprint. Marta and I finished in 2:10:01.  I'll take it!

It looks painful, right?

 Now for the worst photo finish EVER:

Hahahahaha! So dramatic.

After I walked off the feeling of wanting to throw up, Marta and I took some happy pictures by the Gazebo (which is a Medina-thing):

Then we went to the best after-party EVER: Pizza and beer and a great band sponsored by Stand up for Downs. I drank some Fat Tire (no crappy Michelob Ultra here) and ate some pizza and basked in the sunshine with Marta:

Before we were faking it. Now that we have beer, we are truly happy.

And check out the awesome medal:

There are little sparkles embedded in the medal.

All in all, I give the Medina Half Marathon a big stamp of approval. This race gets better every year. The race directors listen to our feedback and work really hard to make any necessary improvements for the next year, and honestly, there is a lot of bang for your buck. I will continue to make this half my traditional hello to summer.

How do you say hello to summer?  Whatever your tradition, whether it involves racing or not, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

The Psychological Thin Line

This post is late, by my standards, and YOU DON'T CARE AND NEITHER DO I.

I ran 16.2 miles last Sunday. 13.1 of those miles were with Kristin, who is amazing and I love her. The Medina Half Marathon course was the focus for most of our morning.

Kristin and I are front row, second and third from left.

I should have kept going after 16, but I just felt. . .done. So, I stopped.

This is EXACTLY how I look after I run 16.2 miles.

I wanted to remind you about the title of this Blog: Run away from Trouble. I try very hard to keep this blog upbeat and positive, even when circumstances seem glum (see when I broke my foot!), but you need to know that there is a reason that I started to run: I have a lot of crazy to burn off, and I need to run away from my troubles.

Today, after lots of thinly-veiled hints from my daughter that I suck as a mom, and after a long phone call from school about my son (not my first, I might add, and unfortunately probably not my last), I decided I needed to run away.  I strapped on my phone, turned on the music, braided my hair, and took off.

Screw this. Screw everyone. I just want to run away.

It was 81 degrees during my run, and I chose a route with hills, lots of hills. At one point I wanted to cry, but I reminded myself that I was running AWAY from all of that. . .so I tried to live in the moment.

Breathe in for three. . . Breathe out for two. I am strong. Runner. I got this. Runner. Relax-er. Runner.

I ran for five miles, and when I came back, I felt better. My troubles were still there, but I was better equipped to deal with them. I talked through the school day with my son, and I helped him plan a better day for tomorrow. I warned my daughter that until the end of the school year I am psychologically unstable, so she needs to think twice before poking the bear in any way. I showered, went grocery shopping, put the kids to bed, and finally ate some dinner.

Look, I have a lot of crazy in my head. Running is one of the best ways for me to cope. Sometimes running (especially racing) can be equally as stressful for me, but quitting isn't an option. Today I told myself that if quitting the run wasn't an option, quitting my family can't be an option either. We all have miles to go before we sleep; we need to figure out how to best get through those miles. If we are lucky, we can enjoy them.

How do you view running, Peeps? I hope you can Run Happy this week!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Training for What?

Welcome back to the blog, Peeps!  Before I get started, I'd like to announce the winner of the giveaway for Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Ambassador Jill's book:

Rafflecopter chose Jen R. to receive Jill's awesome book!  Congratulations, Jen; I know you will love it. For those of you who are interested in purchasing Jill's book, and I HIGHLY recommend that you do, click here to buy it from Amazon, or check out Jill's signing at Mahall's (13200 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107) on January 21, 2017 from 1:30-3:30.  Come meet Jill and have her sign your book; you'll have a great time, a fun new book, and a new friend.

We are halfway through January, and it's time I got my act together and started thinking about goals.  I had a nice little break when I was recovering from surgery (I'll write about that next week), but now I have to get my butt in gear.  And OH BOY HOWDY do I have a butt now.  I have gained ten pounds since I finished running the Akron Marathon, and eight of those pounds are absolutely non-negotiable. I know how I did it, too; I stuffed ALL THE FOOD into my pie hole.  Shame on me.

Luckily, I know what to do about that; get back on the horse (or on the road or trail). I've got to start watching my calories again and making some hard choices about what I put into my mouth.  I'm a stress-eater, and I'm a non-stress-eater; really, I just like food.  I need to remember what it feels like to have some discipline.  To start, I'm looking at my calendar.

One thing that helps me with discipline is my racing goals.  To that end, I have signed up for five races already this year. I'm betting you can guess one of them:

I'm so pleased and honored to be an Ambassador for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon this year. I love this race, and I love my fellow ambassadors. Check out their social media accounts here. I haven't decided what I'm running for this race series, but I promise I will let you know when I figure it out.

I'm also running the Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon, the Medina Half Marathon, a sixteen-mile leg of the Burning River 100-mile Relay, and the Akron Marathon.

Do you think this will be the motivation I need? Of course, I also have some of the best motivation in the world: my friends.

Joy, Shelby, and I made a pact to do our long runs together. We started today.

What are your goals this year, Peeps?  Until then, run happy!

Like what you read? Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Medina Half Marathon Test Run

Today I ran 10 miles of the Medina Half Marathon course.  The sun was shining; the temps were perfect.  Heather and I had time for a pre-run selfie:

While we are still happy and refreshed.

 We also took a picture with the whole group:

The dark side of the gazebo.  Can you see me?  NOOO???

Heather and I both share the same problem: we go out too fast.  I told her that I am trying to mend my ways, and I'm trying to keep a deliberately slow pace on the long runs. She listened and totally agreed with me. . .and we still ran the first three miles at a 9:30 pace and under.  It's difficult to see a bunch of people pass you and let them go, especially when you know you CAN HANG WITH THESE RUNNERS.  Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.


In mile 4, we caught up with a gentleman named Dick who said he'd like to stick with our pace.  As we ran, he told us his story: Dick started running when he was 69 because his wife thought it would be a nice thing to do with their kids and grandkids.  They all raced together for Dick and his wife's fiftieth (!!!!) wedding anniversary, and then she decided she didn't need to run anymore.  Dick isn't finished.  He is 73, and he is going strong! When I grow up, I want to be like Dick.

Heather and Dick post-run stretch at the Square

Dick is a great example of how running can keep you strong physically and mentally.  That man looks so much younger than his years, and he kept right with us the whole time.  Thanks for talking to us today, Dick.  You inspire us.

All in all, this was a great run.  Heather and I had great conversation, and it was easy to run with her.  All long runs should be so easy!

Pretty soon I'll be tapering for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Race Series.  I'm running the 8k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.  Will you join me by clicking here to register or volunteer?  I'm looking forward to seeing you!

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you see?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Outside Again!

     First of all, congratulations to Vera, who won the SLS3 Belt Giveaway.  For those of you who didn't get lucky in the drawing, check them out on Amazon while the price is still reduced!  

 Last week I did thirty miles, all on the treadmill.  All. On. The. Treadmill.  When the snowstorms started up again Monday night, I felt like I would never see the sun again, but then Saturday happened.

The sun DOES exist in Ohio!

     When I finished my cleaning, I put on a tee shirt and capris and ran part of Sand Run Park.  It was windy, hilly, muddy, and glorious.  Usually Saturday is my take-it-easy-day where I walk on the treadmill while watching Supernatural, but NO WAY was I going to let a 68 degree day go by without running in the Metroparks.  I told myself that I would run super-slowly, but I lied.  Going up and down those hills in the first 2.5 miles made me feel like I was flying, and I just let myself go.  Of course, what goes up must come down, so the next 2.5 miles after the turnaround were considerably slower, but WHO CARES????

This is EXACTLY how I look when I feel like I'm flying down Sand Run.

Do you see me?  

     As a bonus, I ran 10 miles today in the sunshine for part of the Medina Half Marathon route with my running buddy Kristin.  We had a great time running around Medina, mostly streets but a bit of trail by Lake Medina.

     While we were running, I told Kristin the following story about her daughter, to whom I taught AP Literature and Composition:

     We (AP Lit. students and I) were analyzing Carpe Diem poems, looking at how different poets use the same motifs to convey the theme of Seize the Day; then we talked about how we could embrace the moment.  I told the students that I had recently signed up to run a leg of the relay for the Akron Marathon, and that next year I could probably run the half marathon.  Mattie said, "Wait. Haven't you already run more than any of the legs of the relay?"
     
     I replied, "Well, yes, but I don't think I'm ready to take on the half marathon this year."

     And then Mattie said, "Then what the hell are we doing talking about Carpe Diem?"

     Huh.

     That day I went home and registered for the Akron Half Marathon, and the rest is history.

   

I teach some pretty smarty-pants kids.

     I remembered the lesson of Carpe Diem today as I ran with a fun group of people because I was thinking of how I'm seizing the day this year:

1st time running on Burning River relay team (Leg 7--holla!) with the Mother Runners
Ragnar Trail Appalachians WV ultra team relay (woot!  First time on an ultra team! 30 miles of trails!)
1st time running back-to-back races (8k and half marathon for Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Series)
My first marathon (Akron Marathon)

     All of these goals scare the hell out of me, so I know they must be worthy.  Now I'm going to work my ass off to achieve those goals because-- CARPE DIEM, Peeps!

This is EXACTLY how I look when I say, "Carpe Diem, Peeps!"

How will you seize the day this year? This week?  Tomorrow?  Start by running happy, Peeps!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

What's on the Table?

It is January 24, 2016, and I haven't finished figuring out my racing goals.  This is what I've got so far in actual registrations:

May 14: Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 8k

May 15: Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Half

I'm really excited about these two races for several reasons.  The first reason:

I'm a #RunCLE Ambassador!  Yay!

The second reason is because I've never run two big races on consecutive days.  The closest I've come is running two trail races, a 5 miler on a Saturday and an 8 miler on a Sunday.  This race series excites me because it gives me a new kind of mental and physical challenge.  How will I race them?  Will I treat the half marathon as my weekly long run?  My gut tells me that I am not capable of running a race without trying to PR, and the Cleveland course has a special place in my heart.  It is much more runner-friendly than the Akron course.  The only reason I haven't done so well in Cleveland is because of the weather (last year) and the time of year, since I don't train well during the winter months.  This year I have a treadmill, so things may be different.

May 28: Medina Half Marathon

I signed up for this half on the day that I ran it last year.  It has been a tradition for me since it started three years ago.  I haven't PR'd on this race either for pretty much the same reasons as with Cleveland.  I enjoy this race, though, because I work in Medina and I love to see my colleagues, my students, and my former students on and around the course.

The medal is pretty sweet, too.

August 6: Burning River 100 Mile Relay

I will be leg 7 in an 8-person relay team for the Mother Runners.  My leg is about 15 miles, and it will happen in the wee hours of the night.  I'm really excited about this because I've volunteered for Burning River twice, and it was fascinating to see the runners.  This distance will be the longest racing distance I've ever done at one time.

August 12-13: Ragnar Trail Appalachians WV Ultra Relay

Ok, I know that in my review I said I'd never run this again, but This. Is. Different.  I have got to get this one done right, and these are different circumstances:

1. It is in August, not June, so hopefully it will be warmer with no monsoons.  Thank you, Ragnar, for changing the date after years of Tent City devastation.

2.  My father won't be in a coma in the hospital, so I won't be frantically trying to get cell phone reception in the middle of a forest in the mountains so I can find out if he is alive.  I'm putting the rest of my family on notice: You all had better take care of yourself during this weekend.  I have to take the whammy off this race, and I can't deal with your problems, too, while I'm doing it.

3.  This time I will be part of a 4-woman ultra team with Jennifer, Leigh, and Joy.  I enjoy running with these ladies, and based on last year's race, I enjoy camping with Jennifer and Leigh.  I'm anticipating a more relaxed experience this year, while pushing myself physically.  This time I will be running a total of 30 miles in 24 hours, about 10 miles at a time.

4.  This time I will bring more hoodies, more towels, and lots more food.  I will enjoy myself.  I will eat lots of Smores, and I will drink beer and take naps, and do yoga, when and if I feel like it.

I will run through this arch with flaming torches again.  Oh yes, I will.

You can see that my calendar is concentrated in May and August.  Yes, I am still stupid, but this time I will be smarter about being stupid.

I'm not finished with races.  There will be 5Ks and 10Ks and maybe a 15K sprinkled in there, but the race I haven't registered for yet, well, you know what that is.  And if you don't?  Wait until I write about it next week.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!

Race Review: Medina Half Marathon

Or "How I Didn't Run Like a Dumbass this Time"

And there you go.  Thanks for reading--see you next week!

Ok, I know that wasn't enough.  You probably remember my recap of the Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon two weeks ago.  In a nutshell, I ran like a. . .well, a nut.  I didn't take the humidity into consideration, I didn't have goals, yadda yadda yadda.  As a result, I crashed and burned after the first 10k.  I was determined to rectify these errors for the Medina Half Marathon, especially since the weather was worse than it was in Cleveland.  88% humidity and high temps, anyone?  No takers?

Knowing that my biggest problems are the Voices in my head (sorry, Voices, you know I still love you), I came up with some strategies to run safely in this race.

1.  DO NOT even think about a PR.  Just don't.

2.  Set goals.  My secret goal was 2:05.  The goal I told everyone was 2:10 or less.  The time I would take without complaining too much was 2:11, as long as it wasn't because I was a zombie at the end.

3.  Take all water stops.  One cup down the throat and one over the head.

4.  HOLD BACK.  I was determined to keep my pace consistently between 9:30 and 9:45.

5.  Enjoy the moment.  Touch the power station signs.  High-five little kids.  Thank the volunteers.  Wave to friends in the crowd.

The Medina Half is a special race for me because I teach at Medina High School.  I love to look at the crowds and see students, former students, and colleagues cheering on the runners.  This year was even more special because two of my friends chose Medina for their first half marathon.  You always remember your first!

TORN represents!

Shannon is running her first half!

Heather, Lauren, and I all run for wine!

One of the many things I like about the Medina Half Marathon is that the race is capped at 1,000 half marathon runners.  This means that there is plenty of free parking and bathrooms, two factors I always consider in races as they make me very nervous.  This also means that I didn't have to get there super early.  As Joy and I lined up in the corral, I tried to get my mind in the right place.

Joy and I are ready to go!  

When we started, I was very tempted to try to catch Joy (who is a freaking rabbit), but my mantra was "Run smart.  Don't run like a dumbass," so I deliberately dialed it back in the first few miles.  I didn't dial it back as much as I should have (9:30-9:45), but I did manage to keep it at 9:20-ish for the first three miles or so.  As I am not a good negative split runner, I'm not convinced that running even more slowly at the start would have given me a better time at the end.  My legs felt fine this time (not like in Cleveland); it was just the heat and humidity that were killing me.

The course has changed again this year, and I really liked it.  I'm not the best person to ask because I'm not always aware of my surroundings, but I feel like most of the hills were gone from the back part of the race, which I really appreciated.  The biggest hill didn't change; that was on route 18, where I saw the TORN Superfans and they took pictures of us suffering the hill.

Yes!  This hill is my bitch!

It felt like there were fewer spectators this year, but I didn't mind because the tradeoff was that there were fewer dangerous drivers ignoring course marshals and weaving around runners.  This was my biggest complaint in previous years and my main concern this year: too many dangerous and inconsiderate drivers and not enough police to keep them under control.  I am happy to say that the Race Directors took this seriously.  My colleagues who live in the areas of the course had told me that there had been lots of notice, even a door-to-door campaign to make the residents aware of what would be happening that morning.  I noticed many more police at intersections, and I am grateful because this is the first year I felt safe on the course.  Thank you, Medina police and volunteers, for giving your time for us.  Thank you, Race Directors, for being committed to our safety.

Also, I didn't mind fewer spectators because the road-chalk messages more than made up for the lack of people.  I LOVED all the messages spread out on the course!  Thank you to all the people who put them there!

The heat and humidity definitely took their toll on runners; I saw a runner being loaded into an ambulance around mile 10, and I saw another runner buckle just before the finish line.  Two runners picked her up under the elbows and brought her across.  Again, I repeated my mantra and adjusted my expectations.  I thought I might hit my secret goal, but I definitely got slower after mile 10, and the 2:10 pacers passed me around mile 11, so I realized I had to kick it in gear.  Unfortunately, I was running on bricks for about half of mile 12, and I was worried about falling or twisting a foot, so that slowed me down considerably.  When I got off the bricks, I could see and hear the crowd at the finish, so I was able to pick up the pace, even though I was running uphill a bit.  I could hear my friends in the crowd calling my name, and I was able to sprint to the finish, something I couldn't do in Cleveland.

This was just before my final kick.  No, I was not sprinting here.

The food for this race was awesome: Subway sandwiches, fruit, rice chips, chocolate milk, water.  The race entry included a ticket to the after party hosted by Stand up for Downs, where we drank REAL beer (IPA!) and ate Romeo's Pizza.  I had intended to meet my peeps elsewhere for a post-race lunch, but it was really nice to sit at the after party, so we stayed there for a while.

TORN Peeps drink beer.  Look at Erin after her first half marathon!

All in all, despite the weather, I really enjoyed the Medina Half Marathon this year.  Thank you to the Race Directors for taking runners' comments into consideration and planning a quality event for a great price.  In fact, I bought my race entry for next year at the expo because I had faith that this year would be a good one.  I believe in Medina, and I believe in this event, so I think it will continue to improve every year.

Do you want to get in on this, Peeps?  I bought my entry for 30 bucks at the expo, but if you missed that chance, you can buy yours online for only 35 bucks until midnight tonight (May 31) and for only 45 bucks until November 1.  Not bad, eh?

Look at this sweet medal!

Nice tech tee, too!

Thanks to the TORN Superfans for lifting my spirits in this oppressive humidity.  Thanks to the Dargan clan for cheering for me, and thanks to Jess Toocheck who was at the hill before the finish.  You are all amazing!  Medina, I will see you next year!

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter @itibrout!